Too much time between songs during a gig

inneedofgrace

inneedofgrace

Platinum Member
I've been at gigs where it takes the band way too long to end one song and start the next one. It can happen for a whole host of reasons, but it's usually due to one of these:

1) Guitarists switching guitars

2) Guitarists tuning guitars

3) Front man trying to talk too much (shout outs to people that came out to watch the band, reminders to tip waitresses/bartenders, introducing band members who were featured on the song, etc)

4) Front man trying to switch order of songs on the fly, or playing the audience request game

5) Various technical difficulties or adjustments being made between songs

I've heard a lot of feedback from people in the audience that get annoyed when it takes the band too long to move on to the next song. this really frustrates me, because I am prepared and it is not my fault that the song transitions are so slow. I particularly get annoyed when the front man wants to make song changes on the spot, usually for no good reason (many times it is ego driven or someone who is passive/aggressive). And I absolutely hate it when the band leader starts entertaining song ideas from the audience. We are not a DJ and this is not a wedding.

What is your experience with this issue? How have you dealt with it? Have you ever just clicked off the next song just to move things along?
 
Good topic. As a drummer and not the leader, I just go with whatever happens. As long as it's entertaining in that time, cool. If it is because of someone fumbling with equipment, whatever. I have no control, and it's best not to let it ruin the mood. But I agree that ideally, shows should move along. As far as changing the song order, again, whatever. In my trio, I don't know what song we will do until the leader starts. He usually starts the songs by himself, that way he can set the tempo he wants to play it at that night. There are only a few he has to count off. The funny thing is he never lets me know what song we are doing. I have to figure it out by the tempo of the count. Keeps me on my toes. On the flip side, he GREATLY appreciates the fact that he can do his thing without needing to inform me of what's coming up because he knows I will be right there with the right beat. A drummer has to read minds to a certain extent.
 
larryace said:
In my trio, I don't know what song we will do until the leader starts. He usually starts the songs by himself, that way he can set the tempo he wants to play it at that night. There are a few he counts off. The funny thing is he never lets me know what song we are doing. I have to figure it out by the tempo of the count. Keeps me on my toes. On the flip side, he GREATLY appreciates the fact that he can do his thing without needing to inform me of what's coming up because he knows I will be right there with the right beat. A drummer has to read minds to a certain extent.
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I've experienced that as well, which was very difficult for me at first, because I tend to be a structured person. But after I got used to working in that fashion, it became second nature to me, and like you said, is much appreciated by the leader. It also excudes a sense that the band is really tight. However, there are others in the band that cannot think as well on their feet, and get crossed up when songs are changed around.
 
Can't stand frontmen who start whittering on..

Went to see Fish a few weeks back...love the guy's music, but Good God, I reckon he cut 20 minutes into music time with his jabbering on.

Really tiresome.

Get on..play....it's what people have paid for

Plus..for those frontment who babble on about politics and stuff...it should not be taken for granted that their entire audience agrees with them
 
This actually drives me completely crazy. I've actually yelled at guitar players to hurry up and get their crap together. No excuse for it really. It looks so unprofessional and gives people the impression that they don't know how to tune or work their own gear. Try this next time. Go into the four count when you're sick of waiting and when they don't start loudly ask "what the hell are you waiting for?' I've also walked out from behind the kit and sarcastically asked the guitarist if he needed help tuning his guitar. It has made for some tension but people take the time to have their gear set proper before the shows now. Guitar players, jeez!
 
Part of preparing for the show is rehearsing the show as it will be played. With all guitar changes, tuning, audience chatter, everything. In this way everything can be timed and set to make the show flow as it should. Now obviously some things will change, broken strings, etc, but if your band cant take what is practiced to the stage then there is a serious problem.

As a fan I like a minute between songs. I don't care for the one song into the next thing, I am probably in the minority, but I like each song to stand on its own.
 
Great opportunity for a little drum solo...... :) Terry
 
My bands are very aware of "dead air" on stage, and even 5 seconds is an eternity. In the case of guitar/bass changeovers, the sets are constructed so that songs requiring changes are grouped together, and to keep the changes to a minimum - no more than 1 per set - those songs usually appear at the beginning or end of the set. During that change, the singer or available person at the mic acknowledges the crowd, thanks the venue, reminds the audience that we'll be back next month, stuff like that.

Of course, this really only works if the band adheres to a set list. Bands that don't are pretty obvious in their fumbling between songs, and even a drunk crowd expects a band that knows what they're doing... not guessing or discussing what's next, as if nobody's watching or caring. Or worse, that the audience is stupid and doesn't know, so the band doesn't need to be particularly organized or professional.

Every band (that wants to work) needs to maintain a certain level of professionalism all the time.

I know I bring up the word "pro" a lot in various threads, and I use it both to refer to working professionals, as well as those who conduct themselves in a professional manner. I've always found that those who behave like pros are considered pros, and that often leads to them becoming working pros. It applies when playing arenas, clubs, in rehearsal, on forums, meeting and hanging with other musicians, visiting the local music store. Truly, at any time when interacting or being seen by someone else.

So that business of too much time between songs... it's never acceptable. If someone breaks a string, doesn't have a spare instrument, and can't play the songs without all strings intact, then a short break should be called. It's better than standing around for 2 minutes while nothing is happening.

Bermuda
 
I have been playing with a classic rock band on and off for about 3 yrs. They drive me freakin crazy, no song flow. Its like they are not confident with each other and have to make sure everyone is ready before the next song. I gave them a real shock the last time I sat in, I just went from one song to the next and was not stopping. I have another gig with them next week. At rehearsal they where saying we need to be on top of things because the drummer is starting the next tune if you are ready or not. I like to play a set list that has 4 or 5 tunes back to back, and take a few moments for a drink of water while they say there plugs for the bar or whatever. When a song stops and everyone is looking at each other like they forgot there head at home, the whole band looks like a joke and kills the dance floor. You won't even get a drunk super fan.
 
I generally agree that things need to move along in a professional manner, but I kind of like a short break between songs now and then to give the crowd a chance to relax and us a chance to chat them up a little. Our lead singer is often very boring with his inter song chatter (see us on facebook, buy our t-shirts, etc.) but our bass player can be very funny and I like it when he jokes around with the crowd. I see that as part of the total entertainment package. I want us to be thought of as a fun band who interacts with the audience.
 
This is something that really annoys me when watching other bands. My original band have rehearsed our songs in sets of two or three. These sets sometimes get move around but keeping them like this means everyones on the same page. Any guitar changes/tune ups happen around this. Obviously if a guitar has gone really out of tune we will pause to sort it but it's not normally a problem.

With my blues cover band the guitarist or bassist start songs. I don't even have a a set list but we never have trouble with long pauses between songs.
 
Guitar players should run through a tuning device so that they can quickly check the strings in the 30 seconds to a minute that should be between songs.

I mean, obviously, our adoring fans must have time to clap and go on about how awesome that last number was!
 
Technical difficulties are tough to get around.

It used to be when my singer would blabber too much in-between songs, I'd just count off the next song and everyone would follow my lead.
 
We would try to include a block of 4 or 5 songs in each set. Usually someone would count it in as soon as the previous song ended. Occasionally we would work out a transition. Some songs we knew would fill the dance floor so we would try to keep'em there with the next one.
 
while touring with All Parallels for a decade we always believed in a well calculated set that kept the show moving

all tuning spots were planned out and never happened during dead air .

and all talking happened over some sort of vamp

most songs were connected by an interlude and if there was ever a dead stop between songs it was very brief .......4 to 5 seconds tops

usually the first 3 or 4 songs would run into one another with a connecting interlude or straight in......

and usually the last two did much of the same

we were always complimented on our precise, tight, and smooth flowing sets.

that being said......this is the main reason why I love and prefer to play jazz today....

years of precise, calculated sets where every second was planned out....even the bits that looked and sounded spontaneous being rehearsed .....wore on me

but we always sounded great

we prided ourselves on being an absolutely killer live band and always gave the people more than they paid for

110% every night.....no exceptions

you can catch some of it here from our 2008 tour ....a booze driven tour I may add...hahaha

this was a live show at a recording studio in Baton Rouge LA called Building Studios

after the first song it cuts off but you can hear us slide right into the second song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjmfvklnWcg&t=5m26s
 
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I definitely agree. You have to keep the songs flowing. We try to keep it to short maybe 30 second breaks, but honestly they aren't normally that long. Its enough time for any clapping to finish, and for the band members to glance around and make sure nobody is completely lost. Even then I prefer shorter transitions even if we start the song while people are still clapping.

Once I went to a concert and one of the openers ( I have no idea who) droned on for literally 15 mins and only played two songs. The only thing I remember about them is that they provided a great opportunity for a bathroom break.
 
"Dead Air" has always been a pet peeve of mine. The key is agreement by all band members to minimize it, a set list order that reduces instrument switch-outs (like Bemuda said), and rehearsing the set list and the change time between songs.
 
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