Seattle | Leah Natale

1 Why Hire Live Music For Your Next Party?

When was the last time you attended a wedding or holiday party? Do you remember the food? The color scheme and centerpieces? OR do you remember the music?

Being a professional wedding singer, I have to admit I’m a bit biased when it comes to hiring a live band for special occasions. But having witnessed hundreds of ceremonies and celebrations, I’ve seen time and again how live music can make a big difference.

Did you know:
• 81% of guests say entertainment is the most memorable part of a wedding or special event.
• 72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
• Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.
• During wedding planning, brides say their highest priority is their wedding dress, followed by the reception site and caterer. Reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities.
• Within one week after their reception, 78% of brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority.
*These statistics were published in St. Louis Bride & Groom Magazine in 2003.

SO WHY HIRE A BAND?

A live band helps break the ice.
It’s a fact that not everyone at your party will be social. For your shy co-workers and family, hiring a live band is a great way to keep them entertained and keep the awkward silence to a minimum. Unlike DJs, live bands provide music and a show. A good band can read the room and pick up the tempo when things seem to be moving slowly.

Professional bands take care of the details.
By hiring a live band the host will not have to worry about renting or setting up and sound equipment, assigning a friend as an emcee, or building a music library to play on an IPod. Good live bands are professionals—they show up on time dressed appropriately and take care of what needs to be done to keep the party moving.

THREE SIMPLE STEPS TO HIRING A BAND

1. Book the Band & Your Venue at the Same Time.
When looking at venues, check with the on-site coordinator if there’s room for your preferred band and equipped to handle their sound equipment needs. If you’re planning to rent an outdoor space in a neighborhood or park, make sure to check the local sound ordinances within the community’s bylaws or from the Park Department.

2. Pick a Genre.
Choose a band with a specific sound. In general, bands that cover all genres of music are also pretty mediocre at all genres of music. A band with a specific niche will have spent time studying a smaller range of songs and will be much more polished. GigMasters is a great website to find live music available for hire in your area.

3. Sign a Contract.
Contracts can seem a little intimidating, but they actually protect you just as much as the band. Without a contract, there is nothing to stop your band from canceling hours before the event. Be very specific about your expectations and make sure any additional services such as an extra hour of music, song requests, band attire, etc. are included in the contract. See attached PDF file for suggested questions to ask the band.

Hopefully these tips will help you throughout the planning process. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

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0 Why Are Some Musicians So Shy?

“I’m very shy, and I shy away from people. But the moment I hit the stage, it’s a different feeling. I get nerve from somewhere; maybe it’s because it’s something I love to do.” – Ella Fitzgerald

While many of my peers have no problems mingling with the crowd as soon as a set is over, I will strategically start wrapping chords and putting away equipment just to avoid making eye contact with the crowd. It’s not that I have someplace to go or I don’t want to be bothered. I am simply shy.

When I’m on stage something takes over and this fear of people or the shame of having an inflated ego disappears. It’s as though my alter ego comes out and I allow my heart to soar. This feeling, however, takes so much energy and after giving so much of myself to the music and the audience I often have very little left by the time the set is over.

There are many theories why so many musicians share this same feeling but I think Tony Bennett says it best in this lost interview.

I especially appreciate his remarks about preparing for a show by relaxing with a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine – how did he know my routine?

Looking for a fun date idea or a night out with the ladies and a glass of wine? Join me at Vino’s At The Landing the second Saturday of the month! Our next show is on 4/12, 8-11pm.

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0 Happy Birthday To You?

Have you ever wondered why you don’t hear the waiters sing Happy Birthday while celebrating a birthday at a chain restaurant, like Red Robin or Buca DiBeppo? Instead they gather round the table and clap while singing a peppy celebratory song, either of their own creation or possibly another traditional song like For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow. The reason for this is simply Happy Birthday is not in the public domain; it’s actually copyrighted and, in short, money is owed to those who hold the copyright when the song is sung in public.

According to the 1998 Guinness Book of World Records Happy Birthday is the most recognized song in the English language. The origins of Happy Birthday date back to 1880’s, when two sisters, Patty and Mildred J. Hill introduced this simple tune to their kindergarten class using the lyrics Good Morning to You. As time went on, informal lyrics such as Happy Vacation To You, Good Bye To You and eventually Happy Birthday were added.

In 1893, the sisters officially published the tune Good Morning To You in the songbook Song Stories for the Kindergarten by the Summy Company but they did not include the lyrics of Happy Birthday. The first publication to include the Happy Birthday lyrics in the second chorus wasn’t until 1912 in The Beginners’ Book of Songs, published by the Cable Company, a piano manufacturer. Even as the song gained popularity the sisters never published or copyrighted the lyrics of Happy Birthday.

In 1935, Happy Birthday was officially copyrighted and the Summy Company won the rights to the song. The Summy Company was soon taken over by Birch Tree Group Limited, who continued to enforce the song’s copyright. In 1988, Warner Communications acquired Birch Tree Group Limited along with 50,000 other titles for $25 million. Warner Communications continues to insist one cannot sing the Happy Birthday lyrics for profit without paying royalties.***

In 2008, Warner collected over $5,000 per day ($2 million per year) in song-related royalties. Warner claims copyright for every use in film, television, and radio, anywhere open to the public or “for any group where a substantial number of those in attendance are not family or friends of whoever is performing the song.” ***

So the next time you see a movie and there is a scene celebrating a birthday or you are at restaurant marking a milestone occasion, you may hear For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow or an original birthday song, but not the most recognized song in the English language.

sources: *** / general

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1 Another Way To Listen To Music

Have you listened to the latest American Idol contestants or watched a Katy Perry video? There seems to be one thing missing from these singers’ voices: tone.

So what is tone? And why does it matter?

Tone is color and texture of a sound. For example, an instrument produces a different range of “colors” than the human voice. The metallic brightness of a flute sounds very different than the warmth of a skilled soprano singer, though each may have similar pitch ranges.

Many of today’s singers unconsciously create a thinner metallic sound by singing though their nasal passages rather than singing from the diaphragm or core. While singing from the nasal passages can often create power in the voice, the warmth in the tone disappears.

An American Idol contestant singing from her nasal passages, demonstrating power but lacking a warm tone

Many vocalists also rely on “auto tune,” a computer program that automatically corrects a voice’s pitch after a recording session. When this program is used, it can be very difficult to recreate the human element of a rich warm tone and as a result an electronic thinner sound is created. To the average listener it can be very subtle and often go unnoticed, but when songs are slowed down and the instrumentation is taken away the technology used to “clean up” the song becomes obvious.

Listen for Katy Perry’s electronic sound and the use of “auto tune”

As technology continues to change the sound of today’s pop music, masking the true essence of the human voice it is important to be aware of vocal skills such as breath control, pitch and tone. One example of and artist who naturally exhibited all of these skills without the use of an auto pitch program was Karen Carpenter.

Karen Carpenter’s pure tone with no “auto tune”

Even though there are numerous performers today who use auto-tuning, there are those who refuse. Fiona Apple is a prime example of someone stays away from the “Botox of the music industry” and exhibits a natural warm tone similar to Karen Carpenter.

While I enjoy listening to the flawless pitch of Katy Perry songs, and the power behind the vocals of the American Idol contestants, I prefer the natural warm tones and subtle nuances that Karen Carpenter and Fiona Apple bring to their songs.

Just another way to listen to music.

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