PAs are important
Introduction
If your demo sounds heavy, the next thing anyone interested in you will probably ask is "when can I see you live?"
A great PA is just as important as an impressive demo and聽it's also the best way of improving your sound and finding out first hand what your audience really thinks of you and your tracks.
Read on for:
Promotional benefits
Developing yourself
Learning by doing
"The dynamics of playing live are so different and you get the crowd's reaction and response."
Mighty Moe
Heartless Crew
Promotional Benefits
PAs are the best way of promoting your product.
It beats sending out demos and it's more effective than putting your tracks on the internet.
It's how heads get to know about you and a great PA can get your whole area buzzing through word of mouth.
Busy A&R will keep a check on the live scene by scanning the local press and by phoning promoters, so doing live shows means you are more likely to get noticed.
Any good reviews you get from local press as a result of your PA will also attract interest and build your profile.
"Find out where the hot talent shows are or get involved with the best bar or club where the hot acts go and play. Try and get a slot there because A&R hang out where the top guys play."
Ben Palmar
A&R
Polydor
Developing Yourself
Performing your tracks quickly shows you where you can improve. PAs can be priceless for development of your technique.
Sounding like your demo/vinyl is just one aspect of a PA.
It's the presentation of your tracks and the tone of your performance that you'll really be working on. Mastery of live PAs is what gives you real superstar potential.
When you can see right into the audience's faces you'll really know which of your tunes are doing the business.
You'll be able to tell within a few bars whether that track that sounded so grimy in the studio is really what the crowd are feeling.
By clocking the audience reaction to your tracks, live performance allows you to discover the strengths and weaknesses of your music.
"Playing live will bring an element of confidence to聽your technique and by being in front of a crowd聽you can see what it is about their performance that hypes the audience."
MC Donae'o
Learn By Doing
Once you feel happy about playing live, remember it doesn't stop there.
You should always be thinking about how you can improve your performance.
Try and film your PAs and when you watch them back make a note of what works well and what doesn't.
This allows you to really push the limits of your performance and sell your music to the people.
More... from How to...
MC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/1xmusic/performing/mcp01.shtml
Getting PAs
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/1xmusic/performing/getpap01.shtml
Rehearse for a PA
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/1xmusic/performing/rehearsep01.shtml
Making the best of a PA
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/1xmusic/performing/bestp01.shtml
(c) 大象传媒 1Xtra 1XMusic 2006