An Insight for Musicians on Non-musicians
(or How To Make Your Band More Popular)

 Mark D. Miller

Did you ever wonder why the band down the street is more popular than yours even though you blow them away musically? They may know something you don’t. I took a long look at some past experiences and finally discovered the answer that had escaped me for so long.

As musicians, it can be nearly impossible to understand that the general public only hears the beat and vocals of a performance. It’s just as difficult for us to realize that non-musicians are rarely able to tell the difference between good musicianship and bad, or to differentiate an oboe from a flute. I am often approached by other guitarists and musicians who rave about my abilities. I don’t recall ever having a layman approach me in the same manner. As frustrating as it can be to accomplished musicians, it’s not how well you play, it’s what you play.

Almost thirty years ago I went to a club to hear a band from out of town. They were absolutely the best musicians I have ever seen on a local stage. The original songs they performed were written and arranged with extraordinary creativity and care. The vocals were superb, the timing was perfect, the dynamics were unbelievable, and the soloists performed well phrased, melodic passages that would leave most musicians in awe. After the first song I expected the audience to go wild. Nothing. Before the end of the first set, the audience was yelling, “You suck!”  I was flabbergasted.

It was embarrassing to be part of such a rude audience. I couldn’t figure out why they were reacting the way they were. The band was fantastic! Being new in the area, I assumed that the local crowd didn’t like bands that performed original material.

Years later, I still hadn’t put two and two together. What may seem obvious to others continued to elude me. It was only recently that I came to understand. The club was a dance club. The patrons were there to dance. They were not an audience.  

So, why didn’t they dance to the songs that the incredible band was playing? The songs were too complicated and unfamiliar. I attended a dancing class a few years ago. The other students were constantly asking which dance styles go with the various songs. To my complete surprise, they had trouble telling the difference between a waltz and a cha-cha. We must learn that what is clearly apparent to us as musicians can be utterly mysterious or unrecognizable to non-musicians.

 One summer I was performing at an outdoor wedding with my classical guitar and flute chamber duo. The sun was shining directly on us making it unbearably hot. Our instruments were constantly going out of tune. At best they were ¼ step out from each other and often as much as a half step. There was not much we could do about it as the bride walked down the aisle. Naturally this was simply intolerable for us. After the ceremony we received the same high praise we usually receive after a wedding. I thought the attendees were just being polite, but the truth is, they were not musicians and couldn’t tell that we were so far out of tune.

 Have you ever gone to an art museum and seen the modern masterpieces that look like a four year old could have painted them? They look this way to me or you because we have untrained eyes. Just as we can’t tell that the painting required the utmost in talent, non-musicians can’t tell how talented you are. The paintings look like random color blotches to non-artists, and sadly, modern jazz and other complicated musical forms can sound like random noise segments to non-musicians.

If your band is hired by a dance club, you need to play songs that are easy to dance to. Musicians often don’t know which songs these are. If it’s a three or four chord song with a strong down beat, and you’ve heard it countless times, it’s probably a dance song.  For example, rock bands should play songs like “Pink Cadillac”. For country bands, include “Achy Breaky Heart”. Other musicians can tell how good you are musically, dance club clientele are not musicians. They want to dance. Your band will be solely judged by your ability to keep the dance floor full.

If you are being bombarded by requests in a dance club, this is a good sign that you are not performing the right material. If you want to return to the club, play the requests. This will go a long way with your acceptance by the patrons. It means a lot to them when you play the song they ask for. When you turn them down, no matter how politely, they are angered. They will assume that you just don’t want to play it. That fact that you don’t know the song is inconceivable. Bring a fake book with the words and chords to these songs and take a shot. You’re good enough. It makes no difference that the song is unrehearsed or that you don’t have the right instrumentation.

 Save your originals and musically difficult or complex material for the clubs that don’t have a dance floor. This is the proper venue for your musical prowess to shine. You have an audience that is there to listen and will often consist of your fellow musicians. These clubs don’t pay as much as the dance clubs but give you an opportunity to perform songs that are too hard to dance to.

 In both venues, keep the down time in-between songs to a minimum. Play an appropriate CD between sets so there is no “dead air”. Enjoy yourself and let it show. Audiences will pick up on your enthusiasm.

The same concept applies in the recording studio if you want your music accepted by the general public. Listen to the radio. Aren't the most popular songs the simplest ones? Select the songs you are going to record by asking non-musicians which ones they like best. (Family and close friends will be biased and may not give honest answers.) You will be disappointed to learn that your complicated masterpiece probably won't be among these favorites. You must decide if you want your band to be a band for musicians or a band for everyone.       

 You have spent years training, practicing and studying your music. You are able to hear the intricacies, nuances and the musicality of a performance that the untrained ear is completely unaware of. Try to remember this when selecting material for your band. Again, it’s not how well you play, it’s what you play.