LIVE BAND KARAOKE, FEATURED GUESTS
& ACT-BREAKS:
The Deaf Bunnys love to share the stage and the limelight!
It's a total blast for us to rock out with our fans!
LIVE BAND KARAOKE is for those folks who are casual about their rockstar image!
LBK is more spur of the moment and casual:
You'll sing or play along with the Deaf Bunnys or take the lead if you (and us!) are really feeling it!
FEATURED GUESTS on the other hand are folks looking to showcase their talents just a bit more!
To get tight we'll need some time in rehearsal to learn the in & outs together.
ACT-BREAK coverage is for acts looking to add to their demo reel, those building up a show but don't have a full show yet, or acts looking to get some time to show the venue what you got to book your own dates!
(Featured Guests and Act Breaks remember: What goes around comes around!
Don't forget about us when we're out to see you!)
FEATURED GUEST PERFORMER GUIDELINES:
All Featured Guest Performers are required to rehearse their material at the Deaf Bunnys studio
(our basement) prior to performing on the Deaf Bunnys stage:
These rehearsals will give you at-bats to familiarize yourself with the rig as well as allowing time to
help you fine-tune your performance with feedback from the Deaf Bunnys.
These guidelines apply to Guest Performers singing and/or playing with the Deaf Bunnys for just a few numbers
as well as Featured Performers sitting in for a whole set or a Set-Break Act.
*** PLEASE feel free to contact us with any questions! ***
These guidelines aren't supposed to scare you away, they're designed to help you kill it when you get out
there in front of a live audience!
THE BASICS:
1) Are you willing to learn?
The Deaf Bunnys Band is fundamentally different from any amateur band we've ever seen, been involved
with, or heard about.
The learning curve is usually steep, even for seasoned veterans, but not difficult.
We guarantee you'll learn a ton!
2) Are you on-board with the concept of "rewarding" versus "fun?"
A water slide is fun, climbing a mountain is rewarding.
This concept is at the core of our audience-centric approach that makes the Deaf Bunnys so successful.
3) Do you have at least one cool black-on-black outfit to wear at the shows?
If not, you should probably stick to karaoke...
* Lastly: Support the band that's going to support you! *
Subscribe, Like, Comment, Share, Post, on all social media platforms!
This will help to impress bookers so the Deaf Bunnys get more shows with performance opportunities for you!
EQUIPMENT YOU WON'T NEED:
Treat rehearsal like it's the show and don't bring it if you're not going to use it.
The Deaf Bunnys run emulation so that performers hear the same mix as the audience and can adjust as
needed to deliver a great performance!
1) Singers:
Special Guests won't need your mic, mic stand, and mic clips....
We've got Sennheiser e835's that will make you sound amazing!
Great feedback rejection, tight low-mids, great proximity-effect capabilities!
Featured Guests mics reviewed case-by-case.
2) Guitar & Bass Players:
Guest Performers will be using the Deaf Bunnys guest guitars, basses, and pedals:
Guitar: The Yamaha APX Thinlines have thin, quick electric style radii and feel.
They have a full-bodied acoustic guitar sound when plugged in and an electric tone that dirties up nicely when added grit is needed!
Bass: Our Squier J-bass also has great tone and a fantastic setup!
*Guitar Etiquette tip: Don't futz with the knobs, you'll screw up the tones.*
Featured Guests can bring their own axes, pedals, and instrument cable reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
No amps and/or cabs so don't ask.
*** NOTE: Bring your instrument to a gig at your own risk. ***
*** The Deaf Bunnys Band will in no way watch, protect, or guarantee that your instrument won't go walkabout at a gig. ***
3) Keys:
There's a Yamaha keyboard for Guest Performers.
It sounds pretty darn good through the DBB rig!
It's serviceable but not not fancy. Doesn't have weighted-keys or other frills.
4) Durms:
Special and Featured Guest durmmers alike will be using our 5 mesh pad, 5 full cymbal Roland kit.
The kit and TD-9 brain are racked with Drum Workshop 3000 pedals and a decent throne.
You will be playing to a visual click: Don't be afraid to let us know if you need guidance, it can be tricky if you're not used to it.
*Good Durm Etiquette is REQUIRED!*
*The kit is setup for it's primary players (Pete & Sheri) so don't screw it up for them! Thanks!*
Featured Guests bring your own throne.
Sticks: NO OUTSIDE STICKS ALLOWED!
* Final Thoughts On Musical Equipment *
Almost all amateur bands leave a TON of tone on the table by not running ALL inputs through the desk and
providing the performers the same mix as the audience.
This opinion is based on data from TONS of sound and light gigs and scouting a googol of bands.
5) Other equipment:
We've got music stands, cup holders, pick holders, stools...
We're musicians too, we know what you need! (And what you don't!)
4) Potables:
We've always got loads of bottled water for you. BYOB for a post sesh review.
5) Obviously no tambourines or other acoustic rhythm devices.
6) And no flannel: Grunge is dead. Long Live Rock!!!
EQUIPMENT WILL NEED:
1) Maybe your ax but you don't have to, you are more than welcome to our guest instruments.
Don't ask to play the Deaf Bunnys front-line axes unless you're Pete Townsend or Flea.
2) Your tablet with the charts we sent you.
(Yes Virginia, you will be using charts.)
3) Your significant other.
It's always nice to have support and any audience always adds an edge.
4) Special Drink For Singers:
2 cups Water
1 teaspoon Ground ginger
2 tablespoons Local honey
Obviously avoid caffeine, dairy products, and starchy foods on any day when you want to sing your best.
Make sure you're well hydrated:
"Pee clear, Sing clear." (Gross but oh so true!)
MATERIAL:
1) Remember the Deaf Bunnys is a rock band.
Choose upbeat, fun songs! No art, no jazz, no blues.
Stick to the fun schtuff unless you can really, REALLY crush a ballad.
2) 135bpm (beats-per-minute) is the sweet-spot! (Dance tempo.)
Most original artists push live arrangements that are below 135bpm up by 5 or even 10,
and above 145 down by the same amount, as will we.
2) Focus on material NOT on the DBB playlists but seems like a fit.
Pick a ton and let us find the ones that will work best in the power trio format of the Deaf Bunnys.
* Don't forget to include which version: original artist or cover, studio or live, etc. *
3) Work-ups take time!
The sooner you get your prep to us the better we can support you and the better the performance will be!
4) Once we've agreed on your numbers, start to figure out how you're going to deliver the song.
See Sheri's version of Seven Nation Army for an example and inspiration.
*** DON'T FORGET TO FOCUS ON AN UPCOMING SHOW THEME!!! ***
There's no point in nailing Titanium when we're running a Blues show: You won't get off the bench.
UNDERSTANDING REHEARSAL:
Practice is time on your own learning the structure, changes, in-and-outs, delivery, etc.
Rehearsal is about getting tight with the other musicians.
1) Respect the other musician's time!
REHEARSALS START AT THE BOOKED TIME:
Arrive before a booked rehearsal with enough time to unpack, warm-up or tune-up, pee...
Every band we know has booted at least one member for time fouls:
Ultimately it doesn't matter how great of a player you are.
2) FOCUS on the task at hand!
If the folks on your phone are more important than the folks in the room with you then you should
go be with them. Really.
3) Respect the equipment!
None of this schtuff is cheap, ya break it ya bought it. At new replacement value.
4) Share YOUR viewpoint!
Don't assume anybody in the room has all the answers, they don't!
5) Listen and learn from the other musicians!
Especially the Deaf Bunnys when it comes to tone and mojo/performance.
We've been using this rig and supporting other musicians for a long, long time!
We know how to make you sound (and look) Great! (Not just good: GREAT!)
6) If you don't have a Google account get one.
We use Gmail email, calendar, Keep, Drive... to share all things Deaf Bunny.
7) Figure about 20 minutes per song:
That's 3 or 4 takes with a bit of time for discussion, tweaking, etc.
So pick three or four numbers to work on.
* Plan on being the focus of attention for about an hour. *
GENERAL MUSICIANSHIP:
Be A Generous Musician!
Use these Open Rehearsals to practice the art of supporting the other players.
Pete and Sheri (together and separately) have been asked to join too many groups to mention for two reasons:
1) We ALWAYS focus on making the MIX sound great!
2) And doing our best to make the OTHER musicians sound great!
Most folks have no idea why the cuts sound better with us playing:
We hear a lot of comments like "it's undefinable."
It isn't: Play and/or sing in-the-pocket out of everyone else's way note-wise and frequency-wise.
There! You're a better musician already!
Focus On the Vocals!
A live Deaf Bunnys Band audience will ONLY identify with the vocalist!
(Except for the rare pimply bass-nerd and "between-girlfriends" guitar-player...)
When it comes to the limelight, the rest of us catch as catch can.
Don't like it? Sing the lead! It's probably not as hard you think it is!
(If you need help picking a song that suits, ask us for help!)
Here's the proof:
1) Ask your significant other to name three singers. Now the same for guitar and bass players and durmmers.
2) Sting was in what Eighties band? Name any other member of the Police; it shouldn't be hard, they've both won 5 Grammys individually.
3) Lastly, EVERY single sound engineering article about getting a great mix starts and ends with how to make the vocals sound better.
Don't Over Sing or Over Play!
Singers: Recognize that instrumentalists don't get anywhere near the amount of attention that singers do:
Don't sing over their leads, hooks, and riffs if you can help it.
Instrumentalists: You want to be known as a tasty player who's easy to play with because you're always in the pocket but still delivers the notes and tone that makes the mix sound better!
You don't want your bandmates to Garfunkle you: Put up with you even though you're a fat lazy cat who the hogs the spotlight and eats all the lasagna.
Enjoy the process!
Getting a super tight mix is one of the most rewarding experiences of your musical life!
And it's one you can never get by yourself!
There's nothing like being in the zone with a group of musicians! Especially live!
ACOUSTIC GIGS:
A show is still a show and the same rules apply to acoustic gigs as the full rock show.
STILL IN?
That's a lot of info, isn't it!?!
The Deaf Bunnys try to cut through the "noise" (literally AND metaphorically) and get to a great mix.
So if you're still in:
Call or email! We'd LOVE-LOVE-LOVE to share your talent with our fans!