Most important part of a band?

[The-Phantom]

Who do you think holds a band together the most?
Singer?
Guitarist?
Drummer?
This is something I have wanted to get peoples opinion on.
I personally think that drummers are underrated.
They are usually the ones that get the least attention...
But they keep the beat.

While having a bad one of anything can break a band to bits, some things may be considered more important then others, aye?

So, my question is... Who do you think is most important in a band?

[Angylion Gefell]

Cowbell.

[RiNZ]

I think that singers and guitarists are most important, honestly.

Drummers and bassists usually only have the rythm, the beat. Which is all nice and well, but you can always get a drum machine.

[Praetor]

Who do you think holds a band together the most?
Singer?
Guitarist?
Drummer?
This is something I have wanted to get peoples opinion on.
I personally think that drummers are underrated.
They are usually the ones that get the least attention...
But they keep the beat.

While having a bad one of anything can break a band to bits, some things may be considered more important then others, aye?

So, my question is... Who do you think is most important in a band?
nowai

[thespearkid]

Interesting query. With the exception of the Who, I can't think of a single band who has an exceptional member on each instrument as well as an awesome vocalist (The Matches?). For me, the most important parts are drums and bass, I think. The White Stripes do just fine without a bassist though and they've got a shitty drummer too. I don't know.

[nikaidoh]

They are usually the ones that get the least attention...
But they keep the beat.




I don't think drummer's are important to the band because the keep a beat. I mean a musician on any instrument can keep a beat without percussion. I think they add more complexity and a roughness to the sound of the music which is part of what "makes" a song. Even if you have a shitty drummer (*ahem* Meg White *ahem*) it's still part of the sound that makes it come together the way it does.


Although I think the vocalist and the guitarist are the most important. If you have a shitty guitar player or singer it just brings the entire production crashing down.

[mattmatumbo]

i say drums, they can change the attitude of a song pretty easily but they are still complex as hell. IE. Hot Cross, DEP, Number 12 looks like you etc...

[Judge'sDaughter]

search function

[thespearkid]

search function
I thought the same thing but I didn't wanna be "that guy".

[Judge'sDaughter]

I thought the same thing but I didn't wanna be "that guy".
I know what you mean. Someone had to point it out, though- the kid who started this thread is new, he won't learn without people pointing it out.

[wewascontenders]

triangle

[xEmlehx]

i say drums

[cscwell107]

definitely the accordion player

[Getup and Dance]

The Roadie

[x togepi x]

I think that singers and guitarists are most important, honestly.

Drummers and bassists usually only have the rythm, the beat. Which is all nice and well, but you can always get a drum machine.

this is stupid. you can run samples of any instruments.

[IWasaCamera]

This thread sort of sucks.

[Nevuk]

Bass. Really, any instrument. If all of your band except for one instrument are good, doesn't matter. That'll still hold you back. Bass is just most prevalent right now for being root noted to death.

[Nevuk]

this is stupid. you can run samples of any instruments.
People seem less likely to use a guitar sampler than a drum machine though. I think its just harder to do so in a live setting, unless you have someone devoted exclusively to sampling.

[AP_Punk]

your mom!

[SLoT]

the music.

[Getup and Dance]

your mom!

No, Your mom!

[mellzie14]

Vocalist, because they are most likely to get the most attention. So if they suck, then the whole quality of your band goes down.

[notoaststereo]

search function.

[Angylion Gefell]

this is stupid. you can run samples of any instruments.

The inanity of that statemend astounds me.

[Neo Cassady]

Cowbell.

/thread

[Carlo Marx]

the most important aspect of any band is that the whole must be greater than the sum of its parts. otherwise, it's just some guys playing instruments with one stand out performer.

[ForeverDelayed]

the most important aspect of any band is that the whole must be greater than the sum of its parts. otherwise, it's just some guys playing instruments with one stand out performer.
This.


But if I had to pick, I'd say bass and vocals. Bands with shitty bassists generally make shitty music. And if I don't like a singer's voice, regardless of how "good" he or she might be, then I end up not listening to their music very often.

[EchoPark]

everyone knows the most important part of a band is the keyboard/synth player.

[alltimecam]

/thread
what does that mean i always see that
"/thread"

[Neo Cassady]

what does that mean i always see that
"/thread"

/ = end. (notice the "[/quote]" whenever you quote someone)

so /thread = end thread

meaning, essentially, that the quoted post was so good that nothing more needs to be said.

[alltimecam]

/ = end. (notice the ]" whenever you quote someone)

so /thread = end thread

meaning, essentially, that the quoted post was so good that nothing more needs to be said.
got it
thanks

[thespearkid]

/ = end. (notice the "" whenever you quote someone)

so /thread = end thread

meaning, essentially, that the quoted post was so good that nothing more needs to be said.[/quote]
I have to do it.

/thread

[Circacept]

harmonica all the way

[x togepi x]

The inanity of that statemend astounds me.

Oh really? Because i've seen it done. hell, my band would be doing it if i had enough money to get another small mixer.

for proof see: 65daysofstatic, tons of electronica bands.

[chipdip18]

Drums and Bass.

[thesafeword]

The 3 guitarists in Alesena are all vital and important.

[Bob Payne]

The 3 guitarists in Alesena are all vital and important.

And here I never thought I'd see Alesana in the same sentence as vital and important.

[Bob Payne]

The most important part is the songwriter. To promote any one instrument over another is futile, because its the unit that makes the band.

[Chris Fallon]

Talent?

[tfar06]

songwritting.

[thesafeword]

And here I never thought I'd see Alesana in the same sentence as vital and important.
Oh yeah, why have 1 shitty guitarist when you can have 3?

[aguywithaguitar]

songwriter

[TeachBirds2Fly]

It is ALL in the band name.

[Regards]

The Lawyer.

[lew_1987]

Question can't be answered universally.

[makeasound]

The most important part is the songwriter. To promote any one instrument over another is futile, because its the unit that makes the band.
This.

[guitarpickheart]

I have to agree and say the singer or songwriter. I've heard bands where I go OH I LOVE THE INTRO and then the singer sings and I hate the singer. The vocals are the part of the music that's heard above everything else, so the vocalist has to be good or at least have a unique voice. And if you haven't turned off the song because of the instrumentals or vocals, the songwriter is who holds your attention. Although a terrible songwriter is just as likely to hold your attention as a good one, haha.

[EchoPark]

And here I never thought I'd see Alesana in the same sentence as vital and important.


:appl:

[IAmAmazing]

I don't think drummer's are important to the band because the keep a beat. I mean a musician on any instrument can keep a beat without percussion. I think they add more complexity and a roughness to the sound of the music which is part of what "makes" a song. Even if you have a shitty drummer (*ahem* Meg White *ahem*) it's still part of the sound that makes it come together the way it does.


Although I think the vocalist and the guitarist are the most important. If you have a shitty guitar player or singer it just brings the entire production crashing down.

Hahahahahahaha, Guitarists follow rhythm = made by bassist + drummer. Time signatures anybody?

[Klatzke]

I'm gonna have to go with Vocals really.

[ForeverDelayed]

I have to agree and say the singer or songwriter. I've heard bands where I go OH I LOVE THE INTRO and then the singer sings and I hate the singer. The vocals are the part of the music that's heard above everything else, so the vocalist has to be good or at least have a unique voice. And if you haven't turned off the song because of the instrumentals or vocals, the songwriter is who holds your attention. Although a terrible songwriter is just as likely to hold your attention as a good one, haha.
I wouldn't say a vocalist has to be good or unique - really you just have to like their voice. There's tons of technically good singers that I don't like, and some of my favorites are in all honesty pretty horrible singers. But if I like their voice, I like their music, and vice versa.

And yeah a terrible songwriter can hold your attention, but not in a good way :-p

[Jumpoff]

The makeup. Obvz.

[aguywithaguitar]

I wouldn't say a vocalist has to be good or unique - really you just have to like their voice. There's tons of technically good singers that I don't like, and some of my favorites are in all honesty pretty horrible singers. But if I like their voice, I like their music, and vice versa.

And yeah a terrible songwriter can hold your attention, but not in a good way :-p
If you had the best guitarist, bassist, drummers, and vocalist collaborate on a poorly written song, it would still sound like shit. Which would explain why a good band can make a horrible album. So yea, I think the songwriter(s) is most important.

Hahahahahahaha, Guitarists follow rhythm = made by bassist + drummer. Time signatures anybody?
Well rhythm is 50% of what music is, the other being melody. So yea, every instrument has to follow the rhythm, which isnt technically made by the bass and drums. The bass and drums have too follow the rhythm to. If a song is 160bpm, everyone has to follow that. If any one instrument cant keep within the rhythm, its not going to sound right.

[ForeverDelayed]

If you had the best guitarist, bassist, drummers, and vocalist collaborate on a poorly written song, it would still sound like shit. Which would explain why a good band can make a horrible album. So yea, I think the songwriter(s) is most important.

I never said otherwise. I was quoting a guy who said a terrible songwriter can hold your attention as long as a good one. I was just saying that he would be holding it for the wrong reasons - ie. the song sucks so bad that you keep listening to see how much worse it can get. The songwriting is definitely important, I think most people here agree on that.

[slenygoodbi]

cliche but guitars keep it real =]]

well honestly, how much music can you listen to with just an acoustic guitar playing and be happy ^.^

[aguywithaguitar]

I never said otherwise. I was quoting a guy who said a terrible songwriter can hold your attention as long as a good one. I was just saying that he would be holding it for the wrong reasons - ie. the song sucks so bad that you keep listening to see how much worse it can get. The songwriting is definitely important, I think most people here agree on that.
Oh I know, I was just branching off of what you said. Like a tree. haha

[Ruki Katiakicz]

To be honest to me, I think whoever is in the band is the most important part. By that, I mean everyone is equal. I think it's kind of unfair, for example, when you watch live videos of a band and you only see the singer... it's cool and all to watch them swing a mic around and go batshit crazy, but it's not just Singer and the Bandettes, you know, the whole band should be just as important as the singer and the guitarist who unfortunately always get the most attention.

jus IMO

[versus_god]

Watch more Ergs! videos.

;-)

[xBITCHxPLEASEx]

The most important part is the songwriter. To promote any one instrument over another is futile, because its the unit that makes the band.

/thread

[Jesse!]

The answer you are all looking for lies here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evcoh7ZeiiI

[handlikesecret]

the interpretive dancers.

[guitarpickheart]

I wouldn't say a vocalist has to be good or unique - really you just have to like their voice. There's tons of technically good singers that I don't like, and some of my favorites are in all honesty pretty horrible singers. But if I like their voice, I like their music, and vice versa.

And yeah a terrible songwriter can hold your attention, but not in a good way :-p

You can say that they don't have to be good or unique. But really, if the singer is awful , can't hit notes and sounds like a cat screeching, are you likely to listen to them? Probably not. And if the singer bores you because he/she sounds just like 15 other singers you've heard? There's probably even less of a chance.

[chaosB4storm]

Cowbell.

This is what I wanted to see.

[chaosB4storm]

Vocalist is the most important. By saying that, I mean that if you have a good vocalist, he is the one that is most important to hang on to.

Creativity aside, a good vocalist is the only section of the band that everyone doesn't have the ability to be. Anyone can learn to play guitar, and anyone can learn drums. Not everyone can have a good voice that has potential to make it big.

Remember, creativity aside. Writing good lyrics and music is also very important, and not something everyone can learn to do.

[Bob Payne]

Vocalist is the most important. By saying that, I mean that if you have a good vocalist, he is the one that is most important to hang on to.

Creativity aside, a good vocalist is the only section of the band that everyone doesn't have the ability to be. Anyone can learn to play guitar, and anyone can learn drums. Not everyone can have a good voice that has potential to make it big.

Remember, creativity aside. Writing good lyrics and music is also very important, and not something everyone can learn to do.

many bands don't even have vocalists. what about them?

[as cute as you]

for bands with singers the songwriter

[guitarpickheart]

many bands don't even have vocalists. what about them?


If there's no vocalist, then every instrument would be equally important. The ones with smaller parts are holding up the ones with bigger parts.

[Bob Payne]

If there's no vocalist, then every instrument would be equally important. The ones with smaller parts are holding up the ones with bigger parts.

That's just ridiculous. I was being obtuse to prove a point, anyway.