chart-o-tron - The Jamaica Plain Honk Band - How to Lead a Song
How to Lead a Song
Know the song structure
What the sections 1, 2, 3 etc each sound like
What typical sequence the sections are played in
Are there louder or softer sections?
How does the song begin? How does it end?
- Will there be a stinger or a decelerando?
- A triple tag or a double tag?
Your biggest responsibility:
During the final phrase of each section, give a hand signal for the immediate next section (1, 2, 3 etc; vocals; back to head; etc)
Don't signal too far ahead, a couple few bars is good
Simple dynamics
If you want softer, hold hand flattened horizontally palm down and motion it downward lower
For louder, same but palm up and motion it higher upward
Hand signals
To go back to “the head” i.e. everybody plays
- tap your flattened hand on the top of your head
- or point at your forehead or top of head
- OR point index finger up and motion hand in a circle
- but this sometimes means "continue to vamp"
For vocals, move your hand in a duck-quack motion
For short solo, thumb and forefinger open like U shape with
pinching motion toward each other horizontally
For end of song, use a closed fist
- Stinger: motion fist continuously with beat until stinger
- Decelerando: lead everyone through the slowdown
- Long vibrato sustain: spread fingers and wave them
- Triple tag: 3 fingers, then 2 fingers, then fist
For songs with solos
For a few soloists, solos can be typical length (not shortened):
- Option to have all play chorus between each solo
If there are lots of soloists, make the solos shorter:
- One solo after another (no chorus between)
When pointing out soloists
Be sure to make eye contact with the person and get their consent indicating they want to solo and they are ready
Cue soloist with open upward hand, or hand held high up with finger(s) pointed at them
Try to alternate instruments, i.e. trumpet then sax then trombone before an additional trumpet, etc
Consider pointing out a pair of soloists (or even a trio) and asking them solo interactively (can "trade 4s")
Try to alternate brighter louder instruments (trumpet, alto sax, trombone) with softer mellower (flute, melodica, baritone)
During softer instrument solo consider gently signaling to percussion they should get softer
- Flattened hand horizontal, palm down, pushing down