It's Monday and that means it's time for Confessional with Bad Saint! Every week Bad Saint will be taking your musical questions, confessions, and/or settling your debates. We have a great batch of questions this week from the public. If you would like to submit a question for Bad Saint, send an email to altrevue@gmail.com. With that, let's get to your questions!
"Hey Bad Saint, We are starting a new band and I'm really thinking of having two bassists. Do you think that's cool or too stupid niche?" Jason, Panama City Bad Saint - Does it sound good? Make it sound good and you’ll be fine. Get four bassists if you need to.
"Hi Bad Saint, I'm a singer/songwriter that's tired of only booking open mic nights. Any advice for getting into small venues?" Gwen, Austin Bad Saint - Big mood Gwen. Check out your local concert listings and check to see if there are any openers listed online for bands you sound like. Normally if there’s already 2ish openers the night is full, but often venues are down to add an extra solo singer/songwriter to start of the night. You don’t know till you ask.
"Greetings Bad Saint, I am grateful for your offerings of wisdom! I am wanting my alt band to go with a medieval theme to it, kinda like Game of Thrones, but true to the period. Any place in the scene for this?" Brianne, Seattle Bad Saint - You should really check out http://byronschenkman.com/. TBH there's nothing more punk rock than being a world-renowned harpsichord player.
"Hello Bad Saint, Looking to develop the ability for some light screaming in my vocals (think Manchester Orchestra), but have no idea where to start. Can you help?" David, Marietta Bad Saint - There’s an app for that. It’s literally called The Art of Screaming and has a ton of vocal exercises for getting into that style of vocal performance.
"Hi Bad Saint, Is it too played out to play a Hendrix-style guitar (opposite handed for me but strung upside down to account for it)?" Mona, Cambridge Bad Saint - Only if it’s not how you would naturally play. If it works for you feel free to respectfully commune with the spirit of Jimi Hendrix as you see fit.
FMI on Bad Saint visit her website!