If there is one thing which proves to be the undoing of many young bands as they get started, it’s their musical dynamic. On many occasions, I’ve watched bands perform which sound horrible because the guitars are too drenched in distortion, and the volumes of the instruments themselves are very uneven. This problem is fixed by a simple concept: listening.

As a musician in a band, it’s not only your responsibility to rock out and nail your notes, but to make sure that when it’s your bandmate’s turn to shine, you give them the space to do so. If you’re going to play a guitar solo, make sure you’ve got enough volume to cut through the mix and really be present. Is the bass being drowned out? Tell them to turn up!

If your singer is doing a big part, then turn your guitar down a little bit so the crowd can hear them better. Same thing goes if someone else is getting a solo moment; DO NOT OVERPOWER THEM! It’s very easy to get lost in concentrating on playing your part, and thus you don’t focus on how the whole band sounds. If everyone in the band takes the time to listen to each other, you will be amazed at how great you can sound.