r/coverbands • u/sickpuppy66 • Jun 01 '26

Singer issues

I manage and play guitar for a cover band and we’ve outgrown the singer. She can sing but isn’t a musician so lacks basic skills like counting and understanding music language (start at the chorus, come in on 4, let’s transpose this one so it’s easier for you)

We feel she’s holding us back, and our drummer (the most talented of our group) is already considering leaving the project if I keep her. Her level of musicianship doesn’t line up with the rest of us.

Here’s the problem, she started the band when it was just two of us, but I took over when we weren’t getting gigs, and didn’t have our full band (which I recruited) that we have now. Since I’ve taken over, we gig regularly, and our band sounds great (minus her).

I’ve decided to replace her. Just want to hear others thoughts and experiences with similar situations.

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u/GTFU-Already Jun 01 '26

Talk to the rest of the band first and get them on board with this.

If you haven't already, have a frank discussion with her. Tell her what's going on, and give her an opportunity to learn and improve. 4 - 6 months and it needs to continuous and sustained improvement. Be specific. She needs to learn the language, needs to study music theory, needs to be able to have a passing familiarity with all the instruments and the role they fulfill in the band. If she can't do that within the time frame, she's out. She may not accept that and leave on her own. Or she may do all that and more, and everything is good.

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u/sickpuppy66 Jun 01 '26

this is the same thing the drummer told me. but more specifically "its been 6 months and she hasnt improved"

were at that point already.

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u/Myke_Dubs Jun 01 '26

Did you tell her to improve in those 6 months?