alparrott
Diamond Member
I realize this falls under the "may work for one person but not another" umbrella, but I think it's appropriate to speak up when you're being given confusing or unclear directions. Not in a confrontational way, but to communicate that the terms you're hearing are telling you something specific that doesn't seem to match what is expected.
I did a recording session for a really talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter a few years ago. He was trying to tell me how to play this bridge. It was a heavily-arranged rock piece with acoustic and electric guitars at a modest tempo with a syncopated, 8th-note groove. But when the artist tried to tell me how to play the drums during the bridge, he said, "when we get to this part, we're swinging."
I played a couple bars of swing—think Art Blakey—and just said, "See, what that means to me is this, and I'm pretty sure that's not what you want. I'm thinking you mean the drums are very driving and steady here." Which did turn out to be what he wanted.
It's a fine line. I'm supportive, but I'm not taking any sh**. If you tell me to do something using terms that have an accepted definition and I do them, I have no problem adjusting and figuring out that you meant something else. But I'm not going to be treated like I'm just not getting it when it's the other person who's confused.
THIS. Outside of a few deeply theory-trained folks, I have become accustomed to coaching folks when they give me direction. What's important to note is if you have to have the same clarifying conversation over and over again.
More to the OP's point, it sounds like the course of the band has changed since you started it, and if it's not the direction in which you particularly wish to go, I'd say make a graceful exit.