Guitars at practice

U

UOVDrummer79

Junior Member
So a guitar player in one of the bands I play with just can't help himself from shredding nonstop from the beginning to the end of practice. Every time someone wants to discuss something he is ripping out some obnoxious scale or obscure metal riff. It makes me want to throw things at him. I've tried calling him out on numerous occasions hoping he would stop but I guess he just can't help himself. Any similar experiences? End of rant.
 
You allow guitarists into your practice? ;)

He's probably both inexperienced & a bit insecure (hence the need to continually show his bandmates he can do some faux technical fret wanking). Tell him that individual practice is for home study, band practice is for the band to work on songs as a unit.
 
Sounds like most drummers I know. lol

Seriously though, this has nothing to do with creating together as a band and should be dealt with.
 
This is a design fault in a lot of the guitarists I know. Easy going nice guys just turn into ego-centric self-obsessed lunatics when they have a guitar in their hand.

Why do you think Weather Report had no guitarist?

I'm kidding obviously, but it needs to be dealt with promptly and offline - ie over a coffee and ultimatums (it's probably ultimata right?) need to be set. Then if he can't stop wan$ing then give him the boot.

Davo
 
Dealing with the matter "offline" is a horrible idea, IMO. To him, it'll just seem like your whining, and really, you shouldn't have to go to all the trouble anyway. Either he's mature and/or motivated enough to turn down his output knob all way down (so that he may wank quietly), or he's not. Tell him that if he interrupts anyone (not just you) one more time, you're going to pack up and walk. And then, when he inevitably does (just to piss you off), you actually walk! You don't discuss it. You don't reconsider. You don't talk. You don't say smart-ass things you'll regret later. You just walk. And then you don't talk to ANYONE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY (after they've sweated over finding a new drummer), first with the bandleader, and then with him, and only in that order. Yes, this will take strength, confidence, and maturity to execute.

If they let you leave and replace you over this, then it is all for the better. Small comfort, I know, but if you're so pissed off that you need to rant about it, a falling out was going to happen anyway.

And if you just want to rant, that's okay, too. :)
 
I had a similar problem in a band a few years ago. Huge Serbian guitarist called George as it happens. Not that him being Serbian or being called George really matters.

This is a bigger problem than just being irritating. Whilst he's noodling around on the fretboard he's not listening. So he's going to take much longer to learn the arrangements. But more importantly still. Guess what, he's not listening when the band is playing either. His timing is going to be weak. So are his dynamics. And chances are he probably thinks the whole band is a platform for him to show off his skills as a guitarist.

You need to get him to understand what playing in a band is about. Actually you don't. The band does. And if he doesn't come on board. Well there are thousands of good guitarists out there. Precious few good drummers though.

In the end it was me who walked. But not just because of the guitarist. He was a nice guy just not a very good musician.
 
Oh, that's a never ending problem, man. The "guitards", as some call them. But, don't panic, there's hope. Of course it depends on the guitarist, his age, the size of his ego (a problem that affects most guitar players and singers), experience and more, but anyway.. you canchange it.

I not only find it annoying but also disrespectful. My guitarist had a severe condition of this non-stop showing off s**t. It was impossible to talk to him whenever he had a guitar on his hands. I started telling him how annoying that was, and at times getting furious at him and fighting over it.

He now behaves. Whenever he may feel the impulse of playing while been talked to or anything, a simple look is enough to make him understand.

Cheers.
 
This is why every band needs a leader. The leader needs to call people out so there is order and not chaos. Back in my 20s we started a band and during practice no one took anything serious and we were always screwing around. It used to drive me crazy. Now that I'm older I won't tolerate that kind of stuff - I don't have the time to just screw around - we need to get to the matter and get the songs down pat with as little BS as possible.

Similar to the workplace, where we have certain people that are social butterflies, walking around and talking to people. They are not only wasting their time, but wasting the time of the people they are jabbering with, so it's a double whammy.

Same thing goes for the guitarist that never stops playing. Not only is he wasting his time, he's preventing the rest of the band from doing what they are supposed to do. And besides, I don't want to listen to a guitarist stroke his own ego during practice. They can do plenty of that during gigs.
 
I'm a guitarist (primarily, plus a beginner with drums), and I love shredding. But for sure I won't tolerate someone shredding without purpose at band practice. Shredding can be done at home or if a given music composition calls for this, but else it's simply displaced. I would have clear words with the respective guitarist. Music endeavours/bands are something people join for fun primarily, not to be p*ssed off.
 
I think you might be forgetting that the world simply revolves around guitar players. Just be quiet and know your place, drummer.
 
Have a word and if he continues to play when the band's discussing band matters simply turn his amp off.
 
Turning off an amp will only make a guitarist piss and moan more. There are two ways to deal with it, realistically.
You need to make him feel he has done something wrong, make him realise it was his bad. How I usually do this is down tools and look at them, calmly, until he stops, and continue the conversation. Rinse repeat. Usually its about two or three times before they realise 'shit, im being quite wide.'
Then theres the Berklee method of instrument discipline. Wire cutters and a cuff round the ear.
 
You could just start a ridiculous pounding session whenever he starts shredding.

and then when he stops, you stop. when he starts, you start.

And finally if that doesn't work chuck a heavy item at the wall outlet and unplug his amp. Or you could just waltz up and do it.


I'm a guitar player and I find ANY musician, whether a drummer, bass player, singer, guitarist, pianist, keytar virtuoso to be annoying when they show off at the wrong time. There is a time and a season for such things. And it is not while you are discussing who is buying pizza that night.
 
That's standard behavior for guitarists--constant noodling. It's amazing really. At a rehearsal the only time I hit a drum is when we're actually playing, other than that I don't make a sound. I've yet to find a guitarist who has some rehearsal etiquette/discipline.
 
Story of my life at the moment. I just make a bunch of noise and when I have everyone's attention I tell them they need to stop noodling because my time is valuable and I'm there to practice, not wave my dick around. There's nothing wrong with being angry, anger is a natural human emotion and expressing it is perfectly in your rights. Don't worry about upsetting the guitarist, I'm sure he can handle it. Being told to shut up is far from the worst thing that's going to happen in his life :p
 
You do know that this most people accuse drummers of this, right? I think every band has one of those guys who doesn't really understand that there is a time to play and a time to not play. Other than telling him to knock it off there's not much you can do.
 
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