"I only play this or that"
- Thread starter KBadd
- Start date
Frost
Silver Member
egos often get in the way of great song writing. You find it is an epidemic with metal guitarists where they have to shred in every track, even if they have a cool melody going. No real suggestions unfortunately, perhaps give him a bit of free reign but solo where he feels it is inappropriate... not sure if that is jerky response, but it might work.
AggressiveC
Junior Member
The bassist of my band is the exact same way! I've never understood it... Maybe as a drummer who looks to Bonham for inspiration, less is more might mean a bit more to me than it does to my Entwhistle-worshipping bassist. Either way, it sort of aggrivates me when he decides to go all over the neck when the song requires something simple, like root notes.
The same thing goes with my guitarists... We just made a song with a series of 4 measure rests and one of them said, "but nobody is playing there, it's boring!". My bassist and I agreed that the space was nice coming out of such a hectic outro, but apparantly any time there is no guitar, the song sucks!
The same thing goes with my guitarists... We just made a song with a series of 4 measure rests and one of them said, "but nobody is playing there, it's boring!". My bassist and I agreed that the space was nice coming out of such a hectic outro, but apparantly any time there is no guitar, the song sucks!
nocTurnal
Senior Member
Very nice example, thanks for sharing. I don't normally listen to 'Honky Cat' but I had to this time. It's a song I tend to skip on the radio, but I enjoyed it this time.
Pollyanna
Platinum Member
Maybe he did but it's obvious he wants to play in a band that will give him a chance to multi task - to be able to practice his chops within a band. Like many sax players, I expect he's using the band as a stepping stone until he's good enough for admittance to Sax Heaven aka JAZZ. The only sax player I've played with who didn't want to be a jazzer was the son of a top sax player ... and he knew playing rock would annoy his old man lol
Some of these guys think that playing ostinato riffs is the slow lane when you are driving to Sax Heaven. Some get it, some don't. He should stop being a selfish clod and do what real jazz players do ... use his ears and do whatever it takes to bring out a piece's potential. He can always find a jam band for chops practice.
Easier said than done ... unless you're a hardhead it's awkward having a player in the band with a self-oriented agenda that prompts them to tend towards the inappropriate. What was his response when you made that "I am playing boom chick and Mr Bass player ..." comment? (good line BTW)
KBadd
Silver Member
Polly/others,
He responded well to my "boom chick etc" comment as I made it tastefully and with respect. We love this guy (and his wife). It's just that sometimes, well, you know. Believe me I am not bitching about him I am only frustrated.....and our lead singer has to constantly remind him "don't play here or there".
Check out this tune: NEIL YOUNG TEN MEN WORKING
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoTh17TQa3I
This tune was presented to our band in September. I wrote it out on paper for him (and the band) "as a guide"....not notes or measures mind you. We rehearsed it, played it at a gig and it went well except for a few parts sax man forgot. As you listen to it you DO NOT NEED sheet music for this as it is pretty simple stuff and a big groove.
We rehearsed the other day and he did not remember any of it......the other band mates remembered all of it. He did not listen to it and practice it. Had he watched the video and wrote his OWN chart he would have nailed it. Am I wrong? This is, by all accounts, is an easy song. Talk about boom chick and the bass going da da da da and the keys in the background WITH the Guitar and Horn in your face!! What more can a band mate do?
I laugh and smile because there are no symbols to present here! Ha!
He responded well to my "boom chick etc" comment as I made it tastefully and with respect. We love this guy (and his wife). It's just that sometimes, well, you know. Believe me I am not bitching about him I am only frustrated.....and our lead singer has to constantly remind him "don't play here or there".
Check out this tune: NEIL YOUNG TEN MEN WORKING
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoTh17TQa3I
This tune was presented to our band in September. I wrote it out on paper for him (and the band) "as a guide"....not notes or measures mind you. We rehearsed it, played it at a gig and it went well except for a few parts sax man forgot. As you listen to it you DO NOT NEED sheet music for this as it is pretty simple stuff and a big groove.
We rehearsed the other day and he did not remember any of it......the other band mates remembered all of it. He did not listen to it and practice it. Had he watched the video and wrote his OWN chart he would have nailed it. Am I wrong? This is, by all accounts, is an easy song. Talk about boom chick and the bass going da da da da and the keys in the background WITH the Guitar and Horn in your face!! What more can a band mate do?
I laugh and smile because there are no symbols to present here! Ha!
droveto
Senior Member
I think people care what other people are playing too much in bands. Let the guy play what he wants to play, make a suggestion here or there, but if in the end, he disagrees with you just let it go. Focus on what you can be playing to make the music sound its best and go with it.
After reading more of the thread I sympathize a bit more. If the guy isn't playing similar or the same parts every time you play the tunes, then that's definitely annoying and amateurish. It sounds like he just not may be interested in what your band is doing. You probably need to see if the bandmates are on the same page as you and ask them if it's okay if you ask the guy in rehearsal if he enjoys being in the group. Tell him that it seems that he's going through the motions, not learning arrangements to songs you've all agreed on playing and that while his technique is great, his approach has been lazy. Let him know that nobody will take it personally if he goes and seeks other players to play with that in the same mind frame as him. People tend to take this personally, but they shouldn't. People should like the choices that are being made by the musicians they are playing with. If your band collectively thinks he's not serving the song due to sheer laziness, then he should be called out on it and he can adjust accordingly.
After reading more of the thread I sympathize a bit more. If the guy isn't playing similar or the same parts every time you play the tunes, then that's definitely annoying and amateurish. It sounds like he just not may be interested in what your band is doing. You probably need to see if the bandmates are on the same page as you and ask them if it's okay if you ask the guy in rehearsal if he enjoys being in the group. Tell him that it seems that he's going through the motions, not learning arrangements to songs you've all agreed on playing and that while his technique is great, his approach has been lazy. Let him know that nobody will take it personally if he goes and seeks other players to play with that in the same mind frame as him. People tend to take this personally, but they shouldn't. People should like the choices that are being made by the musicians they are playing with. If your band collectively thinks he's not serving the song due to sheer laziness, then he should be called out on it and he can adjust accordingly.
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