How can I get my band to SLOW DOWN?

Jehos · #1 09-10-2009, 09:32 AM

I just joined my first cover band, had our first gig last night. It went pretty well, but there's something I noticed--they have a tendency to rush songs. Sometimes it's the drummer, sometimes it's the guitarist.

The part I don't get is that the guitarist told me when I joined that they were trying to work in more songs that people can dance to. While I was learning the tunes (playing along to the recordings) I noticed that most of their set it danceable. Come showtime though, they upped the tempo just a little too much so songs like Gretchen Wilson's "All Jacked Up" that has an awesome swing groove that just naturally makes your ass shake became totally un-danceable.

Have any of you run into this before? How can I approach the band with this? I don't want to be the new guy that just comes out and says "hey, you're rushing a lot of songs and wrecking them", but it's something I think needs work before the next all-night gig at the end of October (we've got a couple 1-hour festival gigs between now and then).

EddiePlaysBass · #2 09-10-2009, 09:36 AM

Patience. That's the only thing that worked for me. I finally got the band to realise that some songs were too fast and others too slow, and that the tempo's needed to change. I'd talk about it, but perhaps approach it with velvet gloves. What worked for my band was people (fans) complaining that they couldn't dance to the songs ...

Michael Henson · #3 09-10-2009, 09:41 AM

+1

If their goal is to get people dancing informing them that you noticed nobody was able to dance because everything was too fast would open their eyes a little bit. I've gotten into the habit of taking my metronome to practice with the band and practicing every song through the entire rehearsal with the metronome. That way when we're actually playing everyone has a feel for the proper tempo and can adjust on the fly.

rms2 · #4 09-10-2009, 09:42 AM

Record every time you play, and have them all listen to it. Then you shouldn't have to say a thing.

loend68 · #5 09-10-2009, 09:47 AM

edit: ^^^yeah what he said^^^

Try video taping or recording a show. That helps alot. Even a crappy boombox set at the back of the room will work. Although, I have to say I'm a proponent of playing the songs a little quicker at shows. Even speeding specific songs up to make them danceable. I've filled in with some bands that speed them up so much it's hard to play, but they don't even realize it. I've also filled in with some bands that drag the songs and kill the overall mood without knowing it. It's a very fine line...

mileszs · #6 09-10-2009, 09:47 AM

Lie. I mean, tell them that you were talking to someone in the audience who said something like, "Man, you guys play such-and-such song really, really fast! I nearly broke my leg trying to dance!" That could be a way to gently approach the subject. Also, bring a metronome. Know what the beats-per-minute of the original versions are. They shouldn't be upset if you're humble, intending to help the band, and fully prepared to fix the problem at hand.

agreatheight · #7 09-10-2009, 09:59 AM

METRONOME!!

Mo'Phat · #8 09-10-2009, 10:24 AM

Put sheet music in front of them.

Badum crash.

Seriously, though...record a show, tell them to slow down and have their friends in the crowd tell them to slow down.

Or, you go with the flow and speed up. There's nothing more awkward sounding than one player trying to play slower than the others.

MysticMichael · #9 09-10-2009, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jehos

Have any of you run into this before? How can I approach the band with this?

As always, it is so much better to join a band - or recruit members to form a band - that already knows how to play, and play well.

Trying to "fix" a lack of musicianship after the fact is very often an uphill battle, and a thankless task. If these guys don't even realize they're rushing the tempos, then they're simply bad musicians. If they know better, but don't think it's important enough to fix, then they're sloppy and irresponsible.

Either way, it's a major red flag. Live and learn...

MM

Richland123 · #10 09-10-2009, 11:00 AM

Playing at breakneck speed is not good when the songs call for playing slower. It is much harder to slow down a song that starts off fast than to speed up a song that starts slow. Why don't you offer to count off the songs and be the conductor so to speak?

kaputsport · #11 09-10-2009, 11:03 AM

Do this... Play the songs at practice to a met... And match it to the regular song...

You are playing with people that are inexperienced, and they need a lesson in groove.

ThunderLizard · #12 09-10-2009, 11:09 AM

Jehos-
Since you're the new guy, I wouldn't do anything until you've recorded your band. Record the next gig or rehearsal..... doesn't matter. Just make sure you get their version of this song. Then make the comparison and ask them if this is the tempo that they really want.
Lots of bands rush without realizing it and it takes some discipline not to speed up a song over time. Part of our job is to keep these guys in check.

electracoyote · #13 09-10-2009, 11:11 AM

I agree with mysticmichael. When players don't "get it" on some of the more obvious stuff, someone has to play the role of schoolmaster, and that's no fun.

Your band needs to come to grips with a couple of realities. First, there is a natural human tendancy, over the course of time, to increase a tempo. Just listen to the crowd clapping in unison at a sporting event, and how the tempo speeds up exponentially. For musicians to play a song at basically the same tempo from start to finish, they need to fight that natural tendancy and focus on the little metronome in their heads, a.k.a. groove.

Second, there is a tendancy that when you hear one player speeding up the tempo, you tend to join him/her rather than be left behind.

Your band has two problems. First, a drummer who can't resist the urge to play too fast and take the rest of the band with him. Second, a drummer who can't resist the urge to follow another musician who is speeding up the tempo.

Notice how the drummer shows up twice?

A drummer has to be aware of more than which skin or cymbal he should smack next. He should know the song, feel the song, hear everything, play to the appropriate tempo, and take charge. And when you have a drummer like that, the rest of the band has to trust him and not push the tempo.

Good luck!

two fingers · #14 09-10-2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mileszs

Lie. I mean, tell them that you were talking to someone in the audience who said something like, "Man, you guys play such-and-such song really, really fast! I nearly broke my leg trying to dance!" That could be a way to gently approach the subject.

That's one way to put it. Or you could phrase is as a QUESTION. "While I was learning the songs from the recordings, I noticed a lot of them are slower. Did you guys decide to speed them up on purpose, or are we just getting excited on stage?" Good luck.

wildhorse · #15 09-10-2009, 11:24 AM

Anyone else think we're rushing the tempo or is it just me?
If they don't agree then just go with it and have fun. When you lose the audience you can join a new group.

Jazz Ad · #16 09-10-2009, 11:28 AM

It is the drummer's duty to preserve the right tempo. He needs to do his job.

Thankful birds · #17 09-10-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

It is the drummer's duty to preserve the right tempo. He needs to do his job.

+1. I am always amazed when I hear about drummers speeding up due to guitarists, or bassist, etc. The steadfast rule is for the duration of the song the drummer is right. I don't care if he changes the tempo, goes to a different place in the song, changes the time signature, etc. For the duration of the song that drummer is who EVERYONE should follow.

After the song, of course, the drummer may be wrong, but having several people fighting for control of tempo, etc. is dangerous. It's the duty of a drummer to be aware of tempo isues and know the songs cold. (It's the duty of the rest of the band as well, of course, but since the live performance is built on the drummer it's a bigger deal if he or she doesn't pay attention).

FunkMetalBass · #18 09-10-2009, 11:36 AM

Play to a metronome. When they see that, by the end of the song, the timing is off, it'll be proof that there's an issue.

onlyclave · #19 09-10-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

It is the drummer's duty to preserve the right tempo. He needs to do his job.

Yeah, if this was only the case. I don't know how many times I've had to take control of the tempo and get the drummer to straighten up after he'd turned the time around and couldn't even hear it.

At some point someone needs to take ownership of the tempo.

I agree that people who have never had much formal organized music experience (ie academic) won't get it and you can lead a horse to water but can't make them drink. It's fun to play fast and tempos creep up on stage in front of people. Record a rehearsal and then play your recording against the original and ask them if that's really what they want.

fishtx · #20 09-10-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

It is the drummer's duty to preserve the right tempo. He needs to do his job.

Although I kind of agree with this...IMO, You as the Bass player bear some of the tempo responsibility...What I mean by this is if the song starts out at a decent tempo, and you feel it start to speed up or slow down...take control and "stand fast"...make eye contact with the drummer so he knows what you are trying to do...

Having said that, sometimes if a song slightly speed up to "drive" the tune, that's OK with me...but when they just take off...thats no good.

Another possible solution (as much as I hate these stupid things), is to have the drummer get a Beat Bug...