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Just a bad gig or is it worse than that?
- Thread starter claytitan
- Start date
Well in a band setting i'm not really a seasoned guy, but i'm good with communication. Plus the things you listed are obvious issues; too long inbetween songs, tuning for WAY too long (and still being out of tune), playing too loud...
Sometimes you have a bad night. Sometimes a couple of people have a bad night. It sounds like you need to get this stuff out on the table for real or your going to be driving people away for some time to come.
Good news is it seems like you know what needs to be done. I hope your relationship with the band is good and they will listen to you!
Sometimes you have a bad night. Sometimes a couple of people have a bad night. It sounds like you need to get this stuff out on the table for real or your going to be driving people away for some time to come.
Good news is it seems like you know what needs to be done. I hope your relationship with the band is good and they will listen to you!
Play jazz and rid yourself of the nonsense. At least there you can express yourself without shouting the the top of your wattage....Youre not going to change them so change your situation.
Show them pretty much what you just typed. See if they acknowledge that it is something that needs to be fixed and then take steps to correct the problems. If they don't, then it is time to start adopting an exit strategy. What you just described is rank amateur BS. Don't put up with it.
I`d pay anyone who can figure out why some guitarists feel the need to tune every other song. One guy I played with would always do this(even in practice) and I couldn`t understand it because his guitar would never be out of tune to begin with.
It just irk`d me because it would take him a good minute or two and by the time he was done the energy from the last song would be gone =\
It just irk`d me because it would take him a good minute or two and by the time he was done the energy from the last song would be gone =\
A
afromoose
Guest
And if they still say it sounds good, it's time to move on. If they can't hear what you hear, there's no fixing it.
Does the guitarist use a digital tuner at all? If not, he should.
And as others have said, recording your shows is a good idea. That way their ridiculous behavior is plain to see. If they still can't see it, time for another band.
And as others have said, recording your shows is a good idea. That way their ridiculous behavior is plain to see. If they still can't see it, time for another band.
I have a lot of these same problems. I've read about many guys who do. It's very frustrating, but not uncommon.
Try what I did: talk to your bandleader privately, he may be struggling with how to best run the band, and may be open to your involvement on a semi-co-leader level in terms of input on band issues, as a #2 man. It worked for me. I have yet to take full advantage of this position, but I like having some control without all the issues of leadership. He will let you know if you're not welcome. Then you can decide to stick it out or not.
Who knows? Maybe your band can improve, decent groups of people you like that "work" on some level are not easy to find. It sounds like your band has some merit, I'd try to stick it out and improve it.
Re: tuning: guitars require more frequent tuning than bass. Especially if they are using new strings, which are are also required more often than with bass. Sometimes my bass will stay in tune for two weeks. Guitars will not. I know "every other song" is too much, but just saying.
Re: delays between songs. This is something I hate also. We're working on that but it's probably never going to satisfy me. It's one of my compromises in lieu of finding another band that would certainly have its own problems.
Good luck!
Try what I did: talk to your bandleader privately, he may be struggling with how to best run the band, and may be open to your involvement on a semi-co-leader level in terms of input on band issues, as a #2 man. It worked for me. I have yet to take full advantage of this position, but I like having some control without all the issues of leadership. He will let you know if you're not welcome. Then you can decide to stick it out or not.
Who knows? Maybe your band can improve, decent groups of people you like that "work" on some level are not easy to find. It sounds like your band has some merit, I'd try to stick it out and improve it.
Re: tuning: guitars require more frequent tuning than bass. Especially if they are using new strings, which are are also required more often than with bass. Sometimes my bass will stay in tune for two weeks. Guitars will not. I know "every other song" is too much, but just saying.
Re: delays between songs. This is something I hate also. We're working on that but it's probably never going to satisfy me. It's one of my compromises in lieu of finding another band that would certainly have its own problems.
Good luck!
Any self respecting muso will tune the guitar(s) before they get on stage. And that includes warming the guitar to the room.
Having to stop the show to tune for more than a minute for tuning alone is bad form.
Excessive dead time between songs is when the audience think you're finished. Time for piss. Time for a smoke. Soft.
A lot of this stuff comes with practise - but some will come with being prepared. I found with my current band, that rehearsing the whole set list as quickly as possible (no temp increase) was the way to stamp out the deadtime crap.
Cos if you're not ready - we're starting without you amateur's!
Having to stop the show to tune for more than a minute for tuning alone is bad form.
Excessive dead time between songs is when the audience think you're finished. Time for piss. Time for a smoke. Soft.
A lot of this stuff comes with practise - but some will come with being prepared. I found with my current band, that rehearsing the whole set list as quickly as possible (no temp increase) was the way to stamp out the deadtime crap.
Cos if you're not ready - we're starting without you amateur's!
Well I showed the band what I wrote here. In email and out of the talkbass setting of course. Kind of played it off on where I thought we could improve. I softened it a bit and added plenty of critism of myself and where I can improve as well. I will let you all know how it goes.
I think we can make it work. It is too much fun to quit trying (most of the time).
I think we can make it work. It is too much fun to quit trying (most of the time).
Bring it all up at rehearsal ... and carefully watch the various reactions. If the members are defensive, can't hear the problem, or otherwise dodge the criticism ... it's time to consider your options; ie, replace the offender(s) or let them replace you. The only proper response is to accept the criticism, and to discuss how the performance can be better next time.
One of my current bands has a member who doesn't hear his mistakes (and they are many), doesn't practice between rehearsals, never plays a solo the same way twice (not even close). He thinks he's a great improvisationalist ... but really, he's just a wanker. I'll be taking my own advice and considering my options real soon.
One of my current bands has a member who doesn't hear his mistakes (and they are many), doesn't practice between rehearsals, never plays a solo the same way twice (not even close). He thinks he's a great improvisationalist ... but really, he's just a wanker. I'll be taking my own advice and considering my options real soon.
Yeah. If you hit a bad note once, it's a mistake. Do it again, and it's improvisation!
