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6 String guitarists dictating the bass lines..do they get it?
- Thread starter gkella
- Start date
I've seen this happen a lot with guys that grew up in the Van Halen/hair band/guitar hero era where it's all about hey I'm the LEAD guitar and everyone else is in my shadow. The bass parts were super simple and anything that's not just riding eight notes under him is seen as "too much" and "too busy" and "stepping on his tone" etc.
I've heard the same complaints about "man you're playing way too much" and sat them down and showed them I'm playing exactly whats on the recording and they go "Huh I never heard all that before."
I've heard the same complaints about "man you're playing way too much" and sat them down and showed them I'm playing exactly whats on the recording and they go "Huh I never heard all that before."
This doesn't just go for music.
When something you do for fun is not fun, you shouldn't do it.
To me there is never any value in a faithfully reproduced cover song. If the musicians aren't bringing something new or different to the song, then why even bother?
When something you do for fun is not fun, you shouldn't do it.
To me there is never any value in a faithfully reproduced cover song. If the musicians aren't bringing something new or different to the song, then why even bother?
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Hope you put a nice bit of buckle rash on his axe while you were at it!I haven't read the thread, just responding to the OP. I am a bassist and a guitarist/vocalist ... and yes, I "get it", probably more than others. Unlike your guitarist I won't tell the bassist what to play, but if you aren't contributing to the whole in a meaningful way, I'll be looking for another bass player. I've been on both sides of the issue, too. If there's no payday, I don't much care what the guitarist thinks, but if he's telling me what to play I'll be looking for new opportunities. If I'm getting paid by the BL, then whatever the man asks for is what I'll endeavor to deliver.
I've said it here on TB before, and I've actually done this ... when the critic tries to tell you what to play, hand him your bass and say "show me". That usually shuts 'em up, at least for that session. I had a bassist do that to me ... once ... because I grabbed his bass and showed him.
Trust is probably the most elusive and precious quality in any band situation. If you're playing covers, each member has to trust every other member to learn the parts as they were recorded. If everyone does that, you shouldn't have a problem, and if you are indeed playing the bass parts as they were recorded, just tell him that. Just say, "But that's not how it goes." We play mostly originals, but when we do rehearse covers, it's not unusual for one of us to whip the ol' cell phone out and hold it up to the mic to actually play the original for everyone. Now, your own songs are a different story, but it's still vital to trust that your bandmates are "taking care of business" and bringing tasteful parts to those songs. If you happen to have written the song, an easy way to get the sound you want (or at least get closer to it) from the others is to give them an example from a recorded song ("I'm kind of thinking of that opening riff by [band or musician's name] on [song/album]"). Then they'll have something concrete to work with, and you'll all at least be in the same ballpark. If that doesn't work, however, I'd move on...
They're covers... Just play what is on the record. They're pretty much perfect for the song already.
Lol. So without having heard any of the playing, you have determined the guitarist needs to be fired. There a lot of philosophy happening in this thread, OP already stated they are going covers. Just play it the way it is written.
Yep, roots and 5s mostly, not a walkup in sight (maybe one, don't shoot me if I missed it
I have met people like the guitar player, they never get easier to deal with, only worse. If YOU started this band tell him to take a hike, if HE started the band...... Pack you gigbags and amp and bid a fond farewell. Life is way to short to deal with people's control issues. I have found that the better musicians want the other musicians in their orbit to be creative. I question his ability on his instrument.
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Out of interest, is your guitarist attempting to play the songs as per the records, or is he just bashing away at a bunch of chords?
Are you guys learning your songs from sheet music, or listening to the tracks and copying what you think is right? Bass and drums sometimes can be a lot easier to pick up from records than the guitar parts. Maybe it's him that needs to learn to play the music properly?
Obviously, without hearing you, I can't say what the problem might be, but if he's not pulling his weight and learning the songs properly then maybe the problem is with him and not you and the drummer.
Are you guys learning your songs from sheet music, or listening to the tracks and copying what you think is right? Bass and drums sometimes can be a lot easier to pick up from records than the guitar parts. Maybe it's him that needs to learn to play the music properly?
Obviously, without hearing you, I can't say what the problem might be, but if he's not pulling his weight and learning the songs properly then maybe the problem is with him and not you and the drummer.
- Oct 18, 2012
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I don't care if a guitarist is the greatest player who ever lived. If they have a bad attitude, are control freaks and demanding that other players play what he tells them to play, I won't play with them.
My advice after reading the first post and nothing else. Leave the band. Life is too short to play music with controlling egomaniacs.
This. I don't know why so many in this thread are going on like this is an originals band. It's covers.
That is my question also. Is the guitarist playing like the record or is everything dumbed down? I'm not one to insist everything be note for note by any means, but there are bass parts, guitar parts or drums parts in most songs that have to be done pretty close or the performance is just lame. If guitar boy is playing to the record, then why wouldn't he want the bass and drums to do the same? If he's dumbing down his parts, then that explains his attitude, I suppose.
If ya'll are aiming to play out, I'd suggest you learn your covers close to the record, then if dial parts back IF it makes you sound better and only IF everyone agrees.
Skip a practice and let them hear how thin they sound without bass.
I'm sure on your return you'll hear how the mix was lacking without you
and you were missed.
I'm sure on your return you'll hear how the mix was lacking without you
and you were missed.
We don't have enough information for that. If OP is soloing while they are trying to play hey ho someone has to be the voice of reason. Plus it's covers. So maybe play the song the way it actually goes?
