what do you think of this version of the song? Also depending on which musicians he uses (he hardly ever has the same people at all times) changes the feel and sound some which then influences what i do.
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Am I overplaying?
- Thread starter Manuel101
- Start date
what do you think of this version of the song? Also depending on which musicians he uses (he hardly ever has the same people at all times) changes the feel and sound some which then influences what i do.
Now that you bring up the ego I realize that for the gigs i record with the intention to upload on YouTube I tend to do more. Never thought about it until now.Still...listen to what he says and become a better musician.
Parking your Ego might be a good investment for future situations.
...before the BL surprises you...
Sounds like the kinship ties might be more the source of friction than the musical performance. Hey--it can be tough working with relatives!
I gotta wonder if maybe, when your brother works with the band, you uncle tells him to play more like you...
Added: Whousedtoplay and I were pondering the family thing at the same time!
I gotta wonder if maybe, when your brother works with the band, you uncle tells him to play more like you...
Added: Whousedtoplay and I were pondering the family thing at the same time!
Everyone is indispensable - until they get dispensed....before the BL surprises you...
I'll be the first to tell you my brother has one of the thumpiest and stronger sound I have ever heard in my life. But he doesn't have good ear. So many times we would both records parts of a song he would record the straight parts I would record the more difficult and elaborate parts. Seriously though no one around here knows how the heck he is able to produce such a powerful thump I try emulating it but it's not as cool as his
Welcome to the internet.
I've read through many of your replies and it seems like you are making a lot of excuses.
- The band mates have no problem with my playing just the bl
- I sort of have an identity crisis when I play in this band. I play with a bunch of other bands and they usually love my style.
- he is very picky about his sound so much so that some musicians have gotten offended and walked out.
- the tone wasn't as I good as it could be because I had to play a little harder to be audible
- I could hardly hear myself. This made it hard for me to play as well as I normally do
- Some one mentioned the fact that I held certain notes too long. That was done deliberately.
- You know some times we just get in a groove and kill it, we just smile at each other and play our asses of but this wasn't one of those times.
- We didn't have our regular keyboard player and our percussion (except the guira) was different
- I get a little slack because we are family.
- I checked overplaying and distasteful are not the same thing so please at least be accurate in your assessment.
- I even wrote that this was not my (or the band's) best performance
- Well I played a bit simpler during the second song
- I think the intro fits but that's a matter of taste.
I need to do that myself.
I'm not trying to beat up on you. I'm the first to applaud people that push the envelope, but I also think that you need to play to the situation you are in. I've played in bands where I had total freedom to play whatever I wanted, and I've played in bands where I had to play to the original recording. No problem with either IMHO. For me, you need to play in the style that the BL wants you to play in. If you can't, or don't want to do that, move on.
Regarding thump, the thing that works best for me is palm muting. I lay the pinky-side edge of my plucking hand across the strings and pluck with thumb, index, and middle fingers. Kind of a claw shape, with the plucking hand. I'm using stainless rounds, so that's a way to shape the envelope to be different from how the strings naturally ring out.
I don't play meringue (dug the tracks, very much), but there are times when that fits a tune in another genre well. It's not a ghost note (it speaks the pitch) but the sustain is short and the decay is abrupt.
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Check out this track I made. I feel the ghost Notes sound too thin. I usually raise the heck out of the low mids when I edit the videos to give it more body
I'm digging on your clips. Double stops, and glissandi with your right hand over the fretboard are cool flourishes, IMHO. Can't comment on genre authenticity.
I've not owned a Smith, but what I've always heard is that they have a compressed, mid-forward voice baked in. I'm thinking that's heading in the opposite direction of the thump you're looking for.
Besides the palm mute technique (would probably get tiring, doing it all night), you might try putting a piece of foam under the strings by the bridge. Worth experimenting with, as a way of shaping the envelope.
On EQ, boost a bit around 80-100, and cut around 500, maybe?
I'm just spitballing, but these are things that come to mind. In no way am I denigrating the sound of the Smith--I like it!--but it sounds like its native voice is different from your tone goal in this band. So some experimentation might be fruitful.
i agree with ewo and reading this thread. I think you know what to play and when to play... but the bass is very unflattering. I think a workhorse bass (you know the ones) will sound fatter, groovier and help lay the beat down better than this bass. It was the one negative that I heard on all the clips over the last 6 pages. Compressed , twangy, middy, did not seem to fit this style of dance music. I am not familiar with this music but I do think the choice of your bass might be in question. Ever take a passive bass to these rehearsals? I think your nice touch will come out in a passive instrument and not be so ' in the front of the mix'.
As an aside I had a sub last week in a big band I play in that brought a smith to a gig to fill in for me. It sounded terrible ( I was sent the recording) , even though the bass lines were correct and the volume was appropriate. I do believe that you are closer than you know in having this be a non issue.
All the best from Gotham!
keep swingin'
Pbass888
As an aside I had a sub last week in a big band I play in that brought a smith to a gig to fill in for me. It sounded terrible ( I was sent the recording) , even though the bass lines were correct and the volume was appropriate. I do believe that you are closer than you know in having this be a non issue.
All the best from Gotham!
keep swingin'
Pbass888
Agreed on the glissandos; they were a bit distracting to me. I'd suggest pulling them out for your next rehearsal and see if the BL notices.
"If you don't do nothing else.......groove." - Victor Wooten's 'What did he say?' album
EDIT: I listened to your recordings again and I think you're doing a fine job. The glissandos CAN be a bit distracting, then again it does add a uniqueness to it. So....keep at it!
EDIT: I listened to your recordings again and I think you're doing a fine job. The glissandos CAN be a bit distracting, then again it does add a uniqueness to it. So....keep at it!
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