I don't mean to be mean, but those back up vocals are not good at all. I'm talking about the live track.
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Analyzing band's playing and isolating the problem
- Thread starter belzebass
- Start date
I agree with this. He is trying to play the shuffle pattern on the bass drum when he should be playing it on the hi-hat. A CLOSED hi-hat (I can't stand to hear that sloppy open hi hat mush.) Bass drum pattern should be on beat 1 and the upbeat of 2, and that's it. Maybe a little busier during the chorus.
I agree with the above. It did seem that the drummer was much more behind the beat during the verses than the chorus. The fact that his drumming did feel better on the chorus is encouraging. I think he has the potential to become a good pocket player if he recognizes the need to work on that.
I used to have trouble playing too far behind the beat and I'm not sure I can explain why. It seemed like I was hitting in the right place when playing but had no trouble noticing I was behind when I heard the performance played back. Recognizing I had that tendency was important. It took work to break the habit -- and repeated listenings to playbacks of live performances.
Re locking in with the drummer, I agree that it's hard to do that. I would try to lock in with the rhythm guitar and tune out the drummer. Make him "run to keep up" if you can! May not work. I've been there, done that and,yes, I DO have the T-shirt.
The lead guitar was ok, but he does need to tune that thang.
I liked the vocals in spite of the pitchiness. The important thing with a lead voice is that it "comes across" to an audience with a distinct and likeable personality. I heard that. The pitchiness wasn't in the same league as the guitar and probably could be eliminated with practice.
Sorry I couldn't hear the bass or the kick well enough to know what they were doing -- poor listening environment. Best of luck to you!
Ok, for the live recording something is seriously wrong with the guitar that's throwing everyone else done with it. There is as previously mentioned a major tuning problem with the guitar, and it sounds pretty much like the guitar is soloing throughout the song. The drums as bass have unconventional timing but they work. Not sure what to say about the vocals.
The first studio recording is much better, and depending on what you are going for might not need to be modified at all.
Overall I like your second studio recording the best out of the 3.
Overall you should practice together more to build chemistry as a band, make sure everyone is in tune, and make sure everyone is ontime.
It sounds like the drummer is playing quite a way behind the beat (either that or you and the guitarist are way ahead, but I don't think so.) It's almost as if he's waiting to hear you play a note before he hits the drum.
Oh yeah, have your guitarist tune up.
Maybe a different take on this. I found that, by tuning everything else out, I could play your bass line and lock up with your drummer reasonably well. The consensus seems to be that the drummer is lagging behind, but I heard all the other players rushing. I'm not saying your drummer doesn't need to improve, but maybe let him do his job of setting the groove and have everybody else follow?
I do think there's potentially a good song there. I would suggest rebuilding the arrangement from the bottom up. Let the drummer find a beat. Then you work with him on locking up. Once the two of you are solid, bring in the singer and the rhythm guitar. Then the lead guitar last, if at all.
Something has to be done about that lead guitar. It isn't just that it's out of tune. It's a constant caterwauling like he's playing Freebird throughout the whole song. It detracts instead of adding. Suggest he should take a chill pill, work on coming up with phrases that are melodic and compliment the arrangement instead of just wailing away.
I do think there's potentially a good song there. I would suggest rebuilding the arrangement from the bottom up. Let the drummer find a beat. Then you work with him on locking up. Once the two of you are solid, bring in the singer and the rhythm guitar. Then the lead guitar last, if at all.
Something has to be done about that lead guitar. It isn't just that it's out of tune. It's a constant caterwauling like he's playing Freebird throughout the whole song. It detracts instead of adding. Suggest he should take a chill pill, work on coming up with phrases that are melodic and compliment the arrangement instead of just wailing away.
in the live track, the overall tempo is not bad; it is the timing of his bass drum hits which are horrid. he should be able to agree with that on a playback-if not, then you know what to do.
I think most bassists would be surprised at how easy it is to lock in with a drummer IF they had a good drummer to begin with.
I have left many bands because of a drummers inability to play a beat in time.
it all starts with the drums and goes from there IMO.
I think most bassists would be surprised at how easy it is to lock in with a drummer IF they had a good drummer to begin with.
I have left many bands because of a drummers inability to play a beat in time.
it all starts with the drums and goes from there IMO.
Very interesting post. Last night our drummer was sick so we practiced without him (2 guitars, bass, female lead).
Some of the songs that didn't feel right as far as timing and overall coherence was concerned sounded spot on. We looked at each other, and not to throw anyone under the bus when not there, but we need to have a discussion with our drummer on making sure that he is in the pocket and not overplaying with too many fills that do not fit the timing or feel of the song.
Some of the songs that didn't feel right as far as timing and overall coherence was concerned sounded spot on. We looked at each other, and not to throw anyone under the bus when not there, but we need to have a discussion with our drummer on making sure that he is in the pocket and not overplaying with too many fills that do not fit the timing or feel of the song.
Listened to your live track. Sorry dude but there's no one problem with your band. The two big ones are that nobody is that your drummer is all over the walls and your vocalist is bad.
To borrow a term I hate, there's f all synergy in your performance. Spade = Spade: Drummer's doing heaven knows what, guitar player is widdling soullessly, singer is singing through his nose. It's every man for himself.
Two approaches I would use:
- Play some covers together and work on getting them tight as per the record. No extemporising or adding your own flavours. The drummer needs to play at a consistent tempo. Your singer must hit the notes and the guitarist(s)/bass play the parts as they're written.
- Strip your originals back to the bare bones. Root notes, no guitar leads. Nail the rhythm instrumentation before including vox, then build in vocals and leads.
This will teach you how to play like a unit.
Spade = Spade again though dude, listening to those home demos you honestly couldn't pay me to be in the same room as your singer.
To borrow a term I hate, there's f all synergy in your performance. Spade = Spade: Drummer's doing heaven knows what, guitar player is widdling soullessly, singer is singing through his nose. It's every man for himself.
Two approaches I would use:
- Play some covers together and work on getting them tight as per the record. No extemporising or adding your own flavours. The drummer needs to play at a consistent tempo. Your singer must hit the notes and the guitarist(s)/bass play the parts as they're written.
- Strip your originals back to the bare bones. Root notes, no guitar leads. Nail the rhythm instrumentation before including vox, then build in vocals and leads.
This will teach you how to play like a unit.
Spade = Spade again though dude, listening to those home demos you honestly couldn't pay me to be in the same room as your singer.
Guitar: Intonation, tone, composition. All need work. He's not that far off, but he's not that close, either.
Singer: Needs a lot of work.
Backing vocals: Need a TON of work
Drummer is not grooving. Band needs to work on playing together, and feeling a groove.
Just get it together. It's not unsolvable. Do not think: FEEEEEEEL.
Singer: Needs a lot of work.
Backing vocals: Need a TON of work
Drummer is not grooving. Band needs to work on playing together, and feeling a groove.
Just get it together. It's not unsolvable. Do not think: FEEEEEEEL.
Well, the drums and the bass on "studio" versions are surely very solid tempo-wise, since drums are sequenced (Hydrogen) and I tracked bass pretty well (I wouldn't even be ashamed to post isolated drums and bass track
)
Seems that the drums just don't have any feel on either recording - just kind of plodding along and throwing a wet blanket on things. Is your drummer struggling a bit to keep up? It might help if he (she?) practiced more to be more fluid.
Best suggestion I have is to record every practice, then sit down with the rest of the band over a beer and go over it. Particularly helpful if you're jamming stuff for originals - you can also pick out the good bits you want to revisit.
Record, listen, pick apart
Pretty much exactly what is going on in this thread. The key is that the members have to be open to feedback, negative or otherwise. My band records a few rough tracks each practice for no other reason than analysis. We each listen, note issues, and make suggestions to each other in an honest not mean way. Sometimes i stop the band mid song if things are not running right. Ego's must be pushed aside for overall band improvement.
The first thing you need to do is get with the guitar player. See if his instrument has an intonation issue, of if he's just bending the strings a bit and pulling them out of tune. His other issue is, he's chording, and playing decent stuff on the studio recording, but live he is just going hog-wild, and ruining the song in a big, big way. He needs to rein that in right away, or you will never have any kind of decent sound.
He has the greatest amount to fix, but he also has the best chance of success in doing so. I don't know how to address the drum issue. People on here have done a fairly good job; if it were me, I'd be shopping for a drummer, to be honest.
The singer thing is a matter of taste. I would be shopping for a singer; someone else might want to just work with that one, and get him to do something better; I honestly don't know what. I don't like his tone, his feel, or his pitch, so I couldn't work with him. Your results may vary.
