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Another band practice question- 'tutoring' other members at practices...
- Thread starter Fassa Albrecht
- Start date
Maybe you'll be a band leader some day. I suggest that you take advantage of the situation and teach everyone everything they ask you to. Be professional about it and do it with a smile. You never know, the people you teach may go on to be in other bands and may need you some day. In addition, if you teach them well, they will appreciate you very much and speak well of you to others who compliment their work.
The best way to really learn something is to teach it. Be grateful you are in this situation.
Heck, you're in a worship band...treat it as part of a ministry...Treat the lesser musician s as you would like to be treated if you were in that boat. And you will be at some point.
Learning to be a good teacher, tutor, mentor, etc... will have huge benefits in whatever you do later in life, be it music or other professional pursuits.
In my professional life, I have many times had to explain certain technical aspects of a job to the vendor who is our "expert" in this field.
The best thing to do is learn to be patient, and be a valuable leader helping the team achieve a common goal. Your talents and ability to teach will not go overlooked or unrewarded, either immediately or later in life.
In my professional life, I have many times had to explain certain technical aspects of a job to the vendor who is our "expert" in this field.
The best thing to do is learn to be patient, and be a valuable leader helping the team achieve a common goal. Your talents and ability to teach will not go overlooked or unrewarded, either immediately or later in life.
Six years ago, when I was studying in Sweden for half a year, I compiled (and became the leader of) a new band with members with very little or no band experience. It was fun, because they all listened to me and said that I was a great source of inspiration to them. I made them play and come up with things on their own that they had never played before. The band, a soul band, didn't of course sound very great due to the limited experience of the band members (I was the drummer actually - the only band so far that I've been the drummer in), but it was a lot of fun anyway. I didn't have any problem at all with being kind of a teacher or tutor to the rest of the band, because everyone was interested in the band and keen on making it sound good. I really loved this band, and I still have contact with several of the band members. Sadly the band faded when I moved back to Finland, but anyway it was a great experience and I'm several friends richer thanks to that band. 
[rant]
Jumping to the other extreme - I've been playing in a band the last couple of years (very irregularly though), that have a terrible keyboardist who on the same time is the gig booker. I'm the most experienced guy in that band, whereas the keyboardist don't know any more advanced chords than major or minor, and doesn't even always react when he's playing the wrong chord. It gets really frustrating when he asks something like how you play a Csus4 or an Em7 chord for the fiftyeleventh time. Plus, he steps on my toes with his left hand on the keyboard....
I've had enough of this **** now and I'm quitting this crap. It is simply no fun, and the little extra money I get from the occasional gigs with this band (a few per year) does not make it worth staying. The only reason I've stayed this far is the drummer, who is a really really great one (that is quitting as well, especially if I do), and to some extent the guitarist, who is pretty mediocre but a fun guy to share the stage with. He's a decent singer as well. The keyboardist just does not add anything good to this band, and he's a terrible gig booker too... [/rant]
[rant]
Jumping to the other extreme - I've been playing in a band the last couple of years (very irregularly though), that have a terrible keyboardist who on the same time is the gig booker. I'm the most experienced guy in that band, whereas the keyboardist don't know any more advanced chords than major or minor, and doesn't even always react when he's playing the wrong chord. It gets really frustrating when he asks something like how you play a Csus4 or an Em7 chord for the fiftyeleventh time. Plus, he steps on my toes with his left hand on the keyboard....
I've had enough of this **** now and I'm quitting this crap. It is simply no fun, and the little extra money I get from the occasional gigs with this band (a few per year) does not make it worth staying. The only reason I've stayed this far is the drummer, who is a really really great one (that is quitting as well, especially if I do), and to some extent the guitarist, who is pretty mediocre but a fun guy to share the stage with. He's a decent singer as well. The keyboardist just does not add anything good to this band, and he's a terrible gig booker too... [/rant]It's very rare to find a group of musicians who are all on EXACTLY the same level. In almost every circumstance, you'll have a huge range of talents, motivations, experiences, and influences.
As a musician, it's your job to mix your unique set of attributes in with the others. Sometimes, that means that you have to be open to suggestion, and sometimes you get to make the suggestions. I spent the better part of 10 years playing bandleader for a couple of P&W groups, and it was really quite curious when I came to my current church and got to take suggestions from a more musical bandleader than myself. It's forced me to play better and WANT to be better as a result.
Now, you're probably dealing with the frustrating attitude of the "experienced" guitarist- the idea that "I'm good, so I don't have to work anymore." Patience may not win the battle here, but it will certainly preserve your sanity. Keep working with these guys, and keep sharing your unique expertise. Maybe they've got some skills to share, as well.
Case in point- I subbed for a few months on drums in another church's praise band. They had a BAD bassist, a passable singer/rhythm guitarist, and an excellent electric guitarist. I was able to tell the bassist EXACTLY what to do to sync up with me on drums (watch my right foot), and he immediately tightened up. I shared some thoughts with the singer/guitarist, and we were able to fix some EQ issues on his guitar. The one I loved, however, was the lead guitar player. We'd play off of each other; he'd teach me riffs that I had never even considered, and I'd teach him some ideas about being more deliberate and musical in his playing. I came out of the gig as a better drummer, a better musician, and a MUCH better leader.
You know, the best option is simply to pray about it. On the one hand, they may need you to push them in the right direction. On the other hand, when I was 15, I was in my first praise band- a more experienced musician showed up to the first rehearsal and then bailed on us. If not for him leaving, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to step up and lead on my own. Best of luck in your decision.
As a musician, it's your job to mix your unique set of attributes in with the others. Sometimes, that means that you have to be open to suggestion, and sometimes you get to make the suggestions. I spent the better part of 10 years playing bandleader for a couple of P&W groups, and it was really quite curious when I came to my current church and got to take suggestions from a more musical bandleader than myself. It's forced me to play better and WANT to be better as a result.
Now, you're probably dealing with the frustrating attitude of the "experienced" guitarist- the idea that "I'm good, so I don't have to work anymore." Patience may not win the battle here, but it will certainly preserve your sanity. Keep working with these guys, and keep sharing your unique expertise. Maybe they've got some skills to share, as well.
Case in point- I subbed for a few months on drums in another church's praise band. They had a BAD bassist, a passable singer/rhythm guitarist, and an excellent electric guitarist. I was able to tell the bassist EXACTLY what to do to sync up with me on drums (watch my right foot), and he immediately tightened up. I shared some thoughts with the singer/guitarist, and we were able to fix some EQ issues on his guitar. The one I loved, however, was the lead guitar player. We'd play off of each other; he'd teach me riffs that I had never even considered, and I'd teach him some ideas about being more deliberate and musical in his playing. I came out of the gig as a better drummer, a better musician, and a MUCH better leader.
You know, the best option is simply to pray about it. On the one hand, they may need you to push them in the right direction. On the other hand, when I was 15, I was in my first praise band- a more experienced musician showed up to the first rehearsal and then bailed on us. If not for him leaving, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to step up and lead on my own. Best of luck in your decision.
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
The context of church can provide an advantage, if you choose to use it, because there are religious tenets you can discuss and leverage that might not be suitable in a non-religious setting. The first one that comes to mind is the concept of "servant Leadership," but there are countless others. In the same situation, some might ask themselves, WWJD?
