• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Basic Rant re: keeping it simple.

Rayjay

Rayjay

OH! When drum stop, VERY BAD!!
Supporting Member
Sep 27, 2014
4,108
16,587
49
Lahaina, Maui, HI
#1
I'm getting really fed up with a certain situation that seems to be rampant in my local music scene.

People show up to a rehearsal, unprepared. Don't know the song form, or even the right chords. It's a complete hack job forgery of an attempt.

(I realize this is not unique to my area, LOL)

At which point, I attempt to explain to them what they are doing wrong.

This is always met with "let's just keep it simple." LET'S JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE?!?

Don't get me wrong. I live by the K.I.S.S. method. (Keep it simple, sweety) But to me, and the musicians who brought me up, the actual act of keeping it as simple as possible is when everyone learns the song and shows up prepared to play what they were assigned with learning, simply.

Am I alone? I'm getting annoyed with the level of excellence people are striving for. I can't seem to find a band where the unacceptable isnt allowed onstage. Thanks for letting me vent!
 
  • Like
Reactions: strat59, Pbassmanca, Omega Monkey and 10 others
#3
Rayjay said:
I live by the K.I.S.S. method. (Keep it simple, sweety)
Click to expand...
Is it safe to assume everyone else has heard a different word than "sweety" when using this acronym?

But yes, I find it frustrating when my band has scheduled rehearsals and someone shows up not knowing what to do. We don't even have regular rehearsals so it's not like we're oppressive. People are just lazy/complacent. Unfortunately, it shows on the stage too, so replacing is sometimes the best option.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jackn1202, Aqualung60, Crazy_Jake and 5 others
#4
Does your band have lead sheets showing the song form / changes, marked with keys and tempo?
Or are you relying on people to remember it all?
If you have 'musicians' who can't follow the changes on a lead sheet, you have problems.
If you're expecting memorization, clearly it isn't working and you may need a different approach.
At which point, I attempt to explain to them what they are doing wrong.
Click to expand...
Consult the chart...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Indexed, Pbassmanca, Garret Graves and 5 others
#5
Rayjay said:
This is always met with "let's just keep it simple." LET'S JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE?!?
Click to expand...

This is code for "I don't have the ears/chops/work ethic to learn it as recorded or per the arrangement we chose," or "I'm a much better bass player than that hack on the platinum seller, so I re-wrote the bass line to suit my tastes and improve upon it," followed by a thinly veiled, "Get off my back and just play the song already, with no standards, critiques, or suggestions please."

In reality, the simplest thing a cover band can do is insist everybody initially stay faithful to the parts as-recorded to the extent possible. Songs tend to sound pretty darn good immediately for bands who can do that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pbassmanca, marmadaddy, Joedog and 7 others
#7
Rayjay said:
I'm getting really fed up with a certain situation that seems to be rampant in my local music scene.

People show up to a rehearsal, unprepared. Don't know the song form, or even the right chords. It's a complete hack job forgery of an attempt.
...
Am I alone? I'm getting annoyed with the level of excellence people are striving for. I can't seem to find a band where the unacceptable isnt allowed onstage. Thanks for letting me vent!
Click to expand...

It can be very frustrating when people show up continually unprepared to rehearsal. Especially if its everyone in the band. Seems guitar players or other lead instrument players tend to exhibit this trait. I've found that if you can find a drummer on the same page as you, then the rhythm section can lay down the correct arrangement and the guitar players will fall into place.

You may want to seek out musicians, or at the very least a drummer with a similar level of commitment to the music as yours.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ObsessiveArcher, dBChad and Rayjay
#8
Rayjay said:
I'm getting really fed up with a certain situation that seems to be rampant in my local music scene.

People show up to a rehearsal, unprepared. Don't know the song form, or even the right chords. It's a complete hack job forgery of an attempt.

(I realize this is not unique to my area, LOL)

At which point, I attempt to explain to them what they are doing wrong.

This is always met with "let's just keep it simple." LET'S JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE?!?

Don't get me wrong. I live by the K.I.S.S. method. (Keep it simple, sweety) But to me, and the musicians who brought me up, the actual act of keeping it as simple as possible is when everyone learns the song and shows up prepared to play what they were assigned with learning, simply.

Am I alone? I'm getting annoyed with the level of excellence people are striving for. I can't seem to find a band where the unacceptable isnt allowed onstage. Thanks for letting me vent!
Click to expand...

I won't tolerate any of that. I don't expect perfection from my band mates, but effort to learn a song in an agreed upon arrangement is required. And then remember it next week. And the week after. I've walked from one band because of this attitude and fired a guitar player from another (him or me). Simple is good; unprepared is not.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Crazy_Jake, interp, ObsessiveArcher and 2 others
#9
Not everyone is at a semi pro level, and not everyone can or will learn at the pace required for that level. From your example it sounds like Keep It Simple means Dumb It Down For Me. That's probably not a good compromise. Not all songs are simple.

Don't waste time on them. I squandered several years being nice to basement players who were never going to progress. I am no super pro. But I am responsible and work hard to learn my stuff. If they are not progressing and not prepared, find someone else ASAP. It sounds harsh, but it's the ugly ass-end of the truth.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Garret Graves, Runningdog, instrumentalist and 12 others
#10
electracoyote said:
In reality, the simplest thing a cover band can do is insist everybody initially stay faithful to the parts as-recorded to the extent possible. Songs tend to sound pretty darn good immediately for bands who can do that.
Click to expand...

Exactly. What is simple about players not knowing their parts, making someone else teach them and wasting everyones time in rehearsal?
 
  • Like
Reactions: electracoyote and Rayjay
#11
Practice is what you do alone to learn your parts. Rehearsal is when you put those pieces together. If people don't practice, rehearsal is a waste.

Two things I will never put up with - people who can't/won't control their volume, and people who don't prepare. If rehearsal is at 6:00, guaranteed by 5:55 I will be there, plugged in, tuned up, and knowing all my parts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: coilcbl_RT, Admiral Akbar, Garret Graves and 10 others
#15
oldrocker said:
It can be very frustrating when people show up continually unprepared to rehearsal. Especially if its everyone in the band. Seems guitar players or other lead instrument players tend to exhibit this trait. I've found that if you can find a drummer on the same page as you, then the rhythm section can lay down the correct arrangement and the guitar players will fall into place.

You may want to seek out musicians, or at the very least a drummer with a similar level of commitment to the music as yours.
Click to expand...

I wasted 12 months on 4 different guitar players who absolutely refused to learn any new material (ie, material they didn't already know). They weren't bad players either.....they were just lazy. Each would nod and smile when you asked them to come to the next rehearsal knowing a certain song (or two). Each one lasted a couple of months before we canned them. Literally spun our wheels for almost a year on those morons until we found a decent guitarist.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bassplayer2014 and saabfender
#16
Rayjay said:
At which point, I attempt to explain to them what they are doing wrong.

This is always met with "let's just keep it simple." LET'S JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE?!?
Click to expand...
Not sure if that’s better or worse than what I hear. “We put our own spin on it.” Oh really. So it’s a stylistic signature of your band to learn the songs wrong? Got it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Omega Monkey, KevInDaBassment, Rayjay and 2 others
#17
Rayjay said:
Yes, I was taught Keep It Simple, Stupid and apply when referring to myself and my own approach. When teaching lessons to teenagers, I found a better angle in calling them Sweety LOL.
Click to expand...

1C1D46D2-A401-412E-BAE9-07FADA3C4144.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: saabfender
#19
Rayjay said:
I'm getting really fed up with a certain situation that seems to be rampant in my local music scene.

People show up to a rehearsal, unprepared. Don't know the song form, or even the right chords. It's a complete hack job forgery of an attempt.

(I realize this is not unique to my area, LOL)

At which point, I attempt to explain to them what they are doing wrong.

This is always met with "let's just keep it simple." LET'S JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE?!?

Don't get me wrong. I live by the K.I.S.S. method. (Keep it simple, sweety) But to me, and the musicians who brought me up, the actual act of keeping it as simple as possible is when everyone learns the song and shows up prepared to play what they were assigned with learning, simply.

Am I alone? I'm getting annoyed with the level of excellence people are striving for. I can't seem to find a band where the unacceptable isnt allowed onstage. Thanks for letting me vent!
Click to expand...

(With all my respect) I'd either work with pros, or jam with the people I like playing with. Showing up unprepared is unacceptable in professional world. So I assume you're talking about the people you jam with for fun. If no one's prepared, there's no fun. And if there's no money involved, I'd pass. It's not like you're learning anything musically from them, are you?
 
  • Like
Reactions: StayLow

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back