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Don’t know how to proceed here.

#42
I went through this with a previous band, although it happened much more slowly. We got up to speed fairly quickly, started gigging and were firing on all cylinders for about a year and a half. Then we started regressing and by the end it was a trainwreck. Me and another bandmate were pushing the slackers but, we quite frankly were too nice. It can be difficult as you dont want to be a dictator but like OP said, im not getting in front of an audience and embarrassing myself. Only way is to come out and say it...Im not doing any gigs unless we get these things fixed. Not easy, but necessary.
 
#45
Are rehearsals being recorded? This is the quickest way to identify issues and have specific timestamps to point out to your fellow bandmates. If they still can't hear what's wrong then it's time to move on.

Personally I've been in similar bands as you've pointed out and I've found my mental/emotional health is better off when I've left these groups, instead of worrying about, "what can I do to make other people care more." It's impossible to do.
 
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#46
Gustopher said:
Rehearsals aren't practice
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IMO, rehearsals ARE practice, but band practice, not individual practice. I.E., learning the "practice" (read: "craft") of performing music together as a band, which goes far beyond some set in stone ideal version of every song. Practicing how to play off one another, adjust dynamics on the fly, etc. To me rehearsals are for plays. I still agree with the underlying point, the thing I am talking about can't happen unless everyone knows the tunes cold coming in. I always get flack when I make this point, and I realize many will view it as just semantics, but whatever. I personally find it an important and useful distinction.
 
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#48
Mandatory weekly metronome practice, he can use IEMs straight to his phone and use a tempo app. Save the tempo for each song and just start drilling. If he doesn’t want to do this, time for a real drummer and not someone who just says they want to be a drummer.
 
#50
I think you are my doppelgänger. I played the same kind of music in a band with the same problems with the corresponding players. Uncanny. Ultimately, I left and the band stopped playing.

If you’re getting paid, then can you afford/find a sub for the drummer? As for the rhythm player, can you do the gig without him?
 
#51
A musician that can't keep time is not a good musician. A drummer that can't keep time - well, that's just sad. What you
are describing is a situation where some folks got excited about playing together, and for a time everyone practiced enough to where their shortcomings didn't get in the way. Now that excitement is gone, they're not practicing, and...a band is a "weak link" scenario - you're limited in how far you can go by your least capable member. In this case, you have 2 weak links that have gotten weaker.

Nothing in this situation is likely to get better on its own - you have to have a sit down with the weak links, tell them where things are, and hopefully they'll either agree to part amicably, or one or both will catch a fire under them, and really practice. I wouldn't plan on that, though. The likelihood is you need to find a couple people that actually practice.

I play church gigs. The last year and a half, when we weren't doing virtual gigs, we've been doing "show and go" gigs - we get together a couple hours before the first service, rehearse the music we're doing that morning (polishing things, not learning our parts), do a run through with the people that are talking - ins and outs of our set and their stuff, we take a short break, and then we do our first service. We literally can't do what we do unless EVERYBODY shows up very well prepared. When I hear about bands that languish for months (sometimes years) that can't get it together enough to play a gig, the thing that is lacking is glaringly obvious - everyone needs to do their homework.
 
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#53
Joe Nerve said:
This is pretty much what I was going to say.

Some people think studio time is where things should be worked out. Others, who are much more respectful, professional, and wise (IMO), practice at home. I've spent a lot of time with the former and resolved many years ago to not involve myself ever again with people who do that. I'm not spending my time and money for OTHERS to learn what they need to learn. I put hours in on my own and expect others to do the same. If they refuse to, they're not musicians I want to be working with.

I'd be crystal clear with the 2 guys not doing their homework. If truly in fear of them sabotaging the gig... wait till its over, and then do whatever you have to do. Clams and tempo changes aren't as noticeable to others as they are to the band. I got recommended for my current band (highest paying gig I ever had) through a guy who saw me at what I think was the worst gig I ever played in my life. It was a cover band horror show with a singer who forgot half the songs, fought on stage with the drummer, there were flubs and trainwrecks all over the place. I was mortified. In the end, it all meant less than nothing.
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A lucky break for you, Joe, but the trauma is still reflected in your avatar.
 
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#54
LBS-bass said:
They need to practice at home. I would just tell them that it's starting to slide in terms of quality and it would be great if everyone could devote an hour or two each week to keeping things polished. The results of not practicing let everyone in the band down and it's embarrassing when you're sharing a stage with people who play like this.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of players out there who just won't do this, either because they don't have the time or they just don't care enough about quality.
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This^ Working out your parts at home is practice. Playing as a band, that's rehearsal. Learn your parts before you go in.
 
#55
Forget personal feelings and get rid of the guys that can’t play well. It’s really that simple. There are so many drummers and guitar players out there that the chances of finding a couple of good ones are very good.
 
#56
evlwevl said:
Yup and they aren’t happy about missing out on other gigs and neither am I but I’m caught in the middle. They don’t know that our band leader may replace them though. I feel they my sabotage the upcoming gig we all agreed to if they knew.
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BL needs to have a talk with them about what is expected of them, especially with gigs coming up! if they are willing to clen up then fine! if not prepare for auditions! 'No need to embarass them just a respectful notice/warning. I think You need to make it known their mistakes are being noticed & are apparent! like saying "Hey we can't have that at the gig!" or "please dont do that at the gig!" and have the BL support you or back you up. I d have a meeting letting them know they're not ready to play out!
 

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