Guitarist problems and suggestions to help the situation?

[DirtDog]

But not all bands rehearse. My current band did two gigs this month with zero rehearsals and I have ten coming up in September. The issue for me was getting my iPad set for the next song without much help as to what the next song was. The band has signals and such but being new, I don’t know them. But I wasn’t going to slow the band down… if they counted it off and I didn’t come right in it wasn’t the end of the world. I have plenty of time to figure out cues and such.

But this is what happens when set lists aren’t followed. I prefer it to be somewhat fresh with songs pulled up after not being played for awhile. But with set lists of over 300 songs, an iPad is an important tool - especially when first joining a band.

The flip side is a rigid setlist. I played with a band February-July that played almost the same set of songs twice a week and it got old real fast.

I guess this is what happens when they try to wing it without rehearsal.

 

[LBS-bass]

Had a row with a former lead singer/guitarist over a two note pull off in the song Smoke From a Distant Fire. I knew my part, but he had his own ideas. It went on for a 15 minute tizzy fit on his part. I said, ok fine, just to shut him up. The next time we played it and every other time I reverted back to my way. He never noticed. . So much wasted time and effort

I hate these kinds of things. I had an argument over a horn part that a keyboard player was playing - I don't even remember it now but there was a flat seven or five or something like that and he kept playing it wrong, and insisting that the note wasn't supposed to be flat there. I could hear it as clear as a bell on the recording and it just wasn't getting through to this guy who normally had a pretty good ear.

It's the only time we ever had a real fight over something but I wasn't going to go up there with him playing it wrong. I insisted he play it right or I was going to drop the song, and he played it correctly from then on but I wonder if he ever figured out he was wrong about the whole thing. If he did, he never let on about it.

Sheesh.

Many things I'll let go of but at least play the chords that are supposed to be in the song, or something that at least resembles them! I don't care if you stand that chord on its head as long as the notes in the chord you play aren't ugly-clashing with everything else.

 

[pepj]

Because you learn some songs on the job it can be better if you have never listened to the original...but only know it vaguely by hearing it in passing.
That way you've been walked through the song by someone who knows...and trust, so that becomes the version with associated chords.
The lead needs to be from an educated ear though, so not the singer who works off their simplistic concocted chart.

I'm really concerned only with if our version works.
Everyone has the capability to introduce their version but unless you feel the need to sit down and review, it works, it stays.
I've still to meet up and run through any of the songs outside of gigs I've been doing for the past 18months.
And there are some songs like Something- Beatles that aren't too buskable so it can be a bit of a roasting...but as long as it never sounds like it.

 

[Core Creek]

I guess this is what happens when they try to wing it without rehearsal.

I don’t know how rehearsals are going to solve this?

I wouldn’t say I’m winging it. I spent countless hours AT HOME going through the tunes and charting them. I went through audio clips of medleys sent to me by the BL. You imply that lack of rehearsals means lack of preparedness and I don’t think they equate.

If you’re rehearsing transitions between songs that’s a pretty rigid setlist, and if I had gigs like those - where a setlist is given, and always followed - an iPad is a non-issue. I’d just look ahead to the next song right before the current one ends and cue up the next song. I don’t even see the need for rehearsals for that.

But when a band is feeling the vibe of the crowd and the BL decides to call a tune 5 seconds after the cure current one ends - how do you for rehearse that? Seriously?

 

[Pocket Dave]

I don’t know how rehearsals are going to solve this?

I wouldn’t say I’m winging it. I spent countless hours AT HOME going through the tunes and charting them. I went through audio clips of medleys sent to me by the BL. You imply that lack of rehearsals means lack of preparedness and I don’t think they equate.

If you’re rehearsing transitions between songs that’s a pretty rigid setlist, and if I had gigs like those - where a setlist is given, and always followed - an iPad is a non-issue. I’d just look ahead to the next song right before the current one ends and cue up the next song. I don’t even see the need for rehearsals for that.

But when a band is feeling the vibe of the crowd and the BL decides to call a tune 5 seconds after the cure current one ends - how do you for rehearse that? Seriously?

Yep. This pretty much describes my two working bands. Lots of individual prep, never a rehearsal. Plus, for the $100-200 a man per gig, closer to $100 on my weeknight gig, driving across town to a rehearsal is an ineffective money-loser.

The only time we come close to winging isn't really winging at all-When the BL on my weekend gig calls an audible. Even then, we've all probably heard the song before, we know the key, I can see the BL's fretting hand, he provides excellent stage direction and the drummer is a consummate pro at telegraphing breaks and dynamics. This is hardly "winging it".