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Guitarists Noodling?

Flashback Bass

Flashback Bass

May 31, 2005
834
1,859
Central Jersey where Pork Roll is King!
www.guildsofgrot.com
#1
Both of the guitarist in my band noodle continuously during rehearsal. The one even noodles quite a bit between songs at gigs!

I drives me f'ing crazy!!! I don't get it. I just stand there quietly until it's time to start the next song.

I have some theories on the subject, but I'd like to hear what other people think.

So;

1. Why do guitarists noodle?

2. Is there any way to get them to stop?
 
#4
In our band 2 of the 3 guitarists do this, all of us come from very different backgrounds with different taste in music so for one of them it's his way of telling us he wants to play one of "his" songs next. The other one just sucks at guitar and doesn't put in the practice time so he is generally trying to figure out how to play the song we just got done with.

For question 2, my drummer and I can be louder than them so he just counts us in to the next song and we start playing and let them catch up.
 
#5
Cut down the time between songs. IMO nothing looks more unprofessional than when a band finishes a song and then stands around for 5 seconds waiting to start the next. Song ends, click click click boom and off goes the next song.

If you need to switch guitars or something, then you have the vocalist engage the crowd (which should clue the guitarist in that he shouldn't be playing at that time). If not, a good chat is needed.
 
#6
bobbybass85 said:
Cut down the time between songs. IMO nothing looks more unprofessional than when a band finishes a song and then stands around for 5 seconds waiting to start the next. Song ends, click click click boom and off goes the next song.

If you need to switch guitars or something, then you have the vocalist engage the crowd (which should clue the guitarist in that he shouldn't be playing at that time). If not, a good chat is needed.
Click to expand...

Seconding this. Every cover band I've been in, we've broken up the set list into "block" - 3-4 songs that kind of go together. Minimizes downtime and keeps things moving.

I might forgive the noodling at rehearsal here and there if it's kept to a minimum and/or the player noodling is trying to figure something out. But onstage it is absolutely unacceptable.
 
#7
Our guitarist noodles at practice at full volume; even when people are speaking. It's so incredibly annoying. His wife is one of the vocalist of the band and he even does it while she's speaking.

I called him out once and he was good for about a month. That was three years ago.
 
#8
bobbybass85 said:
Cut down the time between songs. IMO nothing looks more unprofessional than when a band finishes a song and then stands around for 5 seconds waiting to start the next. Song ends, click click click boom and off goes the next song.

.
Click to expand...

I can agree with this to infinity. My cover band is so freaking bad at this, sometimes it's 10-15 seconds while the guitarists and singer look at each other.."what song do you want to do now?" It's horrible and I am embarrassed to be a part of it.
 
#12
Years ago I used to have a guitar player who was really bad about this so every time it started, I would kick on my distortion pedal and wah and just keep playing the highest notes I could on my bass. Eventually he would look at me annoyed and I'd just smile. He got the point.
 
#13
awakefie said:
We are a 3 piece and our guitar player/singer is very good about launching into the next song. It keeps the dance floor moving too. The best remedy for noodling is don't give noodlers time to noodle.
Click to expand...

This.. Along with a sit down with the whole band to discuss show-flow..

My guitarist noodles at full volume after he's set up, and we're still plugging in PA, lights, etc.. It would be nice to have his help - or at least space on stage to move, and quiet to talk - but we've gotten to the point that we just accept it.
 
#15
Flashback Bass said:
Both of the guitarist in my band noodle continuously during rehearsal. The one even noodles quite a bit between songs at gigs!

I drives me f'ing crazy!!! I don't get it. I just stand there quietly until it's time to start the next song.

I have some theories on the subject, but I'd like to hear what other people think.

So;

1. Why do guitarists noodle?

2. Is there any way to get them to stop?
Click to expand...

1. ADHD

2.Ritalin
 
#16
Oh lord, I deal with ALL of the above!! It's maddening!!

The worst for me is when we are on stage getting ready to go on again at the end of a break. I'm in charge of the music that plays during breaks and I usually play dance/R&B/Rap etc. like LMFAO (it's what works in my neck of the woods).

My lead guitarist and drummer will start playing/noodling/trying to figure out the cool modern song that's playing on the PA. Besides being unprofessional, the really maddening part is I keep trying to convince them to learn some modern songs, but they won't stop coming up with all classic rock stuff. It makes me SO MAD!!! to even think about it....grrrrrrrr.....
 
#19
makaspar said:
My guitarist noodles at full volume after he's set up, and we're still plugging in PA, lights, etc.. It would be nice to have his help - or at least space on stage to move, and quiet to talk - but we've gotten to the point that we just accept it.
Click to expand...

That is totally unacceptable. It's one thing to not help, it's another thing to impede someone from doing it. It's totally unprofessional as well as antisocial. I don't allow it because it not only gets in the way, it makes the audience think you are about to go on when you are actually not, which compounds the unprofessionalism of one person and spreading that image to the whole band. And if you ever encounter an issue, it's absolutely annoying to hear someone noodle away while you're trying to figure out why your not getting a signal from X. Whenever I encounter noodling before a show, I tell the guys to get off stage and take five. I have no problem literally pulling a plug, but fortunately I've never had to do it. Either way, dial in your sound, and get off stage. We'll adjust levels once the whole band is ready for a soundcheck.

One rule that I have to circumvent this is THE PA, LIGHTS AND DRUMS GET SET UP FIRST! Set up goes faster, and there's less noodling. When the band is set up at about the same time, instead of noodling, you'll get a soundcheck which is much more useful.
 

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