i have adhd and i dont noodle. i just get there early and do this when they walk into the room
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Guitarists Noodling?
- Thread starter Flashback Bass
- Start date
i have adhd and i dont noodle. i just get there early and do this when they walk into the room
not guitarists but at practice ive had drummers that cannot be quiet while were discussing song structure or shows or....ANYTHING....sometimes it gets so bad i just start texting and leaving early
IMO, the noodling is usually due to immaturity. Older, more advanced guitarists are less likely to noodle, or at least less likely to be so danged annoying about it. IME the younger the player, the more noodles he throws at you, the louder they are, and does it while others are talking. Very annoying.
It's a need for attention, and older more mature guys are usually over that, or at least seek it in more acceptable ways. But not always.
How to make him stop? Tell him, "KNOCK THAT SH!T OFF!!!"
It's a need for attention, and older more mature guys are usually over that, or at least seek it in more acceptable ways. But not always.
How to make him stop? Tell him, "KNOCK THAT SH!T OFF!!!"
Pros dont noodle. Amateurs/wanna bees do. Fact of life. I learned this earlier than most. As a kid, when id go to the local dives to check out the bands, I never saw this(noodling). And these were the hack bands. When Id see the real pros, any noodlers were ejected from the stage.
Case in point: Saw Art Blakey play with the Jazz Messengers underneath the Pier sometime in the 80's. He had a really young (college age?) sax player. The kid was good. Really good. Between songs, this guy would blow a few notes. The third song ended. Blakey got off his throne walked over to the guy, grabbed the kid's collar and marched him off his stage. I recall booing Blakey for doing that (as well as many of the audience) because it seemed a little bit harsh...I mean, he coulda just told him not to noodle between songs, right?
Wrong. But I was a kid too, and didnt know any better.
Stop the noodling. imo,.
Case in point: Saw Art Blakey play with the Jazz Messengers underneath the Pier sometime in the 80's. He had a really young (college age?) sax player. The kid was good. Really good. Between songs, this guy would blow a few notes. The third song ended. Blakey got off his throne walked over to the guy, grabbed the kid's collar and marched him off his stage. I recall booing Blakey for doing that (as well as many of the audience) because it seemed a little bit harsh...I mean, he coulda just told him not to noodle between songs, right?
Wrong. But I was a kid too, and didnt know any better.
Stop the noodling. imo,.
Hilarious!!!
I have ADHD too. I just channel it into less annoying activities like continually winking at the drummer.
like posting on the internets and randomly dancing like jarvis cocker in the streets
its ok we all do it. i kinda have a story related to that.
new years in a pub in ek called hudsons. me and my friends were all getting smashed but the pub closed at 1am. for the 40 mins after the bells the DJ was taking song requests from a full pub. i requested common people - pulp because when my friend is drunk he does the BEST jarvis cocker impression EVER. what i wasnt expecting was half the pub all doing jarvis impressions.
I don't have a problem currently with my guitar player noodling between songs but once in a while he is having so much fun soloing that he extends or doubles the lead time. Since he sings most of the songs too he can get away with dragging out solos improv and the drummer and I are at his mercy. The extended solo usually amounts to excessive noodling that does nothing but detract from the shorter planned solo.
Now my drummer and I just smile when he does this and launch into our own noodlefest. I stay in the correct key but do some major experimenting and deviation from the original bassline and work with the drummer on eye contact and signals and we add stops, tempo and dynamics changes, etc. Too much fun and sometimes produces cool results, sometimes not but guitarist has gotten the hint and doesn't extend his solos as often now which is good.
Now my drummer and I just smile when he does this and launch into our own noodlefest. I stay in the correct key but do some major experimenting and deviation from the original bassline and work with the drummer on eye contact and signals and we add stops, tempo and dynamics changes, etc. Too much fun and sometimes produces cool results, sometimes not but guitarist has gotten the hint and doesn't extend his solos as often now which is good.
Our guitarist's noodling killed my band. True. Next time someone starts that crap, I'm going to be polite but firm. Stop. That. Now.
Our guitarist used to do this. Every time i would yell at him to stop playing while people are speaking he would say " I was working on something really cool". Based on this and the stupid smile on his face afterwards, my guess is its trying to show off.
Not saying this is the case of all noodling, but in this case i believe he thinks we are all impressed with his playing and looking for attention.
Typically what i used to do when i realized that it was a habit was take my bass off, and have a seat. He'd look at me and i would say " Oh, i didn't think you wanted to practice anymore, let me know when you are finished and we can continue" It would usually work.
Also, our drummer would get pissed too and as retaliation play over any speaking the guitarist wanted to do and say "how do you like it?"
It eventually got him to cut down quite a bit.
Not saying this is the case of all noodling, but in this case i believe he thinks we are all impressed with his playing and looking for attention.
Typically what i used to do when i realized that it was a habit was take my bass off, and have a seat. He'd look at me and i would say " Oh, i didn't think you wanted to practice anymore, let me know when you are finished and we can continue" It would usually work.
Also, our drummer would get pissed too and as retaliation play over any speaking the guitarist wanted to do and say "how do you like it?"
It eventually got him to cut down quite a bit.
+1 on the PA/LIGHTS/DRUMS first. It is a major hassle to set up back light trees when the amps and keyboards have been setup.
Definitely have a low tolerance for noodling. I think it happens out of habit -- perhaps a way to mentally prepare for the next tune (that's the nicer excuse, anyway).
Along with making it clear, in no uncertain terms, that noodling is not an option, I like recording rehearsals and gigs and then getting together to listen back. Sometimes, when in the thick of it, people don't realize how unprofessional and annoying their noodling (or other performance idiosyncrasies) can be. But when they hear it back on the recording, and everyone points it out, it becomes far more blatant.
Along with making it clear, in no uncertain terms, that noodling is not an option, I like recording rehearsals and gigs and then getting together to listen back. Sometimes, when in the thick of it, people don't realize how unprofessional and annoying their noodling (or other performance idiosyncrasies) can be. But when they hear it back on the recording, and everyone points it out, it becomes far more blatant.
