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Help. Need to stage an intervention.

geoff_in_nc

geoff_in_nc

Dec 13, 2008
720
264
Raleigh, NC
#1
I'm in gigging but still hobby-level cover band. 2 guitars (guitarists A and B), bass (me), drums, and female singer. I think we're pretty decent, but its as much about the hang as the gigs.

Another musician (guitarist) I know from work came and saw us last Saturday. He's not shy with his opinions, and made it clear that one of my guitarists (A) is really good, and one (B) has terrible tone that detracts from our songs... way too much distortion was a key thing. We've noticed this too but never really said anything straight out.

Tone to a guitarist is like a newborn baby's beauty to a new mother... .you just don't say the baby's ugly even if it is. "B"'s baby is butt ugly.

How do I go about telling him he's got a tin ear for tone AND the baby's ugly? Like I said above, we all like being together, and I don't want to get anybody's knickers in a twist, but I'm concerned his obnoxious tone could keep us from being invited back to places.
 
#4
I played with a tone deaf musician for a while (at least I thought he was tone deaf). I dialed in a little more edge on his amp when he was not looking. A couple songs later I looked and found he had put the controls back where he originally had them.
 
#7
If the band is gigging and the hang is good, don't worry about the other d*ckhead guitarist blowing smoke about your guys "tone". The ONLY person at the gig bumming about your guys tone, is a non-gigging guitarist who will probably hit you up to be on the guest list for your next gig, then try to get a beer on the band tab.

If he's really devious, he's probably trying to get you to ditch your guy and get him and his stellar "tone" in there so he can have a shot at the chick singer.
 
#8
@Big John66: I may not have made this clear before, but pretty much all of us in the band recognize there's something wrong with his tone. My other guitarist and I can articulate it better than the drummer or our singer. Nobody's really said anything seriously to him yet though or really gotten together about it.

The guy from work may actually be all the things you think he is... but he's just confirming what we've all said about the guitarist (out of earshot of him of course).
 
#9
Do you guys record your gigs? If not, start. Maybe after hearing it himself, you may not need say anything?

geoff_in_nc said:
@Big John66: I may not have made this clear before, but pretty much all of us in the band recognize there's something wrong with his tone. My other guitarist and I can articulate it better than the drummer or our singer.
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Just like Munji said, tell him you think his tone does not suit the songs you are playing as well as it could do, and that it is affecting the perception of the band as a whole. Stress that part.

You're not telling him his tone sucks, just that its not a fit for your style/band, and it needs some adjustment. Offer to assist with the adjustment if he is open to it.
 
#11
From experience I can tell you if he has shaped and perfected his tone(as opposed to only working with this or that) then except for telling him his guitar choice sucks, there is no other single thing he so clearly identifies with. Good luck with that issue. Hopefully he is just using what he has, and hasn't come to the conclusion this offending tone is his one and only.
 
#13
Terracite said:
Let him know you want to hear MORE of him, that the fundamental of his note isn't cutting through and you can't hear him on stage.
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ACK! You want the guitarist to turn UP??? :eek:

If it's as simple as too much distortion, I would just say, "Hey, we'd like you to try using less distortion. It's really just too much." Most people can handle a request to change things a little. I've been asked to change this or that, turn down, turn up, no big deal.

I agree if you were asking him to change everything it would come across hard, but just dialing the distortion down should be doable. Done, dude. :D
 
#14
Oh boy, my band has been dealing with this for a while. But, all band members except the offending guitarist agree that his tone is HORRIBLE!!! Last practice, it got to the point that myself and the drummer started laughing so hard in the middle of a song, we had to stop. I've never heard anything cut through a mix like this thing. I would describe his sound as sounding like a million firecrackers lit inside a tin can.

All I can say is be honest with the offending guitarist. We told our guitarist to not bring that particular guitar anymore, at all, and we will supply him with a different amp at Sunday's gig. We're going to figure this thing out and fix it!!
 
#15
"We all love your playing and want to hear more of it. I think that at stage volume the amount of distortion you're currently using causes sort of a wash-out effect where it's just a wall of blur...we can't hear the nuance of your hands, ya know? Give the people what they came to see...STEVE!...not 'Digitech'."
 
#17
trowaclown said:
Yes: 'THE guitar tone on this song could be improved. Could you try < >?'

No: 'YOUR guitar tone on this song could be improved. Could you try < >?'
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This is one part of standard rules of engagement in cases like this. Better even is: "I think the guitar tone...." (and not we think, that's always felt as an ambush). Say this as blunt and direct as you can, but with a disarming smile on your face. Blunt honesty mostly works better than misplaced carefullness. (or maybe this is a Dutch cultural thing and you should not listen to me at all)
 
#18
I certainly recommend recording the band, if feasible, before confronting the guitard about his crappy tone. Otherwise, tell him that his tone doesn't sit well in the mix.

What gear is he using? guitar(s), pedals, amp, speakers

I play electric guitar more than any other instrument. Some amps and guitars have s***ty tone regardless of how the knobs are dialed. Many electric guitars can sound far better after swapping the pickups. Swapping out the amp/speakers can make a world of difference too.
 
#19
I think I would start by asking him how he feels about his tone. Ask him if he's happy with it. He'll probably ask why, then you can approach it with "Well, how would you feel if we were to try something different?"

That would probably open the door for guitarist A to offer some tips. Then you can steer him in the right direction.

Also, you gotta remember, other musicians always judge harshly. I had another muso coming up and give me opinions on my guitar players tone saying it was too "processed". My guy plays a PRS thru a Mesa, so it sounds frikkin' INCREDIBLE, but just not like a Strat or LP thru a Marshall. I just blew the guy off and said "Yeah, whatever. I'll be sure to take it under advisement". I guess my point is, make sure you judge for yourself.
 
#20
geoff_in_nc said:
Tone to a guitarist is like a newborn baby's beauty to a new mother... .you just don't say the baby's ugly even if it is. "B"'s baby is butt ugly.
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This is where youre wrong. The difference is, the new mother cant do much to change the baby's appearance, but a guitarist can do a multitude of things to improve their tone. If their tone sucks, you should inform them of such. Did you friend say what specifically sucked about his tone?

How do I go about telling him he's got a tin ear for tone AND the baby's ugly? Like I said above, we all like being together, and I don't want to get anybody's knickers in a twist, but I'm concerned his obnoxious tone could keep us from being invited back to places.
Click to expand...

Tell him just like that - "I'm concerned your unpleasant tone could keep us from being invited back to places. Ive gotten various feedback regarding your unpleasant tone, lets find a way to fit you better into the mix"
 

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