How do you approach members that overplay

[blue4]

If the individual parts are open to interpretation, I'd at least hear them out. Otherwise, it's "your parts are open to interpretation. MY interpretation." And if it's too much just be blunt and say so. He'll either find happy medium between what he wants and the band wants or he'll get frustrated and leave. I much prefer the approach your band takes to individual parts vs the single overlord approach, but it only works if musical tastes are very similar. Perhaps you can write a filler song for the album that lets him go Keith Moon to get it out of his system.

 

[davegt666]

In my own band and what we do is we record all our writing sessions and then religiously play them back until the next session.

When you hear something played back you will instantly know if a part is working or not.

I'm in a similar situation too. Came from a metal background and now we're playing pop rock that is radio worthy.

I think it helps though that the members in my band are pretty open minded.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Unless you are BL with control, yours is only one opinion. Bring recordings, and listen together and discuss.

 

[HolmeBass]

What irks me in these situations is when one member always has to simplify and others don't. Your bass lines had better be as simple, if not more simple, than the drum part you want him to play.

I've been in a band where the only musical idea the BL and drummer ever had was to have the bass either drop out, or just play straight quarter notes on the root. Super boring and stupid.

Simple is not always better, and variety from one song to the next is essential.

 

[jacolyte]

We all have a metal background and it seems two of them have a pension

the definition of penchant

 

[LT131]

Outplay them, obviously

Exactly. To the OP. Are you underplaying?

 

[LT131]

The old-skool way of dealing with over-playing band members.

Can anyone tell what effects the guitarist(?) is using. That slapback is perfect. I'd like to use it on our guitarist. Very realistic.

 

[havenandcreekside]

I'm guilty of this specifically at our live shows. For garage practice I stick to easy playing (mostly what is recorded on our demos) but for live shows I tend to go a little crazy when the time calls for it such as when the guitarist is playing his solo. That's pretty much the only time I'll over play a bit to try and fill in the space. We are only a three piece but there's always at least once instance every time I play in my band that I find myself over playing.

 

[joebar]

I know that taste is subjective but when it comes to making music, taste is everything.
if they cant hear it you can go no further.
its all about the groove, space, pocket and tone.
some people don't get that; the ones who do get it are usually older and more musically mature and can appreciate thee difference.

 

[blubass]

*Update*

This evening the singer/guitarist called me and asked me what I thought about the text the drummer sent. After a short discussion we had a conference call and everything is sorted out now. Long story short, we took a multi prong approach: we referenced several different albums where the drummers were playing tastefully and technical without filling the space with constant kicks and fills. We highlighted everything he was doing well, and we encouraged him to keep thinking rock and stop thinking death metal and hardcore. He admittedly said he thought he was approaching the tracks the wrong way.

Thanks for the replies. Some stuff was misunderstood it seems. Overplaying is somehow misconstrued with wanting everything simple? We did, and do record everything. It usually starts out with a drum program like superior drummer, where the drums tracks are fine. It's when we start learning the songs that more and more was being added.

Regardless, it's taken care of. Thanks again, everyone.

 

[arbiterusa]

Set a freeze. I just had to do this last week on a project as the singer-songwriter would not stop changing stuff. We now have a hard recording deadline and all arrangements are frozen. I don't care if he doesn't like it, he can fire me (he won't) but we gotta wrap this up as the guitarist, me, and drummer are all losing money at this point working on this guy's project. We were paid to do a demo, not a freakin' album.

I think he's afraid he's going to lose his "band" (he's still living in that high-school mentality, sadly for him, the rest of us are pros not bros) once the recording is done. He's right about that, actually.

 

[Cuzzie]

Honesty

Only way

Same with friendship

 

[kevteop]

Get Trevor Horn to produce it for you. Sorted.

 

[Fergie Fulton]

"Over playing" can be mistaken for "wrong playing", the two can cause a clash because rhe parts are out of context.
The best way to find out where you stand with the others is to record, either film or audio, and everybody listen to the songs. This will show any issues that will be there, and good players will recognise them and seek to put any issues right. What i may also shows you all is the need for an arrangment, sort ot dot the I's cross the T's, to get the best from your songs.
And there is the real answer, service the song not the playing, do what is right for the song and the narrative.
Players in any genre have to understand that in their set they will repeat so may musical hooks and ideas, that when each song has them it becomes boring, bland, repedative and almost becomes a clichè of the genre......you have plenty of songs so why load everyone the same?

The producer idea is good, but will only work if the producer is respected by those he chooses to criticise, as said it wll only lead to an argument that he does not "get" what is going on......of course in all this it may be you that is out of place, so take the advice above if you are willing to take any critic of the bands playing as a shared critic, not one to prove a point.

 

[40Hz]

I've found when band members start in on a spiral of overplaying that it often comes from being bored more than anything else. Same songs over and over…it's an easy thing to have happen when you're doing originals - unless you have a lot (as in 25+) songs of your own.

Two 'cures' for that based on my own experience in originals bands:

• gig out more frequently and/or regularly
• start writing and working on more new songs

When most creative people don't have enough new challenges to keep themselves occupied, they have an unfortunate tendency to start reworking things they've already done. So all the current ideas they have banging around in their heads soon start to get incorporated or (more often) just get wedged into existing songs instead of becoming new ones.

Rather than argue about somebody overplaying (you'll never win that debate) Try suggesting the band needs more new material. That should provide a sufficient outlet for the band's creative energies such that some of the members stop engaging in the musical equivalent of the solitary vice.

Worth a try.

Luck.

 

[basslyon]

Record it and listen back.
Then try the old "can we just hear what it sounds like if we do this instead?" also record listen back.

The thing about drum fills/busy drum beats is, if they're tasteful and played with groove, they'll sound good. if you loose either element then it kills the songs.

 

[cnltb]

How do you approach members that overplay
I record the music and let them hear for themselves.

 

[rogerb]

Hang around for the recording and touring, why leave before all the fun starts? Somebody slaps the drummer into sense and the band is the next big success and you dumped out because of a couple over fills...

 

[Fxpmusic]

I just dealt with that in my own band. Hired a producer who shed a light on an overplaying member.... Me...


Egos must be left at the door and once you're a band, everything you do will be for the song. I think a goal setting and honest conversation should happen. But I also think you should listen to what the drummer wants to show as it could work this time. Trying things things out is the fun part but you gotta be willing to lose the fat.

 

[Old Blastard]

I'd fire the drummer and rage quit!

Seriously, there are two options - put up with it, or talk to them. I've actually simplified many of the baselines in the band I'm in. I thought their previous bass player was too busy and the songs just didn't breathe. The band loves the changes. Not every band gets that music needs to breathe and that if you don't have some simple parts, the complex parts don't really stand out; it just becomes a wall of noise.

I've had to teach myself that sometimes. I get this really cool walking run going and listen to myself play and go "awesome! But 1-5 sounds better"