Rant about music snobs, open mic nite content

[gigslut]

My finger picking technique is rather unique, to say the least. I've seen a few others play like me, but it's not how it is taught in school. I hold my right hand over the strings with my fingers at nearly a right angle to my palm. It works for me as I am centered over the strings and my short fingers don't have to reach as far to jump from the E to G string. I've tried the traditional approach, but this old dog just can't learn the new trick. This technique has earned me the nick name "The Paw" and in spite of it, I manage to stay busy working around town and do an occasional tour.

At one gig I went to the bar during the break for a beverage when a patron strikes up a conversation with me. Turns out he "plays a little bass, too", and starts asking about my technique. I tell him I'm self taught and it just kind of stuck. His demeanor changes from inquisitive to critical as he informs me it is all wrong, and I should learn the proper technique if I want to have any success at all in music. So I ask him, "So, where did you play tonight?" And he says "Oh, I was off tonight", so I press him some more, "So ... who do you play with?" He's starting to get flustered, "Oh, umm ... well ... uh ... I'm on hiatus ... looking for the right project, yada yada". I thanked him for his advice and walked away with my drink.

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I'm doing it all wrong, apparently.

 

[Toastfuzz]

I'm doing it all wrong, apparently.

Looks like you're doing it right to me man. And that story makes you the true gigslut!

Edit: and since you editted your post and added that pic, let me just say, your vocalist is terrifying.

 

[David Jayne]

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Congrats getting the Tom Jones gig!!!

 

[gigslut]

Edit: and since you editted your post and added that pic, let me just say, your vocalist is terrifying.

That's not our regular vocalist. That's some guy that came to our Monday night jam that said he could sing a bit. He turned out to be pretty good, which is not unusual.

 

[gigslut]

Congrats getting the Tom Jones gig!!!

He was just sitting in at our local jam. He had just played a concert in town the night before and was slumming. I don't play in his band or anything. He was an amazingly humble and down to earth guy who just wanted jam some blues and R&B with us.

 

[Febs]

That's not our regular vocalist. That's some guy that came to our Monday night jam that said he could sing a bit. He turned out to be pretty good, which is not unusual.

http://instantrimshot.com/

 

[gigslut]

I apparently picked up this bad habit a long time ago ...

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and if I expect to get anywhere in this business, I'd better learn the proper technique.

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[Russell L]

Wanna find some snobs? Try the local jazz scene. I've run into more there than anywhere.

I hear ya, dude. Ran into that once at a jam when the guitar player (who didn't know who I was) called a few obscure tunes that I didn't know, and then finally rolled his eyes at me and asked, "How 'bout 'Dock of the Bay,' you know that don't you?" Later when he let me take a solo on a blues tune his eyes got big. I got him back.

I hate that smug aloofness I see in folks who think they are God's gift to music, and then try to prove it to everyone, too. We're all equal to me, no matter what level of proficiency.

 

[fraublugher]

No worries there. Theres another guy who is an amazing banjo player, but has such a chip on his shoulder since getting accepted [$$$] to Berklee I can't even have a normal conversation with him anymore.

If berkelee is anything like it was 20 years ago he'll get his ass
kicked plenty and learn when to shut up.

 

[DwaynieAD]

What's the best amp to use for metal, when playing an open mic otherwise dominated by blues players?

the house ampeg

 

[Beller]

I just like to have fun, play music and be good to people.

Keep do'n this. Its all good.

 

[Unprofessional]

He was just sitting in at our local jam. He had just played a concert in town the night before and was slumming. I don't play in his band or anything. He was an amazingly humble and down to earth guy who just wanted jam some blues and R&B with us.

You should be called "lucky gigslut".

 

[pacojas]

LMAO!!!

same ish happened to me at a blues jam!

i watched these cats get down for an hour. the bass player has to leave so i jump in with my 5 banger. the guy on guitar runs up to me during a simple progression to say i'm in the wrong key.

i'm like,.. WOT??? LOL!!! DOOOOD,.. IT's A fIb StRanGeR,.. DOHHH!!!

he was like,.. HUH??? OOOOH,... mmmmmkay.

 

[Toastfuzz]

LMAO!!!

same ish happened to me at a blues jam!

i watched these cats get down for an hour. the bass player has to leave so i jump in with my 5 banger. the guy on guitar runs up to me during a simple progression to say i'm in the wrong key.

i'm like,.. WOT??? LOL!!! DOOOOD,.. IT's A fIb StRanGeR,.. DOHHH!!!

he was like,.. HUH??? OOOOH,... mmmmmkay.

Epic post of the year, thanks for comin dude! Can you believe the crap we have to deal with??!?!?!

 

[BayStateBass]

Gigslut-

I actually used a very similar "claw" playing style for quite a while. I had to learn to play differently when I started having a lot of pain in my right wrist and tingling in my fingers.

I now use a "modified claw" where my hand is flatter so my wrist isn't bent as much, but I still make most of my movements with by bending my knuckles instead of dragging my fingers.

Actually, it looks a lot like the pictures you posted. I've tried other things, but this works best for me.

It's gotten the same responses from those who claim to be better trained than I am.

Everyone's a critic.

 

[Ripley]

Now what gets me is when I ask what key a song is in, then the guitarist says A - capo 2 or something. They don't get that the capo alters the key, therefore YOU'RE NOT IN "A" ANYMORE!!!! LOL

I ended up playing guitar in my buddy's band last weekend and the keyboard player set up the set lists.

"It's in C!" Technically, that's 'correct'. But don't tell me C when the I-IV-V song is based in A. "This one's in Bb!" I'll bet it's not.

 

[BayStateBass]

Guitarist who use capos tend to screw me up. A lot of them will use the open chord shapes (names) but not compensate for the capo.

Yeah, the "C-capo 2" thing makes it harder to work with.

 

[Ed Goode]

A lot of the open mike/jam gigs are very poorly run, and that's where the problems start. The better managed jams have something of a "house" band to start the gig and then bring up folks at appropriate times. If you're at a free-for-all where anyone can get up and play whenever they feel like it, that is a recipe for disaster .... some places are too cheap to pay for the house band.

I co-host a jazz jam in Jersey every other Sunday. We are the house band (piano, bass, drums) and we control the flow of players sitting in. Most all of the tunes are RealBook type stuff, no blues, no rock. We let anyone sit in, even if their chops are weak, but they come up when invited and leave when asked to leave. It's a very laid back atmosphere, non-judgemental, and very supportive of new or inexperienced players.

Open mikes are meant to be fun. We have some very serious players sit in, as well as noobs, and we try to get everyone to enjoy themselves. If you're sitting in somewhere and it isn't fun, find someplace else to go ....

 

[azureblue]

Same here, same idiot, jazz jam. He yelled at me on stage and I yelled back, loud enough for the audience to hear, "It's a five string, you moron". Great thing was my solo came up and I put the anger into it and played some great stuff.

 

[Orangeclawhammr]

This will blow a guitar players mind! Playing Drop-D or Eb and Capo'd tunes just confuses the heck out of guitar players when I don't down tune, nor use a capo. My last guitarist asked where my capo was, and just stared at him. He said, well, our last guy had one. I replied by playing in key. He couldn't figure out how I knew where I was at.

Now what gets me is when I ask what key a song is in, then the guitarist says A - capo 2 or something. They don't get that the capo alters the key, therefore YOU'RE NOT IN "A" ANYMORE!!!! LOL

After a few years of using my bass to accompany my vocals at open mics, I discovered that a bass can be used to accompany other musicians and singers. Who Knew? Anyway, I started playing with a couple of singer/guitarists that I met at the open mics where I played. None of us are educated or experienced musicians. We're total hobbiests.

Whenever they use their capos, they still call the chords by the same name they would use if playing without capos, i. e., if they capo on the second fret and place their fingers where they would be on a "G" chord with no capo, they still call it "G" when even I know it's an "A". We finally printed up a conversion chart so that when they are uisng their capos, I can print out music with the proper chord names so I can attempt (Remember, I said I had little education and experience. I had some keyboard lessons which taught me about chords, so I'm not totally in the dark.)

I still have to shut my ears when they discuss the chords they're playing until they have settled on what they are doing.

I am having fun, though.