Wondering how to deal with this problem...

[RAM]

BTW, I always find that when the low end is crowded, I've got to simplify my pulse. Gotta be the kind of player the situation calls for.

An example I just thought of is a cover song we do by Tom Petty (can't recall the name at the moment). In the actual recording there's a melodic bass passage in the beginning and after the bridge. In our recordings the keyboardist begins to mimick me then harmonizes it. And, because of the mix, you actually don't even HEAR the bass...at least on tape. I'm pretty sure it's the same through the mains.

 

[nortonrider]

So???? You can wear some phones or IEM's and that make things sound OK to you, but the bands sound is still gonna suck for anyone else listening?

What do you think would be more practical to do, take a whole box of IEM's and hand them out to the audience OR get the band to straighten out their mix?

Isn't the the ultimate goal to make music that is pleasing to the people that are listening?

If you can't work it out, you CAN leave these guys, it's a band, not a chain gang.

 

[RAM]

So???? You can wear some phones or IEM's and that make things sound OK to you, but the bands sound is still gonna suck for anyone else listening?

What do you think would be more practical to do, take a whole box of IEM's and hand them out to the audience OR get the band to straighten out their mix?

Isn't the the ultimate goal to make music that is pleasing to the people that are listening?

If you can't work it out, you CAN leave these guys, it's a band, not a chain gang.

I'm with you, okay? I get it.

I had a long talk with our guitarist tonight about exactly my concerns. He insists we'll "teach" our keyboardist to play "in the band setting" instead of "the entire song along with the band".

Honestly, I'm skeptical, but we'll see where it goes.

Loyalty to these guys is something I can't ignore right now. Perhaps it's admirable, perhaps I'm loyal to-a-fault and to-my-own-detriment, but leaving these guys isn't something I'm particularly interested in doing at this stage.

This is why it's a problem for me. Otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate to walk. I'm accomplished enough to find a group of higher-caliber musicians, for sure, but that's not going to solve my problem to my satisfaction, at least at this point.

 

[NKBassman]

The only problem with using IEMs is I've got a great mix in my own head with ZERO keyboards! Afterall, I don't need them.

Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% on your side on this argument, but maybe this is part of the problem... If nothing changes after the little 'chat' your guitarist is going to have with the keyboard player, try mixing in a little keyboards and tailoring your basslines to mesh better with what he's playing?

Either that, or slip the FOH guy $20 and tell him to turn the keys down in the mix.