Yet another guitarist rant thread!

[gjbassist]

Had a gig last night. Showed up to set up. I'm usually get there a bit later than the guitar player since he has the PA. He thinks it is necessary to show up between two and two and a half hours before a gig. It only take about an hour to set up and then we set around and visit and usually eat some bar food. I don't think we need to get there that early. I would rather spend the extra time with my family. That is not the main issue, however it does relate to the problem.
So I get to the gig and find that the guitar player has decided to run two amps in stereo. Not a big surprise as we had discussed it at a recent rehearsal. What did surprise me was the placement of the second amp. He put it on my side of the drummer, not leaving me enough room for my amp! I looked at it and just stood there with a confused look on my face, hoping he would see me and offer to move it. The drummer saw me and just shook his head. I brought my cabinet in and set it on the floor in front of his amp and just left it there for a moment. Before I could say anything to the guitar player the drummer asked him to move it over so my amp could be closer to the drummer, allowing him to hear me better.
This isn't the first issue I've had with him not leaving enough space for me. Usually it is him taking up more than his share of the space where we stand, leaving me crowded and trying to keep from bumping into the drum kit.
So what to do? Confront him? Ignore it? Get there earlier and stake out my space?

 

[younggun]

Move his crap out of your way. Everyone is entitled to their space in the band and shouldn't be taking up space that is necessary for the other members. So yeah, confront him. I solved a similar problem with a guitard once. He kept shoving the head of his guitar literally in my face, being completely oblivious to fact. So I simply reached up and twisted a couple of his tuners down out of tune...he was suddenly giving me plenty of space after that.

 

[Coop Soup]

1. Ask him to leave you more room.
2. Show up and help him set up the PA.

Those are the two choices I see for you. Don't go down the passive aggressive route. Be direct but not rude.

 

[prd004]

I am a firm believer in getting there early and staking out your space, although in this instance seems like you would have to be three hours early, which is rediculous.

I would recomend that you and the drummer pull him aside and point out (Politely and positively) that your amp has to be higher priority than his second amp regarding stage placement and that is important to the rhythm section that the bass amp/player is always in a constant stage position so that you two can feed of one another.

 

[ChrisB2]

Sorry, don't mean to be rude, but it sounds like you stood there and tried to communicate with him using motionless body language... not very effective.

I would use normal means, like talking.

Yes, say something. Not "confront him." Just talk. "Hey man, let's scoot this over, I need some space here."

Good luck.

 

[gjbassist]

Sorry, don't mean to be rude, but it sounds like you stood there and tried to communicate with him using motionless body language... not very effective.

I would use normal means, like talking.

Yes, say something. Not "confront him." Just talk. "Hey man, let's scoot this over, I need some space here."

Good luck.

I know I probably should have said something right away. It just kind of took me by surprise that he would even do that. He knows my amp always goes in the same spot on that side of the drummer. It just appeared so inconsiderate that I really didn't know the best way to handle the situation.

 

[Beginner Bass]

I always manage to get there early to help with setup for the school jazz band functions, so I get my stuff where I want it. But it sounds like you should let him know.

 

[aledeville]

Hm... I don't get it. Don't you play stereo that you can hear both signals? Where is the sense of having one signal right behind you and the other at the other side of the stage?

 

[gjbassist]

Hm... I don't get it. Don't you play stereo that you can hear both signals? Where is the sense of having one signal right behind you and the other at the other side of the stage?

I think his idea was to spread the sound out more to both sides of the stage so the audience can hear him more clearly. If that is the case then why not just mic his cabinet and run through the PA instead?

 

[Tonegasm]

Some guitarists use stereo delays and such and having two separate amps really increases the effect.

Hm... I don't get it. Don't you play stereo that you can hear both signals? Where is the sense of having one signal right behind you and the other at the other side of the stage?

 

[onionpuzzle]

Any successful band must be able to communicate on every issue. This is a good way to determine if you want to continue to devote your time to this particular band.

 

[gjbassist]

We all get along well otherwise. There have been differences on the song choices at times. Usually the main disagreements are between the drummer and the guitarist. I enjoy playing with them. I'm torn though because I'm the one who put the band together. The guitar player though has been doing most of the bookings and usually brings in more friends and family to the gigs. I just feel sometimes like it is his band and we are just supporting members.

 

[onionpuzzle]

My experience has told me to ALWAYS be up front with any issues....and don't bitch about things if anyone is too drunk or stoned.....wait for a more sober moment. It's not wussy to share feelings, especially if it leads to more harmony within the band.

 

[rocknrollbandit]

Man up and talk to him straight up about it. As mentioned earlier, don't be passive aggressive about it.

 

[Nev375]

Sorry, don't mean to be rude, but it sounds like you stood there and tried to communicate with him using motionless body language... not very effective.

I would use normal means, like talking.

Yes, say something. Not "confront him." Just talk. "Hey man, let's scoot this over, I need some space here."

Good luck.

^this.

Honestly, this should not be an issue worth mentioning or standing dumbfounded over.

Some people are just absent-minded and not really thinking about others. They are thinking about whatever is in their head. It's a trait shared by idiots and geniuses alike. Your guitarist was probably just too busy thinking about how awesome his stereo setup was going to be that he forgot your amp was going to be there.

Now, if you kindly ask him for some space and he starts going postal at you, then you might have a real issue.

 

[gjbassist]

^this.

Honestly, this should not be an issue worth mentioning or standing dumbfounded over.

Some people are just absent-minded and not really thinking about others. They are thinking about whatever is in their head. It's a trait shared by idiots and geniuses alike. Your guitarist was probably just too busy thinking about how awesome his stereo setup was going to be that he forgot your amp was going to be there.

Now, if you kindly ask him for some space and he starts going postal at you, then you might have a real issue.

True, except for the fact that it always seems like I am fighting for space, especially on smaller stages. He takes up more than his share of the area. Maybe it is unintentional, or maybe it is his way of telling me I need to get there earlier.

 

[onionpuzzle]

It's not about "getting there earlier" it's about communication. A band is doomed without it.

 

[Nev375]

True, except for the fact that it always seems like I am fighting for space, especially on smaller stages. He takes up more than his share of the area. Maybe it is unintentional, or maybe it is his way of telling me I need to get there earlier.

As a person who tends to over-Analise things myself and can easily spot this trait in others, let me just say "Dude, you are seriously over-analising this."

He's merely a tad inconsiderate and oblivious as to how his actions affect others. There's no other meaning or message in it. My mom acts exactly like that and has to be at every doctor's appt. 1 or 2 hours early.

Just keep showing up when you do and keep asking for your space as you need to. I would not expect him to change his ways. In time it will turn into a running joke. "Hey man, you left your toys in my way again. Didn't yo momma teach you to pick up after yourself?"

 

[AwkwardLoudness]

The guitarist certainly should have consulted with you and the drummer before putting the extra cab in your spot. I have played through stereo rigs with lead guitar (and bass for that matter but I stack the stereo cabs for bass), so I understand the benefits of it but I would not do this at a gig where the stage is too small. I'm guessing that your guitarist was doing some panning side to side and/or ping pong delay effects. Maybe he just wanted to spread his volume dispersion. If it's a simple wet/dry stereo rig, then he should just stack his cabs and keep and on his side of the drum kit.

You moved the guitarist's cab over and put your rig closer to the drummer, right? Is that not the solution? Space was still too tight? The bass rig being near the drummer is important and the guitarist needs to understand that. I assume that you cannot stack your cab and his 2nd cab bass cabs are deeper and narrower that the shallower and wider guitar cabs, so I realize that may not work given the dimensions. Most PA systems should be able to hand his left/right rigs if he agreed to mic the the cabs.

 

[Korladis]

Just tell him you need enough space to put your rig near the drummer.

The keys player in one band I'm in set up his stuff right where my stuff goes (to the right of the drummer). I just told him he needed to move over a little bit.