thepurpleblob

[quote name='jmstone' timestamp='1321274943' post='1437132'] Sounds a bit of a mess. Break it up and start again with whoever you want to play with from the original bands? Try to get band 2 to meet more regularly and drop band 1? I don't really like it when people start openly criticising other band members - usually it seems to be the beginning of the end! [/quote] I'm inclined to agree. I *really* don't want to sound snobby but we do all come from very different backgrounds and now that I've introduced a 'middle management' guitarist it might have been the straw that broke the Camel's back. I'm a non-drinking, non-football-fan IT consultant (but I don't have mock Grecian pillars on the front of my house, so I'm ok really!!!) and that was bad enough

I think the point is that I'm not sure we have a band any more and I'm not sure I want to expend the effort and suffer the stress of patching it up. There's nothing I hate more than failing to suck it up and play your best just because you book the wrong gig or it doesn't work out in some way. I'm not sure the drummer wants to play with the new guitarist or even wants to carry on at all and (right now) I don't feel inclined to lift the phone to find out. Bitter and twisted - me?

With suitable regret for using this as a psychologist's couch yet again, the story so far: Have been playing with one of my bands for a number of years and it's mostly suited me. We play loud rock covers in the limited number of pubs that like that sort of thing playing at most once a month. It's been getting a bit dull because nobody can be bothered to learn new songs although the quality of performance has (IMO) been pretty good and well received. The guys really do it for fun and for a drinking opportunity and aren't ambitious to get more or different gigs at all. I also play - even more occasionally - in another band who are less competent but more enthusiastic (if somebody mentions a new song everybody is keen to learn it without being asked ten times). Anyway, the guitarist of my long standing band chucked it a month or two back and after agreeing that we wanted to keep going I dragged in the guitarists from band (number 2). Still with me? A few rehearsals down and it was going surprisingly ok. We played our first gig on Saturday night just gone - a private party for a friend of mind (a favour to me basically). We were the wrong band in the wrong place - low numbers, kids the lot. Everybody played terribly - the drummer was telling everybody who would listen how much he didn't like the new guitarist (and generally sulking), the singer was completely wrecked, the lot. I was being like their mother, trying to get the band back on for a second set. A total disgrace basically. I'm probably going to answer my own question and say that I'm just going to walk. I'll probably put more effort in with the other guys and see if it picks up quality wise. If it doesn't, well I tried. I have enough hassle in other bits of my life... this is meant to be fun Just venting!!

Another (sorry) serious one... photograph all your gear, write down the descriptions and all the serial numbers and put it all somewhere safe (www.dropbox.com or a fridge - next best thing to a firesafe). You never know!

[quote name='topo morto' timestamp='1319661797' post='1417088'] Get an upright! [/quote] I've got enough problems already

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1319554183' post='1415702'] My problem is the learning cliff I've come up against. Would like to learn more theory but need to learn to read. Would like to learn to read but that is no mean feat. Practise is hard work at the moment and not much fun. [/quote] I think learning anything worthwhile is like that. You can only do so much fun stuff before you get brick-walled by something difficult and time consuming. I now know that to progress much further I'm going to have to nail my site reading and really get all that scale and chord stuff stuck in my head. It's going to be a bit of a drudge but think of the feeling of accomplishment when it all starts to pull together.

If nothing else this thread is lining Mr. Clayton's pockets Book ordered!!

[quote name='ZMech' timestamp='1319445715' post='1414029'] On a side note, I still veto Girl From Ipanema, I don't care who says it's a classic, to me it sounds like the quintessential backround lift music. [/quote] I played that at a brass band competition a few years back - I'm particularly glad that I don't do that any more

Honestly, I've tried hard to appreciate Jazz but I just don't get it. I hate to generalise but it all sounds like, at one end, drippy elevator music or, at the other, an impenetrable racket. Sorry!

Perhaps what I need is a more structured practice regime. Some way to measure improvement. I've always been a bit disorganised in that department. Well, *very* disorganised

Sorry... another one feeling in a bit of a rut. Some background: I have been playing for about 10 years (I am 47 now, used to be a percussionist - classical stuff) and have done nothing but play in pub covers bands which is what I wanted to do and I enjoy it. I know a reasonable amount of theory, my technique is good enough for what I play (mostly), my ear is good enough to learn songs (most of the time). I can read but not to a 'site reading' standard. Trouble is, I am getting bored practicing. In fact I am not practicing much any more. I actually miss being enthusiastic about practicing. I've taken lessons in the past but even that's a bit difficult when I don't have a great deal of 'ambition' (for want of a better word). I'd like to get better at reading (which I know I just need to knuckle down at) and I'd like to get better than I am at knowing my way around the fretboard - my scales and arpeggios knowledge is probably stuck at a basic level. I'm less clear how to improve at that. Any kicks up the arse very much appreciated

[quote name='munkonthehill' timestamp='1318798180' post='1406372'] Well seeing Alan and Dave are men of action and actually arrange these bashes rather than talking about it, I would advise you all look out for the next Moffat bash. [/quote] Well there is that Now, if you'd only organise it when I'm not either working or on holiday we'd be laughing !!!

I think Perth is generally agreed to be the geographic centre of Scotland and reasonably easy to get to. The hassle is always finding a suitable (and inexpensive) venue.