TimR

I read the thread from the beginning having noticed the date and assumed this would be an update. Use your ears and all will be fine on Sunday, those gigs can be the most fun. Good luck. Hope all is well otherwise.

It's funny. A pro brass player I used to know calls it the armature disease, and says its a well known phrase amongst pros. If you can't make a song sound exciting just play it faster. Usually aimed at people with lack of technique and feel.

I'm wondering whether 'tinkering' with the format of a song fulfills some people's need to express creativity without the risk of originals. Our singer doesn't understand how we can 'just play anything', and is now getting surprised when she comes up with a suggestion that we can't do anything with. Usually some obscure drum and bass number with no melody and no chord structure...

Yes. But a Status Quo number should be a case of adding a verse and a chorus on the end on the fly if everyone is leaping around and singing? You don't need to work on adding anything. Or am I expecting too much from musicians?

Why does anyone do this? After you've played it a few times at gigs and got blank looks from the audience you'll wish it was shorter and then you'll bin it entirely in 3 months time...

I joined a band where the singer 'could play bass', he even said he'd bring his as a spare to a gig. So when he questioned a line I was playing and said he could play it to show me, I handed him my bass with no problem. That was when I learned why he was the singer and not the bass player... I take my own spare bass to gigs.

I don't really have a problem with anyone who can't understand music in an amateur setting. Most people have no formal training or taken part in formal ensembles or even jammed in blues or jazz bands. It's becoming more and more common to meet musicians who need to rehearse bands over and over again before they'll play live and can only play tunes that they've learned. I have no problem with any of that, so long as they realise what their limitations are and don't argue minutiae over things they don't know about or really understand. One of the basic requirements I have for any musician or vocalist is; if we say, take it from the second verse, bridge, chorus or whatever, they can pick it up. I've wasted too much rehearsal time playing a song again from the top, only for it to fall apart in exactly the same time, everytime. If you're practicing an end, just practice the end. One problem with singers and guitarists is its often impossible to transpose some tunes without them sounding 'not right', or impossible to play on bass or guitar. I don't care if it's your favourite song and everyone would go crazy if we play it, if we can't find a key that works inside 3 minutes - it's a no goer. Don't suggest it again 3 weeks later.

This is getting all a bit Demolition Man. I'm guessing the Shake n Vac chords are a fairly simple 3 chord type blues progression.

Millions of Beatles fans would disagree. 😆

It does make you wonder why you spend hours learning a complex tune when 30 seconds spent picking up 3 chords for a song with catchy lyrics goes down a storm.

Classic. We used to do Postman Pat in the late 80s. Went down a storm. It was shortly after Nellie the Elephant hit the charts and we wondered what we could do in a similar vein.

I'm not a great fan of this kind of band. Very corporate/cruise ship/wedding band, type of thing. There's something missing, just feels a bit like they're 'playing the dots'.

It's a lack of imagination or experience of playing many different genres. I played with a drummer for years who was like that. Until he heard a cover version by someone else doing something clever when he'd say we should do that version. Currently in a rock band playing modern pop with a rock edge and the guitarist is slowly coming round to just because the original is piano, strings and acoustic guitar, doesn't mean that's how it must always be played.

If you're in a tribute band there's a fair chance you have the same instrumentation. If the song you're covering has a 9 piece with keyboards, brass, backing singers etc, and you have guitar, bass and drums, you're going to really struggle playing the tune exactly as per the original. Just get the structure, chords, melody and feel right.

Just smile and nod at random points on the back wall if you can't do the eye contact thing. No one will know.

Usually the original artists don't play it the same live as they do on the recording.

In tune. Not too drunk. Anything else is a bonus.

Sorry I'm fairly bass centric. Live After Death - I.M. Exit Stage Left - Rush Real to Real - Marillion

"You know the bass part doesn't go like that." "It does when I play it mate."

Lots of generalisations creeping in. The OP's entire set is only 8 songs. If the band ever end up playing 2 hour gigs it's going to get real messy. Sounds to me on re-reading the OP, that the guitarist just isn't experienced with performing for a crowd. It'll probably improve, but until he gains experience and confidence he needs to simplify his setup and concentrate on getting the music and stagecraft right. As much as we like to obsess about 'the right sound', the audience really won't notice.

I played with a guitarist who had a £6k Martin. He would have been better off spending £5k of it on guitar lessons.

It depends what kind of band you are, and what the gig is, as to how fluid it needs to be between songs. The main thing is to be in control of the audience. If the guitarist needs to change stuff, then the front person needs to be covering with banter to take away the focus. If you're all stood there looking at the guitarist then it's not interesting for anyone. You can have breaks as long as they're scripted, and not punctuated by the EADGCE solo.

All the gear, no idea. I played with a guitarist like this. I'm not sure you can cure it, some people are attracted to the gear and making new sounds with it. Some just want to get on and play the music. It's something they evolve into with experience. As has been said, some of it may be stage nerves, does it happen at rehearsals? What are you playing that requires loads of different sounds?

If you're working shifts then you're probably all pretty rock solid at keeping diaries. As suggested before share a Google calendar. If you all have smartphones you can have multiple calendars in the same app, and get them just to show 'busy' in the shared calendar when you add to your own. You can share Google calendar with an iCal. If everyone has iPhones iCal might be the better option. You'll still need to check people are free, but if it's blocked out you can avoid it.

You need to start off by compiling a list of dates where people aren't available. Calendars are a bit overkill for us as generally we are looking for Saturday night gigs. And they rely on people updating them without being prompted. If you have to prompt them, you might as well just ask in the first place if there are any additional dates since last time you asked.