Mr Fretbuzz Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Going along to audition 2 singers and a keyboards guy in an hour. I suggested to the other 2 band members that perhaps the best way to audition the singers would be for them to sing along to the actual recorded music. The reason I suggested this is that I've been playing along to the set list since October on my iPad to the recorded music. The guitarist wants to play it his way and refuses to listen to the recordings. Fine but he hasn't told me what his way is and we've only had 2 garage practices in 8 months. He does practice with the drummer every Friday though 45 miles away when I'm in work. Got an email yesterday asking my to take my main amp tonight. Haven't a clue which pieces they want to play or how they want them played. I've been practising maybe 14 pieces and we've only tried out 4/5 so far. I suspect the singers will want to sing as if they were singing to a recording, I'll be attempting to do the same with the other 2 guys doing something different. Train Crash :-( Maybe the auditionees will decide to go else where once they see how crap we are :-(. Anyway that will help me with joining SpaceChicks band soon :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 The guitarist wants to do it his own way, but won't tell you what it is? Oh, I am surprise! This does sound a little familiar, from both personal experience and reading member stories on here. All the very best of luck, let us know how you get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Practising by playing along to recorded music can be challenging - [size=4]not least because the recording - by its nature - is always the same. You get used to this and start to take various cue points along the way.[/size] [size=4]But when you come to play the number with a real band, the bloody swine won't play it like the recording! Not only this, but they won't even play it the same way twice in a row! So your carefully-considered performance disappears under a vast crapload of incompetence! [/size] [size=4]Heh. Maybe not quite that bad, but that's essentially my experience. Nothing beats rehearsing in meatspace. [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1368118080' post='2073477'] [size=4]Nothing beats rehearsing in meatspace. [/size] [/quote] That sums my band up nicely Besides, you can't banter a recording about he's such a sh*t ****, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1368118080' post='2073477'] Practising by playing along to recorded music can be challenging - [size=4]not least because the recording - by its nature - is always the same. You get used to this and start to take various cue points along the way.[/size] [size=4]But when you come to play the number with a real band, the bloody swine won't play it like the recording! Not only this, but they won't even play it the same way twice in a row! So your carefully-considered performance disappears under a vast crapload of incompetence! [/size] [size=4]Heh. Maybe not quite that bad, but that's essentially my experience. Nothing beats rehearsing in meatspace. [/size] [/quote] I am finding this to be true on my musical journey! Very, very true. Truer than a true thing. I wouldn't mind if they actually said 'Let's do it different from the recording, let's do X instead of Y'. But they don't seem to know that they [b]are [/b]doing it different from the recording. (Except drummer who is turning into a real ally). Sorry Mr F for diverting your thread, it's just that the above struck a chord. (Pun intended, arf arf!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted May 9, 2013 Author Share Posted May 9, 2013 Train driver has arrived for a 6.30pm departure ..... Do you think he might know Orange Blossom Special by Johnny Cash? Nah, me neither :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChick Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Hope it goes well..... Or maybe I don't.... As you are lined up to fill my shoes in my old band I don't know how I feel about it all Anyhow, whatever happens it will be an interesting experience Can't wait to hear the story once it's happened Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Don't worry about it fretbuzz, no one notices the bass anyway, YOU will be fine! The guitarist may look a little silly though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted May 9, 2013 Author Share Posted May 9, 2013 That was so funny. It was only a train crash for the guitarist. Keyboard guy says the same things as I've said..... The songs should be played as the recordings in the recording keys as a starting point. He got my vote straight away. So he has learned as per recordings ... Singer comes and he's done the same. By this time I've got my iPad plugged into the PA. Guitard says I'm playing a song incorrectly..... On goes the iPad ...... Keyboard payer points at guitarist as says...you're wrong.. Points to bassist..you're right :-) Bit later on guitarist says I'm playing the wrong notes..I know I'm playing the right note as its from original score. on goes the iPad.... Keyboard player...yeah your playing the right notes. Guitarist shuts the xxxx up :-D 8 months I've had this bullxxxx and now I've found a soul mate :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowender Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 (edited) I'm not sure what the guitarist not being willing to learn the songs correctly has to do with the audition, but I suspect the outcome either way can't be good. And when someone plays badly, it doesn't just make that person look bad. The whole band looks bad. People may not know where the mess-ups are coming from, but believe me, they can tell that it doesn't sound right. Edited May 9, 2013 by Lowender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 So are the keyboard guy and singer going to join the band then? It's great to have a soulmate in a dodgy band, as I am finding with our drummer. :-) Maybe with these new guys on board you can all help guitarist raise his game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Found a souls mate? Sounds to me like you found a douche bag about 8 months ago. Every now and then clowns like your guitarist pop up, there are however a lot of cool cats out there. My advise would be either sack the guitarist or find another band, life is too short! My old neighbour is a concert trained pianist and joined a blues band on keyboard. He is a very good player, and like most concert musicians learns/performs the songs by site reading. He got into and argument with the bass player as this guy was adamant he was playing a bum note. Now I should mention that the bass player is blind, so he was a little naive to get Into an argument about what sounds "right" with a blind person, but so it raged for about 20 mins, and ten about another 20 later on that rehearsal. As it happens, there was a misprint in the sheet music 😳, fact is a little diplomacy goes a LONG way in a group environment! Sounds like you already have one foot out the door, just carry on walking!! Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 Yep, all good learning experience but it's good to find someone on the same wavelength as ive been having stick off the guitarist since I joined. Ok I've only been playing a year but I've stuck 8 months effort in learning the songs myself at home. Had to put my foot down or let this guy walk all over me. The dynamic changed last night for the better. The keyboards player with more band experience took over and supported me. Hopefully going forward things will get easier and we are all playing the same thing. He wants to play some blues.... The other guys aren't happy but I'd like that. The singer was a bit of a nervous type but his singing was cool :-). The other singer didn't turn up anyway so both are in and way to go :-). Bit of a bombshell though.... I get handed a set list with another 19 songs on it and a band name... All news to me. Anyway good old keyboards player agreed to learn the 12 I've been doing. I had an old argument about doing Green Onions in E rather than F min. Lo and behold, keyboards says it should be in F and guitarist now agrees...... ill be transposing it back and learning it in F. Not sure about the other 11 :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 My experience so far is that there's 3 types of band members. There's musicians, singers & guitarists. The latter 2 can sometimes be musicians, but it seems to be very rare! Most of the singers that I've experienced could sing, but knew not a jot about music & most of the guitarists seem to be the same or don't even know how to play the same thing twice. One of my current guitarists seems to be the same, though the other is fine (but he does play a couple of other instruments too). I really don't get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voxpop Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 My experience so far is that there's 3 types of band members. There's musicians, singers & guitarists. The latter 2 can sometimes be musicians, but it seems to be very rare! So true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurbs Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Sounds like the OP is wasting their time. As previously said, dump the guirarist or dump the band, life is too short and there are loads of other, better guitarists and bands who need a bass player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 [quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1368116516' post='2073440'] he guitarist wants to play it his way and refuses to listen to the recordings. Fine but he hasn't told me what his way is and we've only had 2 garage practices in 8 months. [/quote] sounds like you need a new guitarist as well maybe youll get lucky and get a singer turn up who says 'oh by the way i play guitar as well' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Its always baffling when people cover songs & dont learn the original. When I first started playing (I still do this now) I will study the song. I will stick it on a cd & listen to it in the car, I will listen to it over & over again till the timing, layout & every change is committed to my memory. Then I will learn how to play it, that way when I'm playing all the changes are totally natural to me. I have been in bands where a guitarist will say "I've listened to it twice, I know what I'm doing" then proceed to miss every change & get the solo wrong.... ...Ok then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 [quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1368165828' post='2073906'] Bit of a bombshell though.... I get handed a set list with another 19 songs on it and a band name... All news to me. [/quote] Aren't you part of the band? Shouldn't you be asked? It does not sound like much of a band to me, what with the guitarist and 2 practices in 8 months... Grab the keyboard player and the drummer if is good and run for your lives into a new band! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 I would as I like the drummer but the trouble is he is best mates with the guitard and although they say the rest of us have a say, we haven't at the moment. They've picked the set list and band name without any input from me. Maybe I'll shoot off with the keyboards and singer and form a blues band :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 (edited) [quote name='fumps' timestamp='1368175711' post='2074003'] Its always baffling when people cover songs & dont learn the original. [/quote] snot baffling at all we'll put our own flavour to this one usually means[b] [i]i/we havent got skill/patience to learn/play/rehearse it faithful to original [/i][/b] Edited May 10, 2013 by steve-bbb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 You've been learning bass for a year. You've been in the 'band' 8 months. Unfortunately these things are all part of the learning process. Remember, it should be fun. Don't stress over the small stuff, however frustrating it may seem. Stick with the band for now, use it as a learning process, if it doesn't implode soon. I doubt you will get gigging anytime soon unless someone books a gig and forces everyone's hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1368177332' post='2074040'] snot baffling at all we'll put our own flavour to this one usually means[b] [i]i/we havent got skill/patience to learn/play/rehearse it faithful to original [/i][/b] [/quote] No but the least you do is actually listen to it. lol ....skills now there is an optional extra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howdenspur Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 [quote name='fumps' timestamp='1368175711' post='2074003'] Its always baffling when people cover songs & dont learn the original. When I first started playing (I still do this now) I will study the song. I will stick it on a cd & listen to it in the car, I will listen to it over & over again till the timing, layout & every change is committed to my memory. Then I will learn how to play it, that way when I'm playing all the changes are totally natural to me. I have been in bands where a guitarist will say "I've listened to it twice, I know what I'm doing" then proceed to miss every change & get the solo wrong.... ...Ok then! [/quote]So true...being in a band where the guitarist thinks Dance the Night Away (Mavericks) is a 3 chord trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 [quote name='fumps' timestamp='1368177544' post='2074043'] skills now there is an optional extra [/quote] i know of some seasoned old function band buffers who wouldl call [b]'busking from memory'[/b] an admirable band skill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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