Skinnyman Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 (edited) Having moved at the start of the year, I've joined a new band. They're a great bunch of people and have a pretty full gig diary lined up. Gigs are lots of fun and we're getting really good crowd reaction, dancing, etc So far, so good, right? The only problem is that the lead guitarist is, er, a bit cr@p. Pretty much every solo is off key somewhere. To be fair, he's not been playing long, just a couple of years and he's probably okay for someone with just a couple of years experience. But the solos are excruciating. As I've typed this, I've realised there's nothing I can do. I don't want to quit the band - I'm enjoying it far too much. I can't say anything to the guy - he's doing his best. I can't sack him - not only because I'm the new boy but also because he's the person who put the band together and does a huge amount of working promoting us and getting us gigs. So, given that everyone else seems to ignore it and just have a good time anyway, all I can do is smile and nod and just play my parts as well as I can. But typing this was cathartic! Thanks for letting me get it off my chest :-) Edited May 30, 2015 by Skinnyman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Record a gig or rehearsal and play it back to him. If he's not totally cloth-eared, he'll realise he needs to up his game a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 What Discreet said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 go jam with him- just you, him maybe a drummer - and just make noise and let him improvise over the top of it. Soon learn that way. Plus it's fun. Then you start improvising too... then you learn to know where you're both likely to go so you can play off each other. it's fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Your in a great band with great people and a great diary. I know how much better it could be if he was up to the job but you've pretty much got what most semi pro bands are striving for. I'd just go with it. But I totally get why you needed to post this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4-string-thing Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Guitarists eh? I feel your pain.... One thing I would say, whatever you do, don't listen to Discreet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 [quote name='4-string-thing' timestamp='1432989566' post='2786830'] One thing I would say, whatever you do, don't listen to Discreet! [/quote] Pah! You know full well I only give valuable and useful advice!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 This[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1432988362' post='2786806'] Record a gig or rehearsal and play it back to him. If he's not totally cloth-eared, he'll realise he needs to up his game a bit. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4-string-thing Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Actually, in this case Discreet, you did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 [quote name='4-string-thing' timestamp='1432990183' post='2786837'] Actually, in this case Discreet, you did! [/quote] Yes, it's not all just 'have a big laugh and make people feel worried' on here, you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Gigs are fun, really nice people and loads of work? Three out of four really isn't bad. Most aren't that lucky but I get your point. It's very frustrating when everyone is not on the same page. Just hope that he realises eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 If there are bits of the solo off key them say. If I was playing something out of the songs key and didn't realise it I'd want to be told. Certainly wouldn't want to look like a fool on stage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnyman Posted May 30, 2015 Author Share Posted May 30, 2015 All good comments and I agree with them all. Loads of work, nice people and fun gigs - I really shouldn't complain! I like the idea of recording and letting realisation dawn.... And I also think that a few jam sessions might help. But mainly, I think I just need to be grateful for what I have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@23 Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 I doubt letting him hear a recording will do much. If he doesn't know as he is playing it that he is in the wrong key - it won't dawn on him. Especially if he is a repeat offender! I've been there before, with drummers and guitarists. Both similar circumstances, great guys and good at what they're doing for people that only have a couple of years under their belts, but it is difficult sometimes. Might just be a case persevering - especially as you're enjoying it on the whole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4-string-thing Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 You could ask if he learnt the solos from the records (I assume it's a cover band) or if he's improvising them. If it's the latter, you could suggest he listens to the records and tries to play them note for note.... It will take him ages to learn them but at least they'll be right. I was once in a band with a guitarist who refused to improvise, it took him 4 times as long as anyone else to learn a song, but his solos were spot on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Just tell him! Jesus christ! Bands are better being balls out honest if you want to improve. We are ruthless with each other in my band. So much so it doesn't seem harsh any more we just laugh at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 How does the guitarist rate his own performance? Speaking as a relative noon to bass I don't rate my playing to highly. I'm not in a band right now, but if I were telling me to "up my game" wouldn't be exactly constructive. It's like telling a football player "be a better player". Maybe the idea of getting together for a jam is more what he needs. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goingdownslow Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Maybe he is a jazz guitarist.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4-string-thing Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Hmmm, the said guitarist who wouldn't improvise got quite irate when I once suggested he'd grown an extra finger between run throughs of one particular song. So much so, that after an almost violent argument I quit the band there and then! Some people have no sense of humour..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChunkyMunky Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 I played a Jazz jam a while back and I thought I absolutely bombed it. I was playing everything wrong but played as if I was playing brilliantly. Guess what happened? The crowd were good with it. Give your 6 stringed friend a hand and help him out with it! There's a tonne of great material out there on YouTube. I'm sure he wants to learn, right? From our good friend, Victor Wooten; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvKEpAYZjlE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadofsix Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 (edited) I would take Discreet's advice but would do one thing further: I'd play the tape for him (when it's just the two of you together so he doesn't get all defensive) but [u]I wouldn't identify the band playing[/u]. This means you'll have to tape the show on the sly. You can say you got the tape from some friends of yours who have started up a new band and then ask him his opinion on how it sounds and what they can do to improve their delivery. You've baited the hook and set it before him. If he takes the hook, you've got him. BUT, all criticism of ALL musicians playing has to be on the table. Hopefully, he'll soon notice the shabby guitar playing. But, If he notices things in the bass sound, grit your teeth and listen. He might actually have a point. Then, after a few minutes of listening you can gently break it to him who the artists actually are. All bets are off, though, if he immediately recognizes the sound of his playing and thinks that you are trying to pull a fast one on him. That's why it must be done privately -- just you and him. This is probably nonsensical advice but I'm on my fourth cup. Feel free to call me a blithering idiot and disregard. lol <><Peace Edited May 31, 2015 by dadofsix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 If you don't want to leave..... then you don't have much choice. I don't know how posting here is going to help much as it obviously bothers you to a point...so I am not sure the issue is going to go away. If you are willing to put up whit it, then I assume you don't think things will change and you aren't THAT bothered. I'm notoriously hard on bands..not least my own, so I kind of admire you wanting to stick it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julietgreen Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 As a less than confident player myself, I really welcome proper band criticism. I hate the feeling that I might be making a fool of myself. If anyone in the band plays something obviously wrong and doesn't seem to notice, then someone else will say something like, 'something was wrong in that bit, can we just have a listen?' We don't improvise solos in our band, but I'm sure your guitarist would appreciate you saying, 'what chords were you playing in that solo? Something didn't sound right', and maybe even giving him some pointers as to what to play that would easily fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 [quote name='julietgreen' timestamp='1433008841' post='2787034'] As a less than confident player myself, I really welcome proper band criticism. I hate the feeling that I might be making a fool of myself. If anyone in the band plays something obviously wrong and doesn't seem to notice, then someone else will say something like, 'something was wrong in that bit, can we just have a listen?' We don't improvise solos in our band, but I'm sure your guitarist would appreciate you saying, 'what chords were you playing in that solo? Something didn't sound right', and maybe even giving him some pointers as to what to play that would easily fit. [/quote] Very much what the lady said, I will always point out to our guitarist if something isn't quite right, he is glad of the help, we have worked together for over 6 years now, he has gone from a new inexperienced guitarist to one capable of pretty much anything we ask him to play, his errors get less and less frequent as time passes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadofsix Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Of the dozens of guitarists that I've worked with over the years, with one very remarkable exception, every one of them absolutely HATED receiving any kind of criticism about their playing. <><Peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.