New band quandary - advice sought, please...

[pete.young]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1491896861' post='3276149']
It it an originals venue, or a covers gig?
[/quote]
Both, and also puts on the odd singer songwriter or folk band on Sunday lunchtime.

[TimR]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1491919895' post='3276480']
...

Steve - it'll be great fun", the band tells me. Depends on your idea of fun, I suppose.

All I can do is tell them what I'm practising and then turn up at the recording studio and and play that. I'm not going to stress any more about this.
[/quote]

Yes. They're your new mates. They're trying to be supportive. Doesn't sound to me like they want to put you under unnecessary pressure.

Relax, it will be fun. They will like whatever you do.

I'm constantly amazed at the total rubbish I play that the rest of my band think is totally awesome.

Enjoy the process.

[solo4652]

Quick update.

It was awful, just awful. Six long hours of purgatory - I hated every minute I was there. I did my best, but it wasn't good enough, and I had to constantly go back into the studio to re-record various bass parts while everybody else peered through the window. I got the rough recordings today, and I can't bear to listen to my playing.

My feeling is that I'll be OK with well-rehearsed songs down at the Dog and Duck where the odd error might not matter too much. However, the band seems more interested in studio work than live gigging. I may not be the right bassist for what the bands wants to achieve. I'll talk it through with them, but my gut feeling is that I'm a square peg in a round hole.

[Tonteee]

Well, I'm sorry to read it didn't go well Steve. Did you only play the songs you had practiced, or were other curveballs thrown in?

Space from the recording might be key to your being able to listen to them. I always find it difficult to listen to anything other than the fluffs in any recording I do, but putting it away and coming aback to it later does help. Have you listened to isolated bass tracks on YouTube? They're quite the eye-opener, especially for their less than pristine lines.

At the end of the day, you've been obsessing about these songs for 6 hours in the studio and however long at home practicing. I think it quite expected that you can't listen to them yet. Give it time.

By the way, did the band say 'not good enough' or was it the engineer? This is an important distinction. How did they lay down the different tracks?

Separately, I'm intrigued as to why you think they want to be more of a recording band, when they only play covers. That doesn't seem to add up.

Edited April 24, 2017 by Tonteee

[DangerDan]

It's a learning process, don't be too hard on yourself. My first recording sessions were awful too, but it gets better, especially when you have a producer you gel with.

Id hate to have my band watching me through the whole thing. I've found recording to be something that causes me to be extremely self-critical, and can be emotionally punishing sometimes, but its always made me resolved to get better and thats all i can ask for at the end of the day.

Edited April 24, 2017 by DangerDan

[Tonteee]

I think he's done it, and this is the aftermath.

But good support, dude. 👍👍

[DangerDan]

[quote name='Tonteee' timestamp='1493036421' post='3285002']
I think he's done it, and this is the aftermath.

But good support, dude. 👍👍
[/quote]

Aye i commented without reading the thread edited accordingly

[solo4652]

[quote name='Tonteee' timestamp='1493035860' post='3284994']
Well, I'm sorry to read it didn't go well Steve. Did you only play the songs you had practiced, or were other curveballs thrown in?

Space from the recording might be key to your being able to listen to them. I always find it difficult to listen to anything other than the fluffs in any recording I do, but putting it away and coming aback to it later does help. Have you listened to isolated bass tracks on YouTube? They're quite the eye-opener, especially for their less than pristine lines.

At the end of the day, you've been obsessing about these songs for 6 hours in the studio and however long at home practicing. I think it quite expected that you can't listen to them yet. Give it time.

By the way, did the band say 'not good enough' or was it the engineer? This is an important distinction. How did they lay down the different tracks?

Separately, I'm intrigued as to why you think they want to be more of a recording band, when they only play covers. That doesn't seem to add up.
[/quote]

We played 5 of the 6 songs I'd practised.

For each song, we all played "together" at first, by which I mean drummer, myself and keys player were in main studio, singer and guitarist in another room. We were all di'd into the desk and able to hear everybody else through cans. Once we'd had an initial go at a song, we would all meet up in the control room for a listen, and to decide what needed to be re-recorded. Sometimes the engineer would ask for something to be re-done, sometimes somebody from the band would suggest that somebody could re-record all, or part, of a song.

The singer is an accomplished recording artist and songwriter. She has a full rehearsal room and recording studio at her house. The guitarist is a very good (prog) rock guitarist who enjoys playing fairly complex songs with odd time signatures. I think he enjoys the technical challenge. Keys player is also very good and seems a bit bored with pub gigging. Those three are old friends. They don't do lists or plans or structured rehearsals. For them, it's more about trying new things, seeing what happens. I don't have that bohemian, play-on-the-fly, change-things-as-you-go approach. Drummer and I are structured, organised and audience-focussed.

Already, the band is talking about recording another 5 songs to add to those from Saturday. It's only the drummer and me who are talking about our first gig together in 3 weeks time.

Edited April 24, 2017 by solo4652

[Stylon Pilson]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1493037939' post='3285034']Already, the band is talking about recording another 5 songs to add to those from Saturday.[/quote]

Interesting, that suggests to me that they thought more of your performance than you apparently did. They're not saying "we need to go back in and re-record those 5 songs." A very good sign!

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1493037939' post='3285034'] It's only the drummer and me who are talking about our first gig together in 3 weeks time.[/quote]

It sounds like you're having serious doubts that this is the band that you want to be in. Your earlier mention of rehearsals being cancelled at short notice, along with your self-professed desire for things to be well-organised, suggests to me that you may find this to be a frustrating experience. I think that at the very least, you need to talk to the band leader, and ask them what they thought of your performance at the recording studio.

S.P.

Edited April 24, 2017 by Stylon Pilson

[chris_b]

What did the other guys say at the end of the day?

If they're talking about more recordings I'd say they think it's all OK.

I'd stick with it and see how the gig goes.

[Trueno]

Having read through all this lot quite carefully, it seems to me that you and this band are not a good match. I'd bin 'em off and save further pain.

[miles'tone]

You can do it, just try not to overthink it and worry. They are happy you can do it so just do it, it'll be a good bonding session and you can hit those gigs with a little adventure together under your belts already.
Go with it and have fun!
Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think (and all that).