The unknown can cause anxiety, and when anxiety strikes.......
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Well Wes you know some of the people that I play with and I'm one of them so you know the problems. Nothing has changed much in that sense. Mike the bass player still needs to be spoon fed when learning songs and doesn't practice anywhere near as much as he should.
But we do have a new drummer and lead guitarist that you've never met and the guitar player is very good so he kind of is the solidifies the band but I actually feel I'm beginning to add value in a significant way..basically I don't feel like I sux as bad as I used to and I think we play some of the songs really well we just need a singer.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
I think the hardest thing is finding enough decent musicians who all like and wants to play the same music
"The Beauty of Music is my Sanity. Without it, I would simply lose my gravity, and blow away with the breeze." - Ness K(Aka Matt Harris)
Chris
Every band has leaders and followers. I know you, you are a leader. You will practice one song for hours trying to get it right. That is a good thing, you need someone like that in every band.
And Mike is a wonderful person, but he is a follower. To get the most out of Mike you have to do all the work for him. Print out a songsheet for him that is simple and easy to read. Make lots of copies, because if he takes it home, he will never bring it back. That's just how people are. You are going to have to push him along at first.
Don't feel bad because you are more dedicated than the others. Nobody likes to be pushy, but if you are going to get anywhere, somebody has to be the boss and push the thing along.
I have played with David Hodge several times, and he is the boss. He has all the music, he makes the set-list, he decides who will play and who will sing a song. It doesn't bother me, it is his show. You need someone in charge like this. :D
Chris, you need to be the boss, or at least co-boss with the other guitarist. Nothing to feel guilty or bad about, it is necessary.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Wes,
Correct as usual. I really hoped the other guitar player would kind of step up into that role but he really hasn't. He's done some of it but not all. He's a very good player, been playing for years and takes his music seriously. What used to be Friday night jam sessions are now Friday night practice which I actually enjoy. I really don't mind playing songs several times in fact soemtimes I actually enjoy especially if I really like playing the song.
So from that point of view he has brought a better focus and the new drummer is very much into it also. Mike's Mike and even though he always says he's into it etc., at the end of th eday he still needs prodding. don't get me wrong he's getting better but we are slowing shaming him into actually playing more than root notes for all the songs. That's alittle untrue it's not quite that bad.
I'm moving to the house in New Britain October 1st and the first order of business is to clean out the room where we practice and set it up just as a music room. Maybe even do some recording.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
How true Wes. When I used to jam with the emergency physicians, Eugene was the band leader. He was motivated and driven. He picked the songs, passed out sheet music and Cd's, but Eugene and I were the only ones that learned the songs. The other guys showed up and started reading the music off the paper, usually one of our copies cause they lost theirs. I just wrote it off to busy men with important jobs, but maybe not. :lol:
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
TrGuitar, we seem to be having the same problem, me and the other guitarist meet up mid week to practice and work on timing for songs and practice new ones so when we get to rehersal on Saturdays we can crack on, But..same problem as you bassist needs to work out what were playing, Just out of interest how do you let other members know they need to pull there weight a bit more?, Me and Ja were on about it last night saying how difficult it would be to tell the bassist or drummer they need to sort it out or their out of the band.. 8)
A knock back is the beginning of a comeback!!!
Mark
Like I said, you have to do the work for them. Almost every band I've ever been in has at least one member like this. This doesn't mean they can't play well, many times they can, but they just have a carefree attitude. They are not highly motivated players.
But you can make these players work. Print out songsheets for these guys with the lyrics and chord changes, even the drummer. It's very important that each player knows the words to the songs, your changes will be much tighter.
Just tell the guys they need to practice. A couple of practices ago, we worked on a new song we had introduced the week before. I knew the song, they didn't. I asked, "Don't you guys practice during the week?". And trust me, I had a little attitude, but not too much. But I think I shamed them into practicing, because the next week they were better and even told me they practiced.
If you are the motivated and organized member of the band, you are always going to do the most work. That's just the way it is, and it isn't going to change. Be friendly, but push them, they will come around. When the band starts to get really good, then they will be motivated. :D
But somebody has to lead. I remember reading an article about Bruce Springsteen many years ago. They don't call him "The Boss" for nothing. The article said Bruce would fine his players $200 for each mistake they made during a show. Now that will make you practice. :shock:
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Here' s a guy on YouTube that has some very good videos about starting a band.
How to pick bandmates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW2yG8Y2oGg
How to replace a bandmate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2VjsH9bm_o&NR=1
How to set goals- this one is very good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEzOHWY4wd4&feature=related
How to deal with creative differences: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mkoSNrwG8s&feature=related
Those are pretty helpful videos. I would add one more word of advice that is very important, but seems to be a problem over and over again.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, GET BORED WITH YOUR MUSIC!
I have been in quite a few bands. Most were OK, a few were very good. The difference?? The good bands have serious musicians who take their music seriously and are willing to put in the necessary practice to perform well. This means you can never allow yourself to become bored with any song. I cannot tell you how many times I've run into this problem... You play a song and make mistakes. It is obvious you need to practice more. But somebody will always say they are bored and can't play the song over and over again. Well, that person does not have a professional attitude and will never get far.
Think about it. How many times do you think the Rolling Stones have played the song Satisfaction in the last 45 years? I am willing to bet they have played it many, many, thousands of times. Do you think Keith Richards says, "Hey Mick, can we play something else? I'm tired of that Satisfaction song." Yeah, right. :roll:
And for everytime they've performed that song, you can bet they've practiced it many, many more times.
You just cannot allow yourself to get bored with a song. A song can never be good enough, it can always be better.
I saw Sting from the Police on TV recently. The reporter interviewing him asked if he ever got bored playing their old songs like Roxanne. Sting said, "Never. We always perform a song as if we just wrote it fifteen minutes ago."
That is why the pros are pros.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
