band. motivation. diminishing.
[rant]
so we've recently made some pretty big changes to the band. We've swapped our bass player for a keyboard player. Our old keyboardist is now playing synth and doing the bass on that along with some other stuff. Great on paper as it is a truer representation of what we do, and the music we've made but its really not working (for me anyway) in the practise room.
1. We used to have great groove. that seems to have gone out of the window.
2. the new keyboardist hasn't much experience of playing in bands and she wants to play everything, all the time. Her timing is not great, she is clashing with the bass in the low frequencies and I don't think she's ever really experienced being locked in, when the whole is greater than the sum of the parts - and how, individually, less is more.
5 years ago i would have been all over sorting this out, but I feel too tired/old/cynical. I just want things to work without all the hassle.
also i feel that sonically (not literrally though) i'm being squeezed out of the band - there somehow just isn't space for the textural guitar parts that i used to play. I can't bring out the fuzz pedal because it just takes up too much space - the best thing to serve the songs would probably be for me to just strum the chords on acoustic. I want to serve the songs... But thats not the kind of playing i enjoy the most.
My main co-writer seems to be happy with this new direction, but we haven't talked deeply and honestly about it (read - gone out and got smashed together!) He knows i'm not a huge fan of the 'sound' on the current album - there is no 'space' - just a compressed wall of constant sound. it sounds like what you hear if you accidentally tune into radio 1. ok, maybe thats a bit harsh, its not *that* compressed and unlistenable. He says he is also keen to pursue a new direction on the next one, but i wonder if we just have fundamental musical differences? I always thought that was a cop out phrase for when band members fell out, but maybe its happening to us.
2 guitars, drums and bass is what does it for me. i make no apologies for that! so to be fair, perhaps i joined the wrong band! (synth, keys, guitar and drums.)
ho hum...
[/rant]
that was cathartic!
If it was good before and not good now, I suspect the keys player is playing too much. Small voicings is crucial when you have more than one harmony instrument, bound to be clashes.
"without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible"
You absolutely have to get the keyboard player to understand playing parts, or get rid. Synth (substituting for bass) and keyboards together isn't a problem by itself, but it is if the keyboardist is trying to play bass parts as well, and even worse if they're not tight.
I fully admit that as a guitarist, I have a problem with playing too much. The solution for me was to understand that and be in a band where it was necessary rather than a problem. I recently tried to play just rhythm guitar in a six-piece band (three guitars, bass, occasional keys and drums), and found it a struggle to hold back enough - even though I really consider myself a "rhythm" guitarist rather than lead. Although oddly, I used to play sort-of lead in a different six-piece band (electric and acoustic guitars, bass, keys, drums and percussion) and it was fine.
If you're going to stick with it you definitely need to find a sound and style that fits into the gaps - fuzz is probably OK, but you need to use an amp that takes away the wide frequency range. I used a Fender Super Champ - an amp that at stage volume has nothing other than upper mids to it, really. Get an angry sound that cuts through rather than fills out the sound, and you can still be textural while also releasing some of your frustration.
"Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand" - Homer Simpson
http://www.theangelconversations.com
If the new change about is causing issues, shouldn't you just go back to the previous lineup ?
yes, sometimes 2 of each! don't ask!Originally Posted by stickyfiddle
thats certainly an easy solution, but we do want to move forward and develop; as a band, and as individuals, and that means evolving (some mutations might be discarded i agree, but we're not going to stand still..)
the main issues lie with the new keyboardist so i'm pulling my finger out and going to go into practise tomorrow with some helpful strategies and fairly specific suggestions. if those don't sit well / take hold then we will have to be realistic and perhaps brutal.
i also see another option which would be drums, piano and me playing bass guitar for some of our songs, and drums, guitar (me) and bass synth for others.
I have worked with many keys players over the years, those that are used to being soloists or accompanying themselves are the worst to incorporate into a band setting. They have to learn to not use the left hand as bass or to do chords and melody all in one. For many that style can't be unlearnt, at least not very quickly. Playing with keys or a second guitarist requires BOTH players to contribute to the same sonic range. If you're not prepared to do that compromise and the keyboardist isn't too then the results will be unfortunate. Some of the best band sounds are achived when less is more IMO.
I saw John Martyn play many times, where his keyboard player dealt with the low stuff and it was very good. It 'swung' in other words... It sounds to me like you have an issue with the player's actual ability. ICBM's probably right - you may need to create a vacancy...
Very true.
My pet hate is when they start trying to double up brass parts with horrible parping fake keyboard brass. Yuck!
It's easy to keep keyboard players in line - I just tell them they have to sound like Jon Lord
(Sometimes this has required loaning them albums, but it works)
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