Band Members That Overplay

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 5 Jul 2014 10:34 am

leader: Play more! Go for it! Don't hold back!
me: But what about playing tastefully?
leader: #%$&! taste!

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 6 Jul 2014 11:00 am

Nice story about Bobbe Seymour sacking Albert Lee. Went to see a concert billed with Desert Rose Band and Albert Lee. I was really looking forward to hearing J.D.Maness play but Albert turned everything into the Albert Lee show (They all played together unfortunately). JD mainly sat there off in the shadow or so it seemed. Seems that some folks remain forever in a kind of 'infancy' consciousness where the whole world revolves around you.

Michael J Pfeifer · Post by **Michael J Pfeifer** » 6 Jul 2014 4:13 pm

I saw a clip of Desert Rose Band also. Don't know who the guitarist was,but came to the same conclusion.
J.D. got to play four bars,then the obnoxious guitar player stepped on him. Guitar players are intimidated by steel players so they turn into assholes when playing in the same band with a steel. I experience it 99.9% of the time.

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 6 Jul 2014 4:47 pm

I am guilty of over playing, right now, with the band I'm with. But, I'm the only lead instrument. I lay back a lot when the singers sing and play like hell for the rest of it. They think it's great, I think it's a pain in the ass. Sometimes it's hard to be tasteful with all the fast tunes, so, it's really a workout. At least nobody's complaining. Ha!

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 6 Jul 2014 6:26 pm

John De Maille wrote:I am guilty of over playing, right now, with the band I'm with. But, I'm the only lead instrument. I lay back a lot when the singers sing and play like hell for the rest of it. They think it's great, I think it's a pain in the ass. Sometimes it's hard to be tasteful with all the fast tunes, so, it's really a workout. At least nobody's complaining. Ha!

I believe that situation is an exception. Gary Carpenter fills it out also with Jake Hooker in a trio.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 6 Jul 2014 7:09 pm

I'm working on a solo album. Problem solved!

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 6 Jul 2014 11:24 pm

Overplaying has one big drawback. What the heck do you do when it's solo time that you haven't been doing in the rest of the song?

That's the big mo right there. I played more bass in bands than anything else, and if you're whackin' off on the very first song, there's nowhere left to go. I could often get hired before the audition even started. All you have to do is say "Jaco who? What's a Jaco?" and "Stanley Clarke? Wasn't he the numbnut moonflower "bassist" what had to HIRE A REAL BASS PLAYER for his own touring band?" - cause Stanley Clarke doesn't play THE BASS, he just carries one around and plays shred guitar on it.

THIS GUY -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gObUFdb9SFw

Textbook stuff there, Tim Schmidt plays a very dry, straight up staccato bass during the verses, short notes. Then during the choruses, he lets the notes sustain for their full value and drops in a hefty whiff of swing time. It absolutely makes the song, and not one out of fifty people know how, what, or why that works. And they're all bass players.

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 9 Jul 2014 9:37 pm

Once when I was younger and at the end of my rope with an overbearing guitar player, I reached in my seat, got a pair of wire cutters, and cut his cord in half in the middle of a set...wish I had a picture of the look on his face...(we became good friends after that and he became a much more tasteful player...all's well that ends well....)

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 10 Jul 2014 10:56 am

Hey Mickey.... I currently play with four different bands here in Va. as there's not enough work just sticking with one group. In two of the bands I'm the only lead so everything's OK IMHO... In the other two groups I'm mostly a steel player who doubles on guitar.. In both of those bands the lead guitarists have no idea of what dynamics are as Donnie Hinson was talking about. They both turn their guitar volume controls on the max and never touch them for the whole gig. I asked one guy about it and he said "I control my volume with how hard I pick" which to me is a big crock of SH_T... This guy will play rhythm when he's not doing lead and it's almost the exact volume as he's playing lead at. I can't get any dynamics with my steel as I like to work the volume pedal to get steel dynamics but when I cut it back a little I can't hear my steel and I'm setting right in front of my amp.... The guy in the other band is pretty much the same and when he's playing fills behind the singer it's at the same volume as his leads.... It drives me nuts but these gigs are only once a month each and they pay very well so I'm just a musical "ho" and just keep my mouth shut and take the money.........JH in Va.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 10 Jul 2014 11:38 am

Jerry Hayes wrote:.... It drives me nuts but these gigs are only once a month each and they pay very well so I'm just a musical "ho" and just keep my mouth shut and take the money.........JH in Va.

We've done thus many times in our careers, have we not Jerry?

And will continue to do so. We just step back, look at the entire situation, and say "it's not a career gig, it's a few hours twice a month. Show me the money."

"How to Choose Your Battles Wisely" should be a chapter in any professional sideman's playbook.

Ronnie Boettcher · Post by **Ronnie Boettcher** » 10 Jul 2014 9:54 pm

This is not in a band, but in a jam. There is a harmonica player, with a amplifier. He screams out the melody to every song. No matter if it is the verse, chorus, turnaround, bridge, he is playing melody. I stopped going there because of that. If I sing, I can't even hear myself, or hear the bass to keep in time. If I'm on steel, I would floor the volume pedal, if I was playing the turn. He never got the clue. I just stay away from that jam, and keep my sanity. Right now, all I have is a bluegrass Jam, and a few gigs, doing bluegrass. Keeps me sharp on the banjo.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 10 Jul 2014 10:05 pm

How many of us have the balls to tell over-players to butt out? I have done it a few times, but some guitars players still think they are getting paid by the note.

Alan Tanner · Post by **Alan Tanner** » 19 Jul 2014 4:27 am

Interesting....the big bad guitar player won't let me play, I don't get any solos, one guy sez all guitarists are a-holes, another guy sez bass players are idiots, another sez fiddle players are idiots, another sez drummers have no talent, but when ONE guy stands up and sez steel players are just as bad, he is hung out to dry. I have played with steel pickers who are just as bad, loud, condescending, egotistical,can't find the melody,unskilled, can't find the halfway point, out of tune, and ignorant of musical nuances as ANY of the other instruments. And, oh yeah, that comment about ALL lead guitar players being afraid of steel guitars. Proves my point.....there must be a lot of steelers laid up with arm injuries caused by pattin' themselves on the back...bring it....

Joseph Barcus · Post by **Joseph Barcus** » 19 Jul 2014 5:02 pm

hmm "Very Interesting" I am a really shy player. I will not turn my amp past 5 at any time. many has said how come we cant hear you? I always say because the "stage is already to loud". I am by far no great player but I do take pride in knowing my place, when its time for solo, or pad.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 19 Jul 2014 7:39 pm

There is a harmonica player, with a amplifier.

A fate worse than death.

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 20 Jul 2014 1:57 am

Everyone should see The Timejumpers, Eleven Musicians playing together with every instrument playing in perfect harmony. Super players with no ego at all.
Billy

admin · Post by **b0b** » 20 Jul 2014 8:41 am

Actually, it's their egos that make them play like that, Billy. In their circles, they get more respect for taste than for showing off their chops. I wish all musicians thought like that.

Myself, I have to. I don't have the chops to show off. $:\$

Ken Campbell · Post by **Ken Campbell** » 20 Jul 2014 10:19 am

[quote="b0b"]Actually, it's their egos that make them play like that, Billy. In their circles, they get more respect for taste than for showing off their chops. I wish all musicians thought like that.

:\[/quote]

Profoundly insightful.

Kc

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 20 Jul 2014 10:28 am

It'll always happen in a local band. That's why the players will never reach the national touring level.

I can honestly say that in all the bands I have played with one (1) steel player was an overplayer. Most of the time they seem to be the most considerate of the singer and other instruments.
I've been fortunate to be able to choose most of the time in bands and can find players with a professional attitude.
This covers a lot of years..........