I need some professional advice

Don R Brown · Post by **Don R Brown** » 13 Jan 2015 8:14 pm

I bet that felt good. Their loss, I'm sure. I'm glad things are resolved and you no longer have the situation hanging over your head.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 13 Jan 2015 9:32 pm

Do you have to quit before you play with another band?

John Alexander · Post by **John Alexander** » 14 Jan 2015 1:13 am

Earnest Bovine wrote:Do you have to quit before you play with another band?

Not speaking for Karen here, but in general the answer is it depends on how much of a hurry you're in to ruin your hearing.

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 14 Jan 2015 9:29 am

I quit in response to the bass player ripping me a new a-hole stating that the steel guitar was too loud in the house. This could have been remedied by the sound guy, who instead of giving us a sound check was busy figuring out how to work the wireless in ear monitors for 3 or the 6 band members. The rest of us got no sound check, it was on the fly. He also stated that we were a top 40 tribute band and not open to creative input. (apparently i was improvising some passages that were not planned out a rehearsal, and tho i got the nod from the guitar player that what i was playing sounded good, it was not okay with the bass player who is making all the rules apparently). Its not for me. I am all done. The situation was not offering me enough money or creative expression to stay. I dont know what they will do now, its going to be hard to find a steel player in these parts that wants to follow all their rules for 50-100 bucks a night..
thanks again for all the support and feedback guys.

Michael Hummel · Post by **Michael Hummel** » 14 Jan 2015 10:10 am

Wow, good on you. I don't know what I'd do in your spot. I'm a hobby player, and our band is very democratic. One day our drummer told me I was way too loud and needed to work on my volume pedal technique. My initial reaction was one of offense, but I sat back for a minute and realized he was probably right.

I offered a solution of head/hand signals to the other guys to show me where I might be too loud/soft, and they readily agreed. It has worked a charm since; I try to be sensitive to my level, and the other guys appreciate it since I am doubling (tripling?) on 6-string and piano so sometimes it is hard for me to switch and stay in the right volume context.

Karen, I hope you keep your fine sense of integrity and have a great deal of satisfaction in your other/future endeavours.

Cheers,
Mike

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 14 Jan 2015 10:15 am

Otoh...bass players are plentiful....

By your story Karen...I bet the guitar player may be the next one to go. Theres not a lead guitar player in the world that would be content to play the same tired leads every night.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 14 Jan 2015 10:47 am

bass player with earbuds in his ears trying to get in the mix wrote:the steel guitar was too loud in the house.

Sometimes time happens at about the right time.
It's probably good that it be your action. Good on you.
'I'd rather get fired for doing my job than not doing it.'--my old boss Dr. Chase

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 14 Jan 2015 11:49 am

Charlie McDonald wrote: Sometimes time happens at about the right time.
It's probably good that it be your action.

huh?

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 14 Jan 2015 11:51 am

it is just not a pro level band, or a democracy. if everyone is paying equal for the practice space and getting equal pay there shouldn't be one guy making all the rules. It was a bad fit for me from the start. I should have trusted my feelings on that. Everything was going through the PA. My stage volume was not loud. In fact I got feedback from the audience saying I should be louder. It takes an experienced sound guy to get the steel level right. every instrument should have been tested in the house PA before we went on, yet there was no house or band sound check. There was a house sound guy and a band sound guy there and it was all about getting the 3 in-ears right. I letterally sat on the stage for an hour waiting for my sound check and monitor levels and got nothing. The guitar player had a GIANT bass amp 3 feet behind him and still insisted on using the in-ears to hear the bass. I was on the other side of the stage and all I could hear was the bass. Rock Bass not Country

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 14 Jan 2015 12:22 pm

Karen, this happens everywhere. But I grew up playing in bands in Boston, and this kind of crap happened more to me with people there than anywhere I've ever been, and I've lived all over the country. Hey, and I can say this because, I guess, I sorta' am one - Massholes. Ha.

But this goes on everywhere.

I wouldn't look back - it sounds to me like it was a bad match from the get-go. I know there's some small chance that, by some miracle, these guys will somehow latch onto some type of thing and you may recriminate yourself over it if it happens. But I think you'd be as likely to get rich and famous offa' the lottery as this kind of thing. It's a freakin' cover band. Cover bands can be cool if they pay and it's not too big a PITA. But I don't see cover bands as anything but a paycheck and a way to hone one's chops. Beyond that, what's the point? I'druther practice if it's a drag and the money's not stellar.

I can't imagine who they think is gonna fill your shoes on pedal steel. Whenever I come 'home', I try in vain to find any bands playing with pedal steel within streetcar/subway distance of Brookline/Back Bay (where I'm from). Not once in the last 10 years have I succeeded. I generally just go find out where Duke Levine and Kevin Barry are playing and go hang with them - it's the closest to any type of legitimate 'country music' I ever find in Boston/Brookline/Cambridge/Somerville/etc. So I think they have their work cut out for them if they actually care about pedal steel.

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 14 Jan 2015 12:52 pm

lol true. of the 60 song set list there are only like 3 or 4 songs that have any interesting pedal steel lines on them . I'd rather stay home and work with classic country recordings to learn, God knows I need to work on my blocking technique. I just played with a band last night who is doing George Strait, Waylon, Buck Owens, George Jones covers. The steel parts on those recordings are way more worth learning than the ones I was doing with the band I just left. The new band may not get all the good gigs, but at least I will enjoy myself and be learning what I want to learn. Plus I'll be in a more country friendly network of musicians. These guys were all rock guys just jumping on the latest new country bandwagon. I also really dont understand why a bunch of 50 something guys want to be playing for 20 something drunk college students either, and they are the ones listening to this crap.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 14 Jan 2015 5:56 pm

Massholes. Ha.

Careful, Dave! I resemble that remark!

Karen, this story gets worse by the hour!

I'm glad you fired those guys. Don't let them stifle your career! Find a good, common sense band with experienced players who appreciate the steel guitar.

The new band may not get all the good gigs, but at least I will enjoy myself and be learning what I want to learn. Plus I'll be in a more country friendly network of musicians.

Karen, I agree. And "good gigs" are no good if the listeners can't hear your steel guitar, or if you're not allowed to play, or if there is tension in the band. You've seen my classic Country band a couple of times. I'm happy playing real Country in small venues to people who know and appreciate the steel guitar. The songs feature lots of interesting steel guitar parts, unlike Top-40 Bro-Country.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 14 Jan 2015 6:14 pm

Karen, if you ever decide to move to Bachmannville, I'll strum my lil' old 0-18 behind you any time you want.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 14 Jan 2015 6:46 pm

Massholes. Ha.
Careful, Dave! I resemble that remark!

Doug, if I didn't also, I'd have never said it. I guess what I'm saying is, "It takes one to know one." I'd like to think I'm a somewhat reformed character as I mellow with age, though. And then, some people would probably argue to the contrary.

Wayne Quinn · Post by **Wayne Quinn** » 14 Jan 2015 7:14 pm

Karen ,if they don't want to share and do it as a group, well like a few of the other guys said here, they need you more than you need them . so I would be saying see you later guys.

if its not fun any more its time to get out. don't matter how good they are. go where your Hart tells ya.and where your going to have the most fun.

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 15 Jan 2015 11:32 am

so yesterday I sent the band a very professional email saying I was resigning from the band and would honor the 2 gig comittments I have left with them if they wanted me to. Not a peep from any one of them since except the drummer who wished me well. I also sent out a separate email to the singer letting him know that I would be available if ever he was going to branch out and move past the cover band thing. He loved the pedal steel and did not want me to quit last time. not a word from him either

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 15 Jan 2015 12:03 pm

Not a peep from any one of them since..

As to be expected... they will probably shun you now and call you a prima donna, mercenary pedal steel player.

Welcome to the club! Enjoy your new band. As your playing improves and your name gets around you will be in demand and you will be able to set the boundaries and terms.

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 15 Jan 2015 12:11 pm

Doug Beaumier wrote:
Not a peep from any one of them since..
As to be expected... they will probably shun you now and call you a prima donna, mercenary pedal steel player. Welcome to the club! Enjoy your new band. As your playing improves and your name gets around you will be in demand and you will be able to set the boundaries and terms.

AWESOME ! I've always wanted to be a Prima Donna

thanks Doug !

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 15 Jan 2015 12:12 pm

Give it a few days' time, Karen. But since you said you would honor your 2-gig commitments "if they wanted you to", I would suggest that you NOT show up for these gigs UNLESS they communicate back to you and confirm positively that they DO want you to. You don't want to show up at the gig to play if they're all pissed off and not behaving as professionally as you are. So, if you don't hear from them in time before the gigs (are they this coming weekend?), you would do well to write to them again and ask them for a positive confirmation that they do want you to play these 2 gigs and let them know that if you do not hear from them by such-a-date-and-time, you will assume that they do not wish you play them and you'll make other plans.

By the way, unless you always get paid on the spot for gigs, be prepared for the band to stiff you. (Ah, yes, the music business, where each day is better than the next...

)

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 15 Jan 2015 12:31 pm

LOL yeah gig tomorrow night which if I dont hear back from them by the end of today I will not show up for.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 15 Jan 2015 12:49 pm

i respect your professional courtesy. it's a good lesson for everyone here.

Craig Schwartz · Post by **Craig Schwartz** » 15 Jan 2015 1:58 pm

Chris youre absolutly right , to stay courteous that is.
Sometimes The drama can get so out of control , it acts like a vaccum sucking
all the goodness right off the stage. Thats not fun ...

Daniel Policarpo · Post by **Daniel Policarpo** » 16 Jan 2015 4:49 am

Thanks for sharing your situation, Karen. I know you'll be fine wherever you land. Just a thought, something you've probably considered. There is a decent amount of work and talent coming out of Oklahoma and Texas, situations that value the steel guitar. I've been offered several opportunities in my area to play and tour in creative, original bands-with professional and decent people, to boot. While I do not care to tour at this time and graciously declined the offers , it lets me know just how in demand steel players are and that maybe your talents would be better served in other parts of the country. Not saying you should totally uproot, but maybe a little adventure while getting paid for it could do something for you?

All the best,
Dan

Sam White · Post by **Sam White** » 16 Jan 2015 5:48 am

HI Karen My Wife and I did not get a chance to meet you
at The Rhode Island Steel Guitar Association's Steel Show in Fall River MA.I'm Sam White and I'm the founder of the Rhode Island Steel Guitar Assoc. The New England Steel Guitar Association the Greenville Tennessee Steel Guitar Shows and the Clayton North Carolina Steel Guitar Jams.Anna and I have been pushing the Steel Guitar since 1997 we had a small Jam that year to see if we could get enough Steel Players to join and form a steel guitar Show. Well there was about 8 to 10 of us So Anna and I Chartered it with the State of R.I. and our first Steel Guitar Shows that we ran for 5 years at times we had as many as 24 Steel players from R.I., MA., Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Ma CT,. Jerry Fessenden and Larry Bevins came down from VT..In Tennessee WE had Herby Walace come.WE ran it for 5 years and then the boby wanted to have a election so i said OK fine.You were there in Fall River MA. this past year and where was to crowd we use to have. We had over 200 people every year for the 5 years we ran RISGA there.If you check around you can find a band that is looking for a Steel guitar player. Our area in R.I. and MA. the country bands are looking for Steel Guitar players.Listen to Jim Cowhen nows what he is talking about as does Doug Beaumier.New England Steel Guitar Assoc. has a Steel Show every Month at the Americam Legion Post 15 in East Greenwich R.I. on Route 1 one just after you go threw town.I'm sure if you bring your Steel Guitar with you you will be able to sit in with us and play with what ever band we have playing.Roger Trahan plays in one of the bands we have there.
Sam White
Sam White

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 16 Jan 2015 8:21 am

there is two different scenarios here, if the band is about up and coming new artist, who has hired you, then you do what they tell you to do, as long as they pay you, what you asked them to pay you... you don't haul lights or PA if they don't pay you for that, and you don't pay for rehearsal room or ear monitors (if the new up and coming artist wants band to use ear pieces, he needs to provide them as well) , actually, they should pay you for rehearsals ... and second scenario is, you are playing with your friends, and buddies, people you enjoy playing music with, in that case you may have to help with lights or PA, pitch in for a rehearsal room, or you can complain about your parts in the song, or ask guys in the band to play a certain songs, because you like them...I personally hate drama, and confrontations, as long as I hear myself through my amp on the stage, I don't care what comes out in the front mix, if someone in audience tells me I need to turn up, I go to the guy in the band who does the house mix, and let him know, I do that only once, and from there on I don't care, or even want to hear about it again, if there is a sound guy who works for the venue, I don't do anything, it's his job to figure that out, not mine... less drama, the better... with the friends you play because you enjoy it, and with the "up and coming" guys, you play because they hired you, and they pay you to play, so it's more a job, and working for money, then enjoyment... many steel players didn't make it in Nashville, because they didn't play what producers (or guy who was paying them) asked them to play...

The Steel Guitar Forum

I need some professional advice

i would quit.