Band Members That Overplay

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 1 Jul 2014 7:25 am

I guess we've all experienced this, having members in the band that overplay. Worst is when they overplay over the lead vocals. Some will overplay over the lead guitarist, you get some drummers who don't use lights and shades in their playing...just banging away full volume. I used to do a regular Jam session where the keyboard player would play over "everything" he was a great player, but would never stop!! I used to send him clips of the steel festivals with Roy Rossetta on keyboards. They were friendly e'mails to him to just watch and learn. Waist of time...in one ear out the other. A good drum teacher here in the U.K. wrote in a magazine that you qualify as a musician in the following Scenario. You are on stage playing with a band and some guy you know who plays the same instrument as you walks in. You do "NOT" play to impress him (Showing off).. but just play to compliment the band that you happen to be on stage with.

Micky "scars" Byrne

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 1 Jul 2014 7:43 am

I think the key is not to stop playing whenever the singer is singing, but learning dynamics. In the following clip, both the lead and steel are playing all over Buck, but it's not objectionable because the players are using dynamics, and reducing their volumes during the singing.

"Not playing" is one answer to avoid clashing, learning dynamics is another. If you can't learn dynamics, then yes, just don't play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1FSxaFY5Pw

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 1 Jul 2014 7:54 am

Nice track..thanks. I guess that's what I am getting at...Dynamics!! But sometimes I've seen Bass players who seem to overplay, making the whole song sound messy. Another example of over playing came from the late great Jeff Newman. He was very open about his very first ever session he did. He was using a D-12 Sho-Bud. In his own words he said "I let them have it with both barrels" ...at the end he went in to hear the mix, and asked "Where's my steel?" ... they said "You just overplayed"

Micky "scars" Byrne

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 1 Jul 2014 9:49 am

One irritant for me is a "ticky-tacky" tele player who sounds the same all through a song. You can't tell if he's soloing or just "comping". Never plays a chord and never, ever lays out. The only fun for the steel is when he breaks a string.

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 1 Jul 2014 10:17 am

Tom...he should start a band with the Keyboard player I mentioned

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

Bob Miano · Post by **Bob Miano** » 1 Jul 2014 11:12 am

I play in a band that sometimes has a fiddle player. Apparently he has no conception about playing in a band. If you're kicking off a song, he's playing with you.....when the singer is singing...he's playing the melody too....when you're solo-ing....he's doing something irritating behind you....and if its one of those songs where there's a bunch of solos (guitar-fiddle-steel) over and over he never seems to be able to wait his turn.
Quite annoying, especially when we talk to him about it. Not a clue !! But the company that hires the musicians keeps hiring him too !! Apparently they can charge the customer more $$ by adding a fiddle player on the gig.

bob

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 1 Jul 2014 11:16 am

LOL...Bob......what a GREAT trio...the fiddle player, the pianist and the telecaster player

Sometimes I wonder about these booking agents, do they have any clue to the real world??

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

Allan Thompson · Post by **Allan Thompson** » 1 Jul 2014 11:35 am

Micky, no steel but nobody overplaying here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW3ca7krkz8

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 1 Jul 2014 11:47 am

Man,

This reminded me of how I actually learned this lesson.

I was playing with a gospel band that were all family except for me. In other words, these guys were really together, and had been playing for decades. Well, they got a backing-band gig with a lady gospel singer, who was at the time up-and-coming, and a REAL singer; I mean good! Well, I was pretty new on steel, but had her cd to practice for a week or so before the gigs. When we got going, I was just all stoked to be playing with her, and these guys...and I went on and on...until she turned and looked at me. I saw the words form in her eyes, "what ARE you doing?!!? IDIOT!!!" needless to say I settled down, a lot.

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 1 Jul 2014 12:23 pm

The other night I asked the bass player to ask the keyboard player to turn up, I could not hear him. He looked at me like "are you f..king nuts, he is way to loud already". The keyboard player heard my request and turned down, lucky us.

Some players have the idea it is a full on wall of sound. Been there done that, if I did not love to play so much I would pack it up and go home.

Since they do not listen I guess YOU live with it or NOT.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 1 Jul 2014 1:17 pm

Allan,

Thanks for reminding me how great Don Williams is!

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 1 Jul 2014 1:55 pm

The thing that I enjoy the most about playing music is being able to take a number of individuals and teach them to think as one.
When that happens, as not often enough, it is the reward that makes us tote this stuff around.
Sometimes you find a great player that just will not adopt the team concept, I send em down the road. If I'm not the bandleader, I go down the road.

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 1 Jul 2014 1:59 pm

Allan...lovely track from Don Williams...so laid back and tasty playing. I saw him at one of the Wembley Country festivals years ago, and all he had was a great lead guitarist, Bass guitar and drums. He went down a storm needless to say. Allan, I've just replied to Billy Murdoch a quiery from you re using a Cube 80XL linked to a Black/Widow 15" Very easy done. I guess he'll be on to you soon. Take care.

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 1 Jul 2014 2:04 pm

Ray...have you ever used a guitarist as a stand in for a gig, and while the band are tuning up, he plays all the flashy Brent Mason type licks, and you think...Boy this will be a hot gig....but when you actually start to play, he has no idea where to put these flashy licks

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

Sho-Bud and Carter universals, 2 Cube 80XL's, Nashville 400, telecaster B-bender and other guitars and lots of "toys"

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 1 Jul 2014 2:09 pm

Ray Harrison wrote:The thing that I enjoy the most about playing music is being able to take a number of individuals and teach them to think as one.

When I first started reading this, I thought you were going to say "teach them to think as I do".

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 1 Jul 2014 2:55 pm

My view of the problem is merely........

each of these so-called 'musicians'.....should give up on the idea that they are all important to the world.

Displaying the reality that they can't even meld into the dynamics of a group, any kind of group, should be a clue but most offenders are incapable to
recognizing anything but themselves.

Stuart Legg · Post by **Stuart Legg** » 1 Jul 2014 10:03 pm

Bo says he has a natural nack for capturing the feel for the steel fill that will bring out the best of the vocalist.
click here

Floyd Lowery · Post by **Floyd Lowery** » 2 Jul 2014 4:03 am

I played in a band with a keyboard player that was playing the melody to the song from start to finish. I told him to play chords when it was not his time to take the lead and when it was his time to back up the singer to just play a little riff between the words. He said I don't know how to do that. I said well do you know how to sit on your hands ? He was not with the band the next gig.
I would never call anyone a great player, if they can't blend in with the rest of the band.

Bill Sinclair · Post by **Bill Sinclair** » 2 Jul 2014 5:47 am

Stuart Legg wrote:Bo says he has a natural nack for capturing the feel for the steel fill that will bring out the best of the vocalist.
click here

If you listen carefully, you can hear subtle influences of "The Shaggs" in that recording.

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 2 Jul 2014 7:47 am

Mickey, I rarely used a guitarist I wasn't familiar with.
One of the funniest stories about a guitarist was when a bandleader ask me if I could get a guitar player to fill in at the Swallows in Capistrano. I told him yes that a friend of mine was coming down to San Diego anyway and he'd meet us at Swallows.. He ask me if he thought he could handle the job OK, and I said probably. My friend Al Bruno came to work that evening and did his thing. After about three songs the BL ask me "Where did you find this guy"?

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 2 Jul 2014 9:56 am

Ray...another tale here. My band used to work in Germany alot on the USAF bases. We had this guy come up to us in the intermission, and the talk he gave us about himself was like he'd be another Chet Atkins or Brent or Albert Lee. We had a spare amp and I told him to get his axe and sit in. After maybe 2 songs and the rubbish he played, I just walked over to his amp and unplugged him and pointed to the Dance floor.He was soon off stage and lots of other Airmen laughing at him. So much for his Bull S**T

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

Tommy White · Post by **Tommy White** » 2 Jul 2014 10:54 am

An new overplayer asked a master for advice. The master replied, "Take 2 weeks off, then quit.

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 2 Jul 2014 11:51 am

We definitely run into all kinds. Don't wish to hijack this thread to another topic, but great advice Tommy.
That's what a golf instructor told me......

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 2 Jul 2014 3:02 pm

Good one Tommy....I know several like those over here

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · Post by **Dr. Hugh Jeffreys** » 2 Jul 2014 3:42 pm

I've heard this story before, especially where fiddle players are involved. There was a guy I work with who was a good player,but he always got fired because he could'nt keep from sawing away. The last time I saw him was on HEE HAW. He was the same old Red (merl) Taylor. After he lost that gig he moved back to Tupelo.

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