Saturday, June 27, 2015

Playing with Others

At work a few years ago, we started a little band at work.  I'd probably played longer than anyone else in the band, but I learned as much or more than everyone else too.  The biggest thing I learned, and it sounds really obvious, but playing with other people is different than just playing by yourself.  There are some small things and big things too.
  • Being in tune is really important.  At first, we just used to self-tune, but I thought we sounded weird and phasey sometimes when we played together, so I started tuning everyone.  I think they thought I was just being anal until I started recording us, then they all went out and bought tuners.
  • A song is not a long solo.  Lots of guitar players, especially when they first start really getting into it, solo all.the.time.  If you want to alienate a band with your awe-inspiring talent or your self-indulgence, keep it up.
  • Guitar players also are good at parts of a song (the intro, a riff, a solo), but if you play in a band, you have to learn the whole song, all the way through.  
  • Same with playing in time: try not to speed up during solos and choruses, and if you make a mistake, yup, keep playing. 
  • Tone is more important than being loud.  This 50 watt modelling amp I have sounds awesome at home.  It is big and bassy sounding.  It can fill the room nicely, and when I crank it up, it can fill the neighbourhood.  BUT when I play with the band, this amp does not cut through the mix.  That would be okay if I am just trying to give atmosphere, but if I am playing the main riff or doing a solo, my guitar does not jump out whereas the other guitar player has this little 15 watt amp that cuts through every time.  I've since switched over to a smaller tube amp that sounds a little thin on its own, but fits nicely in the mix with the band.
  • Use effects sparingly.  Stomp boxes are very seductive.  There are so many sounds and knobs and buttons.  Multi-effects or stand-alone units or on-board effects?  So many choices!  But as important as your sound is, the rest of the band won't be thrilled with you scrolling through menus, twiddling knobs, or fooling with your presets.  Do that on your own time because all of that tweaking is getting in the way of the big idea: playing with the band.  All you really need is a clean sound, a dirty sound, and a lead sound, and you need to be able to access them quickly (i.e. without having to plug something in during the middle of a song, stomp on 5 buttons, etc.).  Also, if you play with the same, heavily-effected sound, it is going to get old fast. 
  • Singers rule song choice.  Unless you are an instrumental band, the singers should choose the songs or at least the songs should be chosen with the singers in mind.  You might have to give up some great guitar-heavy songs if the songs are not in the singer's range or register.   Think of Lou Reed singing "Stairway to Heaven".  Sure, you can capo or rearrange, but you will probably have to move on.  In doing songs from the singer's perspective, I have moved out of my guitar-based song rut.  My playing hasn't really improved, but my musicianship is definitely getting "wider".
  • Decent monitors are essential for playing live.  With another staff band, we were playing at our school talent show.  Listening to the student performers, I was surprised how consistently off-key the singers were, that is, until we took the stage.  Sure, we were on-key because we could hear our amped instruments on stage, but because we were playing to a backing track played on the PA, we were so out of sync with the rhythm track. 
Though these points sound preachy, you need to know that I have made ALL of the mistakes I have stated above.  Of course, these remarks are based on my own limited experience, but heck, so is the rest of this blog!