TimR

In the 3 piece our guitarist/singer is offset centre/stage left in front of the kit enough for drummer to be seen. Then I'm stage right just to the side of and in front of the kit. 

In the 4 piece it's the same but the guitarist is stage left mirroring me.

2 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

So stereo rigs and effects is a lie?

 

In a gig situation? Yes. Only a few people will hear them as intended. 

6 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

What are PA left and right?

House Land and Right. 

If you're self operating from the stage turn the PA to face the back if you think it may get confusing. 

Also, it doesn't really matter as everything should be mono. 

3 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

The thread had gone too far and wasn't worth trying to correct it now but nice to hear it explained.

I wasn't aware of house right and left, so that's a bonus.

Dave

Yes. We also have 'house lights', and 'front of house' PA. 

Stage Right is right hand side looking from the stage towards the audience.

House Right is righthand of the stage looking at the stage from the audience (house). 

9 hours ago, Marky L said:

 

Oh he can! Though usually for me, he slows down and I am trying to push the pace, but he is unaware.

What's the rest of the band doing? They should all sticking to the correct tempo with you?

12 hours ago, lowdown said:

 

 

 

Music does work like that, exactly like that. Because as you say, 'The Musician (Drummer) is human'.

Accelerando,  Rallentando, Ritardando, A Tempo, Rubato?

 

Changes of tempo - Understanding musical terms

Well yes, if the band agrees it needs to change, but that change should be rock solid. If the drummer is speeding up or slowing down seemingly at random and not giving any visual cues then the band has a problem. If they know the drummer has a habit of doing it, then they shouldn't let it move. 

49 minutes ago, tauzero said:

The drummer was excellent, she was a rock solid timekeeper and very competent. The guitarists simply ignored what she was doing and randomly speeded up and slowed down,

I think you're missing the point.

The band should be rock solid. 

If the band is rock solid, the the drummer, being in the band, will also be rock solid.

If the drummer is not rock solid and the band is, then the drummer will be dragged into line by the rest of the band.

Ultimately you have a band of musicians who can keep time. 

Or you don't. 

The drummer can't alter tempo if the musicans don't let them. 

1 hour ago, EssexBuccaneer said:

Imagine you’re playing, in time to a metronome that’s out of sight behind you. No flashy lights on this one to keep time with(!)

 

Then randomly I sneak in and gradually up the tempo of the metronome, bit by bit.

 

What is going to happen to your playing? 

No idea. I played with a drummer for several years who couldn't up the tempo gradually because it doesn't work like that. The drummer is human. 

I refer you to @dclaassen above. 

1 hour ago, EssexBuccaneer said:

If the drummer speeds up or slows down, the rest of the band as a rule of thumb will speed up or slow down accordingly. 
 

And if you’re rigidly sticking to tempo whilst the rest of the band speeds up around you, who is going to look like the problem to an audience?

The drummer can't speed up if the bass player doesn't. 

2 hours ago, EssexBuccaneer said:

The drummer controls *everything*. If he can’t, it’s time to get one who can.

As I say. Only if you let them and continue with the mindset they do. 🤷‍♂️

The drummer is just another musician in the band. Everyone has to go along with them for everything to speed up. If everyone else sticks to the tempo, the drummer cannot speed up. 

It's a nonsense that so many musicians don't understand, the drummer doesn't control the band.

I seem to be in the minority in standing stage right. It does have the advantage of in small stages you can get in the gap just right of the drummer. I've never had an issue hitting cymbals with the headstock. I have had issues standing stage left and hitting the wall. 

1 hour ago, lowdown said:

  

 

I did, but I didn't understand what you were talking about. Judging by your post, neither did you. That's why I asked.

 

👍

It's not the drummer's job to keep the band's time. I said I wished more people realised that and understood it. 

The first paragraph of the link says its the drummers job to keep time. 

Pretty much proving my point that too many people (mainly drummers) think it is the drummers job.

Even the OP realises that the drummer isn't there to keep the band in time. The band can do that themselves -  especially when the drummer isn't able to and needs a flashing beacon stuck in their line of sight. 

I wasted years playing with a drummer who sped up if I stopped playing. Every song we played I had to lean back on the beat in order to keep time. One gig I had had enough and went with him on the final song. It just crashed and burned when it was going so fast the singer couldn't get the words out.

The singer tore him a new one afterwards. 

4 hours ago, lowdown said:

  What's wrong? 

See my previous post. 

2 guitarists is too many, actually probably 1 is too many but there you go...

I'd stand in front of the one using a music stand, or who doesn't do backing vocals, or who looks at his shoes/fretboard all night etc etc. 

I ordered an amp last month. Wasn't in stock, said due 28th April on Website. 

On placing the order, I had an email saying it wouldn't be available until 28th April, and I'd be updated if that changes.

Had an email on Monday saying it's now expected 30th April. 

So can't fault their comms so far. Will update this thread with any more important news as it happens...

40 minutes ago, lowdown said:

 

  

 

Yep, and most of this in the link below as well.

Please enter at your own risk - It's a dot com for Drummers.

 

This Is Why Drummers Are So Important In A Band

 

 

 

Well that's the first paragraph wrong to start with. 😂

No wonder there's so much issues with drummers who think everyone should be following them. 🤦‍♂️

22 hours ago, rushbo said:

If you have access to a printer, you could download this:

 

https://resources.dsmusic.com/guitar/Blank+Bass+TAB+Paper.pdf

 

Print as many copies as you like and then take them to your local print shop, where you should be able to get them spiral bound. 

This is what I would do. 

Alternatively there are online services who can print and bind. Probably your local people would print cheaper.

https://www.doxdirect.com/print-and-bind-online/spiral-books/

I don't know why drummers insist on counting in the band. 

It's not the drummers responsibility to keep the band in time. I wish more drummers and musicians recognised that. 

If he can't stay in time with the rest of the band he needs to go away and practice drumming. 

84 onwards was a pretty harrowing time. Reflected in a lot of songs of the time. 

I don't remember anything like the violence of the miner strikes or Brixon and Toxteth riots. I don't know what was going on in the states as we didn't have 24/7 International news back then. But certainly AIDS was a serious concern for everyone and not really something that at the time was considered 'profound' to be talking or singing about. 

8 hours ago, Mediocre Polymath said:

I think Mr Johnson was encouraged to find a new career about a year later. I believe his last term of teaching was the one where the lid of the piano finally broke, though the actual final straw was when he gave a kid a concussion by repeatedly slamming his head in a door.

That's the problem nowadays. Kids have no respect for authority. In the old days hardly a day would go by without some kid in the class visiting casualty after getting their scales wrong.

I only have one friend who goes out and watches bands. He does this religiously sometimes three times a week. 

Everyone else seems more interested in talking about which box-set they're currently watching. This isn't because they're short of a bob or two, it's because live music just isn't on their radar.

Lots of them will go to local festivals, and from the looks of their social media, its a massive social event, photos and selfies of each other, no mention or photos of the bands.

I've been to see 4 bands in the last 6 weeks. One I paid a lot to see at the Camden Underworld. By the time I'd bought food beforehand and 2 pints inside the venue, including the ticket, but excluding travel, I'd spent £100. 

A local band I've seen before, was £9 on the door at a local venue and again £7.40 a pint. So that's close on £50 for me and my son on a week night. 

Another local band at a pub, free to get in and £3.20 a pint (I asked if they'd made a mistake?)

We have a local gig (covers) in 2 weeks time on a Saturday night. We have a facebook event and I've started inviting people, hopefully I may get 10 people down. Will see. 

The originals band I'm in bought 4 people to the first gig. The singers wife, the drumers wife and his parents. None of my friends turned up. When we played the local festival, there were loads of friends, who all thought we were excellent, so maybe they'll turn out to our next gig...

The other thing to remember is that when your friends turn up you have to be really appreciative of them being there. Spend time talking to everyone both before and after the show. Make them feel valued. 

If you make all your posts public, every comment and like that your freinds make, gets seen by their friends.

So don't knock it, every comment gets more engagement and spreads the word. 

Originals bands never get much attention from freinds unless you are creating a buzz and a FOMO. So think how you can get more comments and how you can make the event more about a big social meet up not to be missed than yet another gig by your band where you play the same 10 songs again.

Every originals band starts this way, it's very unusual for a band to get people to follow on the strength of their music alone.