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Band frictions


GreeneKing

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ugh the 'plays by feel' thing... freestyle jazz? That translates to me as someone who doesn't understand musical structures / forms, get things wrong, makes it up and calls it 'playing by feel...'. Is everyone else meant to be telepathic when he screws up (sorry, 'plays by feel')? Some forms lend themselves to improvisation, others don't. If you are in a group that improvises, then there will be procedures to flag what's going on (two foot stamps or whatever).

 

As someone said earlier, the guy is gaslighting. Definitely good to escape I think.

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That's just reminded me of an incident that happened to me.

 

We'd all agreed a song and a version. There was a tricky phase in the middle that I knew was going to be tricky and spent far too long working on it, even to the point of writing out the dots.

 

Came to the practice, hit the phrase, drummer and myself play it perfectly. Guitarist all over the place, and the song crashes. 

 

So we ask what he's playing and he shows us.

"Play it again, I'm not sure you've got the timing right."

"Oh, you can't count it, you've got to feel it."

Exchange glances with drummer who has now folded his arms.

So guitarist plays it again louder. 

Drummer and I watch intensly. 

So he pays it again even louder.

 

Me: "OK. I can't get that from what you're playing.  I'll go away and work on it" - in the vein hope he'll actually take that as a clue to go away and work on the phrase himself.

"It's easy,it's just:" - plays phrase badly even louder. 

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There are plenty of people out there that do play by feel, but they just get on with it and don't use it as an excuse for being all over the place.

 

The "you, with your musical 'rules' are restricted whereas I, free, let the creativity pour out of me" BS always comes from people who at the end of the day just aren't very good musicians.

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2 hours ago, Supernaut said:

Best guitarist I have ever played with had 'feel' but didn't play with feel. If that makes sense. 

 

2 hours ago, tinyd said:

There are plenty of people out there that do play by feel, but they just get on with it and don't use it as an excuse for being all over the place.

 

The "you, with your musical 'rules' are restricted whereas I, free, let the creativity pour out of me" BS always comes from people who at the end of the day just aren't very good musicians.

 

2 hours ago, Supernaut said:

Best guitarist I have ever played with had 'feel' but didn't play with feel. If that makes sense. 

 

Music is all about feel. It's an essential part of being a good musician. 

 

Feeling the rhythm would be a good place to start. 

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On 09/12/2021 at 21:47, GreeneKing said:

He's finally said exactly why. Because I can't cope l with his style and seamlessly adapt to an extra phrase or two being inserted or deleted from the song structure on a whim (by mistake). He plays by feel and I'm a music technician. I acknowledge that we all make mistakes.

So you can't read his mind and for that reason, you have to go?
He sounds like a complete knob.
You're well shut of him.

 

It won't be long before he's picking the next bass player apart for questioning his authority..

I hope your next band is a lot better for you.

Edited by 12stringbassist
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  • 11 months later...

Just started up with a new band. Mature people, no prima donna's. It has all suddenly become enjoyable. 

 

I still chat with the old rhythm guitarist. They asked him to play bass. He told them where to stick it :)

 

This is all water under the bridge now and I posted it at the time in part for reassurance. Given so much time I'm firmly aware that it was down to this guitarist and his personal issues. Sad as I put a lot of work in.

 

It wasn't ever about artistic nuances. It was about his inability to play a consistent structure and then having a hissy fit when I politely mentioned it.

 

Peter

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On 19/11/2022 at 12:09, GreeneKing said:

Just started up with a new band. Mature people, no prima donna's. It has all suddenly become enjoyable. 

 

I still chat with the old rhythm guitarist. They asked him to play bass. He told them where to stick it :)

 

This is all water under the bridge now and I posted it at the time in part for reassurance. Given so much time I'm firmly aware that it was down to this guitarist and his personal issues. Sad as I put a lot of work in.

 

It wasn't ever about artistic nuances. It was about his inability to play a consistent structure and then having a hissy fit when I politely mentioned it.

 

Peter

You seem to have successfully addressed a 'quality of life' issue. The tension of making music needs to be rewarding, for all the reasons we know. Well done!

Go on and break a leg! 

Edited by Count Bassie
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