I need some input from all you guys

[Chuckracer]

Re: I need some input from all you guys

A word to the wise: DO NOT blow out the bass player unless you have a qualified replacment standing by ready to go. They are the toughest to find.

[Riffmeister]

Re: I need some input from all you guys

Once again, Chuck is totally right! The reason I wasn't able to put a whole band together for over a year is cause I could't find one single bass player. As far as the other guys, well they have been friends for years so............

[lerxstcat]

Re: I need some input from all you guys

I'd go a little further; they've been together 4 years, you've jammed with them
3 times, and just got the gig. Try any personnel moves now and you will be the personnel that gets moved. They will all see you as a backstabber since this bass player was your big backer to get you in the band. Aside from you being our bud,
that would be a valid point. The singer and drummer will each think they're next for the axe and stick with their bud they've played with for four years, and you'll get fired. Work with the guy and don't think in terms of replacing him. If the drummer and singer bring it up at a later date, then it's something they brought up. You are far from established enough with them to make waves, you haven't been a member for a week yet for God's sake!

Sorry if that sounds a bit harsh. By all means correct the guy on his parts, but you're not in a position to get rid of the guy even if you want to; you need to
realize that.

[jgcable]

Re: I need some input from all you guys

If your bass player is a hacker you can handle it like this:
Start recording your practices. If you are asked why tell them that you want to go into the recording studio to lay down some songs and the engineer that you spoke to wants to hear a tape to get a basic feel of your music. Then... return with the "engineers" critique. Tell them there were mistakes made by everybody and that we all need to tighten up our playing so from now on we need to break down everyones individual parts and make sure that everything is being played correctly.This means we will stop a song at practice if somebody is making noticable errors and either note them or correct them on the spot. This will either force the hackers to straighten up or it will force the hackers out of the band. If you approach it as a band and not as a individual roast of one player you will have more success. VERY IMPORTANT!!! Make sure that you know what you are talking about when you critique somebody elses playing. The worst thing that you can do is stop a song and tell him he is playing it wrong but NOT know the correct way it should be played. Do your homework first and tighten up your band. It can be done. Don't be so quick to judge other players until you have no options left. Good luck.

[lerxstcat]

Re: I need some input from all you guys

Originally posted by Josh Crawford:

... you can be Rhodes on the guitar but if you have beavis or butthead on the bass, your band is going to suck! MUST BE TIGHT!

Good luck!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is the Jackson/Charvel Forum, and I have to tell you it's "Rhoads", not "Rhodes"? [img]graemlins/eyes.gif[/img]

[xenophobe]

Re: I need some input from all you guys

Well, don't just start saying that he sucks and needs to be replaced.

You say some parts he plays okay... maybe he just needs some help and instruction...

[Deneb]

Re: I need some input from all you guys

Here, Im going to post this in the none, but it may help here.

Maybe he cant hear like newc said.

You can get a CHEAP ass PA.

Peavey cs400 power amp, and like 3 decent quality angled monitors pointing up, and a mixer ANY mixer as long as every mic can go into it, and that should be MORE than enough for a practice.

We use a Peavey cs400 into an EV board with 3 stage monitors with EV proline speakers, now granted I have a few FX, and a crown 2200 watt power amp, and a qsc 2000 watt power amp along with a yamaha 1200 watt power amp, but thats for playing out.

We use this cs 400 (like from the 80s) and its bad ass and loud.

Good speakers make a difference, for just practicing you do not need a super clean conditioned power amp, but good speakers make that lower end amp sound all the better.

Mention to him in a calm way that you think he is missing some timing and go over with him calmly on how you think it could improve.

You are there to hear him, so maybe go over some riffs at the same time he is playing and have the rest of the band shut the hell up.

Sometimes when my drummer and I need to lock in(we are bassless at the moment) we just play the same part of a song like 100 times till we got it down pat.

Remember, no one is really perfect right off the bat.

[Jim Shine]

Re: I need some input from all you guys

Originally posted by Accept2:
When was the last time a bad bass player was a problem in metal?......Just look at Slayer. I think to Tom Araya his bass is a stage prop...................

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I am so glad I am not the only one that has noticed that.

[Genebaby]

Re: I need some input from all you guys

Rick, this so sounds like our last bass player. He was young (just 18 when he joined) and the more seasoned pros in the band couldn't get thru to him to stop playing the crap out of everyhing, turn down, fatten his tone and lock in with the drums. During one of our 'talks' he admitted to having a chip on his shoulder about bass players not getting enough attention. This is why he would try to pull off experimental, Hendrix style licks when all that was called for was some fat root notes. He ignored the drums and played too loud, he couldn't understand how bass travels thru a venue. No matter what we tried he wouldn't change.

His downfall was a last minute gig offer that he couldn't make, so I worked out which songs we could play with only me on guitar and the rhythm guy played bass that night (he also has a Model 3b bass and a Fender bass rig). Luckily he has a great ear for melodies and did a stellar job. Our drummer loved his playing, good solid bass and we sounded better for it too. This is how we became a four piece.

Somebody needs to show this guy where he's going wrong as there's only so much you can change in a song before it starts to sound like ass.

[Riffmeister]

Re: I need some input from all you guys

Well one good thing about all this is tha they want to get a second guitarist which is fine with me. They have already stated that the main priority was to get me in firs and that I would have a lot of say over the next guitarist.

Now it won't much matter if we can only find a rythym guitar player , at least it would sound fatter than one guitar and half a bass [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] HAHAHAHA