Played with neighbors last night

[R_of_G]

Last night I played with a couple of my neighbors.

One of them, a bass player, I have played with a couple of times previously. The other guy played guitar last night but he can play piano, bass, drums, violin and probably anything else you put in his hands.

Never really played with people in this real of band setting. It's always been all guitars or me and a bass player. This was different.

We had a drum machine as well. I think that really helped me keep much better time. At several points the bass player and I were locked in tight. That felt awesome.

The playlist was all over the place. First time I'd ever played a Scorpions' song. I still couldn't tell you which one it was. I never really listened to them actively which is to say I remember hearing them and know what they sound like but they weren't my thing.

Still, I'll play whatever other people want to play if they play stuff I want to play too at some point. I was pretty much just playing rhythm anyway so I was able to pick up the song pretty quickly so he could get his shred on.

For me the most enjoyable parts were when we played more "pick a key and go" jams rather than covers. We did a pretty lengthy JBs style funk jam and my favorite part an Ennio Morricone style western piece.

Got them to agree to play a Stones' song with me next time. I suggested "Brown Sugar". Already learned the intro. Working on the rest tonight.

[Pickngrin]

That's great, R. The band setting helps you improve your playing at a much faster pace. Sounds like a fun jam you had. I'd like to have some neighbors to jam with... that would be very convenient. Have fun!

[R_of_G]

That's great, R. The band setting helps you improve your playing at a much faster pace. Sounds like a fun jam you had. I'd like to have some neighbors to jam with... that would be very convenient. Have fun!

When we moved in I had hoped there would be some other musicians in the neighborhood. I hadn't expected to find one right across the street and another two houses down from me. Convenience for sure. At first I'd only brought the strat. Later I wanted the Gibson so I just walked across the street and got it.

[Eric]

That's great, R. The band setting helps you improve your playing at a much faster pace. Sounds like a fun jam you had. I'd like to have some neighbors to jam with... that would be very convenient. Have fun!
+1. I was going to say you should be grateful that you have this. I've found it to be not so easy to come by, particularly when it comes to finding music people who aren't nuts. That being said, it sounds like you realize you have a potentially neat situation, so you're not taking it for granted.

I'm glad that at least round 1 was a success.

[R_of_G]

+1. I was going to say you should be grateful that you have this. I've found it to be not so easy to come by, particularly when it comes to finding music people who aren't nuts. That being said, it sounds like you realize you have a potentially neat situation, so you're not taking it for granted.

I'm glad that at least round 1 was a success.

Indeed. The biggest "obstacle" if that's even the right word here is that we all have some vastly different tastes in music which made finding songs we all knew a bit interesting but they seem as open to democracy as I do so I'm sure we'll find some stuff we're all cool with playing (or can endure playing in trade for getting something I like in the playlist as well).

I'm just looking at as an opportunity to gain much needed experience playing with other people in a band-type setting.

[R_of_G]

Ok, well, I'm beginning to change my mind about this whole thing. We didn't play last night but we hung out to do the fireworks thing and discussed potential stuff to play again.

Apparently my suggestion of "Brown Sugar" or pretty much any other middle-period Stones' song has been rejected. Instead it was suggested that we try some Whitesnake or Bon Jovi. I suggested perhaps something by The Band and was met with a bunch of blank stares.

I told them that I'd sooner cut off my hands than play Bon Jovi and quite frankly if they prefer Bon Jovi to the Stones I may have to reconsider our friendship. Obviously I was being facetious but not entirely.

I know there's much to gain from playing with other people but if all we're going to do is play songs that I hate all I'll gain is a headache and a whole lot of boredom.

Not quite ready to walk away from it entirely at this point but if they're intention is to play nothing but 80s hair band stuff, they'll need a different rhythm guitarist.

[Eric]

I've run into this a number of times, though it's never been 80s hair metal. It's tough when a couple of people have similar interests, because it causes their overlapping tastes to be heavily favored.

However, trying to be as polite as possible, if you ever want to play with anyone ever (which I still maintain is a great dynamic that no amount of bedroom guitar heroics can recreate), you will probably be playing something that you don't love at some point.

Rather than reject Bon Jovi out of hand, you might find some 80s hair band that you do like. There's probably something decent out there that you can play without throwing up in your mouth. Even Queen kind of fits in that 80s hard rock style, so you could suggest one of their mainstream hits.

Picking songs is a tough thing, but since most people probably don't have the knowledge of music that you do, it will probably be easiest to lower your standards at first, at least until you have established some common ground and knowledge. If you want to play songs by The Band, make them a CD with some of the more catchy songs by them that you like.

Those are just some ideas. Hopefully you can make it work, because this seems like a good entry point for you.

[R_of_G]

Rather than reject Bon Jovi out of hand, you might find some 80s hair band that you do like. There's probably something decent out there that you can play without throwing up in your mouth. Even Queen kind of fits in that 80s hard rock style, so you could suggest one of their mainstream hits.

My thinking has been along these lines as well. I'm hoping that if they like that kind of music it's not such a bad guess they may like some Zeppelin or Black Sabbath as well, which would provide a lot more enjoyment for me.

Like I said previously, I'm not unwilling to compromise, though I have my limits and having grown up in the 80s in New Jersey (in a town that borders the town from which Bon Jovi hails) I feel I have heard more of that band than I ever need to.

I told them I was willing to learn whatever Whitesnake song they wanted and I learned a Scorpions' song for them last time (though I still don't know the name of it).

In the end, I'll likely still play with them because of the convenience of having other players on my block, but I just need to lower my expectations a bit as to what I may get out of it.

To put a positive spin on it, I have been wanting to spend more time recording and multi-tracking stuff I want to play, so this may give me the impetus to do so.

[Eric]

To put a positive spin on it, I have been wanting to spend more time recording and multi-tracking stuff I want to play, so this may give me the impetus to do so.
Funny you should mention that -- I just spent some time this weekend getting a track in working order, partially just to do it, but partially to act as a demo in case I want to try to find a band. I'm going to do some original stuff, hopefully before too long, but this is what I recorded so far if you're interested:

http://www.box.net/shared/2ylidkhroyl0edjkpdl5

I know it's not perfect, but I'm reasonably happy with it considering that I've never tried to make anything like this before.

[R_of_G]

That was quite enjoyable Eric.

I particularly dug the riff that starts at about the :50 mark as well as the second lead section beginning around 2:00.

If I can go this route for playing the kind of music that's more my style, I can look at playing with the neighbors as an opportunity to play live with other people and take from that what I can as an experience.

[Eric]

That was quite enjoyable Eric.

I particularly dug the riff that starts at about the :50 mark as well as the second lead section beginning around 2:00.

If I can go this route for playing the kind of music that's more my style, I can look at playing with the neighbors as an opportunity to play live with other people and take from that what I can as an experience.
Thanks. I think your plan is a reasonable one. Recording always ends up being harder than I think it will be, because there's so little margin for error, but I'm realizing it's a good exercise. So you'll kind of get both sides of the experience if you do managed to record and continue playing with these guys.

[R_of_G]

Warning: This is a long post because I'm frustrated and have to get this stuff out of my head.

I've been playing with these guys again recently and still having the same issues I was when I started this thread. I like hanging out with these guys and they're great neighbors, but I'm not getting a whole lot from playing with them other than frustration.

The main issue is that between the three of us, there is amost no common ground as far as the music we each listen to. For the lead guitarist it's not as much of a problem because he's one of those guys that can hear a song one time and figure out how to play it. For me, it's a significantly bigger issue because if we're going to play actual songs, the best way for me to learn my parts is to practice them along with the recording.

For instance, one song the lead guitarist wants to play is Rainbow's "Catch the Rainbow." I mean no disrespect to Mr. Blackmore or his band but I simply don't like the song very much. To me it sounds like little more than overt sound-alike to Hendrix's "Little Wing." I've never been a fan of that kind of high-pitched belting style of singing either so the recording just annoys me. I find myself far too distracted by the fact that I hate the song to actually try to learn it.

The same thing happens when the bass player suggests songs. He's ten years my junior and rather unfamiliar with very much music other than what got mainstream airplay. He plays in his church band so most of the songs he knows and likes are Christian rock. Again, trying to learn to play along with the recordings is like torture for me. I don't begrudge these bands their beliefs but I can't concentrate on learning a song when the lyrics are so oppositional to pretty much most of what I personally believe.

Lest it seem like all I'm doing is b*tching and moaning about the songs they want to play, let me add that in all the times we've played together, we've yet to do a single song I want to do unless I happen to slip one in when nobody else is playing and they try to play along. Those songs never seem to make it to the list of things we agree to work on. It seems like the lead guitarist just wants us to be his backing track so he can get his shred on. I have no problem doing that for a song here or there, but in my opinion, there are some more interesting songs we can do that with, or like I've always said, we can play "pick a key and go" and get there by more organic means other than "intro > verse > chorus > verse > chorus > shred > chorus> outro."

I never expected that three people of different ages from vastly different backgrounds would be able to instantly form a band that makes everyone happy. I've read far too much just from you guys here about band experiences to know it just doesn't work that way. Still, I figured I'd get more out the experience than I have been.

Also, I think they have some unrealistic expectations. They're thinking about working up a setlist and trying to get some gigs at some local bars. I'm all for that, but when I think about "bar band" music, I don't quite think of Rainbow and Christian rock, and if I were to go to a bar and find a band playing that stuff, I wouldn't stay very long. I keep suggesting things like classic rock, blues-boogie rock, Stax-era R&B, alt-country, etc, you know, the kind of thing bar bands play.

I guess that's it. I doubt there's much anything new anyone can say about this as it's more or less the same issue as my last posts in this thread, but I needed to vent my frustration and you guys are always a great sounding board for that.

Ps. Please note that I know many of you guys are into the kinds of music I find myself rejecting. I'm not trying to invalidate it in any way. If it does something for you, that's great. It just doesn't do anything for me. I'm sure the same can be said in the inverse. I know I like lots of things other people couldn't listen to for more than two minutes.

[Eric]

Well, I guess they all can't be winners. It sounds like maturity issues on all three sides, so what can you do in that situation? Good musical situations can be kind of fleeting depending on the circumstances, so I just try to enjoy the ones that do work out. I think getting a bunch of musicians together to try to do anything organized is kind of a recipe for disaster when you think of the types of personalities that generally gravitate toward music.

Just so you don't feel alone, some of my recent musical experiences have included a garage jam that ended when the drug-addicted drummer went to jail for attacking his wife with a chair, and an 80s pop group comprised of me on guitar, a keyboard player/singer, and a backup singer where we practiced in the singer's basement and I was the only real instrument playing -- we couldn't even get a bassist to show up for a tryout. These days I just play repeating chord progressions in G and noodle every other Tuesday night while the rest of the band drones on.

Rock on.

[R_of_G]

Good musical situations can be kind of fleeting depending on the circumstances, so I just try to enjoy the ones that do work out.

Exactly. What I take away from it now is that at least I have a couple of good guys that live on my street that I enjoy hanging out with. We just might not be suited to be a band together. No biggie.

Sorry to hear your group musical situations are going poorly. It puts it in perspective that in my situation we just disagree on what kind of music to play, rather than there being such serious issues like the ones you've been made to face.

[NWBasser]

Oh boy, this story sounds so familiar except for the Christian rock aspect. Although I'd likely share your sentiments on that if put in the same situation.

Backing track for lead guy to get his shred on? Oh yeah, that gets really old fast.

I quit my last band for very similar reasons.

FWIW, I highly doubt that they'll get all necessary pieces together to play in a bar.

[R_of_G]

FWIW, I highly doubt that they'll get all necessary pieces together to play in a bar.

I doubt it too, but if they did, I can't imagine that setlist going over real well, unless it's a bar next to a church where everyone loves Richie Blackmore.

[NWBasser]

I doubt it too, but if they did, I can't imagine that setlist going over real well, unless it's a bar next to a church where everyone loves Richie Blackmore.

No, that setlist would not go over well at all.

However, I've played with shredders before who just want to fling a gazillion notes and are completely unaware (or don't care) that they've just emptied the bar.

That reminds me, there was a tavern in NW Washington called the Holy Smokes. It was converted from a former church.

Perfect venue for those guys.

[aeolian]

The hardest part of finding people to play with is finding people willing to be accommodating of the others in the band. Otherwise your frustration will eventually drive you to remove yourself from the situation, but that's not a bad thing.

[Commodore 64]

I could deal with the 80s hair stuff. Especially if I could sing like Dio.

In the band I'm in, I wouldn't have thought I would like to play some of the kinds of music we do. Let me illustrate my beliefs to help you understand.

Before I played in this band:
1. I hate Elvis.
2. Don't care for Motown.
3. Not a big fan of the Rolling Stones.
4. WTF is Stax?
5. I hate the Blues Brothers.
6. When a Man Loves a Woman makes me want to puke (almost as much as Christian Rock).
7. Bob Dylan sounds like a constipated elephant.

Now that I've been in this band
1. Blue Suede Shoes and Hound Dog are super easy and super fun to play. Elvis was a bit of a douche, but I blame the army for getting him hooked on amphetamines.
2. Nowhere to Run To, Get Ready, Respect are pretty rockin' tunes, also fun to play.
3. Let it Bleed is fantastic album. Keith Richards is God.
4. Soul Man is a great song. Hold on I'm coming is fun too, especially if you play it like Sam and Dave.
5. Blues Brothers still sucks as a movie, but Belushi really can sing, and Steve Cropper rocks.
6. I still F'n hate When a Man Loves a Woman, but our sax player can really bring it.
7. Screw Bob Dylan, but The Band is freakin' AWESOME.

I brought them Last Days of May and told them I thought they'd like it. They were like, "Blue Oyster Cult? Um No Way. We're too old for that sh!t" But they humored me, and now they love it. And a few guys even started checkin' out some other BOC.

Next project: Cortez the Killer.

[R_of_G]

If I ever had to ask WTF is Stax I think my dad would disown me.

I'll just pretend I didn't read the Dylan comments. :)

And yes, Keith Richards most assuredly is God (at least in my church).

Seriously though C64, you do make a very valid point about giving things a try before ruling them out and I have done that with these guys. I played along the other night as best I could given not really knowing the song prior to last weekend. It just bored the daylights out of me and like I said, listening to the recording to practice along with just makes me want to rip my ears off.

I know that for people that like that kind of singing, Dio is highly admired, it's just not even close to the kind of singing I enjoy listening to. I gravitate towards guys like Waits, Dylan, Young, Earle, etc. rather than the guys who can belt it out perfectly. However, the bass player's cousin hung out with us last weekend. He's the singer in their church band and he's a belter. He sang some Rainbow songs pretty damn well. Again, not the kind of stuff I enjoy, but it was cool that he could do it.

Have fun with Cortez. That's a fun one. Haven't played it in awhile myself. May have to revisit it.

As always guys, I appreciate the feedback and input.

[kiteman]

BOC is my fav band and they have lots of great songs. Buck Dharma is underrated and so is Alan Lanier.

[R_of_G]

I believe we've finally found one that we can all agree on. The lead guitarist started playing this...

Lcz_xWLK-Kk

It immediately made me think of this...

XGDdK5L2SX8

He still can get his shred on and I can just bring the boogie style electric blues.

Incidentally, he had no idea who the Allman Brothers Band were (he's from eastern Europe originally). I showed him some videos. Now he's a fan of Duane.