Members gardo Posted January 10, 2017 Members Share Posted January 10, 2017 My friend has played in several classic rock type bands around the area. His co workers were having a Christmas party and new that Dave played guitar so they asked him if he would bring his guitar to the party. So far so good. Dave isn't a singer he's a lead guitarist and apparently no one realized that. So Dave showed up at the party set up his amp and started playing various riffs and solos ,basically he was just jamming out in his own little world and everybody was just staring at him wondering what planet is this guy from .He told me it was terrible and he'll never make that mistake again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted January 10, 2017 Author Members Share Posted January 10, 2017 People seem to assume that because someone plays a guitar they can sing as well. That's not quite true, especially in my case. I can get by on a few songs but found it best to avoid others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jtr654 Posted January 11, 2017 Members Share Posted January 11, 2017 I always tell them NO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted January 11, 2017 Members Share Posted January 11, 2017 If it's only a person or two asking and it feels wrong I'll find a way to get out of it politely. In the case above it was just right and I hardly had to sing because they all were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted January 11, 2017 Members Share Posted January 11, 2017 I find that folks also assume that if you play guitar you also know every song ever written and can play without music, lyrics, in the dark, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted January 12, 2017 Members Share Posted January 12, 2017 *sigh* parody threads are also not the same what the used to be *sigh* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted January 12, 2017 Members Share Posted January 12, 2017 Not getting other folks is the reason for the blues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted January 12, 2017 Members Share Posted January 12, 2017 I think its just the opposite. This guitarist decided to play in a situation where he was completely unprepared to entertain and audience solo. You cant blame an audience for not knowing, musicians can have specialized performance ranges. They aren't musicians. Its the musicians responsibility to know if he's capable of entertaining a crowd. If he isn't its better to leave the instrument in its case and forgo the attempt to wow people playing music that lacks the support of the other musicians needed to make your selective playing shine. The best thing he can do is learn from the experience and work on learning to play some songs that he can do solo which can please an audience. Maybe take up acoustic guitar and learn to do some sing along tunes people can enjoy and participate in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted January 12, 2017 Members Share Posted January 12, 2017 I have this happen fairly frequently, sometimes even when just visiting, and occasionally at places that have either a guitar or piano (I used to play piano regularly) problem is, I'm not a singer, can only remember a handful of full songs on the piano, and as mentioned, everybody assumes I can play every song ever written, on the fly. Same on guitar, except I'm primarily a metal player, so... hitting me up to do an acoustic, unplugged, unrehearsed Christmas set on someone's Epi Dove doesn't always work well. I can usually fake my way through some of the more common Christmas themed songs, but the Requests....not so much. And again, I don't sing. So I understand completely and sympathize with your friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted January 12, 2017 Members Share Posted January 12, 2017 Doing requests is part of the price you pay for playing live. Learning to redirect people from wanting you to play a song you don't know to something you do know is one of those skills you learn dealing with people in a live situation. How you get out of the situation of being put on the spot like that is a pivot. The person asking you to play that song is usually with a group of people and they are being brave coming up to ask you to play something. (if its a hot chick so much the better) You tell them you don't know that song but you know one they'd like just as much. You make an announcement so and so has made a request for this next song. There name is heard by everyone there and they feel humbled by it which what they are really looking for. They want to be recognized and have it announced they are there. Its not their favorite song but who cares. The band played it for them. thay don't have to know it was simply the next song on your list. If its some jackass drunk wanting you to play a song so he can get up on stage and sing, then you either keep telling him you'll do it in the last set. hopefully he'll be so drunk by then he'll pass out, forget he asked, or finally get the message you don't play requests. You can also obfuscate and say you only do requests on open mic night at some obscure club he's never hear on a week night during hours he's never be there. If he does show up there and catches you at some other gig you can say you had to cancel because you had a hot recording date or some other fairy tale. If the person asking is a real goof ball you can tell them they have to make requests through that machine with all the buttons on it. Tell him he has to put a dollars worth of quarters in there and select the song he wants to hear and the Juke box will play it for him when the band takes a break. Of course I'm being cynical with the second two suggestions but they aren't far from the truth. What it really boils down to is allowing yourself to be approachable like that. In most bands I've played in, there's usually a role every player takes on as their responsibility. For some its handing sound, another hauling gear, another handles the pay, another handles the crowd and requests.Being venerable is a fine line you learn to walk. you want to be friendly with people but not to the point where they interfere with you doing a job.Many times you'd get someone who wanted something and you'd say they need to talk to so and so, that person would say, they need to talk to some other guy on break. Once the bands up and playing again, its unlikely someone is going to bother you but I've had it happen. I've had people so persistent and think they could sing they'd walk right up on stage and grab the mic away from you. This is where a band needs some faithful followers who know how to handle these kinds of people. I rarely had this happen but I've seen my share of fist fights break out because some jackass thought he's be Superman for the night. Most of the time you can talk them down and you often have to invent the means of doing that on the spot. Other times.... Its a dangerous business to be in. I've seen more crime and corruption in the music business then any other. If dome dead best bum isn't trying to rob your gear when you're packing up then you got some deadbeat owner trying to stiff you for your pay. At times it can be a complete zoo and all you're doing is trying to entertain them. Some of it is the music combines with drinking and drugs people do when they go out to party. Each club can be different too. I always felt safest playing at clubs that attracted bikers because you don't get out of line around those dudes. They have no problem putting a hurting on you if you step out of line and they appreciate a band that works hard to put on a good show. of course you better know some of the favorite songs they request or the dead silence after a song will be an indication you need to find a different place to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted January 13, 2017 Members Share Posted January 13, 2017 You're dead on WR, but that's all a live setting, band, venue, stage. You're prepped, ready, and know that at some point, you're going on stage. Not the case with the OP. But there is some valid takeaway, such as either suggesting a different song or opting out altogether. What I find helps, is though I mainly play Death and Thrash Metal live, is to know enough blues runs and the like for those impromptu moments at a get together or party setting and someone asks for whatever, and stuffs a guitar in your hands. (I always carry picks as well, which drives the wife crazy when they come out in the washer). Also, rather than just busting into a song that you don't really know on the fly, I find taking a few 'Twix' moments to 'tune' while lightly picking out not-so-familiar songs helps as well. Not on stage, thays unforgivable, but in an impromptu setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted January 13, 2017 Members Share Posted January 13, 2017 Exactly. That way you're prepared, maybe not for everything, but more so anyway. Yeah man, post it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted January 13, 2017 Members Share Posted January 13, 2017 Its a challenge. I've been asked many times to do a gig solo and I've learned enough songs over the years where I can pull it off effectively. I'm not a great singer but I know enough tricks to get by. Coming up with a set or two of songs you can do solo is an excellent exercise for any guitarist and it in fact puts you on the road to being a front man in a band - someone others can back up and make shine. The songs don't have to be the old sing along's either. You can take just about any modern song and turn it into an unplugged version using a little creativity and hard work. You usually have to augment the guitar parts combining riffs played by multiple instruments which are key to identifying the song theme. Starting with a song that's a bit easier to begin with is usually a good place to start. Also boning up on some bands that have done unplugged versions of their rock tunes can be very helpful because they highlight those hey areas I mentioned. Carrying a tune singing is one of those essentials there simply isn't any way around. Doing an instrumental without accompaniment is limiting. People love to follow a melody and have a hard time recognizing songs without it. Even here you don't have to have an operatic voice. look at people like Dylan, Petty and Knopfler. They slur their pitches and often hit notes out of pitch but they became world class artists by giving it every thing that had and didn't allow mockery and being called croakers to detour them from succeeding. It takes a thick skin to butch up and give it your best singing. Heck I was mocked most of my life mostly because I worked around great singers and my voice simply didn't stack up to theirs, but all that hard work eventually paid off. You know I can actually tolerate my own voice now - and better yet I get complete strangers who tell me I have a good voice. I still question what they been smoking but at least that 50+ years of hard work hasn't gone to waste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted January 13, 2017 Members Share Posted January 13, 2017 One of the first bits of music advice that my Dad (RIP) gave me was "learn whole songs". I took that on as a mantra from the age of 12 and always learn the whole thing, including the lyrics. Not saying it's the only way, but it makes things easy when you've got hundreds of them up in your head ready to go. I usually skip the guitar solos (or get the crowd to sing them if they're iconic) and I'll drop verses if they're waning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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