New Trail

Interesting... https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/new_research_proves_electric_guitar_tone_largely_depends_on_pickguards_prices_of_used_guitar_hardware_already_skyrocketing.html " A staggering new research revealed the pickguard to be the key factor for determining a given electric guitar's tone, which almost immediately made the prices of second-hand Les Paul pickguards skyrocket online. The discourse surrounding how and to what extent the various elements of an electric guitar impact the instrument's sound is perpetually ongoing in the global guitar community. However, evidence gathered by a team of scientists from Harvard University's Physics Department and Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter will finally put an end to such debates once and for all. Even though common knowledge had it that the choice of wood was the one major factor in determining the guitar's sound, this new research concludes that it only accounts for 15% of a given guitar's natural sustain whereas 80% of it comes down to the pickguard (the remaining 5% are attributed to other elements).

I certainly didn't know that.

That can't be a real Clapton quote....can it?

Bad vocal harmonies are worse than no harmonies. If you're still in that band and still have the same issue tell them that.

Just play in those bands as they need you, and how your schedule allows, until you get your own band back together. Think of it as a learning experience. If the situations allow, make recommendations to the band leaders about possible improvements that they can make to make their bands better. IF they don't follow your recommendations don't worry about it, just play your parts as a good side man with the knowledge that you will soon have your own band up and going again. Good Luck.

Ghost them. JK, but not really. In our originals band the bass player started ghosting us. He wouldn't respond to texts or answer phone calls. Even a call to his wife asking him to at least call us to tell us what's going on led to nothing. So, if you're truly unhappy with the band and you don't see the possibility of a reasonable resolution just start being unavailable. Ghost them.

I was in one band once that only had one rehearsal and only one gig, but the three of us vocalists just jelled on harmonies like no other band I've been in. We didn't work on any vocals at all. We just all sang a part. It was pretty amazing. That band was formed as a sub for another band I was in that had to cancel. I've spent loads of time working with folks who can sing lead vocals okay, but who can't hear a harmony part, and can't sing a harmony part when it's shown to them. At some point just move on and play songs without harmony.

After re-reading this post I would say that having no harmony vocals at all is better than bad harmony vocals. Maybe pick songs that don't have harmony vocals. So, no Eagles, Fleet Foxes, or Crosby, Stills & Nash.

I wish I had some words of wisdom for you, but I really don't. I've been trying to decide if I want to confront "my" band, not really my band, but the band I'm in, about problems that I see and what to do to fix them, and I'm not subtle or tactful myself, either. Maybe start with some positives, and then ease into the "what we need to fix" part? One thing I have learned is that some musicians just can't sing harmony, and shouldn't even try. And some who CAN sing can only sing a part that comes naturally to them. In other words they can't learn a part and consistently sing it if isn't a part that they instinctively feel. Maybe suggest a night for singers only with acoustic guitars to work on vocals? And record the process and listen back.

For what its worth I can't get a sound that I like out of Lace Sensors, either, and I have 5 of them, 3 gold, a blue and a red. I have a Fender pickguard with slots for 5 pickups, so I wish I could get a sound I like out of them.

This thread is so old I don't even remember starting it!

Every Bob Dylan song?

"Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton A.K.A. "I'd Rather Go Blind" by Etta James

Yeah, for sure. We're no longer in a band and aren't friends either.

I played in a band with a female singer who had the same idea, except she was going to copyright all of them in her name. Then later on she took songs that we, the band, had written together and copyrighted them in only her name. Good times!