Members msmooth Posted July 6, 2012 Members Share Posted July 6, 2012 I am in a 4 piece band playing a mixture of classic rock, country and oldies. Guitar, bass, drums and keys. I play guitar and do 1/2 of lead vocals. I have come to realize that I do not enjoy playing lead guitar. I find my soloing to be boring. I try to find songs without solos and get my keyboardist to solo as often as possible. I do feel that I am a very competant 2nd/rythm guitarist. I feel stuck, because 2 of the other guys don't really want to go to 5 people. But I think I am going to ask them to consider it. What I need is a lead guitarist/saxaphonist/steel player who can play a bit of harmonica and fiddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members callous Posted July 6, 2012 Members Share Posted July 6, 2012 What I need is a lead guitarist/saxaphonist/steel player who can play a bit of harmonica and fiddle. I think quite a few of us need that guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chadd Posted July 6, 2012 Members Share Posted July 6, 2012 You could start learning the other instruments and be that guy. A friend of mine taught himself keys over the last couple years and is now reasonably competent on it, for most material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members beatpoet Posted July 6, 2012 Members Share Posted July 6, 2012 Is this the first thread titled 'I don't want to be "the guy" anymore' which isn't about not wanting to be the guy who has to book/cancel all the gigs anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimiv Posted July 6, 2012 Members Share Posted July 6, 2012 Lead guitarist/saxaphonist/steel player/harmoncia/and fiddle player guy is everywhere, now one who can also sing, that's lightning in a bottle. :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kmart Posted July 6, 2012 Members Share Posted July 6, 2012 No, no, no... In order of importance from least to most: rhythm guitar/occasional lead vox/hand percussion/sax/b. vox/keys/hot girl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Leftcoast123 Posted July 6, 2012 Members Share Posted July 6, 2012 Are you gigging? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vablows Posted July 6, 2012 Members Share Posted July 6, 2012 Is this a joke? Who's handling saxophone, steel, harmonica, and fiddle currently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimiv Posted July 6, 2012 Members Share Posted July 6, 2012 Is this a joke?Who's handling saxophone, steel, harmonica, and fiddle currently? No one is, he wants to add a "lead guitarist/saxaphonist/steel player who can play a bit of harmonica and fiddle." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KeysBear Posted July 6, 2012 Members Share Posted July 6, 2012 dang it, I had it nailed until he said fiddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members benzem Posted July 7, 2012 Members Share Posted July 7, 2012 I am in a 4 piece band playing a mixture of classic rock, country and oldies. Guitar, bass, drums and keys. I play guitar and do 1/2 of lead vocals. I have come to realize that I do not enjoy playing lead guitar. I find my soloing to be boring. I try to find songs without solos and get my keyboardist to solo as often as possible. I do feel that I am a very competant 2nd/rythm guitarist. I feel stuck, because 2 of the other guys don't really want to go to 5 people. But I think I am going to ask them to consider it. What I need is a lead guitarist/saxaphonist/steel player who can play a bit of harmonica and fiddle. Another guitarist sounds like it would be the best solution. Sell them on it. One selling point,1: It opens up many song possibilities. B) Can allow for rhythm gtrist(you) to focus on the vocal, having the other guy playing rhythm. Often, a good thing. Me? I hate working with a 2nd guitar(USUALLY!) so I'd prob look at it as a motivator to improve my leads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted July 7, 2012 Members Share Posted July 7, 2012 I sometimes feel that way about my lead playing. I will be the first to tell someone that I'm a pretty good rhythm guitarist, but solos? Just not my forte. I'm okay. I can bend notes pretty well in tune, but I'm not very flashy. Sometimes, I feel like it's a chore and I *have* to be the guitar hero now. But I also don't think I suck at them. I just have high standards and wish I either could play them better or we could have someone else in the band that played bass so my cousin could switch back to lead guitar (which he is excellent at). Maybe that will happen in the future. One way to spice things up as the reluctant lead guitarist is to play solos from other instruments on the guitar. Do the harmonica solo, just on guitar. Wail on the sax, but on the guitar. Fiddle? Kind of hard, but somewhat doable on the guitar. It just might inspire you to play better and guitar might become more interesting for you again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted July 7, 2012 Members Share Posted July 7, 2012 Take out the solos, make the songs shorter and play more songs. Most solos are superflueous devices designed to either stretch out a tune or just break up the monotony anyway. Your audience isn't going to miss most of them. They'd probably prefer more 'song-packed' sets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members capitalist Posted July 7, 2012 Members Share Posted July 7, 2012 I believe Wayne Newton could meet all of your requirements, but he is probably booked up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Funkwire Posted July 7, 2012 Members Share Posted July 7, 2012 Tell your bandmates. Tailor the songlist to de-emphasize your solos. There are plenty of good songs out there without solos. If it means keeping the band at 4 pieces (and dividing the money as such) I'm sure they'll work with you. I am in the same situation as you--4-piece band, I'm the sole guitarist, I sing 1/2 the material. When I consider material to add, "how many solos do I have" doesn't even come to mind. However, if the solos are in the song, I learn them. Plain fact of the matter? 95% of the audience doesn't notice or care if you nail the solos or not. Don't sweat it. Keep the show flowing, smile for the crowd, and don't worry so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Austincowbell Posted July 7, 2012 Members Share Posted July 7, 2012 plenty of those guys our there but they want $500 a gig or more. And.... quite frankly, if I spent my life becoming proficient in that many non-bass/drum/guitar instruments.... I'd want that as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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