Got new Guitarist in Band, re-arranged who plays what. I now do all the leads. Daunting task. Played our first gig with the new lineup. A few miscues, a few hundred mistakes, people liked us, they asked us back! We play again on November 19th. Traded in two Sonic Monitor wedges, two older Peavey 12" black widow mains for two Peavey SP5's. I think I have everything for the PA set right now. Now to learn all those leads......... Singing and playing lead can be daunting at times. Now I know why Carlos Santana doesn't sing.......
Performed at an "Acoustic Idol" contest put on by a local pub. I have been selected to go to the Semi-Finalist round. Prize is a $500 purse and a slot on their music performers rotation. We'll see how well I do next week.
Lost guitarist from the band, now starts the repla
Current mood: bummed
We
had our guitarist quit the band. We now have to find a replacement for
either bass and I'll play guitar, or a new guitarist and I'll stay on
bass. I can do either well and I enjoy both. The learning cycle is
always like drinking from a fire hose, both for the new member and the
rest of the band. But I guess it's part of a bands life........the suckie part......
Played a gig in Davenport on Saturday, a pickup gig where I played bass and guitar in a power trio. First time I've done that. Not easy playing guitar in a power trio and sounding OK, let alone Good. Got to play some of my favorite songs, and got to learn a couple of Robin Trower songs, playing bass and singing. Love Robin Trower stuff.
I am amazed how many people associate a particular guitar with different types of music. I have three main electric guitars, and each invokes different feelings from musician friends when I bring them out. I really love playing my Fender Strat, but get statements that it's too "Shrill" from some friends who play Gibson guitars with humbuckers. I get out my ES-330 and they go "oh" and "Ah" not knowing that the pickups in the ES-330 are single coil, similar to the ones in the Strat.......Then those that play country, couldn't give a hoot until they see my Telecaster........."The only true country guitar" in their opinion. This is just absolutely crazy............Each guitar played properly would sound great in any genre. Peoples' perception is crazy sometimes..........
Sitting in for a fellow Guitarist under the weathe
Current mood: accomplished
Played last Saturday night with
the band Gambler out in Manchester. Their guitarist was sick and I was
asked to fill in. Quite a ride to play fill in for songs I don't know
and then sing songs I know that they don't. We found enough common
ground to fill four hours. It came off a lot better than it could have,
and the crowd loved it. Makes me appreciate the songs I need to learn just to have enough standard material I can sing and play.
Haven't posted a blog in a while. Been busy. Joined a band in August, played 14 gigs, broke in a new keyboard player along the way. Each gig I've been working on the song list to get it down right and not make mistakes. The crowds have been great. I just like playing. Then at the end of our last show in December, the guitarist tells us he's quitting the band........... Says he's going to put his guitar in the closet and leave it alone for a while. I'm not sure I could do that or that I believe him. He announced this at the end of our last show, the best we'd played ever, such a high to be dashed on such a low. Didn't sleep at all that night.
The two other original members decide that's enough and pull the plug on the band. All that work to learn 60+ songs for five months........... I was hoping for a run of at least a few years......... Does take the starch out of your day. I'll just have to play it by ear and see what other bands need a bass player or guitarist. It does get old....... Still have the desire though......never stop playing.
I haven't had to learn new songs so quickly or thoroughly in years. Who says "old Dogs" can't learn????????
Need to learn the words to three songs, the chord changes to five, and still work on the 80+songs the band already does that I don't have quite down to memory....................
I had nothing to do in the evenings anyway......................
The band is doing great. We had a gig downtown at a well known bar
here and the crowd was great. I only got half the notes right, but the
crowd was drunk enough not to notice. I will have more of the songs
down next time. We play again in 3 weeks. We've got 12 more shows
this year. Normally they have 2-3 bookings a month. October and
December have four each, and we still don't have a new years eve gig
yet.
I got a new bass as my old one had problems with the PA
system they feed everyone into. The PA needs the instruments to have a
pre-amp and the Gibson bass doesn't. It gave me an excuse to get a new
five string bass. Just have to use the proceeds from the next 10 dates
to pay for the instrument.
We had a practice session tonight
and it went well. I introduced a new song and they accepted it and we
start to work on it next week. It will be the first I will sing lead
on. All of the other songs they already have and I don't want to take
any away from those who have them.
Working hard to get the whole song list down and c
Current mood: stressed
I auditioned for a country band that plays around my home town and they accepted me into the band. Now I have real work to do learning the complete sets of songs they do before the next gig which is set for August 29th at a local bar that is at the top of the places to play, not a place to screw up if you want gigs at other bars in the area.
I feel like I'm back in college cramming for finals.........................only a lot more fun.............
