Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Not Just Today


Every had a trainwreck?

Keys is on keys. Leader slipped in on drums. The drum cage is behind Keys' back. We have in-ear monitors, and Keys has a hearing aid. So, unless the drums are up on the in-ear monitors, Keys can't hear 'em.

Ever had a drummer try to assert a tempo when the main harmonic element can't even remotely hear him?

There was some key slipping, too. All the guys on guitars and bass stepped back to let them figure it out.

And wouldn't you know, some folks came up and said "you guys sounded great"?

I tried to explain what happened to Medium, using things he might have heard and might understand. In passing, I mention Otis Redding, using the drummer's insistence that the song is MUCH faster than you might think as first as an example. And I, after much looking, find my Otis in my stacks. Then I play it for him, to show the wonder of Otis.

He looked at me like had grown a third eyeball in the middle of my forehead.

Lessons Learned:
  • let the musicians face each other if at all possible
  • get to EVERY song in practice
  • kids today don't know nothin'!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've read advice to have the bass player always set up on the snare/hat side of the drummer (stage left for right-handed drummers) to allow them to make better eye contact. Drummer's facing that way more often, and has fewer large cymbals in front of his face. I try to pass the advice along to the rhythm section whenever I'm on stage.

Furtheron said...

I'm with Joe on that one Bass / Drummer location, eye contact, etc. very important.

eye contact from all is very important - a semi circle arrangement is good so that all have eye contact easily.