Pathetic Jamming

[Gravity Jim]

An interesting conversation, this. But I'll tell you what, though...

I am currently going through a search for to be expanding my roster of singers and players (players mostly), and I decided to subject myself to the cattle call I have long resisted... placing ads in the local music rag and on their associated website. I have a buncha male vocalists, a couple of female vocalists and a pile of players who have trudged through my studio these last couple months, and I have shocking revelation to share:

Musicians who play with other musicians all the time are just as bad if not worse than musicians who don't. Unfortunately, they IMAGINE they are better.

These guys have all been members of gigging bands who play out many times a week, get glowing praise in the local "WhatzUp" free weekly, guys who have been told over and over again that they totally RAWK the house, dude... and they stink. They don't play in time, they don't play in tune, and they all think they are absolutely the sland. When I have to tell then that they have a bit of a timing problem or their vocals are "pitchy" (I don't watch American Idol, haven't even once, but thanks to them, I now have to cringe when I use this term), they look at me as if I have gone obviously and completely insane.

So, before a Trusim In Stone gets carved here, take it from me: a bedroom player with an ear, taste and a goddamn metronome is probably going to perform better than any dozen battle-weary jam veterans. It should be obvious from the stories you're all telling here that playing out with others, even for years and years, does nothing to refine one's sense of taste or one's concept of one's place in an ensemble. You either get that stuff or you don't. And all them talkin' 'bout heaven ain't goin' there.

[Mikey]

As for the drummer story, I've seen and heard it a lot. I'm a drummer and I wasn't put off in the least over it. In fact, I applaud the knowledge that made the comment.
I've actually had it up to here with all those "Chops-a-holic" type that can't actually do anything but vary speeds of some very basic rudiments and then call themselves drummers. Give those of us who truely care and work at it a bad name, if ya know what I mean.
The way I look at it is this. If you speak Japanese and do it really really fast, somebody ( a Japanese speaker) will say that guy speaks Japanese really really fast. But if no one understands Japanese what good is it?
When i play, I try to play in the context of the song and within myself as far as talent goes. The ensemble is trying to transmit a message and emotion (the song and it's attendant feeling). If the drummer dude can't support that mission, he should be learning how to. You know, if you can't express yourself properly, then don't. Anything you do at this point is just profanity. Go learn how to do the basics right and then come to jams and join bands to learn how to do it in the context of an ensemble. Unforunately, I haven't found many drum trachers that even have the slightest clue about what drumming is all about, only those who think speed and chops are important.
It's a damn shame really.

Edited to add...
It's the same for guitarists. If you've got nothing to say, or you can't say it properly without profanity, shut the hell up until you can. When you can, come to the jams and work on presenting as a group.

[fezz parka]

It should be obvious from the stories you're all telling here that playing out with others, even for years and years, does nothing to refine one's sense of taste or one's concept of one's place in an ensemble. You either get that stuff or you don't.

Man, I've missed you! Welcome back Jim...:hee

[Chet]

No, I was just having some deep thoughts on shallow subjects, the mood of which I felt was liable to the usual TFF misconstruction and bent feelings. :)

Um, something about the essential similarity of those who complain about jam vermin and those who complain about eBay vermin, and how if you don't like the smell of the city dump, move away because scented aromatherapy candles can only do so much, and that dump's still going to be stinking long after you're gone.

Then I thought some more afterward and decided that maybe jams don't attract wankery, so much as they are wankery, as opposed to playing real arrangements of real songs with a real band in a real gig or a real recording, with a real leader with the real authority to throw real bonehead jam bums and compulsive sweep-pickers out a real door, with the warning that if they ever come back they'll get real serious beatings with a weighted microphone boom.

Then I was reflecting on how since getting a new Linux box, I've discovered that these emoticons are animated, disturbing intelligence I've been clueless about for all this time, and the cosmic implications arising from that extended unawareness.

If you'd written all that, wouldn't you have deleted it?

Yeah, jams are a lot of different things to different people but mainly they attract thier fair share of "Wankers". Least that's what I've noticed.

[Tele-Bob]

Gravity Jim, I'm glad you said that! I am sometimes tempted to just spit it out like that but I just can't take the heat from the backlash. I have worked very hard over the past 5 years to get to a point where I can walk up on stage with no rehearsal and get the job done. No, really, I'm not delusional, LOL! And I have auditoned and auditioned for the exact type of people you describe. Hell, I've been one of those people! LOL. It seems that you reach a point where you take your music very seriously even though you have no aspirations beyond doing good, tight local gigs that scratch the musical itch and deliver the satisfaction of knowing that it was done right, done tight, and came off as professional. It's great when that happens! Pure joy!

Mikey, did you catch the story about the guy at the open mic who insisted on counting off "Whipping Post" as 1, 2, 3, 4 and took a near fit when didn't start the tune until after the 5, 6. He actually tried to click it off again as a 4. I tried to explain but it wasn't getting through! Oh well. Gotta love the open mic!

[Gravity Jim]

fezz, I've missed bein' 'round! But life is good now... health under control, business WAY too good, having fun. Thanks fer the welcome home shout out.

TB, I fear not the heat, because I have no reputation to maintain or destroy! :)

[Franklin]

Now you do Jim! ;)

[Annie D.]

I fear not the heat

Playing badly at the same level for years and years without knowing it is astonishing. I have two friends I tried to play with years ago when they were just starting their musical exploration. It's like "rehearsal on stage". Drives me bats.

They still suck. Bless their hearts. Gotta give 'em an "A" for persevering, however.

Maybe sucking's their "sound". Somehow they've built a "following", in spite of sucking, so wadda I know?

[CocoTone]

Playing badly at the same level for years and years without knowing it is astonishing. I have two friends I tried to play with years ago when they were just starting their musical exploration. It's like "rehearsal on stage". Drives me bats.

They still suck. Bless their hearts. Gotta give 'em an "A" for persevering, however.

Maybe sucking's their "sound". Somehow they've built a "following", in spite of sucking, so wadda I know?

How true! I know a guy who sucks, and doesn`t care, and still goes about his biz like he` is the man! He`s got the best guitar faces tho!!

CT.:ahem