Quit my band ( long rant)

[JM3]

Finally had enough

I invested about 6 grand in a new pa ( the lead singer sold his) haul it to every gig and set it up.

lead singer, cannot adjust volume levels on his guitar, claims he cannot hear his monitor even though I am using 500 watts each into a brand new trio of MRX JBL monitors, Pushes it so far it feeds back and cliams I dont know how to mix.( I have been playing pro for 27 years) I have no trouble hearing mine nor dioes the bass player.

He is the only one who alwyas complains about something, blows up, can't hear and plays too loud.

Told them I am done. I have anew gig this weekend with the drummer and bass player as a trio

[Gravity Jim]

Dude, you didn't quit your band... you fired your singer!

[Offshore Angler]

On the other hand, maybe you really can't mix.

[Mikey]

Hmmmmmmmmm..... where have I seen this before?

Dosen't sound like there should be a problem. Maybe getting rid of the XXXXX might work. You know, you should've tried setting everything up to your liking and when he complained moved him over to your monitor etc. to see if the problem was still there.

Sounds to me like a classic case of too much stage sound in the first place.

[Gravity Jim]

I can think of some other reasons why this might be going on even if JM3 is doing a fine job of mixing (all of which I've experienced in various situations):

The singer has a huge midrange hearing deficit and is frustrated because he really can't hear himself:

The singer has insecurity issues about his guitar not being the loudest thing in the mix:

The singer has a personality conflict with one or more band members and is just being a jerk.

[rudutch]

now you can split the $$ 3 ways

[Rickenjangle]

As a lead singer, I can sympathize with someone who cannot hear him/herself...

BUT...

Ultimately, in a club band, you've got to be able to sing without a lot of sound coming back at you - sometimes I've sung in places where no matter what we did, the monitors fed back at relatively low volumes, so I had to pretty much sing by aural image, and listen to the sound bouncing off the back wall for my intonation...a good singer should be able to do this...you were right to fire an attitudinal bandmate with Lead Singer Syndrome...probably would never have been satisfied anyway.

[refin]

Sounds like the singer needs some good in-ear monitors.......oh well,the problems might have gone deeper than that.

[JM3]

I guess I expected most of the responses.

Really its about control issues. his lack of experience and talent and the fact that I am tired of it. he is very argumentive and blows up at the slightest. So I am outaa there.

[Mikey]

Then, all-in-all, a good move!

[JM3]

I feel better already.

Where is Webster NY?
I used to tour with the Sundown band in Westchester many moons ago.
Played many places in good ol NY state

[Deadwood Jack]

Not wanting to stick up for the A hole singer but if I may just add my 2c's worth.
I sing and play guitar and I can tell you that something happens to your ears when you sing/yell hard. The ears seem to not work very well at all when you sing loud. I have 2x JBL 15 n horn wedges just for me and I don't sing or yell loud because I don't have to as the JBL's are just awesome. Now that I sing at about 60% effort I can hear the hairs in my nose whistling through those wedgies. Then, when you get used to not singing at 100% you'll be able to hear, then you'll start to learn how to actually sing instead of yell. Anyone who has been singing for a while should know this.
I was in a band a long time ago and we had a young girl singer who had a great voice, I remember one time she yelled to the guitar player, I can't hear the foldback, he just yelled back, SING LOUDER Now that's freakin funny.
To test this theory, just have a sing and see how loud your monitors are, then get someone else to sing through the same mic. I bet the monitors sound way louder when you are not singing, allowing for different singers volumes of course. I know this has nothing really to do with Mr attitude but I just thought it was an interesting point.

[boobtube21]

The guy sounds like a difficult bandmate to deal with...you gotta do what you gotta do man.

Then, when you get used to not singing at 100% you'll be able to hear, then you'll start to learn how to actually sing instead of yell.

This is very true though.

[fenderden]

Finally had enough

I invested about 6 grand in a new pa ( the lead singer sold his) haul it to every gig and set it up.

lead singer, cannot adjust volume levels on his guitar, claims he cannot hear his monitor even though I am using 500 watts each into a brand new trio of MRX JBL monitors, Pushes it so far it feeds back and cliams I dont know how to mix.( I have been playing pro for 27 years) I have no trouble hearing mine nor dioes the bass player.

He is the only one who alwyas complains about something, blows up, can't hear and plays too loud.

Told them I am done. I have anew gig this weekend with the drummer and bass player as a trio

Eddie Van Halen, is that you behind that screen name???

[Mikey]

Webster, N.Y.
Just north east of Rochester and situated right on Lake Ontario's fine shores.
"Where Life Is Worth Living"

[JM3]

Did not want to muddy the long rant but a bit more clarification

The singer plays thru a custom class A tube amp and does not know how to turn down and use dynamics at all. nasty fuzzbox tone, he could not nail down tone in a hunderd years.

His vocal mic is the biggest POS I have ever tried to mix but he thinks its great because he paid alot of money for it. It feeds back at the mid freq and high freqs way before any other mics do (we have tried placing the monitor in different locations too).
When he plays too loud with his guitar he claims he cannot hear his monitor(duh) and blames me. No dynamics, lots of dead air between songs, while he constantly tries to adjust things. Plays parts of the song list by himself while onstage before the band starts. No set lists. gets irittated and violent with people who disagree with him because he has 9 years experience(LOL):0 need I say more???



I am a trained vocalist and lead guitarist with years of touring under my belt. my voice is stronger because of years of practice and touring with professionals. ( learning to breathe properly) I may add the bass player who is equally pro can hear himself fine in the monitors too.

[Rickenjangle]

Sheesh. A Shure Beta 58 costs, like, $139. It's a pretty good vocal mic - with good feedback rejection and excellent vocal presence. Why would anyone spend tons more on a mic when the Shure works so well? And why have a custom Class-A amp if you're going to kill the tone with no dynamics and a Fuzz box?

Sounds like that guy is an ignorant, temperamental blowhard.

[Offshore Angler]

Sounds like typical, everyday band shit that just happens.

BTW, 9 years of experience is nothing to laugh at. I'll bet Mick Jagger and John Lennon had less than that when they were at the top of their game.

[rudutch]

musicians are such a tempermental lot

[Offshore Angler]

musicians are such a tempermental lot

Yeah, really! Hey, if you were getting booked and getting payed who the **** cares? It's just a freakin job man.

When you buy groceries do they ask you if the mix was bad when you earned that dough?

[JM3]

Our goal is to have fun, as we get too much crap at work for the most part. Trust me its not fun with this guy. he reacts violently, anywhere else in the world and you would be fired.

I've done it as a full time job and do not want to do that anymore.

Again its really control issues, When he is not in control he freaks out.

[Offshore Angler]

Our goal is to have fun, as we get too much crap at work for the most part. Trust me its not fun with this guy. he reacts violently, anywhere else in the world and you would be fired.

See, now in OSA's world, that's entertainment! I'd keep the guy around just to mess with him.

[boobtube21]

Aside from not having much time in my life these days, this thread is one of the other reasons why it would be hard for me to get back into playing with a band.

Some people can be such whiny crybabies, or just plain jackasses (talkin' 'bout your ex-singer) and I have to deal with plenty of those where I work, too.

[JM3]

Oh he is a whiny crybaby too. stomp his feet and say WAAAA!

[Kap'n]

Aside from not having much time in my life these days, this thread is one of the other reasons why it would be hard for me to get back into playing with a band.

But if you find the right people. Five Finger Discount is five laid-back folks that pretty much function as a democracy, and we like to hang out whether we're making music or not.

My goal is to have it be as much fun as it was when I was fifteen, but played better.

[Offshore Angler]

But if you find the right people. Five Finger Discount is five laid-back folks that pretty much function as a democracy, and we like to hang out whether we're making music or not.

I hear that. I'm closer to the Crossfyre dudes than I am to most of my family.

[boobtube21]

Yeah, I hear you Kap'n...also to find people who hopefully understand that my marraige is going to come first most of the time. I don't want (or need) to practice for 4 hours, 3 nights a week like some of the people I've talked to from Craigslist.

I also don't want to "make it" or "quit my job when it comes time to tour", play only blues or only metal, etc. etc. We'll see, I never say never.

I'm closer to the Crossfyre dudes than I am to most of my family.

Now that's what I'm talking about. That's cool.

[Kap'n]

Yeah, I hear you Kap'n...also to find people who hopefully understand that my marraige is going to come first most of the time.

Sure. If Mrs. Kap'n wasn't in the band, I wouldn't be playing as much.

Then again, I probably wouldn't have married somebody who wouldn't understand it, either.

[TheLizardKing]

musicians are such a tempermental lot

I was jammin with these guys once and in the middle of a song the bass player just punches the guy who was singing in the face. needless to say i left that little session. who does that?? and why its all about fun and expressing yourself not punching people in the face because they accidentally bumped your p-bass. people are just so up tight and tempermental nowadays. i just dont quite understand. i mean just look at highways yes people are stupid but i mean i dont think its cause to run them off the road into a pole.

[JM3]

Violins will not be tolerated

[JM3]

So it is agreed I will not do anymore shows. The bass player and drummer are done after 4 more shows IF I can be replaced and they can rent a suitable PA (LOL) Good luck

Played the left coast and had a blast with just the bass player and drummer this weekend.

Take some time off and relax for once

[JM3]

Drummer called freaking out because they have gigs next week and no PA. BWAHAHAHA

I told him I would do sound for $200 a pop. They can't find the board they want for over 2 weeks. BWAHAHA.

I did not even mention that my girl always let us haul the PA in her truck, they never even thanked her once.

FWIW I pay all the expenses on the truck including gas.

[djinn1973]

Playing music shouldn't feel like work; even when you do it for a living.

[JM3]

I hear that
I am enjoying my semi retirment quite a bit
Have a fun gig at the beach in 2 weeks and I am done for the year.

[JM3]

UPDATE

The new replacement guitar player is not working out. He overplays and doesn't meld with the rythem section.

Looks like the end is imminent.

[boobtube21]

BWAHAHAHAHA!

[Kap'n]

Playing music shouldn't feel like work; even when you do it for a living.

Shouldn't and doesn't doesn't always work.

A couple of high school classmates were on the jam band circuit in the 80's. One didn't make it, one appears to have a decent existence as a member of moe.

OTOH, another guy I know, awesome fingerstyle guitar player. Writes songs that are intelligent, yet catchy as anything on the radio ever was (really). Decided to make music his full-time job about a decade ago. He's no longer the fun-loving guy I knew. He's a scrounger and a hustler, and no longer fun to hang out with, probably because I can't advance his career.

[boobtube21]

Moe...I remember those guys from the Phish era. Are they stll around?

[Kap'n]

Moe...I remember those guys from the Phish era. Are they stll around?

I think so.

[JM3]

I think my freind jerry is the drummer, but not sure if there is more than one MOE, used to be called 5 guys named MOE here