SHOULD I STOP PLAYING GUITAR?

SHAWN · Post by **SHAWN** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 3:19 am

Recordstar wrote:
SHAWN wrote:
conley wrote:If Shawn's going to be shaking around the stage like Axel Rose.......uh........man, definitely stick with the guitar.
And, now we know why Conley plays guitar!
You saying Conley can't sing ???

Bro, did you even read the above quote before you posted.

To explain, the above quote says a little something about Axl Rose and a bit about a hip shake?!? I was referencing that!

Trust me, I've been friends with Conley long before you even knew his name. I was taking a little stab at him for taking a stab at me. . .AS FRIENDS!!! DOH!!!

If that's not enough clarification, I will go on record as saying Conley is a tremendous singer. Just listen to his Christmas song. Scheesh.

I just don't want either of us to dance like Axl!!!

Silencio · Post by **Silencio** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:05 pm

I like Steel Sting Bender's suggestions.

Continue to play the guitar in your band, and figure out parts that really complement the other guy's parts.

I'm thinking of Steely Dan's arrangement for "Third World Man," where a drummer, bass, a couple of guitars and a piano sound huge and orchestral, not because of any kind of production but by choosing the high-precision chord voicings and the right bass notes to create enormous-sounding chords. I got lucky on a jingle project last year and had a similar arranging experience, finding an unusual choice for the bass player's part that transformed a fairly mundane progression into a jazzy monolith.

You'll find a lot of joy as a musician in this.

SHAWN · Post by **SHAWN** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:57 am

First off, I'm overwhelmed at the responses to this post. I didn't think it really mattered! haha.

Secondly, to Silencio: we have been doing just that, albeit not very jazzy, but in a big rock sorta way. Kinda the Def Leppard approach by making the verses smaller and the choruses bigger by adding the second guitar there.

Silencio · Post by **Silencio** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:06 am

Well, I didn't mean to imply that it needed to be jazzy (a lot of my composition leans that way, so those are just the examples that came to mind).

You can do the same thing in a rock context, for sure. I thought Steel String Bender had enough suggestions to keep to keep two guitar players busy for a long time!

Especially playing obligato figures over sustained chords, or suddenly breaking out 8 bars of harmonized lead in an unexpected place...

And you know, even in a rock context, you might try low power chords doubled with inversions of the same chord two octaves higher, with some jazzy oddball-for-rock harmony like a minor second (9th) thrown in. HUGE! Especially if you're singing harmonies over it, like in a chorus.

Or switch to acoustic full time. In my last rock band back in the 70s, I was the lead singer and started playing only acoustic.... which made us drums, bass, keys, and two guitars, electric and acoustic. Man, we could get that big Townshend chug going like crazy. You shoulda heard us play "Suffragette City."

Oliver's Army · Post by **Oliver's Army** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:10 am

Silencio in lycra, covering Bowie circa 1975 = PRICELESS

Silencio · Post by **Silencio** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:22 am

LOL!

Well, no Lycra, but almost worse. Think Dirk Diggler in his "genuine Italian polyester" and you're in the ball park.

Steel String Bender · Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:14 pm

Silencio wrote:LOL!

Well, no Lycra, but almost worse. Think Dirk Diggler in his "genuine Italian polyester" and you're in the ball park.

Funny! You've just reminded me of my own sordid past with regards to musical attire. It's 1985, and I'm playing with Todd Harrold in the "Eyewitness" band at Columbia Street West.

Pastel blue cotton blazer, white cotton pants, and loafers with no socks. Can you say "Miami Vice"?

Silencio · Post by **Silencio** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:33 pm

SSB - let's you and me start a killer cover band and call it "Crockett & Tubbs."

Steel String Bender · Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:56 pm

Silencio wrote:SSB - let's you and me start a killer cover band and call it "Crockett & Tubbs."

Agreed! Let's find a female lead singer that looks like Don Johnson's wife circa 1978. A pre-plastic surgery Melanie Griffith, back when Hollywood producer Robert Evans claimed he could bounce a quarter dollar off her a... Oh, never mind.

Silencio · Post by **Silencio** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:19 am

Dude, I know a singer who's hotter than that. She sings and does VO work, and is... well, it's not polite to drool in public.

Back to the thread topipc: NO, Shawn shoudl not stop playing guitar. If you feel the new guy is "way better" thann you, then you take the simply parts and let him be the creative genius that comes up wtih thte counterpoint.

There, that's settled.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:18 am

This is a funny read. Keep the guitar and figure out some ways to utilize it besides doubling the other guitar part or you play chords while he plays lead. Considering your new direction musically, go give GNR's Appetite For Destruction another thorough listen. I HATE Axl Rose, but the guitar work on that record is among the best two guitar quasi-metal band recordings I can remember from that era.

Oh, and on edit... Our lead singer doesn't play an instrument, but he's a great singer. He does play congas sometimes during extended jams - well, he plays around on congas

anyway... The only real issue is him figuring out exactly what to do when we go into neo-hippie jam-band mode and have 5 minute instrumental jams.

Silencio · Post by **Silencio** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:40 am

bassjones wrote:The only real issue is him figuring out exactly what to do when we go into neo-hippie jam-band mode and have 5 minute instrumental jams.

The best suggestion is for the band to not do that.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:12 am

Silencio wrote:
bassjones wrote:The only real issue is him figuring out exactly what to do when we go into neo-hippie jam-band mode and have 5 minute instrumental jams.
The best suggestion is for the band to not do that.

hehe... We all like jam bands though. We're all jazz musicians, so it doesn't denigrate into the same three chords and a noodly guitar solo very often.

Steel String Bender · Post by **Steel String Bender** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:15 am

Silencio wrote:
bassjones wrote:The only real issue is him figuring out exactly what to do when we go into neo-hippie jam-band mode and have 5 minute instrumental jams.
The best suggestion is for the band to not do that.

ROFLMAO!

disentangled · Post by **disentangled** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:30 pm

Never ever stop playing guitar and it's not a competition plus it's a great instrument to write from. Keep the faith !