Remember that Monty Python episode?
Well, Last week, in prep for my job with the Topics (my guitar lesson, really) ... I spent hours setting up and tweaking presets in my Line Six JTV Variaxe guitar so I could fill in the right chords in the more difficult arrangements that this keyboard man plays ... it's tough when 2 musicians are playing chords at the same time - it's tricky to decide what range, octave, inversion etc. So, I get some really helpful patches set up that have built in detunings for harder guitar keys, and even a few patches with 4 or five strings only to help me finger the jazz chords that involve lots of string muting. (new for me).
Well, the best laid plans ... When I got to work, the battery in my guitar was dead! Grrrr - I had to use the traditional magnetic pickups and lost all my edits for the night. Whew - what a nightmare at first. Thinking on a fretboard doesn't come second nature to me, unless it's a full chord, solo type arrangement .. totally inappropriate for this band. So, instead of coasting my way into the hearts and ears of our dance crowd (which was a packed house), I had to manually shift a six speed strat to weave in and out of the (small) spaces that the keys left me. Not an easy task, but I simplified my approach, concentrated on my vocals and we had a great night.

Last night .. I was back as a soloist and a HUGE sigh of comfortable relief came over me. I love working with the guys, but I'm the rookie in the band, so it's more work than play. I plan to rehearse a few times before our Valentines Day show so I can enjoy myself instead of sweating red, heart-shaped bullets!

I'm not one to whine about a paying job, but after 40+ years of comfort ... it's weird to have to struggle. Maybe it builds character ... who knows?

Boo, Russ, you'd have been proud of me - no capos, no trick modeled sounds ... just 4 fingers on six strings. (Well, sometimes nine fingers, when I finger picked the right hand)

Thanx for letting me vent. I gotta go practice now!

Hi UD:

I admire "courage under fire" and it's refreshing to see you step way beyond your comfort zone, join a band and twang away with them. Your brain may hurt but you are probably guaranteeing that it functions well, long after most of us are in the nursing home. Bravo!

Dave Rice

Haha, thanx Dave ... it's exhausting, but so much fun. This band packs the floor on every song, and the dancers stand there holding their partners WAITING for the next number. Just like the old days, when musicians were treated like special people instead of "something else" to watch if you're not into the TV. I love these jobs ... there's not a TV on in the room - people are dressed up / they THANK US at the end of the night, and ask when we'll be back. It's very heartwarming. Makes me proud of my profession.

The people are just being kind to their elders...

Yeah, it's a shame you'll never know that feeling again, since you're older than ALL your crowds!

Yep... bad idea to rely on trick electronic stuff on a guitar.

If someone else can play the part without them, it means YOU can play the parts without them! And on any guitar, any amp, any time of the day or night.

Shortcuts usually lead to dead ends...

That's what happened, but it was much harder ... I'm still in a bit over my head with these guys - I don't THINK fretboard the way I do keyboard ... Some things that I know cold on the keys are a real chore to duplicate on guitar. Passing tones, alternate inversions etc. It's a very different scene from playing as a soloist, where I get to fill up all the empty spaces. The guitar parts in this band have to be thinned out and simplified ... making them actually harder to just "wing it." I'm sure they only tolerate me because I sing a third of the songs.

The kb guy is so good - they don't need anyone else, but I'm grateful for the job.

If he's that good, USE him... little point duplicating someone else's effort.

I was in one band that had a superb guitarist. That was the band I discovered that I could do the whole gig on a keytar, with one hand, and only one sound at a time. Because that's all it needed!

Only fill a hole that exists. If there ain't one, don't shovel the SAME stuff into the hole someone else has already filled!

Think like Basie... a few well chosen notes and licks, and everyone thinks you are a genius! (He was, LOL, but at seldom playing much!).

It's great you are getting outside your comfort area. Just don't make it TOO hard!

I had a comfort area once...got outside it...it closed...couldn't get back in, and when I finally did, it was never the same.

Lucky for me.

Ian