3 guitars in my band

[asylumskater5]

i have 3 guitar players in my band.i hate it. i am the best and the kid who has been playing the longest(also the worst) gets some solos...but he dosnt understand what a solo is(i know, its weird).have any of you had this problem before.im sure some people like this but it dosnt work for our band

thanks

[rockonn91]

it takes time man. you cant jump into anything.

and sometimes... this might sound bad. but when this dude does a solo... just let him take the fall for it.

[Blues_Man]

3 guitars sound awesome if arranged right, ex. lynyrd skynyrd, allman bros. but it does depend on your style of music. judging by your user name, I'm gonna try to take a stab at your style of music (I could be wrong). Is it punk?
If it is, 3 guitars would be somewhat useless. 2 might work but with 3 you've got to worry about who's playing rhythm guitar, who's doin a solo,trading off the solo, or in your case, who CAN solo! BTW to your friend that can't solo, you need to get him on this site, it has alot of lessons on soloing, scales, and stuff like that.

[Kevin Taylor]

Yeah, I've been in that situation a few times. Either another guitar player who isn't as good or one of the musicians in the band who isn't pulling his weight. There's not a lot you can do about it except prove you can do better and they'll naturally turn to you for the solos.
Band situations are tough. There's so much ego involved that it makes things difficult. The thing you eventually have to decide is how serious you are about having a 'real' band and if it's worth it to leave and start something up yourself. Find some cheap rehearsal space to rent, put out ads and notices that you're looking for band members and start auditioning people.
You're not just looking for talent, but the right personality and the kind of person who doesn't need to be told what to do all the time.
I think the best advise I ever read was an interview with Supertramp years ago. The saxaphone player ended up being in the band because he just kept showing up and wanting to play. That's the perfect kind of person you want to work with but really rare.

If you stick with the band you've got now, you'll either have to put up with the situation until somebody blows up and says the wrong thing, or get it out in the open now and say something.

[Akira]

Three guitarists takes a lot of arranging for everything to sound right and useful. I'm learning this now with the collaboration me, PRS, and silentmusic are working on.

[ericthecableguy]

Don't take this in a hostile way, but if he doesn't understand solos, why is he soloing? :confused:

[asylumskater5]

you know what?....I dont know

i would like us to be a punk band but no one else wants it to be...we do Green day-brain stew....yellowcard-ocean ave.....nirvana-smells like teen spirit......and some other stuff. i just dont like a seven person band....were not slipknot(who has 9 ppl....and are very good)

[Akira]

you know what?....I dont know

i would like us to be a punk band but no one else wants it to be...we do Green day-brain stew....yellowcard-ocean ave.....nirvana-smells like teen spirit......and some other stuff. i just dont like a seven person band....were not slipknot(who has 9 ppl....and are very good)

Seven piece punk band? 3 guitarists, bassist, drummer, vocalist... who's the seventh member?

Dude, you could make 2 punk bands out of your band alone, in other words: seven members in a punk band is [I]way[I/} too many, imho.

[rockonn91]

i agree with akira.

the only band that you would need 7 in would be like... a ska band or something.

[CW14]

Seven piece punk band? 3 guitarists, bassist, drummer, vocalist... who's the seventh member?
Well... Slipknot have a clown that walks around the stage banging things :rolleyes:

Or it could be a keyboardist.

[asylumskater5]

hahahaha shawn crahan(clown in slipknot) yeah we have a keyboard dude....i know its crazy how many ppl we have.I just want 2 guitars, one of them singing, 1 bass, and drums....kinda like foo fighters

[Orange Guitar]

Green Day is a 3-Peice band. 7 is over kill. My band is 4 members we have a guitarist-singer (me), rythem guitarist, bassist/keyboard and a drummer. That's all we need. I'd say kick the bad soloist out but I dont really know your situation.

[asylumskater5]

Yeah....its kinda complicated.
o yeah Green Day accually has 4 people(Jason White-Rythem and unknown) but that dosnt matter

[Jolly McJollyson]

3 guitars sound awesome if arranged right, ex. lynyrd skynyrd, allman bros.
Umm...IRON MAIDEN!!!???

[Jolly McJollyson]

were not slipknot(who has 9 ppl....and are very good)
Try again...

[asylumskater5]

um....whys it matter what music i like?

[Kevin Taylor]

It doesn't.
The goofballs around here have just gone off topic again. :rolleyes:
... and yeah, I'm a goofball too so put your panties back on.

Ya know what I think. You're concerned enough about this to post the question to a forum. You're obviously questioning your place in the current band and don't like the present situation.
Why don't you just start up something on your own.
You'll be a hell of a lot happier... plus it'll be YOUR band and YOU can call the shots.

[Superhuman]

i have 3 guitar players in my band.i hate it. i am the best and the kid who has been playing the longest(also the worst) gets some solos...but he dosnt understand what a solo is(i know, its weird).have any of you had this problem before.im sure some people like this but it dosnt work for our band

thanks


In the end you have to get to the point and tell the guy who sucks that he needs to either pratice his solos more or stop playing them. Otherwise the band will go nowhere because the other members will start losing interest. Been there done that through a number of bands! Three guitarists only sound good if everything is very tight and there are a few dual harmonies over a rhythm and even the odd dual solo (Iron Maiden now have three guitarists - saw them live recently and they kicked ass). Otherwise it can just sound like a wall of noise. Contrary to popular belief it doesnt have to be sloppy to be punk!!

[asylumskater5]

Most of the time the bad kid just does the bass line palm muted.thats how bad he is .hes been playing for 2 years and he dosnt know how to play in standard so he just plays in drop D.

[asylumskater5]

and no im not concerned about my place in the band....and it would be hard to start a new band cuz these guys are the best i know

[ericthecableguy]

Most of the time the bad kid just does the bass line palm muted.thats how bad he is .hes been playing for 2 years and he dosnt know how to play in standard so he just plays in drop D.

...ooooo :(

I think you're on to something calling hi 'the bad kid' instead of a guitar player.

[ericthecableguy]

Come up with something difficult, and ask him to play it like it's no big deal. Then when he complains, give him a disgusted look.

[Blues_Man]

Is he one of those weird looking people you see at the guitar store that plugs in to an amp and just lays his index finger acrossed all the strings and strums some lame rhythm?

P.S. He HAS to know how to play in standard tuning! 95% of all songs are played in standard tuning if not, all of the strings are tuned down to where the intervals are the same as standard tuning. Unless he doesn't want to improve he had better learn.

[asylumskater5]

His teacher just figuers out how he ca play al of the songs he plays in drop D....its really weird

[magicninja]

Come up with something difficult, and ask him to play it like it's no big deal. Then when he complains, give him a disgusted look.

NOOO. Bad Idea. That's how guitarist with huge heads like Jolly are born. Pretty soon if you keep that up no one will want to play with you anymore. Best thing is to cut him out of the loop. If everyone else in the band feels the same way then just stop telling him when practice sessions are. Better yet tell him the band is going in a different direction but if he can scare up another drummer and bassist you'd be happy to think about playing with them also. Sounds stupid but it works.

[Nikhil]

My band's got 6 members....2 rhythm...I'm the lead, a vocalist, drummer 'n a basist... :D

[Jolly McJollyson]

That's how guitarist with huge heads like Jolly are born.
Thanks, man, thanks.

[magicninja]

Thanks, man, thanks.

It's one of your best qualities.

[ericthecableguy]

NOOO. Bad Idea. That's how guitarist with huge heads like Jolly are born. Pretty soon if you keep that up no one will want to play with you anymore. Best thing is to cut him out of the loop. If everyone else in the band feels the same way then just stop telling him when practice sessions are.the band is goi Better yet tell him ng in a different direction but if he can scare up another drummer and bassist you'd be happy to think about playing with them also. Sounds stupid but it works.

Hmm...I thought my way was a little more subtle. :
I've never done this though, don't think of me as guitarist with a huge head like Jolly. :rolleyes:

[magicninja]

Nobody here has a bigger head than Jolly. I only said that because the best guitar player here in town has a terrible ego. Now he can't find anyone who will jam with him anymore. In a big city though you can probably get away with it.

[ericthecableguy]

Nobody here has a bigger head than Jolly. I only said that because the best guitar player here in town has a terrible ego. Now he can't find anyone who will jam with him anymore. In a big city though you can probably get away with it.

HA! I live in Woodville, Ontario. Population: 400

[magicninja]

I was born in a small town and I live in a small town. Probably die in a small town. Well that's good enough for me. :D

[bigbuda]

I was born in a small town and I live in a small town. Probably die in a small town. Well that's good enough for me. :D

isn't that a song? Mellencamp............... :D

[magicninja]

Yeah, who said life doesn't imitate art? :eek:

[RockCandy]

Are solo's that hard to do? And with 3 guitarists...well that's kinda hectic...Do you have a percussionist in that band?

[quickfingers]

ive been in a band a year or so ago that we wehre all good friends and the other guitarist was (almost) useless in alot of situations; we played ska, and it was just pointless to have shoddy rythym playing in most situations. it just sounded better with just me playing, and there was nothing we could do about it becasue we werent even considering letting him go, and we just had to work around it. kindof irritating. i had alot of problems wiht that band, and although it was my most succesful bands (we played about 15 shows in vancouver, portland, kalamath, and eugene) it was real hard to deal with having dead weight that we knew someone else could fill better. alot of ego issues with that.

[quickfingers]

oh, and on a side note, ive been in a punk band sith 6 members...it was hectic as ****, but fun becasue we had like, 3 vocalists (me, on guitar and vox, then two other guys to just get drunk and scream at people and rip them to shreds) it was awesome. simply fantastic.

[Ito1221]

hey man i know what you mean...believe it or not but i have 4 guitars who play with me....to teach someone about solos just give him the pentatonic scale....thats what most ppl use anyway.....to spice up 3 guitars...when you write...write in harmony its fun....especially if you play in weird intervals try it youll have more fun

[Akira]

hey man i know what you mean...believe it or not but i have 4 guitars who play with me....to teach someone about solos just give him the pentatonic scale....thats what most ppl use anyway.....to spice up 3 guitars...when you write...write in harmony its fun....especially if you play in weird intervals try it youll have more fun

4? Why?

[Fenderalltheway]

you know what?....I dont know

i would like us to be a punk band but no one else wants it to be...we do Green day-brain stew....yellowcard-ocean ave.....nirvana-smells like teen spirit......and some other stuff. i just dont like a seven person band....were not slipknot(who has 9 ppl....and are very good)


Well, i play what you play too, and Brain stew is played with two guitars(i think), and Ocean avenue is played with one guitar, and a violin! Go figure...But hey, the Eagles have 4 guitarists! You just gata make it work. And if not, im in a band, and I'm the only guitarist. If you play that music, Greenday, up until like 01 they had only one guitarist, and blink-182 only had one. So if your gana go and make another band, one or two if fine, unless you want three...I mean look at the Eagles, they have four, and there songs have infinite solos:)

[asylumskater5]

well finaly the kids like...."i dont want to solo anymore, i wanna be rythm."so it works out now the other lead and i just do solos togather

[magicninja]

well finaly the kids like...."i dont want to solo anymore, i wanna be rythm."so it works out now the other lead and i just do solos togather
He finally realized he sucked(?) or did you guys hint enough for him to stop?

[asylumskater5]

im really not sure

[Lordathestrings]

well finaly the kids like...."i dont want to solo anymore, i wanna be rythm."so it works out now the other lead and i just do solos together

Mwahahahahaaaa...

It was so hard for him to get that out, with all those thumbs pressed into his windpipe.....




:D

[earthman buck]

Is he one of those weird looking people you see at the guitar store that plugs in to an amp and just lays his index finger acrossed all the strings and strums some lame rhythm?

HA! You just described me!

[Andrew Sa]

Dude, you could make 2 punk bands out of your band alone, in other words: seven members in a punk band is [I]way[I/} too many, imho.


No, No, please NO! keep it as one band.

The world is better off with one punk band than with two!

[Jolly McJollyson]

4? Why?
So you can write quartets. I'd do it.

[Akira]

So you can write quartets.

That phrase isn't good for my overall sanity.

[Lordathestrings]

So you can write quartets. I'd do it.

WTF???? Punk quartets??? :confused:

[z0s0_jp]

3 Guitarists Continued.....Eagles,the Outlaws and Scorpions on Lovedrive had 3 with Michael Schenker....I think :confused:

[rockonn91]

my band has two guitars, but our singer can play somewhat.

[Jolly McJollyson]

WTF???? Punk quartets??? :confused:
Sure, you could write a fugue on a punk theme.

[magicninja]

Or any theme as long as you know what your doing right?

[rockonn91]

Or any theme as long as you know what your doing right?
of course :D