The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #131381 Message #2963989
Posted By: Genie
12-Aug-10 - 07:48 PM
Thread Name: Playing with worse musicians
Subject: RE: Playing with worse musicians
I'd much rather play with musicians who are better than I am (unless they're really accomplished jazz guitarists, in which case I can't begin to learn a lot from them, much less follow them). But where do you find a group where everyone can play with musicians who are better from them?
In a way I guess I'm lucky to be so mediocre in my guitar skills that there's almost always someone in the group who's more of a beginner than I am (or at least is more limited stylistically) and others who are much better. So I get both kinds of learning experience.
As for dealing with people with poor timing, I run into that problem more with singers than with instrumentalists. In that case, sometimes we have to suggest that people watch the lips of the person leading the song (which, of course, requires lifting noses out of the "Blue Hymnal" or whatever). Either way, whether instrumental or vocal, I think if people aren't following the timing of the song leader, reminding people (jokingly but seriously) that so-and-so is leading the song may be in order. Sometimes if people "know the song," they think it's fine to just launch into their own interpretation of it (chords, timing, etc.)
As to why some people seem to be unable to play in time, I think sometimes when it's a pretty accomplished player/singer, they may deliberately mess up the timing (e.g., throwing in or leaving out measures or half-measures or beats) because they really don't want others to play or sing along. Either that or they're just so used to playing solos that they haven't given much attention to keeping the rhythm steady or predictable.