Will you voluntarily put your band members in some awkard position ?

[johnny k]

If i had to play this song, i wouldn't even rehearse it.
I have been thinking a bit about this, and without telling my friends, i might bust a move, so play the intro, keep going, until i am through with my antics. not rehearsed, just on the spur of the moment.
Of course most of my solos are improvised, so i guess it s ok for me. And fun.

I played with an english band which was driven by the singer, and you always had to pay attention to what he said.
The fun part is when he pointed at me, and yelled saxophone in the mic. Pretty sure he did it on purpose, so me and the sax player went on.

 

[tery]

Sounds fun

 

[teletimetx]

total fun!

yeah, no rehearse, but I'd be inclined to at least talk about it in advance with your drummer, so he/she could be prepared to pull out the wallet from hip pocket to use as snare mute, for that authentic vintage tone...

 

[Matt Sarad]

The bassist I fired had a nickname, "Deer in the Headlights". His version of improv was to turn down the volume, get glassy eyed, and smile.

 

[Dave Hicks]

Well, I'd certainly need to rehearse that number - by myself, for several years - before I put I myself in an awkward position.

D.H.

 

[Mike Eskimo]

Every time we went off on some two chord vamp, or one chord boogie - at practice - it usually was the best thing we played that night. By far.

Pretty much our biggest strength - at practice (that we rarely recorded)

Every time we planned to do the same thing at a gig, even if we were very casual about it and said “oh, somewhere in the set, Jeff does that vamp and let’s all stretch out or get it going , right ?”

We always fell flat on our face.

Somebody would hold back, or not remember, or just not lay into it like they would’ve at practice.

 

[W.L.Weller]

this dude says he spent almost 10 years on it.

Also that video of Magic Sam is the best refutation of GAS there could ever be. Because that isn't even Sam's guitar. It says Earl Hooker on it because it's Earl Hooker's guitar.

Happy Birthday Earl Hooker

Remembering the amazing Earl Hooker on his day with a 1969 performance of "Off The Hook"

theperlichpost.blogspot.com

So, spend the time to learn it, then play it on your friend's guitar. (BTW, in this hypothetical, your friend also uses his guitar to play slide)

 

[Peegoo]

It totally depends on who you're playing with.

Some players will happily swing on a trapeze without a net. Other players refuse to get into the jet without a parachute.

One of the biggest thrills is playing something unrehearsed, and the spontaneity pumps an unquantifiable energy into the music. It's glorious.

But it's also fraught with danger, and that factor is what makes it so satisfying (OR NOT) when the song is done.

 

[Lou Tencodpees]

The bassist I fired had a nickname, "Deer in the Headlights". His version of improv was to turn down the volume, get glassy eyed, and smile.

Haha, total flashback. Played a gig where someone requested "Little Wing". Everyone knew the song but the bass player was strong on I-IV-V stuff and not much else. I was looking at my wife out in the audience and she was making a scrunchy face. I finally caught on that it was a mess of string noise on roundwounds as he was futilely fishing for notes.

Sorry for the derail, carry on.

 

[2HBStrat]

If i had to play this song, i wouldn't even rehearse it.
I have been thinking a bit about this, and without telling my friends, i might bust a move, so play the intro, keep going, until i am through with my antics. not rehearsed, just on the spur of the moment.
Of course most of my solos are improvised, so i guess it s ok for me. And fun.

I played with an english band which was driven by the singer, and you always had to pay attention to what he said.
The fun part is when he pointed at me, and yelled saxophone in the mic. Pretty sure he did it on purpose, so me and the sax player went on.

Yeah, it's always fun for the band when the front man starts a song without telling anyone what it is or what key it's in. Good for the listening audience, too. Good Times.

 

[kennl]

something sacrilegious about using a metronome while performing that

 

[Informal]

The bassist I fired had a nickname, "Deer in the Headlights". His version of improv was to turn down the volume, get glassy eyed, and smile.

Had a bass player just like that years ago.... Except he turned the volume UP!

 

[Jakedog]

It totally depends on who you're playing with.

Some players will happily swing on a trapeze without a net. Other players refuse to get into the jet without a parachute.

One of the biggest thrills is playing something unrehearsed, and the spontaneity pumps an unquantifiable energy into the music. It's glorious.

But it's also fraught with danger, and that factor is what makes it so satisfying (OR NOT) when the song is done.

This. All depends on who’s in the car with you. Some of the very best bands I’ve ever been in were together for years and never once had a single rehearsal. Others, were only good because we worked out like crazy.

It takes a certain kind of player, and a certain type of experience, to be totally comfortable flying by the seat of your pants. Not everyone can even wrap their head around it. I generally enjoy it quite a bit if the rest of the band shares my comfort level and confidence, and has the skills to handle it well. Tops in the “skills” department is a HUGE set of ears. Everyone has to be an active listener or it just doesn’t work.

There’s nothing worse than players who have the confidence and lack the skill level.

 

[W.L.Weller]

Tops in the “skills” department is a HUGE set of ears. Everyone has to be an active listener or it just doesn’t work.

Just wanted to emphasize this critical point.