ShawnKirkpatrick - Posted - 11/22/2011:  08:26:52

The other night I was playing with a guitar player and we was pickin' "Amazing Grace", I play this little chime break at the beginning of it and the guitar player would not let up. She was just constantly strumming loud. I was playing the chimes as loud as I possibly could. So how would you handle this if it happened to you? I didn't want to yell out "STOP STRUMMING SO LOUD" and embarrass her, And she wouldn't look up either, So I just powered through it.  

WildJimbo - Posted - 11/22/2011:  08:34:54

There's nothing you can do about it during the performance.  However, before the next performance point out what you're going to do and tell her how cool it'll sound if she plays quietly during that section.

Face it, it's good to have an idea of what the other players are going to do, and you can't expect them to always know what you're planning.

Example... several years ago I stumbled upon a cool thing I could do in a vocal tune we play.  I did it, unannounced and it wasn't so great.  However, the next gig everyone remembered what I did and when they heard me begin that break they all compensated accordingly.  I play with some of the best musicians I've ever encountered in my life and I've been playing with them going on 12 years, and if they didn't catch it the first time, then you can't expect anyone to be able to.  

Communication is the key.

Chin up!  It'll be better next time.

gottasmilealot - Posted - 11/22/2011:  08:38:23

Ask her to play more softly so you can hear yourself play rather than saying she's playing too loudly. She probably doesn't realize how loud she's playing. 

hardcase - Posted - 11/22/2011:  08:50:08

I have found that there is a sweet spot for the right hand that gives the best tone and volume for chimes. It may be different for you depending on your angle of attack on the strings, how flat your hand is and so on. For me, I have to move my right hand away from the bridge some. If you try moving your right hand around while doing some chimes, you can hear the difference.

Jimbo is right. The others MUST compensate for the best outcome.

minstrelmike - Posted - 11/22/2011:  10:34:30

She was probably excited.
Talk to her without malice.

Almost every time I challenged someone on playing too loud, they give me the same response I give when someone calls me on it. "Sorry. I didn't realize what i was doing."

ShawnKirkpatrick - Posted - 11/22/2011:  10:48:17

Well I mean she's a nice woman, and she told me "I'm not a bluegrass player" and "I've never played with a banjo before" and I mean she did really good. Here rhythm was good and she did good for not knowing any of the songs. The only thing was she played to loud during the chime part (which is probably my fault for not communicating with her before the song). But we both had a really fun time and we both agreed on playing together again!

Alex Z - Posted - 11/22/2011:  11:13:43

Exactly.

The BHO may be the only place where one can get some sympathy about the guitar playing too loudly compared to the banjo!  

hweinberg - Posted - 11/22/2011:  12:51:51

Someties only being direct works. When Ornette Coleman finally finished a really, really long solo break he said to Miles Davis, "sometimes, i just don't know how to stop." Miles said, " Why don't you try taking the &$#%!! horn out of you mouth?"

mrbook - Posted - 11/22/2011:  16:15:56

Many players are concentrated on getting their parts right, and don't listen closely to the other instruments. I've sometimes missed a time when I should have backed off until it was too late (or almost too late). Let the people in your group know what you want, and they will probably do it.

drew-gurbach - Posted - 11/22/2011:  20:18:47

Rehearsal.  Get everything out with expectations.  Nothing diplomatic about it... when one of my students plays while I'm on guitar and I'm playing a guitar lead: "Hey, do some SOFT vamping " etc... dont worry about hurting feelings. Just state up front what you want. 

gdoc - Posted - 11/23/2011:  09:20:39

We had one player in our group who just happened to have the perfect ear for hearing what would sound good.  After playing a song, she would just as happily as can be tell us what  would work better.  Always a smile on her face.  Always the trace of laughter in her voice.

We listened!

overhere - Posted - 11/25/2011:  04:02:44

Playing in a band means everyone being aware of the others. If someone playing is overwhelming then they have to be told. There is nothing worse then sitting out in the audience and listening to a band where each is trying to be loader then the other.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with when practicing to point out what is good and what is bad and whose at fault. It has nothing to do with the talent. Also iwhen playing out sometimes its good to get honest feed back from friends who are out in the audience listening or have someone out there checking up.. Also side mention it is up to the sound man also how he sets up his sound equipment. And how he stays on top of it during performances.

I always tell the Mac Wiseman story the time we saw him at a local show. The sound system was atrocious. The opening local band had to have everything full volume in order to get their sound out. Well when Mac Wiseman came out he went right to work with a volume that almost blew out th speaker system….it crackled popped squealed and whistled and almost blew our ears apart. You should have seen th sound man scrambling around trying to calm it all down. Someone forgot to tell him that the old guys were brought up with no mikes and had to learn projection the old fashion way.

I do want to mention this though. It is also maybe your own fault if someone seems to be overpowering your playing. Maybe you’re not playing with the strength you should be. Or maybe the instrument you’re using just doesn’t have the power volume needed. My rb 100 sounds like a master tone in my living room but out in a hall with 5 other guys banging away its like it ain’t even there.

and it is a good idea to maybe have all pause while the chimes are being made sometimes thats a nice effect.

gdoc - Posted - 11/25/2011:  05:31:01

one last thought from me.

Standing behind the instrument vs someone standing in front of the instrument are two different stories.  It may be that you are louder than you think, and the other person may be thinking he can hardly be heard and is trying to compensate for it, when in truth, you may be balanced.

One time I was walking from quite a distance toward a band (over a block away).  The instruments I heard from a distance were not the ones I expected.  First from a long ways off, I could hear the bass, as I got closer the Mandolin started coming in, then the fiddle, and lastly, the guitar and banjo.  When I got within 20 feet the group sounded well balanced.

I guess that has to do with how sound waves develop over distance.  But the instruments did not develop at the same rate over the same distance.  Perhaps this has something to do with your problem.