What to do?

Chinchilla of Doom · 07-18-2007, 02:03 PM

Are church just start not to long ago and we have a small church, with no current person/people who can do worship on Friday night youth my head pastor has been doing it. We recently asked me to play along side of him. He is not very good and he knows it, he told me that he just randomly strums up or down when he feels like it. He always keeps the same speed but there is no telling when he will go up or down. So when I get up there and play with him I have an extremly difficult time playing with him. Anything I can do when I play to make it easier on me?

martinedwards · 07-18-2007, 05:07 PM

nightmare!!

practice together A LOT!!!

or you could offer to take over guitar duties and let him lead the vocals?

Joe F · 07-18-2007, 05:43 PM

A few years back our church had a "second guitar player" who was pretty bad. When our bass player moved away, I taught him to play simple bass lines on a budget Ibanez SR100. He didn't turn out too bad at hitting the root on the beat and it sounded better than two guitars and no bass.

Chinchilla of Doom · 07-19-2007, 01:08 PM

Well, good news, soon he might let me take over, but he really likes playing with me for some reason. Driving me insane.

No mater how much I play with him he doesn't get better. The thing is, he is pretty good right handed, but when he was really getting good he lost his pointer finger. So he had to switch to left handed and it threw him off bad, now he can't get it back...........

katmetal · 07-19-2007, 03:21 PM

I've been there, have played in a couple churches like that; At least he is aware that he is not very good; the folks I played with didn't really have a clue.

Is he playing elect. or acoustic? you could sneak the vol. setting down on his axe, lol! or try wearing an ear plug in your ear on the side that faces him

Seriously though, I don't know what else to say; you are correct, it does throw the other players off, & is distracting. I guess you say he is operating under the verse in Psalms; "Make a joyful NOISE unto the Lord... He has the noise part down, it just may not be very joyful... but at least he is having fun!

It'll all work out...

leenieweenie · 07-19-2007, 03:44 PM

Patience, seriously. Be patient with this guy.

What I would suggest besides that, is maybe sit down with him and talk about it. Tell him what is happening; that his playing is making it hard for you, but be polite.

Jay Tea · 07-19-2007, 07:20 PM

Also, be thankful that he's aware of his limitations.

Tmurrin · 07-19-2007, 08:57 PM

i agree sit him down and explain how its hard for you to strum together and all and he will listen but if you dont wanna do that then practice 3-5 times a week haha

Chinchilla of Doom · 07-19-2007, 11:17 PM

Thank you for the ideas every one! I'm trying to work with him, but difficult it is.

katmetal · 07-20-2007, 06:30 AM

Switching from right to left hand could be a real problem; I know for me, that feels like it would be next to impossible to re-learn to play like that.

I guess it boils down to how much time/effort/practice he wants to put into relearning the playing process again.

But then again, can't he play right-handed at all? There have been & are guitarists today that have limited use of their hands & have worked at it & learned to adapt.

Chinchilla of Doom · 07-20-2007, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katmetal

Switching from right to left hand could be a real problem; I know for me, that feels like it would be next to impossible to re-learn to play like that.

I guess it boils down to how much time/effort/practice he wants to put into relearning the playing process again.

But then again, can't he play right-handed at all? There have been & are guitarists today that have limited use of their hands & have worked at it & learned to adapt.

I asked him about it and he said it is mainly because of bar chords that he switched............ He wanted to still be able to play them.