need advice

[Hooahguy]

ok so heres the problem:
so as some of you know im in a band. me (lead guitar), a rhythm guitarist, a bassist and a drummer.
now, the rhythm guitarist has an acoustic. now, its kinda obvious what the main problem is.
you cant hear him over the amps and the drums. at all. its as if he wasnt playing in the first place
and he has little intention of buying a electric guitar, and a PA system for his acoustic costs a lot.

i feel as if, at least for the guitar part, im carrying all the weight. ive talked to him about it and he just mumbles something and walks away.
i really have no idea what to do. one thought is to kick him out of the band but then again, hes also my best friend so i dont want to have to do that.
anyone have any advice?

[Csargo]

Talk to the bassist and drummer and see what they think about this. I only see a few options.

Buy him an electric guitar, which I wouldn't recommend. Or everyone chips in to get him one.
Give him an ultimatum to either get another guitar or leave the band because it's not working out.

You can get fairly cheap guitars, which may not be the best quality but I assume they'll work for the short term. By the sound of it he's not very commited, so I'm not sure anything will work. Hope that helped.

Also, Hooah you listen to metal right? An accoustic guitar seems like a terrible choice if he's into the same music as you for playing in a band that is.

[Hooahguy]

Talk to the bassist and drummer and see what they think about this. I only see a few options.

Buy him an electric guitar, which I wouldn't recommend. Or everyone chips in to get him one.
Give him an ultimatum to either get another guitar or leave the band because it's not working out.

You can get fairly cheap guitars, which may not be the best quality but I assume they'll work for the short term. By the sound of it he's not very commited, so I'm not sure anything will work. Hope that helped.

Also, Hooah you listen to metal right? An accoustic guitar seems like a terrible choice if he's into the same music as you for playing in a band that is.

well we actually play anything (for instance we just learned Crushcrushcrush by Paramore, and once again i carried the entire guitar part of the song on my shoulders), but personally i play Metal. hes into pretty much anything, even techno.

[SwordsMaster]

Isn't the whole point of amps to be able to tune them to whatever you want? Can you not just tone down slightly the rest of the band?

[Strike For The South]

Throw it in his sister.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

Isn't the whole point of amps to be able to tune them to whatever you want? Can you not just tone down slightly the rest of the band?

The problem is drums only have one volume and acoustic guitars do not approach that.

[drone]

Who is the vocalist?

[Gregoshi]

At the School of Rock where my son goes, they will put a mic up the the strings - not the best solution though. Is he adverse to installing a guitar pickup on his acoustic?

He's got to realize he isn't being heard and if he isn't heard, then why play? Why be in a band? From what you've told us, I don't quite understand where his head is on all this.

Kind of a tough situation you are in.

[Lord Winter]

well we actually play anything (for instance we just learned Crushcrushcrush by Paramore, and once again i carried the entire guitar part of the song on my shoulders), but personally i play Metal. hes into pretty much anything, even techno.

An acoustic guitar isn't always incompatible with metal. There are plenty of bands that use them. Now if you want to play thrash(which I'm guessing you are from you love of mettalica) it will be harder to incorperate in. All in all, it you just have to be creative if you really want to make it work musically. Soundwise he's going to have to buy a mike which you should be able to find for a relatively decent price.

I don't really get how you can carry the entire guitar part of the song. Most bands really only write one guitar line so you should be able to drop a second guitarist if needed.

[miotas]

Just get an electric acoustic guitar.

[Hooahguy]

At the School of Rock where my son goes, they will put a mic up the the strings - not the best solution though. Is he adverse to installing a guitar pickup on his acoustic?

He's got to realize he isn't being heard and if he isn't heard, then why play? Why be in a band? From what you've told us, I don't quite understand where his head is on all this.

Kind of a tough situation you are in.

installing a pickup on a guitar thats not designed for one is a really hit and miss affair. some will sound great, some will sound horrible. plus he will have a really messy setup with wires sticking out and like.

[KukriKhan]

I know you'll think I'm crazy (I am), but as a temp fix, I've tried it and it worked: headphones. Adjusted to their tightest head adjustment, placed on the front and rear of the acoustic guitar body, and plugged into an amp or stereo system's "input" plug.

The idea being: once he hears himself, amplified, he'll be more motivated to get a mic or pickup & amp, and join in the fun.

The alternative being: the rest of you go unplugged.

[miotas]

At the risk of being annoying and repetitive, why can't he just get an electric acoustic?

[pevergreen]

Heeeey duuuude

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Heres an idea:

Get a job!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[LeftEyeNine]

Ok, just call her tomorrow and see what she thinks o-




Hrm. Sorray.

[Subotan]

Ok, just call her tomorrow and see what she thinks o-




Hrm. Sorray.

Strangely enough, that's what I thought this thread was going to be about.

Anyway, in a situation like that, you have to confront him. If something he is doing is a problem to your band, then that problem has to be remedied. I play in a band myself (Which has 40 people, so it's even worse), and one squeeky wheel/clarinet (It's always clarinets ) can ruin everything, so it's essential that you must fix it.

Talk to your bandmates first, and get their opinions on it. Then, arrange a band meeting and get everyone to sit in a circle, so this guy can't escape. Talk about why you feel what he is doing is a problem, and get other members of the band to pitch in for backup. Try and offer a compromise by working on a song which is acoustic-heavy (If that were possible), whilst he gets arrangements sorted out. Perhaps you could offer to split the cost of the amp between the four of you.

If he isn't willing to accept that there is a problem, he is not a good musician.

[Hooahguy]

problem solved he will be borrowing an electric guitar from a friend and buying an amp for it.
the sad thing is that after two weeks i couldnt persuade him but all it took was my other two bandmates (both of whom are girls) to talk to him ONCE and he was persuaded.

[Subotan]

Well, it's good that that worked out alright. Also, it's obvious that your bandmate fancies at least one of your other bandmates.

[Gregoshi]

the sad thing is that after two weeks i couldnt persuade him but all it took was my other two bandmates (both of whom are girls) to talk to him ONCE and he was persuaded.

Maybe you need to show some cleavage Hooah.

[miotas]

Unless he's straight, you'd just scare him off.

[Hooahguy]

Maybe you need to show some cleavage Hooah.

maybe if i had manboobs.
jk

[Hooahguy]

aw man.
he dicided to not get an electric and keep his acoustic. apparently he likes the sounf of the acoustic better. but he wants to get a mic or a pickup for the guitar, which is a very messy affair.
this.

[Subotan]

As a brass player, I would be expected to be able to have a pretty good go on any other brass instrument in my key (Eb), if I was needed to without much hassle, despite the fact I much prefer Tuba to, say, Tenor Horn. It would not be common, as there are numerous difficulties regarding lips and pitch, but not impossible, and certainly not something I would refuse if my band needed it. If this guy is refusing to take up a variation of a guitar, an instrument much easier to "switch" around with than a bloody tuba, for the sake of the band as a whole, then he's not a good musician.(Unless the problem is financial)

[Hooahguy]

apparently hes got some sort of system worked out with a PA system or something.
he tells me to not worry.

[Subotan]

Oh right, cool.

[Major Robert Dump]

Tell him you bought the pickup for him and say it's in the storage room in the back of the club. Push him into the bathroom and force his head into an unflushed toilet, and make him eat a urinal cake or two. Flush the toilet and ask him how the acoustics sound down there. Make sure and say "what I can't hear you maybe you need an amp" a few times.

You should also have sex with the girls in your band, that would show him.

[Strike For The South]

Tell him you bought the pickup for him and say it's in the storage room in the back of the club. Push him into the bathroom and force his head into an unflushed toilet, and make him eat a urinal cake or two. Flush the toilet and ask him how the acoustics sound down there. Make sure and say "what I can't hear you maybe you need an amp" a few times.

You should also have sex with the girls in your band, that would show him.

Have at least tried this Hooah? Multiple posters are telling you it's the right thing to do.

[pevergreen]

Have at least tried this Hooah? Multiple posters are telling you it's the right thing to do.

You've now got the manliest man telling you to do it, and the best Australian member1 here also encouraging you.


1. Besides Papewaio. Yeah, I'll take you on CA. I heard you singing drunk, you pansy.

[Subotan]

You should also have sex with the girls in your band, that would show him.

Sound, sound advice.

[Hooahguy]

i would love to with the bassist, but yea ive tried convincing her a long time ago, no dice.
and the drummers already got a boyfriend.