How To Hints...

[SqueeGees]

The Guitar player iam currently working with, is a very precise and very good one. but, he seems to have problems with motavation...
and is constantly making excuses why he's not recording...

Now I understand that all of my recording equipment is at my house in my office and he doesnt have access to it 24/7, but when he is over and were set up to record or at least planing to... he wants to do nothing except to get high and fuck around...

and oh yeah, he also has no room for improv. Hes got everything the way he wants it and is stuborn. Leaving me with no real room to move, just to follow the set pattern he has allready laid down

now iam not attacking guitarist in general, but iam sure some of you have had simallar problems with this rare breed and i was wondering,

How did ya go about motavating them without offending or just completely pissing them off

[bigtoe]

be straight or up your rate!

Mike

[Devlars]

So long as you can be a sensible adult about the problem you're facing and can present it to him in a relaxed manner then you've done you're part. If he responds negatively and gets offended or pissed off at that point then you are dealing with an immature, irrational twit apparently. It may also be that he's bringing his own emotional damaged baggage to practice and needs to get things sorted out and has yet to find an anvenue for venting these problems without fear of criticism. So rather than being condeming and critical as the first half of my post is, perhaps you should be a friend and get to the heart of this matter if that's possible. But you can't do this in an awkward, "heeeeey...buckaroo!" sort of way otherwise he'll most certainly shut down and think you the twit.

I've had to deal with this sort of thing (though not exactly the same situation) from time to time with my bandmate and it just came down to dropping the whole music thing for an evening and going out for some food and a conversation to sort things out. Of course my bandmate's also my best friend so it wasn't "weird" to ask him straight up about what's really going on that is bothering him so much that it affects the music.

[djdrake13]

I hate when this type of thing happens. it seems so common with musicians. I think its part of their personality. I never was able to get them over that hurdle.. except by just inspiring them to make greater music.

[joel hamilton]

In my experience recording people and playing with people, this has come up.

As I get older I realize that the person is usually acting out of discomfort with themselves, and insecurity. Finding something that makes them confident, as a producer or pal or bandmate can really make someones inner genius come out. I have found that asking questions from people acting like this, even if I know the answer, can put them in a "teacher" or dominant position in their minds, and really make them feel at ease and comfortable expressing musical ideas. Create an atmosphere where someone feels comfortable screwing up, and 9 times out of ten they perform better than ever!
If you have the insight to put your own insecurities away for a minute, and really make someone feel comfortable and not threatened, you can coax out some amazing things. This seems to be true of any relationship, but in the studio it is magnified tenfold.

Producing is much, much more than microphones/performances/and music. Make a very deliberate move to make every cool thing that happens in the studio FEEL like a happy accident, and never let on that you intended these results (or at least hoped for them) all along. Doing so breaks the spell cast on everyone (including you) created by comfort and skill!

(wow this is even more esoteric and oblique than my normal posts....sorry, hope it helps!)

[Wild Bill]

Producing is much, much more than microphones/performances/and music. Make a very deliberate move to make every cool thing that happens in the studio FEEL like a happy accident, and never let on that you intended these results (or at least hoped for them) all along. Doing so breaks the spell cast on everyone (including you) created by comfort and skill!

Truer words were never spoken.

Now if we could only keep that in mind while fighting back the urge to strangle the ... whew, back in control.

Substance abuse and personality disorders seem to be part of the very core of the creative spirit. I myself, wrestled with substance abuse when I was younger and missed many opportunities that will never present themselves again. Successful artists can manage this and keep a productive life going. If this guitarsist continues with this type of behavoir, cut your loses and move on. Some people have to hit bottom, go to prison or die before they get it together. Your not his mamma.

[SqueeGees]

I've had to deal with this sort of thing (though not exactly the same situation) from time to time with my bandmate and it just came down to dropping the whole music thing for an evening and going out for some food and a conversation to sort things out. Of course my bandmate's also my best friend so it wasn't "weird" to ask him straight up about what's really going on that is bothering him so much that it affects the music.[/quote]\

he is and will probably allways be a very good friend, and a band mate for something like five or six years, I believe I know him very well, but sometimes he seems to have trouble explaining what the matter is and just mask it with bad jokes and assemalations i dont understand, But most of all i believe its a big problem with motatvation, He just doesnt wanna do anything...
iam allways trying though... and will not give up just cos' we have yet to record any thing this year...

thanks for the advice

[Devlars]

My pleasure. It'd be a petty shame to let lack of communication get in the way of the music which would no doubt eventually get in the way of the friendship.

[brokenchairs]

I too have had this problem, and it's never an easy one to deal with. You can't try to pull him through recording if he's just going to drag his heels the whole time. If he really wants to do it he will, if not, move on. It's hard, but sometimes you have to do it.

[cgarges]

Here was a REALLY, REALLY great thread on a similar topic:

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=2284

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[rimbaud234]

Life's too short and there are people out there who are motivated and talented. Find some and move on.