[TPIN] Difficult Band Member

[Rob Jonas]

John, I think the band "mission statement" is a great idea. That way you 
have your tail covered if you have to part ways with a particular band 
member. I play trumpet in a couple of local bands including my own 16 piece 
Big Band. Luckly, I have not had to put up with that. I did have a bari sax 
player that during rehearsals, would count off the tunes with me(strange, 
huh)about a click off from where I wanted the tempo. I would be as kind as I 
could, until the lead alto jumped on his case one night. The guy finally 
left the band on his own. Of course, there are always the bone players 
complaining about the trumpet section(especially me, being the lead 
player)playing too loud. I'm lucky, I have the greatest bone section in the 
world as far as I am concerned and they come every Monday night and play 
their butts off, never making  a comment about us.

Guess we all have our issues.

Best to all.

Rob Jonas


>From: John Kool <johnkool at windstream.net>
>Reply-To: johnkool at alltel.net
>To: Jim Paris <aparis1 at cfl.rr.com>
>CC: tpin at tpin.okcu.edu
>Subject: Re: [TPIN] Difficult Band Member
>Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:55:43 -0500
>
>I play in an "orchestra" made up of people under 25 and over 50.
>Part of the "contract" we sign for membership (in an unpaid group) is that 
>no one is allowed to criticize  another's playing except the conductor or 
>the section leader to his own section.  This is to avoid hard feelings, 
>misunderstandings and even too much talking during the rehearsal.
>
>I can forward you the exact wording, if you like.
>It was stressed at the first rehearsal.
>
>Jim Paris wrote:
>>I play in a band on Tuesday nights at a local club.  We are a 14 piece big 
>>band.  There are no rehearsals and most of the charts are passed out just 
>>that night.  About 50% of the charts are being seen for the first time.  
>>There is a guy in the band that is constantly making comments throughout 
>>the evening correcting others in the band.  He is not the band leader (and 
>>not even a section leader), and he is not in the trumpet section at all.  
>>We have tried to ignore him, but the problem seems to be getting worse.  I 
>>mean right in the middle of a tune, he will yell out, "Did you miss the 
>>key change?"  "You guys did not play the second ending", etc...  The 
>>comments are endless.
>>
>>There are imperfections, some of the charts are very light copies that are 
>>hard to read.  Others have mistakes in them that are not caught until 
>>playing through them once and marking them up with a pencil.  The band 
>>sounds fine, and we have a very large following.  These are typically the 
>>kind of mistakes that only another musician may catch.
>>
>>Other than shouting back or getting into a fistfight, anyone have any 
>>suggestions.  This is getting to be unbearable.
>>
>>Jim
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
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>
>--
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