Why don't some bands add an extra musician?

MKTerp

3 examples that immediately come to mind:

White Stripes - bass player
Muse - keyboards (do they just pump in the background sounds when they play live?)
Wolfmother - keyboards or bass (instead of the one guy switching off)

I understand in the White Stripes and Wolfmother cases that it's their "thing" to be very stripped down, but I was shocked to find out that Muse is only 3 guys. I expected a lot of musicians on stage. Why not add more band members to have a fuller live performance?

intodeep

I've seen muse live a couple times and they pull it off well. The lead singer/guitarist does the keyboard parts.

I see your point though why not just add someone to do it, but they pull it off well so no complaints from me.

DeLukin

I'm not a big White Stripes fan, but there is clearly a bass on Seven Nation Army - Jack White says he doesn't need the bass player but that song wouldn't be as good without it.

BrinkofForever

MKTerp wrote:

3 examples that immediately come to mind:

White Stripes - bass player
Muse - keyboards (do they just pump in the background sounds when they play live?)
Wolfmother - keyboards or bass (instead of the one guy switching off)

I understand in the White Stripes and Wolfmother cases that it's their "thing" to be very stripped down, but I was shocked to find out that Muse is only 3 guys. I expected a lot of musicians on stage. Why not add more band members to have a fuller live performance?

You've never heard of Rush, have you...

BrinkofForever

intodeep wrote:

I've seen muse live a couple times and they pull it off well. The lead singer/guitarist does the keyboard parts.

I see your point though why not just add someone to do it, but they pull it off well so no complaints from me.

90% of the keyboard bits on Muse albums are arpaggiated chords. The lead singer simply plays the chord on the keyboard and the synth does the 'runs' for him. Plus I'm sure they sequence alot of the synth parts that can't be handled by one person.

markymark550

chiefojibwa wrote:

maybe bands have less members so they have less people to pay?

that was my first thought....

intodeep

Brink wrote:

90% of the keyboard bits on Muse albums are arpaggiated chords. The lead singer simply plays the chord on the keyboard and the synth does the 'runs' for him. Plus I'm sure they sequence alot of the synth parts that can't be handled by one person.

I did not know that but it makes a lot of sense. Thank you.

dunkman

MKTerp wrote:

3 examples that immediately come to mind:

White Stripes - bass player
Muse - keyboards (do they just pump in the background sounds when they play live?)
Wolfmother - keyboards or bass (instead of the one guy switching off)

I understand in the White Stripes and Wolfmother cases that it's their "thing" to be very stripped down, but I was shocked to find out that Muse is only 3 guys. I expected a lot of musicians on stage. Why not add more band members to have a fuller live performance?

white stripes? why use a bass player when they have no bass in 99.9% of their catalogue?

Muse - Matt already plays keyboards when appropriate, plus havuing seen them they sound fuckin amazing

Wolfmother - no point

dunkman

DeLukin wrote:

I'm not a big White Stripes fan, but there is clearly a bass on Seven Nation Army -

Although it sounds like a bass guitar (an instrument the group had famously never previously used), the sound is actually created by running Jack White's semi-acoustic guitar (a 1950s style Kay Hollowbody) through a whammy pedal set down an octave.


this is how he does it..

ledhed43

dunkman wrote:

Although it sounds like a bass guitar (an instrument the group had famously never previously used), the sound is actually created by running Jack White's semi-acoustic guitar (a 1950s style Kay Hollowbody) through a whammy pedal set down an octave.


this is how he does it..

right on. you got to it before i could. he also uses the whammy pedal to go an octave up on a lot of his solos. i saw them live in nashville for the first time in may. they don't need anybody else because they play off of one another so well it would ruin the chemistry to add someone to it. i imagine all of the meg white sucks posters on here have never seen the white stripes live. i was never a big fan of hers, but after i saw them live i am all about meg. they play perfectly together. i mean perfectly. if it was anybody else it just wouldn't work. i understand she may not be the most talented drummer but she is the best one for that band. like in sports its not always the team with the most talent, but the team with the best chemistry that wins.

DeLukin

dunkman wrote:

Although it sounds like a bass guitar (an instrument the group had famously never previously used), the sound is actually created by running Jack White's semi-acoustic guitar (a 1950s style Kay Hollowbody) through a whammy pedal set down an octave.


this is how he does it..

Dang, you guys are good! I stand corrected. Thanks for enlightening me!

SomethingCreative

I hate it more when a band adds another member, but shoves them off to the side and pretends they don't even exist

tybird

Brink wrote:

You've never heard of Rush, have you...

or Primus??

I agree with a previous post......sometimes it's about the dollars.

Red Lukin

I love the WS, but I do find their live shows are missing something. On the other hand I like what Jack's doing - he loves to leave it stripped down.

Do yourself a favour, if you love jack White go see the Racontuers. Sure there's only 4 members, but they put on a hell of a show!

MKTerp

Good answers, thanks. I haven't seen Muse yet, but I'm glad it works live (pumped to see them at Lollapalooza).

I haven't really been into the White Stripes - I basically just know their radio stuff. I just got Icky Thump and like it. I just feel like - why not have a bass player? But if it works, it works....

crazymerrie

Heres another one:

Cornell + the rest of TOTD, soundgarden, or audioslave. That would be a nice addition.