blue

I'll usually go straight to YouTube and find a tutorial where someone has already nailed the song and is showing you how to play it. Many times the bass part is isolated. After I learn the song then I will put my personal spin on it. Blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1444810456' post='2886169'] If you work on the assumption that anyone any good will be busy and will want to be, then all those job offers..which they have networked and cultivated will clash the diary at quite a few points. You will soon find deps... plus you know people in the playing pool and you know who can step into these occasions and make it work. The number one goal of a working musician is generally to get as many gigs as they can do...and they find themselves many many others who do the same. This will mean you might never know the line-up..unless you ask, and you may be meeting the guy for the first time at set-up. Players talk, suggest names that can do this sort of thing and it doesn't take long for you to be as busy as you want... kind of.!!! [/quote] I'm lost on this one. Blue

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1444726117' post='2885299'] One problem I found with being in only one band - you rehearse for a good while, get it all as best you can then someone leaves and the band falls apart, or someone gets disinterested.... I find, having several projects on the go keeps you motivated, as there's always more stuff to learn A pal of mine was bassist in the same cover band for years, doing the same songs every gig They were all bored of it for ages before they decided to pack it in[/quote] I think that is more true when your in one band in [i]"start up"[/i] status. I can see it happening with any band without many years under their belt. Blue

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1444741326' post='2885494'] Scheduling is the only issue, but lots of my gigs luckily fall on alternative nights, so there's never that many clashes, maybe 5 a year? I work on the principal of what's in the diary first is what gets played. [/quote] 5 a year might be a lot for some bands. Blue

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1444753491' post='2885637'] Our trio is for us, our only band. That was a necessity when we hired a new drummer - no second band'ers. It means no diary clashes, booking is simple, and the whole things run much more smoothly. As a gigging band, 2-3 times a month (more in recent weeks), I could not give my time to anything else - it would basically clash. [/quote] I think a lot of bands are like this. My band is. The band has been together for 10 years. Even at the local level our fans are coming to not just to see the band but the individual members they have gotten close with. They don't want to see someone else playing bass, guitar or drums. Blue

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1444742173' post='2885509'] IME deps don't really work in originals bands. We've done it in the past to get around our revolving door guitarist and drummer problems, but it's never been ideal. They rarely look the part on stage, and we've had some spectacular f***-ups on stage with musicians who hadn't taken the time to properly learn the songs - on a casual listen our stuff sounds fairly straight forward but there's lots weird bar counts and added or missing beats in most of the songs. The worst one was a drummer who managed to f*** up the single both in the main set and again (in a different way) when did it as the encore. [/quote] I see your point. Some BCers are under the assumption that all bands have a huge stable or resources for deps or any kind of replacement. Not true. Blue

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1444775889' post='2886019'] I'm still loving it because I'm fortunate that I play with other musicians who are really good at what they do and we all get along so well.[/quote] I hope everyone understands how much of a difference this makes for a positive band experience. Blue

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1444769295' post='2885922'] My experience; Better money (sometimes exceptional) but, loads of hanging about, loads of travelling, loads of crap music.[/quote] Question, when you say crap music, crap music to who? For me and some others any music were performing that's generating decent pay is not crap. Blue

If you have the connection to audition for a functions band go for it. Over here busy functions band opportunities are rarely advertised to the public. Blue

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1444738799' post='2885444'] I think it depends on the bands, the people, the location, a myriad other things... [/quote] Agreed Blue

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1444711885' post='2885200'] I'm currently working in/with 5+ projects on a full time basis. Gigs are every few nights if it's a busy patch, or they're only a few a month. What is it that you struggle to understand Blue? Is it the knowing multiple set lists? [/quote] I don't know, I've never done it. However it would be an interesting challenge . My problem is there as 're only so many Friday & Saturday nights.If you are 2 busy bands, of those bands would have to (and I've seen it) cancel some of they're gigs. Blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1444651860' post='2884732'] I've no problem with covers that put a bit of effort in but really I want to hear the guys 'playing' and not copying. Otherwise, I might just as well stick with the CD...?? [/quote] I think what you talking about more resembles the functions or corporate bands. They tend to and their business is really copying songs as close to the original recording as possible. There are way to many different types of cover bands to give it such a broad stroke. Blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1444638759' post='2884607'] You are playing the music by numbers, which is my main issue with cover bands.[/quote] That's an opinion right, and a rather broad stroke. All cover bands are not the same. I play in a blues /rock cover band. I would venture to say we don't play anything the same way twice. And as a bass guitarist I am always switching lines up adding new riffs and accents. Changing how you execute your parts there's all sorts of ways to keep things fresh, fun and interesting. Blue

[size=4][font=Arial]It's an old topic, but remains a mystery to me.[/font] [font=Arial]So many guys have written about how easy it is to be in more than one band. And I'm talking about being a member of a band not the independent that subs or deps as you guys call it.[/font] [font=Arial]I think it can work with originals bands because over here originals bands don't gig very often so schedule conflicts are rare.[/font] [font=Arial]But being in 2 busy cover bands. I say it can't work.[/font] [font=Arial]What do you think?[/font] [font=Arial]Blue[/font][/size]

[quote name='Slipperydick' timestamp='1444563449' post='2884082'] For most of of us its only your first band that consists of just mates, after that your more likely colleagues than friends. Its the pecking order that causes problems. Which is a good argument for having a leader, so you all know yer place. [/quote] Very true. We are more colleagues. I like 95% of what we play. Blue

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1444470227' post='2883459'] Blue, rather demonstrably, doesn't seem to know the difference. [/quote] [i]"Tell Them Gigging Is Fun"[/i] Yes, it's merely my opinion. I have seen terms like discipline and self fulfillment to describe the bedroom [i]"noodler"[/i] experience. I say [i]"noodler"[/i] because I'm not talking about high end writing & home recording projects. You know, were talking about [i]"fun"[/i]. And both may very well be fun, however you would have a hard time convincing me that bedroom noodling is as much fun as a live gig. Blue

[quote name='Born under a bad sign' timestamp='1443841266' post='2878114'] sometimes less is more, nice bass face though [/quote] Yup, guys playing fast has never impressed me, especially when they're not painting a clear tasteful picture. Nice bass though. Blue

Guys that are addicted to golf are always trying new techniques and stance adjustments to play a better game. The gigging Bass guitarist is the same way in many respects. At a high level we're always striving for that killer night when we nail our approach, execution and tone. Blue

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1444256046' post='2881731'] How many bass players does it take to change a light bulb? None, because we're not afraid of the dark. [/quote] None, we would get a guitarist to do it for us. Blue

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1444428306' post='2883285'] For some people on this website, gigging will be the last thing on Earth that they'd ever want to do.[/quote] Do they know gigging is fun? Blue

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1444409717' post='2883111'] Surely anyone who works from home has to be disciplined otherwise they'd all lay in bed all day and get nothing done. I can't see that self discipline has anything to do with other people. You may have to conform or be flexible in some way but that's not the same.[/quote] Is working from home a good comparison to playing bass guitar at home. Blue

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1444404019' post='2883019'] Really? You turn up at a gig, someone else has probably put the set list together. You rely on a drummer to provide the drumming, guitarists and vocalists to provide the guitaring and vocals etc etc etc yet if someone wants to do that at home, they are programming drum tracks, singing, playing or programming the bass, playing guitar or (and) keys and possibly even composing the track in the first place. Even if they purely play one instrument for pleasure, they may be putting in 8 hours a day to learn their craft. Pity Mike Oldfield or Emmit Rhodes aren't here to explain how much work they put into their "easy way out" home recorded projects. I agree with an earlier poster that maybe you need to change your name to Black & white [/quote] I think there's a big difference from those involved in high level recording project and the " bedroom player ". Blue

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1444378632' post='2882650'] I remember from a previous post that you used to work behind a desk in some sort of financial institution or something. A job you hated and couldn't cope with by your own admission so, you picked up a bass and now play in a band. Maybe in your old office they think you took the easy way out [/quote] Something like that. And they would be right. Doing something you enjoy and are passionate about is always going to be easier then work you can't stand. Blue

[quote name='Slipperydick' timestamp='1444397029' post='2882910'] If I'd known what I do now when I was younger I'd have been gigging and getting experience much sooner, and would have saved all the time I wasted looking down on covers bands almost, and playing with originals bands that never got out of the 'writing, rehearsing and planning' phase. [/quote] I think this is another area of choice. I think there are guys that just love the aspect of playing original material and rehearsing.These guys are usually not concerned about gigging. Blue

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1444378632' post='2882650'] The easy way out of what? Music is a hobby to most people. The big difference here is that it's your one and only job so, you work to deliver the best you can so you don't lose that job. Regarding your "skill set" remark, it takes a different skill set to be a brain surgeon as opposed to a nurse but maybe all the nurses didn't actually want to be brain surgeons and get more job satisfaction doing what they do. You appear to be under the impression that if others aren't as enthusiastic as you are about playing and gigging, then they're not taking the whole thing as seriously as you think they should. I remember from a previous post that you used to work behind a desk in some sort of financial institution or something. A job you hated and couldn't cope with by your own admission so, you picked up a bass and now play in a band. Maybe in your old office they think you took the easy way out [/quote] I don't think it's all that complicated or that one is better than the other. I'm saying a lot more work goes into gigging than playing at home alone. And then, it only my opinion. Blue