StringNavigator

I've heard it grows well on a head of fertilizer... That's why we had lots as youngsters!

I stand corrected. Offence removed! Once you pointed it out I realised that it works both ways. I guess I was focused too much on the OP and lost my self-consciousness. I've seen kindness exploited and viewed as a sign of weakness that was taken advantage of. And that is exactly what happened to the OP. But it's only my experience talking, which is of course, a bias. I could never take advantage and have always shown my appreciation for the least consideration. In fact, I find little reason for anyone to be fired from a band. Usually it's pettiness and intrigue. There's plenty of room for forgiveness and only the chronically maladjusted should ever be asked to leave if they cannot remediate their situation or if they are taking advantage of the band. So, who said you can't learn from BassChat? PS. I've never owned a mullet?, but I still watch Battle Star Galactica and Star Trek!

In a combo (dr,bs,lg, rg) the BP lives under the tyranny of the Lowd Gitarrz... I think that moulds (sic) much of our thinking. But listen to Chicago, Blood Sweat And Tears, all of Motown and Stax... the single! guitar is comping chords, much like a bass player would be tied to the rhythm. He only lets go in a brief solo. The BP in these settings is suddenly projected into a distinguished role! Brass frees the bass. Once the guitaral pumping on the E and A strings is eliminated, and the bending string screech is dropped, the bass is far more noticeable. Same for the Fender Rhodes... Pity the BP who has to sneak through that cloud of sound! A drummer with a weak kick is another impediment to solid bass. As soon as you have heavy hand guitaring, the BP is relegated to the corner. Personally, as a BP, I'd be happy to avoid that instrument forever (and I play one!). Give me a piano trio, backing a female singer or a Hammond player or a seven piece horn band. The audience notices the BP in a horn band.

Thanks to the OP for sharing the tale. I hope that you're now happy and successful! This is a great lesson in "Just do what you do!" And do it superbly! Being helpful is never appreciated. In fact, it is resented and you soon become a carpet. Your helpfulness exposes people's ineptitude, and they resent it. Focusing on your responsibility is admired. Why is it like that? Why, that's just the way it is... "Oh, John is a great guy, you can depend on him to hold down the bass. He's the strong, silent type. But that Alan... Why, he's always sticking his nose into something..." I used to be a carpet. Now, I live like I'm gonna die tomorrow. And people like me better. Beta's are friends. Alpha's are lovers. Who said you can't learn from BassChat?

Amen, brother!

Best advice, eh... ? I hope you did become focused more on what counts! They probably had a connection that you would never want to duplicate. Did you ever discover where they wound up...?

Amen,. Especially with a lady vocalist. Hindsight is 20/20. Being polite, diplomatic and helpful doesn't trump insecure.

I recognise that feeling... How many new BP's get fired for not capturing the repertoire within some arbitrarily stated time period? Too many... It seems that band dictators completely underestimate the complexity in a bassline. The entire band actually follows the bassline from start to finish. Even if you pick it up quickly, it takes time and repetition to play it confidently. It's not just melody, nor is it only rhythm or harmony. It is all there, at once. The backbone of any song. The drummer can flub a part, the guitarist can lose notes and the singer can forget lines and the song still goes on. But if the BP falters for even a second, the whole song comes to a grinding halt. Not being perfect a few time gets the BP fired. And it's typically the BP that gets changed out for perceived incompetence. Drummers usually get fired for personal reasons. Singers are golden. And it's usually the guitarist doing the firing. (Perhaps they think they can do a better job as they play 6 strings...) Bands are typically started with vocals and guitar. Then they start adding a rhythm section at the last minute. The BP is expected to jump in ready to go. But it is always a stretch, as you say. Any BP will admit that 40 new songs can't be learned in 2 weeks. Oh, you can play 'em, but they won't lock-in well until well practiced in ensemble over a few months and you can play them in your sleep.. With Jazz and Blues, I can improvise all night and there's no errors. But with rock or hit pop tunes, the bassline must be an exact replica of the recording. This takes more time than BL's are willing to admit.

I agree. As a retired military, I understand this concept well. Especially if I had been hired by Wilson Pickett or Stevie Winwood. I can be the best of cogs in a big machine and take direction well. However, this was a tiny sum gig with a guitarist-leader not blessed with look-at-me talent nor basic ability in arranging (deer in the lights look for the final chord?). No written music, chord charts or audio samples for the new BP. Poor BP... And he's telling me to play swampier. Everything had to sound swampy. I guess I was ejected from the swamp. He was a constant pot-head, but I never held that against him. Perhaps even mild drugs can cloud the mind, I don't know. The set-list I had practiced to, stated the wrong keys and artist versions from what was sprung on me at rehearsal. Now I know why they spent the last year chasing BP's, but they always fall back on some "a pro" that he knows who never stays. A marvelous female singer, though, which is what kept me in for three weeks. I'm not at all mad. Actually I feel relieved. You see, I always maintain a self-consciousness and situational awareness and examine my words and actions before and afterwards. It's a part of my social perception. But I can never truly understand how so many people cruise through life blind, unaware of the stage and the part they play. I'm glad to be searching for a new band, though. I learned 31 new songs that I'd never have learned on my own and walk away richer for that. They can fire you, which is pretentious to say the least, but they can never take away your talent. And you only get better as time moves on. (Where else could I speak my mind on BP firings...?)

I just realised recently that the Small Faces were all about 5'5"... Thus the name... A very talented bunch, to say the least. I'm 5'8" and always the shorter one in a group. Of course, short people are better looking... But I don't brag about it, eh...?

Thanks to the original poster for raising a timely topic for me. I'm afraid that this is just a run-of-the-mill anecdote, but here goes... I just got let go after 3 rehearsals because I told the head guy that fiddling around with intros and endings was not such a good idea with the gig being only a week away. We all know that the bass must start and stop with certainty or the song is weak, and he kept making changes to the point where I couldn't remember anything. As a new BP, I could have simply worked on my CD's with my Tascam CD Bass Trainer. But he wanted to recreate the old band's arrangements. Why do people fiddle with hit cover songs, anyway? Just play them the way the dancers know them... I also suggested to end a song on the F chord instead of A minor which just left the whole song hanging in mid-air, especially on the bass. He was at a loss for the final chord so I opened my big mouth to help... The band set-list he had given me three weeks earlier indicated the wrong artists and the wrong keys on 8 of the songs... Some songs were not even going to be done... So I learned a slew of songs for nothing. When he suddenly told me at the last rehearsal that we were going to play "Roll With It" in the key of E, after having learned it in G, I explained that it was in the key of G for a reason. (...try it in E on the spot!... lol!) So I got the email telling me he retrieved the old bass player back to do the gig! "He's a pro...", he says... After I spent gas money, parking money, studio money, 6 hours total driving and 6 hours of rehearsals I got told in an email that someone else, Boomerang Bass Player, Professional is doing the gig ($) and maybe we can pick up later on. All that from someone who was begging for a BP. Who had gone through apparently excruciating auditions within the year only to end up bass-less, so he called my ad. So I don't know if I was fired or not, but I'm moving on anyway. I wrote them a polite email. However, I sent his email and my reply to all the band members. But... I did learn 31 tunes that I wouldn't have otherwise. Plus getting to play with other old school musicians 'live' in Toronto, Canada is not easy. And the singer was a very charming lady with a superb voice. So I enjoyed the outing. I also got a bit more focused on wanting to keep with the Soul/Motown/Stax music thing and definitely do exact covers only with a female vocalist or vocalists in the future. Thanks for letting me blow off some steam... And for all you BP's out there who have been used and abused.... We salute you! God works in mysterious ways...+