TimR

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1423042717' post='2679806'] Well a mixture here: We do Mustang Sally. The singer hates it as he thinks it's beneath him (but the audience love it). On the other hand the singer wants to do Sweet Child Of Mine, which we've just started learning, but I think its a bit dull. On the other other hand, I definitely want to do Radar Love. To be honest I don't quite understand why it's on the list - IME you hardly ever hear it being played in pubs (possibly because it's not straight forward) And on the other other other hand the saxophonist/pianist wants to do Free Bird which I also really like and again, round here at least, rarely gets played these days (20 years ago, yes). [/quote] That's the rub for me. I've not heard bands play those tunes in about 10years plus. Bands DO evolve their setlists. Ours is constantly evolving. If we're bored with the tunes it shows when we play them. You should also be able to gauge audience reaction to them. If people go outside/sit down/ go to the bar in droves, it's time to chop them. Do bands really just trot out the same setlist year in year out and wonder why their gigs are drying up?

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1423005461' post='2679599'] I did a few pro gigs late last year and the pro session bassist had a random hired amp and cab, and his beloved Stingray which had a warped neck and a disgusting action. He knew this, even had it looked at by his trusted tech, and yet it's his main bass. He loves its tone and that's all that really mattered to him. He turned up, plugged it in, sound checked. Got on stage for the show, put in his IEMs, and played great all night. [/quote] Pretty much as I'd expect. I've done enough dep gigs to know you learn the music (assuming no dots or charts), turn up, plug in and play. Get paid and go home. You know what questions to ask beforehand and, just as importantly, which questions you don't need to ask. There's a lot of people on the forum who don't think much before asking questions and would be better off practising the instrument rather than spending time obsessing over gear. I was once told to "Play everything. Get out your CD collection and learn the lot." I suspect most of 'us' on the forum only learn tunes we have to for our band's setlist. Then we only get the bass out for band rehearsals or gigs.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1422994661' post='2679338'] .. who actually had the time and inclination to contribute, say, 200 posts a year, what do you think we would learn from them that is not available from other sources, including each other as members? And another thought, are there things they can learn from us amateur/semi pro members? [size=5][color=#ff0000][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Without going into WHY they are [b]NOT[/b] posting here please! [/font][/color][/size] [/quote] That they're just like we are in our day job. We find a way that works for us and get on with it. Sometimes we get a good boss with a good project locally, sometimes we don't. I think we put these people on a pedestal when really they're just ordinary guys/girls with an unusual job. I know lots of pros, I also know lots of builders who worked on some prestigious projects, they've been to paces and seen things normal people have never/will never see. It's all the same. .

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1422816525' post='2677144'] Well I play bass and sing lead vocals, so do I get the prize for doing most in the band? [/quote] No. You probably have to do lights, sound, set it all up and drive the van as well. (Although not all at the same time...) .

I don't surf the net with headphones on. I surf silently. To listen to a tune or watch a video I have to go home or upstairs and try to find a working set of earphones or turn on the PC. The phone internal speaker is just about good enough to watch a non music video.

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1422831594' post='2677421'] What irks me most about this insistence of bands covering turgid, dull, old man rock is that it means missing out on literally thousands of really great songs. I wish we had more of a tradition of "top 40" bands in this country. At any point in time there are dozens of great songs in the charts which would be awesome fun to play and would go down well pretty much anywhere. But alas we can't because some doddery old granddad always asks for Sweet Home Alabama! [/quote] Anyone would think we only play All Right Now 30 times in one night and have no other material. I did a survey here just before Christmas. Only a few of us on the forum play it. In fact contrary to the popular belief amongst us, there's hundreds of songs we all play with little crossover. If we all played the same 30 songs that would be different. When we play it people sing along. They don't walk out the pub. That indicates to me thaf they enjoy hearing it. Don't forget we're musicians playing probably the same set every week for a few months. That would give anyone quite a skewed view of some tunes.

[quote name='mep' timestamp='1422822167' post='2677228'] I agree too. Why are you playing that old dad rock tune for. Bin it and find another song. [/quote] Because our audience are old dads? .

Ziggy is worth putting some work on. It's a great line and not that hard.

[quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1422543426' post='2673911'] Quite so - a thread a couple of lines below this one: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/254531-alright-now-what-do-you-do-in-the-verses/"]Alright Now - What do you do in the verses?[/url] [/quote] I have just contributed. Thanks.

I have purchased a cowbell for £6. It sounds awesome and I don't look like a spare part. Everything needs more cowbell.

Our singer made a great comment on Monday night. "That's a hard song, there's no breaks in it. I have to sing all the time." I just smiled. I guess each person in a band has their own difficulties that the others aren't aware of.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1422522314' post='2673580'] I seem to remember a previous topic stressing the importance of on-stage visuals, including dress code..? Is the presence of the band of so little import that a CD would do instead..? I think not. [/quote] However a DJ playing a CD is not the same as a CD on a stereo. He's there to interact, decide what tunes to play next, do requests, have a light show. But essentially, yes, valid point, there is more to it than just the music. Jean Michelle Jarre and Tangerine Dream, nice music, rubbish stage show. Add lasers and projectors and hey presto you have a show.

I've only once been told "The bassline to that song doesn't go like that." To which the reply was, and should always be. "Well, it did tonight."

This is going to be like the 90s Bass Player pic thread isn't it. Time to do some detective work. We need to find the guy with a beard from Allbang and Strummit.

Yes. Sounds like a good approach.

[quote name='Lifer' timestamp='1422364623' post='2671624'] What this thread has shown me is I need to improve my theory! I find it difficult on the bass though (just like playing songs!) so thinking picking up another instrument from scratch and learning theory/sight reading with that. Played euphonium for a while in school and enjoyed brass, anyone recommend a brass instrument that learning theory on would help bass (Bass clef obvs!) , but also something I could play in non-brass bands (eg ska!)? [/quote] I would have suggested Tuba but that's really a brass band instrument. Sousaphone would be better and if you like Dixieland jazz you'd never be out of work.

From a commercial aspect, I would suggest you learn everything off his Greatest Hits album, whether it is going to be a permanent feature of the set or not. Last thing you want is a crowd of people calling for a well known tune that, erm, you don't know.

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1422363308' post='2671595'] I must admit I never noticed the walking bass line in it either... ... [/quote] Best answer so far

Not entirely. The nail adds a bit to the tip of the finger and gives a harder sound when you strike with the very tip.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1422360211' post='2671525'] As above, although the octaves need to be adjusted when written to get the target/sounding concert note (mainly Alto & Tenor). Trombone (tenor) also written in Bass clef and not transposing for the concert sounding note. F# has six sharps, not five. But what's a sharp among friends...lol... [/quote] Good point. Missed that pesky E#. But illustrates why F# isn't a great key.

[quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1422308551' post='2671088'] If you play cover songs with [b]specific[/b] bass lines, do you think the majority of the audience would notice or care if you just root-noted everything? [/quote] Sorry missed the 'specific' part. Yes. However, we're doing Boys are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy. That has a pretty stand out walking bass line during the verse. Although, maybe it was only me that thought that because I scat learned it to get by while we trialled it with the intention of fully learning it if we decided it worked. I mentioned this to the other guys and they hadn't noticed and said to keep it as is. I listened to the live version and the whole lot is missing, just root notes. This is due to Phil having to sing and play at the same time. It's always worth listening to a live version of any complex tune. Sometimes a faster, livlier, live version sounds cluttered with a bass line that's too busy.

By playing it in Eb the Brass are playin in F which has one flat. Play it in E and the they have to play in F# which has five sharps! .

Brass keys. Eb, Bb and Ab. Standard brass tuning is Bb which means that if you play a C on a trumpet/trombone it will be the same pitch as a piano's Bb. Saxes will usually be Eb.

The audience notices when you come in. They notice when you drop out. They notice when what you play doesn't sit correctly within the arrangement. Whether they know what it is they noticed is another question entirely.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1422302141' post='2670962'] Interesting. Our guitarist is always on at me to use a pick for (amongst other things) Rebel Yell. But it's just beyond me. I've started to use my nails a bit now. Makes it easier to play at speed. But just a tad too long and they can break easily I remember at one studio rehearsal I had to run out to reception and ask the guy if I could borrow some scissors as I had broken a finger nail. Felt such a girlie, lol [/quote] I still haven't, after all these years, put nail clippers in my gig bag. :/ Using a pick is just beyond me.