TimR

[quote name='lowlandtrees' timestamp='1398757917' post='2437189'] The bass player has to work with rhythm as well as harmony and dynamics and communication and sound etc. The story (true or false!!)about John Paul Jones explaining to Jimmy Page about the difference between a third and a minor third (or something like that)sums it up for me. JPJ was initially the more advanced musician in that band having established himself as a musician before he was a great bassist. [/quote] Good post. Ha. That's happened to me. When you have to explain to the guitarists that it's a minor chord and you're not playing the root, you're playing the minor third as it's an inversion. They look at you open mouthed and you realise that it's you that is the best musician in the band and it may be time to find another band...

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1398023753' post='2429691'] I can`t remember where I saw this, but I read of something similar where the singer of a band was always complaining that the bass was too loud, so one day the bassist offered to turn down to appease him. No it`s still too loud was the response from the singer - until the bassist held out the end of his lead showing the bass wasn`t plugged in. Some get a "bee in their bonnet" about things at times, Pinball is spot on, get a neutral point of view. [/quote] I was doing sound for my brother's band and the bass was awful. Or at least I thought it was until I realised he wasn't playing what I was hearing. Turned out to be some super chorus reverb effect thing that the lead guitarist was using.

Ha. Yes. The bass player always gets blamed for the bass frequencies. Could be anything. You probably need to speak to them and ask them to let you know as soon as it happens so you can adjust or at least work out if it's the keys that are causing it.

IIRC Yes. When I was 19. About 25 years ago. We abandoned it. There's some serious rhythms going on. I might be able to play it now though.

My number one rule is that all the band have to buy in to the look and all have to be comfortable in what they are wearing. Wearing polo shirts or t-shirts with the band name are big no no for me I'm afraid. Excellent for turning up and setting up in and they've helped us quite a few times but not to play in. And all in the same shirts and suits is a look I would really avoid.

Yes. I don't think you're a tosser either. You did miss out on an opportunity to discuss what their actual thoughts and plans are though, rather than making big assumptions. I left a band and gave them the same assurance that I'd do the gigs we already had booked. They just immediately said no. Then got stressed when they couldn't find anyone.

Ok. So I can begin to see a problem. You guys want to rehearse and gig in the same week. So being in three bands means 6 days of playing. The way I dealt with it was to be a lot more organised with rehearsal time and I don't think I ever played 3 gigs in one week. Missing a rehearsal isn't the end of the world and if the band is tight enough I can't see the need to be adding a new song or more for every gig. I'm only in one band at the moment, we have a rehearsal with guitar, bass and drums to flesh out the new tunes, go away and learn them properly, come back add the singer and we're good to go. If we have a long break between gigs we'll have a rehearsal to run through the trickier tunes that we know we can trip up on. Other than that we just meet when we can. I can't see any benefit to tinkering with arrangements, whenever I've been in bands and we've done that it only leads to confusion and arguments. Learn a song, play it, job done. It's just a bunch of notes.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1396946317' post='2418902'] there's seems a common thread here, communication, I always try and reply to emails unless it's obvious one is not needed,after all it doesn't cost anything, our guitarist is terrible at replying, but if he occasionally sends one out and nobody replies straight away we get 'is my email not worthy of a reply then?' I just don't understand how people can be so hypocritical. [/quote] I think Karlifer's posts and the replies show exactly how people can seem hypocritical. We all view things from different perspectives. What is obvious to you isn't always obvious to anyone else. We all lead busy lives. Sometimes I can reply to an email straightaway on the iPhone, other times it needs a carefully considered reply or I need to get more information. Then I can easily forget to reply. It's not necesarily the lack of communication it's the way that the communication is carried out and followed up. Send out an email wait two or three days then either follow it up with another email if non urgent or phone call. Too much communication is also a bad thing because people then just start ignoring stuff or missing stuff.

PAs are a constant bone of contention too. I also used to pick up a PA and lights, set it all up, sound check the band, pack down and return it. I didn't mind doing it but it became expected and was getting less and less help at the gig and more moaning about 'not sounding like it does on a recording' and 'we need more lights' that it became a real bugbear. Constant digs that I was getting more for it didn't help. I would has asked for double if I'd known I was expected to absolutely everything. I left in the end and now the person who complained the most is lumbered with it. Maybe they appreciate it a bit more now...

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1396538678' post='2414851'] You ain't a drummer called Jeff are you [/quote] Ha. Sorry. No. IME It's usually the singer or the drummer.

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1396542711' post='2414925'] Oh look. http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/pp3-t-shape-battery-clip-l85ab [/quote] Lol. You see Ray, it wasn't their fault they didn't understand what you wanted, it was you that didn't know what you wanted.

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1396531215' post='2414723'] ... - Some don't drive - Unreliable - Can't afford reahearsal space because they work part time - Can't be bothered to practice - Immature attitude towards everything - No communication ... [/quote] Believe me that's not an age thing. I play with guys in their mid forties who fit all of the above including throwing their toys out of the pram and not answering texts.

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1396460193' post='2413980'] Surely you must draw the line somewhere? We are a punky / indie covers band, when the vocalist started pushing to do "Moves Like Jagger" I threatened to walk....safe to say Moves Like Jagger is not going to be in the set anytime soon [/quote] Not really. A song is a song. Just play the things. We're a classic rock covers band. Takes about 15minutes to roughly flesh out a song, busk it with the band to see if it works in a band situation, go away and learn it properly for the next week. Job done. The thing is, you didn't even busk it in the style of a punk/indie band. How do you know what spin the rest of the band will give it. The only bit you need to keep original are the melody, chords and lyrics. Most audiences are fairly open to new ideas if they recognise the tune/words. "I love your take on Moves Like Jagger."

As far as songs go I leave it up to the guitarist and singer. Too many bands where the setlist has caused enough problems to spend anymore time discussing what to play. Tell me what to play. I'll learn it and play it. Job done.

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1396435981' post='2413484'] Can you provide some evidence that this actually happens, and how loss of elasticity affects the sound? [/quote] As Number6 points out. You have to stretch them when you first put them on. They're quite unstable until they've settled in. The exterior wrapping is stainless the core is steel. This does depend on the manufacture though. Which is why some strings seem to last longer. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DRLRMH545/specs

Every song will get boring when you've been playing it for 10months without a gig.

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1396433580' post='2413434'] Would be interested in reading what people think happens to strings as the get duller/older. As far as I know and from what I've read elsewhere, over time natural oils from your fingers combined with sweat, skin and general dust, liquids etc, build up between the windings on the string, this affects the sound of the string as it vibrates. Apologies if I'm stating the obvious. I know people have their preferred method of cleaning but, all you are effectively doing is trying to 'de-grease' the string, and the easiest way to do this is simply a bowl of very hot water and some washing up liquid, just wipe them in the water with a cloth until no more marks appear. How do I know this? Well, I've had headless basses for most of my time playing and one of the great advantages of double ball end strings is they can be cleaned repeatedly, I've extended the life of strings this way for months, years even. Sorry for going a bit off topic. [/quote] Playing the strings also stretches them and together with tuning up/down the steel core eventually loses its elasticity. Heating them up will restore this a bit. The problem with water is that it'll rust the core eventually and the string will break mid set. I've only ever broken one string. Back in the 80s when everyone was boiling their strings and playing like Mark King

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1396434525' post='2413452'] TimR drummer had texted me (post#10), indeed, several times now, ... [/quote] Ok. I didn't read that properly. I would forget texting and ring him. Texts and Facebook are pretty rubbish when it's got to that stage.

We had a very good guitarist suffenly pack up a leave. He'd been playing with an old band from his university days and decided that two bands was too much for him. No great shakes, two years later he called me and asked me to dep for them as they'd kicked the bass player out. If the whole band and gone off and formed another covers with a different bass player then you would have something to worry about. I think you're just venting though.

I'm not your enemy and I'm not here for a fight. Just that I've been there and done that.

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1396429151' post='2413360'] Thanks Skybone, communication and a little respect are exactly the key. TimR at the risk of me being Modded I look at your comments on many threads and frankly think half of them would be an attempt to start a punch up in a convent. Just my perspective, you understand. [/quote] No that's fine. I don't see why you would be modded. I suspect you might feel like that because I seem to have a completely different perspective on life than you do. Possibly so do your band mates. I would only inform the people I played with that I'm doing something else if it was directly going to affect them. Maybe that's the take your band mates are taking. By your own admission you haven't heard back from the drummer and you are a 'tart'. I think you should sit back and think and wait before throwing your toys out of the pram and end up being bandless for the sake of a bit of hurt pride.

Blimey. You don't own them mate. Show a bit of perspective. Have they actually cancelled rehearsals for the gigging band yet? Do you actually need rehearsals if you are gigging regularly? Many of us are in two or three bands and manage it quite well. Why do you have to be bandless? If the gigging band is going well stick with it. If it starts to look like you're not gigging enough, join an additional band. I assume that this 'university' band are playing originals and unlikely to be gigging regularly and will very probably be a flash in the pan.