essexbasscat Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Most of us have probably been there, at some point or other So there you are, you're focussed on your bass line, maybe doing vocals as well, the sound balance is not too bad for that gig. The band's warmed up and ticking over nicely. Then another band member starts playing your bassline.......... Speechless Anyone else get this ?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 you have two bass players? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Nope, never had that happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanovw Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 The guitarist in my band did it last night! He stomped on his octaver pedal, looked at me with a big grin and played what I was playing. I tried ignore him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Had this extensively with the first keyboard player in my current band. He was a VERY smart chap, psychiatrist specialising in criminal forensics (think [i][b]Cracker[/b][/i]), and a very capable musician. He was also into mind games and wind-ups and look-at-me-aren't-I-clever posturing. He doubled up on my basslines surreptitiously at rehearsals so that the bass always sounded too loud and really muddy. I kept changing my bass, my rig, my playing style in an effort to solve "my" problem .. it never occurred to me (or anyone else) that another band member might be deliberately sabotaging things. Eventually he got spotted of course. He tried to laugh it off and make out that it was all a great joke. He was out of the band after our next gig. When his replacement came in, I made it very clear on EVERY appropriate occasion who was responsible for supplying bottom end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I do the bit in Born to be Wild, at the end of the intro going into the first verse. Hard to explain, but if you know the song you should know the bit I mean, and I've done it since day one of playing the song. About 2 years ago, we went to a studio and recorded songs. Bearing in mind I had already been playing in the band about 2 years by that point, the rhythm guitarist had never noticed that I played that bit (or just about anything more complicated than straight eighth/sixteenth notes). He decided he liked it, but only managed to figure out about half of the run I do, and finishes loudly on a note which he bends and wallops the whammy bar on.... So now... every gig we do, he half-arsedly plays the same thing I'm doing over the top of me, loudly with his solo channel, and it ends up sounding like I'm just following him.... grrrr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I depped for a band, straight ahead pub rock stuff, only one bass moment in two hours, which I put a lot of work in for, learning the songs in funny keys because of the singer. Got to Alright Now, it's a well worn tune true but it is a fantastic bass moment just before the long full edit guitar solo, but he doubles the bass line before the foot on the monitor bit. Annoyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 [quote name='scalpy' post='1338467' date='Aug 13 2011, 09:34 AM']I depped for a band, straight ahead pub rock stuff, only one bass moment in two hours, which I put a lot of work in for, learning the songs in funny keys because of the singer. Got to Alright Now, it's a well worn tune true but it is a fantastic bass moment just before the long full edit guitar solo, but he doubles the bass line before the foot on the monitor bit. Annoyed.[/quote] did he whip his hair back and forth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 (edited) [quote name='scalpy' post='1338467' date='Aug 13 2011, 09:34 AM']I depped for a band, straight ahead pub rock stuff, only one bass moment in two hours, which I put a lot of work in for, learning the songs in funny keys because of the singer. Got to Alright Now, it's a well worn tune true but it is a fantastic bass moment just before the long full edit guitar solo, but he doubles the bass line before the foot on the monitor bit. Annoyed.[/quote] It was exactly this song last night for me. Keyboard player doubles up the bassline you know where. Come to think of it, apart from notes on the beat during the chorus, that is the ONLY bassline. It was the last song but one. I've known guitarists to jump on the bassline too. When asked why, I was told "Well, there's nothing else for me to do". Strewth (By the way Jack, you are not on your own mate, we could form a club with this topic in mind) Edited August 13, 2011 by essexbasscat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAlonBass Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 [quote name='allighatt0r' post='1338457' date='Aug 13 2011, 09:28 AM']I do the bit in Born to be Wild, at the end of the intro going into the first verse. Hard to explain, but if you know the song you should know the bit I mean, and I've done it since day one of playing the song. About 2 years ago, we went to a studio and recorded songs. Bearing in mind I had already been playing in the band about 2 years by that point, the rhythm guitarist had never noticed that I played that bit (or just about anything more complicated than straight eighth/sixteenth notes). He decided he liked it, but only managed to figure out about half of the run I do, and finishes loudly on a note which he bends and wallops the whammy bar on.... So now... every gig we do, he half-arsedly plays the same thing I'm doing over the top of me, loudly with his solo channel, and it ends up sounding like I'm just following him.... grrrr. [/quote] The correct procedure would be to say "Errr-You do know that the Bass plays that bit on the record, and you're f*cking it up by playing over it, spoiling the whole sound of the piece?" To which he would reply "....but I like the whammy bar bit that I do" followed by "mmpff, mmpff, mmmpppfffff!" as he tries to get your Bass from between his teeth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Some years ago we did Gaslighting Abbie. There's an intricate middle part riff in the song that is played by bass and piano only. When we came to play it, all the band members including guitars, brass and vocals did the riff as well. Sounded a right mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 This sort of thing has always annoyed me. Usually I find it's bored keyboard players who are the worst for it. They'll whack on some big, fat, square wave bass sound and double up basslines with no feel or groove, meaning the whole song ends up sounding like some crap pub band. Luckily it hasn't happened very often, because I've been fortunate to avoid playing music with bellends most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Rhythm guitarist does this at the beginning of Crazy Train. It is played like that is some live versions, so I think he thinks there is an excuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 (edited) Thing is, I'm not averse to other people playing in the frequencies usually occupied by the bass guitar if the song is written for that to happen (bass and keyboard doing question/answer for instance- there's many more potential ways of doing it and it can be quite musical). The one that draws my attention is other band members doubling the bassline where that's not supposed to occur. For the guitarist - learn about rests For the keyboard player - you have soooo many other options at your disposal, why is it necessary to double up another player's line ? unless orchestrated to be so, it can sound muddy and conflicted, as others have mentioned here. Apologies for the rant, but this topic does get my attention from time to time. Just goes to show the value of the arranger. Oh, and as for untouchable basslines ......... PAH ! who are you kidding ? T Edited August 13, 2011 by essexbasscat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I don't get other players doubling up on my lines as such, just keyboard players playing their own bass lines, or a very busy left hand or a bass heavy tone. I've had to tell several that there's only one bass player in the band! I keep telling them until they get the message! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 [quote name='Happy Jack' post='1338445' date='Aug 13 2011, 09:17 AM']Had this extensively with the first keyboard player in my current band. He was a VERY smart chap, psychiatrist specialising in criminal forensics (think [i][b]Cracker[/b][/i]), and a very capable musician. He was also into mind games and wind-ups and look-at-me-aren't-I-clever posturing. He doubled up on my basslines surreptitiously at rehearsals so that the bass always sounded too loud and really muddy. I kept changing my bass, my rig, my playing style in an effort to solve "my" problem .. it never occurred to me (or anyone else) that another band member might be deliberately sabotaging things. Eventually he got spotted of course. He tried to laugh it off and make out that it was all a great joke. He was out of the band after our next gig. When his replacement came in, I made it very clear on EVERY appropriate occasion who was responsible for supplying bottom end.[/quote] Funny how we all see things in a different way. In my business [Music] we see all that as not being a very smart chap, and an incapable Musician. Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Might as well just start playing like Victor Wooten...no keyboard player could copy that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 [quote name='Chris2112' post='1338542' date='Aug 13 2011, 10:45 AM']Might as well just start playing like Victor Wooten...no keyboard player could copy that![/quote] Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 What do you think would happen if the bass player started copying everone else's lines ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 well guys you're all in good company - Eric Clapton was forever doing this to Jack Bruce's riffs.."Sunshine..", "Badge", etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 It would be amazing... obviously. Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Only ever happened to me once. So I made sure I was playing my 6 during 'Come Up And See Me' and stole the lead solo off the guitarist. It's never happened since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 The bands first ever song: I wrote a nice root and octave line with measures ending with a scale run backwards. It was ace, it was my thing for that song and was a nice subtle transition between different parts of the song. Then the guitarist thought it'd be great to "harmonise" with me..,.. He has his god damn solo god dammit !!! Now I hate playing the song as it sound terrible and messy, since he can't ever remember when the run comes in and plays it wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 [quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1338697' date='Aug 13 2011, 01:15 PM']The bands first ever song: I wrote a nice root and octave line with measures ending with a scale run backwards. It was ace, it was my thing for that song and was a nice subtle transition between different parts of the song. Then the guitarist thought it'd be great to "harmonise" with me..,.. He has his god damn solo god dammit !!! Now I hate playing the song as it sound terrible and messy, since he can't ever remember when the run comes in and plays it wrong.[/quote] Reach over and twist one of his machine heads before he starts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 [quote name='deanovw' post='1338443' date='Aug 13 2011, 09:15 AM']The guitarist in my band did it last night! He stomped on his octaver pedal, looked at me with a big grin and played what I was playing.[/quote] Bring it on. Two can play at that game - the V-Bass makes a much better distorted crunchy metal guitar sound than most guitar rigs I've come across. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.jpg.7e18f76540598a8efc0e6ca9be453059.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.