Mr Fretbuzz Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Well I'm in my first Band and haven't played a note yet. The guitarist gives me his set list of 11 songs, says something like he doesn't want to be a tribute band and wants to play them his way. So he scribbles the Keys against each. I go away and try and find some tab for them. Most of them are in the wrong key. I find a great tab for Green Onions on Songsterr and it's in Fm . He's got E on my sheet so I suggest to the drummer it would be good if we change to F. I'm a bit concerned about open Es ringing out forever on my P Bass. The reply from the guitarist is no, it's in E because the next song on the list is in E too!! WTF Anyhow I've transposed it to Em and added some fretted notes to stop the open E ringing. He can play in E maj if he wants lol . I guess I don't mind changing within a min or maj scale but changing outside that I dunno... I doubt he'll hear the difference anyway as he'll only be able to hear his guitar :-0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 With a guitarist behaving in that way, I think it's time to look for your second band! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted November 11, 2012 Author Share Posted November 11, 2012 Funny you should say that :-) I'm just putting it down to gaining band experience and maybe at some stage I'll pinch the drummer and find another guitarist :-) Hopefully I'll get to play a note before it all goes tits up :-0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Sounds like you've recently joined his band? In which case, I'd learn the songs the way he wants, and if you're not prepared to do that then find another band or start your own. Not all bands work as a democracy IMO, and if you're not calling the shots sometimes it's best to just go with the flow, particularly if you've just joined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 If he wants to play every song in the same key as the next one surely they'll all be in E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted November 11, 2012 Author Share Posted November 11, 2012 Eh lol :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Right now,I'm failing to see a problem. Play it in E minor.If your only worry is about strings ringing,then I'd suggest maybe working on your muting technique. You can do a couple of songs in the same key so it makes an easy segue..again,it's not really a big deal.I depped with a band last night,and there were a few songs where they changed the key for segue reasons.Great,no problems. With regards to him saying it's in E when it's in E minor-let's be honest,there are loads of people who just say "It's in E" with no regard to actual key signatures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin8708 Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 If you can show him that you can play his set list in his chosen key , you will be the better musician / person for it . Singers will quite frequently change the key of a song to fit their vocal range , so it is no bad thing to be able to shift a song up or down the fretboard . More importantly , do you get on with the other muso's , it sounds like you don't really like this chap which may be more of an issue than the key changes in the songs . Good chemistry in a band counts for a lot in my book . All the best . Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted November 11, 2012 Author Share Posted November 11, 2012 Only met the guys once and they seem ok and the good thing is that they are willing to give a newbie a chance... Unless they're desperate :-). Yep, had some experience tonight of working out how to change the notes so all is good so far :-) I'm sure I'll learn a lot ..it will all be experience, good and bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 (edited) You can't just join a band and start calling the shots! The songs may be in different keys for a number of sound musical reasons. Don't think he is a 'dork' for doing this. You should aspire to be able to play without unwanted string-ringing. Personally, if you joined one of the bands I'm in and had this attitude of yours, you would last one rehearsal. Sorry. Edited November 11, 2012 by silddx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Transposing is all part of playing and you will improve as a player because of it. If you know what the 'shape' you're playing is then transposing it won't be a problem, a minor triad is the same anywhere on the neck. And as for open strings, learning where the notes are will make it all the more easier to play. I've gigged with people who have played the same songs in several keys, again, you're scales are the same anywhere on the neck so transposing is at its most basic level just moving you're hand up and down the neck accordingly. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin8708 Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 [quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1352670910' post='1866008'] Only met the guys once and they seem ok and the good thing is that they are willing to give a newbie a chance... Unless they're desperate :-). Yep, had some experience tonight of working out how to change the notes so all is good so far :-) I'm sure I'll learn a lot ..it will all be experience, good and bad [/quote] It sounds as if they are quite decent chaps , and I'm sure they will take the fact that you are a newbie into account . As a fairly average bass player myself , showing willing to learn and fit in with other band members is vital . Just by doing your homework ( learning the songs ) ,be punctual and reliable for rehearsals will count for a lot . Don't be ashamed to ask for help , if the guitarist is as good as he thinks , he will probably know the bass lines to some of the songs . Just enjoy the pleasure of playing with other musicians , It is in their interest to get you up to gigging standard , so learn all you can from these guys . All the very best . Martin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted November 12, 2012 Author Share Posted November 12, 2012 Thanks guys..I'm learning to transpose by looking at key charts so that's good :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 [quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1352668843' post='1865976'] Right now,I'm failing to see a problem. Play it in E minor.If your only worry is about strings ringing,then I'd suggest maybe working on your muting technique. You can do a couple of songs in the same key so it makes an easy segue..again,it's not really a big deal.I depped with a band last night,and there were a few songs where they changed the key for segue reasons.Great,no problems. With regards to him saying it's in E when it's in E minor-let's be honest,there are loads of people who just say "It's in E" with no regard to actual key signatures. [/quote] Pretty much what I was going to say.Nothing wrong with changing keys,although it's ususally for vocalist reasons in my case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 A couple of the bands I work with do a number of the same songs, but for a variety of reasons in different keys. One is my main lot and the other a dep. It can be a bit of a nightmare particularly if I have been playing regularly with one while on a layoff from the other as the muscle memory sometimes kicks to leave me in temporary flounder mode but it's all good experience. The dep lot to "[i]Living On A Prayer[/i]"in C#. It's a bit high for the vocalist/guitarist/leader and I did once say to him "[i]Why did you pick C# not B which would seem easier all round[/i]" (certainly for me!!) ? His reply because I like to play stuff without looking at the guitar neck and C# works better for me Hey ho. His call, not my band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 E is most guitarists favorite key, especially if they're planning on doing a solo. So if this guy likes doing solos you better get used to it. You're lucky he's not a Jimi Hendrix or Stevey Ray Vaughn fan because then everything would be in Eb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted November 12, 2012 Author Share Posted November 12, 2012 Ah, now it's becoming clearer why they are mostly in E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Your guitarist seems like a decent enough chap (although I haven't met him). He even wrote down the key for each song, rather than let you get on with learning them to be told afterwards that they need to be transposed . Enjoy the process and you may get quite a lot of of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurbs Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 I echo what others have said. If you try and learn basic scales & the structure of songs ( I, V, IV etc) then it doesn't matter what key it's in, you still know it. Learning theory pays you back again and again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 (edited) Not a wonderful attitude to be bringing to a new band, if you want to be continuing to play with bands in the future then you've got to have the ability to compromise, that's pretty much rule one. And aside from that, I'd stop using tabs from the internet, they're hassle and not worth your time. Get your ears together and then transposing songs to different keys will stop being an issue at all, even if Green Onions got put up to Ab. Edited November 12, 2012 by risingson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Bassists - they want the moon on a stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 [quote name='Wil' timestamp='1352731913' post='1866636'] Bassists - they want the moon on a stick. [/quote] And they want it in E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Staggered by your attitude, new to the band, clearly pretty green as a bassist all around, and yet still calling people dorks before you know the why's and wherefore's of what you are being asked to do. You need to have a bit of a think about things I think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 [quote name='bremen' timestamp='1352733563' post='1866679'] And they want it in E. [/quote] Well, Fm in this case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnozzalee Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 I don't think there's an attitude problem by either party, just a breakdown in communication - give the guitarist the benefit of the doubt this time and if it doesn't work you can raise the issue during play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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