Is using a dep a good idea?

[PaulWarning]

this has cropped up in a current thread, http://basschat.co.uk/topic/310399-should-i-cancel-gig-i-am-going-to-for-my-bands-gig/page__pid__3354119#entry3354119, I didn't want to take it off subject and it's something I've always thought wasn't a very good idea, in an originals band especially, anybody got some good and bad stories about using deps? is it worth risking your bands reputation by having a car crash gig?I'm not talking regular deps here, we used our old drummer at the weekend for instance, but as a one off

[Andy_L]

Plus there's always the danger that the dep may be a better player or more fun to be around than me

[Ghost_Bass]

Not a bad thing if the band members have a healthy relationship. In my band we've all been dep'd at least once (except the singer, he's the show so he can't be dep'd). We allways tried to find the best musician for those jobs (yes, better than the current musicians in the band) as there's a better change he can nail the songs easier. We have a great relationship as musicians and especially as friends so nobody is woried about getting sacked for a better option, it would never happen.
It's a very rare thing to happen as we share a band google account and have the callendar sinc'd in our mobile phones, when it did happen (very well payed gigs at the last minute) it was allways the unavailable musician that gave the thumbs up for the booking with a dep as nobody wants to prevent the others to earn a little bit more money. I guess there are other bands with diferent friend/work relationship where this could turn in to a problem.

Edited August 16, 2017 by Ghost_Bass

[chris_b]

If you have a car-crash gig because the dep wasn't good enough or didn't put in the time to get up to speed then you didn't choose the right dep.

This only works if there is time to prepare and the guy can rise to the occasion.

Everyone needs to know where these guys are because gigs are not as plentiful as they used to be so turning one down should be the last option, not the first.

[stingrayPete1977]

If it's a professional band then you can't turn down gigs for each member, with five members you'd have no gigs!

Most of the bands reluctant to use deps are the ones where a decent dep could cover it easily, alright now and Brown eyed girl are known my most party/pub/function band bassists

Edited August 16, 2017 by stingrayPete1977

[dand666]

All my work at the moment is depping. I dep 2 days a week every weekend. We can be trusted :-)

[TimR]

I have a dep gig on Saturday. I've done a few dep gigs in my time, some gigs where no member of the band has met before.

A few weeks ago I stood in for one number for a bit of fun.

I've had deps stand in for gigs in bands I've been in.

I've played all night as a house bassist at jam sessions.

I've depped in originals bands.

It's just a different mindset. There's a lot of very precious people out there who believe they can't be replaced.

You just need to make sure your band and the dep have the ability to be flexible. Some bands can only play songs exactly as they've rehearsed and exactly as per the recording. They have no ability to cover when things get a bit loose.

[pendingrequests]

I don't really see an issue with a dep or being a dep.

If I have been asked to cover someone, it means that see my talent as good as the current bass player. I am there to fill that gig and thats it. Even if it means 6 - 8 gigs, no matter what, its not my gig. I am depping.

[dand666]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1502888483' post='3354186']
I have a dep gig on Saturday. I've done a few dep gigs in my time, some gigs where no member of the band has met before.

[/quote]

Ha! Too many times this has happened to me. Bloody agencies. Always awkward when the bride or groom come over and say they've seen us before that's why they hired us

[Muppet]

Deps seem to be mostly drummers and bassists though it seems (although I was in a function band that had a dep singer once). Is this because we're more flexible or just more easily replaced?

I depped for an originals band once in a band competition final. The band won, the original bassist was fired and I got the job.

[mrtcat]

I love depping. Keeps you sharp, plenty of networking and if a band is really good it's a buzz. If a band aren't so great it's only a short term thing. I'd be perfectly happy for a dep to cover me in my absence as long as they have a professional approach. It's very rare that a band uses a dep that they have absolutely no knowledge of IME but it can happen and can be a worry. That said most deps I know are very good at what they do and put the homework in.

[oldslapper]

[quote name='dand666' timestamp='1502887599' post='3354179']
All my work at the moment is depping. I dep 2 days a week every weekend. We can be trusted :-)
[/quote]

This.
I only dep these days, originals bands.

Deps are no different from permanent members, in that both can be ijits, or easy to work with, proficient or not, prepared/practised or half a@*sed in their approach.

Clear & timely communication is key on both parts, if you use a dep.

This includes (from the band);
Songs
Keys
Song Arrangements
Venue
Times
Important image considerations (yes this is important see BRX above)
I have turned up for a video shoot with the "wrong" bass as the agent forgot to communicate that they wanted a vintage instrument, not a jazz bass..and I didn't ask beforehand.
Also give more than one contact number out for the day of the event.

If you can find a recommended dep, all the better.

Most deps I know aren't after your job, and have a number of different reasons for depping. I've played gig's where the regular bassist has turned up & we've had a lovely chat afterwards.
There's a facebook page for dep musicians I believe?

Sorry, gone on a bit.
John

[stingrayPete1977]

If they wanted something more vintage looking than a jazz bass it sounds like they wanted an upright bassist!?

[PaulWarning]

still not heard from anybody that's hired a dep and it's not worked out for whatever reason, have they always been a success then? because I've seen them, one dep guitarist I saw used a music stand (fair enough) but was really low in the mix, when you could hear him you knew why

[scalpy]

I was given some sage advice by a reed player with the RSC. Never get a dep who's better than you. Or blonde 😉

[oldslapper]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1502902444' post='3354306']
If they wanted something more vintage looking than a jazz bass it sounds like they wanted an upright bassist!?
[/quote]

I'd have been happy to have brought one Pete....turns out an old hofner type was what they prefered. To be fair the jazz was a purple levinson Blade...bit modern 🙄
Communication is key. 🤓

[Lozz196]

Whatever happens in our band, the agreement is if one of us can`t do the gig for whatever reason, the band don`t play. There are enough bands on the scene that could be asked to stand in, so that people get a whole rehearsed line up, rather than a probably hastily put together line up that are more than likely to not play as well. Whilst I`m sure many bassists could play what I do (it really isn`t that difficult, trust me) not many play the way I do, or get the same sound, be that by eq or by style. Same with the drums, our drummer has a style that I`ve really not heard before, it fits our music but someone without his drums, well it would take a great deal away. And guitarist/singer - well it`s all about the guitarist/singer in most bands isn`t it, and ours is no different, we couldn`t gig without him.

[Norris]

We will use deps occasionally, usually for the drummer, and someone we know. Then it's a case of choosing some songs that we all know or are not too difficult to busk. None of us is pretentious - if the rest of the band want to earn some money when someone isn't available then that's fine. We don't dep the vox/guitarist but then he's really the kingpin of the band and the one that is making a living out of it (along with the other bands he plays in). The drummer and I have day jobs so it's just an extra bit of pocket money for us playing in the band

[blue]

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1502899635' post='3354287']
I love depping. Keeps you sharp, plenty of networking and if a band is really good it's a buzz. If a band aren't so great it's only a short term thing. I'd be perfectly happy for a dep to cover me in my absence as long as they have a professional approach. It's very rare that a band uses a dep that they have absolutely no knowledge of IME but it can happen and can be a worry. That said most deps I know are very good at what they do and put the homework in.
[/quote]

To many variables and level of gigs for me to comment.

I do like the idea of being able to say "yeah I can dep for you guys on the 25th, my fee is $175.00 paid in cash prior to your show.".

Blue

Edited August 17, 2017 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='scalpy' timestamp='1502909625' post='3354359']
I was given some sage advice by a reed player with the RSC. Never get a dep who's better than you. Or blonde 😉
[/quote]

I would have to be really sick to back out of a gig and would never put anything like a vacation or other personal event before a gig.

Blue

[lojo]

When I recently became ill I had to pull out of 2 Dep gigs id booked a few weeks apart , something I've never done and id never do but it was in very extreme circumstances . I felt so bad that I managed to arrange both players I was depping for to cover each other as they could make the dates for each other's band just not their own.

It all worked out great and I got good feedback from both bands . This was at fairly short notice but fortunately about 75% of both sets where we'll know covers

So yes it can work at function / party level if everyone has the right attitude

Edited August 17, 2017 by lojo

[stingrayPete1977]

If your songs are good enough slight variations in style and instruments used shouldn't be a deal breaker, it might be different and from the audience's perspective they might prefer the version with the dep player!

[NancyJohnson]

We're doing a gig in about three weeks with a dep drummer. I won't lie that I am a little concerned...I think we have one rehearsal with him and another half rehearsal (we're playing another gig the night after the first gig and want to have a run through with our actual drummer).

Our original guitarist came back for a show once, we did do a set based more around his tenure within the band and that went OK.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1502964860' post='3354669']
We're doing a gig in about three weeks with a dep drummer. I won't lie that I am a little concerned...I think we have one rehearsal with him and another half rehearsal (we're playing another gig the night after the first gig and want to have a run through with our actual drummer).

Our original guitarist came back for a show once, we did do a set based more around his tenure within the band and that went OK.
[/quote]at least drummers can't play the wrong notes we've only used deps twice and that was old members helping us out, never used a total 'outsider' can't say I'm keen, as Hiram said it just wouldn't be the same, even well rehearsed deps do things differently, when you go and see a favorite band with a different line up it's never quite the same, if any members of ours are unavailable we don't do the gig, doesn't happen very often, we're all only in one band

[Dad3353]

I find it both amusing and instructive to see the differing attitudes of folks to the notion of change. Some with a hyper-conservative attitude ('It wouldn't be the same...'), others welcoming the fresh approach brought by a relative stranger to the affair. No judgement here; both are legitimate, and perfectly respectable, but interesting just the same to imagine the differing personalities behind these reactions, highlighting the vast diversity of BC, and, to an extent, the population in general. A gold mine for the psychologists among us..!
Just sayin'.