Frustrating

[Yank]

It can be frustrating when the band has practiced a song at a certain speed,  then for some reason,  the singer is feeling it slower on a given night and it takes the snap right out of a song.  Speed or feel is subjective and it's hard to convince the perp that they are dragging.  

[casapete]

Even worse when the perp is the drummer! At least singers can be jollied along a bit by the rest of the band, 

whereas it's usually just down to the bassist to try and sort the tempos out if the drummer is at fault.

I speak from bitter experience....

[bonzodog]

I think speed is a factor a lot of bands struggle with when playing live. When I watch videos back of us playing live I am shocked how quicker some of the songs are. Must be an adrenaline thing.

I always struggled with the bass solo in my generation till I realised we were playing it a lot quicker than the original.

[T-Bay]

We always play some songs quicker at gigs. We realise this happens so plan it into the rehearsal time as much as we can. We will,play at what feels a sensible speed then deliberately play a lot faster to see how it sounds. Partly it’s the drummer who is the mildest guy you could ever meet but a complete,tee animal when he is playing, but we are all equally to blame really as we all like to play fast. It took me a while to realise why a couple of songs were a doddle in rehearsal but nearly killed me when we played them live.

[SpondonBassed]

Frustrating to the band.

It's not so great for the audience either.  When a vocalist goes all self-indulgent with their take (on classics usually) on how a song should be delivered.  It reminds me of Joe Cocker's cover of A Little Help.  Bl**dy awful.

[stingrayPete1977]

One thing I've always been quite good at as a bass player, possibly the only thing, is keeping the time in check. Sometimes a song needs a rocket under it during the first verse to stop it dragging other times it goes to fast and the dynamics of the song are lost, I recently bought it up at practice that our Blondie call me was too quick and it's much better for a slowing down. 

Sweet home Alabama at 250bpm at the local jam night is another one that springs to mind. 

[SpondonBassed]

2 minutes ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

One thing I've always been quite good at as a bass player, possibly the only thing, is keeping the time in check. Sometimes a song needs a rocket under it during the first verse to stop it dragging other times it goes to fast and the dynamics of the song are lost, I recently bought it up at practice that our Blondie call me was too quick and it's much better for a slowing down. 

Sweet home Alabama at 250bpm at the local jam night is another one that springs to mind. 

Try bringing a metronome to a jam night though Pete...

[casapete]

I did a 'Strictly Come Dancing' type of event at Christmas, and knowing how particular the dancers can be regarding

tempos, the drummer brought along a digital metronome which proved to be invaluable. No complaints at all.

Reminds me of a great keyboard player I worked with who used to ask the dancers - " Right, your next dance is a tango.

How do you want it - too fast or too slow?"

[dave_bass5]

i always find its the drummer that decided to change/set the tempo of songs. Once the band are paying the singer has no choice but to go with it.

[SpondonBassed]

2 hours ago, casapete said:

I did a 'Strictly Come Dancing' type of event at Christmas, and knowing how particular the dancers can be regarding

tempos, the drummer brought along a digital metronome which proved to be invaluable. No complaints at all.

Reminds me of a great keyboard player I worked with who used to ask the dancers - " Right, your next dance is a tango.

How do you want it - too fast or too slow?"

Yes.  (Although I was aiming my comment at StringrayPete's comment above mine.)

If anyone else but the drummer had brought it do you still think it would have gone down as well?

I stand by my words.  You'd get the weewee ripped out of you at any jam night if you were a drummer and if you were playing any other instrument the drummer would bottle you.  'Round here anyway.

[Delberthot]

5 hours ago, bonzodog said:

 

I always struggled with the bass solo in my generation till I realised we were playing it a lot quicker than the original.

The same for me but the song was Footloose. Once we changed drummers and started playing it at the correct speed it was a hell of a lot easier to play and more enjoyable

[mikel]

3 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

i always find its the drummer that decided to change/set the tempo of songs. Once the band are paying the singer has no choice but to go with it.

/\  This.  Surely the singer has to go with the music.

[jbn4001]

I guess it comes down to several factors such as musical ability of individuals in the band, and how well the band gels together (good communication).   I've been in a band where the singer was a good musician with great time feel and expression.  Before the next song, she'd always pause for a moment to get the feel and then count in the tune..and invariably it was always the right tempo (and pretty consistent across rehearsals and gigs).

I've been in a band without a drummer. In that band, for many tracks, we made a note of our preferred tempo and the keyboard player would key it in on a metronome and count us in.  

Both methods worked well.

I've also been in a band where we often finished a tune at twice the tempo that we started at.  I blamed the drummer for that!  Though generally, I am a believer in tempo being everyone's responsibility in a group. 

 

[musicbassman]

So, I'm in a holiday camp band back in the '80s, and we're auditioning a new girl singer.

Bandleader: "OK, what key do you normally sing this in?"

Girl singer: "errr - quite fast?"

[dave_bass5]

On 2/24/2018 at 16:21, Delberthot said:

The same for me but the song was Footloose. Once we changed drummers and started playing it at the correct speed it was a hell of a lot easier to play and more enjoyable

We’re  learning that song at the moment. I sit at home and play along with a YT bass cover video with the tab. All sounds good,  but at rehearsals I’m having to miss out 1/3 of the notes due to the speed were are playing at (and the change of rhythm because the drummer cant actually play it straight). 

Funny , but I thought I had escaped having to learn this song, I guess the past is catching up with me now..

[Delberthot]

Is it this video?

 

If so I managed to find the dots on his website but I can't remember how. I think that this is the most accurate one and the one I used to learn the track

[stingrayPete1977]

On 24/02/2018 at 11:52, SpondonBassed said:

Try bringing a metronome to a jam night though Pete...

I am the metronome 

[EssentialTension]

On 24/02/2018 at 13:18, casapete said:

... the drummer brought along a digital metronome ...

I played with a drummer who did this.

BPM was agreed in advance for all songs and saved on metronome.

Drummer takes beat from little flashing light on the metronome, counts us in and off we go.

Perfect.

[karlfer]

We're not alone guys, take comfort.

I've see Maiden many a time. Whitley Bay Ice Rink, No Prayer For The Dying Tour, about Nov '87 I think.

They played everything so damn fast I thought they'd gone punk . Hallowed Be They Name in particular was dreadful 

[Woodinblack]

Our band so often plays things way too fast that I practice all songs at 110 - 120% just in case.

[bazzbass]

as others have said, it often falls to the bass player to keep the drummer in check, timing wise. A drummer that can't keep time is not really a drummer. My first drummer, in two bands was woeful. As soon as I jammed with a real drummer I could suddenly spend my energies playing what I wanted to play and not having to constantly nudge the drummer 

[SpondonBassed]

11 hours ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

I am the metronome 

I'm glad you didn't go all Ringo like that 'click' quote he's known for.  I am the walrus BTW and the eggman will be along shortly after he has collected all of the eggs from his flock of golden geese.  It's not easy sitting on a cornflake you know.  I may try Weetabix next time.

I played with @PaulWarning and Wendy one night.  Wendy on drums, Paul on guitar and vox, me on bass.  He did advise me that it was intended as a punk performance.  The BPM on The Letter was enough to make my fingertips smoke but the beat was consistent and relentless and fun.

I prefer that to slowing a song down.  It drags.

Edited February 26, 2018 by SpondonBassed

[stingrayPete1977]

It works both ways though, some songs just become rushed unless rearranged to suit a different genre. Sweet home Alabama is a good example, all the little riffs and the solos become a blur if played too quickly. 

[EssentialTension]

12 minutes ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

It works both ways though, some songs just become rushed unless rearranged to suit a different genre. Sweet home Alabama is a good example, all the little riffs and the solos become a blur if played too quickly. 

Yes, some band members don't seem to realise that, for example, the bass line would likely need to be different at a different enough tempo, faster or slower.

[SpondonBassed]

1 minute ago, EssentialTension said:

Yes, some band members don't seem to realise that, for example, the bass line would likely need to be different at a different enough tempo, faster or slower.

That's the fun bit if you're pulled into a tempo that is quicker than the one you have practiced a standard at for years.

If the ornamental bits are too fast you need to drop them for something simplified yet which punctuates the piece as before.  Doing this on the fly was a great experience for me.  One day I might even get good at it.

If it's slowed down it's more difficult in some ways.  For me, it gives me too much time to think and distract myself from the song.  Imagine playing Michelle for years and then having to do it with Joe Cocker performing it!  No.  Not for me.