Going To The Garden To Eat Worms

[stewblack]

I've thought for a long time that no one gets us. The time and money we throw at the bass and no one cares, or has a clue what we do or why.

I have told the tale of an amp, which, having blown up, produced an horrendous racket, in no way musical. I finished the set with it and no one even noticed. Not band, not audience.

I've been rehearsing with a band for a couple of years, we do some complex stuff and interpret covers in our own way, so I grudgingly accepted we'd have to rehearse or the rest of them wouldn't learn the songs properly.

I have contacted Covid 19 and am currently out of circulation as a result. So they have got a dep for Saturday's gig. Nothing wrong with that, I depped last weekend.

But this is the thing, he's a guitarist faking it, and they think it's fine that he won't know the songs because, well, I guess because it's just bass isn't it.

I wouldn't dream of depping any of the other three. Each one is unique, brings a lot of work to each gig, and so much we do is about complimenting one another.

But it's only the bass.

No one comments on it unless it's to tell me to turn down.

 

 

[Len_derby]

Posts like this always remind me of the words of wisdom I got from Martin Ace, long-time bass player of the Welsh band Man.  His philosophy of bass playing in a band was, “if you’re bothered about being unappreciated, overlooked or misunderstood you’ve probably chosen the wrong instrument.”

 

But we know, don’t we 😉

 

[Doctor J]

Why do you care what anyone thinks? Do you enjoy playing bass, does it move you? If so, continue to enjoy it. Just the feel of low frequencies rattling my rib cage takes me to my happy place. I get lost in the enjoyment of the subtleties of our wonderful instrument. If others don't get it, it's their loss.

 

Or, in another way, it's not you, it's them. 🙂

[musicbassman]

@stewblack, don't get yourself down about this. It's the cross all bass players have to bear.

 

We bass players know that the bass is the rhythmic and melodic glue that binds everything else together. It's very subtlety is it's own misfortune, but we all secretly know that the bass line can make or break a song.

Sermon over. 🙂   Go forth and enjoy your subtle bass playing pleasures.

[gjones]

The only time my band ever appreciated me, was when I couldn't make the gig and somebody else depped for me and was fekkin awful.

[Old Horse Murphy]

While I completely agree about often being overlooked, it's the out of the blue compliments that keep me going. 
 

I remember my first gig with an old band where once we'd finished a punter came out of the blue and said "I just wanted to shake your hand and tell you you're a fantastic bass player". It made my year. 
 

Similarly, a landlord once came over and told me I was head and shoulders the best musician he'd heard for quite a while. Again, makes enduring all the guitar solos worthwhile...well, it certainly helps. 
 

In the words of Sir Richard Francis Burton: 

 

"Do what thy manhood bids thee do, from none but self expect applause"

 

[Paul S]

1 minute ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

While I completely agree about often being overlooked, it's the out of the blue compliments that keep me going. 
 

 

A drunk punter came up to me once at the end of a gig and siad 'you've got a great moustache'.  In the absence of anything else, I'll take that  

[gjones]

2 minutes ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

Similarly, a landlord once came over and told me I was head and shoulders the best musician he'd heard for quite a while. Again, makes enduring all the guitar solos worthwhile...well, it certainly helps. 

 

Are you sure he didn't confuse you with the drummer/guitarist/flugelhorn player?

 

That's happened to me in the past 🤥

[Old Horse Murphy]

1 minute ago, gjones said:

Are you sure he didn't confuse you with the drummer/guitarist/flugelhorn player?

 

That's happened to me in the past 🤥

Good point. I was holding a banjo at the time...

[Barking Spiders]

If you played slap bass in a funk or 80s style pop band then everyone would be focusing on you with open mouthed admiration😊(with the exception of some BCers!). No one really notices the rest of the band members individually.

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[warwickhunt]

If you think it's bad being an underappreciated bassist... spare a thought for drummers!  

 

We use drum deps regularly as our drummer often does shows, studio sessions etc and we've been known to literally put a shout out on FB (deps that suddenly remember they are doing something else) that we need a drummer in a couple of hours time.  We 'never' let on to the management or the audience that the drummer is a dep and we've yet to have a single negative response to using someone who's never even sat down with us and worked out stops/starts.  

[Boodang]

It's one reason I've always liked playing in a trio as it brings the bass to the fore. 

 

An analogy told to me by a sound engineer always stuck with me; if you only had one spotlight for the stage, at whom would you point it? Of course, the egotist singer!

[cetera]

1 hour ago, Paul S said:

 

A drunk punter came up to me once at the end of a gig and siad 'you've got a great moustache'.  In the absence of anything else, I'll take that  

 To be fair, that moustache in your avatar IS awesome!!

 

[Newfoundfreedom]

When I left my old band they put out a shout for a bass player on their Facebook page. Bass guitarist wanted. No experience necessary. We'll show you how to play it. 

 

Just about sums up the level of credit bass players get. 

[tegs07]

1 minute ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

When I left my old band they put out a shout for a bass player on their Facebook page. Bass guitarist wanted. No experience necessary. We'll show you how to play it. 

 

Just about sums up the level of credit bass players get. 

Or how delusional many guitarists and singers are. A band without a rock solid drummer and bassist are going nowhere.

[Doctor J]

Definitely! Maybe? 😉

[MartinB]

1 hour ago, stewblack said:

I've been rehearsing with a band for a couple of years, we do some complex stuff and interpret covers in our own way

You're doing your own arrangements, yet you've been pushed into the background so much that you might as well not be there. I wouldn't be happy in that situation either. If they can't or won't accommodate you, then maybe it's time to start thinking about a new band that's better aligned with what you want - a duo, a trio, a genre that's bass-led...

[Teebs]

I ate a worm once when I was little.

🦕 (sorry, no worm emojiconthingy)

 

It was gravelly.

Not very tasty.

🤮

[Roger2611]

I saw Peter Hook and the Light the other week, the guitarist was fantastic, he played all the Joy Division and New Order stuff really well, don't know who the rest of the band were, I also think they had a drummer but didn't pay enough attention to be certain 🤣

 

[nige1968]

27 minutes ago, Teebs said:

I ate a worm once when I was little.

🦕 (sorry, no worm emojiconthingy)

 

It was gravelly.

Not very tasty.

🤮

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/23/going-underground-meet-man-lived-as-animal-charles-foster

Are you him? Think it'd work as a stage act?

 

My brother had worms. Does that count?

 

🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱

Edited December 3, 2021 by nige1968
worms

[stewblack]

I guess I didn't ought to complain. I only became a bassist because the incumbent left a band I auditioned for. I was a rhythm guitar player.

But it's only bass, you can do that, right?

[Trueno]

I long ago decided that, with the bass, you can play any notes you like as long as you stay in time… and nobody notices.

[jonnybass]

I compare bass players to goalies, teams can win football matches with an ok goalie or sometimes even someone else as a sub, but there are a couple of times in a football match a great goalie shows his worth, a good set of songs is the same, there are usually times a great bass player shows his worth (usually signified by enthusiastic dancing/moshing/chin stroking*). I have been in the audience where the bass player has been a dep guitarist and it doesnt sound good (often signified by a lack of dancers/moshers/strokers).  Maybe after they play with the dep they will realise what you bring?  Joni summed it up well "you dont know what you've got til its gone"  

 

 

 

*jazz only

[stewblack]

It's not that I think they won't notice any difference, it's the thought that they're prepared to waste all that time and money rehearsing with me in the first place if I'm that unimportant