Band's keys player "wants to play bass on a few songs...." Alarm bells?

[solo4652]

I play in a good 5-piece pub covers band. Drummer's wife plays keys - sort of. She has bought a bass and at last night's gig she told me she wanted to play bass "on a few songs" next year. Hmmm....

[ezbass]

Hmm, er… no!

[musicbassman]

Well, why, of course - I mean, bass is so easy, anyone can do it.

There's only four strings for a start, and all they do is play the first note of each chord 😬👍

[Beedster]

Tell her you want to play keys on a few songs? 

[Doctor J]

Tell her you've got a new song for the setlist

 

 

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Maybe the drummer could buy her a moog for Christmas , and she could learn that . 🤫 otherwise ..' no !' 

[Beedster]

All joking aside, most people can play a bass guitar but very few of then can play bass, let her have a go and likely show which camp she’s in 👍

[TimR]

At gigs? 

 

Why?

 

Maybe audition first and let someone neutral decide if she makes the grade - ie not you or the drummer. 😆

 

But yeah, agree with earlier posters, if she's playing bass on those tunes, you play keys on them. 

[Angel]

Seems like a no situation to me. You are the bass player, let her find her own bass band.

[Angel]

7 minutes ago, TimR said:

At gigs? 

 

Why?

 

Maybe audition first and let someone neutral decide if she makes the grade - ie not you or the drummer. 😆

 

But yeah, agree with earlier posters, if she's playing bass on those tunes, you play keys on them. 

 

No to that! 5 months later she's the bass player and the OP is stuck with keys!

[Dan Dare]

8 minutes ago, Beedster said:

All joking aside, most people can play a bass guitar but very few of then can play bass, let her have a go and likely show which camp she’s in 👍

 

Not a good strategy. The old man/drummer will support her even if she's terrible to avoid getting earache at home. If she turns out to be decent, they'll be thinking about easing you out to make the gig money go further.

[chris_b]

I'd ask why!

 

And then say, do you have bass you can use?

[Dan Dare]

3 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I'd ask why!

 

And then say, do you have bass you can use?

 

Not to mention a rig. She appears to have a bass.

[steantval]

Looks very likely your five piece will be advertising for replacement drums and keys players 😀

 

Plenty of spare time over this holiday period to check out Join My Band and Bandmix.

[NoRhino]

What will you be doing during her bass songs?  If you'll be singing lead vocal or playing another instrument it can add a different dynamic for a couple of songs.  If she doesn't need or want you to do anything but leave the stage kill the idea stone dead now.  

[Mykesbass]

What does she expect you to do during these songs?

[oldslapper]

1 hour ago, solo4652 said:

I play in a good 5-piece pub covers band. Drummer's wife plays keys - sort of. She has bought a bass and at last night's gig she told me she wanted to play bass "on a few songs" next year. Hmmm....

It wouldn’t worry me particularly. 
If she’s terrible or at least not great, but still insists on pursuing this dream, and no one says anything and they go along with it, I’d high tail out of there asap. I don’t hang around in bands with the deluded in control.

If she turns out to be good, and is supported by the rest to pursue her dream, then you have a choice to share bass duties or leave. 
You could of course refuse that she plays bass all together. I don’t know what your relationship is like with her husband, but I would imagine that their relationship would probably win if he supports her. 

[Len_derby]

The real tricky part is the fact she’s the drummer's wife. I avoid playing in bands that have a ‘couple’ in their ranks after a particularly bad experience. What’s best for the band quickly goes out the window, I found.

[Lozz196]

15 minutes ago, NoRhino said:

What will you be doing during her bass songs?  If you'll be singing lead vocal or playing another instrument it can add a different dynamic for a couple of songs.  If she doesn't need or want you to do anything but leave the stage kill the idea stone dead now.  

This is spot on imo

[badger]

2 hours ago, solo4652 said:

I play in a good 5-piece pub covers band. Drummer's wife plays keys - sort of. She has bought a bass and at last night's gig she told me she wanted to play bass "on a few songs" next year. Hmmm....

say yes, but only if you can play the drums.

[TimR]

It's a really difficult position she's put you in. Declining graciously without throwing your toys out of the pram is an acquired skill.

 

Luckily when I was in a band and the singer said he could play bass and decided to show me how to play something that I 'was playing wrong', it became very apparent, very quickly,  that he couldn't play bass. 😆

[lemmywinks]

Say yes, sit back and have a pint and a laugh.

 

[Mykesbass]

50 minutes ago, Len_derby said:

The real tricky part is the fact she’s the drummer's wife. I avoid playing in bands that have a ‘couple’ in their ranks after a particularly bad experience. What’s best for the band quickly goes out the window, I found.

I've been told off for saying this on here 

[Angel]

8 minutes ago, Mykesbass said:

I've been told off for saying this on here 

 

By the Mrs?

[oldslapper]

I’ve just ditched one band where the leaders wife is a bv but is a deluded control freak with little musical talent and he sheepishly goes along with her nonesense.

My other band has 2 couples in it, but they seem to be able to maintain professional boundaries and all 4 people are not mad. 

I’d be interested in knowing your keyboard players intentions before I’d decide anything. Is she deluded, curious, a keener, or just inspired by your playing. Has she made her request to the whole band?