How Easily Could You Be Replaced ?

[Beedster]

I’m confident that in a band of four members I am the least competent bass player (possible exception of drummer although he can hold down a bass line). So easily 😆

[itu]

I play actively in a group of 13 people. There are lots of arrangements, and songs to learn. I have relatively good timing, my ear is good enough for double bass and fretless. But it has been more than eye opening, when young pro players come to a gig after two rehearsals! OK, most have been winds, but their way of working has been very professional: only important questions, no unnecessary playing (octaves back and forth or similar), good sound, and they are always in time. Some young pro bassist would be far better than I am.

 

But band is also chemistry. I have my supportive place in this band. And I love playing with them.

[Steve Browning]

23 minutes ago, itu said:

But band is also chemistry. I have my supportive place in this band. And I love playing with them.

 

This is very important too. I seriously doubt my band would carry on if any of us left. We clicked at our first meeting and have always got on unbelievably well. I am blessed to play with them.

[snorkie635]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

Covers band - I'm easily replaceable.  I am myself a replacement, so I've already proven how easy it is if a chancer like me can do it

 

Originals band - more difficult to replace me (if anything because I haven't documented what I play - job security innit?) but obviously not impossible.

Our rehearsal (originals band) went really well without you last night - others thought I was wonderful. I've been asked to break it to you gently that you're history. You were good while you lasted.

[SimonK]

If just playing the notes then, yes, many people could replace me in any band I've been in. But a band has a community element to it as well, and of course people (and thus band dynamics) are different when personnel change. Being helpful and committed is often more important than being a whizzy player (so I tell myself!).

 

More generally, singers probably have a greater variability than other roles so I think are harder to replace. Also original bands tend to revolve around one or two individuals who would be irreplacable if they took their songs - certainly in one band from a few years back we lost a few songs when various people left, but otherwise tended to be led by the chap who had written the majority of the repertoire, and indeed promptly folded when he didn't want to do it anymore.

[neepheid]

19 minutes ago, snorkie635 said:

Our rehearsal (originals band) went really well without you last night - others thought I was wonderful. I've been asked to break it to you gently that you're history. You were good while you lasted.

 

Et tu, Brute?

[Wolverinebass]

The simple answer is in my case, not very easily. In one band, I write quite a lot of the music. Ironically in that band, we'll be looking for a new guitarist and singer post new year as our guitarist recently became a parent and one of the singers has had health issues and had to leave. They aren't going to be easy to replace as the material is really progressive and quite Tool like.

 

In the other band I'm in, although I don't write, it's a trio and the amount of space I have to fill is not something that a lot of people could do easily. In fact, there has been a joke by the guitarist about live "every song is a bass solo!" which although isn't true, is almost true. Were I to leave that band, they'd probably need a 2nd guitarist as well to fill all the gaps.

 

Also add to the fact that I'm producing the material of both bands, it wouldn't be easy. Not impossible by any means, but certainly difficult as it were.

[12stringbassist]

I think most people in a band could be replaced.
In my band it would cause a lot of disruption, but if any of us went, the band could feasibly carry on.
Whether it would or not, I don't know.
I am in my band to play with my drummer. If he stopped it would be over immediately.

[Marky L]

Musically? Yeah. Most of our audience could knock me into a cocked hat..

 

But my footwear collection, charming audience banter skills and of course my effervescent good natured bonhomie are untouchable. 😁

 

[tauzero]

A few years ago, I was brought into a band as a replacement for the original bassist who was unreliable and didn't want to gig anywhere more than half a mile from his house, as the guitarist and I had played together in a band ten or fifteen years before. Then the vocalist disappeared without trace and Mrs Zero was drafted in to replace him. The material gradually changed after that. Then the drummer left and we got a replacement in, a colleague of mine, which was a considerable improvement. Then the guitarist, the final original member, left, and we replaced him, and there was another shift in the material because the new guitarist, another colleague of mine, was better but also didn't want to do original material (we had a couple of originals in the set). We went through another couple of drummers and then Mrs Zero decided to give up and at that point we called a halt as we didn't want to try and find a replacement for her.

[fretmeister]

In my band or marriage?

[gjones]

Luckily, if I can't make a gig, the deps who cover for me usually have pretty horrendous depping skills, or have serious personality flaws 🤣🤣🤣

 

When I play the next gig the band members are really grateful that I'm back.

 

Thankfully, I don't book the deps I leave that to the band leader, because I'd make the mistake of choosing a good solid bassist, with a pleasant personality.

[Lozz196]

Good strategy there @gjones

[Jackroadkill]

30 minutes ago, gjones said:

a good solid bassist, with a pleasant personality.

 

Que?

[colleya]

This is why we drive the van isn't it?

 

I'm very conscious of my ability (I try to join bands with better musicians to make me focus and improve). So I try to add value where I can.

 

In my last band, I booked the gigs, did the socials, stored & set up the PA and did the sound. Never cancelled a gig or practice because of me either. Control freak? Moi?

[chris_b]

The trick is to make everyone think you are indispensable.

[AndyTravis]

22 minutes ago, chris_b said:

The trick is to make everyone think you are indispensable.

My specialty 😏

[kusee pee]

We've been together as a unit for so many years that whenever we have any dep, no matter how musically excellent, it feels very strange.  I missed 2 months of gigs after cancer surgery this autumn and was depped by a far more technically astute player.  When I returned, albeit sitting on a stool, the band expressed how relieved they were.  Obviously, I know they were just being polite 😋.

 

In the longer term, I or the others could be replaced quite easily but it would take some time to get back to the musical comfort that we have and that's something that is very precious to us and makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable.

 

Of course, the audience never notice if we have a dep 🤣

[Mickeyboro]

My band has been going three years, in which time we have done 50 gigs and used 16 people. As a blues band we seemed to cope well. Until November just gone, I was the only person never to have been depped.

 

I lined up a replacement but despite six months notice he cried off with a family commitment. The others lined up someone equally good who then got hospitalised. The third choice was apparently awful. 
 

I returned, and after one gig the singer and the drummer both quit.

 

Not sure what this proves… answers on a postcard!

[ezbass]

Replace me, why? What have you heard? 😬

 

In short, all too easily, I imagine.

[dmccombe7]

11 hours ago, Bluewine said:

How easily could you be replaced? I think our male guitarist would be very difficult to replace. He sings , he's soulful, very advanced player and reliable with a great attitude. Our band leader once told me she wouldn't know what to do if he left.

 

Me, I use to think they would have a hard time replacing my 70s sense of timing and groove. Now I'm not sure any of that matters. I think I could be replaced, not easily but replaced. I'm not sure the " soul" element I bring to the band would be missed. And outside of a few backing vocals I don't sing.

 

Merry Christmas guys. No gigs unless til New Years Eve.

 

Daryl

Its not all about your ability on bass and what you bring to the band musically. There's more to working band than the mechanics. Its how you gel with the others, sense of humour, knowledge on gear, how you cope when there's a problem, so many other little things that come into it.

Don't get me wrong if a band is solely in it to make money and nothing else then you are probably just a paid employee and they won't bat an eye-lid in replacing you but for most of us on BC its not a contracted band and a big part of it is friendship to a degree.

If the band are all relaxed with each other it just seems to work better.

 

I quite believe i could be replaced. I'm just a bass player, its not rocket science. I'm good at what i do but there are better players out there who could easily do what i do. In the glam band there is the image thing that i bring to the band. The band might miss me as a person and how i play but they'd get used to someone else and just carry on i reckon. They wouldn't have anywhere to store the PA right enough so i'm safe 

 

The punk band has gone thru so many people i'd be easily replaced there too. The one thing they did say after i joined was that i have a more aggressive style and that comes thru in the punk so that's a bonus.

Dave

[Bluewine]

3 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Its not all about your ability on bass and what you bring to the band musically. There's more to working band than the mechanics. Its how you gel with the others, sense of humour, knowledge on gear, how you cope when there's a problem, so many other little things that come into it.

Don't get me wrong if a band is solely in it to make money and nothing else then you are probably just a paid employee and they won't bat an eye-lid in replacing you but for most of us on BC its not a contracted band and a big part of it is friendship to a degree.

If the band are all relaxed with each other it just seems to work better.

 

I quite believe i could be replaced. I'm just a bass player, its not rocket science. I'm good at what i do but there are better players out there who could easily do what i do. In the glam band there is the image thing that i bring to the band. The band might miss me as a person and how i play but they'd get used to someone else and just carry on i reckon. They wouldn't have anywhere to store the PA right enough so i'm safe 

 

The punk band has gone thru so many people i'd be easily replaced there too. The one thing they did say after i joined was that i have a more aggressive style and that comes thru in the punk so that's a bonus.

Dave

 

Agreed,  at the end of the day I'm a bass player. There are plenty of them around. I think I could be replaced,  how easy would it be? I don't know.

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

22 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Replace me, why? What have you heard? 😬

 

In short, all too easily, I imagine.

 

I haven't heard anything.  What have you heard about me? Lol

 

Daryl

 

 

[Bluewine]

5 hours ago, gjones said:

Luckily, if I can't make a gig, the deps who cover for me usually have pretty horrendous depping skills, or have serious personality flaws 🤣🤣🤣

 

When I play the next gig the band members are really grateful that I'm back.

 

Thankfully, I don't book the deps I leave that to the band leader, because I'd make the mistake of choosing a good solid bassist, with a pleasant personality.

 

We mainly have to dep our drummer and unfortunately it's usually a disaster. 

 

Daryl

[dmccombe7]

Depping is something we've all agreed not to do. If someone can't make it we would cancel the gig and offer up another date possibly at a reduced rate.

I think that might mean the band wouldn't like to play with a different bass player so i guess i'm safe 

Dave