Can get back to work now, didnt get the gig!

[Soulfinger]

[quote name='51m0n' post='523492' date='Jun 25 2009, 12:59 PM']However I think if I don't get it for definite after this one I'm out of energy to continue endlessly putting in week after week of really full on practice unless I'm in the band.

What would you lot do?[/quote]
If they still can´t make up their mind after two auditions I´d let it go. They should know enough about you and your playing by then to decide whether you´re in or not (unless it´s a clever plan to train a bunch of subs to fall back on in case the new bassist doesn´t cut it ).

[Earbrass]

Sorry to hear that. It's a tricky one. Part of me, quite a large part actually, would want to tell them to F*** off for messing me around (assuming I'd been led to believe that I had got the gig). But I'd suppress that, especially if I really wanted the gig.

Next, I'd be tempted to refuse to audition again - "you've heard me, you've seen that I can learn your stuff, you know where I am if you decide you want me, but there's a limit to the number of hours of my life I'm prepared to spend working on your material if there's no guarantee of a result at the end". High risk strategy; probably only worthwhile if you're feeling confident that they wouldn't want to lose you.

What I probably should do is insist on knowing whether the they've made first contact with the 2 new bass players since I'd last auditioned (which would strongly suggests that they weren't really happy with me but were stringing me along in case they couldn't get anyone better), why they still felt the need to continue auditioning, how many other auditions they were planning and when I could expect a DEFINITE decision.

What I would probably end up doing in reality is going along with whatever they want, being really nice about it when they give the gig to someone else, rationalizing this in terms of it not doing any good to burn bridges and so forth, and then hating myself afterwards for not telling them to F*** off in the first place (see option 1 above). But that's just because I'm a big girl's blouse.

Best of luck, and I really feel your pain - been in similar situations myself.

E

Edited June 25, 2009 by Earbrass

[OldGit]

Sounds like you really want the gig so just follow it thorugh. When you look back on it in 6 months time the extra work will seem like nothing.
And you'll know a few more songs

[molan]

It aint over til it's over eh?

It sounds like an amazing gig - I'd be prepared to keep working at it as it seems the end is in sight anyway & you've put so much time in already

[51m0n]

Yeah, I think I'm of the opinion that they have had all I am prepared to offer for the time being. That is if I dont get a decision within a couple of days after this evening they can take a running jump.

I have a busy life without them, I have shown I am willing to put in a huge amount of work in a short period of time to learn stuff. I can play the material, and if the drummer wasnt f*****g everyone up with his bloody John Bonham impression I might have brought the funk as well last time - I mentioned this politely the next time I spoke to band leader dude.

Going to be nice this evening, for my half hour slot and say "Its been great, I'll expect your decision tomorrow" as I leave. I am not going to audition again for them , under any circumstances at all.

I dont know if I'm being a big girls blouse over this, but I - like I suspect everyone here - have been taken for a ride before with promises of reparations for effort in one form or another which have amounted to nothing, and I am very wary of expending more energy than I have to to prove myself.

To be honest its already starting to feel a bit sour

Band leader dude has stated the bass tone must have no treble, no middle, there must never be slap blah blah blah blah. Its tiresome, yes its a vintage tinged soul funk band, doesnt mean the bass has to sound like arse. As for slap, here we go again, no I dont slap often (and I havent at all yet); when I do its damned tasteful, but for gods sake, it was invented for vintage soul funk (Sly Stone anyone). I cant be held responsible for bloody Mark King can I. I saw Dr John this year, that luminery of oldest school New Orleans Funk, his bassist was sporting a very tasty Lakland 5 string through a huge Eden rig, and he was ferociously funky all night, he had a lovely bright full tone (plenty of whump too) and every line mixed up slap, fingerstyle, rhythmic pats, everything. It still sounded ludicrously old skool kool though. Rats, now I've really wound myself up

Just starting to feel the pinch that got me out of playing in bands all those years ago


I have suspicions about the trained pool of dep bassists thing too.

[alexclaber]

Be bad, sit back, mute lots and play it cool. And then tell them you'll let them know if they're good enough.

Alex

[51m0n]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='523579' date='Jun 25 2009, 01:08 PM']Be bad, sit back, mute lots and play it cool. And then tell them you'll let them know if they're good enough.

Alex[/quote]

ROFL, thanks Alex!

Thats really cheered me up!!

[xilddx]

It has to be right for the band. There are a few of them and they all need to be happy. It would be way worse if they said you're in and took a risk without exploring the possibilities.

Personally, without knowing all the facts, I think they are taking a responsible attitude.

Please, DO NOT tell them to f*** off, that's totally unprofessional and you will be foregoing any possibility of referrals if you don't get the gig.

I would be patient, stick with it, you are learning a lot under pressure and that will be good for your development if nothing else.

[lowdown]

You could ask them if you could use your own drummer for the audition.


Garry

[51m0n]

As tempting as it may be, I wouldnt tell them to F off, it would look severely not good after all.

I would say, "I dont think its really going to work out., mumble mumble blah blah blah....", and shuffle toward the door sheepishly. Or text them, thats dead hip with the kids these days I hear

Using my own drummer; first I havent got one trained (bring out the gimp etc etc LOL!) and second, I dont really think that would look great either, "Your drummer is so difficult to reign in that I brought along Gimp here, he can count to four and plays real good, mind if he sits in?".

I'll go along tonight, roll the Roscoe onto the neck pup, pluck over that pup and sit right back on it. If I get through it without making too many mistakes and groove hard then I'll be happy with myself at least. At that point they will have to ask me to be the bassist before I learn any other songs, or play with them again.

[OldGit]

Leave the door open.
And drop the odd Larry Graham pop in once you have the gig.

[Earbrass]

[quote name='51m0n' post='523605' date='Jun 25 2009, 01:32 PM']As tempting as it may be, I wouldnt tell them to F off, it would look severely not good after all.[/quote]

No, neither would I. Just said I'd be tempted. But I'd never do it.


[quote name='51m0n' post='523605' date='Jun 25 2009, 01:32 PM']I'll go along tonight, roll the Roscoe onto the neck pup, pluck over that pup and sit right back on it. If I get through it without making too many mistakes and groove hard then I'll be happy with myself at least. At that point they will have to ask me to be the bassist before I learn any other songs, or play with them again.[/quote]

Excellent plan. Best of luck.

[lowdown]

[quote name='51m0n' post='523605' date='Jun 25 2009, 01:32 PM']Using my own drummer; first I havent got one trained (bring out the gimp etc etc LOL!) and second, I dont really think that would look great either, "Your drummer is so difficult to reign in that I brought along Gimp here, he can count to four and plays real good, mind if he sits in?".[/quote]

Why not?
He might get the gig as well.


Garry

[martinbass7750]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='523579' date='Jun 25 2009, 01:08 PM']Be bad, sit back, mute lots and play it cool. And then tell them you'll let them know if they're good enough.

Alex[/quote]


+1 for that.

been in a similar situation myself, it can get quite distressing!

[Rayman]

Just remember, you're checking them out too. If it's going to be a chore for you, and not fun at all, there's no point really. I'm assuming you're not a pro needing the money of course? That'd be different, then maybe you'd bite your tongue to get the gig and give them what they want.

However, if this is meant to be an enjoyable experience for you, and you have little or no input into your own sound, then I'd have a problem with that.

If it was me.....I'd see how tonights jam goes, and if at the end you're still not getting the vibe, I'd say thanks fellas, but this aint for me, and leave. They aren't taking the bull by the horns so you might have to.

[Soulfinger]

[quote name='51m0n' post='523605' date='Jun 25 2009, 02:32 PM']I'll go along tonight, roll the Roscoe onto the neck pup, pluck over that pup and sit right back on it.[/quote]
Is there a P bass you could borrow? Just so they don´t have any excuse whatsoever ("Well, you know, we´re an old-skool band so it´s got to be a Fender bass")...

[51m0n]

[quote name='Rayman' post='523647' date='Jun 25 2009, 02:04 PM']Just remember, you're checking them out too. If it's going to be a chore for you, and not fun at all, there's no point really. I'm assuming you're not a pro needing the money of course? That'd be different, then maybe you'd bite your tongue to get the gig and give them what they want.

However, if this is meant to be an enjoyable experience for you, and you have little or no input into your own sound, then I'd have a problem with that.

If it was me.....I'd see how tonights jam goes, and if at the end you're still not getting the vibe, I'd say thanks fellas, but this aint for me, and leave. They aren't taking the bull by the horns so you might have to.[/quote]

No I'm not a pro, there's little or no money in this at all.

In the normal course of things, I would pretty much turn up say, thats what I sound like, if you love it we move forward, otherwise I aint interested, I've done the whole chameleon bassist thing (ie sounding authentically different from 'me') before, it is a skill that I applaud, but its not [i]really [/i]what I want to do.

The only reason I'd entertain the idea would be because a) I'd get some great gigs out of it, I'd take my time to prove them wrong by slowly but surely modifying things to my liking over months. They'd not notice until it was too late. I do like their sound though, just think they are misinterpreting what will work best for bass.

Seems to me everyone who puts together a funk band is an expert in bass, whatever they play. That would be cos its only got 4 strings I guess

I have a really awful BS filter, it clogs very quickly, backs up and makes a mess out of things....

I feel a certain amount of clogging is happening

[51m0n]

[quote name='Soulfinger' post='523651' date='Jun 25 2009, 02:05 PM']Is there a P bass you could borrow? Just so they don´t have any excuse whatsoever ("Well, you know, we´re an old-skool band so it´s got to be a Fender bass")... [/quote]

The Roscoe neck pup sounds more like a P than a P

[Soulfinger]

[quote name='51m0n' post='523670' date='Jun 25 2009, 03:23 PM']The Roscoe sounds more like a P than a P [/quote]
But it doesn´t look like one!

[51m0n]

[quote name='Soulfinger' post='523680' date='Jun 25 2009, 02:31 PM']But it doesn´t look like one! [/quote]

More importantly it doesnt weigh like one either. I aint about to play a gig under one of those with my back!

They take me with the Roscoe or they get someone else!

Edited June 25, 2009 by 51m0n

[blamelouis]

I would phone them and say "look lads you obviously dont need me, so good luck with your search" they will have more respect for you because this band sounds like a pain in the arse. Very bad people skills.
I think your making a rod for your own back mate.

And you say theres no or little money involved ? The drummer sounds a sensitive artist

[WHUFC BASS]

[quote name='51m0n' post='523684' date='Jun 25 2009, 02:32 PM']They take me with the Roscoe or they get someone else![/quote]

Now you're learning. If you have confidence in your ability and sound then I wouldn't let anyone (especially a non-bass player) tell me what bass I should and shouldn't be using. You can bet your bottom dollar that they'll be dictating how you play, what way you play it until you become just bass playing puppet.

I've had first hand experience of this in the past. Never again!

Edited June 25, 2009 by WHUFC BASS

[alexclaber]

Stick some foam under your strings by the bridge. That way you can play busy without it sounding busy and by muting the attack it'll make you sound more behind the beat. You can also play the 'look how I'm getting in the vibe, this is old school' thang. And pronounce it fonk, not funk.

Alex

Edited June 25, 2009 by alexclaber

[51m0n]

[quote name='WHUFC BASS' post='523691' date='Jun 25 2009, 02:38 PM']Now you're learning. If you have confidence in your ability and sound then I wouldn't let anyone (especially a non-bass player) tell me what bass I should and shouldn't be using. You can bet your bottom dollar that they'll be dictating how you play, what way you play it until you become just bass playing puppet.

I've had first hand experience of this in the past. Never again![/quote]

I've more confidence in my sound than my playing.

Tone wise I'm on it baby, with my bass into my rig playing material I know it sounds 'kin huuuuuge!

Hence I know I can sound fine. The issue is that they dont and the things they are saying are typical of people who dont really know much about how to make bass sound really good.

The puppetry thing is acceptable to an extent on stuff that has already been done and dusted and is on the album - and to be fair they havent insisted on anything like note for note. They want just the right feel though. This is fine by me.

If I start getting lectures when coming up with bass lines then I'd have a real problem. IMO people in a band write on their instruments what feels right to them. If the band constantly say its not what they want, well then you aren't in the right band are you!

Thats when you point out you aint getting paid by the hour, so you arent going to be a session player for them. If they wish you to behave like a session player then they really need to get the wallet out there and then.

[51m0n]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='523698' date='Jun 25 2009, 02:46 PM']Stick some foam under your strings by the bridge. That way you can play busy without it sounding busy and by muting the attack it'll make you sound more behind the beat. You can also play the 'look how I'm getting in the vibe, this is old school' thang. And pronounce it fonk, not funk.

Alex[/quote]


Nah mate, I draw the line at that stuff. Rocco doesnt do it, I aint gonna. Really I can only take so much of the 'it must sound like an instrument built when dinosaurs roamed the earth or it aint fonk' thing.

I'm really not kidding about the Roscoe sounding like a P on the neck pup - if it isnt authentic enough then let them find someone else. No punters would know. In a blind test the band wouldnt know for sure either.

God forbid the try that tack with me, biting my tongue may not be enough