When you are asked to play on a song and you're given a demo of the song, does it usually include a bassline? The reason I ask is because when people give me a demo that has a bassline on it, I find it hard to move beyond it, and sometimes they have to prod me. Give me a demo with an acoustic and a vocal and I'll come up with a pretty great line on my own. But when I get a demo with a bass already on it, all I can hear in my mind is the demo, and I think, well, that line worked out pretty well on the demo so why reinvent the wheel? Sometimes it works to cop the demo. And sometimes they're screaming at me, "If I wanted what was on the demo, I wouldn't have called you!"

So my question is do you find it as difficult to move past the demo as I do when you get one with a bassline? Any helpful hints for it?

Sure! Everyone has trouble moving past the demo if all they here is the extant bass line that is staring you in the face.

Sometimes I'll re-record the song myself, with maybe acoustic guitar and singing....the roughest thing I can throw down quickly. Then I can be free from those constraints - IF they want me to be.

It's tough, though. Usually when I get in the room and they mute the bass, I'll diverge from the original in a way they like.

JMJ

Sounds like a pretty good idea to re-record it yourself. Then you can at least take your head out of the demo. I will try that the next time I get a demo. That's the kind of stuff I was looking for.

I like how you added the line "IF they want me to be." That's very important.

Thanks Justin!