So a little while back a put an ads up on craigslist looking to jam, trying to meet some people, get some experience and whatnot...Anyway, everyone in my area is looking for a bassist apparently cause I got a bunch of people wanting to audition me rather than jam, this one blues/rock/whisky drinking bar band kinda sounding group, invited me to audition to replace their bassist (who was only temporary) and do gigs with them...

So they sent me 4 recorded songs to learn, all where really easy, and the bass lines where all pretty bare bones (slow 2 bar walks, root 5th stuff, ext.)...In practicing them I find myself wanting to make little alterations, adding a leading tone to one of the riffs, alternating bar to bar playing the root as a quarter or two 8ths in another...stuff like that, maybe even a little more, adding some variations to the fills ext.

Do you guys think its a good idea to play alterations of the lines right off the bat if I think they sound better? Or should I just stick to the recording?

Nope. Stick to the recording. That's what they expect to hear.

No answer to that question. A lot of bands want bass players to play bass and keep the groove. So start there, then you have to feel out the situation. Try throwing a bar or two and see how they react. Between songs say you were playing what was on the tape and offer to add a little more. So you got to play it by ear and if they give you the opening add a little. Personally I wouldn't play lead bass unless they asked for it. Plenty of time for that after you get the gig.

Sounds like you're the one with lots of options.

Play what you think you'll enjoy playing & see whether or not they like it. You'll have to write your own bass lines for all their new songs anyway.

Sounds like you're the one with lots of options.

Yeah I guess I am, this one is good for my level though, I feel like I can learn a lot from this group.

Personally I wouldn't play lead bass unless they asked for it. Plenty of time for that after you get the gig.

I agree and that wasn't the intent either I think I'm gonna keep my 2 or 3 small changes... the one line needs a flat7 to bring it back around it sounds 100x better...I don't think I'll do too much else though, why mess with something that works, and I don't want them to think I don't know how to play what is recorded....and your right I can always change lines later after we are gigging and they don't have a choice :)