I had just moved to a new town and had to start a new school (I'm a senior in high school). I was in the jazz band at my old school and decided to take band there as well. The first day I walked in, I went up to the instructor, introduced myself and said I played the bass guitar. He said, "Umm... We don't have any bass parts. Just go back and stand with the percussionists."

I figure to myself, "Ok, easy credit. I just stand back here and look cool." They were preparing for their Christmas show and the percussionists were whining that there were too few of them and too many percussion duties. Apparently it was too difficult for the jinlge bell player to lay his instrument down and pick up a mallet and play the bass drum part. So, the instructor look to me and said, "You do it."

"I can't play drums."

"You'll learn."

So naturally, I f*ck up the first few times by playing too slow, then playing too fast and when I did get the beat down after a few tries I got chewed out for playing the damn thing too loud. And every time I do something wrong and get reprimanded for it, I think to myself, "Gee, I coulda swore the first day I walked in here I said I WAS A FRIGGIN' BASS GUITAR PLAYER!"

Yes, a bass guitarist who can't keep tempo, at that. Mind blowing.

yeah, the band at my school dont allow any bass players either. kinda sucks huh.

What's a Bass Guitar:D

Originally posted by jrthebassguy
yeah, the band at my school dont allow any bass players either.
What kind of a band doesn´t have a bass player???

hey, exposure to drums is good for you. practice, you'll be a better bassist for it.

You may be a bass player but most people in high school bands don't play anything at all! They play because because they have to. And frankly if you can't play the bass drum part in jingle bells, you should give up music and open a convinience store (heard that from a perc. teacher).

Originally posted by Munjibunga
Yes, a bass guitarist who can't keep tempo, at that. Mind blowing.

I guess this is supposed to be sarcastic...or funny...or insulting. I'm not sure which.

Playing drums, or any other instrument can only help his musical skills. But it shouldn't be taken for granted that he knows how. Internal meter is one thing; coordination is quite another.

For the record, he didn't say the song was "Jingle Bells". He said the percussionist had to put down the jingle bells for whatever song they were rehearsing.

I don't mean to rant endlessly. I'm still on my first cup of coffee. :)

Originally posted by phreaky
Originally posted by jrthebassguy
yeah, the band at my school dont allow any bass players either.
What kind of a band doesn´t have a bass player???

Winger!:D

Originally posted by phreaky
Originally posted by jrthebassguy
yeah, the band at my school dont allow any bass players either.
What kind of a band doesn´t have a bass player???

Guster... Sleater-Kinney... the Doors...

The Doors.. hmm.. true there wasnt a bass player in the band, but they had bass in the songs. They hired bassists. its impossible to sound good without the low-end. Doors songs had good basslines too..

Originally posted by Scuzzy666
They were preparing for their Christmas show and the percussionists were whining that there were too few of them and too many percussion duties. Apparently it was too difficult for the jinlge bell player to lay his instrument down and pick up a mallet and play the bass drum part.

A) Percussion (not "drums") isn't easy.

B) The tune sounds like "Sleigh Ride," (or something similar) which is notoriously hard on the percussionists, who have to play a wide variety of goofy toys, in cut time with lots of off-beats.

C) He hasn't quit despite the @$$ chewings.

D) He's only 17.

Give him a break. He didn't ask for the latest KORN tab. He's getting his butt kicked trying something new and is venting. Maybe, with a little ENCOURAGEMENT, someday he'll become a MUSICIAN, instead of just a FRIGGIN'BASS GUITAR PLAYER.

**** school

Oh, I'm just a grumpy old fart. Don't mind me none.

Originally posted by nickis thebest
**** school

Nice outlook... In ten years I'll come by your office. Hell, I might even take that hot apple pie! :D

Originally posted by nickis thebest
**** school

Nice outlook... In ten years I'll come by your little street corner and throw some change in a little guitar case watching you try and play the bass

sorry bout that joke up there nick. just the way you said i couldnt help but say that. just a little biased humor for ya.

yes school may suck, but you gotta live with it

heh im not going to drop out im just saying that it sucks

Originally posted by jrthebassguy
yeah, the band at my school dont allow any bass players either. kinda sucks huh.
I guess I'm probably alone on this one, but as I purist, I never liked electric bass in my concert band, it's not a concert band instrument, and they don't write parts for them. The bass parts are covered by tubas, trombones, bass clarinets, etc. But I'm also a conservative, uptight elitist, so I tend to resist change.

Shouldn't it be, "Yeah, the band at my school don't allow no bass players, neither."?

Rock bassist Billy Sheehan has stated in his two video instruction tapes that any student of the bass guitar would benefit from taking drum classes as it is an infinite help in learning to play with a drummer and it is a tremendous help with bass timing.

I took Sheehan's advice, taking three semesters of drums at a music school based on the B.I.T., P.I.T., G.I.T. formula. I sucked plain and simple. I did learn how to read drum notation and learned the parts of a drum kit. I also learned to have a lot of respect for good drummers because I discovered just how difficult it is to be a decent drummer. It's that thing about "independence" I couldn't master, plus timing is everything. You know, high hat, bass drum, snare drum, and all the rest, each going at a different pattern.

If the younster who started this thread can stick with his drumming, he will be a better musician for it and a far better bass player. I wish him luck.

Jason Oldsted

How's this for a turnaround -

When I was playing tuba in various Jr. and Sr. high bands the drummers were the ones screwing up the most. And I, having to sit next to the drums, got more grief thrown my way without cause. Well, it sunk in! To this day I know what flamadiddles and paradiddles are and I can do a pretty fair 5 and 7 stroke roll on a snare!

Originally posted by Munjibunga
Yes, a bass guitarist who can't keep tempo, at that. Mind blowing.

...and a jazz band where, "We don't have any bass parts"??????? Not only mind blowing BUT IMMORAL!!!!!