Bombing out on a song

jdieh1 · #1 11-11-2008, 04:45 AM

Have you guys/gals ever played a song live and screwed it up so much that it would have been better if you had just not played? Or seen this happen to someone else?

My time was when I had to play Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen for my school music performance. Of course, I don't listen to Queen so I don't know the song well enough and I disliked the song in the first place so I wasn't too enthusiastic about practicing.

Anyway, got up on stage and couldn't keep time, couldn't remember half of it and screwed up notes even though I was sitting down... It was so bad that the rest of the band couldn't play with me otherwise it would effect their marks, luckily we had another bassist who is VERY good who could actually play the song, he sub-ed in for me for the benefit of the other guys and we did another atrocious version with me playing so I could be marked.

This was only about 2 months ago, I feel as though I have gotten much better as a bass player since then. At the moment I am covering Fade to Black by Metallica with the same people for another performance for school and I can actually play it! Yay for me.

Andy419 · #2 11-11-2008, 07:17 AM

One time my guitarist skipped the entire second verse to "Under the Bridge" so I guess it might have been better if we hadn't played it.

varunkapahi · #3 11-11-2008, 07:56 AM

now this happens while we are touring, after the first two gigs we are told that we would need to play an extra 30minutes for the last gig. okay so me and guitarists decide on extended jams and guitar oriented songs like voodoo chile and all but still we do need more songs right? ok so we played a couple of songs which are the singer's favorites and now playing bruce springsteen with no practice (these are songs with 10chords and 25changes?) we do them! oh no! the sound guy after the gig goes like .....err man dont do that river song no more

mrjim123 · #4 11-11-2008, 08:19 AM

Hopefully, you learned a lesson. BE PREPARED.

We all eventually have to play songs we don't like. Getting these songs down pat is less painful then letting the audience, your band mates, and yourself down.

My approach to playing bass in a band is that's its never about me, and always about the song. Ego is the biggest brick wall on the road to success.

L-A · #5 11-11-2008, 08:32 AM

Knowing the song is a very appreciated way of playing among the music community.

Jeff K · #6 11-11-2008, 01:36 PM

I actually enjoy playing 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'. But I know what you mean. Sometimes you just can't stand a given song, but have to play it anyway.

Like somebody said, the key is being prepared. Normally not a problem if we know the set list in advance. It can get hairy if you're asked to play something impromptu. Like if you let a guest vocalist come up, and they want to sing something you're not familiar with. I normally just ask the key, then stay close to the root until I get a better feel for it.

whitedk57 · #7 11-11-2008, 03:54 PM

This Sunday, the worship leader was in the wrong key. I thought I was totally messing the song up, so I shifted up a key. He then noticed what he was doing and said, "Alright, we're going to start this song over, I messed up.".

A few weeks ago, he surprised me with a last minute song to do. I usually need practice at home to get my part down correctly. I screwed up so bad I had to just drop out for the rest of the song. The worship leader now knows to just play last minute songs by himself.

pasta4lnch · #8 11-11-2008, 04:05 PM

the first time I played live ever (3 years ago - I've been playing professionally in studios and writing for years) it was a duet w/ an acoustic/singer playing HIS tunes that we had just finished up on an album. So I played all the parts in the studio, so I was confident I knew them. Well I get to his house a half hour before the show and he has changed them soo much they were COMPLETELY different. needless to say it was SO bad, and there were a bunch of friends in the audience that have never seen me play, that after the 1st set I packed up and left. Didn't tell anyone, didn't even pay my tab. . . I was so incredibly embarrassed!

damn I HATE screwing up. It's really odd - I'm not nervous but when I look down at the neck i just go blank. literally! like to the point where someone will call out a note and I'm stumped! it's getting better w/ time, and fortunately I'm playing a lot more out now so we'll see. . .

matskull · #9 11-11-2008, 04:09 PM

Some friends I had had an acoustic female only band and at their first show the bassist played so much like **** that even after they fired her they never played the song again, too much bad memories lol

professor_bills · #10 11-11-2008, 08:03 PM

WE did a back yard party this weekend and the first two songs the drummer and me couldn't hear squat... we just kinda stared at each other liek what the hey... Luckily the neighbor had a monitor he let us borrow...lesson learned get a monitor the rest of the show went well till a guest guitarist came on much more experienced guy than we are... well he started jammin Mustang Sally and believe it or not I have never played it before...Tried doin regular blues progression.... Did not work Nuther lesson learned...Learn Mustang Sally

Robster22 · #11 11-11-2008, 10:19 PM

Anyone who's played more than a few hundred gigs will have come across this...you're playing a gig somewhere and some guy who used to sing with some band or other wants to come up on stage and impress his friends. Firstly, he dosent have a clue what key he wants to sing in and its never, ever, a three chord wonder, is it...... its always some freakin epic production like "My Way" ...... "Bridge over troubled water".....or "Bohemian Rhapsody"...

Then when he starts coming in too soon, or missing whole measures.... and singing off key, .. he turns and glares at the band cos after all its really all your fault.

Been there.. Arrrgh

Lazylion · #12 11-11-2008, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robster22

...some guy who used to sing with some band or other wants to come up on stage and impress his friends. Firstly, he dosent have a clue what key he wants to sing in and its never, ever, a three chord wonder, is it...... its always some freakin epic production like "My Way" ...... "Bridge over troubled water".....or "Bohemian Rhapsody"...

Sometimes it's "You Never Even Called Me By My Name".

Oh, and you forgot to mention... he's drunk out of his gourd.

Yup, been there.

slackinatthebas · #13 11-12-2008, 01:27 AM

the first time i ever played in my band i forgot how to play the intro riff to fake it by seether... and it's just me! i turned and looked at the other guys, and they were all smiling, and the singer leans over and says "when you play it right, we'll start, no pressure or anything"

ugh... that's the big joke now... "if we open with fake it, are you gonna remember how to play it?"

i'm to the point now, after only playing out for like 6 or 7 moths that a couple sour notes a night don't bother me... as long as i know i ****ed up and can fix it... woops, slide that note up a couple of frets