Ever forget to plug your bass in?

TheDarkReaver · #1 07-15-2009, 07:48 AM

I did:

I was tuning up not realising why it wasn't working. The drummer started up the band before I was ready and I started panicking. Couldn't figure what the hell was wrong. By the time I figured it out I also realise the amp is on the wrong channel and the gain is right down.

Missed the whole first song. Was a pretty good gig after that though.

Pedulla? · #2 07-15-2009, 07:54 AM

Never done that but I almost managed to play without my amp plugged in. It was a real crumby local showcase, the kind of show where there's more bands than people there. I got my amp on stage, grabbed my bass, and once I plugged in we were starting but I didn't have any sound. I started to panic, jiggling every knob and input I could find, until I realized my amp wasn't on to begin with. Luckily nobody was paying attention, and once I got all the sorted out it actually to out to be a fun night.

fargobass · #3 07-15-2009, 08:01 AM

Happened to me this weekend. I pulled a pedal out of storage, that I hadn't played in months, so I could test it before bringing it to band practice. I have a Rick 4003 and a stereo splitter which I hadn't used in months either, so I wanted to test all of this together at home before dragging everything to practice. So, I went through the whole rigamarole of setting up two amps, running the neck pickup through the effect, getting all of the cables in place, turned on both amps, and then.... nothing. I started panicking, until I realized that I had forgotten to turn up the gain on BOTH amps. At least I didn't do this public.

Amplexus · #4 07-15-2009, 09:12 AM

I was practice by myself (playing along to the CD) and had my headphones on. I unplugged the bass from the amp in order to tune it.

Anyway, I fired the song up and started playing along and was simply amazed at how well I was playing it....until I looked down to see the plug hanging out.

Thankfully no one was there to share in my embarrassment.

lowender92 · #5 07-15-2009, 09:16 AM

No, but I was playing with the Praise and Worship Band at my church like I do every Sunday. I could NOT figure out for the life of me what was wrong. I tried turning off and back on, unplugging and letting the amp rest a while, even changing the battery on my bass. Then I looked at the amp and the tuning mute was on the whole time. *facepalm*

scootron · #6 07-15-2009, 10:45 AM

Our most recent gig, I was playing through an Ampeg SVT-3PRO with a Korg DTR-2000 rackmount tuner. I mute the Ampeg for the last minute tuneup check, and forgot to un-mute. Fortunately, the opening number had a drum intro, and I remembered just in time to hit the first bass note, but I was rattled through the first verse. Stupid, stupid.

jaywa · #7 07-15-2009, 11:34 AM

No, but I've forgotten to un-mute a few times....

GearHeadBassMan · #8 07-15-2009, 11:40 AM

One time at a gig I forgot to plug my D.I. in and the whole gig my lead singer was asking for more bass in his monitor. I didn't realize until I was packing up that I hadn't be in the F.O.H. mix the entire show

finalrequiem · #9 07-15-2009, 11:43 AM

Nothing funnier to me than standing there in church while someone is speaking (in between songs or something) and me or the guitarist forgetting to turn our volume pedals down and sending some lonely note out at the worst moment, lol...

OT, I know. Sorry...

chondro776 · #10 07-15-2009, 11:48 AM

Awesome.
I haven't done that yet, but I have:

*Tuned to Eb rather than E because I couldn't see the little flat symbol in the poor lighting. At the time, I just thought it was so hot on stage that it was effecting my tuning. It sounded as bad as you think it would.

*Was playing in the finals at a local battle of the bands. Entire backline was supplied. The 'tech' politely but emphatically asked me to be sure to hit the mute before unplugging after the set. "Sure...yeah...yeah...got it...mute switch".

Immediately after the final song, I victoriously unplugged the cable from my bass. I can still hear the 'pop' from that in my ears. Needless to say, I walked off stage the other direction from the tech.

jgroh · #11 07-15-2009, 11:56 AM

I havent but I have pulled out the cord by accident plenty of times and then wondered what was wrong.

Sartori · #12 07-15-2009, 01:52 PM

Only at rehearsal.

thehurlatron · #13 07-15-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GearHeadBassMan

One time at a gig I forgot to plug my D.I. in and the whole gig my lead singer was asking for more bass in his monitor. I didn't realize until I was packing up that I hadn't be in the F.O.H. mix the entire show

This has happened to me as well.

I blame the sound man though. My job is to put out the tunes on the stage, theirs is to make sure it gets to the crowd.

ashtray · #14 07-15-2009, 05:56 PM

I've forgotten to un-mute between sets. Ready? 1-2-3.... where the heck is the bass?! Luckily I've done it so many times that instead of panic, I turn and look for the mute switch first thing.

I have forgotten to plug in the bass at times though - usually when I'm setting up a complicated arrangement of cables, etc. Got everything good, triple checked, lights on, everything working, grab the bass and nothing. Heck, even the mute switch isn't on. Hmm... I've seen other guys in my band do the same thing though, so it's just funny.

BZadlo · #15 07-15-2009, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDarkReaver

I did:

I was tuning up not realising why it wasn't working. The drummer started up the band before I was ready and I started panicking. Couldn't figure what the hell was wrong. By the time I figured it out I also realise the amp is on the wrong channel and the gain is right down.

Missed the whole first song. Was a pretty good gig after that though.

Nice fakin'!

Emarpersty · #16 07-15-2009, 06:04 PM

never forgot to plugin, but once i had the volume turned down. i didn't noticed untill i walked up to center stage for the bass break. instead of shaking their feet like i expected, i just got akward stares.

to make things worse, i messed up the second break, this time at full volume.

totallyfrozen · #17 07-15-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDarkReaver

So tell us; how many Ed Friedland look-alike contests have you won?

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDarkReaver

I was tuning up not realising why it wasn't working. The drummer started up the band before I was ready and I started panicking. Couldn't figure what the hell was wrong. By the time I figured it out I also realise the amp is on the wrong channel and the gain is right down.

Missed the whole first song.

The ONE time a bass player would actually be glad the band had a keyboard player.

steamthief · #18 07-15-2009, 06:19 PM

I forgot to turn on a powered monitor at a jam a week ago Sunday and wondered why my vocals weren't heard. After playing with the mic preamp for about five minutes, I realized what was up.

Femto · #19 07-15-2009, 06:31 PM

My usual trick is this:

I use a GK amp in a rack with a rack compressor and a rack enhancer. I always switch on the comp and the enhancer first to save the startup transients getting through to the cabs.

About half the time, I forget to switch the GK amp on and then I go to tune up using my little Korg tuner which is plugged into the GK's tuner out. I stand there with nothing showing on the tuner, I check the bass: volume up, check the instrument leads: yep, check the speaker cable: yep, check the power cable: yep.....HUH?!

Then I catch on. D'oh.

One press of the power button on the amp and I'm cooking.

UncleBalsamic · #20 07-15-2009, 06:41 PM

I once played a whole song with the jack not quite in the amp. I wondered why it was so quiet - I got plenty of compliments though

I think that is somewhat telling.