It's like lip syncing, only for bass players...

[ButtUglyJeff]

So my son's jazz band was doing a performance, for a chain music store grand opening, yesterday. His instructor/teacher told him and the keyboard players to just bring instruments, because everything else would be provided.

I dropped him off, at the tent, parked, then walked up to listen. But I planted myself at other side of the band, with my son out of my sight, and started to enjoy my coffee. They were playing a familiar set list, so I was expecting no surprises.

But wait, I couldn't hear my son. The curse of a bass player, is always hearing the bass line first, then everything else second. That's why I thought sitting away from the boy would help me enjoy the music, for the group, and just being proud of "number 1 son"...

So I made my way around to realize he was kinda playing, but wait a minute...



They had a keyboard amp ready, but no bass amp, for the boy. His teacher, not wanting to make waves, told him to pretend play.

Lesson learned, always bring an amp....

We had a good laugh later, then did some proper bonding at a real music store.

Anybody else "lip sync" with their bass?

[pklima]

Yeah, I've done that when things weren't working properly. But... was there no PA?

[rmkesler]

I did that to a student once for a weekend long clinic. Felt absolutely horrid about it. Turned out somewhat okay as we were able to come up with an amp for the performance at the end of the clinic but he still had to rehearse without one. To this day I would swear they said that amps would be provided. Oh, well. Lesson learned.

[guy n. cognito]

I played a sub gig years ago and was told by the band leader "dude, don't bring anything. We'll have everything you need, even the bass. We'd really prefer you use our gear, because we have a 'look'".

I show up at the gig, and the band is already setting up. I don't see the bass rig, so I ask if it is still in the truck. The band members all look at me like I had two heads. Apparently, they all assumed that I was going to pick it up from their bass player. After debating that issues for a few moments, I informed them that I had my gear in the car. Again, they look at me like I'm crazy. The band leader informs me that, before I remove my gear from the car, he will need to "inspect it." He reminds me that they have an image to protect.

When we get in the lot, the BL says "So, where's your van." I point to my Civic hatchback, to which he says "how do you get an 810 in that?!! When he sees my 410 and my SS head, he tells me to just leave it in the car, bring my bass and "fake it." Apparently, their "image" demanded that the bass player have nothing less than an 810. Again we debate it for a few minutes, and I insist that I use my gear. He relents, but then adds "dude, I'm not paying you to use that whimpy 410.

I just got in my car and drove away. Since this was in the days before wide-spread mobile phones, the BL has to jump in his car and chase me down. He begs me to come back and finally agrees to double my original price (and pay me up front.) BUT.....he insisted that I leave my gear in the car and fake it. For double the price, I agreed.

They allowed me to plug into their PA, but it was so underpowered that I couldn't turn up to hear myself or risk blowing it up. So...I faked it all night.

[ButtUglyJeff]

Originally Posted by pklima

Yeah, I've done that when things weren't working properly. But... was there no PA?

Nope, no PA...

The music store got "frugal", and didn't want to break out multiple amps or any significant PA, just enough for a single mic for announcements...

I was a little pissy at first, being the 40 minute drive and all. But its all good now, and we both had a good laugh.

And his teacher is feeling a bit guilty. So I have that going for me...

[Audiophage]

Thats quite silly. Your son's teacher shouldn't have worried about making waves. Oh well, at least your son knows enough to laugh about it.

This wasn't at Pittsford Plaza by any chance, was it?

[Stinsok]

Originally Posted by guy n. cognito

I played a sub gig years ago and was told by the band leader "dude, don't bring anything. We'll have everything you need, even the bass. We'd really prefer you use our gear, because we have a 'look'".

I show up at the gig, and the band is already setting up. I don't see the bass rig, so I ask if it is still in the truck. The band members all look at me like I had two heads. Apparently, they all assumed that I was going to pick it up from their bass player. After debating that issues for a few moments, I informed them that I had my gear in the car. Again, they look at me like I'm crazy. The band leader informs me that, before I remove my gear from the car, he will need to "inspect it." He reminds me that they have an image to protect.

When we get in the lot, the BL says "So, where's your van." I point to my Civic hatchback, to which he says "how do you get an 810 in that?!! When he sees my 410 and my SS head, he tells me to just leave it in the car, bring my bass and "fake it." Apparently, their "image" demanded that the bass player have nothing less than an 810. Again we debate it for a few minutes, and I insist that I use my gear. He relents, but then adds "dude, I'm not paying you to use that whimpy 410.

I just got in my car and drove away. Since this was in the days before wide-spread mobile phones, the BL has to jump in his car and chase me down. He begs me to come back and finally agrees to double my original price (and pay me up front.) BUT.....he insisted that I leave my gear in the car and fake it. For double the price, I agreed.

They allowed me to plug into their PA, but it was so underpowered that I couldn't turn up to hear myself or risk blowing it up. So...I faked it all night.

That is one of the worst cases of douchebaggery I have ever heard.

[TC2112]

it was at a chain music store opening and they couldn't come up with a bass amp for use or rent?

[Stingray89]

I've had to fake playing with a band before but it's because my amp blew halfway thru our set. It was my first band and I was 14 and didn't understand that you can't run a 200 watt head thru a 100 watt cab.

[CBRXJ]

I faked a couple songs during band practice.. The guitard kept turning up and up...so I turned all the way down to see If he would notice...he never did.

I was watching a band last night that the bass player/lead singer only played ( wore ?) his bass about half the songs but the bass in the mix sounded the same to me. When he was playing it and when the tech was tuning it.

[UnfortunateTony]

Who does he think he is? Sid Vicious?

[ciudadmarron]

Originally Posted by guy n. cognito

I played a sub gig years ago and was told by the band leader "dude, don't bring anything. We'll have everything you need, even the bass. We'd really prefer you use our gear, because we have a 'look'".

I show up at the gig, and the band is already setting up. I don't see the bass rig, so I ask if it is still in the truck. The band members all look at me like I had two heads. Apparently, they all assumed that I was going to pick it up from their bass player. After debating that issues for a few moments, I informed them that I had my gear in the car. Again, they look at me like I'm crazy. The band leader informs me that, before I remove my gear from the car, he will need to "inspect it." He reminds me that they have an image to protect.

When we get in the lot, the BL says "So, where's your van." I point to my Civic hatchback, to which he says "how do you get an 810 in that?!! When he sees my 410 and my SS head, he tells me to just leave it in the car, bring my bass and "fake it." Apparently, their "image" demanded that the bass player have nothing less than an 810. Again we debate it for a few minutes, and I insist that I use my gear. He relents, but then adds "dude, I'm not paying you to use that whimpy 410.

I just got in my car and drove away. Since this was in the days before wide-spread mobile phones, the BL has to jump in his car and chase me down. He begs me to come back and finally agrees to double my original price (and pay me up front.) BUT.....he insisted that I leave my gear in the car and fake it. For double the price, I agreed.

They allowed me to plug into their PA, but it was so underpowered that I couldn't turn up to hear myself or risk blowing it up. So...I faked it all night.

Because playing WITHOUT the 810 is clearly better for the image.... awesome.

[centrefold]

Originally Posted by ciudadmarron

Because playing WITHOUT the 810 is clearly better for the image.... awesome.

HAHAHAHAH too funny. I got a good laugh from that.


I played our cd release party for my band and about 20 seconds into the first song my bass cut out. Couldn't hear it in from the amp...couldnt hear it from the house speakers.

I continued to play while checking everything around and found out about 2 mins later my singer had jumped on my tuner on the far side of the stage. I jumped over and clicked it off and continued to play

its cool/lame that no one knew I wasnt playing.

[TheMutt]

I've faked it before in protest to our church sound engineer who constantly says that I am too loud (when really it's the guitarist). At the end of the service, the engineer still had the nerve to tell me that I was too loud. I showed him that my amp was off and that was the last time I was asked to turn down.

[skidrawk]

My band uses a sequence and one time the BL forgot to remove the bass track and I had learned the song different from what he wanted so he asked me to "fake it." No problem. It payed the same. I ended up relearning the song the way he wanted it and he fixed the backtrack.

[southgabass]

Lol... I wish I could fake it in my band... everything is bass driven... and everyone notices when I'm not playing... mainly because of the endless lines of swearing coming from my face while blaming the guitarist for being an incompetent douchebag who drops other peoples gear when they aren't around.... yeah... but if I could I don't think I would even then... and the 810 thing, *** I woulda told him "If your regular bassist knew what they were doing, or your band knew what they were doing a 410 could do more than you... and then you can stick the other 410 up somewhere else".... what kind of band was it that needed THAT as their image?... I mean really they must be over compensating for something..... wonder if I can get their gals numbers.... =D

[ButtUglyJeff]

Originally Posted by Audiophage

Thats quite silly. Your son's teacher shouldn't have worried about making waves. Oh well, at least your son knows enough to laugh about it.

This wasn't at Pittsford Plaza by any chance, was it?

Yup, spooky you knew....

[southgabass]

^.... he was there.... maybe he's the teacher trying to cover his tracks?

[Dub Wood]

Funny story.


We were playing a gig this weekend and the right side of the stage lost power. I pretended to play the rest of the song before the power came back.

[southgabass]

and no one noticed? lol...