"My buddy's a pro bass player..."

[KeithPas]

This has never happened to me but if it did my response would go something like this:
"Can my buddy sit in; he is a pro and is better then you"
Me: "I don;t remember starting a conversation with you, why are you talking to me"
Uncomfortable silence and end of conversation

[gumbynotpokey]

Originally Posted by KeithPas

This has never happened to me but if it did my response would go something like this:
"Can my buddy sit in; he is a pro and is better then you"
Me: "I don;t remember starting a conversation with you, why are you talking to me"
Uncomfortable silence and end of conversation

Epic.

What would I say? I'd take the one-down and say we're not in the habit of having "actual" players sit in live, no rehearsal, cause we're not as good as "actual" players and we'd tend to get thrown off.

What a RIDICULOUS question. No class.

[Megazap63]

The term 'pro bassist' is very elastic, and can range from top-level, touring and studio players to guys on welfare benefits who own an instrument or two. What category of 'pro' was this guy? And why did he have a friend approach you rather than himself?

None of the real pro players I know and work with feel the need to trawl bars trying to show up other musicians. Quite a few years years ago I had the bass chair with the house band at a venue that was frequented by musicians. Lots of guys used to come up asking to sit in and after a while it became easy to pick the musicians from the losers.

Sounds like this guy - and his buddies - are a bunch of deadbeats. My response would have been an instant 'F*$K OFF'. Politely, though.

[One Drop]

Originally Posted by droskobass

Honestly no one appreciates it when people "sit in" especially on Bass. If he's your friend and you need to take a break and you ask him to sit in that's another story. But the privilege of sitting in is something that comes from the people onstage not the other way 'round. Stage rushing is the most uncool amateur thing you could ever do as a pro.

I have had some great singers come and sit in for a song or two, but it's always been the bandleaders call and usually they are people that we've known for a long time and their participation will just ad to the show.

On the other hand, my Uncle is an old time Chicago blues style bass player who used to gig and tour with Big Momma Thornton. One night she was playing in town and next door at a larger venue a young Texas blues guitarist had just finished his show and stopped in to see Big Mamma's set. On the bands insistence the guitarist sat in, played very tastefully and the audience and the band were super stoked. Big Mamma couldn't wait for him to get off stage, she liked the dynamic with her regular guy and didn't appreciate the distraction...

The guitarist sitting in was Stevie Ray Vaughn... so it doesn't matter how "pro" anyone is, sitting in without an invitation from the band leader usually doesn't go over well.

I was there, Rising Sun in the '80's! I went on the Friday night and she was so amazing I went back the next night, when SRV came in after his Spectrum gig.

Funny thing is I didn't really know who he was at the time, I was just on a real old R&B, Blues and Jazz kick and she was someone I knew from her Hound Dog song. I can understand her being annoyed as her sets were very personal and her songs were basically very long stories, intimate and subtle, not at all the style Vaughan was ripping up.

Small world, Andrew, is your Uncle still alive and playing?

[Tupac]

"If you're buddy is so great, he can ask me himself."

[AuntieBeeb]

Originally Posted by Tupac

"If you're buddy is so great, he can ask me himself."

You've just got to be prepared for:
"My buddy's a mute, you insensitive a$$hole! Now can he play with you or not?"

[JansenW]

I would say, "Pro's don't have their buddies ask if they can sit in."

[invader3k]

I'd keep it simple and say something like, "Sorry, no, our band doesn't let other people sit in."

I had a woman at our last gig ask if she could get up on stage and sing with us. I just flat out said, "No, sorry." Maybe I'm just becoming less tolerant of people as I get older. The word "No", is a powerful one that you shouldn't be afraid to use.

[monkeyland]

Most of the time the true professional musicians don't want to sit in, they are out enjoying a night off after all and want to keep it that way. Generally your should be suspicious when someone blatantly asks to sit in because they probably are not getting their fill musically elsewhere.

[MikeBass]

Originally Posted by monkeyland

Most of the time the true professional musicians don't want to sit in, they are out enjoying a night off after all and want to keep it that way. Generally your should be suspicious when someone blatantly asks to sit in because they probably are not getting their fill musically elsewhere.

This.

[Zooberwerx]

Respond with "...if he's a pro, he's much too good for us and allowing him to sit in for even one song will doubtlessly leave us with a heightened sense of self-loathing and perpetuate our collective inferiority complex. Given our already fragile mental status, I'll have to decline the kind offer. In other words, *%#$ off."

Riis

[MysticMichael]

Just say "NO"! You don't need to explain. You don't need to justify. You don't need to rationalize.

The only thing you need to say is "NO"!

MM

[mongo2]

"Not tonight"

[tarafran]

My buddy is a pro bass player ... did I forget to mention that he his totally drunk (99% of the time )one of the reason he could not ask himself.
Also i forget he never washes his hand (he is a pro) so don't mind the sweat and grind all over your bass ......
I always try to in force the first rule .nobody unknowed is allowed on stage before the last set.By that time the Pro his already gone .
so you never said no..........

[TomB]

Originally Posted by bassmatt4792

Had a gig last night at a great little bar in Watertown, NY. It's 1:00am, we're about 1/3 of the way into our last set. I finish playing 'Basketcase' by Green Day (a song I feel as though I do well on; I play it with a pick and add a bunch of fast fills into it). A dude ad his friend seem to be staring at me the whole time (odd, because our guitarist is a showboat). They motion to me to come over and chat. The guy says "hey man, my buddy's a pro bass player; can he sit in with you guys? He knows all the songs better than you." My questions-

What the **** do I say to someone like that? I don't want to be super arrogant because we're trying to be a professional group and keep people around.

What does 'pro bass player' mean to you? Technically, I'm a pro, right? I got the gig and am being paid to play bass in a contractual agreement with the bar...

How do you feel when a 'pro bass player' is watching you like a hawk?

Would you say 'no' on the basis of the guy possibly being a horrible player, or do you just not like strangers on your gear?

Sorry if this is a stupid post, I'm only 20 and I've been playing out in bars for 9 months. It's the first time I've dealt with this. And please no arrogant answers like 'just say no and kept playing'. I'm interested in what everybody has to say.

EDIT: I posted my response to him somewhere in the middle of this thread, but since it's hard to find, I said something to the effect of: (pointing at my vocalist/BL) "It's up to him." It was the first thing that came to mind in this moment of disbelief, even though I a) knew the guy wouldn't ask the singer/BL, b) wouldn't ask the singer/BL myself, and c)knew the singer/BL wouldn't agree anyway. I really don't think the guy/pro friend heard me anyway because we had already started the next song and it was plenty loud. I also have a speech impediment and I probably mumbled/stuttered/stammered too.

Thanks for reading!
Matt

Easy question... Just say "No". That's a perfectly professional response.

[OmNomNom]

Would you walk in to the ER and tell the doctor "My friend does emergency bypass better than you.. can he perform this surgery?" Would you walk up to the bartender and say "Hey my friend makes way better kamikazes than you.. can he make mine?"

You already know the answer to your original question, OP.

[JohnMCA72]

"Open mic is (some other night)."

[boomboom4200]

Sorry contractual insurance policies forbid any non band/crew member from being on stage,or using the gear,be sure to tip your waitresses and ps, G.F.Y.S :-)

[bassteban]

Douchebag night is tomorrow. Buh-bye

[dreads311]

Originally Posted by boomboom4200

Sorry contractual insurance policies forbid any non band/crew member from being on stage,or using the gear,be sure to tip your waitresses and ps, G.F.Y.S :-)

That's my #1 answer.