Only enough time for one practice! First time sub experience.

[need4mospd]

Well, last weekend I had my first experience as a sub. It certainly didn't go as expected, and that's a good thing! I was 100% sure it was going to be a disaster, but somehow I manged a pretty good performance. A friend of mine got an opportunity to play a show in Austin at a somewhat popular 6th street bar, and his bass player couldn't make it. He asked me to step in and sub for that show, so I told him I'd step up and do it if he didn't mind a few messups, assuming of course we'd practice at least 3-4 times.

So two days before the gig, after 3 practices had been canceled, we finally got our first(and last) practice before the gig! We had enough time to run through the set once, with no CD or chord charts to practice with before, and I was only somewhat familiar with his original music. The practice goes as smooth as it could have gone with a bass player watching the guitarists fingers the whole time.

I manage to show up an hour before the gig and I get one last tip..... "When in doubt, play a G!" I think, "Oh crap, I remembered most songs being in A!" I just decided to stick with my guns and play exactly how I remembered it. I only had a few minor messups near the beginning with some odd chord changes. We actually had a small cheering crowd in there with a few people that hadn't heard his music before, so I guess it went good! No disasters, no stopping the song, no wierd notes, nothing! I did have a strap button loosen up on me that almost lost it near the end, but it came through.

The first thing the drummer says to me after the set is, "It's nice to have a bass player that knows when NOT to play!" I got a few other compliments from those that knew of our single practice, and sat down and enjoyed the rest of the night.

Anyways, I'd like to hear about everyone's first time sub experiences!

[roger winkler]

My first sub experience was the day of the gig and no practice. I just knew it was gonna be a disaster. Dude calls me at 11 a.m. on a Saturday and says his bass player can't make it that night for a wedding reception. I had never played with these guys before but had gone to one of their gigs. All cover tunes but most of them I had not played before. The ones I did know were played in a different key so lots of transposing notes. I hung in there for 3 or 4 hours, and managed to do a half way decent job. After the gig, people in the audience came up and told me what an awesome bass player I was.... Anyway, I have set in and subbed on several gigs since then, but I don't like to unless there has been at least 2 or 3 rehearsals. Most people in the crowd will not notice the screw ups, but theres always a few that will, and sometimes they are the ones you need to impress. On an ending note, if it's just an impromtu jam, then always go for it. You can learn lots from other musicians.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by need4mospd

Anyways, I'd like to hear about everyone's first time sub experiences!

I generally resisted sub gigs for years. They almost always work out better than I expect though. Here's a typical one:

A upright bassist friend keeps bugging me to take some of his gigs with a gypsy jazz group. He's a smoking player, way outta my league. Finally I get an electric upright and start gigging with another jazz band, which is much lower key. I keep resisting, but finally his wife-to-be informs me that I'll be sitting in with his band at their wedding so they can relax a bit. No rehearsals, and the music is off their own charts, with plenty of originals. They call bass solos on every other tune, more or less. I survive OK, so I go to one of their club gigs and play a set.

Someone sees me play at the club, asks me to sub in their horn band, then cancels all but one of the rehearsals, and only half the band shows for that one. I beg out, but somehow get conned into doing the gig. It kills, best gig ever for that band apparently.

Someone later sees me play at the same club with the horn band, books me to play in a pickup band at a very high profile gig, and I in turn book another guy to play the half of the gig I don't want to play. He gets the rehearsal, then I get most of the work on the gig anyway, naturally.

Someone sees me play....

Subbing be berry berry good to me!