More 5 string prejudice

nashvillebill · #1 09-12-2003, 09:27 PM

Just noticed this ad for Bass Player Wanted in the Nashville Scene:

"Original progressive rock band is auditioning for bass player. No Wootens, no 5-stringers. We will pay you for your time, but only serious inquiries...."

How ironic, a rock band that claims to be progressive is automatically ruling out 5 strings (as well as Vic Wootens)

20db pad · #2 09-12-2003, 09:42 PM

Maybe it's just me - I fail to see a problem. If the guy is paying and he wants a four string player to lay it down with no frills, I'd be happy to answer the ad if I was living in Nashville.

I realize I may be in the minority on this.

Munjibunga · #3 09-12-2003, 10:01 PM

Well, you'd be auditioning for a group in which the guitar player is going to tell you how many strings you can have on your bass. Wonder what else he's going to tell you.

Brad Johnson · #4 09-12-2003, 10:04 PM

As long as he told me an acceptable amount as far as pay, cool.

Munjibunga · #5 09-12-2003, 11:40 PM

I guess I'd be SOL on this one anyway ... I sold my only 4-stringer a few months ago.

LiquidMidnight · #6 09-13-2003, 01:32 AM

That reminds me, I have to put up an ad for a keyboardist/snyth player. I better state that I only want players with a 60 key keyboard, none of those damn 88 key keyboardist.

bassmonkeee · #7 09-13-2003, 07:51 AM

I'm with Brad on this. Call it silly if you want, but the man writting the check has the final say.

Hell--Buddy Rich told his guys whether, or not, they could have facial hair. And, Pacman's boss tells him what to wear, where to live, and to have NO hair.

jondog · #8 09-13-2003, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Munjibunga
I guess I'd be SOL on this one anyway ... I sold my only 4-stringer a few months ago.

You could show up at the audition, open your case, and make a point of slowly removing the B string in front of them, carefully wrapping it up, putting it away, and then say "OK, what do you want to hear?" Or, you could also do it w/ the G string. Or, if you really wanted to be creative, you could remove one of the middle strings.

neptoon · #9 09-13-2003, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bassmonkeee
I'm with Brad on this. Call it silly if you want, but the man writting the check has the final say.

Hell--Buddy Rich told his guys whether, or not, they could have facial hair. And, Pacman's boss tells him what to wear, where to live, and to have NO hair.

roger that. i think in the later days of megadeth, even dave mustaine was telling his guys that they had to be clean shaven

Brad Johnson · #10 09-13-2003, 07:32 PM

I'd be willing to bet that if you initially show up and get the job done with a four they won't give a rat's hiney what you show up with after that...

as long as you still get the job done.

BTW I think there's a very key point that a few might be missing. It's a job. If they hire you, they're the boss. That means that to a certain point they get to make the rules (they can't make monkeys float unassisted, they can't make beans tasty, etc... get my drift?)

They could be the most progressive (musically speaking) band on Earth, doesn't mean they couldn't require you to dress a certain way or look a certain way or use a type of instrument. That's because who's the boss?

They are. Now get over it

For every hundred drummers out there who would've laughed and said "You want me to wear this weird looking suit? Screw you!....

There's one Ringo. Think about it.

Mike N · #11 09-13-2003, 09:32 PM

Notice the ad didnt say anything about 6 or 7 string Basses.....

nashvillebill · #12 09-13-2003, 09:42 PM

If this is "just a job", that's one thing. Do what you're paid for, take your money and go home, shut up and avoid adding any artistic contributions. Hey you're getting paid to play, not think, right?

BUT if this is a collaborative effort--which ideally a band should be--it should be my decision whether I play with 5 strings or 4 or 1.

I don't depend on playing music to keep the bills paid, so I have the luxury of deciding who I play with. And I resent having some jerk telling me that I can't play with him because I choose a 5 string--and by the way, I don't slap, I don't pop, I don't live on the low B, I play "old school". I choose a 5 because it gives me some fingering options and it also means I can play a low D occassionally without retuning or using a Hipshot.

Munjibunga · #13 09-13-2003, 11:06 PM

In my bands, I don't allow the drummers to have more than three toms in their kit, and their snare can't be less than 6 inches deep. No pencil-thin sticks, no electronic drums. Prefer Sonors, but high-end Yamaha, DW, Tama or Pearl will be OK.

Guitarists, humbucking pickups only. Name-brand guitars only: Gibson, Fender, PRS only. No Peavey, Jackson or other POS guitars.

Keyboards must be Yamaha P-200 or better, P-250. No Korg, Roland, Kurzweil, or Alesis. Show up with a Casio and you will be shot.

I'm paying the bills, so like it or lump it.

OK, I'll lump it.

neptoon · #14 09-13-2003, 11:46 PM

what's wrong with roland keys?

bassmonkeee · #15 09-14-2003, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nashvillebill
If this is "just a job", that's one thing. Do what you're paid for, take your money and go home, shut up and avoid adding any artistic contributions. Hey you're getting paid to play, not think, right?

BUT if this is a collaborative effort--which ideally a band should be--it should be my decision whether I play with 5 strings or 4 or 1.

I don't depend on playing music to keep the bills paid, so I have the luxury of deciding who I play with. And I resent having some jerk telling me that I can't play with him because I choose a 5 string--and by the way, I don't slap, I don't pop, I don't live on the low B, I play "old school". I choose a 5 because it gives me some fingering options and it also means I can play a low D occassionally without retuning or using a Hipshot.

I agree with you when it is a collaborative effort. But, that doesn't appear to be what they want here. And, that's fine, too.

I currently play in two bands, and I'm trying to get hooked up with an acoustic world guitar player. Since he has 5 albums worth of material for me to learn, I'm going to play the songs the way he wants them played. And, when I play a gig, I'll be getting paid a set fee. He wants me to only play four string fretless, then I'll only play four string fretless. You know why? If I don't, someone else will.

My main jazz band is different. Last night, I took my 8 string octave fretless Curbow to the gig, and used it for half the night just because I felt like it. Neither the guitar player or drummer have any say in it. Luckily their reaction was, "Cool. This should be fun." At the end of the night, we split the take three ways.

The two situations are mutually exclusive. For all anyone knows, this prog band has 4 albums worth of material, and are close to a record deal. They might have someone come in and give him charts for 15 songs and say, "Learn these. We have a 3 week tour coming up in October. We'll pay you for the hours in rehearsal. Our gimmick is that we are going against the grain of all of these new 7 string guitars, 5-123 string basses, and 345.43 piece drum kits and keeping it simple."

If you are paying bills by playing music, a gig is a gig. Besides--if you only play 17 string half fretted basses, it gives you an excuse to go out and buy a PBass.

thumbtrap · #16 09-14-2003, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Munjibunga
Guitarists, humbucking pickups only.

Keyboards must be ...[/b]

In your effort to illustrate with absurdities, you actually hit a couple of valid stipulations.

What if they're looking for Fender Rhodes and Hammond B-3 for the keyboards? No lame 80's DX7 players wanted.

What if they're doing a clean country gig, and you show up with your Parker Fly? An explorer? Dire straights with a 335?

I don't care for ringing metallic snare sound. Our old drummer had a Rogers set that had a snare that sounded just like that Metallica parody. I hated it. He also had a set of Simmons drums he hauled out once in a while... enough said.

Perhaps they feel that more than 4 strings predisposes you to be a bass wanker and he wants the guitar player to do all the wanking in this band?

Munjibunga · #17 09-14-2003, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by neptoon
what's wrong with roland keys?

My ex-girlfriend dumped me for a guy named Roland.

Munjibunga · #18 09-14-2003, 12:03 PM

:::: removing tongue from cheek ::::

It's funny. I auditioned for an SRV tribute band. I showed up with my American Jazz Deluxe, the same color as Tommy Shannon's and everything ... well, except that it's a 5-string. I don't think the man appreciated the 5-string. Playing the notes was no problem, but between the 5-string and the fact that I don't look anything like Tommy Shannon, I didn't get the gig. But that's OK with me. The guitarist wants to BE SRV, and I'm not up for trying to be someone that's still alive and kicking.

Actually I agree with those who have said "It's a job." But auditions work both ways, and if you want the freedom to play more strings and throw in a juicy noodle every now and then, don't take the other kind of gig.

lbanks · #19 09-14-2003, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Munjibunga

My ex-girlfriend dumped me for a guy named Roland.

That's illogical and totally understandable...

The Mock Turtle Regulator · #20 09-14-2003, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jondog

You could show up at the audition, open your case, and make a point of slowly removing the B string in front of them, carefully wrapping it up, putting it away, and then say "OK, what do you want to hear?" Or, you could also do it w/ the G string. Or, if you really wanted to be creative, you could remove one of the middle strings.

if it was for a White Stripes-influenced band (I've seen a few ads for bass players wanted listing WS in the influences), you could remove all the strings

how about taking your 5 or 6, but put gaffer tape over the extra machineheads and hope they won't spot the extra strings?