Time to Write

mikedubbs · #1 11-27-2007, 01:58 PM

How long would everyone feel they needed to write bass lines to an original 10 song set (think of the music similar to Alice in Chains)? I just joined a original rock band & they're booking shows w/ 10 song sets less than a month out.....which personally puts me under the gun.

Am I being unreasonable.......I think my band thinks I should just play some root notes & get over it, but that's not exactly how I like to play out.

Advice / experiences welcome!

RiddimKing · #2 11-27-2007, 02:05 PM

I'd say if they're insisting on playing out that soon after you joined then they'll have to be satisfied with you just learning the changes and perhaps some riffs (if you're doubling the guitar). Look at it this way: you're not going into the recording studio, so you don't have to have the perfect bassline for these songs yet. So, you may not be satisfied with what you come up with so quickly, but if they're okay with it, it should be good enough for a live show.

Phalex · #3 11-27-2007, 02:26 PM

Roots will get you by just fine and the tunes will evolve the more you play them. I agree it's short notice, but the nice thing about original music is that nobody can tell you you're playing it wrong. Do what you can in the mean time, but if you have to play simple (I kind of like simple) it beats playing out of key.

Focus on surviving the first gig, and work on improving for the second. etc etc etc....

coolrunner989 · #4 11-27-2007, 02:30 PM

+1 to the above

I joined a band on sunday, practiced for 2 hours, had a 3 hour practice and two gigs friday and saturday night. I spent about 10 hours (2-3 every other day) learning the songs on my own. I was able to handle the 15 songs for the gigs, and now I'm going back and being more creative with the songs.

Take it easy first, focus on the basics (chords, song progressions, riffs to match guitars) and then get creative

Dave Martin · #5 11-27-2007, 04:45 PM

Writing bass parts for 10 songs? No more than a couple of hours. memorizing them, on the other hand, can take much longer....

Manndreas · #6 11-27-2007, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

Roots will get you by just fine and the tunes will evolve the more you play them. I agree it's short notice, but the nice thing about original music is that nobody can tell you you're playing it wrong. Do what you can in the mean time, but if you have to play simple (I kind of like simple) it beats playing out of key.

Focus on surviving the first gig, and work on improving for the second. etc etc etc....

+1

And use the remaining rehearsals to try out everything that comes to mind, improvise a bit. Doesn't matter if not everything sounds good. That's what rehearsals are for. At least you'll have a clue to how you're gonna spice up the songs live.

I've improvised lots of basslines on stage that I've since kept playing in the songs. Just because I had to play something, and that whatever-something I played just happened to sound great.

ClassicRock55 · #7 11-27-2007, 10:23 PM

If you can get the chords written out on each song and have a general feel for the tempo, it shouldn't take too long.

IanStephenson · #8 11-28-2007, 04:45 AM

In computing they have what are called "real time systems". While this is often confused with just doing things quickly, what this really means is: the value of the answer is dependent not just on its accuracy, but on it's timelyness. I'm sure weather forcasters would tell you how great a forcast they could give you for tomorrow if you let them take a week to work it out - trouble is they need it tomorow. I work in computer graphics: the release date for a movie is set about a year ahead. The effects work MUST be done a few weeks before that. It doesn't matter how great it COULD look given another week - the theaters are booked, and the movie is going out on that day no matter what.

You've got a hard deadline. The greatest bassline ever written has zero value if you figure it out 10 minutes AFTER you come off stage. Your job (if you choose to accept it...) is to deliver the best bassline possible in the time available.

Ian

Joe Nerve · #9 11-28-2007, 05:42 AM

If the upcoming gig payed $75,000 but only if you could come up with 10 great basslines - would you be able to do it?

If you said, "crap yeah!" (which I imagine you did), then that means you CAN do it - and should. To not do it, to complain about it, to think it's too much is a copout. I see so many people that are just lazy musicians and don't want to put the time or the work in. It may not be easy, but it can absolutely be done. It's all about the attitude you go into it with.

Gotta add that in reality 10 songs in 1 month is NOT asking a whole lot at all. If you take the bass seriously there are going to come times where you may be asked to learn 10 songs in a day. If it means enough to you, you figure out a way to do it. That could mean putting in 5 hours a day, finding time to work on it at the job, listeneing to the music exclusively, around the clock, getting help if you have to - whatever it takes.

I say do it and do it excellently. You'll be a way better musician for it after the month is up.

YCBass · #10 11-28-2007, 10:59 AM

Well, for the good old cliche... If you put your mind to it... You know the rest.

I personally feel a month is ample time to write lines for 10 songs. I've only been a member of my current band less than a month and I've learned 20+ songs (around 15 originals and 5 covers give or take) and played 2 gigs, the 1st was 1 1/2 long and last Saturday (and again this Friday) was near 3 hour sets. So talk about under the gun... I'm playing gigs without completely knowing the songs front and back like I would normally want it... But it's a good test of memory and improv skills. We played that long gig last Saturday and we did not practice the whole week before because of the holidays... Man, what a week does to your memory. I joined and instead of breaking me in and rehearsing for a little they didn't want to stop playing gigs so it was my part to rise to the occassion - it's a blues/rock band so they're not the most complicated songs - thankfully.

Anyway, if you're into the music then that's half the battle won right there... IMHO, the best sounds in rock is when the bass doubles the guitar(s) - it sounds really thick that way so I feel you can use a lot of the main guitar riffs to come up with your lines. Roots will get you by for now and build your lines from there - so you can keep the commitments. That's what I've been doing and I've gotten compliments at both gigs so far - at the end of the day the people who really count (the audience) will not know the difference whether or not your rocked roots all night.

Good luck Bro!

jomahu · #11 11-28-2007, 11:40 AM

+1 to everyone.

yeh, you can do it. just make it SOLID.
try recording the first gig....it's a great learning tool.

**bassybill** · #12 11-28-2007, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

If the upcoming gig payed $75,000 but only if you could come up with 10 great basslines - would you be able to do it?

If you said, "crap yeah!" (which I imagine you did), then that means you CAN do it - and should. To not do it, to complain about it, to think it's too much is a copout. I see so many people that are just lazy musicians and don't want to put the time or the work in. It may not be easy, but it can absolutely be done. It's all about the attitude you go into it with.

Gotta add that in reality 10 songs in 1 month is NOT asking a whole lot at all. If you take the bass seriously there are going to come times where you may be asked to learn 10 songs in a day. If it means enough to you, you figure out a way to do it. That could mean putting in 5 hours a day, finding time to work on it at the job, listeneing to the music exclusively, around the clock, getting help if you have to - whatever it takes.

I say do it and do it excellently. You'll be a way better musician for it after the month is up.

Joe has hit several very important nails very squarely on the head here as always. This is the definitive answer to the OP in my opinion. Nice one, Joe.

Joe Nerve · #13 11-28-2007, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

Joe has hit several very important nails very squarely on the head here as always. This is the definitive answer to the OP in my opinion. Nice one, Joe.

Thanks. I thought so too.

jakeox · #14 11-30-2007, 02:38 PM

In my last audition, we did 10+ songs I'd never heard before. Usually I got the chord progression and roadmap yelled out right beforehand. Sometimes it got yelled out during the song. I played stuff that wasn't terribly inventive, but I did anchor the chords and lock into rhythm with the drummer. I'm still writing more interesting parts for all those songs, but I could get up on stage, hold down the rhythm section, and be fine now. Then again I like to have my parts about 75% written, and quasi-improvise the rest to fit however we're playing at that time.

The hardest part about a situation like that is the fear factor, but musicians can't be afraid to make mistakes. For now, if there's a riff, play it along with the guitarists. Stand near the drummer and watch what he's doing; make your rhythms fit in with his (especially the bass drum). Focus on hitting the root at the beginning of each chord, and being part of the rhythm section. These things don't make for the best bass line, but if they're missing, you will have a crappy bass line.

When that's going well, then start to branch out. It'll take a handful of rehearsals for you to hear where there is room for you to expand, and you can try stuff then. For now, be a basic bass player, and do it well.