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I KNOW I'm a bassist now! (Guitard content)

IotaNet

IotaNet

Supporting Member
Dec 8, 2004
3,566
503
64
Minneapolis (Chicago Native)
#1
:rolleyes:
pointbass said:
... First of many, give it another 6 months to a year and you'll be b*tching about the drummer just like the rest of us :D ...
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The above quote was from the thread where I "played out" for the first time back in January. Since then, I have become the regular "First Sunday bassist" at my church and yesterday was my debut.

I only have one question: "What are guitards thinking?????" Mine totally screwed the pooch yesterday!!!

Here's the deal on this particular tune ...
* The song starts with a drum intro.
* The guitarist is to enter 4 bars later with a groove in Eb.
* The bass (me) comes in 4 bars after that with a chromatic run up to Eb and the line is played in the same key.
* The organ comes in 4 bars after me.

Why did my guitarist play his groove in Ab?????? When the organist came in, everything was out of whack. We kind of kept the groove going until the guitarist figured out that he was in the wrong key and made the adjustment.

In all seriousness, our guitarist has been gigging for 30 years (easily) and he has been an absolute gem to me as I've prepared to join the music ministry -- the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet and he is an awesome player and the consummate professional -- he just had a brain cramp yesterday. (If the truth be known, I'm just happy that *I* was not the one who screwed up!)

I just fiind it funny that on my first regular gig as a bassist, I have officially joined the Bass Brotherhood because now, I too, have a "Guitard" story to tell!
 
#3
I just fiind it funny that on my first regular gig as a bassist, I have officially joined the Bass Brotherhood because now, I too, have a "Guitard" story to tell!
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I played my first gig this past weekend as a bass player too. It was great, what a rush. Our lead guitarist (who is the feature) has been a seasoned pro for many years and is an excellent player. He went off at times into never never land, but we followed along pretty good. It wasn't necessarily how we practiced, but it worked out great in the end.

Lawrie
 
#4
Welcome to the Wonderful World of Church Bass. I'm happy to say the Guitards at the church I'm playing at are all top notch players and very experieced and have the same brain farts like the rest of us. It's cools espsecially when they own up to their mistakes and can laugh about it and keep groovin'. By the way, which bass did you use, I'm betting the MTD for growl? Also, what song were you guys playing?
 
#5
Bassman7PM said:
By the way, which bass did you use, I'm betting the MTD for growl? Also, what song were you guys playing?
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I definitely played the MTD. Interestingly enough, I had it set flat but after listening to the recording, in the future I'm going to boost the mids b/c I feel like the tone was a bit muddy in the mix.

The song was "God is My Everything" by Chicago Mass Choir (Here is what it's SUPPOSED to sound like: )
 
#10
That's funny!
At least he figured it out without having to come to a screeching halt and start over...."shudder:

The choir would not have like the move to Ab I bet...
 
#11
Good thing you and the band kept it going. You can believe that mistakes like this (although maybe not with the same guy) will happen again and again and again...

When I played a gig and the guitarist started out in the wrong key, I just adjusted. Luckily we were a 3-piece playing an instrumental so the drummer just laughed.
 
#12
This kind of thing can happen any time to anybody. Your turn is coming... it's pretty much inevitable and I've yet to see anyone die from it (other than from embarassment ;)). But don't be embarassed, just go with it.

I just played with a diva last week. The regular keyboardist couldn't make it and that put all of the chordal weight on the guitarist, who up to that point had mainly played off the keyboards. That didn't bode well for several songs. In addition, the singer called a song we hadn't played before and had no idea where she wanted it. We vamped on the intro in the original key and she refused to come in or give us an idea where she wanted it or what was wrong. She abruptly stopped the song and called another one. She also has a wonderful habit of going to changes without giving us the slightest hint that she's going to do it beforehand.

As such, sometimes transitions can get ragged. What do I do? Grin and bear it, get paid and go home:D. Starting a song in the wrong key isn't that big a deal, it's how you come out of it that really counts. Also how you react. Some people make faces, roll their eyes or do other things that draw attention to a "mistake". That's exactly what shouldn't be done. If any attention is drawn, it should be to play it off IMO.

I saw the Isley Bros. on tv a couple of years ago and Ernie Isley started "That Lady" in the wrong key. Like I said, it can happen to anyone.

I play with another person who likes to sing his vocals 2-3 beats ahead of the measure. Good times:cool:
 
#13
Marcus said:
Good thing you and the band kept it going. You can believe that mistakes like this (although maybe not with the same guy) will happen again and again and again...

When I played a gig and the guitarist started out in the wrong key, I just adjusted. Luckily we were a 3-piece playing an instrumental so the drummer just laughed.
Click to expand...

What's fun is when you have to decide which of several ways to go because the guitar is in one key, the keyboards are in another... and the singer is out in left field. I typically go with the singer.
 
#14
""Like I said, it can happen to anyone.""

Do any of you older folks remember John Sebastian on Saturday Night Live?

He started to sing his hit song "Welcome back" (From the TV show Welcome back Kotter").

Well, he sang about 2 bars and must have had a brain fart, because he STOPPED THE SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE BAND !!

The band then began to vamp the intro and he sang the whole song.

That had to be the first and only time anyone blew a song on SNL.

I've made some big musical mistakes in my career, but come on, "Welcome back"? It's such a simple song.....

Oh well, the show must go on....

Mike
 
#16
keyboardguy said:
""Like I said, it can happen to anyone.""

Do any of you older folks remember John Sebastison on Saturday Night Live?

He started to sing his hit song "Welcome back" (From the TV show Welcome back Kotter").

Well, he sang about 2 bars and must have had a brain fart, because he STOPPED THE SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE BAND !!

The band then began to vamp the intro and he sang the whole song.

That had to be the first and only time anyone blew a song on SNL.

I've made some big musical mistakes in my career, but come on, "Welcome back"? It's such a simple song.....

Oh well, the show must go on....

Mike
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hoho, i wouldn't say, "only time." i witnessed the infamous ashley simpson moment. of course, that wasn't anything as excusable as a wrong key brain fart. she "pushed the wrong button" and started the lip sync track to the wrong song. BUSTED!

makes it all seem relative though. when playing real, live music mistakes happen. and it ain't sooo bad.
 
#17
I"ve had many of these gig experiences. One of my favorites, and I still give my Keyboardist **** occasionally, is when I invited a classic Gospel keyboard player (IMO, someone able to play the sickest, most intricate chords/harmonies, and yet has no clue what such chords are called.) to play in a live Hip Hop band I was in at the time. Now, most of the bass lines were simple James Brown style grooves, mainly in C minor or G minor, and my keytard was LOST!!!! Totally flubbed the chords all night, and felt real uncomfortable. And this dude is BAD at church!!!!! I sat in with his church band once, and it was a role reversal.

Brad, your description of the Diva is exactly like what I used to run into here in OKC when I used to do poetry readings with my Neo-Soul cover band. You'd get these chicks who claimed an extensive singing background (mainly in a situation where there were thankfully 20 other people in the choir to cover her up!!), and would argue with you when you started up a groove. I had one chick who was a regular, and would periodically approach me or the keyboard player to 'sing' us a line or groove she was thinking of. That is, minus the discernable pitch of course. I did the same thing you did: I smiled, played my ass off, got paid, and split ASAP.
 

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