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#224
I'm so fortunate because one of the guys in our group actually makes pretty good chord tabs and notation for us non music readers. I make sure he knows how much work it saves me and how much I appreciate his efforts. Where we get into trouble is when an outside musician comes in to join us for a special occasion and reads music - usually they have a hard time matching the nuances of the chord tabs and notation with the sheet music they may be most familiar with.

Counting my blessings!!!

AND we are pretty consistent with not playing things seriously in front of the public when we've never rehearsed them...
 
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#225
4 octave fun said:
Funny as I got older this bothered me less and less. I think it’s insane, yet what I-what you, should live for. EG: at an island bar, hammered crowd, at the end of set 1 guy comes up waving two fifties. This Father of the groom wants “my own worst enemy” and “Possum Kingdom”. Singer knew them- I had heard them, never played them. Charted them over break and Let. It. Fly!!! FnA it’s what we should be living for…and they were both alright!
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I agree, it's fun to "chicken wing" (as a drummer I know calls it) through requests on the fly, but it depends on the band's experience and capabilities. Seems like the OP's band is not accustomed to adding songs on short notice, so in this case it's better for them not to go there at all.

I've worked with experienced talented musicians who weren't comfortable with short-notice additions. I've also worked with musicians who were too willing to fake songs: "dude, you completely forgot about the bridge!". But yeah, it's nice to be in a group that knows what they should and should not attempt.



Props to you and your band for Possum Kingdom on the fly. I'm kinda familiar, but there are some interesting time changes so I'm not sure I'd wanna fake it unless the rest of the band was confident they could nail it.
 
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#226
After having this sort of thing pulled on me more than a few times by fu**** . . . . . I'm sorry, lead singers, I would simply play it like I never them before, certainly because of the almost no notice, chart, download, etc.

Then, when he turns around and gives me that look . . . . well, you'll know what to do.
 
#227
Fuzzbass said:
I agree, it's fun to "chicken wing" (as a drummer I know calls it) through requests on the fly, but it depends on the band's experience and capabilities. Seems like the OP's band is not accustomed to adding songs on short notice, so in this case it's better for them not to go there at all.
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Yep, as I've said, it's tons of fun if you know that everyone is able to pull it off well. There seem to be three levels of stuff being brought up here in this thread. Mostly two. Here's how I see it.

Level 1: Casual bar band, players might lack experience but have a lot of enthusiasm and may or may not all have decent chops with rehearsal and practice. These are the folks who might not be able to play something well by ear or on the fly; maybe one or two people in the band could handle it but not everyone. Might be inclined to pull chord charts off the internet but might not all have the same charts or realize if the charts aren't correct.

Level 2: More seasoned players, probably playing venues a cut above the casual bar circuit and more apt to be able to handle this kind of request. Might still pull down charts that are different, could still train wreck on it, but more willing to shrug it off if that happens.

Level 3: Very seasoned players in highly pro situations where everything that happens on stage is well practiced. Bandleaders in this band would never ask for anything like this at the last minute because they know it's not going to result in the polished performance they are after.

I find myself subbing in all three kinds of bands lately. I'd cringe if I was asked to do this in a Level 1 band because I would know that the others were not likely up to it. Level 2 I would go along for the ride with a smile, because it's actually fun for me. Level 3 I would never be asked, so no issue.

Edited to add: Level 2 and 3 could have the same players, just a different attitude toward how strong their stage performance should be.
 
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#228
I left a band for that very reason. I got sick and tired of the lead singer re-writing the set list in her car on the way to gigs. She would invariably throw in something that we looked at during the last rehearsal.

I don't mind doing requests, especially when they come with a wad of cash in the requestor's hand, because there's the understanding that this ain't part of our rehearsed reparatory and there might be a mistake or two.
 
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#229
LBS-bass said:
Level 2: More seasoned players, probably playing venues a cut above the casual bar circuit and more apt to be able to handle this kind of request. Might still pull down charts that are different, could still train wreck on it, but more willing to shrug it off it that happens.
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Great list! :thumbsup: I would only add one subdivision, perhaps 3b: highly seasoned players who are willing to do requests. Maybe they play (or played) the song in one of their other bands, or maybe they've simply heard it enough that they can just fake it.

It doesn't mean anything goes, but I've been amazed by the requests some local "super groups" have pulled off: the BL will ask his mates "what about X?"; if everyone concurs then they go for it, and the best play it like they've rehearsed it. The super groups are made up of the guys you can call in to sub on minimal notice (if they're available), and still be certain they'll nail your gig.
 
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#230
Fuzzbass said:
Great list! :thumbsup: I would only add one subdivision, perhaps 3b: highly seasoned players who are willing to do requests. Maybe they play (or played) the song in one of their other bands, or maybe they've simply heard it enough that they can just fake it.

It doesn't mean anything goes, but I've been amazed by the requests some local "super groups" have pulled off: the BL will ask his mates "what about X?"; if everyone concurs then they go for it, and the best play it like they've rehearsed it. The super groups are made up of the guys you can call in to sub on minimal notice (if they're available), and still be certain they'll nail your gig.
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Yep, I can agree with that :)
 
#231
First big band I was had three music majors who had been playing piano or guitar since they were 6 days old. They knew every song ever recorded. When ever someone would yell out "play ______ " one of them who knew it would shout out - "at our break . . . at our break". So at our next break several of our guys would do a sing-along at the piano or keyboard while the rest of were off to the the rest room or a smoke break. Those guys helped the rest of us out and those who made the request were very pleased. We got a LOT of call backs! (And as a footnote, that was 51 years ago. Three of us from that band still play in bands regularly and most of us still keep in touch.)
 
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#234
Bass Man Dan said:
I love my band. Our singer is a very cool and talented guy. But sometimes I just gotta LOL.

He sends a text to us about 30 minutes ago that he has "2 or 3" country fans coming tonight so we should play 2 songs that I've honestly never heard before.
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You're laughing?
At Least you got a text...tunes'd be easy enough to find online...
We used to get changes on the fly and stand there for minutes learning the song (first band...).
Oh, by the way, don't play heavy metal at a church function...
 
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#236
I've been hired to play gigs blind. never played with or met those people in my life. no need to show me a list, just give me a song or two to get in the groove. one of those bands was hired at the last moment to replace a wrestling bear that cancelled. the guitar player had to drive 100 miles to pick me up, and another to bring me back. actually it didn't sound too bad...considering. take the gigs as they come, with or without practice. you'll be the better bass player for it.
 
#237
This is not about being “seasoned pro players”. I have a policy that we do not play any songs in our set that we have not rehearsed. That, to me, is professionalism.

And, BTW, I’ve been a musician since I was a small child, and I’ve had many years of classical training. I can read music just fine. It’s simply unprofessional to call for changes to a set at last minute that have not been rehearsed, let alone changes that the members of the band have never even heard *of*, much less actually *heard*.

A paying gig is not a jam session. I don’t F around on my client’s dime.
 
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#238
I used to play a lot of jazz gigs and read out of the real book. Many times someone would request a tune I had never heard before, much less ever played. I would sight read the chords and improvise a bassline. After the tune would end, I would sometimes say, "Thats a pretty good tune!"
 
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#239
Lesfunk said:
Happens all the time.
That’s why we are professionals.
Be ready for anything
I’ve had to learn songs on set breaks before
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At a toney gig at a yacht club, my band was asked if we knew ‘You Don’t Know Me’ by Ray Charles/Eddy Arnold. We worked it out during the break and made a couple of really nice friends in the next set. Now we play it whenever we go back. That’s what it’s all about, my friends.
 
#240
amper said:
This is not about being “seasoned pro players”. I have a policy that we do not play any songs in our set that we have not rehearsed. That, to me, is professionalism.

And, BTW, I’ve been a musician since I was a small child, and I’ve had many years of classical training. I can read music just fine. It’s simply unprofessional to call for changes to a set at last minute that have not been rehearsed, let alone changes that the members of the band have never even heard *of*, much less actually *heard*.

A paying gig is not a jam session. I don’t F around on my client’s dime.
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That would be Level 3.
 

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