It’s not that big of a deal. It’s a couple of country songs. How hard could they be?
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- Thread starter Bass Man Dan
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It's in alternating 4/4, 3/4
Actually if you think that's all there is to it, you will indeed train-wreck it.
I know we are talking bass but hear me out.
I was doing a soprano sax gig 2 Fridays ago and the spring on the F# key broke. On this horn I can't even use a hair tie or rubber band to do the work of the spring. Luckily I had an alto sax in the car with one reed. Not only do I have to finish the next 2 sets but the BL decided to take a request like on 2 Billie Holiday songs that I am not familiar with and she always put a spin on cover songs where sometimes charts are useless. I have not played alto in years and the only reason I had it in the car was to show it to someone later as I am selling it. It's bad enough that I have to transpose to an Eb instrument songs I knew but I had to do these songs I do not know. I just took a deep breath and went with it. Had 20 minutes to look chord changes in the web and listened to YT videos and just dove in. It actually turned okay and the horn sounded better as the evening went, I decided not to sell the horn.
Now back to bass. As long as I do not have to do a bass hook that is the signature of the song. I will probably do it. I have been criticized in the past for fumbling or called a bad bass player by bass players in the audience as a result - but oh well - that is life. BLs always appreciate the effort. Also a good drummer can save that day by helping you fill the bottom if he lets the bass drum sing. Even better are piano/kb players who will do the bass line if you get lost.
It has been said: Everything happens for the best. I was selling the alto horn to help finance a better pro level soprano sax and yesterday my tech had a better sax on consignment for less than half the price of the horns I had been looking at on reverb ebay and various specialty shops and sites.
I was doing a soprano sax gig 2 Fridays ago and the spring on the F# key broke. On this horn I can't even use a hair tie or rubber band to do the work of the spring. Luckily I had an alto sax in the car with one reed. Not only do I have to finish the next 2 sets but the BL decided to take a request like on 2 Billie Holiday songs that I am not familiar with and she always put a spin on cover songs where sometimes charts are useless. I have not played alto in years and the only reason I had it in the car was to show it to someone later as I am selling it. It's bad enough that I have to transpose to an Eb instrument songs I knew but I had to do these songs I do not know. I just took a deep breath and went with it. Had 20 minutes to look chord changes in the web and listened to YT videos and just dove in. It actually turned okay and the horn sounded better as the evening went, I decided not to sell the horn.
Now back to bass. As long as I do not have to do a bass hook that is the signature of the song. I will probably do it. I have been criticized in the past for fumbling or called a bad bass player by bass players in the audience as a result - but oh well - that is life. BLs always appreciate the effort. Also a good drummer can save that day by helping you fill the bottom if he lets the bass drum sing. Even better are piano/kb players who will do the bass line if you get lost.
It has been said: Everything happens for the best. I was selling the alto horn to help finance a better pro level soprano sax and yesterday my tech had a better sax on consignment for less than half the price of the horns I had been looking at on reverb ebay and various specialty shops and sites.
But yes OP you have the right to say no. Hesitation is the precursor to disaster. All my wipe outs on mountain bikes (jumping or gnarly descents) is because I hesitated.
I don’t care how “pro” someone claims to be, this is annoying and extremely uncourteous. Funnily enough, the people who do this the most are the least professional people I work with.
I agree with the general tenor of the conversation - your singer has no clue how much it takes for you to learn a song and sound good. It is a skill that can be developed and mastered - listening to a song and being able to play in next to no time - but not everyone can do it, in fact, most can't.
It's country. Find the key and go 1 rest 5 rest 1 rest 5 rest.... rinse repeat.
OK I'm sorry - just kidding folks!
kinda sorta....
yes, I read it, I know that at least one of the songs in question is actually a challenge to learn. But I HAD TO make the joke. I can't help it. It's in my nature.
That was real true back in the early 70's and the three chord thump is what got me tired of playing country songs. Now days, that's not necessarily the case and many of the songs are much more interesting musically to me than those old country songs where all you really needed to know was the key and whether or not they did anything imaginative at the turn around.
personally, yes, but my band won't.If I bring “2 or 3” Rush fans to the gig, will you play Anthem and Freewill?
I've had to do songs I don't know when someone asks if I can back them up at open-mic night. I'll ask them for the chords of the verse and the chorus and then make sure I stand somewhere that I can see their hands. As long as their not using those dang diads (2-note chords) like E5, B5, etc., I can usually follow along pretty well by watching their hands for the changes. I may mess up a chord or two but I'll usually catch it on the next verse, chorus, etc. Of course, no one is expecting me to play it perfectly so I'm not under huge pressure, but I want to play it perfectly so I try my best to follow along.
Other than that, if they can give me a good chord chart with the changes matching the place in the lyrics they really change and I can listen to it at least once, I can usually come up with a reasonable facsimile. Even if the chord changes aren't where they should occur in the lyrics, I can usually suss them out. Problem with singers pulling this stuff on you is that they have no idea how to read let alone make a chord chart. So they like to just tell you name of the song and expect you to be perfect from there, "well, it doesn't sound like it's a hard song, so we're going to play it tonight...
see post #19 for an excellent solution to this type of singer.
Thanks to @ArtechnikA for this brilliant solution!
Thanks to @ArtechnikA for this brilliant solution!
Unfortunately many weekend warrior outfits pose obstacles like insistent focus on fear of failure to recognize EASY.
Sure you could roll with it and probably do fine with these two songs, but then what gets called last minute at the next gig?
"Mind like a Toll Road"
"Heart Like a Dead End Alley"
"Face Like Five Miles Past Where the Maintenance Crew Ran Out of Pothole Filler"
"Soul Like a Shallow Rut on a Sheer Cliff Passable Only by Mountain Goats and Mules"
"Mind like a Toll Road"
"Heart Like a Dead End Alley"
"Face Like Five Miles Past Where the Maintenance Crew Ran Out of Pothole Filler"
"Soul Like a Shallow Rut on a Sheer Cliff Passable Only by Mountain Goats and Mules"
First answer: NO.
Second answer: are they simple and does it matter a lot if I shag up a bit bc I didn't have a chance to learn the songs?
I have done exactly this, and tbh, it was pretty fun. The country band guys were fine with leading the song and the guitarist even called out changes time to time.
So, hey. if you get 30 min to try to scrub thru them, that's better than nothing. Speaking of, hopefully the gig is better than nothing
Second answer: are they simple and does it matter a lot if I shag up a bit bc I didn't have a chance to learn the songs?
I have done exactly this, and tbh, it was pretty fun. The country band guys were fine with leading the song and the guitarist even called out changes time to time.
So, hey. if you get 30 min to try to scrub thru them, that's better than nothing. Speaking of, hopefully the gig is better than nothing
I don't do sessions. Often. Read the last paragraph of my experiences I listed. Sorry, man. It just ain that hard if you study the right things. And, if ya didn't even read my whole story? Yer prolly missing out on other pertinent info.
I've played in my town the last ten years. Live. 200+ shows a year. 20 or so acts. My current main act plays 12 shows a month. As I said. We learn songs on stage. On breaks I can learn any song to perform in ten minnits. I performed with 1.5 hours notice, 1.5 hours of covers I never heard, in a style I don't like. I get these types of calls ALL the time. I acquired the skills to take these calls on purpose. As well as many of my heroes, both studio cats an live guys. Performing instantaneously in studio OR live is same.
I can also play songs, in a moment, instantaneously. You apparently read nuthin I wrote. Or, didn't understand. Yer dismissal of my points leads me to believe it was the former. It just ain't that hard. And, if it is, and I can do it? Must make me special. I don't believe that. I can teach anyone to do what I do. You, too...
this begs the question, are you playing the SONGS or are you playing the changes?
I ask because I've played with lots of people who claim to do what you describe, but what ends up happening is they put up a chord chart of the tune and basically jam/improvise through the changes, and what to me are essential parts of the tune (breaks, hooks, distinctive riffs. etc) do not get played. I've been in that situation a number of times and frankly think it's B.S. because the "song" isn't getting played, whats getting played are a set of changes that go along to a lyric sheet.
I remember one time my BL sent out some Motown tune the day before the gig and said the singer wanted to do it. I basically sat down and learned the whole tune which had a cool bass break in the middle. We start it and it becomes obvious that neither the guitar player nor the KB player really listened to it because they are basically just playing the changes, the part where the bass break happens comes up and they pretty much play through the whole thing.
And then he suggested a Weather Report tune.
structurally the LF tune wasn't all that complicated, but there were enough nuances in there that I just didn't want any part of it as a last minute addition at what was basically 5 hours before lift off.
I was of one mind and then read that it's 2 country tunes...
I mean... if you're not a prolific player and you know this of yourself, then maybe it might be reasonable to ask the bandleader for more advance notice. But, not knowing which two country songs they are, I wouldn't be concerned if this was asked of me...
I love living on the edge. Listen to it once, get the singer's and go. Disclaimer: my opinion only.
I think it depends on the skill of the band. Some pros do this real easy, I've been able to, too. He should at least provide some charts. But for the average bar band, no, this is kind of a dumb idea that could lead to some awkward moments on stage.
