Am I a horrible bass player?

[Katthestar]

I've never posted before, so hello. I switched to bass last year so I could join a surf rock band. I found myself really loving bass. I have 4 of them, and an Ashdown Engineering 115 watt amp. I love all of my basses.

I met with some girls and we were going to start a Green Day cover band. We picked out three songs and just played together today. I'm not going to lie, I didn't do that well. I had trouble keeping up and the charts I had were in standard tuning, except for one. They were playing EVERY song in drop D. The guitarist was mad at me for not tuning in drop D. I did after a couple of songs, but I was trying to just play down a fret on my bass. I had a hard time keeping up because they were playing at tempo and never slowed down or stopped to work on a few measures here and there. Still, I tried to use my ears and catch on as best I could. I felt like I got better as time went on. I had trouble finding the time to practice this week.

I even mentioned my concerns that I was the weak link, but they brushed it off and said that as long as we got along personally, we would be fine. They kept saying we were in good shape. I drove home thinking about practicing my butt off and working with my bass teacher to try and connect more with the guitar. I was really excited to play in a band finally.

Of course, after I got all my stuff put back in at home, I got a text where they said I wasn't working out. This was only our first practice and we had no gigs coming up or anything. I suspect that the husband of one of the girls wanted to play the bass instead. I know I didn't do well, but I was hoping to improve.

I feel so depressed now. It really did feel personal because they didn't say anything to me while I was there. I thought about just getting together with the guitar player for a practice together so we could work stuff out. We had even talked about next week. They didn't really give a reason other than I wasn't "working out".

I called my bass teacher and he said it was kind of poopy of them to dump me after only one practice, since we were just forming and didn't have a gig set up or anything.

I'm worried I'm the world's worst bass player and that I should just quit. That I'm a stupid musician and that my ears are no good. I really wanted to play with others and I wanted to put the work in, too. I tried to follow the tabs and charts I had. When I got lost, I would try to find the roots and just play those to see if I could line up with the guitarist. For them to lie to my face really hurt. I didn't have a lot of confidence before, and now it's shattered. I played in a band as a guitar player for a while and it wasn't like this. They didn't want me singing, but even though I was a newbie they kept me around.

I thought I was okay at bass. I thought my bass teacher had taught me well and I graduated from music school. I feel so stupid and ashamed now. I'm wondering if I should just sell my gear to pay off my debt.

This is more me venting than anything else. i'm just so shocked and upset. I could understand if we had practiced together a few times, but after 1 practice just seems so sudden. That they couldn't tell me to my face really hurts, too. I believed I could get better, and that I just needed to play more with the guitarist so we could lock in. I hate how they lied to me and said getting along mattered more. I feel like it's all my fault. I'm sorry if I sound like an idiot.

 

[bass12]

Don't sweat it. Sometimes things just don't click and it's not necessarily a matter of it being anyone's fault. Part of the reason it's so special when musicians click together is that it's more rare than most people would guess. If there's something you know you could have done better then take your experience as a learning experience and go from there. If not then just brush it off and keep going.

 

[ZenG]

No. You're just one step closer to success as you move on.

 

[Stumbo]

Welcome to TB!

When you get together as a group, it's rehearsal. When you learn at home it's practice.

Think of a play. Actors make sure they know their lines before rehearsing with the ensemble.

Good luck!

PS. Unless you're an expert sight reader and have charts.

 

[Spectre1966]

Don’t worry about it...many of us have been in a lot of bands and have had similar situations.

Also, feel free to drop into the Mediocre Bass player thread on here....lots of people there who consider themselves beginner to average players who like to chat.

 

[pcake]

i agree that it was crappy to drop you after one rehearsal. but you know what? don't worry about it - everyone improves as they keep playing. and there's a good chance those girls had played the songs before, while you hadn't.

do you like green day? if so, screw that newly forming band but why not learn those particular songs? you'll have some tunes under your belt plus learning them at your own speed will help you build your speed in general. i was just playing basket case right before i read this thread. it's a fun one!

 

[Spidey2112]

If it makes you feel any better, I think I got fired for being too forthright with a drummer who contacted me, via BandMix... I never even got to play one note...

... good thing I have a sense of humor, and I suggest you find yours, soon... makes the 'bumps in the road' a little easier to deal with...

... now get back to work and keep practicing. Regarding your situation, it wouldn't hurt to revisit the songs you were working on, in Drop D... there's plenty of software available where you can adjust the tempo of the song while remaining in tune with it... a great tool to get you up to speed, at your own pace...

... you'll get it. Don't let someone else steer you through your life... remember, you're the bus driver... I just wish you'd wear socks, every now and then.

 

[Nev375]

We are all crap compared to our future selves who didn't quit.

 

[dbase]

I've never posted before, so hello. I switched to bass last year so I could join a surf rock band. I found myself really loving bass. I have 4 of them, and an Ashdown Engineering 115 watt amp. I love all of my basses.

I met with some girls and we were going to start a Green Day cover band. We picked out three songs and just played together today. I'm not going to lie, I didn't do that well. I had trouble keeping up and the charts I had were in standard tuning, except for one. They were playing EVERY song in drop D. The guitarist was mad at me for not tuning in drop D. I did after a couple of songs, but I was trying to just play down a fret on my bass. I had a hard time keeping up because they were playing at tempo and never slowed down or stopped to work on a few measures here and there. Still, I tried to use my ears and catch on as best I could. I felt like I got better as time went on. I had trouble finding the time to practice this week.

I even mentioned my concerns that I was the weak link, but they brushed it off and said that as long as we got along personally, we would be fine. They kept saying we were in good shape. I drove home thinking about practicing my butt off and working with my bass teacher to try and connect more with the guitar. I was really excited to play in a band finally.

Of course, after I got all my stuff put back in at home, I got a text where they said I wasn't working out. This was only our first practice and we had no gigs coming up or anything. I suspect that the husband of one of the girls wanted to play the bass instead. I know I didn't do well, but I was hoping to improve.

I feel so depressed now. It really did feel personal because they didn't say anything to me while I was there. I thought about just getting together with the guitar player for a practice together so we could work stuff out. We had even talked about next week. They didn't really give a reason other than I wasn't "working out".

I called my bass teacher and he said it was kind of poopy of them to dump me after only one practice, since we were just forming and didn't have a gig set up or anything.

I'm worried I'm the world's worst bass player and that I should just quit. That I'm a stupid musician and that my ears are no good. I really wanted to play with others and I wanted to put the work in, too. I tried to follow the tabs and charts I had. When I got lost, I would try to find the roots and just play those to see if I could line up with the guitarist. For them to lie to my face really hurt. I didn't have a lot of confidence before, and now it's shattered. I played in a band as a guitar player for a while and it wasn't like this. They didn't want me singing, but even though I was a newbie they kept me around.

I thought I was okay at bass. I thought my bass teacher had taught me well and I graduated from music school. I feel so stupid and ashamed now. I'm wondering if I should just sell my gear to pay off my debt.

This is more me venting than anything else. i'm just so shocked and upset. I could understand if we had practiced together a few times, but after 1 practice just seems so sudden. That they couldn't tell me to my face really hurts, too. I believed I could get better, and that I just needed to play more with the guitarist so we could lock in. I hate how they lied to me and said getting along mattered more. I feel like it's all my fault. I'm sorry if I sound like an idiot.

wow...thats exactly how i feel all the time. but dont be so hard in yourself. in time you will get better going theu more bands. i cant play for crap and im in 4 bands... dont put all your eggs in one basket. find bands on craigslist and keep auditioning. good luck.

 

[FunkHead]

Sounds like you got blindsided with alternate tuning. That can mess up even the best bass players. Drop D is simply just tuning the E string down to D. The rest stay the same. Most Greenday is actually only tuned down 1/2 step.

Greenday tunes all strings down 1/2 step at least on all the songs I played in bands.

So you are not a horrible bass player. Just get familiar with alternate tunings and you'll be ready next time.

My last guitarist had 5 guitars all tuned differently. I was forced to play a 5 string. We could not look at each others fret boards to know where we were supposed to be. That was challenging but we made it work.

 

[lz4005]

..... the charts I had were in standard tuning, except for one. They were playing EVERY song in drop D. The guitarist was mad at me for not tuning in drop D. I did after a couple of songs, but I was trying to just play down a fret on my bass. .....I'm sorry if I sound like an idiot.

You'll only sound dumb if you don't learn from this experience so you're more successful next time.

First thing: Would you want to be in a band with people who would treat someone this way? If not then you're better off.

Second: Next time you'll know to ask more questions about what keys and tunings the band will be using before the first practice so you'll all be on the same page.

Third: D is two frets down from E, not one.

Most Greenday is actually only tuned down 1/2 step. Greenday tunes all strings down 1/2 step at least on all the songs I played in bands.

Maybe because of voice changes due to age, but in their live shows they use both Eb and D now.

 

[1st Bass]

Since you have more that one bass, you could tune one to drop D, if that is common, and be prepared when you show up to audition.
Or not...

 

[mbasile]

Everything you said about your playing sounds completely normal for a new-ish bassist playing in a band for the first time. Everything you said about the other band members sounds like they are sort of sh*tty people and have unrealistic expectations, and it sounds like you're better off without them. At least now you know what you need to focus on: playing at those tempos, being able to navigate the fretboard, and being able to find your way around the chord progression if you get lost.

The first time I went to an open jam session, I learned like 10+ standard blues/classic rock songs in preparation. I got there, eventually got on stage, and the band leader asked the guitarist what song he wanted to play first. It was Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Pride and Joy," which I had practiced. I asked, "what key?" "It is in Eb," the other guitarist answered." We kick off, and the first guitarist starts playing it in E. ***, way to communicate, dude! We got through the song just fine though. Next song was Cocaine, which I did not know at all (I was never a huge Clapton fan). The BL tells m the chords really quick and then we jump into it. I got completely lost, stopped playing, and just backed up towards the amps so everyone else could play without me mucking it up. The BL comes up to me during a guitar solo and takes my bass from me! It had taken a lot for me to be able to stop playing songs by myself and get up on stage, and that set me back quite a bit.

I have since found chill people to jam with in private settings, and it has made it a lot easier to learn how to work with other live musicians. Sometimes you just get paired up with sh*tty people, but life goes on, we learn, and we get better.

Also, I found my brethren (and sistren?) in the The Mediocre Bassist Club, which has helped me set better expectations on my playing.

 

[Jrussblues]

I had trouble finding the time to practice this week.

I’ve been playing a while, I’ve only ever been turned down for one gig. It was for this exact same reason, I had trouble finding the time to practice.
In all honesty I lacked the determination to learn the material.
I still felt that same feeling of rejection but I knew that it was, in fact, my fault for not being prepared.

 

[Fat Freddy]

I'm worried I'm the world's worst bass player and that I should just quit.

There's one thing that I can absolutely guarantee you....

You are NOT the world's worst bass player.....

I happen to know the world's worst personally........

You may be second worst though..........

Seriously.....You've got to grow a thicker skin and take all of the negative and try to make it positive....

I'm gonna stop now as I may be a little over medicated.........

Have FUN!.....

 

[BioWeapon]

I was once at the point where you are now. I'd never thought of being in a band back then so I can't speak about that, but after playing for a long time, I'm now able to pick up simpler punk material like Green Day with a listen and a glance at tablature, minus any complicated fills. Things like that are entirely a matter of practicing that particular skill set.

By the way, anybody who gives you trouble about playing a song in the right key but with a different tuning is likely not somebody worth playing with on a long term basis. I personally play everything with a 5 string bass so I don't have to retune, no matter what material my band wants to play, and all our material is in drop D!

 

[Robb Fesig]

The first time I went to an open jam session, I learned like 10+ standard blues/classic rock songs in preparation. I got there, eventually got on stage, and the band leader asked the guitarist what song he wanted to play first. It was Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Pride and Joy," which I had practiced. I asked, "what key?" "It is in Eb," the other guitarist answered." We kick off, and the first guitarist starts playing it in E. ***, way to communicate, dude! We got through the song just fine though. Next song was Cocaine, which I did not know at all (I was never a huge Clapton fan). The BL tells m the chords really quick and then we jump into it. I got completely lost, stopped playing, and just backed up towards the amps so everyone else could play without me mucking it up. The BL comes up to me during a guitar solo and takes my bass from me! It had taken a lot for me to be able to stop playing songs by myself and get up on stage, and that set me back quite a bit.

I would've been FURIOUS, to the point of physical violence if someone tried this with me. I don't care how bad I'm messing up, you do NOT cross this line. If you didn't push the BL off the stage at a minimum you've got far more restraint than I do.

 

[tlc1976]

Doesn't matter how good you are, nepotism usually wins. Also, just like with the job market, rarely do you walk in and do just like what you were taught in school. Every band situation is going to be different. You're better off anyway, learning in practice that you don't get along. Rather than being on the road and stuck with these folks for awhile. Or investing a lot of time with this band only to be kicked out later. It's not you or your skill, even the best bands with highly skilled members have disputes and split up. I think we have all had our share of band attempts that didn't work out, I've had many. Bottom line, if you really love to play, just keep playing on your own.

 

[Staredge]

Surf rock? Instrumental??

 

[Frampton]