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Asked to step in as Bass Player

#21
Stumbo said:
Maybe the current bass player can give you lessons?

I also suggest getting a good portable recorder and recording your current bass player at rehearsal and gigs. Maybe his amp has a line out for direct recording or one can be added to his signal chain. Also, video taping him alone for a few gigs would also help you learn the tunes more quickly.

Don't forget to make your own charts ( in an easy to read from a stand larger font) and possibly use a music stand for awhile at rehearsal and on stage. As far as complaints about using a music stand on stage, I suggest using a solid black one, keep it a bit low and tilted back rather than upright and in your face. Also, if you wear black clothes on stage, the music stand, IME, doesn't really stand out as much.

In addition, if you haven't read through this thread already, I suggest some study in more detail may give you an "inside" view of what it takes to play bass in a band.

Good luck.
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Stumbo

Thanks for the feedback. I will definately need a music stand for a while. :bawl:
 
#22
Stumbo, as usual, has pointed out the right questions you should be asking yourself. Remember that just about everybody makes mistakes on gigs so don't beat yourself up about them. I would encourage you to try it, but a little cautiously.

I've been in a band where the drummer was really a beginner and the singer would keep putting all these songs with complicated funky rhythm parts in them. The drummer was a real trouper, and kept saying "well, I'll go for it, I want tough parts to push the envelope and make me a better player." All of which was the right attitude - except that this was supposed to be a gigging band and we went week after week with these songs becoming train wrecks because he just couldn't keep the beat in them. There's stretching yourself, and then there's out of your depth. The guitarist and I eventually quit because that group was going nowhere.

The point being, give it a try, work hard, and find out if you are ready to hold the bass line down in your cover band's repertoire. Not error-free, but can you get through a song without making a wreck of it? I'd give yourself a month or six weeks trial period and see how it goes. If it's coming together, congratulations - you're the new bass player. If it's not, no shame in saying you'll stick to percussion in this band, but meanwhile do the open mikes and jam with people all you can until you ARE ready to step up as a bassist.
 
#23
I say do it. you got nothing to lose only gain the experience. I know from first hand played guitar for about 2 years then was asked to play bass for a band and thought it was going to be easy since i knew guitar, but I had alot to learn and have come a very long way. So, go for it!
 
#24
dhsierra1 said:
I'd say go for it, there's nothing like learning by playing w/others, esp in a band situation. Much faster learning rate than staying at home and practicing by yourself, though you should still do that anyway. Start simply and play basic lines, keep things steady (you're a percussionist so that helps tremendously) and you'll be fine.

Do look into a giggable amp, though, maybe borrow the other bassist's or ? if you don't have one already.
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Personally, I think it's the best thing you can do. It will be fresh and fun, and as others have said, you'll learn very quickly by playing with your band. You'll be surprised with what you can come up with, because I went through the same thing. I started as a guitar player and pulled the old Paul McCartney. I came up with a lot of stuff that the band members liked and I know zip about theory.
 
#25
hrodbert696 said:
I'd give yourself a month or six weeks trial period and see how it goes.
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Actually you can test yourself now.

Record you band's tunes. Pick one and see how you do. Then play it with the band at rehearsal. Then at a gig.

Then multiply that by 50 (or however many tunes are on the set list).

Can you learn a full set of tunes in 2 weeks? 3 weeks? 8 weeks?

I suggest you discuss this with the BL and current bass player.

Also discuss putting a moratorium on adding songs to the list while you're learning the current tunes.

Practical questions:
Have you tried practicing for 4 or 5 hours a day? For 8 weeks?
Do you have calluses on your finger tips?
Do you have learning/training equipment? e.g. slow downer software where you can set loops, change pitch and such?
Do you need a headphone setup if you need to practice late at night?
Can you write charts?
Can you read SN and use it to chart bass lines?
How's your musical memory? Some can remember lyrics/melodies/lines forever. Some can remember only as long as they're playing them regularly? Where do you stand?

Stuff like that...
 
#26
The recorder is a good idea, you can also print out tabs, stick em in a binder. YouTube also has lessons and backing tracks you can check out for specific songs. There's alot of resources out there, take it from an old bass player... Still a bass player by heart, guitar player by trade sugarfoot. BOOM, SLAP! :hyper:
 
#31
Yeah, it looks like an opportunity to me...especially if your existing player can stay on and give you some tips. Just gotta PRACTICE! You can start by cutting the bass lines down to basics to get through the gigs and start to spice it up as you get comfortable.
 

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