Bad Idea?

[jawzzz]

One of my friends started telling me about his neighbor ,who plays guitar, that wants to start up a band. My friend asks if he can give the guy my number because he is looking for a bass player. I say sure, go ahead and give it to him. Well yesterday my friend tells me that this guy won't call for awhile because he wants to learn thirty songs before getting a bass player.

Is this normal practice for a band? I would think that it would be essential to have the bass player there with the whole band from day one. I think that this guy is either does not know what he is doing or he thinks that a bassline is so easy to learn that a bass player can play anything on the spot.

I have only been playing bass for two years now,and I don't fell confident about being put in that position.

Can someone tell me if this is normal, or should I just blow the whole thing off and find another band to play with.

 

[Microbass]

if he is starting i dont see the harm; but the logic.


why dont you get his number?

 

[The Bassmaniac]

Originally posted by Microbass
if he is starting i dont see the harm; but the logic.


why dont you get his number?

I agree, the guy probably wants to get his act pretty much together before he meets you, so as to make a good impression. He just hasn't considered that you might want to do the same. I'd get his number and talk to him. Good communication is an essential element for a successful band.

 

[jawzzz]

That sounds like a good idea. I will get his number and talk with him. Maybe i can at least get a song list.

I get nervous, because last year i tried to play for a friends band that was already established, and I had to back out.They were getting frustrated by me not learning the songs quick enough. Something that I don't want to happen again.

 

[Petebass]

It's not normal.

Normal is forming a band, then spending 12 months arguing over which songs to play.

I gues by doing it this way, he gets to choose the songs without 4 other people hassling him about his selections.

 

[jawzzz]

Well, I have been in contact with this guy for the past 3 weeks trying to get the whole band together for a practice. Today is the big day. He gave me four songs to learn on Thursday that we will be practicing. The songs are:Freebird, LaGrange,Evil ways,and Black magic woman. I have them all down except Freebird which I am just playing the root of the chords throughout the solo.I am really excited to be playing with a band again and I hope it goes well.

 

[The Bassmaniac]

Good luck with your rehearsal Jawzzz, let us know how it goes. Keep loose and have fun.

 

[jawzzz]

Well practice went real good. It turned out that I knew my parts better than the the drummer or the guitarist. We fooled around with the songs mentioned, then we just started throwing a bunch of song ideas out and seeing how each other would do. I felt very good cause I got the basic chords down for each song they suggested and was able to play with them no problem. Overall the guys were impressed and want me to keep playing with them. Next week we will have the other guitarist and hopefully a singer present. It will be a real test of power. One guy has a Mesa half stack and the other has a Marshall full stack.

I don't think my Eden will have a problen though.It held up fine against the Mesa and I only had the master at just under 10 o'clock.