Do you sub?

[gln1955]

I know a lot of you regularly do sub work and for a pro, that's a big part of keeping busy. I've only subbed a handful of time, just to help out a friend in need. Those gigs were stressful and it's not something I'd like to do on a regular basis. It's not that I don't like playing with different people, but the work involved in learning a bunch of songs and knowing I'm probably not playing them as well as the band deserves doesn't sit well with me.

So, how many of us do sub work and how much is that a part of your playing out?

Do you enjoy playing with different bands more than just one or a few that you're a regular member of?

 

[moon-bass]

Right now it's pretty much all I do, BUT - two of the bands have revolving members, so pretty much the entire band is made of subs, for lack of a better term.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I voted yes, occasionally to help a friend.

I subbed once, to help a friend, not a great experience. I'd probably do it again to help someone out but I don't seek the opportunity.

 

[Swerve]

Never. I've only ever been in bands that play mostly original material and in that scene in general, I don't know anyone that subs. You're either in the band or not.

I guess I would do it under the right set of circumstances.

 

[Core Creek]

Subbing was my main thing post Covid. Although I played guitar regularly with one band, I subbed with a few others on bass and drums.

But last September I put all my eggs in one basket and joined a busy working band on bass. I’m making more $, gigging more, and I don’t need to be constantly looking for more gigs. But it also makes it tough to fit sub gigs in and I haven’t done any since joining.

However, just yesterday I was asked to do a graduation party gig, early hours on a Saturday in May. The singer who contacted me has seen me perform on bass, drums and guitar, and said I could play whichever I wanted. The pay was great and I could potentially still play that night with my regular band (which as of now didn’t have anything on the calendar).

If I could get more of these types of sub gigs I’d take as many as I could fit in my schedule. Especially on drums - I don’t need to rehearse or learn anything, I can just show up and play, and I actually miss playing out on drums a little - the last gig I played on drums was June 2023.

 

[mrcbass]

I've done a handful of true sub gigs (one and done) and liked it.

I'm technically a sub for one of my projects. Their #1 guy is in a bunch of bands leaving me with 20 or so "sub" gigs a year with what has become my second band. But I am a sub for them.

I actually find that sub work fits me better than being in a band. I love the challenge of hastily preparing for a gig. Learning ne stuff is more fun than running over stuff that I've played a thousand times. If I could find a lane that keeps me busy doing nothing but sub work, I'd be pretty happy.

For my personality, it also seems to be a better fit to be a "guest" in a band vs a voting member. It seems I tend to get a bit controlling when I have a stake in something and eventually it brings out my worst. Even when I try to just sit back and be "just the bass player", I get roped into being expected to have a say in stuff.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Yep I sub a whole lot. I sub for local college original bands, local russian bands (I dont even speak Russian), and I do a lot of subbing for recording.

My full time job still pays more, lol, but I thoroughly enjoy any and all music, so I sit in.

 

[richntiff]

ok bub, let's keep this site focused on bass and not my personal life, ok??

Ok, but in all seriousness - I have subbed (a long term sub, as it turned out), and for that individual experience, it was not good. Mainly due to a delusional narcissist alcoholic diva lead singer and a guitar player that couldn't remember the key to multiple songs, every gig. I was happy to be done. I did enjoy the challenge of learning a set of music I'd never played and slotting in though.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I know a lot of you regularly do sub work and for a pro, that's a big part of keeping busy. I've only subbed a handful of time, just to help out a friend in need. Those gigs were stressful and it's not something I'd like to do on a regular basis. It's not that I don't like playing with different people, but the work involved in learning a bunch of songs and knowing I'm probably not playing them as well as the band deserves doesn't sit well with me.

So, how many of us do sub work and how much is that a part of your playing out?

Do you enjoy playing with different bands more than just one or a few that you're a regular member of?

Yes I do a ton of subbing. It’s actually something I really enjoy. Subbing for me has lead to full-time long-term gigs because I spend a ton of time doing my homework so folks are really psyched to hear the correct basslines.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

My first sub job was for a band I quit back in October. BL is having trouble keeping bassists! I might do a few more for her, but I made it clear that I was not "coming back."

 

[RGerhart]

Sub work is something I always look forward to. I like playing with new people, and look forward to the new connections that come from it. I'm pretty busy with the seven different bands I'm already with, though, so last-minute sub work isn't really an option these days--my sub gigs are usually booked months in advance.

 

[skygzr]

I dont do it much anymore but man I loved sub gigs. Nothing keeps you on your toes more than playing music you may not be familiar with. It’s the best white knuckle experience.

 

[Gervais Cote]

I usually need 1 month of practice before performing my songs well so last minute calls are not working for me.
That said though, I’m not a professional musician so it’s worth what it’s worth.
And when I get paid, I usually give the money to charity.

 

[Isaac_James]

I did it once at the request of a bandleader who was friends with the other members of my band at the time. Their bass player had "flaked" on him and they managed to find a backup bassist for the show, but he didn't know Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin. I guess he was very young and all things considered did a great job filling in, but I got tapped to step in for that one song. I was familiar with it but hadn't ever played it so I sat down out back and learned it in between our sets, didn't hit every note or transition perfectly but under the circumstances I think I did pretty well.

Fun coda to the story: I work with a guy who I kept looking at, thinking "I know him from somewhere... just can't put my finger on it". A month or so back we put together that he was the drummer for that band, so not only and we shared a bill, we'd actually played together on stage for one song.

It was an absolute blast, if asked I'd happily do it again.

 

[J Wilson]

I could never drink (don't know if I'm allergic to alcohol or what, I just never could) and drugs scared me, so I was always sober my playing days.

So I would often get these panic calls from bands when their current bassist didn't show for the umpteenth time or they were there and just not ready, and could I come out TONIGHT, they were in a jam.

Well, sure. But . . . . no time to get charts, rehearse, etc. Granted, these were Top 40 country or rock tunes that were all on the radio that I knew in my head mostly (enough to be dangerous . . . .) and not playing any sophisticated or real charts music. Nonetheless, I had to walk in, they'd call out a key, and it we were off and running for the next five hours, and I had to fit in RIGHT NOW.

So you get big ears, watch everyone, and set the radar to high. More often than not, I'd pull it off, and if I didn't, well, WTH, they appreciated me getting them through the night with no rehearsal and what more could they expect.

This sort of thing grows real iron in your spine, as you got to walk in and stand and deliver RIGHT NOW.

Granted, I was lucky that these were often bands that had been together for a while and I had plenty to latch onto, but I wouldn't take anything for the experience for those nights and the confidence it gave me that maybe I did have a bit of handle on doing this.

 

[Krakmann]

Salud!

I sub occasionally on bass and I like it, even if I have to learn a bunch of songs at short notice.

What you describe happens to me when subbing as a keyboard player. I get a LOT of stress because I don't "master" the instrument, to the point where I stopped doing it altogether. (Not that I master the bass, but it's a very different thing).

 

[jutty17]

Nothing gives me more anxiety than the thought of having to perform on stage unprepared. I'm one of those practice til you can't play it wrong types. If I had enough time to prepare to my own standards, I'd do it. But no way would I do like J Wilson... just reading that made me queasy

 

[LowendG]

Pretty much all I do as far as live work. I love it. I've been a band member enough times in my life to not want to commit to that these days. I typically sub for original artists, haven't been in a cover band since high school so that's a different thing - lots more material to learn with covers, with originals it's usually about a set's worth of tunes give or take.
I guess "hired gun" might be a more appropriate label, as some of these end up being "regular" sub gigs - not one-offs--myself and the rest of the players eventually start to feel like a "band" of rotating players. You meet lotsa great players and network this way, and it's always fun when you find yourself playing with for example a great drummer you just worked with in some other act.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I know a lot of you regularly do sub work and for a pro, that's a big part of keeping busy. I've only subbed a handful of time, just to help out a friend in need. Those gigs were stressful and it's not something I'd like to do on a regular basis. It's not that I don't like playing with different people, but the work involved in learning a bunch of songs and knowing I'm probably not playing them as well as the band deserves doesn't sit well with me.

So, how many of us do sub work and how much is that a part of your playing out?

Do you enjoy playing with different bands more than just one or a few that you're a regular member of?

I've only subbed for a couple of bands. They gave me their repertoire and charts so I could be familiar with the songs. It helped that both bands had guitarist who had subbed with out band from time to time when one of our two guitarist couldn't make a gig. We ended up doing a couple of my native bands songs because the guitarist knew and everyone else followed along. Only done that a few times but it was kind of fun.

 

[Odinbass]

It's just a few gigs a year. I like the satisfaction of having pulled it off, but don't enjoy the stress of preparing. Everything else has to take a backseat. It can also be interesting dealing with the songs/details they fail to tell you.