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Have you ever stopped playing in the middle of a song?

J

JeffVanter

Guest
Sep 23, 2012
120
3
#1
I happen to be that bass player who is very emotional and even considered to be bi-polar. If I get drowned out or I happen to not be cutting through, I can get a bit frustrated or angry. So instead of just going with the flow of things, I started doing something that really makes you noticeable.
Keep in mind, I have since fixed the problem. I use plenty of mid range and fresh strings before a show. Works like a charm and you cut through and can be heard from anywhere, even on phone recordings.
However, it's still something I do every three songs or so. I'll explain in a minute.

I start the show with my band loud and audible to my preference. I turn down a bit on the next song. Not noticeable to crowds ears, but my guitar players probably could tell if I mentioned it. Guitarists love when you turn down, don't they? They probably are more please with my volume on the second or third song.

Third song comes around, I turn down more. Probably noticeable, but subtle from song to song.

Fourth song comes, I'm usually about below halfway on my bass or right on half. Very noticeable if you were to compare full volume to first song at the beginning of the set, but since it's song to song reduction, it's not noticeable to the crowd (I think,) and my guitar players are probably way too happy at this point. :roflmao:

By the seventh or eighth song, I'm just about all of the way down as I have continued to reduce the volume just a touch on each song. By now it's noticeable and my guitar players start asking me where my "bottom end" went. I play it off as if I'm really loud. They AGREE and laugh it off. Keep in mind that my volume is almost at zero. The crowd is looking at me like "what happened?" Crowd stops moving, band stops grooving and yet somehow the guitar players couldn't be happier :cool:

Back about 6 months ago, I would turn my volume all the way to zero and continue playing and putting on a show for about half the song or ten seconds to see what the reaction of everyone was. TRY IT. I know it's bi-polar and the role of a bass player is a continuous molding of the band and sound but it's funny to watch the crowd get lost, stop feeling the music, stop and actually pay attention to you and the guitarists suddenly start giving you looks.

I probably will get some negative feedback. Just try it. It's hilarious and different everytime I do it.
 
#8
OP...I'll go away...but you never answered my question. What is your reasoning behind this practice. I'm not trying to give you a hard time or anything, I'm just trying to understand why you would intentionally turn your volume down so low as to confuse your audience, drop the bottom out and throw the balance of volume for the entire band off. Further more if your using a sound guy out front he will begin to make adjustments to FOH...then when you bring your volume back up (I'm assuming you do) .....you have a mess on stage. This will certainly affect the entire bands performance. I'm just trying to understand why you would do this.
 
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#10
Yep, and walked off, too. I was playing behind a male diva, with a keys player who kept playing in the bass range - not only was the guy stepping all over my parts, he was rushing, too, so nothing was grooving. I asked him twice to keep his hands together and let me play the bass, but he just ignored me. Fine, I thought - I get paid anyway. That is, until the diva started telling me to turn down, that I was was way too effin loud. On stage, through the microphone, during a song. So I did. Then in between songs, I told the guy that it was the keys player, not me, and he said no it was me that was too loud. So off we go into the next tune and he says, "I thought I told you to turn down!". So I did, but this time, all the way down. But that didn't do a thing for the too boomy keys player, so the guy yelled at me again. This time, I turned off my amp and unplugged the cable. The idiot starts to yell at me again, but I pointed to the unlit amp light, waved the end of the cable in his face to show him the bass was not plugged in, then I picked up my amp and walked off stage.
 
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#11
Artobass said:
OP...I'll go away...but you never answered my question. What is your reasoning behind this practice. I'm not trying to give you a hard time or anything, I'm just trying to understand why you would intentionally turn your volume down so low as to confuse your audience, drop the bottom out and throw the balance of volume for the entire band off. Further more if your using a sound guy out front he will begin to make adjustments to FOH...then when you bring your volume back up (I'm assuming you do) .....you have a mess on stage. This will certainly affect the entire bands performance. I'm just trying to understand why you would do this.
Click to expand...

Simply put; it's hilarious.
Thing is, people don't appreciate bass until you can't hear it. It's amazing to see guitar players love the fact that nobody can hear you. I think you should try it just for a good laugh.
 
#16
I once played with a guitard who had to be louder than everyone and had to be the center of attention, who got into the habit of repeatedly telling me in the middle of songs to turn down, play less, and tried to get me to adjust my tone to his liking in a way that let the audience see his displeasure. soundchecks were done and all seemed well until the set began. Towards the end of my tenure in the band, I would just turn all the way down and look at him and he would smile like all is better. Left shortly thereafter. Would never turn all the way down just to mess with the band or the crowd.
 
#17
Dogbertday said:
I'd fire you
Click to expand...

Good.

azureblue said:
Yep, and walked off, too. I was playing behind a male diva, with a keys player who kept playing in the bass range - not only was the guy stepping all over my parts, he was rushing, too, so nothing was grooving. I asked him twice to keep his hands together and let me play the bass, but he just ignored me. Fine, I thought - I get paid anyway. That is, until the diva started telling me to turn down, that I was was way too effin loud. On stage, through the microphone, during a song. So I did. Then in between songs, I told the guy that it was the keys player, not me, and he said no it was me that was too loud. So off we go into the next tune and he says, "I thought I told you to turn down!". So I did, but this time, all the way down. But that didn't do a thing for the too boomy keys player, so the guy yelled at me again. This time, I turned off my amp and unplugged the cable. The idiot starts to yell at me again, but I pointed to the unlit amp light, waved the end of the cable in his face to show him the bass was not plugged in, then I picked up my amp and walked off stage.
Click to expand...

I have done it for similar reasons! One time I was turned down so low by a sound guy that I said "forget it" and I turned all the way down. Played the entire set that way.
 
#18
The only time I had to stop was from severe hand cramps (something to do with loading in when 120F and muggy in Saudi - dehydration). Had to stop and pry my fingers apart. With two SM900's and 12 10's I was always heard (our soundman liked to keep me out of the PA, provided more headroom for the drums, so I had to play louder).
 
#20
I understand maybe doing this in a rehearsal setting but never on a stage. OP, I see what your doing but keep in mind that doing this on stage can affect your ability to stay in a band, meaning many bands would fire you for doing this on stage and further more could affect you ability to be hired by a new band or get gigs. I hope you understand the negative impact this will have on the entire band.
Yes, it can be interesting to see how this affects the sound of the band (without bass) and can used constructively in the "right environment".
This isn't a good idea on stage and will always hurt the performance.
 

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