How can I get "more me" , same old question, definitely a different situation

[poomwah]

So the sitting thing makes more sense now.
However, do what you've gotta do (within reason) to raise up your bass cab. If you can't hear yourself, it doesn't matter how you look because the band will sound like crap. Do you have another cab you could stack under your rig but not plug in? That'd look professional and solve your problem.
And start bringing your board, just to have, but tread lightly on using the effects. Tasteful is the name of the game. You want folks to notice something changed, but not necessarily that it was you adding an effect.

If they immediately poo-poo these changes, then I'd quit.
If things don't get better, turn your volume all the way down on the third set , but keep "playing", and see what they say. If they don't notice your lack of presence in the mix, quit.
Basically, this band isn't going to pan out for you unless changes come. Wisdom has taught me not to be the guy grasping for excuses to stay and try to make it work when everything else is against it. The trick is knowing the difference between a tough situation and an impossible one.
Good luck!

Thank you. VERY sage advice. I really hate being the only one who wants things to be better. Tomorrow night is my third gig and I already don't want to go. They have been playing the same songs for over a year and still making timing and structural mistakes. I bail on them though, I may as well move because there's noone left to work with around here. Not to mention they are popular enough that I will have ruined my name in this area.
Be careful what you wish for, right, LOL

 

[EastCoastThump]

I'm still trying to figure out how to do everything within the restrictions being placed upon me. For instance, I like your idea of going into the ROlls then splitting off to FOH and to my stage rig. but NOOOO, he will ONLY accept the line out ON my amp. Seriously?!?!

So why not run bass into the Rolls, then the instrument out into your amp. Feed your sound tech the amp's DI output. Or, w/ a two output tuner, feed your amp from the regular output (mutes when tuning) and the Rolls from the bypass output.

Or, tell the sound tech to either help solve your problems or get out of the way.

It doesn't help that its my job to provide a "monitor" for the drummer to hear the bass and my cabinet is behind the kit and pointed more toward him than me. Also doesn't help on the small stages that my head is usually 2 feet (literally) from a cymbal. Another reason I want to go IEM so I can hear still hear.

I'd definitely be on IEMs to save my hearing then, or telling the sound tech to either help solve my problems or get out of my way.

 

[s0c9]

Thank you. VERY sage advice. I really hate being the only one who wants things to be better. Tomorrow night is my third gig and I already don't want to go. They have been playing the same songs for over a year and still making timing and structural mistakes. LOL

Many folks don't like change... and from their perspective why change something that "appears" to be working for them? I know bands that play the same old songs in the same old order at EVERY gig... adding a new song once in a blue moon.
It's the "stuck in a rut" thing.. they get comfortable. It works! Why change?
And remember one thing. No matter how RIGHT/CORRECT you may be, NO-ONE likes the new kid on the block telling them they're doing it wrong - until you have "proved" themselves or come with a known "rep"!

You have to be tactful.. make them believe that the changes YOU need are their ideas!!

Like mentioned about turning ur amp down to zero during 3rd set.
Lots of opportunities for seque's into them not being able to hear you and you getting to say "that's where the sound guy told me to set it!" or equivalent that gets them to turn you up... etc.!

 

[hrodbert696]

Thank you. VERY sage advice. I really hate being the only one who wants things to be better. Tomorrow night is my third gig and I already don't want to go. They have been playing the same songs for over a year and still making timing and structural mistakes. I bail on them though, I may as well move because there's noone left to work with around here. Not to mention they are popular enough that I will have ruined my name in this area.
Be careful what you wish for, right, LOL

The whole thing sounds like it sucks. The only silver lining I can see is that, if you stick it out, you can hang out with the bartenders and managers of the venues and get to be known, and maybe a while down the line find some more sensible people to play with and have the contacts to get booked. If that makes it worthwhile to you. I know what you're talking about, I spent a few years bouncing around the groups that weren't going anywhere before I finally started finding gigging groups.

 

[denhou1974]

that's what I tried to explain, but they already think my amp is too big as it is.

imho it's time to remind them who the bassist is. Suggestions are fine but you get the final say in how the bass is run, not them.

 

[poomwah]

I'm looking at the boards right now and trying to figure out why there are so many inputs.
4 vocal mics, one kick mic, one bass amp, one guitar fx unit.
I count that as seven. But he has 10 inputs coming from the stage. I'm confused

 

[poomwah]

Am I the only one bothered by this?

 

[ChefKen]

Yeah, I can't say I'd blame anyone if they didn't want to hear any more of my voice. LOL.

As far as the bass, I suggested raising the amp, they are really picky about how things look. That's not going to go over with these guys :\

Stick a 15" cab under your 4x10.....dont plug it in. Tell em its for the bottom end. Just play it off as your rig.....

 

[poomwah]

Stick a 15" cab under your 4x10.....dont plug it in. Tell em its for the bottom end. Just play it off as your rig.....

I have a 210 on its end and was told it took up too much stage space

 

[poomwah]

I was just informed that I am NOT allowed to change my amp volume after sound check. So i am required to provide my rig as a monitor for the bass but I am not allowed to have any control over it
I'm also being told that gas station ear buds are just as good as in ears

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

Others have offered similar opinions. Don't try to reinvent the wheel here. Your band's entire approach to running sound is problematic. If your going to take this seriously and be a gigging band, fix your damn sound system!

 

[4Mal]

Actually, after reading this I think you should start looking for an guitarist/singer that you can duo with. Get tight and start looking for percussion. You can dump these turkeys politely and not burn bridges. Offer to sub. Somehow you just got really busy at work, at school, at home, bit off more than you can chew etc... Small town. Got it. Got to be sort of politic about things, so take the high road... But take the road indeed.

 

[poomwah]

The road may be the only option at this point. Waiting for the show to start. They are bragging to me about how great their sound system is. That right there tells me its not going to get any better

 

[poomwah]

Thank you for all the advice and encouragement, guys. I REALLY appreciate it.
The sound system has become irrelevant now as I'm looking for a diplomatic exit.
Third show with this band, three shows in a row I've at AT LEAST one person come up to me and compliment me on my playing. Particular attention was brought to my fills, or as one bass player put it "awesome use of arpeggios" and a guitarist that said he loved how much I "work the neck".
Well, tonight I was also told by the guitarist that from now on I shouldn't play any fills during the first couple verses of songs, that I should save one or two fills for the end of a song but just make sure its not during a guitar solo.
SCREW that.

 

[s0c9]

Thank you for all the advice and encouragement, guys. I REALLY appreciate it.
The sound system has become irrelevant now as I'm looking for a diplomatic exit.
Third show with this band, three shows in a row I've at AT LEAST one person come up to me and compliment me on my playing. Particular attention was brought to my fills, or as one bass player put it "awesome use of arpeggios" and a guitarist that said he loved how much I "work the neck".
Well, tonight I was also told by the guitarist that from now on I shouldn't play any fills during the first couple verses of songs, that I should save one or two fills for the end of a song but just make sure its not during a guitar solo.
SCREW that.

sound like what i stated above
How can I get "more me" , same old question, definitely a different situation | Page 3 | TalkBass.com
is true and accurate in your situation. Time to move ahead!