• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

How many bands are you in?

#81
gjohnson441496 said:
Question - How did those of you that are old hats at this learn to play songs that you may not particularly care for?
Click to expand...

I'm in that situation in one band to an extent. We're mostly a classic rock type band that plays bars but looking to move more towards corporate type gigs. So to that end, we started learning a bit more pop stuff (like Elle King 'Exes and Ohs' for example) along with old classic rock standards like 'House of the Rising Sun'. Gigged the pop type stuff in our usual bar environment and some of the patrons really seemed to enjoy it, particularly the women. So even though I'm not big on the music itself, the reaction was cool and that motivates me to play / learn more of that type of stuff. For the most part, it's pretty easy 3 or 4 chord type of stuff so you can just play it and have fun with it. As far as the mechanics of learning it go, I generally just play along to YouTube vids until I figure it out. If I get stuck on something I look up tabs just to get me over the hump.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gjohnson441496
#82
mikeyjm2 said:
I'm in that situation in one band to an extent. We're mostly a classic rock type band that plays bars but looking to move more towards corporate type gigs. So to that end, we started learning a bit more pop stuff (like Elle King 'Exes and Ohs' for example) along with old classic rock standards like 'House of the Rising Sun'. Gigged the pop type stuff in our usual bar environment and some of the patrons really seemed to enjoy it, particularly the women. So even though I'm not big on the music itself, the reaction was cool and that motivates me to play / learn more of that type of stuff. For the most part, it's pretty easy 3 or 4 chord type of stuff so you can just play it and have fun with it. As far as the mechanics of learning it go, I generally just play along to YouTube vids until I figure it out. If I get stuck on something I look up tabs just to get me over the hump.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I guess it's pop(ular) music for a reason, huh :) and it is pretty easy to learn. I just finished learning and practicing a set. The Brian Adams piece (Run To You) is fun to play. I lightly thump the E string portion and finger the rest. I like the modern country too. Getting out of your comfort zone is the challenge. And like you said, learning new material is fun.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikeyjm2
#85
gjohnson441496 said:
When it rains it pours. Before last month I was simply posting Youtube videos of me playing bass and now I'm in 2 possible 3 bands and a once a week jam session with a guitar player. I'm glad I found this thread because I need to talk this out and feedback is appreciated if you have any.

The first band is a Rhythm and Blues/Soul band with 1 or 2 Top 40 tunes thrown in. I like it. It's fun. Plus the lead singer is a good friend. We have more gigs lined up for June and July.

The second band is classic rock. We rehearsed at a studio last week and clicked as if it was meant to be. Players include a guitarist/singer/band leader, keyboardist, me on bass, and a drummer. Band leader is looking for 1 or 2 singers to complete the band. Her original singer, whom I haven't met, she says is shaky and wants to do old school Motown, which is problematic because everyone else wants to do straight up classic rock, and that is why the band leader is looking for new vocalist. We're covering Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, GnR, Beatles, etc., which is the stuff I really enjoy playing.

The 3rd band, which I actually auditioned for on Monday is straight up Top 40. I've never played Top 40 before and don't listen to it, but the band members are straight up professionals in that the guy that arranges the songs is a master at it, and they've all done studio work with recording artist (I was in the right place at the right time to meet this group). I had one day to practice (which they were aware of) so I focused on an original intro one of the leaders arranged. It was so complicated that I had to transcribe it. I did okay playing that one at the rehearsal, but had problems with the other songs because I simply never heard them before.

The weekly jam is my favorite because we're creating original material and it's Metallica-esque. The other thing about this one is that the guitar player is also African-American, and take my word for it, it's very hard to find Black people that like rock music like we do. And when we discovered that we both like hard rock and that I play bass and he plays guitar we were both like "Lets Start A Band!"

Question - How did those of you that are old hats at this learn to play songs that you may not particularly care for? I'm finding some of the songs in band #3 fun (Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, Walk The Moon), but I'm struggling with some Bryan Adams (not that it's hard to learn, I just don't like Bryan Adams), and I'm dreading learning You're The one That I Want from the Grease soundtrack (I'm taking a break now because it's next on the list of songs for me to learn and I don't want to play that song on my bass. My neighbors might hear it and think I've lost my mind); and Oh What A Night by the Four Seasons???? I can't tell you how much I hate that song, but I want to be in this band because I can learn a lot from the other players.

At any rate, I'm happy all of this is happening. I'm practicing all the time now, which is taking time away from my favorite pastimes, which were hanging out on the Talk Bass forum and posting YouTube videos.
Click to expand...

Sounds like your heart is not in band #3. If I'm not having fun I usually bow out, unless of course your getting paid well. But then it's just a job.
 
#87
RoadRanger said:
Originals=no-$$$=not-interested for many folk.
Click to expand...
I was very happy to discover that originals can, and do pay. After years (decades) of doing cover bands, casuals and sub work and sessions, I fell into an originals project about 14 years ago, and have been in 3 steady working originals bands in that time (one just fell apart last year after 4 years of great work).
 
#88
pfschim said:
I was very happy to discover that originals can, and do pay. After years (decades) of doing cover bands, casuals and sub work and sessions, I fell into an originals project about 14 years ago, and have been in 3 steady working originals bands in that time (one just fell apart last year after 4 years of great work).
Click to expand...

pfschim -- how did you get original bands into paying gigs? I'm curious.
 
#89
PauFerro said:
pfschim -- how did you get original bands into paying gigs? I'm curious.
Click to expand...
I think most of it is the local market for music is pretty strong and audience tastes are broad. I am in the SF Bay Area and live in one of the wine making regions (Livermore Valley). This helps a lot because it's a "destination" type environment that draws people from a broad regional area (as well as tourists) who are interested in wine, food, art and music and most of the area venues and festivals specifically want original music in the mix. So, it's not too hard to get an original music band into a steady gigging situation here - at least in my experience over the past 15 years. I've been in 3 original bands in that time, with one just ending last year and I found one to replace that within 6 months.

There are plenty of cover bands around too, but I have been lucky in finding primarily original bands to work with. I do end up subbing in cover bands (mostly classic rock, blues/RnB, and alt-country/rock stuff), but I try to stay away from those as full time things.
 
#93
It seems like a "covers vs. originals" sub-thread has emerged here. Over time I've played in both and also quite a few "hybrids" of original and cover material. While the venues can be diffferent (sometimes) and the crowds can vary depending on the material, I don't find the artistry of playing to be all that different. Granted, the canvas is more of a blank with original material, but I've always "rewritten" cover tune bass lines anyway - I guess I'd struggle with a "tribute" band concept. Unless I've written the song myself (which almost never happens), playing bass is playing bass, singing is singing. As one of my BL and song writer friends is fond of saying, "they're all original tunes, they were all originally written by somebody!" The five bands currently in my calendar are mostly a mix of both, though they lean heavily towards cover material.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: mikeyjm2
#95
pfschim said:
I think most of it is the local market for music is pretty strong and audience tastes are broad. I am in the SF Bay Area and live in one of the wine making regions (Livermore Valley). This helps a lot because it's a "destination" type environment that draws people from a broad regional area (as well as tourists) who are interested in wine, food, art and music and most of the area venues and festivals specifically want original music in the mix. So, it's not too hard to get an original music band into a steady gigging situation here - at least in my experience over the past 15 years. I've been in 3 original bands in that time, with one just ending last year and I found one to replace that within 6 months.

There are plenty of cover bands around too, but I have been lucky in finding primarily original bands to work with. I do end up subbing in cover bands (mostly classic rock, blues/RnB, and alt-country/rock stuff), but I try to stay away from those as full time things.
Click to expand...
I live in the other bay area (Tampa) and there is a wide variety of musical tastes here also. As long as it's Lynard Skinnard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pfschim
#97
TomB said:
It seems like a "covers vs. originals" sub-thread has emerged here. Over time I've played in both and also quite a few "hybrids" of original and cover material. While the venues can be diffferent (sometimes) and the crowds can vary depending on the material, I don't find the artistry of playing to be all that different. Granted, the canvas is more of a blank with original material, but I've always "rewritten" cover tune bass lines anyway - I guess I'd struggle with a "tribute" band concept. Unless I've written the song myself (which almost never happens), playing bass is playing bass, singing is singing. As one of my BL and song writer friends is fond of saying, "they're all original tunes, they were all originally written by somebody!" The five bands currently in my calendar are mostly a mix of both, though they lean heavily towards cover material.
Click to expand...
IDK man, my long gigging experience with both cover and originals work is that audiences will deal with a certain level of "arrangement" when it comes to covers, but only so much. Whereas with originals, there is no issue at all, you get to shape the music entirely as you (and the band) want.

My reply to the OP was not a knock on cover work at all. Covers tend to be far more lucrative (unless you are a top national act doing your original music), and it tends to be an easier sell to clubs, and is a must for weddings and corporate type work which can be a significant income source for regular working musicians.

But, for me, after many a decade of mostly covering other peoples work (pop/top 40, fusion, jazz, country rock) it was a very cool discovery that originals could attract an audience and also pay pretty well in the right circumstances. I am particularly (and happily) surprised by the interest (and pay) from the totally instrumental original World Music/Jazz-fusion gig I've done for the past 15 years. The original Alt-Country/Outlaw gig I have had for the past year is easier for me to understand. stylistically its not very different than covers in the same genre .. just a different front man singer/songwriter.
 
#98
gjohnson441496 said:
Question - How did those of you that are old hats at this learn to play songs that you may not particularly care for? I'm finding some of the songs in band #3 fun (Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, Walk The Moon), but I'm struggling with some Bryan Adams (not that it's hard to learn, I just don't like Bryan Adams), and I'm dreading learning You're The one That I Want from the Grease soundtrack (I'm taking a break now because it's next on the list of songs for me to learn and I don't want to play that song on my bass. My neighbors might hear it and think I've lost my mind); and Oh What A Night by the Four Seasons???? I can't tell you how much I hate that song, but I want to be in this band because I can learn a lot from the other players.
Click to expand...
You got it. The opportunity to learn from other musicians and other genres is the reward.

My decision to transition from band member to hired gun involved relinquishing any control over the repertoire. So now, it no longer matters what I like and what I don't – my job is to play whatever the bandleader tells me to play. One less thing to worry about, as far as I'm concerned. If I need to learn twenty originals from scratch, then that's what I do. If the setlist requires that I master ABBA, Manilow, Sedaka and Streisand, then so be it.

In my mind, I imagine that there's at least one french horn player in The New York Philharmonic who diligently performs John Williams' "Star Wars (Main Title)" (1977) over and over again without actually liking the movie, or a bass player in the pit for Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cats" who plays the same saccharine tunes night after night without grimacing. That's what being a professional is all about.

It's funny that you should mention The Four Seasons' "December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)." One of the originals bands that hires me on a quasi-regular basis jokingly refers to me as the "Jersey Boys" guy because they know I'm willing to play material that they absolutely can't stand!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: gjohnson441496
#99
I'm in two regularly gigging ones that I'm a full member in. These are both sorta within the "doom metal" genre, although one is also shoegaze sort of. They're actually a lot more different than one would think, and I use different bass sounds in them.

Then another one sporadically backing up a singer/songwriter where I'm an occasional live/session member.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikeyjm2
#100
RoadRanger said:
I'm in three, half in two, maybe still in (half in?) another, and was jugging four potentials last week :wacky:.
Click to expand...
Picked up two of the latter. One is a Bluegrass group that has gigs booked out through August at the moment. I didn't have any time to prepare for the "audition" so winged it on songs that I maybe heard one of before :wideyed:. Gotta love Bluegrass - one/five LOL.
Second is a weird cover/originals power trio thing with a BL who is a fulltime commercial jingle guitarist/singer :wideyed:. He has an agent, concept, sponsorships, and some interesting originals. I thought he was a crazyarse CL kook at first (I responded to the ad for laughs) but it checks out :wideyed:.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back