I rarely play a bum note....

[troy mcclure]

but when I do it is always 1/2 tone during a ballad or a quiet passage.

GO

 

[Joe Nerve]

but when I do I call it jazz.

 

[joebar]

but when I do, it is on purpose

 

[bassbrad]

I play it again and smile like it is a special new sound.

 

[dave64o]

Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse, bum notes pretty much ARE my style.

 

[themarshall]

but when I do, I throw my head back and laugh. People often mention how much fun I seem to have during gigs.

 

[Tanner5382]

but when I do, I throw my head back and laugh. People often mention how much fun I seem to have during gigs.

This. All you can do is laugh it off. It's how you fix the mistakes that counts!

 

[SirMjac28]

I take that note add some distortion and turn it into a five minute bass solo leaving the crowd wondering where in the world did that guy with the really big guitar come from?

 

[SevenJacks]

but when I do, I blame the guitarist.

 

[SevenJacks]

but when I do, I throw my head back and laugh. People often mention how much fun I seem to have during gigs.

Totally!
I get sorta dramatic when I botch a note or 20+

 

[InnerBass]

Slide a 1/2 tone down, walk a scale tone rescue line to the next chord change - all while closing your eyes and give the "I'm feelin' it" look.

Hopefully you have a back-up vocal line that happens immediately afterwards to complete your "I meant do do that" moment.

Most people in the audience won't know and your fellow band members will either crack up or think you really were : )

 

[Marial]

but when I do I make sure it's also an eighth of a beat late for emphasis.

 

[obimark]

-I pop the same note an octave higher so they can feel my FUNK!

 

[5StringBlues]

but when I do I'm usually high enough not to care.







EDIT: Ok, that's a lie.




I usually yell "aaaauuugh!", like Charlie Brown does when Lucy pulls the football away.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I frown at my amp, and turn a knob, like that's the problem.

 

[Texan]

Blame it on the singer, he missed that part in the song that I queue the transition off of from his vocals.

 

[5StringBlues]

Here's my real answer:






But when I do I get the evil eye from this guy-

 

[Doner Designs]

Funny story - I am very easily startled - like I literally fly out of my seat when somebody walks into my office - generally it gives them a heart attack too. That is the background to this...

I hit a bad note pretty hard a few weeks ago - confident I was on the correct fret and all. I nearly jumped out of my skin on stage when I heard what came out of the amp.

 

[nutdog]

and other tall tales by I. O. Nabass.

 

[SonnyBassPlayer]

...but when I do, I make a mean face and assume it's a "sad" fill in the song.