I think it may be time

[EddiePlaysBass]

My tongue-in-cheek point was being right is over-rated.

I am often quite good at picking up on tongue-in-cheek, but it whooshed right over my head.

It's not a bad thing to be open to criticism, but the criticism needs to make sense. Only the OP can say for sure that it does or doesn't.

Absolutely, I always welcome constructive feedback. However, it doesn't mean I will necessarily take it at face value or actually act upon it. It's my own decision, ultimately, what I do with feedback given.

 

[Malcolm35]

OK you went too far. For $100 a night if you are not happy why keep doing what makes you unhappy. Put the word out that you are looking, and I bet you will not have to wait long on the call.

Go have fun.

 

[Loring]

Oh, sorry, I didn't know the OP was Steve Effin Harris doing heavy metal...

my bad.

No but you were saying with 2 guitars, bass should play less. There are many more examples where this just isn’t so.

Play what works for the song regardless of how many guitarists there are. Hell, the doobie brothers bass lines are great - not really a situation where he’s playing less.

 

[E2942]

I've never heard of Hell the Doobie Brothers, but that seems like it would really interest me.

When you're in a two-guitar band, you play fewer notes

Does not compute!

my bad

Indeed!

 

[turf3]

I've never heard of Hell the Doobie Brothers, but that seems like it would really interest me.
...

See my comments on "yacht rock".

 

[higain617]

I'm playing in a tribute band for a band that was never among my favorites. I definitely understand your dilemma. It's starting to unravel by its own momentum now.

 

[smtp4me]

Well, if fretless sounds bad on the tunes, the bandleader is allowed to say so and to request something different.

If playing a million notes and piling substitution upon substitution until none may know the chord sounds bad on the tunes, the bandleader is allowed to say so and to request something different.

Do you think James Brown or Tommy Dorsey or Buddy Rich or Ray Charles or Eddie Van Halen would hear a bass player doing something he didn't think sounded right, and say to himself "Well, he's the bass player so I have to just suck it up and let him play it how he wants to"?

I didn't suggest that a bassist can play whatever substitution or note they want and the rest have to just accept it. I only mentioned that the guitarist should not tell the bass player WHICH bass to play. I even gave the analogy of how it is similar to the bassist telling the guitarist to play a Strat instead of a Les Paul. Big difference, and I made no such claim about playing whichever notes they please..

Depending on the technique used, a skilled fretless player can make their bass sound much like a fretted.

And my comment that the OP's expectations and choices should carry equal weight as anyone else - is spot on, IMHO.

 

[LBS-bass]

Do you think James Brown or Tommy Dorsey or Buddy Rich or Ray Charles or Eddie Van Halen would hear a bass player doing something he didn't think sounded right, and say to himself "Well, he's the bass player so I have to just suck it up and let him play it how he wants to"?

I think all of those people were smart enough to hire people they didn't have to micromanage, though some of them surely felt they needed to stick their 2c in.. Maybe they felt like they needed to do some of that anyway, but it's probably more a function of their personalities than what the players actually brought to the table in terms of deficit. I doubt James Brown or Buddy Rich could have helped themselves if they wanted to.

The people who played for them would have succeeded with or without them, I think, but clearly those jobs were career boosters. However, you couldn't get the job if you weren't that good.

 

[two fingers]

Nothing lasts forever. Without hearing all of you, I can't say for sure, but sometimes we outgrow our situations while others remain stagnant. If you haven't been happy, it might be time for you to do something different.

Sounds like this band is gigging, and the problems tend to be how you all are getting along in rehearsals. If you know your own method of learning / developing music and they do too, why are they pushing back now? Sounds like maybe they are also bored and looking for things to criticize.

In most of my music life I have always sought out players who are better than I am so that I can learn from them. But I don't learn from being told what to play by them. I learn from being immersed in the experience where I have to force myself to keep up. I can't say if you're being challenged here or not, but maybe it's time to move to a different level with a new group of players.

Good luck!

All the wisdom you need is right here.

Things aren't fresh any more. There isn't any passion in it for you. Part of it could be the music itself. Part of it could be the people.

Who cares who is at "fault"? End it as friends. "Boys/girls/they/whatever we had a good run. Let's finish out on a high note and raise a glass at the end of the last one."


No need to part as enemies.

Then go find SOMETHING you're PASSIONATE about. That might be another band. It might be model airplanes. Who cares?!?! Go have fun again.

 

[never-enough]

I sure did. I always tend to over play learning a new song until the actual groove settles and I pull way back. It’s not a new concept in my band. But I take criticism for bass lines usually well. This time just felt personal

when things start to bother me that usually roll of my back I know that I need a little break from the situation so that I can decompress and get back to being “myself”

 

[BassyBill]

Reasons to stay in a band
1 the music
2 the learning
3 the money
4 the fun

If none of the four is happening for you, gtfo.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

Why quit playing all together? Looks like you can't get along with these guys. Fine, find people who appreciate your playing.

 

[iriegnome]

Update - The band met without me. They talked. They sent me a message and apologized for the whole mess, said they all felt badly that they put me into this situation and they want to practice on Thursday and move forward business as usual. I think myself and the band blew everything way up and yes I take my responsibility in it as well. I will show up and rehearse and see what happens. Next move will happen one way or another after our last show of the year next Saturday