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Joining a pop coverband

N

NielsBass

Apr 30, 2010
90
6
#1
I saw a advertisement about a band searching for a bassist nearby, so i send out a mail that i was interested (really want to play in a band since practising alone only gets you so far)
They where looking for a bassist that "was playing for some time now and was looking to join a band".

Now i really look forward to playing with them and become their bassist but the problem is that they mostly play covers from dutch artists (anouk, waylon krezip etc) and tbh its quite hard to find decent, reliable tabs for it on the internet(and i'm not very practised in tabbing by ear)
Is it expected of a bassist to know all songs they play (got a 12 song playlist mailed) before attending to practise?

Also the band is pretty experienced so is it ok as bassist to just ask the other bandmembers how to play a certain part i haven't figured out yet?
 
#2
no.. in my opinion.. well, you can ask.. but I believe.. please don't be offended.. if you show up being unable to play the songs entirely, they won't think you are serious.. can you ask them if you can do 6 of the 12 instead.. and choose 6 you CAN play.. that is what I would do.
 
#4
Learn the songs. It's better to play 3 songs at your best than half-assing through all of them. They want to know who you are as a bass player, so show up with a few songs under your belt. If you can't figure out all of them it's OK as long as they know about it beforehand.
 
#5
tycobb73 nailed it, they have their hopes up now that they found someone, if you show up and are unprepared you'll let them down and they probly won't call you back. If however you show up and they know what they're getting themselves into they'll be more receptive to the idea and may give you time to learn the setlist provided the chemistry is right with everyone.
 
#6
sackvegas said:
tycobb73 nailed it, they have their hopes up now that they found someone, if you show up and are unprepared you'll let them down and they probly won't call you back. If however you show up and they know what they're getting themselves into they'll be more receptive to the idea and may give you time to learn the setlist provided the chemistry is right with everyone.
Click to expand...
ultimately these are the songs you will have to learn if they accept you,and reading so far seems to indicate that you will be expected to pick up their set list by ear.....if that skill is something that you think you may be deficient in ,let them know,but that you will bust your butt to develop.....
 
#7
tycobb73 said:
The best thing you can do is be honest. If you are honest, hard working, show up on time and put forth an honest effort you will be ahead of most people. Decieving them until the time of the audition gains you nothin.
Click to expand...

/\ This is pure truth....

With my current band, I had to learn almost everything they play because they are about 15-20 years older than me and are playing 60's to 70's stuff rather than the 80's to 90's stuff that I know.

I needed to learn about 40 new songs and was upfront with them. I said I'd like to play but you'd have to be patient and willing to give me some time to get these all down. They agreed and several weeks later, I have almost all 30 of their top songs down. Our guitarists are very cool and I have asked for their chords and help if I could not get it by myself. I think they might have gotten a little frustrated occasionally, but every week I came to practice with more songs memorized.

You just gotta be honest and committed and they'll respect you for it. I don't think asking them for help with a difficult part or two hurts anything, especially if they play a different version of the song or ina different key.
 
#8
Thanks for all the info :)

I will try to be able to learn 3 songs from start to finish before going to the audition, will tell them beforehand that i will learn the other songs too but i need to a few weeks to nail them.
 
#9
NielsBass said:
Also the band is pretty experienced so is it ok as bassist to just ask the other bandmembers how to play a certain part i haven't figured out yet?
Click to expand...

I remember in my first band, we were covering Heart's "Barracuda." It starts with the signature guitar riff, but on the second pass the bass doubles that riff. I missed it. The guitar player looks over and says, "You come in with me on the second pass."

I guess if you're with the right people and they like you, they won't mind giving you a little boost once in a while. I'm having a hard time imagining they would want to teach you your parts to too many songs too often, that would be a drag.

Best thing you can do is audition with these guys, be honest about your level and your ear, and let them help you decide if this is a good time and fit to join a band. It's a good learning opportunity.

If you have to go back to the woodshed, it's not a big deal. You can't take the cake out of the oven until it's done.
 
#11
Rudreax said:
What's the setlist?
Click to expand...
Blow me away - Alain Clarck
Girl - Anouk (lots of different tabs for it)
Let it rain - Amanda Marshall
Right to be wrong - Joss Stone
Shy boy - Katie Malua (no bass, i think)
Sweet child of mine - Sheryl Crow
Wicked way - Waylon (fun and figured it out for most part)
I'm not so tough - Ilse de Lange (fun bass intro)
I'm yours - Jason Mraz (no bass either)
Venus- Krezip
Breathless - The Corrs (looked it up and looked easy enough)
Left outside alone - Anastacia (having a hard time actually hearing the bass in this song)
I woud stay - Beef (got tabs for the non ska original version and seems quite doable too)
 
#14
Gah what sounded like a pretty casual first step into the bandworld now seems like some pretty serious bussines :(

Got called by their bandmanager and he told me to learn 4 songs and go on a audition in 1 month with some other bassists....

I already know even if i get the songs down in 1 month and probably get nervous and **** everything up at the audtion, but something in me says "keep practising and just show up, you might learn something from it except the feeling of my ego getting crushed" ;)

I'm getting a bit tired of myself of thinking i'm a ok bassist that knows the basics, but as soon as i audition or show my playing to someone else i feel like i can't play at all
 
#15
+1 to being upfront, of course. And even if you don't have everything down, audition anyway. You may learn from the experience. For that matter, other auditioners may mess up worse than you or you may have something "intangible" that they like.

I used to learn everything by tabs. Now I tend to do more by ear or just get the chords and figure it out from there. It depends on the song, I'll still go to tabs to see how other people have worked more complex bass lines out, and then either use them or change them to my way of playing. You'll figure it out.
 
#16
Update:
A well they gave me a fair try but i found out myself that i wasn't up to skill level yet and had a hard time keeping time in a bandsetting so i left myself after the second band practise.

Thanked everyone for the experience and I explained them that I needed some more time practising with metronome and just general bassplaying and wished them luck with getting a new bassplayer.

I also saw a advertisement from a guitarist and drummer that where looking for a bassist for a Jazz orientated starters band where you shouldnt be afraid to make mistakes, this might be a better thing for me and I might contact them.

I kinda refuse to let my head hang and give up on bassplaying, maybe my time sucks and it's the most important bassist skill you need but hell i can practise it!

Tonight i'm going to fall asleep with a metronome next to my bed counting sheeps on 8th beats ;)
 

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