Kind of a gig report: Hearing your band without you...

Glad you've recovered and are ready to get back to gigging.

I have a somewhat similar story. Many years ago I suffered severe injury to the index and middle fingers of my fret board hand. We had a gig booked a few days later and I went to watch and check out my replacement. They sounded fine as I expected, but what I hadn't expected was the frustration of being in the audience instead of on stage. The next day it dawned on me that I still had two good fingers so I got busy modifying my bass parts to work with only ring and pinky fingers. Even though the bass lines became very simple I was able to get right back on the horse and only missed that one gig.

 

BnB, glad to hear you are recovering fast!! My career would get in the way of playing music about 10 years ago and I would have to bow out of my band. When I got a chance to hear the band with a sub they sounded good. Always hoped the band was as good when I was playing.

Take Care!

Mark

 

Do you still play like that or have since recovered from the injuries?

 

Well, to be a bit graphic, 20 years ago I lost the index and middle fingertips in an industrial accident. After two surgeries a year or so of rehab I was able to get the index finger working again. It's 1/4" shorter than before but it healed nicely. There was too much loss on the middle finger so it was retired from playing, LOL. Since then I developed an odd three finger style. Every once in a while a bassist in the audience will notice and mention it. Most probably just think I have crappy left hand technique.

 

I understand, I broke my left hand pinky finger three times in high school. I have no strength in it, so I've sorta developed an odd three finger left hand technique as well. And I play a 5 string to move my hand up the fretboard, to have shorter stretches.

 

Sorry to hear you went through that, and I guess I probably shouldn't have asked. Glad you were able to adapt though! I kinda only use three fingers anyway, because I do infact have crappy technique, plus weird hands. Big palms...and short stubby sausage fingers.

Some medicine I take sometimes causes finger/hand swelling, especially in the summer, that makes it feel like my fingers are made of concrete, not making excuses, my suckage is all on me.

 

I once let our sub-bassist do a half set once while I took a break out with the outdoor crowd. It was great to hear how the band sounded from a whole different angle.

 

When I quit the last band due to kids and family, I saw them later. Stopped by to see them for a bit with my daughter when she was 2. My replacement sounded great and so did they. I was glad, because they thought they were going to have to disband with me leaving.

 

That was my experience as well! It was kind of surreal...

 

I had to leave a band over health issues. It was weird at first, but I really like the guy who replaced me. He had a totally different approach and though he played a couple of my parts "wrong" he added a lot. In that band I played electric bass and one of the percussionists played upright on a few songs and I'd play guitar or mandolin. When the new bass player joined, I'd come and sit in on the song I played mandolin on when I could.

 

Yea, I wouldn't waste another second getting back into working with the band again. The longer you're out, the longer the band gets used to playing without you!! And then, it's like..."Oh, we thought you quit."

 

It's the same with me as far as not ever hearing what the audience does. I've been considering going wireless if for no other reason than being able to walk around the room and hear the FOH mix.

 

Three of us sing in the band I am a part of, with the lion share being done by the band leader, who is the best I have ever played with. There are a few songs he puts his acoustic down and goes out into the crowd to listen when someone else is singing lead. I have to admit......I wish I could do that from time to time! I have ventured out front to get involved with the crowd on a gig or two and enjoyed hearing the band that way. Wireless? Nah........

 

You'd better!

 

I took photos while a fellow bassist played two songs at a gig last year. Heard my bass tone out front finally and knew what to do to fix it.

 

Last year I couldn't play a gig so my band got a sub. He was a guitar player in another band that played a little bass on the side. During the gig our drummer decided to live stream the gig on Facebook so I was able to watch them live. Not the same as being there but it still felt weird watching my band play without me. I told them it felt like watching an ex-girlfriend on a date with someone else!

At rehearsal the next week, after we played our first song they all told me "Man are we glad to have you back! It just wasn't the same without you." That makes you feel good.