New Band Red Flag

[InhumanResource]

Hope this is the right place for this question. I joined a new band, 8 weeks in (six practices) and the drummer (Band leader) has requested that I play only root notes on some songs, He and I haven't seemed to mesh yet, he started out critical of my timing the first to practices, then moved on to the actual notes I was playing, now this, All very seasoned musicians with incredible ear for music (keyboard and guitar and the sax player has a pretty good ear on his own), but the drummer seems to want to control what I play. FYI I'm out of a rock band, this band plays oldies and standards along the lines of Motown r&b and dance standards. How would you read this situation if it was you? Spare no feelings. TY

I would just play the tunes as recorded originally. If that's not acceptable for whatever reason then I am most likely out.

 

[GodPlayedBass]

Hope this is the right place for this question. I joined a new band, 8 weeks in (six practices) and the drummer (Band leader) has requested that I play only root notes on some songs, He and I haven't seemed to mesh yet, he started out critical of my timing the first to practices, then moved on to the actual notes I was playing, now this, All very seasoned musicians with incredible ear for music (keyboard and guitar and the sax player has a pretty good ear on his own), but the drummer seems to want to control what I play. FYI I'm out of a rock band, this band plays oldies and standards along the lines of Motown r&b and dance standards. How would you read this situation if it was you? Spare no feelings. TY

Someone who doesnt play bass telling a bass player how to play bass. The classic disrespect we go through hahaha

 

[Son of Wobble]

Red Flag have been around since the 80s and have put out a dozen albums. Just sayin, band name pretty taken.
If your band leaders don't mind that fact, I'd say use the moniker The Beatles. Might get more walk-up business with that one.

Red Flag (band) - Wikipedia

 

[zubrycky]

Perhaps but without listening to the music itself and to the specific request it’s hard for us to know whether the drummer is in-bounds or not.

You're right. However, IMHO and regardless of the circumstances, a bass player must play WITH the drummer and not against him.

 

[bherman]

We haven't locked in musically. Personality wise, on breaks he all about the music and potential songs to do next. We are approaching 30 songs after just 6 rehearsals, so I think I'm doing pretty good for being in a new genre. The singer (who is outta this world) keys and sax and to a lesser extent the guitarist (who is across the room) have been easy to connect with.

Sounds like this is a band that might be worth the effort. By your own admission, they’re way better players than you. If I were in your shoes, I’d keep everything really simple and focus on locking in on the rhythm. As you get to know the songs better, and become more confident in the genre, you can then stretch out a bit. I used to play in a band that played Motown/R&B and timing is everything. The drummer in that band was excellent and he really worked hard to keep things tight. Maybe see if the drummer would agree to get together with you alone and go through some of the tunes to gain a better understanding of what he’s after.

I’ve heard bands playing Motown and R&B stuff with a bass player whose timing was not spot-on and it makes me cringe. The guys who created that music were so f...ing good.

Also, try listening to some of the more modern bands playing this genre (Mayer Hawthorne, Sharon Jones - RIP) and you’ll hear solid, mostly simple bass lines.

 

[selowitch]

a bass player must play WITH the drummer and not against him.

For sure. That’s why the drummer is the person I pay the most attention to when I’m playing.

 

[zubrycky]

For sure. That’s why the drummer is the person I pay the most attention to when I’m playing.

Me too.

 

[jkazam]

perhaps you might like these

perhaps you might like these

These are good. Particularly the last one. Awesome. Billy Sheehan solo was noise.

 

[Free Rock Bass]

Hope this is the right place for this question. I joined a new band, 8 weeks in (six practices) and the drummer (Band leader) has requested that I play only root notes on some songs, He and I haven't seemed to mesh yet, he started out critical of my timing the first to practices, then moved on to the actual notes I was playing, now this, All very seasoned musicians with incredible ear for music (keyboard and guitar and the sax player has a pretty good ear on his own), but the drummer seems to want to control what I play. FYI I'm out of a rock band, this band plays oldies and standards along the lines of Motown r&b and dance standards. How would you read this situation if it was you? Spare no feelings. TY

Try and connect better with the drummer to establish a line of communication that works for you. Indulge him, listen, learn from him, then when the time is right ad your two cents to the conversation to say what you like, what you've learned, maybe what you would like to try or just discuss things. Chances are they've been through a dozen bass players, and guitar players like every other band, and those in the band get tiresome of this merry-go-round of changes. Stick it out and you'll probably end up in the very well rounded musical situation you've been looking for.

 

[SCS]

How about you quit the band and I will join them. I been playing 4 years by myself and wish I could play in a group. If all that is basically required to play roots and maybe a 5th here and there, that be a great start for me..see what I'm saying, your probably way beyond him anyway.

It's not all the songs, I've had to learn some fairly difficult basslines, and still more to learn. After 4 years, you should know enough to play in a band, just be honest, and just do it. Learning in a band is much easier than by yourself.

 

[shoulderpet]

Hope this is the right place for this question. I joined a new band, 8 weeks in (six practices) and the drummer (Band leader) has requested that I play only root notes on some songs, He and I haven't seemed to mesh yet, he started out critical of my timing the first to practices, then moved on to the actual notes I was playing, now this, All very seasoned musicians with incredible ear for music (keyboard and guitar and the sax player has a pretty good ear on his own), but the drummer seems to want to control what I play. FYI I'm out of a rock band, this band plays oldies and standards along the lines of Motown r&b and dance standards. How would you read this situation if it was you? Spare no feelings. TY

How bad is he with this whole root notes thing? On the songs that he does not request root notes does he allow you freedom to make your own judgement and offer your own ideas?

 

[Jazzdogg]

Record a rehearsal and try to listen to it as objectively as possible when you're relaxed and at home.

 

[Son of Wobble]

Whatever else you do, be good to your hands

Kanye West ends up in hospital due to "too much texting"

 

[DWBass]

Post a rehearsal sound file if you can.

 

[Spidey2112]

Tell him to get bent.

Lol!

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

As I was reading this thread, I was listening to Uriah Heep's "The Magicians Birthday" album. On the opening track, Sunrise, bassist Gary Thain is all over the place. Two or three songs later, he is playing mainly roots in "Blind Eye". Both cases work incredibly well for the song. Perhaps try the suggestion of the drummer.

 

[SCS]

C'mon...song list or this thread is just wasting time.

BTW...SCS, if the drummer started mentioning your timing, then your note choices and finally asking you to play roots he's trying to tell you something about your playing.

So, a detail, He plays behind plexi glass, that's new to me, he moved me from in front of him to next to him sorta behind the glass, and that seem to make him happy, It's easier to keep an eye on him.

 

[C Stone]

Sounds like a "tryout" if you feel the drummers is making valid points LISTEN, if on the other hand you think it is purely a control issue work it out as a band or move on! My gut tells me as soon as he comes across a bass player that will stroke his ego you will be out. As a bass player and a drummer I get it, I often have asked drummers to chill out, on the other side if a guy or gal is groovin on bass and adds extra chops or fills that work with the song I dig it! Even if (or I could say especially if) it is one of my songs). More like ah ha thats it and why didn't I think of that when I wrote it. Then again it's a cover band, the parts have already been established. Just my 2 cents...Good luck!

 

[MultiScaleMale]

You said "spare no feelings", so... there is a good chance that "just play root notes on these songs" is a nice way of saying that you're not doing as great of a job on those songs as you might believe. Record the practice and listen to the song as a song, not as a bass playing along with a song. But most importantly, talk to the bandleader. It's his (I think you said he) band, he's booking the gigs and paying you. That doesn't mean that he needs to be a heavy-handed dictator, but he's setting the feel and sound that he wants to present. You're in a good position to make rapid improvements in that you're playing with musicians that are better than yourself. Develop not only the musical skills, but the people / interpersonal skills that are just as important when playing in a band.

 

[SCS]

It is possible you may not be a good fit musically at this point in your Journey. Don’t take the criticism personally. As for going forward with this band I would be candid with the BL that you are have a hard time adjusting, having been a “rock” bassist and that you are willing to work through issues.

As for the BL saying to stay on the root while playing Motown leads me to believe that you you don’t have a command the material. It’s pretty rare when there is Motown song where the bassist sits on the root. I’m thinking at this point he just wants to get through the songs without a crash and burn.

As opposed to modern bass parts, the Motown bass parts, as with other oldie standards, is to provide logic to chord change movement, rhythmically, and tonally and requires the knowledge of scales and modes. In a lot of cases it’s just modifications of standard walking bass parts.

Red flag? No. Sounds like a a really good opportunity to become a better bassist if you can hang in there,

Best wishes.

This is partially true, they play a lot of songs that I've never heard or rarely heard before, definitely a different world than playing music you've heard all your life and an issue on my part. But that's only a temporary problem