Quiting a band and taking your basslines along...

[Vorago]

Hiya!

I was just wondering what you guys do? Say, you leave a band in which your basslines were quite important...What do you do? Do you take the 'secret' of your basslines along or do you explain them to your replacer...
I'd take em along, thats for sure..

 

[wulf]

It depends partly on the circumstances on which you leave the band. If you get too precious about your basslines that's likely to be "burning your bridges" and could come back to bite you if the band needs a fill in bassist for a paying gig in future or you later want to join a group which includes one of your former bandmates. Threaten them with nasty consequences for using your lines and you can be sure you're replacement will come up with original lines that sound much better when you hear them on the radio one day

Also, it's likely that your basslines were created along with the rest of the songs; how much of your work rests on what you heard everybody else playing? Songs you wrote might be a bit different; are you talking about playing for fun or something your livlihood rests on?

As far as teaching your replacement how to play them, I'd generally be willing to put in some time but not a lot. If the new bassist needs lessons to learn the lines, he'd better pay you like a teacher!

Wulf

 

[LiquidMidnight]

I think it's more of a question of law. By writing the basslines, does that make you a composer of the song?

 

[jive1]

As far as I know melodies and lyrics can be copyrighted. Chord progressions, beats, etc. can't. If the bass line serves as the melody of the song, then it can be copyrighted. If it is just a groove that goes with the song, then the case would be a little more difficult to pursue.

 

[teprodic]

If i was to get kicked out of the band, I would take my bass lines along with me. If I just decided to leave and move on, and had no problems with my ex band mates then I probably wouldn't mind teaching the new bass player some of the lines.

 

[Yaw]

Last time I quit a band I did it the decent way: I found them a replacement, lingered around for a month or so until he knew all "my" lines and then left. He now knew what I used to play, so they could move on, and he was free to give the lines his own personal touch. I didn't care which way he went: I just wanted out.