Should I stay or should I go?

[Micha84]

Just to confirm: This is really all about one slide?

Count myself on the side of "You've been told not to do it, you went ahead and did it anyway, so you got what's coming". Furthermore, if you say the guitarist is below your level, I say pointing that out is a cheap shot. If he isn't that good, but even he noticed you screwing up, maybe you are not so much further ahead of him as you think you are.
That said: I wouldn't play for free in a band that didn't even allow me a slide. Come to think of it, in an originals band it wouldn't even cross my mind that I needed to ask permission for that sort of thing. Where does it end?
"Excuse me, might it be alright with everybody if I pick the strings over the pickup? No? An inch to the right? But then I don't have a thumb rest anym... Okay, sure, no problem. Sorry for the interruption. What's that? Oh, yes, of course you can put your beer there."

 

[Drang22]

You got creative and one guy didn't like it? So what. It's a nothing burger. Keep being creative and having fun.

 

[Tnavis]

At this point in my life, where I have accepted that music isn't going to be how I make a living, but is instead how I choose to spend my free time doing something I care about deeply, a gig/band has to have one of these requirements:

1. Complete artistic freedom, and band members that trust my abilities and taste.
2. An amazing hang. Folks who are just awesome to be around.
3. Ridiculous amounts of money.

If you're being told to reign in your playing, and you have consistent tension with band members, AND you're not getting paid? Time to move on.

 

[Micha84]

At this point in my life, where I have accepted that music isn't going to be how I make a living, but is instead how I choose to spend my free time doing something I care about deeply, a gig/band has to have one of these requirements:

1. Complete artistic freedom, and band members that trust my abilities and taste.
2. An amazing hang. Folks who are just awesome to be around.

You must be me.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Most of their mistakes start from the drummer. The the guitarists tighten up, and the less experienced of the two starts playing timid. The singer keeps his head in the game, and I feel it’s up to me to inject some life into the performance. This occurs just about every gig.

This post just made the answer crystal clear!

FIRE THE DRUMMER!!!

Thank you for your attention. That is all.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

Just to confirm: This is really all about one slide?

Count myself on the side of "You've been told not to do it, you went ahead and did it anyway, so you got what's coming". Furthermore, if you say the guitarist is below your level, I say pointing that out is a cheap shot. If he isn't that good, but even he noticed you screwing up, maybe you are not so much further ahead of him as you think you are.
That said: I wouldn't play for free in a band that didn't even allow me a slide. Come to think of it, in an originals band it wouldn't even cross my mind that I needed to ask permission for that sort of thing. Where does it end?
"Excuse me, might it be alright with everybody if I pick the strings over the pickup? No? An inch to the right? But then I don't have a thumb rest anym... Okay, sure, no problem. Sorry for the interruption. What's that? Oh, yes, of course you can put your beer there."

I never said I screwed up the slide playing. The slide sounded fine, the song went over fine. The guitarist in question pointed out he didn’t like the sound, not that I screwed anything up.

It is a known fact the guitarist has less gigging and playing experience than me, and not a cheap shot—for this is the first band this guitarist was ever in, period. Regardless of his experience level, he has every right to his opinion regarding whether he likes my slide playing.

For your information, I never asked anyone about how to play my own parts. I just do. When I mentioned trying the slide, he expressed reservations which I found unnecessary and stifling.

 

[Auspuff]

So, I played a gig with an originals band whom I’ve been playing with for about 4 years. We probably do about 3 or 4 gigs a year and have recorded an album and EP of original tunes. My role as bassist is to supply basslines to the tunes—I am not paid to do this, nor are any of my ideas for original tunes entertained. Im completely a “hired gun”, as is another band member. We play with these guys because we enjoy the hang.

Here’s the catch: we played a 30 minute (free) show with 3 other bands over the weekend. Prior to the show, I had indicated I’d like to try one of my basslines with a slide (a la Morphine) - it sounded cool in my woodshed and thought it might be nice to try with the band. Well, many of the band members liked the idea, but another stated he’d rather me try things in the studio. Understandable.

Anyway, the gig happens, some of the band members with less gigging experience were nervous, and the mistakes started to happen. Well, the song comes up, I play it with the slide, it sounds ok.

Next day, the guitarist who did not want me to try the slide on the gig called it “sloppy and messy”. That said; he’s the least experienced musician in the group, and plays like it.

I’m reconsidering whether I want to continue on with this band where I have no songwriting input, and then any playing input seems to be “controlled”. I’m not paid to replicate parts, so I’d like more creative leeway than what I’ve been getting. What would you guys do?

 

[Matthew_84]

I would leave

 

[jdjk7]

So, I played a gig with an originals band whom I’ve been playing with for about 4 years. We probably do about 3 or 4 gigs a year and have recorded an album and EP of original tunes. My role as bassist is to supply basslines to the tunes—I am not paid to do this, nor are any of my ideas for original tunes entertained. Im completely a “hired gun”, as is another band member. We play with these guys because we enjoy the hang.

Here’s the catch: we played a 30 minute (free) show with 3 other bands over the weekend. Prior to the show, I had indicated I’d like to try one of my basslines with a slide (a la Morphine) - it sounded cool in my woodshed and thought it might be nice to try with the band. Well, many of the band members liked the idea, but another stated he’d rather me try things in the studio. Understandable.

Anyway, the gig happens, some of the band members with less gigging experience were nervous, and the mistakes started to happen. Well, the song comes up, I play it with the slide, it sounds ok.

Next day, the guitarist who did not want me to try the slide on the gig called it “sloppy and messy”. That said; he’s the least experienced musician in the group, and plays like it.

I’m reconsidering whether I want to continue on with this band where I have no songwriting input, and then any playing input seems to be “controlled”. I’m not paid to replicate parts, so I’d like more creative leeway than what I’ve been getting. What would you guys do?

Well... I'll be honest that I think you invited the issue yourself by playing the slide when you were asked not to for the gig. Because the guitarist does have a point, that practice is where you can try novel ideas. I don't think it's great for people to try to control you, but there's a give and take to this... if someone asks you not to do something, it's in the spirit of cooperation to comply (unless there's a real good reason not to). I, as a player, would desire that sort of courtesy from my bandmates, and so I try to honor it in every situation that I can.

And don't get me wrong... I like slide bass as much as the next guy. I have a slide in my bag because, during a rehearsal while the guitarist was proposing a new song, I got the spontaneous idea to try playing a slide bass line using the cap of his earplugs case. His words were that it was the "coolest possible thing (I) could have chosen to do", so evidently it worked out.

Now, granted... that doesn't place blame on you for mistakes that other members of the band made. And, frankly, sometimes that kind of gig is the one where band members decide that it can't get any worse, so they'll try _______ (fill in the blank). That's reasonable, but only if it's mutually understood or felt.

On the third or fourth hand, having my playing criticized by an objectively worse musician and player is also something I have a lot of experience with, but i'm not gonna go on that rant right now.

 

[panzerfaust]

So, I played a gig with an originals band whom I’ve been playing with for about 4 years. We probably do about 3 or 4 gigs a year and have recorded an album and EP of original tunes. My role as bassist is to supply basslines to the tunes—I am not paid to do this, nor are any of my ideas for original tunes entertained. Im completely a “hired gun”, as is another band member. We play with these guys because we enjoy the hang.

Here’s the catch: we played a 30 minute (free) show with 3 other bands over the weekend. Prior to the show, I had indicated I’d like to try one of my basslines with a slide (a la Morphine) - it sounded cool in my woodshed and thought it might be nice to try with the band. Well, many of the band members liked the idea, but another stated he’d rather me try things in the studio. Understandable.

Anyway, the gig happens, some of the band members with less gigging experience were nervous, and the mistakes started to happen. Well, the song comes up, I play it with the slide, it sounds ok.

Next day, the guitarist who did not want me to try the slide on the gig called it “sloppy and messy”. That said; he’s the least experienced musician in the group, and plays like it.

I’m reconsidering whether I want to continue on with this band where I have no songwriting input, and then any playing input seems to be “controlled”. I’m not paid to replicate parts, so I’d like more creative leeway than what I’ve been getting. What would you guys do?

do you really want to puking off the creativity that bothering you all along in your head and stomach ? go out and make another project where you are appreciated and has a good bond with each member,,...and for this band,,,..you can still help them, but tell them that you have something that you need to do yourself

 

[pepj]

Doesn't sound like it's working on any level to me.
Look out for other options.

 

[Passinwind]

So, I played a gig with an originals band whom I’ve been playing with for about 4 years. We probably do about 3 or 4 gigs a year and have recorded an album and EP of original tunes. My role as bassist is to supply basslines to the tunes—I am not paid to do this, nor are any of my ideas for original tunes entertained. Im completely a “hired gun”, as is another band member. We play with these guys because we enjoy the hang.

Here’s the catch: we played a 30 minute (free) show with 3 other bands over the weekend. Prior to the show, I had indicated I’d like to try one of my basslines with a slide (a la Morphine) - it sounded cool in my woodshed and thought it might be nice to try with the band. Well, many of the band members liked the idea, but another stated he’d rather me try things in the studio. Understandable.

Anyway, the gig happens, some of the band members with less gigging experience were nervous, and the mistakes started to happen. Well, the song comes up, I play it with the slide, it sounds ok.

Next day, the guitarist who did not want me to try the slide on the gig called it “sloppy and messy”. That said; he’s the least experienced musician in the group, and plays like it.

I’m reconsidering whether I want to continue on with this band where I have no songwriting input, and then any playing input seems to be “controlled”. I’m not paid to replicate parts, so I’d like more creative leeway than what I’ve been getting. What would you guys do?

I'd at least try to give equal weight to opinions from everyone in the band, skill level is not a good metric for discounting anyone's input IMO. As someone who has been playing slide bass for several decades, I know firsthand how disruptive it can be if everyone hasn't bought in.

To me 3 or 4 gigs a year used to be about what I did with one originals band, but we also played lots of open mics and as the ryhthm section in other bands, and we all had other paying projects going as well.

What would I do? Doesn't matter really, but I expect I would have been long gone by now after a big boy talk about it with everyone involved.

 

[gtirard]

I'm in a comparable situation: my band leader writes the songs, and he often writes bass parts I must play exactly, too often for my taste. He knows it, but it get worst and worst (my degree of liberty shrinks with time). Since he already knows it, I don't want to repeat myselft, but I will eventually quit the band the day when the balance of satisfaction/frustration tilts on the wrong side.

#1. Tell them
#2. Quit when/if you think your frustration is greater than your satisfaction

 

[HMZ]

"Hired Gun" to me means you get paid to play for someones project. You are not getting paid. If you're not happy leave and find a band you can express yourself in better. You're a bass player and many bands are looking for good bass players. You have options!

 

[gtirard]

I'd at least try to give equal weight to opinions from everyone in the band, skill level is not a good metric for discounting anyone's input IMO. As someone who has been playing slide bass for several decades, I know firsthand how disruptive it can be if everyone hasn't bought in.

To me 3 or 4 gigs a year used to be about what I did with one originals band, but we also played lots of open mics and as the ryhthm section in other bands, and we all had other paying projects going as well.

What would I do? Doesn't matter really, but I expect I would have been long gone by now after a big boy talk about it with everyone involved.

You and OP make me feel like trying slide bass
And if I like it, I will propose a deal to my band leader: I accept to continue playing his specific bass lines exactly how he wrote them, if he lets me play slide bass on one or two songs

 

[pcake]

if i'm playing for free, i have to get plenty of musical satisfaction. that means, among other things, that the band members have to be willing to at least try my musical ideas and input. without that, i'm outa there.

At this point in my life, where I have accepted that music isn't going to be how I make a living, but is instead how I choose to spend my free time doing something I care about deeply, a gig/band has to have one of these requirements:

1. Complete artistic freedom, and band members that trust my abilities and taste.
2. An amazing hang. Folks who are just awesome to be around.
3. Ridiculous amounts of money.

If you're being told to reign in your playing, and you have consistent tension with band members, AND you're not getting paid? Time to move on.

this!

 

[ChrisB2]

Most of their mistakes start from the drummer.

Whoa ho ho. Ok, right there's your problem. You absolutely MUST have a tight drummer. Nothing can cover for mistakes there. All other mistakes are either unnoticed or unimportant, relatively speaking. A poor drummer WILL trainwreck a band right now.

Maybe you can replace the drummer and stay in this project, if it's that important to you. But just know going forward that if your drummer can't tighten up, and he stays, this will not improve.

 

[primusfan1989]

I am not paid to do this, nor are any of my ideas for original tunes entertained. Im completely a “hired gun”, as is another band member. We play with these guys because we enjoy the hang

A hired gun implies you are being paid, you're essentially being these guys' sideman. Me personally I wouldn't take that gig for that reason. If I don't have creative input, I gotta get paid because the situation would quickly loose my interest. I have no interest in situation where my playing is "controlled" by others.

 

[lbbc]

I don't, and won't, play for free EVER! A "hired gun" infers getting paid to perform as a musician with little to no input on what and how things are performed IMHO. If you're not happy and not getting paid....move on to a different project!!

 

[jeff62]

One thing's for sure...

If you go there will be trouble
If you stay it will be double