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Simple advice needed

#22
Ok, with all respect to everyone here, here's my thoughts:

First of all, if you already played with them and they liked it, you did a good job. Cause if you mess up on bass, it is going to stick out.

Then, I'd say an instrument is only a "tool" for you to achieve something. Talking about bass guitar specifically, technically almost anything you do on guitar (tapping, bending, picking, playing chords etc.), you can apply on bass. Now I hear some "traditional" bass players saying:

"dude, if you're playing with a pick, you're a guitar player, not a bass player..."

"a real bass has only 4 strings on it"

"real bass players don't have pedalboards, you gotta go straight into an amp"

etc. etc...

Well how about that, when fender introduced the first mass produced electric bass, some of the "real bass players" of the time (who were upright players) didn't even accepted the electric bass as an instrument, but a toy. It was not until Jaco did his amazing work on bass so that the bass players started noticing the capabilities of the instrument. Considering that fender introduced the first p bass in 1951, the instrument is relatively a young one that needs a lot of exploration. You're already a musician so go with the feel is what I'd tell you.

All that's been said, of course in a regular band situation, they'd want you to hold the low end well without clashing with what others are doing. We all (i believe) became bass players because we all love to keep calm, hold the beat, and be the backbone of the rhythm section. But from there, you should be able to go anywhere you want.
 
#24
Think rythm.... if you think you might be accidentally playing like a guitar player try playing with two fingers... (one finger per hand) only for a little while. Honestly though, sounds like you don't need any advice at all and that you're good to go. There's a lot of talk about guitar players playing bass like a guitar and how wrong it is... I have known several guitar players that could pick up a bass and flat kill it, made me wanna break they're fingers... naaa, my guess is you're flat just a good player. Straight up! And a humble one at that. Humility, talent and creativity make for a great musician Bro. Rock on! Or Country on! :)
 
#25
Jim Carr said:
20-some tips:

Do what the boss says without grumbles.
Always have the show memorized.
Being asked to turn up is better than being told to turn down.
Always arrive early and/or share the driving.
On stage, look at the audience, smile, keep an eye on the band leader and drummer, all at the same time!
If there are set lists, have a spare or two.
Stand on the right of the main guitarist (with right handed guitarist). You can then follow the guitarist's chords if you don't remember the changes. If you are on his/her left, you can't.
A rig with two speaker cabinets is more likely to shield you from driver failures, than a single cab rig.
Have a spare micro head that can cover the gig in your bag/truck/trailer.
Always have spare strings, straps, cables (including speaker/speakon), and batteries.
Have the tools you will need to adjust anything on your instrument.
Have a music stand and a stand light (either on stage or nearby) in case you are asked to read a chart.
Wear a clean good costume for the gig.
Wearing regular cowboy (riding) boots on gigs or on the road is going to hurt in the long run—Ropers are better for your feet.
Have a drum key in your bag and some spare AA, AAA, and fender medium picks—they are for the other guys.
A fresh but tested 12AX7 is a good idea, as is a flashlight, two pencils, and some music paper.
Be positive. Support all the other players, but stay away from the squabbles and gossip.
On the road, sleep as much as you can, drink less than the other drinkers, and don't hit on chick bartenders.
Have a good business card.
Learn the NNS and 5-string.
Get to know a lot of classic tracks and the new stuff too.
Be open-minded and drop your preconceptions about people.
Be deeply deeply grateful for all you have.
Click to expand...




BEST POST EVER.
 
#31
Continue to put in the work.

As far as note count goes, your job might be simpler now - know the songs well enough to play them alone at a different tempo.

Also, if you haven't already, work on your muting. Some won't notice a low droning E/B, but some will. This is frequently missed by even great players.

Most importantly, have fun! This alone can land you a gig - for example: a young band from my college rearranged their roles to oust a bored but talented guitar and make room for me on bass. My only contact with them had been basement parties and pep band!
 
#32
wvbass said:
You want to land a second big gig? Learn to sing.
Click to expand...

Learn to sing close-harmony Baritone.

It takes a fairly limited range, but can be counter-intuitive to master. I recommend putting a copy of This in your car and practice every part J.D. Crowe did while you commute. When you learn them all (only eleven songs), you'll be unstoppable and in very high demand.
 
#33
I'd start by listening to recordings of the music you will be playing on tour. Listen to what the other bass players are playing and this is something most guitar players don't ever do is listen to the bass. You have to start thinking like a bass player. Your job is to make everyone else sound better. As others have said, do whatever the boss asks for without grumbling or arguing.
 

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