The host band ruined the jam.

[Lesfunk]

When I was playing harmonica I had 12 diatonics to cover all keys plus a couple of minor tuned...

Unicorns are magical creatures

 

[yodedude2]

I forgot to mention- Band leader was a bit of a snot about it. Would show jammers a chord (eg- E formation, and say loudly E, but it was Eb)

that is bizarre !

 

[Ric5]

Bands with good horn players play in all keys.

Guitar based blues is usually in keys like A or E or G … but bands with horns will play in keys like B flat …

And you are right a good musician can play in any key … another reason I like my 5 string basses … keys like Eb and F and D work better

 

[The Biz]

Calling that chord "G" is 100% standard operating procedure. I always carry a capo in my gig bag. Bassists need to understand capos and alternate tunings, if they want to play with guitarists.

you call the tune in G?

I think you need to distinguish what chord shape you are playing, and the key of the song. Communicate the key you're in, that is what they need to know, not how capos and alternate tunings change your chord shape.

 

[yodedude2]

Calling that chord "G" is 100% standard operating procedure.

interesting. not around these parts. most around here would say 'g up three'.

 

[Slater]

Calling that chord "G" is 100% standard operating procedure. I always carry a capo in my gig bag. Bassists need to understand capos and alternate tunings, if they want to play with guitarists.

It's not even 1% operating procedure with the musicians that I have worked with. Have you ever seen a band with (gasp) more than one guitarist, but only one of them uses a capo to achieve a different voicing, or just for ease of playing? What happens when that one guitarist applies the capo to the guitar neck? Does the name of every chord and note change for everyone else in the band? I don't think so.

 

[DanGroove]

At jams around here, 99 times out of 100, Superstition is played in E for that exact reason. It's just easier that way.

Here too. Then I joined a cover band that played it in Eb as written. Fortunately I play a 5 string so I didn't have to detune for the song or play the bass part all weird and high, but the part where it doubles the horn part became a lot more work to play than it is in E.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Hosting a jam/open mic is a LOT more than bringing a few amps and then start making music. It's not about your ego. You are there to get as many musicians up as possible, and allow them to sound the best they can, so both the musicians and the people listening enjoy it as much as they can.

 

[ManicBass5]

Wh

You have frets … use them …

The keyboards have black keys … use them

I play 5 string basses so I can play Eb, D, Db, C, B … no problem

Maybe the house band should tune down to D standard … or drop C

What did the audience do?!? It sounds like it'd be bizzare to watch.....

 

[Pilgrim]

Just to voice a basic concern - the whole point of playing a jam with anything but standard tuning escapes me.

You're playing a jam. Play stuff that doesn't require down-tuning to accommodate a singer or other band members. There are plenty of things you can play.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

Calling that chord "G" is 100% standard operating procedure.

It's not standard in the least in my experience, fortunately. The person calling the tune gives the actual key, not the particular guitar chord form. I play guitar and am perfectly familiar with capos. But a concert Bb is still a concert Bb.

 

[electracoyote]

This is as bad as when the guitarist puts a capo at the third fret, plays a G chord form and calls a G. Do you not know what key the song is actually in now?

You are correct. The song is now in the key of Bb for everyone else not playing a guitar capo'd at 3.

Calling that chord "G" is 100% standard operating procedure.

Nope, not IME. Even on sheet music you will see it charted in the actual key (Bb), and it will have a side note that the song is played guitar Capo 3. Especially in a combo or jam situation, it's common courtesy and important to tell those around you it's in Bb, or G capo'd to 3 (1 1/2 steps higher = Bb).

I don't doubt it happens, but for the vast majority of musicians, to capo 3 in standard tuning, play a G shape, and call it a G, is simply misleading at best.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

You are correct. The song is now in the key of Bb for everyone else not playing a guitar capo'd at 3.



Nope. On sheet music you will see it charted in the actual key (Bb), and it will have a side note that the song is played guitar Capo 3. Especially in a combo or jam situation, it's common courtesy and important to tell those around you it's in Bb, or G capo'd to 3 (1 1/2 steps higher = Bb).

I don't doubt it happens, but for the vast majority of musicians, to capo 3 in standard tuning, play a G, and call it a G, is simply misleading at best.

Yep, absolutely does happen, but as you note, it's not standard and is rarely helpful.

 

[SmokinJoe992]

If you tune down a half step without letting me know, and tell me the song is in E when it is really in Eb. You are the idiot not me. I played with a singer that played acoustic guitar once that used a capo on every freaking song. He was never able to tell me the actual chord he was playing just the shape. I would have to ask him for the chord and where he was putting his capo so I could tell him what he was actually playing. That got old real fast.

 

[TheLowDown33]

:-/

If you decide to play a transposing instrument, you'd better damn well know your notes and chord in concert pitch and communicate them as such. Sure, that sax player is playing a "C", but he would be a moron if he knew his concert pitch was Bb and yet insisted on telling other musicians on the bandstand that he's playing a melody in C major. A complete shaggin moron.

In most music circles this is absolutely the case. You tell people what you're playing in concert pitch, unless you are talking to someone playing the same instrument or a similar transposition (i.e. tenor sax to a clarinet or trumpet)

 

[electracoyote]

Yep, absolutely does happen, but as you note, it's not standard and is rarely helpful.

Agree, I edited my post to reflect that.

Even if he can't spell the musical alphabet, the guitar player should at least say he's playing in a "G shape" (as opposed to "key of G"), 3 semitones higher, capo'd 3 semitones higher, something like that. That would be a little more accurate. At least you'd have a chance to transpose it.

 

[Hahaha]

Interesting. So Eb = E when you tune down. I guess I have nine fingers if I start counting at zero.

 

[DanGroove]

If you tune down a half step without letting me know, and tell me the song is in E when it is really in Eb. You are the idiot not me. I played with a singer that played acoustic guitar once that used a capo on every freaking song. He was never able to tell me the actual chord he was playing just the shape. I would have to ask him for the chord and where he was putting his capo so I could tell him what he was actually playing. That got old real fast.

I've played with one like this too and had to translate for the poor bass player who was even more green than the guy with the capo who couldn't figure out what key he was in. I'm guessing your guy likewise did not do much lead playing except maybe some basic open position riffs since he never knew what key he was in.

 

[SmokinJoe992]

Calling that chord "G" is 100% standard operating procedure. I always carry a capo in my gig bag. Bassists need to understand capos and alternate tunings, if they want to play with guitarists.

So its up to the rest of the band to figure out what the guitar player is really playing? The guitar player has no responsibility to communicate this to anyone else? So I guess when a guitar player says they are playing in "G" they could really mean they are playing in Ab, A, Bb, B, C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, F#, or occasionally G.

 

[The Biz]

Frankly, it's probably better if you don't tell me the key if you're just going to pay in another. At least I will figure it out without doubting my tuning or hearing.