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This guy wants to sit in...

#223
WHY is “sitting in” even a thing? Do you spectate at a football game, walk up to the coach and say “Hey, I’m pretty good at tossin’ The ol’ pigskin, lemme throw a couple of passes!”, or go to a restaurant and ask to get behind the stove? Or jump on the forklift at Home Depot?
Someone has the right to ask because they’re a “fellow musician”? No effing way!!!
 
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#224
If you want to play the bass in my band you should go through the acceptable procedures:

1 - Throwing a coup by befriending the band members and slowly poisoning their minds against me

or

2 - Killing me, framing someone else and being there for the band when they are mourning to tell them they should keep going because that' what I would have wanted.

It's supposed to be hard!
 
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#225
Experience has shown me that random guy in the crowd being egged on by his buddies most likely can't play a lick. Now if I know the guy he can come up and play just about anytime. Had a friend just this past weekend come up and play a couple songs. That I have no problem with.
 
#227
Some time ago I had this conversation with a guy who sang in an ACDC cover band before a gig:

- man, do you play any AC/DC?
- no, sorry, we're a David Bowie Tribute band
- you're sure you don't know any AC/DC
- yes, we play David Bowie.
- But I'm sure your guitar players must know something, and the bass and drums are always easy
- we're here to play David Bowie. Sorry man, we can't do it.

then he proceeded to talk to our vocalist and BL, who is a big softie and has a hard time saying no, and invited himself to sing No Fun by The Stooges after the vocalist told him we also played Iggy Pop (although that night we were supposed to play only Bowie).

The guy got on stage and he didn't know the lyrics. It was a mess.

Since then I told the vocalist it would be my pleasure to be the person to whom those people talk, and it would be my pleasure to politely say no.
 
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#230
I'm not easy on my instruments. That's why it's rare that I'll ask to play other people's instruments (if they really care about them), because I know they care a lot more about scratches and dings than I do.

I have let friends and other people by play my daily driver bass, because it's meant to be played. I don't care about belt rash or finish - and I've dropped my bass once myself - I think as long as the player doesn't try to break the bass (setting it on fire, smashing against the stage) I'm good.

I have a nicer bass that I rarely play because of this reason. I can't replace it and so it doesn't see much use. A shame, really.

I've let another band use my Markbass CMD 121P once. Dude showed up to the venue with an underpowered Rumble 40. Got the text from my guitarist on the way to the venue. I was a bit annoyed that it was so spur-of-the-moment, but it worked out well enough and the bassist was respectful of my gear (sounded good, too) and it was nice to hear my amp from a crowd perspective. I'd do it again if I were able to meet the player face-to-face and make sure no damage would be done.

Would I let someone sit in? Probably, if they could play and be respectful. I'd be more annoyed about someone asking to sit in at a pro gig than about lending them my gear though, especially if it wasn't planned (that's just not something you do unless you clear it first, and even then it's usually more of a singer thing or a guest guitar player). If I said no, it wouldn't be out of concern for my gear but because it's an unknown in a conttolled situation (pro gig). If I said yes, I would definitely be keeping a watchful eye.
 
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#233
I should probably just start a new thread. Please accept my apologies for the highjack, but after 12 pages, I think we understand that “some people are cool with it and some are not.”
Anyway, here’s a funny twist to this scenario.
A local politician is having a fundraiser with a legendary blues guitarist (I will not name), my boss was “invited” to the function. To which he replied, “...Only if my guy Matthew can sit in with xxx”
I was mortified and tried to explain to my boss that it is not polite or cool to ask to sit in.
The local politician replied that he would “make it happen”
So, WHAT THE #%#% DO I DO?
I haven’t made it this far in my career saying NO to my boss or being timid. But, I’m not a jerk that “asks to sit in” either.

PS: if the “legendary blues guitarist’s” bass player happens to read this... please let me know how you feel. I can fake an illness or something to get out of this.
 
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#236
This happens to me but not too often. I never like doing it and don’t make them sign any damage clause,but I do make them and the suggestor know for damn sure that the sitin guy is fully responsible for the unexpected.
It still makes me more uncomfortable than just letting them use my rig.
 
#237
MVE said:
I should probably just start a new thread. Please accept my apologies for the highjack, but after 12 pages, I think we understand that “some people are cool with it and some are not.”
Anyway, here’s a funny twist to this scenario.
A local politician is having a fundraiser with a legendary blues guitarist (I will not name), my boss was “invited” to the function. To which he replied, “...Only if my guy Matthew can sit in with xxx”
I was mortified and tried to explain to my boss that it is not polite or cool to ask to sit in.
The local politician replied that he would “make it happen”
So, WHAT THE #%#% DO I DO?
I haven’t made it this far in my career saying NO to my boss or being timid. But, I’m not a jerk that “asks to sit in” either.

PS: if the “legendary blues guitarist’s” bass player happens to read this... please let me know how you feel. I can fake an illness or something to get out of this.
Click to expand...

show up at work with a finger bandaged
 
#238
I think a big part of this is... What type of gig is it? If it's a club, bar, jam, etc - sure, most of the time why not. If you're in a corporate setting you should consider that maybe the client who hired the band doesn't want a "loose" vibe, they may have hired the band because they're a class act who doesn't let random people get onstage. Not to say it's OP's fault, but sounds like the Bandleader made a dumb call professionally while also putting OP in an awkward position.
 

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