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Two Weeks Practice, Then My First Gig In 29 Years!

Discussion in 'Bassists [BG]' started by mrjim123, Jun 26, 2008.

  1. Jun 26, 2008 #1
    mrjim123

    mrjim123 Supporting Member

    May 17, 2008
    Indy
    RougHouse
    I played for $ in the 70's, then gave it up in 1979 to go to college, raise kids, etc., and have been a bedroom bassist since then.

    I joined a band about 5 weeks ago. We had a show booked for July 5. After 2 practices the drummer said he had too much going on to practice - his daughter had twins, he was working out of town, at least that what he said - so we haven't practiced since. I thought maybe the whole thing was over with and I was ready to move on.

    This morning the guitar player called and asked me if he thought I could get it together to do the show on the 5th. I almost said no, but finally said yes. I'm totally jazzed about the situation. :hyper:

    The first 2 practices went great, and I've practiced to CDs since, so I know about 25 of their songs. I've got a good ear, so learning the rest shouldn't be too hard. It's pretty easy music - rock, country, oldies, etc. I know I'll make mistakes during the first gig, but I also know we'll make 'em dance.

    Anyways, no questions or problems here; I just had to share the good news. My wife thinks I'm crazy ... maybe she has a point. :cool:
     
  2. Jun 26, 2008 #2
    fargobass

    fargobass

    Oct 13, 2007
    Fargo, North Dakota
    Good luck, Jim. I had an almost identical situation five months ago when I joined my current band. I played in high school and college jazz bands in the mid-late 80s, and then, from 1991 to today, probably five or six times in church since then, and always with sheet music.

    This band is mostly country (which I don't listen to normally), plus some Southern Rock thrown in, so I had to learn everything from scratch in the 16 days from when they hired me to when the first gig happened.

    Will they let you keep notes off on the side? (I stand right next to one of the PA stands - so I was able to tape my notes on the back of the speaker, so no one could see it but myself and the drummer). Good luck:)
     
  3. Jun 26, 2008 #3
    mrjim123

    mrjim123 Supporting Member

    May 17, 2008
    Indy
    RougHouse
    I may use notes. Maybe I'll tape them to the mike stand. Then if I make a mistake I'll just shrug and stare at the notes in hopes that the audience thinks "hey, he doesn't suck, he's just learning the songs." That and a "I Just Joined The Band" t-shirt should get me off the hook. :smug:
     
  4. Jun 26, 2008 #4
    wazzel

    wazzel

    Dec 27, 2007
    Cypress, TX
    Good luck with that. My old band got together for a reunion show after seven years apart. Two night of practice and we pulled off a diceint gig.
     
  5. Jun 26, 2008 #5
    ksandvik

    ksandvik

    Dec 10, 2007
    SF Bay Area North CA
    Figure out a clean way how to start and stop the songs, that's usually the unpolished part when doing few rehearsals. It's quite OK to have a few standard endings, the audience won't really complain if all the endings sound about the same. Usually have the lead of the band tell when to stop with a physical sign (like Zappa's cigarrette switch in his mouth :) ).
     
  6. Jun 26, 2008 #6
    Lon86

    Lon86

    Jan 21, 2008
    Venice, CA
    You can take the man out of music,

    But you can never take the music out of the man!!!

    Knock 'em dead!:bassist:
     
  7. Jun 26, 2008 #7
    Bassbasixx

    Bassbasixx

    Feb 3, 2008
    Dana Point Ca
    Yeah Jim sounds like some fun "some habits never die they just resurface"
     
  8. Jun 26, 2008 #8
    hmjuice

    hmjuice

    May 20, 2000
    Austin, TX USA
    That's Awesome!!! Go break a leg and all that jazz. There's nothing better than playing in a band and watching people dance to what you're playing. Oh and no one will notice mistakes unless everyone one stops playing in the middle of a song so go out there and fake it till you make it.
     
  9. Jun 26, 2008 #9
    jomahu

    jomahu

    Dec 15, 2004
    Bos, MA
    wow. that's awesome, man.

    welcome back. :)