kiat

If it's good enough for Joe Dart...."Look Ma, no strap!" 😉

Problem: I've got devices on my Pedalboard that I'd like to use in different configurations when gigging, when rehearsing and when practising solo. Everything is on my board: bass wireless receiver, tuner, multi effect, IEM transmitter, DI, headphone amp/mixer and battery. Solutions?? : my tech background prompts me to solve this with a patch panel (all audio inputs and inputs from every device would have their own port in a single patch panel. Then compact patch cables would connect these ports in any combo you want, easily changeable and no more removing of devices to change over their cables. It might be a faff, it might be impractical, unless there are micro connectors. Has anyone done this, or even just attempted it or thought it through?

Perfect summation 😉 Are you a mind reader? 🤣

Especially if he had brought his own bass

Great write up - felt I was there 😉 . For some reason I thought you were going to be on grass/mud! That's a nicely positioned drain. Well done for going home and improvising solutions to the keeping things dry problem. That's a ton of songs to learn, I feel your joy and pain. I like your "creative lapses" phrase and promise to give it back once I've used it!

Hehe, yeah, though Boston at night wasn't that bad - I've experienced worse! It cost me more in travel than the fee (my car is very pricy to run and was bought before gigs were back on the table!). The dep aspects are here...

Usual process for me is to cut the songs out in the morning from the recording of the night before that I make when there's a reason to (a new band, set or drummer etc) and I have to say I'm cringing at my playing on the 2nd set opening song, Happy Hour - I'm playing it a semi-tone out, the first 3/4 🫣😥🥴. My mind was convinced that the MD had given us all the correct band key (A) on the setlist, when in fact they all were ignoring it (except the new dep) because they always play it in Bb. Looking at the setlist later I realised that the MD had written down the band key was A, the original was B and the difference was -1. A clue. At the time I knew it was off within the 1st bar, but kept going, wierdly my ears half adjusted to the discordance, but I knew that something was wrong and tried to figure out the right key whilst keeping the pattern. Stopping for a few moments would have been better. Painful lesson. Note to self: trust my ears, not what I was told and find the right damn key PDQ!

Last night in a Boston pub, 1st dep for Kloane, an 80s+ covers band. Was apprehensive to be honest because, though I had depped twice recently with most of the guys for their soul big band, these songs were mostly brand new to me: I'd never attempted these basslines before, even at jam nights or learning at home. Out of 30 on the setlist, 9 days to learn 25 of them. I had a feeling they wouldn't mind if I used a tablet as an aide and it turned out to be the case - it was a bloody useful crutch. I don't know how I'd have fared without it, but on some songs I'd have been not got the starts right and missed some of the many breaks, interludes and specific endings. Most of the recorded tracks are fade out, but I had their backing tracks the vocalist uses on his solo gigs and I trusted the band would follow the structures, which they mostly did. Had a few unannounced key changes which totally threw me for more than a few bars as I was trying to desperately transpose in my head whilst keeping the groove going 😱😎. Pay wasn't the best, but we all get the same and this is the first that's not been cash No rehearsals, just straight in. It's nice they trusted me for that. I'm not even a semi-pro, so this has been a challenging but huge learning experience - and on the night a lot of fun once we got going. Hopefully I'll get called in again. In the meantime I plan on learning these songs properly!

Another dep last night, my 3rd and the 1st with this band. 25 great songs "learnt" in a week. First gig where I read off my tablet: hard to maintain focus on the score, check my fingerboard from time to time, get eye contact with bandmates and crowd, watch the drummer for visual clues. Had a blast though!

I'll have try one, one of these days. No music shops nearby unfortunately. Btw could you tell it's a USA visually from differences?

Of course. Personally I'd have a hard time playing in a band with a guy that's been ripping off other musicians. Maybe they don't hear from bass players he's stolen from.

10 minutes in and realise.... * mildly surprised Claypool's not English! (dunno how I got that idea) * more "let tell you about my whole life" rather than an interview. A great style and service from Beato * how nice it is to watch YT vids embedded, no ads!

How are professional bands employing this fraudster and thief?

With a limited number of pedals and devices (to use in my signal paths) Pre, Post, Amp, DI, BT, IEM (band feed, bass), transmitter headphones, etc, rather than having to move and jig devices and their connections around into different configurations based on the use case: practice at home, band rehearsals, videoing, gigging, I'm thinking about audio routing with 1/4" patch panels (or other compact mono or stereo patch cables). I'm thinking it might be worth the effort and sacrifice. Has anyone tried this before and if so what worked/didn't etc?

I'm on the B-string a fair bit because of the key changes. Also some handy open strings are no more. On the other hand I'm glad Brown Eyed Girl and Crazy Thing Called Love are original key, they'd have been a pain to change as they are fiddly and I play them in another band.

They do down well I'm told! It's definitely helpful. I'm paying attention to the recorded songs that fade out, as I'm pretty sure they won't on the night! Will be checking with the drummer who is in top of the songs and has more time before the gig (he plays in their other band I just started depping with). Thanks for the tip. It's a long record and I don't think they'll play it that long, so hopefully be less opportunities to get out of sync!

Not bad, thanks @nilorius, but not as good a set of tones that Ігор Одарюк, a talented Ukrainian bassist, managed to get out of the JO5 he tested. For sure it's partly in the fingers!

My 2004 Lakland Skyline JO5 with a J-Tone John East preamp.

Great to read all the comments, tips, experiences, memories and choices! Hopefully depping will be a bigger part of my playing life from now on for all sorts of reasons that many have mentioned already. The dep setlist for this Saturday. A few days into a week's notice and seven basslines I already knew.

No mistakes from Thomann yet, though a bass gigbag had it's strap fixing tear away from the case and they refunded it in full and didn't want the bag back. Nothing but great experience from them this past year.

For me it was jam nights and pub gigs where I met various musicians and it started from there, not just bands but making musician friends who introoduce you to others etc. However they tend to be around my age though (50s to 60s), the young ones generally want to play with their own generation! The other thing is to meet up with guitarists and drummers, so, if you're desperate check out, ads in the music shop (chatting to the staff also good), guitar and drum forums and search for the area of interest to narrow it down. Also there are quite a few ads for bassists here on BC, so maybe some are ideal or close to your preferences, so that chatting with them might lead to other musicians they know looking too.

This world of depping is new to me and I'm enjoying the entree Those that dep, please share your tips and experiences! Anyone with other questions please chime in. What works for you, when need to perform large setlists (most which you didn't know before)? How much notice do you usually get (e.g. availability check, confirmation)? Do you have any principles for fee (e.g. same as the bassist you're replacing or regular band member, cash, delayed transfer)? Any good habits that help you get on with your bandmates and perform better as a dep? Do you read when performing (sheet, tablet - notation, tab, chord charts) if some of the band does? Any generic practice or preparation that is particular useful for depping bassists? Clothing: anything you have had to wear in particular, that has got used ? # Background So after many stops and starts playing bass over the years with a few startup originals and covers bands, with extra time on my hands to practice and play more, I've found myself getting into depping (been asked twice by the same band leader for 2 different bands: a large soul band and a rock band: all popular covers for pubs &functions). It was a bit daunting to be asked at very short notice - it was 30 hours before the gig - though they'd asked whether I'd generally be interested a couple of months before, but no commitment or gig in place. 30+ soul and funk songs, 23 or so, that I'd never learnt before. It was sketchy for a number of reasons on the 1st gig, but the one the next evening went better. I've more notice on this next one - a full week, yay! - and it's 30+ rock songs of which I'm working through now. 2nd dep gig, a couple of weeks ago... VID20250824205002.mp4

Thanks for the insights @Killerfridge @Risk101 !

Ideally I'd like to try this out before buying. I hope they are not just for sale online. Anyone near Louth, Lincolnshire with one? I'd be prepared to travel to a guitar shop, if not too far, that has one.

If this thread does not harm relationships between any number of basschatters, it'll be a miracle.