bass_dinger

On Sunday, a new keyboard player was added to the rota. All was well, although for one song, she did not change key midway through a song ( the chords were not given  - instead, the band had to work out the new chords in their head on the fly). She played in the original key, while the rest of the band played in the new key.  Nobody noticed (apart from me, and the former worship leader).

In other news, the set up has been changed, and each musician now has a behringer P16 mixer, to add to the PC screen with chord charts, and a small monitor. 

So, this is the difference between equipping the band (we did not train the keyboard player), and buying equipment for the band (new kit, better kit).

Happily, I really did not mind about the wrong notes - I am learning not to mind.

On 17/11/2023 at 11:46, Richard R said:

 

Next time don't chase him, complete the practice without him and on the Sunday politely say that as he wasn't there all the arrangements have been done without drums. And then take him off the rota, at least for any service you're at.

This, above, is how I would do it. It means that he has removed himself from the group. 

On 17/11/2023 at 13:08, Nice Guy Rich said:

I just messaged my Pastor asking that after this Sunday, the Worship Team rota be amended as I refuse to play with the drummer, and his brother, any more

Whereas this makes you the appear to be the problem (of course, you are not, but the leaders might focus on your stated refusal to play with others).

Let them not turn up - and then, when you are asked why you have no drummer, you can say that he did not arrive on the day.  Then, your leader can deal with the miscreant stick-swinger himself. 

1 hour ago, bass_dinger said:

On my way, with  Mrs Bass Dinger - she rightly spotted that my kit would not fit into a Ford Fiesta, so we are bringing the bigger car

In fact, Error Code 4 on the Vauxhall tells us that the car has overheated - we are between junction 5 and 6 of the M25, awaiting rescue. 

All is well, albeit not what I expected or planned!

On my way, with  Mrs Bass Dinger - she rightly spotted that my kit would not fit into a Ford Fiesta, so we are bringing the bigger car

4 hours ago, Nice Guy Rich said:

put some rules in place.

Like these?

On 03/11/2023 at 20:31, Richard R said:

 

 

 

 

@Nice Guy Rich, that all sounds like a great result.  Well done to you, for seeing this through and being so positive  

Blu tack the plectra to the side bout, or back of the headstock.

14 hours ago, Nice Guy Rich said:

I love this and I’m going to send it out the next time I lead worship.

It perhaps works better for @Richard Rteam, as they all agreed it.

For other churches, it is aspirational - something that we can use to inspire our own standards and behaviours.

As for me, I plan to start doing this myself and hope that others will follow. 

1 hour ago, NOODS said:

Looks like i need a new bass approx 100 amp ish and new strings ..

You met one bassist and already decided that you need all this new kit!?

Imagine what would happen if you attend a Bass Bash! Dozens of bassists, multiple permutations of kit, every type and gauge and age of string...

Nevertheless, and in spite of the extreme danger to your bank balance, I think that you should attend a Bass Bash. 

7 hours ago, Nice Guy Rich said:

I feel so sorry for the fledgling bassist, who was mentoring her and, supposed to be looking after her?  New talent needs nurturing, not embarrassing in front of the whole church.

You are right, she was pretty upset at the time, and has not played since. 

I was teaching (mentoring) her, and someone else wanted her to play bass (she preferred drums but that seat was filled).  

Week 1 decide a 4-chord song, learn where those 4 notes are, play it. Week 2, she forgot to bring her bass and had to borrow one, and practiced some more.  Week 3, she played in front of 200 people. The previous bassist turned off the amp after his song, which we never do.

She did not particularly want to play bass  and two 15 minute sessions were not enough to learn band-craft.

We no longer have this set up - if we are pointing at the fretboard to show where the notes are, teaching people how to play a C chord, and clapping out 4/4 beats for the drummer, it means that they are not stage-ready. 

Often, it is the parents pushing for their child to be involved in the band, and then using it as a free music lesson.  I was once asked by a parent  to fix a string on a child's guitar, then tune it, then asked how old the child needed to be to be in the band... 

4 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

You might be overlaying your own ideas on top of the situation.
she may very well have learned somewhere that the most professional thing is to not inturupt anything, keep playing and let the tech team sort the issue…. How long did it take the tech team to spot the problem and get it sorted? 

They did not appear to spot it - she only had one song. 

Just now, LukeFRC said:

Also - was DI taken before the amp? Lass playing her first gig could very well be hearing herself through the FOH or foldback …

There was no DI - the amp did not have one that worked.  Nor was it mic'd up.

We have all done it - played with our amp off. But we have the experience to hear that it is not working. 

It is the exaltation of youth - the view that it is good for them to play, even where they don't play well.  Like a recorder recital at a school assembly, it's all about the taking part, and very little to do with the quality. 

52 minutes ago, Nice Guy Rich said:

 

Did she not notice that she couldn't hear herself playing?  

No.

When she finished her one song, she turned round to switch it off, only to see that the amplifier was not on.

In mitigation, that was the first time she had played bass in front of the congregation (and the last), after just two practices (in which she had learnt to play the instrument, and learnt the song too).

57 minutes ago, Nice Guy Rich said:

We had one old lady leave my church because she said that I played the bass too loud, I explained to her that I just played it and that it was the Tech Team/Sound desk that govern the volume but she wasn't having it.  She blamed me and told me so, quite loudly in the middle of our local Sainsburys.

Was it her that was loud, or the Tech Team/Sound desk that made her sound loud?

I once saw someone play the bass without having the amplifier on - but she got compliments on her playing.    This suggests that people listen with their eyes: "It was great to see the young people playing!" - yes, but could you hear them?

In normal bands, or in football clubs, the better players would graduate to better set ups, and the poor quality players would be kicked out, or leave.  That would allow @Nice Guy Rich to work with people at his level.

In a church, you are stuck with the people in the congregation - it's a small pool of talent, with a big shallow end.  Thus we find people who are taking YouTube lessons on the instrument that they got for Christmas, in the same band as a professor of jazz drumming....

1 hour ago, Nice Guy Rich said:

People turning up without their instrument and then wondering why they can't play.

Please, can you share how that works!

Do they  stand at the front, looking at their empty hands, and wonder why nothing is happening?

Do they say "but why am I not allowed to play!?"

1 hour ago, Nice Guy Rich said:

There's nothing personal on there, it's just a long list of the arseholery that I have to put up with from other people;

 

• People turning up without their instrument and then wondering why they can't play.
• Persistent lateness, these people must get bored of saying "sorry I'm late" every time they walk into a room.
• People not even listening to the songs and then expecting someone else to teach it to them when we're supposed to be rehearsing.
• People not turning up for rehearsal because they forgot they were playing.
• Complete lack of communication, people not reading their Whatsapp messages for days and then, when they have finally read it, they don't bother replying to the question I asked them.

The list goes on....

Yep, been there.... 

If all these people  - the ones without instruments or the will to learn the songs - we're sacked, would your church be left with a good core of musicians, that you would be pleased to play with?

A conversation with the leaders, and a radical pruning, may be the way forward.

Sadly, no matter how good you are, you can't lift the output of the others.  However, the leaders often see the band as an opportunity for people to serve and get involved (but here's a clue .... to get involved one has to turn up with an instrument!).

But before you do all that, can you share the Pros list?

1 hour ago, Rich said:

Yup. In other words, it's a band  

" if a band rehearses without instruments, and by not turning up, does it make a sound....?"

A 5 string Boulder Creek Solitare bass.  Photos to follow. 

Mooer Baby Water delay and chorus pedal. 

I am suddenly interested in fretless basses, and how easy they are to play.  

I want to:

Experience lined v unlined; understand the difference in fretboard materials; contemplate mwah v no mwah.

Is anyone bringing a fretless bass to the Bass Bash, that they can demonstrate to me?

Thanks in advance. 

5 hours ago, Linus27 said:

 

It would look great next to Jamerson's P-Bass that you have on your wall as well 🤣

That's being played, by Lord Lucan.

51 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

 

Yes, because they have eleventy-five Spectors to pack away... 🙄

I am looking forward to packing away someone else's Spectors.

Ideally, Guy Pratt's!

I can add it to Paul McCartney's Hofner....

55 minutes ago, prowla said:

Last year I got there late and there was no room, so I set up on the stage.

I arrived even later, and remember wandering into the stage area, and playing your Rickenbacker. Nice.  

Edit - you invited me to! I had never tried one before, and you offered me the chance to do so.  

Sold a synthesizer to DaveyBass. 

He was very accommodating and made the sale easy. 

He was also very patient with my struggles with internet banking!

Now sold 

Crash Test Dummies - Omm mmm mmm mmm

10 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

If all else fails there are at least three Cash Converters (pawn shops) in Leeds. I can guarantee they will all have a bass or two of some sort. You could buy one from there and sell it back to them the next day. You might lose a few quid but would probably work out about the same as renting one. 

 

They may even be able to arrange some kind of rental agreement for 24 hours. 

Slightly off topic, but I am imaging a lonely and unloved bass, played rarely, and sold to Cash Converters. 

Then, someone adopts it to use in a concert.  

Dreams do come true!

Hope that it goes well, @Hiperi0n