solo4652

Folks - thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions. The basic issue here is that the keys player just isn't good enough to be in the band. She's there because she's the BL's wife. She spends most of her time shaking a tambourine. Recently, she decided she wanted to do BV's. She managed an occasional "ooh" here and ther, but that was it. She's a nice enough person, and she tries hard to play the keys, but she doesn't have the talent. I've had enough. I handed in my notice yesterday. I'll honour the next gig which is 8 days from now. The one after that is 3rd of August and I'm being asked to honour that one too. I don't feel I want to - that's 5 weeks away and, in my mind, that's enough time for the band to make alternative arrangements.

Ha! We already play Runaway baby.

This is a big concern of mine. I think drummer/band leader was possibly suggesting that keys player and I double. However, I am almost completely sure that she and I will not be able to manage this. That's why I said that I'd be the one who plays the bassline, since I've done it before.

I play it on a 4 string.

I don't use any effects at all.

Yes - I think she'll mess it up, and I certainly can't see her playing all of the bassline throughout the whole song.

Folks - apologies for re-opening this thread. I'd appreciate people's thoughts. To save everybody the task of reading through 6 pages of posts, here's the band situation in a nutshell: 5-piece pop, soul, funk pub covers band. Drummer (who is band leader, and a decent keys player), his wife on keys (not a good keys player at all), lead guitarist , lead singer, myself on bass. Since I started this thread, the keys player has seemingly abandoned her idea of possibly playing bass guitar on some songs. However, she has now suggested that she could play synth bass on Madonna's Material Girl. I said (possibly too sternly); "No - I'm the band's bassist - I'll play the bassline. I've played it before." Band leader is supporting her, not me by suggesting that we both play the bassline. Not quite sure what he meant by that. Apparently, I'm being "Obstructive". Thoughts?

I'd do Bring it home by The Bamboos, but it won't be well enough known, I fear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77R3ErvQ9F4

Ha! We already do Levitating.

Enjoyed that!

DOH! I completely forgot about that!

Looking for song suggestions here, folks. I'm in a 5-piece soul, pop, funk band playing the local pub circuit. We play Freak Out, Play that funky music, Locked out of Heaven , Bowie's Let's Dance, etc. We haven't tried Uptown Funk yet - been avoiding it for some unknown reason. We want to add some modern funk that everybody will know. I absolutely love Brother Strut (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbiB_7f2Yy4 ) but my concern is that the audience won't know it. So, the here's the tick-box list: - MUST be well-known to the usual regulars down at the Fox and Ferret. - A funk song, along the lines of Car Wash, James Brown.... - Broadly speaking, no older than year 2000 (ish) - No horns or sax. Thank you.

Thank you to all those who've checked the 3 notes for me - it seems we're all in agreement regarding what they are. That's the most important thing as far as I'm concerned. As for what they're called - well, being honest, that's of less importance to me.

Thank you. It's doing my head in.

The reason I'm asking is that we're using the arrangement of the live version of the song with drop outs at the start of both verses. This live version is one semitone lower than the studio version, but we're playing the song in whatever is the key of the studio version. In the live version, at the end of the first chorus, just before the drop out at the start of verse 2 are three stabs - three notes. Playing in the key of the original version (Cm?), on the bass, I think they're G#, Bb, B. Guitarist is saying they are G, A, Bb. Much discussion at rehearsal. Here's the live version transposed up 1 semitone. The three notes in question are at 1:16. What are those 3 notes on the bass, please? This Love live up 1 semitone from original Maroon 5.mp3

At rehearsal last night, we were playing This Love by Maroon 5. Guitarist said the song's in key of G. Keys player said it's Cm. Drummer (who also plays keys and guitar) said it's G, using Cm scale. Some "What key" websites say it's Fm. I'm confused. Here's the chord chart: https://www.e-chords.com/chords/maroon-5/this-love

Yes! As I've just posted, I've been playing my No.2 bass which is a G&L Fallout since I made the stand. The G&L is a bit of a beast, and I'd all but stopped playing it. I've now re-introduced myself to it and can appreciate it for the sort of bass it is, rather than moan about it because of its weight.

Thanks. The Lakland HB30 hollowbody is my No. 1 bass. I've had it for 7 years and nothing has come remotely close to replacing it. It will be with me until I stop playing bass. No.2 bass is a G&L Fallout. Heavy thing, and I'd all but stopped playing it because of my neck and arm problems. The bass stand has re-introduced the G&L to me - I can now play the G&L and appreciate it for its own charms. Wider, deeper neck than the Lakland, and more difficult to get the action as low as I like. Altogether a more physical instrument to play.

Very neat.

I'll look at that - thanks. I don't really want to alter the bass at all. As it is, it's simply a matter of un-looping the bass from the stand top, and the bass then goes back in the gig bag, no bother. With the new black stand, and a replacement black strop against a black t-shirt, the whole thing would be virtually invisible.

Because there isn't enough room for me to be further forward, I suppose. Besides, guitarist, lead singer and keys player are more interesting to audiences than I am. I used to stand in front of keys player, but she wanted to dance more and interact with the audience, so we swapped. For a full discussion regarding pros and cons of sitting down, see this thread: https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/492024-playing-gigs-sitting-down-popfunk-covers-band-acceptable/ For me, I don't want to sit down while playing for a dance-oriented pop/funk band.

Update. Have now completed two rehearslas and two gigs with the stand. Very pleased with it, and can't really see me going back to shoulder strap anytime soon. The MK1 model was cobbled together from a silver cymbals stand I borrowed from our drummer. This worked well. I've now replaced it with an all-black new cymbals stand from Gear4music so I could wear black trousers to help disguise the stand on stage. Key points: - It's easy to find a good hanging position for the bass because of all the adjustments available with a cymbals stand. Fairly quickly I found a position that was very close to what I was used to with a shoulder strap. - Slight downside is the upright tube of the stand coming between me and the bass. This is less of a problem with MK 2 stand which is slimmer than MK1. Soon get used to it. - I'm finding I'm naturally adopting a slightly revised playing position without setting out to do so. Bass is a little higher, and I've moved it to my right (I'm right handed) thus bringing my left hand a bit closer in to my body. This is simply a mater of taking half a pace to my left as I stand behind the stand. - Initial concerns that a silver stand might look a bit odd on stage haven't materialised. See photos. MK2 black stand may not have been needed. - Initial concerns that I would end up with two stands on stage (including music stand) haven't materialised so far. I did consider clamping a boom onto the bass stand to carry my notes, but that would take up just as much room on stage, I reckon. - Initia conerns that I'd be rooted to the same spot on stage by the bass stand haven't been a problem. I'm pretty static anyway, and I can move away from the stand at various points in songs when I'm not playing for a few bars. So, all-in-all, a success. No weight at all on my neck and shoulder has been a huge relief. Total outlay for MK2 stand is £40.

Would this help at all? https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/492156-diy-walk-up-performer-stand-design-input-and-suggestions-please/

Thanks for the video link - that was really helpful.

Here's the first attempt. I borrowed a cymbal stand and used the top clamp to secure a rope strop attached to the bass. Lots of padding on the stand to protect the bass, but also to cant the bottom of the bass away from me a little, so I could see the frets and strings. Whole thing feels pretty secure. A bit of tinkering with stand height, strop length, padding thickness meant I was quickly able to achieve a playing position very close to what I was used to with a normal strap. Interestingly, I seemed to settle on a position with the bass a little further to my right, with the upper strap pin on a line between my left ear and my adam's apple. This meant my left arm and hand were closer to my body. I hadn't planned that - it just naturaaly happened after playing a few songs. Certainly feels different from playing with a strap, but initial impressions are pretty favourable. I played 10 songs without too many bum notes and felt appreciably less tired afterwards. Longer term, I might consider a black stand and black strop and wear a black shirt to disguise the whole thing - we'll see.