Bobby Aaron

3 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

People in bands need to learn to play as part of an ensemble - mindless constant soloing whatever the instrument just makes me think that they've spent years playing along to recordings without actually listening to how the music was put together.

I agree sir! I'm guilty as well

5 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I'm in the process of leaving a band, mostly because of this.

I bet, we play an instrument that is preferred when when we barely play. Yet everyone else can can venture down the road of self service and musical creativity.

3 hours ago, dclaassen said:

1. Drunks (in or out of the band)

 

2. People who show up for rehearsal unprepared (like, at all)

 

3. Folks taking themselves too seriously

 

4. Playing the bass part on the keyboard (maybe this is #2)

 

5. Out of tune guitar 

 

6. Ridiculous written bass parts

 

That is a good start...I am sure there are more...

I like this... obviously being a bassist who is always on the lookout to be fired from another band, one of these or a combination of multiple, can cause #6. If its all about you, then this is yet another scale practice for me. Communicate who you are, and what you want to be musically from day 1 and don't waste my time.

2 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

Drink and/or drugs. They stop people turning up on time, knowing their parts and playing competently.

 

Band members thinking the band will be the next greatest thing. A situation which in my last band resulted in the guitarist/singer telling me I had to buy an Ampeg SVT classic and Ampeg 8x10 plus a Justin Chancellor signature wah pedal. That in turn resulted in them needing a new bassist and shortly after, a new drummer when he was told to buy a new kit plus triggers and a 2kW active sub.

Because having that specific gear will speed up the long journey to the middle lol love it! 

2 hours ago, TheRev said:

Singer/songwriter-guitarists (for it is always these people) who expect you to be able to transpose on the fly when they put their capo on the wrong fret, or expect you to improvise to whatever they're playing without even telling you the key or meter. 

YESSSS - or a singer/songwriter saying the key on a recording he gave to learn off of us in E, and it ends up being in Eb. Recording, USELESS. Not to mention that those two keys almost completely change everything for a bassist unless you tune everything a 1/2 step down. 

1 hour ago, Boodang said:

Vocalists who don't even have their own mic, turn up late to everything and indignantly ask why their mic and stand has not been set up for them. One the prime reasons to only play in instrumental bands.

Ugh I've had the worst luck with singers in the majority of music projects. You post a "Singer Wanted" ad and you get "people tell me I should be a singer" or a "karaoke champ" at an unpopular dive.

1 hour ago, FinnDave said:

Drummers who bring a pile of bottles of booze to the gig then drink the lot despite being repeatedly told that he can't do that sort of thing in a pub. 

 

Drummers who get drunk and then start chucking their kit about like they're Keith Moon.

 

Guitarists who pop out during the short break between sets and come back 45 mins later because they decided to get something to eat.

 

Guitarists (not the above) who start their solo on the very first beat of the song and don't stop until the song has ended. Likewise harmonica players.

 

Singers who make impassioned (though usually inaudible) speeches about how the next song is close to their heart, always loved it, etc. and then pull out a  creased sheet of paper so they can read the lyrics as they sing.

The last one is the best. Neverending solo is the common cliché and yet it seems to be so true. 

4 hours ago, christhammer666 said:

was in a band where the singist and drummist would argue constantly, Myself and the 6 string overlord would just sit outside and chat and let them rage on, then once they were finished i had to sit them both down and be the mediator and try to keep the band going

yes i was the oldest and most grown up

Hahaha - It would have been weird if after the arguments, they get a case of writers block. 

100 bass

4 hours ago, Nail Soup said:

A couple of years ago, just for the hell of it, I challenged my self to write a list of 100 bass players (and what band or whatever) from my head into an excel file.

For the first few minutes I was thinking faster than I could type, then after about 50 or slow began to slow down. But after a couple of hours I had the list.

That is impressive sir! I don't think could do a hundo

Good Morning Everyone,

Please Vent! 

There is a reason why you don't know the name of Etan Embry's character in 'That Thing You Do'. Because nobody cares who the bassist is generally. Of course you can raddle off 10, 15 or maybe 20, but you'd probably have to be a bassist to know even that many. 

Let's talk about past roles in bands, and some crazy stories that made you either get fired or quit. 

"I GET NO RESPECT!" 

Rodney Dangerfield

Bobby

6 hours ago, pbasspecial said:

Try not to let yourself get too down and depressed about the situation. Don’t take it personally. Hard not too but please don’t. Guitarists generally tend to be the control freaks within the band and see any dissension as an act of rebellion/threat to their leadership/authority. Some do it aggressively and others passive aggressively. 
Do yourself a favour and try to find some grown ups (attitude) to play with. You’ll be much happier in the long run. 

You are right sir! I appreciate everyone's insight. 
 

6 hours ago, pbasspecial said:

6 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Not sure someone from the US will get the full glory of the word “tosser” @Wolverinebass  but it is a term of abuse here @Bobby Aaron

5 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Sounds to me primarily like the lead guitarist wants bass in the style of Cliff Williams or Adam Clayton, and any runs or lines are just going to upset him, and the others are going with his views.

5 hours ago, Geek99 said:

That’s not a band, that’s a dictatorship 

4 hours ago, pbasspecial said:

Some bands want full members and others just want staff to do what they are told and to keep their mouth shut. 

Sounds like you are in the second type. 
If I were you, try to find a local jam night (if you have any out your way, you could always set one up if you don’t) and try to play with as many different people as possible. 
Ultimately it comes down to this:

1. Are you a good enough musician (not great but good enough)

2. Does your image match the band?

3. Are you easy to get along with? (Most important)

I really pushed my self a few years back to work on all three of these areas and am now the paid house bass player at a few jams, play in several different bands too. It’s good because I don’t get the time now to over think and be mildly obsessive about being in just one band.

Good luck for the future!
 

I love all of this feedback guys. Each and every one of you pointed out some great things.

The guitarist still has his teeth because he's 23 and I was probably his first act as a "tosser". I had to look the term up. I'm 38, jammed a lot with cats, gigged with a alternative band for 8 years and a couple of projects just for fun. My image most likely wasn't the problem. I'm a stylish dresser but I don't take it overboard, t-shirt and jeans mainly, especially during the week. 

Mostly I think it is the tension between me and the LG and the fact that I wouldn't give them 100% cookie cutter and I was respectfully assertive about it. Bringing up Adam Clayton is interesting because I love U2. If they would have written "With or Without You" and said write something. I would have had no choice but to play D, A, B, G. My point, I play what I hear, and gave them plenty of opportunities to reject my style and approach. I always approach a style by finding g the closest known musician to easily describe my plan. In this case it was Robert DeLeo (STP) and Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters, Sunny Day Real Estate), mixed with some James Jamerson. 

All that aside I thought I was an equal part, and some changes we're made based on some of my insight leading me to believe I had a voice, I was able to be creative, as well as giving them what they wanted. 

Communication is a lost art. I don't read minds and if I try to speculate on body language I might as well not get out of bed in the morning.

5 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

 

I read music just fine.

 

It's tab that I can't get my little dyslexic head around, and which makes me glow like a Chernovyl estate agent.

I prefer chord charts. Years of worship team 

9 hours ago, Mottlefeeder said:

You are focused on playing notes.

I don't know you, and do not mean to cause offence, but have you considered your attitude? Are you being fired because you are not a good fit in some way?

David

8 hours ago, Rich said:

This. You need to know why you've got the bum's rush, otherwise there's no way to learn from it. It might be something you're doing/not doing, or it might just be that they're gits.

6 hours ago, NJE said:

I agree with the above, ask for a reason and don’t assume it’s how many or few notes you are playing. I have stuck around in bands with people who aren’t the best players but are really easy going and decent human beings.

 

Likewise I have wanted to leave bands because I just couldn’t quite get someone’s general personality or sense of humour.

So I did ask for feedback because it was that mysterious. I was told two reasons from the singer/songwriter/leader in so many words, down the road, the tension between me and and the LG wouldn't be beneficial. And, sorry what your playing isn't what we wanted. Your lines work easily but not for us.

1) I had been playing with them since December. After two tryout rehearsals, they asked me aboard. Then played a gig after a month and rocked it out. 

2) within 30 mins of playing with them for the first time, lead guitarist says "don't overplay". I didn't react I just thought in my head "already I just met you and learning how you guys play". I treated this gig and respected it exactly like my 9-5, professional.

3) This past month, waited 3 weeks for drum tracks to be done. Finally it was my turn. Before I even recorded a note, days before I wanted to get the situation straight because some beats had changed. Talking to the drummer, I clarified that I have parts written but some ideas I'd like to try. "Oh yea man, please experiment" singer guitarist - "we like that your not a strictly root note player" I said ok let's do this. 7 hrs in to my session, lead guitarist shows, and says "your runs are perfect but your over playing" finally after hearing this 4 times I said I disagree and I think the lines accent everything very well. I went home, messed with just root notes with some of the material and it just sounded dull. I messaged them and said the bass doesn't walk on the vocals or the guitar lines, I'm not sure where this coming from. Did even get a chance to go back and give them what they wanted. Fired the next day.

Do they make a shock collars for millennial lead guitarists??? 

Thanks Odysseus

Gotta keep truckin lol. Hard to find guys that don't want to do stricly covers when your in FREDERICKSBURG, VA

So much easier when I was in Chicago.

No, you're right about getting along, and that was a reason unfortunately. However, I went out of my way to get along with every member, even the one there was a minor tension with. So I think it was more that they didn't like me. 

As far as over thinking, you could be right. In my opinion, the music lacked creative diversity and I thought I could use the bass lines to make it sound a bit more fresh. I wanted the gig though and the member were good players, so I though I could spark some new inspiration. 

Bobby

Welp,

Just got fired from another band. I've been playing for 24 years, HAD TO learn theory because I learned my ear is not my strongest musical quality. My work ethic as far as practice is better than most cats I've played with; however, these attributes seem to only be a very small piece of the puzzle. 

I know what most of you are automatically thinking. I am are probably overplaying. I feel that way too. But I also feel that I've been dismissed for underplaying. If I'm not practicing, I'm watching videos from Vic Wooten, who states many times that placed in correct spots, even wrong notes work in passing which is usually a walking bass line technique, and of course that doesn't always work for every occasion. I also love Rich Brown and Scott Devine for insight. These guys also teach playing what you hear.. There is also many pro producers on YouTube who instruct staying away from strictly root note bass composition. On the other hand, I've seen instruction that stresses 90% root note. I belive my strongest quality is locking in with the drummer and creating a pocket.

So I ask anyone out there, what the heck is the point of learning anything above the E & A string?

Bobby