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How easily replaceable are you for your band?


xilddx
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I think I'm replaceable, the guitarist in my on-again, off-again metal band thinks not. It's a style thing. He's been looking for a replacement for me for a long time due to my family commitments. Loads of tryers, most acceptable to me, none even remotely close enough for him, even after I've coached a few of them through the tunes, and supplied them with bass-only mixes from the album...

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[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1329399878' post='1541850']


If you had to replace yourself by auditioning new bass players for your band, do you think that would be an easy thing to do?
[/quote]

I don't think it's my job to audition or find a new bass player. I just turn up and play bass, loads of bass players do that.

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Well, what a question.

If it's for technical ability, then it would be an absolute doddle to find a replacement. For a lot of the, what may be referred to as non-musical stuff, then no. I'm the reliable, learns the songs, turns up on time, pisses about a lot and makes people laugh bloke. And I can't be replaced anyway as technically speaking, it's my band :D.

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I think I could be easily replaced, my playing skills - while improving all the time - are still fairly rudimentary. But I'd like to think I bring other stuff to the table apart from rudimentary bass playing - I'm reliable, punctual, have own transport/gear, am reasonably easy to get along with, can do web/computer stuff, can usually badger a couple of mates into coming along to gigs etc etc. There's always the inertia generated by an aversion to the hassle of getting a replacement also to fall back on ;)

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When I left Ireland I had to stop playing in my old band Fred, they replaced me with someone totally different. They could have gotten a player similar to me, but they took on a guitarist who was is a great musician and more importantly had a personality to fit the band. It totally changed their sound, they could have gotten a "better" bass players, but sometimes it's more important to have the right person. Fred are still going in Ireland, and beyond and they are awesome.

I think the same would happen if I left my current band, I don't think I would be directly replacable, but they could adapt and use somebody elses strengths to work for the songs in a different way.

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I reckon I'm pretty irreplaceable. You won't find another bassist with less talent than me. And even if you could, I'd still sound worse cos I play a fretless. I've got a perfect artistic temperament which can be summoned up instantly by asking me to play in Eb or transpose a song from D into Bb. I'm ugly enough to make everyone else in the band look like models. I've got a GSOH, like eating out, and have had one careful owner....

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No, not easily, but not impossible.

I often think about replacing the other guys...and I think I could do it quite easily... you loose something, for sure...but I'd also be able to gain something.
It is not something I would seek to do...but I wouldn't shy away from doing it either.

Things move on............... and my main goal would be to go one better.

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Very replaceable. At the start of this month I left a covers band because I didn't think it was going anywhere and I'd got the opportunity to join another band which is a lot busier.
Spoke to the band leader on the Saturday to tell him I was leaving but would honour existing commitments and help my replacement learn the set if needed.
Saw him the Tuesday after and he said he'd already found another bassist and I didn't have to bother.

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My covers band has been offered a gig that I can't do. They've decided to go with a dep. I'm OK with this as I don't want to be the one holding them up.

There is a problem though. I drive a MPV, which carries me, my gear, the guitarist, his gear, and the PA (owned by the guitarist). The guitarist has a motorbike but no car, while the others have sufficient transport to get themselves and their own gear to the gig. Between them they don't have enough transport capacity to move the PA and guitar rig.

It looks as if they might not do the gig after all.

So now I know. They can replace me in a heartbeat.

But my car is more important to them...

Cheers :(

Graham

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Had to get a replacement up to speed when moving away from Leeds a few years ago. The new bassist didn't last long and the band split after another couple of months. Maybe I was less replaceable than I thought.

I tried to take a step back from my on/off covers band a month or so ago but was begged/guilted into staying on.

Technically I do nothing special though. Lukewarm water between fire and ice perhaps? ;)

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As replaceable as lawn mower parts.

But, whoever took over would have to:
Work out the keyboard parts,
Sing BVs
Setup,maintain and operate the P.A
Have decent transport
Build rehearsal rooms
fix cables and pedals
Not object to the fooking beatles
be able to stick to a diet.

So that`s you lot out.

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Pretty easily replaceable but this is good.

My band is v busy doing 60+ gigs a year. There's no way I could do that many & remain married so there are 3 or 4 deps that are called on to do those I can't. Most of them are great players so not sure I'd be missed if I couldn't do it. Just enjoying first-call status while it lasts.

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