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Joining a new Band


nightsun
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After reading Solos' Quandary thread I thought I'd put my latest experience in a separate thread rather than hijack his....it may calm the soul a little......

Got a FB message 2 weeks ago from a friend asking if I'd do a few deps for his band as their bass player had upped and left. So the usual, send me over a set list and I'll take a look, but basically a yes I'll help you out.

Over comes the set. Now bearing in mind I come from a long line of 60s/70s cover bands, the set list is modern...properly modern. Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Maroon 5, that ginger fella etc etc with a couple of oldie fan favourites. Oh and 36 tunes of which I know (to play) 3, and of which I know as songs....3. At this point I've pretty much committed my self. So back I go, whens the next gig? 2 weeks.

So now bricking it.

Anyway to cut a longer story long...got all the charts, transposed that needed it, spent an evening learning the recognisable riffs (the ones the punters expect). First rehearsal from the charts went ok. .ish, stuff to brush up on. Next day my appendix decided it wanted to be removed. Kind of curtailed the learning time slightly.

So next rehearsal (sat on floor, not allowed to hang bass from neck), 3 days before the gig, haven't had time to do any home learning as I've been on my back...again OK, the songs are recognisable as songs.

3 days later the gig and to say I was proper worried is an understatement. In pain and under-rehearsed I really wasn't looking forward to it.

Do you know what, it went absolutely fine. The punters loved it, the band was happy and I'm now the full time bassist. Next gig this Sunday.

So to those that worry (and I am the biggest worried in the world), it will all be alright in the end and if it's not alright it's not the end.

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Blimey - full credit to you! 36 songs and an appendicectomy within the space of 2 weeks. Complete trooper.

I like your final phrase; "...[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]it will all be alright in the end and if it's not alright it's not the end."[/font][/color]

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[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1491922104' post='3276499']
I'm OK with gigging - I'm always as well-prepared as I can be. It's the recording session that spooks me.

Really pleased that you've landed on your feet and that you're enjoying the new band. Good for you.
[/quote]

As (almost) everyone said on your thread, if you can gig then recording is a piece of piss (but quite dull unless you like knob twiddling). Many years ago I recorded a CD with my then covers band. It was getting late in the day, I'd had enough and the last song was basically one riff for the verse, one for the chorus and solo. I played each line once and then left it to the engineer, when we received the mastered discs no one would have known.

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Hm. Recording is generally when you find out how crap your timekeeping (and intonation on UB or fretless) really is. :D

Nightsun: You are obviously lucky enough to be blessed with a band that plays in time/tune consistently!
I currently have four tracks to put a bass line on with no count no tempo information (because it varies horribly throughout) and suspect tuning between keys and guitar...
Are we having fun yet?

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[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1491969388' post='3276808']
the advantage of playing newer songs is that the girlies like to get up and dance to them, and I like watching them dancing :)
[/quote]

I could not possibly comment, Mrs Nightsun may be watching :-) Better than watching a load of hairy arsed rockers anyway.

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Nice one, even without the opp. Back in the day, when I was a drummer, my then 17 year old brother was asked to learn our set list. All originals. The bassist had walked two weeks before a gig. My brother nailed every one of the 23 songs, in the first week, by learning them from a cassette tape we knocked out at a previous rehearsal. If you think how "variable" the playback speed and quality of a cassette back then, I am still impressed today. He did all that in one week so we could rehearse before the gig, with no charts, no tab, they were all originals, on a borrowed bass and rig.

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[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1491989503' post='3276939']
Nice one, even without the opp. Back in the day, when I was a drummer, my then 17 year old brother was asked to learn our set list. All originals. The bassist had walked two weeks before a gig. My brother nailed every one of the 23 songs, in the first week, by learning them from a cassette tape we knocked out at a previous rehearsal. If you think how "variable" the playback speed and quality of a cassette back then, I am still impressed today. He did all that in one week so we could rehearse before the gig, with no charts, no tab, they were all originals, on a borrowed bass and rig.
[/quote]

that effort is worthy of LEGEND status :)

as someone who has always played originals, I'm STILL learning songs after two years hehe

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Nothing wrong curling up on the floor onstage in agony. That's what Brian Johnson did during a gig before he was taken to hospital with appendices.

Bon Scott recalled:
‘I saw this guy Brian Johnson sing, and he was great. He was on the floor, kicking and screaming — what an act!

Edited by SH73
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[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1491969388' post='3276808']
well done.

the advantage of playing newer songs is that the girlies like to get up and dance to them, and I like watching them dancing :)
[/quote]

I do as well, but have to force myself to look away as I tend to forget where we are in the song!

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