Guest MoJo Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 (edited) A call came up on Facebook for a dep bass player for a local pub gig tonight. I PM’d the OP asking for a set list to see if I thought that I was capable, but other bass players were simply posting ‘I’m free’. Assuming, as it’s a pub gig, it’s not a reading gig, how can anyone be so confident as to offer their services without knowing the set? I could fudge my way through a 12 bar blues but wouldn’t entertain having to ‘make up’ Level 42’s Hot Water on the spot. Genuinely interested Edited December 20, 2019 by MoJo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicbassman Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 Mojo, I think a lot of people on Facebook will say they're free just to get the gig, and then they'll worry about minor details such as errr - can they actually play the songs???? later. Your approach is correct of course, but lying and blagging is the norm these days in all fields (see politicians) and thought, consideration and courtesy count for very little. Rant over. PS - I hope you get the gig. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave moffat Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 Hope you get the gig, I take the dame approach as you. I'd want to know I could handle the set list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 Perhaps the other players were familiar with the band and aware of their set, or had researched it. With a knowledge of 1000s of songs and a few decades live playing experience, I'd happily turn up and be confident that a gig's worth of material could be compiled. It helps if the other musicians in the band are willing to busk some simple stuff, or quickly recap some stuff that you know too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 I remember a gig a few years back when the main guitarist had to take time off (incoming first child) so bandleader got a dep player in with no prior knowledge and he proceded to ride roughshod over every track whilst progressively turning his gear lower and lower in volume. Never had to work so hard in my life, along with the drummer, to fill out the sound. Bandleader then topped this at next gig by not getting anyone in (he played a bit of rudimentary gtr as well as singing) and we did it as a 3 piece. However at the end of the gig the BL paid me and the drummer the same as if we'd been a 4 piece and kept the remaining share himself. I handed in my notice soon after. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 3 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: I must admit I've done the I'm free thing myself. Pit band for Are You Being Served - the musical ?😉 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 I guess most of the songs would be part of the ‘pub gig repertoire’. I have done a few where I’ve sight-read them. The important thing was to get the songs right, the bands weren’t concerned about me having a music stand on the stage. I’ve got hundreds of songs written out from when I used to do dep gigs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbass Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 I really love this type of gig! There’s maybe like 100 popular songs that could be called by a pub band, same in any genre I guess. I remember the first time I did a gig like this at age 18 or so, it was a chastening experience! After many years of doing it I am now confident of being able to step in and play a pub set in most genres, as well as throw in some backing vocals. Practice is key I guess! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJpullchord Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 Get them to tell what key they’re in and go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 Most covers bands are pulling stuff from a pretty common pool of songs. When I was doing regular function gigs, I'd have been pretty happy to dive in to most things with minimal notice and feel like I could get through it. I've done things at three hours notice, where we've jiggled their set list around to make sure it's stuff we all know and just gone for it, and I've banged a Spotify playlist together for the drive there for anything I wasn't too familiar with. Nice to have a challenge, keeps it interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 I did a deep on the fly a few months ago... knew the set list...”I’ll do it” sez I. all in different keys. Mad egomaniac guitarist having a solo at each vocal break. awful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 4 hours ago, ambient said: I guess most of the songs would be part of the ‘pub gig repertoire’. ^^^ This. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I dep loads and within the function/pub band circuit there's so many songs that are common to most of the bands I play with. I also never get to rehearse with most of the bands I dep with. I just make sure I learn the stuff. If a gig came up tomorrow with a band who played similar stuff to me it would be perfectly possible to take the gig and do a decent job of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 Oddly enough I did a dep tonight which I accepted not knowing the full set list but I was confident it would be loaded with usual pub classics (standing in for Wateroftyne) and I could learn anything I didn't already know easily enough. No rehearsal but good coms from the band about keys and any variations and it was a great gig. I've done dep gigs (regular rock/pop covers) with as little as 2 hours notice! I'd not blindly offer to do a gig in a genre I wasn't familiar with or comfortable picking up easily... so anything Jazz is out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I do dep gigs , these days more than I would like, but I always ask for a set list. Give me a set list and a couple of days and I'll be as good as the guy I'm replacing. Don't give me either of those and I'll still do the gig, but you'll get what you get, without any apologies. I once had a band leader tell me that if I needed a set list I wasn't as professional as he'd been led to believe!!! I thought that was rude, so I politely declined to play in any band with him. A coupe of weeks ago, on a dep gig, the band leader announced a song. I told him I didn't know it, but he started to play it anyway. I tried to busk it but had to stop in the middle 8. I was just not able to follow it at all. Later I asked the guitarist, who was in the band, what happened and he said he had no idea. He was following me!!! 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 2 minutes ago, chris_b said: I once had a band leader tell me that if I needed a set list I wasn't as professional as he'd been led to believe!!! I thought that was rude, so I politely declined to play in any band with him. That’s quite ridiculous, he obviously doesn’t care very much, so you were right to turn him down. I’ve done more dep gigs than I can remember. The most important thing is getting the song right. I’m pretty good at busking, just following what’s going on if need be, however if there’s time then I’d prefer to prepare properly. I’ve never played with anyone who’s objected or even batted an eyelid at me turning up with a music stand and charts, though nowadays if I was doing that kind of gig it’d be my iPad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 8 hours ago, warwickhunt said: Oddly enough I did a dep tonight which I accepted not knowing the full set list but I was confident it would be loaded with usual pub classics (standing in for Wateroftyne) and I could learn anything I didn't already know easily enough. No rehearsal but good coms from the band about keys and any variations and it was a great gig. I've done dep gigs (regular rock/pop covers) with as little as 2 hours notice! I'd not blindly offer to do a gig in a genre I wasn't familiar with or comfortable picking up easily... so anything Jazz is out! Glad you enjoyed it! They’re good lads. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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