Vandy Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 So. I'm hooking up with some new (to me) players - two (2) guitars & a drummer. Typical basement setup with half-stack Marshall, half-stack Line 6, plus a traditional trap drumset. And a PA - didn't catch the brand, but there were two (2) 10" boxes on poles, self-powered and an 8 channel mixer. The guitars, plus vocals (3 mic's - 2 hardly used) were in the PA mix. My bass was not (Hartke 210c HyDrive about 2 ft. off the floor - volume halfway up, active BTB 5-string > plenty loud). This outfit had given me a list of 15 tunes a week before - some tunes had alternate tunings (generally a half-step down, mostly everything was based on Eb). No problem, other than learning tunes via YouTube then trying to transpose on the fly. After a couple of songs, I down-tuned all 5 strings on my bass . . . Early on I was told to "play the lowest notes", which translated to "not there - there" > "play an octave lower than the recordings" (plus the down-tune). What??? You guessed it - "you're interfering with the guitars" . . . There were some tough pickles, like Chevelle's "Face to the Floor" - Chevelle's bass player doesn't play a fiver (that I can see). Playing the "head" of that tune, starting on the low Bb string, was fairly ugly . . . Anyone else have this extreme "solution" presented as a requirement? Especially, at the audition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vandy Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 P.S. here's the Chevelle tune . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Cut the highs? Put the cabinet on the floor? Put the bass in the PA and turn down your amp? Tell them to go f**k themselves? Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vandy Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Cut the highs? Put the cabinet on the floor? Put the bass in the PA and turn down your amp? Tell them to go f**k themselves? Hah! That's the spirit . . . Apparently, the bass player could do all of the above "re-positioning", but the fact would remain - unless the octave+ down isn't "performed", the bass is "in the way" . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcadmus Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 To be honest, they sound like they're kind of douche-y. "Tours widely in the southwestern tip of Kentucky" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danzilla Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Play it the way you want, and use an octave pedal. I think I may have played with at least one of those guys before. "Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion) NEW band Old band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Brown Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 They are in the way! If the bass is in the way..... just don't play.... It is a band ... wow... "When I take a stroll down Jackass Lane it is usually to see someone that is already there" Mrs. Brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Stop playing for a while and see if they notice. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b5pilot Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I understand completely as the guitar player/band leader actually bought me an old Peavey 1820 cab (1x18 + 2x10) because he thought my Avatar 4x10 cab wasn't low enough. He claimes his guitar sounded lower than my bass. Well, he does crank the bass control to almost max on his amp so go figure! He gets a little pissy too if I play too far in the upper register of my bass. So yeah, I understand the OCD douchbaggery. His has gotten worse over the past couple of years. We are still making money so I'm just biding my time and treating it like a sideman job. I'm working on my playing and keeping an eye out for something better. A Marshall half stack, for practice? Really? Sheesh! First thing is take a step back and really listen to your tone. Is there room for improvement? If the tone is fine for you then I guess it all boils down to is this band worth it. If yes then either grin and bear it or start standing up to them. If no then quit those asshats and find a band with some diplomacy. Lydian mode? The only mode I know has the words "pie ala" in front of it. http://www.myspace.com/theeldoradosband Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vandy Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Yeah, the personal theory that "auditions are a two-way street" came into play. At the end of the night they were eager to remind me to "keep working on the tunes for next week", and "remember - play low notes" . . . I e-mailed them today with a "thanks for having me in, but . . ." note. They're convinced that it's only a misunderstanding about tuning down a half-step . . . I'm convinced that there's another stop down the road . . . Thanks guys!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b5pilot Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Right on! Good luck and stick around! Lydian mode? The only mode I know has the words "pie ala" in front of it. http://www.myspace.com/theeldoradosband Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Yeah, I missed that.....2 half stacks AND miked into the pa at a rehearsal. Where was this rehearsal? I sure hope it wasn't someone's basement or garage. Hand him your bass and ask hime to the play the parts an octave down. They're channeling their inner Metallica....those guys recorded an entire album without a bass player. Then the producer overdubbed the bass parts. I don't know why he even bothered doing that. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingertalkin Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 snip... Tell them to go f**k themselves? Was not expecting that Jeremy. I can't stop laughing. There was a guitarist I played with once who had a stereo setup and used two Yamaha PA cabs for this scenario. We were playing a typical dive bar, but a really fun place to play as the people only came there to hear you play, and the bartenders were asking me to turn the bass down as it was really boomy in the back of the room where they were. I turned down and cut the lows to try to help out. I kept getting hand gestures telling to go lower. Now we have played this bar countless times so I knew the staff very well and they knew us and our trials and tribulations with guitar players. At one point I got sick of the gestures knowing damn well it wasn't me that I just put my bass down and went to get a beer. The bar is positioned where if people are dancing, they can't see the "stage". I noticed the bartender motioning the waitress to have her tell me to turn down more. She starts busting out laughing, spills 3 beers from her tray onto the table she is serving and starts pointing at me. The bartender has no idea what she is doing but by this point, the bar patrons (the same cast of characters that always came to see us) figured out that I was sitting on a bar stool behind him. Finally, the bartender turned around and I waved....we all had a good laugh. Sorta had to be there but funny to me nonetheless. It was definitely boomy back there...with no bass whatsoever. Good job on the pass Vandy... How do you sign a computer screen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cthulhu Fhtagn Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Play it the way you want, and use an octave pedal. I think I may have played with at least one of those guys before. We've all played in that band in one form or another. Keep a shingle up. Sooner or later some musician will call. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcadmus Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 snip... Tell them to go f**k themselves? Was not expecting that Jeremy. I can't stop laughing. I had the same reaction. Chuckling right now just thinking about it. "Tours widely in the southwestern tip of Kentucky" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul K Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I just put my bass down and went to get a beer. .. I did that once at a gig in college at a choir gig I was asked to play. At sound check some dude said "too much bass" three times. After that, I zeroed out the volume and asked, "Should it come down a little more?" He said, "Yeah, just a little more, though" . I didn't leave the stage, just zero'd the volume control and played air bass for the show. Steam coming out my ears. How's that for passive-aggresive behavior? Not my finest hour. Things are just the way they are, and they're only going to get worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshappi Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Life is too short to play with jack****s. Bass players are in greater demand than guitarists, find another band, preferably one not filled with fools. Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 It'd be one thing if you were overplaying, but it doesn't sound like that's what is happening here. I mean, come on... it's a cover song. If you're playing the same thing the original guy played on the recording, and you're in time and in tune... I'm not sure what more they could want from you. Playing it in a lower position isn't the answer. Getting the band's tones to work together... that might be nice. Back when my band had a second guitarist (I play guitar), I tailored my guitar EQ to sit in a different place than the other guitarist so that we could complement each other. That's what a band does--find a way to work together for optimum overall results. If these guys aren't willing to do that, they might not be a good choice for you. Sounds like these guys don't know too much about playing in a rock band or aren't used to having a bassist. Also, after listening to the Chevelle song they want to play, I have also determined that they have pretty bad taste. You probably need to play in a different band. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Also, after listening to the Chevelle song they want to play, I have also determined that they have pretty bad taste. You probably need to play in a different band. I just had to stop myself from bursting out in laughter :grin: Great one, Erik! "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcadmus Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I did that once at a gig in college at a choir gig I was asked to play. At sound check some dude said "too much bass" three times... I have that conversation frequently with sound guys, some of whom apparently don't realize that bass is not the only instrument that produces bass frequencies. "The bass is too loud!" "I wasn't playing just now. That was the acoustic guitar. You might want to check how you have that eq'd." "Oh..." "Tours widely in the southwestern tip of Kentucky" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcadmus Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Also, after listening to the Chevelle song they want to play, I have also determined that they have pretty bad taste. People cover Chevelle? Um...why? "Tours widely in the southwestern tip of Kentucky" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Also, after listening to the Chevelle song they want to play, I have also determined that they have pretty bad taste. People cover Chevelle? Um...why? No clue. It was a bad enough idea for them to exist in the first place, and now someone wants to co-sign and lend them credibility by covering their stuff? Not a good move. Seriously a sign of awful taste. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Malone Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 On a European tour with Bo Diddley the sound guy kept comin go me and asking me to roll off more bass. After numerous times of him asking I eventually decided to stop playing and then he realized it was Bo's guitar. Bo used some very heavy E strings, used a lot of bass in his tone and played with a heavy hand. Wally I have basses to play, places to be and good music to make! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul K Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 "I wasn't playing just now. That was the acoustic guitar. You might want to check how you have that eq'd." "Oh..." I was 18, had just schlepped my '67 Bassman 50 amp and cab and Ricky 4001 clear across the Oswego campus in winter on a Sunday afternoon. The piano player who organized the band part was a brilliant player, but he couldn't read or write a lick of music--Bar lines where a foreign concept to him, so the charts were worse than chicken scratch-- the music was foreign to me, nobody saw fit to get me a cassette tape of the genre, and I was really working hard to make chicken salad out of the chicken shit I was presented with. I heard the last "bass is too loud" when I wasn't even playing, and I just shut down. A pro would not have shut down. Ergo, I was no pro. It's bugged me for over 30 years now. Things are just the way they are, and they're only going to get worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele C. Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 After that, I zeroed out the volume and asked, "Should it come down a little more?" He said, "Yeah, just a little more, though" . I had this experience and nobody noticed I was playing air bass. -- Michele Costabile (http://proxybar.net) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I heard the last "bass is too loud" when I wasn't even playing, and I just shut down. A pro would not have shut down. Ergo, I was no pro. It's bugged me for over 30 years now. Don't beat yourself up about it. I've been told to turn down when I wasn't playing. (At the time I was playing guitar, not bass, but it's still the same thing.) I was quite amused. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Malone Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 But Jeremy, you look like a bass player. And that's a good thing! Wally I have basses to play, places to be and good music to make! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lug Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 "You are not in your room playing with just yourself anymore, you are now playing in a band. Adjust your sound to reflect that" is the proper response. You can stop now -jeremyc STOP QUOTING EVERY THING I SAY!!! -Bass_god_offspring lug, you should add that statement to you signature.-Tenstrum I'm not sure any argument can top lug's. - Sweet Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russkull Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 "The bass is too loud!" "I wasn't playing just now. That was the acoustic guitar. You might want to check how you have that eq'd." "Oh..." If I had a dollar for every time this has happened. The worst is when it comes from the acoustic guitar player saying that the bass is too loud, it's feeding back. How do you say "That's not me, it's you" tactfully? Now, there are times when I am too loud...but don't tell anyone I said that. "Of all the world's bassists, I'm one of them!" - Lug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric VB Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Devil's advocate: Could the BTB (maple neck) plus Hartke (1" tweeter + two 10" hybrid/aluminum) be a bit bright? Especially if that tweeter was blooming right where the guitarist was standing? Still, proposing that you play an octave down seems tasteless and/or uninformed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.