Diary of a Bassist #8: there goes the drummer

[Anjohl]

Hey folks, for those new to the diary, I am a middle aged musician enjoying a bit of a musical renaissance, including finally picking up the bass as a secondary instrument. I am learning *pretty* much on the fly, generally gigging in a duo, and am documenting my gigs with brief writeups. I have links to past entries (which started on Facebook) below!

Little bit of *drama* between early April's gig and tonight's. What started as a casual jam seems to have evolved into my collaborator looking to start an actual gigging band, which is more than I think I am ready for right now. Additionally, he apparently agrees, as has been "auditioning" other bassists all month long! Admittedly, I was a little hurt at first, but given that I don't feel I am the best fit for the project right now, I let it go.

Fast forward to tonight, somebody else cancelled, so I got the late call to come down. Good ol' reliable me, the guy who shows up, lol. I hadn't played in almost a month, so I went down, intending on playing for 45 mins or so. We ended up doing about two hours to a mostly empty bar at first, that filled up a bit around midnight, prompting us to play a bit later.

Some of the same problems popped up, namely that my partner takes for granted that I can't just play any song by ear/feel. In fairness, he *was* a lot better about telling me the chord progression (and Major/Minors) tonight. We felt a *lot* tighter than usual overall. This mirrors what I feel is a bit of a "levelling up" in my playing/singing as well. I got more experimental on working triads, and did a few octave transpositions for flavor during solos also.

I used a pick for a couple of songs, and must admit, I am a lot tighter with the pick. I think I would prefer to play with fingers most of the time, but for faster rock songs, the pick adds a nice attack. I also experimented with plucking in different places. I feel like I found a sweet spot right in from of the bridge J pickup (Precision Special bass) that gave a nice cutting *thump*.

Following the past trends, the reggae-ish songs seemed to work out the best. I am not sure why that is, as I don't listen to a ton of reggae! I do have a rather percussive picking attack when playing guitar, so maybe that's translating?

I still made a lot of mistakes, but felt more consistently comfortable than I have before. I found my pockets, and was coming up with some interesting note rhythm that I think made up for the lack of a drummer. I must say, the "bassists trance" that I observed in bass heroes of mine like Tim Cummerford or Ben Shepherd is starting to make a ton of sense now, lol. It's so fun getting to that otherwordly place where you are just lost in the music, completely cut off from space/time, lol. I imagine this is a taste of what astral projection would feel like!

I was listening to the recent videos of the Gene Simmons Band playing live, and I have to say, I really want to try playing bass and singing in a rock band at least once. I feel like with a tight set list that we could practice 4-5 times before a show, that I could get that done. I think I would have more fun playing electric bass and singing in a band than I would electric guitar and singing in a band *for sure*.

Anyway, that's it for now, hope to have another gig to report on soon!

1st entry: Bass Players | Played my first bass gig tonight | Facebook
2nd entry: Bass Players | First off, Merry Christmas | Facebook
3rd entry: Bass Players | Third bass gig tonight | Facebook
4th entry: Bass Players | Another gig tonight | Facebook
5th entry: Bass Players | Another entry in my running gig diary | Facebook
6th entry: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/diary-of-a-bassist-6.1645734/#post-28323213
7th entry: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/diary-of-a-bassist-7-or-along-came-a-drummer.1646312/

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I'm so used to playing bass while singing I really struggle to find a pitch when I'm strumming my guitar.

Good luck, we only get better as we do it. Theoretically anyway.

 

[richntiff]

Sounds like you are enjoying the journey - and that's what this is all about, in its purest form. I HIGHLY recommend learning to sing and play at the same time. It will do wonders for your ability to learn/digest new material quickly - I don't know why, but it does. For me, it seemed to activate my ability to learn a line and commit it to muscle memory more quickly. Plus - singing is really fun, and there's nothing quite like it.

Similar to Wi Short Scaler - I'm used to singing with a bass in my hands. Actually had a gig last weekend that I had a sub bassist play for me. I'm a few weeks post carpal tunnel surgery and can't play a full gig yet. So my sub played bass, and I was onstage to sing the songs I have lead on in our setlist. It was VERY strange singing without a bass in my hands. I didn't know what to do with my arms lol!!!

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Sounds like you are enjoying the journey - and that's what this is all about, in its purest form. I HIGHLY recommend learning to sing and play at the same time. It will do wonders for your ability to learn/digest new material quickly - I don't know why, but it does. For me, it seemed to activate my ability to learn a line and commit it to muscle memory more quickly. Plus - singing is really fun, and there's nothing quite like it.

Similar to Wi Short Scaler - I'm used to singing with a bass in my hands. Actually had a gig last weekend that I had a sub bassist play for me. I'm a few weeks post carpal tunnel surgery and can't play a full gig yet. So my sub played bass, and I was onstage to sing the songs I have lead on in our setlist. It was VERY strange singing without a bass in my hands. I didn't know what to do with my arms lol!!!

That would be weird. Good luck on the recovery sir!

 

[richntiff]

That would be weird. Good luck on the recovery sir! [/QUOTE

thank you sir!

 

[2tonic]

Wait.....what?
I came for drummer drama.
I mean, good luck and best wishes with your playing and plans, but you clickbaited me in here. I was expecting to read a fiery recounting of the latest drummer dismissal, full of overreaction, heated dialogue, maybe even fisticuffs! All played out in the finest Talkbass tradition.
Instead, I get.................nothing.
I feel gypped.

 

[Anjohl]

Wait.....what?
I came for drummer drama.
I mean, good luck and best wishes with your playing and plans, but you clickbaited me in here. I was expecting to read a fiery recounting of the latest drummer dismissal, full of overreaction, heated dialogue, maybe even fisticuffs! All played out in the finest Talkbass tradition.
Instead, I get.................nothing.
I feel gypped.

Hehe, you have to read the previous entries in the series! The last one was subtitled "along came a drummer"!

I'm so used to playing bass while singing I really struggle to find a pitch when I'm strumming my guitar.

Sounds like you are enjoying the journey - and that's what this is all about, in its purest form. I HIGHLY recommend learning to sing and play at the same time. It will do wonders for your ability to learn/digest new material quickly - I don't know why, but it does. Plus - singing is really fun, and there's nothing quite like it.

I would call myself a singer first and foremost, then an acoustic guitarist, then a bassist, in that order. I really want to get to the level of being able to do a few songs on lead vocals and bass. I have always been a big fan of Glenn Hughes and Gene Simmons, and would totally get off on getting to play "rockstar" sometime, lol.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I would call myself a singer first and foremost, then an acoustic guitarist, then a bassist, in that order. I really want to get to the level of being able to do a few songs on lead vocals and bass. I have always been a big fan of Glenn Hughes and Gene Simmons, and would totally get off on getting to play "rockstar" sometime, lol.

It's totally doable, just takes practice. I guess I've always been singing through my whole life. Singing along to commercials and theme songs on TV, to music playing around the house, or my dad's band. So when I started on drums it was adding the new skill to singing. My first years of gigging were as a singing drummer, bass came later. And I still believe that being a drummer made the transition to bass easier, staying in the rhythm section. You're coming from the other way and trying to add singing now if I understood it correctly.

Practice is the way. Find an easy song, where the bass line is more in line with the vocals. The first song I ever learned to play on bass was "Just What I Needed/The Cars." Not a great song but I liked it at the time. The bass line is pretty straightforward. Just a suggestion from my experience, hope it helps.

 

[Anjohl]

It's totally doable, just takes practice. You're coming from the other way ana great song but I liked it at the time. The bass line is pretty straightforward. Just a suggestion from my experience, hope it helps.

No, I am a singer first and foremost, and only a recent bassist. I regularly sing while accompanying myself on acoustic guitar.