Back in the Saddle

I've got an upcoming meeting with a Bassist, with the purpose of seeing if this can turn into any kind of long-term thing. We've got a date, time and place for it, so those problems are six foot under by now. All that's left is for us to meet up an play a bit, and hope things work out.

One thing bugs me, though. We haven't agreed on any specific songs to learn yet, so we don't have any material we can both be sure the other person knows. Of course, we don't have a singer or a PA yet, and the singer typically has the most to say when it comes to picking out songs, since his vocals is what most people will notice mostly. I generally don't like to go play with others and not be sure what we can both play... We also don't have a drummer yet, which is another issue altogether...

Getting the PA will be easy enough. I plan on buying a mixer and mic for my own studio-use, but getting a singer and drummer might require a bit more luck... Does anyone know if providing a PA and Drumkit (even if they are basic ones) will help get a singer and a drummer? I'm currently storing a simple drumkit in the attic, which is actually on its way to a pawn shop because the original owner didn't want it anymore, and didn't want to quite throw it away yet in case he would want to pick up drumming again... Haven't heard from that guy in ten years or so... So if putting even a simple drumkit up in the rehearsal space would attract a drummer, that would be worth considering...

Anyway, I'm looking forward to meeting this bassist. From our chatting so far, he seems like a pretty cool guy, and our tastes in music are pretty similar, so we should be able to find something to play :)

Sounds like you may have the beginnings of something.

Wherever it is that you are rehearsing, there should be a drum kit and a PA. It's a major pain for a drummer to have to lug their kit for rehearal all the time. A PA is certainly not portable either.

At the music store where we started out, they had a drum kit and PA. At the rehearsal studio we are using now, it's the same situation. Actually, both places provide amps as well...and a full size keyboard and/or piano. The guitar players just have to being their guitars and the drummer brings their sticks and cymbals.

You should definitely have worked out songs to run through. I get frustrated with that too - I get bored of aimless jamming quickly, like after 5 minutes! I may be because I can't do it well, who knows. It just feels like we are wasting time...unless there is a particular point to the jam or it's clearly defined.

Good luck!!!

Originally Posted by: maggiorSounds like you may have the beginnings of something.

Wherever it is that you are rehearsing, there should be a drum kit and a PA. It's a major pain for a drummer to have to lug their kit for rehearal all the time. A PA is certainly not portable either.

So, bringing the old beginner's drumkit is a good idea? Awesome. That should make the part with finding a drummer a little easier. Then we just need a PA for the rehearsal space and we should have more luck finding a singer.

By the way, the title of your thread "Back in the Saddle" is a great Aerosmith tune!!

Originally Posted by: maggiorBy the way, the title of your thread "Back in the Saddle" is a great Aerosmith tune!!

Yup. One of my favorites from the Rocks album. It's also on my ever-growing list of songs to learn, and I just thought it fit nicely, since I haven't played with anyone else in a couple of months now, and now I have a scheduled meeting with a Bassist, so in a way, I guess I could say "I'm back in the saddle again!" :)

Quote: Originally Posted by maggior

By the way, the title of your thread "Back in the Saddle" is a great Aerosmith tune!!

Originally Posted by: KasperowYup. One of my favorites from the Rocks album. It's also on my ever-growing list of songs to learn, and I just thought it fit nicely, since I haven't played with anyone else in a couple of months now, and now I have a scheduled meeting with a Bassist, so in a way, I guess I could say "I'm back in the saddle again!" :)

What! :confused: No love for Gene Autry and his 1941 movie, Back in the Saddle and its featured song, Back In the Saddle Again? :D

The vocalist does not have to choose the songs if you can change the key of the song to match the voice. Because of our singers range we played most song in the key of A or D.

Just something to think about.

Originally Posted by: haghj500The vocalist does not have to choose the songs if you can change the key of the song to match the voice. Because of our singers range we played most song in the key of A or D.

Just something to think about.

Good point. I just prefer to play songs in the key they were originally written in. When I transpose songs, I just think they sound wrong... Might just be me, though.

Originally Posted by: KasperowGood point. I just prefer to play songs in the key they were originally written in. When I transpose songs, I just think they sound wrong... Might just be me, though.

You also have a good point, I guess it goes back to people liking what they are use to.

I understand that. I remember seeing Rush in the late 90's and they did 2112, but changed the key since Geddy couldn't hit the really high notes any more. It sounded very strange to my ears.

If your singer can't sing it in the original key and you really want to do a particular song, you may have no choice but to drop it a step or so.

You can cross that bridge when you get to it :-).

I think I may have intimidated the bassist just a little bit... Not enough to keep us from meeting, though. But now he should have a pretty good idea of how eager I am to get something off the ground. Just because I brought up the idea with the drumkit before even meeting for the first time.

We still haven't quite found any songs to start with, but I imagine that's not going to be a big problem. I've thrown up a few suggestions, so now I just hope there's something among those suggestions that he wants to play too. I've only suggested some songs that we should be able to learn in a week. Nothing overly difficult yet. Right now, we just need to find some songs that we can both learn to play in a week, so we can meet, play and hopefully start a band up.

Well, the Bassist I played with back in May just sent me a message, saying that he's had some major tech-issues but that he's still interested in starting a band... Considering that there was a kind of synergy last time, I'm willing to give him another chance, so I see two possible scenarios unfolding from here:

1: I (potentially) end up with two bands.

2: We all meet up, and one of the bassists picks up drumming (although I don't like to force people to do things they don't want to). This might actually be the most appealing option, as it brings us closer to an actual band (and the tastes in music are mostly similar)...

I'm still trying to figure out which of those would be best, though...

I can't believe this... With every passing day, I am moving one step closer to having my own dysfunctional rock'n'roll band going. I've decided to, no matter how things turn out next Friday, just go with the Bassist I jammed with back in May. The synergy was there and our styles are, despite different sources of inspiration, highly compatible. What's more to ask for? Now, I also have a drummer who's interested in at least giving it a shot as well! All that's left is to find a time and place (we already have one great option, somewhat centered between our locations), and then we can go ahead and play some rock!

Now, we just need to meet up, play together and find a singer and possibly an extra guitarist or a keyboardist (I'm voting keys for the sake of more variation). I really can't sing, and even if I could, my extreme preference towards being able to move around while playing would make it incredibly stupid to make me the lead singer.

Anyway, I'm hoping things will work out with the Bassist and drummer. By now, I'm starting to see the other bassist I'll be playing with on Friday as yet another one-time thing... Of course, the possibility of being in two different bands at the same time is still a viable outcome, which is worth taking into consideration...

In case anyone is still reading this, I just got home from jamming with that new bassist, and sadly, there are some mixed feelings. First off, we were both completely unprepared (not common on my part), but we tried to get something going. I quickly got my gear set up, dialed in the tone I wanted and the settings I wanted on my Pedals (remind me to either buy or build a pedal-board soon), and warmed up. After that, we tried to find something we both knew that we liked, which turned out to be harder than it should... But eventually we managed to settle on trying "Every Breath You Take". Not that either of us knew how to play that song either, but we found the tabs and tried to play it... didn't go too well.

After about 1½ hours of not getting much stuff done, I just went into some of the tunes I knew. He claimed not to know any of them, but considering that he played along just fine says otherwise. Starting with "Knockin' On Heaven's Door", he managed to lay down the bass-line pretty well, actually. Well enough that I could play the solos without it sounding too thin. After that, I went into "Smoke On The Water", and again, he laid out the bass-line pretty well, so I could improvise a solo for that too, without sounding too thin. Finally, I went into "Paradise City", or rather, simplified version that still sounds slightly close to the original. And, surprise surprise, he laid out the bass-line. I stopped it at the solos, though, since I still can't play those, but for someone who didn't know any of the songs I played, he did a pretty good job...

Our biggest mutual disappointment is actually that our styles weren't that compatible. The synergy wasn't there, unlike with the other bassist. Our tastes in music are too far from eachother (he's into 90's and newer stuff), I'm into 80's and older stuff...). Our goals and ambitions don't overlap... And probably the worst part: Out of the 2 hours we spent in the practice-room, we played for about 30 minutes at most!

In a way, I feel like I wasted 2½ hours of my life today. I could easily have spent those 2 hours in the practice room with the other bassist and actually get either some playing or some song-writing done! So I don't think we're gonna play again soon. I'll definitely stick with the other bassist.

Hey - bummer that you didn't really hit it off with this bass player. I wouldn't consider it wasted time though...nothing ventured nothing gained. There's no sense in forcing the issue, if it isn't working, then just move on.

No being prepared is a pet peeve of mine and I hold myself to the same standard. It's why trying to figure out songs in a group setting doesn't work for me - I rather sort it out on my own and come back later.

So, I see your time spent in the reverse of how you are looking at it. I think you learned a lot of subtle little things or had things you are starting to realize reinforced.

Guitar player looking for a bass player, I like older rock. I can play knocking on heaven’s door, smoke on…….. Would like to learn song name, ……….

If you put out an add with wording kind of like what I have above, when you get a call back, the person already knows what kind of music you like and what songs to learn quick before they show up to jam. Who knows someone may call who wants to learn a song you know in trade for teaching you a song on your list.

Originally Posted by: maggior
No being prepared is a pet peeve of mine and I hold myself to the same standard. It's why trying to figure out songs in a group setting doesn't work for me - I rather sort it out on my own and come back later.

You have the wrong mind set. A band is like a family!

If each brother and sister runs off and works through what ever... and they return thinking they have it all worked out. Only to find the siblings came up with there own answer. Now everyone is mad because no one will listen to their idea that is going to work. It is amazing how fast a family can get pissy and little headed.

Nothing gets done until everyone sits down around the family table and talks it out as a family group or "band group"

I agree...a band is like family. What I was talking about was going off and working out my specific parts. Sure, everybody in the band may have some input on my guitar parts, but the fine details of learning a solo or some other part are ultimately up to me. I don't want to waste their time while I sit there and try to get a strange riff under my fingers. If anything, it puts undo pressure on me at the moment.

Originally Posted by: maggiorHey - bummer that you didn't really hit it off with this bass player. I wouldn't consider it wasted time though...nothing ventured nothing gained. There's no sense in forcing the issue, if it isn't working, then just move on.[/QUOTE]
That's true. And besides, if I hadn't gone to play with this guy, I probably wouldn't know if there was a chance of starting a band together. But I went ahead and now I know that the chances of us starting a band are very slim.

[QUOTE=haghj500]So, I see your time spent in the reverse of how you are looking at it. I think you learned a lot of subtle little things or had things you are starting to realize reinforced.

I think you're right, both of you. Perhaps I did learn a lot of those little things that might not be that obvious when you look at it from the outside. All those big, successful rock-bands always make starting a band look easy, but it really isn't.

Either way, I'm going to see if the other bassist and drummer has time to meet and play sometime soon. This little detour isn't enough to make me give up :) I still intend to get a band started up and take it from there.

Originally Posted by: maggiorI agree...a band is like family. What I was talking about was going off and working out my specific parts. Sure, everybody in the band may have some input on my guitar parts, but the fine details of learning a solo or some other part are ultimately up to me. I don't want to waste their time while I sit there and try to get a strange riff under my fingers. If anything, it puts undo pressure on me at the moment.

You have a good point, I must have understood what you were saying differently than what you were really saying.