Need Some Help with New Bass Player

[jrs81]

I have a new bass player.  I have never worked with one before.  I am the musician for my church choir.  I think that he can read music, I don't know about his ability to be able to hear.

We are having musicians rehearsal tomorrow and I need to be able to give him instructions when I am playing.  I don't know where to start.  I know to give him the key I am in but will he be able to follow the changes and everything.

Any kind of help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[bassthumpa]

Those types of questions can only be answered by talking to your new bassist.  Chat with him, find out what his level of proficiency is.  While your musicians rehearsal may have specific goals and things to go over, there would really be no better time to work with him and get acquanted musically, just take a little extra time.

[anointed_strings]

I agree with Bassthumpa.  Now, when you say new bass player are you saying he's new to the bass or just new to playing with you.  Either way be patient and be willing to work with him to make your band sound better as a whole.  I believe if you accomplish that you will be happy, he will be happy, and God will be pleased.

[dhagler]

Two years ago I was that new bass player.  My pianist allowed me to come to her house and we worked on very simple tunes, such as This Little Light of Mine and Jesus Loves Me.  After you've talked with your new bassist, having him play along with you on some basic songs will allow you to determine his level of proficiency.  If he needs extra work you could have him come a little early or stay a little late if time and scheduling will allow.

In all things, be patient.  I am where I am now because someone was patient with me.

[jrs81]

I agree with Bassthumpa.  Now, when you say new bass player are you saying he's new to the bass or just new to playing with you.  Either way be patient and be willing to work with him to make your band sound better as a whole.  I believe if you accomplish that you will be happy, he will be happy, and God will be pleased.

He is new to playing with you.  He has been bouncing around from different churches so I don't know how long he has been playing.  I am willing to work with him and I hope that he is willing to work with myself and my drummer.

[bassthumpa]

He is new to playing with you.  He has been bouncing around from different churches so I don't know how long he has been playing.  I am willing to work with him and I hope that he is willing to work with myself and my drummer.

Good biz... let us know how it works out!

[jrs81]

Well, last night I had my first rehearsal with the new bass player.  I scheduled rehearsal for 6:00 because the choir would be there at 7:00.  He got there at 6:45 with no explanation of why he was late or apologies.  He did not have the correct chord for his amp.  I told him to plug into my amp.  The drummer and I had already been practicing.  The bass player just started playing without knowing what key or even how the song was supposed to be played.

I stopped him and asked that he first listen to the song before beginning to play.  He had a chord chart with him.  I asked him if having my sheet music would help him, that way he could sort of follow the bass line.  He said yes that would help, but he could not read music.  So tell me how is the sheet music going to help if you can't read music.

Any suggestions on what I can do to make this easier.  Some of the older members of the church are not crazy about having a bass player but the pastor has asked me to work with him if at all possible.  I have noticed that he seems to have trouble communicating with me.



We are practicing again on Thursday.  I asked him to please be on time. 

[Mysteryman]

You can just tell him the normal bass notes you would play for the song. If he knows theory you can tell him the scale degrees.

[ministerofworship]

I think time is of the essence.  I just believe in being punctual.  I told my wife that punctuality is the kindergarten of professionalism.  When you operate in excellence you are just a well time managed person.  As for the sheet music, he could possibly be able to read the guitar chords at the top of the measures without knowing how to read the actual scoring.  Try everything possible to work with the bassist if your pastor wants one.

[bassthumpa]

Ouch, that's a rough start.  Being late (especially without a good reason) is bad enough, but how in the world do you not having his gear in order only made it worse.

You HAVE to have good communication with him, as I'm sure you understand.  Do what you can to make it clear to him that communication is essential, as well as punctuality.  Give him ample chance, but eventually he'll have to make a real effort himself.  Maybe it was just a bad day or something.  Patience is going to be key.

[dhagler]

Well, last night I had my first rehearsal with the new bass player.  I scheduled rehearsal for 6:00 because the choir would be there at 7:00.  He got there at 6:45 with no explanation of why he was late or apologies.  He did not have the correct chord for his amp.  I told him to plug into my amp.  The drummer and I had already been practicing.  The bass player just started playing without knowing what key or even how the song was supposed to be played.

I stopped him and asked that he first listen to the song before beginning to play.  He had a chord chart with him.  I asked him if having my sheet music would help him, that way he could sort of follow the bass line.  He said yes that would help, but he could not read music.  So tell me how is the sheet music going to help if you can't read music.

Any suggestions on what I can do to make this easier.  Some of the older members of the church are not crazy about having a bass player but the pastor has asked me to work with him if at all possible.  I have noticed that he seems to have trouble communicating with me.
 

Bless you.  I echo everything that has been said.  It sounds as though there's a bit of a storm swirling around you:  your pastor wants you to work with him but some of the older--read, influential--members are in opposition.  You didn't say whether you have a minister of music or you report directly to the pastor, but either way you may want to keep that person in the loop, especially about your bass player's punctuality and skill level.  That way if things don't work out you've more or less documented your efforts to make him part of the music department.  That might sound harsh but professionalism has its place everywhere and the church deserves nothing less--in fact they are probably paying for that.  Are any of you under contract?  A contract protects both the church and the musician.   Right now at my church we have a drummer who never attends practice and so Sunday morning is a battle over tempo.  If his contract stipulated that he is required to attend rehearsals he might start to be there, but if not we'd have grounds to dismiss him.

All that being said, in all things be patient.  And prayerful.  I hope things get better.

[Torch7]

Ouch, that's a rough start.  Being late (especially without a good reason) is bad enough, but how in the world do you not having his gear in order only made it worse.

You HAVE to have good communication with him, as I'm sure you understand.  Do what you can to make it clear to him that communication is essential, as well as punctuality.  Give him ample chance, but eventually he'll have to make a real effort himself.  Maybe it was just a bad day or something.  Patience is going to be key.

+1

Also, I would say be as endearing as possible, you can never know what someone's preconcieved notions about the environment they are coming into is, what he's heard what he's been told.  Be purposed to make him feel welcome and comfortable.

[mjl422]

Also, I think you should talk to him and see if he really wants to play.  Maybe he's doing the pastor a favor and doesn't really want to be there.  I think communication is going to be the key to getting this situation resolved.

[jrs81]

I think time is of the essence.  I just believe in being punctual.  I told my wife that punctuality is the kindergarten of professionalism.  When you operate in excellence you are just a well time managed person.  As for the sheet music, he could possibly be able to read the guitar chords at the top of the measures without knowing how to read the actual scoring.  Try everything possible to work with the bassist if your pastor wants one.

I believe in being on time or at least give me a reason why you are not there.  I am going to work on getting him to read the guitar chords at the top, hopefully that will help

+1

Also, I would say be as endearing as possible, you can never know what someone's preconcieved notions about the environment they are coming into is, what he's heard what he's been told.  Be purposed to make him feel welcome and comfortable.

I am trying to make him feel welcome.

You didn't say whether you have a minister of music or you report directly to the pastor, but either way you may want to keep that person in the loop, especially about your bass player's punctuality and skill level.  That way if things don't work out you've more or less documented your efforts to make him part of the music department.

I have all of the duties of the minister of music, the pastor considers me the minister of music, but I don't actually have that title.  The drummer and I have a contract.  This guy just showed up one Sunday at Sunday School and joined and said that he wanted to play the bass for the church, so he is not being paid.

He has not been approved by the church yet or given a contract.

[dhagler]

I sincerely wish you success in working with him but, ultimately, it's up to him.  I admire the fact that you communicate professionalism and high expectations.

[jrs81]

My Nightmare Continues

Sunday when we opened up services I didn't have but about 4 choir members so I opened with a familiar hymn "What A Friend We Have In Jesus".  The bass player is playing...I really don't know what he is playing.  I gave him the key but his playing was not compatible with what I was playing.  I looked at my drummer and asked him did he know what he was doing.

I did another hymn and he did not play.  After offering he leaves out and goes in the back.  My director was back there and he was discussing me with the deacons.  He is saying that I am not giving him the chords and I am not trying to work with him.  He tells them that he doesn't have to be there he can go play someplace else.

Correct me if I am wrong, I am not suppose to give him chords, I should just tell him what key I am in, right?

Well, the deacons would not entertain anything that he had to say about me, so after services he decides to go to the pastor.  Pastor called me in to his office to talk with him and myself.  He asked the bass player to tell me what it is that he wants from me.

He starts by telling me that he is use to playing for COGIC not baptist and everything that he played was in e-flat.  He does not know our songs but he can learn if I just be patient and work with him.  He says to give him about a month.

Well I have been working with him for about 3 weeks.  We have 2 major events coming up, Pastor's Ann. this week-end and Choir Day the 2nd Sunday in June.

That is why I have musicians rehearsal, which he has not showed up for.  When I am practicing with the choir, I cannot try and work with him also.  I give him a CD and I expect him to come prepared.

I told the pastor that I was trying to work with him.

Well, I guess it really got to me.  Why didn't he come to me directly instead of going to the deacons and the pastor.

We had an engagement for 2:00.  When we got up to sing, I told him the key for the 1st song.  The way it was set-up he could not see me.  When I broke in the song he kept playing.  I kept trying to get his attention but he kept playing.

After the sermon the organist from the other church and the bass player decided they would back-up my pastor.  Well, it was a mess.  They were is 2 different keys and neither one was the key pastor was in.  I did not even attempt to jump in I just let the battle it out.

I am at my wits end dealing with this guy.  I have found out that he has played at many different churches around town.  I contacted the musicians from these churches to find out some info about him.  Each one told me the same thing, he can't play.  It just didn't work out.  They tried to work with him, but it just was no hope.

Sorry to be so long, but it is weighing heavily on my heart.

[bassthumpa]

Wow.  I'm sorry... sounds like you have a bad egg there.  I can see now why he's jumped from church to church.  You shouldn't have to give him every single chord... if he would sit his behind down somewhere, humble himself and LEARN, then he would be able to take the key and learn basic gospel progressions. 

"What A Friend" is hardly a Baptist-specific song, so that's a lame excuse.  The fact that he won't communicate with you directly, but has no problem running to others speaks volumes.  He's apparently not a good player, so that only makes it worse.  If he's a beginner, that's fine if he's willing to sit and learn (shoot, even pros have to do that).  But with this guy's apparent attitude, he'll never be any good. 

I hope you mentioned to your pastor that he has failed to show up for any of the musician rehearsals.  Keep your pastor informed of all of that stuff... all of the missed rehearsals, his failure to respond to your attempt to communicate, etc.  Keep doing good, keep reaching out, and do it with kindness... and in the process you'll keep heaping those hot coals on his head.  He'll either get his act together, or fail on his own accord and take his sad act back on the road.

[jrs81]

I talked with the Pastor this morning and informed him that he has missed practices and is not wanting to communicate with me.  Pastor informed me that he indeed know what was going on with him.  He also told me that my facial expressions give everything away.  He can see the frustration on my face.  I am trying to work on my facial expressions, but sometimes it is very apparent.

The pastor wants me to continue to do everything that I can possibly do because he doesn't want this man to leave and bad mouth our church saying that he could not work with us.  So I am going to continue to do all that I can do, if he gets it or doesn't it will all be on him.

[jdholliday]

I just want to encourage you. Your Pastor really can't worry about this brother bad mouthing you, him or your church because this guy seemingly has a bad rep all over town. Stay humble, stay prayerful for you & your Pastor & God will either shape him up or ship him out. I had an organist that I brought in to play for our church, but after one service that was very highly anointed he disappeared because he wasn't allowed to be the show. It sometimes is better find out the worse things early than have suprises down the line.

Stay encouraged
Pastor Jeff

[dhagler]

I talked with the Pastor this morning and informed him that he has missed practices and is not wanting to communicate with me.  Pastor informed me that he indeed know what was going on with him.  He also told me that my facial expressions give everything away.  He can see the frustration on my face.  I am trying to work on my facial expressions, but sometimes it is very apparent.

The pastor wants me to continue to do everything that I can possibly do because he doesn't want this man to leave and bad mouth our church saying that he could not work with us.  So I am going to continue to do all that I can do, if he gets it or doesn't it will all be on him.

+1 to everything that has been said.  You are already doing everything you can possibly do.  Your next-to-last resort is to invite your pastor to choir rehearsal.  Your last resort is to ask your pastor for a meeting between the three of you.  Stay prayerful and things will work out.  Romans 8:28.