It never ceases to amaze me that bass players never take there instruments home. Whether its contest time or just normal band practice there is always basses left in the store room. Various excuses are used if the culprits are challenged, (don't fit in my car, i have no space at home etc) so are they just too good to practice or what ?
Do bass players ever take there instruments home ?
- Thread starter jackyboy
- Start date
Speaking personally, I'd love to take my bass home, but it is rather awkward carting it around on public transport, especially on the days when I have to go straight to practice following a day working in London's West End!
When it comes to practice, it is usually a question of popping down to the hall on a Saturday and annoying everybody at the coffee morning :wink:
When it comes to practice, it is usually a question of popping down to the hall on a Saturday and annoying everybody at the coffee morning :wink:
Nik_The_Insane
Member
got to say most of our bass players take their instuments home, if they dont they always pop along to the band room and practice.
Di B
Member
Well jackyboy, I guess some bass players pop along to the bandroom and rehearse there. In fact, at training band last night I thought I had a new recruit when I walked in on a bass player blowing away to his hearts content!!! :lol:
Taking an instrument home doesn't necessarily mean you practice regularly!
Taking an instrument home doesn't necessarily mean you practice regularly!
Hilary Mateer
Member
jackyboy said:
I think you are maligning us :evil:
I have my own instrument and also play in other bands so mine always goes home with me and on nights where I am not going to a band I do practice
Two of the other Bass players in my band always take them home as well
The remaining BBb Bass player can't fit it in his car very easily but has an EEb at home to practice on that he also plays with our B band
iancwilx
Well-Known Member
All our Bass players take their instruments home after every rehearsal and they DO practice (We seriously need to !!!)
I think you have to have a blow every day - just a few simple exercises or to sort out tricky bits in the pad will do. (Yes - Bass parts can have the odd bar or two that need working out !!!)
I think we owe it to ourselves and to the rest of the band to keep in practice.
I think you have to have a blow every day - just a few simple exercises or to sort out tricky bits in the pad will do. (Yes - Bass parts can have the odd bar or two that need working out !!!)
I think we owe it to ourselves and to the rest of the band to keep in practice.
Despot
Member
Not a bass player are you?
Ours do, but I'd sympathise with a BBb player who doesn't! We bought a Sov second hand recently, and I had the job of cleaning it out before it was issued out.
Good grief!! Getting it through the door was a nightmare, up the stairs worse. A normal size house is just to small to manouvre one in! Seriously though, you could easily damage your back. Personally I think you should give the bass players a key of the bandroom and let them travel to the instrument! Or have a second one at home. Nobody expects a piano player to carry their instrument with them, why a BBb? Personally I think carriage rings on a BBb was someones idea of a joke that nobody got! :lol:
I think all cornet players should be forced to carry a BBb around for 6 months. Might change their opinions a little! :lol:
Ours do, but I'd sympathise with a BBb player who doesn't! We bought a Sov second hand recently, and I had the job of cleaning it out before it was issued out.
Good grief!! Getting it through the door was a nightmare, up the stairs worse. A normal size house is just to small to manouvre one in! Seriously though, you could easily damage your back. Personally I think you should give the bass players a key of the bandroom and let them travel to the instrument! Or have a second one at home. Nobody expects a piano player to carry their instrument with them, why a BBb? Personally I think carriage rings on a BBb was someones idea of a joke that nobody got! :lol:
I think all cornet players should be forced to carry a BBb around for 6 months. Might change their opinions a little! :lol:
EIBB_Ray
Member
All of ours take them home, and they practice as much (or little) as any of us. We use school rehearsal space we borrow, so there's no place to store anything. They never complain about fitting them in their cars, or into their homes, or having physical ailments due to their heft. I'd think if you have those inherent problems you might want to consider the sop (or perhaps flute). Seriously, one of our EEb players straps his on his back and rides his motorcycle, weather permitting.
Mrs Fruity
Member
The last time my husband brought home the band's spare Bb to practise, my mum wanted to know why we had a skip in our dining room, and the cat disappeared for hours.
EIBB_Ray said:
I have carried my EEb around on occasions, and I don't think my wife has ever really forgiven me for bringing it into hospital when visiting her and my newborn daughter. Ruth had been born on Christmas Day, but they were still in hospital on New Year's Eve, so I called in on my way to catch the bus to band practice prior to the watch-night service at St Pauls - she was not amused :lol: :lol: :lol:
Steve Marcus
Member
jackyboy said:
I beg your pardon! :!:
Railybobs said:
Umm...On occasion, we bass players DO have to keep up with the rest of the band. :lol: Fresh on my mind (because Chicago Brass Band is performing it tomorrow evening) is Strathcarron from Philip Sparke's Hymn of the Highlands. There are plenty of other pieces that do require us bass players to practice a wee little bit.
What are some other favorite pieces with wicked passages for the bass players?
Seedhouse
Active Member
I have to say being a Euph player i'm finding it annoying to cart my Euph around as it's so heavy and it begins to hurt my hands and arms when travelling longer distances, so I can understand if the Basses don't want to take theirs home because they must be ten times as heavy! :?
Brian Kelly
Active Member
I read in an interview with Derek Jackson in Brass Band World that he had his own, elderly BBflat bass which he kept at home to practice on, using the band's instrument at band practice and for band engagements only, presumably leaving it in the band room.
aimee_euph
Member
Seedhouse said:
i got a gig bag to put on my back, an it's so easy to cart it round now! i'm excited to take it to college on wednesday for my euph lesson.
Bass cases have wheels, it's no excuse!!!