Electric bass in community concert bands?

[MileMarkerZero]

There are a significant number of jazz compilations out there (Tribute to Harry James, Satchmo!, etc.) that work very well with an electric bass. I would prefer a string bass for the walking lines, and can lay down a walkin gline on tuba that works just fine. But those are the only situations I don't mind an electric in a concert band.

[TUBAD83]

The first time I have ever heard of community bands having electric bass players in the TUBA section, I thought it was a joke--unfortunately I found out this does happen. Im currently in 3 community bands and NONE of my directors would ever allow it. We all know its hard enough to get a tuba section to play in tune consistently--you're gonna add an electric bass into the mix??? I don't think so.

JJ

[termite]

I imagine that some rock tunes etc. would sound better with electric bass but probably not with the tubas playing along. By the time you throw in a synth/piano/organ line the whole thing is turning into a rock band with an oversized brass and reed section - you have to ask what kind of ensemble you're running.

If you want a rock band put one together.
Electric bass may not be the best thing for stuff like Holst.

I'm not a huge fan of the whole idea of community brass and concert bands trying to "get with the times" and play the latest pop tunes to try to win audiences. It usually sounds painful compared to the record people are used to hearing. I would much rather play music which suits the ensemble and say to the audience "We are a wind ensemble - this is what we DO!!"

Regards

etc. etc.

[averagejoe]

My vote is no, boooo electric. I do, however, enjoy it very much when string bass players come to play Grainger and stuff.

[imperialbari]

How do you deal with the inevitable intonation issues???

What about adjusting the frets of the tubas so that they fit with those of the e-bass?

K

[Jeffrey Hicks]

At the small college I went to I would practice all semester and then at performances the director would have a bass player show up. It never sounded good. I subsequently quit playing for him.

[jonesbrass]

As a junior in high school, my concert band had a medly arrangement of Shaft, probably the same one you're going to play.

I doubt it . . . most of the stuff we do, and this one in particular, is an original arrangement by our director. I'll say it again, I don't like using the bass for most things, but some of the stuff is good with bass. I don't have to worry about playing with a tuba player most of the time, though, 'cause I'm the tuba player, too. Having a bass "augmenting" the tuba line . . . yuk . . . but if both instruments have their own line (like some of the jazz band stuff I've done) it can work well.
I guess the bottom line is that you need to pick the right tool for the job. In a concert band, 99% of the time the right tool is the tuba. Period.

[sinfonian]

I am ok with the e-bass only if the composition has an e-bass part. When I play in an Orchestra if the composer didn't write a tuba part I sit out the piece. Please do the same to the e-bass in the band.

[TUBAD83]

I am ok with the e-bass only if the composition has an e-bass part. When I play in an Orchestra if the composer didn't write a tuba part I sit out the piece. Please do the same to the e-bass in the band.

When I was a musician in the US Army, all rhythm specialists (piano, guitar, e-bass) and vocalists were required to double on percussion (tuba players in the Navy and Marines were required to double on e-bass and had to pass two auditions on e-bass in order to graduate). When we did concerts, we had a setup that had the rhythm and percussion sections together--away from the tubas and did not have to worry about clashing with the bass player (VERY rare that e-bass and tuba had the same part). In the last band I was in we had a tuba player who also played both string bass and e-bass (so he was a BUSY guy). This would work for a community band that does a wide variety of music to have a e-bass/percussion player.

JJ

[Wyvern]

I must say I hate all kinds of electronically amplified bass. My current band had an electric guitar play in a recent concert (just the one thankfully!) and I thought it really spoilt it - and not just me, so did some others in the band too.

Almost as bad is an amplified string bass. I once played in a band who had one come along periodically. I am sure with his amplifier he was more prominent that the two tubas.

Why do conductors allow it?

[sinfonian]

A Related story

For years our community band (70 to 80 pieces) has had a sound guy (the father of one of our former players) that use to do sound work for rock concerts who would set up his system for our band concerts. We do our two big indoor concerts of the year in a ball room and this guy would have his big speaker towers setup and mikes all over the band. The director loved it because it allowed him to have the soundman adjust the volume as he thought needed and balance the sections. My wife hated it so much she preferred not to go to the concerts.

This past concert the sound guys van got stuck in the mud with all the equipment and he couldn't make the concert so we had no sound system. After the concert most of the people in the band and several audience members told the director that it was the best the band has sounded in years and we should play all out indoor concerts that way. In fact not a single person commented that they missed the sound system. Now the director is trying to figure out how to tell the sound guy we don't need him for our indoor concerts.

Bands sound better without electronic amplifications. The only electronics that should be there is a microphone for the announcements and a couple of well placed microphones for making a recording of the concert.

[Dan Schultz]

.... Bands sound better without electronic amplifications. The only electronics that should be there is a microphone for the announcements and a couple of well placed microphones for making a recording of the concert.

I'll second that!