OT: Making a bass demo?

[carpedebass]

OK,
I have decided that folks out in the real world are not likely to be coming to the small town I live in just to hear me play on the Praise team at Church, so I figure I'm going to have to put together a press kit and that means a bass demo. I do not have a "band" that I play with here other than the Church thing, so I am unsure of how exactly to make a bass demo. How does one go about making it the least bit interesting? I mean, "listen...here is me playing in the pocket with a drummer. Here is me playing in the pocket again with a drummer." Get my drift? I was thinking of just throwing some drum loops down and recording myself over them with enough changes to make it a little more interesting than watching paint peel, but I am not sure what the industry expectations are. I can run some bass solo stuff, but I would think that would be the LAST thing a perspective gig/employer would be looking for.
Being in the radio business, I have made quite a few key contacts. I think if I can actually put something like this together, I will eventually land a high profile gig.
I thought of recording the team I play with but, while some are excellent musicians, the rest are...well...let's just say...not something that I want to have on a demo. I do not have much money to put into it, so I planned on doing the recording myself via computer and Cool Edit Pro. Any ideas?

 

[hankSRay]

I'm looking to do the exact same thing carpedebass. I'm probably just going to record myself doing some popular covers that show some different styes and techniques, and also probably a brief drum (using a drum machine) and bass solo track.

I would love to give out recordings of original stuff I've written, but seeing as though I dont have a copyright for it, I'm a little nervous to put that stuff out there.

Good luck man!

 

[carpedebass]

I have the same concern hankSray. However, I also have a buddy that runs a recording studio here in town. I think I can get some assistance from him...we'll see. Never thought about actually doing covers. I may have to ponder that one. How would you take the original bass part out? Or are you talking about having a cover band in studio?

 

[hankSRay]

Well I'm going to try 2 different ways. The first would be to run a line from my tascam bass trainer headphone output into my multitrack recorder. The tascam has a bass CUT control which pretty much removes the bass. Then just recording over that. Not sure if this will work or not, or how good it will sound.

Worst comes to worst I'll go for option number 2. I'll program the drum track into my drum machine, play the bassline, guitar part, and do a "vocal" track with my buddy's Korg keyboard. This will be the most time consuming, maybe I'll just do few song sections if this is the case, but luckily not being in a band leaves me with some free time lol.

 

[Slingy]

Just a thought, but if you like anything on my soundclick and want to use it as a demo for your bass playing, just to hear what you sound like in a mix, then your welcome to use it. I've got stuff in alot of different styles. Just pm me and I'll remix a file without bass. I use a creative commons liscense so it can be freely shared with no commercial use. Can't use the ones that I worked on with other people though, wouldn't be right.

 

[strummer]

I would love to give out recordings of original stuff I've written, but seeing as though I dont have a copyright for it, I'm a little nervous to put that stuff out there.

Good luck man!

Hank, you wrote it, which means you do have copyright on it, that is automatic.

 

[carpedebass]

Slingy, PM sent.
Strummer, I am unsure as to the legal correctness of your statement. I have heard both ways, and plan on not putting my collection "out there" until I hear from an attorney.

 

[Slingy]

Glad you liked something on there. I uploaded a no bass version of RR8, you should be able to download it. Have fun.

 

[carpedebass]

Thank you, sir! I'll DL it when I get home this evening.

 

[MrMusashi]

cease the bass, a videocamera and have a look here

YouTube - MarloweDK's Channel

if i was to hire a bassplayer a videoclip would be a nice way to check out both stagepresence and playing ability. also how professionally the video was done would tell me a thing or 2
you know.. how good the sound is. if you can see the player switching on the camera, then sitting down to do his thing.. lightning.. etc etc

MrM

ps: id prolly not hire a bass player, esp since that is my own instrument
a guitarplayer on the other hand.. id never hire any of them unless id met em in real life

 

[Slingy]

That's a fantastic idea. Even free soundclick accounts have video uploading. Being able to drop a link to someone to a page showing off your gear with sounds and videos seems like a very good idea.

 

[carpedebass]

I am actually working on some video as well. Great idea to add with the demo.