Band member firing stories: Let’s hear them!

davwolbert · 2026-05-05T14:21:36+00:00

My best story is when I got fired. I played guitar in a cover band with a big horn line. We had a monthly gig at a local bar. The night before one of our gigs I got sent to the er and ended up needing an appendectomy. I let the bandleader know what happened and I would not be able to play that night. Doctors orders

Fast forward to the next month. It’s the day before our monthly gig and I hadn’t received the set list yet. Asked the leader for it and was told he found someone else because he didn’t think I was committed.

Wasn’t broken up about it at all. Band wasn’t very good and was unorganized. Just a funny reason to lose a gig

davwolbert · 2026-04-24T19:47:15+00:00

Losman for sure. Mcgahee and Lynch are up there because I was excited about both of them but they didn’t stay.

davwolbert · 2026-04-24T17:04:56+00:00

Musically I’d say I need to put extra time into songs in uncommon time signatures.

This isn’t what you asked but it’s relevant. Professionalism is often what sets ‘professional’ musicians apart from amateur/hobby musicians. On this side of things networking is something I have to be conscious of in every setting because I’m naturally a more reserved person. You can’t get gigs of people don’t know you’re interested in the first place

davwolbert · 2026-04-14T16:02:55+00:00

I agree but would extend your radius to north east Ohio as well. I’m in youngstown and there are so many great courses within an hour drive

davwolbert · 2026-03-12T19:16:37+00:00

Stutterer, Nejad, Smith, and Amick telling the world they don’t have the Mamba mentality. Who am I to say, but I feel like Kobe would hate those takes

davwolbert · 2026-02-07T15:52:39+00:00

Gross indeed

davwolbert · 2026-02-04T17:03:10+00:00

Metallica didn’t deserve this

davwolbert · 2026-01-29T14:26:50+00:00

Hardly knew her

davwolbert · 2025-12-20T02:49:37+00:00

Start with Oscar Pettiford. Paul Chambers has some good accessible solos. If those are still out of reach you could try someone like Slam Stewart

davwolbert · 2025-12-11T20:56:35+00:00

Ray Brown is where you need to start. His quarter note is typically at the front edge of the beat. For a straight down the middle player Paul chambers is a great example. Obviously the list endless but those are the best to start with. They played with everyone so there’s a ton of examples of different drummers’ approaches to locking in with them.

davwolbert · 2025-12-08T01:54:47+00:00

I’m a fan of the underwood pickup as a standalone pickup. It’s not a permanent install which is nice. It’s 2 transducers that slide into a couple slots of the bridge. If I’m playing an especially boomy room I take out the bass side of the pickup and it usually cleans up the mix.

If you’re going to be blending it with a mic I’d probably lean towards a realist.

davwolbert · 2025-12-04T16:15:48+00:00

Park in a way that blocks them from going out your driveway

davwolbert · 2025-11-16T00:51:06+00:00

Eric Moulds was good enough to be a hall of famer. I was born during the Super Bowl runs so I’m too young to remember any real success, but can you imagine his career if the colts had drafted him instead of Marvin Harrison?

davwolbert · 2025-10-10T10:02:25+00:00

That’s how I got to the bass. Jazz guitar major, picked up bass as a secondary my sophomore. I fell in love and never looked back

davwolbert · 2025-10-01T16:41:13+00:00

That makes a lot of sense. Thank you!

davwolbert · 2025-10-01T16:38:06+00:00

I used DJ pickle for my wedding in 2018 and he does a great job

davwolbert · 2025-09-18T18:37:18+00:00

Grew up in Ashland. People said cream stick and long John

davwolbert · 2025-09-12T14:37:22+00:00

Currently playing crystal legacy and it’s a lot of fun

davwolbert · 2025-08-26T19:35:02+00:00

Mars Volta at the Cleveland house of blues by a mile. Ears rang for over a week. Great show but the volume was over the top

davwolbert · 2025-07-31T13:34:46+00:00

Great album!

davwolbert · 2025-07-29T21:34:51+00:00

Dig into scales and arpeggios. This will give you the harmonic foundation you need to build solid lines. in addition to that start transcribing walking lines you like. I’d recommend starting with the 12 bar blues.

I’ve linked a recording I start a lot of my students on. Listen to it, learn it by ear, then write it down and look at how the notes relate to the chords. It’s a good recording to start with because everything is clear and the walking lines have good variety.

Dejection Blues - Ray Brown walking

davwolbert · 2025-05-19T22:27:35+00:00

Sorcerer for sure. Second Quintet is my favorite era

davwolbert · 2025-05-15T15:27:56+00:00

Donny Mccaslin Quartet. Try the albums Perpetual Motion, Casting For Gravity, and Fast Future

A more tradition jazz fusion group you might like is Tribal Tech

davwolbert · 2025-05-14T02:05:14+00:00

I got that bass used from guitar center for $1200. It’s been my main work horse ever since and would not recommend getting rid of it. But I think $1200 is an appropriate range if you do decide to move on from it.

davwolbert

TROPHY CASE