My father is a bass player, and even though his instruments had always been around growing up, I'd never played bass before with any seriousness. This had to change abruptly last week.
Our most recent Hollywood Trash show saw me playing bass due to an emergency scheduling conflict on the part of our bassist. With only one day's notice, I had to learn a whole set of material on an instrument with which I had little to no experience.
I rehearsed all day. In the end, it felt quite natural. Could it be genetic? Upbringing? I can't say. I can say that even singing proved doable, and I managed to sing half of the set without too many honker mistakes.
Could this mean a change in lineup? Don't hold your breath. Bass is a different animal. Being tied so hard to the rhythm made it harder to sing syncopated lines. It's much easier to whack at the guitar and be impulsive. As the lead singer, it lets me push the energy harder. Just trying it really made me appreciate my dad's skill and style that much more.
Still, in the moments where I didn't have to sing, I found it to be uniquely engaging. I'd do it again. Hopefully with more time to prepare.
Like father like son?
