going studying abroad (NIU)- without my bass

[bladerunner]

please feel free to share your opinions on this or if you have any similar experiences...

I am a bassist from denmark currently pursuing a degree in business english...I also currently play in two bands - one cover band and one original. So recently I was allocated a position at northern illinois university as an undergraduate student to study during the spring semester of 2005. Everybody pursuing the same degree as I are recommended to take one semester studying abroad, so I thought yeah hell why not. Many people study english here in denmark, so it's not easy to be allocated a position, and it's a great experience (least thats what i've been told).

I have been playing the bass for just 4 years, and this year I did more than 20 concerts (which is many to me) with great success, and I really love playing with the two bands that I'm in. None of my bands are 'professional', but I play with people who have played for much longer than me and have a very 'professional' attitude towards the music. Fortunately both bands have assured me that I can join as soon as I return.

But still, theres basically two things: I feel bad leaving the bands for my own sake, even though it's in favor of my so-called professional carrier. I know its a pain to find a new bassplayer, and I know that its a pain to start from scratch because a bandmember has to become a part of the band musically as well as socially. And doing this for just 6 months of gigging...and also especially my cover band is starting to sound very well (we've played together for just one year), and everybody is motivated and engaged in the music as well as all the practical stuff.

The second thing is concerning just my bass playing, leaving it here and not knowing if I will have time to do anything music while abroad. I love playing and practising bass playing, and I usually play the bass every day.

I sincerely hope to be able to play the bass while studying in the US, even though I would have to buy or borrow a bass and investigate the music environment at NIU.

Anyways, I am looking forward to go abroad. If anyone has any idea of whats going on in music at NIU, please tell.

And oh, feel free to visist my cover bands website - sorry it's in danish. www.nutidens-unge.dk

[Dr. Cheese]

I think that you will enjoy NIU. It is a large school of about 25,000 students and it is not very far from Chicago. You could actually tour the Lakland factory some time when you can fit it into your schedule. Being from Denmark, you will be able to handle the winters in that area which can get very cold, but the summers will be much hotter than what you are used to. If you can, bring your bass, there will propbably be lots of musicians around. If you can't, it won't be hard to pick one up while you are at NIU. As a professor, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you to study and not get too caught up in the music and social aspect. best of luck on your experience and happy New Year!

[jondog]

I went to NIU, it's in the middle of nowhere if you don't have a car, so make friends w/ some car people so you can go to Chicago once in awhile. Bring a little extra money and order a cheap bass and a headphone amp from www.rondomusic.com so you can keep playing. When I went there in the early '90s, there was a halfway decent music scene in town (DeKalb), it's close enough to Chicago that a few bigger bands would come through once in awhile (I saw the Black Crowes on campus, Steppenwolf at Cornfest [yes they have Cornfest, they also invented barbed wire], and Rick Derringer at Otto's) and of course there are local bands. Otto's used to have a weekly open mic night, if they don't anymore I'm sure some other venue has filled the gap - it's a big enough school that if you put an ad up you can find people to jam with. Have fun, and don't forget to study once in awhile!