How many of you are *not* in a band

alteredform · #1 03-08-2009, 08:24 PM

I am curious how many of our fellow Talkbass members are *not* in a band or do not gig. What is your current situation, how do you keep yourself motivated, and do you want your situation to change?

shamus63 · #2 03-08-2009, 09:09 PM

No regular band for me since '06; plenty of hired-gun gigs.

Joe Gress · #3 03-08-2009, 09:12 PM

Raises hand.

I really want to join or start one again though.

jollygiantchris · #4 03-08-2009, 09:33 PM

<---Not in a band

Have yet to find people that want to play stoner/doom/prog/post/psych/groove in my area.

I keep myself motivated by constantly writing sections/riffs. Most of them are crap but some of them are really good and I file em for later use. I would like to join a band very much but a little frustrated and am considering switching to guitar as I can write a cool bassline but have trouble writing a song bass only.

SelenaBassGirl · #5 03-08-2009, 09:56 PM

I am not...
I sit in occasionally with my boyfriend's band for a song or two (he plays bass also) but not in a band. I have had several offers these past few months but passed them up until I feel I am ready. Meanwhile I am just enjoying jamming with them and getting experience.

nortonrider · #6 03-08-2009, 10:17 PM

I'm not.
I play with a lot of different musucians and have played as a "fill in" on gigs and "set in" a quite few times.
but really, I just like making music and am not much into being an "entertainer". I would rather jam than worry about putting on a show.
You know "Dance Monkey...Dance!" that just ain't me.

uethanian · #7 03-08-2009, 10:31 PM

i play in school, and i sub sometimes. last band i was in was horrible, so i've sworn off it until i'm in college

**embellisher** · #8 03-08-2009, 11:26 PM

No longer in a band, but I do play at church 3 services per week.

froglips · #9 03-08-2009, 11:41 PM

I have been playing guitar for 20+ years and was never in a band, or really palyed with other humans. This was mostly because I do not think I am good enough to pull it off. Well, as a lead guitarist anyway. I am sure I could pull it off as a rythm guitarist though.

Then I picked up the Bass about a month ago now, and I feel that within another couple of months I could play Bass in a band, or at the very least jam with others much easier than if I tried it with a guitar.

In a few months I plan to put an add on Craigs list looking for people to jam with on the weekends in the Phoenix area. As a matter of fact, if YOU live in the Phoenix area and want to get together and jam on the weekends, just send me an e-mail through this site and I shall get back to you ASAP.

Crass! · #10 03-09-2009, 02:50 AM

not in a band. Maybe one of these days.

toytech · #11 03-09-2009, 07:27 AM

Just my living room. Motivation is tough sometimes.

WRXbase · #12 03-09-2009, 07:37 AM

I was playing with some guys at work, but we've only played once or twice since our show at a company party LAST summer. Thanks in most part to the guitar player thinking that volume = tone.

I now own an SWR Super Redhead. Let's see the next hammerhead try that.

emor · #13 03-09-2009, 07:50 AM

Last band I was in was in '06.

I currently fill in occasionally with a couple of bands, and I play at 3 or 4 blues jams a week, but that is growing kind of stale. I am almost always working on something that challenges me in the woodshed, but usually have no performing outlet for it.

I am open to the idea of playing in another band, and have have actually been kicking around the idea, but it would have to be the "right" situation, the definition of which is still somewhat nebulous. I've recently been checking out a lot of (new to me) stuff on YouTube and iTunes, and trying to narrow my preferences. The hardest part would be to then find like-minded players.

The only reason for me to make a commitment at this point would be if it allowed me to grow and do something different. But I don't simply want to join yet another band doing "Stormy Monday," " Mustang Sally," etc. Gigging would be nice because performing in public is a great motivator, but when I think of all the hassles involved for fifty bucks a night, well...been there, done that.

I would be interested in hearing what other alternatives people have come up with to satisfy their desire to play, while at the same time avoiding the stagnation that always seems to occur with playing the same old stuff in a part-time bar band.

spade2you · #14 03-09-2009, 09:19 AM

Not in a serious band. There's demand for bassists, but not by good bands. Good gigs are very hard to get at the moment.

Cover bands are ok, but on the local level they're pretty generic. Basically they all have the SAME set list and same B grade quality. On top of that, they generally play every Friday and Saturday for minimal $ (due to an abundance).

The original bands are OK, but the musicians are often flakes and have horrible egos!

I've been in and out of bands for many years, but don't have anything to show for it due to quitters. I'm kinda involved in a couple recording projects, but I'm focusing on road biking and road racing this summer as well as brewing beer. Been a musician for more than a decade and I have more to how for brewing and biking with only 2 years under my belt.

crayzee · #15 03-09-2009, 09:56 AM

Used to be in a band for 8 years. That was up until '02 when egos got in the way. Just started to get back in the saddle after not really playing much since then. Trying to get a hold of a dude I met at a party who said his band, who played the kinda stuff I want to play, was looking for a bassist. That was back in January. Hopefully, he's still looking.

Otherwise, I just try to challenge myself to learn what I need to know. I was self-taught but I have big gaps in my knowledge. Found a nifty book on the weekend on harmony that should help me fill them a bit.

sarcastro83 · #16 03-09-2009, 10:33 AM

nothing serious going on... I was jamming with some dudes, then work got hectic and I had to take my cat in for surgery, putting me back a lot of cash that I would otherwise use for renting hourly jam space. I haven't heard from them in like three weeks.

Anyone in Toronto know of anyone who wants to play doom?

LongHairFreak · #17 03-09-2009, 11:17 PM

Band? Nope!
Want it? Absolutely!
Motivation? Dunno. Just keep plucking along I guess. (Yes. That is a blatently stupid pun).

cb56 · #18 03-10-2009, 07:29 PM

After 30 plus years of playing in bands, I finally retired. I play in church 2-3 times a month.
Do I miss it???
Not much.

steve21 · #19 03-10-2009, 07:58 PM

No band... haven't in a long time

I hardly ever play nowadays, I just come here to post in off topic.

afinalfantasy · #20 03-10-2009, 08:46 PM

I'm not, never really felt like being in one either. I play as a hobby along to tunes, same with guitar.