when did you join a band ?

havik180 · #1 12-01-2006, 09:25 PM

I'm 26 and I've been playing , all alone

, for about a year and I've been wanting to get with at least a drummer just to jam.

I feel like I'm almost TOO old to join a band and that I should be a better player before I even jam with anyone.

So I'm wondering how old you were when you joined your first band ? And how long had you been playing ?

spudmaster34 · #2 12-01-2006, 09:28 PM

I was 13 and had been playing for about 1.5 years, I would suggest you just go try it, nothing bad can really happen as long as you are nice and accept people "advice" when you are playing with them

massacOre · #3 12-01-2006, 09:31 PM

26 is pretty old.

I first joined a band back in the 7th grade. I'm a sophomore in college now and been playing with the same band since.

Oh, I've been playing I think for eight years now. But I swear I'm not as good as many people may think whenever I throw out that 'eight years' stuff. heh..

RareBear · #4 12-01-2006, 09:46 PM

'79 at the age of 23

ihateusernames · #5 12-01-2006, 09:48 PM

started playing when we started a band....in '87 or so...it's blurry.

havik180 · #6 12-01-2006, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by massacOre

26 is pretty old.

I guess I'm already over the hill !?

**BullHorn** · #7 12-02-2006, 03:15 AM

I've been playing for 9 months or so, joined a band a month ago.

Ahoy punk rock root note mindless banging. :P

vindy500 · #8 12-02-2006, 03:16 AM

i started a band when i started playing

Grimlock · #9 12-02-2006, 03:32 AM

I've been in two bands, but they never got off the ground, aside from occasional jams that amounted to very little.

Both times the bands sort of dissolved around me. Weird.

massacOre · #10 12-02-2006, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by havik180

I guess I'm already over the hill !?

Well, I'm won't be the one to tell that to you.

Consider the factors that'll determine your chances. Consider your skill level, whether a certain band is interested in what you deliver, the competition in your area, etc.

Consider all that, and then ask yourself how much do you want it.

ALiP BoB · #11 12-02-2006, 03:45 AM

I formed a band when I wanted attention in school... That's where it all started.
I matured a lot after that, with a LOT of help from Talkbass. Thanks guys!

Synplicity · #12 12-02-2006, 03:51 AM

ive been playing for nearly 7 years now, created/joined the band about 4 years ago.

Yeah props to talkbass for helping me with alot of stuff!

lawsonman · #13 12-02-2006, 08:38 AM

You're never too old to join a band.I joined my first band in 1964 at the age of 12.My nephew joined his first band when he was 30 and is having a ball.Age means nothing.

Alex · #14 12-02-2006, 09:18 AM

I have been playing in "bands" with my friends ever since I started playing in 4th grade, but have really only gotten serious lately. Don't be worried about not being good enough for a band, just have fun playing!

mvw356 · #15 12-02-2006, 09:25 AM

i'm 26 and i don't feel to old to be in a band. playing with other people will teach you much more than anything else, so go out and find some people to jam with, it's never too late.

i joined my first band when i was 15, but that doesn't mean anything.

Mark Perry · #16 12-02-2006, 09:42 AM

I started playing in a punk band with two friends (drummer and guitarist) a few months after starting bass (at about 16 years old). Started practicing with my church band a few months after starting and started playing in church after about 6 months. I occasionally play with the guitarist with my church band on bigger city/county wide events, nice coincidence! And i'm in a funk/soul band with the drummer.

I've heard of people starting in their fifties - no age is too old, just go for it!

El-Bob · #17 12-02-2006, 01:23 PM

16 playing for 3 months & started a band two weeks ago with an amazing guitarist, decent drummer, and a singer who plays clarinet when he isn't singing, which is weird for a metal band

BillyB_from_LZ · #18 12-02-2006, 01:42 PM

I think it was Billy Sheehan who said (in one of his videos) that if you learn all of the songs on an "album" side and play along, it's like being in the band.

I'd say go for it as soon as you can. Personally, I feel that playing with myself in the bassment...I mean practicing alone, gets boring rather quickly and my playing suffers...and has for a long, long time.

Wesley R · #19 12-02-2006, 08:08 PM

am looking for one now at 52.

Best of Luck,
Wesley R.

4sakenbass · #20 12-03-2006, 09:21 PM

I joined my first band at 19, 2 weeks after buying a bass.
Now I'm 32 and after 5 years of not being in bands, joined a band a couple months ago and play more gigs now than when I was younger.