First gigs - how long had you been playing bass for?

donward spiral · #1 07-19-2001, 02:52 PM

I'm just wondering. I've been playing bass for under a year and this cool band wants me to play for them, and maybe a record a demo or do some gigs or something. I'm kind of nervous cause I haven't been playing that long, so for how long had all of you been playing and what advice do you have for a first gig/demo/audition?

(this is not the only reason I am nervous, I am also going to be a female bassist in a guy band and everyone is some five years older than me and really good at their instruments. damn I am so nervous.... any advice?)

cafepurgatory · #2 07-19-2001, 09:18 PM

As far as auditioning or recording a demo goes, I'd just say know the lines so well that you can go in with an "I own this gig" kind of confidence in your ability to play them.

As for gigging, at 15, what kind of gigs are you gonna be playing with a bunch of guys 21 and over? This could certainly create a problem for bar gigs, or gigs while you're in school.

jrthebassguy · #3 07-19-2001, 09:30 PM

i played my first gig after playing for about 7 months. Well we only played one song, but hey a gig is a gig.

foolfighter24 · #4 07-19-2001, 11:21 PM

5 weeks! What a mistake! But the bass wasn't loud enough so nobody seemed to notice....phew!

Dave Castelo · #5 07-19-2001, 11:52 PM

i played my first gig after a year and half of starting out

downward spiral · #6 07-20-2001, 06:34 AM

it's not exaclty like that. First of all, two of the guys are 17 and two are 19. I also live in Euopre, where people go to clubs and get drunk at 14 (not me personally) and so none of that is a problem and my parents or the parents of these other 17 year old guys care about the clubs or anything. SEcond of all, I am friends with the 17 year old drummer and so none of this is really that bad.

I mean I'm still nervous but the age factor is not really my main concern here.

Matthew West · #7 07-20-2001, 07:11 AM

I'd been playing for one month. Luckily, we were playing mostly Sex Pistols and Ramones covers at a party.

Rockin John · #8 07-20-2001, 07:15 AM

Hello Downward and welcome to Talk Bass.

I guess the honest answer about length of playing before 1st gig is, in my case, about 25 years!!!!! (I only re-took to the bass before last Christmas and am currently practicing with some of the guys from the old days.)

I played all those years ago as guitarist and very very occasional bassist. I haven't yet - to be honest - played before an audience as a bass player.

The nerves thing is interesting. It's what made me pack in music all that time ago. I would be so wound up that I almost came to hate playing. I'd even get uptight well in advance of playing - yeh, like days in advance. On that point why not try the search facility (the green and blue globe @ top of page) and search for 'nervousness'? I've a thread on there and it's well worth a read because of the superb and very helpful replies I got. It might not exactly match your circumstances but every little helps, I think. There are others' threads on the subject, too.

Good luck.

Rockin John

downward spiral · #9 07-20-2001, 08:45 AM

I looked it up and that actually did help although I already am scared ****less just thinking about a gig. I mean, I still want to do it a lot, so not doing it is not an option, and I have gotten over all my fears in the past.
the only things that seems to help for me is thinking about how I am not the lead singer and so there is less of a chance of being noticed if I **** up and my nervousness won't reflect in my voice...

Rockin John · #10 07-20-2001, 08:52 AM

I guess it's all about being strong enough to not run away from one's fears (like I did). My time's still to come and I'm genuinely not sure how I react.

Amongst other things, I took comfort from those who suggested that know the songs really well breeds confidence. Clearly there's a difference between playing it well @ rehersal and playing the same thing @ a gig. I guess there's only one answer. The gig has to be played in order for us to learn how to cope with all that's entailed in playing the gig....does that make sense?

I'm sure you'll be fine, anyway.

John

downward spiral · #11 07-20-2001, 09:05 AM

I mean, everyone's saying: what's the worst that can happen to you? nothing. but no, for me the worst is:
-I will not be able to move
-I will end up vomiting and it will NOT look like I meant to do this (the only bassist I know who does this is twiggy ramirez of marilyn manson; our band will kind of sound like that, so maybe I can pretend I meant to vomit?)
-I will have no idea of how to play the songs; as in, I will totally black on stage
- I will pass out
- I will perspire all over my bass strings and **** myself up

ugh, the number of ugly things I can see happening are too many! I really need to try some of these anxiety-combating things mentioned.

Rockin John · #12 07-20-2001, 09:17 AM

Well then I reckon you must make some serious attempt to get these songs nailed. I'm sure that'll make a great difference to your confidence. It's like, if you honestly know you can't play the set then, well, you're really on a looser. Is that fair?

What about the others in the band: can they do the songs and / or do them well? If yes then you will slot in behind them, I reckon. If not, well, err...dunno. Yeh, if not, practice your butt off between now and then. The audience will know who in the band sucks and who doesn't. You want them to be saying, in that situation, 'Well the band are a bit cr*p but the bassplayer's really quite good.' Least that way you can hold your head high.

John

downward spiral · #13 07-20-2001, 02:56 PM

no, the band is really really good which does not make me any more confident, but maybe the all over effect will therefore be alright. Yeah, well now my main concern is AUDITIONING for the band, once that gets done I can cope with stage fright...

BassMan2000 · #14 07-20-2001, 10:59 PM

1 year and a half

B-Note Cowboy · #15 07-20-2001, 11:23 PM

I played my first gig about 2 months after starting to play. I just turned my volume down when it was a song I struggled with. Turned it back up when I knew it better. That worked fine.

You also might be surprised to find that you channel your nervous energy into a better, higher energy and more creative performance live than what you do even when you practice.

Go for it!

ColForbs · #16 07-21-2001, 02:28 PM

haha...no one will believe this but a week and a half. After the gig some guy actually came up and complimented me on my playing...(he probably had a few) already knew how to play guitar, piano, and trombone...so I picked it up quick. Plus bass is just my natural match as far as instruments go, and it was very easy for me starting out.

JMX · #17 07-21-2001, 02:58 PM

4 weeks - with the school band.
an 60 min set of covers, I couldn't have done it without my violine experience. Not good, but ok - the mistakes I made went mostly unnoticed. No slap parts required - thank god for that!

oo0o00o0oo · #18 07-21-2001, 10:07 PM

I'm 15 and so are the other members of my band. We played bar gigs....is that legal? All other local bands that I know play(ed) bar gigs.

BassMan2000 · #19 07-21-2001, 11:06 PM

no its not legal ,being a friend of three bar owners which are gigantic bars to say the least, in this city, it's illegal as he said. he had 16 year old who wanted a gig but he said nope underage. all of my friends that are bar owners do that...... so I dunno what your talking about something weird.....

TokaFly · #20 07-22-2001, 02:40 AM

If by gig you mean getting paid to play... never

but I've played hoards of things for free... my first one was a party

i'd been playing for a year... that was 3 years ago, and i still dont think i'm worthy