Newbie advice please.

Mr Grady · #1 11-24-2006, 10:29 AM

Hi
ive been playing bass for just over a year now and have enjoyed every moment of it.

ive just started taking lessons from a guy who has done it all, gigs, recording, the works. he really was a gem of a find and reckons i have potential.

i have a long time friend i work with, who is a very good drummer/vocalist, and has gigged before.

his friend, who i have not met, is a very good lead guitarist. they had a band going doing rock covers, but lost their bass player.
when i first started playing i joked about being the replacement, but needed to get some hard practice in first.

here is my problem......... im at the stage where i want to jam with these guys (have done so with said drummer) but the guitarist doesnt seem to be keen to get together.

do you think he see's my inexperience as a problem?
am i running before i can walk?
i dont want to gig yet, but do want to start playing with other guys to gain the experience.

any advice would be most appreciated.

cheers.

Justin V · #2 11-24-2006, 11:32 AM

Bring it up with the drummer and see if he can vouch for you. If you're just getting together to jam, then I don't see why the guitarist would have such big issues with it. Though one piece of advice: find out some songs they play before hand and practice them like crazy if you're still a relative beginner. For one it'll make playing with the guys easier and more fun and it'll also show that you're willing to put in work to get better.

And why don't you want to gig? Even after a bunch of rehearsal? I LIVE to get on-stage.

Mr Grady · #3 11-24-2006, 02:35 PM

cheers for the advice.
reason for not gigging is just plain inexperience of playing with others.
all ive done is play alone and to cd's.
maybe give it a little while and see how it goes.
cheers.

trasser · #4 11-24-2006, 04:12 PM

Don't worry about your inexperience, you have to start somewhere. I've jammed at numerous occations and done some really bad cover versions of rock songs, but people seem to find that ok, so just get out there and do it! It all gives experience, and in a few years, you'll be able to laugh at it, instead of being embarrased.
I'd talk to the drummer as well, see what he thinks might be the problem. It isn't necesarilly you, you know.

BaldBass · #5 11-24-2006, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trasser

Don't worry about your inexperience, you have to start somewhere. I've jammed at numerous occations and done some really bad cover versions of rock songs, but people seem to find that ok, so just get out there and do it! It all gives experience, and in a few years, you'll be able to laugh at it, instead of being embarrased.
I'd talk to the drummer as well, see what he thinks might be the problem. It isn't necesarilly you, you know.

This is good advice....just jump in you'll be surprised at how well you do, IMO a few hours in a gig situation = lots and lots of rehersal time.....but stick with the lessons. lessons+ gigs = experience......good luck my friend

Mr Grady · #6 11-25-2006, 10:17 AM

thanks you guys.

i really appreciate the time you took to read my post and reply...........

Dkerwood · #7 11-29-2006, 07:49 PM

FWIW, sometimes people just don't like to jam.

I get invitations just about once a week to come jam with various people. I just don't have time, and often I'm not interested in playing the genre that they want to jam on. Plus, unless it's jamming with my friends, the idea of playing "aimlessly" for an hour or two is pretty irritating and uninteresting to me. I have to be in the right mood to jam and not rehearse specifically.

One more thing - I occasionally get people who ask me if I give lessons. I tell them my price, they stare at me for a moment, and then ask if I just want to "jam sometime". AKA - if I'd like to give a free, unstructured lesson under the guise of "jamming".