How long did you play before gigging?

[lilcrate]

How long did you play before joining a band and how long before playing out?

 

[alexlocurto]

I played about a year before my first gig, and probably about three before I played consistently.

 

[Jungy]

I joined a band before I started playing, and gig was a month or so later.

 

[gjbassist]

If you count church praise band as gigging then I actually learned to play while gigging! I was asked to switch from guitar to bass because we had three guitar players and no bass player.
As far as a bar/club gig it was a bit less than a year. The stuff I was doing then was so basic and I couldn't play and sing at the same time.

 

[riskmetal]

I joined a band at the same time i began playing, and didn't play a show until a year or so down the line. Maybe about 2 or so years till I was comfortable.

 

[two fingers]

Got picked to play bass in the jazz band at school. Took the schools bass home to learn how to play it. Guy found out I "played bass". Six weeks later I was 15 years old in a working band of thirty something year old guys playing two or three shows every single weekend.

 

[JMacBass65]

How long did you play before joining a band and how long before playing out?

A few months, maybe around a year. It was a long time ago.

Of course, it was a party w/ about 30 people, but it was playing out.

It was about two years before I played an actual paying gig. By that I mean, we paid - after the take at the door we paid the bar tab and the house sound guy, and the net was negative $$.

 

[kikstand454]

Originally played guitar. Started in 10th grade, had my first show senior year..... played ALOT of shows after graduating.

After switching to bass, probably played maybe 6mos before our first gig, but that was mostly because we were writing songs and didn't have enough material to play a show till then.

 

[Uncle Walt]

14 days. Don't be afraid to suck nothing will improve your playing faster than playing with a band.

 

[Bassamatic]

My guitar teacher gave me one bass lesson. I banged around on a terrible rental for about 2-3 months, than he got me a gig with another student's band, and I had to buy a real bass and amp!

 

[Nagrom]

I played my first set 45 minutes after buying my first bass, on the way home from the store. True story. I had a few years of guitar playing behind me, I stopped in at the jam and confided to my friend Vern that I had bought a bass. He asked if I had it with with me, I said "Ya its in the car". He said "Go get it, I'm up next and you're playing with me."

 

[fdeck]

I started music lessons at age 6 or 7. When I was around 15, my cello teacher had to turn down a gig, and recommended me. It was in the pit orchestra for a community musical theater production, playing "Oklahoma." My mom had to drive me to my first paid gig!

While in middle school, I got recruited for the school jazz band because the teacher knew that I could read bass clef. I tried to play the school's upright basses, but they were all in horrible repair and I had no teacher, so I got an electric bass worked my way through my cello etude books over the summer.

The kids in the jazz band rhythm section formed a rock band, and we played a couple of gigs while in high school -- they were like pre-teen dances and pool parties, organized by adults.

Those gigs were all pretty much dumb luck. I wasn't serious about paid gigging until many years later, and in fact I was on the fence about whether I wanted to go with jazz, rock, or classical.

 

[Broadstbully22]

I've been a lead singer for 15 years. I was between bands then my buddy who was a lead singer in a different band left and we had a opportunity to do this project. Vocally driven cover band. All members sing lead, harmonies and play. I bought a bass, showed up to practice. Six months later our first gig, the rest is history. Now we are playing every weekend, are booked 18 months out and are full of talent. Every show is better then the last. It's really been like no other experience I've had before and I've become a pretty solid bass player thanks to my friends, talkbass and just falling in love with this instrument.

 

[Humbled]

Having started piano at eight years old, I was playing a Wurlitzer organ in a cover band at 14. The bass player wanted to be the second guitar player in the band, so he hired a better keyboard player than I was. I had just bought a bass and amp to duo with a guitar buddy, so his diabolical scheme fell into place. Screwed by the biz at 14, I was immediately the bass player. We played foosball arcades and a sometimes "opened for the headliner" at school dances. It was the early 1970's, and an outstanding time was had indeed.

 

[Hamlet7768]

A year and nine months before my first gig. Been a little over a month since then.

 

[Joe Louvar]

Years later. I started learning in grade school and my first gig wasn't until junior high - that was back in the 60s before the internet, TB, YT, and etc, existed.

 

[cleary]

I joined a jazz band having never played jazz, or bass. Had played some guitar over the years, but nothing serious. Brought my cheapo ibanez and practice amp and went for it.

3 weeks later, played my first gig - I was lucky that there was some crossover with the guy I was replacing (who was the best bassist the town has ever seen), and he helped me a lot.

When the pressure's on, you have no choice but to learn quickly (or leave, of course )

 

[joebar]

we were 15 years old and my friend had a band
he got stuck for a bassist so I learned to play the original tunes and played the show at high school in 6 days.
true story.
songs were very easy and mistakes were made.

 

[mrwink]

On the job training when I switched from guitar to bass!

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

I am taking an educated guess as this was a while ago but I was playing with a band within 6 months and had my first gig within the first year if not sooner.