Just curious how long everyone was playing for when they joined their first band/group, and how long you played with them.
Im sure this thread has been done but im a noob
Im sure this thread has been done but im a noob
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How long was it until you joined your first band
- Thread starter SilenceFiction
- Start date
SilenceFiction said:Just curious how long everyone was playing for when they joined their first band/group, and how long you played with them.
Im sure this thread has been done but im a noob
Hi. Welcome to TalkBass. I have only been playing bass for a bit more than three years and have yet to join a band. I do have some hope that might all be changinging very soon.
About 2 months. Do nothing band that didn't last 3 months. However, I've been in bands pretty much non-stop since then.
I played for about a year and a half before I joined my first band. The band lasted off and on maybe a year and a half. -Luke
under a year, still had a stupid little practice amp but i upgraded my gear pretty fast to get that out of the way.
for me it was within the first couple days i got my squier pack. 
it was kinda weird because no one else in my school played bass at the moment and there were a couple of guys the were in a band with out a bass player that was doing nothing and i joined. i was a good experience and fun at the time, but oddly i am the only one that is still playing in any band. 
it was kinda weird because no one else in my school played bass at the moment and there were a couple of guys the were in a band with out a bass player that was doing nothing and i joined. i was a good experience and fun at the time, but oddly i am the only one that is still playing in any band. 
I bought a bass, and joined a band the next day. In the 2.5 years I have been playing, I have always been in a band.
I have been fortunate enough to play with other excellent musicians that allowed me to learn as I played, and were good enough to "hide" my mistakes.
-Mike
I have been fortunate enough to play with other excellent musicians that allowed me to learn as I played, and were good enough to "hide" my mistakes.
-Mike
i think it was 2 weeks. I started playing for my church youth group...and wow did i suck when i think back on it. One thing about playing in a group/band as opposed to by yourself...I think you progress a lot faster. When I think back to when I first started playing with the band I'm in now, I realized that we have all pushed each other to become better at our instruments. Just my opinion
I think it really depends on how you are defining "band". Just some guys to jam with in the basement for fun? Maybe an ocassional party? I think as soon as possible would be good, nothing like other musicians to get the fire lit.
As far as auditioning for an established, working band? There's no set time frame for this, but I'd wait until you are confident your playing, and equipment is on par with what they are doing. A bad reputation can be hard to lose.
As far as auditioning for an established, working band? There's no set time frame for this, but I'd wait until you are confident your playing, and equipment is on par with what they are doing. A bad reputation can be hard to lose.
I did several of the garage bands that never gigged except for one high school talent show within a couple of years of starting to play.
The first "real" gigging band I joined was an 80% originals band that played 2 to 8 times a month and that started after I had been playing about 3 years.
IF you can find some people to play with try and find some that are a little better than you are. They will help push you up to a new level of playing. Not a whole lot better becuase they won't to keep you around and you don't want to be a whole lot better than the other people becuase you'll get bored quickly.
If you are playing with bandmates that are better than you, they're usally glad to keep you around if they hear improvement in your playing.
GS
The first "real" gigging band I joined was an 80% originals band that played 2 to 8 times a month and that started after I had been playing about 3 years.
IF you can find some people to play with try and find some that are a little better than you are. They will help push you up to a new level of playing. Not a whole lot better becuase they won't to keep you around and you don't want to be a whole lot better than the other people becuase you'll get bored quickly.
If you are playing with bandmates that are better than you, they're usally glad to keep you around if they hear improvement in your playing.
GS
First time I ever played a bass it was in church, in front of people. I had rehearsed 1 song an hour before church started, and played the whole service. Joined my first band a few months later.
I bought my first bass in 1974. I started jamming (badly) with other folks soon after but didn't actually get into a band until 1980 when I hooked up with a bluegrass band at college.
We got paid $30 (the whole band, i.e. each of us got $7.50) and all the beer we could drink (which was a lot) to play in a bar near the campus.
It lasted less than six months because I left for the summer to go on a hiking trip.
We got paid $30 (the whole band, i.e. each of us got $7.50) and all the beer we could drink (which was a lot) to play in a bar near the campus.
It lasted less than six months because I left for the summer to go on a hiking trip.
I was lucky enough to have two of my friends (a guitarist and a drummer) start around the same time as me. We did our first show about one year later. It was crappy as h3LL. 
I think it must have been about 6 months after I started playing. Luckily for me, one of my best friends was a great guitar player... he taught me alot and really helped me be a better player.
Ironically, that band gigged the most, usually 4 times a week at local punk shows, for about a year and a half. I'm glad I'm out of the ska/punk phase of my playing, but man, I sure do miss gigging that much.
Ironically, that band gigged the most, usually 4 times a week at local punk shows, for about a year and a half. I'm glad I'm out of the ska/punk phase of my playing, but man, I sure do miss gigging that much.
I've been playing for a year and 2 months. Still no band, but I have a good feeling that will change, since the drummer of a friend's band will basically be left alone when all of those seniors go to college. We would still need a guitarist, but i've got another friend (wow I have 2 friends!, lol, JK) who plays guitar.
Bought my bass so I could join my friend's band. They kicked me out after 6 months because I was so bad (they all had been playing for at least 5 years).
Been in bands here and there the past 4 years and am getting one off the ground this weekend hopefully. I am jamming with the guitar player to see if we would be able to work out the band.
Been in bands here and there the past 4 years and am getting one off the ground this weekend hopefully. I am jamming with the guitar player to see if we would be able to work out the band.
Rock/blues bands: Started learning to play guitar in 1980, joined my first band as a drummer in 1985 - switched to guitar in 1986 and then picked up bass seriously in 1993 or so. Played in a number of bands off and on between 1985 and today. Incidentally, I'm back playing with the first guy I ever formed a band with back when we were teenagers.
Pipe bands: I think I was a member of the band upon birth since my dad was involved with this pipe band since HE was 13 and was the Pipe Major when I was born. Learned how to play Scottish snare drum about 25 years ago and was "playing" (more like marching along carrying a drum, to start with) with the band from day 1. I played with this pipe band off and on until about 2 years ago.
DD
Pipe bands: I think I was a member of the band upon birth since my dad was involved with this pipe band since HE was 13 and was the Pipe Major when I was born. Learned how to play Scottish snare drum about 25 years ago and was "playing" (more like marching along carrying a drum, to start with) with the band from day 1. I played with this pipe band off and on until about 2 years ago.
DD
