How long was it until you joined your first band

[CoolHat]

I joined my first band before I even started playing bass...

Same here. 20 years ago my friends and I decided to form a band; we chose a name, designed a cool logo and stuff. Then we started to think who would play what. I got the bass and haven´t looked back since. To me, playing bass and being in a band have always been synonymous.

I wholeheartedly recommend joining a band or putting up your own ASAP. Playing alone is fine, but playing with others can be one of the greatest joys life has to offer (it´s true with other fields of life too). And playing in a band teaches you skills you just can´t learn by practicing alone. We all know those "bedroom guitarists" with incredible chops. You know, the ones that have memorized ultra-fast solos (from Malmsteen and Satriani and like) note for note, but are completely lost among other musicians.

 

[ladydrummer]

I had played for about 6 to 7 months before I played and gigged in my first band.

 

[j-raj]

About a year paying/practicing prior to a band, about a year or so till that band had a gig (other than house parties), got my first paid gig @ 15 (blues gig, wasn't even with the 'garage' band I was in at the time)... Mom had to cash the check...

About 16 years later... cashing m'own checks for gigs/studio work/lessons/composition svcs that I perform...

love to get paid for what I love 2 do....



...next challenge, phasing out the day job.

 

[SilenceFiction]

yeah a friend of mine suggested playing bass for his band since they dont have a bass player. That was before i even picked out my bass. I knew i was going to play. I'm just a little intimidated about playing with others that have played longer than i have. I've only been playing since christmas and my gear is very much for starters A friend of my GF's family plays guitar/keyboard in a country/rock bar band and says I've got the talent, but i know he means talents without knowledge/experience. So im just trying to figure out when its time to put down the tab books and sheet music and start creating with others.

 

[bill h]

I bought the bass to be in a band!!! We had 3 guitar players and no bass. So I said "I'll by a bass" The rest is history.

We had a gig 6 weeks after we started together. Paying gig 3 weeks after that. (looking back you forget how bad you sucked, and how hard you worked to get something down) I am still with that band and all the same members.

 

[4StringFox]

Joined a garage band about 3 months after I started. Still have yet to play a gig, but you learn so much from playing with other people that you just can't pick up by yourself, and I'm having fun so I'm happy

 

[Caeros]

8 months afterward playing with people far above my level of skill. I still like to jam with people who are more advanced musically than me, it gives me the motivation to improve my playing.

 

[Subculture13]

I bought a bass and joined my friends band that same night.

6 days later I learned 32 Misfits covers and played live. I have been going steady ever since. I had the benefit of some musical training having had played trombone already in High School, but never touched a bass until that day.