overwhelmed with new band

[BooDoggie]

Bass has always been a small hobby and these guys are so far ahead of me, I even explained this to them and think they only picked me up due to the lack of bass players in the area.

Sounds like my life all over again. I started playing bass with a group of guy's that were several years older than me when I was 16 and still in high school. They played all original stuff and I had little to no experience playing bass. My dad was a bass player so I had the gear and bass players were very hard to find. It was a great experience that taught me a lot about playing with other musicians and about what I should be playing on bass. ( I started playing guitar at 10 and never tried bass until I was 14.)

Am I just overthinking this and trying too hard ?

Overthinking = YES... Trying too hard = Will never happen...
Stick with it and learn - you can only grow as a bass player as I did. I was eventually pushed out of my first REAL band because I was too young to play in bars and clubs, but I really learned a lot from it. I went on to play bass instead of guitar and played at a pro level for more than 30 years with many rock and country bands.

I'm a shy guy with low self esteem and often put up with panic attacks.

Wow... I wonder if you are my long lost brother!!! - But seriously, I 'm right there with you on that. Now imagine yourself in 10 to 20 years standing on a stage in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans like I have and you'll do just fine.

EDIT: Don't concentrate on learning songs. Learn your instrument and all of the things you can do with it...

 

[Rasmusraye]

What Mr. Ace said!
I was recently thrown head first into my first "learn these 15 songs in 4 days, no rehearsals and be ready to play on the count of 4" gig for lack of better term. The rhythm section consisted of me on bass, a drummer and keys player both of whom had 40+ years of experience on their instruments compared to my 8 years on bass. Sure i had to put quite a bit of time into practicing the songs to somewhat keep up with the other musicians but oh boy was it worth it. Playing with people with more experience than you and being put out of your comfort zone is amazing learning tools that can´t be substituted practicing on your own. Was it perfect from my side? No, not completely, but my performance was well above what i thought i could pull off under these conditions.

So my advice is, as many other mentioned, stick with the band, you are probably doing better than you might think, after all they chose you, and while you are at it, gather as much knowledge as you can from the more experienced band members as this will surely accelerate your craft as a musician.

 

[AshInAmsterdam]

I can only speak for myself, but it's when playing with a band that my anxiety subsides. It's the bands I've been in in the last 2 years that brought me back from a terrible time.

Right now I'm working on an EP with a guitarist I met a year ago. I've been playing 25 years, he's been playing 3. I'm 37 he's 19. He runs rings around me, but that doesn't matter. It's fun and we're creating good music.

Now my only anxiety comes from that we will soon look for a drummer to complete the triangle....

 

[Spidey2112]

What! HERE???

No... actually, OVER THERE!!!

 

[LanEvo]

Simple advice: bring a pen and pad of paper with you.

When the bandleader/songwriter brings in a new song, ask him to tell you the chord changes. Write out the chords that make up the verse, chorus, intro, outro, bridge, etc.

Basically, you're making a quick-n-dirty chart for each song. That gives you a crutch to lean on in case you feel lost: you won't have to rely solely on your ears to follow along.

If you're making up a new baseline from scratch, you can just follow along your homemade chord chart. If you don't have any great ideas, just hit the roots in time to the kick drum. As long as you're in time and on key, no one will complain! Now, you can listen to the song evolve. Since you're already in time, on key, and not lost ... it'll free up some brainpower to maybe come up with something more interesting.

 

[Pocket4]

My mantra is always find better players than me, and bring a good workman attitude.

 

[buldog5151bass]

THEY picked YOU. Relax, enjoy, and do your best.

 

[bikeplate]

Play as much as you can with as many people as you can. You will get better and build confidence

 

[AcridSaint]

Being overwhelmed by bands has always driven my skill level up. It's also super stressful. But, as long as they aren't giving you a hard time and you continue to play the songs better with each session, I'd say you're doing fine.

 

[Kukulkan61]

Take it on, challenges are good and it only makes you better, I was at a point where I didn't want to play any music I wasn't familiar with I was in a comfort zone and all that does is limit your capabilities...

 

[Nashrakh]

The instrument to be in over your head is bass. We're in enough demand and short enough supply that we can get away with that. Work your butt off and you'll likely keep the gig for a very long time.

Exactly. It's one of the nice things about bass that our parts usually don't need to be overly complex to work in an ensemble context.

I've recently joined a big band and was in way over my head too. I basically had to kickstart my sightreading within a month or two or I would've gone nowhere fast. The music was fast and reading it was like playing golf blindfolded. If I hit anything, it was more luck than skill. Now, we got another conductor to fill in for the old one, and he wants me to just pound the quarter notes, root five ideally, none of that fancy stuff, just be the band's timekeeper (he relies on bass for that instead of drums - the man also has a severe hearing impairment, last rehearsal he told me to turn up as loud as I can, it was quite amazing to sit in a room with 20 people in it, and be louder than the trumpets or the drums...).

And what can I say, the band obviously sounds better if I stick to my limited skills and core responsibilities than try to flex my muscles and make the band sound awful because half of what I play is garbage.

Less is more sometimes.

 

[DirtyDuke]

This was my exact experience 30 years ago. I was 16 and joined an established bar band. Playing with people Better, especially if they are understanding and helpful will make u a better bassist. I stayed in that band until the end of university and still talk to the guys.

My keyboardist in that band was extremely helpful and gave me some great advice......USE THE FORCE, LOL He always said play the song, don't let it play you. Listen to the songs until they are instinct, it 2ill give you the confidence to try new things. Learn the simple version and gradually built on it...he was also the songwriter in the band and would never tell me the key or the chord changes.........then I was free...... I could move around the song and not be hung up on the root notes.....it was very liberating and scary for a teenager...

Most of all have fun......

 

[QweziRider]

Am I just overthinking this and trying too hard ?

Yes, you are. Just enjoy it, do your thing, get better and better, and enjoy your time with them. For what it's worth - my first bass gig? A squillion years ago, a gospel quartet (not complex music - sound familiar?) picked up this kid who had never touched a bass, and a week later that kid was gigging with them.

You got this.

 

[bolophonic]

If they are willing to take on a relative newcomer, I would look at it as a good opportunity to groom yourself into a stronger, more versatile player. If you are not a flashy bassist by nature, keep it simple and concentrate on drilling down the pocket with the drummer. All you have to do is try.

 

[Mike Sorr]

Hey guys sorry if this is a weird post.

I've been playing bass for around 3\4 years now - just simple songs or making my own stuff up so decided to post an ad looking for other hobby musicians who where bord of playing to CD's.
Withing a week I was asked to join this band. We've had one practice session, playing the singers own songs (nothing complex)

My problem is I'm feeling pretty useless - Bass has always been a small hobby and these guys are so far ahead of me, I even explained this to them and think they only picked me up due to the lack of bass players in the area.
Am I just overthinking this and trying too hard ? I'm a shy guy with low self esteem and often put up with panic attacks. can you guys give me some advise, talk me down or examples from your own experience of your first band?

Should i give up and go back to hitting things with sticks ? (Drummer joke)

Playing with musicians who are more advanced than you is a great way to get better yourself. You should stick it out and enjoy the ride. Practice, practice, practice...

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Just about everyone I play with is better than me. So?

IN my case I can eliminate "Just about" and "I play with" from that statement.

When I first started playing in the Garage Band, about a half century ago, the keyboard player was way better, the drummer was way better, even the guitar player who only knew three chords at first, was better. When I quit, they were all still better than me. But we were all better than when we started.

 

[NOVAX]

I have panic attacks. Anxiety. Low self esteem. I'm a basket case. People who don't or won't or can't play bass will not realize that IT'S THE THING THAT HOLDS THE WHOLE DEAL TOGETHER. Read between the lines. You're so important that nobody in your band can even fathom it. Not even you. Give yourself a chance. Take over and dominate the groove. It's yours for the taking.

 

[PauFerro]

Hey guys sorry if this is a weird post.

Bass has always been a small hobby and these guys are so far ahead of me, I even explained this to them and think they only picked me up due to the lack of bass players in the area.

Am I just overthinking this and trying too hard ? I'm a shy guy with low self esteem and often put up with panic attacks. can you guys give me some advise, talk me down or examples from your own experience of your first band?

Should i give up and go back to hitting things with sticks ? (Drummer joke)

Here is my advice

1. Consider yourself fortunate -- Pat Metheny said if you're the best guy in the band, get a different band. You will learn a lot of from these guys, and it should motivate you to practice (if you are like me). Consider this a great find!

2. Don't show any low self-esteem stuff. If you show it, they will likely treat you that way. And they may see you in lower ways they wouldn't otherwise see you. Keep all the low self-esteem stuff to yourself, or tell a loved one or something, or write it in your journal, but don't let it show.

3. Realize that of all instruments, in my view, bass is the one that's easiest to be a beginner in a band full of talented players. I play jazz and the guys I play with are monsters. I am struggling to keep up with solos that are inside the changes all the time, and fluid. But if you can keep good time, and are easy to get along with, and come to rehearsal prepared, you should do fine....particularly if it's as simple as you say...

4. By the way, I had very low self-esteem when I was younger, and I find that by just ignoring and doing my best most of the things I'm worried about never happen....I'd work on your self-esteem too -- but that is a whole new thread (and discussion forum)..

Short advice - take this great opportunity and enjoy it!!

 

[Shishka Bob]

The paradox of anxiety is this: Avoid it to increase it. Endure it to decrease it.

Advise here on being a bass player may or may not pay off, but this advise on anxiety you can absolutely trust.

 

[madbass6]

Hey guys sorry if this is a weird post.

I've been playing bass for around 3\4 years now - just simple songs or making my own stuff up so decided to post an ad looking for other hobby musicians who where bord of playing to CD's.
Withing a week I was asked to join this band. We've had one practice session, playing the singers own songs (nothing complex)

My problem is I'm feeling pretty useless - Bass has always been a small hobby and these guys are so far ahead of me, I even explained this to them and think they only picked me up due to the lack of bass players in the area.
Am I just overthinking this and trying too hard ? I'm a shy guy with low self esteem and often put up with panic attacks. can you guys give me some advise, talk me down or examples from your own experience of your first band?

Should i give up and go back to hitting things with sticks ? (Drummer joke)

One advise I always give my students is always try to soround yourself with musicians above your level or at the very least at your level! This way you'll always progress or atleast stay at your level! The problem with Playing with musicians that suck more then you is that eventually you'll end up stepping down at there level! Not cool!! So if I was you I'll be counting my blessings! Stick to it, go for it!!