overwhelmed with new band

[knadles]

The first band I was in...I knew the guitar player and the drummer. Guitarist heard I played bass and asked me to join them. I wasn't very good. I told them I appreciated the opportunity, and if they felt the need to replace me with someone better, no hard feelings.

I ended up playing with the guitarist for 10 years, through 4-5 different bands. I learned a lot. I remember driving home from rehearsal one day a couple of years in and thinking, "I AM a bass player!"

To my mind, there are several big steps when you're learning to play. The first is picking up the instrument. The second is practicing at home and playing along with recordings. The next big one...and this is really huge...is playing in a combo with other people. The next giant one after that is playing in front of a crowd. Each of those steps moved me forward in my playing to where I am today: a fair-to-middlin' bar-band bass player!

But seriously. If they let you play with them, enjoy it and do your best. You'll learn a lot, and if you part ways, you'll go into the next band with more experience and improved skills. We've all been there.

Hope that helps. -Pete

 

[David Sutkin]

Playing with better players than you is the single best way to get good FAST. Congrats- Stick to it!

+1

 

[LarryG]

Congrats on getting the spot!

Two things that may not have been mentioned:

Some music sounds better with a simpler / purer bass line that grooves and moves the song along. Nothing wrong with that at all!

Also, being selected for a band involves more than skill, technique or even experience... it's chemistry, trust, ability to work well with others as a team, likability, etc. You obviously passed the test!

All the best... take care of yourself; do your homework; and show up on time, prepared, and supportive of the group. You'll be someone they wanna hang around with, and successful.

/L

 

[handofdumb]

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)

There's a lot of great advice in this thread and this may have been said already, but being around people BETTER than you is a good thing

My dad gave me this advice when I was starting out. Playing with people better than you pushes you to keep up. So long as you keep trying, you're gonna start doing things you didn't even know you could! This idea has been a huge reason why I feel like my playing/technique been stagnating - I'm not around anyone that challenges me musically.

I vote that you keep at it!

 

[Alphatone]

Surrounding yourself with better musicians is a sure fire way to improve yourself.

A good way to keep from being overwhelmed is to track your progress in any way you can. Keep recordings of rehearsals or something. Try your best to have concrete markers of progress that you can use to counter those feelings of inadequacy when they come up.

 

[retslock]

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)

It's ALWAYS better to play with musician's better than yourself. Make it a priority to do so all your career.
You can't control what others think of you but you can control how you approach your craft. Do your homework - there is no substitute. Know the material, play in time, play in tune but above all GROOVE and have fun learning.

 

[alembicman86]

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)

You do NOT have to be Stanley Clark to play in a viable project. Your job is to lay down the root notes, keep in the pocket with the drummer and provide what is needed to the best of your ability. If these guys you are playing with are happy with your performance then you're doing alright.

 

[average joe]

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)

Sounds like me when I had been playing for just a couple of years,my drummer and guitar player were light years ahead of me but didn't seem to mind,so I took jazz bass lessons for about 1.5 yrs because I wanted to improve my playing.Im still playing 34 yrs later and having a great time.

 

[TH63]

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)

I prefer being the least experienced in the band. I learn and grow that way.

 

[TH63]

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)

I've always heard said that if you're not immediately great at something, you should just give up and never try it again. Seems like sound advice.

A wise man named Homer once told his young son Bart, if it's not easy when you first start it probably wasn't worth doing in the first place.

 

[BrianRoze]

If it hasn't been said yet, be available and be on time. I'm not sure what it says about my playing, but I probably get more thanks from the BL for my punctuality and dedication to the band then for my playing...

 

[Kevin Colt]

my first time on stage I was so nervous that I stepped on the mike cords and yanked the whole side out of the old bogen challenger pa we were using, had to plug the mikes into the amps to continue. needless to say it sounded terrible but we were hired at that place numerous times over the years. you'll get over that shyness and in time will become an invaluable asset to the group. if they're giving you a chance, take it.

 

[outlet3000]

Update

They brought in a rhythm guitarist who's brilliant at helping me tab new songs out then letting me move things around the neck - I'm now confident playing the song list we have.

Even picked up a guitar to help with some bad habits (pinky finger, using a pick, finger placement) Early days but now I sometimes know what the guitarist is playing so that speeds things up

 

[TH63]

If it hasn't been said yet, be available and be on time. I'm not sure what it says about my playing, but I probably get more thanks from the BL for my punctuality and dedication to the band then for my playing...

Yup, I agree with that. A paid gig is a job. You show up on time dress well and do your best, you keep the job.

 

[outlet3000]

Update

not alot happaning with the band. It's still on but everyone has to deal with life

Still - picked up alot but.. still think music is just a small thing for me

Also anyone who likes bass should pick up a guitar or hop on drums.
You willl find you're good at both + they help with your bass\fills

I enjoy rythem guitar it's just fun to slam the strings with distortion and power chords - anything sounds good with distortion if you can play a song in bass you can play rythem (more song tab options)

with power chords the bassist is king

also when you ask your guitarist to show you the song tell them to finger muste the strings. finger mute habit looks confusing.

 

[ScrewDevil]

Same kind of thing happened to me when I first joined an actual band except I was more or less shanghaied by a couple older friends with actual working band experience. I just kept learning the material and practicing with them until I got used to playing with actual people. We were playing out, for money, within 2 months. Just relax, do your homework and do what you do, bro.

 

[Milo Spleen]

I hadn't played in years when my guitarist asked me if I wanted to play. I was certainly in for the same challenge as the OP, but within a year I was wearing tuxedos and was a REAL bassist. 45 years later and I have elevated to the Mediocre Bassist's Club.