Should I join my colleges big band or avoid embarrassing myself?

[Bass Motifs]

Give it a go, dont say no!

Your sight reading comment reminded me of the nuns I had my first music lessons from. "The cure for poor sight reading is more sight reading".

Very Blues Brothers in a way...

 

[hasbeen]

I think you'll regret not doing it far more than doing it.

Well said

 

[TreySonagras]

Any regret you might have over trying and failing at this will never be as great as the regret you will feel for wondering "what if?" for the rest of your life.

 

[buldog5151bass]

This is exactly the best way to learn jazz - low key, structured, and with a leader. The very worst thing that could happen is the professor takes you aside after day 1 and suggests additional ways to help you improve.

 

[DanAdams]

They best way to improve is by playing with people who are better players than you.
My biggest regrets are from fear of embarrassment when I was young. DO IT!

 

[Minimalist]

They best way to improve is by playing with people who are better players than you.
My biggest regrets are from fear of embarrassment when I was young. DO IT!

 

[SaucyJackBass]

The only way to get better is to play with others. Listening to others and playing off of what they do is how you become a bassist, not just playing the notes on the page. Feel is as important as anything, and you can't get that feel until you are supporting what is being played.

 

[getrhythm]

If you do it (and I think you should give it a go) you might find that you aren't the least skilled/talented participant there. You can always drop out if it isn't to your liking and some aspects of it might be beneficial. Good luck.

 

[STRMan]

Go for it. The most exhilarating experience I had was playing upright bass in a community concert band.

It had been many years since I was reading charts. Also, focusing mainly on Electric bass and guitar, I was fairly rusty on my standup. I took a chance and dug in.

Half of the charts they gave me was for tuba, which is written an octave below upright in bass clef. I stumbled around quietly the 1st few rehearsals. As my confidence grew, I began playing with more authority. I began to be able to transpose those tuba parts on the fly.

Sight reading music is one of the only activities that engages all parts of your brain simultaneously: Seeing, hearing, mathematics during transposition, and the emotional response to what you're playing. I would sometimes show up exhausted off of a 12 hour shift, and when I left rehearsal, I was refreshed like I was on vacation. It was amazing!

Do it!

 

[pepj]

Totally do it.
A) it nearly always often isn't as hard as you think and having the confidence to actually do it goes a long way.

B) If the set up allows you to grow into it with little pressure or come back, you probably couldn't get a kinder introduction.

I'm guessing many here will be able to recall quite a baptism, but this opportunity sounds pretty ideal to me.

 

[EliasA]

Half of the charts they gave me was for tuba, which is written an octave below upright in bass clef. I stumbled around quietly the 1st few rehearsals. As my confidence grew, I began playing with more authority. I began to be able to transpose those tuba parts on the fly...I would sometimes show up exhausted off of a 12 hour shift, and when I left rehearsal, I was refreshed like I was on vacation. It was amazing!

I have to say, if you can transpose tuba parts on the fly, that's amazing. I certainly can't, but I definitely feel that way after rehearsal!

 

[Nunovsky]

Hello all TB peeps,

I have a little dilemma I guess I'm looking for similar stories or some thoughts on it.

My College has a Big Band Club. It is not a class, it does not have auditions, it welcomes all and they said of all skill levels (so they claim so far though). I'm gonna email them soon and get some honest thoughts. I am getting slowly but almost there of getting over my solo driving anxiety so I'm hoping for my last year to have fun in a music club (or do some ballroom dancing! )

I been playing bass roughly for 2 ish years, but let me start by saying I have put it on and off and gain some rust especially with timing which I been practicing a lot recently. I can sight read but it is still very rusty and because of anxiety I'll fumble, I've taken lessons and I really study up theory and chord shapes. But I can take my time and focus very well on sheet music if given. I'm still learning I guess we are all still learning though truthfully. I only played really in two groups that were Blues and honestly they weren't serious. The music the club plays is jazz but mostly easy standards (to me at least) and some pop-funk jazz fusion type songs. Nothing seems complex for bass at least. Though some of the sheet music still kind of scared me but it seems the BL section leaders would never overload they share on public groups and in theory I can play 2 or 3 songs of the 12 on a setlist for example or even none and just rehearse purely for fun.

So my point is, I am not the best sight-reader, I am gonna be upfront to them about that, it seems some people joined the band on guitar or drums with no experience or sight reading abilities even playing abilities so it makes me feel a bit better. I am nervous that it can be a giant embarrassment to myself if I join struggle to sight read, struggle with timing and mess up and fall pressure to playing in a real band for the first time. I am thinking maybe to just keep playing but I feel it is an a chance to play with others in a welcoming environment...

If they are welcoming to new players of my nooby skill should I join or save myself embarrassment? Any similar stories?

I'm sorry if this is a dumb question I'm just kind of nervous about it but don't want to let aniexties ruin fun experience just like my driving one has.

Have an amazing day all, please don't be too hard one me

Go for it!
It will be a great learning experience and help you overcome some of your dificulties and grow as a musician. And it will motivate you to study harder.
Don't restrain yourself out of fear of embarrassment. Take chances and use that to grow.
Even if things don't work right the first time, you'll learn a lot from the experience.

 

[Avigdor]

I also strongly recommend the ballroom dancing Have fun!!!

 

[bigthemat]

so I was a trumpet major in college before I started playing bass. I was taking jazz improv lessons the semester I first started playing bass. I told my prof that I bought a bass guitar for fun. He said, "oh cool. My jazz combo meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 3-5 in room 123, see ya there!" Uhh, wut?? But I went, and turned out most everyone in that combo was playing secondary/tertiary instruments, and they desperately needed a bass player. My first time really playing bass with others was in a jazz band. And I LOVED it. I'm so glad I did it and got over any fear and inhibitions I may have had about playing.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hello all TB peeps,

I have a little dilemma I guess I'm looking for similar stories or some thoughts on it.

My College has a Big Band Club. It is not a class, it does not have auditions, it welcomes all and they said of all skill levels (so they claim so far though). I'm gonna email them soon and get some honest thoughts. I am getting slowly but almost there of getting over my solo driving anxiety so I'm hoping for my last year to have fun in a music club (or do some ballroom dancing! )

I been playing bass roughly for 2 ish years, but let me start by saying I have put it on and off and gain some rust especially with timing which I been practicing a lot recently. I can sight read but it is still very rusty and because of anxiety I'll fumble, I've taken lessons and I really study up theory and chord shapes. But I can take my time and focus very well on sheet music if given. I'm still learning I guess we are all still learning though truthfully. I only played really in two groups that were Blues and honestly they weren't serious. The music the club plays is jazz but mostly easy standards (to me at least) and some pop-funk jazz fusion type songs. Nothing seems complex for bass at least. Though some of the sheet music still kind of scared me but it seems the BL section leaders would never overload they share on public groups and in theory I can play 2 or 3 songs of the 12 on a setlist for example or even none and just rehearse purely for fun.

So my point is, I am not the best sight-reader, I am gonna be upfront to them about that, it seems some people joined the band on guitar or drums with no experience or sight reading abilities even playing abilities so it makes me feel a bit better. I am nervous that it can be a giant embarrassment to myself if I join struggle to sight read, struggle with timing and mess up and fall pressure to playing in a real band for the first time. I am thinking maybe to just keep playing but I feel it is an a chance to play with others in a welcoming environment...

If they are welcoming to new players of my nooby skill should I join or save myself embarrassment? Any similar stories?

I'm sorry if this is a dumb question I'm just kind of nervous about it but don't want to let aniexties ruin fun experience just like my driving one has.

Have an amazing day all, please don't be too hard one me

I wouldn't worry about a mistakes or embarrassment as much as missing a tremendous opportunity in an sage environment for your development. I'll bet even Einstein occasionally made a mistake or two with his arithmetic along the way.

Go, learn, and grow. Even if you don't play a note, it's a positive.

 

[gtmalone]

Hello all TB peeps,

I have a little dilemma I guess I'm looking for similar stories or some thoughts on it.

My College has a Big Band Club. It is not a class, it does not have auditions, it welcomes all and they said of all skill levels (so they claim so far though). I'm gonna email them soon and get some honest thoughts. I am getting slowly but almost there of getting over my solo driving anxiety so I'm hoping for my last year to have fun in a music club (or do some ballroom dancing! )

I been playing bass roughly for 2 ish years, but let me start by saying I have put it on and off and gain some rust especially with timing which I been practicing a lot recently. I can sight read but it is still very rusty and because of anxiety I'll fumble, I've taken lessons and I really study up theory and chord shapes. But I can take my time and focus very well on sheet music if given. I'm still learning I guess we are all still learning though truthfully. I only played really in two groups that were Blues and honestly they weren't serious. The music the club plays is jazz but mostly easy standards (to me at least) and some pop-funk jazz fusion type songs. Nothing seems complex for bass at least. Though some of the sheet music still kind of scared me but it seems the BL section leaders would never overload they share on public groups and in theory I can play 2 or 3 songs of the 12 on a setlist for example or even none and just rehearse purely for fun.

So my point is, I am not the best sight-reader, I am gonna be upfront to them about that, it seems some people joined the band on guitar or drums with no experience or sight reading abilities even playing abilities so it makes me feel a bit better. I am nervous that it can be a giant embarrassment to myself if I join struggle to sight read, struggle with timing and mess up and fall pressure to playing in a real band for the first time. I am thinking maybe to just keep playing but I feel it is an a chance to play with others in a welcoming environment...

If they are welcoming to new players of my nooby skill should I join or save myself embarrassment? Any similar stories?

I'm sorry if this is a dumb question I'm just kind of nervous about it but don't want to let aniexties ruin fun experience just like my driving one has.

Have an amazing day all, please don't be too hard one me

Give it a shot! It's a great experience. Sounds like you and the group are a good fit. Enjoy!

Playing in a big band is pretty fun. The dynamics of going from a trio to 17-18 players is pretty impressive. There is a large library of big band tunes from easy swing, hard swing, funk, ballads, and Latin styles. I play in the big band and a combo at a local community college. It can be some work to learn the tunes well, but it pays off.

Here is the school big band from fall '22. Skip to about 1:01:00 for the start.


We had a couple of pretty challenging tunes. Having a really good director made it come together. I'm a fair reader. If I can't sight read it, I can figure it out pretty quick. For the Bob Mintzer "Latin Dance" tune, I pretty much had to memorize one section to play it well. It's a fun tune so I didn't feel like it was a "job".

Hope it works out for you!

 

[Jeff Hughes]

Experiences like this help you grow. Seems pretty low stakes anyhow.

I was asked to play guitar in my highschool jazz/big band. I had no idea how to play jazz chords, but I instantly got positive comments because it turns out the previous guy never played audibly, and I would at least play something one could hear that added to the overall sound rather than just a guy standing there.

So perhaps you have skills or aptitudes thay may serve the group in different ways. Or maybe it will all come very naturally.

 

[groovepump]

It'll also give you more music choice than playing the same worn-out-50-year-old rock tunes in
some little bar down the street. It should be really fun, and you'll make some connections to
other players, which might open up other possibilities later.
JUST DO IT.

I look back on my brief orchestral experience, and the year I spent in a Latin pop band, and I am
not only grateful for the experience itself, but also the way it sometimes influences how I might
improvise while playing. Think differently.
DO IT...

 

[coy garcia]

Best way to improve is play with others who are better than you.... leave your ego at home. Do it!

 

[Isaac_James]

Do it! Playing with other people is hands down the best way to improve your skills. No auditions tells me that it's a low-pressure situation. If you approach this as an opportunity to learn while having some fun I think you'll get a lot out of it. It's ok to make mistakes - nobody's going to remember a flubbed note if you can laugh it off and try again. This is a great opportunity and something I wish I had done more of when I was in college.