How soon is it recommended to start a band? Also, is it wise to start out with musicians that are or close to the same experience level as you are? I've been playing for a few months and am learning the theory. I think I may be ready to try to get something organized around this December. I'm not sure what genre to focus on, but I am interested in being able to play everything and lean toward a funk/fusion type of music. I feel that it is important for me to start playing with others. I am serious and planning to take this as far as it will go.
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Starting a band.
- Thread starter Saint Michael
- Start date
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
i believe you should play with as many people as you can - as soon as you possibly can - and that theres no such thing as being "ready". i just posted in another similar thread that i've known actors who waited until they were "ready" and wound up as stage managers. i've known bands that have waited until they were "ready" and either never played out, or when they finally did got scared right back into their rehearsal corners. playing with other people has helped me to grow in leaps and bounds. i say play with whoever you can, and shoot for musicians who are better than you. if you're comitted and they know it they may give you some leeway and you'll grow in your playing exponentially. if you've got friends at the same level as you or that's all you can find now, then do that. i say just do it though.
i've been fortunate enough to almost always play with people who are better than me (hmmm.... one can look at that a few different ways) and i think it's been my sweat and determination that has kept me playing with them. if it took me a week to learn a song, then that's what it took. i hunted down and borrowed a bass once while on vacation clear across the country, because i landed an audition for when i got back with guys that were clearly out of my league. spent a good part of the vacation with a headset and bass strapped on. i got the gig. when i hooked up with the band that the nerve was born out of, i was just switching from guitar to bass. couldn't play bass with my fingers yet and i aksed the guys if they minded if i flubbed along till i got it down. they were great! they trusted me and now i'm a finger flailin fool
! i'm beginning to ramble on here.....
i love the bass.
i've been fortunate enough to almost always play with people who are better than me (hmmm.... one can look at that a few different ways) and i think it's been my sweat and determination that has kept me playing with them. if it took me a week to learn a song, then that's what it took. i hunted down and borrowed a bass once while on vacation clear across the country, because i landed an audition for when i got back with guys that were clearly out of my league. spent a good part of the vacation with a headset and bass strapped on. i got the gig. when i hooked up with the band that the nerve was born out of, i was just switching from guitar to bass. couldn't play bass with my fingers yet and i aksed the guys if they minded if i flubbed along till i got it down. they were great! they trusted me and now i'm a finger flailin fool
! i'm beginning to ramble on here.....i love the bass.
Tyler Hole here (on Stephen Soto's SN).
I started playing with people a month or so into playing bass. I feel that if I hadn't and I started jamming now with the band I'm in (lil over a year of playing now) I wouldn't sound as good or feel as comfortable playing. They all gave me tips and I got a feel for what jamming is all about which you probably will end up doing later on in your bassing carrer. You don't really HAVE to start a band right now, just find some people to jam with. I just recently started a band with some of the people I started jamming with about a year ago.
I started playing with people a month or so into playing bass. I feel that if I hadn't and I started jamming now with the band I'm in (lil over a year of playing now) I wouldn't sound as good or feel as comfortable playing. They all gave me tips and I got a feel for what jamming is all about which you probably will end up doing later on in your bassing carrer. You don't really HAVE to start a band right now, just find some people to jam with. I just recently started a band with some of the people I started jamming with about a year ago.
Joe Nerve said:
I totally agree with Joe there, bass is supporting instrument, so you have to feel the groove....with your band...and don't bother the care about what people said.....
I've been playing not even a full year, and I've have band since I started learning...
I have undertaken this project in what was a "7 piece covers band". Three guitars, two keys, one drummer and a female lead vocalist.
Also, I have lost track of how many hours I have spent on the Internent scouring for musicians.
To build a band, you must have a dream. To find it you must have a purpose. Within 12 month's of joining the band, we sacked the rhythm guitarist and the bass player. Our second string guitarist became the "lead" and yours truly once playing keys was playing bass.
Fundamental change is always in order. It is the way you do that.
Any help I am only an e-mail away.
Regards
Paul
Also, I have lost track of how many hours I have spent on the Internent scouring for musicians.
To build a band, you must have a dream. To find it you must have a purpose. Within 12 month's of joining the band, we sacked the rhythm guitarist and the bass player. Our second string guitarist became the "lead" and yours truly once playing keys was playing bass.
Fundamental change is always in order. It is the way you do that.
Any help I am only an e-mail away.
Regards
Paul
