Where & how do you find "others" to play with?

[Deleted member 409896]

Fretless worked well. I only caught myself with wacky intonation a few times.

The thinner neck vs. Fender P-bass helped. Less hand fatigue for sure.

What wasn't so fantastic was, there were too many people. The general public can show up to these jams, so we may have 15 people trying to coordinate & play a Real Book song that many of us have never seen or heard before, or at least don't know well. That goes about as well as you'd imagine. But, it's still good experience. I can make mistakes and not get "fired," and I'm making fewer each session.

It turns out a longtime buddy is a drummer. Likely didn't come up before because I only started playing bass again a few months ago. He knows a guitar player, and we're planning to get together and play some blues, to start with.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

It went reasonably well. I got lost a couple of times, but found my place again, thanks in part to a drummer and keyboard player who knew what they were about. So, not a total trainwreck.

Just a question.
When during those jam-sessions you play a/any piece from the Real Book (that you don't know about), do you always start playing a quarter-note walking bass line or try rhythmically something else?
How do you decide about your rhythmic (not harmonic) approach to a bass-line for this/that song?

Let's say, I'm listening to a simple jazz track but the bass is not "walking."

 

[Deleted member 409896]

Just a question.
When during those jam-sessions you play a/any piece from the Real Book (that you don't know about), do you always start playing a quarter-note walking bass line or try rhythmically something else?
How do you decide about your rhythmic (not harmonic) approach to a bass-line for this/that song?

Let's say, I'm listening to a simple jazz track but the bass is not "walking."

It depends on the song.

Some of them have established, written basslines, often based on a particular recording.

Others are a certain style (e.g. Latin) that don't lend themselves to quarter notes, so I play whatever is appropriate.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Others are a certain style (e.g. Latin) that don't lend themselves to quarter notes, so I play whatever is appropriate.

You can play any song as Bossa Nova. Who does inform you about the song's rhythmic groove? The drummer?

 

[Deleted member 409896]

can =/= should

 

[Whousedtoplay]

can =/= should

...and, who is telling you about the next song's rhythmic groove?

 

[Deleted member 409896]

I must not have screwed up too bad, because I keep getting invited back for the weekend jazz jams! lol

Last night a friend who drums came over. He is a smart man; he has 2 electronic drum kits, which are so so much easier to move & set up (and keep the volume down!) vs. traditional drums.

We had a nice collaboration. Played the blues in several keys, and a few different subtypes (regular blues, minor blues, etc.). Now we need to find someone to sing and/or play another instrument and we can really get going.

 

[Deleted member 409896]

Still playing with the jazz folks every week or two.

Haven't played with the drummer buddy in a bit. We've about run out of things we can do with only the two of us. So far, we can't find a guitarist who's both close enough for regular rehearsals, and more interested in playing than in drinking and drugging. I suppose I'll ask around at the next jazz session. We get new people often.

 

[pepj]

Haven't read all the updated comments but I just don't recognise the drink and drug crowd as being gigging players. I get that they'd get as far as rehearsals, sure, but thats were you weed them out..no pun intended.

So, you need adults who know how working with people works.
If you aren't far off being ready to play with people, put out an ad...but vet them for habits you don't want to accomodate.
If you aren't that far into the gigging game go to open mics and strike up acquaintances as poss people to progress with. See if any are interested in jams at a studio.

Ultimately, what will happen is someone will ask you if you are available for a gig..
Of course, there are various stages of being ready for this... but best approach...if you can...is jump right in.

 

[joneize 716]

I'm in the same place with my playing, I have a lot of guys who say they play guitar but don't have a guitar so I would like to find others to play with,I think the suggestions above are great and I'll try them myself and thanks for them!!

 

[Deleted member 409896]

Drummer buddy is moving away soon. Job and related reasons. Dang.

Guess it's time to put together another Craigslist ad.

Bandmix has not proven fruitful for me. Don't believe I'll invest any further effort (or money) that way.

 

[pepj]

I'd focus on people whovare already 'doing it'. That means gigs, jams and open mics etc.
Bedroom players are just that.. no use if they never leave them.
Same applies to dreamers.

If they can't turn up to play they aren't ready.

 

[Deleted member 409896]

There has been a development! I had My First Audition (tm) last night.*

How? I keep checking Ye Olde List of Craig. A few days ago, I saw an ad from a band looking for a bass player, that seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Namely, they:

1) were located within a convenient drive.

2) didn't expect me to know 157 cover songs.

Contact was made, conversation ensued.

They wanted me to learn 2 songs. Not covers, originals. No sheet music, naturally, but the guy provided both complete recordings and play-along tracks with the bass taken out. Very very helpful. I made my own chord chart/cheat sheet.

blah blah blah, I auditioned with them yesterday and it was a lot of fun. May or may not go anywhere, but a nice experience either way.

I remembered a lot of stuff I'd read on this forum, about being open to feedback and flexible and how to be good to work with. I figured out of a couple of their other songs as well, in case we wanted to keep going. We didn't end up playing those. Not time wasted though. I am now out of excuses; if there is a decent-ish recording of a song, I can probably get some kind of basic chart put together for it, through repeated listening & playing along.

Band leader filmed the session on his phone, and has sent me a copy. Super valuable, as I have only one other recording of myself playing with people, from 30 years ago (yikes!).

None of the music was harmonically or rhythmically complex - basic rock 'n' roll. But that's fine. It was a ton of fun, and I felt on top of it enough that I might have room for backup singing, if asked.

Probably won't get "hired," but that's OK. They still have 2 bass players to try out - assuming they show up. I played in the "slot" of someone who flaked on them. Apparently, that's been a big problem. I firmly believe in "Showing up is 80% of everything" so we'll see.

FWIW, the Markbass 40W amp was fine for this situation.


*I didn't really "audition" for the jazz jam group. It's more of a "show up until they either ask you to come back on a specific day, or tell you to go away" thing.

 

[pepj]

This reads like they were prepared and organised and you slotted right in.
As long as music worked, maybe they'll think we can work with this guy and be done with 'flakes'

Good luck.

 

[Deleted member 409896]

This reads like they were prepared and organised and you slotted right in.
As long as music worked, maybe they'll think we can work with this guy and be done with 'flakes'

Good luck.

Yes, thank you, I forgot to mention that. It's a big reason I responded to the ad: it was written in such a way that I got the impression of a group of basically responsible adults, who wouldn't waste my time, and knew what they were looking for. I appreciate that sort of attitude, and did my best to reciprocate. We "only" played for about 30 minutes total, but we got a lot done.