Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Why Some Musicians Don't Gig
- Thread starter bluewine
- Start date
Since I didnt get back to into music since high school over 20 years, I was really wanting to get on a real stage and did. I have been doing so for now going on 10 years every month. There are time's I feel like throwing in the towel, band issues, bookings the politics of being now in an originals band which makes it harder than a cover band IMO.
But I still enjoy the time I spend with the guys and they are good guys and we get along..thats more than half the battle. We make good music at least we think so and I love creating it. If it becomes work I'm out! I give all my gig money to my wife since I said when I got back to this I would never do it for the money, that would make it work..like a job.
I could never see why I would sit around in my basement studio with thousands of dollars in equipment and never play with anyone or gig..that I cant understand. I can understand someone who writes their own music, records it and releases it ..That I do understand. Not to gig and own allot of gear?...I don't get that.
But I still enjoy the time I spend with the guys and they are good guys and we get along..thats more than half the battle. We make good music at least we think so and I love creating it. If it becomes work I'm out! I give all my gig money to my wife since I said when I got back to this I would never do it for the money, that would make it work..like a job.
I could never see why I would sit around in my basement studio with thousands of dollars in equipment and never play with anyone or gig..that I cant understand. I can understand someone who writes their own music, records it and releases it ..That I do understand. Not to gig and own allot of gear?...I don't get that.
If you were serious and not just trolling. A better way to pose that question might be something like this:
Title: What are your thoughts on gigging?
Post: As a musician that puts time into learning/performing/creating music, where does gigging fall into the list of priorities. For those that do, what drives you to do it? For those that don't, what are some of the reasons for your decision?
That removes the assumption of guilt for not gigging from the question and would likely get you more answers... if that was the goal.
Title: What are your thoughts on gigging?
Post: As a musician that puts time into learning/performing/creating music, where does gigging fall into the list of priorities. For those that do, what drives you to do it? For those that don't, what are some of the reasons for your decision?
That removes the assumption of guilt for not gigging from the question and would likely get you more answers... if that was the goal.
Because they spend too much time arguing over minute details of their basses on talkbass that they forget to practice.
Playing bass is therapy for me.
For me, music is a way to unwind and sort out the chaos of my lifge. When I listen to it, I listen by myself, and when I play, I play by myself.
When I listen to other musicians' music, I use the metered order as a sort of cadence by which I can organize my thoughts. It doesn't resolve anything, but it helps me to think more clearly and more orderly.
So when I play bass, I am working out those thoughts...arranging and attempting to resolve them. I am somewhat crazy, so I often have to think about things in a specific order for them to make sense for me. An idea that is resolved one day will have new context and new confusion the next. Something that makes sense on Monday will be nonsense on Tuesday. Music allows me to maintain at least some degree order over my own volatile, discordant subconscious.
Me playing for other people makes no sense. It does nothing for me. (I've done it in the past. I gigged for about 5 years. I don't do it anymore.)
For me, music is a way to unwind and sort out the chaos of my lifge. When I listen to it, I listen by myself, and when I play, I play by myself.
When I listen to other musicians' music, I use the metered order as a sort of cadence by which I can organize my thoughts. It doesn't resolve anything, but it helps me to think more clearly and more orderly.
So when I play bass, I am working out those thoughts...arranging and attempting to resolve them. I am somewhat crazy, so I often have to think about things in a specific order for them to make sense for me. An idea that is resolved one day will have new context and new confusion the next. Something that makes sense on Monday will be nonsense on Tuesday. Music allows me to maintain at least some degree order over my own volatile, discordant subconscious.
Me playing for other people makes no sense. It does nothing for me. (I've done it in the past. I gigged for about 5 years. I don't do it anymore.)
Some people are introverted when it comes to music. Chirs Squire actually spent many months by himself, developing his tone and style in his girlfriend's appartment. This was before Yes, but this is just an example.
Some people have just been burned by gigs, and are unwilling to gig due to it. Many reasons.
Some people have just been burned by gigs, and are unwilling to gig due to it. Many reasons.
I can divine just as much satisfaction from acquiring gear, learning the nuisances of each piece, finding usable sounds I like, putting them together and then recording it as I can from standing on stage and playing it live.
If I make money, great. If not, then it's a good thing my livelihood doesn't depend on it! If I can entertain a few people then that's great too but if I can entertain myself then I'm satisfied.
If I didn't gig I would feel a lack of my contribution to society.
blue[/QUOTE]
Never have I felt this way. To be honest does me playing out or giging contribute to society? A Local radio station manager did tell me when I met with him last week that my band and other local originals bands in the area drive the local scene are providing a service to the community at large.....hummmm?
blue[/QUOTE]
Never have I felt this way. To be honest does me playing out or giging contribute to society? A Local radio station manager did tell me when I met with him last week that my band and other local originals bands in the area drive the local scene are providing a service to the community at large.....hummmm?
Well, I love dinking around and recording at home... but I can play some guitar, some piano, so I can create on my own. With that in mind, is it really so hard to imagine enjoying making music without ever gigging? I'm also not a person who particularly gets off on being the center of attention, that's why I'm a bass player and not a lead singer or lead guitarist, ya know?
