blue Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 (edited) [size=4][font=Arial]I see so many ads for bass players, with this sort of description:[/font][/size] [size=4][i]"We rehearse about once a month and play out about the same."[/i][/size] [size=4]What do you guys think about this type of opportunity?[/size] Blue * The t-shirt, I guess I've been on bass Chat too long. Edited July 4, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 If that's the sort of thing somebody is looking for then great. If somebody wants to play & rehearse more than that then it won't be of any interest to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 (edited) I guess it depends on your personal situation. Certainly wouldn't be an opportunity for me. Even if I could add it as an extra gig to my existing bands schedule it would ultimately still bring about schedule conflict. I think being in a band can be a lot of work whether your playing 4 times a month or once a month. If it's full production ( 4 pieces, lights and sound) is it worth it? And remember bar bands in the States is a 4 hour proposition. Blue Edited July 4, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I wouldn`t want to join a band that only rehearsed that much. If you want to be tight, you have to work at it. Fine as a hobby/bit of a laugh with mates but for a gigging band nope, rehearse every week for me, even if gigging in the same week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1436045766' post='2814607'] I wouldn`t want to join a band that only rehearsed that much. If you want to be tight, you have to work at it. Fine as a hobby/bit of a laugh with mates but for a gigging band nope, rehearse every week for me, even if gigging in the same week. [/quote] Lozz, I usually agree with you 100% on most issues. However , during the summer we have several 3 and 4 gig weekends adding a rehearsal would be a bit of a drag for me. Were not adding new material or changing any of the dynamics of our show. Blue Edited July 4, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I don't see a problem with it. Some people are too busy to devote more time than that to their music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 [quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1436048006' post='2814627'] I don't see a problem with it. Some people are too busy to devote more time than that to their music. [/quote] Agreed, so definitely not for those like me where gigging and rock and roll is all we have in life. And for me, it's all I ever wanted. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I might respond to an ad of this type as a potential dep, but not as an outfit to join. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Entirely depends on your circumstances. You're gigging to pay the bills, I have a day job that covers that, music is a passion and a release and so I make music I love with good friends and gig when I can. Busy month this one, three good gigs in three weeks but normally we get together every other week and gig about once every month or two. Which is perfect for me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1436049744' post='2814643'] I might respond to an ad of this type as a potential dep, but not as an outfit to join. [/quote] I can see that, but I understand that some of these bands still want someone that is not in another gigging band, but they might look at the guy that wants to dep differently. I think like anything else there are pros and cons and if it's a fit for a guy it's all good. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 (edited) [quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1436053177' post='2814663'] Entirely depends on your circumstances. You're gigging to pay the bills, I have a day job that covers that, music is a passion and a release and so I make music I love with good friends and gig when I can. Busy month this one, three good gigs in three weeks but normally we get together every other week and gig about once every month or two. Which is perfect for me.... [/quote] Understood, for those who have followed my threads know that 40 years of 9-5ing it in the corporate world was enough for me.If I never step foot in an office again it would be too soon. I sacrificed a lot, however I get up every morning to a life I love. Life is too short and I was seeing to many guys my age leaving us before they had the chance to sit back and enjoy life on their terms. Playing rock and roll music for a living is the closest I could probably ever get to working for myself. Blue Edited July 5, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 It's a hobby for me. I don't gig much (in fact not at all ATM!). Nevertheless, I'd be wanting to rehearse once a week. It's a hobby I enjoy...therefore I want to be doing it regularly. Since I left my last band I really miss the rehearsals actually. The chance to just stand there playing with a full band for a couple of hours, hearing your bass at a decent volume is great. When I was acting, we'd rehearse 2-3 times a week when we were getting a show on. So once a week seems quite light to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 What is this "rehearsing" of which you speak? As a chap with a day job I'd still be wanting to play more than once a month. I can see that some people would be happy just doing one though, but certainly not in blue's situation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Smalls Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 About once a year for me - for our annual gig! However, I make lots of music home alone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the boy Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Sounds like a massive commitment. Not sure I could commit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 It is all about committment for me...on both sides. I was talking to someone whose is beginning to get a few things happen and I think I'd be interested in the type of gig but I know they are full time. ... what they earn 'full time' is another story, but if they are off over Europe on a few festival dates then that is going to impact on my day job. So I need to know how much time typically you are looking at AND how much money it will generate personally. The things to sort out and be very realistic about is if they want x amount of time, then it will have to be on a footing that pays Y. I'm not slumming it like I would have been prepared to do 20 yrs ago, I'd want commisirate wages as a backup player. It is not my career so the investment isn't for me. What I think will happen is that they will take someone who has flexibility and teaches music so they can 'dep' that side of things or basically they'll work long weekends. I wouldn't put any restrictions on a band project but endless rehearsals are out of the question. No one has the time or can afford them unless quite a low key hobbie band. The idea is to use people who 'get' it very quickly, gig the stuff in and then go for better payers. The problem with that is that NEW repetoire takes a back seat and you play the same stuff in loads of the same bands. The is my current problem. The players want to do something special but haven't grasped what that special is... and the fact is that the current level is the same as a lot of bands are doing. What makes these special players think they are worth a premium that they think their talent deserves..?? I think a band should be able to sound tight very very quickly, but the problem is picking a great set that is different. I've got the set, I think, I haven't got the players all in place...and they want quick money gigs which are frankly souless but the problem is anyone any good is, and needs to be, busy. But busy, discerning and good product aren't the easiest of bedfellows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Different strokes for different folks, I've met people who treat music as more of social thing and getting together in a rehearsal room is an end in itself rather than the means to get out and gig. I'm playing and sound teching full time and have had one rehearsal in the last year, and that was more for the comfort of the artists we were backing on a one-off theatre gig than for the band's benefit. There's space for both, if every band wanted to gig four times a week there wouldn't be enough venues to put us all in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Most important thing in any band is that the people involved share the same commitment level and motivations. Things rarely work out long term when you have casual and obsessive people or "just for fun" types and those doing it as their main income in the same band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anDy LAKIN Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 is this a club just for females though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 We practice together when we have new material and more often when shows are coming up and generally try and gig once a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1436045766' post='2814607'] I wouldn`t want to join a band that only rehearsed that much. If you want to be tight, you have to work at it. Fine as a hobby/bit of a laugh with mates but for a gigging band nope, rehearse every week for me, even if gigging in the same week. [/quote] It can be done though(for covers where everyone is clear which ref version we are working from), you can acquire tightness just through real gigging. My previous band that I quit earlier this year gigged on average 3 times per month but in the 2 years I was with them we did 3 rehearsals. Now what I found that DID do was hamper bringing in new material and that was one of the reasons I quit, there were probably only about 6 songs in the set by the time I left that weren't there when I joined 2 years previously. You couldn't get away with it for an originals band probably though. Edited July 5, 2015 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 We traditionally practice every week, but when we are gigging every weekend we don't, we just do the practice when we want to do some new material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 We gig 7-10 times a month on average and that is enough to keep us tight. New stuff is rehearsed individually at home and then more often than not we just gig it. More complex arrangements will get a quiet group rehearsal round my house. I'm blessed to be with such capable and affable chaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 its personal choice really. once a month which is focused and everyone is prepared is workable... but if they say we practice ABOUT once a month or TRY TO once a month would suggest to me there is the possibility it wouldn't practice that often, or could go several months between sessions... which wouldn't work for me personally. but each to their own i guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 (edited) [quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1436088475' post='2814781'] Most important thing in any band is that the people involved share the same commitment level and motivations. Things rarely work out long term when you have casual and obsessive people or "just for fun" types and those doing it as their main income in the same band. [/quote] Exactly, I remember when we were auditioning drummers. We really didn't want to bring in a guy in his 30s or 40s married with a young family. Rarely can these guys just get up and leave their family several times per week. Blue Edited July 5, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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