How many BassChatters have never ever gigged?

[zbd1960]

I'm not up to gigging on bass yet, but I will if the opportunity arises. I would probably go for jazz or similar as I'm not a rock/pop sort of guy.

I have done loads (hundreds) of concerts/gigs with my other instruments and voice so live performance is something I'm used to.

[christofloffer]

never gigged myself, never had much inclination to do so either. i attempted to join a band once but it was very clear very quickly that i lacked the intuitive nature to play live. i struggle very much to play through a mistake, and i almost always have to start over and get a good run. i simply enjoy playing for the sake of it. i also play other instruments and record stuff and i i get my kicks from composing and recording. i dont even feel much need to put my recording out there, its only since joining the forum that i have put things out for public consumption. i just really enjoy the process of writing, figuring and arranging a tune, then the work of getting a clean take.
i also get a lot from the freedom to try new styles and approaches which i dont think i would if i was playing in a band. i think that if i was gigging then i would just end up practising the set more than learning and experimenting. that is just how my brain works. there are a lot of things that other musicians i know can do that i cant get the grip of.

[GirlOnADragon]

2nd forum post. be nice.

Picked up my bass again after almost 10 years absolutely determined to gig - 9 months from picking up my bass again I'm pretty keen to get gigging but current commitments mean its difficult to find and fit in a band. That said I'm a fairly tenacious creature and so I will gig - even if to start with the music isn't 100% my cup of tea.

Somewhere deep inside is an exhibitionist just waiting to get on stage.

[thebrig]

[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1476042766' post='3150800']
Memories of pain killer fuelled jams and gigs just came flooding back then, I can only remember that working for one of the bands I was in But seriously, you just know when it becomes self defeating and time to stop, until then I hope you find a way to keep on enjoying it. If that means having a Roadie then that's cool, stools are ok too!
Bands and playing were my complete life at the time and I had invested so much into it, and had some incredible times along the way. I never thought I'd cope having to stop, but I eventually found a new career that is much more rewarding in the grand scheme of things as it's in the third sector. My life has a much wider purpose now and though it's still physically challenging just being there it is worth the additional pain that full time work brings. I wouldn't have found this new path had my health had stayed good as I was too focussed in music. Funny old world eh?
Honestly, it all feels equally unfortunate for all of us that must stop through health, I was young but you're on far more serious drugs than I need and I feel for you massively. Still, no one will ever truly understand chronic life changing pain unless they live with it, or amongst it, so I guess that's why we can empathise here together.
[/quote]Yes, I am in a lot of pain, but to put it all in perspective, what I am suffering from might be "life changing", but it's not "life threatening", whereas, I have lost a lot of people close to me through terrible illness's, and I have a friend who was told about six weeks ago that he has only two to three months to live, I'm actually going "Sober for October" in a bid to raise money for his favourite charity Macmillan who are looking after him during his final days, but the thing is, I can't drink anyway because of the medication I'm on ([i]people are still sponsoring me though[/i]), and unfortunately, he probably will have passed away by the end of October so he wont know how much we've raised, and spare a thought for all those unfortunate children who are born with all manner of illness's, some don't even see their first birthday.

I feel lucky to have had a good life, and although I came into music late, I'm trying to make the most of it and if I do have to pack it in, I will try and get my music fix by making and recording music at home.

[thebrig]

[quote name='GirlOnADragon' timestamp='1476046391' post='3150855']
2nd forum post. be nice.

Picked up my bass again after almost 10 years absolutely determined to gig - 9 months from picking up my bass again I'm pretty keen to get gigging but current commitments mean its difficult to find and fit in a band. That said I'm a fairly tenacious creature and so I will gig - even if to start with the music isn't 100% my cup of tea.

Somewhere deep inside is an exhibitionist just waiting to get on stage.
[/quote]Go for it!

[DuncanF]

I think that there's an assumption that nurdling on a bass needs to be done in a band/gig context. My father played the piano but no one suggested he should look for a keyboard gig. Ditto friends who like to strum their acoustic guitars.

When I told a (bass playing, gigging) friend that I was thinking of committing(*) bass, his first reaction was that I should get out and gig as soon as I could tell one end from the other.

So piano, guitar, fine to play by yourself. Bass, not so much? Where do other instruments fall in this spectrum I wonder?

(*) I'd almost certainly be arrested for crimes against music should I try to play the bass in public!

[elephantgrey]

[quote name='DuncanF' timestamp='1476048258' post='3150879']
I think that there's an assumption that nurdling on a bass needs to be done in a band/gig context. My father played the piano but no one suggested he should look for a keyboard gig. Ditto friends who like to strum their acoustic guitars.

When I told a (bass playing, gigging) friend that I was thinking of committing(*) bass, his first reaction was that I should get out and gig as soon as I could tell one end from the other.

So piano, guitar, fine to play by yourself. Bass, not so much? Where do other instruments fall in this spectrum I wonder?

(*) I'd almost certainly be arrested for crimes against music should I try to play the bass in public!
[/quote]
While i dont think you need to be in a band to play bass, and mostly just noodle about making wierd noises with bass+pedals in my bedroom, i do think that playing in a band (on any instrument, but especially bass/guitar/drums) is a great way to learn.

[rushbo]

[quote name='DuncanF' timestamp='1476048258' post='3150879']
I think that there's an assumption that nurdling on a bass needs to be done in a band/gig context. My father played the piano but no one suggested he should look for a keyboard gig. Ditto friends who like to strum their acoustic guitars.

When I told a (bass playing, gigging) friend that I was thinking of committing(*) bass, his first reaction was that I should get out and gig as soon as I could tell one end from the other.

So piano, guitar, fine to play by yourself. Bass, not so much? Where do other instruments fall in this spectrum I wonder?

(*) I'd almost certainly be arrested for crimes against music should I try to play the bass in public!
[/quote]

I guess it's because Bass is typically an accompanists instrument - ie it exists to back up another musician/s. Of course there are honorable exceptions, but for most of us who gig, we're there to make the Guitarist look good...

[TrevorR]

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1476029837' post='3150594']
Not sure how to do it I'm afraid.
[/quote]

Quite easy if you know where to click...

Edit your first post in this thread.
Look at bottom of the page and if you see a link that says "Open Full Editor" click that.
A new screen will open up. Look near the top where your Thread Title is, just to the right will be a link called "Manage Polls"
Click that and a pop up box appears which asks you to enter Q1, then there's a link to add extra questions - the Poll Wizard will walk you through it...

[TrevorR]

[quote name='GirlOnADragon' timestamp='1476046391' post='3150855']
2nd forum post. be nice.

Picked up my bass again after almost 10 years absolutely determined to gig - 9 months from picking up my bass again I'm pretty keen to get gigging but current commitments mean its difficult to find and fit in a band. That said I'm a fairly tenacious creature and so I will gig - even if to start with the music isn't 100% my cup of tea.

Somewhere deep inside is an exhibitionist just waiting to get on stage.
[/quote]
[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1476047405' post='3150868']
Go for it!
[/quote]

My thoughts precisely!

[blue]

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1476028156' post='3150559']
I think that if I gave up gigging, at 54 years of age, I'd probably jack it all in and sell the lot.
[/quote]

For those that don't know, I'm 63 and plan on staying in the game for another 10 years.

What else would I do?

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1476028615' post='3150566']
This clearly calls for a poll... Gigs Regularly/Not gigged in several years/Only jam nights, not playing for an audience/Never Gigged or played in public
[/quote]

At least a gig a week, some times 2 or 3. In the summer during festival and fair season I've been out 6 days in a row. I'm single, I love it.

Blue

[TrevorR]

My history was checkered... Took up bass in 82. Went to uni in 83 and started playing in the Christian Union meetings and services. Progressed on to playing in three Christian musicals we produced at college and then started playing regularly at a local church.

87-92 I played in a folk rock band around clubs and festivals but a bout of illness meant a break from playing at all from 92-97. From 97- about 2001 just played at church.

Then in 2001 decided to join a covers band and played pubs, parties, weddings and functions alongside church until 2012 when our little boy arrived. Since then it's just regular playing at our church as frankly I can't hack the late nights getting back home at 3 in the morning and then being bounced awake at 7. Plus, I now have "better" things to be doing on a Saturday afternoon than packing the car up to drive to Milton Keynes or somewhere.

So I guess I've consistently played to people in public all the way along, even if sometimes it's a Sunday morning rather than a Saturday night!

[blue]

[quote name='elephantgrey' timestamp='1476028910' post='3150571']
I haven't gigged for 6-7 years now, since the band i was in then imploded.
Just havnt really found another band since then. I've jammed with a few people but nothing's really kicked off, so i'm mostly a bedroom worrior now.
[/quote]

Elephant Grey, if my band of 11 years strong ever broke up, I'd be in the same boat.

For those of you that have been out there for decades know how hard it is to find established bands with good people that have a strong book of business.

Blue

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1476049538' post='3150895']


For those that don't know, I'm 63 and plan on staying in the game for another 10 years.

What else would I do?

Blue
[/quote]

I hope I'm still playing at 63

[blue]

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1476049101' post='3150888']


I guess it's because Bass is typically an accompanists instrument - ie it exists to back up another musician/s. Of course there are honorable exceptions, but for most of us who gig, we're there to make the Guitarist look good...
[/quote]

Unfortunately that's the truth.

But I'm working on little tricks to get my share of the attention. If you sing it helps.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1476050593' post='3150905']


I hope I'm still playing at 63
[/quote]

Cool, stay in shape. It's not easy, when I get home at 3:00am I feel like I should be on a respirator.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1476037172' post='3150716']
I used to gig but I never really enjoyed it that much.
Never had stage nerves or anything like that, but at the same time I never got anything from gigging other than the feeling I could be at home doing something more enjoyable.
Apart from the odd one-off I haven't gigged regularly since the early 90's, have done some paid session work since then though which was quite enjoyable. The last couple of gigs I've played have been playing acoustic guitar, not bass.
I might still do the odd gig if the offers are there, but I have no desire to go out searching for a band or do it regularly.
I'm not even that interested in bass these days, but I've still got a lot of knowledge & experience that occasionally comes in useful on here.
[/quote]

I'm lucky playing bass and singing in rock and roll bands has been a complete blast for me for the last 50 years.

For me it's always been the best use of my time.I have no other interests or aspirations.

I'm cool with that.

Blue

Edited October 9, 2016 by blue

[Beer of the Bass]

A few years ago I was pretty busy, but right now I'm gigging less than I did, due to reasons not all that dissimilar to Geek99's. Infrequent gigging is a situation I can live with, but any time I've had a spell of not gigging at all I find that hard to deal with. At the moment I'm still getting out and playing, just somewhat less than weekly. But I guess I'm firmly out of the "never gigged" category.
When I've had spells of not gigging, I tend to hardly pick up bass guitar at all, but somehow the double bass sustains my interest a little more. I play guitar around the house a fair bit too.

Edited October 9, 2016 by Beer of the Bass

[chris_b]

Gigging was all I intended to do when learning bass.

Played at home or the Albert Hall, the bass is the greatest instrument. Whichever venue you choose is fine.

IME nothing in the world feels as good as standing in front of 500 watts with the room rattling and your trousers flapping.


And breaking news. . . . The 20th November is the 50th anniversary of my first gig.

[BrunoBass]

Gigging is my 100% reason for playing bass. If I wasn't in a band I wouldn't play. I don't see the bass as a solo instrument and I have no interest in playing on my own at home. I'm not saying that I think there's anything wrong with that, it's just it's not for me. Whatever makes you happy.

I do my solo acoustic singer-songwriter thing when I'm not doing band/bass stuff. If I wasn't in a band I'd have more time to do that.

[blue]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1476052834' post='3150917']
Gigging was all I intended to do when learning bass.

Played at home or the Albert Hall, the bass is the greatest instrument. Whichever venue you choose is fine.

IME nothing in the world feels as good as standing in front of 500 watts with the room rattling and your trousers flapping.


And breaking news. . . . The 20th November is the 50th anniversary of my first gig.
[/quote]

Congrats, that's very cool!

Blue

[mcnach]

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1476033358' post='3150653']
Sorry everybody, but lots of meaningless questions and queries get posted on here all the time, it was only meant as a bit of fun to find out what people who don't, or rarely gig, do if they don't gig very often.

I started off just collecting guitars when I was in my early twenties, I will be 65 next month and I only started gigging in 2007 when I was 56, so I have spent more than thirty years where I have owned instruments, but did not gig, and because I might have to stop gigging myself soon, I was wondering if I can get any ideas from other BC'ers to find an alternative to gigging.

Once again, I did not intend to offend anyone, it was just a light-hearted question, but if you think this post is offensive, I am more than happy to ask a mod to delete it, because I feel genuinely upset that it could be taken the wrong way.
[/quote]

don't worry, it didn't come across as judgemental to me either. You can't always prevent someone from mistakenly reading something into your words that was not intended.

As for your question... I gig regularly, but when I started being interested in guitars gigging was not even remotely in my head. I just liked playing guitar, and recording stuff, just for me. It was a very unusual circumstance that saw me onstage in front of people for the first time... and loved it. So after that I decided to try properly. It took me 4 years to find the right situation. By then I was in two bands, a RHCP tribute and a hiphop/funk originals... I played my first gig on bass with the hiphop one, and the following week with the RHCP one... and it just went on from there. I can't imagine stopping.

[blue]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1476054832' post='3150940']
Gigging is my 100% reason for playing bass. If I wasn't in a band I wouldn't play. I don't see the bass as a solo instrument and I have no interest in playing on my own at home. I'm not saying that I think there's anything wrong with that, it's just it's not for me. Whatever makes you happy.

I do my solo acoustic singer-songwriter thing when I'm not doing band/bass stuff. If I wasn't in a band I'd have more time to do that.
[/quote]

Same for me, it was really my attraction to the stage, the turning people on and the attention that got me.

I do understand that all bass players don't connect with the stage or live performance to an audience for various reasons.

Blue

Edited October 10, 2016 by blue

[Kiwi]

I haven't gigged since 2009. Not because I haven't wanted to but simply because lack of work hasn't afforded me the luxury of staying in one country long enough to develop contacts. f***ing recession.