How did you meet/join your band?

[mcnach]

6 hours ago, Jimothey said:

I hope this isn’t too off topic with the OP but it’s kinda related but how did you know you were ready to join a band?? I really want to join a band but fear my playing ability wouldn’t be up to scratch and if I audition I’ll just get laughed at and told to jog on!! I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing or I’m just not good enough??..........

 

I didn't think I was ready the first time... but then I found I could do better than I had thought, and I improved MUCH MUCH MUCH faster once I was in a band.

Do it!

 

[odysseus]

6 hours ago, Jimothey said:

I hope this isn’t too off topic with the OP but it’s kinda related but how did you know you were ready to join a band?? I really want to join a band but fear my playing ability wouldn’t be up to scratch and if I audition I’ll just get laughed at and told to jog on!! I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing or I’m just not good enough??..........

I wasn't anything like good enough for my first band, but I played within my limits and learned as much as I could along the way.  It's a steep learning curve, but it does concentrate the mind and the fingers!!  But then I was 19 and had less considerations and more attitude!

[dmccombe7]

6 hours ago, Jimothey said:

I hope this isn’t too off topic with the OP but it’s kinda related but how did you know you were ready to join a band?? I really want to join a band but fear my playing ability wouldn’t be up to scratch and if I audition I’ll just get laughed at and told to jog on!! I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing or I’m just not good enough??..........

You must have an idea of how you compare to other bass players that you like or listen to.

1. can you play what they play

2. can you play it exact same as them

3. can you play as well as other local bass players you've seen

4. can you keep good timing 

Just a few simple little things to help you judge your ability.

Once you have an idea how competent then have a go at a jam night or even get together with fellow musicians  just for a laugh and play a few songs you all like. Hopefully that will give you a better idea how good you are.

You'll never know til you try.

Dave

[T-Bay]

8 hours ago, Jimothey said:

I hope this isn’t too off topic with the OP but it’s kinda related but how did you know you were ready to join a band?? I really want to join a band but fear my playing ability wouldn’t be up to scratch and if I audition I’ll just get laughed at and told to jog on!! I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing or I’m just not good enough??..........

If you think you aren’t good enough then you really need to join a band. I know this sounds crazy, but nothing has forced/ encouraged me to improve more than knowing I needed to be gig ready. I have now been playing 3 years and 2 months, my first gig was two months after first starting. I was out of my comfort zone big time, but worked hard and it went very well overall. We were booked again, and again and will be playing there in three weeks time so I can’t have been too bad! Be honest and tell any prospective band where you are technically if they ask, I think as long as you are ok then personality is at least as important in most bands.

Edited November 29, 2019 by T-Bay

[dmccombe7]

Forgot to add that when you start with a new band keep it simple and play the basics til you have settled in.

Most bands don't want a flash git showing off in every song. They just want a solid reliable bass player that can hold a song together with a decent drummer.

Dave

 

[BrunoBass]

8 hours ago, Jimothey said:

I hope this isn’t too off topic with the OP but it’s kinda related but how did you know you were ready to join a band?? I really want to join a band but fear my playing ability wouldn’t be up to scratch and if I audition I’ll just get laughed at and told to jog on!! I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing or I’m just not good enough??..........

I joined my first band two weeks after I picked up a bass guitar for the first time. Luckily my band mates were similarly inexperienced so we were all at a similar level, which really helped. We all got better very quickly. 

[lozkerr]

2 hours ago, mcnach said:

I didn't think I was ready the first time... but then I found I could do better than I had thought, and I improved MUCH MUCH MUCH faster once I was in a band.

+100 for this. So far, my current band has had three rehearsals - maybe a total of five hours actual playing together - and I can honestly say I improved more in those five hours than I did in the preceding five months.

[Bluewine]

1 hour ago, BrunoBass said:

I joined my first band two weeks after I picked up a bass guitar for the first time. Luckily my band mates were similarly inexperienced so we were all at a similar level, which really helped. We all got better very quickly. 

That's a great way to start out. I'm biased because that's how I started out. Playing with other 11 and 12 years olds. We learned as we went along.

Blue

[uk_lefty]

12 hours ago, mcnach said:

18 hours ago, Jimothey said:

I hope this isn’t too off topic with the OP but it’s kinda related but how did you know you were ready to join a band?? I really want to join a band but fear my playing ability wouldn’t be up to scratch and if I audition I’ll just get laughed at and told to jog on!! I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing or I’m just not good enough??..........

 

I didn't think I was ready the first time... but then I found I could do better than I had thought, and I improved MUCH MUCH MUCH faster once I was in a band.

Do it!

This... 

 

And this... 

 

11 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Forgot to add that when you start with a new band keep it simple and play the basics til you have settled in.

Most bands don't want a flash git showing off in every song. They just want a solid reliable bass player that can hold a song together with a decent drummer.

Dave

Then go for it!!! So what if you fluff a few bits? If people want it exact they can listen to the record, if they want live music they get it with all its raucous imperfections. Everyone started somewhere! 

You might play with some people who are a bit sniffy and don't have the patience if you can't keep up, fine. But you may find the band that want someone who just keeps it simple, turns up on time, pays their share of rehearsal fees and isn't a bumhole to be around. Then you'll improve from enthusiasm, commitment to the band, and to enhance your own enjoyment. 

[MikanHannille]

joinmyband

I just got lucky and managed to find a very organized bunch of people. And good players as well. Plus we get on well together! No egos, we are all on the same page. We are more like a family now.

Although we had trouble with our previous guitar players, but we finally found one that fits in with us. Happy days!

[DaytonaRik]

I formed the band that I currently play in.

It started out after a drunken conversation at the work's BBQ with my CEO who is a massive rock fan discussing music and we thought that there must be enough employee who played instruments to form a rock band for our company Christmas bash.  Anyway, the next morning there was an email from her making it one of my objectives to pull this together, and that if it was the drink talking then tough!

We had plenty of time and pulled it off really well, but the best thing was that three of us got on very well as musicians as well as workmates so we decided to form our current rock covers band from the core of the works band.  I swapped back to bass from guitar and I had started to play some acoustic stuff with a guitarist local to home.  He was quickly drafted in as co-lead guitarist and he has an excellent voice so now we had three part vocals.  The final piece was our drummer who is a drum tutor and former pro who was known to one of us.

We reckon that between us there is over 100 year of playing and live experience, some of us have toured and/or recorded.  We all have a very pro outlook with quality gear but it's the experience that counts, knowing that you have to turn up and do the job whilst trusting everyone else to do the same.  We don't play every week - 12-14 gigs a year just for fun, laughs and an outlet from life.

There really are no egos or prima donnas - we just get on.  It's everything I hoped that this band would be and more.

Edited November 30, 2019 by DaytonaRik

[DaytonaRik]

20 hours ago, Jimothey said:

...but he is an awesome guitarist and I feel a bit intimidated to jam with him!

Except you're the bass player!  I play both guitar and bass and currently play with two guitarists who can shred like no-one's business who absolutely wipe the floor with me on a 6 string...but they're not bass players!  Just be a solid reliable bass player who does his stuff, doesn't overplay and keeps the groove.

[Jimothey]

Thanks everyone for the advice I’ve arranged to have a jam with my mates band (their bass player got a bit arsey cos he thought they were trying to replace him!) in a couple of weeks luckily they are a Blues/Jimi Hendrix tribute band and I feel quite comfortable playing the blues just got to work on my turnarounds a bit 

On a side note if you are local to the North Wales/Chester area and you see a band called Crash Landing playing a gig they are really good and well worth going to see.........👍

[Jimothey]

3 minutes ago, DaytonaRik said:

Except you're the bass player!  I play both guitar and bass and currently play with two guitarists who can shred like no-one's business who absolutely wipe the floor with me on a 6 string...but they're not bass players!  Just be a solid reliable bass player who does his stuff, doesn't overplay and keeps the groove.

I know what you mean but he wipes the floor with me playing bass as well.........🤣

[DaytonaRik]

1 minute ago, Jimothey said:

I know what you mean but he wipes the floor with me playing bass as well.........🤣

Aaaahhhh!

[Si600]

330ml - I started it after my school mate who learnt guitar with me learning bass moved back to the area from oop north. A chance conversation with another friend in the pub turned up that he could sing and a work mate could bash the tubs. It didn't go far but we spent a few years every other week playing as a boys night out. We did a few songs at the King Billy music night one evening. It disbanded when I emigrated, I had hoped they'd find another bassist and carry on but no.

Kill My Night - I put a bassist available advert on backstagepro.de and they contacted me. We were due to play a local town music festival but our drummer pulled the pin about six weeks before it and it took us to the end of September to get another. Hopefully gigs beckon in 2020...

[bassfan]

What a great thread 😃

I always wanted to learn guitar, my old neighbour played and tried to teach me....I just couldn’t get my head around it or dislocate my fingers to those weird shapes, but he had an old bass and said I should try that... I was 30 at the time... I persevered, bought a squire P and combo from local shop and jammed with him, his daughter did some singing, his son played drums a little and we put on a little gig at a family bbq... 

A mutual friend was there and asked if I’d dep in his local pub band for a few gigs... so I said yes and learnt the songs ( I was working in Germany so took the bass with me for a month to learn!!)nervously  played the gigs, did a,right for a self taught bassist, he offered me a permanent position doing a gig a month in his covers band, nothing to strenuous all local boozers. A new drummer joined us, we hit it off...

fast forward 13 years ( and £000s on buying and selling bass gear) me and the drummer have been together ever since, through 4 bands, and are playing 50-60 gigs a year together and have been for 3 years in our current band, we are founder members of our current band and I see him more than the missus some weekends 😂  We even played at Wembley arena together but that’s another story. 

Thats me! 

[Leonard Smalls]

I saw an ad for bassplayer wanted to join guitar and drums to form a funk-rock band - and they were both in my little "town" (1500 people...)

So we did a few gigs,then the guitarist left due to too many arguments with the drummer. We then found a singer who'd been with a number of hardcore bands in the 90s, and a guitarist who liked Hendrix. Now we're a funk-punk band... We've just recorded our first 5 track EP and I'm editing a video which should hopefully get us some decent support slots in the new year. 

[JapanAxe]

I play bass in 2 bands.

Band 1 - answered a JMB ad.

Band 2 - guessed from a FB post that they might be recruiting, sent a speculative message, got in early.

[yorks5stringer]

I moved from North Dorset to South Somerset ( only 20 odd miles) and decided rather than return to old haunts, I'd look for new ones. The local Parish Magazine we picked up mentioned an Open Mic at a pub 10 minutes away, so on the last Thursday of the month I rolled up with a Bass Uke and a little amp ( can't remember which one!).

Spoke to the couple who were running it and  asked if it would be OK to could play along on Bass with  the people who performed. They said that they had a band and I could play with them and I think on the first night I played along with a singer on acoustic guitar too. After the end the couple said they were looking for a Bassist and did I fancy coming to their place on Wednesday eve to play with them? They gave me some  songs to look at and I duly turned up, played with them and their guitarist and a slide guitarist they  also had. They seemed happy with my playing but did not ask me to join the band, so I rang them the next day to find out where I stood as I had other irons in the fire. They asked me to join so every Wednesday ( ball ache) I go to theirs and we go through the material. The band leader has started to write songs  but is really just a 3 chord player on guitar so its been good to be part of helping arrange her stuff. The slide guitar left some time ago as he just noodled rather than added to the sound, but we took on a banjo player earlier this year ( great when they are in tune, which is about 50% of the time!) and we are starting to get some local traction with 2 gigs last week and 2 this week also.

Band leader and Harp player/Vox are married which is an interesting dynamic, but it all seems to gel quite well.

The other band I do a monthly jam and End of Course Musical performances with, was from a Joinmyband ad I placed.

[Monkey Steve]

On 29/11/2019 at 14:28, Jimothey said:

Two of my mates both play in bands but with kids, work, gigs etc it’s hard trying to get time have a jam and the other thing is not that I think my one of my mates would ever say your not good enough or anything but he is an awesome guitarist and I feel a bit intimidated to jam with him!

Nah, it'll be fine.  All guitarists love showing off how much better they are than everybody else in the room, so don't worry about it, he'll be pleased to have you there to show off to

[Jimothey]

5 hours ago, Monkey Steve said:

Nah, it'll be fine.  All guitarists love showing off how much better they are than everybody else in the room, so don't worry about it, he'll be pleased to have you there to show off to

Surprisingly Steve is very laid back he’s not a typical guitarist in that aspect it’s more that he gets lost in the music and does a 20min Hendrix style solo and the rest of the band just carries on regardless.........🙄

[bassbiscuits]

For me its been a mixture of old fashioned methods. My missus put a notice up in a music shop (wow remember those?) next to a notice from a band looking for exactly the same thing. We got in touch, went for a few drinks and I ended up playing with them for 12 years!

Rest has been word of mouth from people who've played with me recommending me to others; or people who've seen me play asking me if I'm available to do stuff with them.

That in turn has just led to plenty of different dep jobs with various bands, which is what keeps my diary ticking over at the moment.

EDIT - my search for my first proper band about 20+years ago, again in response to an advert in a shop, led to me speaking to the singer for about an hour on the phone one night. We got on like a house on fire. Eventually, we realised that we'd actually been in school together about 10 years beforehand, and from then on it was pretty much a done deal that I was in!

Edited December 3, 2019 by bassbiscuits

[DM Plucker]

I began attending a ukulele jam about three years ago as an excuse to get out of the house and down the pub on a school night. I soon realised that I wanted to do something more musically creative than strumming along to the same songs every week that had been forcefully shoe-horned into the key of C for ease of playing.

I met our singest/harmonica/baritone player at the jam, we got on and he mentioned that he had a bass guitar at home that he had never bothered to learn to play, and he would happily lend it to me, along with a small combo, if I wanted to give it a go. I ummed, ahhed and procrastinated for about a year before taking him up on his offer. It soon became apparent that if I was to make any real progress I was going to need to begin playing with other people, so the singest, a drummer that we knew who also played guitar, and I got together for a couple of informal, beer-fuelled jams. A twenty-minute slot in a multi-act musical evening presented itself recently and we decided to go for it. It went pretty well, we enjoyed it and we’ve got a few future dates pencilled in off the back of it.

To this day though not one of us has ever actually said “shall we form a band?” I’m assuming I’m in one, but not entirely certain.

[peteb]

Band 1 (tribute): speaking to a singer I vaguely knew at one of his gigs. A couple of days later he sent me a text asking me to join his new tribute band.

Band 2 (originals): a couple of guys in the tribute band were recording an album for a band based miles away. They decided to sack the bass player and the keys player recommended me. The leader asked me to join, then I didn't hear anything for ages. Then the guitar player gave me a CD of the songs at a tribute band gig and told me that they had a photo session and recording session scheduled in two weeks time.

Band 3 (covers): guitar player I've known for years rang me up out of the blue and asked me to join a new band he and a drummer I knew were putting together.