Has anyone gone from being good on bass to beginner on another instrument and band?

[la bam]

Apologies for the long title.... 

 

I've been on bass now in lots of bands, pub bands, function bands and tributes etc. I'm comfortable on bass - still love it and everything about it. 

 

However, something is nagging me and I have a real nag to join on a band and play sax. 

 

I've not been playing long, but I'm loving it. However, I'm well aware I'd be playing at a poor / beginner sax level, so that might mean I join a start up band, a traditional raw pub band, or do I take a chance and try for a good band? (and hope they play easy tunes

 

Has anyone else take big steps backwards to start again on a new instrument? How did it go? 

Edited July 29 by la bam

[Mykesbass]

Part of being any musician is being a band member and acquiring all the skills outside of being able to play your instrument. Personally, I think it would be frustrating starting with a beginner level band, and would look to see if there was an established band that would be willing to take you on.

 

Good luck, and have fun (oh, and never forget you are one of us)!

[Burns-bass]

Depends on the type of music you want to play, but in Bristol there are several community jazz bands. As long as you can read to Grade 5, you can attend and play each week. They regularly gig and look like a lot of fun to be part of.

 

This is a way to rapidly accelerate learning and development and the sort of standards they play aren’t hugely challenging. 
 

Perhaps something like this could be good for a year? (It’s how I started playing DB and got out playing very quickly.)

[Doctor J]

More than once. I started on bass, it was always the instrument I was drawn to the most, but none of my guitar-playing friends were any use at writing songs. Widdling? No problem. Riffs? No, sir. After a couple of years, during which I was bassist in the school band, I bought a cheap Aria Cat from one of them and started to learn guitar. In my first real band out of school, I was the guitarist, much to my displeasure.
 

A few years and a few bands later, where I was bassing again, a friend and I were trying to get a band together playing what is now known as stoner, I suppose, but wasn't well established at all, back then. We were on a serious Sabbath buzz and wanted sound like Master of Reality slowed down. We tried for ages to find a drummer who would play slowly but everyone we tried either couldn't play slow or didn't want to play slow. I'm talking sub-50bpm type of slow. Zero interest, but it was the music we wanted to make at that time. Eventually, I decided to give it a go myself. I started to learn to drum and we got a bass player instead. The band folded before we really got it together but it was great fun while it lasted and I still love the music we made together. In my next two bands, I was the drummer, before getting a bass gig again.

 

In both cases, it was the music which drove me towards learning different instruments. If you're in a similar position, I'd say go for it. Why not? You'll learn a new instrument and you'll learn more about music, be exposed to band and musical situations you wouldn't be under current circumstances. Since those times, I been in more bands on guitar and drums than I have on bass, but I'm a better bassist because of my understanding of what the guitars and drums contribute and how they do it. These days, I live in the countryside and have room in the house set up a studio, with a fully mic'd kit, some amps, some basses and guitars and basses and I record songs from start to finish where I play everything. I'm even dabbling in keyboards. I will always see myself as a bassist first, but it makes my life a lot more interesting being not just a bassist.

 

Always go where the music leads you.

[BigRedX]

When I auditioned for my third band in 1983 it was as a bass player, but we quickly decided that all-synth was the way that we wanted to go. I already had an EDP Wasp synth that had been used for noise textures in my last band but I wasn't really much of a keyboard player. I ended up spending most the 80s playing synths until in 1988 I auditioned for another bands who were looking for both bass and guitar. They preferred another person for the bass playing role, but I really liked the music and mentioned that I could also play guitar and in the absence of anyone else even remotely suitable they asked me to join the band. That was a big learning curve as I hadn't played guitar seriously since 1980 and even then I was average at best. I think I surprised myself as much as many of my musical friends when we did our first gig.

[borntohang]

I think I'm officially classed as a multi-instrumentalist now as I get calls for guitar, bass, and keys, so I have started over at least three times plus dabbled in a few other instruments where I'm not totally fluent but have learned to play one or two tunes for a specific gig. Obviously playing within the fretted string family is easier than jumping to sax, but I find that once I can play a few chords/scales on something I can work the rest out as we go and I am by no means an unusually gifted or intuitive player - average at best and a lazy student to boot.

 

A significant amount of musical information and ensemble-playing skills are transferrable between instruments, so you're in a much better position than a true beginner and should catch up very very quickly once you've got a bit of technique together. You already know the theory, your brain knows the relationship between note intervals, you know how to fit into a group context, and you have lots of gigging experience. The rest is just about getting your weedy sax fingers to catch up to the speed of your hench bass brain. 

 

Incidentally, horn players are nearly always in demand as they collectively tend to expect payment and mostly work on the session pro basis (turn up on the night, read from the dots, leave before teardown with cash in hand). There will be plenty of ensembles/bands happy to take on an enthusiastic amateur with previous experience in a band situation.

Edited July 29 by borntohang

[Happy Jack]

I played boogie-woogie piano when I was a teenager ... not well, but I played it. And I could play the cowboy chords on guitar. Gave it all up when I hit London at 17 and found myself sharing flat after flat with committed wannabe rock stars.

 

I started playing bass from scratch on my 49th birthday and 15 years later I felt I'd achieved at least basic competence. Then I found myself playing bass in a not-very-good soul band as a side-project during the Covid lockdowns.

 

We lost our keyboard player after our first batch of gigs and found ourselves approaching the next batch six months later still without a keys player, so I suggested that I slide sideways onto the keys seat because it would be easier to recruit a new bass player. There were some raised eyebrows but we went ahead and did it, and it worked.

 

I focused for three straight weeks on keys, keys and more keys and - given the limited level of playing ability in the band - by the time we gigged I didn't stand out as the novice. Entry level stuff is perfectly acceptable on keys so long as you don't big yourself up as the new Rick Wakeman. I left that soul band when the rather decent lead vocalist left to concentrate on singing karaoke in care homes. 😱

 

Two years later and I've gigged on keys with three different bands, with a bunch of dep gigs for a fourth band coming up this Autumn. I've got steadily better and better (as you'd expect) but Rick Wakeman remains thoroughly unchallenged by me. 

 

@la bam, the best advice I can give you is to be straight with people about your playing level. Any halfway decent muso is going to understand what you're saying; if you're not good enough (yet) for that band then best you don't join it, but a lot of bands will take sax as much for the look of it as the sound (a bit like DB in that regard), and many really famous sax parts are astonishingly simple when you analyse them.

[dave_bass5]

During the first lockdown I bought a keyboard (not my first, but haven't touched one for 30+ years). Told the band that I was going to play keys and made a real pigs ear of it at the first few rehearsals 😂 . Im more confident now and since picking the bass up for another band recently, I do feel im more proficient on keys than bass now though.

I want to join more bands on keys but im still very new to playing.

Edited July 29 by dave_bass5

[JottoSW1]

Got a synth a while ago. Busily learning keys / theory plus grappling with the Synth aspect.

No band currently strictly a dilettante 

[Rosie C]

16 hours ago, la bam said:

Has anyone else take big steps backwards to start again on a new instrument? How did it go? 

 

Yes, after 40 years of bass guitar and playing bass in the background of a couple of bands, I was taken with an urge to be up front. I took up vocals, piano accordion and larger mandolins. Vocals and mandolin have gone well, I can perform them together, and a lot of practice is the two at the same time.

 

Accordion has gone less well, there's a lot of muscle memory needed and without regular practice I'm not progressing. Also depending on the genre I need different size accordion.  I've done a few gigs but wasn't 100% happy. 

 

Very much worth doing, and of course it means I can multi-track recordings - I'm in the middle of recording a bunch of folk songs with vocal and mandolin, and I'll go back and add bass guitar to them later.

 

[petebassist]

12 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

 

Yes, after 40 years of bass guitar and playing bass in the background of a couple of bands, I was taken with an urge to be up front. I took up vocals, piano accordion and larger mandolins. Vocals and mandolin have gone well, I can perform them together, and a lot of practice is the two at the same time.

 

Accordion has gone less well, there's a lot of muscle memory needed and without regular practice I'm not progressing. Also depending on the genre I need different size accordion.  I've done a few gigs but wasn't 100% happy. 

 

Very much worth doing, and of course it means I can multi-track recordings - I'm in the middle of recording a bunch of folk songs with vocal and mandolin, and I'll go back and add bass guitar to them later.

 

Being able to multi-track recordings - agreed that's a fantastic reason for doing it. Make your own music 🎵

[JottoSW1]

8 hours ago, petebassist said:

Being able to multi-track recordings - agreed that's a fantastic reason for doing it. Make your own music 🎵

This. Even modest variants on an H series Zoom or similar give you a cheap easy convenient resource for 4 tracks or better..

[gafbass02]

Yes, about 12 ish years ago I somehow ended up fronting a band on vocals and guitar, despite really only having very rudimentary knowledge of power chords etc. I’m a decent bass player, but a way below average guitarist, having never wanted to play the skinny stringed version - I was a bassist from day one. 
Ironically, we went on to play hundreds of gigs for over a decade and many folks locally still know me more as a singer and guitarist than as a bassist to this day! Although I only really play bass again now and the odd acoustic chord bash gig. 

[The Attic Man]

I've gone the other way round, I started as a not to bad ukulele player (similar as it has 4 strings , though I have got a 8 string uke 🤣)but last year at the grand old age of 52 decided to  have a bash at attempting to learn /play bass. Wish I had done it years ago, I've absolutely fallen in love with it and really enjoy it, just got to find some people to play with now as playing with others really helps you learn. But obviously i feel very self conscious as I'm not particularly good. I can also play a few chords on guitar and murder a harmonica and my singing is ok I've been told I've got a nice singing voice but I'm not to sure about that 🤣

[Horrorhiker]

I've always played guitar alongside bass, but I more recently learned to play drums especially for a band that I couldn't find a drummer for. I'd always dabbled, and thought I was pretty good until I actually tried, and found that I was woeful! So I had to practice a lot in order to avert a disaster!

 

The band was called Hurricane Jim and the link to those recordings are in my signature I believe..I cringe when I hear that stuff, but it's good for personal development I guess. 

 

Anyway, this experience made me want to practice and get better, so I played more, and eventually signed up to play drums in a brass band that my wife played in. They were desperate for a drummer, and I agreed to do it on the proviso that I would be learning and would play by ear rather than read music. The band master gave me a fair bit of pressure despite that proviso and after a while sort of forgot that I couldn't read music, leading to a few animated discussions in the band hut. 

 

Long story short, I did get better at drums and ended up doing loads of gigs, got to know a completely different community than I would ever normally get a chance to, and even marched with a snare a few times for rememberence parades which was amazing. I can even read a little drum music now, which, though will never come in useful, I'm quite satisfied about.

 

I gave up the band due to internal politics being too toxic, but it was definately a brilliant experience on the whole.  

 

 

[Boodang]

I used to play alto sax many years ago, great fun, so keep it up. Maybe start with a horn section, easier parts and not soloing. 

 

I did take up playing drums a while ago. I just kept it as a bedroom hobby for many years as I just enjoyed it but then one day just decided to have lessons with a teacher (as opposed to online) and that propelled me forward in leaps to the point where I found a covers band 2 years ago and threw myself in the deep end. Kept it simple and faked it to begin with but two years of learning all types of songs, some hard work and more lessons, and I'm doing more gigs on drums than bass now. Definitely worth the effort plus I think it's improved my bass playing with a deeper understanding of rhythms. I'm not saying I have nothing more to learn on bass, far from it, but I do like a new challenge to keep things fresh. Oh, plus more musically toys to buy, so a result!

[JapanAxe]

Other way round for me. As a longtime guitarist I bought a bass just to record with, but a friend then roped me into playing a gig with him so I bought an amp too. I learned quite quickly and was careful not to fall into the trap of playing the bass like a guitar. My playing on my friend’s gig was abysmal, but by the time I started playing with other bands I pretty much knew what I was doing. 20+ years on, I have been about equally competent on both instruments for a good while now.

 

To me, upcoming gigs are a great way to focus on improving my playing. My latest acquisition is a lap steel, which I reckon will work really well with a local singer-songwriter who I occasionally play with. Next gig with him will see me woodshedding lap steel!

[Woodinblack]

Yes, started on piano as a kid, then went to guitar when it wasn't cool to be playing piano in my later teens. Then went to bass then switched back to guitar. Quit guitar in my 30s and took it up again in my 40s, then got in with a good group of musicians, noting that most of them were better guitarists than me, and it was hard to get a gig as a guitarist as there were so many so went to bass, then realising I loved bass more than I did guitar.

Then I got a chapman stick, which even after all this time I feel I am a beginner on, but still have a fascination for that stops me getting rid of it!

[Cat Burrito]

I'd always been a bass player but started working with a singer-songwriter around 2005. I felt guilty just adding bass to his recordings so bought a mandolin (I figured the strings were set up similarly) and started to add a whole range of instruments I couldn't play, from 4 string banjo to lapsteel. Upon reflection, I bit off more than I could chew. At this time I started playing guitar more seriously and actually went for lessons with the instruction "make me not sound like a bass player when I play guitar". They achieved that and I had a couple of occasions where I have played guitar in bands with varying success. Over lockdown I got much, much better on mandolin and I have now added mandocello to my list of instruments. Just recently I have been learning simple drum and keyboard lines. My next release is a 5 track EP and I only play standard bass guitar on 2 of the songs. 

 

Looking back, I think I tried to run before I could walk but fast forward to 2024 and I am definitely a better musician and better on the bass as a result. I'd still say bass is my go to instrument and the one that feels effortless but I have a lot of fun with the other stuff. 

[MacDaddy]

Not sure if this counts but I've just got an EUB which I'll be using in one of my bands.

I've never had one before, or played one in anger. It's a different technique and I can already see there is a lot of practice I need to do.

[pete.young]

I think the key here is practice - a small amount a day for a few weeks will get you up to a reasonable standard quite quickly.

 

I had a similar situation a few years ago when I was persuaded to take up the tuba for a wind band. I was given some basic instruction and a selection of bass parts to learn. I did 30 minutes a day for 6 weeks, and when I went to my first rehearsal I was able to cope with all the parts I'd been working on . I think I played out with the band about another 6 weeks later. I'd played piano and double bass for years and could read bass clef so that helped.

 

Besides jazz and pub ska bands, you will find that there are opportunities in community wind bands who are always in need of more woodwind and brass players. You'll need to read treble clef and maybe alto though. Some of the bigger bands will also have intermediate bands as feeders for the main band, which may be a good way to get started if you're not confident or quite up to standard of the rest of the band.

[diskwave]

Long story but might amuse some if nothing better to do. 

 

Last day of term at middle school in 71 and they wanted kids to do something in Fri afternoon assembly on the school stage, anything that might be entertaining, so four of us thght,..."how bout be a band and mime to a record"?  Bearing in mind we had a week to do this. So I got dad to cut out two leccy guitars from some old board and Friday arrived.

 

No idea how this happened but I end up not with a guitar (board) but sitting on a seat with a snare drum in me lap.  Teacher queues up my friends older sisters  "Get It On" and off we go with the other three jumping about like twits and lil ole me tapping this bloody snare drum... thing is halfway thru the tune Im starting to do a solid four four hi hat snare back beat on the snare, never done it before never hit anything other than my bro now and again..haha.

 

Next thing I know everyones kinda looking at me with big confused smiles cause we're only spposed to be miming, and anyway...'You cant play drums...can you'? Anyway seems I caused a bit of a stir and suddenly Im the next best thing to sliced bread.

 

To get to the point of this tale. Moving on 50 years after a lifetime playing bass and I suddenly got the urge to play drums again, or rather I can play a straight back beat and a bit of jazz but it got me a few gigs with a couple of bands recently. Fun and games. 

 

If you have any thgts about having a go... well, have a go.. nothing to lose. 

[Woodwind]

On 29/07/2024 at 01:21, la bam said:

Apologies for the long title.... 

 

I've been on bass now in lots of bands, pub bands, function bands and tributes etc. I'm comfortable on bass - still love it and everything about it. 

 

However, something is nagging me and I have a real nag to join on a band and play sax. 

 

I've not been playing long, but I'm loving it. However, I'm well aware I'd be playing at a poor / beginner sax level, so that might mean I join a start up band, a traditional raw pub band, or do I take a chance and try for a good band? (and hope they play easy tunes

 

Has anyone else take big steps backwards to start again on a new instrument? How did it go? 

 

 

Only just seen your original post.

 

My situation was fairly similar (a condensed history) -

Started playing bass guitar in the late 90's as a teenager.

Joined loads of bands of various genres over the next few years and got to a pretty high level of playing.

 

Having developed tinnitus I moved away from amplified music and started playing the double bass in 2005.

This was brutal! Becoming a complete beginner again.

Musically I was advanced, but technically zero which is perhaps even more frustrating as you are aware you cannot manifest your ideas yourself.

I was writing for my band which consisted of bass acoustic instruments (cello, bass clarinet, bassoon) and drums, which allowed me to play simpler parts while I got better on the instrument.

 

4 years of concentrated study later I developed very bad tendon problems and decided to move instruments again.

 

Through writing for the bassoon I had completely fallen in love with it, or rather it's contrabass brother and decided to become the player I could never find for my ensemble.

 

Hiring an instrument and tracking down a teacher who could understand why someone in their early 30's, who had never played a woodwind instrument before and had no interest in playing orchestral music would want to play the contrabassoon.

 

Again it was brutal - just allowing myself to sound absolutely dreadful and practicing slowly every day.

14 years later it's my primary instrument that has led to all sorts of opportunities.

I only really play solo these days, which would have been impossible for me to believe 20 years ago.

 

 

So in short commit fully to the saxophone!!!

Once in a band Make a feature of what you can play rather than struggling with what you can't yet manage.

 

Focus on making a Wonderful sound.

I'd much rather hear a few notes with beautiful tone and conviction, than squonking through many.

[Woodwind]

On 29/07/2024 at 08:33, Doctor J said:

 

... a few years and a few bands later, where I was bassing again, a friend and I were trying to get a band together playing what is now known as stoner, I suppose, but wasn't well established at all, back then. We were on a serious Sabbath buzz and wanted sound like Master of Reality slowed down. We tried for ages to find a drummer who would play slowly but everyone we tried either couldn't play slow or didn't want to play slow. I'm talking sub-50bpm type of slow. Zero interest, but it was the music we wanted to make at that time. Eventually, I decided to give it a go myself. I started to learn to drum and we got a bass player instead. The band folded before we really got it together but it was great fun while it lasted and I still love the music we made together. In my next two bands, I was the drummer, before getting a bass gig again...

 

Always go where the music leads you.

 

 

Excellent!!