Thurbs Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Hi all. After first picking up a bass this time last year I played my first gig ever last Saturday! Here is my story... The band has only been together for 8 or so rehearsals. We dont have a massave list of songs we can do but attempted to get about 20 songs in all. The gig was at a small village pub which has regular bands on. It wasn't a payed as it was our first and we had no idea how good we would be. I get there about 6 (we are on at 9:30) to set up and get myself all sorted. After moving about with tables, lugging speakers in and faffing about with new lighting gear we were given we were not sound checked and ready until 9! Yes, 3 f***ing hours... how did that happen? We did have sh*t loads of stuff but I think next time we need to thin down as 3 hours is just a joke. One thing which did come out of the sound check is dynamics. Our drummer cant play anything but f***ing loud and it really pissed off the punters and the landlord. We managed to get him to play just really loud instead of f***ing loud and we just about got away with it but at one stage I thought we were about to get kicked out! I even suggested to the drummer if he cant turn it down he should bring his electric kit... I dont think he was too impressed! What does everyone else do? And dont get me started about addressing dynamics between a quiet verse and a loud chorus, he just plays f***ing loud all the time... Anyway eventually it went 1...2...3...4... and we are playing! The first song was a but iffey as everyone is pretty tentative. The second song our singer/guitarist's voice started to go but we pressed on.. and it was getting better. Still nothing like the rehearsals in terms of quality but it was in "get away with it" teratory. Then came My Hero and boy did we cock this up, or should I say our drummer cocked it up. It was so bad at one point that me and the guitarist looked at each other as if to say "should we stop?". We carried on anyway with the drums virtually playing a different song to us and completed the song, but it was pretty bad. Our next song, Maybe Tomorrow, I read wrong on the set list and started playing Morning Glory (yes I know) and I completely cocked up the first few bars. Realised early and was in sync by the 3rd or 4th bar. I did feel a bit stupid and was getting further cross with my self and the band at the poor show we were putting on. Anyway, we carry on with the odd verse missed out here, the odd chorus missed out there and some songs we ended half way through a chrous or a verse. Now, I am no expert by any stretch. I think I made a small mistake in just about every song. A bit too slow here, a bit too keen there, cocked up a note, that sort of thing but we were making pretty fundamental errors with the structure of songs. At one point I just gave up focusing on what came after a bridge or a verse and had to virtually guess based on the drummers fill. Is this normal? I am trying to take some posatives from it as I was able to cover up and recover from those mistakes quite well, but it was quite unnerving. The other thing I commented to the band on is the break inbetween songs. When I have seen bands before once one song is finished it is straight in to the next one. We usually had a few minutes of faffing about and I didnt think it was very good. Again is this normal? Am I too anal? We ended much better than we started. All in all it was a good night and I was pleased with myself. The drummer I am not sure about but will give it a couple more months before doing anything drastic. They gave us £50 each in the end which is preferable to a kick in the teeth... Here are some of our "better" songs: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOFChCZEUKI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOFChCZEUKI[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUGxpQNQfBo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUGxpQNQfBo[/url] Set 1 Beautiful Day 20th Century Boy Heavyweight Champion of the World My Hero Maybe Tomorrow Sweet Home Alabama Have a Nice Day Run I Fought The Law Gimme Some Lovin’ Set 2 Morning Glory Bohemian Like You Monster Creep Use Somebody With or Without You Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) Wonderwall ‘59 Sound Sex on Fire Best of You Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurbs Posted December 17, 2010 Author Share Posted December 17, 2010 A couple more vids: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNrCID6rdSk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNrCID6rdSk[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUpJ5g2bWvE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUpJ5g2bWvE[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrenleepoole Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Hey mate, we've all had to gig for the first time at some point, and I'd be very surprised if no one on here had been what you've been through On my first gig way back in 1990, we did a student union hut gig and played to about 40 people. All the material was original and written by the guitarist. I was playing a Hohner P-bass fretless through a Laney Linebacker 150 amp and I was nervous as hell. At one point, the guitarist stood on my jack lead and pull it out of the bass. Well I just lost it with him, right in the middle of the song, right in front of the audience because I was just so nervous A lot of the songs that we were playing were actually quite delicate, subtle tunes with some great ideas in them, but the way we played them ended up sounding like a punk band - as we simply thrashed through them! There's a video of it somewhere. Based on those videos, if that's you're first gig as a bassist, you have a great future. I wish I could've played that well first off. I think everyone on here would agree that what doesn't kill you, will simply make you stronger. You'll learn from this experience and you'll do better next time, and better again after that. Every player on here has a gig story like this, and if they say they haven't they're lying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer61 Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Firstly well done!! We've all been here done that and after loads of gigs still do. The first thing I thought before I got down the thread was "only 8 rehearsals". Most of the things ref structure of songs is the band being tight and that only comes with practice and more practice and then playing live. I wouldn't been downhearted on the contrary you got un expectedly paid, the real acid test is will they book you again. Ref your drummer, nerves will be a factor, however my drummer can play at different volume levels, he says playing quiter is harder but it can be done. ref gap in between songs, can be frustrating esp if one person is noodling aroud or continually tuning when the rest of you are good to go. Top stuff and good luck with your future gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soysuperbien Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 In my previous band, we used to take ages in between songs, the lead guitarist is paranoid about tuning and had to check in between every song. im in my current band with him now and i told him to get a polytune and that sorted his problem. I think in the first few gigs everybody is a bit nervous about starting the next song incase everybody isn't ready, but that goes with practising. In the previous band aswell we used to practise in a bedroom as we had a drum machine (even more of a pain in the arse than a real drummer IMO) in the bedroom we would sit in a circle and you could hear everyone, then when it came to a gig it would sound complety different and the parts i would normally take my cue from i couldn't hear. now we practise in a 'live enviroment' in a studio so it doesnt differ much from the gig in sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 £50 quid is better than I get for 90% gigs I do. And I've been playing for 20+ years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstuk Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 I think you're very brave to post these vids to youtube.. Most of us would rather have no evidence of our first gig in the public domain :-) It's always different live.. You'll only get better... Take feedback from the audience that you respect.. It's easier if band members are not the only folk asking the drummer/retardist to be quieter... Welcome to those of us who actually stand up on stage, you're already different from those who criticise, but never have a go themselves... And the main thing is to ENJOY IT.... :-) Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 All the kinks will come out after a few more practices. Next time you practice, you can say to the guys "Hey, maybe we need to come up with a plan for the gaps between songs" or "Can we go over that particular fill a few times so I have it down pat?". But seriously well done! A two hour set for your first gig?! Amazing! I remember my first gig was in front of a bout 200 people as we were support for a big local band. We only played for 20 minutes and we died. We were shocking!It's funny how your brain just stops working sometimes innit? Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurbs Posted December 17, 2010 Author Share Posted December 17, 2010 Thanks for all of the encouraging comments! I fully accept the videos are a bit of a car crash, however we do rehearse much better than that (even though it has been only 8 rehearsals). I though we would be better than we were and I was most surprised how getting in front of a live audiance changes things. I think the drummer got the biggest sence of stage fright than me, even though he has been playing for decades and gigging with other bands for 2 years. He had a problem with his electric kit so wasn't able to practice as much as he would have liked (or that is his excuse anyway!). As for my own focus, I find it helps not actually looking at anyone, but just looking at the middle distance not focused on any individual but a picture or something... works for me. When I make eye contact with someone it usually puts me off and I make a little mistake... As it happens I have my second gig tonight. This one is a 6 piece and we have been practicing for 9 months. The whole band seems to be gig shy and I am only got them to gig by throwing my toys out of the pram a few months ago. If it isn't perfect after 9 months of weekly practices, there is no hope for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 All gigs first priority is to get paid and get booked again so take the lessons from this gig and apply that to make the next better. There isn't much you can do about mistakes but you can decide about the dynamics of the song. Nobody likes crash, bang, wallop all the time even if you really like the band..if it is borderline for punters, give them a chance to escape assualt for the entire lenght of the set by playing sections or songs quietly. The song itself should dicate this. It sounds like as a band,...you are going to have to be a whole lot more aware of a lot more than you are collectively atm.. but well done for putting yoursefl out there. You'll probably have a few more like that but take something from every one and build up the band experience. The whole deal about the interaction between you and your audience so learn to be a bit more subtle about it all..maybe..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurbs Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 After raising a few issues at this weeks rehearsal our drummer decided to quit! I guess he couldnt take the heat... Anyone know any good drummers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I'm playing my first gig in a few weeks time...rather nervous. from the video's it looks like you done really well, i'll be terrified incase anything goes wrong people seem to be saying 8 rehearsal's isn't that much...which isn't helping the fact that by the time of my first gig we'l only have rehearsed 5 times....it's a metal band so luckily the drummer problem won't be there lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 One of the first things I spotted was that you said you'd only had 8 rehearsals yet had a massive list of songs & then chose 20 to play. My tip would be to pick your best 20 (or at least an agreed number that will fill a set) and then stick to them until they are totally nailed. No use part-learning 40 songs if you can only fit 20 into your time slot as the audience won't ever discover you've got another 20 that you could possibly play. Could even always play them in the same order every time you rehearse so you'll start to get faster between changeovers. This can sound a bit boring at times to be just banging out the same songs week after week but, unless you've got one really strong MD who can hold everyone together, it's just about the best way to get really tight. Once you've got these in the bank then you can start adding a couple of new songs each week and build the list up, have 'spares' for that elusive 3rd encore etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 (edited) ++1 for learning a set. You need to concentrate on your best numbers, add numbers later but that set has to be right. Don't talk to the band over the microphone. Don't give a running commentary about the problems. You're all too loud! ps End the numbers right and most audiences won’t know what went wrong in the middle. It doesn’t look good to shrug your shoulders apologetically at the end of a number. Even if you’re wrong be confident. A first gig will always be a minefield. It gets much easier as you go on. Looks like a good first gig. I hope it was fun. Edited March 23, 2011 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vsmith1 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Definitely get a set list and rehearse the numbers in that order. Everyone has chance to learn the changes they need to make between numbers like capos, pickup controls, etc. Also thoroughly agree that starts and endings are key. Also get the gig face on - the face that doesn't give it away that you've just bumbled something. I think it was joe Pass the great jazz guitarist that said it doesn't matter that you've hit the wrong note it's the next note that counts. I take this to mean keep going - most people won't notice in the midst of a song. Keep going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurbs Posted March 25, 2011 Author Share Posted March 25, 2011 3 months on and we have another gig tomorrow with a 32 song set. We have had 3 drummers, the current one is only a dep and a new second guitarist who literally fills any silence with constant, pointless and annoying twiddling. He is a pretty sh*t so is obviously trying to prove something... cant solo and is really disorganised. I cant see him staying with us for long... That begin said, the drummer is an ex pro, is awesome, drives the dynamics brilliantly and we are doing everything we can to convince him to make it a permanent arrangement. All in all I am looking forward to it, here is the set now... Beautiful Day Heavyweight Champ Monster Have a Nice Day Wonderwall Creep Use Somebody Pretty f***ed Up 59 Sound Cant Get Enough 20th Centry Boy Get Back Bohemian Like You I Fought The Law Sweet Home Alabama Use Somebody Don’t You Forget About With or Without You Good Riddance Morning Glory Disco 2000 Mustang Sally Gimme Some Lovin Long Train Running Lets Spend Night Tog You Really Got Me Summer of 69 Sex on Fire Johnny B Goode Run Wanted Dead or Alive Dakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 [quote name='Cameronj279' post='1172838' date='Mar 23 2011, 01:22 AM']I'm playing my first gig in a few weeks time...rather nervous. from the video's it looks like you done really well, i'll be terrified incase anything goes wrong people seem to be saying 8 rehearsal's isn't that much...which isn't helping the fact that by the time of my first gig we'l only have rehearsed 5 times....it's a metal band so luckily the drummer problem won't be there lol[/quote] While we all very experienced giggers, we put The Fleetwood MAc Experience out to its first gig with 6 rehearsals, so 8 is pretty reasonable if you have a good grasp of what you want to do. That being so, you'll do just fine. And you'll be itching for number two to happen soon as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Thurbs' post='1175694' date='Mar 25 2011, 10:49 AM']3 months on and we have another gig tomorrow with a 32 song set. We have had 3 drummers, the current one is only a dep and a new second guitarist who literally fills any silence with constant, pointless and annoying twiddling. He is a pretty sh*t so is obviously trying to prove something... cant solo and is really disorganised. I cant see him staying with us for long... That begin said, the drummer is an ex pro, is awesome, drives the dynamics brilliantly and we are doing everything we can to convince him to make it a permanent arrangement. All in all I am looking forward to it, here is the set now... Beautiful Day Heavyweight Champ Monster Have a Nice Day Wonderwall Creep Use Somebody Pretty f***ed Up 59 Sound Cant Get Enough 20th Centry Boy Get Back Bohemian Like You I Fought The Law Sweet Home Alabama Use Somebody Don’t You Forget About With or Without You Good Riddance Morning Glory Disco 2000 Mustang Sally Gimme Some Lovin Long Train Running Lets Spend Night Tog You Really Got Me Summer of 69 Sex on Fire Johnny B Goode Run Wanted Dead or Alive Dakota[/quote] Good set list, something for everyone. Good luck with the people thing, and hope your drummer decides to stay, because, boy, are they hard to find... Edited March 25, 2011 by Telebass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 [quote name='Thurbs' post='1061180' date='Dec 17 2010, 12:12 AM']Hi all. After first picking up a bass this time last year I played my first gig ever last Saturday! Here is my story... The band has only been together for 8 or so rehearsals. We dont have a massave list of songs we can do but attempted to get about 20 songs in all. The gig was at a small village pub which has regular bands on. It wasn't a payed as it was our first and we had no idea how good we would be. I get there about 6 (we are on at 9:30) to set up and get myself all sorted. After moving about with tables, lugging speakers in and faffing about with new lighting gear we were given we were not sound checked and ready until 9! Yes, 3 f***ing hours... how did that happen? We did have sh*t loads of stuff but I think next time we need to thin down as 3 hours is just a joke. One thing which did come out of the sound check is dynamics. Our drummer cant play anything but f***ing loud and it really pissed off the punters and the landlord. We managed to get him to play just really loud instead of f***ing loud and we just about got away with it but at one stage I thought we were about to get kicked out! I even suggested to the drummer if he cant turn it down he should bring his electric kit... I dont think he was too impressed! What does everyone else do? And dont get me started about addressing dynamics between a quiet verse and a loud chorus, he just plays f***ing loud all the time... Anyway eventually it went 1...2...3...4... and we are playing! The first song was a but iffey as everyone is pretty tentative. The second song our singer/guitarist's voice started to go but we pressed on.. and it was getting better. Still nothing like the rehearsals in terms of quality but it was in "get away with it" teratory. Then came My Hero and boy did we cock this up, or should I say our drummer cocked it up. It was so bad at one point that me and the guitarist looked at each other as if to say "should we stop?". We carried on anyway with the drums virtually playing a different song to us and completed the song, but it was pretty bad. Our next song, Maybe Tomorrow, I read wrong on the set list and started playing Morning Glory (yes I know) and I completely cocked up the first few bars. Realised early and was in sync by the 3rd or 4th bar. I did feel a bit stupid and was getting further cross with my self and the band at the poor show we were putting on. Anyway, we carry on with the odd verse missed out here, the odd chorus missed out there and some songs we ended half way through a chrous or a verse. Now, I am no expert by any stretch. I think I made a small mistake in just about every song. A bit too slow here, a bit too keen there, cocked up a note, that sort of thing but we were making pretty fundamental errors with the structure of songs. At one point I just gave up focusing on what came after a bridge or a verse and had to virtually guess based on the drummers fill. Is this normal? I am trying to take some posatives from it as I was able to cover up and recover from those mistakes quite well, but it was quite unnerving. The other thing I commented to the band on is the break inbetween songs. When I have seen bands before once one song is finished it is straight in to the next one. We usually had a few minutes of faffing about and I didnt think it was very good. Again is this normal? Am I too anal? We ended much better than we started. All in all it was a good night and I was pleased with myself. The drummer I am not sure about but will give it a couple more months before doing anything drastic. They gave us £50 each in the end which is preferable to a kick in the teeth... Here are some of our "better" songs: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOFChCZEUKI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOFChCZEUKI[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUGxpQNQfBo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUGxpQNQfBo[/url] Set 1 Beautiful Day 20th Century Boy Heavyweight Champion of the World My Hero Maybe Tomorrow Sweet Home Alabama Have a Nice Day Run I Fought The Law Gimme Some Lovin’ Set 2 Morning Glory Bohemian Like You Monster Creep Use Somebody With or Without You Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) Wonderwall ‘59 Sound Sex on Fire Best of You[/quote] First gigs can always be nervy affairs, especially if you haven't had much rehearsal time. But it gets better the more you gig, and when it all clicks and you look out in the audience and everyone is having a blast its the best feeling in the world! As for your drummer, i know how you feel. Our old drummer was an animal, but he was also a fantastic drummer so it was difficult to to get too uptight with him! Drummers are a strange breed anyway, in my experience they are either normal and keen but not very good, or very good but wierd! Anyway good luck with the band/gigs, and remember, even on the bad nights it's better to be out there living the dream in a gigging band than be a bedroom warrior sat at home uploading your latest "look how fast i can play" video! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 My thoughts. That didn't sound like a bad first gig. A bad first gig often produces no sound at all, so you've managed to achieve more than many That's a lot of songs for a the rehearsals. Molan mentions it above, but it's quality over quantity - have 20 well-learned tracks rather than 40 part-learned ones. Can you not get those plastic-disc things to dampen the drum volume? After that hazy description they're probably called dampeners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Well done mate you got through it and survived!!! I remember my first gig (a long time ago) and it was a nightmare but trust me you'll remember the first gig for ever........it will be imprinted on the inside of your skull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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