bonnp Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 I am pretty much a novice bass player, learning scales playing tabs etc level of skill?imy first tab was walk on by, stranglers which i can just about get through if i practice enough as only been seriously learning for around 5 months or so. i really want to form a band with similar skilled players etc but is this the right time? should i at least get resonably profficent before i try to jam, form a band with others.i am in my late forties but still want to gig some day but dont want to look a total tit when playing with others what would u want from your bass player if you were an average player etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddy Le Cragg Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Jamming in bands or with other musicians is the best way to learn. Stick an ad up or go to a local jam night. Then you can see how what you have learned fits into a real situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Nah just do it. Be honest with prospective band members about your ability. I find being in bands keeps me focused and remember that when I was learning it really spurred me on to improve knowing that I wasn't just improving for my own benefit. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 I'd get half a dozen songs that you like and are circuit staples - depending on the kind of stuff you want to play. As for band-mates well I wouldn't go hunting other people of your level, try to get into a group that are more experienced as they will pull you along really quickly. I've seen several "new" bands made up of beginners and they just get stuck in a rut not knowing how to progress, which songs to choose, or how to start/end/improv. You need half a dozen songs that you can play without any notes and with very few mistakes so at least if you audition you can bash through a 1/4 set to get a feel. Cheers, Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Diablo' timestamp='1394394577' post='2390998'] I'd get half a dozen songs that you like and are circuit staples - depending on the kind of stuff you want to play. As for band-mates well I wouldn't go hunting other people of your level, try to get into a group that are more experienced as they will pull you along really quickly. I've seen several "new" bands made up of beginners and they just get stuck in a rut not knowing how to progress, which songs to choose, or how to start/end/improv. You need half a dozen songs that you can play without any notes and with very few mistakes so at least if you audition you can bash through a 1/4 set to get a feel. Cheers, Rich [/quote] What Rich said, I personally started to see big improvements in my playing once I joined a band. Don't be worried too much, it's supposed to be fun remember! Edit+ my brother was playing with his folk band after only two months of picking up a bass. It can be done. Edited March 10, 2014 by Horizontalste Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 (edited) "Now" is the right time to form a band. I found it upped my game by several orders of magnitude, because I didn't want to look foolish but also the rest of the band are relying upon you to know your stuff and play it right. You've been learning seriously for 5 months? Plenty! Time to put that learning to the test Also agreed about being in a band with people you perceive as better than you. That also helps you want to pull your socks up. Edited March 10, 2014 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Yep... just do it. What is the worst that can happen?? It doesn't work and you split up or get asked to leave..? The advantage of your age is that you realise that some things in life are just more important, so although you can really commit, you are also more realistic. Always try and play with better players... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Playing with other musicians really helped me learn a whole different way, and it's very motivating too... and more fun. Do it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 [quote name='bonnp' timestamp='1394392542' post='2390979'] imy first tab was walk on by, stranglers which i can just about get through if i practice enough as only been seriously learning for around 5 months or so. [/quote] Ive been gigging that recently, its hard work (but fun) to hold down well with all the fills during the instrumental, so fair play if you can get anywhere near it as a beginner. Start jamming with anyone you can find, I still find today that I can pull of lines with live bands that I cant at home, there is something special about playing with others, its what bass is designed to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnp Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 thanks now it feels less daunting, i , feel a lot more positive and raring to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnp Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 on the heavy rock, old school punk or other are there six songs u would recommend, i.e that a regular decent songs to learn, been thinking about rolling stones etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Start with all your cliché pub band rocky songs I guess .. Honky Tonk Woman Hard to Handle Superstition That kind of thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt4ever Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 If you want to learn some Stones, Paint it Black works well and should be pretty simple on the bass for a beginner. Good luck and have fun. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Best way to get better is to get together with other musicians, you will gain more than you ever will from anything else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 i remember the days of 'here's 3 chords, now form a band' so as others have said just do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 In Swindon there is a 'Rock School' for adults who can play (at any level) but have never been in a band. Under the guidance of tutors, groups of 4 or 5 are encouraged to rehearse and perform covers of their choice. I was a tutor for a while, and I know some of these people took their bands out of the classroom and onto the pub circuit. Why not see if such a thing exists in your area? If so it will most likely be run by the schools music service. Other than that, go to some jam nights. Make a note of songs that get played a lot, go and learn them, then volunteer to play when you next attend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1394486106' post='2391921']Superstition[/quote] Attempting Superstition is the mark of a terrible cover band. Don't try to learn it, and don't join any band that asks you to learn it, and if you're in a band which subsequently decides to play it you must impress upon them how awful it will sound and make them change their minds. That's pretty much the one rule of being in bands. After 'Don't sleep with the drummer'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1394496060' post='2392048']...After 'Don't sleep with the drummer'.[/quote] ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I formed my first band about a month before I started playing. Punk Rock and all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I would echo what everyone else has said - definitely go for it! I was over 50 when I joined my first band and had been having lessons for just over a year. I was surprised to find that the rest of them were no better than me and in some cases worse! Although I do agree with everyone who has said it is better to try to find more competent musicians who can help you up your game, for me it was good to join such a basic band at first. I would have been completely overawed by anyone better than me and probably frozen with fear! So after about 6 months with the basic band, I formed an 'improvers level' band with a singer I had met. Managed to pursuade the 'basic' drummer to come with me into the new band - he was newish to drumming and I think we had both been improving together. We've been with the new band foir about a year now and are still all gradually getting better. I am hugely more confident now and have been able to jam with a few other musicians outside the band as well - I would never have had the nerve to do that without the band experience. The thing I have found with the confidence levels is that sometimes it's two steps forward one step back. You find yourself improving so you try something a bit more difficult.. then you mess it up and you start thinking you're useless again. But it's a gradually upward journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1394496060' post='2392048'] Attempting Superstition is the mark of a terrible cover band. [/quote] I kind of agree, but starting out he may need to learn these as their are a serious number of bands who pick them and that might be the route into playing with a band at this stage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1394558728' post='2392696'] I kind of agree, but starting out he may need to learn these as their are a serious number of bands who pick them and that might be the route into playing with a band at this stage [/quote] Indeed. One should learn all the old chestnuts: Sweet Home Alabama, Mustang Sally, Red House, Down At The Doctor's, Blue Suede Shoes, Jumping Jack Flash, Get Back, Sweet Home Chicago, Summertime Blues, Whole Lotta Love, Pretty Vacant. In fact the beginner should learn [i]anything[/i] that gets slagged off on BC for being a cliche song or a cliche artist. They're cliches because they get played an [i]awful[/i] lot, whether we 'like' them or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1394562521' post='2392783'] Indeed. One should learn all the old chestnuts: Sweet Home Alabama, Mustang Sally, Red House, Down At The Doctor's, Blue Suede Shoes, Jumping Jack Flash, Get Back, Sweet Home Chicago, Summertime Blues, Whole Lotta Love, Pretty Vacant. In fact the beginner should learn [i]anything[/i] that gets slagged off on BC for being a cliche song or a cliche artist. They're cliches because they get played an [i]awful[/i] lot, whether we 'like' them or not. [/quote] Yep, and the fact we don't like them is because we have gone through that stage (almost like the mainstream real book) and now are bored with them, and sometimes think its cool to hate them publicly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Here are some simple staples of the rock covers circuit: Dakota (Stereophonics) Learning to Fly (Foo's) Blitzkreig Bop (only 4 notes in the whole song!) Teenage Kicks (4 notes plus 1 passing note) Any blues standard - just learn the standard A-D-E 12 bar and you've got it, stuff like Johnny B Goode, Route 66 etc you can get away with playing the same bassline for any of them, and stick in variations/passing/walking as you feel more confident playing them. Wow, even an octave up occasionally! Cheers, Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnp Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 will give that a go, cheers some great advice thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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