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How many BassChatters have never ever gigged?


thebrig

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Apologies if this has been done before, but I've noticed after reading many threads over a number of years, that quite often, people mention that they have either never gigged, or not gigged for many years.

Now there's nothing wrong with that at all, but I'm curious to know what you do with your basses, or what do you get out of your obvious interest in all things bass, are you session musicians, just like noodling away at home, just like collecting basses, or just not interested about playing in bands?

I hope you don't think I'm being nosey, I'm just genuinely curious.

Me? I started collecting guitars because I liked them as ornaments, I then got a bass about ten year's ago to add to my collection of guitars, and I took to it immediately and have been playing in gigging bands ever since.

I joined BassChat about five year's ago and if I packed up gigging, I would still check in regularly, because all you guys & gals out there make it such an interesting forum. :)

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[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]Not sure how to do it I'm afraid. :blush:

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[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1476030113' post='3150597']
I have children and a disabled partner, it's not easy to achieve gigging. I can manage OM nights sometimes.

I do find the tone of the question a little unthoughtful to be honest
[/quote]I'm really sorry about your situation and I can honestly say that I did not mean to offend anyone by asking this question.

I am on the verge of having to pack up gigging because of health problems, I am taking seventeen pills a day, plus morphine in liquid form every four hours, and morphine in slow release tablet form twice a day, I'm not able to drive any more due to the drugs and the pain, and I am now in the process of starting to sell gear off so I can fund recording equipment so I can continue to make music at home.

Once again, apologies if I offended you, it certainly was not intended.

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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.

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It seems like a perfectly valid question to me, and doesn't come across as some sort of value judgement. There may be all sorts of reasons why people choose not to gig. Maybe they just love the instruments themselves, or the technology. Maybe they just like playing along to music they really love, but would be a bit shy about performing.

Maybe they write their own stuff and put it online, but don't actually perform it live.

Would it be any use to find out? Probably not, but it would be interesting. This is a chat forum after all. Think of it as chatting to people, finding out what motivate them, why they wouldn't want to perform and, yes, what life challenges might prevent them from performing (should anyone wish to share)

Don't feel upset Brig. I thought this would be an interesting thread to read and felt sad you were getting flak so soon :-(

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[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]

I wouldn't get upset at this. Like a lot of topics, it's just a bit of fun. Sorry to hear about your health problems too.

My tuppence worth is that I've been playing to live audiences since the early 1970s with a break between about 1993 to 2003 due to work and travels. I'm still gigging, depping and jamming regularly and hope to continue as long as I can. I'm 60 next year. :o

Frank.

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I don`t see anything wrong with not gigging, people who play a musical instrument should play for whatever reason that bests suits them. If I get to the point where I`m unable to gig I don`t see why I should suddenly give up my hobby, which has brought me so much fun/pleasure/experiences over so many years. A bunch of old mates of mine are currently in a band where they have no intention of ever gigging, they just practice once a fortnight and it`s a night out for them, playing songs they love, and having a social. A girl at work puts up clips on youtube of her singing - and she`s got a fantastic voice - but would never join a band nor sing "live". No criticism from me for people who don`t gig but still love playing/singing.

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Currently only solo bass playing. Although my girlfriend plays bass too so we often jam together.
Have jammed with others.

I would like to do open Mic nights or be in a gigging band or at least practicing band. Tried to get several bands together but have been let down. Trying to find people who are motivated seems hard.

Ive found they noodle bar good to keep me amused.
But I love instruments and associated gear in general to be around and work on etc. Also self improvement is motivating me a lot though I'm not naturally talented at all and really struggle but its a good struggle.

And I think the question is valid and not offensive.
I think sometimes its hard to get across a meaning in a post and some might not pick up on its intentions. I think I've annoyed a few people on here but I've not meant too. Although sometimes your opinion will offend others no matter what.

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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.

Edited by RhysP
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[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1476031148' post='3150623']
I think you're being a little oversensitive. The OP qualifies the thread title in the opening paragraph. It's not a criticism of players that don't gig, although what use accurate information of this type would be escapes me.
[/quote]
I think this is a really interesting question and carries more weight than the usual "Overrated Beatles", "Jaco does/doesn't suck" stuff that gets posted here quite a lot...
The main reason I picked up a Bass was to eventually play in a band. It was that aim that spurred me on to being the cack-handed chancer I am today. And I love it. Yep, I'd still play at home if I wasn't gigging, but with slightly less enthusiasm.
I have real, sincere admiration for people who are happy just to play at home and to hone their skills with no desire to pop on a pair of leather trews and a daft hat and go and "rock out" at The Dog and Dysentary on a rainy Tuesday night in November. Good on you. That's proper Arts for Arts sake, that is.
I guess for a generally shy and unassuming bloke, I'm a bit of a show off. It certainly isn't the money that drives me on.

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So sorry to hear about your health. I had to stop gigging about 8-9 years ago due to health issues. Being only 30 then and gigging regularly it was quite a kick in the teeth. I did the odd recording session for a while after but could never guarantee if I'd be in a fit state to play on the day, so I faded it out as I had a tendency to push myself too far.
But on the bright side, I still play as often as I can on a set up which I have at home. I have some fx and preamps that go into a Mini Mackie mixer, also into that goes a drum machine and a MP3 player and a set of headphones. This way I can jam to drum tracks or tunes and still enjoy playing and appreciating fine basses. I just feel blessed that I can still do that, there's too many stories of people who had to stop completely due to health which is a great shame. Best of luck to you.

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I have never been that keen on gigging. I don't enjoy performing, and I'm not good at it. I'm particularly not keen on playing stuff I hate just because it's popular. (TBH I probably wouldn't mind the playing; it's having to listen to it in order to learn it that I hate.)

Currently the band I'm in plays at most seven or eight gigs a year, mostly to pension-age audiences; our youngest member is 42, and he's never played live. We don't get paid any significant amount. I do it to play music, not to perform, and by and large the people I'm interested in pleasing are my bandmates and myself.

Edited by alyctes
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[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1476037292' post='3150718']
So sorry to hear about your health. I had to stop gigging about 8-9 years ago due to health issues. Being only 30 then and gigging regularly it was quite a kick in the teeth. I did the odd recording session for a while after but could never guarantee if I'd be in a fit state to play on the day, so I faded it out as I had a tendency to push myself too far.
But on the bright side, I still play as often as I can on a set up which I have at home. I have some fx and preamps that go into a Mini Mackie mixer, also into that goes a drum machine and a MP3 player and a set of headphones. This way I can jam to drum tracks or tunes and still enjoy playing and appreciating fine basses. I just feel blessed that I can still do that, there's too many stories of people who had to stop completely due to health which is a great shame. Best of luck to you.
[/quote]Thanks for your kind thoughts, but it must have been far worse for you having to give it up at only 30, but its great you've found something you can do at home so you can still enjoy your music.

My last gig was a couple of weeks ago, I felt so guilty because my wife had to carry my gear into the venue, and I had to play the whole gig sitting on a stool because standing is too painful, and having to take a cocktail of drugs just before the gig started meant I was in my own little world most of the time. :scratch_one-s_head:

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If I wasn't gigging I'd be doing more OM type gigs and more old car tinkering, I really struggle to play at home without a date in the diary, that said it can all get a bit much, my current band are trying to get into a sort of once evey 4 weeks situation which of course isn't happening, three weeks on the trot then nothing for ages! I'd be reducing my gear collection if I wasn't gigging much to spend the money on old car parts/tools.


If/when my current bands implode I might start looking more at upright gigs but my stamina would need some work and I'm not sure what sort of gig I'd be after really, I've not been without some kind of band since around 1993 and never been to an audition as such as the gigs have just come my way over the years.


A poll would be good imo, I don't think anyone needs to get upset at the OP.

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[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1476039489' post='3150741']
Thanks for your kind thoughts, but it must have been far worse for you having to give it up at only 30, but its great you've found something you can do at home so you can still enjoy your music.

My last gig was a couple of weeks ago, I felt so guilty because my wife had to carry my gear into the venue, and I had to play the whole gig sitting on a stool because standing is too painful, and having to take a cocktail of drugs just before the gig started meant I was in my own little world most of the time. :scratch_one-s_head:
[/quote]

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.

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I've never gigged, but more because I'm still new to playing (been playing about 18 months or so), my workload means I'm only available at weekends, and finding a band hasn't been easy because of that. It's not through any lack of desire to gig that's for sure.

I got bored dealing with the time wasters on some musician classified sites, so I tried to form my own band, which didn't get anywhere in the end as finding vocals was difficult, then the guitarist had girlfriend problems so couldn't commit, and the drummer and his wife started fostering meaning he had very little time.

I recently met up with a guy who's trying to put together a country/southern rock type band and things seem to be going well, so hopefully pretty soon I'll pop that gigging cherry.

Edited by Froggy
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