ivansc Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 One of the best pieces of advice I ever got as a kid: Always get in a band where you are the worst player whenever possible. Now that`ll sharpen your chops up really quickly..... Reading the number of posts up here where people ARE settling for being in a less-tahn-great band makes me both sad AND glad I took this particular piece of advice. I dont care where you are, there have to be SOME decent players in your area. Just persevere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 49 minutes ago, ivansc said: One of the best pieces of advice I ever got as a kid: Always get in a band where you are the worst player whenever possible. Now that`ll sharpen your chops up really quickly..... Reading the number of posts up here where people ARE settling for being in a less-tahn-great band makes me both sad AND glad I took this particular piece of advice. I dont care where you are, there have to be SOME decent players in your area. Just persevere. yeah, this...or most of it From personal experience I've developed the most when playing with musicians who are better than me, both when I started playing the bass, and a few years ago when I got into a band with a load of semi-pros. And personally I never noticed how I'd improved at the time, it was just later when I could spot myself being able to do things easily that I'd have struggled with previously. But for all that, I do think you can have plenty of fun and satisfaction playing in a band where you're not pushing yourself particularly. You might not get any better as a bass player, but you can still have a very, very good time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 I think with a lot of us, if you are out in the sticks your options are greatly limited. Its fine saying 'if you are not having fun all the time move on', but if your option is not having fun all the time or not playing at all, what is the choice then? I am mostly happy now, so not that much of an issue for me, but at times when its not so great, what is the option if you really enjoy gigging? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonteee Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 1 minute ago, Woodinblack said: I think with a lot of us, if you are out in the sticks your options are greatly limited. Its fine saying 'if you are not having fun all the time move on', but if your option is not having fun all the time or not playing at all, what is the choice then? I am mostly happy now, so not that much of an issue for me, but at times when its not so great, what is the option if you really enjoy gigging? I'm not even that sticksy, but I identify with your statement. There are, after all, only so many opportunities. It's about how far you are willing to travel (in any context) for the right band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 6 minutes ago, Tonteee said: I'm not even that sticksy, but I identify with your statement. There are, after all, only so many opportunities. It's about how far you are willing to travel (in any context) for the right band. True, but once you get a more critical mass of musicians, it is much easier to find others and for them to see you and contact you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonteee Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Totally agree! It does then need said critical mass of musos to not insulate themselves to new people, creating a closed shop. He said from experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 53 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: I think with a lot of us, if you are out in the sticks your options are greatly limited. Its fine saying 'if you are not having fun all the time move on', but if your option is not having fun all the time or not playing at all, what is the choice then? I am mostly happy now, so not that much of an issue for me, but at times when its not so great, what is the option if you really enjoy gigging? I live in a relatively large metro area and even here for profit gigging bands are hard to find. Most are "for fun only" and "we only want to gig once a month"opportunities. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivansc Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 On 23/11/2017 at 17:46, Woodinblack said: I think with a lot of us, if you are out in the sticks your options are greatly limited. Its fine saying 'if you are not having fun all the time move on', but if your option is not having fun all the time or not playing at all, what is the choice then? I am mostly happy now, so not that much of an issue for me, but at times when its not so great, what is the option if you really enjoy gigging? (grin) look up Wistow in cambridgeshire and tell me how much further out in the sticks you are. Mind you, we are only about 5 miles from the twin Big Cities of Ramsey and Huntingdon I suppose... The players are out there, but like I said in another thread sometimes you have to kiss lot of frogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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