"If a musician plays in a forest and there is no one to hear him...

[alexclaber]

...does he still make a sound?" - Jeremy Cohen, 12th Sept '04 on The Bottom Line.

 

The topic was "is it just me or do other bassists not like gigging?"

 

I can't imagine playing an instrument and never gigging or releasing recordings - it just seems so... pointless. Obviously Jeremy agrees. And the rest of you?

 

Alex

 

P.S. Still catching up with a backlog of TBL...

[Bob Gollihur]

I have never been one for garage jamming... it seems to be a popular activity, I've been invited to a couple regular weekly "jams" in the area and just can't get into it. I guess if a new (good) player were involved I could enjoy the experience, always ready for more influence and inspiration.

 

I'd rather jam on stage; dunno why, no criticism to anyone who enjoys that sort of thing.

[zeronyne]

I would disagree. I know many people who are quite accomplished pianists who only play for their own satisfaction and as stress relief. I'm talking about people who could hold their own in any jam session with any caliber of musician.

 

Maybe it's a bass player thing.

[lug]

People pay me not to play.

[EddiePlaysBass]

Idunno, I've been practicing for 2.5 years now. Seems like every band I join either implodes shortly after, or turns out to be a wrong band for me ... Maybe it's just me

 

But the one I'm in now, despite the many many shortcomings, might actually make it to a stage sooner than we all expect ... And I'd REALLY like that, as I am eager to go out and strut my stuff

 

Either that, or I'll join another band

[Tom Capasso]

Originally posted by zeronyne:

I would disagree. I know many people who are quite accomplished pianists who only play for their own satisfaction and as stress relief. I'm talking about people who could hold their own in any jam session with any caliber of musician.

 

Maybe it's a bass player thing.

I've played with pianists who were doing that - while we were on stage ("hey - look up once in a while")

 

It's partially a bass player thing because we often accompany others. I definitely "play along at home" and love it. Funny - when I've been in a down mood or stressed, playing never picks me up. When I'm in an "up" mood, I get more up.

 

Alex - wow - that's some backlog.

 

Tom

[alexclaber]

Originally posted by Tom Capasso:

Alex - wow - that's some backlog.

Hey, I'm more than halfway through it - it dates from just before I left my old job, in mid July! Such a great resource - glad to see that these forums haven't killed it off, yet...

 

Alex

[LLroomtempJ]

But yeah, i can't even begine to count the nights that i've spent home instead of going out and doing things just so that i could practice and do other personal things.

 

I'm often humbled whenever i watch other bassists play. It could be something simple, but i wish i could have a pocket as tight as theirs. It could be something technically and musically challenging, and i know that i have a long way to go before i can reach that level.

 

that sends me to the shed. I don't think that i fit into your 'weirdly isolated' category, but...yeah.

 

Musically, sometimes, i feel as though i am my best friend, while other times, i can really appreciate the company of others.

 

jason

[moot]

I can't imagine playing an instrument and never gigging or releasing recordings - it just seems so... pointless. Obviously Jeremy agrees. And the rest of you?

My Uncle was an accordian player and I would guess quite accomplished, but it was hard to tell.

 

I also cannot imagine not gigging. I love the energy and the nerves and the crowdes and just the feeling of doing something that difines who I am. It's the greatest high and the most satisfying thing I do for me.

 

I also jam with players who just garage it for whatever reason. The unstructured, laid back jam is also fun and satisfying.

[Luke73]

Well, I fit into the wierdly isolated category.

 

Aside from playing with my teacher every week, the only playing I do is at home by myself. I'm a beginner bassist, and I've been playing in isolation for around eighteen months or so.

 

Is it pointless? I don't think so. I do get alot of satisfaction and enjoyment from just playing my bass in my study at home.

 

Even if I never get to play with anyone else, I think I'm richer for having known bass

 

Having said that, I think playing with others would be extremely rewarding, and I'd like to hook up with some others soon to get together and jam. Just gotta find 'em

[Nicklab]

I love gigging. I just don't like humping all of my gear around, but then again who does?

[Rick Hoffman]

Whenever you pick up an instrument and play something, you leave something behind in this world, some sort of resonance.

 

Whether you choose to to bless others with your sound or enjoy it all on your own is up to the player, I suppose.

[_Sweet Willie_]

I love gigging, but haven't done anything other than a couple of one-offs in a long, long time.

 

I love to play bass.

 

I am busy with many other things, and bass is more a hobby than anything else for me. I do enjoy playing on my own or jamming informally with friends.

 

Hopefully I'll play with others more regularly now that I'm reconnecting with some old musician pals in the NYC area.

 

My daughter is getting good enough on guitar that we can play a couple of tunes together. This, my friends, is outrageously cool.

 

Peace.

--SW

[SteveC]

I'd love to gig more, but there are so many players in this town, and so few gigs, I just don't get called. Maybe I just suck...

[ATM]

Written by Alex Harvey

1974

 

When I woke up this mornin'

I was tired as I could be

I think I was countin' my money

When I should a' been countin' sheep

 

My agent he just called me

And told me what I should be

If I would make my music for money

Instead of makin' music for me

 

Chorus:

I said, "I know that this may sound funny

But money don't mean nothin' to me

I won't make my music for money

No, I'm gonna make my music for me"

 

He said, "The people only buy the love songs

Rock n' Roll and not too long"

He said, "Son you got to be commercial

If you want to turn the people on"

 

And I said, "Turnin' on the people

Now that's a beautiful place to be

But if I spend my time makin' them up a rhyme

Well, who's gonna turn on me?"

 

Repeat Chorus:

 

Well now I went up to Country

And I'll tell you all about the scene

I found a place with much charm and much grace

That wasn't touched by the music machine

 

Whoa, the people were havin' a good time

Makin' music all day long

And nobody cared if they ever got paid

One penny for playin' a song

 

Repeat Chorus:

 

Repeat Chorus:

Whoa, I know...

I love just jamming.

 

ATM

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

I would like to try gigging sometime, but I've got two minor hurdles to overcome...

 

1) - I suck on fire

2) - I can't gig with the local kids because I don't know the three power chords to most Korn songs.

3) - The people my own age have actual talent, ability, and/or restraining orders.

 

Nothing wrong with MY self-esteem!

[Fred TBP]

I get these monthly urges, usually around the full moon. Those days I seek out an open mike night to fulfill my pent-up desires. The rest of the month I'm satisfied to stay at home and practice or learn new material. Cold showers, long walks and aerobic exercise work almost as well, but going out onstage is a monkey I can't truly shake off my back.

[The Bear Jew]

I love to play... but I don't have much fun doing it unless I play with other people... And I have even more fun when I get to play onstage in front of a lot of people.

 

So.... I kind of have to gig to be really happy.

 

And I don't mind carrying gear one bit. I wasn't using this spine for anything special anyway.

[Thomas Wilburn]

The funny thing about gigging, for me, is that I don't enjoy it until I'm there. My band has a weekly house band slot now at a local bar/restaurant, which is great, but I dread going all week. Then I get there, and they have to pull me away from the bass. It drives my drummer nuts, because we don't take a break--we just keep playing until the set is ridiculously long.

 

I think this may have something to do with hauling gear around. Or maybe the fact that I'm getting up at 6am for my day job now, so staying up until 3 for music is a little less appealing.

 

But I can see both sides. I love to gig, but I also love just playing at home. Whenever I get a spare minute, I'll usually pick up the instrument and work on something new, or play along with the radio.

[bruiser_dup2]

To me, it's a lot like sex. Yeah, it can be "satisfying" to practice at home, alone. . . but it's a lot more fun on stage, in front of a cheering crowd!

 

Bruiser

[Rick Hoffman]

It used to be that I was playing out with bands more than I was rehearsing with bands...

Now, I practice at home more than I rehearse. I rehearse once a week with one band. I play every day at home by myself,along to radio, CD, whatever.

 

I was in 3 bands, but every band was a cover band(with similar setlists) and the schedule got old quick.

 

I'm still doing the cover thing, but just one band, meanwhile I'm doing time in the woodshed and auditioning for some local original bands.

 

Maybe I should post a diary like Alex...