My wife came out the closet and declared that she wants to learn Bass. Obliged and we have got her a Yamaha 4 string bass and she is almost progressing past the root note phase! She just started about 2 months ago, quite a learning curve but she is still doing it! ?wern101 wrote:My kids are still young(ish), although the younger has his mind bent (solidly) on an electric drum set. Which I'd like to get as well. The older dabbles a wee bit with the keyboard...now...if i can just convince my wife to take up the bass... :?domhatch wrote:nailed it. :-[wern101 wrote: But!!!!! it does interfere with family time....
Poll : In a band?
Squonk sounds like you're in heaven! A Bassing wife is an awesome asset to the arsenal
I'd love to find a bunch of like-minded folks to make music with.
Here in Madeira, we were walking in the main center of Funchal and there was an awesome jazz guitarist and his band jamming right in the walkways.
It sounded so sweet and if I had more time here, I'd have loved to go to him for some lessons and just feed off his groovy energy.
I think that's the sweet spot - finding people who are having fun but who are also, preferably, better than you. So you're pushed yourself.
But even just feeding off the energy of ANY other instrument and ANY other player is a ton of fun. I can't think of a time when I've felt more joy than when I'm jamming with one of my buds.
It's been way too long :'(
Here in Madeira, we were walking in the main center of Funchal and there was an awesome jazz guitarist and his band jamming right in the walkways.
It sounded so sweet and if I had more time here, I'd have loved to go to him for some lessons and just feed off his groovy energy.
I think that's the sweet spot - finding people who are having fun but who are also, preferably, better than you. So you're pushed yourself.
But even just feeding off the energy of ANY other instrument and ANY other player is a ton of fun. I can't think of a time when I've felt more joy than when I'm jamming with one of my buds.
It's been way too long :'(
After a long break of nearly touching the bass (25 years) I seem to try and catch up with lost playing. Am currently organising and playing at The Shadows Club, a monthly (at the moment) Shadows fans getting together and playing their music, am the bass player in a band called Easy Street, we play 60s~80 rock music with 3 other over the hill guys every Tuesday at Jam Night at The Rusty Hook, Muldersdrift, regular bass player at the Buskersclub in Primrose, Germiston, a 2 weekly event on Fridays where we just busk music with guest players and bands, play bass in band called After Dark on Wednesday evening with some guys that play the non-standard gig type songs just for fun, bass player in J'aggedEdge fun band over the hill guys trying to make songs sound good, we play at flea markets etc mostly for free or minimal payment. And free lance once and a while when other bass players are sick or cant make it for whatever reason.
Still think I can play more have plenty time available for making music.
Still think I can play more have plenty time available for making music.
Two bands on the go and it's putting strain on the vocal chords.
The 5 piece blues band does not get much to gig at all so it's just a Monday night practice mostly.
The four piece vocal group is a bass guitar plus three acoustic guitars with three part harmonies in the style of
Crosby Stills Nash, Neil Young, Simon & Garfunkel, America etc.
and we're rather busy, although the riches are still not quite rolling in as such ?
The 5 piece blues band does not get much to gig at all so it's just a Monday night practice mostly.
The four piece vocal group is a bass guitar plus three acoustic guitars with three part harmonies in the style of
Crosby Stills Nash, Neil Young, Simon & Garfunkel, America etc.
and we're rather busy, although the riches are still not quite rolling in as such ?
Always been in a band where skill levels don't match up, far less of issue than : girlfriends, lack of transport/gear, laziness.Lu22 wrote: At this point I'm looking for beginners to start from the bottom with. That way everyone improves together and you don't get a situation where one guy is too good for the rest of the band. But yeah. Finding people is near impossible.
Hang out regularly where musicians gather : Gigs, rehearsal studio's, college/school,music stores - eventually something will spark.
I got into the band because I hate traffic...and would chill at the rehearsal studio with a beer during rush hour. A month ago, guys were auditioning bassists, nobody pitched up and I got volunteered by my mate Olly.
Jams and gigs are my two favourite activities, though that's tempered by practice (homework) and rehearsals (hard work), which I'm not as fond of :?Norio wrote: I can't think of a time when I've felt more joy than when I'm jamming with one of my buds.
It's been way too long :'(
The oddest place I've jammed? I busked in Schipol airport for 6 days straight...that's a looonnnggg story. The highlight was meeting all the returning muso's from the North Sea Jazz festival while noodling endless 12bars (and the irish bar).
I'm not into team sports any more. Too much like hard work shepherding diverse people. Occassional braai jamming now, only if spontaneous, but otherwise it's just me being a guitar hermit. My playing structure is limited to a minutes per day and new songs/techniques per week target
I respect this and I salute you. Well done man!Stoffeltoo wrote: Wife supports my passion as I made a promise I would bury my music passion and fill the role of a father till the last one went to varsity.
I dearly want my kids to grow up with music and be able to play an instrument. (I obviously favor the guitar) If I can get them to join me in playing that would be even cooler. Making it bonding time as well. But I've had to accept that I can't force it and often have to just put down the guitar and take them fishing.
YUP. You are the luckiest guy on GFSA. ? I am officially extremely jealous.Squonk wrote: My wife came out the closet and declared that she wants to learn Bass. Obliged and we have got her a Yamaha 4 string bass and she is almost progressing past the root note phase! She just started about 2 months ago, quite a learning curve but she is still doing it! ?
I've played in bands for the past 15 years, and regularly in the last 5. I've got two key bands going on now. I don't have kids, and neither will I, so I'd better be, right? There are still issues though. It used to be you'd hang out all day with your buddy and come up with ideas between talking kak. Now you have to schedule that time and song-writing becomes less collaborative.
I've learned a lot playing live, especially about what I don't want to play. In the rock 'n roll band you have to play a bunch of pretty well known tunes to the older people who make up a lot of your audience. You can't, however, play stuff that you don't enjoy. It'll just reflect in your performance. So it's a balance of finding tunes people will like that you want to play. I often say that there have been thousands of no.1 hits that grabbed people first time–there's no need to play from 20 song list of 'South African Cover Band Songs.' We will never play Mustang Sally or Brown Eyed Girl.
We also consciously avoid sounding like the record, which many bands are able to do now using modern kit with racks of drive pedals and vocal doublers etc.. Our aim is to sound like '60s and '70s bands sounded live–not in the studio. I don't believe the audience cares as long as they recognise the tune. Although it means we sound less tame, which may cost us some more profitable gigs.
With the other band I've learned this: no matter how old we get, no matter how long it's been, every new generation of kids thinks that surf-guitar is hip.
I've learned a lot playing live, especially about what I don't want to play. In the rock 'n roll band you have to play a bunch of pretty well known tunes to the older people who make up a lot of your audience. You can't, however, play stuff that you don't enjoy. It'll just reflect in your performance. So it's a balance of finding tunes people will like that you want to play. I often say that there have been thousands of no.1 hits that grabbed people first time–there's no need to play from 20 song list of 'South African Cover Band Songs.' We will never play Mustang Sally or Brown Eyed Girl.
We also consciously avoid sounding like the record, which many bands are able to do now using modern kit with racks of drive pedals and vocal doublers etc.. Our aim is to sound like '60s and '70s bands sounded live–not in the studio. I don't believe the audience cares as long as they recognise the tune. Although it means we sound less tame, which may cost us some more profitable gigs.
With the other band I've learned this: no matter how old we get, no matter how long it's been, every new generation of kids thinks that surf-guitar is hip.
I work Hard, I'm a father and I play in a band. I have always been in a band of some sort since I was 14. As mentioned above the ethic has changed over the years. The days of jamming all day are over, now it's write, practice, play live. My band is a two piece grunge-blues band with a focus on playing live. We need more gigs and life is kinda full of other stuff at the moment, but once a week like clockwork we get together and play loud and give it our everything. I hardly ever play at home like I used to, these days I mostly play at practice. I would die without making music.
well needless to say being full time muso i am in a few bands , over various styles ( i am the current bassist performing with the pop/funk artist Nan / solo instrumental jazz guitar / jazz guitar in in The Retro Jazz duo / indie rock guitar for the Bad Sheep/ acoustic guitar in a pop duo / electric guitar for a 4 piece corporate function band ) so i get to play a lot of styles BUT it's a lot of work and often it consumes my weekends and home life .often out till all hours .and to add to my schedule i teach music as well but as i said obviously i do this to earn a living so take it seriously ...but for me i wouldn't want it any other way, music is my passion.
as a tutor i would highly advise anyone who plays music to casually jam or join a band as music is like a language and we get better at it it when we "speak" to others .
playing with others can be either an ego boost or a knock to our confidence depending on if you better or worse than your jam/band mates but if given the choice of the two, i would rather be the worst player in a band (obviously still good enough to keep up) because thats when i find you get the most out of a band, as i grow more when exposed to better players and in fact i still actively seek out better players than me to jam and hang with.
so no need to play professionally or use valuable family time but i would encourage anyone who loves playing guitar/bass to play with other muso's... yes you need to commit some time and effort (bands are hard work) but at the end of the day what you reap from it will be as the ad goes "priceless"
btw on fb there are sites where muso's can advertise for people to jam with , and a few open mic nights ...Mike Smuts has a rock jam every tues in jhb and /Musicworx has a jam every thursday
get out and play your guitar :woohoo: you won't regret it
as a tutor i would highly advise anyone who plays music to casually jam or join a band as music is like a language and we get better at it it when we "speak" to others .
playing with others can be either an ego boost or a knock to our confidence depending on if you better or worse than your jam/band mates but if given the choice of the two, i would rather be the worst player in a band (obviously still good enough to keep up) because thats when i find you get the most out of a band, as i grow more when exposed to better players and in fact i still actively seek out better players than me to jam and hang with.
so no need to play professionally or use valuable family time but i would encourage anyone who loves playing guitar/bass to play with other muso's... yes you need to commit some time and effort (bands are hard work) but at the end of the day what you reap from it will be as the ad goes "priceless"
btw on fb there are sites where muso's can advertise for people to jam with , and a few open mic nights ...Mike Smuts has a rock jam every tues in jhb and /Musicworx has a jam every thursday
get out and play your guitar :woohoo: you won't regret it
My situation is way cool. My girlfriend and I have a duo, I play and sing and she sings. We use midi tracks and gig about once a week on average. We were both in a full band together but gigs are much more widely available for duo's and solo's so at least this way we play and don't sit at home. We both have full time jobs and in fact my girlfriend works most Saturdays and Fridays are normally gig nights. This is not viewed by her as an excuse to not play LOL.
I agree with Keira -- go out and play your guitar (FFS) LOL
Coffee finished , time to work
I agree with Keira -- go out and play your guitar (FFS) LOL
Coffee finished , time to work
I almost forgot I did start a duo with my daughter at the beginning of the year but only lasted one gig as she is in Matric this year and the studying is pretty hectic so we will pick it up maybe next year
Here is a video from that one gig. Please excuse bad sound and dodgy guitar playing from me
=
Here is a video from that one gig. Please excuse bad sound and dodgy guitar playing from me
=
Nice one! Subscribed! No need for excusing your guitar playing. live is always different. Well done!Squonk wrote: I almost forgot I did start a duo with my daughter at the beginning of the year but only lasted one gig as she is in Matric this year and the studying is pretty hectic so we will pick it up maybe next year
Here is a video from that one gig. Please excuse bad sound and dodgy guitar playing from me
Sheesh! You are truly blessed Squonk. She has an amazing voice and the tension from the intro to her first note drove the audience to silence! Awesome! such a voice demands attention. Well done. The guitar accompaniment absolutely sterling
Wow, listen to that voice. Beautiful!
Sheessh, Squonk's secret weapon! Vocals reminds me a bit of Adele, you must be super chuffed! Will be great to hear her develop her unique style over time?Squonk wrote: I almost forgot I did start a duo with my daughter at the beginning of the year but only lasted one gig as she is in Matric this year and the studying is pretty hectic so we will pick it up maybe next year
i find it difficult to imagine a situation in which you are the worst player in the band, keira... ?Keira WitherKay wrote: ...i would rather be the worst player in a band...