I talked about it a bit in another thread, but I thought band talk might be good for its own thread.

When I started piano 12+ years ago, I was mostly playing on my own. Then the last few years I started playing duets with the missuz (drums & percussion). Recently, I started teaching a friend how to play guitar and we have a little garage band trio group going now. I play bass on some tunes (more on the rock side of things) and keys with left-hand bass on others (more on the blues side of things). We're going to have a garage party later in the summer and play for some friends (I plan to record it, and I promise to share links!), and then maybe see where it goes from there.

How about y'all? Play in any bands? Keys and/or something else? What genres do you play? What sort of gigs and how often, if any? Is this a newer thing, or have you played in bands before?

P.S.: I was mostly thinking non-classical bands, but now that I think about it, ensemble classical playing would certainly be interesting as well, and perhaps a bit of a departure from the solo piano talk that comes up in most classical threads.

Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

Played keyboard in a few pop and rock bands occasionally in the past, mostly because they were in dire need of a keyboardist. Most of the stuff was very easy to play (the bands were more guitar-heavy) so it was great to finally be performing without any anxiety, a big contrast with what I had to endure in classical. So I can say I had a better time playing in those bands overall, although nothing can beat the high I feel after a good classical performance.

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    Rubens Yes indeed! It's great to play with a bunch of other musicians to take the pressure off and just have fun. I tell my wife that I love how her drummer covers my mistakes! 😃

    Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

      Hey, I am playing in a practice group since about a year. I call it a practice group instead of a band, because we have not performed publicly yet. However, we are a small group of laid-back folks and we are having a good time. We meet every 2 weeks. We have a drummer on an electronic set, a lead guitar, a rhythm guitar, a bass guitar, and keys. My wife plays the keys, I can play keys but have also learned bass guitar about 1 year ago. Mostly classic rock. We are also participating in karaoke to work on our singing skills. All the best ...

        MandM That's great! I've been playing bass since I was 16, quite a bit longer than keys ... It's a great instrument in a band context, lots of fun. If you want to prepare for the possibility of gigging at some point, perhaps start by recording some videos of your practices and share them here!

        Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

            TC3
            Great suggestion, I might do that. Currently working on the bass lines for "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" (CCR) - The bass playing for that song works alright so far at speed (116BPM), but trying to sing at the same time ... uh, that is going to take me some time getting used to <-:

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                MandM That's a great tune, very melodic bassline. I recall about thirty years ago jamming a bit with my dad (drums) and a friend of his (guitar & vocals), and that was one of the tunes we played. I can probably still remember it if I get a bass in my hands ...

                Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

                  6 days later

                  The title of this thread brought back some memories!🙂

                  I started many years ago, playing guitar, (Folk group), Guitar and lap steel, (Country band ) and keys, (Soft rock band playing for charity to support Radiology Dept of local hospital) and finally, playing keys with a talented singer songwriter, guitarist and great friend.
                  The last time we played together was in 2001, when we quickly recorded a few covers together, in his amazing home studio. This thread just reminded me to listen to them again!
                  I think that playing with other musicians, no matter what genre, is invaluable, not to mention, the best fun ever!

                    Rob Agreed, super fun! On the one hand, I took up piano so I could make music even when no one else is around, on the other hand there's nothing quite like playing music with others.

                    Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

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                      Rob Agreed, super fun! On the one hand, I took up piano so I could make music even when no one else is around, on the other hand there's nothing quite like playing music with others.

                      Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

                        16 days later

                        I play the piano in a tango orchestra. It's a traditional Argentinian tango 'orquesta típica', with violins, violas, cellos, bandoneons and a double bass. Great fun, because the piano and the bass form the rhythm section. There is no percussion instrument. Which mean you get to do cool things like hitting clusters of the lowest piano notes, and glissandos. And nice little solos.

                          Ostinato That sounds really fun!

                          Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

                            Ostinato How cool - I would LOVE that. Latin music is so fun.

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                              Played brass in high school, all but the French horn, never could really make that one work for me. Played in a contemporary gospel band in the early 80's, keys. Played a lot of conservative church stuff for 40+ years, some of that solo, some with an organ or piano (I played either), some with vocalists, some with a few other instruments. Quit doing church work a few years ago and have been playing jazz with a trio (piano / bass / drums) for a little over a year.

                              I used to play a little guitar and could play a bass. Still could if I'd just play it for a while. Even had a few recordings back there in the 80's... but none of 'em went far.

                              Not really sure where music is going for me. The three piece is doin' OK. Pay is pretty decent for gigs, can't really say anything bad about that. But the leader's health isn't the greatest and not sure where it might go after that. He (the drummer) and I have probably bonded a lot more than me and the bass player. But the bass player does his own stuff (finger style guitar) at his own gigs now, a little different genre than the three piece. He'd probably just keep on with that. Not sure what I'd do if something happened to the group. Have had thoughts of solo stuff, restaurants, piano bars, that kind of thing, but dunno. Absolutely NO desire to return to church work as most of that is stuff I really do not enjoy playing or listening to. Even if it were paid, which a lot of church musicians are not, I still probably wouldn't, save perhaps a conservative place where it were hymns from the hymnal and Hillsong and Bethel were outlawed. LOL! (Sorry if that's your sweet spot, it's fingernails on a chalk board to me.)

                              Pushin' social security age, the perspective might be a little different. At 18, playin' Chopin and Tchaikovsky, I thought I wanted to go to Carnegie Hall. Got really bored with classical music and that aspiration kinda went away. Nashville, not much interest. Bourbon St., been there, wasn't what I thought it would be. Have been on some theater stages that were kinda fun. Have never been on a cruise ship, not sure I'd thrive in that environment. So... kinda takin' what comes and ridin' the small train wherever it goes.

                              I began on alto sax, age 9, but asked for an electric bass at age 14 and started playing in a rock band, junior high, didn't really like the lead guitarist, and didn't like a lot of the songs we played, but was hooked on the notoriety and, well, perks of playing in a local band. Eventually, having grown tired of compromises, I picked up guitar (no pun intended), got into blues, learned slide, and started my own band, which was a little better than playing in someone else's band.

                              As I got older, I returned to the sax, tenor this time, and got into jazz, classic stuff like Miles Davis "Kind Of Blue", Dexter Gordon, standards, swing, some be-bop, had some good groups, piano, bass, drums, sax, and even had two tenors for a while, which was the most fun I ever had playing. After a while, jazz gigs were harder to find, and things dissolved. So, I decided the piano was the best way the express myself, can play a whole tune (unlike sax, which really needs a rhythm section), no compromises, play exactly what I want, how I want. And that's worked for any gigs I might pick up, agree on a duration and price, play what I want, or no gig. Simple, really. Fits my personality and my frame of mind. Should have gone this route to begin with.

                              I still play guitar, some classical, some electric, but the only band I have is either Band In A Box or GarageBand.

                              Nice to see some fellow school band geeks here! 🙂 Saxophone was my instrument as a kid (4th grade on), but I haven't done much more than noodle on it since I graduated high school. I didn't take up upright bass until my last couple of years of high school, but enjoyed playing in orchestra quite a bit.

                              Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

                                JB_PT I'm still a band geek at heart. I played clarinet (like you, if I remember correctly?) with a symphonic band until a few years ago. Unfortunately I had to quit due to an ear injury caused and exacerbated by the loudness of a full band.
                                But I miss playing with others. A friend of mine and I have talked about getting together regularly to play classical guitar duets but due to injuries, work schedules etc we've still not managed to make it happen. Hopefully one day...

                                    candela Clarinet, yes. I'm sorry about your ear problem, that must be really hard! I have an Apple Watch and every rehearsal it squawks at me multiple times about being in a loud environment. 😐 Our conductor has been at it for probably over 50 years now...it's amazing that he still seems to have good hearing!

                                        JB_PT Thanks. Well, it is what it is, and I'm happy there are other instruments I can still play and enjoy. My hearing is overall very good, but my left ear can't handle loud sounds in general and certain particular sounds at any volume any more as they get terribly distorted and painful. I also have a never-ending pulsating tinnitus in that ear. It all appeared from one second to the next during a fortissimo by someone on the row behind in a rehearsal back in 2006. I'm suspecting it's a case of superior semicircular canal dehiscence. For several years afterwards I could kind-of get by in band by using ear plugs, but eventually even the strongest -26 dB filters didn't cut it. In retrospect it is obvious I should have worn ear protection from the very start. You don't know for sure until it's too late what injuries you might have a predisposition for.
                                        Sorry about possible over-sharing but if it would make a single person protect their hearing before it's too late that makes it worth it in my book.