What sort of venues should you play? [ AN's Bass Lessons #25 ] 

you forgot the 3rd type of venue. the one that sells out tickets has the bar going strong all night but doesnt pay the bands hahaha

I think indie-prog-fusion-metal describes our band's style pretty good... So, yeah, type B venue it is!

Rule number 1 of playing out: Limit how often you play for free (always room to negotiate for at the very least a round of drinks, just so you have value) and NEVER pay to play. I've seen both kinds of venues run scams where they require bands to front money to get on stage, and that's just ridiculous. Always negotiate for a win-win situation before having to confront the venue owner for money after you've played. And get it in writing!

Great video! In Oz, this is all exactly the same. Instead of "a n b", we call it "covers n originals". Covers are a great way to feed the family but there is almost no growth to your income. Sure a wedding will pay more or you can ask for a little more as time rolls on but the earning potential for type B or original gigs is limitless (but might be nothing). I have about 100 type A gigs booked till December but I still have over 40 type B's. Mixing it up is so important for my income and sanity. Thanks again for a very cool n relevant video!

I liked the type B music much more. You can really shred on the bass

Bill Wurtz reference! Yeah!

Adam, everything you post is gold!

I didn't know the terminology behind this. Never thought about it being the venue, I always thought it was more the genre of music that defined it, but this is a great way to explain it. I play for fun in metal bands at type B venues. All that money funds the bands. But I make all my money running sound at Type A venues and also an agency band. I've been doing it for almost 10 years and I still feel like a noob lol.

Dude, I just discovered your channel a couple of days ago and I've just binging your videos non-stop since. You're now definitely one of my favourite music RU-vidrs. I really like the unique style of your videos; I learn stuff from someone with experience, but it also feels casual, as if I'm having a conversation with someone who I can level with musically...I mean, with whom I can level musically. Anyway, really really like your videos, keep up the good work!

Just found you and can honestly say the best channel on RU-vid. Been watching all your videos. They have been so helpful and I've already learnt so much. You're the best.

A types can be really fun too. I was hired to just sit and play improvised flamenco music for two hours straight for a Mexican themed private party once. That was easy money, very easy (and good) money! 😁

Hi Adam. It's always a rare treat to see you play guitar. Correct me if I am wrong but I remember you saying you're fairly competent on guitar, bass, and piano. My question for you is how do you manage performing and practicing multiple instruments? Do you just focus primarily on bass and sometimes pick up the guitar periodically? As someone who wants to go about learning both the guitar and bass at a high proficiency, I always find it challenging to decide which one I should regularly practice. Is it even possible without making some sacrifices? One player I like a lot is Charlie Hunter, who has a custom built instrument that serves as a bass and guitar that he can play simultaneously. Most of my concentration has been on the guitar but I always love learning bass because it really establishes a great sense of musicianship that I wouldn't really achieve from playing say, solo guitar music. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

spoiler : type B is way cooler

Sweet video man, more of this stuff please! I'm trying to get into this type of ensemble more regularly so as much of this information as possible pleaseeeee

Your channel is awesome. I love your videos and I learn a lot from them. You should have a million more subscribers, man. Keep this up please, I love it! :)

This is such a useful way of thinking about venues...

Great video. I'm glad you have laid out the big differences between the two venue types. I have run nights at both types of venues before and its interesting to see hoe many bands try to treat a B venue like an A venue. At a B venue, you need to sell tickets, simple as that. I've worked with bands before who expect a set payment when they are basically unknown and can't guarantee that anyone would actually bother to buy a ticket and come see them.

+Adam Neely, I've been playing, listening, and organizing a bit for my local music scene and I have noticed that some things about how music is appreciated seem to be changing. Maybe it's changing towns or people getting older or maybe we're taking music for granted since it has become so ubiquitous with recordings available to anyone with a device that can play it. I used to go to shows and experience this free, fresh feeling (ecstasy.... substance not involved) and see people (audience) having a good time and hanging out, experimenting and playing, interacting with each other and being engaged with the music simultaneously. Lately, it has seemed like people that go to shows aren't engaged (they're talking to each other randomly or outside smoking), there is no real sense of community (people who are in the same room multiple nights a week don't know each other or care to, they aren't there to enjoy, they're there because it's cool or something, trendy or fashionable), no ecstatic state that people are able to achieve through the music (people aren't letting loose! there are no people leaving their inhibitions behind and surrendering to the intoxication of a great piece of music, they may not feel safe to do so). I become less able to feel the feelings of interconnection and I notice more that there are people who are trying to or who are expecting these feelings and aren't feeling them; they seem like they are trying to show their enjoyment, but aren't actually overflowing with it. I can't really understand what elements are missing that, if included, would result in the ecstatic experience that I'm hoping to share with people. I just know it exists and I know when it's happening, and I believe that the highest function of music is to help people enter this state (this is MY interpretation of music). I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts one musician to another. Thanks, nebus

Nice video Adam! and nice Bass solo;)

Hi Adam, i've been enjoying your lessons and all the helpful advices you give. I'd like to suggest that you make a video explaining how much should a musician charge for his work. I know you have given some little hints in your past videos but i think it would be very interesting to hear more about it in a video dedicated to the subject. I find all the content you post very enlightening and has helped me to become a better bassist! Sorry for the broken english (brazilian here :) )

Downtime was a great type B venue in midtown Manhattan in the 90's. I have no idea if it's still around, but their backline was amazing and they treated all-original bands well - a rarity.

diggin the clip you showed from that sanders concert, that concert is insane

I didn't know you performed at Rockwood! I love that music hall!

Thank you for making these videos fine sir. They have really helped to organize my practice. So, you have basically directly made me a better bass player. If you are ever in AustinTx, Holla, and come see my band Cowboy Irie.

Cool bass solo 😎

That second snippet of your music with the vocalist was awesome. Where can I hear more?

The ease with which you play is nigh insulting to my talentless self. I hope I can one day reach the level of musical competence and confidence you have.

We all know that the average AN viewer isn't invited to venues anyway.

The runs you were playing in the video for the type B venue clip were so musical! Whenever I'm playing fast runs they always sound horribly monotonous. How did you get such a great sound? Love your videos dude!

Hey, Adam! This video really informed and aided me in how I feel I should search for gigs and where I'd like to be personally; I very much appreciate your guidance with that. I'm quite curious of your personal preference though. With your decision being based on past experiences with gigs and venues, which venue type do you prefer? Does it depend on the function at the time? What your specific role is? I'm not sure if I missed that in the video or if it was at all implied. Thanks again.

Respect...

love your intro :)

I think it's fairly universal to prefer playing a type B gig, but do you have any tips on bringing enough people to make them profitable?

your intro song is great, would you upload the entire piece ?

Hey Adam!!!! I'm sorry this is posted on an older video, I just like to rewatch these sometimes to remember what you said more exactly. I love your videos and I am an art student in LA who is focused on sound art. I was just thinking about the grammar fuddle you thought happened in your video around the 1:20 mark and was wondering if you think that's because you consider language to be prescriptive rather than descriptive inverse to your views on music theory. I have been thinking a lot, in a similar vein, about language as sounds as words with meaning and have wondered if describing language this simply would include music as a form of communication and what your thoughts are on that? I would love to ask you more in this comment but it already feels long enough... and equally as convoluted.

I participate in the DIY House Show Venue. Type C? There's a really interesting culture and network of people arranging private donation based events in suburban areas to supplement gaps in a touring bands schedule. There's a lot of folk punk and hardcore music involved in this, from my experiences.

nice.

did you try the duo with an electric double bass?? Thanks for your lessons!!

Nicely Done Adam Where can I find the last song you and Justina did in the video (with the other performers)? Sounded really good.

O shiet! My band Lord Nelson is playing Rockwood Music Hall next Friday!

Consider this question for a Q and A, I've been playing trumpet for a bit now and I feel like l should do gigs playing the trumpet, but I'm thinking, is a bass guitar (which I'm interested in learning) more needed for a gig rather than other instruments? Btw Love the vids

Hey Adman, new addict to your channel here ? What is the song in the intro of your bass videos ? (Not the sungazer one but the electro-disco vocoder one) Thanks a lot.

Adam, I love your videos. I have a question for you. I'm 24, and I've been playing bass for just over two years. I'm thinking about attending a music school, with a possible goal in Music Education. Do you have any schools that you would recommend?

can you play freebird?

I our area type A and B are mixed. You gotta play 4 hours sometimes and you are paid based on how many you bring for the most part.

My band played at a Type A, and we had been playing for about 2 hours. So I let my mates take a break while I stopped playing guitar and played some "background" music on the keyboard. Well, it turns out that I ended up turning it into a concert.

Hi Adam, great video. I got a question. How come you don’t sing more? I play bass and I don’t think I have a great singing voice. I’d like to sing more. You have both a great singing voice and play amazing bass. So why not both?

Have had this argument on which way is better A or B personally I like B but for an older crowd i understand why they prefer B.

5:22 Jesus Christ i watched that part like 6 times just so could continue the video.(hey that's pretty good)

Alright, I have a question. I saw your episode on pinkie strength, and how it's kind of a myth, but I have a different problem. I can do this weird party trick where I lock the middle joints in my fingers, and just bend the top joints. It's pretty cool, freaks a lot of people out. But now I can't stop doing it, especially with my little finger. It means that I have a lot of control issues with that finger, and it kinda hurts to put too much pressure on it when it's like that. So, my question to you is, how do I not do that.

The idea of music as 'background music' is older than the idea of music as an art. Before Eric Satie, great composers like G. F. Telemann or J. B. Lully had already ventured into the background music with the famous 'Tafelmusik'. However, I think that in Tafelmusik, the idea that ''music did not catch the attention of people'' was not so specific. Nice video Adam ''Furniture'' Neely.

that original music was awesome, where can I get some more?

Hey Adam, I know now as a musician that you HAVE to practice, but for people that don't need to, how do you find the motivation to practice every. single. day. I absolutely love music, but some days I get caught up doing other things (homework, messing around online, and some other things.) Bonus: how does one get over the distractions of the internet, lying in bed watching videos on my phone isn't a produuctive expirence 90% of the time. Thank you in advance! also, keep up the videos, it's great!

Hey Adam, Have you ever weighed in on Trout Mask Replica? Thoughts? (Q & A)

That piece at 5:20 is great! What's it called?

Where's your cool retro intro from?

I love your French

What’s the song they’re playing at 4:39 where adam has the acoustic nylon?

On that gig where you had to switch to a guitar, Do you think a bass ukulele would have fit the bill?

You sir are a good fucking bassist.

I seem to be looking for a type C kind of venue.... One which let's you play instrumental rock, like Joe Satriani I mean(I hate playing with vocalists)..... Rock venues where I am don't even let me play. They say...., you play guitar very well, but if you want to play at our venue, we require vocals..... How Joe Satriani got his career to work is a mystery to me... Like....where did he even start trying to perform instrumental rock?

5:22 that bass shred tho

This explains the type of venue I've been cooking at for the past year. Pays the musicians on a Type A scale, and then groans about lack of sales.

how often is your pay based on bar sales on type B venues? Because honestly to me it sounds pretty uncomfortable for me to get money because people decide to drink because of me.

Bass solo at 5:25.

how about venues that are pay to play? do you have those in NY!

5:20 god damn dude

It sounds like there's not much room for a heavy metal act. You probably need a niche town who has a special obsession with the music. Cool video! Subbed after 2 videos!!

In Tokyo the prevailing live house system is the band pays to play at the venue, then tries to make the money back through ticket sales. So, it's like Type B, but worse.

Dude. New to the channel, what IS that intro song from 0:08 to 0:18? The starting bass run made me poo myself.

look at type B neely go!

I liked her singing better in the type A venue, but maybe that's just the clip you chose.

woohoo

that sneak shade tho

Question: Will you answer a question commented on a 6+ year old video in a current Q&A video? Follow up question: Will the answer be “Yes.”?

When I began to attend gigs in bars and such venues I came from a more classical, more "concert hall" background, so it was really weird actually trying to listen to the music and hearing people talking out loud, laughing... It made me feel really uncomfortable as a listener, and I still haven't got used to it.

Aren’t you supposed to do both to develop yourself as a versatile musician and also... to make a living?

I remember this one time I played a metal show for a 2 year's old birthday. Holy shit the mom's reaction was priceless.

I think I heard your smoke detector beep at 4:08

Is "schlepping" a word for carrying things around? Does this one have german origins?

He used the term to schlep(p) which obviously correlates perfectly to the german term "schleppen". Funny!

**Cough** it's pronounced "neesh"

Only two dislikes tho

There is no grammatical rule against ending a sentence with a preposition. That comes from one (1) style guide written by one (1) person who personally found it irritating. Love your videos, by the way. Not a professional musician, I just like learning things.

We all want to see a collaboration with Bill Wurtz, who's with me?

Why you dont use cat in your videos? More cats - more views!

Why is this comment section dead

too many notes.