It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:24 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Hard time starting or joining a band
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 11:44 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:57 pm
Posts: 1803
Location: In a galaxy far, far away.
I have been trying to join or start a band since last September. I left my previous band because I felt some things were not equal. Since then I have posted ads at the guitar shops and placed and responded to many ads on the local Kijiji website. The only responses I get are from a bunch of tire kickers who want to email bands they like back and forth. When finally a date to jam is set, I hear no replies and the jam never happens.
This is especially frustrating because since September I have purchased 2 new guitars and I have no place to take them!
Does anyone else have this much trouble or have any advice to get things going?

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:26 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:24 am
Posts: 422
Location: Raleigh, NC
Try Craigslist. They have a section for musicians seeking other musicians.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:27 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 600
Location: Central New Jersey
Yes it's hard, but hang in there.

I had pretty much been in the same situation until I just happened across a posting for a band looking for a rhythm guitarist. Everything so far seems right about it. I have my try out tonight!

_________________
http://www.bluesrepublic.org/

2008 Fender American Stratocaster
2008 Fender Deluxe Telecaster
Fender Power Jazz Bass Special 1987 (MIJ)
Egnater Renegade Head
Egnater Tourmaster 2x12 cab


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:46 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:57 pm
Posts: 1803
Location: In a galaxy far, far away.
Good luck with your tryout tomk62. I hope it works out for you. I'll keep slugging away at it. Its kind of discouraging when all you want to do is jam with others and its so close yet so far!

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:44 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:47 am
Posts: 15336
Location: In a galaxy far far away
your going to meet a million chancers whilst you try to find a decent set of muso's.
Its always been the same.

_________________
No no and no


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:21 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:38 am
Posts: 3959
Location: Rochdale UK
It's difficult putting a band together, unless you know the guys and have previous experience with them you are going to come into contact with all kinds of characters.
If I was you, I would try and do what tomk did and drop in with a band, if you have to play rhythm it gets you moving somewhere.
Good luck anyway...... :D


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:05 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:07 am
Posts: 1747
Location: Central WI
Starting a band is hard, keeping it together is hard, replacing members is hard. People just don't get how much time is involved outside of the time you spend on the stage. Auditions, first jams, song choice, piecing together everyone's parts, working out harmonies, finding a PA, deciding what to charge and dispersing the cash......

I have been jamming with the same drummer for 15+ years, we've had a ton of other members come and go over that time. Our lead player was in at one time and than out because he couldn't stay sober. Since he's been clean for over 5 years it's been great having him back in again.

If you're in it for a hobby, such as an old timer like me is, than you have to do it because you love playing, not for the $$.

Good luck, you just might meet the right people in the strangest places. The drummer and I met up playing in a church group all those years ago, and it's a church that neither of us attends now.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:55 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:31 pm
Posts: 2122
Location: Southern California Mountains
Go to open Mic Nights and small local bars where local bands play for cheap, they're often last minute throw together bands that are more than willing to let someone sit in for a song or two. Get to know the bartenders and other musicians and before you know it, someone will be offering you a spot in a band. Or one of the musicians you meet may want to start something more serious than what they have at the moment.

_________________
"Persistence Is The Father Of Invention"
-Crazy Old Man In Training
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:30 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:48 pm
Posts: 2315
That was always the tricky, getting the right mix of people.

I knew people who were great musicians, but seemed to have little or no ambition to be in a band, and people with all the ambition, but not the talent.
Or there were personality conflicts that were hard to ignore, girlfriends, family drama, etc, etc, etc.

_________________
It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:33 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:37 pm
Posts: 1811
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Don't feel bad. I've been playing around with different people for two years, before I could find people who REALLY wanted to play. Just in in the last month, I got a blues band together. Keep trying.

_________________
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."-John Wayne


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:02 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 9:58 pm
Posts: 1348
Location: Motor City
I agree with the Craiglist thing. I've been playing many years in and around Detroit, and there are a LOT of musicians around here. If I want to get a project together, or a band and I don't already know people for it, I can usually get some decent leads (and fast responses) dropping an ad on craigslist.

I've always compared being in a band to dating. It's pretty easy to start. But after a little while, you'll see if you want to stay with them when you see how things are. Sometimes there's that awkward stage of "Well, I'm not sure this is working out....", but you gotta do, what ya gotta do.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:23 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:13 pm
Posts: 19026
Location: Illinois, USA
little bro,
welcome to fender land, you have a fender solid body electric guitar, that opens a lot of musical doors for you, and, because it is fender that means you can hear, more doors are flying open every second now. you have some questions. first put together a set of songs, other peoples or your own, that way you can play without a backing band, just in case. you can hear which translates to you can sing, or, go instrumental. play that set as much as possible, for your friends, open mic nights, coffee houses, house parties (this will get you exposure which leads to paying gigs or maybe a working band).every time you think about up grade, teach yourself another song (your song list is getting longer, helps when the crowd wants more). now, what do you need for your fender guitar? the best guitar cord you can find, you won't lose any sound that way and every one who hears you will love you for it.
have fun, (i posted this for a newbie at the squire part of the forum i hope its allright, i'm a bit shy to ask but then constructive criticism is constructive right? here goes, any thoughts?)

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 6:22 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:53 am
Posts: 1686
Location: Brooklyn NY
senderkik wrote:
Try Craigslist. They have a section for musicians seeking other musicians.

+1...I`ve also seen ads on Craigslist for bands trying to get started.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:38 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:22 pm
Posts: 141
You have to be able to play the classics/standards.
That amounts to less time being wasted on showing you things.
Sooner or later someone someone will ask you if you can play the rythym or lead to something from
Led Zepplin
Hendrix
Cream
Beck
Gilmour
Schenker
Blackmore
Satriani.....

Just playing in a public forum will make a difference.
Being able to delve into Jazz and Blues is good advertising because if you can play a variety of styles, you won't miss gigs.
Top 40 hits are underrated, yet if you can play the latest hits, the only thing missing is a singer that can do the same.
Church musicians are an untapped resource. These guys are under the gun constantly, its good training.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:46 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:27 am
Posts: 372
Location: In Coal Valley
I wish it wasn't so difficult too. But sadly it is. i need a bass player and drummer.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: