Musicians in your area.

nosidamde

nosidamde

Taco Flavored Kisses
Joined
Jun 25, 2012
Messages
395
Location
QC IA
This may be a question more for the gigging musicians and weekend warriors of the forum, but how good of a selection do you have in your area of like minded musicians?

Also, which websites do you find helpful to find said musicians? Facebook groups, Craigslist, Bandmix... backpage.com?

I'm finally reaching a breaking point for dealing with the ones in my area. The amount of excuses for not being prepared for gigs, showing up to practice without doing "homework" ahead of time, personal problems, etc etc etc (I feel like I could write a book) has reached an all time high it seems.

Sorry for venting, hopefully someone else can relate.
 
I hear you! Vent away. I may join you!
I have no answers, but am very interested in what replies you receive, as I am about in the same situation as you, and ready to make a move.
 
I'd recommend stopping in local music stores and placing an add on a bulletin board, but then again, I'm pretty old!!!! (But you can spy on players while they're milling about trying guitars.) Remember, it really is kinda like family, as you all have to have the same dreams (see desires below) or it won't last. I was in a 6 piece that was a lot of fun, until two of the guys wanted to become the Rolling Stones, and tour the world. I'm a family guy, just having fun.
The problem you're having is pretty normal, I think. I've been involved with a couple different groups of guys, with different levels of talent, and also different levels of desire...i.e. Rock Star, weekend warrior, just having fun, etc...I always loved playing with guys that were full of talent...added challenges...to keep up with them.
Listen to some documentaries about some of the bands that have lasted, and you'll hear some of the trials and tribulations they went through.
Either way, good luck, and on every documentary out there, they tell you to be persistent, and don't give up. I always say it should be fun, as when its not fun any more, its like REAL work...
 
When my then girlfriend/now wife moved to AZ, we didn't know anyone, so we went and jammed with several people we met through bulletin boards and stuff. It was 1998-99 and Craig's List and stuff didn't really exist yet. Eventually we found a drummer we were compatible with. We started playing shows and meeting other musicians, and eventually when that band fell apart, we had a whole mess of drummers we knew that we were on a first name basis and it was pretty easy to put together another band... which lasted a while and then fell apart, as bands do.

But then we got old, and not so many people we knew were available any more, and we turned to Craig's List, and jammed with people we didn't know again, until one felt compatible.

So there you go. Jam with people you know, jam with people you don't know, keep an open mind, don't expect anything going into it, take your time, and when you find someone you're really compatible with, try to hang on to them.
 
I have shared your frustration many a time. Band mates that show up and expect you to teach them the songs during rehearsal, show up late and don't take seriously the rest of the time, the ones with the endless excuses about what their wife is making them do on rehearsal night, the list is endless. Bottom line for me is that I've had to make some compromises in what kind of music I play. I would prefer to do rock, blues, covers, etc., but a couple of my buddies have a rock/alt/metal group and they wanted me in. Since they're all dedicated, that's what I do.
 
Without knowing more about what you do, it's hard to say. For example, jazz players have to get out and do the jam session thing to connect with like minded players, metal heads have to get the gtr/bass/drum thing as a core and must lock in with those other players (bass & drums), pop artists can be a musician/songwriter finding a singer/lyricist on craigslist, so you have to adapt your game to the musical environment of your market. For me the best results have been thru CL, but I'm mainly a songwriter looking for vocalists.
 
nosidamde said:
The amount of excuses for not being prepared for gigs, showing up to practice without doing "homework" ahead of time, personal problems, etc etc etc
Click to expand...

I totally relate with this, but let me give some context. I am 41 years old and passed the rock star phase a long time ago. Today, I love playing, gigging and jamming because I have a good time and it is a great stress reliever for me. I have a job that requires very long hours and finding time to gig and rehearse takes some careful planning. I therefore expect from the other musicians to treat this special time with the same respect as I do, in other words arriving on time and rehearsed and sober enough to contribute effectively.

I am fortunate in that I hooked up with such musicians and I am having a ball at present. It did however take years to meet them. I live in South Africa and the "online" world is not as engrained in our social interaction as in other parts of the world. I met all these people via others who new them. Personal relationships were therefore key for me. I realise that this may not be the best option for you in your context - I am simply sharing what works for me and acknowledging that someone halfway across the world from you experienced the same frustration for a very long time.
 
Thanks to everyone for responding.

I'm glad to see that this hit home with a couple forum members and I'm not alone. I've been doing this for quite a few years now, a couple bands have been together 3+ years including one of my current bands. I'm just getting tired of the broken record excuses and issues that tend to present with most of the musicians I'm around.

A little more of my background for those that were trying to understand... I play in rock cover bands, 90's and newer. I have a career that involves a work schedule during the week but I always make time to learn the songs that my band collectively agrees to bring ready for band practice before we gig out with said songs. I have a family, so I'd rather not go into EVERY practice to just go with the flow because my time is just as valuable as their time, in my opinion. Music isn't a job, but it's treated with respect and commitment for me.

I just have a hard time finding like minded musicians. I have a band member I'm currently with, and been with since 2008, that shares the same values and my frustrations. We'll continue to stick together and hope for the best in finding others.
 
OK I think I understand better now. Maybe this will give you another view cause my cousin has been doing covers for decades, me, I'm an original material person (songwriting & jazz sit ins). He always has and I think he always will have the very same complaints that you mention, he says "it's the nature of the beast, a lot of musicians don't put in the extra effort doing covers as they would their own material that they have an emotional investment in". On the other hand I have to weed thru tons of aspiring singers that think they can write lyrics and deal with flaky (semi-talented) ones that want to re-write everything or take credit for things,etc. It can get wacky sometimes but in between all that we have some guitar fun, right?

I think when it comes to your game, money is going to talk and cash may be the only thing to get some diligence out of your bandmates, you'll need decent paying gigs.
Good luck with it and don't get discouraged.
 
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You can tell most time but not always that if a person has a lot of gear they are in it for the long haul. A singer shows up with A mic and can't plug it in. A guitar player shows up in time to set ip HIS rig. You know the story.

I have a ton of gear so I don't have to depend on anybody for for that and a 15pass van and an H&H enclosed trailerto haul it. Im almost always the first to show up at a gig and I'm always the one to bring up things to fix at rehearsal.

I don't advertise for musicians because I don't want every jackwagon in a 100 mile radius knowing where I live or what I have. I'm always looking for good people even when I don't need them. So I contact every musician I know when I'm in need and use their feedback to judge who to consider.

We had to replace our excellent drummer 6 months after I joined and I can not gel with the new guy at all. It is clear to me he doesn't practice at all and I'm about ready to blow my stack. We also might be losing our singer. Ugh. I may move on.
 
Huggy B said:
OK I think I understand better now. Maybe this will give you another view cause my cousin has been doing covers for decades, me, I'm an original material person (songwriting & jazz sit ins). He always has and I think he always will have the very same complaints that you mention, he says "it's the nature of the beast, a lot of musicians don't put in the extra effort doing covers as they would their own material that they have an emotional investment in". On the other hand I have to weed thru tons of aspiring singers that think they can write lyrics and deal with flaky (semi-talented) ones that want to re-write everything or take credit for things,etc. It can get wacky sometimes but in between all that we have some guitar fun, right?

I think when it comes to your game, money is going to talk and cash may be the only thing to get some diligence out of your bandmates, you'll need decent paying gigs.
Good luck with it and don't get discouraged.
Click to expand...

Playing as a weekend warrior as I do is a money losing proposition. I always spend more than than I make because I don't want to do it halfassed. If you have somebody that puts a dollar demand on being a part of a group then pass now or lose him later. There has to be the passion to do it.
 
I'm in Southern Florida. It's really tough here. Like many of you I'm sure my band has been through a slew of drummers - about ten or so. I ended up disbanding things only to reform around this time last year and eventually find a drummer through craigslist of all places. my drummer and bass player both have two kids so everything is pretty much around their schedule, which is pretty fine with me. We do about a gig a month and are about 70% through with recording our third disc now. Though it's original music we look at it as this - if it goes somewhere, cool. If not, we're having fun playing originals and not being one of those cover bands that's killing the original scene.
As for places to find musicians, we rehearse at a nice rehearsal studio and they actually have a bulletin board there with numbers of everyone from drummers and horn players to latin style drummers, so maybe see if there are any rehearsal studios in the area too.
 
Huggy B, I agree that it is the "nature of the beast". One of my two main bands gets $100 - $120 a show per person (including sound guy) which is pretty good I feel. That band is the one leading me to write this post, the one that has been together 3+ years and surprisingly enough the drummer is the one that shares the same values and work ethic I do! :rofl: I'm in another cover band that only plays hard rock and metal covers, and because of that small market we don't expect to get paid much or at all.

Gush, I'm that jack wagon within 100 miles of you! :laugh: I agree. The weekend warrior position is not something that you'll make more than you spend at. If I relied on gig money to pay off all these PRS guitars I own, then I'd be in big trouble! :tongue:

solacematt, thanks for the idea of checking a rehearsal space bulletin board! That seems like it would be way more reliable than the Guitar Center bulletin board I've used way back in the day.
 
The process suck, plain and simple. I couldn't guess how many people we've blown through looking for the right fit. You are not alone! ;) You are on the right track to stick with the guy that is like minded and wants the same thing as you. Be up front about that from the get-go when trying people out. I've gotten pretty lucky in my situation. Long road to get here, but worth it when you find the right guys. We didn't have a lot of luck with online ads, a lot of the same BS. If you can spend a little time going out to local shows, buddy up to the bands you like and ask around. Try not stealing members, it's bad form and makes enemies QUICK. Sometimes it must be done though. :rofl: In the end, we've had more luck finding the right guys through a network of people rather than random ads. If you're buddies with music store guys, they usually know who can play and who has their s#!t together.
 
I've played with quite a few over the years too, some stick while most don't.

Can I just call it borrowing instead of stealing?? :beer:

So I know a guy, who works at our local Music Go Round, but..... he was a previous singer who didn't work out in another band... :rofl:
 
...Agreed. I don't know where you are, but rest assured, Oklahoma City is virtually the same...plus, quality musicians sit at home on weekends while less-than-mediocre wannabes are gigging. Is this a nationwide trend?
 
Traindodge is an amazing band from OKC (Norman, technically). Their album "On a Lake of Dead Trees" is one of my all time faves. I know they play around there sometimes, looks like The Blue Note and The Conservatory are the clubs they play most.

This wasn't so much an ad for a band local to you, but more of a "check out these clubs, maybe the quality people are playing there" post.
 
nosidamde said:
Huggy B, I agree that it is the "nature of the beast". One of my two main bands gets $100 - $120 a show per person (including sound guy) which is pretty good I feel. That band is the one leading me to write this post, the one that has been together 3+ years and surprisingly enough the drummer is the one that shares the same values and work ethic I do! :rofl: I'm in another cover band that only plays hard rock and metal covers, and because of that small market we don't expect to get paid much or at all.
.
Click to expand...

Well $100 is decent but keep in mind that loading/performing/unloading/etc is a few hours and that mathematically can be around $20 and hour (give or take), if you were in a tribute band or had a good sized following, $200 a night per player would keep people more on the ball. That's about what players in good tribute bands make here in SF. The only other thing I can add is to consider writing your own material, if you're badass enough to cover whats out there on the airwaves, you just might be able to write some decent songs and get some other cats on your page.
Either way (top40 or orig) good luck with your path.
 
Bands are difficult enough if your band is full-time and highly successful, but when it’s a weekend warrior thing, it usually gets treated like a hobby by lots of folks, and it’s hard to deal with.

I was getting $100 a gig in 1970, when a nice new car cost $2800 (I bought a Firebird 400 with college band earnings back in the day!).

For people to play for $100 a gig in this day and age, it’s really shameful. And there are bands who PAY to play!!!

It’s all just a little nuts.
 
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