I'm so frustrated

Drifta · #1 12-19-2010, 09:01 AM

Every group I get together with, trying to make a reggae band I run into the same problems.... Either the players are terrible ( ex: I can play reggae because I can play some sublime songs by ear! ) Or too concerned with smoking weed (i got no problem, but the goal is music...) and then the next thing is..... Players that are decent but don't understand reggae music that well ( Like I played with some funk guys who were trying to do some roots-reggae and they just don't got the 'feel' )... Like it is too simple or something, don't understand the fundamentals of it.

All this is just frustrating the hell out of me.. I'm working on improving my skills every day, taking lessons and learning theory and jazz... But reggae is in my heart and so I'll always want to have a reggae project going, but finding decent musicians is driving me nuts. I've probably met only a handful that are serious, and talented over the past 3-4 years and even then they really only want to do covers.

And every once and awhile I'll come across a killer drummer -- but he's always like best friends with a crappy guitar player or something

. I need to kidnap a talented drummer and make him my slave .... wait that doesn't sound right. Maybe as I get my jazz chops up i'll be able to snag some players from that crowd to come play some reggae...

Swicked · #2 12-19-2010, 09:02 AM

You should terminate the drummers friend, he's a threat.

Winnb · #3 12-19-2010, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drifta

but finding decent musicians is driving me nuts.

Welcome to the club. It's a special group called "everyone".

Seriously, it's always gonna be that way when you start a "Project". Always. No exceptions. No one gets a free pass.

If you really love it you'll keep at it and have some success.

Drifta · #4 12-19-2010, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swicked

You should terminate the drummers friend, he's a threat.

Funny thing is it's happened atleast twice. Once the drummer was amazing in the pocket, would sit in it all night. The guitarist... well he doesn't know what a minor or major chord is - can only play with 3 fingers on his fretting hand & has a bad ear. To make it short - before I could tell them I didn't want to jam again - they made an ad on craigslist saying how I was " 'too serious' and they are looking for a 'killer bassist who doesn't care if we make mistakes influences : bob marley, jimi hendrix, beethoven "

They have been posting the same ad, for a bassist for the past 2 1/2 years atleast.

SpitfireCWII · #5 12-19-2010, 09:09 AM

lol @ swicked XD

Drifta · #6 12-19-2010, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winnb

Welcome to the club. It's a special group called "everyone".

Seriously, it's always gonna be that way when you start a "Project". Always. No exceptions. No one gets a free pass.

If you really love it you'll keep at it and have some success.

Yeah I guess. I just feel maybe it's a bit worse for me, as for the reggae genre will draw a ton of pot-head-going-no-where-in-life type crowd.

"just looking for good vibes man" yea me too, but play the right chords! LOL.

Swicked · #7 12-19-2010, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winnb

Welcome to the club. It's a special group called "everyone".

Seriously, it's always gonna be that way when you start a "Project". Always. No exceptions. No one gets a free pass.

If you really love it you'll keep at it and have some success.

That's such a paradox though. Think about it if everyone has trouble finding good musicians then everyone is a bad musician...wait...that's not right is it?

hrodbert696 · #8 12-19-2010, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drifta

"just looking for good vibes man" yea me too, but play the right chords! LOL.

Wrong chords = bad vibes.

Rather literally.

P. Aaron · #9 12-20-2010, 10:44 AM

Ah yes, finding a musician(s) that's into a genre or one who's willing to woodshed & get it down. That's my dilemma as well. I've gone through C & W, blues, roots rock, & lots of other music I really didn't care for based upon the talent level of the folks I was auditioning for.

I have found that few musicians are really 'into it' deeply. Rather, many are into a post-work camraderie thing, or another way to hang out with their friends.

Delivering a good musical product with on-stage visuals is usually...uh not thought of until later.

Winnb · #10 12-20-2010, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swicked

That's such a paradox though. Think about it if everyone has trouble finding good musicians then everyone is a bad musician...wait...that's not right is it?

I hear ya, believe me. It's just that no one will have the same expectations, work ethic, skill, sense of humor, taste, etc etc. So we all try to put bands together and we've got 4 or 5 very different people trying to play music together. It's a miracle it ever works.

Stumbo · #11 12-21-2010, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpitfireCWII

lol @ swicked XD

[ot]

Please use the "quote" button when referring to a previous post. It's very easy.

IMO, the [@ someone] type post seems to be a quick way to be ignored because, like me, few want to go back over all the posts again to find the one you're referring to.

[/ot]