Do do you find finds?/How did you find your band?

CaM90 · #1 08-10-2005, 01:26 PM

Do do you find bands?

How did you find your band?

I can't seem to find musicians to start a band with. All the guitarists that I have played with are not talented, have bad technique (using only downstrokes, using only 2 or 3 fingers on fretting hand, etc.), know no theory, only know how to play power chords, can't solo, etc.

Stanley Design · #2 08-11-2005, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaM90

Do do you find finds?

I can't get past that.

Bruce Lindfield · #3 08-11-2005, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todd Stanley

I can't get past that.

Maybe that's part of the problem..?

wulf · #4 08-11-2005, 03:57 AM

Where have you looked?

Wulf

Seigi · #5 08-11-2005, 06:01 AM

You don't necessarily have to have a guitarist in your band. There's a really great band whose name escapes me at the moment that has no guitar player; they have a synth player instead.

xshawnxearthx · #6 08-11-2005, 07:30 AM

old guitar player was a friend. he told me to bone up because they may need a bass player. so i did, and it was ****ty in the way they kicked out the other guys but whichever.

i stepped up as a "hired gun", and shortly afterwards they added me as a permanent member.

jbennardo · #7 08-11-2005, 01:24 PM

Local music store bulletin board. Rehearsal space bulletin board. Really strange local newspaper classified section.

Sometimes networking... you just meet people.

GSPLBASSDC · #8 08-11-2005, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbennardo

Local music store bulletin board. Rehearsal space bulletin board. Really strange local newspaper classified section.

Sometimes networking... you just meet people.

+1

Add to that, local open jams @ clubs and www.bandmix.com

Aj* · #9 08-11-2005, 07:43 PM

I was blessed that my lifelong friend started learning guitar at almost the same time I started learning bass. Our drummer well, he plays in one of our concert bands at school during a concert we got talking, realised our musical tastes were kinda similar, went and found a kit, jammed and he was in. Vocalists are always a problem though, the majority are rubbish.

werbo1 · #10 08-11-2005, 10:33 PM

I previously played with a band 3 years ago, and i knew the durmmer for a long time, although we never really hung out a lot. I was walking uptown one day and this kid i've met, but didn't know too well knew i played bass. He invited me to play with the drummer and a piano player. It all started there.

a year later things are going well, but the guitar player (person who invited me) wanmts to head towards chordal rock based off progressions - problem is that needs a singer and there aren't any singers i know really. The pianist who joined 4 months ago and I want to head in a funky chordal but riffbased jazz type groove band

CaM90 · #11 08-12-2005, 05:28 PM

I was an idiot when I posted this, I never even proof read it.

I was wondering how you find bands to join/jam with? Hwo did you find your current band?

driver800 · #12 08-12-2005, 05:45 PM

Where are you located? http://www.communitymusician.com has classifieds for most major metro area in the U.S.

This link http://www.communitymusician.com/music-classifieds.html lists all the cities. I live near Atlanta and we found our lead singer through the site.

you could also try http://craigslist.org - select your city, then "musicians" under the "community" section. However, craigslist is not a good as it used to be - too many spam posts.

bucephylus · #13 08-22-2005, 06:44 PM

Musicians aren't terribly systematic or organized as a rule. So, mainly, you will make the best progress by going out to clubs and open mic sessions and talking to them. The classified in whatever kind of alternative/arts paper you've got locally is also possible; and some of those are on line. However, most of the really good players don't use them.

I relocated about a year ago, and its been a nightmare. It takes a long time to get a network going. With no one helping you, count on a couple of years anyway. Patience.

jammoore · #14 08-22-2005, 07:49 PM

Make friends with the local music store guys. They "know" people. When I uprooted and moved, I hung out at a local shop so much on Saturdays that I ended up working there during the Christmas rush and what I like to call "hung over Saturday"

<hey, i'm still drunk, can you work for me?>

Open Mic nights are pretty good way of networking. And one last one, find the big bad band in town, go to their show, hang out, they know everyone too.

liquid-dream-ex · #15 08-23-2005, 02:06 AM

My band found me.

scorpionldr · #16 08-23-2005, 12:59 PM

got into a band, got kicked out cuz in short I was a cocky @$$hole, then started a band featuring just myself and a drummer (as some sort of resilience). since then i have become a much better bassist and we've built up to having a vocalist, and soon a second bassist. tried out guitarists, and had the same problem as you. it's almost like guitarists think they're superhuman cuz they managed to follow a few blink 182 albums (no offense to fans) and then give up on learning

theshadow2001 · #17 08-23-2005, 07:00 PM

I tried to start a band in college and the standard of people who showed up really was terrible. However the guy that was going to sing new a guitarist. So the three of us jammed plus another guy who played guitar. Then all that imploded and just didn't work out. However the guitarist friend of the singer was starting up a new band himself and asked me to play bass for them and I've been playing with those guys since.

In fact he only came to the college to see if there was a bass player worth steeling. Unfotunatley we can't seem to find a drummer goood enough or one thats willing to stick around. We've tried out/ played with seven drummers thus far and thats only over a 5 to 6 month period

and we're gonna be moving up to 8 next weekend...hopefully, cause if we dont we wont playing at all over the weekeend.

Anyways it can sometimes come down to luck depending on who you meet and who you know. Networking seems to be the best way to get people for a band.

clanner · #18 08-23-2005, 09:48 PM

I can testify to bandmix.com, I was able to find a band about a 30 minute drive in traffic from my house, they're sponsored by a local music store, so I say go with bandmix.

Wadge · #19 08-24-2005, 06:11 AM

The way I did it when I was first starting out was basically to play with everybody. I'd lug my bass on the bus and play at open nights and jam, making sure to give each musician space. Finally got a call from a band to play with them and they were a gigging band already before I joined.

Eventually I made a bit of a name for myself with this band and when it eventually folded, the phone rang and another band called. I was younger at the time and whenever someone asked me to play I'd say yes and give it a go. Sure, I've played with some bad musicians but I'd say that from ten calls i'd get half would be beginners which I'd amicably turn down, a few more would be ok and some would be really good.

It got to a point where I could no longer keep up playing with 4 bands or so at the same time (I was basically living in rehearsal spaces) but by then I had the luxury of choosing who I wanted to be playing with.

My advice therefore is to play with anyone and to try and get exposure as a bass player. Being a reasonably good musician helps a lot of course

Fieldflower · #20 08-24-2005, 01:59 PM

I've always used the mass-ad (web ad's these day's, music store billboard ad's before) approach, answering lots of "bassist wanted" ads that look anything like what I'm looking for in a band.
In a couple of days I can compare all the responses and pick the band with the best music style, location, "vibe" and go audition.
Just did this last week and after a good audition now have also a seventies rock band a 10 min drive from home..