How do you decide if a band is worth your time?

[S Lewis]

Can beggars be choosers? How good does a band need to be for you to invest your time, skills, and money into it?

I've been playing bass for a little more than 4 years, and I consider myself to be pretty decent. I've been in my fair share of bands thus far (from R&B to hiphop to thrash metal) and I can hold my own in pretty much any musical situation. I enjoy listening to and playing technically advanced music.

However

I havent been in a band for nearly a year and a half, and I desperately seek the means to go out and play gigs and just be a bassist, you know? Unfortunately, where I live (NC, Charlotte area) is full of nothing but mediocre "hardcore" metal bands and tepid "pop-punk" bands. I've been looking for a more...creative outlet for a long time, and I feel like I'm getting to the end of my rope. Today, though, i was browsing Craigslist and Myspace ads when i found this band:

http://www.myspace.com/trapperstradersmountainmen

They're based really close to where I live, and they sound somewhat decent. However, their timing is sometimes all over the place, and the singer's voice makes me want to jump off a bridge. With that in mind, should I just suck it up and audition for them? Lower my standards bit, just so i can "be in a band" once again? I mean, they have a long way to go, but I think they might have some potential....possibly


What do you guys think? Go for it, or wait until i find something better?

[meev992]

Yes, the vocals make me want to cry and their timing is really cruddy. I think it would be best though to just go for it, just so you can get back into being in a band.

....

*shudders

okay they're not very great at all, but you might as well take what you can get. It'll give you an opportunity to network at least.

[Lucas G]

they seem to be in DIRE need of a good bassist. you're right about their timing and thier singer's voice- but the vocals seem to be in line with others in that genre.

you could really be the piece that turns them in to an awesome band. i would audition if i were in your situation. it could turn out great, it could not work out at all- but if you see some potential there and don't go for it, you'll never know!

plus i am guessing that folks in those types of bands can pull all kinds of skinny bespectacled girls that aren't entirely emotionally stable, which could also be a fun time if you are a single dude.

go for it.

[SpectorBass308]

If Im having a good time.

[meev992]

Originally Posted by Lucas G

plus i am guessing that folks in those types of band can pull all kinds of skinny bespectacled girls that aren't entirely emotionally stable, which could also be a fun time if you are a single dude.

go for it.

I think Lucas makes the best point: Do it for the chicks, if not for the music.

[rappa29]

I don't know about you but if it's one thing I have ZERO tolerance for is poor timing\meter\rythm\tightness whatever you want to call it.

I don't care if the guitar player only knows 3 chords, the singer sounds like <insert your choice of annoying vocalist here> and the drummer bashes like Animal from the Muppet Show, as long as they all do it in the same time, in the same meter and EVERYONE knows where 1 is!

I've played with musicians who have no idea where 1 is and\or play to the metronome in their head NOT to what the rythm section is doing (assuming the rythm section is competent at counting to at least 4). Then they look at you like "Where the F are you?? Can't you hear\feel the metronome in my head and all the different places 1 is?"

And I'm not talking about uber artsy\talented\phenom musicians that deliberately move 1 around and enjoy odd time. 'Cos even those guys know to put 1 back in a place so that everyone has a point of reference.

I'm talking the average joe who is competent on his instrument playing alone, but doesn't know how to play in time with other musicians.

Drives me nucking futs!!!! Impossible to establish a groove or enjoy playing when you're always trying to get them in time or guess what the heck they're counting!!

IMHO this is THE most basic element of music that all of us are taught in preschool or kindergarten when we're banging sticks together or shaking tambourines.

If the band has no concept of how to count or feel the count TOGETHER, then I'm out!

So if you're willing to practice your odd time grooves or moving 1 or want to educate them on their meter and getting tight, then go for it!

BTW - I didn't click the link since it's blocked where I am. So my judgement is solely based on your saying they have shoddy time. And from the other posters I suppose it's true.

Sorry for the long rant/post but this is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. If you play anything from a freakin' jaw harp to a bassoon, please have a clue about meter!

Disclaimer - I'm not anywhere near being a bass virtuoso but I pride myself on having really good, solid, steady meter on bass and on keys.

[Phalex]

If you're a bass player you really should be playing bass. What do you have to lose?

[jsingles]

wow,that kid needs to stop singing.. and never sing again..

on the contrary, you may have some FUN if you join, which is what its about to me anyway, so if its not a huge hassle then hell.. go for it.

[Lucas G]

Originally Posted by meev992

I think Lucas makes the best point: Do it for the chicks, if not for the music.

see? i am not alone! TB's most consistently funny poster is in agreement, i am on to something, i swear.

also, i went and looked through their myspace friends list-

dude, it is worth it for the chicks alone! dang!

[Fuzzbass]

The others have good points. It's an opportunity to get your face out there and network with bands and/or girls.

The big question is, how happy will you be? That said, even if you do wind up getting frustrated with this band, I am confident that you will simply quit them rather than jump off a bridge. Remember to main a professional demeanor even if the other guys don't, and perhaps you can find a way to have fun in spite of the negatives. Good luck!

[cheapbasslovin]

If you're at the end of your rope then check it out. If you think that it will just tick you off more than don't. Is it worse to try and not like than to not try and miss an opportunity for a good gig?

And throw that head around at shows, neck all sore like.

[hunta]

Originally Posted by rappa29

I don't know about you but if it's one thing I have ZERO tolerance for is poor timing\meter\rythm\tightness whatever you want to call it.

+100 to everything you said.

Musicians and bands with poor sense of rhythm, meter, and feel, I WANT TO CRUSH THEM. The better your own timing gets, the harder it is to play with people that just don't get it. I've played with some potentially very talented musicians that are held back by this, and don't even realize they have a problem That's the hardest part to deal with. Bad timing and no clue.

I haven't been in a band in a while because I just got sick of playing in cover bands and with no talent hacks. So I've been building a home recording studio and working on piano, guitar, drum programming, etc... So now I can be my own damn band. And, I can be that much more valuable once I find people that are actually worth playing with (aka when I move to NYC).

I get more frustrated playing in crappy bands than not being in one at all.

[meev992]

Originally Posted by Lucas G

see? i am not alone! TB's most consistently funny poster is in agreement, i am on to something, i swear.

I am consistently funny? This is news to me

Originally Posted by Lucas G

dude, it is worth it for the chicks alone! dang!

Just think of playing with this band as something for fun. In the bedroom or on stage (or maybe under the stage and around it).

[sixtwofour]

I honestly would not bother. If you already know you hate something about them, it will only get worse, not better.

As people get more involved in musical situations, the situations tend to get more difficult, not easier. You get better musically as a group, but the drama increases exponentially.

You start out by letting things slide because it's new, but as it goes on, you will notice more about what you don't like. You will eventually go crazy.

If you're just looking to screw around with someone and don't care, go ahead, but even if that's the case, you're better off playing open mic nights.

Around Chicago, everybody is a metalcore band, or they're "indie" rock, which ironically, possess nothing of independence, or some kind of a generic radio wannabe band. Every good band I want to get into always talks about "professional gear, professional attitude, professional chops, professional professionalism", which screams ego trips and time / money drainers for some reason.

Recently though, I just got into a band in a similar situation as yours. They sent me demos, and the demos didn't sound all that great. Mainly, they were hugely lacking bass presence, as in twangier than the White Stripes and Sleater Kinney combined times two, and their guitars were out of tune. I asked them about the out of tune guitars, hoping for an acknowledgement, but expecting to be lambasted as a stupid bassist, but thankfully I got the former. Also, their guitars left a ton of room for me to fill in underneath somewhat in a Steve Harris / Lemmy Kilmister / Steve Digiorgio style (chords, some fretless slides, somewhat complicated basslines compared to other rock bands), and so far, the band seems to dig my style, which I was fearing they worshipped their twangy sound, as some other bands do, and were looking for me more as the guy you can't hear standing in back and fall guy when something goes wrong. We're recording now probably Sunday after next, so it should be interesting to see what turns out.

Point is, it doesn't hurt to check it out. You may not like the vocals or other aspects, but as said before me, you could be that missing piece the band desperately needs, and nobody said that a band is a marriage. You'll probably be getting exposure with this band, so if you want to move on eventually, at least you have something to put on your resume persay.

[invader3k]

Yeah. I personally cannot stand people with timing issues, let alone a band full of those people. I've played with enough lousy drummers to ever go back to that at this point in my music "career", personally.

[rappa29]

Originally Posted by sixtwofour

You start out by letting things slide because it's new, but as it goes on, you will notice more about what you don't like. You will eventually go crazy.

Been there done that! Especially with singers! Great pipes, great look, great prescence as time goes on they retain their great talent but introduce their issues that were overlooked b\c of their great talent (i.e. alcholism, outright childish mood swings during gigs and rehearsals, excuse after excuse for missing rehearsal, etc.)

[sevenyearsdown]

I didn't read all those other posts.

My advice is:

1. get in a band
2. network with other bands
3. keep playing with less than desirable band until better option opens up
4. jump ship for better band

[Wesley R]

Every band that could get me a live real gig was worth my time. I was addicted to "playing out", gigs meant everything to me, I would have rathered gigged then went to a party.
It wasn't until my later 20's that I established criteria like lotsa potential for gigs, the ability to work with the band members etc.
Now, I need to get along with the everyone, the band needs to sound good and have a few gigs.

[meev992]

Originally Posted by sevenyearsdown

I didn't read all those other posts.

My advice is:

1. get in a band
2. network with other bands
3. keep playing with less than desirable band until better option opens up
4. jump ship for better band

my sentiments exactly.