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Another possible band breakup
- Thread starter LBS-bass
- Start date
I'm just putting everything back on hold, which is where it seems to have been forever, anyway. I'm disappointed that everyone else seems to be finding ways to move forward by implementing precautionary measures, but I cannot. But of course, I cannot force anyone's comfort level. I am more frustrated by the lack of response than the lack of rehearsal, but I am also frustrated overall with the lack of change.i don't mind texting, emailing, messaging at all, but if something is really important to me i'd prefer a face-to-face (mask-to-mask?) or a phone call --- it might demonstrate the importance of my issue(s) to the other(s), too.
per the OP: i wouldn't give up, or draw a line, where this player is concerned....yet. these are goofy times and lots of folks would act out their anxieties/angst in ways we would never have seen before. returning to normality is likely to be slow and 'uphill' for every one of us.
good luck with your reluctant responder and the radio silence!
I haven't seen anything that says just throwing a HEPA machine into a room will do anything. My friend had to visit a dentist last week and he said it was like walking into a lunar lander capsule and the HEPA/HVAC precautions were just one of the things that were done.
I've also heard about the plastic screens in front of microphones and one of the studios I use is trying that, but I've seen nothing that indicates plastic screens, singing towards walls, or having fans running in the room will do anything to mitigate or prevent COVID-19. Nothing at all.
Most of the people I work with who were predicting June would be when we all get back, are now backing away from that idea.
I don't think it's worth it to spend that kind of money on an enclosed space when nothing you're doing has been proven to help or prevent others from becoming sick. Besides, in most HEPA installations I've seen, they do virtually nothing, anyway because they're run too long without cleanings, use the wrong filter, have ionizers that don't actually work, or can barely clean the air right in front of them.
I've also heard about the plastic screens in front of microphones and one of the studios I use is trying that, but I've seen nothing that indicates plastic screens, singing towards walls, or having fans running in the room will do anything to mitigate or prevent COVID-19. Nothing at all.
Most of the people I work with who were predicting June would be when we all get back, are now backing away from that idea.
I don't think it's worth it to spend that kind of money on an enclosed space when nothing you're doing has been proven to help or prevent others from becoming sick. Besides, in most HEPA installations I've seen, they do virtually nothing, anyway because they're run too long without cleanings, use the wrong filter, have ionizers that don't actually work, or can barely clean the air right in front of them.
The reading that I have done on this focuses on directing airflow. It's not about HEPA, though there's nuance to be had here. HEPA filtration is not sufficient to filter out particles the size of a virus. But it IS sufficient to filter out microdroplets, which is what the virus is flying around inside of. So you're developing a system of airflow that directs the droplets toward something that's going to capture them, effectively capturing the virus inside them, as well. Vent the air toward the outdoors and you'll get rid of a lot of potential infectious stuff.
The best studies I've seen so far indicate that the greatest hazards are from droplets suspended in the air in an enclosed space, and that the amount of virus you are exposed to is an important factor in how sick you're going to get. So if you mitigate those two factors, the space is safer.
The COVID thread has had tons of posts with links about this sort of thing. Armed with this information, I can form a comfort zone that works pretty well for me, but most people don't dig that deeply so they don't really get why this is effective.
Sound like your band is still together, but your guitarist has quit, considering he’s reading & ignoring your messages.
So you're going to basically set up a wind-tunnel or negative pressure room to jam? That seems like a terrible waste of money. I was in the COVID-19 discussion for a while and some of the assumptions people made don't pass the smell test. There's nothing I can see that tells me a room full of singing musicians will be protected just because fans are blowing and a HEPA filter is running, especially since you can pass it around before you even feel sick. How do you prevent someone from being down-wind of that ventilation? How do you know it's not just going to swirl it all around in the room? Who is going to clean out that supposed HEPA filtration system when it saturates with "droplets" regardless of what's in them?
LOL, no it can all be accomplished with a decent A/C unit placed in the right window, opening a few doors, and some plexiglass shields to keep droplets at bay. There's a reason people aren't getting sick through outdoor exposure and that has everything to do with dispersal of droplets. But clearly you don't want to hear this, you just want to tell me that I'm wrong. Which is fine, duly noted, mind not changed because I read the studies.
Asking mods to shut this thread down please. It's gone way off topic and the last thing I need to be doing right now is justifying my thought processes on this to anyone.
Absolutely... and I think your band members are right to avoid the experiment...
Did you stay at a Holiday Inn, too? People who have done much more research than you have opinions and you're likely nowhere near qualified to sort out the good from the bad.
They are not comfortable with your "better part of yesterday" research. I wouldn't be either.
Good luck.
Yeah, that's the problem, isn't it? Most people can't tell a person who knows how to properly research something from someone who doesn't. And there is a huge difference between reading peer-reviewed studies and watching videos on YouTube.
I'm not posting my resume here for your amusement. Have a great day
Thanks for the insight. I'm not a human doc but as a veterinarian we study epidemiology and biosecurity and deal with some similar issues. Im also friends with and infectious disease doc that I talk with often and this is also what we see in our state. The only issues are being seen with elderly, high bmi patients and people with other pre-existing conditions. I actually spent last night in a bar with no one wearing masks and a live band playing (which was great)! I'm more scared of flying than I am covid at this point.
Sorry for the derail but OP - I agree with others. I wouldn't spend the money to try to help people feel more comfortable, they need to decide for themselves when that is going to be. It's actually been a very interesting thing to watch the progression of how long it's taking people to realize that "covid won't be over on date xyz" and some people are still going to take a long time to get that through their head. I try to remember many people don't know the difference between a virus and a bacterium much less a virus outbreak and that this simply won't disappear. Some may take over a year until a vaccine comes out. I'm just starting to find it's easier to work with people that are ready to accept some risk and the reality of today and move on with life.
Good luck and good for you doing your best to do the right thing.
Yeah, I don't really understand. He was pretty happy in this band, from everything I saw. My gut says he's just not ready to start moving forward, and he doesn't want to think about it until he is, and he doesn't want to say it and be the odd man out.
So we're not going to do anything; it would have been a good thing to provide if everyone wanted it and were comfortable with it, but the responses from my husband's band have been basically of the opposite "you're acting like we're lepers and we don't feel good about it" side. So you try to do a right thing, but apparently it holds true that no good deed will go unpunished. Therefore, there will be no good deed. And I am outta here.
Seems wise.
I agree that your guitarist seems to have checked out. Still, though it's tough and frustrating, but it's probably best to try and hold back the floodgates of frustration until an in-person call with him has been achieved.
Also, there's no way I'd spend a bunch of $ on a filtration system without a gung-ho hard-charging group. (and maybe not even then). As hard as it is, the best policy now is probably waiting until gathering is safer and restrictions lift.
All that said, you are not out of line to be thinking about the future. I wouldn't be surprised to find that if you have a good group, gigs are be forthcoming. Just this week my bandleader just put our full-band gig post-covid on the calendar. We'll be -hopefully spaced out- on an outdoor patio at a BBQ joint on the 18th.
Well, today's rehearsal is cancelled. Bass player claims car trouble and the drummer probably couldn't use that as his excuse for bailing fast enough. Can't say I'm surprised, drummer is about my age and has expressed reservations before.
Lead singer and I could get together, but we've done that a couple of times already through the lockdown and our ideas and plans are way ahead of the other two as-is. Today was supposed to be for catch up and getting everyone on the same page.
@LBS-bass at the risk of sounding dogmatic or preachy, I think we just need to roll with the punches and not get too keyed up or think in extremes. It's disappointing for all of us. All bands go through rough patches, and there either is, or isn't, enough glue to hold it together through the storm. Fortunately we've had our days in the sun as practicing musicians, and knowing your level of experience and dedication to your craft, I'm confident you'll come out of this okay.
Heck, maybe even I will too.
Again, not meant as a critique on your outlook, more a personal zen moment. It's all I've got right about now.
Lead singer and I could get together, but we've done that a couple of times already through the lockdown and our ideas and plans are way ahead of the other two as-is. Today was supposed to be for catch up and getting everyone on the same page.
@LBS-bass at the risk of sounding dogmatic or preachy, I think we just need to roll with the punches and not get too keyed up or think in extremes. It's disappointing for all of us. All bands go through rough patches, and there either is, or isn't, enough glue to hold it together through the storm. Fortunately we've had our days in the sun as practicing musicians, and knowing your level of experience and dedication to your craft, I'm confident you'll come out of this okay.
Heck, maybe even I will too.
Again, not meant as a critique on your outlook, more a personal zen moment. It's all I've got right about now.
If I were going to set up a band practice area today, I wouldn't spend a lot of money on things. I'd put names on all the vocal mics - you sing into this one, I sing into that one. Other than that, I'd space things out as much as practical, and have singers face away from the other folks in the band, so they're not projecting their breath at anyone in particular. I think I could do those mods with what I have on hand.
Bassist4Eris
Frat-Pack Sympathizer
Or he's still thinking about it. Or he's asking for some advice before responding. Or he's conferring with his SO. Or he was about to reply, dropped his phone in the toilet, and is at the Sprint store as we speak. If it's only been a day, I'd give it at least one more day before getting too worried about it.
I have the same attitude about calling people. It's almost a phobia with me. But you may very well be shooting yourself in the foot here. I'd encourage you to bite the bullet and make the call. If nothing else, getting an answer out of him one way or the other will allow you to put this to rest in your mind.
Well, coming in late and low, I would suggest that silence is sometimes a cry for help? Dramatic perhaps, but these are unsettled times. I’m having to be very patient with band mates and they with me. I’m filling my practice time by working on reading...baby steps for this old guy...and being thankful for what good things life has given me.
We confer with our SOs about stuff all the time, and we usually say something like "let me talk to so and so about that and I'll get back to you." It's fine if he needs to take some time, just let us know that's where you're at.Or he's still thinking about it. Or he's asking for some advice before responding. Or he's conferring with his SO. Or he was about to reply, dropped his phone in the toilet, and is at the Sprint store as we speak. If it's only been a day, I'd give it at least one more day before getting too worried about it.
I have the same attitude about calling people. It's almost a phobia with me. But you may very well be shooting yourself in the foot here. I'd encourage you to bite the bullet and make the call. If nothing else, getting an answer out of him one way or the other will allow you to put this to rest in your mind.
One other reason I don't want to call, frankly, is because I don't want it to seem like I'm putting pressure on him to rehearse. I'd rather just let go and drop the whole thing. If they ever want me again, they know where to find me. For right now, and until further notice, I'm finished with it.
I've been lucky, because everybody in the two bands I'm in (myself included) wants to err on the side of caution. A member in one of the bands is more ready to resume rehearsing and gigging, but he respects our positions.
I too have had some trouble getting reply emails from people about some upcoming outdoor gigs. I just ended up phoning everybody to take their temperature (no pun intended).
@LBS-bass, I hope things work out in the end for your band. I've been taking the position that it really isn't hurting us to just put the bands in cold storage until we have a clearer picture about how this is going to resolve itself. So far, everybody is pretty much of the same mindset.
I too have had some trouble getting reply emails from people about some upcoming outdoor gigs. I just ended up phoning everybody to take their temperature (no pun intended).
@LBS-bass, I hope things work out in the end for your band. I've been taking the position that it really isn't hurting us to just put the bands in cold storage until we have a clearer picture about how this is going to resolve itself. So far, everybody is pretty much of the same mindset.
