I think this is it. I am in a large group text with a bunch of people I met on another forum and one of the guys had this issue and had to fix it.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Band Communication
- Thread starter Bemo
- Start date
I think this is it. I am in a large group text with a bunch of people I met on another forum and one of the guys had this issue and had to fix it.
iPhone uses a proprietary system for group texts. The messages generally go out ok, but sometimes not everyone in the group gets every message, and that includes group replies.
It's unfortunate that apple went proprietary for that, when android uses the same text message technology standards that existed from day one.
Apple does what they do because it gives more features. Android has such a thing too... it's more like a real time messenger that even shows if you've read the message, adn if you're typing.
But if you want group messaging like that, use products designed for it. At least Google was smart enough in their implementation to not assume everyone uses android with support of that new features, unlike Apple that intentionally would add features that weren't Android compatible, and make the features so good that it kept certain people choosing iPhone over Android.
However, anyone who's used the apple iMessage between two iphones probably has experienced issues with it... it's not flawless, and messages sometimes just disappear, regardless if the other person is on iphone or android. You can turn off the extra protocols in iMessage though, which fixes everything at the expense of you now just having normal sms and mms only.
WhatsApp is great, you can send pictures, video, your live location, music , links , attachments, you can call like a phone and video call too.
It's encrypted when sent and deciphered by the recipients phone so I believe completely safe.
Your whole band can be in one group. So any of the group sends something and you all receive it.
Even WhatsApp itself cannot intercept and read your messages.
It's encrypted when sent and deciphered by the recipients phone so I believe completely safe.
Your whole band can be in one group. So any of the group sends something and you all receive it.
Even WhatsApp itself cannot intercept and read your messages.
Things like DOODLE seem to work very well. Try coordinating an 11-piece band where EVERYONE has at least one side-project by "just calling them..."
Yes, they ping- i ignore until i feel like checking later in day. I am hardly technophobic.
In and of itself, that's not any more or less technophobic that ignoring text messages or phone calls.
Suppose you say something like this, “you’re in this band, this is how we communicate, get on board right now”? If I was in your band I don’t think I would object to being informed how to participate in band planning communication. But then again, maybe they’re trying to get kicked out.
Maybe at the next rehearsal or gig take a break and huddle up and make sure everyone knows what year it is.
If someone isn’t getting texts that you send that is their issue not yours. If Facebook is how you communicate with everyone else just make it mandatory.
Maybe at the next rehearsal or gig take a break and huddle up and make sure everyone knows what year it is.
If someone isn’t getting texts that you send that is their issue not yours. If Facebook is how you communicate with everyone else just make it mandatory.
I used Doodle a lot when I was coordinating large conference calls for a huge staff of deputy editors at a medical journal I was working for. Try getting 35+ doctors to agree on a specific time for a call. It's madness.
The problem with Doodle is the same problem with anything else. It's technology. Some people are just not wired to figure it out easily and it's hard to get them on board. If you can get them through it once, the odds are better they'll use it again, but it still relies on some form of communication to get the Doodle link out to everyone and it still relies on a timely response to the request.
There are multiple posts showing the setting on the sender's phone.
If everyone else's phone is capable of sending and receiving texts to/from everyone else, and everyone else's phone is capable of sending texts to you, but your phone's settings prevent you from texting them reliably, it's not your fault? It's their fault, the people with the working phones?
That's not a work environment I want to be a part of.
Someone must just have a bad setting on their phone somewhere. We use it all the time for band communication, and there are different kinds of phones among five people. The problem with email and Facebook is not everyone checks them or has notifications turned on. Text is the most timely in my experience.
+1 for Slack, if your group is not tech-averse. Someone has to care enough and be savvy enough to set it up. Lots of folks already use it at work. For the rest of the group, it's a matter of overcoming the inertia of using the group text. For a typical band you should be fine with the free service. If you are very chatty and not broke you'll eventually want to buy the cheapest paid service. The big payoff for using Slack comes when you add a new member to the group, because they can see the history of your communication.
When I retired from my day job, I finally got an iPhone. Before that, I had a Motorola flip-phone and only used it as a car phone. I don't use the iPhone as a phone much either. Instead it's become my "gig device".
I needed to be able to recieve texts from bandmates as well as have my calendar with me at all times. I soon found the Maps app invaluable for getting to a new venue the first time. I have to use both the iMessage and FB Messenger apps because some people only use one or the other
In a pinch it's both a recorder and music player for rehearsals or gigs.
I needed to be able to recieve texts from bandmates as well as have my calendar with me at all times. I soon found the Maps app invaluable for getting to a new venue the first time. I have to use both the iMessage and FB Messenger apps because some people only use one or the other
In a pinch it's both a recorder and music player for rehearsals or gigs.
Thanks for sharing that. I'm an Android user and have had the OP's problem with texts from iPhones not coming through or much delayed. There's a guy who was going to meet me Sunday, didn't show up. Monday I get a text that he's trading in his car somewhere, and I'm confused - was that even for me? Turns out he had sent it the day before but it took 24 hrs to hit my phone.
My own preference is to have distinct functions for distinct kinds of communication. I prefer that official band business, like gig details, go in an email, while routine chatter like can you make rehearsal Thursday or just chit chat goes in texts (mostly FB messenger in my bands now). Sometimes people go on with the chit chat after I've gone to bed or something and then when I look at it next day I don't realize there was important information buried dozens of texts up the feed.
+1 for Slack - you can send files very easily as well - just drag and drop into the message window.
Fair enough. The OP states there are 3 potential communication blocks (1 has a different OS phone, 1 won’t use FB, his texts sometimes don’t deliver consistently). The solution in my opinion is to limit the debate and someone take a leadership position and specify how the group will communicate. That’s not hostile. It’s a simple and common issue with a simple set of solutions. My first thought is pick an app. But if you ask every member to pick their favorite someone won’t like it. It’s not a problem you can “ask” your way out of. And it’s not “mean” to say how something needs to be handled. Clear expectations. I don’t see this is threatening.
Strange, I'm in a band with 7-8 sometimes nine revolving players (horns of course). We use group text, IPhone, Android, whatever. No issues.
I’m substantially younger than 60 and don’t have email notifications turned on.
Between work and personal accounts my pocket would be buzzing every 10 seconds.
Last edited:
I’m not sure I have a good answer for that. It would probably be email or a phone call at that point. But we are all a bunch of tight-knit weirdos who have been playing together for 20-30 years now, so quirks are accepted (and almost required.)
We just do a group message. One of our members is using Android, and the rest have Iphone. You need to have sms turned on. We have 0 problems with communication.
