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Craigslist-- garbage IMHO

This to me is the funniest ad, that pops up on the Atlanta site- every two days--- funny because from my experience tuning differently between songs is a nightmare where all kinds of things go wrong. For these tools, the audience will probably walk out because they will be retuning between EVERY songs. see for yourselves... note- they are going to play exactly LIKE the record so you better not throw in any extra fills!! Word.

We are a new rock cover band looking for a Pro Bassist. Our goal is to get into the Wild Wing Scene just as soon as we have everyone on the same page and on board. We are doing all songs by band's that are played on Project 96.1. Your favorites. We will be covering new songs by Volbeat, Chevelle, Five Finger Death Punch, Godsmack, and much more..... If you are a serious and professional Bassist, you know that these low tunings, you have to have a 4 string and usually a 5 String for the Low B. Please be able to play these exactly like the Record. Our tunings are from Standard, Drop D, Drop C, Eb, Drop C#, Drop B, Drop A#. These are what we will be doing songs in. If you are interested, please contact me at the above email link. Please tell me about yourself, whether you have a Demo, or how long you have been playing. We are all Pros and have played together before in other Projects. We will be booking shows very soon once the Setlist is established and learned. This means we could be playing our first Gig by next Month. Everyone will make $100 a night, and then we will ask for more. You have to get a Reputation as a descent cover band first to start out before you can start asking for more money. We all have jobs, and this is going to be a Weekend Gig. We just want to have fun, and be the best we can. If we get into the Wild Wing Circuit, we can make alot of money as a professional cover band. We have Space and Full P.A in Decatur, GA.

We are all in our mid 30's and expect the same. Age isn't that important, but we do want to make a good impression and have a good image. Please only Ages 25-35. The songs we are doing are very hard on Bass, so please be able to play them as accurately as possible as we as pro musicians are going to be playing these exactly like your hear them on the Record. We are very cool guys, and easy to get along with. This is about having fun and making money. Please email us back to let us know you are interested, and we will be emailing you the 2 to 3 songs for your Audition, and once you have learned those, we will setup an Audition time for you. Please be able to commit to practicing these songs on your own time, and learning them very quickly. We want to get together at least once or twice a Week to perfect setlist and to make sure we are tight on the songs so we can perform out very soon professionally within a Month or two.

Thanks for your time, and please email me back just ASAP.

While there are other red flags in that ad, having a lot of tunings is not that big of a deal. I've been in a band for 8 years that plays very similar music and we go through about six different tunings a night. I play a five-string for all material, but my guitarist tunes in standard 440, drop-d, drop-C#, standard a whole step down, B standard, and drop-a. He has a number of hardtail and Floyd-equipped guitars and can do drop tunings on his Floyd-equipped guitars with a D-tuna. He generally bringa four or five guitars to every gig. Making sets flow well isn't that big of a challenge. When I write setlists, I just start each block of songs with a different tuning on a song that contains a bass or a drum vamp for the intro. That gives my guitarist time to switch out guitars. The truth of the matter is that if you play modern rock covers, your guitarist(s) needs to be able to handle multiple tunings - at least 440, drop-d, and either drop-c or drop-c#. So much modern material is just in such diverse tunings.

However, the fact that they're playing in both E and Eb is not exactly efficient. Most bands choose either to play all standard tuning stuff in 440 or a half-step down. I did some sub work for a band that, with one exception, played all material in the exact key of the recording, including stuff that was tuned down a half of step. However, the guitarist played a 7-string Musicman all night. It did make learning some of the tunes that were heavy on the open E a pain for me though. :hmm:
 
LiquidMidnight said:
While there are other red flags in that ad, having a lot of tunings is not that big of a deal. I've been in a band for 8 years that plays very similar music and we go through about six different tunings a night. I play a five-string for all material, but my guitarist tunes in standard 440, drop-d, drop-C#, standard a whole step down, B standard, and drop-a. He has a number of hardtail and Floyd-equipped guitars and can do drop tunings on his Floyd-equipped guitars with a D-tuna. He generally bringa four or five guitars to every gig.:

I am assuming these are high paying gigs if he brings 4 or 5 guitars to a gig?
 
While I understand that you theoretically can play these songs with a 5-string (which has never been my thing personally)--- it is very difficult as many of them are based on your open string being at that note--- case in point all these Chevelle songs- like face to the floor, Godsmack... many of them are best played if your low string is tuned to C or Drop D.

Examply Rage- Killing in the Name of- that song only "plays" right if I use my hipshot to D-tune my low string to D- the spacing is wrong for most of the riffs if for isntance the whole bass is down one full step... can be done, but VERY awkward and doesn't flow. To each there own- this is still a prime DOUCHE-BAG ad- so many contradictions- Easy-Going- but you better play the part perfect. And I guarantee you this is some amateur hour that has NO GIGS lined up anywhere.
 
jazzbill said:
I joined my current band based on a one line ad:

"Swing/Jazz/Blues bass needed immediately. Upright Preferred. Not a beginner gig."

Great ad.

Blue

Off topic;

For anyone looking for a back up bass they are doing some cool things south of the boarder.

The reverse jaguar bass is solid value.
 
Here's a couple more in the Atlanta area...although there was a corporate start up band today and an all girls band forming as well...ever see "Some Like it Hot"


Pro bass needed, 70's rock covers (Doraville)

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Date: 2012-07-20, 6:42PM EDT
Reply to: [email protected] [Errors when replying to ads?]
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We are seasoned pro,s starting a classic rock cover band. We are Guitar 43, Drums 50, keys 55 and You? We play old school stuff like Deep purple, Joe Cocker, argent,supertramp, the cars,the who, Etc. No goodie two shoes ! Rehearsal at 4:20 ! 706-461-4884 Dave






Touring Band seeks Bass player ASAP (Atlanta Area)

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Date: 2012-07-23, 1:59PM EDT
Reply to: [email protected] [Errors when replying to ads?]
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(PLEASE READ THIS FULL ADD BEFORE RESPONDING)
The band, Sound Detour, needs an additional full time bass player asap to write songs with, record, play shows and tour.

MUST BE: Serious, reliable and devoted
MUST BE: Versatile (we mix everything from Punk, Indie, Funk, Rock and metal. (slap bass is a must)
MUST BE: Available to play shows (mainly in bars, night clubs, etc.) and tour.
MUST HAVE: Some kind of transportation
MUST BE: Available to practice once or twice a week
MUST BE: Able to start ASAP

DO NOT CONTACT US IF YOU ARE: A BASSEST FOR HIRE. ALL MONEY WE MAKE GOES TO EITHER BAND FUND FOR MERCHANDISE AND TOURING OR IT GETS DIVIDED EQUALLY BETWEEN ALL MEMBERS

DO NOT CONTACT US IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER MUSIC PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON THAT IS YOUR FIRST PRIORITY

For more info please email me with "BASS Player" in the subject line and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
PLEASE include bio or explanation of who you are and your influences.
If available, please send samples you playing bass
Thank you for paying attention
 
Oh they are all power plays, the one band you posted with all the demands, has no gigs lined up anywhere, so the seasoned pro thing isn't working super well for them. Also they smoke (and not cigs, full on mj) the WHOLE time during rehearsal, so the seasoned pro thing is complete BS...
 
I make all the rules, you have zero input on what we play, which songs, etc.."

if I play bass very well and you want me in your band, then I have a say over what we play and the direction of the band. Period!

I understand where you are coming from. All band members should have input. But I also believe that a band should have a leader. And a band should have some ground rules.

To me its sounds as though you are looking for a fight to be an equal in a band from day one. That is a recipe for disaster. I think you must earn a bands trust before you go making any demands to be an equal. If you are good, show up for practice, follow their rules, I am sure you will eventually get to make decisions as a partner.

That being said, if someone gave me a response of "You shall do as I say", well then that is not a situation I would put myself in. Overall I think CL is a great place to find musicians.
 
I understand where you are coming from. All band members should have input. But I also believe that a band should have a leader. And a band should have some ground rules.

To me its sounds as though you are looking for a fight to be an equal in a band from day one. That is a recipe for disaster. I think you must earn a bands trust before you go making any demands to be an equal. If you are good, show up for practice, follow their rules, I am sure you will eventually get to make decisions as a partner.

That being said, if someone gave me a response of "You shall do as I say", well then that is not a situation I would put myself in. Overall I think CL is a great place to find musicians.
Don't disagree with any of that- IF this is actually an established, gigging band. My point is most of these ones I auditioned for WERE not at all even though they claimed they were! so if I am joining an amateur hour situation, that hasn't been together itself as a band (then basically I am joining a newly formed band) not a band which has had any success.
My filtering is real simple now, please send me a link to your band webpage with audio samples. Oh you don't have that no problem, thanks for your time.
 
I've had good luck with Craigslist for finding bands and musicians. I personally only play original music as I do this for fun and not money, in case that makes any difference. The trick is to skip past the emailing as quick as possible and secure a face-to-face as that's when you really find out if personalities will match. Black-and-white text is too easy to misconstrue nuances and meanings, and too easy to just press delete. Go for the face-to-face.

I've had good luck finding musicians and bands, though not all of the situations worked out, and those that did had non-CL related issues that all bands do (egos, personalities, people come, people go).

Here's the projects I hooked up with over the past 4 years.
Mumu Tutu http://reverbnation.com/mumututu
The Private Pageant http://www.reverbnation.com/theprivatepageant
Dead Models http://www.reverbnation.com/theprivatepageant
Brad Fury's Dirge Link Removed
A Rooster For The Masses http://www.reverbnation.com/aroosterforthemasses

AR4TM I had been chasing for a few years as they've been my personal favorite local original band. I just so happened to have checked CL for current ads and saw a generic 1-sentence ad that went something like this "Band looking for pocket player for original indie rock" No band name, no links, about that many words. I somehow had an idea it was AR4TM and responded with "...you said indie+rock+pocket so I was hoping Rooster For The Masses was looking for a bass player. :)" And the rest is now history! I went straight for the face-to-face as soon as they contacted me.
 
I am starting to see a pattern here- real short ad without excessive lists of demand may equal higher chance of real quality band, not Douche-Fest.

Excessive list of demand= amateur hour.

BTW that Rooster for the masses sounds cool as hell and I like your playing on replicator!
 
I am starting to see a pattern here- real short ad without excessive lists of demand may equal higher chance of real quality band, not Douche-Fest.

Excessive list of demand= amateur hour.

Obviously there's no hard and fast rules in life. But that's generally my personal experience, at least in the Raleigh area for original music. Less text at least equates to more email interest.

That goes for both responding to ads, creating ads, and the email communication. I always go for the face-to-face, you learn a lot more talking in person than reading a webpage or email. A lot of time you'll find people that won't even ever meet you. Not sure what that says, probably there's already not a good vibe, or they're not that serious.


BTW that Rooster for the masses sounds cool as hell and I like your playing on replicator!

Thanks, though that was Scott, whom I just replaced after he left the band. Scott played all the bass on the 2 full length albums. Their first bassist, Adam, played on the first EP, which is much more dancey than the heavily rock sounds on the full lengths. No idea what the next album will sound like with me playing on it. :p
 
Bands should have leaders. There's a dffierence between being a leader and an ego mainac that shows up late keeps everyone waiting while they tune a figure out why their rig isn't working.

Leaderships entails responsibilty. My take is the "leader" should be the one responsible for getting people their paycheck every week.

I understand where you are coming from. All band members should have input. But I also believe that a band should have a leader. And a band should have some ground rules.

To me its sounds as though you are looking for a fight to be an equal in a band from day one. That is a recipe for disaster. I think you must earn a bands trust before you go making any demands to be an equal. If you are good, show up for practice, follow their rules, I am sure you will eventually get to make decisions as a partner.

That being said, if someone gave me a response of "You shall do as I say", well then that is not a situation I would put myself in. Overall I think CL is a great place to find musicians.
 
I found my band on CL and we found our drummer on CL when the original one gave notice. That being said, the band actually knew me, placed a blind ad and I answered it. We auditioned 5 drummers and while our drummer is a great drummer, he wouldn't pass our criteria of having a steady income if he didn't lie about it to the BL 3 years ago. He has been in and out of jobs and now he is working more and wants to gig less and we have actually found a sub for him during midweek gigs he won't play.
 
troy mcclure said:
I found my band on CL and we found our drummer on CL when the original one gave notice. That being said, the band actually knew me, placed a blind ad and I answered it. We auditioned 5 drummers and while our drummer is a great drummer, he wouldn't pass our criteria of having a steady income if he didn't lie about it to the BL 3 years ago. He has been in and out of jobs and now he is working more and wants to gig less and we have actually found a sub for him during midweek gigs he won't play.

Sub during the week when he won't play?

Sounds like a big pain to me, I like perfect fits and that would drive me crazy.

If you can't make all the gigs your not a fit for my band.

Now, we are using a sub for a September gig. Our drummer is out of town on business ( his 9-5 ). But that is an exception.