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Finally starting my OWN project

#121
Pianist wasn't able to make this session, so it was just me, fiddle, vocals, and the guitar-type-instrument. There was a lot of chunking. After a while, he switched to a regular guitar, which helped. Those banjo instruments don't have a lot of tonal range.

He was pretty good, surprisingly enough. He's gonna sit-in again later and we'll see how it goes with the keys in the mix.
 
#123
The BL scheduled a rehearsal for 5-6:30 this afternoon. There was supposedly a private party at the studio at 7, so he said we were going to just play some instrumentals after practice as cocktail hour stuff. No money, just a chance to show off in the studio, where we were already located.

I get there at 4:50 and get myself setup. I setup the practice room, place some mics and plug up the board.
At 5:10, I was ready for those guys to walk in and get going. Fiddler called and asked if the BL was there yet. I told him I'd call him back.
At 5:15, I was ready for those guys to walk in and get going.
At 5:30, I was ready for those guys to walk in and get going. Called fiddler with lots of frustrated cursing.
At 5:45, the owner stopped in to ask me what I thought I was doing, and if I could pack up and get out because of the party.
I said "OK", broke everything back down, and went to go get a beer.

No call, no show, no response to texts, no nothing from the BL. Two and a half hours later, I got a text saying "Today is not going to work" and "My schedule changed".

I seem to often be angry at this moron. I think I've spent more time being mad at this guy in the past couple months than at anyone else, including my day-job boss, who deserves more anger for sure. :)
 
#124
Pianist and Fiddler are coming early to my Jam session to discuss this nonsense. I find the current BS to be unacceptable and am (assuming sign-off from the other guys) changing the schedule.

Seems like Tuesday night is good for the BL, so he can keep that one. I'm not gonna stress about it anymore. I'm already tired of playing the same 10 songs over and over and over and over again. It's just not my job to get that guy good enough. I made the effort, but he didn't step up. We've already got those 10 nailed, so those can be the Tuesdays-with-Vocals type set. The guy gets better, he gets worse, he gets gigs, whatever. I've only heard chatter from this guy, but no actions seem to be forthcoming. Whatever comes of that will be fine, but I'm not going to expect too much more.

Rage quitting is stupid; I like a good coup d'etat instead. I am moving the Thursday rehearsal at my place for instrumentals and declaring myself the new BL (maybe even in so many words). We already have another dozen sort-of together, and those guys are really pretty good, so we can have a couple hours together with at least one demo ready for tape in a month (I hope). With just a little hustle, we can get the studio guy to engineer a couple tracks (for his kid to practice with, of course).

I'm writing a new set list and establishing protocol for adding new charts tomorrow. I want to fool around with last week's guitar player again and my buddy the lyricist has a couple things to show me, and I'm making next Saturday's open jam an all-ages one with a trumpet, trombone, and a tenor sax invited, so there's music coming in from all directions.

This vocalist is almost certainly a lost cause. The majority of posters in this thread were right, as per usual. :)
 
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#126
Got some love from the other band-mates, so the singer is getting left to his own devices with a Tuesday night spot, and if it goes somewhere, then it goes somewhere.

This week, we're working with him Tuesday, I'm taking Thursday, and on Sunday, I'm having a jazz jam before the rock one. It's actually looking like that one's going to have a bunch of people.

Starting with current combo of Fiddle, Piano, and Bass, then adding Trumpet played by a burnout, Trombone by a cute girl, Bari by a fat old man, and Tenor by a high school prodigy. Also, the guitar player from a couple weeks ago and his friend the drummer. Really stoked about this. I can't imagine that particular ensemble turning into anything, but it will be nice to have contacts with some of these guys in case I need horns for something.

I also talked some more to the guitar player from last week. He is very interested in playing some jazz, he's wicked talented, and he's a way-better-than-OK song writer, so I think I'm going to make a strong effort to fit him into Thursday sessions. He's not doing anything right now, but here's his latest project: http://www.reverbnation.com/heyharbor

So, so, so much better than Crooner McParttime. And he pals around with that jazz drummer who's also looking for a project? A+++++++ WOULD MUSIC AGAIN.
 
#128
Hi,

What a saga. I've never had so much trouble finding a gig. You have the patience of Job.

They BL guy says you are playing a party and then never shows? So the owner kicks you out? The (former) BL has some serious communication issues, if not more. This seems to be turning into a "Spinal Tap" or "Blues Brothers" comedy. Hang in there. I'm enjoying your journey. You seem to have a great attitude about the whole situation. "Que sera, sera" is more than a song. ;)


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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#129
This is a long thread, but I want to weigh in on it.

I'm in your place right now. I have a book of songs I want to learn. They flew tremendously in other bands years ago, but low and behold, you get new musicians and everything goes out the window. Plus I've written stuff that was fine in one band, and then, I get into a different band and they ix-nay it all.

So, for my own musical fulfillment, I've decided to hire the musicians to play what I want to play. I will pay them on a per song basis.

I have a bit of money set aside from the gigs I've been playing, so I want to cut my own CD with different musicians playing different songs. What songs they play on will be a function of their strengths. I have one guy who is a really tasteful player in lounge type gigs, but won't play modern music. Another guy I hope to meet this evening is really good at creating a lot of great sounds on his keyboard and would be good for more R&B feel songs. Yet one guitarist sounds like Santana and would be suitable for yet another song I've written. I have a sax player who is a phenomenal soloist. And I've got a drummer who is amazing at complex, heady jazz. So, the tunes I pick -- some covers, and some originals, will determine which musicians I pick.

It will be clear that it's MY project as I'm writing the check.

The concern that I have with the OP is that you aren't the main virtuoso as a rythmn player -- so the band will likely develop as a consensus based band. If you want it to be your project, you'll e have to be the guy who books the gigs, bring on the right musicians who can do the job, and make sure its a contractors band. If possible have a strong book of songs that anyone can play.
 
#130
PauFerro said:
The concern that I have with the OP is that you aren't the main virtuoso as a rythmn player -- so the band will likely develop as a consensus based band. If you want it to be your project, you'll e have to be the guy who books the gigs, bring on the right musicians who can do the job, and make sure its a contractors band. If possible have a strong book of songs that anyone can play.
Click to expand...

The consensus thing is for the birds. I like these guys but I'm the only leader type, so I'm gonna just have to do it, at least as far as "the music part" is concerned. Contractor bands are difficult and expensive. I'm lazy and don't have any money, so I can't do it that way.

One can find lead players/vocalists/whatever quickly with the book that you're talking about, but I want to have a strong band to back 'em up. I've got the makings for a good group already but depending on this vocalist is a mistake. The fiddle player is a lead guy, but deployment of a violin isn't easy, and it's a sound that doesn't fit everywhere. I need a more flexible line-up.
 
#131
Coup was successful. Viva la revolution!

I catered to his ego so adroitly that I don't think the singer even noticed. The band was already okay with it but they were also surprised how easy it was. Screw that guy as a BL; if he can sing, he can be in the band, but he's not dependable enough to run the show. When some of the gigs that he's talking about pan out, we can talk more.

I think, after 7 weeks and 11 rehearsals totaling maybe 20-25 hours, the singer might know (not performance quality) the first 9 standards. That's depressing.

We worked on pitch and breathing with him last night. I didn't quite realize how much control it took for singers to be able to get through long phrases, make octave jumps, and stay solid on those long double-whole notes until I watched dude fumble through it like he forgot how to breathe. Made him download a metronome app and promise to practice the songs at the right tempo with "phrase" breathing at least. Screaming "BIG BREATH!" at the vocalist is embarassing. It's extra embarassing when you have to do it two weeks running.

We've been working on a couple of things, besides the vocalist's song list. We've now got 9 with vocals and 18 without, with 5 new (without) for this week. That's much more acceptable for the amount of time we're putting in, and it will fill up 2 hours without trouble. I would predict that by the end of August, we'll have the one vocal and two instrumental set nailed.

Then, we make some money. Remyd needs some money.
 
#132
I also asked for some feedback on my bass lines (mostly walking, ballad-y roots, or straightforward arpeggiated patterns):

"I can't hear you unless you screw up. You don't screw up much; it's all good"

"You must be deep in the pocket, 'cause I don't even notice"

"Can you stop all that fancy stuff and go back to what you did the first time we played this? Just play it lower or something."

"That's too complicated, can it be doop---da-doop---doop---da-doop?"

"Latin tunes don't have that bass thing."

"Do you have to use a music stand? What are you gonna do on stage?"

These are feedback points with which I am okay. Everybody (at least in my genres) wants the bass player to play less. Every bass player wants to get just a couple more fills or transitions or whatever. It's a yin-yang sort of balance, except with ego-full musicians instead of ego-less monks.
 
#136
Great week in band-ville, although no group name yet.

Sunday's Jam session had 13 people (6 vocalists, Bass, Drums, Percussion, Piano, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, and Fiddle) which is just about max for our space.

Horn section all called off due to rain. They won't get another invite, which is a shame. The mom (who is a friend with no reason for throwing a b*tchfit) of one of the kids called about three times with excuses (other than the rain). I ended up getting pissed and saying something like "Hey, you said the would be here and they're not. You said you'd provide transportation and you didn't. Now, at 10 minutes after starting time, excuses are rude and useless. If you knew before then you're an ass for not calling, if you found out recently you're an ass for leaving me hanging, and if you didn't know at all you're an ass for not listening. Don't expect another invitation."

Recruited that guitar player with amazing chops. Jammed with the drummer too, but he has other commitments, so can't join. Singer didn't practice (called him with a "Hey, don't forget", but he still didn't do it). Instrumentally, we just absolutely nailed a bunch of Django stuff, so I feel confident of our ability to play the singer's 10 and 15 more. It won't be too long before that moves from 25 to 40, at which time I'll start looking for work more actively (since nobody else is doing it).
 
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#137
FatBoutedGirls said:
More details please, I'm being roped into a metal band I think.
Click to expand...

I like music. I am a mediocre bass player. Bass players have an easier job than many in much of the musical landscape. This is good for me, 'cause if I can fake a certain level of talent, I can play music with other people.

In metal, I can't find the music. Bass seems to be somewhat repetitive patterns played insanely quickly. It's very loud and over-the-top guitar driven with associated screamy vocals. Many/most of the lyrics are about strife and pain. There are a couple of sub-genres that are so obscure that even metalhead guys don't understand them (Black Metal = Sun Ra?). Many/most of even the slow songs are both extra angsty and not particularly melodic. There is a genre named symphonic metal. It isn't symphonic. After 30 minutes of listening to symphonic metal, I had to go take a Valium.

NSFW link that I sympathize with: http://www.somethingawful.com/your-band-sucks/metal/

I'm generally a pretty content guy. Metal just doesn't speak to me. Also I don't have any gear that's loud enough to hang.
 

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