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How do you manage playing on multiple projects?

PCR

PCR

Apr 11, 2008
612
645
#1
My primary band rehearse once a week, and play 2-3 shows a month (I'm pretty much the BL).

I'm also in another project that rehearse once a week: it just for fun.

I just received a call to join an existing band. This band just released their second EP, and have giged from FL to CA. They have slowed down and play mostly local gigs now: new babies and jobs...
Up til now, the singer/BL played the bass, but he wants to just sing next year. He called and asked if I could play the bass during shows.

I'm beyond flattered that he would ask a mediocre hack like myself. Of course I said yes, I'll make it work..., but I'm just not sure how.

Judging from the other thread, a lot of you guys are in multiple bands.
(How many bands are you in?)

How do you guys make playing in multiple bands work?

How do you deal with conflicting show dates?

Share your thoughts and stories. I'm curious in what others are doing and how they're handling it.

Thanks
 
#2
Ol0nOGRB_400x400.jpg

Be up front with your various bandmates.
Schedule things as far in advance as possible.
Maintain an online band calendar so everyone's on the same page.
If you commit to a gig don't bail on it if a better one comes along.
Develop a list of reliable subs that can step in without compromising a show if someone can't make it.
Expect other bandmates will also have multiple obligations and respect their time.
Drop out of a project if you foresee conflicts arising.
 
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#3
4SG said:
View attachment 3557414
Be up front with your various bandmates.
Schedule things as far in advance as possible.
Maintain an online band calendar so everyone's on the same page.
If you commit to a gig don't bail on it if a better one comes along.
Develop a list of reliable subs that can step in without compromising a show if someone can't make it.
Expect other bandmates will also have multiple obligations and respect their time.
Drop out of a project if you foresee conflicts arising.
Click to expand...
All good advice. The only thing I would add is to talk to everyone about how you will prioritize BEFORE the first conflict. Is this new band willing to work around your schedule? What about New Years Eve? Are the two bands that can't play going to be OK with sitting home because you're playing with your third band. A frank discussion now will save much unpleasantness later.
 
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#6
I am in two full-time bands plus two more that I sub in as necessary, and my phone is always on for any other one-off projects that come my way.

I don't see how you could manage gigging schedules for more than two bands without driving yourself crazy. For me, everything is first-come, first served. My primary band books far enough out that it's not usually an issue. But if I book something else first, I have to tell that band I'm not available for the gig. If it's too good to pass up, we'll figure it out from there.

Everyone in my two gigging acts is supposed to put their blackout dates on a shared Google calendar. When gigs are thrown our way, we'll still check with everyone in a FB message thread before responding.

As long as everyone is flexible and understanding, it works just fine. My situation wouldn't work if any of the parties involved were prone to throwing hissy fits over other members' schedules. I literally don't have time for that noise.
 
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#7
All of the above are great bits regarding managing gig schedules. I got the impression you were more concerned with managing yourself and the multiple song lists you'll have to keep straight. That's all about personal organization. Know what you need to work on for each project and budget time to do so. When I have multiple concurrent projects, I tend to devote my practice sessions to one at a time - rarely do I work on stuff for more than one band on the same session. I'm fully fine with letting one project slip a little if I have an up coming gig to get tight on. As long as it's not regular, bandmates are generally fine with me having an off rehearsal.

I keep all of my charts/notes on a tablet and am not at all shy about using it for a gig. I know the songs well enough that I'm not engaged with it, but it's comfortable having notes to glance at if my GOF mode kicks in and I have a moment of "what does this song do?".

For me 2 full time projects at a time is what I can handle - but I bought a bass from a guy who said he was in 5 gigging bands. I just shook my head (and realized why there just aren't that many openings for bass players around here - a few guys are hogging all the spots!
 
#8
PCR said:
How do you guys make playing in multiple bands work?
Click to expand...

#1 is you tell every band that you are in other bands. If pros can do this all the time and don't make a big deal about it, anyone can.

How do you deal with conflicting show dates?
Click to expand...

First come first served. That may lead to playing a show that paid $0 (after expenses) instead of one that paid $600...this happened to me :( It's the only thing that works unless one or more of the bands is happy with you providing subs.
 
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#9
  • Communicate well.
  • Keep a good, accurate calendar.
  • Notify all bands of unavailable dates.
  • Find bands who don't need to rehearse every week.
  • Find bands that don't play every weekend.
  • Be OK with others taking your spot.
  • Be ready and willing to keep a commitment that only pays $50 when offered a gig on the same date that pays $400, that you cant find a sub for.
  • Have some people on hand that can and will sub for you.
  • Make sure you're professional in every way and do your homework diligently to make sure every band you're in wants YOU as their 1st choice.
  • Learn to be agreeable.
  • Never talk about your other bands unless someone else brings them up.
  • Smile lots.
  • Be a person of your word, and show up early.
Easy peasy :) !
 
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#10
Like everyone says, be upfront, black out dates as they get booked, show up and do the job.
I'd also add if you don't want to get involved with the playing a $0 gig that gets booked before a $600 gig, decide in advance what the minimum you'll accept to play a gig for and don't go below it, i.e., don't take the $0 gig on principle in the first place.
 
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#11
Its a great thing to be wanted for that band..congrats, I would caution though that it COULD be something that may precipitate you getting thrown out of one of the other bands.

The band I'm in has a drummer that is in another band besides mine and there have been numerous times over the last two years where we have been forced to turn down gigs because of his availability. My area is not big and other drummers or subs are not a great option because he is a great drummer and there really aren't a lot of drummers here and even less good ones..okay..

I wonder sometimes if its fair to us because he gets other gigs in advance for the other band..in a sense we are hostage to this other band every time we get an offer for a gig I'm always looking at the calendar and figuring its going to be a no book for us..I get it that he is free to do what he wants and I don't have any animosity towards him for it either, because we are friends and he was in that other band first too..However, in your case you may not enjoy that same friendship and comraderie that my drummer enjoys because in our band we all just let it go and roll with it...Your other band(s) may not be as likely to do the same..in time as lost gigs pile up, they may start thinking in terms of getting another bass player..just a word of caution..not saying that will happen but, it could..
 
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#13
murph7489 said:
Its a great thing to be wanted for that band..congrats, I would caution though that it COULD be something that may precipitate you getting thrown out of one of the other bands.

The band I'm in has a drummer that is in another band besides mine and there have been numerous times over the last two years where we have been forced to turn down gigs because of his availability. My area is not big and other drummers or subs are not a great option because he is a great drummer and there really aren't a lot of drummers here and even less good ones..okay..

I wonder sometimes if its fair to us because he gets other gigs in advance for the other band..in a sense we are hostage to this other band every time we get an offer for a gig I'm always looking at the calendar and figuring its going to be a no book for us..I get it that he is free to do what he wants and I don't have any animosity towards him for it either, because we are friends and he was in that other band first too..However, in your case you may not enjoy that same friendship and comraderie that my drummer enjoys because in our band we all just let it go and roll with it...Your other band(s) may not be as likely to do the same..in time as lost gigs pile up, they may start thinking in terms of getting another bass player..just a word of caution..not saying that will happen but, it could..
Click to expand...

I'm familiar with this problem. First come, first served is a necessary policy, but some years back it became clear that Band #1 was always coming first, because they booked further out than Band #2. They didn't fire me, I left, because it was clear to me that I was holding them back. Also, I'd joined Band #2 mainly for the hang, and obviously I wasn't hanging with them very often. There was also the small issue of Band #1 paying a lot better. ;)
 
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#14
When I first started playing ukulele and bass uke over 6 years ago, I joined 2 groups, a seniors of about 50 strummers that meets twice a week and gigs once a month, and an ukulele ensemble of about 8-10 people of much more advanced players that meets once every 2 weeks and also gigs about once a month. I melded quickly with the seniors group, but even though I played guitar for the 50 years prior, I had my insecurities with the ensemble since they were much more trained musicians.

I tried to keep up with the ensemble and the conflicting schedules for almost a year, but between the prep I constantly had to do because they used very cryptic charts that they each could interpret, which caused me no end of consternation with no formal music training, and my own insecurities, I was not in a good place. The straw that broke the camels back was one evening rehearsing for an upcoming gig, the most accomplished of them called me out for not staying in tempo when he changed the tempo out of nowhere, even though others fumbled too. I quit the next day. But I'm thoroughly enjoying being a member of the seniors group.
 
#15
If you are physically able to do the necessary things required for being in three active bands, then I would think the only things you have to do would communicate consistently and be honorable about booked dates.
I think another thing that might help is really making sure that rehearsals are regular and on the same night of the week. I am only in two bands, one of them being every Tuesday, and the other one bounced around a bit. We've since nailed it to Monday, and its made scheduling a lot easier.
You might also want to make sure that you're able to be there enough for the new band. If you are already playing 2 or 3 shows per month, gig sometimes with your other band, and this new band gigs frequently locally, it seems like there will inevitably be a lot of conflicts. It's going to detract from your involvement in the other two projects, at least in some way. One of my two bands gigs about 3 times a month; the other project is just getting off the ground but is more important to me, so I am actually worried the first band might get in the way of the second. If that becomes the case i will quit the first. I think having some clear priorities and boundaries for when enough is enough would be healthy.
 
#17
Another vote for full disclosure. I play in 3 bands/projects and am #1 sub for another band.

Listed in priority order.
60's band. Rehearses during the day, mainly night gigs.

Acoustic band, with guitarist out of the 60's band (his wife is BL) so no clashes. Rehearse during the day, mainly afternoons gigs.

Duo. Meets every Monday night where we rehearse new songs and do a live stream to Facebook. This year we played 3 afternoon gigs. No clashes so far but if I there is the guitarist is perfectly capable of playing solo.

Sub. I am available for about half the sub dates I am asked about.
 
#19
Joe Nerve said:
  • Communicate well.
  • Keep a good, accurate calendar.
  • Notify all bands of unavailable dates.
  • Find bands who don't need to rehearse every week.
  • Find bands that don't play every weekend.
  • Be OK with others taking your spot.
  • Be ready and willing to keep a commitment that only pays $50 when offered a gig on the same date that pays $400, that you cant find a sub for.
  • Have some people on hand that can and will sub for you.
  • Make sure you're professional in every way and do your homework diligently to make sure every band you're in wants YOU as their 1st choice.
  • Learn to be agreeable.
  • Never talk about your other bands unless someone else brings them up.
  • Smile lots.
  • Be a person of your word, and show up early.
Easy peasy :) !
Click to expand...
This!
 

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