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How do you start a blues band?

aaronious

aaronious

May 23, 2011
1,697
2,532
Denver CO
#1
I put an ad on my local craigslist looking for guys who want to jam and play some blues. I was pretty specific that we play blues. The thing to do around here is country, heavy metal and 80's butt rock tribute band stuff. All fine and dandy just not my thing.

I've had 5-6 guys respond, of course they are all guitar players. So it's me, 3 guitars and a keyboard player with some singing skills. One of the guys has a shop that we play in. We are going into our 4th jam session tomorrow night. We had a few good moments and a few bad moments. We all agreed to learn a handful of songs. I'm not expecting any miracles as we are all beginner to intermediate players, but we got no where with the songs we picked, then a few guys wanted to do "some originals".

Talking to the guy with the shop we play in, we'll call him Hector. Hector and I agree that we should keep it all blues and pick 4-5 songs that we all commit to learn then expand on that.The logic being, once we have a few songs under out belts, we will all feel more confident and be able to branch out and learn from there. A few guys have never played blues and can't quite grasp the 12 bar concept yet, so we think its a solid plan. Crawl before you walk sort of thing.

So my question is, is this a good strategy. I've never been in a band before and they guys who have seem kinda lost. I think we need a plan, some direction and then head in that direction. I'm fine with originals, as long as they are blues and only after we have everyone on the same page. What would you do?
 
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#2
Unless you're all 16 anyone who can't play 12 bar blues in their sleep isn't ready to be in a band. Plus the whole thing is a no-go without a drummer.

If I wanted to start a blues band I'd start going to some of the half dozen or so blues jams at local bars near me and chat up people who seem like good players. Drummers first, then singers. Blues guitar players are a dime a dozen.
 
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#4
Well, the OP did say they were beginner to intermediate, and this is his first attempt at a band. There's going to be a learning curve. "Let's do originals" here is clearly code for "I can't handle learning a song." I suspect the 5-piece band will rapidly whittle down to 2 or 3. I would focus on this just being a jam group to learn the blues for now, and worry about running it as a "band" later, depending on where things go. The key thing will be willingness to learn and stick to the program. Given the ability levels, don't be too ambitious, stick to simple 1-4-5 tunes and don't expect anyone to solo much at first, no Stevie Ray Vaughan. A drummer would be nice but there was drummerless acoustic blues before there was Chicago electric blues, just get a cardboard box or something to stomp on to keep time.
 
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#9
EddiePlaysBass said:
Q: How do you start a blues band?
A: You wake up this morning ...
Click to expand...

Lobster11 said:
... then, look around to see if your baby done left you. If yes, start a blues band. If no, try again tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Or, if you wake up in the morning, and find the Devil's got ahold of you, that might help.

Have you drunk too much whiskey? Been riding trains? Found out your dog doesn't like you? (oh wait; that's for Country bands)
 
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#10
Man, I have spent most of my life trying to avoid the blues. Too many open mic's in my youth playing a 12 bar in A while the guitarists take turns.... 'self pleasuring'. I like to listen to it, but at this point I sure don't like to play it any more.

Finding a guitarist who fancies himself the next blues god isn't difficult. Finding one who can rein themselves in, now there's a challenge. Need a solid, tasteful drummer for the true blues; unless you're rocking things up like Cream/Hendrix/etc. in the 60's.

Find a drummer and a vocalist; the guitarists will sort themselves out.
 
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#15
In all seriousness -
If you really want to play some blues, it would help to know some blues.

Follow with listen to some blues.
Add in like minded people, weed out those that don't want to be involved.
Find some seasoned like minded people, and see what they are doing, and where they are going.
Meet more like minded people, and see if you can jam with them, and see what they are doing, and where they are going.

it builds, it doesn't happen overnight.
I run a weekly blues jam and we have a different host band each week. We have great comrade and try to support players of all ages and all levels of playing.
sometimes, we have a pro level jam or at least groupings and also these same guys play with beginner and intermediate players.

for anyone who says blues jams are lame, or BS - Bite me.
Here is an example of a piece of a good night - if this helps the OP
its just a jam so don't critique too hard.

If it doesn't show here - I will fix it after work tonight.
 
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#18
Frankjohnson said:
In all seriousness -
If you really want to play some blues, it would help to know some blues.

Follow with listen to some blues.
Add in like minded people, weed out those that don't want to be involved.
Find some seasoned like minded people, and see what they are doing, and where they are going.
Meet more like minded people, and see if you can jam with them, and see what they are doing, and where they are going.

it builds, it doesn't happen overnight.
I run a weekly blues jam and we have a different host band each week. We have great comrade and try to support players of all ages and all levels of playing.
sometimes, we have a pro level jam or at least groupings and also these same guys play with beginner and intermediate players.

for anyone who says blues jams are lame, or BS - Bite me.
Here is an example of a piece of a good night - if this helps the OP
its just a jam so don't critique too hard.

If it doesn't show here - I will fix it after work tonight.
Click to expand...

I truly love the blues and as far the 12 bar blues runs. That's only the starting point ,its where do you go from there.
 
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#20
Joebarnes said:
Man, I have spent most of my life trying to avoid the blues. Too many open mic's in my youth playing a 12 bar in A while the guitarists take turns.... 'self pleasuring'. I like to listen to it, but at this point I sure don't like to play it any more.

Finding a guitarist who fancies himself the next blues god isn't difficult. Finding one who can rein themselves in, now there's a challenge. Need a solid, tasteful drummer for the true blues; unless you're rocking things up like Cream/Hendrix/etc. in the 60's.

Find a drummer and a vocalist; the guitarists will sort themselves out.
Click to expand...
Oddly enough, I found TWO guitarist who can reign themselves in. Both on record saying they don't want to just solo all the time. Guess I got lucky.
 
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