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I CANT GET IN A GOOD BAND!!

#2
Bass Boss 101 said:
I need some tips guys. I've been playing bass for 6 years and I cannot get in a band that wants to try to make progress. No one seems to be as serious about music as I am. Any tips on how I can get noticed?

-Scuba
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You've gotta know what kind of fish you want to reel in, and you've gotta know which pond, stream, river, or ocean they swim in...

Write a forced ranking. List items that describe positive and negative attributes of music, and rank them in order of importance.

One musician may find their calling in an orchestra; for another, a jazz combo, a reggae band, a career as a military musician, playing praise & worship at church, a career as an academic musician, a niche artist, etc.

If you ask the right questions, and rank the right items, you'll have your answer soon enough.

How well do you know yourself?

If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there. ;)
 
#3
Write your own songs and start leading the show yourself, and people who care will be drawn towards you, and then you can just fire the people who don't take it seriously.

Don't wait for something to come along, if you are serious about music, get the ball rolling yourself, and people will notice you.
 
#4
Bass Boss 101 said:
I need some tips guys. I've been playing bass for 6 years and I cannot get in a band that wants to try to make progress. No one seems to be as serious about music as I am. Any tips on how I can get noticed?

-Scuba
Click to expand...

Your profile says you’ve been in many bands in the past, so I’m assuming you’re not at a loss for a band to play with.

Maybe you’re taking it too seriously. What is it that you’re looking to accomplish?
 
#5
its that way sometimes. synergy has a lot to do with it. sometimes you just put the right 3 or 4 guys together, and BAM it falls into place. most of the time not so much and you need to work at it a bit.
ive always had the best luck working with musicians better than myself. i have picked up work by going to open mics, or sitting in with other bands.

things that get you noticed?
being solid, not necessarily highly technical.
the ability to discuss music in music terms.
the ability to pick up new songs fast, be able to fake anything with a basic description of how the tune goes, or with just a chart. open mics help hone this.
 
#6
Marko5657 said:
Your profile says you’ve been in many bands in the past, so I’m assuming you’re not at a loss for a band to play with.

Maybe you’re taking it too seriously. What is it that you’re looking to accomplish?
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too seriously ? there is no such thing. each musician decides how serious he wants to be. i remember opening xmass presents when i was 15 yrs old (1980 lol) and the only thought in my mind was what van halen song i would play next once i went back upstairs to my room. when i was 17 1/2 i went to an audition for a rock and roll bar band to see how close i could come to the real experienced bassists auditioning. i won the friggin gig. in 1990 or so i auditioned for lenny kravitz band. i didnt get the gig, but my tape was chosen from a few thousand submissions. always try to go much higher than yourself. instead of trying to find people who are into it as much as you are, seek people with whom you wish to aspire to, and become as "into it" as much as they are. its a tough road, but im on band #22 for 16 years now. johnny a. staind
 
#8
jsingles said:
Write your own songs and start leading the show yourself, and people who care will be drawn towards you, and then you can just fire the people who don't take it seriously.

Don't wait for something to come along, if you are serious about music, get the ball rolling yourself, and people will notice you.
Click to expand...

Exactly. If you are having trouble, start something yourself. Write your own music. Learn to sing, lead if possible (this is my big downfall). Depending on the type of music, play some keys and switch off or use some midi foot pedals for backing keys. The more versatile you are the easier it is to find better situations IMHO.
 
#9
1st figure out what type of music you want to play, then decide what style of music you ACTUALLY are good at (sometimes they are not the same), then you can do a search for musicians with YOUR requirements and either start a band or list yourself to musicains of same thinking by going to the online sites, clubs that have your musical tastes and put out ads EVERYWERE. Be persistant! Keep looking and before you know it you will find where you belong.
 
#10
staindbass said:
too seriously ? there is no such thing. each musician decides how serious he wants to be. i remember opening xmass presents when i was 15 yrs old (1980 lol) and the only thought in my mind was what van halen song i would play next once i went back upstairs to my room. when i was 17 1/2 i went to an audition for a rock and roll bar band to see how close i could come to the real experienced bassists auditioning. i won the friggin gig. in 1990 or so i auditioned for lenny kravitz band. i didnt get the gig, but my tape was chosen from a few thousand submissions. always try to go much higher than yourself. instead of trying to find people who are into it as much as you are, seek people with whom you wish to aspire to, and become as "into it" as much as they are. its a tough road, but im on band #22 for 16 years now. johnny a. staind
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Always good advice from Johnny. A big +1.

As far as I am concerned, meeting musicians still goes back to the old school. Leave a flyer at a record shop you frequent, go down to the local open mic night, and use the internet to your advantage. It's free to post a craigslist ad, and sometimes it even works.

When I moved to this stinkhole, I played/wrote all the music for a hardcore punk band that I started. Then after about 10 months, the new singer started taking himself too seriously. I quit after it wasn't fun anymore.

Skip ahead a year. I met a guitarist, but he turned out to be a flake. Two years later, military guy who I was jamming with for a month got deployed. A year later, I was down on my luck and had already made up my mind that I wasn't going to find anyone. Posted a craigslist ad and while I didn't join a punk band (my original goal), I did start an amazing groove metal band. I am happy after 4, almost 5 months. We are getting very close to being able to gig. We have about 20 minutes worth of music right now.
 
#11
Man I've been playing for 10 years and finally just recently fell in with a bunch of guys who seem like they're serious and are actually great musicians. But I found em by getting myself out there to every bar/open mic I could get word about. I networked ppl (hey FB is good for something!) and sat in with many musicians until I found some guys who were worth it. You're gonna deal with a LOT of BS but keep at it. You're lucky we're in high demand lol
 
#12
staindbass said:
too seriously ? there is no such thing...

...its a tough road, but im on band #22 for 16 years now. johnny a. staind
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Yikes...

If you can’t have a good time because you‘re focused on some lofty goal, the odds of which attaining probably much worse than winning the lotto, you’re taking it too seriously.

What’s so bad about making music with some buddies and entertaining the local folks? Odds are pretty great that that’s all we’re ever gonna do, so enjoy it or stress about it, it’s up to you.

:)
 
#13
It's hard to get in good bands, it's just they way it is.

Unfortunately, you will encounter a lot of flakes with the start ups and originals band.

I recently just found a band that I am going start rehearsals with.I took it because at least these guys play at my level.
 
#15
zachoff said:
Start your own band, man... :bassist:
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You know this start your own band stuff is starting to tick me off.

A lot of us are bass players, not band leaders or band starters. That is a completely different skill set.

I am sure there are some of us that are good at it and can do both. Some of us can't and don't want to start a band.

I mean, I would love to, put all the material together, organize find the right cats to play with. Thing is, I know I can't do that kind of stuff.
 
#17
He's not taking it to seriously.

The guy is probably good and deserves to be in a a good band.

By good I think he means, cool cats, focused, organized, tight, respectable material that makes sense, marketable and working.
 
#20
Bass Boss 101 said:
I need some tips guys. I've been playing bass for 6 years and I cannot get in a band that wants to try to make progress. No one seems to be as serious about music as I am. Any tips on how I can get noticed?

-Scuba
Click to expand...

Somebody wrote something that might help.It addresses screening the guys you audition for;


•Don’t respond to weird ads where it’s clear the person doesn’t know what they are looking for.

•Don’t respond to ads that are critical of any music genres or types of bass players.

•Don’t respond to ads the have verbiage like, “were really serious” it means their not serious.

•Don’t respond to people that take more than a week to get back to you, It means they don’t have a band.


Send out a decent short e-mail response, make sure it makes sense, include;

•Last band you played with and how long

•Venues you have played
•Your gear list

•You have reliable transportation

•Picture, press pic, a decent pic of you on stage in action.


Diplomatically make it sound like they need you more than you need them.

Now , I happen to believe you, so that last comment about they need you more than you need them is probably true.
 

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