Post an add in the Ottawa Citizen (not free), the Ottawa Sun (not free), post adds on street corner post its, on Kijiji, mention it over and over on your facebook page and ask people to share your request to form a band...
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+1 to these ideas, especially the open mic idea. I used to clean house at open mics; ask the first person (they're just about always just a single musician/singer) if they don't mind you jamming with them, and if you slay it then the rest of them will request you do the same. Great place to get your name out there and get on the studio/hired gun scene. Also a great way to network and meet other players
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
+1 to these ideas, especially the open mic idea. I used to clean house at open mics; ask the first person (they're just about always just a single musician/singer) if they don't mind you jamming with them, and if you slay it then the rest of them will request you do the same. Great place to get your name out there and get on the studio/hired gun scene. Also a great way to network and meet other players
Music stores that teach may be a place to ask if there are any under 21 open mics in your area. If they are teaching young people, they are likely trying to help them find places to play.
One quick Google search...
Ottawa All-Ages Concerts | Just Shows: Ottawa
Shows at House Of TARG - Ottawa, Rock, Punk, Metal
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Ottawa All-Ages Concerts | Just Shows: Ottawa
Shows at House Of TARG - Ottawa, Rock, Punk, Metal
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Just a thought - starting and leading a band (including getting gigs) is a pain in the $%!##! - and you have no experience. Why not look to JOIN a band already with parts in place?
Same sources.
Same sources.
Big Hoss
Up note, down note, blue note, brown note...
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It all depends on what you are trying to do music style wise. I am guessing talking with your music minister probably isn't in the cards, so... Craigslist, flyers on music store and local coffee shop bulletin boards etc..
I did it a couple of times. Nothing huge or serious, and trust me, things have changed a LOT since the mid 1980s to now.
When I started my punk band in 1984, I drew up (by hand) a flyer that I photo copied and plastered up at the music stores, coffee shows, the university student union etc... I was playing guitar and doing vocals then, I interviewed / jammed with another guitarist, bass player, and drummer. Actually several of each until we worked up a band that worked. We did small gigs, etc... in our home town and the immediate area.
Much more recently, my priorities in music have changed to being to have fun, and gig when we can, but it is all about stress relief. If it is causing stress, it isn't worth it to me... We started out with me, a friend of mine, and my BIL (Those 2 guys on guitars / vox). We did Craigslist and flyers to get a like minded drummer.
The biggest thing isn't just getting a band together. That's easy. But putting a band together that is on the same page with goals and ideas, that's tough.
Best of luck to you!
I did it a couple of times. Nothing huge or serious, and trust me, things have changed a LOT since the mid 1980s to now.
When I started my punk band in 1984, I drew up (by hand) a flyer that I photo copied and plastered up at the music stores, coffee shows, the university student union etc... I was playing guitar and doing vocals then, I interviewed / jammed with another guitarist, bass player, and drummer. Actually several of each until we worked up a band that worked. We did small gigs, etc... in our home town and the immediate area.
Much more recently, my priorities in music have changed to being to have fun, and gig when we can, but it is all about stress relief. If it is causing stress, it isn't worth it to me... We started out with me, a friend of mine, and my BIL (Those 2 guys on guitars / vox). We did Craigslist and flyers to get a like minded drummer.
The biggest thing isn't just getting a band together. That's easy. But putting a band together that is on the same page with goals and ideas, that's tough.
Best of luck to you!
Nashrakh said: ↑
Venue owner asks what the band's called and if they can check out some YT or audio samples so they don't buy the proverbial cat in the bag - can't supply because there's no band. No band, no booking.
The only way around that, apparently, is to fake your way into their books. Nice prospects.
Pau Ferro here == if you check my earlier post you'll see that strategy is to video or record 3 songs and put them on the web. Give the band a decent name and create a logo. Get everyone to share the months and places they have played, and put that on the performance history page of your website. Make sure they give their most recent dates and work backwards. Word it so it says "these are all the places our musicians have played".
I even did a test performance in my living room for friends and put that down as a private function on my performance schedule. All we played was about 5 songs.
So, you have a band, but only with minimal effort at this point. Put the effort into getting your 3 hours after you get money on the table and thus, have proof of concept.
Venue owner asks what the band's called and if they can check out some YT or audio samples so they don't buy the proverbial cat in the bag - can't supply because there's no band. No band, no booking.
The only way around that, apparently, is to fake your way into their books. Nice prospects.
Pau Ferro here == if you check my earlier post you'll see that strategy is to video or record 3 songs and put them on the web. Give the band a decent name and create a logo. Get everyone to share the months and places they have played, and put that on the performance history page of your website. Make sure they give their most recent dates and work backwards. Word it so it says "these are all the places our musicians have played".
I even did a test performance in my living room for friends and put that down as a private function on my performance schedule. All we played was about 5 songs.
So, you have a band, but only with minimal effort at this point. Put the effort into getting your 3 hours after you get money on the table and thus, have proof of concept.
Invalid Link Removed
Trying to form a band without using Craigslist seems like trying to start a fire without matches.
Do you really expect to form a band with no strange people? Really?? Of musicians??? Who aren't strange????
Think about what you're saying, man!
Trying to form a band without using Craigslist seems like trying to start a fire without matches.
Do you really expect to form a band with no strange people? Really?? Of musicians??? Who aren't strange????
Think about what you're saying, man!
- Search Facebook for musician and bassist groups in your area. Seems like almost every city has one or five.
- Craigslist.....or whatever Canadian option may be. You may have to kiss a few frogs. Trying to find an existing band would be your best bet.
- Hang out in local music stores. Meet local musicians. Friend same on FB.
- Flyers on campus??? Maybe....
- Go to shows? Well, doesn't every musician love the "hey, I play bass too" guy at shows?? Pass. Maybe be good for meeting fellow young musicians, but don't go in there looking for gigs.
- Discover local bands on FB. Like their pages. Sometimes, bands will post on their page if they need a musician.
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EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
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Well... just going by the word around here, there's at least 1000 unemployed drummers out there somewhere. 
As always excellent advice from @Stumbo . A couple thoughts of my own:
If you really want to start your own band, bear in mind it's a lot of work. I ran my own band in the 80's and again in early 2000's and it was always exciting in that you never knew what was going to screw up next! LOL. But there are benefits. For example, once established, you can audition players and choose who you work with if you have a working band. This is a bonus because if you join a band sometimes there's always a so-and-so you might not get along with that well. Second, you can kind of choose your style of music. Although the bars in your area will dictate what people want to hear.
First, you should have transportation for a P.A. and yourself. I bought a good sized van and was able to haul people, band equipment, lights, etc. Then go to jam sessions constantly. Musicians there might also be shopping for a situation. If you spot a musician at a jam get their contact information and set up a mutual try out. Remember a band starts with one person at a time if you're doing it yourself. Then post your cards and small signs in music stores stating you're looking for musicians.
Once you've started forming the band, if find a very musically talented musician i.e. guitarist to play with, you might share musical duties with him, so he can help pick songs and run rehearsals. That you can co-share with him. My guitarist was a great friend and he handled the music end, while I kept us working. Once the ball was rolling we were able to pick very good quality musicians to work with.
Once you've developed a product, go out and do some freebies with your band. Invite a booking agent to drop by for the show. If one decides to take you on, don't screw it up. They are worth their weight in gold if you have a sellable product. Our agent always kept us working because we paid him on time EVERY TIME with no excuses. If you do freebies, let the club manager know, this is not going to be a regular thing. A lot of club owners will try and string you along with empty promises and a few pitchers of beer if they can get you for free.
Good luck and let us know how it works out. Starting a band is not for the light-hearted, but sometimes the benefits are worth the headaches.
Yup. People see you playing, and they will want to join you. That's how it works. When I was in college I made lots of contact with other musicians just by sitting on the lawn with a geetar.
There are other musicians out there. Even at schools with no music departments. You just have to network and ask around. That is something CL cannot do for you.
It so happened that my college did have a music department, but that was not necessarily where I met musicians to play with. Interestingly, one guy who was a senior and bassist in the jazz program once hosted a campus-wide meetup for any and all musicians, all/no experience, specifically to network with each other, like a club. 100+ of us showed up, most of us (myself included) were not in the music program. He broke everyone up into smaller groups by instruments, genres, etc.., and just said make connections right now, make a band, whatever. I met a bandmate and life-long friend that night. Yes the guy who organized the meeting was in the music program, but the event had nothing to do with the school's music program, if you get my drift. He was just someone willing to jump in and get $hit happening. And it paid off big time. Tons of bands we played with got off the ground around that time.
Well, that's kinda what you have to do....
You know how many great bands were the result of a Recycler (Paper-age Craigslist) ad? Gun's n Roses to name one.
It may have been said already, but in Canada we use kijiji moreso than CL. I've joined 4 bands in 2 years (and auditioned for others) all from kijiji ads, look under the 'artists and musicians' section.
Yeah, it's random internet strangers, but personally I haven't run into any uncomfortable situations people wise. Way better than buy/sell with randoms.
Yeah, it's random internet strangers, but personally I haven't run into any uncomfortable situations people wise. Way better than buy/sell with randoms.
Visit your local music stores and talk to the people there. Talk to people in your class. Wear a Fender t-shirt or something, and people might say "hey, you play guitar?".
Practice bass in the dorm and let people know you play. Basically, just network.
Practice bass in the dorm and let people know you play. Basically, just network.
Starting a band is a LOT of work. If you don't have a PA and place to practice, you're starting off at a huge disadvantage. If you start saying, "I don't want to do this" and "I don't want to do that" you're making it even harder. You need to look every possible place for musicians; every place you skip, you reduce your chances of finding people. I think @buldog5151bass nailed it when he suggested joining a band.
If you want to do this badly enough, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find excuses. If it was easy to find and join a successful band with great musicians, playing the music you love to huge, wildly enthusiastic audiences, we'd ALL be doing it. Now get off of my lawn and go start or find a band.
If you want to do this badly enough, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find excuses. If it was easy to find and join a successful band with great musicians, playing the music you love to huge, wildly enthusiastic audiences, we'd ALL be doing it. Now get off of my lawn and go start or find a band.
