Is this normal? [CL Musicians content]

[Tom in Portland]

Sometimes it's kinda magical tho The One-Day Band—"Rocket Man" - This American Life

 

[Fab Superlative]

So I got a wild hair and decided to check out my local CL for musicians. It has been more than a year since I have played in a 'band' environment, and I really feel I am ready to get back on the horse.

Do you have any venues nearby that host open mic nights?
If you want to get back on the horse- go to where some horses hang out.
Any other venues/bars etc; nearby that feature live music? Maybe catch a solo or duo act and if you can see yourself adding bass to their set, go and chat them up.
Key thing I'm getting at here is- you - have to get out there.

You have a better chance of getting something going if you go out and meet folks IRL, rather than spin your wheels in CL desperation.

So, like I say, I have almost no experience in these situations. On top of that, I am highly Introverted, and slightly anti-social to boot.

Do you drink? smoke? do other things that help you to loosen up a little? Venues that host live music cater to smokin' & drinkin' etc; so there's your tonic.
Go have some nights out, check out the local live music scene. Can you see yourself doing that on a regular basis? If that's not for you, then there's your answer.

If you just want to find some folks to jam with to see where something like that could go? Then same suggestions apply- get out there and just chat up some of the local musicians. Tell 'em what you just told us here, that you are looking to just jam for now and see what they have to say. They probably know some other cats that they could hook you up with. You have a better chance of turning something up with a couple nights of face time vs weeks and weeks of CL nonsense.
Networking is your friend, like @Carl Hillman said above.

 

[basted]

Music shops have a board where people post band related stuff. Try that in your area. You dont want to travel too far. Speak to others at gigs and see if you can find a guitarist to have a play with to get a toe in the water. See how it feels. You may find you need to push past your comfort zone. Give it a go and GOOD LUCK!

 

[40Hz]

Sound like a bad date to me.

And yeah, I’ll go with the other TBer who said it sounds like someone wrote a few songs and now needs people to record them with. (And will probably expect you to split the studio bill with him to do it.)

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

So I got a wild hair and decided to check out my local CL for musicians. It has been more than a year since I have played in a 'band' environment, and I really feel I am ready to get back on the horse.

So I emailed first a drummer who is looking for jam partners, and then I saw a notice for someone who said they are looking to start an originals hard/rock metal band.

I provided all the pertinent details (My age, My skill level, Music favorites and influences, What gear I have); making doubly sure to emphasize the fact that I am an intermediate bassist (at best); with little to no real world (band) experience.

I get an emphatic reply, like 60 seconds later. The title of the email is "the crazies the crazies".

In the email, he tells me he lives about 50 miles away. He is 32 years old (7 years my junior). He doesn't say what instrument he plays (I extrapolate that he is a guitar player); has no other people in his 'band'. He says:

"I am still looking and if you interested we could jam sometime or of u want u can just be in the band it will just be me n u for the time being" This type of grammar is consistent throughout, and in fact his entire email is one long sentence. (I am not being a grammar nazi. I am just providing information.)

So, having never met me, seen or heard me play, he offers me a place in his band? And then, just a bit after that, he tells me we can go into the studio Monday or Thursday, whichever works better for me, to record some songs he was written.

So, like I say, I have almost no experience in these situations. On top of that, I am highly Introverted, and slightly anti-social to boot. So I ask again:

Is the response I received 'Normal'? Is this how some people (bands) get together?

Oh Craigslist Yes that’s normal.

I’ve used CL to find musicians for probably 15 years, with mixed results. Good results can be had, but that requires sifting through a lot of crap to get to it.

A few stories:

I found the best, most appropriate-for-my-project dream of a drummer through CL

I also connected with a fantastic female singer, who brought her psychotic uber-jealous meathead boyfriend to a paid recording session at my house that almost ended in a fist fight

Met a few “locally famous” pros and developed collaborative relationships with them.

Then there’s 50 year old guy who claimed to have a world tour lined up and just needed a band. His mom dropped him off at and picked him up from rehearsal.

I have had best results when:

- Providing as much info as possible about the project up-front. A detailed, very-clear breakdown of project goals, video, audio samples, etc has always served me well.

- Carefully reading the responses for clues as to the ability, maturity, experience and sanity of the respondents. Go with your instincts on this.

- requiring recorded samples before meeting. The few times I have blown off this rule have ended in disaster

Best of luck!

 

[comatosedragon]

Hey guys, thanks for all the replies. I obviously wont be pursing this 'opportunity'.

The good news is, the first drummer I emailed responded to me, and we have had a normal back and forth conversation. May be promising! He in fact knows a guitarist and the three of us may try to meet next weekend.

Hmmm. The guitarist is from Staunton, @Killed_by_Death 's neck of the woods. I wonder if I should be worried?
Oh dear, I've opened a whole new can of worms here ....

 

[MJ_Sotti]

the thing I can't stand is the "do you have any videos of you performing or recordings?" like they'll sit there and judge you. Part of this whole thing is going to auditions, or holding tryouts and they suck, or are a bad fit and you have to go through the uncomfortableness of saying so. You really don't know how skilled someone is until they show up and play in person. Today's society is so genteel they can't feel any discomfort. That's all part of being part of a musician. But CL is for dreamers.

 

[electracoyote]

So I got a wild hair and decided to check out my local CL for musicians. It has been more than a year since I have played in a 'band' environment, and I really feel I am ready to get back on the horse.

So I emailed first a drummer who is looking for jam partners, and then I saw a notice for someone who said they are looking to start an originals hard/rock metal band.

I provided all the pertinent details (My age, My skill level, Music favorites and influences, What gear I have); making doubly sure to emphasize the fact that I am an intermediate bassist (at best); with little to no real world (band) experience.

I get an emphatic reply, like 60 seconds later. The title of the email is "the crazies the crazies".

In the email, he tells me he lives about 50 miles away. He is 32 years old (7 years my junior). He doesn't say what instrument he plays (I extrapolate that he is a guitar player); has no other people in his 'band'. He says:

"I am still looking and if you interested we could jam sometime or of u want u can just be in the band it will just be me n u for the time being" This type of grammar is consistent throughout, and in fact his entire email is one long sentence. (I am not being a grammar nazi. I am just providing information.)

So, having never met me, seen or heard me play, he offers me a place in his band? And then, just a bit after that, he tells me we can go into the studio Monday or Thursday, whichever works better for me, to record some songs he was written.

So, like I say, I have almost no experience in these situations. On top of that, I am highly Introverted, and slightly anti-social to boot. So I ask again:

Is the response I received 'Normal'? Is this how some people (bands) get together?

What is "normal"?

A person around his age learned to use e-communication for just that: Communication. Making a point. Not an exercise in spelling, grammar, and style. Normal? Well, it's definitely common. I wouldn't attach much significance to it.

I think the guy is building a castle in the sky at this point, but dreams do sometimes become realities. Sounds like he's still trying to work it out and just wants to get together with some fellow musos and see what happens. I would not take his comments to mean you are "in the band," but rather, "You are in the band until I have time to decide if you're any good or not, any use to my project, and if not I will eventually replace you."

His post is definitely a case of "gotta start somewhere." This is an originals project. Prepare for a lot of stuff thrown against the wall to see if it sticks, including you. He wrote the songs and will be calling the shots.

If you want to get back in the game with an originals start-up project, there is only one way to find out if it's a worthwhile opportunity. I'd start by asking for some song demos. If you like what you hear and see potential, pay him a visit. The hang is a big part of the deal.

Have a list of questions prepared regarding format, direction, logistics, goals, etc. See if they align with your aspirations.

 

[SmokinJoe992]

As others have stated most of the people posting on CL are not worth your time. However, there are good musicians to be found, particularly if you are not involved in your local music scene and don't really have another way to meet other musician's. If you want to avoid the bad experiences here our some tips on how to vet them before you meet.
1) One of the best ways to vet them is to ask them to send you a recording of them playing/singing. What serious musician in this day and age cannot provide a video or audio recording of them playing their instrument or singing? This is a red flag to me if they can't or won't provide something.
2) I also will usually try to talk to them on the phone before committing to meet with them. I think you can get a better read on someone by actually talking to them than by text or email. This may be a problem if you are socially awkward, but it is worth the effort to avoid wasting your time.
3) As others have said horrible grammar and misspellings in the ad, texts or emails is a sign of someone to avoid. If you are dealing with younger musicians through text or email they will tend to use the text abbreviations and to an extent I can forgive this. However, if you can't put enough effort into your communications to at least pretend to be professional, then you are probably not someone I want to be in a band with.
4) I also avoid other musicians that are difficult to schedule, or commit to a time to meet. If they can only meet/audition/jam every other Sunday between 6pm to 8pm this is probably someone you don't want to be in a band with.
5) Ask them about their equipment. This can give you an indication of how serious they are about music. Would the equipment they have be sufficient for gigging, jamming etc. If they have insufficient equipment, ask to borrow equipment, or don't seem to have a clue about what equipment they would need, I would avoid them.
6) Avoid long distance relationships anything over an hour is pretty much a deal breaker for me. I am sure there are exceptions to this rule, but I am not willing to drive over an hour to jam or practice on a regular basis. Even if they are coming to me, I have found very few musicians willing to do this over an extended period of time. Avoid wasting your time with someone that is not going to stick with it.

All of the above applies the same whether I am responding to their ad or if they are responding to my ad.
The success rate on Craigslist is low, and even with taking all the advice in this thread you are going to meet some flakes and time wasters. However, I have also been fortunate enough to meet some very good musicians as well. The success rate is just high enough to keep me coming back when the need arises.

 

[buldog5151bass]

1. Musicians (and musician wanna bes) tending to be a little flaky.
2. CL is kinda like granola - full of nuts, flakes, and things you can't quite identify.

 

[otp57]

So I got a wild hair and decided to check out my local CL for musicians. It has been more than a year since I have played in a 'band' environment, and I really feel I am ready to get back on the horse.

So I emailed first a drummer who is looking for jam partners, and then I saw a notice for someone who said they are looking to start an originals hard/rock metal band.

I provided all the pertinent details (My age, My skill level, Music favorites and influences, What gear I have); making doubly sure to emphasize the fact that I am an intermediate bassist (at best); with little to no real world (band) experience.

I get an emphatic reply, like 60 seconds later. The title of the email is "the crazies the crazies".

In the email, he tells me he lives about 50 miles away. He is 32 years old (7 years my junior). He doesn't say what instrument he plays (I extrapolate that he is a guitar player); has no other people in his 'band'. He says:

"I am still looking and if you interested we could jam sometime or of u want u can just be in the band it will just be me n u for the time being" This type of grammar is consistent throughout, and in fact his entire email is one long sentence. (I am not being a grammar nazi. I am just providing information.)

So, having never met me, seen or heard me play, he offers me a place in his band? And then, just a bit after that, he tells me we can go into the studio Monday or Thursday, whichever works better for me, to record some songs he was written.

So, like I say, I have almost no experience in these situations. On top of that, I am highly Introverted, and slightly anti-social to boot. So I ask again:

Is the response I received 'Normal'? Is this how some people (bands) get together?

I would take someone with me because this NOT NORMAL I would just pass on this one myself.

 

[electracoyote]

2. CL is kinda like granola - full of nuts, flakes, and things you can't quite identify.

And yet two of my musicians came from Craig's List. We're pulling down $300.00 a man at weddings (six-piece). Go figure.

You gotta clean a lot of oysters to find a pearl. I scour CL and Bandmix, and send the word out to my FB friends when I'm looking for a new musician. No stone unturned, and you never know where you're going to find quality musicians. They pop up in the strangest places.

 

[buldog5151bass]

And yet two of my musicians came from Craig's List. We're pulling down $300.00 a man at weddings. Go figure.

You gotta clean a lot of oysters to find a pearl. I scour CL and Bandmix, and send the word out to my FB friends when I'm looking for a new musician. No stone unturned, and you never know where you're going to find quality musicians. They pop up in the strangest places.

I've had some success with CL, and it's still the best place to reach lots of local people. But you have to separate the what from the #_+-_#@. Almost daily do we have a new "check out this crazy CL ad".

 

[electracoyote]

I've had some success with CL, and it's still the best place to reach lots of local people. But you have to separate the what from the #_+-_#@. Almost daily do we have a new "check out this crazy CL ad".

We do see those ads a lot here, but a lot of those appear like rush to judgment/cliche pile-on follow the lemmings kind of responses to me.

You can have success on CL, but you have to know how to vet people.

And there is no getting around it; musicians, even some very talented hard-working people, can be quirky. I've got a few in my band. If quirky first impressions immediately turn you off, you might be the one missing out on something special.

 

[saabfender]

I smell fun new thread idea!

 

[aborgman]

What is "normal"?

A person around his age learned to use e-communication for just that: Communication. Making a point. Not an exercise in spelling, grammar, and style. Normal? Well, it's definitely common. I wouldn't attach much significance to it.

"If we care about our message, then grammar does matter. Poor grammar, lack of attention to spelling, and incorrect punctuation can all convey the wrong message. Depending on the readers’ expectations, that message may be that the writer is poorly educated or simply does not care. This in turn can lead to the belief that the person’s message is not worth reading, or that the services or products they offer are worth less than those of their competitors."

 

[overit]

Communicating with someone on the phone from a CL ad is easily the best way to find out if it's gonna work or not.

 

[electracoyote]

"If we care about our message, then grammar does matter. Poor grammar, lack of attention to spelling, and incorrect punctuation can all convey the wrong message. Depending on the readers’ expectations, that message may be that the writer is poorly educated or simply does not care. This in turn can lead to the belief that the person’s message is not worth reading, or that the services or products they offer are worth less than those of their competitors."

"Depending on the reader's expectations," indeed.

When looking for good musicians, don't expect a grammarian. You'll have much more success.

 

[RustyAxe]

Is the response I received 'Normal'? Is this how some people (bands) get together?

No ... guy sounds like he's desperate. For what, I couldn't say. Steer clear!

 

[2010P]

What is "normal"?

A person around his age learned to use e-communication for just that: Communication. Making a point. Not an exercise in spelling, grammar, and style. Normal? Well, it's definitely common. I wouldn't attach much significance to it.

I emphatically disagree, respectfully of course. I don't care how old or young someone is, communicating with no punctuation, no capitalization and mispelling cannot be fobbed off simply on "oh he's young, that's how they learned." It indicates a very lax attitude towards doing things right and just screams "lazy" and "entitled" to me. It's also disrespectful to the reader. Punctuation and capitalization matter because they are inventions to allow us to understand the written word in a quick, concise and clear manner. Without them, I have to now take double or triple the time to glean any meaning from what I am reading, and that just shows the writer doesn't respect me or my time. That attitude, without a doubt, pervades everything about their personality and I suggest to the OP to stay the hell away.

To prove my point, try making quick and easy sense of the above paragraph without punctuation, grammar and capitalization........

i emphatically disagree respectfully of course i dont care how old or young someone is communicating with no punctuation no capitalization and mispelling cannot be fobbed off simply on oh he's young that's how they learned it indicates a very lax attitude towards doing things right and just screams lazy and entitled to me its also disrespectful to the reader punctuation and capitalization matter because they are inventions to allow us to understand the written word in a quick concise and clear manner without them i have to now take double or triple the time to glean any meaning from what I am reading and that just shows the writer doesn't respect me or my time that attitude without a doubt pervade everything about their personality and I suggest to the OP to stay the hell away