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Original musician needs advice

K

Kabal

Nov 8, 2007
198
2
#1
Basically I've got these songs, I put a lot of time and effort into writing them, I learned how to play guitar (which came more out of necessity than desire) for them.

Guitar players in my area don't seem too keen about my sound since they have to take a bit of a back seat solo-wise or I'm not a 90s alice in chains kind of bass player. Drummers...ugh. Well not entirely but I'm not a "well established touring" band yet

The material's upbeat rhythmically, not esoteric or virtuoso only accessible, maybe not radio catchy but catchy nonetheless. I like collaborating but I've kinda got my own sound now and I don't want to waste a year and a half adapting to someone I don't know.

What should I do? Move away? Bite the bullet, take what I can get, and hope for the best? Pay someone? Give up and join a hard rock band never to be heard from again? Any advice is appreciated
 
#3
Pay musicians.

By waiting you may wait forever.

You can look for your perfect fit while gigging and building something if you hire people to keep it moving along.

Or promote the hell out of your music and work at building a fanbase before even bothering to gig. If you get some interest it will be easier to find players.
 
#5
I can see two ways to go; one would be do a studio recording with hired musicians and shop the thing around till it clicks with someone.

The other would be to hunt up an existing band, maybe a covers band, do sub work and play and gig all you can and meet all the musicians you can until some of them take more of an interest in helping you play your stuff. In other words, route B is to network like hell, playing whatever you have to to do it, until the right musicians fall into place for you.
 
#7
hrodbert696 said:
I can see two ways to go; one would be do a studio recording with hired musicians and shop the thing around till it clicks with someone.

The other would be to hunt up an existing band, maybe a covers band, do sub work and play and gig all you can and meet all the musicians you can until some of them take more of an interest in helping you play your stuff. In other words, route B is to network like hell, playing whatever you have to to do it, until the right musicians fall into place for you.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my advice would basically match this. If you want creative control on a unique project, then hired guns for studio sessions would be best. After recording some tracks to your satisfaction, then expose the recorded product to recruit other musicians for joining or forming a band.

I'm kind of in a similar situation right now since my last band recently dissolved. Both guitars and bass were mostly using my equipment with weird tunings and I was the principal songwriter in an sort of psychedelic rock, indie rock, ambient, shoegaze type project. The band might re-form in the future, but one of the members is overloaded with obligations right now. My plan is to upgrade my recording equipment a bit more, record what I can on my own (bass, guitars, sitar, banjo), and hire percussionist(s), brass/woodwind musicians, and maybe other musicians to overdub tracks. After that, it will be easier to communicate some of my unique style and vision to other musicians. It's tough for me to find musicians that can expand beyond styles and tunings they know already.
 
#8
zachoff said:
Strange... Not saying it's a bad thing but the notion of paying people to play my music bums me out. I wouldn't want people in my band that didn't want to be there out of their own fruition. I realize paying people to play your music is pretty common practice in the industry, but I still find it off putting. :shrug:
Click to expand...
Then get ready for struggling and playing bars with novice, inexperienced players.
 
#10
zachoff said:
Strange... Not saying it's a bad thing but the notion of paying people to play my music bums me out. I wouldn't want people in my band that didn't want to be there out of their own fruition. I realize paying people to play your music is pretty common practice in the industry, but I still find it off putting. :shrug:
Click to expand...

I think that musicians need to change their attitude regarding this. If we don't think other musicians deserve to be paid, then we ourselves don't deserve to be paid. So many people are willing to pay for everything else under the sun, will pay to own 20 basses, pay people to design their websites, do their sound, master their recordings, carry their PA... but they scoff at the idea of paying musicians. The price is even usually ridiculously low. Most musicians would be ecstatic to do a show with a rehearsal for $150. If you tally up the audition process plus rehearsing with people not as pro or up to the task, hiring someone often even winds up saving tons of money. If of course you know the right people to hire.

As for the people wanting to be there to play your material, it's not about that at all. People might like your material, but chances are they like their own even better, and if they're experienced and talented they'll gravitate to the band that is either paying more or has more going on. Bands that are packing clubs or paying well usually have no problems finding players. New bands do, and one can either wait for the perfect people to come along (which might happen), pay people, or do what I do. I play with lots of people, make friends, and then can usually fill a gig with willing musicians when necessary. I'm willing to pay also. Paying often saves lots of drama too.
 
#11
Do you only want to record? Or do you want to have a live act as well?
If doing an album (CD, LP Whatever you want to call it) is your main objective, continue to do as many tracks by yourself as possible. Get it as good as you can, show it around to some local guitarists to generate some intrest in them helping with some tracks. This could lead to the band situation. You need to show 'em what you've got
 
#12
I know exactly how you feel. I've got a bunch of material I've written over the years, and really had no place for it. I've tried to put bands together and they all fell apart. Finally, I just decided I was going to record the tracks if for no other reason then to be able say I did. I played all the bass, guitar, and most of the vocals. I then asked a friend of mine who is a good drummer if he could record drum tracks. Then, the lead vocalist in my coverband assisted my with some singing I couldn't do. Now, I'm mixing and mastering everything and it makes me very happy. I might decide to play live with this mix, i might not.

The key to everything was just finding the right people. Were they 100% ideal? No. But they are reliable, responsible and they didn't mind taking my direction. This seems to be what you need. I don't pay them, but I do give them some $$ when I have it. If we play live, I'll be sure to throw them some money. There's nothing wrong with hiring people if you need to. Sometimes it's the best way! Just make sure the people you do hire are good and responsible. There are some flakes out there.
 
#13
Joe Nerve said:
Pay musicians.

By waiting you may wait forever.

You can look for your perfect fit while gigging and building something if you hire people to keep it moving along.

Or promote the hell out of your music and work at building a fanbase before even bothering to gig. If you get some interest it will be easier to find players.
Click to expand...

Absolutely,very much +1
 
#14
Joe Nerve said:
I think that musicians need to change their attitude regarding this. If we don't think other musicians deserve to be paid, then we ourselves don't deserve to be paid. So many people are willing to pay for everything else under the sun, will pay to own 20 basses, pay people to design their websites, do their sound, master their recordings, carry their PA... but they scoff at the idea of paying musicians. The price is even usually ridiculously low. Most musicians would be ecstatic to do a show with a rehearsal for $150. If you tally up the audition process plus rehearsing with people not as pro or up to the task, hiring someone often even winds up saving tons of money. If of course you know the right people to hire.

As for the people wanting to be there to play your material, it's not about that at all. People might like your material, but chances are they like their own even better, and if they're experienced and talented they'll gravitate to the band that is either paying more or has more going on. Bands that are packing clubs or paying well usually have no problems finding players. New bands do, and one can either wait for the perfect people to come along (which might happen), pay people, or do what I do. I play with lots of people, make friends, and then can usually fill a gig with willing musicians when necessary. I'm willing to pay also. Paying often saves lots of drama too.
Click to expand...

..and again...+1 :)
 
#15
Joe Nerve said:
I think that musicians need to change their attitude regarding this. If we don't think other musicians deserve to be paid, then we ourselves don't deserve to be paid. So many people are willing to pay for everything else under the sun, will pay to own 20 basses, pay people to design their websites, do their sound, master their recordings, carry their PA... but they scoff at the idea of paying musicians. The price is even usually ridiculously low. Most musicians would be ecstatic to do a show with a rehearsal for $150. If you tally up the audition process plus rehearsing with people not as pro or up to the task, hiring someone often even winds up saving tons of money. If of course you know the right people to hire.

As for the people wanting to be there to play your material, it's not about that at all. People might like your material, but chances are they like their own even better, and if they're experienced and talented they'll gravitate to the band that is either paying more or has more going on. Bands that are packing clubs or paying well usually have no problems finding players. New bands do, and one can either wait for the perfect people to come along (which might happen), pay people, or do what I do. I play with lots of people, make friends, and then can usually fill a gig with willing musicians when necessary. I'm willing to pay also. Paying often saves lots of drama too.
Click to expand...

Understood.. I guess the difference is I'd never start or be in a band where all of the music was considered a single individual's music... Whether it be mine or yours or whatever. It's "our" music and I expect everyone to contribute to writing.

I've never asked to be paid and I've never offered to pay anyone. If they don't want to be there for the music they shouldn't be in the band. If they like their own material more they should find others that will play their material. I dunno. I guess I don't get it. Then again, music isn't a job for me... It's a hobby.
 
#16
As a hired gun myself, I'm often called to play music that isn't really my thing, but still play with conviction, that's what I'm paid to do. Also, one tends to have more creative control in dealing with session players who will play whatever the song calls for as opposed to dealing with band member who may not share your ideas for the songs.
 
#17
If you have a set sound you want on record, then hire players to do a studio album. I've been hired for sessions for other locals in the area that didn't have a band or a complete band.

I've also seen plenty of artists place ads after their album was done, looking to build a band. Nothing new there either.
 
#19
zachoff said:
Understood.. I guess the difference is I'd never start or be in a band where all of the music was considered a single individual's music... Whether it be mine or yours or whatever. It's "our" music and I expect everyone to contribute to writing.

I've never asked to be paid and I've never offered to pay anyone. If they don't want to be there for the music they shouldn't be in the band. If they like their own material more they should find others that will play their material. I dunno. I guess I don't get it. Then again, music isn't a job for me... It's a hobby.
Click to expand...

It's hard as hell to find the right people. Keep trying, stay old school.
 

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