The Bandapocalypse :(

[hrodbert696]

Just a few updates:

1. the gig is being offered to us by a close friends father, so theres a pretty good chance we'll get a similar gig next year.

2. I realise its probably possible to get a few songs down, and we might be able to shorten our set but our guitarist is scared of playing this many people and i dont have a bass amp that can even handle rehearsal

Right now im negotiating with a friend to let us use his garage and the people who got us this gig to let us play something a bit more achievable, like a 20 min setlist.

Stumbo is totally right. If you had two weeks to get this together, I'd say that's tough luck, but with two months, seriously, just roll up your sleeves and get it done.

Your guitarist: Playing in front of 2000 people is no different from playing in front of 25. In some ways, it's actually less stressful, because they become anonymous in the greater numbers. If your guitarist is just plain unwilling to play in front of other people, then you need to either get another guitarist or face the fact that you will NEVER play a gig. If he wants to stand in the back corner of the stage with his back to the crowd, fine. But either he plays or the band finds a guitarist who will.

Your set: Don't even think about trying to get a shorter set. Take this as the kick in the pants your band needs to learn new songs in a timely fashion.

Practice space: glad you're working on something, but work on multiple options in case the garage falls through. Anyone's parents have a business with warehouse that sits empty over weekends? Anyone have a church or a synagogue where you could use the basement? Brainstorm!

Amplifier: Well, you do have $200 coming to you, don't you? See if you can borrow one, or if the local music store will rent one to you, or what's available on Craigslist in your area. Borrow from your parents, uncles and aunts, whoever, until you can scrape together enough for a minimally giggable amp. Hey, Christmas is coming, isn't it? Tell them all you want for Christmas is contributions to the amp fund. You can probably get a used combo with 150-200 watts in the $250-350 range. Then the $200 from the gig gets you a start toward paying people back. Once you get the ball rolling with your band getting gigs, then you have money from gigs to get better gear... you just need the startup investment.

Penguin, I would kill to get my band of forty-year-olds a gig for $200 each with the chance to publicize ourselves to 2000 people. Don't hem and haw and waffle and end up wringing your hands later wishing that you had pulled it off. Just get your guys in gear and make it happen.

 

[TRichardsbass]

Okay Penguin, I'm gonna lay it out here for you.

1. The second chance never comes. Don't assume that because a friend is throwing you a bone they will do it ever again. It's a cliche but true, "Tomorrow never comes!"

2. If you can't put together a forty minute or close set in two months, then you may as well hang it up now. With the internet these days I've been able to rehearse musicians many states away. You see it all the time. Can't you use Ooovuu? Granted, I've go a billion years into the biz, but I put a 35 min. set together for a one off show this past labor day in two weeks with one rehearsal. And it didn't suck.

3. You and your band don't really want to be a band and work at it. That is abundantly clear. Music is not just show up whenever. No one really cares in music how talented you are in your garage. You have to eat, sleep, breathe this stuff. You should practically be living with each other. But I'll make it easy for ya. Give me the number of the guy who is booking the show. I'll be there in a heartbeat and make a band with just bassists who posted here on this TB thread. We'll take the $200 each since you don't really seem to want it anyway.

4. I don't get the "I don't really have an amp for this rehearsal." Do you actually mean you don't own an amp period? Crap, you can use an 8 watt amp for rehearsal. And for the gig? If they are supplying sound you are going direct anyway, so you can have them just put you in a monitor to hear yourself. You won't need an amp.

If you want I'll mail you my headphone amp. You can run its headphone jack out to any aux input in a stereo, and use that as your practice amp.

Sorry, but this type of post, no matter what your age, makes me want to come to your house and just go UFC all over your sorry AXX. Now I'm going to up lift you.

Say yes to the gig and just do it. Tell the guitard to focus on looking at his guitar neck, not a crowd. Send him to therapy with the psychiatrist on the Geico commercial. This for many musicians is a dream come true, a Godsend. Your gift horse has arrived.

 

[Sundogue]

Okay Penguin, I'm gonna lay it out here for you.

1. The second chance never comes. Don't assume that because a friend is throwing you a bone they will do it ever again. It's a cliche but true, "Tomorrow never comes!"

2. If you can't put together a forty minute or close set in two months, then you may as well hang it up now. With the internet these days I've been able to rehearse musicians many states away. You see it all the time. Can't you use Ooovuu? Granted, I've go a billion years into the biz, but I put a 35 min. set together for a one off show this past labor day in two weeks with one rehearsal. And it didn't suck.

3. You and your band don't really want to be a band and work at it. That is abundantly clear. Music is not just show up whenever. No one really cares in music how talented you are in your garage. You have to eat, sleep, breathe this stuff. You should practically be living with each other. But I'll make it easy for ya. Give me the number of the guy who is booking the show. I'll be there in a heartbeat and make a band with just bassists who posted here on this TB thread. We'll take the $200 each since you don't really seem to want it anyway.

4. I don't get the "I don't really have an amp for this rehearsal." Do you actually mean you don't own an amp period? Crap, you can use an 8 watt amp for rehearsal. And for the gig? If they are supplying sound you are going direct anyway, so you can have them just put you in a monitor to hear yourself. You won't need an amp.

If you want I'll mail you my headphone amp. You can run its headphone jack out to any aux input in a stereo, and use that as your practice amp.

Sorry, but this type of post, no matter what your age, makes me want to come to your house and just go UFC all over your sorry AXX. Now I'm going to up lift you.

Say yes to the gig and just do it. Tell the guitard to focus on looking at his guitar neck, not a crowd. Send him to therapy with the psychiatrist on the Geico commercial. This for many musicians is a dream come true, a Godsend. Your gift horse has arrived.

He speaks the truth Penguin. Listen up!

We may be a bit hard on you, but seriously even if you play music for a hobby, it takes some balls, dedication and work is involved.

I don't know your age, but I have two sons and between them and most of their generation I doubt I could put together a band that would last beyond f-ing off in a garage for one weekend. Seems they want everything handed to them on a silver platter without having to do anything for it.

Life ain't Disney's "Next Big Thing". And even those chewed up and regurgitated acts bust their ass to get where they are.

If you seriously want to play music in a band, get your guys together, pick out some songs, learn them and do the gig. It's that simple. If you think it isn't that simple, your band is already doomed so hang it up now.

 

[Stumbo]

Penguin,
In your profile you list:

Current Setup:
I dont own a bass

Just wondering who's bass you are using to practice and rehearse?

And how much time you spend practicing each day?

Maybe the lack of bass guitar access is the true reason for not moving the band forward?

Exactly what equipment does each member of your band own?

I'm thinking that you might be in a wish band.

Seems to me that you should let some local TB'rs have the gig.

They'd be happy to take your spot.

In two months (hey, maybe in 20 minutes), I'm sure many TB'rs could put together a great band and do a 1 hour set, no problem.

 

[hrodbert696]

Penguin,
In your profile you list:


Just wondering who's bass you are using to practice and rehearse?

And how much time you spend practicing each day?

Maybe the lack of bass guitar access is the true reason for not moving the band forward?

Exactly what equipment does each member of your band own?

I'm thinking that you might be in a wish band.

Seems to me that you should let some local TB'rs have the gig.

They'd be happy to take your spot.

In two months (hey, maybe in 20 minutes), I'm sure many TB'rs could put together a great band and do a 1 hour set, no problem.

I think that profile may be outdated, Stumbo. He joined the club for Squier VM owners in November, has a P.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9891547&highlight=#post9891547

And had apparently played a gig no more than a week after that. Although I think it may have been a school band thing.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=710893&page=2

What is it about this kid that's got all us old folks so riled up?

 

[Bryan Swift]

What is it about this kid that's got all us old folks so riled up?

This is TB.. I wouldn't have it any other way..

 

[lbwdog]

This thread makes me smile on several levels. Remembering playing a 12,000 seat arena gig with a very big name artist, on one rehearsal for a twelve piece band. actually, you could have released a tape of the rehearsal as a master, it was that good!
But that's just one of the differences between experiencd pros and extremely inexperienced youths. Sometimes we "old dogs" lose sight of the past.

Obviously, y'all were given a "gift" with this gig and it would be an insult to turn it down without even trying. C'mon figure it out. Tell the guitarist that once you get rolling, the audience applause will cure all stage fright. That's what we thrive on!

The trick is, start now!! Don't wait! Find an amp. Find a rehearsal place. Get together on some simple tunes. Practice individually, then with full band. Above all, help each other and don't let egos slow you down. Work Together!

 

[Sundogue]

This thread makes me smile on several levels. Remembering playing a 12,000 seat arena gig with a very big name artist, on one rehearsal for a twelve piece band. actually, you could have released a tape of the rehearsal as a master, it was that good!
But that's just one of the differences between experiencd pros and extremely inexperienced youths. Sometimes we "old dogs" lose sight of the past.

Obviously, y'all were given a "gift" with this gig and it would be an insult to turn it down without even trying. C'mon figure it out. Tell the guitarist that once you get rolling, the audience applause will cure all stage fright. That's what we thrive on!

The trick is, start now!! Don't wait! Find an amp. Find a rehearsal place. Get together on some simple tunes. Practice individually, then with full band. Above all, help each other and don't let egos slow you down. Work Together!

I agree. Though I certainly didn't lose sight of the past. If anything it brought me back to my beginnings with my first band. Every "first" band has these issues in some form or another.

But I think us old dogs are all in agreement. This gig is just what we musicians live for! How many of us in our first bands ended up playing mostly for free parties of friends just to get an audience? It's one thing to play by yourself, but isn't the whole point of forming a band to play music out in front of others?

By the way...where is BassPenguin22? Did we run him off already? Hey you need a thick skin to be in the music business, on any level. Talkbass will certainly help you develop that.

 

[steveksux]

Just pick some easy covers to fill in the extra time to cover 40 minutes NOW.

As you come up with more originals over the next 2 months preparing for the gig, cut out the covers. Get a cheap Behringer mixer and a headphone amp to practice if you don't have amps now. $200 is actually a well paying gig. If you can't step up to the plate when its a silver platter handed to you like this, you're not a musician.

You need to take the view of an engineer, not an artist. There's a point where stuff is good enough, it'll never be perfect. Don't let the perfect become the enemy of the good. You'll be in the basement forever. My personal rule of thumb is any band that's been practicing more than a few weeks that doesn't have a full nights worth of material passable, not perfect, is never going to gig out. There are few exceptions to this rule I've found.

You can say that applies to "pro" musicians, but that's the reality I've found. "Working" is equivalent to "pro" apparently.

Randy

 

[lbwdog]

By the way...where is BassPenguin22? Did we run him off already? Hey you need a thick skin to be in the music business, on any level. Talkbass will certainly help you develop that.

Maybe went into hiding.
Frankly, I was disappointed in the "already been defeated before we even start" attitude, but we really don't know how young these kids really are, so this ($800?, $1000?) gig might be too much pressure at their level. I hope they try though.

 

[stoneboy26]

40 mins? 2 months?

I'm sorry but if you can't do that, you don't deserve the gig!!

I did a gig 2 weeks ago for an original artist. Drummer and I got the tunes 2 weeks before the gig. 10 songs. 2 weeks to learn and no time for a rehearsal. In fact, the guitarist was so busy putting sequences together for the gig he didn't get to look at guitar parts until the day before.

Our rehearsal was the van ride down to the venue (about 90min drive).

We nailed the gig. Got paid and went home.

Now, luckily the 3 of us play every week together, so we knew we could get away with this, but then again, our current lineup in our cover band had 1 rehearsal 7 months ago. It was also our drummers audition. He had a week to learn 30 songs.

Step up to the plate. Put the pressure on your band mates to step up. Tell them how much this $200 means to you. I'd be home learning those tunes tonight for $200.

 

[steveksux]

I'm thinking maybe Guitar Hero is more appropriate at this point compared to real instruments.

Randy

 

[BassPenguin22]

I hear you all and to some extent i agree with you, but every time i try to do something with the pack of retards i call a band i basically get told to shut up, its like talking to walls.
I have got us a place to practice but then no one has any spare time, which is absolute rubbish cos every time i log into Xbox live my band are usually playing cod together...
I seriously dont know what to do and its really not worth the stress.

And just to top it off our "guitard" has decided that he cant sing, basically leaving us without a singer. Im so close to quitting its not even funny...

BassPenguin

edit: I do have a bass, i just havent updated my gear listing.

 

[Munjibunga]

Just jam your songs for 8 minutes each.

 

[lousybassplayer]

which is absolute rubbish cos every time i log into Xbox live my band are usually playing cod together...

Well, whats wrong with that? You play bass, they play cod. Open your mind a little, there are plenty of fish in the sea.

 

[Sundogue]

I hear you all and to some extent i agree with you, but every time i try to do something with the pack of retards i call a band i basically get told to shut up, its like talking to walls.
I have got us a place to practice but then no one has any spare time, which is absolute rubbish cos every time i log into Xbox live my band are usually playing cod together...
I seriously dont know what to do and its really not worth the stress.

And just to top it off our "guitard" has decided that he cant sing, basically leaving us without a singer. Im so close to quitting its not even funny...

BassPenguin

edit: I do have a bass, i just havent updated my gear listing.

Well...that certainly helps to understand your situation. Life is filled with people we surround ourselves with, that are nothing but "wannabes". They talk a lot but don't really do anything about it.

You have to surround yourself with people that challenge you, that make you grow as a person and a musician. Find another guitarist and/or drummer that is better than you musically. Learn your instrument and try to keep up with them. Network with other musicians and get together with people that actually want to play and spend time practicing their instruments.

Yes, you may miss this gig. Nothing you can do about others that do not have the same goals as you. So find others that do.

If you know how to play, get yourself some software for a computer, or something like the Tascam CD (or MP3) Bass Trainer that allows you to pause or loop parts of songs you are learning and learn as many songs as you can of the genre you like. Learn other genres to broaden and enhance your abilities as a bass player.

Next time the situation presents itself, jump on it. You may very well be able to join an existing band with practice under your belt and you may need to learn a lot of songs in a hurry. Your practice regimen will determine if you can do that.

Twice I've joined bands that required me to learn 50 to 60 songs in less than a week's time and both times I nailed the job by being able to learn them quickly so when I auditioned I knew ALL of their music.

That's why we all said you could do this gig, but we didn't know you had such losers around you that couldn't handle the "work".

Stay positive, learn your instrument (which is a never-ending, lifetime devotion), practice your ass off and you will hook up with guys who can and want to do gigs like this one your current "band" can't do.

 

[hrodbert696]

Thanks for the update, Penguin. I can't fathom being a teenaged kid who would turn down the chance to make $200 playing rock and roll for 40 minutes, but if that's where they are at, that's where they are at. It sucks, but now you know.

At this point I'd say it's time to find a new band, if you really want it and they don't. If you put the word out, depending on where you are, you might even be able to find some people in time to do this gig (is it an offer that you can take with whoever you get, or does it have to be this particular crew of kids?). Just put up a craigslist ad, a flyer at your local music store, posting at your school, whatever, saying you need drums, guitar, and singer, 200 bucks for anyone who can learn 40 minutes of music in two months. See what happens.

 

[Bryan Swift]

Thanks for the update, Penguin. I can't fathom being a teenaged kid who would turn down the chance to make $200 playing rock and roll for 40 minutes, but if that's where they are at, that's where they are at. It sucks, but now you know.

At this point I'd say it's time to find a new band, if you really want it and they don't. If you put the word out, depending on where you are, you might even be able to find some people in time to do this gig (is it an offer that you can take with whoever you get, or does it have to be this particular crew of kids?). Just put up a craigslist ad, a flyer at your local music store, posting at your school, whatever, saying you need drums, guitar, and singer, 200 bucks for anyone who can learn 40 minutes of music in two months. See what happens.

I like this idea..

 

[BassPenguin22]

I really, really hate to bump...
But the drummer I fired the lead guitarist/singer and hired a new one, I ordered myself an amp and I will pick it up tomorrow, right before we have our first practice .

After I had a conversation with the gig organizer it turned out that my friend, the organizers son, was building us up to be somewhat of a superband. The organizer offered us a part of a school battle of the bands that takes place right after the other set we were offered.

Im hoping the gig turns out well but I know it will be a fun learning experience... Even though I lost some freinds (the guitard, for example)...

 

[bolophonic]