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Too cranky?

jeffbrown

jeffbrown

Jun 13, 2007
1,245
1,134
New Hampshire, USA
#1
We're looking to add a f vox/keys player. I put this on the local CL:

-------------------------------
OK, going to try again:

Female vocalist/keyboardist wanted to diversify our sound. Let me be clear - you play KEYS and you can sing. Tried this here before and got replies from singers with NO keys. Please - we aren't going to be your backing band, we aren't looking for a backup singer with NO keys.... It just isn't who we are, where we're at, what we need. If you're looking for a backing band, with all due respect, it isn't us.

SPOILER ALERT: WE ARE A HOBBY BAND. We have no expectations of making it big, getting recording deals, etc. If >that's< where you want to go, stop here, and good luck to you! // We are laid back professional adults in other fields *who play for fun*. We need you to sing lead on *some* songs, backup on others, plus add your keys to the mix. Mostly R&B, blues, and rock; originals and some covers - we're open to any material you may have, want to cover, and expect you to contribute to songwriting when we collaborate on stuff. You can cover synth/strings/mellotron-type sounds as well as horns, and of course piano, organ (think B3 w/Leslie patch). We rehearse about once a month in Manchester, take ideas home, and work on them individually. We've recorded a CD and played open mics to positive reviews, and we take pride in our sound. We are looking to record another CD this spring/summer. You have your own gear (no toys) which can reproduce the sort of sounds listed above (PA NOT needed) and is gig-capable, and transportation. Experience a BIG plus. Please, no drama, drugs, divas, or karaoke queens. If this intrigues you, let's talk.

--------------------------------

Am I sounding too cranky? Am I expecting too much? Like I mentioned, I tried this before and it was as if there was NO mention of keys in the posting. NONE. Many replies, not a single one had keys experience, let alone gear.... LOL

Yeah, I know, it is CL, what should I expect? Maybe that respondents can read the whole thing before replying? As always, I appreciate the collective wisdom of the forum.

TIA!

:bassist::bassist:
 
#5
I think it's fine. Straightforward, telling what you want and what you don't.
In my opinion, if someone doesn't like it, or thinks it's too cranky, they're not the person for you.
 
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#6
It doesn't sound too cranky to me. I'd prefer to hear it straight and to the point.

However, I'd remove the phrase "WE ARE A HOBBY BAND." Especially shouted in all caps. I understand you are trying to clarify your aspirations, but the following paragraph does that just fine. When I hear the word "hobby," it has connotations of not taking it seriously, or something like stamp collecting. You want to attract good ambitious musicians who can meet the high standards you outlined, and to some of them, this whole crazy music thing is something more than a hobby, even if your project is static and not meant for "making it big."
 
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#7
Yeah, a little on the annoyed side, which doesn't make you something overly attractive as an option. Let me see if I can articulate what I would want to respond to if I was a keyboard-playing vocalist (who was female).

Original:

K, going to try again:

Female vocalist/keyboardist wanted to diversify our sound. Let me be clear - you play KEYS and you can sing. Tried this here before and got replies from singers with NO keys. Please - we aren't going to be your backing band, we aren't looking for a backup singer with NO keys.... It just isn't who we are, where we're at, what we need. If you're looking for a backing band, with all due respect, it isn't us.

SPOILER ALERT: WE ARE A HOBBY BAND. We have no expectations of making it big, getting recording deals, etc. If >that's< where you want to go, stop here, and good luck to you! // We are laid back professional adults in other fields *who play for fun*. We need you to sing lead on *some* songs, backup on others, plus add your keys to the mix. Mostly R&B, blues, and rock; originals and some covers - we're open to any material you may have, want to cover, and expect you to contribute to songwriting when we collaborate on stuff. You can cover synth/strings/mellotron-type sounds as well as horns, and of course piano, organ (think B3 w/Leslie patch). We rehearse about once a month in Manchester, take ideas home, and work on them individually. We've recorded a CD and played open mics to positive reviews, and we take pride in our sound. We are looking to record another CD this spring/summer. You have your own gear (no toys) which can reproduce the sort of sounds listed above (PA NOT needed) and is gig-capable, and transportation. Experience a BIG plus. Please, no drama, drugs, divas, or karaoke queens. If this intrigues you, let's talk.​

My version:

Female vocalist/keyboardist wanted to diversify our sound. We are a hobby band who records some original music and does some R&B, blues, and rock covers. A few examples of our songs are

[Song 1]
[Song 2]
[Song 3]

We have had some difficulty finding someone who fits what we are looking for, but our needs are pretty basic:

-Keyboard player who has an appropriate keyboard (should be able to cover piano, organ, synth, strings, etc.)
-Female vocals

We rehearse around once a month in Manchester and work out stuff at home between practice. We will be recording a CD this spring/summer and we have a PA for you to plug into. We have a done some open mics and we like to sound good, but we are doing this for fun. If this sounds like something you would enjoy and you can sing and play keys, let's talk.​
 
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#10
robd said:
I would have stopped reading after "Ok, going to try again"
Click to expand...

+1

Speaking personally, I hate to see that as the opening of an ad. It always seems like the person or band scouting for players is becoming frustrated with the process and is taking it out in the ad and on the potential candidates. I know it's a frustrating process, but likewise, you never see a business advertise, "Okay, let's try this again: Looking for Shipping Receiving Clerk..." It also makes me leary about why they haven't found the right person yet (which could totally just be because the market sucks, but it could also be because what they are offering to people who have auditioned wasn't attractive).

I think the ad is somewhat cranky. It's possible to write an ad with pretty much the same content and screen out a lot of the wannabes without coming across so cranky. I think Eric's revision is really well done (though I do agree to leave out the term "hobby band").
 
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#12
I wouldn't answer that ad. it sounds like somebody on a rant for some reason related to the band. That alone is reason to stay clear.

You can be as forthright without sounding like you're frothing at the mouth.

Suggested edit:


Female vocalist and keyboardist wanted to diversify our sound. You must both play keyboards and sing, not one or the other.

I should let you know that we're a hobby band. We are laid back professional adults in other fields who play for fun. We need you to sing lead on *some* songs, backup on others, plus add your keys to the mix.

Music: mostly R&B, blues, and rock; originals and some covers - we're open to any material you may have, want to cover, and expect you to contribute to songwriting when we collaborate on stuff.

What can you bring to the table? You can cover synth/strings/mellotron-type sounds as well as horns, and of course piano, organ (think B3 w/Leslie patch). Please have your own gig-capable gear which can produce the sort of sounds listed above (no PA needed) and your own transportation. Experience is a BIG plus.

We rehearse about once a month in Manchester, take ideas home, and work on them individually. We've recorded a CD and played open mics to positive reviews, and we take pride in our sound. We are looking to record another CD this spring/summer.

Please, no drama, drugs, divas, or karaoke queens. If this intrigues you, let's talk.
 
#16
In all honesty, it makes you sound arrogant and egotistical. I would never consider answering an ad like that. The ad also lacks focus and direction. You say you "play for fun". Then you talk about gigs, song writing and recording. Makes it sound like you really don't know what you want to do.
 
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#18
Here's how to rewrite it to get into a different thread around here:

There sure are a lot of people out there who just don't get it. We are laid back professionals by day, but we step into a phone booth and turn into MUSICIANS! If you can do that, we are interested in talking to you. If you are a female singer who is also a keyboard player, we really want to talk to you. Otherwise, we will tell you that solicitors get eaten. Mmmmmm! Roast leg of insurance salesman! What? You don't know what a phone booth is? Into the pot with you!

We do what we want, when we want to do it, and how we want to do it. We are completely freakin' amazing that way. Nope, we don't have to work at it, but you better get on with it. Any questions? No? Excellent!
Click to expand...
 
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#19
Oh man, I had to do that a few years ago in an indie rock band.

Instead of finding someone with experience who could do what we wanted, we found someone who wanted to do it with no experience but was willing to learn.

Now, a couple years later, she is playing keys, singing backup, playing xylophone, even doing a rap in one of the songs.
She has come really far because she WANTED to play with us. At first she just danced and played tambourine....then we gave her a microkorg, and wrote all the notes on the keys for her with a sharpie. Showed her how to change patches. basic triads. now try to sing this during the chorus parts.
Slowly, over time, she has become a musician.
And it makes me happy, because it's what she wanted in the first place.
 
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#20
OK, Re-did the ad:

------------------------

Female vocalist/keyboardist wanted to diversify our sound. Let me be clear - you play KEYS and you can sing. Tried this here before and got replies from singers with NO keys. Please - we aren't going to be your backing band, we aren't looking for a backup singer with NO keys.... It just isn't who we are, where we're at, what we need. If you're looking for a backing band, with all due respect, it isn't us.

We are laid back professional adults in other fields *who play for fun*. We've recorded a CD and played open mics to positive reviews, and we take pride in our sound. We are looking to record another CD this spring/summer. We primarily need you to add your keys to the mix, and to sing lead on some songs, backup on others. Mostly R&B, blues, and rock; originals and a few covers - we're open to any material you may have, want to cover, and expect you to contribute to songwriting when we collaborate on stuff. You can cover synth/strings/mellotron-type sounds as well as horns, and of course piano, organ (think B3 w/Leslie patch). We rehearse about once a month in Manchester, take ideas home, and work on them individually. You have the appropriate gear which can reproduce the sort of sounds listed above (PA NOT needed - we have it) and is *gig-capable*, and transportation. Experience a BIG plus. Please, no drama, drugs, divas, or karaoke queens. If this intrigues you, let's talk.

---------------------

I know, the first paragraph is still.... Just trying to weed the wannabes out. LOL Opinions?
 

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