How many bands

[barneythedog]

I currently play in two bands, one playing folk/Irish music, and one playing traditional blues/70's pub rock.

I have just been approached by a guitarist friend of mine who has asked if I would be available for a new band he is trying to put together.

My question is this - how many bands is it possible to play in without having a nervous breakdown? What with rehearsals, learning new material, and not least trying to remember 3 sets worth of songs I'm wondering if it is realistic. I would love to take the opportunity, as I enjoy playing with as many varied musicians as I can however I don't want to end up letting anyone down by missing rehearsals or poor performances.

So what do you all think - how many bands so you play with, and is one more a bridge too far?

Edited March 26, 2008 by barneythedog

[Merton]

Two and a half at the moment, with the possibility of another one:

1. Function band
2. Original pop/rock band
1/2. Sometimes play jazz for a couple of bands, rehersals only normally but have a gig on Thurs in Wallington (yay!)
Potential new original soul/rock band but doubt it'll happen.

If I could, I'd rehearse or gig every night of the week

[crez5150]

I'm playing in 3....... and it's not good...... one function band working most weekends..... one funk covers band just taking off in a big way..... one original project.... lots of recording re-hearsing and promoting..... I'm finding it dificult what with a full time job, missus and kids too...... somethings gonna give soon....

[tauzero]

I'm in three, barn dance, covers, acoustic duo. As the future Mrs Zero is the other half of the acoustic duo and the caller for the barn dance band, we don't have a problem with conflicts there. There have been a few times when the covers and the barn dance bands have been booked on the same date, so I've played with the covers band (I'm not quite as essential for the barn dance band).

However, the future Mrs Zero and I would like to expand the duo to a 4-piece and start gigging it more, possibly doing functions, so I think that the covers band may well go by the wayside at that point.

I was recently approached by a guitarist that I'd played with many years ago (which was nice as I'd been wondering how to contact him) who wants to replace the bassist in his band (rather unreliable apparently), but when I considered their gig calendar and everything else that was going on, I had to turn him down.

[ahpook]

how many is too much ?

it all depends on how much time and energy you've got i guess. i'd be inclined to give it a go with the guitarist friend and just be honest if it turns out to be too much...you're only human.

i'm in 2 1/2 bands...all originals. it's hard work, but i'd rather busy than not.

[ianwild16]

I thought the most obvious number of bands would be two -
an originals band and a covers band.
One to satisfy your creativity and one to earn some dosh?

At the moment I'm just about to join my second covers band.
Both bands share approx 50% of their sets.
If a set is 2 x 45mins = Approx 25 songs, plus another 5 as spare/encores,
that would be about 45 songs i'd have to know for both bands.
Sounds quite a lot.. although some are 12 bar blues tunes and others are just chugging away on root notes....

[Funkmaster]

I'm in three - 2 of which are R&B/rock/blues/covers - one ceilidh band.

I run the diary for the two rock covers band so clashes are rare but when they do happen one band at least will happily use a stand in. There's a group of bass players who they call on when I'm not available. It works out OK mostly.

David

[tombboy]

1 is plenty for me!
When you work about 70 hours a week and also have a wife & four kids I even struggle with JUST the one!!
How do some of you guys manage it is beyond me!

[Muppet]

Two for me (one originals, one covers) but I also dep for a couple. I also have a couple of deps for when I can 't make it. A lot of drummers and bass players seem to be in more than one band so in our city we share band members around a fair bit to covers absences.

[Bilbo]

9.

Its not the number of bands that matters but the expectations of each.

I play in about 9 different bands (not including free-lance work) but, because I read music and know how to function with an adequate chord chart, the rehearsal issue is less intrusive - I mostly only go out to gig. The bands that rehearse have to wait until I am free or until there is an imminent reason to rehearse (i.e. a gig or recording - some of these bands only do 4 gigs a year). All those hours learning to cope with dots and scales and theory are paying off. I am out 12 nights in April.

I also have a day job and, yes, the gigging does get in the way but when the gigs are bringing in as much as some people earn in a month, the complaints are more measured.

I also think that rehearsals can be used in a more creative way than everybody attending all of the time - I find that, as a bass player, a lot of rehearsal time is spent playing back ground noise for other people to learn tunes to - i.e. I don't need the rehearsals but the rest of the band do. So why do I have to give up one evening a week to play over and over again a two bar riff I learned three years ago? Also, learning parts takes a lot longer of people haven't got their basic skills sorted e.g. limited technique, weak harmonic knowledge etc. So those of us that can nail stuff in two or three runs are standing around while the weaker members of the band learn parts they should have nailed long before the rehearsal started.

As I said, t's more complicated than how many.

[johnnylager]

[quote name='barneythedog' post='163657' date='Mar 26 2008, 11:45 AM']So what do you all think - how many bands so you play with, and is one more a bridge too far? [/quote]
Can you get away with playing every night? If so, do so!

[BigRedX]

I wouldn't want to be in more than one band where I was supposed to make any more contribution other than turn up to rehearsals and gigs and play my bass. Also If you play in more than one band you should have an order of priorities for the bands and for everyone to be aware of them.

When I was playing in two bands what I considered to be my main band had to have flexible rehearsal days due to the other member's commitments. That meant that occasionally we would need to rehearse on the same day that my second (covers) band always rehearsed. Everyone knew that my main band came first and if both bands had rehearsals booked on the same day, then I would be with my main band. So long as everyone is aware of your situation and priorities go for it!

[tombboy]

Playing music means the world to me but I wouldn't play to the extent of overkill. I have much more important committments than bass and although I would be disappointed if I had to give it up, I would have to prioritise the Family and work, as any person would.
For those who are lucky enough to make a decent living out of playing bass..... how I envy you!!!

[NowVertical]

I handle four bands (a mixture of originals and cover bands) and the odd bit of depping (including a couple of gigs with Modern Romance, anyone remember them from the eighties?) and I still find myself being frustrated that I am not rehearsing enough or that all my musical interests are not being fully covered.

However I have built these four up over a graduated period of 14 months:

[b]Pros[/b]

- My playing is improving by the month.
- My network of contacts is increasing (I am now fortunate enough to know and be able to call on 5 excellent drummers - a bassists dream scenario).
- I am happiest when I am playing (sorry for that comment to my long suffering partner) so I am happy more often.
- Capable of turning my hand to a wider range of styles.
- Wider range of influences
- It gets easier to absorb/learn/develop new material - it seems my memory has just tuned into being able to store and recall at will.
- Some great new friends

[b]Cons[/b]

- The busy weeks (especially if prolonged) can play hell with any other interests you may have and can be particularly unhealthy for relationships with non-musical partners/friends.
- Tiredness, I like many of us have a day job and all those late night drives back from gigs/rehearsals can play havoc.

The above are manageable to me but the biggest con in my mind is:

If they all take off...Prioritising people! - I like all the people I play with (I would not do it otherwise) but some bands are just more musically where I want to concentrate on, so when conflicts occur it is all very well being objective (or is it just selfish?) about what is best for my bass playing, but hey these are people I know and respect and they should not belong on some pros and cons table.

[b]Advice[/b]
I think there is always room for more if:

- You are playing with a range of bands with different levels of intentions (i.e. Fun through to “making it” - whatever that means).
- You graduate the take on of longer term bands so that you have broken the back of the learning curve of one before picking up the next one.
- You are upfront with them when you first discuss playing with them.

...With honesty and decent scheduling etc people might be inconvenienced occasionally but no one should get hurt.

If on the other hand you play even just for two and both are putting their heart and soul solidly into that one project and you have not been upfront about where your priorities are...at some point you are going to have to make a decision that is gonna hurt/frustrate someone and that's just not cool...although some would say that's just business but I for one get enough of that mindset from my day job.

Edited March 26, 2008 by NowVertical

[The Funk]

I'm in two originals. I lead one and take a back seat in the other. It's fine for now but the guys in the "other" band know I'm a temp to fill the role until they find a bassist of their own.

I wouldn't mind playing some covers function gigs as well with my originals band but under a different name.

To be honest, leading one band is enough hard work - especially when you're working full time.

Edited March 26, 2008 by The Funk

[chris_b]

I'm in 2 pro bands (a rock/blues band and an acoustic duo), two semi pro bands (a covers band and a blues band) and regularly dep for 6 other bands, plus anyone else who calls up on a free night.
The main thing is to get the rules right. You must only use one diary and have a pecking order that everyone understands and agrees to. Mine is the order above and I can put deps in to all but the main pro band. Gigs always outrank rehearsals.
I only rehearse with the main pro band, this one really has to be tight and "on it". The others are a little more relaxed and will send MP3's or CD's through the post to be learnt at home or we just turn up with chord charts to read on the night.
I have a lot of playing years behind me which makes it easier to fit in to any playing situation and I find my 60's soul playing style fits where ever I go.

[steantval]

I would like to see this from the other side of the coin.

I was in a long term band doing very well until the guitarist decided to get involved in another band, the drummer was then playing in two other bands and the vocalist was also involved in another solo project.

It ended up being a bloody nightmare and no longer any fun as we were cancelling more gigs due to double bookings because the other three could not keep their diaries up to date.

The outcome of this is that the band has now folded.

I am currently in the process of forming another band and have made it abundantly clear that all the musicians have 100% commitment to this new project, being involved in other bands will not be an option.

Maybe I have just had a bad experience due to the incapabilities of other people and my thoughts are if you want to get involved in other projects you have to be really on the ball and super organised.

[obbm]

[quote name='steantval' post='164142' date='Mar 26 2008, 10:33 PM']I would like to see this from the other side of the coin.

I was in a long term band doing very well until the guitarist decided to get involved in another band, the drummer was then playing in two other bands and the vocalist was also involved in another solo project.

It ended up being a bloody nightmare and no longer any fun as we were cancelling more gigs due to double bookings because the other three could not keep their diaries up to date.

The outcome of this is that the band has now folded.

I am currently in the process of forming another band and have made it abundantly clear that all the musicians have 100% commitment to this new project, being involved in other bands will not be an option.

Maybe I have just had a bad experience due to the incapabilities of other people and my thoughts are if you want to get involved in other projects you have to be really on the ball and super organised.[/quote]

+1.

I too have serious reservations about commitment when others are in more than one band. There are issues like which band takes priority when gigs are offered and "I don't want to do that number because we do it in my other band".

[jwbassman]

2 regular bands - 4 or more irregular bands

My main band is the big band - reading gig, rehearse pretty much every Sunday, unless we're gigging, we used to play one regular gig a month plus any other bookings, approximately once a month. Playing with Liane Carroll later in the Year and also appearing at the Wigan Jazz Festival - [url="http://www.swingshiftbigband.co.uk/gig.asp"]full dates list here[/url]

The blues rock trio - no dots for this one and still at rehearsal stage with this but me and the guitarist go way back - try and get together at least every other week (Saturday, it's big band on Sunday) sometimes every weekend - when we're ready we'll do a 'few' gigs as and when we can. Done a fair bit of recording for this project along the way too

Show band - 3 or 4 shows a year - reading gigs usually takes a week out of my life but there you go, playing every night is great - plus band calls and dress rehearsals etc

Deps - with other local bands - usually reading gigs, if I'm free I'll do it, as previous mentioned, probably happiest when I'm playing

Smaller trio/quartet/quintet, jazz/function/wedding/charity type gigs - as and when they happen, not too often but always an enjoyable experience - again if I can I will..

Plus a full time job (lots of hours here), no kids just yet but have a feeling that won't be far off, not sure what's going to happen then...

Play as much as you can manage, but don't overdo it

[stingrayfan]

I was in two cover bands once and got confused. So now it's just the one.

[terryblyth]

[quote name='steantval' post='164142' date='Mar 26 2008, 10:33 PM']It ended up being a bloody nightmare and no longer any fun as we were cancelling more gigs due to double bookings because the other three could not keep their diaries up to date.[/quote]

I appreciate you've had your fingers burned, but the above quote sounds like the reason things didn't work out - not because they were in other bands.

You may be limiting your field too much if you impose a "no moonlighting" rule. I promise you, there are musicians out there that can organise a diary!

[tonybassplayer]

Just joined my second band playing rock covers with a great bunch of very enthusiastic and fun to be with guys with weekly practice aiming to do two to three gigs a month max which hopefully should compliment my other band ( soul/funk covers ) nicely ( about 35 gigs a year )

If I am honest I have tried to push the guys in the soul band to do more gigs over the last two years but trying to get 6 people available at the same time ( we occasionally use deps ) seems to be bloody hard work and I have handed the diary responsibilities over to two others in the band who now appreciate the hard work it is ( but shouldn't be )

Looking forward to my new bands first gig

Tony

[markytbass]

At the moment I'm in one band but everyone else in the band seems to have other stuff on the go. The guitarist/singer has a solo project on the go and is in another band with the keyboard player. The keyboard player seems to be out every night, the drummer plays bass in another band and is revising for his exams. We havn't practiced for about a month but managed to get to an open mic night and play a few songs last week.

Due to the above I have started looking for another band as I can't see us taking off too soon. Not necessarily on bass, I have been playing tenor banjo for a few years now and think it would be a nice change to try something different.