UglyDog Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1408528982' post='2531006'] Why is it always drummers that are so hard to find? far fewer people must play drums than other instruments or it wouldn't be so difficult to find a good one....[/quote][quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1408529430' post='2531011'] I can find drummers at the drop of a hat, it's guitarists and vocalists in particular I can never find.[/quote] Keyboard players. They're like hen's teeth. I tried to start an Incognito-esque jazzfunk outfit a few years back, and the project never got off the ground simply because we couldn't find an ivorytinkler. I put up adverts and had precisely 0 replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.c60 Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 I think it all comes down to putting the work in and being organised/reliable, as many others have said. When I have auditioned for bands in the past (covers, so makes the next bit more relevant) I have been amazed that I seem to be the only bass player who bothered to learn some of the setlist so we had something to play. Just turning up and standing there for five minutes going back and forth with "do you know this" - "no, do you know this?" - "no..." repeat ad nauseam does not lead to a happy time. Having said that, it does seem that bass players seem to be more organised generally. Something to do with being slightly obsessive, perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 [quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1408541278' post='2531203'] ...it does seem that bass players seem to be more organised generally. Something to do with being slightly obsessive, perhaps? [/quote] Definitely something. Perhaps it's because we're not in it for the glory like singers and guitarists..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 What are you looking for in a band? If your looking to gig, first it's better if you live inan area where the market is large enough for a lot of gigging activity. Also remember most original projects never stay together long enough to see their first gig. Get your name out there, don't stay at home, go out and talk to bands at gigs and let them know your looking. There's always a band on the verge of fireing their bass player. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 (edited) I've just spent 3.5 years putting a band together and finally got to the point where it is taking off.....what a nightmare. It never used to be this hard, when I was younger! I've been in many original bands since the 80s; all of these have been with people found through personal networking and this is infinitely preferable. This time I was putting a nine-piece Disco covers band together, from the start.....nightmare. I've never run a covers band before and didn't know enough people personally, who would be interested; so resorted to adverts in music shops, networking and online adverts. I reckon the best sites in this order are Gumtree, Party Sounds and Join My Band. Band Mix seems to be entirely populated by people who don't reply or it's a scam to get suckers like me to subscribe. Dealing with strangers has been both a blessing and a horror-show. I must have been through nearly forty musicians in these three years and very few have turned out to be what they say; and many have been useless at communication and preparation for rehearsals. Almost nobody has been prepared to help with all the admin, sales, technical and logisitcal tasks. Very few people say thank you for all your hard work either. Thankfully along the way I have met more decent people/musicians than the five psychotic devils or simple timewasters that I have had to kick out of the band. However, not until now have I had all great people and excellent musicians, all of whom are focussed, committed and have their act sufficiently together to make a band a success. Part of the change that has brought success is due to cutting the band down to seven piece last year; i.e. no more brass. I nearly gave up earlier this year, after the third line-up fell apart; then all the right people appeared out of the blue, all from Gumtree. Maybe this was the product of becoming more aware of what to look for and more ruthless in getting rid of people quite quickly if they appear like they might not to be cutting it. Probably the change is more down to luck and perseverance. So to the OP......be patient, persevere and luck will probably come your way. You can help make your own luck too, through good networking, advertising on Gumtree especially, listening to your instincts and being quite ruthless from an early point. If being ruthless doesn't come naturally (which it doesn't to me), just remember that all those timewasters and dickwads have been using you and your hard work from the start; and know that people who are prepared to work hard to make a band work will respect and support you more if you get rid of the deadwood ASAP. The bottom line is you will have to create and lead a band yourself, if there are no suitable bands in your area that you can join. The absence of a band to join may suggest that there is a need for your idea of a good band too. Edited August 20, 2014 by Bassnut62 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 I think it does depend on if you want to play covers or orignals too. IME anytime ive tried to go the originals route, its always been harder to get anything going. Whether thats just down to the mentality of people wanting to pay purely originals, i dont know. The two most successful, and by sucessful i just mean gigging 2 or 3 times a week, bands ive been in were always made up of people i know. The definite bonus of this is if someone isnt pulling their weight, theres no tip toeing around the subject. You can tell your mate exactly the situation. "Stop being a dick and learn the songs". etc I would say try and get people involved that you know, or know of. But i'm aware it isnt always that straight forward. The current band im in is all made up of people i knew. But of the 5 of us, i didnt know 3 of them played instruments before i started asking around. So ask around. Be proactive and get the word out there that your een to get something going. Cant do no harm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 [quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1408606623' post='2531640'] IME anytime ive tried to go the originals route, its always been harder to get anything going. Whether thats just down to the mentality of people wanting to pay purely originals, i dont know.[/quote] It's because instead of picking some songs you want to play from a list of thousands (and yet still somehow ending up with the same songs that every other cover band plays) you have to write them all yourself. If this isn't a slower process then your band is either soaking in talent or isn't very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1408661665' post='2532409'] If this isn't a slower process then your band is either soaking in talent or isn't very good. [/quote] :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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