Marvin Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 All aforementioned online places have had some succes for me. You get the time wasters, delusional and plain weird but no more than in life in general Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 [quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1415807164' post='2603976'] If you're in an originals band and someone tells you what bassline to play surely you should politely tell them to go **** themselves? If you're new it doesn't matter how the bloke before played it. He's not here now is he? [/quote] I don't know about that. You arrived and a song was already there... shouldn't you start by playing "the song" first? The bass doesn't play on its own, if you change something it affects how what others play sounds too, and you may thing it's better... but the band may not agree. New songs? Hey, you have free reign, and the song will develop together, but existing songs... you are free to propose changes, of course, but don't be surprised if the band prefers it as it was (and they may have been playing it that way for quite some time), and it would be arrogant for the new guy to take the view "I change what I want, because it's my instrument and my idea is better"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1415898426' post='2605042'] No not at all. Sorry for the confusion. What I am saying pertains to what I know about the Milwaukee Market. We have several known top notch players who do not play without a fee. I guess there could be other good musicians that play for free. Maybe I'm just a different cat, I can't imagine a musician playing in a band at a bar for 4 hours and the bar is turning over money like crazy and walk out empty handed. Blue [/quote] No, I think you're right. I think the people who play for free might play 30-60min typically max. It's a "fun" gig. Playing four hours is a job, you'd have to pay me, especially if money is being made around me and I am contributing to the vibe. The longest gigs I play are about 2h, typically. We play originals, and most are about 45-60min, and maybe a third of all our gigs are longer (90min-2h). You don't get the very long gigs playing originals... We sometimes play for free (or for a burger and beers and petrol money if out of town), but we don't do many of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 On this side topic of recruiting online, for fun/no pay bands as opposed to gigging for pay bands. It's a lot of work to come up with a marketable 4 hour nights paid gigging band. You need a strategy to book the band, located in a decent sized market, musicians, plus a decent investment in sound and lights. I can see how that would be a big hassle for some. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 probably the main difference here is between covers bands doing 2 hour sets, supplying the PA, which I would expect to get paid for and an originals band probably doing 30 - 45 minutes as part of a multi band bill, PA supplied, which more than likely you're lucky to get petrol money for. I would imagine that even truly professional musicians that rely on playing for a living would be playing in some sort of functions band then maybe be in an originals band as well but wouldn't expect to make money at it, not when starting out anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1415898426' post='2605042'] Maybe I'm just a different cat, [/quote] I too, am that cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 [quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1415910924' post='2605239'] probably the main difference here is between covers bands doing 2 hour sets, supplying the PA, which I would expect to get paid for and an originals band probably doing 30 - 45 minutes as part of a multi band bill, PA supplied, which more than likely you're lucky to get petrol money for. I would imagine that even truly professional musicians that rely on playing for a living would be playing in some sort of functions band then maybe be in an originals band as well but wouldn't expect to make money at it, not when starting out anyway [/quote] I still don't get why originals bands don't expect to be paid. We started asking for expenses as a minimum from our 5th gig onwards, and these days we come away with at least enough to cover the day-to-day running costs of the band (rehearsal space etc.) as well as being fed and watered, and any left over goes into the recording and promotional fund. IME there is money available from venues and promoters for originals bands. However most never ask so they simply don't get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 My last excusion into originals got us paid as we had pro 'guys' who insisted on it or we wouldn't have had a band. And I wasn't going to trawl London without at least 'petrol' expenses. I didn't think we were alone in that as the promoters offices all had us in collecting the money. Sure, we worked very hard getting people there, but so did the other bands if I recall. Maybe we were just lucky...but we were lucky most times at places like the Mean Fiddler, Orange club and Ronnie Scott's so I don't get this originals can't get money thing... I agree that a lot of bands don't seem to bother with the 'business' side enough, IME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1415971009' post='2605700'] I still don't get why originals bands don't expect to be paid. We started asking for expenses as a minimum from our 5th gig onwards, and these days we come away with at least enough to cover the day-to-day running costs of the band (rehearsal space etc.) as well as being fed and watered, and any left over goes into the recording and promotional fund. IME there is money available from venues and promoters for originals bands. However most never ask so they simply don't get. [/quote] Well I did say when starting out, obviously if you can build up a following it makes a difference. But I agree with your asking comment, most originals bands are happy enough to get a decent support slot to a 'known' band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 There is a limit to how much you are prepared to fund someone's hobby. As to getting paid, it has little to do with how good anybody is and more to do with how much value they place on themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1415829555' post='2604343'] Yes, at this point in my playing career, I am in an established gigging band ( 3 years, band has been together for 8 ). I have no interest in [i]"start up" [/i]projects and would never join a band that was only offering a new,unproven musical venture. 30-40 years ago, sure. But not now. For me it's about;[list] [*]Fun [*]Gigs ( as many as possible ) [*]Decent respectable pay, I need the money [/list] Blue [/quote] Don’t you find that at least with ‘start-up’ bands you can control who you will be involved with and what direction the band will take?? In the past couple of years I have been asked to join a number of established gigging bands, none of which appealed to me. However in the same period I have started a band from scratch that is now playing out and doing far better than any of the bands that I could have joined. Also, if making money out of gigging is one of your main motivations then why are you playing bars with a blues rock band? Surely it would make more sense to join an established top 40 type band where you would get more and better paying gigs?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 (edited) [quote name='peteb' timestamp='1415983876' post='2605864'] Don’t you find that at least with ‘start-up’ bands you can control who you will be involved with and what direction the band will take?? In the past couple of years I have been asked to join a number of established gigging bands, none of which appealed to me. However in the same period I have started a band from scratch that is now playing out and doing far better than any of the bands that I could have joined. Also, if making money out of gigging is one of your main motivations then why are you playing bars with a blues rock band? Surely it would make more sense to join an established top 40 type band where you would get more and better paying gigs?? [/quote] No, that has not been my experience with originals bands. My experience has been, originals bands with great material but at the end of the day it was lot's of rehearsals and no gigs. There is no real market for originals bands in Milwaukee. My situation is a bit different. Our 70s style blues/ rock band gigs so much I doubt I would make more money with an agency represented top 40 type band. Per gig, I might walk away with $200.00 in my pocket instead of $100.00. Keep in mind some of these top 40 show bands only gig once or twice a month. Don't get me wrong if the right opportunity came along I would at least investigate. Also those top 40 vacancies don't show up everyday and here there a very clicky bunch. I'll tell you something else about those top 40 agency bands over here. It's where age and look seem to be a lot more important than how well you play. blue Edited November 14, 2014 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 [quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1415800239' post='2603897'] I wouldn't be in a band that had revenue as a goal. It's all about the art dears... [/quote] [i]"It's Art when the check clears"[/i] Andy Warhol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1416007122' post='2606210'] No, that has not been my experience with originals bands. My experience has been, originals bands with great material but at the end of the day it was lot's of rehearsals and no gigs. There is no real market for originals bands in Milwaukee. My situation is a bit different. Our 70s style blues/ rock band gigs so much I doubt I would make more money with an agency represented top 40 type band. Per gig, I might walk away with $200.00 in my pocket instead of $100.00. Keep in mind some of these top 40 show bands only gig once or twice a month. Don't get me wrong if the right opportunity came along I would at least investigate. Also those top 40 vacancies don't show up everyday and here there a very clicky bunch. I'll tell you something else about those top 40 agency bands over here. It's where age and look seem to be a lot more important than how well you play. blue [/quote] Actually I the new band that I was talking about is strictly a covers band, playing hard rock from the 80s / 90s. It does a lot better I on the pub circuit than the blues rock band, which plays a quite a bit of original material and tends to play all over the place, concentrating e on the ‘blues circuit’ i.e. dedicated blues clubs and lower down the bill at bigger blues festivals. The top 40s bands round here can make more money and get more gigs as they can play a far bigger circuit. The quality of these bands can differ from very capable to pretty poor, but a lot of them will earn if they are prepared to put the work in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 New band night tonight. In the end chance and asking people I already know have got this one off the ground. I bumped into a drummer I know in my local who asked me what I was up to and was enthusaistic to get involved. Good news as he's genuinely been my favourite drummer since I was a teenager and I never thought he would be interested. I've also got a mystery basschatter on board on guitar, Rog from the Jetsonics on keys and giving a vocalist friend of the 'guitarist' who sounds like a good fit a try out. God knows what it'll sound like but I'm sure it'll be fun finding out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Well... we have our first proper band practice with our new drummer this evening (as last week was his audition). We found him online, through a local musicians' site. The process [i][b]can[/b][/i] work, but a lot of it is down to luck. Band needing drummer at the same time as there are drummers looking for a band. I'm just pleased and relieved to be playing again after four months off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Good luck with your new drummer Conan. Sounds like he passed the audition. I'm simultaneously excited and bricking it at the same time to be starting something new. I realised I've been playing exclusively with the same drummer and guitarist for nearly 9 years now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 [quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1415789926' post='2603729'] Are you saying that you would never join a new, unproven musical venture? [/quote] Yes Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1415800239' post='2603897'] I wouldn't be in a band that had revenue as a goal. It's all about the art dears... [/quote] Were all different, I don't believe there's a right or wrong direction. However; [i]"I wouldn't be is a band that had art as a goal. I play bass for people that pay me money".[/i] Blue Edited January 21, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 [quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1421848504' post='2665693'] Good luck with your new drummer Conan. Sounds like he passed the audition.[/quote] Thanks very much! He's proving to be a very fast learner, and a nice guy to boot! I think I'd call that a result! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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