In multiple bands ? How do you manage your diary ?

[Les]

For a bloke dead set against having members who play in other bands I now find myself in 3 from January because my hand has been forced.

So, I know loads of you play in more than one band. How the hell do you make it work ?

Do you have many balls ups ?

ta

Les

[franzbassist]

Just keep a diary of rehearsals and gigs. In this age of smartphones, tablets etc., it's easy enough to do.

If you have family, a calendar at home may help keep track as well, to avoid double-booking gigs with family events.

I also always tell the bands that I'm in that they aren't my only gig. This has always worked well for me, but I would imagine that constant unavailability for one band could lead to being sacked, so try and make yourself equally available for gigs and rehearsals.

Just my thoughts....

Edited November 28, 2014 by walbassist

[Norris]

I'm only in one band but have to work around on-call sessions for work and family events. I use Google calendar so I always have everything on my phone and accessible from any computer. I then sync that with my work calendar and the one on the back of the door at home. I have to be meticulous or it's a nightmare

Edit: And yes, make sure all of your bands know what you are doing and what dates are unavailable asap

Edited November 28, 2014 by Norris

[stingrayPete1977]

First come first served and no pulling out from one band because another one offers you a better gig, it's the only way

[warwickhunt]

Google Calendar - all can share and members are told to block out other band commitments or family events/holidays etc. If it isn't in the diary then it is fair game to take a booking, saves ringing around everyone to see who is/is not available.

First in gets it - you can't go jiggling gigs around and cancelling/rearranging gigs to suit individuals or for the better paid gig... that way madness lies!

[Pinball]

I'm up front that one has priority in terms of practices etc but once a gig is in the diary from either band I stick to it.

[Raslee]

I find myself in 3 potentially 4 bands of late. If you become busy, which my functions bands has, then it's very worthwhile to be considering getting a reliable dep(s).

[ratman]

I'm in a few bands. On the covers & function side I have to prioritise Friday and Saturday nights for earning decent money, so pub gigs on those nights will get depped out. Any other night is usually on a first come first served basis. My originals band works daytimes so no conflict there. I'm a full time player, and depping on & depping out gigs is the norm. Yes there are some bands that don't like it, but on the whole it's accepted as part of life in this business. It also helps keep us all from going nuts playing the same songs with the same people night after night, I love the variety.
I'd say that maybe once every 2 or 3 years I have a problem with a double booked night that causes me a headache.

[JTUK]

The first gig offered thing only works if all the gigs are the same standard....
You can't expect a 'touring pro' to keep your gig free at the Dog and Duck
if he is committed/contracted to another unit. You have to reasonable
and also fair... If you want these people in your band..and you should, IMO..
then the diary and availability of other options is paramount. So, there will
always be a pecking order in this scenario.

The ability to keep a diary does indeed avoid a lot of hassle though...

Edited November 28, 2014 by JTUK

[The fasting showman]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1417160665' post='2617557']
First come first served and no pulling out from one band because another one offers you a better gig, it's the only way
[/quote]Same for me, luckily the 4 bands I'm in vary between being laid back and generally fairly badly organised. I can't moan too much though 'cos they put up with me working mon-fri evenings.
Martin

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Les]

Sound advice, thanks all.

I'm not a pro, we're talking 3 semi pro bands here. I've spent 3 and a half years moulding and beating my current band into a good unit that's in demand but one member has decided he only wants to do 2 a month now. The only upside of this is we are now pretty booked up next year with our 2 gig "allowance" so it's not so much of a free for all as those dates are in the diary to be worked around.

Band 2 is a sideline band for all of us so 1 or 2 gigs a month is acceptable to all.

Band 3 which I landed yesterday know the score and say they are happy to do 3 a month, although they are doing 6 in November.

I'm convinced this is workable and like you've all said meticulous diary keeping is the way.

Band 1 and 2 operate by Google calendar, with 1 weak link in each band I'm afraid, band 3 just doesn't feel like they could
operate one.

I have every confidence in my diary keeping, it's the others that worry me. And I totally agree that once a gig is in it's in, no juggling allowed.

Les

[KevB]

I buy diaries from poundland, smaller than a smartphone and you can carry them everywhere. You can even cross stuff out and put in revised entries. Amazing piece of technology. I even found one for 2015 with an outer cover that matches the tweed covering on my P bass case. The band also keeps a google diary but the bandleader is pretty crap at updating it so my 'hard copy' is frequently more reliable than the online version

Edited November 28, 2014 by KevB

[chris_b]

There are many reasons to prioritise gigs; a pro band, a better paying gig, a gig you prefer to do are all good reasons.

You can run a "first in book" system, but if the bands are unequal (ie pro v semi pro, originals v covers) you have to have a pecking order and gigs always trump rehearsals. Whatever you do give plenty of notice, find good deps (not too good) and be open about everything.

But most importantly, make sure you're enough of an asset to the band that they'll accept absences.

[Kevin Dean]

How do you find remembering so many set lists ? or do you sight read ?

[JTUK]

You aren't re-learning songs, you know the changes and you react to them as you know they are coming.
you are also comfortable with transposing keys and you have charts if you need them.

No one does standarsd in the same key... so be prepared to dive around...
That is the world of deps... and pick-up bands.
God knows how many songs you'll know... you just have to be able to play them
and can hear them as they come. And for ones you don't know, you'll need a system
to cover them.. if that is bass pad in whatever form, then fine.

[Les]

[quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1417184121' post='2617918']
How do you find remembering so many set lists ? or do you sight read ?
[/quote]

Sadly I don't read, wish I did. Reading would be unaceptable in all 3 of these performance scenario's anyway. Although I'm sure I'll have some notes taped to
my monitor for the first few gigs.

As to your 1st question I'll have to let you know in January

[chris_b]

I've heard most of the numbers but when depping I always ask for a set list so I get prior warning and can do some homework. I'd rather none of us had any nasty surprises.

I use chord charts for most of the gigs I do, although they are really only for occasional reference; keys, intros. endings.

We had a no charts rule for the originals band but no one else minds. The charts can be tucked away.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1417189194' post='2618019']
Sadly I don't read, wish I did. Reading would be unaceptable in all 3 of these performance scenario's anyway. Although I'm sure I'll have some notes taped to
my monitor for the first few gigs.

As to your 1st question I'll have to let you know in January
[/quote]

One thing I have found since learning to read (not sight read either, I am really slow at it) is that you dont need to have a stand in front of you and sit on a stool for it to be useful, I can 'see' the awkward runs or rhytyms in a song to some extent, I imagine those who do it well can almost see the whole song in dots!

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1417168954' post='2617665']
The first gig offered thing only works if all the gigs are the same standard....
You can't expect a 'touring pro' to keep your gig free at the Dog and Duck
if he is committed/contracted to another unit. You have to reasonable
and also fair... If you want these people in your band..and you should, IMO..
then the diary and availability of other options is paramount. So, there will
always be a pecking order in this scenario.

The ability to keep a diary does indeed avoid a lot of hassle though...
[/quote]

Unless you really are that good (by you I mean anyone reading this in general rather than you as such JT) then dropping a gig for a better gig will get you sacked fairly quickly IME, if the band is made up of a consistent set of members as a lot of the bassist's here probably are then the rest of that band would rather have a slightly less brilliant bassist that wont drop them in the poop last minute.

I have only pulled out of one confirmed gig as my brother anounced he was getting married that day and wanted our band at the time, the others were finding it hard to grasp that we either did my brothers gig or no gig (or at least not with me) at first!

[Truckstop]

First come, first served with me.

Luckily I don't rely on music as a main source of income so I can afford to say no to higher profile or higher paying gigs. I'd rather maintain integrity and dep the gigs out!

So yeah, keep a diary well and make sure you're straight up with all your projects.

Truckstop

[icastle]

For me, I run my entire 'music life' around a Google diary.

Bands I play in full time have access to it and it's 'first come first served'.

Depping and session work are handled slightly differently insofar as it's generally a phone call initially and I update the diary myself.

For 'regulars' I give them access to my diary and they can book slots as and when they want to.
There is a rule though - they book the time they think they need me for, not just block book an entire week to cover themselves and then expect to just pay me for a days work.

As for the material, it depends what it is.
In the FT bands I know the sets inside out so it's never an issue.

If it's 'covers only' dep work then I need a set list at least 24 hours before the gig and ask for any 'deviations' from the recorded key or arrangement are noted.
Depping for an originals band is a bit more work and I ask for either a rough recording at least two days beforehand or make it clear that this is going to have to be a 'best effort' arrangement.

Session work for me is generally singer\songwriter stuff and I like to sit in and listen to the material and discuss options before we get to the recording stage.
These guys and gals are usually working on a shoestring budget so I generally just charge them a few quid for the recording session and write off the prep work.

It's all doable, but you do need to be very organised and bluntly realistic about timescales or you'll make a complete fool of yourself very quickly.

[JTUK]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1417197619' post='2618164']
Unless you really are that good (by you I mean anyone reading this in general rather than you as such JT) then dropping a gig for a better gig will get you sacked fairly quickly IME, if the band is made up of a consistent set of members as a lot of the bassist's here probably are then the rest of that band would rather have a slightly less brilliant bassist that wont drop them in the poop last minute.

I have only pulled out of one confirmed gig as my brother anounced he was getting married that day and wanted our band at the time, the others were finding it hard to grasp that we either did my brothers gig or no gig (or at least not with me) at first!
[/quote]

Kind of.....
It is accepted that some players have a better gig than I can offer them... and so whilst I am pleased they will play my gig,
they will only do it if something better doesn't come along ( and by something better, I mean their 'main' gig that pays better
and is a better gig/show.. ) It might be a weekend set of dates and they may be committed to it after they took your gig..or they may just really want to do it...so as long as I know, and it is for a good reason..( which I agree it would have to be ) then that is the price you pay.
I'd do it... I understand there are ways to do these things and you don't just dump them right in it, but the choice is to have these players
available or not. I agree you can't be unreliable, but if they got the call to play a named gig, then they will do it...just as I would want to do it
should I be lucky enough to get offered one. It is not so much the money as function type money is good enough, but their gig might be
a 2000 seater or festival and all that that entails along with the prestiege. As long as people aren't dickheads about it, we all wish them the best gig.

[Kevin Dean]

up until about a year ago I've only ever played origanal stuff & have made up the bass lines myself , doing covers is very new to me & it's going to be a steep learning curve , I certainly couldn't change the key of a lot of bass lines on the spot & I don't have a clue what charts are ? Up until now I've had about 6 weeks notice of the set & the key changes .

[Les]

[quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1417210088' post='2618335']
I certainly couldn't change the key of a lot of bass lines on the spot & I don't have a clue what charts are ? Up until now I've had about 6 weeks notice of the set & the key changes .
[/quote]

You'll suss it Kevin. Unless you're depping changing keys on the spot won't crop up a lot. Does happen at rehearsals when the singer realises he/she can't actually pull it off in the copy key but then you are all in the same boat.

I had a bit of a nightmare at my audition yesterday doing a song I've done for years in my current band in a different key, I think because it's one I do the harmonies in I've very much comitted it to a muscle memory kind of affair.