Quitting, Why, When & How

[Bluewine]

1 hour ago, tb4sbp2 said:

The last 'real' band I was in was with decent people and musicians except for the piano/keyboardist. He was good at only one thing (other than being high constantly) and that was very fast honkytonk type of playing. Ask him to slow down or work out a passage and he was lost. Like a guitarist that is amazing at soloing but cannot play rhythm. But he felt like he was the 'musical leader' of the band. After going through a bunch of drummers we were working on a slow country ballad and the bridge part was very important for the female singer to hit the right notes to bring in the guitar solo. I had told the keyboardist and guitarists what the changes were and when he said that I was only the bassist and what would I know about chords that was it for me. I knew I could not work with him after that. Once I left the drummer quit and then the female singer quit so there wasn't much of a band to hold together. 

So to sum it up, be happy with the people you play music. 

Thanks for reading

I know where your coming from. Our guitarists are great at certain things but not learning material that involves an understanding of music theory or learning specifif parts. It's why I never make suggestions on how to improve songs we play or bring new songs to the band.

However, I knew that before I joined 7 years ago. I joined because they made money and gigged a lot and had a great front person which is still the case. Very few bands in my area want to gig much or make money from it.

Most ads for Musicians state "We all have day jobs and we're not in this for money"

Blue

Edited August 22, 2018 by Bluewine

[algmusic]

For me it was simply enjoyment, which was mainly driven by the band as a sum up people. Usually there has with been someone with delusions of being signed without the talent, pushing too hard rather than enjoying the journey. 

Someone taking it too seriously or not serious enough abs wasting time. 

For me now, I'd rather play functions or covers in a pub with some great people and food musicians than play with big egos who are signed.. Life is too short..

Good people, good music, no ego.. I'm there 

[Huge Hands]

12 hours ago, tb4sbp2 said:

The last 'real' band I was in was with decent people and musicians except for the piano/keyboardist. He was good at only one thing (other than being high constantly) and that was very fast honkytonk type of playing. Ask him to slow down or work out a passage and he was lost...

Wasn't Jools Holland, was it? 

[Hobbayne]

22 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

Surprised you even made it to the gig! Not knowing how to operate a PA is forgiveable but a "guitarist" not knowing how to tune his guitar, or a drummer not following a song, those are big red flags to me!

I guess I should have bailed earlier.

But we had lots of work and a big following. He usually tuned The guitars before I got there.

 

[radiophonic]

I've just given notice to a band that I've been involved in since I got back into playing  a couple of years ago. I'd intended to play the final festival gig we had booked this summer and then tell everyone, but then I started getting texts about availability for exactly the kind of gigs that have killed my motivation in the first place. I had to reply by text because i was away, but leaving them hanging seemed like a worse option. They are already trying to talk me out of it (draft video for the EP etc) so I expect the next rehearsal to be fairly stressful.

Unfortunately, playing some fairly evolved derivation of folk music puts you on the map of promoters who are really only equipped to put on singer songwriter types - one or two acoustic instruments and a couple of voices at most. They want us to play, but they don't want to provide a suitable PA or monitors. They want us to play quietly and they really want us to play acoustically. In other words they want a completely different band playing all our material rather than shelling out for a decent set up. Plus, endless floor singers. Don't get me started on the subject of floor singers. The real killer though was weekend rehearsals - I've got young kids, so giving up several hours on a Saturday afternoon is a big commitment and I'm the only one who is affected by it since we rehearse in the singer and guitarist (couple) house and everyone else's family is older and independent. The cost benefit just didn't add up.  The music is really good but everything else is a pain in the neck. 

On the upside., I'm already rehearsing with someone else (more sociable hours, I was already a big fan of their music and had seen them play a load of times and they approached me to try out). Three rehearsal in and I've got a gig next weekend. Plus I have a start-up band that is ticking over slowly in the background. I'm busy enough.