General Music Chat

You mentioned about interviewing 30 to find 3. I hope you don't have to interview that many, but a number of years ago I got tired of singing and playing bass at the same time. We had dozens of lead singers over to audition for many months and nobody had any kind of vocal power, so I resigned myself to continue doing the job. The next person who came over to audition was to play harmonica. Turns out he was a better vocalist than any of the vocalists. You might get a better singer by auditioning girls who also play an instrument? Just a thought...

Good idea, Bob.


BTW, I was enjoying the updates, Alan...I share your pain. I've got one guy (my brother in law) that I can count on, and he's still pretty much a musical novice (although we've played in TWO band together as well as done dou shows over the past six years). I live in a town of flakes-and for once I don't mean snowflakes!

Bob, 2 of the girls played guitar. One was an excellent guitarist, and the other was good.
Both had excellent voices.
So - I agree with what you're saying.
.
Joe, yeah, I was kinda enjoying doing the updates, too.
But I was starting to feel uncool about it . . .
.
I will say that one girl showed up at rehearsal tonight, and sang very, very well. I told her that if she's around Sunday, she can sing 3 songs for us at a local event. And - another of the girls is to meet me at that same event . . .

I read all these trials and tribulations and I wonder how we have been able to bypass the BS for the most part.

Must be blessed thus far. I don't believe in luck.

See, but I don't even view it as BS anymore.
It's like - if you want to play guitar, you need calluses. No big deal.
If you want to buy a loaf of bread - you hand some money over the counter.
It's not the stimulus that is the problem, it's our reactions to the stimulus.
No big deal.
My cost will be to interview 9-12 people to find the right one. My music is different, so my cost is different. That's just the cost of doing business for me.
That's just the way things are, and - oh well . . . que sera - sera.
.
I accept it, but I can also have fun with it; that was a partial point of this thread . . . the well-known & common excuses.
.
And also - the reasons someone won't work out in a band.
The 3 "ilities."
. . . personality, ability, dependability . . .
.
Some folks aren't experienced enough, but could develope their abilities with comittment to practice.
Other folks don't have enough natural ability to develope, no matter how much they practice.
But it usually boils own to how much of a commitment they are willing to make for music, and what they are willing to trade or sacrifice to make this comittment.
.
And if someone has a reason for not being able to do it, I accept it.
Sometimes folks give you reasons, and sometimes they give you excuses.
Sometimes the reason is lack of comittment or ability, and they just don't want to admit it, so they make an excuse. People make excuses to save face and that's fine. I accept their excuse, and I allow them to save face. They haven't fooled me; I'm just being nice about it.
You can tell what is a real reason, and what's an excuse, but in the end - it really doesn't make any difference, eh?
Bottom line:
Either they'll do it - or they won't. When they can't, - it's, "ok, next!"

That is a really healthy way to look at it brother.
Problem is, I'm wound a little to tightly sometimes.
Most days I'm like a duck, the rain just rolls right off my back.
(or my bald head)
Other days, my passions get the better of my upbringing and my training and then ...

I do my best to remind myself though that "I just want to play"

I can no longer allow myself the luxury of getting angry at people; I have a tendency to move violently when I'm mad . . .
So I let the anger flow around me, like water in a stream around a rock

Violent ... Unfortunately
Thankfully my Gung Fu training has also taught me control. Not just mentally but physically as well.
Intentional or not you have served as Sifu ( teacher )

Thank you.

I met one of the girls Sunday, gave her 2 of my CDs and some lyric sheets to learn the songs with.
She says she'll come to the next rehearsal.
.
Had a contact from another girl today (girl #9), who said she was ready to come to rehearsal tonight. That sounded good , until . . .
Turns out she wanted me to pick her up - (two - 2 hour round trips).
. . . I guess you know what I told her . . .

In the mean time, one of the girls has come to 3 rehearsals, is sounding good, and will be performing 3 songs w/ me at a local open mike, to see how she is w/ an audience.
.
Stay tuned . . .

Here's an update for the folks who said they were following this.
.
Thursday night I brought one of the girls to an open mike, to see how she'd react to singing in front of an audience (about 35-40 people).
.
She was understandably nervous - only 3 rehearsal, and all new songs (originals).
And the 1st song had some feedback, which made her jump. But she adjusted, and did quite well.
.
She masked her nervousness from the audience . . . and we got a rousing round of applause.
We talked after: I suspect that she's 'hooked.' She asked to do it again . . .
.
And this girl has come to 4 rehearsals (including one tonight), and is ready to sing about 5 songs in public.
All the songs are new to her - originals - and some of them are difficult to sing, so I'm pleased with her progress.
As far as I'm concerned, she's a "keeper."
.
Also tonight, another girl stopped in to listen, and she wound up singing parts of some of the songs with us . . .
It was pretty cool hearing 3 and 4-part harmonies . . .
.
One of the girls loves the jazz and folk songs, and the other leans towards the rock songs, humerous songs, and upbeat stuff. So - we have each other covered.
.
And did I mention that both of them can actually sing?
.
So - so far, so good.
.
Yet - I also placed another ad.
I want 3 girls. I'm not going to cancel any gigs because I'm depending on just one singer.
.
With 3 girls, not only do we get some great harmonies, but I can have 2 of them cancel, and still gig and perform any song I want, instead of just the instrumentals and the few sings which I or the harmonica player sing.
.
We do have about another 30 - 40 rehearsed instrumentals (I have written a LOT of songs), and we can gig without vocals; but that takes a pretty specialized venue.
.
So far, so good.

Congrats on your successes!

Sounds like you are well on your way.

Get those other 2 slots secured, and post something up for us, with all those harmonies! Looking forward to hearing something, when you get it all worked out bro!

And with 3 girls and 2 guys, all singing... you should consider doing, even just one song... something completely... "A cappella" maybe a 50's BeeBop song! That would be kickin'!

Thanks.
Yeah, there's actually 3 guys, now.
Guitar/vocals - me
Bass/vocals - Joe
Harmonica/vocals - Chris
.
We have started doing parts of some songs a capella.
I'll be playing, and when they seem to be locked into some good harmonious flow, I'll stop playing the guitar.
Then we coast . . . it IS sweet . . .
I let it flow for maybe a measure, and hit a chord here or there to keep us in key. But most of those songs are complex; I think it'll be another year before we do anything a capella.
(And - besides - I LIKE the guitar parts).