General Music Chat

After reading most of the post on this forum, looks like many of us are in the same boat.. I have been searching and was lucky enoughto stumble across a guy that could sing, not a singer but someone who at least shows interest and excitement by the idea so beggers cannot be choosers.

But as always still looking....

I had a steady weekly gig for six months, a I couldn't keep a band together. Now I just gig with whoever has a gig and wants keyboard. I get paid the same, and it's less responsibility.

IT TAKES TIME TO FIND QUALITY PEOPLE. I HAVE BEEN AT THIS FOR 30 PLUS YEARS. DONT DESPAIR OR GIVE UP HOPE. I JUST AUDITIONED NEW DRUMMERS,25 OF THEM. THEY WILL SELL DRUMS TO ANYBODY.LOL THE POINT IS #23 WAS THE GUY I WAS LOOKING FOR. IT TAKES TIME. BELIEVE IT OR NOT I FOUND MY GUITAR PLAYER AT A BLUES JAM. YA NEVER KNOW UNLESS YOU ASK. GODD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING. DAN :

The only good I can find in these posts is the fact that I'm not as alone as I though I was. I, too, have been playing several instruments for several years because I love music and what it does to people. Or should I say what it "used" to do to people. It's almost as if people don't care what they hear anymore. And as for finding musicians, many of the ones I've come across are only in it to try and be the "next" Metallica or the "next" Stevie Ray. Don't misunderstand me, there's nothing wrong with playing covers, but when that's the only reason you want to be out there, that's kind of sad. Where's the innovation? As Prince once said in one of his songs, "Everybody wants to sell what's already been sold." Why get out there and play the same cover songs over and over and over again? If people want to hear that, they can go buy the CD. At least this way they can hear the song performed the way it was meant to sound.
I've been up here in Central New York for two years now, and all I've come across are guys that get up there and play the same stuff. Nobody wants to be original anymore. It's all about learning someone else's song, the playing the hell out of it in an effort to be known as "someone who can really play" as quickly as possible. Just get up there and imitate someone famous. Don't try and make it on your "own" laurels. That sucks. So like one of the earlier posters, I got myself a computer based home studio and recorded my first CD last year, and now I'm working on my second. I'm playing all the instruments, I'm signing all the vocals, and I'm early for all the rehearsals. Works out great. Again, like an earlier poster, it would be nice to get with a group of other like minded musicians, but I'm not going to sit around waiting for it to happen. And when it does, they damn well better be worth my time. If not, I'll be the one who doesn't make it to rehearsal. Then I can score one for all of us serious musicians.

Jody, you said
" . . . . it would be nice to get with a group of other like minded musicians, but I'm not going to sit around waiting for it to happen. And when it does, they damn well better be worth my time. "
Hahahahaa,
I feel for you, guy, I know EXACTLY what you're going through.
And, by doing your own recordings, you have something to show for it . . . and the music is done just right, too, huh . . .

Yeah dude. When you do it yourself, it's guaranteed to sound just the way you want it. Truthfully speaking, I didn't realize how much I had to offer musically until I finished my first CD. Now, when I listen to it, I get all kinds of ideas for new stuff. And I don't have to wait for late band members in order to get it off. I play a variety of different instruments, so I do all the playing, all the programming, all the background vocals, etc. Everything you hear on my CD came out of my own head. So it's actually kind of fun, and it keeps me busy sharpening my playing skills.
And like I said in an earlier reply; if some group thinks they're going to get a ready made front man, and "then" expect me to play the background, they've got another thing coming. I've played with groups where nobody had any idea of what they were doing, and expected me to be the front man, since I knew quite a bit more than they did, but actually wanted the current front man to really do everything. In other words, if you want to join our sucky group, surrender all of your know how and charisma to us, but we'll use our own front man. Yeah, right...
It's not that I have to be the center of attention. If it's one thing I've learned from being in so many groups, it's how to blend. I do the background thing very well; only when there's someone there who does the frontman thing better than I do. I was in this one band where the only time they wanted me to "do my stuff" was when the frontman was bombing, which was pretty much all the time. Got old. So I bounced.

One thing about doing every track by yourself, at home: it raises your standards.
You know, like when you're listening to the track you just recorded, and you screw up your face and say something like, "Aww, s**t! I can do better than that!"
Take 2, take 3 and you've got it, but now you notice that there's a few other things you can do on this particular track, that' make it even better.
Take 4 . . .
. . . been there?
.
And, I don't mind sitting off to the side, either . . . more relaxing.

Totally agree with you there. There's a certain creative energy that's released when you don't have the sound engineer at some studio constantly reminding you, in one way or another, that time is money. When you're at home in the guest room, like I am, with your own home studio, you can do as many takes as you want in order to get that perfect sound that you, and only you can hear in your head. And eliminate the mistakes out of that otherwise "prize" solo.

Jody, man, I don't know if you realize it or not, but you're in heaven.
Stay there, and keep doing what you're doing . . .
There are probably 10,000 musicians out there that'd give anything to be in that position . . .
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Myself; I record in spurts. I'll record for a few months or so, then I'll work on new songs (without the computer) for a couple months.
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. . . there can come a time when you realize you're spending more time on the computer than on playing.
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It took me a little time to figure out when I should use the computer, or shut it off . . .
Sometimes it slows down my practice, and other times it helps my practice, by giving me the perfect sound to practice with . . .

Yeah. I realize that. I'm rather happy this way, too, as I'm somewhat of an introvert to begin with. It's just that people will hurt you if given the opportunity, so, I just stay away from them as much as I can. That way, I can concentrate on what I'm doing. I truly believe that I was put here to make music, whether I become famous or not. Besides, that's not why I do what I do. I do it because it feels good. If I make a dollar or two in the process, then it's all good. I will certainly be trying, as I have to eat too. That ascap thing you mentioned... you care to elaborate just a bit on how that works? You can send the reply to my e-mail. Thanks alot dude. Keep in touch. J.D.

yOU ALL ARE SOOOO RIGHT. iTS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND ANY BODY HERE IN pHOENIX, AND AT THE OPEN MIKE NITES, EVEN THOUGH THEY KEEP AFTER ME TO PLAY , YOU CANT REALLY EXPLAIN A SONG THATS MORE THAN 1 3 5 IN A FEW MINUTES TO 3 OTHER GUYS UNLESS THEY REALLY KNOW WHAT THERE DOING, AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY DONT. MAYBE WE ASHOULD PICK A SPOT IN THE U.S. TO MEET UP AND PLAY. WHISH WE COULD, BUT STILL i SEARCH. MARK.

It's nice to know I am not alone. It's almost demotivating to play music when you can't find like minded musicians to play. Thank God I have a studio.

Hi all;

Totally sucks trying to find fellow musicians who are serious about the craft as I am.......considering my present band has gone through 2 drummers in 8 months is totally weird.

Seems always an up hill struggle to find quality people and the demotivation it causes is difficult to deal with sometimes.

As we say in Quebec, Cest la via. (Thats life)

Peace

J

primal dust, you said:
". . . It's almost demotivating to play music when you can't find like minded musicians to play . . . "
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Keep learning your own music. Challenge yourself with stuff you can't play. Practice it until you CAN play it.
And then: challenge yourself again, learn something harder.
And then - practice some more.
And play out once in a while . . .
Maybe then you could stop looking; good musicians might find you . . .

At some point, though, if you want to perform your material, you are going to have to find band members. I've seen plenty of writers try to pull off a one-man-band thing with lots of prerecorded tracks, but unless they are a singer songwriter one-person act to begin with, it really falls flat.

Additional point....the synergy of other individuals can not only help your developement but in some cases can birth a whole new sound and music writing direction. You may not like them, But U2 comes to mind.