Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

well, sometimes you just have to settle for people

My take...

- Let's be honest, it does take some talent.
- People actually have to be motivated to do something, several "somethings" (learn their instrument, the material, show up, get organized, right equipment, etc. etc.)
- You have to find people willing agree on the material - Death Metal! No, I want to do hip-hop. wait? what?
- Expectations need to be in the same ballpark-- e.g. just jam? gigs? record? tour? can commit the time?
- Getting > 1 person to play something decent as a "band" is far different than one person just jamming to a backing track or the original. (uh, how does this start again? Denny, you were supposed to come in there at the end of the solo -- DOH! )

As has been suggested in a number of similar threads recently, you just got to get out there and play! Find some open mic or jam nights, hang out at the local music stores, craigslist, do it all. It won't happen overnight, but keep chugging at it.

Go to where the musicians are playing, meet and greet...have your own act... find a stage... somebody who knows somebody will approach you eventually, or they will make it easier for you to ask them....

Danny Gatton and Roy Buchanan got gigs pretty easy living there.. but both of them committed suicide?.. Satan and guitarists mix like water and oil..LOL

jake_in_sterling wrote:Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm really just looking for people that are interested in playing live shows, that's my wheelhouse. Just seems like all everyone wants to do anymore is sit in their bedroom and record every idea they come up with. That would make me go crazy! I'm actually pretty open to different genres and styles, I've got pretty eclectic taste as most musicians do. I mean, I know DC isn't known as a hard rock mecca (biggest rock bands from here are Good Charlotte and All Time Low) or anything but damn I didn't think it would be this hard lol! I think I'll go to some local shows and try to befriend some people, that seems like a great idea.

Be tenacious ... if we can build a GODROCK band in jerkwater Texas.

You can build a band anywhere.

Nah it's not so tough. Just be good people and get out in public where others can hear you. If you are any good, people will seek you out.

neanderpaul wrote:

I got a new (used) one yesterday.

" Just seems like all everyone wants to do anymore is sit in their bedroom and record every idea they come up with. That would make me go crazy!"

Had it crossed your mind that when you play music live, it goes into the air and disappears? But when you record with a DAW, your music will remain alive for your children and friends and their children and their friends long after your gone.

Some people record for the legacy. Some to attain a degree of perfection, learning the aspects of recording, editing, mixing, and mastering. Some record to go beyond the present limits of their imagination, being able to compose, arrange, and come to some understanding of the scope of music that lies within them. All without being side tracked by the limitations of another musicians imagination.

Most of us enjoy doing both.

jake_in_sterling wrote:[If all the electronics fail, the only ones left standing are the ones who can actually play with other people.

if they have acoustic instruments!

Many people are 'born to perform', others 'born to create/write', way fewer are both.
I know musicians who are powerfully talented. They can copy another artist's licks and/or lines impeccably, or draw on their skills to improve/change those same pieces of others' music - yet they can't create an original tune at all.
Others are the opposite, they can compose and create masterpieces but either cannot perform in front of others, or have no desire to.

I think of Burt Bachrach, an outstanding composer (we used his work in a college music theory class as it could be drawn on for examples so easily) who had numerous hit songs - performed by others. He could go on stage and perform his songs - and did - but any song was so much better when he just played the accompaniment and let someone else sing it.