General Music Chat

A. you claim to be serious and don't have a demo???

B. You are so picky that you leave no wiggle room for anyone but yourself

C. You don't respond to messages

D. want people to message you outside of Bandmix

E. You mention you influence(s) and when someone who offers what you appear to want you don't respond

F. You play one instrument but then list everything else you do. WHAT DO YOU PLAY BEST? WHAT INSTRUMENT DO YOU PLAN TO PLAY IN A BAND.

I realize I have asked some of these questions before, but it is harder to search for a member when you list too many instruments. Unless you could actually play all of them good enough to be in a band but there's a real good chance you can't play them all at once. So pick ONE.

The limitations of people who are musicians (or claim to be) x the very bizarre software/ programming on this site = most of the problems you're experiencing.

I realize I have asked some of these questions before, but it is harder to search for a member when you list too many instruments. Unless you could actually play all of them good enough to be in a band but there's a real good chance you can't play them all at once. So pick ONE.

I suppose the "play all of them at once" part might care away a few. Musicians don't post to your criteria.

Some are versatile and can play multiple instruments and sometimes do in a good many bands. Some play Sax., fiddle, bass, drums, keys, banjo and do great vocals. I'm not sure if I have ever met on be who plays all at once.
Yet bands who hire those people can expand their compositions to include other than the musicians main instrument. Haven't you been around the block enough to have met any of those folks? There are a good many of them around here. Not being a wise ass but that comment is an insult to a some. If they are good on all of them what manner of problem do you envision with that? Bill Holloman is one. He plays great sax, killer keys, and other instruments. Don't shut a guy like that out because he lists several instruments. Just ask which one he is best at playing. Most Nashville cats play a whole lot of instruments even in the recording studios down there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr7-44EMYWw

A. Some people do not embrace technology well - they just don't have anything recorded, might have played in cover bands and the only recordings/videos suck, or don't even show the person. I almost didn't give the guys I'm with now a chance because they didn't have anything on line I could review - and I've been burned by others enough that didn't either, so have learned my lesson. But you never know...

B. Hey, if a person has buttonholed themselves into a certain niche, and it's not what you are looking for, move on!

C. With BM, they may have turned off the email notifications to let them know when they get a message, and don't check back because they are no longer looking for a band/members.

D. See C)

E. See C)

F. As Schmeddy points out, the BM software sucks, and doesn't give a 'primary' instrument(s)/secondary instruments option. But the fact is some people DO play multiple instruments well enough to offer them up. In my new band I'm playing guitar, bass and keyboards - no, not all at the same time (duh, how stupid are you?). This type of ability brings a lot more options to a band. In my previous Beatles tribute band (who found me through this place) I was playing guitar and keyboards - sometimes both in the same song, but not at the same time.

Just speaking for myself, but...

A. Yep, it's much easier to pass on someone who doesn't have any clips posted. Don't care about photos myself (others do), but actually hearing what someone can do goes a long way.

B. Not sure I follow this. On my page, I list what type of music I like to play (altho I listen to anything from country to zydeco), which should discourage anyone who needs, say, a synth player for their heavy metal band. I have little interest in being a 'hired gun' who will play whatever anyone needs. Too old for that, I guess.

C. I reply to messages that are not either spam or obvious cattle call (cut-n-paste) queries.

D. I see little value in paying every month for a subscription on the off chance there might be someone I might want to contact. For anyone else who doesn't see the need to have a paid acct. (the majority of folks in BM), providing an alternate contact method (phone, email) is very useful and expands the possibilities. If you do have a paid account, ok; send me a msg. and I'll get back to you (see C, above).

E. There could be any number of reasons why someone doesn't reply; if there's anything I've learned in life, it's that you can never count on what someone else might do (or not do). Assuming they agree that you're someone "who offers what [they] appear to want." Don't take it personally. Move on.

F. We've talked about this before, and the points made about the limitations of the BM software and the fact someone just might be skilled on multiple instruments are legit. I can play multiple instruments (piano and guitar, mostly), but only list piano on my page. That I can play a guitar reasonably well is a bonus, but I'm not holding myself out as a guitarist. Others might see it differently, tho.

Once you've been around a while, you'll become more efficient in terms of who you try to contact (which will increase your response rate) and won't bother w/ 'shots in the dark' (i.e., profiles that have no clips or vids, no alternate contact method, haven't logged in for more than a month and/or have only the most basic info). For the folks who list multiple instruments, you can always ask what they are looking to do--assuming they are active. You'll understand why most of us are unpaid members, and you'll see the value in sometimes paying for a single month when it's worthwhile to do so (i.e., after you've screened the profiles of folks in your area who provide the info you want and who have been active recently). If you have a good page that avoids all the issues you note, folks who are interested will contact you, and despite having a free acct., you can reply. Many folks come to the forum to grouse about the very issues you raise, but it's a simple matter of having the right expectations. Which comes with experience.

Unless you could actually play all of them good enough to be in a band but there's a real good chance you can't play them all at once. So pick ONE.

i have several instruments listed on my profile page and as it happens... i do play different instruments in several working bands....

elec bass in a honky tonk band

upright bass in a rockabilly band

mandolin, and dobro in a bluegrass band

and guitar and vibraphone (and sometimes marimba when there's room for it) in a jazz band

i'm not saying i'm any good on any of 'em....but listing just one as my "main instr" (which i DO think would be a good thing to be able to specify here on our BM profiles) would possiblly cause me to be ruled out of a possible gig on one of the instruments i DIDN'T specify as my "main instr".

There are limitations to the site that could be fixed or more specific. I'm not necessarily "seeking to join a band" for instance, more like looking for people to possibly jam with, but that's not an option.

As far as the instruments, I'm primarily a drummer, but I'm also *decent* at guitar, bass, and vocals and have played in bands over the years in each capacity. The 5 demos I've uploaded were all recorded on sub-par equipment at home, but I play and sing every part - on some tracks 3 different guitar parts, drums, bass, vocals and backing vocals. So I would never think twice about someone listing multiple instruments.

Well thanks for all the feedback. Not all of it is as bad as i may have made it sound. I guess i just figured with a paid site i would weed out the flakes and find more serious/ mature players/people. I do realize there are exceptions to playing multiple instruments but for thd most part it is the way the site is set up. I do think a primary and secondary selection would help. I enter singers and drummers pop up. Also some of it is the way some set up their profile. I found a guy who list vocals as an ability but you read is profile and he states hes a horrible singer. IDK. Perhaps i just dont have the patience any more. Im 49byrs old and from the ages of 14 to 28 music was all i did. I was pkaying the roxy, troubadour etc when i was 15 yrs old, entering and winning guitar contest when i was 21. I spent much of my life chasing the dream. Auditioned for ozzy, MSG, Halford, to name a few. My band came close to signing twice. So recently i told myself, whubdid i start playing at thr age of 11??
Because it was fun, so now i just wanna recapture that feel. Not trying to suck my own dick but sometimes its tough cause i feel like im going backwards. I guess its like Barry Bonds playing coed softball. Not quote though but i think you get the idea. For what its worth thanks again for the input. And i will keep that in mind. I have found a really kool bass player though so i guesd i cant complain too much.

Mike_krunch,

Now that you've met the welcome wagon are you going to hang around a while?

Mike_krunch,

Now that you've met the welcome wagon are you going to hang around a while?

Please do!

I realize I have asked some of these questions before, but it is harder to search for a member when you list too many instruments. Unless you could actually play all of them good enough to be in a band but there's a real good chance you can't play them all at once. So pick ONE.

One word: Looper

I realize I have asked some of these questions before, but it is harder to search for a member when you list too many instruments. Unless you could actually play all of them good enough to be in a band but there's a real good chance you can't play them all at once. So pick ONE.

One word: Looper

Not quite - you're still playing one instrument at a time, just swapping them out after laying doing a loop. Loopers are a gimmick (which some use quite successfully)

Many thanks for your post
animeyt