General Music Chat

I just posted on another forum for the first time...introduced myself, and explained that I believed in learning the material beforehand, rather than wasting valuable band time trying to figure out a song in a group setting. Being prepared makes sense to me, but I kind of got blasted for being "impersonal".
Apparently, I was asking too much. It's much more important to sit around b.s.ing and delving into each others' personal lives than it is to maximize the limited time we have.

And people wonder why they have to keep their day jobs. For every good (real) musician you meet (such as the folks on this site-not sucking up, just stating facts), there are 5000 posers, wannabes, etc. Sometimes I hate having so much passion for music. I'm beyond tired of getting kicked in the balls by pretenders.

We faced the same problem with another former member - we wanted to learn the songs FIRST before trying to rearrange them, and he was always trying to add something here and there before we got to really know the song.

I like having material before the band gets together. I like having a direction, rather than going at it all in some rag-tag fashion. I like working with ppl with defined goals, who are also open to new ideas, & yet are creative enough to come up with them, themselves, without being too hard-headed.

Those ppl are TOUGH to find, in any endeavor, not just music.

Most ppl either want to rule with an iron fist, or just go with the flow without putting any effort into it, or worse yet - the combination of the two.

It's been said again & again - a band is like a marriage, & one must choose his partners carefully. Many of us never find that perfect match, & have to compromise.

It's rare to see that perfectly oiled machine that Shredd has with HaleAmano, & when I see it, all I can do is acknowledge the melding together of perfectly matching parts...& envy them.

I like having material before the band gets together. I like having a direction, rather than going at it all in some rag-tag fashion. I like working with ppl with defined goals, who are also open to new ideas, & yet are creative enough to come up with them, themselves, without being too hard-headed.

THIS.SO.MUCH. I wish more people were on the same level as myself and the founder of our a cappella group. It would make finding and keeping new members much easier rather than going through person after person hoping to find a good fit. It becomes so frustrating!

For me it's finding people nice enough to hang out with that have that sensitivity for music, and it's a hard combination to find sometimes.
Then on top of that I want that feeling where everything clicks......

And that's Really hard to find....

For me it's finding people nice enough to hang out with that have that sensitivity for music, and it's a hard combination to find sometimes.
Then on top of that I want that feeling where everything clicks......

And that's Really hard to find....

Page by page in the same book here.

I feel so blessed to have people I truly consider my brothers as my bandmates.
We have FUN.

I think the problem when it comes to older musicians like myself, we dont want to go and learn a bunch of material with the idea of doin a handful of gigs.

Im 48 and have been playing since I was 12. I have a certain style so its hard to change.

Somehow you have to connect with folks that love that genre and are well versed in it. So many players I meet for startups really have no clue what it takes to be a working band.

I would suggest going to see bands in the style you want to do. I would think that other musicians who share your enthusiasm for the style would be there and just start asking folks do you play, or let established bands know what you are up to.

One of the bigger cover bands in our area is called. Dr Zarr and the Funk Monsters, basically they play disco/funk songs they dress the 70s part and are really good entertainers. They have developed thier own clientele. They also get a premium to play. Way more than my band does so they must be onto something. I like to go see them myself with my gf cause we get to dance and have fun at their gigs.

The best thing to do is get out there with bands doing what you wnat to do, it aint gonna happen sitting at home behind the computor screen wishing you can find the right people. The people you want are already out there trying to do it.

Good Luck and I think the funk angle is a killer way to go!

Alot of people think funk is some grey area of rock.

It can be hard to find musicians with the right attitude that can really play. Many gifted players have a bad night, start complaining about stuff like a brat and bring everyone down. Then a more mature, experianced player in the band recognizes the bitch behavoir and splits, killing the band.

The guy who split is the guy you want. He is realistic and just wants to try again.

Keep the funk alive.

When starting this post I didn't thank there would be this many replies I must say wow! Funk dealer your right some do think funk is some grey area of rock. It might be because of the likes of Little Richard and Chuck berry and other black artist back then starting the whole rock and roll thing. At least for me It started from gospel and blues music with Ray Charles then R&B which is a part of that then funk. James brown showed us were funk is coming from Larry graham showed us a new way to funk thumping plucking the strings. I know some call it bass slapping but hes the grand father of it. So thumping and plucking it is. P-funk showed us rock can be part of funk as one. and thats just a few. There are others out there. Well I ran in to a keyboard player I know from way back he wants to join the band. He plays funk and hes good real good so now I have keys now I guess things are starting to work out. But I wont hold me breath yet. I still need two singers. lol

[quote="joseph6"]I just posted on another forum for the first time...introduced myself, and explained that I believed in learning the material beforehand, rather than wasting valuable band time trying to figure out a song in a group setting. Being prepared makes sense to me, but I kind of got blasted for being "impersonal".
Apparently, I was asking too much. It's much more important to sit around b.s.ing and delving into each others' personal lives than it is to maximize the limited time we have."


I agree with this. Been there, done that, and I have little time to waste. Makes all the sense in the world to me for people to work on their parts as much as possible before rehearsal. If you are starting from scratch on originals, unless everyone has the equipment to share files before hand you pretty much have to be there to work things out. But I would much rather work my stuff out before rehearsal.

Sometimes band members hit hard times and need to talk to people who can listen, and if people in the band are close it's only natural they will share with the band. On the other hand, hard work can go a long way towards helping the mind and body in a tough time, so, makes sense to me to play the music.