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By the way, I know how networking works, but everytime I try to network with people in my area and ask around, I always reach a dead end. For example, around October or November of last year, a music producer who claimed he was into the music I enjoyed responded to my Guitar Center posting. Everything seemed to be going in a promising direction. He needed to work on one of his originals and he took me to the studio where he does that. This guy who was helping him put the finising touches on his song was the type of guy I was looking for. I tried to get with him, and see if I could network with him, but that wasn't possible. So I then went back to the original respondent, and see if I could meet some of his friends. But his friends were in their 50s and up and didn't play a single note of music. After that didn't work out, he calls me up and tells me that he's putting his own studio together where he would be the primary and the other guy (who I wanted to network with) was the secondary, and that it was going to be in Denhim Springs, rather than in Baton Rouge. I turn him down, and that's pretty much the last time I heard from him.

The same thing goes for a lot of the people who tried to help me on Baton Rouge Rocks. Quite a few guys on that site claimed they were able to introduce me to the guys I was looking for, but it turned out that every guy they introduced me to was already playing in a band or didn't like any of the artists I enjoyed or was too busy.

Also you've also got to consider this: music venues where I can take the time to talk with and make friends with guys in their 20s and early 30s who share more of my music tastes, and audition these given musicians, prefferrably one that takes place in a practice room.

You want to audition people just to get together and play for fun?

Also it would be nice to find music venues that are active during the day and are well-lit, rather than dimly lit clubs, bars and resturaunts. This is important because it helps me be less touchy feely and I can get a better idea of what people and the place looks like there.

Most music venues aren't very active during the day, because most people work during the day. Just a thought.

I get that most people work during the day, but I'm trying to reach those who work part time and get off work early, instead of those who work from 9 to 5, or those who work on certain days, and thus have certain days of the week off. And another thing to consider is that I would prefer a music venue that does it's Open Mic or music service on a Friday or Saturday.

"You want to audition people just to get together and play for fun?"

Yes! This is important because as mentioned before, I don't want to play with just anybody.

I want to see if they know a good portion of the songs I can already play and which I need help polishing up. I need to also know how well their understanding of music terms are, and whether they have the ability to read music and/or play by ear well and can use sheet music and chord charts as a road map.

"You want to audition people just to get together and play for fun?"

Yes! This is important because as mentioned before, I don't want to play with just anybody.

I want to see if they know a good portion of the songs I can already play and which I need help polishing up. I need to also know how well their understanding of music terms are, and whether they have the ability to read music and/or play by ear well and can use sheet music and chord charts as a road map.

Bull-Shit Clifford... You want somebody who can't see through your inadequacies... You are are terrified of being exposed and called on them... Unfortunately everyone you talk to spots the inadequacies and runs away from you... Here's a thought... Why not take people you meet... for exactly what THEY are. Accept THEM and maybe, in turn they will accept you...Al the good and all the bad... with no persecution... You go first! ( I cant believe at your age, you have to be told any of this... )

I want to see if they know a good portion of the songs I can already play and which I need help polishing up. I need to also know how well their understanding of music terms are, and whether they have the ability to read music and/or play by ear well and can use sheet music and chord charts as a road map.

OK, fair enough. When you put it that way, that makes a lot of sense.

But all your other expectations about these guys' lifestyle... you're basically asking for a miracle to occur, and it's not gonna happen. If you want musicians to play with, look for musicians to play with. If you want people to hang out with and play video games, look for people to hang out with and play video games. It's OK to do different things with different friends, you know?

I do get that, but I'm looking for friends who just happen to play pop and soft rock music, but at the same time, I don't want music to be the ONLY thing I do with these guys. I want to allow time to hang out and play video games, watch a good movie, heck, maybe even have lunch together. Something more valueable than just jamming.

"You want to audition people just to get together and play for fun?"

Yes! This is important because as mentioned before, I don't want to play with just anybody.

I want to see if they know a good portion of the songs I can already play and which I need help polishing up. I need to also know how well their understanding of music terms are, and whether they have the ability to read music and/or play by ear well and can use sheet music and chord charts as a road map.

Bull-sh*t Clifford... You want somebody who can't see through your inadequacies... You are are terrified of being exposed and called on them... Unfortunately everyone you talk to spots the inadequacies and runs away from you... Here's a thought... Why not take people you meet... for exactly what THEY are. Accept THEM and maybe, in turn they will accept you...Al the good and all the bad... with no persecution... You go first! ( I cant believe at your age, you have to be told any of this... )

Sir, I do accept people for who they are. I do take the good with the bad. However, if something isn't working out, or I can sense something isn't going to work out, I tell the person nicely that it's not going to work out and move on, and hope he does the same.

Based on my experience on past message boards, and various responses, I feel it's the other way around. How else would you explain the individuals who contacted me, showed an interest in playing music togehter, only to get screwed over later?

I do get that, but I'm looking for friends who just happen to play pop and soft rock music, but at the same time, I don't want music to be the ONLY thing I do with these guys.

You're getting ahead of yourself. Focus on the music first for now. Everything else can come later.

No! Music is JUST one of the many activities I want to do with this freind(these friends). I want to allow time to do other activities as well.

Also take note that I'm trying to find guys who can form friendships at a reasonable speed as well, and click. I'm looking for guys who are likeable guys and fun to be around.

No! Music is JUST one of the many activities I want to do with this freind(these friends). I want to allow time to do other activities as well.

Let me repeat that: Focus on the music first for now. Not forever. Just until you get to know them better and find other activities you're interested in.

Well, first I need to find a good place to make friends. Take note though, that I don't want to connect with musicians who are too serious and who want to ONLY play music with me. I want to take time to get to know the guy, and find other activities to do just in case the music thing doesn't work out, and thus see if I can network with him to meet the musicians I've been trying to reach.

Currently, I don't have ANY friends around my age who I can readily hang out with. And I am not in college (and don't have any interest in going back) and I don't have a job, so that also makes it harder.

WOW . . . Glambertinelli you are without a doubt the most pathetic human being I have ever encountered.

EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY word of advice is addressed with an EXCUSE!
Advice from musicians that have done things in their life! That know how to do network and get what they want! That have been in the business longer than you have been on this planet.

YOU are sickening and miniscule, and THAT is why you have never found what you are looking for.

Take these comments to heart, don't allow them to oppress you, adjust your Being and Life towards what you truly want.

Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and Jeff Healey would ALL kick your ass if they heard all your excuses (even though they were all COMPLETELY blind)

WOW . . . Glambertinelli you are without a doubt the most pathetic human being I have ever encountered.

EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY word of advice is addressed with an EXCUSE!Advice from musicians that have done things in their life! That know how to do network and get what they want! That have been in the business longer than you have been on this planet.

YOU are sickening and miniscule, and THAT is why you have never found what you are looking for.

Take these comments to heart, don't allow them to oppress you, adjust your Being and Life towards what you truly want.

Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and Jeff Healey would ALL kick your ass if they heard all your excuses (even though they were all COMPLETELY blind)

There is NO EXCUSE! The advice is solid, and I do appreciate the advice given. However, you guys aren't able to really relate to the type of friendship I'm looking for because you guys have a little too much experience hitting the bars, clubs, and well, doing things that are kind of dangerous.

If these were excuses, I wouldn't take the time to explain the problems I've been having or anything of the sort.

"Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and Jeff Healey would ALL kick your ass if they heard all your excuses (even though they were all COMPLETELY blind)"

Also STOP using those people as examples, because those people did not have the same goals that I have. Those guys weren't simply college students who were looking for a few special guy friends to play and work on some pop and soft rock hits, and play video games. They actually got into music to make money off of what they love.

"YOU are sickening and miniscule, and THAT is why you have never found what you are looking for"

Also what the heck? Where do you come off saying that? Sure, I've had a few bad experiences on Baton Rouge Rocks, and Craigslist, and turned down a large pool of musicians due to the fact that they were ONLY interested in playing music with me and didn't want to take the time to develope a friendship.

Although, I do laugh at the miniscule part, because I am a small guy, and look younger than most people in their 20s.

Well, first I need to find a good place to make friends. Take note though, that I don't want to connect with musicians who are too serious and who want to ONLY play music with me. I want to take time to get to know the guy, and find other activities to do just in case the music thing doesn't work out, and thus see if I can network with him to meet the musicians I've been trying to reach.

So say you're looking for people to hang out and jam with; they'll get that you're doing it purely for fun. If you insist on auditioning people just to jam, you're the one who's too serious about it.

Think of it this way: playing music with someone gives you something to bond over. Get together, jam a bit, find out what they're into -- there probably aren't too many 20-something guys who aren't into video games and movies. The nice thing about jamming is you have plenty of time between songs to hang out and chat.

Currently, I don't have ANY friends around my age who I can readily hang out with. And I am not in college (and don't have any interest in going back) and I don't have a job, so that also makes it harder.

Why don't you want to go back to college?

I am NOT looking for people to jam with. I want to actually find a few individuals who can help me polish up some of the songs I'm still working on, and to learn some new skills from, like songwriting, and how to utlitize other keyboard sounds and create my own dance-pop and synth ballads. Thus, by holding some informal auditions, I can get an idea if they have the skills I'm looking for and have similar music tastes. And this also gives the person who's interested, the idea that I might be interested later in putting together a collaborative project. I want to do something much more valuable than just jamming.

My music goals may not be immediate like other people's but that's because I want to take things a little slower. I want to make sure I'm doing this with friends who just enjoy spending time together, rather than making friends with individuals who just want to be popular, or individuals who play music they hate just to try to fit in with the rest of the music scene in Baton Rouge.

I don't want to go back to college, because I was doing a bunch of busy work and didn't really find any good life-long friends there.

I am NOT looking for people to jam with. I want to actually find a few individuals who can help me polish up some of the songs I'm still working on, and to learn some new skills from, like songwriting, and how to utlitize other keyboard sounds and create my own dance-pop and synth ballads. Thus, by holding some informal auditions, I can get an idea if they have the skills I'm looking for and have similar music tastes. And this also gives the person who's interested, the idea that I might be interested later in putting together a collaborative project. I want to do something much more valuable than just jamming.

If that's what you're looking for, why not find an instructor?

Nope! I've already got one to do something close to that with on Wednesdays at 4:30pm, but it's still unsatisfactory due to the fact that it's ONLY for 30 minutes and I have to PAY him for the lessons. But I am looking for someone to do something similar but without the time constraint, and in the interest of friendship, and allow time to do other activities, and of course, with someone who is in his 20s or early 30s.

Nope! I've already got one to do something close to that with on Wednesdays at 4:30pm, but it's still unsatisfactory due to the fact that it's ONLY for 30 minutes and I have to PAY him for the lessons.

That's usually how lessons work...

I know, but I don't think you are fully understanding what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a few buddies to individually play and work on some pop and soft rock songs with who is NOT a teacher. In other words, unlike a teacher, who you have to pay and who you have a designated time limit with, this guy (or these guys) would simply be guys who like the music I enjoy and who just enjoy playing music for fun and who enjoy teaching each other new skills together and learning new songs together, without having a designated time to end the session, thus giving us some time to do other activities, within the same day or on different days.

Man, I feel that that was kind of an unecessary explanation, but really.

I just want to say, thanks for what help has been offered, and I'm sorry you guys coulnd't help me with the specifics in helping me discover some good places in my area among other things.

So with that said, I won't be posting much anymore here. I'll just let my profile do it's job, and see if I can't discover something else somehow.