General Music Chat

I've encountered more than a few guys who basically say they won't play at open mics, will only play for paying gigs. Of course they aren't playing out at all, either! In my mind playing in front of people is better than sitting at home diddling with yourself!

I did 4 songs Saturday night with one of the open mic hosts (I mentioned he had asked me about doing a duo act a couple of weeks ago). Will do a couple more this coming Thursday. I'll leave it up to him if he wants to pursue it further. I think I showed I can play anything he comes up with (frankly I think he's a little sloppy from having done mostly solo stuff for a few years). We did Grateful Dead- Friend of the Devil and Ripple, the Band's The Weight and All Along The Watchtower.
I also played 2 songs with a young lady who was a first-timer at this open mic, very good voice, rudimentary guitar skills. We did Midnight Hour, then she invited a young drummer to assist and we did a Bob Marley song. I had never played either song before, but neither were difficult and the crowd got into it.
Also did 3 songs solo, so a busy night for me!

I've been contacted by another guitarist from my CraigsList ad, he's got nothing on youtube or anything recorded, so I would have blown him off except he is engaged to someone I worked with 15 years ago, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and get together with him next week for an hour to see what he's got.

This week open mic on Thursday night, concerts to go to Friday and Saturday nights (Virginia band Carbon Leaf both nights), then the first meeting of a songwriter group Sunday night. Have Thursday, Friday and next Monday off from work, so I'm going to do some work improving my home studio - building some bass traps and insulating the ceiling for sound, too, and hopefully get some recording done.

My situation is entirely different.
Though at times we receive monetary compensation ( or maybe just a great meal with good people ) sometimes we do not.

We play out fairly often, and expect with recent contacts this will increase substantially.

Bringing it out is our main function.
In what ever format or situation that happens to entail.

Well different strokes for different folks.

I would rather someone tell he up front they play for money, than get involved and then quit cause there is no money, its just one issue you need to fully discuss before making a committment.

These days most people that i talk to about playing are actively playing for money, none of this BS lets put it together and see what happens.

On the filp side I am slowing down at work, and there is an open mic deal that I have been to a couple of times, its on monday nights, dont know if Im up to it tonight. The thing is the guy that leads this one is in one of my favorite bands in Memphis and when you go to his open mics, for the most part you have other folks playing that are really playing some and not just talking about playing, many come from working bands just blowing off a little steam on a night off. So I think I will start going to it.

And that is the real deal of it all isn't it.
We do music for different reasons and in different seasons of our lives.
And always subject to change, or not, on a whim.

I am playing New Year's Eve for free basically.

I do it because I like to perform and because I want to.

If you like sitting around at home, waiting for people to come to you, then you are golden. The rest of us have to do what they have to do to get what they want. It's that simple.

And there will be no requests, just like there will be no acoustic guitars. lol

"If ya don't like it, there's the door".

I have been playing in bands since high school (1977). I have ALWAYS been able to get the band paying gigs. Not one band I have ever been in that was ready to play out had to play for free. It is not rocket science. You get a group of musicians together that get along and want to play professionally you make a song list learn the songs (at home on your own) show up for a few rehearsals work hard and your ready to gig. Having said all that gig availability in your local may vary. At that point you do what you have to and get some PAYING GIGS!
As I get older I am running across the guys that kept their priorities in order. By that I mean gave up music got their careers underway and achieved success. Now they want to be rock stars. I did them both at the same time. Still I say do what makes YOU happy but please understand that other folks may see things differently.

I have been playing in bands since high school (1977). I have ALWAYS been able to get the band paying gigs. Not one band I have ever been in that was ready to play out had to play for free. It is not rocket science. You get a group of musicians together that get along and want to play professionally you make a song list learn the songs (at home on your own) show up for a few rehearsals work hard and your ready to gig. Having said all that gig availability in your local may vary. At that point you do what you have to and get some PAYING GIGS!
As I get older I am running across the guys that kept their priorities in order. By that I mean gave up music got their careers underway and achieved success. Now they want to be rock stars. I did them both at the same time. Still I say do what makes YOU happy but please understand that other folks may see things differently.

You're good enough to make mediocre musicians in a band sound good. In my past experience a good picker raises the bar for everyone.

Gotta pick and choose sometimes
Played a fest last year -no pay -but got in front of 600 +
Great sound system and a very receptive crowd
It was good for us -gonna do it again this year.
That being said the band needs to get paid .... quality band mates want to get paid sooner or later ....
If its later good chance it will be with another band.

. We did Grateful Dead- Friend of the Devil .

We just started doing that one again - we do it sloowwwwwwwww.
You have a recording of it ?
I would like to check it out

Show me the $$$ honey.

. We did Grateful Dead- Friend of the Devil .

We just started doing that one again - we do it sloowwwwwwwww.
You have a recording of it ?
I would like to check it out

No recording, sorry. Did it at original album speed.

Not one band I have ever been in that was ready to play out had to play for free. ..... Having said all that gig availability in your local may vary. At that point you do what you have to and get some PAYING GIGS! ....Still I say do what makes YOU happy but please understand that other folks may see things differently.

Got to remember I am not talking about a BAND playing for nothing. I'm still trying to FORM that band/act. When/if that happens, we'll be looking for paying gigs, and only do an occasional open mic to show ourselves to places (or to get videos of us playing). The gig situation is NOT healthy in this area because there are SO MANY bands/solo acts here. Running an open mic (while still a lot of work) gets you almost as much money as doing a gig and having to sing/play for 3-4 hours.
My point was (vs the guys who won't play at an open mic) - I beleive its better to get out and play than to just stagnate at home - you're not going to get gigs by playing in your living room, it's that simple.

My point was (vs the guys who won't play at an open mic) - I beleive its better to get out and play than to just stagnate at home - you're not going to get gigs by playing in your living room, it's that simple.

Although I am in a band I host my own " open mic ' at a local studio.
I play a specific genre and its always good to have a pool of players to pick from ...
I do like to meet and network and jam ..... playing with diff musicains is good - build me strong like bull !
Works good for me
Check it out - pics and setlists - have a reverbnation page so the participants can hear what it sounded like
The Truckin is pretty decent for a pick up band !

http://www.reverbnation.com/masonschildrenjam

if you already have a name established like HALEY does although it is not "his band" so in effect it would not work for HALEY, but say HALEY owned the name Mission Imposter, he could then rent a music hall or as some say a venue, contact other bands with some notoriety or "fame" that are well known locally and followed per se.. you could start promoting the event with posters and social media, radio ads, newspaper ads like (Thrifty Nickel) publishing when, where, admission price, etc. and but however many kegs are necessary depending how many advance tickets are sold, and go from there, I was in money making bands that went this route and it was profitable, sure it could be a money losing operation too, if not promoted well, but with ESTABLISHED brands like Mission Imposter it would be doable,. of course HALEY has already pointed out it's not his band but I'll bet several of you guys have played in bands with marketable names and just use the name to draw a crowd even if using different personnel.. Bad Company does that to this day.. don't think there is one original member of Bad Company playing in it, but the name is drawing a lot of big crowds..

Ah NYE is going to be a rather large event and I have to admit, I got hustled.

But it IS better than sitting around and not playing.

And DeadGuitars, you are hitting me squarely in the HOO-HA.

Expected is 5-600 people. (HiC whaaat?) lol

From that point of view, I am just looking to be my usual weirdo(reads entertaining) self and have a good time. I got a shitty slot as well, but you KNOW how that goes.

"People best be on their game, cause I am going to wreck em if they don't come in strong and finish strong because I have nothing to lose".

Ever notice people that have nothing to lose are often dangerous?

It's because there's less stress and they aren't trying to prove anything anymore, they just want to what they came to do and do it well.

And if they crash and burn, they don't really care.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained".

Another thing for me is that I don't like open mic/jams. I hosted one for a while and I couldn't really stand it after a while. I never got gigs off the ones I attended. They generally have mediocre musicians at most who play the same songs over and over again. I just get bored at them and think I'd rather be home rehearsing more challenging material.