General Music Chat

We have an established, well-paid, highly sought after cover band, but we can't find one talented, committed guitarist in Cincinnati who can play jazz and R&B! What's up?!! Either they can't play well enough to keep up or they're too individualistic to fit the group dynamic. I thought keyboardists and soloists were the biggest premadonnas. I feel like I've come across some new breed of musicians. Everybody wants to be a fill-in.

Hey Cincinnati, I am from Warren Ohio, up north. Haven't lived in the Buckeye State for 9 years but I am sure that the good guitarists are still there. I know nothing about Southern Ohio, but if you lookin into Cleveland's Bop Stop I would bet you'd find someone. Mansfield has a school that has jazz camps in the summer I will try and post the school but you might also consider the school of musi in Cincinnati.

A little talent with a lot of desire beats the hell out of a lot of talent with no desire. Hands down every time.

Jimi Hendrix was fired from Little Richard and the Isley Bros bands for showboating. And we all know how that turned out.

Jimmy Danger pumps some sense into this party!

Seriously, best of luck on the search. When I was "just" the singer. I carried more gear than anybody. I carried the guitarist amp that weighed more than I did. And I carried most of the drummers kit as he was striking it.

Guitarists can be flaky just like any other likely to substance abuse musician. Keep your eyes and ears peeled though. You never know when you might stumble upon one. Don't overlook the kids either. They are getting better and better earlier and earlier.

Ohiokeys, I hadn't seen any of your posts before. Are you new to Bandmix? I'm fishermanbob, blues bass player/lead singer/songwriter and I commiserate with you wholeheartedly on your lead guitarist problem. I've been doing this music business for too many years and we've had the same problem you're having with lead guitarists. We've recently started playing with a fine guitarist who doesn't have the problems you're talking about. However before him we went through a bunch of them. I just think it's a matter of dumbass bad luck. You're playing a genre of music that doesn't necessarily have the glamor attraction for hot lead guitarists. The person you're looking for might be a guitar instructor, check out all the music stores in your area and ask for the people who give guitar lessons, some of them might be interested. Go to the jazz jams in town (if there's any) and listen to the guitar jammers, one of them might be interested. Go listen to other jazz and r&b bands in town and talk to their guitarists. They might have time to join up with you or they might be unhappy with their current band and want to try you out. You're going to have to get creative and treat your search like a guerilla marketer. Tell everybody you know and everybody you meet (even strangers) what you're looking for. Tell your other band members to do the same. Most everybody knows a musician or two. I found the very best drummer I ever played with by talking with a truck driver who I didn't even know who referred me to this drummer. It might take a lot of effort but you've got to get ACTIVE in your search. As far as a lead guitarist who won't help load or break down equipment you've got to set ground rules even before they come over and audition. I don't pay somebody who doesn't help haul stuff, simple as that. I don't pay somebody who gets drunk, simple as that. Show up late for rehearsal? Outta here. You're running a BUSINESS. Do you get drunk for your day job? Do you show up late for your day job all the time? Your band is a job. The other people are depending on you. If you don't set up the ground rules from the get-go then they're free to do whatever they want. Anyway, good luck with your search. Later...

The good part in my band is that we're all showboats We all drink.. We all wanna be out there (even my drummer who did a 5 minute drum solo the other night without warning) ...but... God help you if screw up the tunes or don't come to rehearsal! We have a freakin' blast and we all are a buncha wise ass showoffs... but after the act, we come off stage and mingle with everybody... not like some of the bands we play with that go into the back room or outside because they're to hot to hang out with their fans!

Believe it or not, Ohiokeys, I am seriously jazz trained and went to college to perfect my jazz technique... my dad was a trumpet player and played with Harry James, Benny Goodman and so many other great jazz players from that era. If I played through my amp clean, you'd notice the jazz riffs. I just love to make it dirty and implement my jazz technique into METAL!! The guitarist stand out in metal acts and I tend to be a ham

Ohiokeys, I hadn't seen any of your posts before. Are you new to Bandmix? I'm fishermanbob, blues bass player/lead singer/songwriter and I commiserate with you wholeheartedly on your lead guitarist problem. I've been doing this music business for too many years and we've had the same problem you're having with lead guitarists. We've recently started playing with a fine guitarist who doesn't have the problems you're talking about. However before him we went through a bunch of them. I just think it's a matter of dumbass bad luck. You're playing a genre of music that doesn't necessarily have the glamor attraction for hot lead guitarists. The person you're looking for might be a guitar instructor, check out all the music stores in your area and ask for the people who give guitar lessons, some of them might be interested. Go to the jazz jams in town (if there's any) and listen to the guitar jammers, one of them might be interested. Go listen to other jazz and r&b bands in town and talk to their guitarists. They might have time to join up with you or they might be unhappy with their current band and want to try you out. You're going to have to get creative and treat your search like a guerilla marketer. Tell everybody you know and everybody you meet (even strangers) what you're looking for. Tell your other band members to do the same. Most everybody knows a musician or two. I found the very best drummer I ever played with by talking with a truck driver who I didn't even know who referred me to this drummer. It might take a lot of effort but you've got to get ACTIVE in your search. As far as a lead guitarist who won't help load or break down equipment you've got to set ground rules even before they come over and audition. I don't pay somebody who doesn't help haul stuff, simple as that. I don't pay somebody who gets drunk, simple as that. Show up late for rehearsal? Outta here. You're running a BUSINESS. Do you get drunk for your day job? Do you show up late for your day job all the time? Your band is a job. The other people are depending on you. If you don't set up the ground rules from the get-go then they're free to do whatever they want. Anyway, good luck with your search. Later...

Exactly, if you are working for someone you are the employee. You are a band member and the band is not there to serve you. If Jimi Hendrix wants to be Jimi Hendrix then he needed to be fired from the Isley Bros. and Little Richard's Band. If you are a good or great musician, you will shine through and you will get to do solos. BUT, you must be able to take orders. You must work at your best and not step on any toes. It doesn't matter if you have star potential or not.It is a job, first.

The good part in my band is that we're all showboats We all drink.. We all wanna be out there (even my drummer who did a 5 minute drum solo the other night without warning) ...but... God help you if screw up the tunes or don't come to rehearsal! We have a freakin' blast and we all are a buncha wise ass showoffs... but after the act, we come off stage and mingle with everybody... not like some of the bands we play with that go into the back room or outside because they're to hot to hang out with their fans!

Believe it or not, Ohiokeys, I am seriously jazz trained and went to college to perfect my jazz technique... my dad was a trumpet player and played with Harry James, Benny Goodman and so many other great jazz players from that era. If I played through my amp clean, you'd notice the jazz riffs. I just love to make it dirty and implement my jazz technique into METAL!! The guitarist stand out in metal acts and I tend to be a ham

This is very good to know, Crip. If I were to hire a guitarist, I would prefer to have one with your ability.

Mary, you're such a sweetie! I love your posts, & I'll bet you're one helluva flauteristic master of your craftiness.

Bob - I think Ohiokeys has posted before, looking for a guitar player then, too, or was it a singer? Anyway, he's one of them ppl that only stop by when they need something.

Hang around or stop by occasionally & let us know how you're doing, Ohio, & share some of that great experience you have with the rest of us!

Crip, I had no idea you were so trained, but it makes sense when I hear your licks, man. I still can't get over that Tony Lords cover you did. Very inventive, that. Never heard anyone try that before.

Mary, you're such a sweetie! I love your posts, & I'll bet you're one helluva flauteristic master of your craftiness.

Geez, thanks for the compliment, Phil. I do hope that I can, one day post something. I am arranging a piece for for flute choir/string quartet/percussion and piano. If things go my way it will be posted somewhere. Thanks.

Well, then - how a bout a quick solo, or a fast medly?
Plug a mic into the back of the computer, and play . . .

TOUR BUS! THat's what he was looking for in his last thread!

Didja ever find that tour bus, Ohio?

I think gtzip hit it, check your local colleges' music departments. That's the most likely place to find players into jazz, many have already played in high school jazz bands (like I did, but didn't go to college) and I loved it. Would have probably kept up the jazz if I had gone to college, the one I would have probably picked had a great jazz band and the director was a good friend of my high school band director. He actually tried to recruit me, but it got screwed up when I wasn't able to go to an important jazz band festival. (don't ask, it's something I still don't like to remember. Possibly the worst day of my entire life)

Anyway, colleges will probably be your best bet, and of course someone else mentioned jazz clubs and possibly open mic's. those might have good possibilities too. I've passed up a couple of offers while gigging with various bands, usually for some reason or other when someone would ask me about joining their band it would not be a move in a positive direction, usually too far out of town or a style of music I'm not really into. Several metalheads have talked to me, but I'm just not into that style, although I can play it. The point is though, I did get offers while playing with other bands. They come in on their off night to check out the band and see a guitar player they like...or drummer or whatever...I've made a few decent contacts at open mic nights too, and by stopping in at music stores and talking to the employees.

Man it takes time. I used to be a roadie for the Allmans. I was told when Duane found the band he threatened to fight any body who did not want to be in the band. Finding musicans who are in tune with other band members takes time and trial and error. I read your frustration and under stand. Try as many different musicans classifieds as you can find, post at music shops and I wish you well....Harlow

Man it takes time. I used to be a roadie for the Allmans. I was told when Duane found the band he threatened to fight any body who did not want to be in the band. Finding musicans who are in tune with other band members takes time and trial and error. I read your frustration and under stand. Try as many different musicans classifieds as you can find, post at music shops and I wish you well....Harlow

Harlow, I would have paid to be the Allman Bros. roadie. The experience alone must be worth their weight in gold.

Network, network, network.

I am one who likes to work. No matter what genre. I've had my ups and my downs. Not always been a saint myself, but I never give up. After 15 yrs, I'm back with a (how do I say it? Peculiar?) guitarist who once slugged me after a gig way back. But today, we have an appreciation of each other we didn't have before, years of experience matter, and we now have a very hot, very hard working 4 piece band, with everybody contributing on vocals. Yes, we are lucky, but we found each other (and I mean the entire band) after much hard work with others who did not share our working values.

Does it have something to do with how guitarists have to do so much practice by themselves that they forget it takes a band to make music?
I'm a bass player. Though I'm not the most social guy in the band, I feel to a degree I make the biggest connection to the rest of the band (if I hit a clam, I get an immediate look, moreso than anybody else). the great thing recently is how our fans look at us all together.

That is the hard part, much harder if you're a big band with horns, etc.

Our market has its limits, but the work is there, we are proving that.

If you are an ARTIST, cool, but I want this to be my main job, the art will come.

Guitar egos can go play solo acoustic. Many in my area do.