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How to find yourself a bandmate 101 (opinions welcome)

  • 01-09-2009 1:53pm
    #1


    I see a lot of the same complaints here day in, day out. Being enigmatic when you are looking for a fellow musician to jam with won't help anyone. After talking to my fellow mods we thought we could give you a template to follow.

    Thread title: Keep it simple. For example: "Wanted: Bass Player in dublin" is quite sufficient. I know then that if I'm a bass player living in Galway, the ad will not be for me. ""Keyboardist seeks band in Offaly" is also on the money." I know that if I'm a band in Cork looking for a keyboard player, this guy will probably not be for me.

    "Funk band" is no good. Where are you, what are you looking for?

    Tool? Deftones? Porcupine Tree? Radiohead? 65daysofstatic? Explosions in the sky? is also no good. Same questions apply.

    So keep it simple.
    Use the following formula:
    Wanted:Instrument:Location
    

    Then the ad itself. Be as creative as you want. But you must include the following information:

    Band Name: The name of the band. This is optional.
    Band Genre: The style of music that the band will play. This is mandatory.
    Band Location: Where the band is located. This will probably relate directly to where the band will jam. This is mandatory.
    Influences: This is related to genre but it will give people an idea of specific influences within the genre. This is optional.
    Positions Available: What musicians are being sought. This is mandatory.
    Desired Age Range: The desired age range of any prospective applicants. This is optional.
    Available Sound Samples: Post a link to any MySpace/YouTube/Bebo etc. examples of what the band has done previously. This is optional.
    Additional Info: Any other information that might be useful e.g. is it a covers band looking to write originals. This is optional.

    You can never give enough information to potential bandmates. I'll leave this thread open a while for discussion.



    Thanks to fellow mods, in particular _malice


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 58 ✭✭emurf


    Great Idea,
    I also think the add should be removed every 2 weeks with the facility to repost it if the need be. There are too many adds that have been filled still sitting there.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    Cheers for putting that up! Hopefully it'll be some help.


  • Registered Users Posts: 39 Hunter.S


    I agree with emurf, there are way to many clearly dated adds on the form.
    Thanks for putin this up btw very usefull


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 67 ✭✭CatacombKittens


    I agree with this, it's about time really. It's frustrating not knowing where people are from.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 78 ✭✭MGilly84


    unfortunatly nobody seems to be taking any notice of your advice. especially on the location front


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  • Would you be able to suggest anything so?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,301 ✭✭✭Flesh Gorden


    Unless you review every thread before its posted not much is going to change - either that or replying with a link to this on threads that don't meet a good standard


    but considering the time needed I'd say your stress levels would go through the roof.


    at least the ads from outside Dublin give a good idea of where they are :)
    still frustrating though




    .


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 505 ✭✭✭DerKaiser


    I don't think there is any right way of going through the process, putting up a good, clear ad is the first step, but in terms of wading through the day trippers and "I beat guitar hero, I'll start a band" merchants, there is nothing mods can do without coming across as a bit Nazi, I've finally found a good band through boards, it just took a lot of persevering, just keep at it, there are some genuine and talented people on here, but way too many wannabees


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    I based the original template idea off the Help Wanted forum on GameDev.net. Obviously it's not band/musican-orientated but the principles are the same.

    They take the approach that your post must use the template so that common questions will be answered (Age/Location/Genre etc.) and that authoring the post will force the user to think more about what they're writing so that rather than "Guitarist wanted in City Centre", they have to expand on that.

    While I don't think we need to be as draconian as them in deleting threads that don't use the template, it is a little disappointing that no one (as far as I know) has used it yet! Also, I can't speak for the other mods but I know that I probably can't devote the time at the moment to go through each non-conforming thread and link to here.

    It reminds me a bit of an awkward teenage disco with the girls lined up on one side, the guys on the other and no one in the middle dancing :). Maybe it just needs one person to get it started?

    I started a new thread and see whether it helps at all. In case anyone's interested, it's here.


  • Registered Users Posts: 51,342 ✭✭✭✭That_Guy


    Have just been browsing through a few posts in this forum.

    There's one I was looking at. Fair enough the title of the post was good and the poster specified everything they were looking for but then he/she went on to say "must not be a twat".

    Honestly that kind of stuff would really put me off making contact with the OP. It seems childish. A simple, "must be dedicated to practice X amount of times a week" would suffice instead of "don't be a twat".

    I don't think linking sound samples in the original post is a good idea as it may lead to trolls coming in and just saying "that's crap".
    If a person is interested in the look of a post then the OP should PM the interested party with the appropriate sound samples.

    Just my 2 cents.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    That_Guy wrote: »
    Have just been browsing through a few posts in this forum.

    There's one I was looking at. Fair enough the title of the post was good and the poster specified everything they were looking for but then he/she went on to say "must not be a twat".

    Honestly that kind of stuff would really put me off making contact with the OP. It seems childish. A simple, "must be dedicated to practice X amount of times a week" would suffice instead of "don't be a twat".
    Maybe it was only meant as a light-hearted comment?
    That_Guy wrote:
    I don't think linking sound samples in the original post is a good idea as it may lead to trolls coming in and just saying "that's crap".
    If a person is interested in the look of a post then the OP should PM the interested party with the appropriate sound samples.
    With respect I disagree with this. I love to hear what others bands and musicians are coming up with. Putting MySpace/YouTube links in a post enables people to click through to the music quickly without having to go through the time-consuming process of private messaging.

    People shouldn't be worried about the sound quality of what they produce. It's just giving people an example of what your music is about. All of my bands recordings have been done through a single microphone plugged into a laptop and then pointed away from the drumkit ;). It's low-quality but it lets us hear the different parts of the song and we can identify where we make mistakes. Now if you posted in the Music Production forum under a "Rate My Mix" thread then maybe you should think about the sound quality :).


  • Registered Users Posts: 51,342 ✭✭✭✭That_Guy


    Malice_ wrote: »
    Maybe it was only meant as a light-hearted comment?

    Just my opinion. It just seems slightly childish to me but hey that's just my opinion.
    With respect I disagree with this. I love to hear what others bands and musicians are coming up with. Putting MySpace/YouTube links in a post enables people to click through to the music quickly without having to go through the time-consuming process of private messaging.

    People shouldn't be worried about the sound quality of what they produce. It's just giving people an example of what your music is about. All of my bands recordings have been done through a single microphone plugged into a laptop and then pointed away from the drumkit ;). It's low-quality but it lets us hear the different parts of the song and we can identify where we make mistakes. Now if you posted in the Music Production forum under a "Rate My Mix" thread then maybe you should think about the sound quality :).

    You make a good point. Having a link to music wouldn't be too bad I guess. Perhaps the lack of a link may make people uninterested in what is on offer.

    Damn you Malice I have completely reversed my opinion. :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    That_Guy wrote: »
    Damn you Malice I have completely reversed my opinion. :)
    Sorry about that :p.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,034 ✭✭✭rcaz


    This thread is a pretty good example, I think. Bit light on the information front, maybe, but no messing about. Possible template?


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    El Pr0n wrote: »
    This thread is a pretty good example, I think. Bit light on the information front, maybe, but no messing about. Possible template?
    What exactly is so good about that thread? The first post had to be edited by a mod to make it more readable.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,034 ✭✭✭rcaz


    Malice_ wrote: »
    What exactly is so good about that thread? The first post had to be edited by a mod to make it more readable.

    I linked to the wrong thread :o

    Sorry 'bout that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    El Pr0n wrote: »
    I linked to the wrong thread :o

    Sorry 'bout that.
    Ah, no worries :). Do you have a link to the thread you meant?


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,034 ✭✭✭rcaz


    Malice_ wrote: »
    Ah, no worries :). Do you have a link to the thread you meant?

    I think it's been pushed down a few pages.... Doesn't matter, really :p


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 27 jigsawmurderer


    Thread title: Keep it simple. For example: "Wanted: Bass Player in dublin" is quite sufficient. I know then that if I'm a bass player living in Galway, the ad will not be for me. ""Keyboardist seeks band in Offaly" is also on the money." I know that if I'm a band in Cork looking for a keyboard player, this guy will probably not be for me.



    I actually left any location information out of my "female voclist wanted!!!" thread. I figure people will travel for a good band. At least this is what I've found to be the case.




  • Well, if you are in Carlow and I live in Donegal we're not going to be able to jam that often, will we? It helps if the musicians live near each other so there's less time wasting reading ads.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 27 jigsawmurderer


    Donegal eh?

    You wanna jam?




  • Well, I can't drive. Fancy picking us up and dropping me home?


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    I actually left any location information out of my "female voclist wanted!!!" thread. I figure people will travel for a good band. At least this is what I've found to be the case.
    Damn, I must have missed that post otherwise I'd have directed you to this thread! Just how far do you think people will travel for a band? I wouldn't want to be travelling for more than an hour to get to a jam session.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 27 jigsawmurderer


    Depends on what youre after i suppose and how serious you take your music. The drummer we had for the last year lives in manchester. He found an ad from us online and we arranged a jam and to use an awful cliche it just clicked. I get what youre saying about practicality but I would sooner be jamming periodically with the right singer that lives in donegal than twice a week with the wrong singer that lives in carlow.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    Depends on what youre after i suppose and how serious you take your music. The drummer we had for the last year lives in manchester. He found an ad from us online and we arranged a jam and to use an awful cliche it just clicked. I get what youre saying about practicality but I would sooner be jamming periodically with the right singer that lives in donegal than twice a week with the wrong singer that lives in carlow.
    So how often do you jam with your Manchester-based drummer? I'm assuming you're in the Dublin area so does he fly or take a ferry or something?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 505 ✭✭✭DerKaiser


    Already had a complaint about the template :D Too much information apparently, confusing, but perhaps he was covering his tracks after he offered his guitar playing skills when the ad clearly said 'positions wanted: Drums'


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 25 caoimhe321


    [thanks for tis very usefull info


  • Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭phonarr


    This is a very good template

    cheers


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 54 ✭✭doctor robert


    hello
    are you one of the admin people at boards


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  • Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    hello
    are you one of the admin people at boards
    If you are looking to contact one of the moderators of this forum then you can PM me. If you want to contact the administrators of the overall site then e-mail hello@boards.ie.


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