How to find yourself a bandmate 101 (opinions welcome)

**Papa Smut** · 01-09-2009, 13:53

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:

Code:

Wanted:Instrument:Location

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

Quote:

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

emurf · 01-09-2009, 14:01

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.

**Malice_** · 01-09-2009, 18:31

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

Hunter.S · 01-09-2009, 18:52

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

CatacombKittens · 01-09-2009, 21:55

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

MGilly84 · 23-09-2009, 01:43

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

**Papa Smut** · 23-09-2009, 01:49

Would you be able to suggest anything so?

Flesh Gorden · 25-09-2009, 20:08

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

.

DerKaiser · 25-09-2009, 20:14

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

**Malice_** · 28-09-2009, 18:45

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.

That_Guy · 20-10-2009, 11:00

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.

**Malice_** · 20-10-2009, 11:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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".

Maybe it was only meant as a light-hearted comment?

Quote:

Originally Posted by That_Guy

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

.

That_Guy · 20-10-2009, 14:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malice_

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.

Quote:

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.

**Malice_** · 20-10-2009, 16:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by That_Guy

Damn you Malice I have completely reversed my opinion.

Sorry about that

.

El Pr0n · 28-10-2009, 15:47

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

23-09-2009, 01:49	#7
Papa Smut Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Dub'in Posts: 3,533 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Bands & Musicians, Puzzles & Quizzes, Stand-Up Comedy	Would you be able to suggest anything so? __________________ No Drama

25-09-2009, 20:08	#8
Flesh Gorden Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Cork City Posts: 199 Adverts \| Friends	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 . __________________ *"Why am I sticky and naked? Did I miss something fun?" : Philip J. Fry* clicky

25-09-2009, 20:14	#9
DerKaiser Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Somewhere between the Bankers and The Foggy Dew Posts: 476 Adverts \| Friends	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 __________________ "Careful with that axe, Eugene" - P. Floyd

20-10-2009, 11:00	#11
That_Guy Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Meath Posts: 8,403 Adverts \| Friends	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. __________________

28-10-2009, 15:47	#15
El Pr0n Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Clontarf. The part that isn't made of plastic. Posts: 1,110 Adverts \| Friends	This thread is a pretty good example, I think. Bit light on the information front, maybe, but no messing about. Possible template? __________________ Make noise, not war. "Music must be listened to; it is not enough to hear it. A duck hears also." - Igor Stravinsky

01-09-2009, 14:01	#2
emurf Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fermoy , Co. Cork Posts: 58 Adverts \| Friends	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.

01-09-2009, 18:31	#3
Malice_ Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Galway (Home) Tralee (Work) Posts: 5,898 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Bands & Musicians, Instruments, Rock & Metal	Cheers for putting that up! Hopefully it'll be some help.

01-09-2009, 18:52	#4
Hunter.S Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Dublin Posts: 8 Adverts \| Friends	I agree with emurf, there are way to many clearly dated adds on the form. Thanks for putin this up btw very usefull

01-09-2009, 21:55	#5
CatacombKittens Banned Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 66 Adverts \| Friends	I agree with this, it's about time really. It's frustrating not knowing where people are from.

23-09-2009, 01:43	#6
MGilly84 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 53 Adverts \| Friends	unfortunatly nobody seems to be taking any notice of your advice. especially on the location front

28-09-2009, 18:45	#10
Malice_ Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Galway (Home) Tralee (Work) Posts: 5,898 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Bands & Musicians, Instruments, Rock & Metal	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.

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