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How to go about finding band members

  • 17-04-2009 10:20am
    #1
    steprightup
    Closed Accounts Posts: 33 ✭


    Ive come to the conclusion that its extremely difficult trying to find musicians to join a band by advertising or posting threads online.

    The majority of people will send numerous emails over a long period of time before even agreeing to meet up with you to discuss the band. Soemtimes people meet up and say something completely different to what they said in their pm..eg i want to play indie rock and then when you meet them you find out their favourite band is Black Sabbath and they want to make the band sound like that.

    I think the best way to find musicians to join your band is by playing gigs. That way, prospective musicans get to see exactly what type of music you play, what type of band you are and can meet you in person instead of sending numerous emails from the comfort of their own bedroom which a lot of them dont seem to want to leave.

    The problem is that to play gigs and advertise you need a full band (unless you play acoustic gigs to ten people in Dorans on a Monday night - been there, done that - you only find a load of frustrated singer/songwriters. No use if youre looking for a drummer)

    So my question is...has anyone ever hired/paid session musicians to play with an originals band to get them going? Would u recommend it? And what sort of rates would you pay a bassist or drummer to play with you for a few weeks.

    There must be loads of people on boards who have been searching for band members long term (over a year) and havent been successful. What have you done? Do u just keep advertising and hoping for the best?


Comments

  • #2
    Malice
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    Ive come to the conclusion that its extremely difficult trying to find musicians to join a band by advertising or posting threads online.
    I find that it's quite difficult to find musicians full stop regardless of where you look or how you advertise. People have to be around the same ability, into the same music or at least open minded about experimentation and roughly the same age (although I think that stops being a factor once people hit their twenties). Location also plays a big part. If you're near Dublin there are a lot more potential musicians than in Galway for example.
    The majority of people will sent numerous emails over a long period of time before even agreeing to meet up with you to discuss the band.
    That seems a bit odd to me. Any time I've arranged to meet up it's been a case of "I'm interested, when can we meet up?", then a time is arranged. If people turn up you get to see what they are like and if they don't turn up you get a good idea what they are like too :). Going back and forth with e-mails just seems pointless. Arrange a time and be done with it.
    I think the best way to find musicians to join your band is by playing gigs. That way, prospective musicans get to see exactly what type of music you play, what type of band you are and can meet you in person instead of sending numerous emails from the comfort of their own bedroom which a lot of them dont seem to want to leave.
    Seeing a band play live may not inspire them to leave their bedroom. Really I think hearing a band's music and meeting up for a jam has to be done. If someone can't be bothered to get up and play in front of 2 or 3 people, what makes you think they'll get up on stage in front of many times more?


  • #3
    Des Claypool
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 98 ✭✭Des Claypool


    i agree with malice,

    the best way is to try out everyone willing, an snoop around other threads for guitars, drummers etc. . . . i've never had a problem, even with my mad taste in music, the main problem is find people at the same skill level i find.

    session musicians are great, sikth had a session musicians, only think is you'd wanna be well off or be gettin decent money for your gigs which is hard startin out.

    hope that helps :confused:


  • #4
    Malice
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    I just noticed I forgot to finish my response to the OP :).
    So my question is...has anyone ever hired/paid session musicians to play with an originals band to get them going? Would u recommend it? And what sort of rates would you pay a bassist or drummer to play with you for a few weeks.
    I've never done it and I don't think I ever would. I'd be much more inclined to have a go myself if the band had no drummer for example even though I wouldn't class myself as much of a drummer. I can keep a beat but that's about it.
    There must be loads of people on boards who have been searching for band members long term (over a year) and havent been successful. What have you done? Do u just keep advertising and hoping for the best?
    The band I am in currently was formed through Boards :). We are looking for a vocalist but we are continuing to write instrumental stuff in the meantime. That reminds me, I must bump my vocalist thread :).


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