New band members

hotpickups

i was just wondering where you look for band members to audition etc? What's a good website for example you use?

thomasross20

"Got mine" on joinmyband

EricTheWeary

Definitely found people on joinmyband. Load of bollox on there so be prepared to filter.
For bass players try basschat.

hotpickups

EricTheWeary said:

Definitely found people on joinmyband. Load of bollox on there so be prepared to filter.
For bass players try basschat.

Yes that has been my impression too i.e. filtering. Looking for a decent vocalist. 

RocknRollDave

hotpickups said:

 Looking for a decent vocalist. 

Good luck. Just reading that brings me out in a cold sweat, and it's not even me that is looking for a vocalist.

hotpickups

RocknRollDave said:

hotpickups said:

 Looking for a decent vocalist. 

Good luck. Just reading that brings me out in a cold sweat, and it's not even me that is looking for a vocalist.

Tell me about it. It's the most daunting of band members to recruit

EricTheWeary

For vocalists you might find someone outside of normal band style channels if you don't mind someone with no experience. I guess local paper, vocal coach students, friend of friend type stuff.
But, yep, with vocalists probably decent is what you aim for. If they are properly good they'd be recruiting you.

hotpickups

EricTheWeary said:

For vocalists you might find someone outside of normal band style channels if you don't mind someone with no experience. I guess local paper, vocal coach students, friend of friend type stuff.
But, yep, with vocalists probably decent is what you aim for. If they are properly good they'd be recruiting you.

Yeah I agree. Tried vocal coaches recently and word of mouth. None are biting yet

PolarityMan

I found 2 / 3 of my other band members at work but that was admittedly pretty lucky.

nickp

gumtree

meltedbuzzbox

RocknRollDave said:

hotpickups said:

 Looking for a decent vocalist. 

Good luck. Just reading that brings me out in a cold sweat, and it's not even me that is looking for a vocalist.

nothing wrong with us vocalists :-P

At least we turn up with the same equipment each week and dont faff about chasing tone with pedal/amp/guitar X/Y/Z relentlessly 

Handsome_Chris

meltedbuzzbox said:

RocknRollDave said:

hotpickups said:

 Looking for a decent vocalist. 

Good luck. Just reading that brings me out in a cold sweat, and it's not even me that is looking for a vocalist.

nothing wring with us vocalists :-P

At least we turn up with the same equipment each week and dont faff about chasing tone with pedal/amp/guitar X/Y/Z relentlessly 

@Meltedbuzzbox, you are talking weapons grade cobblers there, mate.  Our vocalist takes a fkn age to set up, and he's got a modelling microphone.

In short: Vocalists are the worlds worst human beings. (assuming Tony Blair is not human)

meltedbuzzbox

Your vocalist not all vocalists. 

I think every instrumentalist has their own issues. Drummers seem incapable of allowing a discussion to take place without hitting their drums. Guitarists that play at retarded volumes to get "the best tone from their amp". Failed guitarists aren't so bad I guess, sorry I mean bassists. 

hotpickups

Guys guys. I can feel the love here

Phil_aka_Pip

joinmyband is iMO best, so long as you can as others have said filter out what you're not interested in (which will probably be quite a lot of it). The upside is it's free, and allows you to communicate with potential recruits via their messaging before exchanging real email addresses or telephone numbers

p90fool

I find my singers by going to venues or festivals where I'm likely to find acoustic duos playing for free, especially charity events. I avoid open mic nights.

It means you get to see them perform rather than audition, and they usually have at least a little live experience. The younger ones have often only done a few unpaid gigs with a friend or two and are often thrilled at the confidence-boosting idea of singing with a proper gigging band behind them.
When I see one I like I just wave money under their noses.

Other local musicians always ask me how I consistently find good singers but I don't tell them.
I have had absolutely zero success with the traditional advertise/audition method over the last 35 years.

hotpickups

I personally hate the open mic nights to be truthful but your alternative sounds a good idea. Been speaking to one singer (haven't met her yet) who sounds hopeful but she said she has no experience in a band. My gut is saying no as it's a front person role but might be good for a backing singer. I guess an audition is the only way to tell in this situation 

hugbot

The best thing to do when looking for musicians online is to get material up in the ad as soon as possible and only deal with people who have their own stuff available too.

Doesn't have to be good quality, just demos, youtube recordings, anything. Its 2015, Id except anyone purporting to be a dedicated instrumentalist to have recorded themselves SOME time.

Saves so much time vs meeting up with a bloke and booking a rehersal slot only to realise its not going to work within ten seconds of picking up instruments.

carlos

Gumtree works for me. Joinmyband seems to work best for covers band or rock'n'roll (which might be what OP is after)

hotpickups

georgenadaintl said:

Gumtree works for me. Joinmyband seems to work best for covers band or rock'n'roll (which might be what OP is after)

Yeah covers