Teenagers...

EricTheWeary

... any thoughts on helping my 16 year old son find a band to play bass with?
He doesn't have a bunch of mates at school with a similar interest and whilst college might be better for finding folk that isn't until September.
I'll look on joinmyband but I'm a bit reluctant in terms of the time wasters and weirdos you get at best.
As I didn't play in a band until my late twenties I've no idea really.

Grunfeld

College will probably produce new contacts but stuff like:
Card up on the noticeboards in local rehearsal rooms and music shops. 
Going to see other local bands, probably in his age range but not necessarily, and networking.

EricTheWeary

Cheers.
There is a rehearsal room opened locally. Rest of my band not particularly local so we aren't using it but got to be worth a look.
I think I'm also going to encourage him to work on a few things that would make him a bit more band ready. I have some thoughts although I'm not 100% sure what.

StageStruck

My local area has a decent FB musos available/wanted group. Other suggestions would be Gumtree or the aforementioned reheasal rooms/local music shop notice boards.

digitalscream

JMB is probably a good bet, on the basis that it's mostly populated by people his age looking for a band.

It might even be good for him socially - teenagers tend to stick in their own little groups and not really have much contact with people outside their usual circle, so expanding that a bit might help prepare him for the culture shock of post-school life.

sweepy

Try and see if there are any open mic or jam nights at local pubs or art centres etc

EricTheWeary

Cheers all.

ESBlonde

Another nod for jam sessions, most of those around here are happy to incorporate the young or inexperienced at least once. They even have a monthly sunday afternoon session dedicated to the younguns. Does the school music teacher have a link with other local schools?

monquixote

There are usually a few "Rock School" programs that run over the summer holidays in most regions. They often try and help kids form bands.

DLM

Bassist? With equipment? And dad willing to provide transport? Should have both had his arms ripped off by the time I'm finished typing...

How good is he already? Could he do a YouTube showcase? It's a grand word, but pretty much everybody has something up there now, even rank beginners.  

What style does he want to play? If it's specific, like metal is, say, get him to look for contacts in that scene on social media. Find out the venues where really young bands can play around your area and visit gigs to network.

Reach out to drum/guitar teachers in the area and ask them to pass on his calling card/profile to their students of appropriate age and level to get them jamming together. Any private teacher worth his salt will support this to further motivate their own students.  

EricTheWeary

He didn't do music at school ( and has finished there now anyway) and is self taught so doesn't have a bass teacher. I was hoping to find a rock school type thing for him locally, will have to look again. He likes playing stuff like Rage Against the Machine, Muse and Motorhead and the Chili Peppers so it's pretty rock. I'll ask our singist and keyboard player as well as they are music teachers. From what I gather all the kids at their schools want to do hip hop type stuff and aren't keen on actual instruments.

DLM

Eric, I meant private instructors, not music teachers in schools. Should be easy to find who's teaching the kids in your area who are into rock and are learning the instruments that will complete EricJr's first band.

The music he likes is fairly mainstream, so digging into a sub-culture community isn't going to work.

RocknRollDave

Facebook groups - lots of "West Midlands Musicians Wanted" type pages.

As with any of these things, expect to have to kiss a lot of frogs, so to speak.

RocknRollDave

PS In my experience the type of  people who use the "Join a band" websites are the ones who aren't on Facebook...i.e. NOT teenagers.

EricTheWeary

RocknRollDave said:

PS In my experience the type of  people who use the "Join a band" websites are the ones who aren't on Facebook...i.e. NOT teenagers.

JMB is a magnet for idiots, lot of sorting to do if you advertise on there. Have posted on Facebook already and got some links so making some progress 

DLM said:

Eric, I meant private instructors, not music teachers in schools. Should be easy to find who's teaching the kids in your area who are into rock and are learning the instruments that will complete EricJr's first band.

The music he likes is fairly mainstream, so digging into a sub-culture community isn't going to work.

Yeh, I'll have a look for private tutors, good idea.

english_bob

EricTheWeary said:

From what I gather all the kids at their schools want to do hip hop type stuff and aren't keen on actual instruments.

Competent bassist + synthy, filtery pedal + a few days learning hip hop basslines = mad demand.

This dude and his band are a pretty good example of how you can use proper instruments to make that computer nonsense the kids are listening to nowadays.

http://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2013/07/interview-with-christopher-hargreaves-by-allee-futterer/

EricTheWeary

Found a few schemes but either a) too far away to be realistic or b) I would need to be on benefits or c) he would have to have been in trouble with the police or d) crazy expensive. Have to really go down the find actual band members route so that's next.