I'm no longer in a band

DLM

@Vaiai ; Wiz. Do a trio, Tiggs, the fewer mouths to feed beer to, the better. (Attr. Z. Wylde, sorta.)

p90fool

If I can find good gigging musicians whenever I need them in rural mid-Wales I'm sure you can in a capital city Thomas. I've been gigging usually twice a week for years, rarely travelling more than 25 miles each way. 

Forget other musicians, look for singers. When you have a singer the others just turn up automatically. 

Plectrum

p90fool said:

Forget other musicians, look for singers. When you have a singer the others just turn up automatically. 

  Or he could just do the vocals himself. One less person to let him down.

robinbowes

Ché said:

I'm contemplating throwing in the towel myself, forgive me highjacking but I feel I need to vent. I'm in a 7/8 piece. Bassist moved 3 hours away down south 2 years ago, we recorded drums for our debut LP in November last year. We haven't practiced in months and haven't written a new song in near on 2 years. Our bass player wants to be the one to handle all the bookings. Our last run of gigs have all been down south even though 90% of the band live up north. The band existed before I joined as another band so I have no grounds to replace him. I have tons of song ideas and I'm creatively starved at the lack of progress and fear my ideas aren't going to be realized.

Anyone wonna start a latin funk band up North?

Sounds like fun

R.

DrJazzTap

I need to get back on the horse at some point. I stopped gigging in 09 blimey. It just all felt too much like a job, I wasn't making any money from it and got fed up with wiping fully grown men's backsides.

thomasross20

Wow thanks for the nice comments on my skillz !! 

Man, I've been so down in the dumps about it. One of the singers is trying to get it back together and it's tempting but I don't think it's going to happen from my end. So much time and effort. When our last drummer had to go, our bassist said "let me know if ever get like that" (taking things for granted etc) but people just don't like to hear it. He thinks it's some over-reaction to him not making one practice. But it was 4 practices in a row. A clique formed when him and the singer started working together. Only so many times you can hear the phrases "sorry I'll be late" or "sorry I haven't practised" before it gets your back up. I kept mentioning stagecraft and more rock songs or an acoustic set with nothing happening. You've got to throw a dog a bone every now and then! 

I'll miss playing loud with others in a group situation. It's also good for your technique, IMO - you're "in the fire." 

Thanks for the thought on depping, @Vaiai! I don't know how that really works TBH as if another band has a 2-3 hour set, it must be a lot of time for a dep to get up to speed on the songs? Get me up for a one-song guest appearance lol! I spent bloomin' ages crafting the guitar parts for our songs - on my I play both keyboard and guitar parts or meld the two into one - took a lot of time and I don't think anybody appreciated it!

There's definitely a void now. This acoustic thing isn't the same, though it's cool to do something different. It's definitely opening up more time for album progress. I've knocked one song off so guitars are done for ALL songs now. Bass needs to be done for two, and drums are there for all but 2 songs. So close... And yeah, I can keep going with YouTube videos etc. 

I wasn't in it for the money, just to be in a cool rock/pop band. If I wanted cash and reliability I'd learn how to sing proper and do a one-man band thing. 

The show will go on, at some point. Right now I don't think I have the energy to do anything new.

Teetonetal

thomasross20 said:

Wow thanks for the nice comments on my skillz !! 

Man, I've been so down in the dumps about it. One of the singers is trying to get it back together and it's tempting but I don't think it's going to happen from my end. So much time and effort. When our last drummer had to go, our bassist said "let me know if ever get like that" (taking things for granted etc) but people just don't like to hear it. He thinks it's some over-reaction to him not making one practice. But it was 4 practices in a row. A clique formed when him and the singer started working together. Only so many times you can hear the phrases "sorry I'll be late" or "sorry I haven't practised" before it gets your back up. I kept mentioning stagecraft and more rock songs or an acoustic set with nothing happening. You've got to throw a dog a bone every now and then! 

I'll miss playing loud with others in a group situation. It's also good for your technique, IMO - you're "in the fire." 

Thanks for the thought on depping, @Vaiai! I don't know how that really works TBH as if another band has a 2-3 hour set, it must be a lot of time for a dep to get up to speed on the songs? Get me up for a one-song guest appearance lol! I spent bloomin' ages crafting the guitar parts for our songs - on my I play both keyboard and guitar parts or meld the two into one - took a lot of time and I don't think anybody appreciated it!

There's definitely a void now. This acoustic thing isn't the same, though it's cool to do something different. It's definitely opening up more time for album progress. I've knocked one song off so guitars are done for ALL songs now. Bass needs to be done for two, and drums are there for all but 2 songs. So close... And yeah, I can keep going with YouTube videos etc. 

I wasn't in it for the money, just to be in a cool rock/pop band. If I wanted cash and reliability I'd learn how to sing proper and do a one-man band thing. 

The show will go on, at some point. Right now I don't think I have the energy to do anything new.

Depping is one of the most awesome things to do.. It makes you learn stuff and therefore makes you build repertoire, listening skills, jamming skills and build up connections, it's so beneficial.  I used to do a lot of it in the uk and even know I still jump at the chance if it comes up.. 

Vaiai

My mate depped (bass) for a 10pc soul/funk band - learned their set in 48 hrs, no rehearsal and then gigged at a glitzy event with them Said it was a blast and really pushed him. Helps if it is a covers band tho and they stick to the original arrangements.

thomasross20

How many songs was it? Did you post angry face by mistake?  

DLM

I think @Vaiai was jelly of the glitzy gig, Tiggs.

Don't bother getting things back together with the singer. Go play with better singers instead. Seriously.  

thomasross20

I've sort of already got this acoustic thing running with one singer, just something to keep me going. 
Maybe I'll use the time to learn some Yngwie at last
Actually the acoustic stuff is cool - proper fingerstyle guitar (I don't just play electric lol) and I'm doing vocal harmonies!

Vaiai

thomasross20 said:

How many songs was it? Did you post angry face by mistake?  

no I use : p smiley all the time but this forum (and no other one!) makes it that angry face when I don't want it too! lol

thomasross20

Ah sorry I remember you saying that!
Have you not sold all your other guitars now, just keeping the Suhr?
I'll be in town tomorrow night but most likely at the cinema to watch Ben Hur! Good luck

monquixote

Seriously do some depping with an established band. 

It will push your musical ability like nothing else and you will get more of an idea of the level of professionalism that's required for a working band.

thomasross20

Let me have a break first lol! 
I think I've been taking too much on which is also why this album has dragged on. One thing at a time


Our last gig:

Modellista

Well you had at least two too many members there - the twin lead vocals are/were unnecessary, and pretty dodgy harmony-wise on Maria. Not sure what an acoustic guitar is doing on SCOM too. Maybe could have worked if you'd decided on one singer, ditched the troublesome bassist and switched the acoustic guitar girl to bass. 

Modellista

Cool Slash hat/wig combo though. 

thomasross20

Thanks lol  
Tell you what, this acoustic thing is tough. Tougher than the rock band by far. Singing is especially difficult and cringeworthy. 

Modellista

thomasross20 said:

Thanks lol  
Tell you what, this acoustic thing is tough. Tougher than the rock band by far. Singing is especially difficult and cringeworthy. 

Tougher in terms of playing?  I guess it could be, you're more exposed, no room for error, although from the live demos above you can obviously play so it's just a case of practice, no?

Tougher in terms of dealing with band politics, trying to arrange mutual times with six different members, carting loads of gear around?  Not so much.

Backing vox aren't essential, and better left alone until they're not cringeworthy!

Do you record your rehearsals?  I pretty much always record my rehearsals (both with my original rock band and covers duo), so you can hear where you go right and wrong, and also track progress.  Just a little Tascam digital recorder does the trick, doesn't need to be release-quality of course.  Or maybe take some videos so you can see what you look like from the audience's point of view.  You could post one here so we can see if it's really cringeworthy or just you being falsely modest!

Vaiai

I record every rehearsal too and it's really valuable (once I chop out all the chat in Reaper!) to listen back. I use it to try diff sounds while there then listen back to see what works etc. 
When do we get to see your acoustic stuff then @thomasross20 - let me know when you are gigging it. We are at JamHouse Sat night if you are in town

I record our rehearsals (and gigs) with my phone using Audio Recorder app - does a great job