Join A Sub Par Band Just To Get Back Out There?

One of the few threads that's got me thinking for a few days.

I don't know your age, your home/social life or tolerance levels.

I'm now 62 and time is of the essence for me. Homie don't have time to F around with beginners or half-assed muscians who don't realize they are not that good or you have to put in a lot of work to be good. I do enjoy the commraderie of others, and when it comes to music, they have to be good too. Otherwise you are just fighting the dumbing down.

If I was younger, with lots of time on my hands, I most certainly would be more tolerant and give things a shot. I don't see anything really negative, but this opportunity may open other opportunities.
I would say give the band some more time and then set a time goal for yourself. You and the band need to get to X degree of improvement by Y time.
I would also say, don't have them put you on the website. I've seen plenty of bands sites do this. You can be their hired gun.
Also, you have nothing to loose if you go in with some objective criticism. Ya never know, they might appreciate the honesty... or cut you loose. But what do you have to loose either way.
I just couldn't imagine not speaking up, when something is obviously (to me) wrong.
 
I just went through this with a band that actually argued the fact that they were getting booked as if that made it all better. It doesn't. I left. If you have standards, stick to them. There are always other bands to play in.

No offense,man but your rhythm traveler "La Grange" vid was brutal. Why weren't YOU singing???
 
Reading this thread makes me really appreciate the people who were willing to play with me back when I was first starting. My drumming was pretty bad but I guess they thought I had potential and was worth putting the time in. I guess the thing that makes a difference is if they’re willing to work on their playing or not. Try a couple rehearsals and give them some feedback and see how they react to it.
 
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"If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with." Stephen Stills

"It's so sad to belong to someone else when the right one comes along." England Dan & John Ford Coley
 
I hope your second time around went better than the first...if you don't really have options, it seems to me that playing some is better than not at all. As everyone has said, it all depends on exactly how "bad" is bad...if they gig once a month with a mostly full house, and you're at least having fun, why not? If they aren't prima donnas, are easy to get along with, and enjoying themselves, that's worth a lot. Especially if you can find ways to enjoy it, too.

Looking forward to your report on the second time around.
 
I have a few random thoughts:

They could have had an off night. I'd give them at least one more shot.

Second, do they actually know how bad they are? Maybe you could record a song or two and then email/text it out to them to see what their reactions are. If they are waaay off pitch but reply with, "Hey, that sounds pretty good!" then you know kinda where they are musically.

Last, I wouldn't want to be a full-fledged band member. Tell them you treat drumming like you are an independent contractor...you get paid to come play with whomever and wherever. This way, if y'all gig and you end up networking with other musicians outside of the band, then they sort of know where you stand. This is how I approach playing music these days. All the people I play with know that if they want me that they need to get me the dates ASAP. I play with whomever gets me dates first. It's a great spot to be in. As a matter of fact, just about everyone in every band I'm in plays with other people too.

If it's just too cringy, then I'd leave though.
 
I've been reading this thread for a couple of days, thinking about my reply. The part about vocals would be the kiss of death for me. I've jammed with some pretty lame players, but if nobody can sing, the band isn't going anywhere. Play with them for fun and maybe a little coin, but don't expect much if their entire crowd is friends and family. Look at it as a chance to network and become known in the area. If you know a singer, see if the other guys are ok with inviting him to jam?

As I type this, I'm playing with a praise band that is atrocious, just hoping to have someone hear me and get me out of there. The last couple of bands I jammed with were good players, but none of us were good singers, then the egos started kicking in and the "band" broke up. It's hard to round out a decent "band" and keep everyone on the same page.
 
I'd keep playin for now. Never know...maybe YOU could be the one that makes them realize to up their game or get a new drummer.

We started recording some of our rehersals... in the beginning, we all cringed hearing ourselves but it helped find our troublespots. We still suck but this does help work thru songs that we're working thru.
 
Ha! I play in a church as well, and while the choir is fine, the keyboardist is terrible beyond belief! So until they find a replacement, we have to muddle our way through. I have no expectations of being “discovered” though.
 
I can't do it. Maybe it's just me, but I like progress. It's like playing Super Mario Bros., never getting past the first level, and being okay with that.
 
I'm now 62 and time is of the essence for me. Homie don't have time to F around with beginners or half-assed muscians who don't realize they are not that good or you have to put in a lot of work to be good. I do enjoy the commraderie of others, and when it comes to music, they have to be good too. Otherwise you are just fighting the dumbing down.

Nothing to do with age, birds of a feather flock together. Why be a big fish in a little pond.

If you've put the time in to 'git gud' play with good players, that's how you improve.

Reading this thread makes me really appreciate the people who were willing to play with me back when I was first starting.

That's what jam nights are for, nothing to lose and a good laugh if they're done right. The better you get, the more appealing you become to better players.
 
That's what jam nights are for, nothing to lose and a good laugh if they're done right. The better you get, the more appealing you become to better players.
That's probably true but it can't really compare to having an actual band that pushes you to learn songs and perform. Band practice regularly with the same people, working together to learn a set list is a lot more focused than just jamming with random people. Both are good but it's a different kind of experience that you get when you're in a band.
 
I've done this in the past. I'm happy with the band I'm in now and glad to be playing with these people. But, I've played out with some players/situations that were sub-par some years ago. The advantages are of course that I was out playing after some years of not playing out. Also, over, time, great players replaced the sub-par ones. That being said, it would be really hard to "go back" at this point. I was asked to fill in some months ago, in a sub-par situation for a gig to help an old friend out, and...it was a drag. I think the older I get (or am) and the longer I've played with good players, the less I want to go sub-par anymore.
 
That's probably true but it can't really compare to having an actual band that pushes you to learn songs and perform. Band practice regularly with the same people, working together to learn a set list is a lot more focused than just jamming with random people. Both are good but it's a different kind of experience that you get when you're in a band.

But surely you were with like minded people and if you were the weak link it made you work harder to earn respect and be a better musician. I've been in that situation where I've had to step up, loved every second!

Jamming is good for putting yourself out there and networking. I do it for a laugh and a few beers and you know you're gonna be playing with all abilities. Different mindset to being in a band definitely.
 
I went to an audition with these guys from Craigslist.... They were decent players, but the one frustrating thing to me was that they were a cover band, but they wanted to cover the songs literally note for note, some songs are way too simple and boring to drum to if you do that, and not even the original artist play their songs exactly like the recording simply because they evolve as musicians and get better at their instruments, they might add or change a part here and there. The point is that yes within 10 minutes you can tell if the band has potential, these guys did, but I was not willing to stifle my creativity by making carbon copies, so, I politely declined their offer to join the band. I met these other guys, they were good and had some great original material, we had to place it on hold due to my next deployment... I'll try again in Feb 2021.... I think in your hearth you know what you want to do, maybe you are too nice to tell people how you really feel sometimes, believe me, it is better to be the bad guy one time than to join their band, give them hope (while being miserable in the process) only to end up leaving them when you can't take it anymore...
 
I'd record your rehearsal. The when you play it back, maybe then they'll hear the issues. If they don't, bail!
You can play at home with just as much success as they'll have with the issues.
 
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