What's My Next Move?

mmulcahy1

Platinum Member
Last week I posted about wanting to gig - you can read about it here

Well, I have received responses from 3 Guitar players (one lives 130 miles away - distance may be an issue), 1 Bass player, and 1 keyboard player. I e-mailed each of them a couple of days ago to let them know that I would be contacting them (in bit more official capacity) this week - this was designed to allow me more time if I got any further responses to my ad and to seek your knowledgeable advice.

I honestly don't know where to go from here. What is my responsibility? All I have for rehearsal space is my garage - not too roomy! Also, I don't own or have access to any PA equipment.

I do have a good idea about what course I would like take musically - although I'm in no way opposed to other suggestions from future bandmates. I want to get the best out of everyone.

Am I putting too much on my plate by trying to start a band instead of biding my time by waiting and looking for an established band to join?

Any words of wisdom are appreciated. Thanks.
 
It is always hardest to try to start a band, though it could be the most full filling. A lot of hours of rehearsals and a lot of turn over because you will find that many players will want immediate gratification, however, the best advise is to not book any gigs until you are ready. If you go out too soon and do not sound good you wont get another gig for a long time. It is your band, it is your name.

You did not say what kind of band nor your age. You may want to tell folks here that information so that you can get some pretty good advice,
 
Play music.

Stop being a pansy about it.
 
I've rented a rehearsal space for twenty years. It's part of doing business. I also built a sound system of my own (no relying on others). Subs, mains, monitors, P.A. for front of house, P.A. for monitors, vocal mics, drum mics. It takes money and a lot of commitment to turn a passion for music into a business. The best way to approach it is with a love for the sport. Enjoy yourself and take everything that comes above and beyond that with relish.
 
Many/some cities have rental rehearsal spaces, some with PA. So you can rent the space for 3 hours or so, and everybody chips in. Nice neutral ground.
If not that maybe a night in your garage to check out everybody. No PA so no singing. Don't forget a few beers.

Forget about somebody 130 miles away. Are they going to drive that far just to jam?

Get to it, seize the day, good luck

Agree totally with DED, getting together is like dating.
 
For starters, you don't have to do anything. Start by making music. Get together, set up the gear and play. You will need to make sure everyone is capable/desirable of playing the music you want to play - then play. Equipment, gigs, rental space, replacement musicians... can all come later. As stated above, it's like dating. You may go through many bass players, keyboardists, guitarists or singers - or it may be love at first sight with any one of them. You won't know until you try. Most importantly - have fun playing music.
 
Good advice about just getting together and talking first. Although my next project is with two guys who can totally play anything, we're in this to find out if we're going to click first. I have a good rapport with the guitarist/instigator, but I've never met the incoming bass player yet.

Once we get past the initial meeting and play some, then we'll know if it'll work. I'm probably at an advantage because I have a practice space and a good-sized PA, and am even providing mics and music stands for the two musicians, just so they don't have to carry everything of their own to my house, but the biggest obstacle is meeting and seeing if your ideas gel, if your personalities will gel, all of that stuff that exists before the music does. So I say maybe don't even rush to just start playing, have some coffee and chat about ideas, and then strap on the instruments and play?

I always tell everyone when you're in any kind of performing group, you spend about 10% of your time on stage playing music to an audience. The other 90% is made up of hang-out time, practice time, business time...if you can't hang together as people, forget the music part, it won't get that far. Unless you're the Eagles ;)
 
My 2 ruples... I'd start with a core trio, whatever instrumentation you envision. You need a core first.

Since you are the one organizing, I'd say your "responsibility" consists of 3 things. You need something to sing out of. Maybe rent. That's your biggest responsibility. Just anything that would get the job done, for right now. Maybe you can rig a way to use a power amp from a stereo to a speaker and get a mic in the signal chain somehow. Maybe borrow something. Buy a used bullhorn! Maybe build something on the cheap. Use your ingenuity. If you get a power amp and speakers you could use a laptop as a mic interface maybe.

Next I feel you should get an initial songlist together to establish where any common ground would lie. That's easy.

Now find people. Go get em Tiger! You do want an initial musical direction, stuff YOU want to do, with the goal of finding people who want to do the same kind of stuff.
 
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