Why is it so hard to get a band together?

[CrownofWorms]

The more I do this, the more I'm either getting some session musician that can't make it or no permanent member at all. Hell I feel I'm the only one that want's to do this, everybody else looks at like its something to get ready for your High School's "Battle of the Bands" to get all the brain dead girls. If that was the case I would start a screamo/post hardcore band, but I'm not into that nor do I have the drive to do that sorta thing to just do it(its like applying for a job that you hate or will hate).

Even though almost all the people in my age range want to do that mundane shit(I'm 16 right now goin on 17 in a month). Maybe its the age range. From my experience most teens don't even care, they see it as something to do when they're bored until they find something else( They view Prom and hanging out and partying with your "crew" is more important than a band ). They won't take it as seriously or even try to make a professional band. When I reach out to older guys, they're either way too old, or don't take myself seriously due to my age.

How do guys like Cannibal Corpse, Meshuggah, Morbid Angel,Slayer, and many more(just putting out big examples) get to have little lineup changes due to musical differences and its like I have to think about finding new guys every month due to reliability and seriousness.

Well that's a rant I think the community on SSrg can give their whole take and experiences on this, I'm just wondering, since its difficult to even get a a band to practice.


Discuss

 

[fps]

The more I do this, the more I'm either getting some session musician that can't make it or no permanent member at all. Hell I feel I'm the only one that want's to do this, everybody else looks at like its something to get ready for your High School's "Battle of the Bands" to get all the brain dead girls. If that was the case I would start a screamo/post hardcore band, but I'm not into that nor do I have the drive to do that sorta thing to just do it(its like applying for a job that you hate or will hate).

Even though almost all the people in my age range want to do that mundane shit(I'm 16 right now goin on 17 in a month). Maybe its the age range. From my experience most teens don't even care, they see it as something to do when they're bored until they find something else( They view pProm is more important than a band). They won't take it as seriously or even try to make a professional band. When I reach out to older guys, they're either way too old, or don't take myself seriously due to my age.

How do guys like Cannibal Corpse, Meshuggah, Morbid Angel,Slayer, and many more(just putting out big examples) get to have little lineup changes due to musical differences and its like I have to think about finding new guys every month due to reliability and seriousness.

Well that's a rant I think the community on SSrg can give their whole take and experiences on this, I'm just wondering, since its difficult to even get a a band to practice.


Discuss

I didn't even pick up a guitar til I was 17 and I'm now a very dedicated and diligent player, when you're 16/17 not only are most of the people who play not very good at their instruments, you've got to deal with the ultra-sensitivity that comes with trying to form a semi-working relationship with teenagers, the most likely group in the world to say *hey fuck you!!* at the first sign of trouble, by approx 1,000,000,000 times. Don't despair, just keep playing and look for like-minded people with potential, the ones who will work away and know what they want.

The bands you're mentioning are enormous bands who've been going for years, but even they didn't start that young, not everyone can be Decapitated with a settled lineup of insanely talented people and a record out at 15. Don't worry too much, just enjoy the experiences that come your way, and try and play some shows!!

 

[-One-]

Dude, I know that feel. My scene is so stagnant, it's not even funny. Everyone still wants to sound like August Burns Red, The Ghost Inside, and Job for a Cowboy. It's really hard to find people around here, my age or not (I'm 18), who want to play progressive metal (think The Contortionist meets Meshuggah). We've gone through a couple drummers, because some just didn't have the chops, and others had too much ego, and we can't find a drummer who can play our material, AND be level-headed and dedicated like we are. Luckily, the rest of the band came together pretty easily. I guess it helps when I do all of the writing, musically and lyrically, but whatever. I'm fairly productive, and wrote most of the EP we're working on in about a week. Still sucks that we're going to have to program drums since we don't have a drummer.

 

[bhakan]

I think the problem is that there is a lot of criteria. They have to be into the same music as you (which narrows people down A LOT when playing niche genres like progressive metal), they have to have the chops, they have to be dedicated, you have to be able to get along with them well, and if you have a 7/8/whatever string guitar, you have to work with that. And those are basically all hard characteristics/criteria to find on their own, let alone all together.

 

[-One-]

I think the problem is that there is a lot of criteria. They have to be into the same music as you (which narrows people down A LOT when playing niche genres like progressive metal), they have to have the chops, they have to be dedicated, you have to be able to get along with them well, and if you have a 7/8/whatever string guitar, you have to work with that. And those are basically all hard characteristics/criteria to find on their own, let alone all together.

This is all true
Living in a decently sized town like I do (pop. 48,000), you'd think I'd find at least one other guy with an 8-string, but no, my band's other guitarist is the only one, and he only got one because I did. Hell, there's only like 5 of us with 7-strings that I know of, and our other guitarist isn't one of the 5, he just plays a drop-tuned 6 when I use my 7.

Just keep dedicated and vigilant, and try to put your name out there, it really works.
Also, go to lots of local shows. It's how I played bass in a generic, but popular metalcore band, and got the offer for guitar and vocals in two others (but I turned them down, one was too generic for me [think old Chelsea Grin but with only one guitarist], and the other was 80% breakdowns). Just go to shows, and network. I'm friends with all the local bands, so everyone knows me. It's how I met my bassist, and my entire old band.

 

[Danukenator]

First off, I want to say, I have NO experience at this. What I do have is the fascinating experience of watching a band form, go from it's infancy, change, play gigs and then fall apart. I can provide some advice based on talking and knowing everyone in this band.

1. Find people who play well or are interested in forming a band, put out a Craigslist ad. Throw an ad up here. This is obvious but hell, might as well say it.

2. Have and idea of what you want to play and an idea only. If you want to play Deathcore versions of lullaby songs you should probably start out by recording and releasing on your own and find people over time. Otherwise, be prepared to have this thing morph in a way that everybody is happy. The band I saw had too many interests that were stiffed because they were a Alternative whatever band.

3. Look in places you wouldn't expect for players. In my theory class, there was this little freshmen. I figured she was another chorus person that was there to sing or whatever. Nope, kickass bluegrass player that blows me away when it comes to playing. I'd never have expected that, so leave no stone upturned.

4. This is more of an issue when you actually have people, but it's not 100% yet. Be open about stuff. If the drummer needs to go, he needs to go and it is better to do it sooner than latter. Behind the back bullshit isn't a joke and does happen. It just happened to Van Halen. Do you have two hardcore Republicans who are also Westbro members? Do you also have two homosexual members who are Marxist and are reading into Islam? That probably won't end well. You need to screen the people to prevent issues down the line. I'm not saying, everyone needs to be X or they are out. I'm saying if two people are obviously not going to get along, it needs to be dealt with before it hurts more people and factions are made.

5. Be willing to play in someone else's band. Let's say you are an AC/DC dude. If you can't find people, try playing in a band, that isn't your primary interest, like a blues band. You'll learn some tricks of a different genre and meet people that are committed to playing in a band. You obviously can't hate the music but playing is good experience regardless. I know a lot of people that have networked with other players by doing this. Plus, being able to play anything and everything makes you a very desirable player in an age of people clashing genre's.

Hope this helps. Out of curiosity, what are you looking to play. If you are near Chicago, I'd figure there would be many musicians.

 

[CrownofWorms]

Hope this helps. Out of curiosity, what are you looking to play. If you are near Chicago, I'd figure there would be many musicians.

 

[JStraitiff]

i feel for you. In that age range people are soo unreliable. Its hard to get them to even respond to a text let alone come to practice and contribute regularly to a band. For me its always been just me and my bass player who are really committed to our musical projects. Hopefully we'll be able to find people who are as interested and get along as well as us.

Adding in playing ERGs even just 7 strings makes it even more difficult to find a second guitarist.

 

[Leuchty]

Do what im doing...

Write your own tunes (guitar, bass, drums, lyrics, vocals, etc)

Record them at home to your best ability.

Promote as much as you can, while looking like a full band.

Look for members in the meantime...

 

[broj15]

Do what im doing...

Write your own tunes (guitar, bass, drums, lyrics, vocals, etc)

Record them at home to your best ability.

Promote as much as you can, while looking like a full band.

Look for members in the meantime...

That's the way I'm doing it. It just sucks not having another musician to bounce ideas off of. Especially when you're your own worst critic

 

[3074326]

Drummers who aren't in four bands already don't exist in Ohio. That's my biggest problem. I don't even care what type of music at this point. I just want to play some fucking music.

I feel like I should give up looking for metal drummers. Those two words shouldn't even be used in the same sentence in Columbus. I work in a music store and I can't find drummers, how fucked is that?

 

[SkapocalypseNow]

Your age range could definitely be a factor, but I've been in a few bands that had older members (in their 40s) that were just as flaky as bands I've been in with younger members (think 17-20ish), and subsequently, each band fell apart. But then, once you get past the flakiness issue (or previous commitments, god forbid), you're left with the vision for the band which will obviously be different from everyone else in some way or another. Hopefully it's a small matter, so that compromise can come in. But more often than not, that's where band members develop massive control issues.

Solution? People suck, so get good at everything and do it all yourself.

I work in a music store and I can't find drummers

You and me both Granted, the shop I'm in is very guitar-centric, but you'd think someone would have some connections at least. Shit.

 

[-One-]

Drummers who aren't in four bands already don't exist in Ohio. That's my biggest problem. I don't even care what type of music at this point. I just want to play some fucking music.

I feel like I should give up looking for metal drummers. Those two words shouldn't even be used in the same sentence in Columbus. I work in a music store and I can't find drummers, how fucked is that?

You live in the huge hometown of The Crimson Armada, Miss May I, and Attack Attack!, and you can't find a drummer? You've got to be doing this wrong. Just saying. Someone in the 738,000 people there plays drums and isn't in a band already.

 

[CrownofWorms]

I'm starting to feel as if I've been surrounded by the wrong people. It's like in my area I'm the only guy that has this passion to play and listen to extreme music. At my age I'm starting to feel as if people are getting the feeling that extreme music was a phase in their life and now prefer stuff like alternative, gospel, normal rock, dubstep. Kids around are acting as if it's something to be embarrassed about and look at it as a phase. Pretty much forget about where they came from

The people I have wanted to play with. It's almost a rare chance to keep in touch and Idk I just don't feel the passion of playing this type of music(people within my age group).

It's like I said before and nothing seems to get better, I keep getting back into the same dead ends as usual. Hell half the metal fans I meet are not from Chicago

 

[GSingleton]

Been trying to get a band together for 4 years...I live in kentucky....figure out the music scene haha

 

[Sam MJ]

I'm starting to feel as if I've been surrounded by the wrong people. It's like in my area I'm the only guy that has this passion to play and listen to extreme music. At my age I'm starting to feel as if people are getting the feeling that extreme music was a phase in their life and now prefer stuff like alternative, gospel, normal rock, dubstep. Kids around are acting as if it's something to be embarrassed about and look at it as a phase. Pretty much forget about where they came from

The people I have wanted to play with. It's almost a rare chance to keep in touch and Idk I just don't feel the passion of playing this type of music(people within my age group).

It's like I said before and nothing seems to get better, I keep getting back into the same dead ends as usual. Hell half the metal fans I meet are not from Chicago

Maybe you should go the other way then, be proud of it, wear band t-shirts, put up notices, play infront of people at school, even if you're just practising. You never know, 'that quiet guy who sits in the corner of the room and keeps to themselves' might end up being a huge death metal fan with the chops to prove it .

 

[Alex6534]

The hardest part for me so far is finding a damn bassist.... Any that do join are in 3 or more projects and can't keep up with the cost, or they're always late

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

I've been looking for people to finish up my power metal band (im singing) for over 2 years.
No one plays an instrument these days. And people dont like good music.

Hell, I've been looking to play some metal (guitar in a death, black, power, heavy....) for years. And I cannot find anyone!
And if I do find someone, they are god awful.

musicians are fucktards. They all say they are good... bragging about their skills. Then when they show up, they blow ass and have incredibly awful tone.
Makes me want to give up.

 

[troyguitar]

I gave up. Didn't matter if people were 16, 21, 25, 30 years old - every musician I've ever tried to do anything with has been (A) not good enough to play in a band or (B) flaky as fucking hell.

I'm eventually going to finish my current CD and work on some more stuff where I am "the band" but recently I've just quit playing almost entirely. The constant struggle to get people to even practice songs and show up at rehearsal completely turned me off of music.

 

[CTID]

Not to attack you, I don't know if situations have changed or not, but you made a thread a few months back talking about how everyone you've been in a band with has a shit music taste and doesn't want to play what you want to play.

Have you considered that YOU might be the problem? I never had trouble finding anybody in high school, and once I played a few shows, I knew enough people that when that band fell through, I was able to form a new band with them.