Band Recruiting tips.

A

A GUY NAMED JON

New member
Hello everybody it's stupid question time, so here it is.

Myself (guitar player) and my friend (drummer) are seeking a bass player and a singer. But just posting flyers in the music shop isn't doing the trick. Maybe I need to put more detail in it. It says "Bass Player Wanted" For Hard Rock music, "must have a 5-string bass and amp" along with my phone number. This town I live in is not very musical. I just want any tips that could help.
Thanks.
A guy named JON
 
I'm currently adopting a very stupid approach to doing this. Honestly, every time I've tried to audition somebody for my band, I've been pretty frustrated with the results. (Hey, let's all stand around saying "Gee what do you feel like playing? I don't know, what about you? Uhhh...you play guitar, so how about some more Metallica? Let's just solo in E minor for 20 minutes..." etc) Anyway, it gets old.

Me and the other guy I started the band with ended booting everyone else out. We figured that right now, we're the guys writing the songs, we know what they should sound like, and we know how to play all of the instruments we need. We're going to record the album by ourselves, mix it down with all my new ill-gained knowledge from this website, get it mastered, blah blah blah, and then we'll actually have something to hand to potential new members with no mistaken pretense of the kind of music we want to do. "Here's a CD. Are you into this kind of stuff? Can you play it? Great, learn a song or two and let's jam it out." We can also then state on those little music store ad flyers that we've got a demo you can check out that will better explain the music styles than a little blurb will. (Oddly enough, we're looking for 5 string bass player for hard rock as well. Kinda tricky to describe much more than that, isn't it?) Another plus is that we'll immediately have something available to hand out at shows to anybody that actually gives a shit about our sound.

Maybe this is stupid, but it makes a weird sense to me. Trying to find band members that you can tolerate can be a royal pain in the ass. I figured, why not just go completely backassward and see if a different method works?
 
yeah, good call purge- I've had the same problem for years. At least guy named jon has a drummer to play with him. that's enough to put on some kinda lil' performance. I recommend recording a demo that at least captures your style and do some looking/talking around. Try some open mic performances to meet people who might dig on your music. The more you put into your search, the better it will turn out........eventually.
 
I have a band recruiting tip for you.

First of all you and your mate should find a nice busy tavern. Then go in and start getting chummy with the rogues, vagabonds and other ne'er-do-wells who frequent these miserable dens of insobriety and iniquity. Offer to buy the most likely (i.e. stupid or green) looking one a flagon of ale (remember to ask the Landlord for a pewter or earthenware tankard; this won't work with a glass one). Drop a coin into the beer. Then, when your erm... recruit has drank the beer he'll see the coin in the bottom of the tankard. Being dumb (or naive... or both) he'll take the coin out of the tankard, at which point you say:

"Arrr ye've taken the King's shilling my man"

And then you (or your mate) knock him unconscious and drag him off to your ship.

Oh... wait... :o
 
Purge - that's exactly how we have done it. Weeds out people who don't like our music (which is just about everybody!!). The other thing is you can send them a CD / chord sheet and get them to work something out BEFORE the audition.
 
Purge said:
I'm currently adopting a very stupid approach to doing this. Honestly, every time I've tried to audition somebody for my band, I've been pretty frustrated with the results. (Hey, let's all stand around saying "Gee what do you feel like playing? I don't know, what about you? Uhhh...you play guitar, so how about some more Metallica? Let's just solo in E minor for 20 minutes..." etc) Anyway, it gets old.

Me and the other guy I started the band with ended booting everyone else out. We figured that right now, we're the guys writing the songs, we know what they should sound like, and we know how to play all of the instruments we need. We're going to record the album by ourselves, mix it down with all my new ill-gained knowledge from this website, get it mastered, blah blah blah, and then we'll actually have something to hand to potential new members with no mistaken pretense of the kind of music we want to do. "Here's a CD. Are you into this kind of stuff? Can you play it? Great, learn a song or two and let's jam it out." We can also then state on those little music store ad flyers that we've got a demo you can check out that will better explain the music styles than a little blurb will. (Oddly enough, we're looking for 5 string bass player for hard rock as well. Kinda tricky to describe much more than that, isn't it?) Another plus is that we'll immediately have something available to hand out at shows to anybody that actually gives a shit about our sound.

Maybe this is stupid, but it makes a weird sense to me. Trying to find band members that you can tolerate can be a royal pain in the ass. I figured, why not just go completely backassward and see if a different method works?
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Good idea! I'll do that. Thanks for the help guys.
 
Good luck then, and I hope it works out. The biggest downside is that there is no immediate gratification as far as a good jam session goes, but I think it'll work out better in the long run. Let us know how you do!
 
Purge said:
guy I started the band with ended booting everyone else out. We figured that right now, we're the guys writing the songs, we know what they should sound like, and we know how to play all of the instruments we need. We're going to record the album by ourselves, mix it down with all my new ill-gained knowledge from this website, get it mastered, blah blah blah, and then we'll actually have something to hand to potential new members with no mistaken pretense of the kind of music we want to do. "Here's a CD. Are you into this kind of stuff? Can you play it? Great, learn a song or two and let's jam it out."
Click to expand...

Not to sound like a dick here, but in other words your going to be putting up flyers that basically say:

"Wanted 5 string bass player to learn some one elses parts. This is not a paid gig and you will have no creative input in the band. We have already finished the album so you will not get to be a part of the recording process either. The album is the sound we want so we will not want you to have your own sound or style. We have already established the sound of this band and you must fit into that box. Must have own gear and be dedicated and make all the required sacrifices that are needed to be in a band, but you will not get to be a part of the creative process or share in any of the writing should this band eventual have financial suceess. "
 
Yeah, I kinda thought the same thing as Ronan when I read it. I guess some players like this kinda stuff, but unforunately most of the ones that do are pretty crappy. Also I can count the number of five string bass players in my area on one hand.. without holding up any fingers. I don't know how it is in your area, but mebbe you should just settle for a four?
 
Imaduck said:
Yeah, I kinda thought the same thing as Ronan when I read it. I guess some players like this kinda stuff, but unforunately most of the ones that do are pretty crappy. Also I can count the number of five string bass players in my area on one hand.. without holding up any fingers. I don't know how it is in your area, but mebbe you should just settle for a four?
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Four string bass isn't an option, for the music that is going to be played. I use 7 string guiars (and no this isn't a Korn rip off project) and it's nice to have some one else with the same range of sound. Also it's not hard to pick up a 5 string bass nowadays, They're every where now.
 
Ronan said:
Not to sound like a dick here, but in other words your going to be putting up flyers that basically say:

"Wanted 5 string bass player to learn some one elses parts. This is not a paid gig and you will have no creative input in the band. We have already finished the album so you will not get to be a part of the recording process either. The album is the sound we want so we will not want you to have your own sound or style. We have already established the sound of this band and you must fit into that box. Must have own gear and be dedicated and make all the required sacrifices that are needed to be in a band, but you will not get to be a part of the creative process or share in any of the writing should this band eventual have financial suceess. "
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The demo is for an idea of what the group will sound like. The reason I want somebody else in the band is to have another creative force in the group. Right now the band is just song ideas not full songs, because I know that having another person adding their own twist on it would make it more exciting. I think your looking at this idea a bit to negative even though you are making good points.
 
Ronan said:
Not to sound like a dick here...
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Heh...well that's a bit extreme but sure, I'll play along.

I doubt Rob Trujillo is very pissed off about the fact that he didn't play on Metallica's latest album, do you think? The idea of joining a band already in progress isn't exactly an unheard idea. Generally when you lose a band member, you're probably not thinking "hey I need to find somebody to completely reinvent our sound." I agree with you that most players aren't looking to be somebody else's sheep. One thing I thought about also, was that I don't want to come off as insulting to any rhythm players out there, thinking that they don't deserve to have any creative input in this band. I've been in bands before where everybody had a say in the musical process and I found it to be very enjoyable. I've also been in bands where one guy did the majority of the writing and the rest of us had a good time playing along. Come on, it all works. It's just a matter of preference and what you feel like doing at the time. Yeah, to be fair, I'm writing all the stuff for this project. The other guy looks for anything that he thinks is sucky and takes it out. And that's the way this particular project is going to be. Take a look through your CD collection and tell me you don't own any albums that have been written mostly by one member.
 
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5 strings, 4 strings, whatever. Just like JON, I'm on the 7 string plan as well, and it would be nice to have that low B in there.
 
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I'm doing the same thing.....making the cd first and then finding members....it does kill the element of bullshit involved with finding people and getting on the same page....also renting a house with a bass player and a drummer has its advantages....bands usually playing in the house..band members bring friends..friends randomly hear stuff and they want to get involved. very effective means i think.
 
Firstly, I would try to find a decent bass player no matter how many strings are on his bass! Hell, if he plays one with only 2 strings and can play a decent groove, I'd go with him over someone else just because he has a 5- or 6-string bass (plus it'd be quite a novelty :D). Also, another thing more important than the number of strings is if he seems to get along well with you and if he shares similar musical goals and generally likes the same kind of music. (Not EXACTLY the same kind of music, since nobody does and it really helps everyone grow if you all can bring a little something different to the table in terms of musical experience and influences) These are the tough things to get right - I'd concentrate on those first.

If it works out, he might decide for himself that he'd like to try a bass with more strings, especially if he thinks it would help him stand out more against your 7-string. Like you said, it's not too hard to pick up a 5-string nowadays. But why make it a requirement?

I think your idea of having a demo to play along with is fine. I think if you have some cover tunes that you guys know or could play decent enough, then you can give a list of those too and give an option. But yeah, it's definitely smart to have your audition stuff figured out before you have someone standing there and everybody's wasting their time.
 
when i look at some of those christian screaming/scrapping bands.....they're tuned to C# and the bass players usually have 4 strings and keep trucking. i dont see where its too bad.
 
Very true. I don't think any of us meant to get off on the "I MUST have a 5 string bass" thing. What I'm recording won't have one on there anyway! What I DO require is an experienced 27 string autoharp player with absolutely NO illusions of creativity and a dick much smaller than mine.
 
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