Members BlueStrat Posted August 27, 2013 Members Share Posted August 27, 2013 So I have been doing mostly the solo stuff for the past year. I do the occasional acoustic trio with my old bass player and drummer, but only a few times a year. This summer I got booked at a festival as the opener with my acoustic trio. I told the guys, they agreed to do the gig, all is well. About a month ago, I got a call from the bass player. He didn't realize the sail boat races were on that weekend on Puget Sound, and he participates, so he asked to be excused. No problem, I called a bass player I've worked with off and on since 1991 and he's on for it. Then, this past weekend, the drummer calls me and tells me the band he's been playing with got a last minute booking and they need him. Okay, I understand, I only book these guys a few times a year and they have to keep their main gigs happy. So I get a drummer I have also played with since 1993 off and on. They're both great players, but they don't know the material. So now I have 12 days to get them into shape to pull off a festival set on a concert stage. It reminds me of why I don't play with a band. Where I live, few bands play more than once or twice a month, so most guys are in multiple bands. Trying to get any of them to commit to a date is hard. Meanwhile, as a solo, I play as much as I want. I play the songs I want, the way I want, when I want, if I want. Every time I think I miss the band, I get together and have a rehearsal and realize that no, I really don't. Preparing for this gig has been a confirmation of sorts for me. By the time I'm done with two rehearsals 30 miles away, taking the time to record my songs on a disc and get them to the guys to have so they can work on their own (and hoping they get the material down), driving the two hours each way to the gig and paying them and for the gas, I'll be lucky to net 150 bucks, which I can do standing on my head as a solo with no rehearsal and without leaving town. Don't know what the point of all this is except to vent and affirm my desire to just be a solo guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted August 27, 2013 Members Share Posted August 27, 2013 I feel ya brother.....I REALLY do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted August 27, 2013 Members Share Posted August 27, 2013 BlueStrat wrote: Meanwhile, as a solo, I play as much as I want. I play the songs I want, the way I want, when I want, if I want. Every time I think I miss the band, I get together and have a rehearsal and realize that no, I really don't. Yep! It's great isn't it? Just remember that it can get a bit lonely once in a while. It seems like you're playing quite a bit and I'd assume you're going to be up toward 150 a year sometime soon. It can get old after a while without bandmates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Graeca Posted August 27, 2013 Members Share Posted August 27, 2013 BlueStrat wrote: So I have been doing mostly the solo stuff for the past year. I do the occasional acoustic trio with my old bass player and drummer, but only a few times a year. This summer I got booked at a festival as the opener with my acoustic trio. I told the guys, they agreed to do the gig, all is well. About a month ago, I got a call from the bass player. He didn't realize the sail boat races were on that weekend on Puget Sound, and he participates, so he asked to be excused. No problem, I called a bass player I've worked with off and on since 1991 and he's on for it. Then, this past weekend, the drummer calls me and tells me the band he's been playing with got a last minute booking and they need him. Okay, I understand, I only book these guys a few times a year and they have to keep their main gigs happy. So I get a drummer I have also played with since 1993 off and on. They're both great players, but they don't know the material. So now I have 12 days to get them into shape to pull off a festival set on a concert stage. It reminds me of why I don't play with a band. Where I live, few bands play more than once or twice a month, so most guys are in multiple bands. Trying to get any of them to commit to a date is hard. Meanwhile, as a solo, I play as much as I want. I play the songs I want, the way I want, when I want, if I want. Every time I think I miss the band, I get together and have a rehearsal and realize that no, I really don't. Preparing for this gig has been a confirmation of sorts for me. By the time I'm done with two rehearsals 30 miles away, taking the time to record my songs on a disc and get them to the guys to have so they can work on their own (and hoping they get the material down), driving the two hours each way to the gig and paying them and for the gas, I'll be lucky to net 150 bucks, which I can do standing on my head as a solo with no rehearsal and without leaving town. Don't know what the point of all this is except to vent and affirm my desire to just be a solo guy. Exactly my situation since Wendy (my favorite bassist EVER) moved to Seattle...the girl just spoiled me with her near mind-reading of what to play, so that when she's in town, visiting her folks and does a gig or two with me, we really don't have to rehearse much...lately, I've just emailed her a set list, what key each song is and an mp3 if there's a song we've never done before involved.With a bassist that good, ANY percussionist, with a good enough sense of rhythm to masturbate, can fit right in!Should've had her cloned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted August 27, 2013 Members Share Posted August 27, 2013 BlueStrat wrote: .......... Don't know what the point of all this is except to vent and affirm my desire to just be a solo guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted August 27, 2013 Members Share Posted August 27, 2013 It just gets to a point where you want this to be streamlined and you know longer have the time or inclination to deal with all the BS involved in the band situation. Even more so because nowadays everyone's a band of one So getting everyone's schedules in line is the main fly in the ointment. At least you have people who can play Pat. I've been dealing with far far far far subpar musicians... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted August 27, 2013 Members Share Posted August 27, 2013 sventvkg wrote: ...... At least you have people who can play Pat. I've been dealing with far far far far subpar musicians... Couldn't be due to their learning guitar on Rock Star, could it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted August 27, 2013 Members Share Posted August 27, 2013 Yep, there's less less excitement playing solo, but on the plus side there's also less excitement - err, I mean drama! I have no problem playing in a band where I am not the leader, but the whole, last minute cancellation thing turns me off. I understand it but I hate dealing with it. I used to know a guy who would pay his six to eight piece band about $200 per man for a casual. He told me he would never take less than $1000.00 for himself. At the time it sounded like a lot, but when you factor in dealing with all those people, PA, club owners, set lists, websites, promo and so on, $1000.00 is cheap. People often say to me, when is your band playing. I feel like saying, when I can make money putting one together. But when I do put a band together, I now use charts, and only hire guys that can read really well - but also play really well. In June I did a one hour Jazz/Gospel gig, with tunes by Cannonball Adderly, Staple Sisters, Taj Mahal and so on. I wrote out ten really clean charts using Print Music. I put them all in books; for bass, keys, Bb horns, trombone, and drums. I had all the horn lines and most of the bass parts written out. I emailed the charts and Youtube links ahead of time - not that anyone looked at them beforehand Gig time came, and the band sounded great. Better than the times I've had a rehearsal but no charts. So now I'm a firm believer in charts, where once I was not. I'm in the process of "completing" my Pop book. I've got about 35 charts done, and maybe need to add another 25 or so. Charts are labour intensive, but it's one way to keep folks literally on the same page, and help to mitigate the cancellation syndrome. Not that I want folks to have their nose in the book all night. It's more of a jumping off point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted August 27, 2013 Members Share Posted August 27, 2013 Shaster wrote: But when I do put a band together, I now use charts, and only hire guys that can read really well - but also play really well. In June I did a one hour Jazz/Gospel gig, with tunes by Cannonball Adderly, Staple Sisters, Taj Mahal and so on. I wrote out ten really clean charts using Print Music. I put them all in books; for bass, keys, Bb horns, trombone, and drums. I had all the horn lines and most of the bass parts written out. I emailed the charts and Youtube links ahead of time - not that anyone looked at them beforehand Gig time came, and the band sounded great. Better than the times I've had a rehearsal but no charts. So now I'm a firm believer in charts, where once I was not. I'm in the process of "completing" my Pop book. I've got about 35 charts done, and maybe need to add another 25 or so. Charts are labour intensive, but it's one way to keep folks literally on the same page, and help to mitigate the cancellation syndrome. Not that I want folks to have their nose in the book all night. It's more of a jumping off point. Everything about this is awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted August 28, 2013 Moderators Share Posted August 28, 2013 daklander wrote: first thing that came to my mind...my band is tough enough to manage...let alone side projects...so if I do side work, it is as a side man...no responsibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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