Members Tomm Williams Posted November 21, 2011 Members Share Posted November 21, 2011 What motivated all of you to perform in this way? Limited local musicians? A chance to perform the music you want? Don't have to split the $$$$ There is one guy in our area who does solo with backing tracks. He's one of the best guitar players I've ever heard, does lot's of Satriani (very well too) His reason is no one can keep up with him. Do any of you also perform in bands in addition to solo/duo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pine Apple Slim Posted November 21, 2011 Members Share Posted November 21, 2011 All the difficulties in putting or keeping a band together, finding compatible musicians, personalities, tastes, real life, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dparr Posted November 21, 2011 Members Share Posted November 21, 2011 With a band I was only working maybe two nights a week. Solo, I have five steady gigs a week, lots more money, less to haul around, i get home at an early hour and no drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted November 21, 2011 Members Share Posted November 21, 2011 I've played in bands most of my life. In the 80s I noticed a trend of less budget for entertainment and smaller groups getting more work with more money per musician. But this is the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. Leilani and I were in a 5 piece band together. We just replaced a bass player, spent a month or so unemployed breaking the new one in and then a couple of months after working we lost the drummer. So we auditioned drummers, found a gal who had a small kit, kept great rhythm, had a lot of musical taste, and could play either soft or loud depending on the gig. So we spent about another month unemployed teaching her all our songs. First gig with the new drummer is in a local country club. The dining room was packed, so they removed the portable wall between the dining room and the lounge and asked us to set up in the lounge. The girl said that she couldn't play in a bar, it was against her religion, and god would not forgive her if she played in a bar. I told her that god would have to forgive me for homicide if she didn't (not really serious but she got the point). I told her these people were depending on us, and god didn't want us to ruin their evening either. The next day Leilani and I decided to go duo. I bought a primitive arranger keyboard and started making songs on it. Shortly after that I bought an Atari/ST computer and started sequencing from scratch so I could get the songs right. We've never looked back. We've been a duo since 1985 and have supported ourselves that way ever since. We've played on cruise ships, 5 star hotels, on international television, in the People's Republic of China, Yacht Clubs, Country Clubs, Retirement Communities, and lots of other venues. We are both dependable, we both have intense work ethics, we have a great time, neither one of us has ever missed a gig, neither one of us has ever showed up late for a gig, and we have a great time performing. It's all good. Notes ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted November 21, 2011 Members Share Posted November 21, 2011 When I was 17 and buying my first guitar, I came down to a choice between a Dobro (acoustic--solo) or a 335 (electric--band). I chose Dobro and everything else flowed from that. I do, though, play in a variety of groups as well as on my own. I'd LOVE to have a working R&B band and had one last year but the usual differences in aims abilities and musical taste broke it up after a single gig. The drummer wanted to play '80s, the bassist wanted to play whatever the audience wanted ("they like this one at the legion..." "oh god...."), the singer was flexible (she's my ongoing duo partner) and I wanted to focus on 50s/60s R&B. Doomed, I say, doomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members donkey 12 Posted November 21, 2011 Members Share Posted November 21, 2011 There are a few reasons I play in a duo: 1) I cannot sing to save my life, so I need a lead vocalist for the kind of music I want to play (solo option is therefore out)2) I generally don't like hearing drums, so a drummer is out of the question (no insult intended here, just being honest)3) I want to keep things simple - fewer personalities, complications the better4) More musicians can mean less pay per musician5) The type of music I like to play is well suited to a duo - acoustic blues6) I enjoy performing with another person. I have performed solo and with several musicians, and performing with one other person has been the most fun for me. I do not play in a larger band in addition to my duo because I do not have the time, I do not like staying up very late (bars, etc.), they often play WAY too loud for my taste (hurts my ears, not fun), and the drums rattle my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chemikool Posted November 21, 2011 Members Share Posted November 21, 2011 All the difficulties in putting or keeping a band together, finding compatible musicians, personalities, tastes, real life, etc. This ^^^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Blanchard Posted November 21, 2011 Members Share Posted November 21, 2011 It is hard for me to find musicians who like to play the music I like. Also, my work schedule is so crazy that it would be hard to find rehearsal time. ANd I'm lazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ProToneThinline Posted November 21, 2011 Members Share Posted November 21, 2011 Originally, I started doing solo work because I had moved to a new city, and had no network of musicians. It worked out pretty well, so when I moved again, I continued to work solo. After a few years, I moved back to my home city, and reconnected with my original network. I worked in bands for about 10 years. However, because of currrent economic conditions, band work has become more and more difficult to get, as clubs scale back in otder to maintain their bottom line. Around here, there is a lot more solo/duo work than band work, so the decision was pretty easy. I still do some band work, but my solo gigs outnumber the band gigs by about 3 to 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members James Clausen Posted November 22, 2011 Members Share Posted November 22, 2011 Moved to a rural area 80 miles south of Des Moines and 120 miles north of Kansas City. Musicians here are 1950's country or metal players. Most have never heard of Alternate or Outlaw country that I tend to do. Additionally, there are very few venues that can support a band but can do a solo or duo. Not any other options that I have found if I want to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fancyfootwork Posted November 22, 2011 Members Share Posted November 22, 2011 Originally Posted by Pine Apple Slim All the difficulties in putting or keeping a band together, finding compatible musicians, personalities, tastes, real life, etc. x2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EightString Posted November 22, 2011 Members Share Posted November 22, 2011 Same as my answer in the other thread: Doing solo gigs, 95% of the b.s. and hassle is simply gone. Plus, I have total control over the music I perform, and I make more money when I gig.About 7 years ago, I woke up and realized it was painfully obvious that the pain-in-the-ass factor of playing in bands far outweighed its benefits for me. http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?2829712-What-Is-Your-Reason-For-Performing-Solo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted November 22, 2011 Members Share Posted November 22, 2011 I was in a Top 40 band where half the tunes were sequenced. The work started drying up so I got Duo work with the sequences. Then one day the agent called me for a solo gig. For about two years I was almost strictly solo but a while back I started getting back into freelance work. I now have about six to eight regular bands or more accurately "artists". I've memorized most of their books and read the rest if needs be. Additional freelance gigs, and solo or duo stuff make up the rest - coupled with some PA gigs. I like bands and solo gigs - it's nice to do both. Had a great duo gig on Thursday and a really great band gig at a local casino Friday and Saturday. And I also like to do PA gigs 'cause I'm shaping the sound instead of creating it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John Bartus Posted November 22, 2011 Members Share Posted November 22, 2011 Like I also said in the previous thread: All the reasons mentioned already, plus... - I have a very extensive cover song list (over 1,000) and quite a few originals, and I'm tired of band members (mostly bass and keyboard players) with incredibly limited repertoires. It makes me wonder -- how have they played gigs all these years??? - When I do band gigs, we haul out the big stuff: powered subs, the big PA, mic'ed drums and amps, monitor wedges, etc. When I play solo, it's my 6- and 12-string guitars, a couple of pedals, a mic and some cables, and a Fishman "Fish Stick" PA. - Twice the money (or more!), exponentially less drama, and I keep all the tips (which are usually a whole lot more when I play solo). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bajazz Posted November 23, 2011 Members Share Posted November 23, 2011 Play both bands and solo. Band is more of a rock'n'roll fun thing, but my soloact is my kicks for showmanship. Kinda showing off with things that other soloacts can't do, even with backing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Surrealistic Posted November 24, 2011 Members Share Posted November 24, 2011 Personally, most of the time I'd much prefer to have a band behind me. There are plenty of benefits of being solo though; - being able to change the arrangement or shorten or lengthen a song on the fly- not having to find mutually convenient rehearsal times with bandmates- not having to deal with anyone's ego but my own - having full control over the setlist For me, none of those undoubted benefits -- nor the obvious one about not having to share the profits -- outweigh the good things that only having a group of musicians can bring. But ... Being as my day-job schedule is unpredictable and often involves long hours and/or being away from home I have no choice but to be solo right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members richardmac Posted November 24, 2011 Members Share Posted November 24, 2011 I have a wife, 2 kids, and a dog at home. I have a 8 to 4:30 day job Monday through Friday. I'm 46 years old. I don't have time for band practice, band egos, band votes, band debates, hanging out with the guys, and so on. A solo act is far, far easier to fit into my lifestyle. I've been asked to join a couple of bands but the situation is never right. Mostly, it's about control and freedom. I turned down a gig so I could go to a college football game because I wanted to. You can't do that when you're in a band, without being an ass. I like the extra money but it's not my main job. So I can play 8 times in a month or not play at all for 3 months. Freedom! I also write and perform original music, so some gigs once in a while I'll do all original. (Freedom.) Sometimes I'll go and do a songwriter night with just my acoustic. I don't have to worry about it messing with a band schedule. It's not without drawbacks. I have no illusions that I'm "just as good as a band" with my backing tracks. I'm not. What I am, though, is far less expensive than any quality full band you can find. If you have $150, you can hire a mediocre DJ or you can hire me. (You're not going to get a GREAT DJ for that amount of money.) Solo performers are cost effective entertainment. (And any band you can hire for $150, you don't want. Yes, there are exceptions, but it's the norm.) Especially with the economy in the crapper, solo/duo acts provide the service of helping to keep live music going. I had an 8 year old boy ask me for my autograph once. It made me feel great, not because he wanted my autograph (kids don't know any better,) but because he was that impressed with seeing live music, which meant I was the conduit that night. I was the mechanism to deliver the love of music. If that venue didn't have inexpensive options for live music, they wouldn't have had any music at all. There's another factor to being a solo act. I've been in a situation where I was in a good band, and it broke up before I wanted it to. That sucks. The nice thing about being solo is that can't ever happen. If I want my solo act to continue for another 20 years, it will, unless I get injured and can't play or sing. It CAN'T break up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members leftyjay Posted November 24, 2011 Members Share Posted November 24, 2011 money, money, and oh yeah.......the money i would love to be in a band. but i would have to get another job to pay the bills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ptkbass Posted December 2, 2011 Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 I was playing in a blues trio on bass. The guitar player was great, but he couldn't sing a lick. I figured that if this effort would work, I'd have to pick up the slack. I got more positive remarks after singing one damn song than I did from years of kick-ass rhythm section playing. Bitten by the singing bug, I took some singing lessons. Then, personnel issues with a Steely Dan cover band made me realize that it's easier to start solo and add players as the gig and situation demands, than it is to replace or subtract players. And by me driving the bus, I can arrange the tunes to be in my key. It's fun, I keep all the money, and with the smaller footprint I gig out way more often. Sad but true: Nobody really gives a damn about the bass player anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted December 3, 2011 Members Share Posted December 3, 2011 Sad but true: Nobody really gives a damn about the bass player anyway. Unless the bass player is a woman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted December 4, 2011 Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 I play 2-4 band gigs a month, but also play piano bars and private clubs and stuff like wedding rehearsal dinners and banquets. I guess you could call it "cocktail" piano, although I go way beyond a "cocktail" repertoire. It's kind of nice to walk in with nothing but the clothes on your back, walk out with $100+ an hour and a bellyfull of good food. Although it's not as exciting as band gigs, and I miss the comraderie and support of band mates, working that way has it's own charms - primarily that I get to play whatever songs and genres I want, instead of being limited by what a guitar player knows (a truly versatile guitar player with a great ear would be different, I 'spose). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted December 4, 2011 Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 (a truly versatile guitar player with a great ear would be different, I 'spose). ..and I'm starting to think that that species only exists on the internet. I have played with very good pickers in my area, but none that meet those 2 criteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EightString Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 ..and I'm starting to think that that species only exists on the internet. I have played with very good pickers in my area, but none that meet those 2 criteria. Oh wait... this is the internet, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Oh wait... this is the internet, isn't it? Well actually, it is!- the same internet that has scads of brilliantly eclectic piano players resigned to playing with themselves the rest of their lives because the rest of the local talent pool just can't "hang". But I fully understand Mr. Bartus' complaint: How does someone be a "pro" player for most of their adult life, and still not know very many songs? Not doubting you or anybody else on this board's abilities, mind you. Although the only clips I have listened to are Lefty Jay's, and he kicks ASS on both keys and guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EightString Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Well actually, it is! - the same internet that has scads of brilliantly eclectic piano players resigned to playing with themselves the rest of their lives because the rest of the local talent pool just can't "hang". But I fully understand Mr. Bartus' complaint: How does someone be a "pro" player for most of their adult life, and still not know very many songs? Not doubting you or anybody else on this board's abilities, mind you. Although the only clips I have listened to are Lefty Jay's, and he kicks ASS on both keys and guitar. Dude, I'm a total badass! *fails to post clips*. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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