Anyone ever joined a working band using local classified ad's?

[wheresgrant3]

Some people either have it or not.... that's my opinion when it comes to musicans who gig. There are a lot of bedroom players in any area... some quite talented... some not so, but when it comes to active musicans in your local scene there are probably anywhere from a couple dozen to a few hundred that have gigged regularly... whether it was in an original band or cover. I'd like to think I am part of those fortunate few. Even though I am an average musican I have gigged regularly in my local music scene for nearly 9 years. I chalk it up to having a good ear, good attitude and good instincts.

 

In the time I have played locally I have made lots of friends and connections in the local scene through bandmates and aquiantences... and more from introductions from other musicians while I've played out. I confidently know 40-50 solid musicans from the area that I could call on if I intended to form a new band or side project.... which brings me to classifieds. The local classified in my area are full of desperate people.... like people who can't seem to get a date? Once a week I scan the local internet classifieds and read up on who is looking for who. I see the same desperate ads (usually placed by the same desperate people) week after week.

 

 

Metal Band seeks members

A metal "band" with record contacts and all gigs lined up in need of a singer, lead guitarist and drummer. Have bassiest and guitarist all set.... need people with chops (um... just some advice... usually 2 out of five doesn't make a band? That's a duo....)

 

Guitarist Available.... for anything!!!!

A guitarist looking for players who... Want to get together & just jam and have some fun? 50-60's, country, metal, polka etc." (It screams "I'm so desperate I'll play anything... including Finnish Hip Hop!")

 

Someone respond....

Are There anyone out there?:Wanted Bass,Keys,Drums

Is There anyone who will play if there is'nt money or working situation involved? Singer songwriter& Guitarist working on covers(CCR ,Janes Addiction,BlackCrowes,T.Rex, LouReed,etc.etc.). (If there is no money involved... why play covers?)

 

Need Ego... I have it

Pro Guitarist available for working cover band.... want to play Zepplin, Cream and Clapton. Looking for working cover situation only. Anything less than $175 a gig is not worth it. (um yea! Maybe if the classic rock band pools together all the door money they can afford to pay you )

 

and my personal favorite....

 

You Must Not Suck!!!

Band looking for bass player....

Four piece piece situation. Looking to do covers for now.... No drug addicts, jerks, alcoholics, egos, Must practice...no-shows, needn't respond. If you think 1 practice a week is alot to ask, well..... I don't know what ta tell ya then... (Friendly ad.... I'm sure people are busting down the door to respond)

 

I guess if I wanted to make a few connections in the local scene I'd.... go to a few gigs and introduce myself in person to some desired players.

[Lee Flier]

Well... I agree with you so far as I think getting out and "networking" is way superior to ads.

 

But, that doesn't mean ads are totally useless. In my experience there are two kinds of people placing ads: 1) people who are just desperate like you say, and 2) people who are very selective and are using ads as just one of a lot of methods (including networking) to find the "perfect" bandmates. Or at least that's how they approach it until they find out that most of the responses from ads suck.

 

And most of em do suck, but you never know who might have just arrived in town and just might be looking for a band, or whatever. If you're picky it's good to throw out every possible line and see what sticks. It's just a pain is all.

[centuryhouse]

Good advice there. I'm coming at it from the "guy who puts out the classifieds add" end of things.

 

I have successfully gotten one band together through the classified adds I placed, and we subsequently did some recording and played live shows.

 

However, after relocating to Dallas I have determined that nothing good will come out of the classified adds here. I have gone through droves of flakes, slackers and uninspired bedroom musicians - with a few mixed in there were genuinely good musicians.

 

Going to shows downtown (a long way away) and networking has been very difficult since we had a baby, so I was hoping to get some people together from ads - it's just not going to happen though. One or two nights a week to make music are OK, but another few nights a week to gladhand and network just aren't possible right now.

 

A lot of truth to your original comments though.

[tdempsey]

that you are completely correct Grant.

 

even though I met my current bandmates this way, I've gotta start networking in-person to add gigs.

 

but it is tough being a family man.

[anonpostguy]

I've used classified ads to recruit players before. I've found it is best to be explicit in what you are looking for. In looking for a bass player, I listed about 40 artists that I cover. Stipulated that this was a working project and that there were to be no rehearsals. Bassists applying should have the necessary experience to be able to jump right in and run with it. I added a bit about professional expectation re: substance abuse, timeliness, equipment.

 

The add worked great. I received about 12 replies and was able to weed out about half right away (The best was from the singer who couldn't play bass but wanted to come to our rehearsals). The other six I auditioned by booking them on gigs. One was excellent, 2 were good, the other three were passable for the gigs but just didn't gel, or got freaked out about not having rehearsals and had issues with not being able to "recreate" what was on the CD.

 

All in all a positive experience.

[Scheming Demon]

I've found almost all the musicians and band mates I ever ended up with over the years through musician classified ads in papers. Internet classifieds have been a total waste for me so far.

 

Most ads and most musicians responding to ads are useless. Unfortunately you have to weed through some garbage to find the right people who are usually out there but are just few and far between. Networking is a good way to go.

 

An intelligently written ad will get many responses. The more "ignorant" ads like described in the original post will usually only attract the same "ignorant" type people.

 

I love the ads in my area where someone is looking for a touring band only. Good luck, I'm sure Aerosmith will be breaking down his door any day now.

[Lee Flier]

 

Originally posted by tdempsey even though I met my current bandmates this way, I've gotta start networking in-person to add gigs. but it is tough being a family man.

 

 

Yeah, that's why a lot of people try to go the ad route - once people get older, have families, move to the burbs, they're not so likely to be out in clubs where you can meet them.

 

I don't think it's necessary to be a barfly to network, though. Just commit to going out once a week. Look in your local music listings for bands that are likely to interest you, those will have like minded folks in the band and the audience. Make it a point to introduce yourself to the band, hang out with them a bit. And ask them which other bands in town they think are good and whether they know any other musicians who are looking for a gig, or bands looking for a (insert your instrument here). Hopefully at the very least you'll get tips on who to go see next week.

 

Worked for me, anyhow.

[Scafeets]

I used a classified in a local weekly and attracted a lot of people who weren't part of the usual local music scene. I didn't want players who were lookng to gig every weekend, and I didn't want anybody looking to make it big and hit the road.

The key part of the ads said: "No whiners, winos or wannabes. Must have a day job and dependable transportation."

Worked like a charm.

[FlogRock]

 

Originally posted by Scheming Demon An intelligently written ad will get many responses. The more "ignorant" ads like described in the original post will usually only attract the same "ignorant" type people.

 

Yes, it boggles my mind how some people have over ten spelling/grammar errors in one short ad. Would people who aren't able to spell 'reggae' be able to play it? I wouldn't bet on it. Treat an ad like a letter of application and you'll have a lot more succes.

 

I did recently find a good band that reacted to my ad, but yeah, I had a lot of not-so-fruitful meetings before that.

[one4rich]

I've never joined a band because of a classified ad. I've answered a few over the years, but it's never worked out...either they didn't like me or vice versa. For me it has always been word of mouth. A guy who's looking for a guitarist asks around, and hears my name mentioned a few times from different people.

 

A band I was in was looking for a drummer once...everyone we knew was busy, so we put an ad up at the music store. Two guys answered...one was from a nearby town, so he wasn't known on the scene. The other had just moved here from Vegas..he was great, but his ego would barely fit in the room.

 

Ads can help if someone's new in town, but IME word of mouth is better.

[Cortfan]

About 5 years ago, I decided to look into the prospect of joining a band after a 30 year break. I went thru Musicians.com or Musician Finder.com or something like that. Anyway I found a band, with a complete recording studio, less than 6 miles from my house that needed a lead guitarist. I emailed them, and got a songlist. I learned the first 10 songs before I ever met them. The first 2 rehearsals, I didn't even bring a guitar. I wanted to see how they operated, and if we were going to be compatable. At the 3rd rehearsal, the outgoing guitarist had to leave early, so I brought my guitar in, and proceeded to play the 10 songs on the list. They kept me. After the original guitar player played his last gig, I started playing out with them. Now 5 years later, I have moved to bass, because bass players are harder to find than guitarists.

[Mr. Botch]

During my active-duty Air Force years, I moved quite often and had very good luck with placing Classified Ads. I never placed them in the "Musicians Looking for Work" portion of the local "independent" paper, but rather in the "Musical Instruments for Sale" portion of the regular paper (because, EVERYBODY reads that every day). Occasionally I'd get an ad clerk on the phone who said, "Don't you want to place it in the Employment section?" Once they learned they wouldn't make a sale, it always got put into the Instruments section.

 

My other advantage is that I play kinda unique instruments: synths, fiddle, harp, sax (and back in the days) pedal steel, mandolin & banjo. Lots of times the bands that called me were already established, already had the "core" instruments, weren't looking for another member, but thought I might be able to add something unique to their band; I was a Spice as opposed to a Staple. I also always started the ad out with: "Just moved to Dayton/Albuquerque/Fargo/Ogden/wherever" and that seemed to draw interest too (New Blood!).

 

On the other hand, the few times I've auditioned other folks who answered our ads, the results have been less than favorable...

[brightflame]

I answered a local ad of a band looking for a lead guitarist in 1986 and that same exact band (The Big Chill) is still rocking, alive and kicking.

 

My luck.

[miles to go]

 

Originally posted by centuryhouse However, after relocating to Dallas I have determined that nothing good will come out of the classified adds here. I have gone through droves of flakes, slackers and uninspired bedroom musicians - with a few mixed in there were genuinely good musicians.

 

 

I've actually had pretty good luck answering ads here in DFW. The last couple bands I've been came about either directly or indirectly through classified ads. Granted, I'm pretty selective about the ads I answer - about 1 in 10 are worthwhile. But it's not too hard to filter out most of the trash.

 

I've only ever placed one ad myself, looking for a drummer. I can't imagine what I'd have to wade through if I posted a "bass player looking for band" ad. Uuugh.

[one4rich]

 

Originally posted by brightflame I answered a local ad of a band looking for a lead guitarist in 1986 and that same exact band (The Big Chill) is still rocking, alive and kicking. My luck.

 

 

A drummer I played with when I was starting out used to be in a band called that. They were in Salina, Ks. Are you?

[tucktronix]

I have never answered any ads before. Usually, people who may have seen me at a gig would come up to me, or contact me via phone(they would get my phone# from a fellow band member). Quite often, it's the musicians that I am already familiar with.

 

The lead singer of the R&B band that I am with normally places ads in a local entertainment magazine, or in the local newspaper classifieds, albeit to a limited degree of success. For the most part, the callbacks are from musicians who are looking for a gigging band. Some responses are from jammers with little or no gigging experience or chops. It's always hit or miss.

 

I feel that networking is always the best way to ensure that you are getting a musician who is more responsible and a better fit for what your band is trying to accomplish. I've met a lot of people from just simply going to shows and talking to band members. For one thing, you are getting someone who obviously has some gigging experience. For another, you're getting someone who shares your interests.

[fastplant]

I've joined two bands by answering ads. The funny thing is that in both bands, I ended up knowing someone in the band already, which probably helped me get the job.

[peckhart]

I answered an ad back in the middle of August. Worked out great and now I am part of an original modern rock band and I just played my first gig with them (and first bar gig ever for me) just last weekend. We have more dates booked and things seem to be headed in a positive direction.

 

From their perspective, they had been looking for a 2nd guitarist for a long time through different means. Sounds like they ended up with a lot of egos until I came in ready to listen and work with them.

 

I have also placed ads in the past. Definitely a lot of crap to weed through, but in the end I was able to hook up with a smokin keyboard player once and a really good drummer too. None of those projects panned out, but it wasn't due to the talent found through the ads.

 

I can definitely see where networking yields better results, but my experience has shown me that ads can work. You just have to be willing to try, have patience, and hopefully be a decent judge of character. Skill level normally speaks for itself.....attitudes don't always.

[geekgurl]

I have to agree with the general consensus that networking/word of mouth is the best way to find a good situation. When I look back, the best bands I've been in stemmed from referral.

 

However, ads are what got me hooked up with musicians who have in turn referred me to the better situations. And actually I've had much better luck with ads posted on bulletin boards in music stores than I have with Internet ads. I've met some nice people on craigslist, but in all honesty nothing's really ever panned out past the initial audition. Usually I am looking for musicians to fill a slot ... not looking for a band to join. So I am careful about what I ask for in ads, some people come close, but it just hasn't worked out as well as those referrals from other musicians.

[brightflame]

 

Originally posted by one4rich A drummer I played with when I was starting out used to be in a band called that. They were in Salina, Ks. Are you?

 

 

No, we are in Italy.

Some years ago we had for a brief period an american drummer, his name is Chris Pond.

He returned in the States and he is palying professionaly in country circuit, he played drums for some show of Southern Rock All Stars (ex Molly Hatchet and so on).

Man, he was great.

[Paragraph51]

Yes.

[PJR]

Hmmmm......the local internet classifieds are how I found the replacements for my band this past April when the other members went pyscho on me.........but you already know that Grant, don't you ?

 

PJR

[dughaze]

I've joined a band through the ads yes but lately we are looking for a bass player in the area and they are very very rare.

[Headbanger]

Yes, the first one I ever answered, and I got the job.

 

I play bass, so the competition was not too hard.

 

[wheresgrant3]

Originally posted by PJR Hmmmm......the local internet classifieds are how I found the replacements for my band this past April when the other members went pyscho on me.........but you already know that Grant, don't you ? PJR

 

True.... you were lucky enough to find half a working band though... all at once!