getting in a band

[keymandoguy]

I have been playing mando 2 years now one year doing a weekly circle jam. Group I play with only plays out 3 or 4 times a year . ( I have only played out with them once ). I also go to another jam about once every month or 2 on Saturday and just jump in & jam with other bands . Last time one of the guys I was playing with said I was good enough I should be in a band ! Not sure about that ? So how does one go about getting hooked up with one. Would prefer just to fill in locally. Ps I am in the Louisville, Southern Indiana area. And how did you do it ? Thanks. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[John Rosett]

try bulletin boards at music stores, especially bluegrass oriented ones. if there is some kind of "alternative" news/arts paper in your area, there's probably a musician's classifieds. make sure to mention that you're looking for a band when you're at jam sessions or at bluegrass festivals. word of mouth in your local bluegrass community is probably the best way to find a band.
good luck, john

[John Flynn]

Most of the folks I play with in jams and groups met through the Folk School in St. Louis, an organization that teaches old-time and bluegrass music in group classes. The saga of my current band goes like this: Once a year, the Folk School teams up with a local contra dance club to have an ensemble of Folk School instructors and students play for a large contra dance. At the point I had been involved in the Folk School for about six months, I participated in one of those annual events.

Then about two months later, a friend of mine from the school was having a party at his house, wanted to put together an old-time ensemble for that and asked me to help him organize it. We used the set list and recording from the contra event as a model and recruited students who had played at that event to form the band. That went really well and so we decided to keep the group together to play a couple of open mike nights around town. Before long, different members of this group started getting offers for us to play at various events. At first it was for free, but eventually we started getting paid to play, not a lot, but more than enough to cover expenses. After about six months, we had played about eight gigs.

Then that group started to have the typical band problems: Creative differences, different levels of proficiency, different levels of committment, ego clashes, etc. So we split up and four of us, three founding members of the original group and another player who used to fill in occasionally, started the group I'm in now. The new band has been together since February and has played two free and four paid gigs, including a private party, two contra dances and a major old-time festival.

My advice would be to identify some players from the jams you go to who you think you would like to be in group with. Then find a "gig" to play, even if it is just an open mike night or a party you throw yourself. Recruit those players you have identified to form a band, for the gig. Set up an initial meeting/rehearsal where as a group, you will figure out a set list, a rehearsal schedule, etc. leading up to the gig. The process of getting to, and through, your first gig successfully really teaches you a lot. After that, you can say you have formed a band. Then the question is what will you do with it? That is another story...

[mandofiddle]

After that, you can say you have formed a band. Then the question is what will you do with it? That is another story...
Amen to that. First and foremost though is to get in with a band, or form your own. Bulletin board ads, etc... If your state has a bluegrass association, look into that. that's how I got into one. I put an ad on their website bulletin board. A few months later i got a call froma banjo player looking to form a band. He found all the players, and then didn't like where it was going after 2 gigs and quit. So he basically did all the work for us as far as finding interested parties. We did it with those four members for about a year, and realized that only 2 of us had the same vision. So over the course of the last 5 months, the two of us have replaced the other 2 members with people who have the same vision as we do. Since we were already somewhat established as a band, it was a lot easier to bring in players of a higher caliber than if we were starting a band from scratch.

Needless to say, the band I'm in has been a band for nearly 2 years, and it took that long to get the right players in order to do what we want to do. There's been some highs and lows, but its been fun for the most part, and if nothing else my playing has gotten incredibly better.

I'd say once you get a band going, don't think that thats the end all and be all. A band is very dynamic, and not just in the music. Players may come and go, but as long as you stick to your vision (whatever it may be), it'll remain FUN and worth it.

[jim simpson]

I had relocated from West Virginia (yes, I love all the WV jokes!) to Phila. suburbs in 1980. I stayed involved with music but strayed from Bluegrass and hadn't hooked up with anyone. Then about 12 years ago I spied an add in the want adds of the Phila. Inquirer. It was a banjo player (yes, I love all the banjo player jokes too!) who wanted to start or join a bluegrass band. I think I was only the 2nd phone call he received from the add, the other one didn't follow up. The best thing about it was that he lived about 5-10 minutes away in my own town! He turned out to be a young accomplished banjo player who hadn't played with any other players yet. We hooked up, I played guitar back then, so we went in search of other players to form a group. We found out about a couple of regular jam sessions and that is where we found our players. I still think it's one of the best ways to find other players. You can see who you are compatible with and it's a low risk way to check out potential band mates.

[mrbook]

Besides musicianship, a band needs people that fit together in terms of outlook and temperment - we make better music when we all get along, as we have discovered during those times when band relations were strained. After starting a band with my wife's autoharp teacher, we recruited other people from musicians he knew (I had been away from performing for a few years). When they (and he) left, we have added people along the way by talking to people and inviting them to a practice. Usually, if I met someone who seems like they might be fun to play with at a concert, festival, jam session, or more often in my store (where acoustic music is usually playing in the background, stimulating conversation), I invite them to practice with us. Many were asked, but few came; the ones that did had the proper level of commitment, and in ten years our four piece band has had only nine different members. A couple moved away, a couple had changes in their lives, and only one left for creative differences - mainly that he thought he could sing when we knew he couldn't (good player, though). We still invite people to come, and have a few others who sit in or substitute when we need them.

When we started, anyone who showed up and didn't leave was in the band, but as we played more and got more gigs, only the serious ones remain. For the last couple years, we have had four (and sometimes five) people who could keep doing this for another 10-20 years or so.

Once you get out with other serious musicians, you will find others you will enjoy playing with. We have had some arguments and rough times over the years, but looking back on it things have been pretty smooth - and a lot of fun.

[mandowilli]

My advise would be to learn to play in any key presented. Also, hone your skills at accompanying singer/guitarists on songs that you don't even know. This is a valuable skill that will get you noticed as someone who plays well with others and learns fast.

willi