# Forming a band - strategies for finding the right people



## Ancestor (Aug 13, 2008)

I've noticed a lot of people complaining that their band is breaking up, or they are having a hard time finding the right people to jam with. 

I've had the same difficulties. I'm getting ready to put together a flyer to find some musicians. I was trying to figure out how to make the letters print vertically, so that i could have my name and number at the bottom for people to tear off, and was subsequently advised that it could be accomplished in Word by using insert>>picture>>word art. 

So, I'm just looking for any tips or strategies that we could all use to help realize our goal of putting together a good band.


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## Lozek (Aug 14, 2008)

This is a tough one, spent the last couple of years looking for the right band members. To be honest, I've gone down the route of ads etc and it's never really done that much, people just don't seem to respond even if you're able to include phrases like 'Ex-Sony/Roadrunner artists', which, if I was looking, would immediately make me jump at it.

All of the band members that we've had seem to have come about by word of mouth, just talking to enough people that eventually someone says 'I know this one guy'.

The drummer we've got now even came along by recommendation from another drummer who was meant to be working with us, who just slipped into the conversation that he 'knew this guy who isn't up to much at the mo'. I'm glad he did though, Matt has turned out to be the best drummer I've ever worked with.


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## Nick (Aug 14, 2008)

things recently all came together for me and it was all done through word of mouth.

you can put adds up but the best thing to do is to go and contact people by phone or in person so you can get a feel for their personality etc. A guy could be the best musician in the world but if he is a dick its not going to be fun being in a band with him.


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## halsinden (Aug 14, 2008)

i tend to be a little edgy over advertising, as in my experience its resulted in being approached by a set circle of absolute nutters who either have no idea how to interact with other humans or genuinely believe theyre a lot better than they are.

years ago with my first metal band we advertised in the classifieds section of terrorizer, metal hammer & kerrang for a female vocalist (we were a doom band) and you wouldnt believe the headcases we got approaching us. that said though, it was an advert in terrorizer that got me into natures whore which later became worms of sabnock, the guys have been solid friends now for years.

my preferred method, if given the option, is going by people you know. i know that sounds like a massively broad term, but my reasoning is this - if you do enough socialising, youll get know people for who they are rather than the instrument they play as frankly in your second month on the road of a continuous tour youll really need to know you can get on with someone.

H


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## Nick (Aug 14, 2008)

halsinden said:


> i tend to be a little edgy over advertising, as in my experience its resulted in being approached by a set circle of absolute nutters who either have no idea how to interact with other humans or genuinely believe theyre a lot better than they are.



This is horribly horribly true


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## halsinden (Aug 14, 2008)

Nick said:


> This is horribly horribly true



infact the main woman who responded to my first bands ad had apparently also applied to be in interlock around the same time (this is years back before i knew of them). she was trying at all costs to flag the fact that shed appeared on a name, signed UK metal acts album. she had, but it was basically sombre mumbling, but she would go on about how involved she still was with them and how the lead singer was totally obsessed with her. later findings prove that it was the other way round, essentially.

im sure everyone can tell some great stories about care in the community cases that have applied in resonse to honest adverts. interlock once had a chap, lovely as he was, apply to be our drummer who essentially played 1 beat with the exact same snare / crash fill at the end of each bar through every song, regardless of obvious & critical time changes. hed just pause then carry on. we asked him if there was another bands material hed be more comfortable showcasing his talents to (seeing his paradise lost t-shirt), he whacked on icon and proceeded to do exactly the same through 2 tunes. classic.

H


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## Nick (Aug 14, 2008)

haha

sadly most of the mentalists ive met have been great players but with fuck all social skills.

Like a guy who was one of the best guitarists ive seen but refused to play guitar anywhere but his attic. Where he had a full rackmounted double bass drum kit bass amp 2 basses 5 guitars and a full stack........

He was competant on all instruments. id go so far as to say he was amazing on guitar and drums. That doesnt help when you cant play anywhere but upstairs in your home.........

ok then


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## Desecrated (Aug 14, 2008)

Short answer; 

Pay them.


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## Demeyes (Aug 14, 2008)

I find that going to plenty of local gigs help. Get talking to people, don't jump in with "I'm looking for a drummer do you drum", just get chatting to people and you'll usually find a few people who are sound and play instruments. Even get talking to the bands too. 
I've never found anyone permanent through ads, through friends and friends of friends usually seems to work out the best.
If you are looking though, put some thought into where you place your ads, I've heard that music schools is a great place to try and recruit people who can actually play and are serious.


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## budda (Aug 14, 2008)

you want to form a good band?

dont settle.


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## kristallin (Aug 16, 2008)

I've found that the more vague I describe an add, the more responses I get. Out of maybe 20-30 responses I can always rely on one person who may not be the most stellar musician, but has a personal and musical quality that makes you look up. 9 times out of 10 they in turn know other people, they again know others, and before you know it the band comes together.
My new band originated from a chance meeting with a guitarist, who in turn had a drummer he was comfortable with. I had heard an old friend had moved to NYC, she was quickly persuaded to sing, and I had kept the phone number of a violist from a defunct old project around - the only thing stopping the band from actually playing until now was that we all went on vacation one after the other!


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## Diogene303 (Aug 17, 2008)

From bands i've been in from the past it's always been word of mouth , i have put add's in music magazines and it's pretty much gone no where. One rule of thumb for me is get to know the guys/girls your going to be jamming with. I tend to say hey "up for a drink or two" and then get to know them that way and then start to build up a good friendship with everyone. Many a time in bands i've had some many people let me down because they can't get to gigs/rehearsal etc. 

My current band is by far the best yet , we mix industrial , black metal and some classical / jazz thrown in. our drummer is from an old band my brother played in and have known him for 8 years. The bass play worked with the other guitarist in his ex band. and the really tough people i had finding where someone that played cello and keyboards / the violin player ( who was working doing temp work for the music company i'm working for and we just chatted one days as she was into a band i liked ) and a singer with a great voice. 
It toke me 6 months to find everyone but we are all having fun with the band and when you click with the right guys it's so cool.


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## Richardscuro (Aug 17, 2008)

Word of mouth is the best. Most people who post adds and respond to adds don't know what they are doing. There is definitely a reason why they aren't playing with amyone most of the time. I would take personality over ability. Granted, the person has to have some ability, but if a person is a complete jerk or doesn't know how to interact with other human beings, there is no point in trying to form a band with them because it won't last. Ability can be nurtured and inspired but people don't change their personalities.


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## MerlinTKD (Aug 17, 2008)

Every decent band I've been in has been "a friend of a friend". Tell the people you know, who's instincts and judgment you trust, what you're looking for, and if the person is out there, you'll get put in touch.

My current band: told a bass player I used to gig with, who works at a local music store, I was looking for a new band; his band had _just_ hired a new drummer, but he didn't forget, and when another guy came in looking for a drummer, he hooked us up. He knows the kind of gig and people I fit with, and I knew I could trust his recommendations. So far, so good!


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## chrismgtis (Feb 20, 2009)

Did the whole ad thing myself for over 10 years. I've been playing for about 12 years. I think I actually got in a band with 1 of the people I eventually found out of that process. The guy sucked at guitar so he eventually moved to bass, because I gave him so much hell for not playing each measure consistently.

One thing is I got a lot of, well, not so good looking guys reply. I don't want to sound like a prick, but as a rocker, you've got to have some kind of flare to your look I guess. Not that I do, but I'm decent looking I guess and pretty good at what I do. It's just like any band or group. The better looking the band/singer is, the more people will come to the shows.


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## vampiregenocide (Feb 23, 2009)

Man putting together a band is Harlow is like trying to get laid in a nunnery. Everyone is either emo or grime. I need a drummer  But I want someone who is going to be a good musician and person, and you can get anyone apply for an ad.


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## liquidcow (Feb 23, 2009)

Putting up an ad isn't necessarily completely useless, there are good bands who formed through ads. You just have to remember that, especially in the age of the internet, it is the easiest thing in the world to put an ad out for musicians. For that reason you are likely to attract bedroom guitarists and people who are all talk and no substance. You'll get people responding who aren't really serious, they've just seen your ad and responded on a whim. You'll also get desperate people who completely ignore things like the bands that you list as influences because they just want to join any band, or they think they can join a band and then try to shape the style to something more like what they want to do. It's amazing how many people I've had respond to ads in the past who just don't seem to have read the ad properly.

Most of the time I've just found that nobody responds to ads, or if they do you'll get one or two emails from them and then never hear from them again. All the bands I've been in have been formed through meeting people in real life. I did have one quite funny situation where I got a response to an ad from an ex-bandmate, though I just ignored it.


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## op1e (Feb 23, 2009)

kristallin said:


> I can always rely on one person who may not be the most stellar musician, but has a personal and musical quality that makes you look up.



Couldn't have said it better. I prefer to look for the ones that have to try a little harder, that run in the middle or the back of the pack, but still keep up. The privileged ones that run out front know what they are and will use it as leverage. I'm dealing with that problem right now. "I wont play that song", "I wont do that show", "You can all decide on that, I just wont show up".

Or, you get ones like the three we just fired. We went from a 7 piece to a 4 piece cause 2 of em wanted to be rockstars, but never took their gear home to work on things, and the other tried too hard, and wouldnt just play the rythms and was Zack Wylding harmonics through whole songs like it was an instrumental band. 

So my point is, get em good enough, but not too good.


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## jymellis (Feb 23, 2009)

i was never successful at this one.


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## synrgy (Feb 23, 2009)

I'll second the 'friend-of-a-friend' or 'six-degrees' theory. Only way to go, IMHO.

Basically, I think it's *more* important to get along with potential band-mates on a personal level than a musical level, because when the musical differences come up (and they WILL come up) you can't afford for major personal differences to get in the way. When you tell somebody that their idea for this part/riff/song isn't really working, no matter how gently you put it, it WILL bruise their ego. How they (and you) deal with a bruised ego is what it all really boils down to. Ads in the local paper aren't going to help you gague those things.

A band, simply, is the dysfunctional family that you choose. Choose wisely.


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