not being in a band

[Dmoney]

is kind of rubbish.

I got a recording project on the go with some other guys, kind of a collection of dudes from other london bands who ain't into touring but really into Leeway and Maximum Penalty.

I want to tour again. sucks.
at the moment im just fiddling with my amps and repairing my mates bass big muff.

bah.

[bucketshred]

I hate not being in a band. It just sucks.

At the moment I am in a band but cant get a bloody gig anywhere!

Paddy.

[Frank]

My solution to this is to buy a bass. If you've got a bass and a big amp then you're never short of gigs.

[Fourth Feline]

It is a great time to learn more, expand your ability , be a better musician.   I was never really assimilating new ideas / knowledge in the years I was gigging - as it called for me to repeat what I already new - ad nauseum.  :)

[Dmoney]

i think i push myself enough. that was part of the problem when i was in a band. nothing was moving forward musically. there is definitely things i wish i could do better, like playing lead, but ive been playing for 12 years and im self taught. i have all kinds of bad habits. i did think about getting lessons but im bad at theory.

I think im going to use the ideas i had and record a kind of solo demo with a view to it becoming a band.

[Fourth Feline]

i think i push myself enough. that was part of the problem when i was in a band. nothing was moving forward musically.

I can certainly relate to that one . When the other band members refuse to evolve / improve ( or even rehearse enough ) -  that tends to discourage one from trying to bring in new ideas and ethics. Within a band, it seems that growth has to be collective, to be truly effective.

[HTH AMPS]

My solution to this is to buy a bass. If you've got a bass and a big amp then you're never short of gigs.

I did this and jammed with a few bands (going back a few years), but my the time anything got off the ground I'd got a gig playing guitar.

I'd recommend all guitarists to get a bass though - strengthens your fingers and teaches you to appreciate groove.  Wish I'd never sold my bass, used to love sitting around a noodling on bass (I was skint when I sold it in my defence).

[_tom_]

I'm bored of not being in a band now. The only gigs I get are with the old cover band, which I don't really enjoy playing in anyway. Just can't find anyone into the same sort of stuff.

[Frank]

I might just hit the sales and get myself a Jazz bass, maybe a fretless. I was going to flog my old power amp but it's ideal for bass, plus I rather like the idea of rattling the foundations with those low notes.

[Dmoney]

i have A bass. borrowed it from our old bassist. its a bust up yamaha thing with a broken tuning peg.
I think i understand groove a lot more than some people ive playing in bands with. I think that comes from over analysis of music that you listen to. At least for me. I get really annoyed when songs lack groove, like when a vocalist follows chord changes exactly, even if its some weird rhythm, they can't pick out another rhythm to sing with. no what i mean ? Annoying!

[badgermark]

I know what you mean about vocalists Dmoney. I'm working with one now, good singer, good writer but he was amazed when he listened to some music i'm into. Nothing spectacular, but he was blown away when lyrics didn't rhyme, or the rhythm was different to the music.

I've got a band that's going pretty well, but I've been working on a lot of my own music too. Experimenting a lot with garageband, drum loops and ambient/heavy music. It's super fun to work myself right now. If only I could do the whole lyrics thing.

[Dmoney]

how easy is garage band to use? does it cost a lot to set up?
I had a friend show me an entire album he wrote (Trapped Under Ice's latest album) demo'ed out in garage band sans lyrics, and it was pretty cool! not as good as a full band obviously, but really useful for working out drum parts and stuff prior to getting other band members to play it.

I'm not familiar with Macs at all, maybe i should treat myself to garage band and some bits. maybe i could do it with the money i raise selling my 4x12. and some bits

[choucas09]

Garageband is a piece of piss to use. Plus I checked out for a friend and Garageband 4 is available as a free download for PC. The thing I like most about it is the loops. It's like having a co-writer.

[Dmoney]

interesting to know!

my laptop is prone to overheating at the moment. and it runs on a vista. it had ubuntu on it too which appears not to work any more.

free sounds good.

[badgermark]

Garageband is a doddle. Really simple to work, even for an inept monkey like me. Here is a track I knocked up my birthday in about three hours. I've gotten a bit better with it and recorded a companion piece to this in about an hour and a half, with about 5 guitar layers along with the loops. All drums are just garageband loops. This one being a dance beat dropped to 70 bpm.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2206385/Drum%20experiment.mp3