Being a hired gun.

kotornut · #1 03-13-2008, 02:16 PM

Recently I put in an add to join a band. It said "I've been playing sixteen years and my influences range from Zeppelin to Arch Enemy. I'm looking to join any kind of rock or metal band. But, I won't wear make up or any costumes (you need to say that in Japan)."

So I have landed with some decent guys playing rock. But, I find that my dilemma is that I am a metal head and although I like a lot of rock, I feel a bit underwhelmed when writing/playing rock songs. I like to listen to it, I respect it, but I don't really own the experience and feel like it's coming from my soul. Especially, since this band is more along the lines of The Foo Fighters than anything progressive or techinical. It makes me really want to break out some thundering riffs and shred a few lines.

Is this how "real" musicians feel? I mean you know people who make this their living? Anyone else feel like I do?

DEADTUNES666 · #2 03-13-2008, 03:25 PM

Play for the song, and play for the paycheck. That should be the inspiration you need. Invariably by doing this you will open your repertoire and good things will come out naturally in your own artistic endeavors. Try playing funk...chikka chikka wah wah for 5 minutes, little lead break, and do it again. At the end of the night you get paid and you learned discipline. That is something so many guitarists lack. Any music you can make money on is good music. How many guys here don't have a steady gig. Gigs are good steady gigs are what it's all about...

OLIE_ROCKS_THE_80'S · #3 03-13-2008, 03:56 PM

You should join/form a band that conforms to some of your influences and expectations, the number 1 reason why bands break up is because of "Musical differences" that should have never happened if you joined the right band with the right chemstry in the first place. Money is pointless, if you do not enjoy the music that you play/write; Always consider those factors into the equation and determine how important is for you to have a steady gig vs liking/enjoying the gig.

DEADTUNES666 · #4 03-13-2008, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLIE_ROCKS_THE_80'S

You should join/form a band that conforms to some of your influences and expectations, the number 1 reason why bands break up is because of "Musical differences" that should have never happened if you joined the right band with the right chemstry in the first place. Money is pointless, if you do not enjoy the music that you play/write; Always consider those factors into the equation and determine how important is for you to have a steady gig vs liking/enjoying the gig.

ORT80's is right in the perfect sense of things, but making money for playing music you don't care for is a lot better than a real job. Ask anyone doing it or that had done it. It's the music busines not music funness.

He is right that if it's important to you to enjoy the gig then get a gig you enjoy. Without a doubt

For me it's a job, it's what I was put here for. So getting paid to make crappy music with jerks that I don't like, beats getting paid to work 9-5 in an office or pumping gas or digging ditches with jerks that I don't like.

Doing so pays the bills and allows me free time to create with a medium I thoroughly enjoy...

kotornut · #5 03-13-2008, 10:59 PM

Well, I can see some confusion. I'm not making real money, just for gigs here and there. I should have been a lot clearer. Sorry deadtunes for the misunderstanding. This band is primarily for fun. I was reffering to the feeling of playing stuff even though it'S not really something coming from inside of you.

I was just talking about the situation of saying "I'm willing to play anything 'cause I want to play, period." I'm having fun, but no one I ever talk to plays anything like what I like nor do they have the playing ability to be 100% honest. You would think it is possible, but because I am a foriegner and because I actually spent time learning the guitar growing makes it difficult to find anyone that shares or knows my influences.

I really wish I was able to go back to the states and play. I'm just really bummed out. I want to play so bad, it's been a long time since I was in a band. It gets hard when at home I'm writting metal for myself but at band practice I'm playing just power chords.

DEADTUNES666 · #6 03-13-2008, 11:40 PM

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

Well then just skip my posts

kotornut · #7 03-13-2008, 11:48 PM

No I agree with you for that circumstance.

Tank · #8 03-14-2008, 05:56 AM

I had the same problem. While I still play in a cover band and in a rock band for cash (hired gun style) as both have a decent amount of gigs with good pay, I found the only solution to play what you really like is to make your own band.

So go out there, write a concept of what songs and style you want to play. Give the band a name that you identify with and search for musicians to join YOUR band, not vice versa. As long as it is your band, you will give the lead what to play...

kotornut · #9 03-14-2008, 09:42 AM

Tank we think a lot alike. I want to do this, but do you think I need to be able to record my stuff in order to do this? Because I only have the ability to record 1 gutair track right now and I am definately not knowlegeable about recording. Nor, do I have axcess to the tools or people to do so.

Tank · #10 03-14-2008, 09:54 AM

I don't think so.

I started recording my stuff when I already had most of my band together and several jam-sessions (to find our style of metal and to blend the style of each individual) in our bones.

For home recording I bought a cheap (I think 1200 bucks) MacBook and an M-Audio Ozone. The built in GarageBand is so simple that it took me only a few hours to get really good results recording over the miced amp through the input of the Ozone. Setup was plug and play.

For all that read that: Yes this is far from a professional setup, but I only use it to get my ideas to the band. Nothing else. I put a basic drumloop in the back and play a guitar track and possibly some vocals. Put it on my iPod and play it to the band at the next session, so we can all work on it.

For real recording I have the luck that our keyboarder has his own small home studio (which we also use for rehearsals) and is sufficient for semi-professional work. (I will still go for a pro studio when we make our first CD recording.)

This all works out pretty well and we go along very well.

The most important thing is to really take your time. Do not just select an individual because he/she can play well. The people need to get along well, you need "pals" you can also hang out with and share a mindset or are open minded to each other. If you select people by their personality rather than current ability you will progress and all my band members have risen to the task and are much better players today and most important we play as a team...

kotornut · #11 03-14-2008, 10:02 AM

Well I recorded a few riffs and they're on my myspace but I still need a good place to talk to some real musicians. Thats the hard part here, there are a lot of people who would like to be musicians and they love to create an image with wild haircuts and clothing. But I need people that are dependably talented, so that I don't have to have a revolving band door nor do I have to give guitar lessons every practice. That's my biggest issue.

Tank · #12 03-14-2008, 02:24 PM

Of course, talent should be in the mix and they should take their lessons elsewhere...
I see your problem, the Japanese sound like more "Lifestyle" than musician hehe. Prolly a lot harder then than elsewhere to sit in with real musicians.
But hey Tak Matsumoto is from Japan, so there has to be potential around

Take your time and try to find musicians in music stores. No bs here, I found my base player and drummer in a music store testing equipment hehe

Wild_Child · #13 03-14-2008, 03:39 PM

If you want to be in the band that you want to be in you have got to be ruthless, there's no two ways about it. I left a fairly successful thrash metal band nearly two years ago because it was not the sort of thing I wanted to be doing and I had zero creative control, other than my solos.

Now, I'm in exactly the band I want to be in where I write pretty much every note we play (even drums!) and everyone in the band is a really excellent player. Our drummer happens to own a studio and his mother happens to be a music promoter - pretty convenient eh?

Obviously this didn't all just fall into my lap, it has taken most of the two years since I left that last band to get to this stage and the only thing you can do is get yourself out there! Yes, recordings will help enormously - especially if you're good

(PM me if you want any help with recording software) and have as much stuff as you can pre-written so you can get off the ground as quickly as possible. Put ads everywhere, go out to rock and metal clubs and meet people - do whatever you can! Use myspace and facebook to find people in your area, if you have a local music forum, get on it!

However, you do need to draw the line between friendship and bandmates. Not that I'm saying bandmates can't be friends - they certainly should be! But you can't always get by with just having your friends as your bandmates if you really want to be a great band (unless you're lucky enough to know the perfect people already). I learned this, and had to kick some people out of the band last year simply because they weren't up to it. I know it sounds harsh but that's the reality of things. I would suggest being as picky as you can be when it comes to finding a band and don't make compromises! Make sure they're as keen as you and make sure they can make it to rehearsal every time! You'll also avoid unpleasant situations down the line when you know there's a weak link or two but don't want to damage your friendship with them.

Basically, nothing will happen unless you make it happen! A bit of fun or otherwise, we all want the best band we can have.

kotornut · #14 03-14-2008, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild_Child

If you want to be in the band that you want to be in you have got to be ruthless, there's no two ways about it. I left a fairly successful thrash metal band nearly two years ago because it was not the sort of thing I wanted to be doing and I had zero creative control, other than my solos.

Now, I'm in exactly the band I want to be in where I write pretty much every note we play (even drums!) and everyone in the band is a really excellent player. Our drummer happens to own a studio and his mother happens to be a music promoter - pretty convenient eh?

Obviously this didn't all just fall into my lap, it has taken most of the two years since I left that last band to get to this stage and the only thing you can do is get yourself out there! Yes, recordings will help enormously - especially if you're good

(PM me if you want any help with recording software) and have as much stuff as you can pre-written so you can get off the ground as quickly as possible. Put ads everywhere, go out to rock and metal clubs and meet people - do whatever you can! Use myspace and facebook to find people in your area, if you have a local music forum, get on it!

However, you do need to draw the line between friendship and bandmates. Not that I'm saying bandmates can't be friends - they certainly should be! But you can't always get by with just having your friends as your bandmates if you really want to be a great band (unless you're lucky enough to know the perfect people already). I learned this, and had to kick some people out of the band last year simply because they weren't up to it. I know it sounds harsh but that's the reality of things. I would suggest being as picky as you can be when it comes to finding a band and don't make compromises! Make sure they're as keen as you and make sure they can make it to rehearsal every time! You'll also avoid unpleasant situations down the line when you know there's a weak link or two but don't want to damage your friendship with them.

Basically, nothing will happen unless you make it happen! A bit of fun or otherwise, we all want the best band we can have.

Yeah i found out the bandmates, mates rule the hard way.

Darin · #15 03-15-2008, 03:18 PM

I played in country band for 4 years. I hated most of the songs. But, I was on stage playing for people. Did a few national openers too. It was fun until the check just wasn't enough to keep me doing it. Plus we were getting ripped off by the singer I found out. But, there's some good memories from it all.