I have a general question for all the people in bands: how good do you have to be in a band? What are some usual ways one find their first band? I'm asking this because I want to join or make some kind of dream pop/shoegaze band and I just want to know how an inexperienced keyboardist can join a band? Would i have to join a band with other inexperienced musicians because I would think no experienced people would want to be in a band with inexperienced musicians. Also, the genre of making i'm aiming to create isn't a very popular genre, would i have to take into consideration of that? Thanks

My first question to you is; What is a Shoegaze band?

Like so many others on this board, i'm a multi-instrumentalist. I play keyboards with some bands, play drums with others, and do solo gigs with an arranger keyboard or with a female singer.

Clearly, doing a one man show on an arranger is the most difficult. YOU are the show.

Playing in a band is the most relaxing, fun thing to do for a keyboard player. The framework of the song is built for the most part, by the rhythm section and the guitarist and the keyboard player does the signature runs, fills, chording, and solos. It's all very low impact, IMHO.

The most demanding for me is playing drums for my Dance/Wedding band. Keeping a driving beat with perfection and precision is a difficult task when you have other musicians with poor timing. It is also very physically and mentally demanding. You cannot let your mind drift or so will your timing.

Remember, keyboard players are actually mini-percussionists since in it's purest form, a Piano is a percussion instrument!!

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Al Giordano
http://www.arrangerworld.com


Tyros 2, Korg Pa2xpro, Roland VK8-M, DW Collectors Series Drums, Roland TD-12 Vdrums, Roland SPD-S.

Optimly, of couse, Al is right. But if you feel you may not be up to solo's, you might consider getting started with a volunteer band, with the older members handling solo's. You could fill in with needed instruments.

I have been playing as a one man band with arrangers for many years, but missed playing with a band. I decided to look in on a seniors band of 15 or 20 good old time musicians. They were a bit skeptical of accepting an electronic keyboard, but the key was supporting the band and not hot dogging it. It wasn't long before I was pointed at to solo with my layered bigband registrations.

You are probably younger, but the guys in my band are 10-15 years older than I am(66). Through my association with the band, I have picked up many leads for solo work, also.

Just a thought
Bernie

I too am lost regarding the Shoegaze style. But my first question is - how old are you? I think it would be easier for a younger inexperienced person to find a band than an older person. MY first bands were mainly formed with friends and friends of friends, but that was back in the 60s when bands were expected to be bad and inexperienced. We all kind of grew and improved our skills together.

Today I might suggest that you check the bulletin boards of your local music shops, especially those where people of similar musical tastes frequent. Also, check your local craigslist or google your area for musicians wanted.

Experience is definitely preferred, but you have to start somewhere. I suggest that you continue to practice your chops, especially getting familiar with chords and signature fills of as many songs in your genre as possible. Practice playing along with songs and try to play what you feel would be your part in the band. Most importantly, learn key signatures, chord progressions, the circle of fifths and fourths and LISTEN.

You may not catch on with the first band you try, but keep at it. Every experience will make you better. As I look back, my skills improved by playing for an audience. They demanded that I get better and better. Even to this day I find little things that make my playing better and I say to myself 'why didn't I know this before.' This is a life-long learning journey, so take the plunge and make your mistakes. Good luck in your endeavor.

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Cass www.cassponline.com/

Here's Wikipedia's description of "shoegaze"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoegazing

Ian

Thanks Ian.
I can't seem to get the Shoegaze thing down. All I see is my keyboard.
Eddie

Right on, Eddie. The only time I see my shoes is when I put them on. If I try to gaze at them I risk toppling over - lol.

Wow! Hadn't heard the term "shoegaze" since my 40-year-old son turned 20 and played with a "grunge" band. The music, if you want to call it that, was quite similar, very loud, lots of wild, distorted guitar runs and the vocals consisted of screaming obscenities to the mic with a demonic sounding voice. After a year of playing grunge, producing a couple albums, he cleaned up his act, married a young, beautiful gal, bought a house, and now plays on rare occasions when some of his old band buddies drop by for a cold one. I still have his albums, but they've only been played once--can't stand the music!

Good Luck on putting a band together,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

I tried shoegazing, but I can't seem to see past my waistline

Diki,

I used to have the same problem, then discover the South Beach Diet--that was more than 2 years ago. Lost 55 pounds in just 5 months, got to see my shoes again, get oogled at by attractive, relatively young ladies and all my old clothes now fit just fine. Give it a try--the only thing you can loose is pounds and inches.

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

What happens if you wear sneakers? Is it Sneakgazer?

BibiOO,
Don't feel bad, they make fun of my music too!
If they don't kid you here, it means they don't like you!
DonM

Don plays country music (amongst others)...

What else CAN you do but poke fun?

want to get into a band? Move to Montana. If you can get through 2 chord old country you'll be a star. It's easy if the chord you are playing doesn't sound right it's the other chord. You have to drive a millon miles to the gig and play in some dump full of dead animal heads and folks who are pissed off at you because you are interupting NASCAR.

God bless Country Music, it keeps me from having to find a REAL job!
DonM

Good Lord--you mean there's another kind of music?

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

There is no musical profficiency requirement to be in a band. History is full of bands with mediocre musicians that have had huge success! The key is to just start the band, play some music and enjoy yourself. The more you practise together, the better you will become playing together. Playing in a band is a great learning experience, you learn alot about how music is put together. The most important thing to do is practise, practise practise, and you need to practise together to get that sound you are looking for. If you want to play in a band, just get yourself a band to play in and do it

Doc-Z

I completely second that, Doc...

JUST DO IT.

Just, don't expect to be successful. Don't expect to make ANY money. Don't expect it to improve your social life with the ladies. Don't expect it to ALWAYS be fun. Don't expect your first band to last. Don't expect that anyone else will like your music. Don't expect to get signed....

Now, those things MIGHT happen. But probably not. But in the meantime, you will discover the joy of playing WITH OTHERS (we often forget that, as arranger OMB's, here), and there is little else on earth that feels so good once you get it right. Just don't expect THAT to come real soon. It WILL come, eventually, but don't let unrealistic expectations cause you to give up.

It's a calling, not a job

I havn't forgot my 25 years of Bands, touring & shows.......& all the ups & downs that go with it.. ;(
we just get smarter and that is the MAIN reason I play SOLO as a OMB for the last 15+.....& will never look back !

If that's being smart...

Put me down as the biggest dumb-ass here! (Most have already!)

The day my arranger gives me as much inspiration and sheer playing joy as playing with the caliber of musicians I get to play with on a regular basis, put me in my grave!

I am still amazed that the word 'art' is contained in the word 'smart'. One of the language's great ironies...

I think we're talking to ourselves guys, this young man posted two questions and probably hasn't even checked back for answers. If he has, he hasn't replied.
DonM

Diki enjoy what you do.....you found your niche.....I'm happy for ya ...
I had my turn with the best also.....but ain't gonna push what I do now on anyone...I'm very happy & that's ALL that matters.

If you wanna be the biggest dumbass around that's your decision or your delusion...
I for one appreciate your input as strange as that may seem to you......so dont sell yourself short....maybe some day we'll laugh about all this over a brew

I'm looking forward to that drink, Donny.

We can say all the WORDS we want to, here, but that doesn't stop us from being brothers in arms when you get right down to it

You make it down this way, be sure to look me up. We could play arrangers together, then go jam with a great band or two (after hanging out on the beach all day!).

I've got a sneaky feeling which one you'll enjoy the best

For sure....I'll enjoy it...it will bring back memories that I will always remember & have certainly taught me & brought me to where I am musically today because of those great band experiences....also remember it was a very different time socially, musically & technologically ....but the progression from then to now is what molds the foundation & makes you a better musician....this is what many people just starting out are not offered because of the way the world is today in music....its like building a house without a basement but on a cement slab.....its no body's fault its just the way it is out there...as good as technology is ....is as bad as it is if your think back a bit.


Btw that beer sounds good ...ya never know

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 02-27-2008).]

I was 16 years old in 1948 and no band would let me in on piano but only on trumpet. I didn't want to play trumpet any more so I started a band, with 4 other guys and their GIRLFRIENDS that were all sophmores in Highschool. The music store we traded at had just moved into a bigger store and they gave us the use of that building providing we let their nephew be part of the band. We made him the librarian the girlfriends were the most important part. they furnished the building, made stuff to eat, got us some jobs, and so forth.
We wrote our own orchastrations, practiced continuosly and talked to everyone. we got more and more jobs as time went along. When school was over so was the band but we all kept on keeping on. Life is like that, so go for it. the memories will remain as some of the best part of your young life.
Bebop

Thanks your all your comments.

I really don't expect to be successful or anything, just to have fun and be able to share my passion through playing with others is fine. I guess my problem is that I only have a digital piano that is like unmovable (heavy) and an acoustic guitar( which i fingerpick/strum chords on, can't do much complex stuff) so I can't really contribute much if i'm in a band and need to bring an instrument to practice. I'm thinking of getting some sort of synth - arranger, workstation...but i don't really know the difference. What should i get if i want a lot of preset sounds that can be changed, create new sounds and can make my customized drum loops and fills/change between loops easily? What i want is a synth that can be played with a band as background (eg. using synth pads) harmony and also provide drum beats (and maybe even playing bass guitar parts in left hand).

Also, does it take long to learn the basic functions of a synth (like creating drum loops, tweaking sound effects)? I can pretty much self discover the functions of the synththrough trial and error right? My digital piano has some basic functions like layering, bending, modulation, reverb, and preset drum loops with intro,ending,fill-ins. I would expect a synth to have way more functions than that, but i don't know how much learning will be required.

Thanks