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Is it bad to be playing with 2 groups at once?


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Posted

You guys know how I got involved with a band over the summer, but I have gotten involved with another. I played with the drummer today and he's a lot more flexible than my other drummer. Got more coherent play in, rather than sitting and discussing what to play for 5 minutes, we just rolled with eachother. Even have a name now. Anyways, I don't really want to be put in a situation where I'd have to pick one or the other. I love the people I play with, and wouldn't want to lose either. But anyways, could my situation go south?

Posted

You guys know how I got involved with a band over the summer, but I have gotten involved with another. I played with the drummer today and he's a lot more flexible than my other drummer. Got more coherent play in, rather than sitting and discussing what to play for 5 minutes, we just rolled with eachother. Even have a name now. Anyways, I don't really want to be put in a situation where I'd have to pick one or the other. I love the people I play with, and wouldn't want to lose either. But anyways, could my situation go south?

Just host a band with a lot of people in it! There, 2 drummers 2 bassists 2 rhythm guitar players, and you!

Posted

When it comes to gigs you'll have to choose one over the other, and try not to book gigs on the same night unless you can absolutely make both. Just try scheduling rehearsals at different times and you should be alright.

Posted

I think the first one was more of a jam band. This new one seems to be full of more serious, more experienced people. I dono, I'm going to try to get permission to play at school during lunches or whenever, because we all go to the same school. Gigging might take a bit longer, we definitely need a setlist, we need to practice, we need to record, and we need more stage experience.

Posted

I think the first one was more of a jam band. This new one seems to be full of more serious, more experienced people. I dono, I'm going to try to get permission to play at school during lunches or whenever, because we all go to the same school. Gigging might take a bit longer, we definitely need a setlist, we need to practice, we need to record, and we need more stage experience.

Please do voodoo child

Posted

I dono if I'd want notoriety, though. It's good, yet bad. Especially with the school I go to... People would hound the hell out of me.

Posted

It can be done, but you need to ask yourself a few questions first.

 

Can you handle two bands? (I assume the answer is yes or you wouldn't be considering it)

 

Are the members of either of the two bands seem like they're going the distance? The more serious of the two bands should garner your more serious attention.

 

Are they going to be competitive bands? You don't want to be your own competition, that causes booking and personnel problems.

 

If you think you can do it you must commit to one band over the other and make sure everyone involved know where you stand.

Posted

If you're open with both about it it may be a good thing, meaning you'll not get bored with one or the other and you'll learn more than if you'd stuck to just one. If you're unable to meet either's needs you may find yourself in a pickle. Why do I feel like this is about two girls and not two bands?

Posted

1) There are MANY musicains that play in more than one band. A lot of famous ones do as well, just that only thier "famous" bands are well known.

 

2) Most "working" musicians will be in more than one band or one type of gig at a time.

 

3) Both of these "bands" are only bands in that you are just only playing together. You are all just jamming and practicing at this point.

 

4) If you keep playing and continue this corse with your instrument, you will be in many, many, MANY bands. Some will work, some will work better than others, some won't work at all. Some will work great for a short time, some will work so-so for a long time. Get used to it now, or get used to it later.

 

I feel you are on a real good corse. Playing WITH others and playing in a band is a skill just like playing guitar. There are many that can play great, but don't have that skill of playing with a band. You will go far with it if you keep doing what you are doing.

Posted

Unless you have dates of bookings with both bands nailed down and chisled in stone,playing in 2 bands can be a recipe for disaster.We once had a guy playing with us who was playing with another band on the side without our knowledge.One weekend we were booked for a 2 nighter at a club about 50 miles from town.When time came to load up the gear,he was a no-show,we called his house only to be told that he'd left to play a more lucrative gig with the other band .We were left to scramble to find a replacement with just a couple of hours to spare-we did get one but he never played another gig with us.

 

That's just one of the things that can happen when you burn the candle at both ends-you can loose some good friends-it ain't worth it.

Posted

As long as the scheduling can be kept separate from each other I don't anticipate there being a problem. Quite the reverse.

 

There are many upsides to playing with two different sets of players as well. You will be quite likely to pick up different skills with each group as they sound like they approach their music in different manners.

 

Bear in mind that Les Paul played 'Country' music on popular radio during the day and hung out playing with the cream of the Jazz world in the evenings.

 

P.S. As far as 'Voodoo Chile' is concerned; just try playing it without FX pedals. You'll see that it can sound great with just guitar+amp.

The 'Slight Return' version, admittedly (and famously), uses a Wah to great effect but, as long as you can play well, FX are just that; FX.

Great Music is Great Music regardless. I'm sure if Jimi walked into a store, plugged straight in and let rip he would still sound awesome. That's your target; Good Luck Hunting !

 

P.

Posted

As long as the scheduling can be kept separate from each other I don't anticipate there being a problem. Quite the reverse.

 

There are many upsides to playing with two different sets of players as well. You will be quite likely to pick up different skills with each group as they sound like they approach their music in different manners.

 

Bear in mind that Les Paul played 'Country' music on popular radio during the day and hung out playing with the cream of the Jazz world in the evenings.

 

P.S. As far as 'Voodoo Chile' is concerned; just try playing it without FX pedals. You'll see that it can sound great with just guitar+amp.

The 'Slight Return' version, admittedly (and famously), uses a Wah to great effect but, as long as you can play well, FX are just that; FX.

Great Music is Great Music regardless. I'm sure if Jimi walked into a store, plugged straight in and let rip he would still sound awesome. That's your target; Good Luck Hunting !

 

P.

Agreed, if i was in the same store as him, i would get him to sign my Squier, then i will sell it on ebay :) or keep it in a vault! and maybe get some tips off him

Posted

For me, I'd deal with both bands for as long as I reasonably could. For a while anyway. And, when I did break-away from the one, I wouldn't burn my bridges. Never say "Never." Aside from someone doing something that is absolutly horrible, keep your contacts. You don't have to be best friends, but at least be friendly. .........Meanwhile, get all the jam/practice time with both groups that you can. You'll learn more about how to fit-in musically with others, how to adjust, how to get along with other egos........What I really like about you, buzz, is your attitude. You are full of fire for your music. Keep playing and playing. Let the music be fun, not stress. Maybe someday I'll see you on TV, and if not I'll still know you're have a blast playing coffeehouses and local gigs. [thumbup]

Posted

Play in two bands?

 

I used to play in four. Why only one? Why even ask? Why limit yourself?

 

I had a situation a few years ago when I played in a rock band, I became aware I'd kick off a jazz or blues jam and one member was totally unhappy, equally I wanted to play blues and jazz and felt I was being limited. So I joined another band. Be straight up with it. Try and stick to a routine where one band rehearsal/ jam is on a particualr night of the week and another band plays on another. Apply the rule "who ever gets a gig for a particular night wins" After some five years in two (then three and four) bands I never had a conflict of any kind.

 

Playing with different dudes is good for your own creativity/ technique etc.

 

Spare time is short, use it doing what you enjoy. Hope it all works out.

Posted

Playing in 2 bands will be good for you as a player. If that new band seems like it may develop into something better, then make a choice when you have to and tell everybody what you want to do. It sounds like you might have plans to do this for some time, so get all the experience with different people/music/songs when you can and build on that. There is nothing better than playing with other musicians to make you a better player and musician.

 

In the end, it all depends on what YOU decide you want to do.

 

Good luck.

 

 

mark

Posted

You guys know how I got involved with a band over the summer, but I have gotten involved with another. I played with the drummer today and he's a lot more flexible than my other drummer. Got more coherent play in, rather than sitting and discussing what to play for 5 minutes, we just rolled with eachother. Even have a name now. Anyways, I don't really want to be put in a situation where I'd have to pick one or the other. I love the people I play with, and wouldn't want to lose either. But anyways, could my situation go south?

 

 

Nope!,,, just be open and honest with both groups and you'll be fine.

And as others have stated, don't double book yourself,, then you'll be screwed...lol

Posted

Also, you have to be reasonable. If you're playing in one band you have to be cool with the other band using a fill in guitarist.

 

No question you're chops will improve. Playing with as many musicians as possible can only help. Even just jamming with whoever lets you sit in with them can help.

Posted

It appears you're still in high school and/or college. I'm assuming high school but the facts are the same for both.

 

1. Be honest. Period. That means to yourself as well as others.

 

2. Many pros and weekend warriors play in different bands with different styles and/or may do solo gigs. It's common, and not just in big city areas. I'm in about as low a population density as you're likely to find and it's common here.

 

3. People with a pro attitude will recognize the advantages - and advantages that may cross over between the bands, especially when there are different styles involved.

 

4. If you're honest with yourself and the others you're playing with, you'll find your own answers soon enough and probably keep most everyone as much friends as you have now - and won't need some old guys telling you what they've done in similar situations. If they did #s 1 through four, they've probably had a good experience or at least learned they may be evading a bad one. If they're ignoring #1... they've probably had a bad experience.

 

m

Posted

IMO, There are a number of advantages to playing in more than one band at a time. Apart from the opportuinty to compare musicians and work in different styles, you often discover that problems with one band that you thought were "normal" don't exist in the other, and this really changes your view. From the first two bands I worked with in my youth, I assumed that there was an acceptable window of about one and a half hours to show up after the time rehersal was called. It wasn't until I worked in another band where everyone showed up on time that I realized that the first band had some disfunction going on. When I called the first band on it, no-one could give me a good reason why some people showed up an hour and a half late, and we started rehersing much more on time.

 

IMO problems only develop in one of three situations:

 

1. clashing gigs - although this can usually be lessened by prompt clear communication as soon as you know you can't play a certain date.

 

2. Some band members tend to have a bit a of a "gang" mentality "it's us four against the world" and get emotionally upset if a band member is playing with someone else. There is nothing you can do about such childishness. Just quit the band.

 

3. Often, over time, one band will become more attractive to you than the other, and you start dividing your effort unequally . Again, if you find yourself doing that it's time to leave. The others will figure it out pretty quickly and fire you anyway.

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