… a blog post from Chairman’s Corner.

Hey hey hey everybody. At a show recently, someone asked me a couple of questions that I couldn’t answer right away: “How do you find other musicians to play with?” and “What’s the best way to get a new project going”? Because I’ve been playing music with the same folks (pictured above with yours truly) for quite some time now, I had to explain to the nice gentleman that I haven’t recently had to navigate such situations in today’s environment. However, perhaps some of the tactics that I used to form bands many moons ago might still possibly be valid today – so I’ll attempt to pass on some of those ideas in today’s blog post.

Surrounding yourself with creative people is the first thing that comes to mind. Going out to shows, record stores, theater productions, and art receptions (or really just anything that involves any kind of inventiveness) are all great ways to start looking for folks to play with. ‘Open mic’ events are often another excellent way to meet musicians. Meeting new people and having conversations (about musical inspirations, interests, etc.) at these types of events just might lead to a future jam session. Like with anything else, persistence pays. Perhaps no one you’ve been meeting plays music (or currently has the time to), but it’s always worth asking these folks if they might know someone who does. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from cold calling, it’s that every ‘no’ leads you closer to a ‘yes’. Plus, asking for referrals never hurts.

That said, looking for potential bandmates online is always another option of course. While this is not a tactic that I’ve ever used, it seems that many folks have had success with this method – whether it be via Craigslist notices or elsewhere on the web. Another method is to put up flyers (“looking for potential bandmates”) around town – in records stores, coffee houses, etc.

IMHO, personality is of the utmost importance when looking for bandmates. Look for decent personal connections (not just musical ability). Musical talent is great of course – but some of the best bands have been formed by folks who were just starting to learn how to play (and then they eventually developed over time). You’ll want to make sure that your musical partners are fun to hang with.

There is no right or wrong way to go about kicking off your musical project. Some folks prefer to write and record an entire album before playing live in front of an audience! Others may want to play live for a while, and then make changes (subtle or not so subtle changes) to their songs over time (before recording them). Find a crew that has similar goals, and go for it. It’s crucial to make sure that everyone you’re playing with has the same vision – whether it’s getting a loose collective of folks to jam in the basement twice a month, or touring regionally with high quality recordings.

You might even start off by just jamming for kicks at first, and perhaps the motivation to form an actual band with certain folks will grow out of some of these sessions. Starting off in this way will give you a chance to get to know musicians both musically and personally – before fully committing to any particular project. As mentioned earlier, solid personal connections are everything. Once you’ve teamed up with likeminded folks to create music, a strong chemistry will hopefully emerge.

There’s something therapeutic about playing music with folks who are on the same page. A strong connection between yourself and your bandmates will most definitely translate to a live crowd. Live audiences absolutely LOVE to witness the sparks that fly between band members who have a solid chemistry. They can tell when a band is really enjoying themselves in a live setting. As a result (and as usual), the number one most important rule is to simply have fun with it all.

Cheers,

Jeffrey “Chairman” Couch

Music lover, creator & collector

chairman@spinneymedia.com

Chairman currently enjoys freaking out & creating panic with his spastic rock band Nasalrod, which is based in Portland, Oregon. He created this blog to share his serious love of music, the arts, and physical media.