HarpNinja
3497 posts
Sep 30, 2013
9:25 AM
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My gigging career peaked about 2011, sadly. I took part of a year off and have not been able to get anything going since. Part of the problem is wanting to at least rehearse in my hometown if not my own house - I have music friend an hour away, which is too touch logistically right now.
Looooong story short, I managed to find a relatively local guitar player, but he lost his day job and was unable to commit to gigging...he just got a new job in a different town.
I then got in touch with a full-time musician. He teachers guitar and has a great rep. We got together to jam. I was willing to concede to singing and playing ANYTHING knowing full well he had never been a gigging musician, let alone been in a real band. He was going to need a lot of coaching, but he could play and communicate music easily.
Well, it didn't go so hot. He wanted to talk more than jam. When he did, he had a hard time keeping count. He doesn't like harmonica and thinks it always sounds too bluesy to play anything other than straight blues, which he said he wanted to do but never tried to play in front of me.
He wants to play with me as much as I want to play with him, lol...and he hates John Popper.
My mother-in-law then mentioned a new country band I might want to contact. Turns out the only other guy who plays harp in town is doing some jamming with them already (but doesn't look like they want a harp full time).
Last month, I was shot down by a keyboard player (no real explanation, but I think he only wanted to do a full band thing), another guitar player who is average at best and wanting to gig, but too timid to get together, and a guitar player who only wanted to jam if we were at least a trio as he wants to focus mostly on bass. There was also a guitar player who would be interested in a classic rock project if I had a full band together and he would be the featured instrument (meaning I didn't play harp and only sang).
I am pretty much f'ed. I am really trying, but I commute an hour south to work and can't be running an hour plus north of home for weekday jamming. That'd be 2.5 hours from work to rehearsal. I have time to play a gig if I stay around my house in a town of 50,000+. You'd think there'd be one instrument that would want to get together!!!!!!
Part of my problem is the willingness to do anything musically so long as there is some harp. First, I don't have a strong vision in mind and am too passive, maybe, and I play harmonica...which people must hate here.
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HarpNinja
3498 posts
Sep 30, 2013
9:45 AM
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I should clarify that in the metro, I have enough contacts to have a full band together in just about any genre. The problem is me and the inability to rehearse during the week.
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Mantra Customized Harmonicas
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Rick Davis
2462 posts
Sep 30, 2013
9:59 AM
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Mike, start up a jam in a venue. It will keep you active in the musician community, build relationships, sharpen your chops, and lead to other things. And you'll be getting paid to play.
It sounds to me like you would be the perfect jam host in Mankato.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
Tip Jar
Last Edited by Rick Davis on Sep 30, 2013 10:15 AM
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eharp
2128 posts
Sep 30, 2013
10:39 AM
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I thought you were getting pretty good at the OMB project.
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HarpNinja
3499 posts
Sep 30, 2013
11:01 AM
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Thanks, eharp...I just never really felt it was a good fit.
Rick, there are open mics here, but no jams. I did front one a few years back, but it wasn't sustainable.
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Mantra Customized Harmonicas
My Website
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nacoran
7175 posts
Sep 30, 2013
11:15 AM
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I like Rick's idea. A couple other ideas- there are some online collaboration forums/software ideas-
http://www.masternewmedia.org/online-music-collaboration-best-tools-and/
You might be able to look at some of those and see who needs a harp player. The idea may not be to get a gig based off any one of those projects, but to build up exposure and make connections. There is also a lot of quid pro quo that goes on. You play harp on their project, they play guitar on yours. With your chops you should be in demand. I was just listening to some of your OMB stuff last night (you'd posted a link on FB). I like it- )I did notice one note on Hey Joe that you might attack differently vocally to give it a little bluesier sound, but keep in mind you're better than me, so it's really just a note I would have sung differently). I think it would get a lot more hits with a video though than as a soundcloud file though.
I like your OMB stuff a lot. The problem is, YouTube is filled with people playing music. To stand out, you really need great videos that catch people's attention outside of the harp community. If you get enough hits you can leverage that into people who will show up at your shows. I hate YouTube spammers, but maybe you could look around YouTube for people who are making creative videos and offer to trade some music for their videos in exchange for then helping out on some videos?
I certainly know the feeling with band troubles. Just as we were really coming together our lead singer flaked out on us and our guitar player got moved to night shifts.
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Nate
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Rick Davis
2463 posts
Sep 30, 2013
11:26 AM
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Mike, for a jam to survive you need to promote the crap out of it. Look for a good venue that can give you the 5 to 9 slot on Sundays. Make it an open jam, all types of music. If you build it they will come.
Maybe weekly would be too frequent. Try bi-weekly or even monthly. The Wyoming Jazz & Blues Society has it's jam monthly and it is quite a success in a town about the size of Mankato.
Is there a blues society in Mankato?
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-Little Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
Tip Jar
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MP
2937 posts
Sep 30, 2013
12:15 PM
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Mike,
There must be someone out there willing to give it a go. You live in Minn don't you. Big state. You'll find people. It's the law of averages.
I live in Honolulu. It's not exactly a Mecca for American folk music forms ie blues, jazz, rock-a-billy, country.
i count myself very fortunate to have many very good musicians who actually want to play with me. Did a duo last night w/ a guitarist. No practice, just winged it. We are both so familiar w/ the genre it was like falling off a log.
Lucky for me i pretty much introduced the front man/singer/harp player to these parts many decades ago.
in 98 i went away to play on the east coast for 7 and a 1/2 years. When i returned to Hi. in 2005 the harp player/singer was common place as was the blues band.
it'll work out. hang in there.
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name [MP] for info-
repair videos on YouTube.
you can reach me via Facebook. Mark Prados
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HarpNinja
3500 posts
Sep 30, 2013
12:19 PM
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There is zero blues scene here. One venue does get some metro acts on occasion, but there is no local scene.
I would totally help with a jam, but would need to find musicians...there aren't too many guys that are good enough to play a jam. That sounds awful, I know, but a blues-only format wouldn't go over and guys would have to have enough chops to play on the fly.
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Mantra Customized Harmonicas
My Website
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Tuckster
1358 posts
Sep 30, 2013
12:37 PM
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I like Rick's idea a lot but if that's not viable,you just have to pound the pavement and attend as many open stages as you can. It's all about getting known and making music connections.
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HarpNinja
3501 posts
Sep 30, 2013
12:42 PM
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I did get in contact with the guy primarily in charge of all the area open mics. They usually prefer original solo stuff, but I might have some ins...thanks!
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Mantra Customized Harmonicas
My Website
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LSC
504 posts
Sep 30, 2013
1:22 PM
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Looking at the map I see your dilemma. Kind of out between nowhere and nothing. You are just over an hour from Austin but it's the wrong damn Austin.
Looking over the responses and your replies I'd say go around to as many open mics as you can and go more than once to each. You may well find a solo guy who is into country blues or something similar. You may also find somebody who knows somebody if you let it be known that you're looking.
Hosting a jam is not a bad idea but I can understand it might be problematical if no one is into blues or not enough people have the chops to jam on anything. Still, if you could find even one blues guitar player who was willing to be involved it might be enough to form a base to work from. There are a lot of guys who can be competent given a modicum of direction.
If you do start a jam, i would agree with Rick about promotion and perhaps not starting with every week. However, I'd go monthly, say the 1st Sunday of the month, rather than every other week. The alternating week thing tends to confuse people who can't remember, "Is it this week or next?" You might want to schedule the time of day to avoid Vikings games at least for the season.
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LSC
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dougharps
441 posts
Sep 30, 2013
2:20 PM
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I think that getting work as a harp side man can be really difficult, particularly in the market today. If you want to play out you will most likely need to front the band, find and book the gigs, and basically hire your own band or accompanist. That also means choosing the material and singing most of it. You will probably have to take the initiative if you want to play for money.
You could just drop in when other bands are playing. Since you are known and have the chops, take advantage of any offers to sit in. Write it off as a promotional effort for your music career. Foster those relationships and offer yourself as a sideman for hire for gigs when they could use another instrument and singer, or as a substitute player/singer. You could get some work that way, play out, keep your ears open and your skills sharp, and maybe find the right band. You might get really lucky and stumble into a situation that fits you perfectly
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Doug S.
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harpdude61
1851 posts
Sep 30, 2013
3:13 PM
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I found my band by going to the same weekly jam for a year. Not only does it give you a chance to hear the people, but you also get to know them. Learn who is dependable, no ego issues, likable, etc.
I was to a point when I formed my band that I wanted control and to be the front man. I don't sing so I hired a drummer, bassist, and guitarist that all sing. Two are excellent and the other is pretty good...and none count how many songs they sing!
They come to me for rehearsals and I do all booking, promo, etc. These guys are young and happy that they don't have to do anything but practice and gig.
I was lucky to find these three young men that were good and content with me in control, but I did work very hard finding the music, promoting the shows, and convincing the venues to hire us. They don't care how good you are. "Can you draw a crowd" is always the question.
It takes a ton of work but I honestly don't think I could ever be a side man again.
I hope you find what you are looking for my friend.
BTW..the Buddha harp you repaired for me a couple years ago is still going strong!
Last Edited by harpdude61 on Sep 30, 2013 3:15 PM
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Rick Davis
2464 posts
Sep 30, 2013
3:28 PM
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I don't know how many bands have been spawned at the jam I've hosted for the last four years, but I think I could safely say it is more than 5 or 6. Plus, I get one or two emails a month from bands looking for members and they want to know if I know somebody who would fit. When you see the regulars on stage every week you get to recognize the arc of their development. You see them getting better, or not. You can tell who is ready for the next step.
Mike, it takes some time and commitment but it could be a good way to keep yourself in the music biz instead of being at a point of desperation. Look, I know jams can be kind of lame, but I promise you that you will smile every time. There are good moments in every jam.
In Denver most of the big local pros host jams: Erik Boa, Al Chesis, Dan Treanor, Bad Brad & Nic Clark, and others. It is a way to play and make a little money on the off days -- Sunday through Wednesday.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
Tip Jar
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BronzeWailer
1151 posts
Sep 30, 2013
3:32 PM
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Busking is another alternative. You never know who's walking by. I have met a few musicians, some who I have teamed up with later. Have also scored a few good gigs that way.
BronzeWailer's YouTube
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Barley Nectar
87 posts
Sep 30, 2013
4:11 PM
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Boy, you guys nailed the entire scene. All this applies to me. Although, I can't play like Mike does. I am now perfictly happy to hit jams and set in where needed. Sometimes I just show up and play a few songs. You get to know a lot of preople. And this approch is stress free. No practice, no scedual, if you don't like the song, you go get a beer.
Try it, you'll like it...BN
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Komuso
176 posts
Sep 30, 2013
7:46 PM
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See that's why you use a rack and play other instruments. Flexibility!
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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
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robbert
248 posts
Sep 30, 2013
8:46 PM
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If any of the solutions above speak to you, give them a try. Also, imagine the scenario/scenarios that you would most like to have occur.
I know you have a busy job, and a young family, and a side business to contend with, but if you take the time to regularly visualize,imagine and just get the feel of the kind of musical situation/situations you would like to be a part of, and keep on getting the feel for that, and keep remembering how much you love to play music with others, and be patient, but persistent, this thing will happen. The Universe can be very accommodating.
This is how I manage some things(not everything, though), and it works. It's an inner thing as much as an outer thing.
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Kingley
3166 posts
Sep 30, 2013
10:39 PM
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There are always hurdles to overcome. Some and relatively minor issues and easily resolved, some are much harder and require a lot of hard work to resolve, whilst some are never resolved. If you really want to play gigs badly enough then you'll put in the work and the compromises necessary to make things happen. If you don't then you won't.
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timeistight
1394 posts
Oct 01, 2013
11:38 AM
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Do you have a decent home recording setup? With your chops and experience you should be able to find bands and solo artists who want to add harp to a couple of tracks in a project.
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MP
2940 posts
Oct 01, 2013
11:59 AM
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I've done many studio sessions. Make demo recordings and a padded resume' of what you do and submit them unsolicited to every studio in the phone book.
you may get calls to record and will meet musicians you were unaware of. Sure, it's a shot in the dark. But i've gotten great paying gigs and even been flown to gig and record cuz someone liked what i did on their CD.
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name [MP] for info-
repair videos on YouTube.
you can reach me via Facebook. Mark Prados
Last Edited by MP on Oct 01, 2013 12:01 PM
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jbone
1372 posts
Oct 01, 2013
12:01 PM
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1- Develop style- you've done that.
2- Find musicians of like mind to work with, or help train them into your style- that's a hard one sometimes
3- Work and develop a band sound and style and tighten it up- also sometimes not so easy. Alternative, find a duo partner and worry with rhythm section later.
4- Write and record, write and record, make a showing on some sites so you have a link to show.
5- Beat feet street and use every resource available to book gigs.
First and foremost you have to have some assets within you whether you already have them or they can be developed.
1- Confidence. Know what you can do and make it effortless. Take "no" for an answer but do NOT STOP moving forward.
2- No Fear. I had a friend who used to say "They can throw ketchup on us, but they can BY GOD not eat us."
3- Indifference. I use this to keep from getting crushed by the many no's I take, from prospective partners, venues, possible cd buyers, people walking by as I am busking for gas$, etc etc. It's not a negative or aggressive trait, it's just a tool I can use to keep my attitude good.
4- FAITH. I know I will get something going. I KNOW this. It may take time and effort and a few bucks and a total rethink of my methods but it WILL come to be.
5-Attitude. Goes back to confidence. I am not cocky but I know my product and I am EXCITED about it! I want to share it around and those folks out there can help make it happen. I offer partners an opportunity to develop musically, work in a dedicated outfit, and make a few bucks. Record when ready. I offer venues a product that people like and will respond to. Good response makes money for a venue.
6-Business sense. If it's worth doing well it's worth some pay. One of the hardest things I've had to do has been to turn down low pay gigs. Low pay demoralizes a band. Some exceptions can be made like doing a set at a benefit, or at a jam as sort of an audition, but a band who gets paid is more likely to work hard and stay on track. Money is not the end-all but it does put gas in the tank and harps in the case.
If I wear my heart on my sleeve it will get damaged. If I show weakness I will attract the worst people out there. I have to know when to press forward and when to walk away.
Did I mention Determination? I have to just keep going and promoting. Regardless of how many no's I get, there is a law of averages that comes into play. I may take a lot of no's but I WILL get some yeses as well. This applies to prospective partners as well as venues.
You are the only person who can decide who to work with or what standards to set. Too high and you'll be lonely, too low and you will have a hard time getting who you need.
Above all you must believe in yourself.
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http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa7La7yYYeE
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MP
2941 posts
Oct 01, 2013
12:05 PM
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What jbone said,
as a musician i am used to rejection. if i get one response out of ten requests i feel that is par and average.
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name [MP] for info-
repair videos on YouTube.
you can reach me via Facebook. Mark Prados
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HarpNinja
3505 posts
Oct 01, 2013
12:11 PM
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I sent a message to a few heavy hitters in town about looking for people to play with. I also got a hold of the guy who runs most the open mics. I don't know him well, and he's probably never heard me play, but we'll see if that helps.
It is the same guy at every open mic and he has people sign up before the event to play...kinda weird.
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Mantra Customized Harmonicas
My Website
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jbone
1374 posts
Oct 02, 2013
4:43 AM
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Personally I think that guy is doing a responsible job of hosting an open mic. It's how I do it when the opportunity presents.
Whatever anyone says or does not say to you re your requests around town, I hope you just keep moving forward. I have learned this many times, it's the journey more than the destination! Sharks can never stop swimming but they are badasses for it.
I've just reset my priorities here. Left a band to get back to my primary project and first love. My wife is also my partner in music and we are poised to get some stuff done! Material is written and we need to brush up on a few things and then start vetting a bassist and drummer. Record. Rough mix. Send select songs to select people to add tracks. Final mic and then master and produce. Quite a project! We're very excited about it. Moving forward.
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http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa7La7yYYeE
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Georgia Blues
101 posts
Oct 05, 2013
6:27 PM
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H-N, for what it's worth. I have played harp since I was 13 and after all those years of jamming and playing along with records and CDs, only recently joined a band at age 63. Do it by yourself, do it because you love the sound. Do it however you can because in a creative field like music or art you never know what door will open or when, or for what reason. If you stop you will close the door to unexpected opportunity. This I know from experience... both ways. Ask and you shall receive.
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Alex
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HarpNinja
3536 posts
Oct 23, 2013
8:51 AM
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Well, was referred to a bass player originally from Austin, TX, who plays for a living. We talked on the phone an hour and had a great conversation. We were totally on the same page, and I let him lead most the conversation.
We agreed to meet up for a drink that weekend. Tried calling twice with no response. Emailed twice with no response (and I only did that because I found a guitar player that wanted to meet up too).
On a whim I posted to craigslist about a blues duo, conceding to the fact that I will be forever type casted, and got a reply within a day from a guy who plays resonator and cigar box guitar.
Fingers crossed...trying to meet up after this week.
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Mantra Customized Harmonicas
My Website
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Rick Davis
2581 posts
Oct 23, 2013
9:11 AM
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Blues Duo is good. Highly marketable and flexible, with lots of possible venues. And over time you can move your repertoire in a more progressive direction.
Best of luck with it.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
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HarpNinja
3537 posts
Oct 23, 2013
9:15 AM
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Thanks, Rick! Coincidently, I've been woodshedding my tongue blocking and learning some Little Walter stuff. I still pucker 99% of my bends, though. I can only hit them TB if I am hitting a single note. I can't play bent riffs TB'ing very well.
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Mantra Customized Harmonicas
My Website
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