The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Where are people finding other musicians to work with these days? 30 years ago, it was the back pages of the local ‘alternative’ weekly paper. 10 years ago, it was Craigslist. But the ads on Craigslist seem sparse and stale. Is there something new I haven’t heard of yet?

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    A few years ago I had some good luck using Bandmix.com to find a singer. I still check it occasionally but tend to see the same people over and over in my local area.

  4. #3

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    I wish I knew the answer to that. Sadly, I don't.

  5. #4

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    Archer Steet

    Finding other musicians?-archer-street-jpeg
    Attached Images Attached Images Finding other musicians?-archer-street-2-jpeg 

  6. #5

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    I don't think we're in Kansas any more, Toto.

  7. #6

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    Depending on the locale and genre, jam sessions and open mics might be an option to meet other musicians. I have been participating regularly at weekly blues, bossa, funk, jazz sessions for several years where I live.

    Though I’m not interested in joining a formal group, I have met and played with many of the local or regional musicians, pros and hobbyists alike. I noticed that when a new player joins, and after several months stops coming, they joined or formed bands, trios, duos, with other jam session participants. I’ve been invited to sit in on a few gigs of friends and have done several one-off solo/duo shows.

    I also noticed that the director of a regional big band pops in once in a while to recruit new players. And sometimes players hook up at jam sessions to rent a studio and practice together regularly.

    Though I’m happy just to participate at these informal jam sessions and not interested in joining a steady group, there have certainly been opportunities to meet and play with other musicians. Might work for you.

  8. #7

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    Sax forum, drummer forum, bass forum...

  9. #8

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    Word of mouth. Over the last 20 years I have often been recommended as a sideman to someone that I have never met. I not only get to meet the bandleader, but also other sidemen on that gig. That has worked well. Business cards are a must for that kind of networking, even to this day.

    When that happens these days, I try to vet the leader to make sure he/she has pro level chops. I have found that playing with sub-par players makes for a frustrating experience, even when the pay is good.

  10. #9

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    I don't know who said this, but it comes to mind.

    "Go home and practice, and when you're good enough, they'll find you".

    More seriously:

    1. Online - ads or forums

    2. jam sessions

    3. through a teacher

    4. and, eventually, word of mouth.

  11. #10

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    If you find out let me know

  12. #11

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    The first thing you do is find a bassist. Find out who is teaching jazz bass in your area and call to ask if they can recommend a student or a more advanced player who might enjoy getting together to run through tunes.

    Guitar and bass works and it's a start. Same thing to get a drummer, a pianist, a horn or another guitar. The duo works, so does any trio of different instruments or two guitars.

    Set up a time and place, same every week and stick with it.

  13. #12

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    Musicians are getting old and dying. Not just music, but everything that meant something in the past is finished. Cabaret, Music Hall, Vaudeville, Hollywood... Ed Sullivan... variety shows... the Beatles giving it up in '69...

    All the venues are gone. People don't dance anymore, so why pay musicians. Recorded music was the inheritor, but now that's gone too. Up here around Toronto, people don't even go out much anymore as there are gangs of up to 15 youths attacking people randomly on the transit system and in the malls. Safer and saner to stay at home. Remember the cocooning predictions?

    Most people are busy with video games and tic-toc... They drive and walkabout with their apps... There are so many new drugs now that have made people unapproachable or just too bizarre. Even marijuana makes people moody and ridiculous. They smoke it from those burners you can buy now that look like pop cans. After an hour, they start to lose their mind.

    I've been placing ads for years. All you find are looneys with odd-ball ideas. Or start something that lasts three weeks. Or no one shows up...

    Music has become a hobby for those so inclined. Start learning chord-melody soloing and play for your own enjoyment. Or piano. Then you won't be dependent.

    I have assembled a large library of music books, lesson books, sheets, Mel Bay, Hal Leonard, Alfred, Warner, Dick Bennett... all thanks to second-hand junk stores. Most of these publications were dumped there by music stores. I wouldn't want to be the owner of a music store, now. I think all of that is on its way out... I can spend most of a day with just a couple of books, reading and studying. I can concentrate on home and family rather than flitting time away with goofs who don't know what they want.

    ::
    Last edited by StringNavigator; 01-27-2023 at 12:21 AM.

  14. #13

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    Playing and networking at jams is the best way to work your way towards getting and giving word of mouth recommendations. If you aren't going every week or otherwise very often you will be wasting your time.

    Craigslist works good still in southern US but it's still craigslist and there are lots of hacks, amateurs, or people who only want to gig infrequently. Still I have found some good musicians there.

    If you aren't into hustling for it it will likely never happen. You wind up going through guys anyways once it does happen because schedules, personalities, other commitments, etc don't always work out.

    If you are just looking to jam informally, or only gig a couple times a month you probably won't attract the best players who are looking to gig more aggressively, even if you are otherwise professional in your approach.

  15. #14

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    If you want to attract gigging musicians you have to make the experience worth their while.

    One way to do that -- the only way I know -- is to be playing challenging music, so that even the best players feel they're learning something.

    Which is another way to say, don't expect a high level player to want to jam simple RB tunes.

    But, if you have hip arrangements that are challenging to play, of tunes they haven't played before, well, that just might make it worth it for them.

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by StringNavigator
    Musicians are getting old and dying. Not just music, but everything that meant something in the past is finished. Cabaret, Music Hall, Vaudeville, Hollywood... Ed Sullivan... variety shows... the Beatles giving it up in '69...

    All the venues are gone. People don't dance anymore, so why pay musicians. Recorded music was the inheritor, but now that's gone too. Up here around Toronto, people don't even go out much anymore as there are gangs of up to 15 youths attacking people randomly on the transit system and in the malls. Safer and saner to stay at home. Remember the cocooning predictions?

    Most people are busy with video games and tic-toc... They drive and walkabout with their apps... There are so many new drugs now that have made people unapproachable or just too bizarre. Even marijuana makes people moody and ridiculous. They smoke it from those burners you can buy now that look like pop cans. After an hour, they start to lose their mind.

    I've been placing ads for years. All you find are looneys with odd-ball ideas. Or start something that lasts three weeks. Or no one shows up...

    Music has become a hobby for those so inclined. Start learning chord-melody soloing and play for your own enjoyment. Or piano. Then you won't be dependent.

    I have assembled a large library of music books, lesson books, sheets, Mel Bay, Hal Leonard, Alfred, Warner, Dick Bennett... all thanks to second-hand junk stores. Most of these publications were dumped there by music stores. I wouldn't want to be the owner of a music store, now. I think all of that is on its way out... I can spend most of a day with just a couple of books, reading and studying. I can concentrate on home and family rather than flitting time away with goofs who don't know what they want.

    ::
    Buy a looper and stay home, OP.

  17. #16

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    Hell is other people. Go solo.

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Litterick
    Buy a looper and stay home, OP.
    I bought a looper to play gigs alone.
    When I got ready to play decently with the looper, I met musicians, two or three jam sessions allowed me to be a little bit known.
    Years ago I was looking for musicians but nothing had really happened, they just found me few months ago when I was about to play totally alone.
    I don't know if I'm good but it's sure they are.