Meeting musicians: where do you do that?

[Faldoe]

I've often turned to Craigslist's musicians section to try and find people to play music with. It seems drier than ever in terms of finding people that don't just want to do a certain time of metal/doom/rock band.

Where did you/have you met your current bandmates or people you've collaborated with? I imagine shows could be a good place but I'm lazy and rarely go to shows anymore. Any online forums or dedicated musician to musician forums out there?

Looking to meet my match!

[tremolo3]

Nowhere

Everyone I've met through CL are either junkies with dreams and no gear or rich kids with no talent, who also happen to be druggies and have 0 commitment.

So I've decided the problem is me (and clearly drugs too) and move along with machines

[Lurker13]

Google is your friend.
https://www.bandmix.com/

You might try FB too, and ask around at work.

Legal disclaimer - I'm not in a band, and have no immediate plans to be in one due to time constraints. But I hope to someday, because of the crazy fun factor.

[chromandre]

Do whatever you have to make a good short set and play some shows! Your actual music says a lot more than listing influences and gear.

[Eivind August]

Probably facebook groups for local musicians. And yes, going to gigs with the type of bands you like and actually interacting with other people is always a good plan.

[retinal orbita]

No idea.

I’ve got a band that’s incredibly sporadic, and that works for me. But I’d love to make different music with other people in the down time and it largely comes down to lifestyle. I don’t want to “make it” or jam 2-3 times per week. Trying to find people into the same stuff, maybe around the same age, maybe with similar schedules, maybe who own their own gear? Maybe who live in the same city? Maybe who are reliable? MAYBE who you click with musically?

Oh right I’m remembering why I bought a drum machine.

I just put up a CL ad looking for kosmiche / experimental heavy psych, got a messsage within an hour from some Mastodon type band asking my availability to tour - like cool man but send a fucking mp3 first!!

My response was like “no I’m almost 40, married and work full time, just want to drink a few beers with some people once in a while and make some noise”

I agree it’s important to go to shows but this is really sort of not effective to meet bandmates because do you just go up to randos and ask if they’re a musician? I don’t! And I go to a lot of shows.

Also all my friends are also bass players. Like how did that happen?

[voerking]

sorry to be redundant, but...
go see local bands. make friends with the musicians that you think are somewhat like-minded.
ask to play together!

i've never had luck with the craigslist musician hookup.

[Dungus]

I got told off on here for saying "just put up a poster and you'll find someone easy, blah blah" and it was completely justified. Being a part of such a vibrant music scene for a long time, you forget how difficult it actually can be. After shelving an album I recorded because I couldn't find a singer, I have certainly tasted my own medicine and it indeed tastes like regret and shite. I met all of my former/current bandmates at shows and local online music forums (they were a big deal a long time ago, not so much now). I would say, aside from getting as involved in your local music scene as much as possible, your best bet would be facebook, something local and music related. Facebook is crap, but there's a lot of people on there you will live near and there are plenty of music related groups.

[ognoy]

sorry to be redundant, but...
go see local bands. make friends with the musicians that you think are somewhat like-minded.
ask to play together!

i've never had luck with the craigslist musician hookup.

And smoke cigarettes! I have several friends that I met while smoking cigarettes outside of venues.

[Mudfuzz]

I'm not sure on the FB thing.. every time we think about possibly adding a second guitarist and put out feelers all we get is open mic guys that "can play the blues" that want to jam.... Then we send them a song to learn and they cry... same with friends in other bands.. they all love to get us to back them up but when it come time to play WITH us they get lost and cry.. it's very sad you see.

[ognoy]

This thread got me thinking, how did I meet all the musicians that I know?
-They're friends from when we where teenagers and we've been playing together since we where 15-ish(I'm 30 now).
-I've been introduced to them through other musician friends.
-Talked to them at shows. Either bands on the same bill as us or just talking to people after seeing a show.
-Met online(not Facebook).
-Met them through this "open for everyone free improv collective" I'm part of.

But I think the most import thing is what Voerking said, ASK TO PLAY TOGETHER!

[Eivind August]

And smoke cigarettes! I have several friends that I met while smoking cigarettes outside of venues.

Yeah, this is very true!

[Dapper Bandit]

Local musicians FB groups do seem to be the norm now, so I would say that is the best place to start.

That said, the two bands I was in previously were brought about by talking to people at shows or just being friendly with musicians so there is something to be said for the human process. Smoking is now an excellent way to be able to meet like minded people at gigs and actually have the opportunity to talk to them but I couldn't honestly recommend taking it up if you don't already.

Unfortunately my local scene has all but died, folks either want to be in a covers band with a view of playing at the 2 bars and 1 club that actually have live music or be in an originals band with no local venue to play in so all activities are geared to touring off island.

Best of luck on your hunt!

[repoman]

I guess you have to just keep trying with CL...I've never met anyone through CL for doing stuff with guitars that led to anything good, and a lot of them were quite creepy. The last guy I tried making some music with...I got creeped out by him, then saw like a year later he was going to prison for 20 years or something for sex trafficking.

Doing stuff based around synthesizers/electronic music has been good though and I've met a bunch of cool people through that which led to some decent music being made.
I guess being pretty specific in your ad can help, and samples of music you make on your own to.

[Faldoe]

Don't have FB.

Seems like working solo is what I need to do to get something out there. I just get more inspired when there are other people involved that can offer other perspectives and ideas