My First "Red Dirt" band

Great, Geoo! It's always nice to find someone to play with! Adds dimension to your own music! Good for you! :D

Thanks EB!! I'm not going to keep adding to this thread after every single practice but as he and I go on alot of beginner questions keep popping up. So maybe I'll continue just until it feels like our band is heading down a straight highway.

Had our second practice the other night and I am having alot of prolems with using my amp for vocals and guitar. Surely not every garage band or even up and coming gigging act goes out and purchases a PA system for the vocals. I posted all about this problem here. I think its a matter of me learning to control my amp better. Atleast until I can afford something better.

We sounded better, musically, this time. But our timing is bad off and I think his guitar was out of tune. I think the timing problems would be greatly solved just by finding a bass player or a drummer. There were alot less interuptions this time and we did alot of straight playing. Last time it seemed like we talked more than played.

We listed about 15 songs we are going to start trying to learn. When we get that down we are going to learn 15 more and so forth until we have a complete set list. Atleast, that is the plan. We both seem to enjoy the same type of music.

I am a bit torn about how much money I want to sink into this. I am concerned that if I do then the whole thing could fall apart and just be wasted. I guess I feel a little bit like that when it comes to writing too. I have an experience in my past where I wrote 10 or so really good songs and when I was let go... they kept on playing my music. Course they were local and broke so it didnt make much sense to persue it legally. But that memory makes it difficult to really let myself go now. Going to have to work on that too.

Well, back to working on TABs for our songbooks.

Geoo

glad to hear you and your buddy are getting on well. wish i lived closer :cry:
i don't remember if you have an A/E guitar or not but you may want to consider getting a nice little acoustic amplifier for your vocals.
they can be more versatile then a straight up PA and if this experiment falls thru you still have a amp for your acoustic.
edit--
nm i see you already have one :oops:

geoo

Sounds like you are progressing nicely. If you both enjoy the same type of music and get along well, you will be alright. Your timing will get better with practice.

Yeah, spending money on PA gear can be expensive. I look at it like this, I have a PA I can go anywhere and start a band. Without a PA I am dependent on someone else. I was in a band years ago, had problems with the singer and said I was gonna start my own band. He said, "You'll never make it". Well, when you have a PA you can always play, even if it is a solo act (which I did for about a year after that).

And if you take care of it it will last forever. So a PA is just another instrument like your guitar or amp.

But for now just keep practicing. You should be able to sing through your amp for now, that will do for small gigs. If things keep going well, then look into a PA.

I like when you tell us how things are going. By all means please keep us updated. It's my opinion that no money is wasted on music equipment/supplies. They are an investment in your hobby. So, even if you break up, you still have stuff to use later when you find others to play with.

I like when you tell us how things are going. By all means please keep us updated.

Thank you Corbind. I like it too. It really helps me process.

So here we are and its been a few weeks. We have regularly been meeting a couple times a week since this little thing started. Where as the first couple meetings were a little difficult, things are getting so much better. I can tell that he and i are bonding because the communication is flowing so smoothly. No hard feelings.. Just lots of planning, playing and dreaming. It is starting to feel like he and I have been doing this for quite some time.

We have tackled a few songs. We put together a list of 15 and I think we can manage 3 or 4 of them now. Last night, we sat down and polished Billy Joels "Only The Good die Young".. I know its not country but that is the beauty of doing this style of country. We really are trying to push the envelopes into any style of music we think our audience would enjoy.

I put out flyers today at local music shops to find a bassist, drummer, and an additional guitarist. While doing so I got to meet a member of one of the largest acts in our area. They are in the same style of music as we are. The guy had a great suggestion too. Told me to go to a little club that is maybe 2 miles from my house on Monday nights. Says the band there has been doing country a long time and should be able to give us some contacts. Why didnt I think of that. LOL

I've really got to bust some butt in the next few days and get together the lyrics for the 15 songs we are learning now. I dont want to be the one holding us back when we are ready to begin playing out somewhere.

I think thats the update. I really appreciate all the help and comments.

Geoo

I look at all these post on GN as reading a good story. But they're real. Real people all enjoying learning and making music. It doesn't get much better than that. That'll be cool getting some contacts from that band on Monday night.

Well, we had a bass player over last night. Wow, I felt so inadequate. My guitar player did too. The guy was really incredible on bass and then when the guitar player went to have a smoke, he picked up my son acoustic and was incredible on that as well. I dont see him wanting to stick with us. We need someone good, but maybe not quite that good. LOL It did inspire me to stick with practicing my guitar. I can be that good someday.

Still no drummers, atleast not for this country band. I found a couple that want to do a "Praise and Worship" style band (Its something else I am trying to get in the works). I think I will take a trip to the local guitar shops and instead of putting up more flyers, I will see if anyone had posted flyers wanting to join bands. I got to thinking yesterday, I dont think I ever look at the flyers. Maybe no one else does either. They just post and hope someone else reads their?

Anyway, we wrote our first song this week and i am really pretty impressd with it. I have been singing and playing harmonica rather than guitar.

Geoo

Houston, we found a bass player. Had a guy over from work today. He's pretty good. Not technically as good as the last one but he is atleast our level. I also think I have found a second guitar player. Another guy from work. He is supposed to show up next Wednesday. Another guy was supposed to show tonight but he lives like 2 hours away and to be honest I just dont see him making it to all the practices. Never called or showed so I'm counting him out. Still need a drummer but man its all coming along great. Going to touch up the originals I have already written and give them to the guys to learn. Hope to be gigging soon.

Geoo

I don't see the dude 2 hours away making it. It won't happen. But glad other things are working out. Gotta love it! :D

Geoo, I'm just now catching up with this story and all I can do is grin from ear to ear.

That is such great news and what fun the discoveries must be that you are experiencing.

If you get something put together and recorded let us know when we can hear it.

WTG!!!!

Great thread geoo. I've just spotted it after it got bumped by bish. Not sure how I missed it before.

Just wanted to say good luck with the project and please keep this thread updated on your progress.

Looking forward to your first gig report proper. :wink:

respect.

8)

Great to hear it all went well. It's a lot of fun, isn't it?

Man, things are rolling along quite well. We picked up a second (Third if you include me) guitarist yesterday. He has been playing quite a long time and last year he gave me a copy of his current bands CD. So I sent him a link to my current songs and he likes where me and our red dirt band are going.

The thing I like is that each of us bring something equal and different to the band outside of our musical talents (Feels weird saying that). I am a decent writer and administrator. Keeping everyone on the same page. The bassist used to work a job where he set up PA equipment for live bands that would come through our city. The new guitarist has alot of the equipment we were missing; PA system, drum machine, recording equipment, etc. The original guitarist has connections with local clubs, local bands, and even some national acts.

We are about halfway through our first set list (of four) and have one original to our name.

We keep plugging along. :D

Geoo