Is there a regional part of this forum?

Like a place people can find other musicians in thier area to jam with? I'm tired of trying to find people on CL, everyone wants to take over the world and they will only consider "Pros" or you just don't get a response at all. Plus it's really hard to try to find people in thier 30s who like blues. Seems like metal bands are plentiful though! There's a big gap between 20 year old guys who were fortunate enough to start early, and 50 year old guys who are crazy good classic rocker/blues rockers and have been playing for 30+ years. I'm 38 but I've only been playing for a couple years.

I guess my question is, where does someone go to play with someone better than them? I guess it would be hard if you guys had an established working band to allow someone to just come out and hang out and learn from you.

I went to an "open blues jam" the other night but without a solid music theory knowledge, it was kinda hard for me to figure out how to proceed. They'd just call out "Rhamba in Bb with a..." and off they'd go.

Anyone in Oregon want to have a laid back jam?

Britt

(Slightly 'tongue-in-cheek') ... You just did play with guys better than you:wink:.
Albert Kings "Crosscut Saw" is a blues Rhumba (in C).
Learn Crosscut Saw in a few keys and go back to that jam.

*To all the knowledge haters ...
This is a GREAT example of where just a touch of theory can take you very far.
Learn a few musical terms for different styles/feels (rhumba, shuffle, 2-beat, etc.), what a quick-change blues is, the diff between 12 and 8 bar blues and most importantly how to play in all 12 keys (it's easy, trust me).
At a 'jam' musicians have to speak in the same language. Calling out a key and a feel is the most basic element of this language. And yes, even old black guys in Chicago in the 50's did it that way.
(And before anybody wants to tell me different keep in mind I've played both Big Jay McNeely and Bo Diddley - they called out keys and feel.)

HI,
we don't have a regional section per se, but after you are here awhile you'll figure out who is where etc...

I had a friend in college once decry the lameness and sameness of a party we were at and I looked at him and said, "so organize a party and run it..."

If you want something done a specific way... design and do it.

Have you placed your own Craigslist ad?

In the ad, are you specific to what you want?

Can you provide a place to play, a pa, mics, a songlist, if you know some songs, make a setlist with chord charts, put the mp3's on a website so that everyone can practice before they arrive....

if you want a certain thing, you are gonna need to make it....

When I moved to my current town, I didn't know a soul. Had not lived in the area... I answered a slew of CL ads, jammed with guys as far away as modesto (110 miles) north of the bridge (110 miles) all over the place. Went to some TDPRI jams (organized by great guys who did a lot of work)

and finally, went to a jam/audition with a drummer and a singer songwriter in a garage in the middle of nowhere (my favorite place btw!)

the singer didn't last, but the drummer and I did. We started recruiting and we had every oddball thing going for awhile.. two bands, we backed singers, all kinds of stuff until after about a year, we settled into the core of our band that has been together about 10 years...

The band I was in before that lasted 6 years... I recruited each person and created what I wanted... BUT, I had to provide the PA, mics, gigs, logistics, setlists, charts, run rehearsals etc... lots of work!

If you really want something... you will go get it....

I'd say.. go get it.

(and... Ken makes good points above)

I have only done a handful open mic's but I've been approached by musicians there more than once and I'm definitely no guitar god (I can handle the pentatonic stuff though).

I'd say learn a couple different bluesy styles and head back to that open mic.
Have a beer after your turn, hang for a while and speak to people. It should work out eventually.
Sticking some ads in local music stores can't hurt either.

I have only done a handful open mic's but I've been approached by musicians there more than once and I'm definitely no guitar god (I can handle the pentatonic stuff though).

I'd say learn a couple different bluesy styles and head back to that open mic.
Have a beer after your turn, hang for a while and speak to people. It should work out eventually.
Sticking some ads in local music stores can't hurt either.

My strategy growing up was to go to every local gig I could, become friends, learn from whoever wanted to share something with me and sometimes get invited on stage. And my dad who encouraged the musicians to give me a chance.

But a regional section would be fun! How bout it mods?

Youtube is great if you are stuck for somebody to play along with.

I went to an "open blues jam" the other night but without a solid music theory knowledge, it was kinda hard for me to figure out how to proceed. They'd just call out "Rhamba in Bb with a..." and off they'd go.

Wow. I'd kill for something like that... I'd be there until my wife didn't even recognise me. :mrgreen:

I've thought that a regional section of the forum would be cool, especially for regional bands to hook up for show swaps and such.... but how specific would it be? For example, I live in East TN and I am within a four hour drive of Nashville, Chattanooga, Asheville NC, Charlotte, Atlanta, Athens GA, Cincinnati, Lexington KY, and many other decent sized towns. Southeast region? What is Southeast? It's a slippery slope. Keep trying CL and look into Bandmix. Those sites are already regional.

Perhaps the best solution is like Getbent said... organize it yourself. ie- notice where other TDPRI posters are from and ask them questions, post topics related to your needs, and learn how to put YOUR skills in demand. For example, you could post "Blues Jams in the Bumfuzz area?" in one of the forums.

Learn what you're asking for. For example, my band has been looking for a new drummer and when we say "established rock band looking for drummer", we get a lot of interested folks ranging from 60 yr old cover band drummers, teenage metalheads, and beginners looking for an easy road to a good band. When we mention original rock in the vein of the Stones and Black Crowes... regional touring... pro gear... transportation... practice requirements, etc., then we get much less interest, but more serious/specific candidates.

Finally, try to locate one or two guys (preferably including a bass player) and have a decent place to play. You'll be surprised how many others may wanna come jam. Hell, you may even start a band. Few bands or jams start with four guys who met at the same time ready to rock.

HI,
we don't have a regional section per se, but after you are here awhile you'll figure out who is where etc...

I had a friend in college once decry the lameness and sameness of a party we were at and I looked at him and said, "so organize a party and run it..."

If you want something done a specific way... design and do it.

Have you placed your own Craigslist ad?

In the ad, are you specific to what you want?

Can you provide a place to play, a pa, mics, a songlist, if you know some songs, make a setlist with chord charts, put the mp3's on a website so that everyone can practice before they arrive....

if you want a certain thing, you are gonna need to make it....

When I moved to my current town, I didn't know a soul. Had not lived in the area... I answered a slew of CL ads, jammed with guys as far away as modesto (110 miles) north of the bridge (110 miles) all over the place. Went to some TDPRI jams (organized by great guys who did a lot of work)

and finally, went to a jam/audition with a drummer and a singer songwriter in a garage in the middle of nowhere (my favorite place btw!)

the singer didn't last, but the drummer and I did. We started recruiting and we had every oddball thing going for awhile.. two bands, we backed singers, all kinds of stuff until after about a year, we settled into the core of our band that has been together about 10 years...

The band I was in before that lasted 6 years... I recruited each person and created what I wanted... BUT, I had to provide the PA, mics, gigs, logistics, setlists, charts, run rehearsals etc... lots of work!

If you really want something... you will go get it....

I'd say.. go get it.

(and... Ken makes good points above)

^ THIS ^

I'm in my mid-40s -- but been playing for 20+ years. Always wanted to play in a band/with others, but it took me 20 years to get up the nerve to dive in -- 20 years! About 5 years ago, I made a determined commitment to "go get it" -- answered/posted craigslists ads, played with other guys and finally auditioned and joined a band. Then two years ago, I joined a much better band and have been rocking ever since.

I kick myself for not being more determined earlier on as I was certainly good enough -- I just didn't have the guts to get on stage. Now, getting on stage and playing in a band/with others is tremendously rewarding.

My advice: be more determined to "go get it" and know you'll knock on 100 doors before the one you want opens.

Don't be discouraged, keep going to the blues jam if that is the style of music you want to play. You may find players at the jam to get together with or give you a few informal lessons. In blues a rhumba is normally still going to use the chord same structure of 1-4-5 and the rumba is implied by the bassline, drum beat and rhythm guitar appregiated strum. The 1 chord is commonly and E7 shape at the 6th fret (Bb) and an 4 and 5 chords will likely be the shape of a C7 chord at the 6th (Eb) and 9th (F) frets.
Too bad you are not in Phoenix.

My advice would be to take a few lessons, and keep going to the jam.

I say take a few lessons just to get the basics down, you can stay for much more if end up liking it.

Basics like- learn what a rhumba is. Learn to distinguish different types of shuffles. Texas, Chicago, OKC, Memphis, St. Louis, all have different shuffle styles. It's fun to mix 'em up. Learn about 6/8 slow blues. Learn to play alot of different rhythms, and to play them in both swing and straight feels.

Most importantly, like Ken said, learn to transpose all of this stuff into any key. It is, in fact, really easy. Like, easier than you would ever believe. Once somebody shows it to you, it'll make so much sense you'll just shake your head in disbelief.

With a good teacher, you should be able to get a handle on these basics in 2-3 lessons if you already play guitar.

Then just go play at those jams with the people better than you. I don't know how it is where you are, but there are a ton of jams here hosted by seasoned vets that are very patient and accomadating, and very willing to share knowledge. But you if you want to get on stage and play, you do have to have a basic working knowledge going in. Even at a jam, the host band still has an obligation to keep the audience entertained. They are being paid for that. You gotta know what your'e doing at least well enough to hold on for the ride. Once you learn that much though (and it really seriously, doesn't take much to get you started), the rest will come in huge globs.

Go back and play because:

1) you know what keys are
2) you're not kicking it off-just follow along
3) learn johnny b goode-that's the blues
4) actually learn stormy monday
5) if you really get flustered this is best advice I can give anyone about anything-STOP. You can turn it down and strum along or just actually stop. It's called letting it breathe and is considered tasteful.

I noticed you mentioned finding guys in their 30s. You're doing the same thing as those CL ads looking for guy between 19 and 27. Don't worry about age. Get together and play. I taught for 20 years. I learned from my students of 2 weeks. You can always learn something from anyone. Except Malmsteen.