prblack Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Everyone has been so helpful on this forum, that I need your advice once again. I have been reading local musician wanted ads in my local paper, and I there are a couple of them that I would like to answer. Can anyone give some tips on how to answer the ads.... most of them just have an email address. I like to know what not to say, what to emphasize....etc..... Thanks in Advance prblack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock1016 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 I usually just say "I saw your ad", then give my age, how long I've been playing, and my major influences. Then I tell them if they've already found their guy, thanks for the time and good luck. Then leave a phone number or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 You should post some of the ads here (without contact info or geographic clues) that you are interested in so we can see the kind of stuff you are looking into. Might be fun, and we might be able to offer more advice. "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mound Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 just be yourself.. introduce yourself, say "I'm responding to your ad, can we talk a bit about what you're looking for?" and go from there. "You look hopefully for an idea and then you're humble when you find it and you wish your skills were better. To have even a half-baked touch of creativity is an honor." -- Ernie Stires, composer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Robert Rennix Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Be sure to mention where you saw the ad and what it said. If the ad had a date, indicating when it was posted, be sure to mention that too. When you respond to the ad, be sure to give them your first name and tell them a few things about yourself, like your age and the type of music you like to play. I've posted a lot of ads before, and the biggest problem I have is that I get a lot of people who respond to very old ads. Unfortunately, no one who responds to these old ads ever tells me enough information about the ad they saw for me to take the old ads down. The person who posted the ad wants to know some things about you. Age can be very important. Guys in their mid twenties typically don't want to play with a teenager who can't get into bars or a forty-something with two kids who can't drop everything for a world tour. Gear can also be important. The band that placed the ad wants to make sure you have enough gear to play the gigs. You want to tell the band enough about yourself for them to make a decision about you, but you don't want to draw them a map to your home so they can steal your gear while you're at work either. A good response would be: "Hi. My name is Bill and I saw your ad on Harmony Central. It says you are looking for a bass player to complete your hard rock band. I'm 28 years old. I have a nice 4-string Jazz bass and an Ampeg 410 halfstack. I listen to many of the bands you listed as influences on your ad. Email me back if you'd like to set up an audition." A bad response would be: "DUDE! R U STILL LOOKIN 4 A BASSPLAYER? I'VE BEEN PLAYIN WITH MY BROTHER LATELY BUT ARE BAND BROKE UP. DO YOU NEED A DRUMMER? WE SHOULD GET TOGETHER AND JAM SOMETIME. L8ERS." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Force Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 What everyone else said, plus: Be very clear as what your needs, wants, and expectations are; otherwise, you might be very disappointed with the outcome. If you are just looking for a fun band, then say it. Or, if you want more clearly articulate that also. Save youself some potential major grief.. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. Steve Force, Durham, North Carolina -------- My Professional Websites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73 P Bass Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 When I got into my band I answered an ad. I gave a list of what 5 albums I'd want on a desert island, and if he liked Yankees or Red Sox. He was a Yankees fan, but I took the high road and auditioned anyways. E.mail is great, because you can really think about how you want to respond, as opposed to getting tongue tied on the phone, and forgetting part of what you wanted to say. I never spoke to John before I auditioned, just e.mails. "Start listening to music!". -Jeremy C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prblack Posted May 1, 2004 Author Share Posted May 1, 2004 Originally posted by zeronyne: You should post some of the ads here (without contact info or geographic clues) that you are interested in so we can see the kind of stuff you are looking into. Might be fun, and we might be able to offer more advice.That sounds like a great idea. Here's the ad: An E$tablished Gigging Mature Modern Blues, Classic Rock & R&B band is in need of a FILL-IN Bass Player with Chops . Please drop me a line to find out more on this exciting oppurtunity. Contact: AutoResponder. Thanks for help everyone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHINO_ROB Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 i had a lot of problems when i responded to a couple of ads in my area. most of them were old ads that no one bothered to take down (one the band had been broken up for two years). i just put up my own ad. i listed my age, my experience level, my influences, and type of music i wanted to play. i let them call me(e-mail). then i would get more information. then i would arrange a meeting at a place i knew (no equipment) like a denny's and got to know the guys in the group. it worked pretty well for me and i only had to drag my equipment on two auditions instead of the 17 calls i got. in my area there is a vast shortage of bass players and many often are in two or more bands at a time. man there were a couple of bands that practiced about 30+ miles from my house i am glad i prescreened them before i had to drive all of my gear all the way out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted May 2, 2004 Share Posted May 2, 2004 The usual points of interest are: age number of years you've been playing influences/musical style(s) you're intrested in previous band experinece ability to sing/play other instruments transportation availability/flexability/other commitments Some things that you should probably ask include where the band practices and how often, what thier level of commitment/seriosness is concerning the project, whether drugs/alcohol are part of the equation, etc. Essentially, you'd like to get all issues out on the table up front before you invest your time and their time in a jam, meeting, etc. blueberryhillbass.com Blueberry Hill Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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