Finding a band

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Hi all -

I'm a music student and have been playing instruments for my entire life. I've been composing quite a lot for a long time now, with success in college.

Even though I do well in the classical world, I have a serious instinct that it isn't my real place. I know that what I want is to be around rather creative, perhaps classically trained musicians who can cross genres, do electronics, sampling, ambient, and experimenting. I'm not really into traditional jazz and rock riffs, and it seems like all the bands in my area are kind of bro-chill bands covering old rock songs or making kind of lukewarm wailing indie stuff, and I'm really into a different taste than that. I'm not very good at networking though, and since I am a girl, I have this feeling that people take me less seriously as a musician, or are wary of spending actual time with me like they would other guys. I'm also a lesbian, but this doesn't seem to convince any talented males I am around that I'm just a normal person who wants to make music; I feel more like a guy anyway, but that also does nothing to convince them -- they either take me less seriously, or treat me like a girl, or develop feelings. That gender stratification has something to do with living in the South of the USA probably. It seems exaggerated here and I can't get away from it. Oh yeah, and I am a weird socializer. Makes it harder.


It seems like it would be a total miracle to have 3-6 musicians who would be similar to me in a lot of ways (quiet, willing to work often, wanting to break barriers, wanting to create beauty, wanting to create an entirely different world complete with costumes, stories, imagery, art installations, music, film, and to "live" there).

I know this all sounds a little weird perhaps. Are there any steps I can take, or is this one of those things that people just get lucky with? I see some of my favorite musicians and I'm in awe of how they found each other to form a band. I feel like I'm in a kind of isolation chamber. I feel a soulful need to be around like-minded musicians, creating together, but I haven't found my tribe.

Maybe if I just make music and put it online, then I can attract to me like-minded people? Not sure!

Also, if anyone has any emotional bandages that would be good too. This type of thing really does hurt my heart. It's hard to feel like you aren't finding the "place" in life where you belong. Like being away from home or something.

Cheers

I wish the best of luck to you and your pursuits of finding like-minded musicians. I really, really know that feeling - to have a hard time finding like-minded musicians. Again I hope things work out.

I'm not really sure what to say, I'm sorry.

Genres like Ambient and other experimental music are rare enough.

My suggestions:

1. Yeah, it's good to share your music online to find like-minded people. This might have to be done.
2. It might be very good to find other aspies to work with, as we might be more likely to cross-genre or create rarer genres of music. People who can also accept you for who you are.
3. The Art, Writing and Music section here on Wrongplanet might be an idea to check out.

These are just some very basic suggestions.

There's other websites out there as well where you could find people to collaborate and work with.

Me? I'm a 16 year old beginner electronic producer. I don't care about genre at all but most of my stuff is Trance, Dark Ambient, Ambient and IDM-inspired. Experimental stuff. Here is my soundcloud with two recent demo's if you'd like to have a listen: https://soundcloud.com/t-future
I'm willing to cross genres into Jazz, Disco, Hip-Hop, Pop, etc. but am less experienced with these genres. Working on a Nu-disco/House track though at the moment. Musically speaking I am inexperienced with music and not a classically trained musician, but I have tried to learn musical theory and the keyboard, and I like to think I have decent mastering and audio engineering skills. I'm not sure if you'd be able to work with me though. I like to work comfortably and really take my time. I'm shy and quiet and all that, and like I said musically untrained (for now). I honestly wouldn't be comfortable in an actual 'group'/'band' but if you did make a band and ever wanted someone to work with down the road I'm not against the idea..I haven't been able to find anyone myself to work with. My best friend has shown some limited interest in the idea, but he hasn't even started yet. He downloaded a voice synthesizer and that's it.

And the other things you said aren't weird or strange at all. Artistic, visuals, imagery, stories, these are all things that have been used in the music industry.

Just look at Daft Punk. With their robotic helmets and costumes, their visual shows, their animated movie Interstella 5555 which is wordless and is a visualisation of their entire Discovery album, etc.

I wouldn't consider any of it 'weird'.

Nope...no music is really "weird"--it really runs the gamut.

To me, there could be disturbing lyrics--but never disturbing music.

I wish I knew and could give you some advice. I'm in the same situation...or rather when I was younger, I was looking for basically the same thing as you. I still wish I could find it.

I used to answer newspaper ads and meet up with people looking to start a band...this was almost 20 years ago though. There are probably websites now for that kind of thing.

I live near a college town and back then, it was a really ideal place for a band to get started. I just never found anyone that I really hit things off with musically. The music scene is very different now.

I live in the South too. I know what you mean about not being taken seriously if you are female. It's a real thing and it's very frustrating.

My brother in law is from the UK (I'm in the US) and when he came over here he found other musicians to play with on Craigslist. Do they have that where you are? I think the general thing is to post what kind of music you like and what genres you would be willing to play. You could also post a little something about what kind of person you are and say you're looking for like-minded people or people with similar interests.

My brother in law is from the UK (I'm in the US) and when he came over here he found other musicians to play with on Craigslist. Do they have that where you are? I think the general thing is to post what kind of music you like and what genres you would be willing to play. You could also post a little something about what kind of person you are and say you're looking for like-minded people or people with similar interests.

Hi - I think that could work. I mean I'm in a music building. Seems like the best possible place to find that sort of connection. But I think I lack the social skills and the trust element. Part of that is reasonable -- people have been total as*holes to me for years and years now. Part of it is unreasonable, as in I'm just naturally not very trusting and a little irritable sometimes since I'm overloaded on a sensory level most of the time. So I keep to myself.

I have a feeling that, around here, craiglist would be full of 40-year-old, semi-alcoholic, predatory men who are playing mediocre rock/jazz licks. I know it sounds judgmental but that's also just who I am. No use hiding it. I'm not interested in that company.