Dep musicians

[Phil Starr]

@Bilbo and @casapete

 

Thanks for this. It encourages me to think that there are people out there who can do a job for us, I just need to find them. We've been through three guitarists who all turned down me sending the charts, I sent videos of our band playing the songs, spotify playlists of the originals so they could see the arrrangements we use. We stick to the originals because we want to avoid ny surprises. We've only changed key in three or four songs and that was clearly marked on the set list.It's just staggered me that anyone would promise to learn a set by a given date and not put the effort in up front to be able to deliver. Nice people completely deluded about the effort needed to deliver a 30 song set. I've not got the skills to dep at the last minute but I've learned sets to help out mates. It is a lot of work, I'll live with the songs in the car for as long as it takes, play through the songs with the chord sheets on day one picking out chord changes rhythms and  the bits I need to worry about.

 

Gigging musicians are a different breed. The trouble is most of them are already gigging

[Stub Mandrel]

It's a very unstructured situation at the 'cover band' level. I've done several deps for one band where I had two rehearsals first. Another band said 'we don't rehearse' so I went in cold.

 

One interesting gig was with a dep guiarist too. We did Come Together... I  knew the band played the the Gary Clarke jr. arrangement but the guitarist was all Beatles which came out a bit odd!

 

As for bringing in deps, drummers generally do well, guitarists you need someone who can improvise instinctively by ear if they aren't able to rehearse. When I've been depped for apparently it went well but she knew the guitarist well.

 

Usually you get a list of about 30-40 songs many of which won't be played! I might veto one or two which can reduce the learning time by 50%. Links to 'the version you play' are useful. People always tell you the starting chord not the key... 

 

Never come across anything other than getting the same share as the band, although one gig we threw in a bit extra for the dep as it wasn't a big payer. Deps aren't expected to chip in on rehearsal costs.

 

Most deps do it because they enjoy learning new material and the buzz of playing by the seat of their pants. A good amateur dep who throws themselves into the spirit of things (maybe with some improv) can be great to play with.

[casapete]

37 minutes ago, Phil Starr said:

@Bilbo and @casapete

 

Thanks for this. It encourages me to think that there are people out there who can do a job for us, I just need to find them. We've been through three guitarists who all turned down me sending the charts, I sent videos of our band playing the songs, spotify playlists of the originals so they could see the arrrangements we use. We stick to the originals because we want to avoid ny surprises. We've only changed key in three or four songs and that was clearly marked on the set list.It's just staggered me that anyone would promise to learn a set by a given date and not put the effort in up front to be able to deliver. Nice people completely deluded about the effort needed to deliver a 30 song set. I've not got the skills to dep at the last minute but I've learned sets to help out mates. It is a lot of work, I'll live with the songs in the car for as long as it takes, play through the songs with the chord sheets on day one picking out chord changes rhythms and  the bits I need to worry about.

 

Gigging musicians are a different breed. The trouble is most of them are already gigging

Spot on Phil.

 

Just to add - of all the musicians I’ve worked with over the years, I think guitarists have been

the least likely to be able to read or follow charts, so those who can are a rarity. ( I speak as 

someone who isn’t an overly proficient reader myself, but can get by and also use chord charts.)