If you want to play in a band, don't pick up a guitar.
I've seen a couple of comments in various threads talking about people being inspired to play guitar from Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Which I think is awesome. I did so too, around the time the 2nd game came out.
However, in the year or so I've been playing, talking with various friends who have been playing for decades now, and hanging around with bands, they all pretty much confirmed that if you ever want to play in a band, and you haven't been practicing guitar since the womb, you're better off picking up a bass, or best of all, a drum kit.
One of the more depressing stories is a friend who plays at a virtuosic level of guitar (there's always one!), and after 15 years of playing he just had to quit and began playing the cello. He says it doesn't require nearly as much practice, and he has a locked in promise of a job with a couple of orchestras.
On the other hand, a girlfriend's brother plays drums (degree in percussions) and he plays in 5 bands. They're fighting for him. Besides the fact that he is good, there's a shortage of decent drummers in my town. Good drummers? Jackpot.
Even better would be a great singer, but those are REALLY scarce. And the irony is that (at least in my opinion), the singer is the band. Great guitar players without a good composer/singer/lyricist are nothing.
If you have to be in a band and have to play the guitar, just get used to the idea that it will take a while to find a good band. Steal the drummer from someone else 
In conclusion: If you pick up a guitar, make sure it's because you REALLY love it and wouldn't mind playing in your bedroom, alone, for the rest of your life with sporadic chances to jam with other people (probably other guitar players, because everyone plays guitar). That way you won't be disappointed if you don't find your Bonham, Plant and John Paul Jones.
Personally, I love it and hope I never have to quit. =)
edit: In case you're interested, I've been practicing Flight of the bumblebee and here's how I'm doing: http://foteo.net/Mp3s/bumble1.mp3
Forgive the lapses in rhythm, it's all using alternate picking (No pull-offs or hammer-ons) and my hand gets tired =P
I have a few years to go before it sounds good but I'm actually looking forward to it. : )
The man wears a bucket of KFC on his head. I wouldn't expect anything less. - Pred
I think it depends on what you're looking for. I've never wanted to shred, but playing rhythm guitar in bands is very rewarding for me. I never felt like I was competing with lead guitarists for band positions.
I've been scanning Craigslist recently for other musicians to hook up with and screw around with, and it looks like bassists are a dime a dozen. YMMV I guess, depending on where you live. Maybe Seattle is just in love with the low end.
(Also, if anyone reading this would like to start a band with me, I'm a very skilled Kazoo player. Just sayin'.)
"Even though that place should only be fifteen or twenty minutes away geographically, in actual practice - between the hours of four and seven - Redmond might as well orbit the Earth." - Tycho, Penny Arcade
Yeah, I was mostly referring to Rock style music. With Jazz you don't even need a drummer.
Two bassists I know are just guitar players how have temporarily switched instruments just to be in the band, but they're really waiting to kill the lead guitar
/shhh
i also play the timpani so lets join forces and play a timpani + kazoo cover rendition of stairway to heaven
The man wears a bucket of KFC on his head. I wouldn't expect anything less. - Pred
This is the greatest idea in the history of greatest ideas ever.
*listens to the mp3*
Okay, see? You've already got me beat in the guitar department. I really only started playing guitar for the effects pedals and the feedback.
"Even though that place should only be fifteen or twenty minutes away geographically, in actual practice - between the hours of four and seven - Redmond might as well orbit the Earth." - Tycho, Penny Arcade
You can always use more cowbell.
Saved the rest of you from having to make the joke.
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I've been playing on and off for... a little over 10 years I guess. I always felt I was a competent guitar player but never as good as I should be for having 10 years of experience. I never had lessons or anything so I always had that "stuck" feeling, like I wasn't going anywhere. I still enjoy playing the guitar and do so everyday. I'm with Demi in that I enjoy playing rhythm more than anything else and love playing with other people.
The only guy I know in a regular band plays guitar. He also sings though.
Fedaykin98 wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:
Well, yeah, there is going to be a guitarist in [practically] any rock band and it stands to reason that someone knows them.
I've had similar experience to Mex. And one of my friends in a band keeps trying to play guitar but in his gigging bands he always plays drums. Anytime he's playing guitar it's more just a jam group.
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One of the most impressive solo's i've ever seen was Nuno Bettencourt and at the end of his solo he did the first section of this. The impressive part was that it wasn't hammer-ons and pull-offs, but honest to god picking. He was a machine.
Another route for guitarists is studio musician. My friend who plays at a virtuosic level of guitar went out to LA and was used for multple different recordings. Some sound tracks and famous solo acts pretty much staying busy doing what he loves.
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Just try to find a sousaphone player. I've been boning up on Sousaphone Hero, call me.
edit: thanks Wordsmythe
my vote cancels out yours
Nuno is frickin' crazy. And he is still a machine! He's like 40-50, and check him out: http://youtube.com/watch?v=W4uOngJyUAA
I hope I wasn't misunderstood but - I'm not discouraging anyone from playing guitar...
My point is that if you aim to be in a band and you don't particularly love the guitar, choose another instrument. =)
The man wears a bucket of KFC on his head. I wouldn't expect anything less. - Pred
I was impressed with Don Ross on the guitar from a technical perspective (Via NSFW SE):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsgKVkTVX_E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6DWTnQ54gs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkidVP0AcQ8
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I'll add my two into this mix.
I know a lot of local bands. They're good. Sometimes they're really good. But all of their singers suck, and the lack of vocalists that are on-par with the skills of the band members hinders most of them.
Variable -> Veeble -> vbl
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I hear there is a great demand out there for Theremin players. Sadly, there has yet to be a version of "Theremin Hero" released yet to inspire the masses.
I basically agree with your observations here, Mex. I took up guitar back in high school thinking that there's only 1 bassist or 1 drummer in any given band, but often two guitarists. This turns out to have been no help whatsoever.
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I always thought that were Mex lives, all people who claim to be guitaristas actually have their guitar cases stuffed full of firearms.
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You have watched too many Antonio Banderas movies. What ever happened to him anyway?
He's probably been eaten by his wife or something.
The man wears a bucket of KFC on his head. I wouldn't expect anything less. - Pred
Yeah, everybody plays guitar. Most people play it poorly, though. Most people who play any instrument play it poorly. If you really are set on playing with a band, keep practicing and opportunities will present themselves. If nothing else, start writing your own music and start your own band. F*ck those f*ckers.
You're 100% right about one thing in the original post: play music because you love it. That's the only good reason to make music. Those of us who have pursued it as a career are generally passionate about it to the point of irrationality.
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Now Mex, in Mexico and Spain the art of classical guitar is time-honored and highly respected. No band required.
We shall grapple with the ineffable, and see if we may not eff it after all.
That's what I figured... but damn, playing the bass by yourself seems like it would suck... and it's hard to practice the drums in an apartment building...
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As a Tuba and trombone player, I can safely say that if you are a good horn player you are always in demand.
We may not meet with the acclaim of Eddie VanHalen, but we get payed just as much and can book more gigs.
*Legion* wrote:
One of the (only) nice things about turning 40 is you kind of realize stuff you had put in the "someday" pile are no longer real, and thus you are free from self delusion. I know I will NEVER be a rockstar. It doesn't matter how much energy I devoted to it at this point. If I really made it a priority, I could probably become passable on an instrument, enough to play with friends in the basement. So that's the thing on the pile.
But generally, I set my sites lower. Like "play enough that I don't lose my calluses."
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"In other news, Miyamoto pissed on my head, and gave me a forecast of rain." - *Le
My point being that if it's easier to get in a band playing other instruments, you'd think it'd be more common to know bass, drums, or keyboard players in bands.
Fedaykin98 wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:
I can agree with the difficulty that is being a passable guitar player and trying to find a group to play with. I personally find that the first thing you need to do is find an amazing guitar player and leech off of him
. My dorm roommate my first year in Minnesota was amazing, so not only did I get to use his nice fancy amp and play his Gibson, but I manage to weasel my way into a band he started by being the rhythm guitar player/lead singer. So after mastering the art of knowing a guitar god, you just need to know enough to tag along 
. That, and make sure that you can systematically kick out the other guys in the band that ended up being attention hogs, stoners, or a combination of the two.
I now play bass and guitar in a different line up of the same band with the same guitar player, and can honestly say that playing Bass is way more fun than rhythm guitar for me. It is way easier than lead guitar, but your actual playing is much more like lead guitar than you would think. There are tons of fun bass lines that everyone knows, are fun to play, and make you look way better than you are
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Hey, easy Monday morning math! The likelihood is the same if a band has one drummer, one bassist, one guitarist. A band having members doesn't make it any less likely that you'd know them.
Now your point would be made if you knew some bass players that couldn't find a band but your guitarist friends were in bands.
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Okay, now my point is that I want to beat you with a heavy object.
Fedaykin98 wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:
Even the ones that are better all across the board have a hard time making it. It's luck of the draw.
Not sure how many people know of them but they've been a signed band for 2-3 years now is 10 years. They're a local band here and i love em to death. The kicker is they're not the best one around yet they're the ones that got the deal. There's just a LOT of variables beyond the talent of the individual players to make it big.
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I just think you have to play competently. You don't have to be Eddie Van Halen but you should know some theory or have a really good ear. From playing out around NYC in the bars that crappy myspace bookers book for (and some decent venues), there are a lot of crappy guitar players out there. They have hundreds of dollars of equipment but they sound horrible. Most of the people who show up at gigs are friends of the band in some capacity so they'll think you'll sound great no matter what.
If you're a good guitarist, you can find a band to play in. Best way to make some kind of money in music nowadays is to create/join a cover band.
BTW finding musicians through Craigslist is an exercise in frustration. Most of the ads are the same, "Band with industry connections looking for [insert instrument], must have pro gear, transportation. Backing vox a plus but not necessary. Have gigs lined up. Must be serious and dedicated. No mercs", and when you place an ad, a good amount of people who respond don't answer the questions put in the ad or completely misrepresent themselves.
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I think one should want to play an instrument first, then think about a band. It seems the wrong way round, otherwise.
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