Lonely

[Dan Voight]

I have been really lonely lately because I have knowone to play, colaberate, compose, talk music etc. with (boo hoo yes I know). I have posted threads on here looking for folks who live in Michigan looking to get together but I get little response. What does a serious musician do in Flint Michigan to find others to share ideas with? Once I get my degree, I have a feeling that I'm moving out of this slum! Any suggestions?

[Dan Krhla]

How far are you from Elderly? Hang out in their parking lot one day with a sign saying "Will Pick for Friends" ?

[Gutbucket]

Use a "Porchboard". It's a plank that has a Piezo pickup in it. Plug it in to an amp and tap your little feets in rythym to your pickin and it's like having an upright bass playing with you. It has an xlr output or a 1/4 inch input. I just ordered one from Elderly and will post a review. Or you could hum.

[swampy]

I feel your pain brother, I relocated to New England last year and have yet to play with other human beings. It sucks! Keep in mind though summer is just around the corner and that means festival season! Hang in there!

[Gutbucket]

Are there any local jams in the area? I never knew of all the pickers in my area until I found out about the jam scene.

[JamesPV]

I don't have time to check it right now, but try looking on FolkJam.Org for online listings of jams in your area (and all over everywhere).

[Keith Erickson]

Any suggestions?

I'm not familiar with Flint other than that Michael Moore movie "Roger and Me".

But I wouldn't hold Michael Moore as an authority on anything.

Hey Flint can't be that bad. If you're lóóking for musicians, find a church choir and start to participate in choir practice.

Some of the best music experiences I've had were in church choirs in New Jersey and Texas.

I had a great opportunty to play with an oboe player who just joined our church choir.

[mandroid]

Once You get your Degree, I would think your resume' replays
... in the affirmative ... for a day job
will lead you to your next home , stir something up when you get there, ..

[John Flynn]

Folkjam.org shows two regular jams within 20 miles of Flint and five within 50 miles. My experience would suggest that if you go to those a few times and you will also find out about a couple more that aren't listed and you will meet a few people you could start your own jam with. Church choirs are also a great suggestion. You may also find invitations to play on the bulletin boards at music stores. If there is a local Civil War reenactment society, there will be old-time musicians around. If you have a local Hibernians or St. Andrew's chapters, there will be Celtic musicians to be found. If you have a state or local bluegrass association...well, you get the picture.

[picksnbits]

A multi-disc CD player or MP3 player with a random function is pretty fun to play along with. Keeps you on your toes cause you don't know what's coming next.

[fishdawg40]

Not everyone goes to church so that might not be an option. Check out to see if there's any folk societies. Wait, here it is Flint Folk Music Society. Contact them and see if they can't get you together with some people. Maybe you can pick a few with that fine gentleman Michael Moore. Good luck in your quest.

[Ken Olmstead]

OK the "Porchboardbass" looks very cool!! That combined with a looper would be a one man band scenerio!

[fwoompf]

I wish you went to the UM in Ann Arbor man, we'd play together

I also have no one to play with.

[minnedolin]

I feel your pain brother! I just lock myself in my room sometimes and start recording. It gets very lonely but hey at least you can talk music on the message board!

[Greg H.]

I wish you went to the UM in Ann Arbor man, we'd play together

I also have no one to play with.

Come on now, according to MapQuest Flint and Ann Arbor are about an hour apart. Heck, the band I'm with now we're in 3 counties, and the closest drive is 1/2 hour (and some members are easily putting in an hours drive each way) just for practice. Take a weekend day and get together and pick (or just talk mandolin. . .that's fun unto itself).

[Ivan Kelsall]

Stick a CD of your favourite band on & 'jam' along. I play with some of the greatest pickers every day - not quite the same,but then i don't get any criticism if i play a bum note either !,
Saska

[man dough nollij]

I probably could feel lonely in my present circumstance, but I don't. I'm at McMurdo station, with only 125 workers here for the winter. The last plane left on April 17th, and the next one won't get here until September fifth, or so. I picked up the mandolin about five years ago, and it's been pretty much a solitary pursuit-- I've never really jammed with anyone, and certainly never played in a band. I study my music theory book and plink around in my dorm room, which isn't too much different from the way I did music back in the 'real world', except I have way more free time now. There are a few more musicians on station, and they get together and do open mike or pub-type gigs. I hope to do some jamming and stuff at some point, but I'm just trying to find my way around on the instrument now.

[John Flynn]

Not everyone goes to church so that might not be an option.

I have to respectfully disagree. If you have a church who would invite you to play, it is always an option. I know people who have played music at churches they personally don't attend as worshipers and I would do that myself if I got the offer. I have yet to hear of a musician who got struck by lightning for it! Also, a lot of what is played in churches is really great music in its own right, and some of it is challenging to play in ways you don't often encounter in other genres. It's well known that there are a lot of famous singers who got thier start singing in church. Similarly, I think it is also a great proving ground for musicians. Of course, you may accidentally get exposed to some religion in the process, but that shouldn't scare you as much as the A-flat diminished seventh chords!

[fishdawg40]

Not everyone goes to church so that might not be an option.

I have to respectfully disagree. If you have a church who would invite you to play, it is always an option. I know people who have played music at churches they personally don't attend as worshipers and I would do that myself if I got the offer. I have yet to hear of a musician who got struck by lightning for it! Also, a lot of what is played in churches is really great music in its own right, and some of it is challenging to play in ways you don't often encounter in other genres. It's well known that there are a lot of famous singers who got thier start singing in church. Similarly, I think it is also a great proving ground for musicians. Of course, you may accidentally get exposed to some religion in the process, but that shouldn't scare you as much as the A-flat diminished seventh chords!

Never thought of it like that. I assumed you would have to be apart of the congregation to play in the choir or church band. But still if you weren't a believer it might be difficult to sing/play music involving the subject matter of God, religion, etc. So in the end I don't think that it would work out. I love some old gospel numbers by Monroe, etc but I'm able to deal with that personally, i.e. reinterpret the lyrics for a more general spiritual endeavor. In a church context I'm afraid it would be very heavy on the religion, obviously. But never say never.

To the OP. Bide your time. You never know when your gonna stumble on some like minded musicians. It's a freaky world out there. One moment your playing for your cat the next you have a guy next to you who has the same musical goals as you do. Just keep your ears open, go to open mics, and local shows. You might just meet somebody.

[Gutbucket]

Not everyone goes to church so that might not be an option.

I have to respectfully disagree. If you have a church who would invite you to play, it is always an option. I know people who have played music at churches they personally don't attend as worshipers and I would do that myself if I got the offer. I have yet to hear of a musician who got struck by lightning for it! Also, a lot of what is played in churches is really great music in its own right, and some of it is challenging to play in ways you don't often encounter in other genres. It's well known that there are a lot of famous singers who got thier start singing in church. Similarly, I think it is also a great proving ground for musicians. Of course, you may accidentally get exposed to some religion in the process, but that shouldn't scare you as much as the A-flat diminished seventh chords!

Never thought of it like that. #I assumed you would have to be apart of the congregation to play in the choir or church band. #But still if you weren't a believer it might be difficult to sing/play music involving the subject matter of God, religion, etc. #So in the end I don't think that it would work out. # # I love some old gospel numbers by Monroe, etc but I'm able to deal with that personally, i.e. reinterpret the lyrics for a more general spiritual endeavor. #In a church context I'm afraid it would be very heavy on the religion, obviously. #But never say never. #

To the OP. #Bide your time. #You never know when your gonna stumble on some like minded musicians. #It's a freaky world out there. #One moment your playing for your cat the next you have a guy next to you who has the same musical goals as you do. #Just keep your ears open, go to open mics, and local shows. #You might just meet somebody.

That's cool. My God doesn't bite.

[Jim]

I' had the same problem down here on the Colo/NM border on top of which just as soon as I met some players I got a job that has me working weekends. So I play with myself ( recording) and with other peoples CDs. I do miss the colaboration though. My Llamas are good listeners but don't offer much in intelectual stimulation! In my experience this too will pass and I will as many times in the past have too many people to jam with and not enough time,