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Posted by: skennington Dec 30 2008, 07:36 PM

Hi their GMC,

As some of you are aware, we are going to be changing the Virtual Band section a bit to offer and encourage a wider range of participation.

Here I will list the guidelines for joining which can also be found http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=9492 and then try to explain them a bit....

The ultimate goal for this venture is mainly to have fun, its a way of playing with other people across the internet and putting into practice all your hard work, but apart from that I think it will help us develop as players.

Here, you can get involved with something with an objective, you can still keep all your practice routines going, carry on learning lessons developing new techniques then use these bands to put it all together

In order to keep it all pleasant and fun, some basic guidlines have been set forth so we ask that each participating member be aware of them.

It may be worth a quick read through the http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=8610 as the principle involved here is pretty much the same.

The new format will consist of three bands:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

Each month we will have an open sign-up for Band Leaders for each Band, then, a Leader will be picked at random.

Members can sign up under there respective level (please be honest here) and a group of 5 will be randomly picked. This will be the group for that month. At this point, it will be up to the group to decide on what they want to do. We hope that this will open up more opportunity for other members to join in.

"Band Leaders" will be responsible for organizing their bands, setting "record by dates" etc (with help if needed of course), They will also need recording facilities/software etc a reasonable knowledge of recording would be good to either do final mixes for your group or help other members to do it, also to set up drum tracks and bass backing if necessary and will need to communicate with the band members over songs, song parts etc. A thread will be set up for each band, that can be used to discuss song parts and what not. Keep in mind that being the leader will require a little more work on your part.


"Band Members" will need to have facilities/software to record their parts and send them to the "Band Leader" Suggestions etc involvement in song disscussions is the key to this working well.


Please remember these bands are for you to enjoy and hopefully help all of us gain a further understanding of playing with others.

Can I also remind you that should you decide a cover song not to post the tabs on GMC but use an outside resource such as ultimate-guitar.com - Thanks


If and when you are picked,members will need to be active in their threads,(Please Subscribe To The Thread) this is to keep communication going so everyone knows whats going on, recording of parts will need to be uploaded within a decent timescale (this should be regulated by the appointed Band Leader), communication is basically the key here, its not fair on active members to wait endlessly for the odd one to upload their takes without good reason, things happen that are beyond our control sometimes, so just let people know!

Band Leaders will need to follow up their members if activity from them is too slow, Band Leaders needing help with this can ask to chase up if required but should try and deal with the problem directly if possible, removal from a band for a member that has shown no signs of involvement at all could well be a possibility depending upon the nature of their disappearance, We will not enjoy one little bit removing someone so please DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN.

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN GUYS & GALS !!

Sign-up threads are now open

Beginner: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showforum=101
Intermediate: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showforum=136
Advanced: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showforum=137



As you can see, we are trying to offer opportunities for members to join in that are not currently members of other bands.

As far as the current bands, those threads will be left open for you to continue on with any work that you have but please understand, it will be up to you to maintain them.
I will be focusing more on the new bands but still here to help if needed. I also encourage you guys to take part in the new format as well.



If all goes well, this should produce something new and exiting from each level on a monthly basis..

Now, bring on the questions...


Cheers guys,
Steve

Posted by: Fran Dec 30 2008, 07:55 PM

This is looking good Skennington!

I'll make a reference in the journal

Posted by: UncleSkillet Dec 30 2008, 08:01 PM

Nice job with the new layout Steve. Very simple and looks like it will be fun for everyone.

Posted by: skennington Dec 30 2008, 08:23 PM

Thanks Fran, that would be great!




I think it will be Jeff. I encourage everyone to jump in and give it a try.

Btw, If any instuctors want to jump in and sign up as "Band Leaders", that would be awesome too... You would still need to be the one picked at random though..

Posted by: Smells Dec 30 2008, 08:28 PM

This is great mate, hopefully this will kick start the VB`s back into action!!

Posted by: Tolek Dec 30 2008, 08:36 PM

Yeeha, I can´t wait to join a band!

Posted by: jer Dec 30 2008, 08:46 PM

come sign up Tolek!

Posted by: Tolek Dec 30 2008, 08:50 PM

I did this before posting that message! You can find my sign-up post in the Intermediates VB Board.

Posted by: jer Dec 30 2008, 08:56 PM

I see that. Weird, when I looked both sign up threads were empty... Odd.

Nevermind.

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Dec 30 2008, 10:34 PM

Excellent initiative Skennington!!! Looking forward to see the development of it!

Posted by: Dexxter Dec 30 2008, 11:10 PM

Great, I've signed up in Intermediate

By the way, the link to advanced is the same as and goes to intermediate

Posted by: berko Dec 30 2008, 11:38 PM

This monthly basis is a great idea! Let's get this rollin' then

Posted by: skennington Dec 30 2008, 11:38 PM

Thanks Dexxter, fixed now!

Posted by: Muris Varajic Dec 30 2008, 11:50 PM

Great initiative Skenn,we need more GMC bands!!!

Posted by: jer Dec 31 2008, 12:40 AM

Indeed.

Then we can have the BATTLE OF THE BANDS!!!!

Posted by: Ajmurrell Dec 31 2008, 01:44 AM

Awesome work man Looking forward to getting involved!

I've signed up as an intermediate band member for now Wouldn't be able to do drums or bass recording but otherwise all good!

Posted by: Pedja Simovic Dec 31 2008, 10:22 AM

This sounds like lots of fun !
Can't wait to hear some recording of virtual band members

Posted by: Velvet Roger Dec 31 2008, 10:41 AM

This looks awesome Steve!

I really would like to join, however can't find the time at the moment to do another project probably (will just sleep less ).

One question: If e.g. in January an Intermediate band is being formed, does this band remain in existence after the 1 month period, or will it be disbanded again and 'replaced' by another Intermediate band in February?

Posted by: skennington Dec 31 2008, 02:20 PM

Thanks for your interest Roger. The goal is to rotate the bands on a monthly basis. So let'e say you are picked as band leader, then 5 others are picked as band members, you guys would work on whatever you want until completion. Hopefully within a month or so. Then, we would publish the finished material and open a new sign up thread for the next month.

I also encourage the picking of a "Band Name" as well so as to identify the projects a little better for future reference.

Posted by: Iluha Dec 31 2008, 04:48 PM

I gotta say that I don't think this idea is very affective...

In my opinion, anyone who wants to be part of a VB should be able to(yes, I don't really agree with the competition for the MTP either, but since it's only starting, than it could be a good start), I think it sucks that only 5 are picked randomley for a band, and that there's only 3 bands... I think the simplicity of how the VB's were structured until now was very affective.

Yeah, the activity level is preety low, but I'm sure there's another way to bring more people other than making the system more limited, limiting like this takes some of the fun away, plus, being "stuck" with some people could turn ugly, because let's face it, if you know it or not, at some point you might get inactive even if you are ussually very active(take me for example ), and than the band is left with 1 less member, and it's going to be preety damn hard to replace someone in the middle of the competition.

Another thing, is that not everyone have a bass guitar, and not everyone can make drums, and defintly almost no one can sing

Ok, I don't mind there won't be a singer, this is a guitar site, so instrumental music is certainly acceptable.
The bass could be written in midi, but I much prefer it to be real bass as I know there's more than a few guys with a bass here, plus the same bassist could be used for several bands due to the simple recording process.
Same goes for the drum programming, same drum programmer could be used for several bands.

So that being said, you could make lists of musicians, Guitarists(probably everyone will sign up there ) , Bassists, Drummers, Vocalists, and others.

Than someone who wants to start a band, could simply talk to people from those lists and form his band that way.

Posted by: jer Dec 31 2008, 04:51 PM

I'd like to see both.

Have the moderated/organized 3 band rotating system.

And also have the member organized bands as well.

No reason we can't do both.

Posted by: berko Dec 31 2008, 04:55 PM

The free band-forming threads are still open and the older projects still running, so yeah, I guess the new 3band/month idea is an extra to get VBs rolling more than ever.

Posted by: skennington Dec 31 2008, 05:19 PM

This is exactly what we want to do. All of the Bands that are currently working together can continue to do so and also join in on the rotating system.

I also want you guys to know that "open discussion" among yourselves regarding the formation of any new bands is highly encouraged as well.

This new system is just a way of bringing in more activity along with what is already in place. Some of you may want to continuously work together after going through the rotating bands and form your own.

Let's also keep in mind that this is an outlet for creativity, expression, and simply having fun. In no way is this going to a competition between the bands. (May do that down the road.. ) That's If you guys are for it of course..

Posted by: jer Dec 31 2008, 05:39 PM

I see the revolving band thing as a way to get new people to try it out. Hey its only a month. And its organized.

Then if they dig it they can look for amore "permenant" spot in a different Virtual Band.

Thats what I hope to do. Meet some like minded folsk in the revolving thing and then seek them out on my own for long term project.

Posted by: Canis Dec 31 2008, 11:11 PM

Even more awesome! I love this =)

Posted by: skennington Jan 2 2009, 04:11 PM

**Bump**

Going to leave the sign-up's open til Sat. January 10th. So anybody interested, go sign up. What I will do is post a video or something of me drawing the names so that way all of you will no that the picks are random.

Posted by: skennington Jan 10 2009, 08:07 PM

OK guys and gals, sign-up's will close tonight and we will be picking members tomorrow so if you want to sign-up and haven't already, now's the time!