Please Help............Never Ending Getting Deps Problem

[Steve]

We are lucky in that we never (or very rarely) need deps. Last Saturday we urgently needed a cornet player for a gig and I ended up ringing all the local players I know (who were all busy) and 15 local bands. This took about 2 hours before I found a player. All the bands I rang said this caused them problems too so I am now going to try and set up a Northants/Midlands deps directory but want feedback from anyone with any ideas. So far my intention is to........

1.Contact local Brass Band Association for list of local band secretaries.
2.Write to them asking if they want to participate
3.Request a list of players that are willing to dep where possible from each band
4.Obtain their concert schedules
5.Either set up a website with schedules and secretary/players contact details or persuade the EMBBA to pay me thousands to sit by the phone with a list of numbers :wink: :wink:

I only want to do it on a small scale cos I dont know what Im getting into here but do you think this would help as it is shared information rather than having individuals with loads of names in their mobile and the bands next door having nothing? I presume it could be done across all the areas/counties but I want some feedback before I approach the local authorities and bands.

Muchos thank you

 

[Bones]

Hi,

Keeping such a database may potentially open up a can of worms in respect of Data Protection etc. With each having to sign a mandate allowing his/her name to be included on the list.

Most Band Secretary's individuals etc have a list of players they use/call etc. I have the same.

I'd be surprised if the Associations would release this info. Some players may not want it distributed. I think the best thing is to keep your own concise list and add to it wherever possible.

Best of luck.

Rich

 

[Steve]

It would be more a database of bands availability and a contact number for their designated person. Not an list of individuals but maybe.........

Band 22/04 29/04 30/04

Band A Out 19:30 Out 17:00 Not Out
Band B Not Out Out 8:00 Not Out

Clicking the Band A link would give you a list of postiions in the band that are willing to dep and the secretaries number. No data protection issues there!!!

 

[Di]

Maybe spreading the good word about the excellent depping department on tMP to more players and bands would help. :lol:

It does work, Vickitorious is off on Friday to dep in a concert in Sandbach following a request for player on the dateabase. :wink:

 

[Liz Courts]

Sounds like a good idea!!

Good luck with it!

 

[Hilary Mateer]

There is already a deputies database here
http://www.bandsman.co.uk/deputy.htm
is is well laid out and easy to use but not many names on it yet

 

[WoodenFlugel]

On the face of it it sounds like an excellent idea. I'm not sure whether you'll hit unseen problems when you get more into it though........but it has got to be worth a shot.

FWIW you have my sympathy....I was band manager at Wigston for a few years and getting deps was a complete nightmare :roll:

 

[flugelgal]

There is already a deputies database here
http://www.bandsman.co.uk/deputy.htm
is is well laid out and easy to use but not many names on it yet

I've been on that one for years but nobody's ever asked me to dep through it... hmm maybe they've actually heard me play :wink:

 

[TheMusicMan]

OK, it's a little early for an announcement on this, but as you are all talking about it now, I can let you all know that following our excellent tMP Management meeting last Saturday tMP is embarking on an exciting Player Deps and Vacancies System.

It is very early days yet, and there is still lots of preparatory work to be undertaken to ensure we get it right. However, we will soon be embarking on the implementation of this system and will make further announcements for you all in due course.

We are very excited at the prospect of this tMP project, and we hope it will be another valuable service offered by tMP.

More to come... keep watching...

 

[Nuke]

There is already a deputies database here
http://www.bandsman.co.uk/deputy.htm
is is well laid out and easy to use but not many names on it yet

I've been on that one for years but nobody's ever asked me to dep through it... hmm maybe they've actually heard me play :wink:

Well if your as good a player as you are a well of information about Eurovision then they should be queing at the door to ask you to play

 

[flugelgal]

Well if your as good a player as you are a well of information about Eurovision then they should be queing at the door to ask you to play

umm.. thanks Nuke.. (I think!) :lol: (Could also be the fact that I now live in the North East of Scotland and there are hardly any other bands looking for help within a reasonable travelling distance).

Looking forward to hearing about all the changes happening on tMP. It will be no mean feat to implement these and I admire the tMP team for their committment and hard work, making it all seem effortless.

 

[Ross Berry]

Have you tried any SA bands in your area?

It may be that there is an untapped source of deps who play in the band they do because of the fact that it is part of their church, but actually might be musically frustrated and would be glad of the opportunity to play in a different group without the commitment of regular membership.

 

[Northants_tuba]

Well I wouldn't want my phone number etc on display 24/7 and if some one wants a dep they can phone my bands secretery to get my number

 

[Cantonian]

Have you tried any SA bands in your area?

It may be that there is an untapped source of deps who play in the band they do because of the fact that it is part of their church, but actually might be musically frustrated and would be glad of the opportunity to play in a different group without the commitment of regular membership.

The idea is good but I'm not so sure about the implementation.

If for example you needed a player for a concert next Tuesday with a rehearsal on Sunday and you contacted your local Salvation Army (presumably the Commanding Officer in the telephone book), I cannot imagine that all Bandmaster s would be keen to offer names and phone numbers particularly if their practice was on Tuesday.

However if players such as myself are on tMP then we could be asked directly (by personal messages).

 

[michellegarbutt]

There is already a deputies database here
http://www.bandsman.co.uk/deputy.htm
is is well laid out and easy to use but not many names on it yet

I've been on that one for years but nobody's ever asked me to dep through it... hmm maybe they've actually heard me play :wink:

I'm on that database and have been asked to play for other bands. I did try setting up a NorthEast database. It wasn't going to be on the internet but I would release copies of it free to any band secretary that requested one. Most individual players I approached agreed willingly. I did try contactin as many secretarys as I could. All said what a good idea I'll ask our band members but not one secretary came back to me at all so I ended up shelving the idea

 

[ian perks]

4 bars rest do some kind of thing with players offering services or a banding website of that kind