Keeping a band together and focused can be one of the most difficult things a serious musician has to endure. Not only is it hard to find other players that fit your music, but it is also a challenge to find ones that also have compatible personalities and share mutual goals. If you are having trouble hooking up with the right musicians, perhaps you should consider a few other options.

Although very daunting, pursuing a solo music career can also be one of the most rewarding. Having to rely on only yourself (or possibly a manager as well) means that you will not have to be inconvenienced by the inopportune lapses of responsibility from members of a band. You call the shots and have only yourself to credit or blame for your success or failure.

Guitar players who may not be singers can develop a solo fingerpicking style that may draw from classical, folk, and world styles of music. Listening to Eliot Fisk, Leo Kotke, Earl Klugh, and many other excellent guitarists who have made the guitar a solo art form can give you a sense of what can be achieved as an instrumental player.

Another option is to create your own virtual band. If you’re a Mac user, check out GarageBand with all of it’s built in instrument loops, or acquire even more through all the Jam Packs that Apple has available. Windows users have a whole host of options for loop application programs like Acid from Sony. There are many choices out there that can allow you to create your own backing tracks for studio use or even live performance.

Consider getting a midi sequencer, a drum machine, or keyboard that you can program your own custom presets or modify preexisting ones. Check out what Roland, Alesis, Yamaha, and other companies have to offer– you may be surprised at how many choices are available. eBay is a great place to find used equipment to get you started.

Sure, all of these options will require you to exert a lot of effort to master how to properly incorporate them into your music, but how much time have you wasted waiting for your bass player to learn a part, or in trying to find a vocalist who could show up on time to practice or the gig? Even if being a solo instrumental player is not your desire, you can always benefit from the technology that is available for recording your own CD, or sequencing and arranging songs that you play along with. I once heard a guy playing at a food court that had three harmonizing vocalists, horn section, percussion, and accordian, and he was the only person on the stage! Okay, maybe it wasn’t rock and roll, but if you like polka music he was a great sounding band, and the best part for him was he didn’t have to split the money.