So basically I've joined a band with the local rock school in my area but I wanna create my own band outside of the rock school. does anybody have any advice for creating my own band?
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Advice for creating my own band.
- Thread starter Nightninja537
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I’d say just make sure that you start it with people that you know you can work well with, especially if you have plans to play shows and tour. You never know where it will go and if you get something started with people who may be great artists or musicians but aren’t necessarily folks that you get on well with, it’s going to be very difficult to play shows let alone tour and live with them on the road.
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Great topic,
So there are a few things that can help you starting up (I'll try and do a deep dive on all of these):
1. A clear vision of what you want to do/ exactly what you expect of your future bandmates
2. Recordings of the music you've written/list of influences if you haven't written any yet
3. A way to advertise for positions.
4. Bonding
5. Honesty/Open Mindedness
Starting with (3) - There are loads of ways to advertise for bandmates, sites like Joinmyband, and also even Facebook groups can be good to advertise for a position. Another thing you could do is post paper/poster ads in Music Shops/Other Music Schools/Rehearsal spaces etc.
Related to (3) is (1). On your Ad you can give some info about what you'd expect of the bandmate - I.e must be available on 'x' days for rehearsal & have weekends free, be flexible for gigs etc - this is crucially important as you want people to know exactly what they're getting into from the get go, so you're spending your time/energy getting the right person & they are spending the time/energy auditioning for the right thing for them.
For example, some people will start a band with the intention of making it their living and some people just want to play with less pressure as they have other commitments etc - Everyone needs to be on the same page with that. In this stage I'd also be really strict with what your vision is - basically don't settle for a great player if they aren't able to commit and they're just going to cause stress/resentment. From experience It's much better to wait a year for the right member than spend a year tearing your hair out because of a wrong one
Onto (2) - Having recordings or a list of influences will further help you get the right musician for the job. Recordings are great as it's better than an explanation of what you've got in mind and it means that someone auditioning can get learning your set before they meet you and can have a really productive audition
Onto (4) - Once you have all of the above out of the way and you've found reliable bandmates, the next best thing to do is to just get to know them. Hang out, go out for dinner, drinks etc and really break the ice. This way you'll see the real person away from the band - basically who you'll be spending a lot of downtime with in the studio, gigs, travelling etc. For me a sense of humour is a must
So lastly (5) - I genuinelly think a silent killer in a band is dishonesty. For example, you're writing a tune and someone plays something you don't like constantly, you want to be in a place where you feel comfortable telling them, without hurting their feelings - this is a great ground rule to have at the very beginning too - explaining that it's all business and for the good of the band, as some people arent used to constructive criticism and they can take it personally.
Being able to be honest about things is a must for quality control in a band and it helps drive the vision forward. The more honesty there is, the less resentment there will be basically.
On the flip side of that coin is openmindedness - sometimes it's easy to get stuck in your own way of thinking, especially with writing etc. So keeping an open mind and listening to other opinions, even if you feel strongly about your opinions/ideas really helps keep a smooth working relationship. If people see that you consider their ideas, they will be more likely to consider your own aswell
Hopefully some of this helps!
So there are a few things that can help you starting up (I'll try and do a deep dive on all of these):
1. A clear vision of what you want to do/ exactly what you expect of your future bandmates
2. Recordings of the music you've written/list of influences if you haven't written any yet
3. A way to advertise for positions.
4. Bonding
5. Honesty/Open Mindedness
Starting with (3) - There are loads of ways to advertise for bandmates, sites like Joinmyband, and also even Facebook groups can be good to advertise for a position. Another thing you could do is post paper/poster ads in Music Shops/Other Music Schools/Rehearsal spaces etc.
Related to (3) is (1). On your Ad you can give some info about what you'd expect of the bandmate - I.e must be available on 'x' days for rehearsal & have weekends free, be flexible for gigs etc - this is crucially important as you want people to know exactly what they're getting into from the get go, so you're spending your time/energy getting the right person & they are spending the time/energy auditioning for the right thing for them.
For example, some people will start a band with the intention of making it their living and some people just want to play with less pressure as they have other commitments etc - Everyone needs to be on the same page with that. In this stage I'd also be really strict with what your vision is - basically don't settle for a great player if they aren't able to commit and they're just going to cause stress/resentment. From experience It's much better to wait a year for the right member than spend a year tearing your hair out because of a wrong one
Onto (2) - Having recordings or a list of influences will further help you get the right musician for the job. Recordings are great as it's better than an explanation of what you've got in mind and it means that someone auditioning can get learning your set before they meet you and can have a really productive audition
Onto (4) - Once you have all of the above out of the way and you've found reliable bandmates, the next best thing to do is to just get to know them. Hang out, go out for dinner, drinks etc and really break the ice. This way you'll see the real person away from the band - basically who you'll be spending a lot of downtime with in the studio, gigs, travelling etc. For me a sense of humour is a must
So lastly (5) - I genuinelly think a silent killer in a band is dishonesty. For example, you're writing a tune and someone plays something you don't like constantly, you want to be in a place where you feel comfortable telling them, without hurting their feelings - this is a great ground rule to have at the very beginning too - explaining that it's all business and for the good of the band, as some people arent used to constructive criticism and they can take it personally.
Being able to be honest about things is a must for quality control in a band and it helps drive the vision forward. The more honesty there is, the less resentment there will be basically.
On the flip side of that coin is openmindedness - sometimes it's easy to get stuck in your own way of thinking, especially with writing etc. So keeping an open mind and listening to other opinions, even if you feel strongly about your opinions/ideas really helps keep a smooth working relationship. If people see that you consider their ideas, they will be more likely to consider your own aswell
Hopefully some of this helps!
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