How to start a band
The
world of the musician in the artist has just become a darn sight harder to
exist in, and we now need to be able to think differently about what we do. I
don’t think this is just in the world of music and the arts, I think probably
it brings into focus what crazy things are going on a what government values,
many other sectors are affected here which deals with close interaction. However
the world of the arts often flourishes when there is a problem because the
creatives find new ways of doing things, so it may be a good time to start a
band, that said let us get stuck in.
I come from the UK and north Kent in particular and back in the day punk had just happened and although I was more into the blend of reggae music and rock there were lots of opportunities for bands however good to get up and play because of that make it up quality that punk had created.
Music
has a habit of getting complicated only to be knocked back to the basics and
now is a time for this to happen again. All you need is a couple of chords and
passion to play and then get into time!
So
the band classically needs bass, drums, guitar and or keyboards and vocals, in
other words a rhythm section, a harmony and melody section. So where are they?
Firstly
your friends; if you do not get on with the others in the band it will not
last, so friends and then friends of friends is the first port of call. You
should be able to get at least the back bone of the band this way before
advertising for the other person.
Often
the drummer is the hardest to find, if you cannot find one I would suggest that
the band forms the set without one, draft someone in later even if you have to
pay him and in that way you can get a good player because a good drummer is THE
thing that drives the band.
The
next thing is you need a gig even if the band has just formed; organise a gig
at a party or local village hall to act as a catalyst, if you are still at
school all the better because not only do you have a venue you have also got an
audience! It always amazes me how all the time that kids are at school they
miss this opportunity and then start talking about forming a band at
University, no START NOW! Make your band THE school band
For
those of you starting late you will need to network and then network and then
network, not only for the band members but places to play and other bands to
support.
Rehearsals
You will
need to find somewhere to work on your material and build the team; this is
easier now than when I started off. Make sure that you practice your stuff at
home so when you get there it is all about putting it together. You will be
amazed how many times the vocalist does not know the song or the guitarist does
not know the chords etc. and that can be a waste of time
Songs
to choose
Keep
them simple! Not a list of your favourite songs, make a list of numbers that an
audience will like. Here are some ideas, old rock and roll, Kinks numbers, Punk,
Grunge, old soul, Reggae, Bluebeat songs or anything that will get a crowd
dancing and moving and simple to play so you can hone your skills as a unit or
write your own. I can help you with this it you contact vichyland@msn.com as I run song writing groups
which is by donation to a charity
Gear
This
is not so much of a problem now as it is easier and cheaper to buy equipment
than when I started. However the gear that is shared like the PA can be a
problem. If you have bought equipment amongst the group have clear guidelines
to what happens if someone leaves or the group breaks up. Having a clear plan avoids
a lot of problems later because it doesn’t matter how much you believe that
this band is gonna make it, the personnel will change many times before you get
the magical ingredients.
So
that’s it very basically just get playing and enjoy yourself is if you make
your music fun and audience will pick up on that and will enjoy watching you play.
For further details visit www.vichyland.com
