Have you always wanted to be in a band? Do you feel you have musical talents that are currently being wasted? Have you ever fantasized about standing on stage before a live audience that is screaming your name? If you have a real gift, then this dream is not out of reach. Here are a few proven steps that can help you turn your dream into a reality.
Selecting Band Members
The first step on the road to starting a band is pretty obvious – selecting your band members. You will probably have to advertise for a guitarist, a drummer, or a bassist. Over time, you can add instruments such as cellos and violins as part of your unique sound.
Let us assume that you are the singer. This will put you in the spotlight most of the time. As you appealed for band members, you would automatically be looked up to as the leader of the band. Opt for a democratic leadership style where band members can freely share constructive criticism. Only when you have perfected a song are you ready to sing in front of anyone else. So, you will want to know everything that can be done to improve your performance.
You will have to test prospective band members by playing together. Look for natural chemistry between members as you will be spending a lot of time together. This is even more important than that first trial as, if you work well together, you can adapt as you practice. Naturally, you will not consider someone who isn’t able to play their instrument, so listen to them solo as well as with the group, or just with you singing. Also, ensure that new band members can make the time commitment.
Arriving at Your Band’s ‘Sound’ and Naming Your Band
The next step is to select your group sound. What sound are you looking for that complements your abilities? Which genres and artists inspire you? What about your band members? Which styles do they excel at? Remember that players can adapt this over time, but it is the singer’s voice that must carry off every song. The final result will incorporate the answers to these questions.
With the right sound in mind, you can arrive at suggestions for naming your band. Consider how any acronyms could be misrepresented if you are using just letters. Consider if a name matches the age-level audience you want to attract and if it is timeless and can remain suitable as the band’s maturity grows. Check your name at the trademark office to make sure no one else is using it, then make sure that you can get a URL for it so that you can maintain a web page. See what comes up when you do an online search for the name – a generic name may bring up recipes or something else that limits the chances of fans finding you.
Rehearsal Space
Once you have found the rehearsal space that works for you, consider the acoustics. Normal walls can echo the different instruments so that you lose clarity and battle to hear yourself and all the instruments. The best solution is some soundproofing, which will reduce this reverberation. It will also decrease your chances of getting a noise complaint.
Writing Lyrics
Your first rehearsals should consist of playing songs from other bands to get used to playing together. When this is coming together nicely, get copyrighting forms to prevent anyone from stealing your songs.
Jot down inspiration as it comes to you in a dedicated songwriting book. Think of the message you want to send or an experience you want to sing about. Record snippets of songs on your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) that come to mind as you play around with music. You can download a DAW app for this purpose.
Determine the mood of your song. This will help you determine the tempo and which instruments should be prominent. Think of a title for your song.
Take into account the three parts of a song, the verse, chorus, and bridge. This can be mapped out as introduction, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, outro.
Your First Music and Song Recording
Once you have at least twelve good songs, you have enough to play for a live audience. But you can get practice by doing covers or opening gigs. However, you may want to start recording your first song if you think it has the potential to be a hit.
If you wish to record your band, you can get everything done at a local recording studio like this one from PIRATE, a Houston recording studio. With PIRATE, you can rent out a studio equipped with condenser microphones, active monitors, and a MIDI keyboard. For your convenience, they are open 24/7.
Once you have a demo, you can start sending it out to managers of possible gigs and promoting yourself with a basic website, and an electronic press kit (EPK), which is a resume for bands.
Now that you have started to play some shows, the world will start to open up for a band with something unique to offer music lovers in their genre.