Forming a Band 101

So you want to form your own band and become famous? Getting there may require you to work your fingers to the bone but there are always some initial steps to get started. What you need are awesome band mates, good music and gigs. Here’s how:

Form the band. Like you, there are people out there who have mastered instruments. Search for those who have the talent, perseverance and who have the same goals as you. Basically, a band may consist of bassist, guitarist, drummer and a vocalist.

You may post ads to websites or social networking sites. Friends and friend’s connections are good sources of possible band mates so be persistent and ask. Inform them of what you’re after and they may just know the right person. Be on the lookout for when you go to concerts too as these are meeting places of all kinds of musicians.

What’s in a name? You will have to be known so come up with an interesting name. These days, there are a lot of bands and almost all interesting names have been taken. Make sure your band name is something good and catchy and it will resonate better with people.

You are what you play. Choose the genre that all of you are most comfortable with. It will turn out good if the genre you play is something you all believe in and actually enjoy playing. Being in a band is a long term commitment so making music that’s not meaningful to the band will tire you all out too quickly.

You don’t have to be rigid and play one genre exclusively. By all means, experiment and take heed of each other’s likes. You might just come up with something original in the long run and this will make you stand out from the crowd.

Practice makes perfect. Now that your lineup is complete, practice, practice and practice! It’s the only way all of you can get better, get the hang of each other’s style and most importantly, develop a good relationship and become a team.

Master 10 to 12 songs initially as these will be your arsenal during gigs.

Write the songs. Make your practice time a time to write songs, too. It is efficient and thrifty this way because you didn’t have to spend extra hours for separate practice and songwriting sessions.

Record a demo. Your demo alone can get you places as it will be your showcase at live music performances, your music page, and of course- the one you will hand out to agents, record labels and producers.

Just a note, don’t give up if your demo gets rejected many times over. Nobody gets it the first try, or the second or even the tenth.

Be seen. Spread the word and be visible in the music scene. Start in your locality. Search for gigs, handout flyers, organize mini shows and create your music or fan pages.