The Art Of Forming a Band

To most musicians, the concept of forming a band is cool. They help you get laid and make you feel macho (supposedly). For most it’s treated like a hobby; they make for some great nights out and can take the mind away from the mundane nine to five. However for some it can be of far greater interest. It can often be taken to the extent where the members will have a vast sense of skill and talent, and no matter how awful their music maybe they will always maintain that success is beaconing.

This then leaves the band and its members with a dilemma. Often the band will consist of members, some of which will wish to just practice and play the odd gig here and there and others who will insist on as many gigs as possible, not to mention booking un-necessary recording time for as little as one or two tracks. It’s important to establish which path the band will take, and if this decision can be made early on then stress free music will occur.

In truth, if you don’t set up your band like a business, you’re wasting your time. Don’t ever forget that you’re in the music business, and the business part of it is every bit as important as the music part.

A band is the vehicle you choose to help get your music across to the people. It must be comprised of members who all share the same focus, the same vision, and who are all willing to make the same efforts and sacrifices toward succeeding.
So, just how does one go about finding these people? Well, you’ll probably have to go through the rigors of auditioning band members.

We recommend that scouting for members should take place between the hours of 12 – 4 am after much alcohol has been consumed. The local rock bar is the natural habitat of aspiring musicians which provides better opportunities for finding specific musicians be it bass or guitarists.

For instance

Singer: – Often spotted leaning against a bar, transmitting a sense of accomplishment and power. They can generally be lured by large groups of women who love guys who use lots of hair products.

Guitarist: – Are misunderstood and will be difficult to spot. Will often avoid discussing musical tastes so be sure to steer the conversation towards solo artists such as Eric Clapton and Steve Vai. If there is any inaccuracy in the discussion a guitarist will often struggle to restrain from correction.

Bass Player: – It’s all about the equipment! Simply mention a pre-amp or cabinet and the bass player will lap up giving you the low down on his current setup.

Drummer: – It’s simple, just look for the guy who is in capable of speech after consuming half his body weight in booze. If he can’t restrain from tapping a beat for more than 30 seconds you’re on to a winner.

Once the members are discovered be sure to audition them with a few covers to get an understanding of fusion between them. Are these musicians compatible? Only practice and time will tell. The band is now compiled, you would think that is the hard part over, but you’d be wrong. There are a few other pitfalls that must be addressed.

For example

Make sure they have their own equipment. There isn’t anything worse than going to a practice or gig missing the necessities. Plus the inevitable long term loan occurs, were you don’t see your gear for ages and if the band does break up it’s a ball ache to recover.

Also be sure they have their own transport. No one wants an extra half hour drive after a long session at the practice rooms, or even worse a lift home after a gig. Always ends up with a u-turn occurring because the drummer left his cymbals behind.

Try and avoid band members dating as this could cause a serious conflict of interest. No band should be part of a break up rollercoaster. Although it could be a good source for new material, well if you want to write some soul crushing EMO.

Tell everyone how you intend to run the band and what your game plan is. Will everyone have an equal say in band matters? Who gets the coffee? Who carries the gear? Also be sure to let the singer know he isn’t running the show, his creative input is less than equal in most circumstances.

And finally stick to your guns. You may play music that is not to all tastes, but remember if you enjoy your sound its likely there is others who will.

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