How to start a band?

[smitty_p]

Alrighty...

There comes a time in every guitar player's life when he realizes he's gotta do more and is just not satisfied.

Long story short, I'm in the very early stages of considering putting a band together. The problem is, I've never done this. Other bands I've been in were either already established and I just joined, or we were already playing together and a very proactive lead vocalist started looking for gigging opportunities.

I know what material I want to play, and I know what I want the band's composition to be... one guitar, bass, keys, drums and vocalist. I want to keep it lean and most of the stuff I'd want to play has that instrumental composition.

I also may have a location to practice and PA gear I could use.

There are some instrumentalists with whom I've played that come to mind that I could ask...which I'll do...but what other ways can I find members? Are there websites where I can look for members or request members? How do I find venues? Do I just do some "cold calling" or are there other ways to do this?

Like I said, this is very early and I'm just in the brainstorming process, but any advice is appreciated.

 

[eS.G.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzOHq5WbQ8k

Sorry couldn't resist. Thats cool. I don't have a clue either, I was only in bands with childhood friends....or relatives of girlfriends....

We will need clips of this new band you know :-)

 

[smitty_p]

Thanks, eSG.

I actually had that Blues Brothers clip in mind!

Its weird. I've never really thought about starting a band before, I just sorta ended up in them.

 

[Dorian]

In recent years, I have found about half of my musician friends here:
Musicians Wanted - Search Local Musician Classifieds : BandMix.com

Registration is free, but to contact anyone you have to pay about $10/month. The key thing is to make sure your web page is complete on day one. Lots of folks sign up without text or sounclips. Their big announcement goes out to other musicians in their area, who find an empty site and don't check back.

There are some annoying things about bandmix, but it has been partly successful for me.

 

[sgtbeefheart]

Go to places that have bands and open mic nights.

You can ask around, meet players who aren't in bands,
and listen to the local talent.

They may let you put some ads up.

 

[eS.G.]

Send me a plane ticket and let me crash on yer couch, I got BASS covered lol ;-) Oh I am gonna need some food......and beer........ just like a bass player

 

[shreddy bender]

Local classifieds like craigslist, often music stores will have a bulletin board for you to put an ad on, open mic and jam nights are good sources. Then you get to have the fun of getting together with the musicians who contact you and separate the "wheat from the chaff". You could also try asking other musicians you know who are in existing bands if they know of any people.
Good luck on your quest!

 

[dbb]

I have a few bits of advice, such as it is worth.

I've been leading bands since high school, which was the mid 1970's. I've done it on a low-key basis and I've been an AFM union bandleader, complete with contracts, dues and all the other business stuff.

Playing music is fun, but remember this is a business too, especially when all the expenses and effort are taken into account.

It's not a democracy - be the guilt-free leader. You can be a gentle leader, but you make the decisions and the sidemen do not, although you may want the input of the more reasonable ones.

Also, have a clear vision of what you want to do.

'I know what material I want to play, and I know what I want the band's composition to be... one guitar, bass, keys, drums and vocalist. I want to keep it lean and most of the stuff I'd want to play has that instrumental composition."

(BTW, I like that combo a lot too, but the players can sing too so a 4 man group could do the same; of course a front singer that doubles 2nd guitar can be useful too)

This is good - now stick to it, and don't settle. Be patient and get the right musicians and the right personalities since you are not filling already existing gigs.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Tony M]

Ooh!
Can I be your guitar player?




Oh wait........

 

[Susihukkanen]

If you live in Finland here is the place: Muusikoiden.net - Wanted

There you can sort all kind of offerings - bands looking for players and players looking for bands..

 

[El Marin]

In recent years, I have found about half of my musician friends here:
Musicians Wanted - Search Local Musician Classifieds : BandMix.com

Registration is free, but to contact anyone you have to pay about $10/month. The key thing is to make sure your web page is complete on day one. Lots of folks sign up without text or sounclips. Their big announcement goes out to other musicians in their area, who find an empty site and don't check back.

There are some annoying things about bandmix, but it has been partly successful for me.

Thanks!

It also works in UK... actually I am looking for a Bass guitar player... WE, have the most difficult, a drum player, but need a bass player and that web seems to be useful

Regarding on how to start a band.... I would say... go to every Jam session, talk to all of your friends, there is always a friend of a friend that knows a friend that wants to play...

Check also meetandjam.com

 

[Biddlin]

Smitty, I'm mostly a hired gun these days, but when I have to put a band together for a particular gig, I hit a couple of open mike nights and other jams.
;>)/

 

[dbb]

In my little village we have more musicians than gigs, so I have the opposite problem - deciding who to narrow it down to for the particular gig. So I have the sight-readers and jazzers on one hand and the ear-playing rock and folk musicians on the other to choose from.

Strange, huh? The only places I've ever lived, here and in NOLA, had more musicians than gigs.

 

[Kevy Nova]

Open mics and jams are where I've met a lot of my favorite band mates.

 

[dbb]

Open mics and jams are where I've met a lot of my favorite band mates.

You're one of the guys I'd like to play music with...heck, I'd play bass or keys behind you. If Biddlin, you and I found a drummer we could work all of North CA. You two can play guitars, and I could hold up the bottom on either bass or keys ( left hand bass split) a la John Paul Jones.

I'm dreaming, and the rest of you pro members are too far away for realistic gigging.

As for the non-pros, we could still have a fun jam session, but I have no idea where, when nor how.

 

[smitty_p]

Thanks much for the great advice, guys. I've started to look for open mic events in my area.

So, should I develop a web page now? That's not much of a problem, I can get a domain from GoDaddy or some other domain registrar and start a site. I'm still kicking around names. This was something I was anticipating doing with other members, but maybe I should just come up with a name now, recognizing that it can be changed later.

What about the legal side? Should the band be incorporated, such as be an LLC?

 

[dbb]

What about the legal side? Should the band be incorporated, such as be an LLC?

Not yet, since you are sole owner! Remember it's not a democracy.

You may if it gets big consider other options of course.

 

[Susihukkanen]

If you start earning any money, at least at this side of the pond (and north - south is different..), it would be much simpler if you have some kind of company behind the music. If the Bar or venue should hire you as employee, I doubt they will do it. So you can perform there for free or you have at least an artist company taking care of the financials. I doubt if they pay directly in cash as it might be earlier..

 

[minotaur]

I have seemingly zero time to get into a band...much less coordinate schedules with multiple members. I tried to get with a buddy for months to jam, and our schedules always conflicted - and that's one guy! We (mostly he - and he never heard me even jam, haha) finally gave up. How do you guys with day jobs and families do it? Because at this point I think I will be like 65 before I can dedicate the time to a band. Sucks. Priorities, I guess. Life is full of choices.

But I am following this thread intently for any helpful beta. And what I've always been told is open mic nights are the place to meet folks to possibly form a band - and get lot better yourself! Alas, I haven't even done that. It's like be a driven business guy with more guitars you can ever play or be on the "hungry artist" side of things with a couple decent guitars (maybe more - no offense - you get what I mean, folks) and enough to get by. I might trade my position to be the band guy. Grass is always greener, I guess.

I will be in a band, someday. I hope my life doesn't slip by before I can make it happen. I love music so much, I want to make it with others soooo bad. I'll stop whining now.

 

[Susihukkanen]

Currently I play with one band on Sunday evenings, 7 - 9 pm and as a reserve player for another band, about Tuesdays or Wednesdays, 5 to 9 pm. That reserve player thing is actually pretty good, I get safe place for my gear and during last 4 weeks the guy I'm backing up has been there once.. The timing is perfect, I get in time to home to check that kids has been prepared themselves to the bed.