Below you will find a guide on how to start you own band.
First of all you need to figure out what your intentions are with the band. What is important to you? Is it the music, friendship, making money and so on. Pick band members based on what you wish to accomplish. If the music is what is important then maybe the music abilities of a potential band members is more important than how good a guy the person is. However, always pick people that you can work with. The social factor of the bandmembers is always important, regardless of where you want to take your band. And having easy going persons in a band is always positive.
At this point it is a bonus if you guys have the same ambition with where you want to go with the music. But don't focus on this to early. Many things can change and so can peoples ambition. So getting the band together and being musically compatible is what is important at this point.
It's very important to decide which music style you prefer to play. Finding the right band members is based on this fact. You don't have to agree to 100% of the type of music before you even began to play together but agreeing on a direction is a must. If you guys like the same bands and share the same influences, then you're off to a good start for sure.
First, always look at the place where you go to school or work. For some reason many muscians don't mention that
they play music to people they don't know that well. So you could have a super guitar hero sitting at the bench behind you in school or in the next room at work.
Other places to look are classified ads at music stores, record stores and music magazines. You can also ask the people working in these places. Usually they know a lot of people and can surely help you out.
Headline: What are you looking for?
Info:
What kind of music you want to play. - Type of music aswell as if you play covers or write your own songs.
How long you've been playing together.
Do you have regular gigs?
Age of members of the band.
How often you rehearse and what your ambitions are.
Think: "Why should this person want to play in your band" when writing the add. Keeping the add informational as well as interesting is a good thing.
At the end leave your email address and/or telephone number on pieces of the paper that can be easily ripped from the add without destroying it. Last, rip one of them off yourself. For some reason these adds get more replies.
Check with the community service where you live. They might have rehearsal rooms for rent. These are usally cheaper than private establishments. If you have your own equipment check with your band mates and friends maybe the have a basement or some storage room that you can use. Always be careful with the equipment though and pick a place that you can lock well and that is safe from moist and cold.
Google where you live for people renting out rehearsal rooms or check the yellow pages. If you decide to get your own place, check with other bands, maybe you can share and that way cut the costs both on the equipment and the rehearsal room rent.
If you don't find a place straight away, don't get discouraged. Meet up at home and bring your instruments and jam. This is a great way of getting to know each other as muscians. The rehearsal rooms is also not always the best place to work on the details. So keep on doing this also after you found a rehearsal room.
Playing a couple of well known covers can be a good way to start. Then before the rehearsal each band member can rehearse their parts. Always remember, there are basically no good excuses for not coming well rehearsed to a rehearsal. If a certain band member continues to come unprepared you should talk to this person as soon as possible and consider dropping him/her and find somebody else if they don't change their behaviour.
Keep in mind that the first rehearsals can be demanding. You might not find eachother as muscians straight away, and you should never let this discourage you. Just keep on going and keep working on it, you will find "it" evantually
And last, if you eventually find a good vibe and a sound that you all like. Go with it, don't listen to much to what other people say. If you believe in it, you should always go for that, no matter what. If you get it right, not all people will like it, it's when you find something that some people does not like at all, then you have found something. Playing something that everybody likes, is not what is intended, standing out and doing what you think is "it", that is what you are looking for.
Make sure that all band members participate in finding places to play. Check you local news paper for clubs hosting bands and drop of a demo. If somebody you know knows the club owner ask him to vouch for you and maybe you get to play even without a demo. Play everywhere at any time, never be picky, all gigs are great at this point. What you need is experience and to reach people with your music, letting them know who you are.
You can also work with other bands, try to arrange something together. Ask other bands for tips on where to play. Bands helping eachother out is always a good thing at every stage of a career.
When you find a gig, make all your friends come and see you play. The more people you bring the better your gig will be and the more the club owner will like it. Most club owners book bands for the crowd, not the music, remember this.
At this point it is a bonus if you guys have the same ambition with where you want to go with the music. But don't focus on this to early. Many things can change and so can peoples ambition. So getting the band together and being musically compatible is what is important at this point.
It's very important to decide which music style you prefer to play. Finding the right band members is based on this fact. You don't have to agree to 100% of the type of music before you even began to play together but agreeing on a direction is a must. If you guys like the same bands and share the same influences, then you're off to a good start for sure.
Good luck!