Now that you are good enough on the drums to keep a solid beat, play fast triplets, play amazing fills, and add spicy drum solos, you want to know hot to start a band. Well this is not that easy of a task; in fact, I get a lot of drummers asking me how to start a band. The truth is it’s hard to start a band when you are just the drummer, not impossible though! This article will give you a few tips to point you in he right direction in starting a band. Remember it’s no easy task; however do not get disappointed. Most bands fail within the first few months – outlast this and you are on your way!
Before you go out looking for musicians, you want to ask yourself what music style you want to play. So many bands out there are unsure of their style and fail to create a theme for their band. This is why most bands fail, they have no general direction. So before you go asking everyone you know, stop and think. You may be interested in starting a jazz band. This is not a bad idea at all; however, most drummers will want to start a rock band, which is a given. However, there are so many different forms of rock music out there that you cannot specialize in all of them. Just for example, you could start a pop rock band, classic rock band, punk rock band, heavy rock band, punk rock band, etc... Remember that just because you choose one style does not mean you have to only play that style, but a band should have a common theme so that you can form a fan base on your certain style.
The absolute best way to start a band is to look for friends and buddies that play instruments. It is always better to have close pals in your band, this way you connect a lot easier and there is no “getting to each other” time. If you have talented friends this is you best shot. However, DO NOT select friends that cannot play any instruments just because they are your friends. A lot of times I see bands who choose their best buddies to join their band that don’t even know how to properly play any instrument. This is common with bass players. They figure the bassist only has to follow along with the guitarist, so they throw a bass guitar on their pal and there you go. This is a no no. Do not settle for second best when creating a band. If you are short on musicians in your friends group, you may need to go to the next step.
So your friends cannot play the guitar or sing, what next? Well I will tell you hot to select band members from scratch. Depending on where you live, you may have more troubles than others. Obviously the bigger the city, the more opportunity you have. The first step to do is to go to your local music store and hang up flyers stating you are looking for musicians. Make sure this is very detailed, saying what style of music you are wanting to play, how good of a drummer you are, and the age groups you are looking at picking up. If you can, set up a small recording of yourself that you can place on myspace or something to show your potential band mates your skill. Make sure you post them in every music store in your area. Give them an email contact they can send pics of themselves and their gear.
If you still haven’t found what you are looking for, you may want to post in an online classified ad. There are many of these listings online – virtual job postings for musicians. Craigslist is one idea, but look around for the best site. These are great for posting info regarding your style, gear, and desires for your band. You can chat and also look for musicians that are currently in the market for new bands. This will allow you to be pro active, searching for musicians yourself. Once you find the one you want, its time to start the auditioning process.
Set up a time and meeting place for your potential band mates to meet up, preferably where you can hear them play. Once you are together, you really need to get a personally feel for them. This is something that only you can decide on. Ask them questions about their likes and dislikes, their music preferences, their favorite bands etc… You want to choose a musician that is talented, but also one that shares similar interests to you. You must be able to connect with your band mates, or eventually things will fall apart. This may mean taking the less experienced musician in order to keep things civilized in the future. Try and audition as many as you can so you can be sure you selected the right group!
That is pretty much the steps you need to take in order to create a band. Do not worry if you do not have the most talented musicians at first, the whole process of a band is growing together. Just give things some time, and you will all eventually get a feel for each other. Make sure you are the best musican you can be when getting a band together. No one wants to join a band whose drummer cannot even stay on time. So make sure you have your skills developed well! Follow these basic steps, and in no time you will be jamming with musicans who share the same common goal! Good luck with everything, and never stop creating music!