How to Start a Band

So you want to be in a band but do not know where to start? Bands are great to join for those people who have a passion for playing music with others. The great thing about bands is that anyone of any age can form and participate in one. Starting a band may seem to be an impossible task but with a great mindset it can be very possible. If you have music in your bones and want to jam with other passionate musicians but are not sure how to go about it take a look below at the steps it takes to form a band.

1. You want to start a band so the first thing that you want to do is get your face out there. You want to showcase your talents so that potential band members can get a glance at your style and see whether or not they would like to play with you. The Youtube and Myspace websites are great platforms to use to showcase your talents while placing you in front of millions of listeners world wide. These websites are free to use. You will need to sign up to these websites to establish an account and set up your webpage.

2. Next you want to get the word out. The best way to get the word out is to; post ads on the internet, post ads in the paper, hand out flyers and through word of mouth. You can sign up for a craigslist or a kiji account to post ads on the internet in the musician section. These ads can state that you are looking to form a band. When you post these ads be sure to place links to your Myspace and youtube account in them so that others can see your talent.

You can also take an ad out in your town paper stating that you are looking to start a band. However, if you are young and looking to start a band with members of your age then taking out an ad in the newspaper might not be the best method for you. Some teens do read the paper but the majority of them use the internet to get their information. So, if you are young in age (teen) consider using the internet to post your information. You can post flyers around your town or hand them out advertising that you are looking to form a band. If you have many friends you can let them know that you are looking for members to form a band with and this information will be spread around from one person to the next.

Make sure that your flyers and postings contain all of the correct information. You want to be sure to fill in the who, what, when and where. Your flyer should state that you are a musician or singer looking to start a band (be sure to include what type of band you want to start such as alternative, rock, hip hop, Jazz etc..) Be sure to put how interested individuals can contact you. Lastly, place on the ad how you prefer to meet these interested individuals. Will you hold auditions at a certain place or time or will you prefer that they call you and meet you at a certain destination? If your flyer can not answer who, what, when, and where then you need to revise it.

3. Now that you have set up your youtube and Myspace accounts and have handed out and posted up your flyers around town you must now network. You have to get out there and meet people. You may also want to consider setting up a twitter and Facebook account so that people can network with you and vice versa. Coffee shops, cafes, small restaurants, and even stores like Newbury Comics may hold open mics. Open mics are a great way to meet people. Exchange numbers with those who seem interested in you and whom you seem interested in.

4. Hopefully by now you have received some response from your flyers and postings. During this time you want to meet people and hold a jam session or an audition to see if there is any viable chemistry between you all. Take down names, numbers, emails, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube addresses of the individuals that you like and connect with them later on to meet up and play music. You should attempt to meet one another at least twice a week to hold small jam sessions. During these jam sessions remind the musicians of your intentions that you want to start a band. Ask them if they are willing to commit to practice at least twice a week.

5. If practice continues to go well on a routine basis and the individuals seem to be committed you may want to start thinking of a name for your band. Once you have a name and a decent sound for your band you can start playing open mics around town and anywhere that you can get in. If your band is pretty good you will begin to gain a small following.

Bands take much dedication. If you want your band to be successful you will have to be in it for the passion and not for the money. As the band initiator you must be aware that each member has a life outside of the band and so you should plan practices accordingly.