So, you want to make music? Being in a band is cool but it takes a lot of hard work and talent. Do you have what it takes to make it in the music industry? To get you started, we’ll look at the key practical steps you need to consider when it comes to forming a band.
By Team Savant
Image: Jon Tyson
Find Some Bandmates
The first thing that you’ll need to do when it comes to forming a band is to find some bandmates. You may already have a couple of people in mind, however, if you need to find anyone the best thing to do is place an advert online.
There are several sites for searching for bandmates. Alternatively, you could join local Facebook groups for musicians and bands and put up a post in there advertising any positions that you need filling.
Decide On Roles And Responsibilities
Once you have your band in place, you will need to come up with a list of roles and responsibilities within the group. It may be obvious who will be playing which instrument, however, if you have a few multi-instrumentalists it is worth deciding who will take which instrument.
You will also need to decide who will be responsible for PR, social media, gig booking, managing the band finances, and organising rehearsals. You may want to hire a manager to do this, or you may wish to split the responsibilities amongst you all.
Find A Place To Rehearse
Find somewhere that you can practice. Think about the amount of noise that you will be making- so ideally this needs to be away from residential areas or in a soundproofed room. You may be able to hire a hall to practice in, or you could rent rehearsal spaces.
Start Writing Material
Once you get a space to rehearse, you can start to write your own material. You could take a class on how to write lyrics if you don’t feel confident in your abilities as a songwriter.
Rehearse, Rehearse and Rehearse
Practice makes perfect and you should rehearse as much as physically possible to polish your sound. The more you practice together and get used to playing with each other, the easier it will become to write music together and play live.
Record A Demo
Getting a demo together is important as it could land you gigs and a recording deal. These days, the technology for recording is easily accessible and you can record a professional demo on your PC. You may want to book into a studio though.
Develop A Style
As well as a musical style, you will need an aesthetic. Having a look is important as it will make you identifiable as a band.
Market Yourselves
Once you have made some music, you will need to market yourself. Use social media and platforms such as Soundcloud, Youtube, and Bandcamp to upload your music and generate some interest in your band. You may also want to use streaming services such as Spotify to get your music out to a wider audience.