If you have never played in a band before this guide should help you get started on the task of creating one.

Before we start we thought it would be best to mention that some of the best bands out there were formed organically, meaning they came together because they shared the same musical taste and vision.

Not everyone is going to be on the same page as you musically, and that’s ok, but just remember that being patient and waiting for the right people to come along is sometimes the best way.

Without further ado, lets get started with our top tips for starting a band.

Tip 1 – Find Your Band Mates

This step is obvious, your going to need a team of musicians to get the band going.

You should decide what the band members should consist of, but traditionally you will need a drummer, guitarist, bassist and singer.

What instruments you will need will depend heavily on the genre that you are operating in, so look at other bands for inspiration on this one.

We would say that no matter what you bands style is, you almost certainly need a drummer and someone to hold down the low end, like a bassist or piano.

These elements are essential to the mix in order to give the sound depth and rhythm.

Tip 2 – Find Your Sound

This is a very important step, so make sure you spend time with your new band mates discussing influences and styles.

Your band’s style is likely to be somewhere in the middle of all of your influences.

If any of the band members have already written a few songs, make sure to check them out and see what direction they are going in.

Most importantly, make sure you pick a genre that the signer can sign well.

Toby Fenwick

A music journalist and audio archivist, Toby specialises in deep dives into discographies, band evolution, and the production techniques that shaped iconic sounds across decades.

The post How to Start A Band appeared first on Midnight Oil Film.

Find Your Band Members

First up you have to assemble your team.  What members you have in your band and what instruments they play will depend heavily on the sound that you are going for.  Try to have an idea of what musical sound you want to be, then you can find your band mates.

Find Your Sound

This leads us on nicely to the next step, finding your sound.  Hopefully you have a rough idea of what musical direction you are going for, so discuss your influences with your band members early on to get an idea.  From here it is a good idea to jam together and see what musical sounds result from this.

Start Practicing

Now your job is to practise hard.  Hours of practise time is needed top form a tight sounding band, so make sure you put in those hours.  At first you want to learn a few covers, but once you feel the sound starts to glue together, you need to start writing material.  Unless of course, you want to be a tribute band.

Record Some Tunes

Once you have some killer original tracks, recording a demo is the next best step.  This lets you have something to show to promoters and bookers and venues.  Most will want to hear what you sound like before they give you a shot.

Start Getting Gigs

Once you have recorded a demo, you want to start looking for venues that will book you.  You can do this yourself, or see if a booking agency will take you on, however most will want you to have a few gigs under your belt first.

Toby Fenwick

A music journalist and audio archivist, Toby specialises in deep dives into discographies, band evolution, and the production techniques that shaped iconic sounds across decades.

The post Starting a Band the Easy Way appeared first on Midnight Oil Film.