Grooveshark

It probably sounds ridiculous, I know. A guide to starting your own band–what, are we kidding? But the reality is if you’re serious about starting a band there are going to be some steps to get you where you want to go. And who better to give you these steps than us, the ones who brought you the definitive guide to becoming a rock star? I will be offering up some practical advice, while Grooveshark’s own rock star, Vilma, will provide the real world experience. So pay attention, and maybe you’ll learn something.

Finding Bandmates

Choosing bandmates is sort of like getting married. It will ultimately decide your level of happiness, chances of success and ability to leave behind a legacy. Make the wrong decision and you’ll be left homeless, broke and forgotten.

First, you need to decide how many bandmates you actually need. This will be based on the type of music you plan to play and the instruments you’ll need to have in the band. Every person you add to the group is one more person you have to deal with both emotionally and as a business partner. Not to mention the hassle of scheduling band practice when everyone’s schedule conflicts. You’ll want to minimize friction within the group, so only take on members you absolutely need. Take on too many people and it’s sort of like telling more than one person you’ll go to the prom with them. The end results aren’t going to be pretty, and you could get punched in the face.

With such an important decision to be made, it only makes sense that you take your time and do your homework. Close friends may or may not be the best choice here. Using the Internet, local venues and friends as a starting point, find out who is available. Get a feel for what sort of talent is out there and strive to get someone who fits your group’s chemistry, both as a musician and a bandmate.

Vilma’s Advice

Have character in your band…but maybe not TOO much character.

These are some of the types of people that could audition to be in your band. Most of them are pretty awesome additions to a band but not at their extreme.

As the third guitarist to audition for Sweet City Action, Hunter came to audition and started coming up with parts. Right after practice, without even knowing if he was accepted, he asks, “When’s the next practice?!!” He’s cool obviously since he’s in my band but there are even more extreme versions of Hunter called the Musical Overachievers. To the extreme, they’ll call you in the middle of the night with a potential song idea, sing you some lyrics on the cell phone while you’re on a date and want to live in a constant state of practicing and creating. These people are pretty cool in my book, except when you have an exam at 7:35AM the next day!

Then there are the “Dare to be Different” Folks. Like there was this one guy who came and his arrival was preceded by a strong odor. He was really good at his guitar and had great ideas for our song structures. He even suggested cool changes to our original parts. His music theory and knowledge of what works totally compensated for his stained shirts at the armpit and self-declaration of, “It’s my trademark, I don’t shower too often, I don’t believe in deodorant and people love me for who I am!” OK buddy, just buy us some clothes pins or maybe oxygen masks and keep playing that awesome guitar. He was totally in. But then he didn’t really show up to any practices…

Then there are people like I used to be. I used to feel so disproportionate with really long legs and short torso. I’d trip over and unplug wires, knock my shins on amplifiers and even fall off the stage, almost killing myself. I was part of the Clumsies. During one of the first performances, I knocked over a microphone stand, which unplugged a guitar and caused TERRIBLE feedback. So I made everybody at the venue deaf, fell on top of some innocent bystanders, sprained my ankle, and worst of all, lost a bit of my pride. Surprisingly, people were highly amused and asked me when I was playing the next show.

Resources:
http://www.getmeaband.com/

Naming Your Band

Please don’t mess this up. Picking your band name is a big deal. It should be memorable, represent you as a band, or at the very least look awesome on a t-shirt. Your band name is the brand, and your music is the product. Make both of them recognizable and pleasant, and maybe you’ll be able to afford those leather pants you’ve been drooling over.

Vilma’s Advice

Naming your Band. What NOT to do:

So Christina and I were in a band called Flying Bagels of Cadence before we were in Sweet City Action. We were an all-girl band, which was a component everybody seemed to love, but there was heated debate over exactly how dumb our name was. I actually came up with the name after eating at a dining hall and being hit in the head with a flying bagel. I looked wildly around trying to spot the culprit, but nobody was making eye contact. That bugger! So then I started thinking about how a bagel could represent a female and how we feel like we’re flying through life with our over-involvement in school activities. Then the word Cadence means a musical sentence basically and the name was set! My friend Martin told me it reminded him of a pathetic high school inside joke that was followed with a lot of, “OMG LMAO ur awesomez.”

Another idea came from horse lover Christina to be called Flying Changes, which is actually a horse term for changing position while jumping hurdles but could also be taken symbolically. It was vetoed by us non-horse obsessed people though.

Then, we wanted to be called The Madhatters and be unique by wearing quirky-cool new different hats to our shows. However, an a cappella group had already taken that name. There were also like a million other names that were so awesome but those damn a cappella groups had already taken them.

So the moral of the story: Pick a memorable name that doesn’t sound like an inside joke, make sure your name is not taken by anybody else and make sure the band name is relevant to all the members in the band.

Get Instruments

If you want to be good, chances are you’re going to need some instruments. Assuming you don’t have the budget to buy all brand new equipment, I’d recommend checking craigslist, friends and the local music shops for used equipment. Be realistic when deciding what you need. If you aren’t playing on Clapton’s level, do you really need to be using the same guitar he does?

Place To Play

Once you have a band and some instruments, it’s time to get down to business. Practice separates the wannabes from the ones everyone wants to be (you know you like that slick verbiage). And in order to practice you’ll need a place to play. Many opt to practice in someone’s garage, preferably someone you know, because if the band ever takes off, it always sounds hardcore when magazines report on your humble beginnings.

Nail a Gig

So you’ve got a few songs thrown together and a little practice under your belt. Now it’s time to strut your stuff in the limelight. You could start with Madison Square Gardens, but you’ll want to give your hometown fans a taste of your raw talent before venturing off into the wild. One of the best things you can do to increase your chances of landing a gig is to put together a press kit. A press kit can include the following:

Introduction

A short introduction of your band including your band’s logo, genre of music, performance needs, and any other specific info would be appropriate.

Artist Bios

Include a section for pictures and info about your band’s members. Depending on how awful your pictures and descriptions are, this section can add a personable touch to your press packet.

Equipment List

Include a list of the equipment you would bring to the venue. This includes specifics such as guitar types, amp wattage, etc. If you need a sound and light guy, include this in your press kit.

Booking Information

The whole point of creating a press kit is to get booked. Therefore including a page for contact information, including names, phone numbers and email addresses only makes sense.

Also included in the press kit:

Demo CD
Song List
List of Previous Gigs
News clips/reviews
Business cards

Vilma’s Advice

Nowadays, there are many festivals, venues, competitions and labels who only take electronic press kits instead of mail-in press kits. This way, they don’t have to deal with the time and expenses of receiving and reviewing physical mail packages. In my experience, the most widely accepted EPK is through Sonic Bids.

Vilma’s Advice

Attending Parties with your band mates:

So now my band had played a gig or two, but we needed some true fans who weren’t just coming because they were our friends. Let me come right out and say it: It’s so important to be able to describe what your band sounds like and EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, when you’re playing your next gig. If the person at the party you’re talking to can’t relate to your band, they’ll forget you and move on to talk to the next pretty girl. Also, if you yourself don’t care enough about your band to know when your next gig is, they won’t take you seriously at all. Also, they won’t know when to come see you obviously.

Reaching Out To Fans

If you ever actually reach this step, go ahead and pat yourself on the back. You don’t completely suck. Now that you have a fan, or maybe two, you should reach out to them. These are the people that go out of their way to see and hear you. These are the people that give you reason for getting out of the bed in the morning, even if it’s only because it’s your mom and dad. The least you can do is give them a way to stay in touch, keep up with gigs and show their support.

One of the best ways you can do this is through a Web site. Myspace is a popular option these days, as is starting your own page. If you are looking for low maintenance, go with a Myspace page. But if you plan on becoming big time, I’d recommend starting a Web site also. The Web site can provide information from your press kit, along with show times, an online store and updated news. And if it all falls through, at least you can use your new Web site to find new bandmates and try again…

• Posted in All of The Rest