If you have the urge to rock and roll and need an outlet for your inner genius, perhaps you should consider starting your very first band? Whether you’re 16 or 56, you’re always the right age to get involved with music. You might have been having lessons somewhere, or maybe you’ve been teaching yourself at home – either way, now is the time to take the next step and put your skills to good use.So how exactly do you go about creating your very first rock band? The process will be slightly different for everyone, but you will generally need to follow the steps below to reach your very own version of success.
Find musicians
If you’re in a secondary school you might be able to find people who have similar interests to you; they would make very good candidates for your new band if they’ve got musical flair. If you aren’t in education then you can find people through clubs, societies or even on the internet – that’s what I did. You’ll be able to get people to audition for you which is a really good idea so you know you have equivalent skills and taste in music.
Get a practice space
You’ll probably need to get a space for your auditions and regular band practice though – preferably somewhere you won’t annoy the neighbours. Soundproofed garages are brilliant, but if you can’t do it at home you can rent a studio in your nearest town or city. Make sure to reserve it ahead of time so you know there will be availability on the day.
Choose the right instruments
Once everyone is committed to the band, you’ll need to make sure your instruments are up to scratch. You might’ve had a beginner’s instrument to get to grips with it, but it might be time to upgrade to a better model. I remember going to my local guitar shop in Leicester to buy my first Fender electric guitar – it had such a great sound compared to the one I was practicing on.
Create your own music and identity
Now it’s time to jam! Get the crew down to your practice space and write some songs. Some will stick, and some will get thrown to the side. You’ll grow in confidence with your style of rock, and the more you practice, the more “together” you’ll sound. Once you know what type of records you’ll be making, pick a name that binds you all together. Your name is your identity so you’ll now be able to create pages on social media, as well as entering your band into competitions and gig nights.
Record something and gig loads
The last step is to perfect what you’ve been working on, and get it recorded. Make a website and put your latest tracks on for people, promoters and record labels to hear. Although you can’t always expect people to come to you so it’s time to face the big bad world and start gigging! Do loads of local events and try and secure support gigs with bigger bands. If you aim big, you might end up doing big things, but if you stay low-key you might stay that way for the lifetime of your band. Good luck!
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