Basically I have an entire album of music written for a band I want to start and I'm recording it myself (sans vocals; I'm almost done). After that I was gonna put some of it online and try to spread it around and get members. I'm wondering how hard is it to find people if you aren't established at all? All the musicians I know wouldnt be down or arent into the music im doing. Did anyone here start a band by themselves without already knowing people down for it? I realize this is kind of a backwards way of starting a band but like I said, I don't know people in real life that would be down and I'm not about to wait around for people before i make music.
Has anyone started a band on their own?
- Thread starter Cacoph0ny
- Start date
mts1979
Member
- May 3, 2006
- 207
- 0
- 16
The first lineup of my band consisted entirely of people I met either on Craigslist or this forum. It can be done.
And having something recorded first is actually not a bad idea -- that way, potential members can hear what style you're going for. This probably makes for less 'creative differences' down the road, I would think. Good luck!
And having something recorded first is actually not a bad idea -- that way, potential members can hear what style you're going for. This probably makes for less 'creative differences' down the road, I would think. Good luck!
Story time.
I did. My high-school progressive rock/metal band had just broken up before our first decent gig because our bass player (a third of the band, self-proclaimed frontman and the only one who had any kind of proper music education) wouldn't compromise enough to avoid taking breaks from rehearsal all the time to smoke and the keyboard player (my best friend) was still not confident on his skills yet. At that point I realized I should hone the skill I had took a break from: MIDI programming. Our bass player was quite anal about having any sort of programmed stuff on our songs (despite us being a three-man combo of vocal, keyboard and bass) and wanted everything to be live all the time, even trying to get us to spend money hiring both a drummer and a guitarist we've met at random (because he would never, ever have any money if it wasn't for smoking or manga). Then I came back to MIDI programming and started working on it practically all the time I didn't spend in school, and eventually I got decent enough at it to start believing I could actually write my own songs.
I had this concept in my mind. My ideal band would have two guitarists with initially very distinct styles: one would be all bluesy and jazzy, the other would be mechanic and extreme metal. After a while the two of them would start exchanging techniques and having the styles merge to a point where their playing would be both harsh and malleable. I was fine with the rest of the stuff being programmed as long as I could put tons of synths in it. With that thought in mind I worked alone every day on my MIDI files.
One day I was tweaking my songs to start showing people (to start my search for members and stuff) and the keyboard player came to my house like he usually did. He told me he got a Stratocaster and had been training like crazy. Then he showed me a bit of it on my acoustic guitar and I saw it was a diamond in the rough: he played just too well for someone who had just gotten a guitar for a month and I knew he never even had contact with a stringed instrument before, but lacked the hand stability that only comes with years of training. I wasn't going to let the chance of having a guitar player whose skills I could actually shape and deal with on friendly terms pass me by.
I showed him the songs I had been working on for the past two months or so. He was completely crazy about it and liked it way better than the songs we had on our previous band (the riffs were usually created by me but then edited by the bass player) and I told him about my plans for this band: this would take time and a hell lot of effort, but we could do it. I had one condition this time, though: I would be the frontman regardless of the experience of whoever joined the band, because one incident should be enough to realize the best musician isn't necessarily the best band leader. He agreed and we (mostly I, because even today he struggles when it comes to using the computer to compose) started working on songs.
Many things happened ever since. My younger brother joined us and he fit well the mechanic-metal thing, and the kid learns fast so I quickly gained a new composer for the band's songs that not only understands what I'm aiming at when I'm writing a riff but also adds a bit of flavor to them. We tried recording in studios around here two or three times during these years, but it ended up being a complete waste of money because the guys simply weren't decent as professionals (and i'm not just trying to justify my lack of experience here: how many of you would tell a band to walk into the recording room, get one take of the vocals without any preproduction or anything and then call it a tracking day? What about having a good electronic drumkit but not knowing how to replace real drums? Not cutting/boosting any frequencies on the vocal track, adding chorus and that's it?); the stuff ended up so bad the demo I "mixed" in Audacity looked like Heaven in comparison, and it was crap. Recently, my brother failed school again and that played a huge part on his decision of leaving the band.
So the past three years could be called a waste considering we couldn't get a properly recorded demo out, barely have decent equipment or play any gigs (something always happens), but I'd be lying if I say I regret this or have any intention of breaking this up. The songs we wrote are precious to me and this band is probably the one thing I take completely seriously in life. My life went downhill and from someone everyone had high expectancies for in many areas I went straight to being a guy who rarely leaves his bedroom, wears headphones all the time and simply cannot get a stable job to help his parents pay for his internet connection on a regular basis. In spite of all that, I don't see how I could have it other way: no one might be able to listen to the career worth of material we have yet, but I have the band I dreamed of and I'm not stopping until everyone gets a taste of this. Not because of personal issues, problems at work, lack of conditions to get even a mediocre demo done, health issues, you name it. This is something I can call "mine".
This is why, if you really want to try this, I say "do it". Work and evolve alone, get things done your way, then build it and they will come. You might spend some time in the darkest hour, but I hope not for long. What comes with that package regardless of recognition and fame is just too good to be described properly.
Sorry if I ended up being preachy or cheesy.
I did. My high-school progressive rock/metal band had just broken up before our first decent gig because our bass player (a third of the band, self-proclaimed frontman and the only one who had any kind of proper music education) wouldn't compromise enough to avoid taking breaks from rehearsal all the time to smoke and the keyboard player (my best friend) was still not confident on his skills yet. At that point I realized I should hone the skill I had took a break from: MIDI programming. Our bass player was quite anal about having any sort of programmed stuff on our songs (despite us being a three-man combo of vocal, keyboard and bass) and wanted everything to be live all the time, even trying to get us to spend money hiring both a drummer and a guitarist we've met at random (because he would never, ever have any money if it wasn't for smoking or manga). Then I came back to MIDI programming and started working on it practically all the time I didn't spend in school, and eventually I got decent enough at it to start believing I could actually write my own songs.
I had this concept in my mind. My ideal band would have two guitarists with initially very distinct styles: one would be all bluesy and jazzy, the other would be mechanic and extreme metal. After a while the two of them would start exchanging techniques and having the styles merge to a point where their playing would be both harsh and malleable. I was fine with the rest of the stuff being programmed as long as I could put tons of synths in it. With that thought in mind I worked alone every day on my MIDI files.
One day I was tweaking my songs to start showing people (to start my search for members and stuff) and the keyboard player came to my house like he usually did. He told me he got a Stratocaster and had been training like crazy. Then he showed me a bit of it on my acoustic guitar and I saw it was a diamond in the rough: he played just too well for someone who had just gotten a guitar for a month and I knew he never even had contact with a stringed instrument before, but lacked the hand stability that only comes with years of training. I wasn't going to let the chance of having a guitar player whose skills I could actually shape and deal with on friendly terms pass me by.
I showed him the songs I had been working on for the past two months or so. He was completely crazy about it and liked it way better than the songs we had on our previous band (the riffs were usually created by me but then edited by the bass player) and I told him about my plans for this band: this would take time and a hell lot of effort, but we could do it. I had one condition this time, though: I would be the frontman regardless of the experience of whoever joined the band, because one incident should be enough to realize the best musician isn't necessarily the best band leader. He agreed and we (mostly I, because even today he struggles when it comes to using the computer to compose) started working on songs.
Many things happened ever since. My younger brother joined us and he fit well the mechanic-metal thing, and the kid learns fast so I quickly gained a new composer for the band's songs that not only understands what I'm aiming at when I'm writing a riff but also adds a bit of flavor to them. We tried recording in studios around here two or three times during these years, but it ended up being a complete waste of money because the guys simply weren't decent as professionals (and i'm not just trying to justify my lack of experience here: how many of you would tell a band to walk into the recording room, get one take of the vocals without any preproduction or anything and then call it a tracking day? What about having a good electronic drumkit but not knowing how to replace real drums? Not cutting/boosting any frequencies on the vocal track, adding chorus and that's it?); the stuff ended up so bad the demo I "mixed" in Audacity looked like Heaven in comparison, and it was crap. Recently, my brother failed school again and that played a huge part on his decision of leaving the band.
So the past three years could be called a waste considering we couldn't get a properly recorded demo out, barely have decent equipment or play any gigs (something always happens), but I'd be lying if I say I regret this or have any intention of breaking this up. The songs we wrote are precious to me and this band is probably the one thing I take completely seriously in life. My life went downhill and from someone everyone had high expectancies for in many areas I went straight to being a guy who rarely leaves his bedroom, wears headphones all the time and simply cannot get a stable job to help his parents pay for his internet connection on a regular basis. In spite of all that, I don't see how I could have it other way: no one might be able to listen to the career worth of material we have yet, but I have the band I dreamed of and I'm not stopping until everyone gets a taste of this. Not because of personal issues, problems at work, lack of conditions to get even a mediocre demo done, health issues, you name it. This is something I can call "mine".
This is why, if you really want to try this, I say "do it". Work and evolve alone, get things done your way, then build it and they will come. You might spend some time in the darkest hour, but I hope not for long. What comes with that package regardless of recognition and fame is just too good to be described properly.
Sorry if I ended up being preachy or cheesy.
Harley Barley
Member
just put your music on a website aka facebook myspace soundcloud band camp post on Craigslist or Kijiji or just anywhere looking for members and you'll find people i think the hardest part is just finding people that like your music so if you already have the entire album done it should be easy 
smy1
Member
I do everything on my own and pay my live musicians. That way nobody fucks with my music, does what I say and is on time/prepared. If they aren't they'll be replaced by someone else. Very simple, very convenient.
And makes for great atmosphere during touring because everybody knows their roles.
And makes for great atmosphere during touring because everybody knows their roles.
SocialNumb
Damn Christians!
^Now that I like. Screw the whole "brotherhood" shit and complications. I pay you, and you do. Simple.
