Join a Band

"Get a second-hand guitar and chances are you'll go far if you get in with the right bunch of fellows." - Bachman-Turner Overdrive. This guide gives some suggestions on how to find and join a band. Joining a band is fun and can lead you to many exciting experiences in life.

Steps

  1. Be practiced and prepared. The first and most important thing you can do is be ready. Whether you are a guitar player, drummer, vocalist, bassist or whatever you do ...you need to be prepared so that when the time comes to join a band you will get the spot. Train your talent.
  2. Attend any "Open Jam" or "Open Mic Night" you can find. For your first time there, leave the gear at home and scope it out. Find out how much stage time each musician gets and whether you can sit in with other musicians or the house band. Become a regular, and get to know the other regulars. If you trained your talent like you were supposed to, people will notice you and other artists will find you.
  3. Set up your own jam sessions. It acts as a great icebreaker and can open a lot of doors for you.
  4. Place flyers in local guitar and drum shops, record stores, and (if they allow it) bars or clubs that have live entertainment, indicating that you're looking for a band. Simply "Guitar Player seeks Band" with your phone number can work, but including your preferred style of music is even better: "Drummer Looking for Metal Band." You can also post an ad in the local paper and Internet classifieds (the latter usually being free; see external links).
  5. Use the Internet to your advantage. There are many new online services that can help you find a band. One of the best ways to find a band online is to post an ad on all of the classified ad systems you can. Don't limit yourself to just one.
  6. Invite local musicians to join your band. There are not many online communities just for musicians, so take full advantage of the ones out there.
  7. Ask around from time to time at the open jams to see if anyone is looking for band members. By now they've heard you play and know your style, and they've gotten to know you as a person. You've broken the ice without having to audition. Eventually a new band will form, or someone will leave an existing band, and you'll get a call. It's good to have a public artist profile ready when they do to showcase your music. The best way to do that is to simply get a myspace music profile.

Tips

  • Practice, practice, practice! You've heard it ever since your first music lesson, but it bears repeating because bands want good musicians, and being a good musician takes work. Be sure to practice more than just your favorite riffs or solos too - you might impress your nephew with the first few bars of "Smoke on the Water" or "Stairway to Heaven," but your band will expect a lot more out of you.
  • Learn new songs constantly. The more songs you know, the less you'll have to learn when joining a new band. (Ideally, you'll only have to learn the band's original music.)
  • Always learn two new songs per week! That will make you a big hit with any band!
  • After joining a new band, it doesn't hurt to keep spare strings, batteries, drumsticks and guitar picks in your gig bag, even if you're not the guitarist. The first time your guitarist forgets one of these items, or the drummer breaks a stick (and it will happen often), you'll be a hero.
  • When you play, smile and move around a bit. You'll be noticed more by being somewhat animated than if you're stiff as a board.
  • Own your instrument and any other equipment you will need when performing or recording, such as an amplifier, effects pedals, etc. If you are a lead vocalist, you should consider buying at least a four channel P.A. system.
  • Build you own resume whenever you have free times. It means that you cover songs which you like, record them all and put them into the Internet (pages such as Youtube, SoundCloud). Within this, your name will get further. Any bands that are currently looking for new members may try to contact you if they are interested by your covers. Moreover, you can show the bands that you want to join in in order to let them know your styles and your techniques.

Warnings

  • Don't be a showoff. Not many people will care if you can play your guitar with your teeth. It was amazing when Jimi did it almost forty years ago, but these days, it's just tacky.
  • If you're invited to sit in or jam with a band, don't be late, and don't blow it off! This could be your big chance.
  • Don't be rude to other musicians, no matter how good you think you are. A band would rather have a good musician they can get along with, than a great musician that they can't.
  • Listen to what people have to say and do not get angry if you disagree .

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