Starting a new band complications

jdieh1 · #1 11-10-2008, 01:41 AM

So I'm in high school and I'm trying to start a new band with a couple of my friends but we have very different styles. None of us want to play each others' styles really so I was wondering how we could go about fusing them to make our own unique sound.

Do we learn a couple of each others kinda music to understand each other more or something? I really don't know what to do...

By the way, we intend on playing original songs rather than covering songs.

Our "styles" are:

-Me, Bass, 80s rock and hard rock as well as some grunge (Anything from Led Zeppelin to Metallica to Guns N' Roses as well as bands like Alice in Chains)

-Guitarist, similar to me but is much more influenced by Alter Bridge in particular. (This isn't the main problem though, I also like Alter Bridge)

-Singer, she (Yes, she) is into newer stuff labeled as "Pop-Punk" or something like that. Her favourite band is All Time Low

Slax · #2 11-10-2008, 01:52 AM

What I found works is just playing my own style at the beginning and molding it to what needs for the music. I'd say jam a couple times and work at a sound for your band. At first, downplay your playing a bit and then work your way to what fits the music.

The best bands come from mixing previous genres IMO.

And most of all, have fun!

jdieh1 · #3 11-10-2008, 02:11 AM

Thanks Slax. I agree with you about bands mixing genres, that's why I didn't want to give up on my band mates. When you say jam, do you mean just running through a few songs or making up random stuff on the spot? Because the latter proves rather difficult with my guitarist friend, he really doesn't know when to shut up...

Anyone else have any suggestions?

chrisisnotevil · #4 11-10-2008, 05:09 PM

i recently joined a band with really wide ranging influences, from post rock to death metal, and i found that as long as everyone is open minded about what they play and you have some kind of direction in the songwriting to give you all a place to start it works really well. maybe one of you could come up with a basic structure for a song and then you can go for it, create something new, that's worked for us so far. don't worry about your guitarist friend not knowing when to shut up, ones that do are few and far between....

MatticusMania · #5 11-10-2008, 05:12 PM

I recently joined a band that has been playing together for a few months. They have about 11 tunes written but they havent had a bass player. So I auditioned not even knowing what they sounded like, I just went in with an open mind. When the guitarist references some bands they sound like theyre all bands I've heard of, but not the type of music I regularly listen to. It turned out to be really cool. Im playing a new style and still have 100% input on what I play, so its a cool situation. My background has been an entirely different genre for 7 years, and here I am having a positive effect on this completely different band. Its awesome.

FreakBassist · #6 11-10-2008, 05:23 PM

It seems you all have a rock background with the 80s rock and grunge stuff, and pop-punk isn't too far off from the grunge and older rock styles. Just lay down a good riff (or 3) and have the guitarist work around it, and have him do likewise. Is there a drummer in the mix? If not it'd be wise to find one, since bass and drums work so close together in order to keep the song together.

DeepBass9 · #7 11-10-2008, 05:43 PM

Like Freak says, someone just needs to bring in something they're working on....a riff, a couple of chords played in a particular rhythm or tone that makes it a "piece". Then the rest of you add to the piece..it changes..everyone gets input...and in the end, it either works and you're all basically happy, or it doesn't work and you change things around.

Welcome to the first of many multi-spouse marriages you'll be involved in...over time, you'll know which ones to which you should devote your efforts.

Goatman · #8 11-10-2008, 05:44 PM

Originality will be your salvation. Pretty hard for band members to dislike a new style that they themselves helped create. You guys might even have greater lasting interest because you're not just regurgitating the same stuff you listen to all day long. You have a very valuable asset if you all have the right approach...

My high school band:

me, bass: punk-metal (at the time)
janos, guitar: european folk music
paul, auxillary perc: death metal
dan, drums: hip-hop/heavy metal

result - punky metal with ethnic fusion and goofy lyrics.

And it was the greatest comedy-punk-metal-ethnic-fusion garage band EVER! muahahah!

StyleOverShow · #9 11-10-2008, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdieh1

So I'm in high school and I'm trying to start a new band with a couple of my friends but we have very different styles.

So what you have in common is
1. Desire to create music
2. Different instruments (agree with prev. poster - need drums)
3. Your about the same age, but have markedly different influences

The thing to avoid is fighting over what it should sound like, particularly in the beginning. The dynamics of the band will take over soon enough and if you are lucky a 'muscial' moment will happen and everyone will recognize that for what it is.

Be flexible and ask the others to 'try a little tenderness'.

**Stumbo** · #10 11-10-2008, 10:03 PM

Here's a thought: go through the creative process for one song.

Lyrics, melody, chords, bass line, lead solo/riff, etc. Maybe get a drum machine if you can't find a drummer. +1 on getting a drummer though. He/she will influence the originals.

See what you come up with and go from there.

Just take it one song at time so you can talk about your similarities and (in time) forget about your differences.

jdieh1 · #11 11-10-2008, 10:28 PM

yeah, we intend on finding a drummer as soon as we can. Thanks for the great advice everyone.

ilikethump · #12 11-11-2008, 12:16 PM

As long as everyone brings something to the table (and said thing is not sneered at) and everyone is open minded, there shouldn't be a problem.

For example, I am something of a "metal" player and tend to write fast bass lines and lots of underlying harmonies.

Our guitarist is almost classically trained (lots of finger picking), but thankfully very versatile.

Our singer / keyboardist / programmer is into dance / synth. She brings a pretty different element to the mix. She often plays a keytar on stage so she can run around more, lol.

Our drummer has a unique style as well, she kicks ass at unique rhythms (which she has to due to the sometimes synth beat accompaniment) but is more into indie music.

Believe it or not, what we usually have at the end sounds pretty good. People tell us we have a very unique diverse style (in a good way).

Bluesy Soul · #13 11-11-2008, 02:01 PM

Here's another thought: don't make it a "band". Let it be just a group of musician friends who get together regularly/occasionally to collaborate and share music...a "jam" group, if you will.

Encourage one another to play in other bands that are closer to your individual styles. If you change the emphasis from conforming--which usually happens in a "band"--to collaborating, you will hopefully end or at least reduce the desire to defend or impose your separate styles.

It does, of course, require some discussion and open-mindedness to pull this off. I'm not sure I could have accomplished it in high school, but I wish I had.

Bluesy Soul

tZer · #14 11-11-2008, 02:49 PM

The biggest challenge any group faces is overcoming egos.

I am not saying that you are all ego-maniacs, but to deny that ego factors into your process is foolish.

What does that mean? It's pretty simple. Playing music is playing music. If you insist on distilling how you get your pleasure down to something as arbitrary and subjective as "style", you're not playing music - your playing that style - and SERIOUSLY limiting yourself by choice.

Get over the labels and start to recognize how all music comes from the same place. Especially when you cite each of the 'styles' you and your band mates "prefer" and realize that they are actually so amazingly alike that the very notion that your tastes differ to a point that could cause you problems is sort of silly.

If you look at what sells today via mass-market radio (I know, I know... no one likes what the radio plays, right?) - you see that the difference between "hard rock, metal, pop, country, hip-hop, rap" etc... is rather minimal when it's all said and done.

What you also see is that the artists who seem to be having the most fun AND getting the most $$ are the ones who cross borders without concern for "style". Some end up getting held up as "innovators" - and they usually laugh about it because to them, they're just playing music with other musicians.

But finding a group of people who "get it at that level" is very difficult - and probably impossible in high school. Best advice I can offer is to lead by example and shed your preconceived notions about the other players' musical tastes and jump right in whole-heartedly with whatever THEY want to do. If you do that and demonstrate how rewarding it can be, they may follow your lead.

The sooner you stop playing "styles" and start playing music, the better off you'll all be.

jdieh1 · #15 11-12-2008, 02:05 AM

Wow, that's some VERY good advice tZer... No sarcasm intended. Thanks heaps, I'll definitely keep this in mind

tZer · #16 11-12-2008, 08:27 AM

Anytime, jdieh1. We were no different than how you describe yourself and your friends when we started our first band - oh, 25 years ago or so... And to be honest, I'd even been given the same advice back then - that music was music and the "different" flavors of it were really not all that different from each other - that it was mostly window dressing to appeal to specific cliques in the music consuming public - but I didn't get it back then and I jumped on my "this style over that style" high horse and refused to even consider certain genres outright.

But I was also fortunate enough to be asked to play in a variety of bands whose styles varied and learned pretty quickly that some of those genres that I looked down my nose at were actually some of the most fun ones to play - in spite of what I thought about them superficially.

What makes one group's execution of music different from another? The spirit and energy with which they do their thing. To me, groups that seem to be chasing style are not really playing music, they're using music to project an image. The primary goal is the successful portrayal of a lifestyle, no matter how superficial. As long as they look cool, the music is secondary. This is not to say that you can't still enjoy a little dress-up or theater in your performances, but just don't fool yourself into thinking one style is better or worse than another. If you can find a way to pour yourself 100% into whatever style you are playing, it will become what you make it.

Good luck!

Icarus26 · #17 11-12-2008, 10:35 AM

what about a drummer? whats his or her style? if you have one.

well from my point, you have two options.

1. leave the band for musicians who play the same music you're into.
2. submit and just play their music for a bit. test it out and throw some of your own stuff into it. you make get a unique sound that people could be interested in.

if you do choose 1, it's alright to jam with them. there's nothing wrong with practicing with them, everyone will get better. venture into unknown territory

jdieh1 · #18 11-12-2008, 07:03 PM

To Icarus26, we are yet to find a drummer...

**Stumbo** · #19 11-12-2008, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tZer

The biggest challenge any group faces is overcoming egos.

One method that I've come across that may help your situation, especially during the creative process/brainstorming phase is to agree that no judgments are to be verbalized during that time e.g. "that's cheezy", that sucks, etc.

You never know where a musical idea will lead. Something that doesn't seem to fit now may be the genesis of something great later.

Oh, yeah....record your rehearsals for future reference.