how do i start a band without it falling apart

[hrodbert696]

#1: listen to Del Paxton.


#2: communication. The main thing I learned; pay attention to what each person IN the band wants OUT of the band. Just ask each of them straight up; "What do YOU want out of this?" Some might want to launch a music career, some might have something they're trying to express, some have their favorite songs they're dying to play, some just want to mess around and have some fun, some want to impress girls, whatever.

People will stay in the band as long as they're getting what they want out of the band. They don't all have to want the same thing, but what they want has to be compatible. For example, if one person wants to be the focus of parties and get girls dancing while another person wants to play their favorite prog epic masterpiece in odd time signatures, those two people don't want to be in the same band, and pretty soon one will quit.

#3: drama. Sounds like y'all are teenagers, so this is probably useless, but FWIW: skip any drama. Don't mess with each other's love lives. Don't get a big ego, or waste your time on jealousy. Do your homework, learn your stuff and show up prepared. That personal friction stuff is what kills a lot of bands, and it's a matter of maturity to learn how to leave it alone.

 

[pepj]

Be realistic as to what qualities you bring.
Hook up with people that are out gigging already ...or at very least actively seeking, that have same sort of qualities. Its hard to punch above your weight and pointless punching below it.

Do not put much store in friends. If they have your commitment then maybe, but really you want to branch out and find other players so friends are my last point of call, tbh.
If they were what I wanted they'd be on my radar, but mostly they aren't, so they're not.

If you want to gig, find people already gigging.
I joined 2 function bands in my teens. Very good groundwork, imv.

 

[turf3]

...

Most of the bands I've been in that really worked well and lasted the longest were the ones where the core members were very close friends and partners, who had a shared musical goal. ...

Most of the bands I've been in that really worked and lasted the longest were the ones that paid well. Of course this presumes a lot of stuff the OP almost certainly can't bring to the table yet:

- Connections in the circles where people are hiring musicians for actual paying gigs, which means wedding planners, event planners, bars, what have you, depending on the band;
- which lead to paying gigs.
- bandleader and all musicians can show up on time (which means early), read down charts accurately with zero rehearsal, fake tunes as needed, play solos that are correct stylistically, always have working equipment, correct dress for the occasion, sober (this last one is a biggie).
- Large repertoire, so you can fit what you play to the event's requirements - or fake it on short notice.
- Good marketing
- Simple, tested and proven stage setups, no fiddly-dicking around with electronic failures for two hours before downbeat. Able to set up and tear down at warp speed.
- Pay rate that makes it attractive for really good musicians to play your gigs.

Amazingly enough, when you've got a bunch of solid musicians, who are more than capable of playing the music, getting paid a reasonable amount, with appropriate amenities (at a minimum, bandwiches and a big urn of coffee), stage setups that work, and clearly defined gigs (load-in, setup times, donwbeat, how many sets, etc., not winging it), people tend to get along just fine. The only kerfuffles I remember from those days were those associated with booze and drugs, or those associated with that one guy who just CANNOT get there on time. Those folks got fired.

 

[Lefty Joe]

Last band I was in, I remarked to an older friend (also a performing musician) that it seemed the band might be falling part. He laughed and said: "All bands are always falling apart"

That band did last a few more months, falling apart when the BL sold his house (losing the rehearsal space), the singer/bassist really wanted to focus on recording his originals (which the guitarist wasn't into doing), and then the drummer died of cancer. I don't think any band can survive all that.

But to answer the OP:

There are lots of ways to 'run a band' without falling apart -- just like any other activity -- because running a band is a *management* situation, and the success/failure details are all about cost/benefit. The more accurately that's sussed out, the better your chances of success.

I was once told that 9/10 new businesses fail (half those in their first year), so it's not just bands -- it's arguably ANY organization, and most people begin such things without properly knowing what they're getting into. "It'll be fun!" we think -- and it might, but mostly it's lots of work.

A successful organization must offer a product or service which is worth the effort required to maintain ongoing participation. This is either a business (in which case the market determines the value) or a social venture (n which case the value is in the experience of participating). Both may fail or succeed depending how well they are managed.

The business challenge is determining what form of that product/service is desired, and where it is desired, sufficient to maintain the cost of doing it. Social aspects are secondary but also significant.

The social challenge is keeping participants motivated. This functions best with a group of friends who are simply sharing their mutual musical appreciation. The main challenges come from stagnation or inability to transition into a commercial venture (if such is desired by any of the participants).

Recommended reading: For Musicians Only, a book published in the mid-80s about band management.

 

[Aceman]

You don't. "Falling apart" is part of the process. It's both a learning experience, and a stepping-stone in every musician's evolution/development.

This. I'd say having a very clear purpose/goal/focus, and screening really hard.

But even after that, things fall apart. Different reasons in different age groups, genres, and goals...but it happens.

My philosophy - replace member and move on.

 

[Aceman]

Most of the bands I've been in that really worked and lasted the longest were the ones that paid well. Of course this presumes a lot of stuff the OP almost certainly can't bring to the table yet:

- Connections in the circles where people are hiring musicians for actual paying gigs, which means wedding planners, event planners, bars, what have you, depending on the band;

Nope

- which lead to paying gigs.
- bandleader and all musicians can show up on time (which means early),

Yes - unless work issues; Never on gigs though.

read down charts accurately with zero rehearsal,

Not a chance

fake tunes as needed,

No

play solos that are correct stylistically, always have working equipment,

Yes

correct dress for the occasion,

We have a dress code - N/A

sober (this last one is a biggie).

Pretty much

- Large repertoire, so you can fit what you play to the event's requirements - or fake it on short notice.

Nope

- Good marketing

Meh

- Simple, tested and proven stage setups, no fiddly-dicking around with electronic failures for two hours before downbeat. Able to set up and tear down at warp speed.

Nope

- Pay rate that makes it attractive for really good musicians to play your gigs.

Not really

I'm on year 10+ of my current band. SO - for THAT kind of band, ok. For my band...clearly works without all that.

 

[Aceman]

we’re all in high school, i’m pretty experienced at drums and pretty new to bass, most of my friends have a few years of experience

EXPECT it to fall apart maybe 7-8 times.

 

[turf3]

Nope

Yes - unless work issues; Never on gigs though.

Not a chance

No

Yes

We have a dress code - N/A

Pretty much

Nope

Meh

Nope

Not really

I'm on year 10+ of my current band. SO - for THAT kind of band, ok. For my band...clearly works without all that.

I was just telling about the bands I've been in, that have held together for a long time. Money can really help.

 

[pepj]

............. Money can really help.

If the band is good, yep.
If the band isn't.....its can be really painful having to stick with it...

 

[51PRI]

I think the main thing is for everyone to be on the same page regarding choice of music, genre, originals or covers, gig or not, how often to gig, democracy or benevolent dictator, etc., etc.

 

[Pocket Dave]

read the title
i don’t want it to be super serious but still i want to start some stuff with some friends for fun

As has been mentioned, you're talking about getting friends together to jam, a loose interpretation of the word "band" at best.

how do i keep the initial excitement so people stay committed

You're in high school where things change fast, though it often seems like they're moving in slow motion. It's hard to accept things and be patient. Try to have faith in the process.

People like to use sports analogies because they're a model for group success and failure. If you plan to start and help manage a group of creatives, I've found it's best to see yourself more like a baseball manager than another type of coach: Encourage talented players to produce, don't micromanage them. If they're still non-producing or incompatible with the team, put on your front-office hat and trade them.

It boils down to encouraging creative players and turning them loose to do their thing. Provide positive reinforcement for anything that both shines and helps the whole band sound better. This is what's worked for me.

Though if you continue to pursue this path after high school, you'll eventually find that booking semi-steady gigs is the best way to attract and keep musicians you want to play with.

how do i communicate with members more effectively and have everyone get the message

Try concentrating less on communicating the message and more on listening to what everyone's saying.

Seek first to understand before seeking to understand.

LISTENING pays off in dividends, both in verbal and musical "conversations".

 

[Enrique M]

Local High school has both an annual battle of the bands, and an end of the year talet show.

If y’all are just figuring it out, getting folks on board to sign up for something like this and start rehearsing for it could tell you a lot.

You said your school didn’t have rock band, it might not be hard to organize a battle if the bands at your school through clubs and orgs. There might be resources. Talk to your music teacher(s).

 

[brianrost]

bassweedwizard,

You need to choose whether this is a musical endeavor or a social endeavor.

To get people to show up and jam on songs for fun is easy. When I was starting out having a place to play where the parents and neighbors didn't mind the noise and availability of pot and beer (not suggesting you do this!!!) went a long way in keeping people coming back, but musically it was never going to go anywhere. It ended for me when I left town for college.

To get people together to start a band that might actually play out, even just at house parties, you do need to find people who have similar goals in terms of what kind of music to play, will you want to write your own songs or just start playing covers which is what 99.9% of all bands do. If you're all in high school, things like family vacations and people in different grades so some will graduate earlier than others will impact the overall life. Unless you're very very very VERY lucky, expect it to last only one or two years.

While in college I joined my first band that actually got paid to play but it didn't even last a year because they replaced me when I told them I would be unavailable during the summer. A year later I graduated and moved to another state. It wasn’t until I was settled there that I had the chance to get into bands that had any longevity and all of those had to survive personnel changes over time.

 

[51PRI]

bassweedwizard,

You need to choose whether this is a musical endeavor or a social endeavor.

To get people to show up and jam on songs for fun is easy. When I was starting out having a place to play where the parents and neighbors didn't mind the noise and availability of pot and beer (not suggesting you do this!!!) went a long way in keeping people coming back, but musically it was never going to go anywhere. It ended for me when I left town for college.

To get people together to start a band that might actually play out, even just at house parties, you do need to find people who have similar goals in terms of what kind of music to play, will you want to write your own songs or just start playing covers which is what 99.9% of all bands do. If you're all in high school, things like family vacations and people in different grades so some will graduate earlier than others will impact the overall life. Unless you're very very very VERY lucky, expect it to last only one or two years.

While in college I joined my first band that actually got paid to play but it didn't even last a year because they replaced me when I told them I would be unavailable during the summer. A year later I graduated and moved to another state. It wasn’t until I was settled there that I had the chance to get into bands that had any longevity and all of those had to survive personnel changes over time.

Agreed. If its just people getting together to jam, well, that's one thing, and really no pre-conditions are needed. If you're started an actual band with the idea of playing gigs then there are a lot of things to consider. Too bad there isn't a book about how to start a band. Oh, wait, there is:

How to Start a Band: An Essential Guide to Starting a B…

If you're thinking of starting a band and you want to l…

www.goodreads.com

 

[Michael135]

If you join an established band, lay low for a while until you gain experience and credibility. If you're organizing a band, go for reliability first, raw talent second. A band can survive one jerk, but not two or three. If you have any members who are unprepared for rehearsal more than once, they need to go (unless there's a good explanation). Bands are more dictatorships than democracies, with the best governing style falling somewhere in-between; i.e., you need a leader, but everyone's opinion should be heard and respected. Get used to playing songs you don't like and remember - until you're firmly established, you exist to please the audience, not yourselves. Satisfaction comes from that. In time, you can take more chances and see how the audience reacts. Be careful of members with substance abuse. And finally, make sure the spouse or significant other is on board. If not, trouble is inevitable.

 

[Michedelic]

no just jazz and marching stuff (i am in both)

Although those are two different types of musical organizations(and I’m not talking about style/content), what is your takeaway so far as to how they are run? Are the leaders efficient, do they get the job done in terms of rehearsal and performance? Even though, on the surface, those have little to do with a typical rock(or whatever)band, much can be learned and applied to what you may want to persue on your own time.

Obviously, the school activities will be of the ‘dictator’(benevolent or otherwise)type, with the instructor/teacher leading, but think about what would happen if you had less people, with those involved having a say, then have a discussion as to how things were going to go. Assuming there would be agreement on the direction, size up the seriousness of all involved in reaching your goals. You should have a gut feeling as to if it’s going to work or not. That’s what being in a band is all about.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

To use a relationship analogy, y'all ( ) are ready to go grab dinner at Chili's together, but there's no need to go ring shopping or talk about how many kids you want to have right now lol.

Lotta great advice, but I'd keep it simple, informal, but with tangible goals.
- Iron out when everyone wants to practice together and how often. MANY bands fall apart at this stage...
- Doing originals or covers? Shoot to write/learn 3 or so songs, and play them well together in a month or two.
- Want to gig? Once you've got some material to work with, set a place you want to play a show or how many you want to do in the next year or so
- How about recording? See if you can get an EP's worth of songs recorded!

Going back to relationship analogies, your first couple of sweethearts are probably not going to end up your forever spouse. That's the trick, set realistic expectations for this band relationship, and if things work out fantastically then all the better! Don't let it get you down though, let it take the edge off knowing you didn't fail if this thing doesn't skyrocket y'all to fame

 

[factory presets]

read the title
i don’t want it to be super serious but still i want to start some stuff with some friends for fun
how do i keep the initial excitement so people stay committed
how do i communicate with members more effectively and have everyone get the message

Semi serious, here. You might be able to stop it falling apart if you don't try to keep it all together. If someone ain't happy let them go and replace them, sooner rather than later. If you wait till everyone loses interest, you're back to square one when they all leave together.

 

[pepj]

People who are keen will have a goal.
You can afford to lose those that don't and its just a question if time before they lose interest anyway

 

[Pontiac Thrasher]

read the title
i don’t want it to be super serious but still i want to start some stuff with some friends for fun
how do i keep the initial excitement so people stay committed
how do i communicate with members more effectively and have everyone get the message

Pay them.

: )