I recently started a new a band with very good musicians but none except me have any real recording/gig or basically legitimate band experience in short although they can play in a group for sure. I'm sort of the unspoken leader and I would like some really good music...nothing mediocre we're above that I think....so my question is does anybody have advice on how to get the best productivity and songmaking going , not musical advice but good advice for harmony within the group
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
New Band Advice on success?
- Thread starter SilentParadoxx
- Start date
Maybe if everyone is allowed to share then there's harmony. And also that if someone wants to object to something, as part of that they also need to contribute something else that then sounds/feels better.
Thats good advice thanks I've been thinking since we're all still only 18 there is immaturity but if we discuss that stuff now it shouldn't be a problem no?
no garuntees on being able to nip the problems in the butt..
just a heads up... it's all about networking and marketing... I really hate to say it but being in a sucessful band has very little to do with the music
just a heads up... it's all about networking and marketing... I really hate to say it but being in a sucessful band has very little to do with the music
Truly love what you do because that may be the only "success" you'll have.
If you are in it for anything else, you'll fail. You might get rich and you might get famous, but unless you love what you do, it won't matter.
Read "How to Succeed as an Original Band" thread here on TB in the Band Management section.
If you are in it for anything else, you'll fail. You might get rich and you might get famous, but unless you love what you do, it won't matter.
Read "How to Succeed as an Original Band" thread here on TB in the Band Management section.
Are you planning on being an originals band or a covers band? Not that I'm Mr. Voice of Experience, but from what I can tell, covers bands have an easier time finding "success" in the sense of getting a regular round of gigs at local bars and parties. If "success" means fame and fortune, though, to get beyond the local circuit you'll need originals. As others have said, there is no guarantee of big-time success, so go ahead and dream big but don't build your life around the assumption that you'll be millionaires someday. They don't need to be mutually exclusive, though -- bands like the Who and Rolling Stones started off playing covers of blues and Motown tunes until they had their originals ready to launch.
A thought that is based on things I read on this forum more than on experience, but I'll throw it out there; one of the things that seems to me to be a hurdle for originals bands is quantity of material. A covers band can learn the top 40 and have three hours of show easy; a lot of originals bands, especially early on, seem to have only eight or ten songs so they end up splitting the showbill with three or four other original bands, which in turn makes it harder for them to stand out and build a following of their own. So if you want to play all originals, set yourself an aggressive but realistic schedule to get stuff written - don't muddle over just one tune for a month, but get a writing cycle going so that you can have a one-hour set of 12-15 songs ready to play out as soon as possible and build more from there till you can match a covers band's three hour show. Also, work on writing things that audiences can connect to rather than stuff that's only interesting to you.
Beyond that, be mature, work hard, practice diligently, communicate with each other freely, and remember that it is important to market yourselves and to network. You need to cultivate good relationships with venues, and venues want acts who draw paying customers, so you need to cultivate a fan base as well.
A thought that is based on things I read on this forum more than on experience, but I'll throw it out there; one of the things that seems to me to be a hurdle for originals bands is quantity of material. A covers band can learn the top 40 and have three hours of show easy; a lot of originals bands, especially early on, seem to have only eight or ten songs so they end up splitting the showbill with three or four other original bands, which in turn makes it harder for them to stand out and build a following of their own. So if you want to play all originals, set yourself an aggressive but realistic schedule to get stuff written - don't muddle over just one tune for a month, but get a writing cycle going so that you can have a one-hour set of 12-15 songs ready to play out as soon as possible and build more from there till you can match a covers band's three hour show. Also, work on writing things that audiences can connect to rather than stuff that's only interesting to you.
Beyond that, be mature, work hard, practice diligently, communicate with each other freely, and remember that it is important to market yourselves and to network. You need to cultivate good relationships with venues, and venues want acts who draw paying customers, so you need to cultivate a fan base as well.
- Jul 8, 2009
- 1,612
- 11
- Disclosures
- A&R, Soulless Corporation Records
Here are some links to check out:
If I only knew then...
Best musical advice
~Band management
Intro
Books
How to handle a big band
Playing in a band w/o rehearsing
If your significant other is a non-musician
Democracy/dictator?
"Leading" a band
Band "funds"?
Why many bands fail
Originals Band "paying dues"
Is playing for "free" really "free"?
If I only knew then...
Find more good stuff through the link in my sig.
Good luck.
If I only knew then...
Best musical advice
~Band management
Intro
Books
How to handle a big band
Playing in a band w/o rehearsing
If your significant other is a non-musician
Democracy/dictator?
"Leading" a band
Band "funds"?
Why many bands fail
Originals Band "paying dues"
Is playing for "free" really "free"?
If I only knew then...
Find more good stuff through the link in my sig.
Good luck.
My advice regarding success is this:
Nothing succeeds like success!
Seriously, most problems are communication based.
Everyone needs to check their ego at the door, be upfront about issues immediately before they get you aggravated. Early you can talk the stuff out calmly, once people are aggravated about it, its probably too late, arguments ensue, feelings get hurt, people get defensive.
Record your rehearsals, listen for the problems, not the cool bits, and work on the problems. Brutal honesty with tact is the ticket. Everyone has flaws, and you need to correct them to get ahead. Not saying anything about them, pretending they don't exist in order to be "nice" won't fix them.
Takes thick skin to be successful.
Randy
Nothing succeeds like success!
Seriously, most problems are communication based.
Everyone needs to check their ego at the door, be upfront about issues immediately before they get you aggravated. Early you can talk the stuff out calmly, once people are aggravated about it, its probably too late, arguments ensue, feelings get hurt, people get defensive.
Record your rehearsals, listen for the problems, not the cool bits, and work on the problems. Brutal honesty with tact is the ticket. Everyone has flaws, and you need to correct them to get ahead. Not saying anything about them, pretending they don't exist in order to be "nice" won't fix them.
Takes thick skin to be successful.
Randy
