It almost feels like a rite of passage to put a band together doing your teenage years or mid-20s.

However, in many of these cases, these groups tend to fail rather early on and there are a number of different reasons as to why this happens. If you are thinking of putting a band together, then you need to take care to make the right decisions and to avoid common pitfalls. By doing so, there is a good chance that you and your band will be able to make beautiful music together. Sure, you may not go on to be world-famous rock stars but at least, you will be doing what you love. So, here is what you need to know about successfully putting a band together:

Find the Right People

As you can imagine, finding the right talent can be one of the hardest parts of getting people to work together. This is why the first thing that you will need to do is to start advertising – if you are lucky, you will already know some people who are interested in such a project. If not, it just means that you will need to make a bit more of an effort.
Now, there is actually an opportunity for you to cast a wider net, thanks to the internet. This means you can actually recruit people slightly further away from where you live. In case you are wondering how regular practices might work, remember that video messaging can be a useful way to jam from a distance. Don’t believe this is true? Noel Gallagher of Oasis fame was able to record an entire album with a bass player that he had never met. So, surely, you can make this technology work in your favor.
When choosing bandmates, it is a good idea to sort out all of the details with instruments at this point. It is often best to go with people who have their own instruments and are capable of them transporting when needed.

Nominate Leaders

When most people think of leaders of a band, they think of people who steal all the thunder and glory for themselves. This isn’t the position that we are talking about, however. Rather, you need to nominate someone who will make major preparations and decisions for the band. This individual will be in charge of practice schedules, keeping in contact with all of the members of bands and eventually, the booking of gigs.

As you can see, there is quite a lot of work involved. So, you will need someone who is responsible and good at organizing to handle all of these elements. Of course, this doesn’t mean that just one person needs to be burdened with all of the issues of the band. However, there does need to be a leader to help assign all of the various tasks.

Have the Debate of Covers vs. Original Music

It is important to narrow down your band’s identity rather early on. So, you will find that one of the first things that you will have to discuss is the type of music that you will be practicing. More specifically, will you and your band be writing original music or sticking with covers for now? If most of your bandmates are novices and require a little bit more musical help, then covers may be the best route for you.
In fact, starting out with covers may be a good way option for your band in the early stages. It will provide everyone with the opportunity to get comfortable with each other’s playing styles. Once you start sounding good together, you can then move onto creating your own songs.

Finding the Right Practice Space

Depending on where you live, one of the obstacles that you may face is finding a place to practice. The most obvious options are the basement of one of your bandmates. Of course, you should make sure that you will not be disturbed while you practice. If you aren’t allowed to practice in a neighborhood due to the noise issues, then it can be helpful to consider community spaces. As long as you book well in advance, you should be able to find a spot for a reduced rate or even for free. When your band manages to book a gig, though, it can be a good idea for you to splurge on a professional space, at least for a few practices. This way, you will find it easier to adjust your playing so that everyone sounds a lot better.

Have Fun

The last piece of advice is to remember to have fun. You and your bandmates shouldn’t get caught up in the little details that can cause fighting. Rather, keep in mind that a love of music brought all of you together. So, continue to find your happiness and solidarity in this shared appreciation.
There you have it – what you need to know about putting a band together. While it may be quite an effort, there is no denying that it will be totally worth it in the end.