So you want to start a band. That's great! In this document I will be primarily focusing on worship bands, since that is what I have experience with. I have been a part of one and led another. Both were great experiences that I thoroughly enjoyed.
First you have to have a reason. Why do you want to start a band? Is it leading people in worship, a way to use your talents for God, or simply a way to use your skills to make money (which is not a bad thing)?This will be the base for your band. It will define what you do with your music. Will you write worship songs to sing at worship conferences, or write songs for more performance oriented venues? Some of this will come with time, as well as taking in the ideas of others who join your band.
If you are going for a specific genre you need specific instruments, but the best way to get band members is by simply looking around. Who do you know who is a good guitar player? Who is a good drummer? Those are good questions to ask yourself. If you just so happen to know an extremely talented bagpiper, go for it! Having your own unique sound will help you succeed.
Once you know who you want to ask you have to see if they are interested. Most serious musicians who are not in too many activities will be interested in an opportunity to perform. Just put the word out, and see who answers. You do not need to have the perfect band, you just need a few good musicians.
One thing that is often needed is a designated leader. The whole band can still make most decisions, but the leader is the person who has the final say in important matters, such as where to play, whether the band should play a certain song, etc. The leader is usually the person who starts the band, but if the person does not want to lead then another leader must be chosen. The leader should be dedicated, as well as being a good musician. It is a tough job, so the leader should understand that it will take up a lot of his or her time.
When you have gotten people together and are ready to practice, start off slow, especially if you are writing your own songs. These are often imperfect at first, and will need to be improved as you practice. You will also need time to just get familiar with each other's playing styles. Once you get in sync with one another then learning new songs will be easy.
Writing songs just takes patience. You cannot just think up an idea and write about it, you have to write down meaningful words and put them together with a fitting tune. For me it helps to write the words first, free of the music, then add music in. You don't fit the words to the music, you fit the music to the words. It may be easier for you to do the opposite, so take time to work on writing.
After this point I can't help you much, but you should be ready to work with your band on everything else. I hope you are successful in what you do, and that you use it to glorify God, even if you aren't a Christian-specific group. Success is a blessing, so thank God by being dedicated to Him in everything you do.
If you have any thoughts, suggestions, etc, then please either comment below or contact me through the Comment page. Thank you for reading!
First you have to have a reason. Why do you want to start a band? Is it leading people in worship, a way to use your talents for God, or simply a way to use your skills to make money (which is not a bad thing)?This will be the base for your band. It will define what you do with your music. Will you write worship songs to sing at worship conferences, or write songs for more performance oriented venues? Some of this will come with time, as well as taking in the ideas of others who join your band.
If you are going for a specific genre you need specific instruments, but the best way to get band members is by simply looking around. Who do you know who is a good guitar player? Who is a good drummer? Those are good questions to ask yourself. If you just so happen to know an extremely talented bagpiper, go for it! Having your own unique sound will help you succeed.
Once you know who you want to ask you have to see if they are interested. Most serious musicians who are not in too many activities will be interested in an opportunity to perform. Just put the word out, and see who answers. You do not need to have the perfect band, you just need a few good musicians.
One thing that is often needed is a designated leader. The whole band can still make most decisions, but the leader is the person who has the final say in important matters, such as where to play, whether the band should play a certain song, etc. The leader is usually the person who starts the band, but if the person does not want to lead then another leader must be chosen. The leader should be dedicated, as well as being a good musician. It is a tough job, so the leader should understand that it will take up a lot of his or her time.
When you have gotten people together and are ready to practice, start off slow, especially if you are writing your own songs. These are often imperfect at first, and will need to be improved as you practice. You will also need time to just get familiar with each other's playing styles. Once you get in sync with one another then learning new songs will be easy.
Writing songs just takes patience. You cannot just think up an idea and write about it, you have to write down meaningful words and put them together with a fitting tune. For me it helps to write the words first, free of the music, then add music in. You don't fit the words to the music, you fit the music to the words. It may be easier for you to do the opposite, so take time to work on writing.
After this point I can't help you much, but you should be ready to work with your band on everything else. I hope you are successful in what you do, and that you use it to glorify God, even if you aren't a Christian-specific group. Success is a blessing, so thank God by being dedicated to Him in everything you do.
If you have any thoughts, suggestions, etc, then please either comment below or contact me through the Comment page. Thank you for reading!