The Smiley Smile Message Board

Hey as a few of you guys know, I and two others are trying to start a group.  We call ourselves Rebellious, and we want to write songs and perform them in albums and live for an audience.  I have looked up numerous online guides to officially start up a band and I am not sure where to go first.  Does any of you fellow musicians have any suggestions for where we should start?

Just for giggles here is our website.  We planned an album release in November but we got stuck and shelved it.  The site has not been updated since and, thankfully, no one really saw it.  Does it look any good?

http://www.rebelliousband.t28.net/

We have a spotty server so it might not load up properly right now...  I'm trying to fix it.  Bear with me.  If the site doesn't work, here is our logo:
(http://i58.tinypic.com/zwyzk3.png)

Here it is animated:
(http://i57.tinypic.com/119clms.gif)
(The image only loops once, it's supposed to be a sort of animation for the website or a live show)

As you can see, I have already faced a lot of problems and I haven't even started truly recording yet.  I would honestly like to make music for a living and hopefully network during college to get paid for my/our music.  Music is my passion and I cannot see myself doing anything else in my life so if anyone could point me and the band in a good direction to start, that would be so great!

Thank you!   :)

Interesting topic. in my opinion and experience, being in a band isn't really something you can learn in a guide. It takes a lot of trial and error. The most important thing you can do is to not wait around for anyone to do anything for you, or "find" you. Learn to do it all yourself. By that I mean take serious time to study gear, recording, mixing, marketing, networking, etc. Study where the music business has been and where it seems to be heading, copyright law, publishing, digital distribution, etc. Set yourself up for making your own success.

With your bandmates, spend hours upon hours jamming. Don't immediately set your sights on albums and shows, or even writing songs - just learn each other first. Hone your chops together and learn to read each other without having to ever speak. Develop that second language. Then you'll have unconsciously figured out how to write songs together in the voice that you've collectively found. Being in a band is a lot like being in a relationship - you're going to spend a lot of time with these people learning and growing, so there has to be musical trust. Once you've developed that second language, the trust comes naturally, and your band is a lot better for it. Know that everything you do, every show you play, every track you record is going to make you better in the long run - and it most likely won't be too pretty when you start. In the future, you may look back on things from the beginning and cringe a little, but you need to take those steps to get to where you'll be. I know it's cliche, but there's a reason cliche's stand the test of time.

I'd recommend some of Bobby Owsinski's books such as Music 4.0, The Recording Engineer's Handbook, and The Mixing Engineer's Handbook to start. You can find them here: http://www.amazon.com/Bobby-Owsinski/e/B001K8A8F8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1423975334&sr=8-1 (http://www.amazon.com/Bobby-Owsinski/e/B001K8A8F8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1423975334&sr=8-1).

Thank you so much!  Will read!

This book will be useful to you:
http://www.amazon.com/Supernatural-Strategies-Making-Rock-Group/dp/1617751308/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424077751&sr=1-1&keywords=ian+svenonius (http://www.amazon.com/Supernatural-Strategies-Making-Rock-Group/dp/1617751308/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424077751&sr=1-1&keywords=ian+svenonius)
(http://pitchfork-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/content/supernatural.jpg?wmode=transparent)

#1. Get a group of people together with a love of music. At least one that can sing, a drummer, bassist and guitarist and/or keyboardist. #2. Decide on a repertoire of songs people know and love like Louie louie, help me rhonda, summertime blues, johnny b goode, honky tonk etc. #3. Get gigs, perform the songs well and pay homage to the golden age of rockNroll!

This is how you do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFeJkziQCt4

I will tell you exactly how to start a band, and it will be the opposite of what everyone tells you, but it works.

1.  Book a gig.

That is it.  If you have a show, the musicians will follow.  With due respect to the other posters here and all other conventional wisdom, do NOT spend months and years trying to find the right musicians, do not spend hours jamming, do not wait until you are ready.  99% of the time this will just wind up in a lot of wasted (though fun) effort talking about how great it would be to be in a band, that implodes as soon as there is any pressure added.  I am not speaking theoretically.  I have seen this happen, over and over and over again.

If you actually have a gig, it will give you the impetus to find people who will do for the time being.  It will attract musicians who are bored and who will know you are serious.  You will not get the right group off the bat; no one does.  It's something that happens over time as you find your way and people get on and off the bus.

People have praised my own band, the Chaos Band, as being an amazing amalgam of players, and they are.  When they ask me how I found them, it's pretty simple:  I was a moving train and over time and necessity, the band coalesced.  That's how you do it.  Trust me.

1.  Book a gig.  That's it.  The rest will follow.

Seriously, that is some great advice. Thank you, Adam.

So you want to be a rock and roll star?
Then listen now to what I say
Just get an electric guitar
Then take some time and learn how to play

And with your hair swung right
And your pants too tight, it's gonna be all right
Then it's time to go downtown
Where the agent man won't let you down

Sell your soul to the company
Who are waiting there to sell plastic ware
And in a week or two if you make the charts
The girls'll tear you apart

The price you paid for your riches and fame
Was it all a strange game? You're a little insane
The money, the fame, and the public acclaim
Don't forget who you are, you're a rock and roll star

(Hillman, McGuinn)

Do not do this. Cover bands are a waste of talent and it bums me out when I see them. Do something new.

PAY HOMAGE TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF ROCKNROLL, YOU NUGGETHEAD

I used to feel this way but I changed my mind. If a band has no special songwriting talent, (but are good musicians) why not play other people's songs? Songwriters write songs so that they can be played. People have been doing it for thousands of years. You or I may prefer to watch original bands, but for live music to thrive (as opposed to venues just playing records) covers bands are important too. In an ideal world every bar would have live music and there would be music to cater for all tastes.
 
On the other hand, I still think anyone who pays high prices to see a "tribute" band is a sucker.

Update: Borrowed a drum set from a family friend.  My group will be able to rehearse at my house this coming Friday and Sunday.
(http://i58.tinypic.com/2sb1jdl.jpg)
_{Sorry the image came out so big.}

The bare minimum that you'll need to start a "band" is somebody that can sing, and somebody that can play the guitar/piano/bass with enough effects that it can mimic a guitar/piano. The singer and instrumentalist can be the same person, but the more people you have, the less stressed out you'll be. At least until you're famous and the 4 different band members have 4 different managers/lawyers and you have no sort of relationship with your former friends aside from a business one.

Learn to play some scales, learn some songs other people wrote. Get inspired and learn to write your own tunes.


Either way, get proficient at playing covers and/or original tunes, and you'll be neck deep in bar slut tang before you know it.

Update on the rehearsals: I have a bass player, a guitar player (he whizzes), a drummer (who can actually keep time), and I am the main vocalist. 
They were fantastic!  The rehearsal itself was exhilarating!  So far we have learned Revolution 1 by the Beatles.  We are also planning to rehearse once a week on Friday.  We are scheduled to perform Revolution 1 at a pops concert at school in May and we already have a blazing start on it.  The band is also enjoying the composition I finished called Little Boy in Red.  I will post more about how we sound tomorrow.   ;D

P.S. my members seem to enjoy the Beach Boys Love You...   :angel:

Question, does anyone know what equipment I need to play or record (effectively) live??  It might seem like a lot, but I would like to know an estimate of how much everything costs because it is really annoying using just one usb microphone in the room recording everything...  Any suggestions?  Thank you.

Smb. else will chime in to answer your question, FHCS. Without reading people's previous replies, I'd like to reply to topic as well. It's general reply not to you since you're with band by now. Here's what would I do to start band:

1. If nobody familiar joins, will place ad, f.ex. "Band is about to exist. Need bass, guitar, drum players".
2. Musicians met. Band's complete. Find good business-savvy manager - via agency, by recommends etc.
3. Decide the place which will be studio. Jam. Sing.
4. Decide who will be lead singer. Main songwriters.
5. Write songs. Add few covers.
6. Sign to clubs, cafes, street fairs, local concerts to play music to gain money & popularity.
7. Agree to collaborate with various local musicians, in chance that via smb.'s friends' friends' friends you'll be introduced to smb. important. Maybe producer.
8. Send demos to few record publications. Show in time if they ring you at last.

This is start.