Starting a classic rock band, or any band, for that matter, can be an exciting and fulfilling experience for any musician. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, there are several key steps to take in order to get your band up and running. In this blog post, we’ll go over some tips for beginners on how to start a classic rock band.
Step 1: Find Musicians Who Share Your Vision
The first step in starting any band is finding musicians who share your vision. This means finding people who have similar tastes in music, are committed to practicing and performing, and have the skills necessary to play their instruments at a high level.
One way to find potential band members is by attending local open mic nights or jam sessions. These events are great places to meet other musicians and see if you connect musically. You can also advertise online or through social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram.
When looking for potential band members, it’s important to keep an open mind. Don’t limit yourself to musicians who only play one specific instrument or like a specific music genre; you may find that having a pop keyboard player or jazz saxophonist adds a unique sound to your band.
Step 2: Choose Your Band Name and Image
Once you’ve found your core group of musicians, it’s time to start thinking about your band name and image. Your name should be catchy, memorable, and reflective of the type of music you play. It’s also important that everyone in the band agrees on the name.
Your band’s image should also reflect the type of music you play. Classic rock bands often have a vintage look with leather jackets, t-shirts with logos of their favorite bands from the 1970s or 1980s, and long hair. But don’t feel like you have to fit into any specific mold-let your creativity shine through!
Step 3: Determine Your Sound
Before you start writing songs and rehearsing as a band, it’s important to determine what kind of sound you want to create. This involves choosing which instruments will be used in each song, deciding on vocal harmonies (if applicable), and selecting which genres will influence your style.
When it comes to classic rock music, there are many different sub-genres to explore – from blues-based rock ‘n’ roll like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin; heavy metal influences such as Black Sabbath; psychedelic sounds like Pink Floyd; Southern rock influenced by Lynyrd Skynyrd; pop-rock bands like The Beatles; hard rock groups such as AC/DC; punk-inspired acts like The Ramones or even funk-influenced groups like Sly & The Family Stone.
It’s important that everyone in the band is on board with creating this sound so that rehearsals can be productive.
Step 4: Cover Band VS. Writing Original Songs
Performing As A Cover Band
Performing as a cover band is more compatible with musicians that have busy lives outside of music. The majority of The Rhythm Method Band’s members all have young families, kids’ activities outside of school, and full-time jobs. Therefore, in our case, being a cover band works for us.
Writing Original Songs
Songwriting is arguably one of the most important aspects of being in a classic rock band because it sets you apart from other cover bands out there.
Collaboration is key when writing songs – everyone should contribute ideas for lyrics, melodies, or chord progressions until something clicks together that feels right for all members involved. It’s important not only to write good songs but also to make sure they fit within the scope of what has been established as “the sound” for your group before moving forward too much with them.
Remember that writing original material takes time and patience – sometimes months or even years – but once completed these songs will become part of your signature sound as well as something fans will look forward to hearing live performances!
Step 5: Establish a Practice Venue
Whether it’s someone’s basement, garage, living room, or other space, securing a venue for regular practice is so important to start and maintain the band.
Remember, the venue doesn’t have to be a huge space; just somewhere where all the band’s practice gear will fit and everyone can play their instrument comfortably. In fact, The Rhythm Method Band has practiced in one of our members’ living rooms for the last few years.
Another factor to take into consideration is the venue should be central to where members of the band live. or, at the very least, is a short drive to the venue.
Step 6: Practice Regularly
Now that you’ve established a place to hold practices, it’s time to have regularly scheduled practice! Practice is where everything comes together – where all those individual parts become one cohesive whole – so make sure everyone shows up on time prepared with their instrument tuned properly!
Regular practice sessions help build chemistry between members while honing the technical skills required for performing live onstage effectively. It’s crucial that every member put forth their best effort into learning their own parts before coming together so that less time is spent during practice going over basic things rather than focusing on areas needing improvement collectively.
Step 7: Book Gigs
Once you’ve practiced enough together as a unit, now it’s time to book gigs! There are several ways to go about booking gigs – reaching out directly to local venues via email, phone calls, or through mutual contacts. Also, using social media platforms such as Facebook events pages, setting up concerts at house parties, or even community venues.
Be prepared when booking gigs- know exactly what kind of venues suit style best (i.e., bars versus concert halls) so appropriate marketing strategies can be put placed accordingly. Also consider factors such as audience size, demographics, location, etc. when selecting performance dates since these variables affect turnout rates significantly .
Conclusion:
Starting a classic rock band requires dedication, passion, creativity, talent, collaboration, and communication skills among many others! But by following these tips, beginners will be well-equipped to get started successfully. Remember: Practice makes perfect!