Advice on playing in first band.

[hardstarter]

Recently a few friends of mine decided to start a band where i would be the guitar player. Another lead guitar player will probably be added. I am starting to question my skills and was wondering how i could calm down and jam. Maybe some advice on good gigging amps and how to get along with other band members would be great. O ya and we are gunna play like metallica and black sabbath. any advice would be hot. sorry if this is a little confusing.

[Keith]

Don't worry about "gigging amps" just yet.Questioning your skills is normal when you form your 1rst band, but don't let it be the end all or the source of focus.Your jobs are to make music.At this point in time, nobody has to be the band leader.And in reality, in any given band, there is NO leader..There is no "I" in team.First off, take 3 of your bands favorate artists, and work on 2 songs from each.Make sure that EVERYONE has agreed that these are the songs that are to be worked on, and don't devieate from them, unless it/they get stagnent.Then all agree to move on to something else.
Are far as getting along with other members, set a common ground..personal life stays personal and not brought up while rehearsing or before a show.
If you see someone getting a big head (ego), set them aside, and express your feelings.This is kind of like a marraige, and communication is crutial to a happy band.

[spideypunk]

Go for it mate! Me and a bst friend and some other friends just have fun jamming and covering songs and now its evolved into something more serious and potential to gig, and i wouldnt worry about equiptment, im sure 90% of bands play on pieces of crap for their first few shows,i know we will..
All i can say is have fun! And cover versions are a brilliant start!
Good luck :D

[motorhead_6]

The most important thing is just to keep on jamming. It sounds simple but its not. Whatever else you do if you keep on jamming and keep on jamming then you will have as good a chance as anybody of making it someday. Thats not a very good chance but its a chance. Bands that dont keep jamming and jamming and jamming all the time have a zero % chance of making it one day.

[lonster]

i would suggest making sure that the people you start a band with are ones you'd have no trouble living with. a band is a fragile thing. in my opinion it's better to start with someone who might not be as adept on an instrument if one has a click with them. one can always get to be a better player, it's harder to make someone stop being an *********.

[supercobra]

Keep in mind that this band is probably not going anywhere, so it dosent matter if some hot lead player shows up. The best thing you can do now is learn. If you hang in there, learn from others, and express yourself when you can, eventually you will be that hot lead player that others will respect.

Remember, its supposed to be fun.

[gpiper]

Dude, i wouldn't worry bout the equipment issues. I no for my first gig there were 3 ppl. Two guitars n a drummer. We had crappy amps, n i mean real crappy. My first amp, the one i had at this time, was 6 watts...and this gig was at a party in a medium sized hall, playing to over 600 ppl. the singer is filipino, hehe so u can imagine the families :P not bad for a first gig hey. lol, anyway back to the story. crappy amps, so we just plugged directly into the PA system they had set up there (we weren't the only performance). n i mean straight from guitar into the PA. Well...didn't that just sound like crap. We played about a girl by nirvana and aerials by system of a down, both songs with quite a bit of distortion (specially aerials), well, listen to it n u'll no that u can't have this kinda set up wiv this kinda song! hehe. and about a girl has a solo, not very good, but hey, a solo is a solo, and i coodn't even hear hear it anyway when we played! the thing was, we played the songs perfectly, not one single mistake. filipino's have a great talent for being able to sing low very very well, and i must say that this guy sounds almost exactly like kurt cobain himself, and he also nailed aerials, after a lot of practice time but hey. anyway, even with crappy gear, we played great, and the feeling was awesome. all u guys out there that have ever nailed a gig perfectly no the feeling. even today, it is one of the best feelings ever. nothing comes close to going to a gig with high powered, distortion cranked amp with a cry baby plugged into it and nailing that song, or screaming solo. so anyway, don't worry bout the equipment, worry bout ur playing. if u play good, the audience will respect you, after we had finished everyone started clapping, and for 3 musicians that had never performed before, to get applause from 600+ ppl plus...well as i said, the feeling is indescribable. the feeling, indeed that whole night, remains one of the highlights of my music career, and indeed my life. my advice is just get out and play, if u are new to playing, they will respect that u are just beginning and understand that u can't afford new equipment. we were 13 when we played this gig so yeah. just get out n do it man. newayz nuf from me now, cyas all later.

[KingJames]

hey man, you can't possibly be worse than i was when i started my first jam band...especially when i stood next to the other guitarist (who was and is an official hoss) i looked like a fool, just be confident, but not cocky...oh yea, and have fun! :toohappy:

[genereaux]

If it gets to point where you're playing somewhere, the PA should be able to overcome your equipment issues. But in the meantime, just play. Interpersonal relations are always a thing with bands. Have everyone pick a couple songs(like a democracy) to work on, decide on a couple and JAM.

"There's no 'I' in tEaM, but if you look really close, there IS a 'ME'" - Me

Sean

[HolyCrow]

one of the things that kinda sucked for me, and im sure for my other band members was i had different expectations from the other guys in the group. They all wanted to take the band thing super seriously like practice 3 times a week and 'get famous' i just wanted to have fun play around with some cover songs at first and enjoy myself.

So basically im saying, like in any relationship, know your other partners expectations.. :p

[mik]

i had the same problem with my first band, what you must remember is that you are working togather, the members are not competing just relax and if you muck up they will understand. Remember music is about enjoyment. Metallica fuel is a good cover thats relatively easy with a short solo. Sabbath paranoid is a classic, might be an idea to dabble in other genres for inspiration like jazz, funk, metal etc

good luck!!!

[SKEETER]

Play with the band like you do in your bedroom. Go to practice with the attitude that you are not going to do it right and you know it. Just jam away. I have been playing for years, and I make a lot of mistakes on stage, at practice the band members just play the songs, and we correct each other on parts that need work, and like that. That is what practice is, it is not to sound perfect, it is to hash the songs out. Most often when we start doing a new song, it is because someone started playing it while tuning up and others chime in. We don't do it right the first time, sometimes we don't get it right on stage. After we start doing a song at practice, I sit down with it and work out some of the leads Big deal, so we blow a tune now and then. Fatherland security hasn't arrested me for bad notes, I have never had thugs meet me in the parking lot because I started "Black MAgic Woman" in the wrong key, and the club never docked me a few dollars.
Also, all the live albums you have heard, forget about it man, no doubt in my mind they doctor them up in the studio and fix bad notes all the time. There are some of the guys from the rock era that can do songs perfect on stage, but I bet to get enough material for a live album some notes have to be fixed.
I also bet that on for example Leno or Letterman, that after the show is taped, the musicians stay around and fix notes, no doubt in my mind, no band is perfect enough to play a different set of songs every night and never miss a note. I bet the guest bands stick around til after the show to fix notes too. gotta be.

[Pick_Master]

just practice practice practice and soon youll be well on ur way to playing well

[Lazy Bee]

Getting along with other band members is like most relationships. Give and take. Don't discount someones idea to quickly. Help him hunt it down and see if it works or not. Likewise you have the right to ask for the same. Similar to working with a producer. Creative minds are open. It's a bad sign if a band mate wont even try your ideas. Doesn't mean you have to quit the band right away. Theres still plenty to learn even in that situation. Just don't do something foolish like take a loan on a bus or P.A. with someone like that. That would be a Baaaaad thing.
On your comfort level, in my opinion, great tone helps. It's not at the top of the list but it's in there. Remember why you're doing this. Enjoy yourself!

[xman]

In my opinion, the single most important thing is making sure the band members are all of approximately equal skill levels so no one is holding everyone back. I mean, yes, interpersonal relationships are important...but often the root of trouble is caused by people getting frustrated because of one member that's slowing them down.

[SKEETER]

SKills are just a part of playing in a band. Attitude is important. One thing to always do, is not be so uptight about making mistakes that you are all wound up. Relax at practice and just kind of play, and let the music come out of you naturally. That way, if you do miss a lick, you are not screwing up more laboring over it. ALL GUITARISTS MISS LICKS. Remember that. All those live albums you ever heard have likely had mistakes fixed in the studio.
I made the mistake of , when I was younger, being such a perfectionist that I was always very tense on stage. I have found that once I got over that, I not only learned a lot more and faster ( because I was learning at ease and soaking it in, instead of working hard at it and turning learning into a stan and ollie routine, or being scared to death of hitting a clanger).
You cannot play in a band and not get better. Even someone not paritcularly musically inclined will learn in a band if he sticks with it. Just don't make it all work.
At the same time, treat it professionally, show up on time, have your homework done best you can, and, don't be bashfull about accomodating your own needs to learn. I carry a breifcase and a notebook to practice, and write things down ( I have a horrible memory), so that I always have information at home to remind me what the band is working on, what I need work on, and whatever else you might forget.
Also, treat other musicians like they are musicians. Treat them with the same concern for their endeavers as you expect treated for yours, and never underestimate anyone. I have a story about that. Years ago, I played with a band for a few weeks, and this little guy was there, I thought he was a kid hanging out with the band that just banged a tamborine. This was in perhaps 1981. I did not work out with the band. Years later, a band heard my CD and wanted me to play. It turned out it was the same band with the same members, except this little fellow ( now middle aged) that was there is now fronting the band, the bands main brain and front guy had died. This guy is quite talented, and I am honored to be playing music with him. I wish I had never underestimated him.
Also remember that all musicians approach things differently from each other. Some remember how to play songs the first time they hear them, some do not. Some can pick out chord patterns out of their head , some need to sit down with the CD and learn everything a little at a time. Some learn slow, some learn fast, some are domineering, some are very passive. Learn to put up with people. Bands break up because people cannot accomodate each others quirks. Down inside we are all ********. I have the attitude that I will put up with everyone elses crap as long as they can tolerate mine. That works fine.
The bass player in the band I am in learns stuff right off, and remembers it. The drummer has to have the feel down to remember songs. One of the front guys forgets a lot of stuff, but the dude has soul, he is also a percussionist and guitarist, and plays the harp with feel like you never heard, so what if he forgot to come in on the third verse last gig? The guy that does most of the fronting now plays guitar and keyboards, and is high energy and somewhat aggressive. That could be a bad thing, but in reality we all realize his aggressiveness is more of an asset than a problem. And I have a terrible memory, and need to work myself hard at home to learn and memorize all the leads and fill work to the songs we do. I am kind of a pain in the *** in bands because I always need to call someone and ask "on the second verse of that song, am I supposed to do licks there or what?" or borrow CDs to learn the licks to songs from, but on the other hand, on stage I know the songs and know how to get the band back out of a mistake when it happens.
The band I am in is made up of imperfect people that tolerate each others quirks, and that is the bottom line. That is why the band works out well.

[Peaceful]

The most important thing is just to keep on jamming. It sounds simple but its not. Whatever else you do if you keep on jamming and keep on jamming then you will have as good a chance as anybody of making it someday. Thats not a very good chance but its a chance. Bands that dont keep jamming and jamming and jamming all the time have a zero % chance of making it one day.
Motorhead - do you mean keep jamming?

[Peaceful]

I had a band back in the '60s (that is the 1960s) . We had no amp so I built one from scratch. I got a schematic from "Practical Electronics" and bent the metal for the chassis, drilled it for the tube bases and soldered all the little bitty electronic thingies inside. It ran forty watts through two 12" Fane speakers and, to us teenagers, sounded awesome. Well, OK, I guess. We ran three mikes, two guitars and the bass through it. The two output valves er tubes, were 807s and they flashed this weird purple light. Kewel.

Point is, er, what was my point? Ah well, this happens at 56, I guess.

[zappatude]

Man, do you still have that amp?

[eexplorer505]

Problaly said a thousand time have fun and mess around an relise ur gonna make mistakes. get nervous either take a shot of liquid courage and say fuk it or play one person at a time to get a groove with someone. and if someone is an ahole and say nething f'dup kick em out dont need that kind of eggo will only prevent u from become a better musicain. but lifes to short to care bout that play play i say like i did til the fingers bleed and u lost 10lbs. o yea make sure ur in a comfortable area when first jammin helps out alot.

[PhantomLord]

often the root of trouble is caused by people getting frustrated because of one member that's slowing them down.
but it's great if you can get in the opposite situation. you find someone really good, and they just make everyone try harder and play better, so the band sounds better, and every1's happy. the hardest part about this is finding someone who's really good, but not cocky about it and all they do is show off. playing with people who are better than you really helps.

[Peaceful]

Man, do you still have that amp?

Sorry, Zappa, sold it for a Vespa scooter in 1965. It is probable deep in the landfill somewhere in Devonshire by now.

[FenderTele]

Man, do you still have that amp?
Ill get the backHOE you get the shovel where goin to devonshire

[gruzzy]

Dude, don't worry about not being good enough. Playing with other people is probably the best way to become a better player IMHO. And it's fun too. :D

[moongoose29]

Here is my advice I have been playing 13 years and I used to shake really bad playing in front of people I am over this now and do not feel nervous now. If you make a mistake keep going never stop and let people know a mistake was made, Learn all you can from people who have been at it a while, and have fun with it that is what music is all about and sometimes you will sound great and other times terrible but remember that all the great players never gave up and you should not question you skills at all.

[SKEETER]

Here is my advice I have been playing 13 years and I used to shake really bad playing in front of people I am over this now and do not feel nervous now. If you make a mistake keep going never stop and let people know a mistake was made, Learn all you can from people who have been at it a while, and have fun with it that is what music is all about and sometimes you will sound great and other times terrible but remember that all the great players never gave up and you should not question you skills at all.

I never worry about bad notes on stage. First of all, most people that listen to bands wouldn't know a bad note from angels singing, particularly after about 9 PM in a bar. Most in a bar to see a band are more interested in dancing and the party than the band, and are not paying that much attention anyway. You have to hit a pretty bad note before anyone but those on stage notice it, and even if they do hear the bad note, most don't know what instrument made it, just give someone else in the band a bad look like they did it when you hit a gonger ( make sure he is not looking at you when you do it).
Not only that, those in the audience that do notice the bad note are likely musicians themselves and know that noone plays 100% perfect all the time.
I would say that in the course of a 4 hour show, that everyone in the band I am in makes one mistake per set that the others notice. I tend to make at least one noticable mistake a set, sometimes a lot more ( in my defence, I play all the lead guitar work and much of the backround work , doing such things as faking steel guitar and string sections on guitar). The band hasn't kicked me out yet, when I was pondering quitting recently ( am kinda old and busted up and playing out is very difficult for me) they talked me into staying.

ALSO all bands should have at least a few practices where the band mutually agrees on how to handle bad mistakes. I am talking about a situation where the singer sings the verses out of order or something. Some bands ( the band I am in is good at this) just seem to know how to get out of a jam onstage ( we are all very seasoned, this particular band has been together on and off for 25 years or so).
An example of what I mean is, for example, if someone screws up and does something at the wrong time ( very often it is a guitar player that makes a wrong turn and the singer and drummer follow him right into the ditch) work out signals with the singer, For instance, if he holds up one finger (insult finger?) then everyone would know that means to come back around to the verse that was missed and continue the song from there. Sometimes signals between band members are something that develop naturally without discussion. A good insurance policy is to work out signals with the front man ahead of time if you have not played with the band well enough to know everyones quirks.
The trick with bands is not merely how to avoid mistakes, it is much more important to know how to deal with them when you do. You ARE going to.

[sten]

ok its oh so simple. you get to a pub right, order a few pints, decide on a band name, seriously consider the band members first. and i'm not just talking about ability to play. you gotta be really comfortable wit them. and they must be a little mad yet mature.ie funloving. but certainly and let me stress this do not let any dxxxheads enter that band. you'll seriously regrett it. even if they are unreal at their axe. oh and have fun its all about enjoying it and don't worry your head about becoming the next hendrix

[Aarguitar01]

Even if you have a kickin' band, chances are that you won't get anything more than some decent local gigs. If you are going to be in a band, you have to do it for the fun of playing. There are some punks at my school in a band simply because it gets them girls, and they are all D***heads, so know that playing for anything other than the enjoyment of music won't last. Plus, it's a whole lot funner playing with people you enjoy being around!
Meh...

[ProGuitarN00b]

Don't say, we are going to play like so-and-so, think, we are playing like ourselves. The key to being a good band is to have a sound that's not too much like someone else's, because the fans will pick the more famous one to listen to. I hope you understand what I'm saying.


:riff: RoCk On!!!

[Tingly]

I just got around to reading this thread (again?), in its entirety. SKEETER, that was some great all around, practical advice, even for an experienced player!! Thank you very much. I will try to keep each and every thing you mentioned in mind.