THE BREAKOUT MUSICIAN SERIES

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Starting Band, Common Pitfalls – PART 3 OF 4

To keep consistent with parts 1 and 2, here’s another quote from my journal. This one marks the first time I felt like I had something going and thus, had something to lose. Up until this point it was just random auditions and me hunting people down and trying to convince them to audition for my band. Which didn’t exist yet, haha.

Journal 12/5/2013.

“I’ve found someone I want to bring into Mannequin AND make my partner. She has more talent than me, which is how I like it! She also is married and I liked her husband when I met him at the audition.

I’m nervous about getting the right people, but honestly, if I only get a couple that will stick with me, I’ll be lucky. I know when you start a business you turnover the staff a few times while getting your flow and practices in place. That’s fine.”

FIRST ~ FIND LOCAL MUSICIANS

Whether you are a band leader, an ex-band leader or a future band leader doing research, I hope this helps. First I’d recommend that you find local musicians! If it isn’t easy to get together, eventually you won’t ~ Once you find local musicians to audition, my goal is to help you identify some of the more common issues that break bands up so you can dodge them.

 

13 COMMON PITFALLS OF STARTING A BAND

In the 2 previous blogs of this series I covered the first 6 common pitfalls:

1. Money
2. Colliding personalities
3. Resistance to Advice or Criticism
4. Ego
5. Jobs & Personalities
6. Laziness

 

Here are the next 4!!

 

7 WANTING DIFFERENT THINGS

Want good chemistry? Well, you should. It should be one of your primary concerns when auditioning and interviewing potential bandmates. If you can get it, every show will be infectiously fun and entertaining!

In my blogs I discuss in great detail how important goals are, but they are only as strong as they are well-aligned with your bandmates and business partners. Do you want to travel or be home based? Or play bars, events or both? Or do you want weekend fun or fame!? Maybe you’d like to start with online presence and marketing material (meaning your launch will take longer) or by playing around town first (meaning you’ll play for very little money and small crowds)?

Many bands get one or even two years into their run before realizing they have conflicting goals. Like I said, we’ll go over this more in coming chapters and it’s a huge part of my workshops. I consider finding like-minded people the most important aspect of every venture I undertake.

 

8 MUSICAL CONFLICTS

Even if your goals all line up, people evolve differently. It’s that simple. This should never be bitter or personal, it’s the most natural thing that can happen. You want to make it your first order of business to find local musicians who are at least basically aligned with your musical taste and interest!

 

9 SPOUSES

If an important member doesn’t have their spouse’s support, it can undo a band. Spouses of musicians don’t have an easy job… they put up with long hours and travel and if there are troubles at home or kids who need parents to be more on hands, it’s often the spouse who takes the brunt of this. It’s even worst for the spouse of a musician who wants to start a band because starting a band can be a full time job, and then some… and that’s not even to mention the fact that you’ll be preoccupied while constantly mulling over the decisions you’ll have to make artistically, as a band leader and as a business person. I would say not to start a band if you didn’t have the time and support of your spouse. And do NOT let a band come between a relationship that is important to you.

In rare instances, spouses have been known to be jealous or petty and are not supportive, driving a wedge between a musician and his or her band mates. I’ve also seen band members do really stupid stuff that got them in trouble with their spouses who then, understandably, threw down the gauntlet and made them quit the band. 

 

10 SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Substance abuse is anything you ingest that hinders your ability to do your job. Drugs. Alcohol. Food (yes food, situations involving morbid obesity can be very difficult on bandmates). Whatever the substance or level of abuse, if it’s impeding your ability to learn, communicate, perform at the level expected… it’s not a good thing. 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine if some musicians don’t need the income, or are just doing this for fun, or think it shouldn’t be a big deal if they party. There’s nothing at all wrong with that!! In fact, some bands are literally formed for that reason. They want to unwind and blow off steam doing what they love, with no pressure. But if you are serious about performance and income, it’s probably not fine in your band. 

 

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HERE ARE JUST SOME OTHER COMING CHAPTERS/BLOGS in:

THE BREAKOUT MUSICIAN SERIES

Originally posted here on DMI’s Music School Blog ~ (not necessarily in order)

• MYTH POPPING
• WHAT DO YOU ALREADY KNOW
• WHAT ARE YOUR EXISTING RESOURCES
• MUSIC INDUSTRY INCOME FIGURES TOP TO BOTTOM (KNOW THE PLAYING FIELD)
• MORE MYTH POPPING
• WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT?
• DEFINING SUCCESS
• BREAKING INTO THE SCENE
• HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD YOU MAKE
• WHAT CREATES THE “VALUE” OF YOUR PRODUCT

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