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Starting A Band, 13 Common Pitfalls Part 1 – The Breakout Musician Series

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THE BREAKOUT MUSICIAN SERIES



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Starting Bands, 13 Common Pitfalls – PART 1 OF 4

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Alan Currens, The Breakout Musician

I’d like to start off with an actual quote from my own journal. I started this Journal when I started to create the business plan that would launch Mannequin. I had a solo act and was doing some looping and playing the kinds of bars that could only afford solo acts. It is a tell all look inside my head as to the struggles, thoughts, doubts, ambitions, etc… of a wanna-be band leader.

Journal 4/7/2013.

“Not doing the right tunes. Thought I should pick what people would like but I don’t do them well enough. But nobody wants to hear what I want to play, the stuff I’m actually good at.

This research is rough. I don’t even like who I’m playing for. These crowds. Too many drunk people. Really, I don’t want to talk to any of them.

Wish I could sing and front better already.”



13 COMMON PITFALLS OF STARTING A BAND

In this blog 1-3

Someone reading this blog might have been a band leader before, or even be one currently and is just looking for more ideas or solutions. Others might be starting bands for the first time and are hoping to get some info that will speed up the process or at least avoid common pitfalls. Either way, this might help you. But it might be a good idea to suspend what you think you already know and read this with an open mind!

 

1 MONEY

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Hand Drums and Latin Percussion are just a fraction of the cost of starting a variety band.

From garage bands to touring supergroups, money has always been the number one thing that breaks up a band. It’s no wonder that the same thing destroys bands that destroys relationships, after all, being in a band IS being in a relationship.

For the bigger bands, it’s about everyone feeling like it’s fair. Coldplay for instance, splits revenue four ways. On the more local level, it’s just about paying your bills. Band members don’t see everything  you do behind the scenes and sometimes don’t seem to care if you created and financed the launch of your band. They see themselves as equals and so want equal pay. This won’t work unless you’re coldplay or you just don’t need money. Or, I suppose if you have no intention of running your band like a business you could also split the money evenly.

 

2 COLLIDING PERSONALITIES

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Empty Stages are better than band members that hate each other.

Not everyone can get along. Starting bands will bring people together that may otherwise have never been in the same room together… nor wanted to! And though it is relatively childish, sometimes band members just want to bicker, it’s just some people’s personality.

I knew one person who worked in a hostile work environment so long that he treated every rehearsal and show like it was his work. He brought that tension and stress right in with him. Everyone else was laid back and sparks soon flew.

Sometimes a band member gets hired into a band and then tries to impose their own will on the band. They’re alpha dogs and feel like they have to control everything. Their songs, their choice of gigs, etc. This is really just Ego gone undisciplined. There are suggested ways to deal with this discussed in “Starting Bands, Common Pitfalls Part 2”.

 

3 RESISTANT TO ADVICE OR CRITICISM

Some leaders or band members won’t listen to constructive criticism or new ideas. They’re an old dog, resistant to new tricks. It’s not about age, it’s about being set in their ways. If someone thinks you know it all, they won’t listen to anyone. Or if they are paralyzed with fear of failure or change they’ll resist growth. So eventually, people just stop talking to them.

When I started Mannequin, I was doing the same thing. I was the “old dog”. I based my initial decisions and plans on past experience. Which is natural. What else do we have to draw from other than what we know. The problem was, all of my other bands had failed to one extent or another. I realized early on, I needed to either experience more, or learn about others’ experiences.

This is a big topic in my workshops because it’s a huge hurdle in starting bands, but it’s not necessary to go into too much detail here. Suffice to say that you can benefit from humility and an openness to learn.

 



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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Alan Currens is the co-founder and co-owner of Mannequin the Band, a Colorado region and globally booked Wedding Band and co-owner of the Denver Music Institute, Denver’s home for music lessons and music workshops as well as performance guidance and performance opportunities with our open mic nights and recitals! ~ Alan is also a former touring artist and Paramount Pictures recording artist.



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