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The Road To Rock Stardom – Chapter 1

By admin | April 22, 2009

CHAPTER  1

START   UP

“If you can dream it,
You can do it.”
                                                              -  Walt Disney
______________________________________________________

IN  THIS  CHAPTER
.  How to find the right band to join
.  How to get into any band you want
.  How to form a great band
.  How to find talented musicians who share your vision
_____________________________________________________________

So, You Want to Be a Rock Star?

Unless you are a soloist, you will probably need a band.  This can mean any number of things.  You may wish to join an existing band, you may form a new group, you may create your own music with musicians and vocalists for hire or you may formulate some other band structure.  In any case, it is important to make decisions based on goals and a long-term view.  This will ensure that you get what you want out of the experience.


Joining  a  Band

Set goals early, but don’t be afraid to change them.  If you are a young or inexperienced musician, it is O.K. to join a band simply to gain experience.  Most successful musicians have been members of more than one band.  If your goal is simply to learn, do not limit yourself to a specific type of music.  Try to identify and join a band that you can learn the most from.  A band that has outstanding musicians, songs, stage presence and professionalism can teach you more than a lazy band that is exactly your style.  Remember your goals.

 
 FOR EXAMLE:
 If you are a highly skilled musician, but your stage presence is
 Lacking (or you have never been on stage), you may want to find
 a band that has an outstanding live show.  This is where you can learn  
 the most.
         

Experienced bands can sometimes teach you a great deal about musicianship, songwriting, rehearsal, relationships and getting gigs, but be careful.  Some experienced band suffer from many negative traits such as pessimism, complacency, bitterness toward the music industry and stubbornness.  It is amazing how so many bands can continue to do things the same old way, over and over again, without even a hint of success.  Don’t get stuck in a rut.  Model the traits that are successful.  Learn from those that are not.

If you are an experienced musician, you may want to find a band that is talented, professional and shares long term goals similar to yours.  This is harder than it sounds.  You will find that most bands lack in more than one of there areas.  Even bands that are talented and professional lack the goals that are needed to make it to the next level.  If you look hard enough, you may be fortunate enough to find a great band.  Perhaps your contribution to the band musically and strategically may be the difference in helping them find their way.  It can happen if you meet the right people. 



Finding  a  Good  Band  to  Join

There are numerous places to look for bands.  The best place to find bands seeking musicians and vocalists is in the classified section of alternative weeklies and local music publications.  These are efficient resources because there are usually many listings, and bands list exactly what they need.  For example, if you are a bassist, you can quickly review a number of potential bands seeking bass players.

Bands may also be found through word of mouth and bulletin boards.  These methods will take much more work but can be very effective in helping you find a band.  You will need to visit many concert clubs, rehearsal studios, independent record stores, recording studios and music stores.  Many of these places have bulletin boards and people that can offer suggestions.

Of course, finding a band to join is much easier than finding a GOOD band to join.  Good is subjective.  In order to find a band that is good for you, you must prepare for your audition by making a list of questions.  These should be prepared even before you pick up the phone.

Asking  Questions

At the same time that the band is interviewing and auditioning you, you must interview and audition the band.  Try to find out as much as you can about the band on the phone.  Don’t waste your time auditioning for a band that is not right for you.  If the band prefers to answer your questions in person, do not argue.  Set up a meeting, or simply ask your questions at the audition.

Romance  Period -

After a successful audition, a band and a musician usually experience a brief “romance period” where they are getting to know one another before making a final decision.  This romance period will usually last from a few days up to two weeks.  You will need to know the answers to almost all of your questions by the time this romance period is over.

The  Importance  of  Questions  –

Asking good questions serves several purposes:

.  To find out if the band is right for you.

.  To make the band feel that you are genuinely interested in them.  Most
musicians who are trying out for a band just talk about themselves.  This is almost always a turn-off.  Bands generally want to tell you about how great they are.  By asking questions and showing interest in their project, it is more likely that the band will prefer your company over a candidate that talks about himself.

.  To demonstrate your professionalism.  Your questions will make a good     
    Impression on the band, and they will know that your are a serious
    Musician.

.  To prepare you so that you can customize your pitch.

18  Questions  to  Ask  a  Band  -

Following is a list of 18 things you need to know before joining a band.  These questions may vary a little from band to band, but this should provide you with most of what you need to know.  Take notes on the answers, and be sure to remember the names of all of the members. 

You should try to get the answers to the first five questions prior to the audition:

1.  What type of band are they?  What kind of music do they perform?
 What are the band’s musical influences?
 What is the band’s style?
 This will further define the band for you.  You will also want to know  about the band’s overall image, such as fashion, stage presence and
 other factors.  This will also help you to determine how to dress for
 your audition.

2.  What are the names and position of all band members?

3.  How old are all of the band members?
 This is not critical, but you should know this.  Some people prefer not
 to be in bands with large age differences.

4.  Can you get a tape or CD of their music prior to the audition?
 If so, should you duplicate old parts of their songs or create new
 ideas? 
 If not, are any live shows or rehearsals scheduled that you
 could attend?
 Will you be replacing a former band member or creating a new role?
 The band should describe to you exactly what elements you will be
 expected to perform. 
 This tape or CD will also help you determine whether or not the band
 is right for you.

5.  Is there anything specific they would like you to perform?

The remaining questions may be asked at any time before the end of the romance period, but the earlier this information is learned, the better:

6.  How often does the band rehearse?  Do they have a fixed schedule?
 All serious bands should have a regular schedule.
 Where and when do they practice?

7.  What do all of the band members do for a living?
 Do they have “careers” or “jobs”?  Beware of bandmates with thriving
 non-music careers.  Careers will be prioritized higher than the band. 
 If you are serious about being in a successful band, you and your
 bandmates should be willing to change jobs to adhere to your
 rehearsal schedule, coordinate studio time, perform gigs and pursue
 opportunities.
 Exceptions:  If a bandmate has a great job, and is willing to help
 finance some of the band’s activities, it may be worth planning
 around their work schedule.


 
  
    TIP:   
    Bartender and waiter/waitress jobs can be bad jobs for musicians
    because these jobs may require a person to work nights and the
    schedule may change from week to week.  If this is the preferred
    profession of any of your bandmates, encourage them to find a job
    where they have a flexible boss.

8.  Is the band attached to its hometown?
 Can the band pick up and leave if necessary?

9.  What is the marital and dating status of each band member?  Any kids?
 If they are in committed relationships, they may have time and
 financial commitments that conflict with the band.

10. What bands do your potential bandmates follow?
 What clubs do they hang out at?
 Are they the same places that you would hang out?
 Try to learn as much as you can about the personalities and tastes of
 your potential band mates.

11. Do they drink or use drugs heavily?
 Heavy use is almost always a problem.

12. Does everyone in the band get along?
 If not, why?  Who causes the most trouble?  How are disputes     
 Resolved?

13. What is their experience, both individually and as a group?
 Have they performed on stage?  If so, where and when?
 What other band have they performed with?
 Do they have a fan base?  How loyal are their fans?
 Have they recorded any music?  Have they sold many units?
 Do they have a manager or an agent?
 Do they already have a record deal?

14. What are their short and long term goals?
 Is the band highly motivated and ambitious?

15. How does the band promote itself?
 What is the level of commitment toward promotion?
 Do they understand business?
 Do they have a logo, web site or mailing list?
 Do they have a marketing strategy?

16.  What type of equipment do they have?
 Is it cheap or high quality?
 Bad equipment will break down and sound poorly.


  TIP:
  If a band has cheap equipment, you may want to question their
  Commitment to being in a serious band.  (You may want to
  consider a review of your own equipment as well.)
 

17. How do they write songs?
 Are there individual writers, or is writing a group effort?
 Are they open to your involvement and ideas?

18. What is the band’s focus?
 Do they focus on songwriting, music, lyrics, live shows, jamming, etc?

Try to get answers to as many questions as possible prior to auditioning.  You may need to ask many of them at the audition or after the audition.  There will also be other questions that are unique to your situation.

Telling  a  Band  About  Yourself

Of course, you are probably the best guitarist since Eddie Van Halen or the best pianist since Liberace.  Even so, it is not wise to approach a band with that attitude.  Egotistical musicians are a turn-off for most bands.  You should not have to brag.  Be confident, but let your professionalism, friendliness and audition performance do the talking for you.

Because you asked questions first, you will be better prepared than your competition to present yourself in a favorable light.  You may decide to leave in, or leave out, topics that you otherwise may have handled differently.  This does not mean that you should be dishonest.  If you mislead a band, you will only hurt yourself in the long term.  We are merely suggesting that you should emphasize your strengths in the best possible manner.

8  Things  to  Tell  a  Band  About  Yourself  -

There are several things that you should tell the band about yourself.  None of these pieces of information is absolutely necessary, but the band should have a chance to get to know you.  It is up to you to answer their questions and share the information that applies.  Feel free to casually mention positive items that the band may forget to ask about.  Here is a list of 8 things to share:

1.  What are your musical tastes and influences?
 Are they in common with the band’s?

2.  What are your skills?
 Vocals, instruments, studio, computer graphics and other beneficial
 skills are worth mentioning.

3.  What is your experience?
 What is your musical history, including other bands?  Do you have
 studio or live performance experience?

4.  What valuable relationships do you have?
 Be honest and tactful.  You do not want to look like a name-dropper.
 Try to be modest about any high-profile relationships you have, if
 any.

5.  What equipment do you have?  Is it in good shape?

6.  Describe your level of commitment.
 This can be a great selling point if you are sincerely committed to
 your music career.  Let them know that you are willing to work hard
 and make the band your #1 priority.

7.  Provide them with sample recordings, only if they are good.

8.  Based on the information you received from the band, explain why you
 are the best candidate for the position.


    THE 80:20 RULE:
    The ratio of time spent discussing the band and time spent
    describing yourself should be approximately 80:20, favoring
    the band.  This means that 80% of your conversations with the
    band during your phone interview, meetings and audition should
    be talking about them, not you.  When the band asks you a
    question, do your best to follow your answer with a question
    about the band.  Bands usually enjoy talking to people who are
    interested in them and their music.
      

How  to  Succeed  at  an  Audition

If you are able to show a genuine interest in the band’s answers to your questions and maintain a friendly attitude, you should quickly develop a good rapport with the band.  If you are unable to cultivate a relationship using these techniques, this is probably not the right band to be working with.

If you get off to a good start with the band, you should be ready for your audition.  Being ready requires preparation.


Preparation

Music –

What will you be performing at the audition?  Are you performing the band’s music, or yours.  In either case, you must practice.  Your performance must be flawless.  Decide what you will be doing, and practice until you get it right every time.

You may want to prepare a few new ideas based on what you know about the band.  If they like your ideas, you will leapfrog over all of the other candidates.  If not, then it may not have worked out in the long term anyway.  If you are not able to come up with new ideas that you are confident in, don’t force it.

Equipment  -

Be over prepared.  Back up equipment and spare supplies can be critical to winning the spot.  For example, if you are a bassist or a guitarist, bring extra strings, and if you are a drummer, bring extra drumsticks and snare heads.  Your chances of success could drop to zero if your equipment breaks down during an audition.  Even if you don’t use any of these items, your preparedness will reflect your professionalism and reliability.
 

    DRUMMER TIP:
    Unless you are auditioning for a musical genre that commonly
    features huge drum kits, such as metal formats, resist the urge to
    bring a large kit.  Bands are usually more impressed with your
    skills if you are able to blow them away on a smaller setup.  You
    can explain that you brought a smaller kit to save time and that you
    can demonstrate your skills sufficiently without an unnecessarily
    large drum kit.
 

 
 
     GUITARIST AND BASSIST TIP:
    String your instruments at least one day in advance to avoid
     tuning distractions at the audition.  Plan ahead.  Strings will
     stretch and change tune if you replace them too close to your
     audition.  Also, always bring a tuner.  A tuner that will allow
     you to silently tune your guitar or bass is preferable.

 
     VOCALIST TIP:
     Warm up before you arrive at the audition.  If you have to do
     scales in the car or sing to the radio, go ahead.  Be at your best
     when you arrive.
 

Appearance  -

You should dress appropriate for the genre of music.  Look professional and stylish, but do not dress too outrageously.  The band should be able to envision you as a member of the band.  Every situation will be different.  Use common sense.

At  the  Audition

Be on time and ready to go.  Being late and unprepared can lose you the job before you even get started.  Introduce yourself to the band, ask where you should set up and get moving.

Set up quickly.  Unless the band holds you up to talk, you should be ready to perform within minutes.  If you are a drummer, or you use another instrument that requires a more elaborate set up, be efficient and organized.  Your ability to set up your equipment is part of the audition.  Everything you say or do is being reviewed.  Be at your best at all times.

Once you are ready to go, and the band is ready to listen, you may begin.  Act confidently as you introduce the material you will perform.  Of the songs provided by the band, perform the best songs first.  It is important to make a strong first impression.  If you can perform any of their other songs, great.  If not, be honest, and tell them that you have only prepared some of the material so far.

Suggest new ideas you have prepared if you are ready and if they have an interest in listening.  Do not force the issue if they aren’t interested.  Also, be ready to perform other material that you have written or played in previous bands.  Your knowledge about the band will guide you as what is appropriate and what is not.

 TIP:
 Do not goof off in between songs by jamming and tuning.  If you
 Must tune your guitar or bass, do so silently.


Do your best to listen to the band’s instructions and follow them.  If they ask you to stop, stop.  This can be either a good sign or a bad sign.  They may simply want to move on.

 NOTE:
 Generally, a band won’t ask you to play anything else if the audition
 is going poorly.  It is almost always a good sign if they ask you to
 keep playing.

It is very unusual for a band to audition a person and hire them on the spot, but by the end of the audition, you should have a good idea whether or not the band is right for you and you are right for them.

Declining  the  Spot

If, at any time, you determine that the band is not right for you, let them know, and move on.  It is not fair to waste their time on meetings and auditions if you know that it won’t work out.

Winning  the  Spot

Bands don’t usually make decisions based on ability alone.  Many factors are considered, such as:

 Ability
 Compatibility and Likeability
 Style-Musical and Visual
 Professionalism
 Commitment
 Enthusiasm and Positive Attitude
 Relationships
 Money
 Knowledge
 Creativity
 Other Skills and Factors

To win the job, you must demonstrate the right combination of these factors.

 NOTE:
 If you are able to deliver more of these elements at a superior level
 than your competitors, you WILL get the spot.

With the right preparation, you should be able to earn a position on any band you audition for.

If you are fortunate, you may find a band that has the right elements to be a major success or provide you with the education you need to grow as a musician.  Sometimes, the right band is difficult to find.

As a prepared navigator on the Road to Rock Stardom, you can take control of your future and create your own route.  Once you have exhausted all of the potential bands in your area, you may choose to form your own band.


Forming  a  Band

Because most bands are formed to function as a true group effort, we will spend this chapter discussing groups as those with equal partners.  If you are a solo performer who intends to hire musicians for studio or stage performances, much of this chapter will still apply to you.

Have  a  Vision  and  Set  Goals

This is a critical component to forming a band.  What is your vision?  Do you have at least a general idea of what your band will look like or sound like?  Of course, this is really a preliminary vision.  Once you have assembled your new members may inspire greater things.  This is good.  Although it will likely change, you must have a vision before you get started.

What are your goals?  It is equally important to have clear goals early on.  If you don’t, you may find yourself committed to a group of people with very different ideas about where you are headed.

Defining your vision and setting goals are discussed in Chapter 4.


Finding  Musicians  To  Fit  Your  Vision

There are many ways to find musicians for your band.  Often times, bands are formed by friends with common interests.  This is fine, but be careful.  Discuss and write down your goals and expectations in detail before agreeing to form a band with anyone, especially your close friends.  Romantic interests can make things even more complicated.  Unless there is no other person on the face of the earth that could do a better job, you should avoid forming a band with anyone you had, have or expect to have any romantic feelings for.  On the other hand, there are examples where couples have been bandmates in outstanding bands.

There are three primary methods for finding musicians:

1.    People you know or know of
2.    Word of mouth and referrals
3.    Advertisements

All three are discussed in detail below.

1.   People you know or know of

Again, be careful with people you know.  Try to be objective.  Do not choose a band member based on their ability to make you laugh or entertain you.  Your best friend may be fun to hang around, but he or she may not have the skills, discipline, charisma or other characteristics that you are looking for in a bandmate.  For people you know well, we suggest that you make an inventory of their skills so that you can compare them on paper to other prospective band members.  Decide on the traits that you are seeking, and then try to make an honest comparison of the candidates.  At the same time, it is still important that you get along with your bandmates.  It can be fun and rewarding experience to grow a successful band consisting of your best friends.

Make mental notes of your favorite musicians in other local bands.  You never know when there will be a window of opportunity to get them on board.  It would be nice if you could simply snag your favorite musician from their present band.  If you know in advance that a certain musician fits the bill, you could simply approach him or her about working with you.  Of course, it usually isn’t that easy.  There are unwritten rules about soliciting members of other bands.  We recommend that you try dropping hints or asking for suggestions and referral ideas.  If they bite, great.  Otherwise, it is better to catch them when they are between projects.  Don’t worry, there are thousands of great musicians out there.

2.    Word  of  Mouth  and  Referrals

Once you begin to form a band, don’t be shy.  Let people know that you are seeking talented musicians who share your vision.  Ask around.  You will be surprised how helpful other musicians can be.  They all have friends in other bands.  There is always a friend of a friend who plays a mean bass and just left a go-nowhere band.

You may discover three weeks after you begin looking that musicians will start to approach you.  “Hey, I heard you’re looking for a drummer.”  Hang out at the live venues, check out bands and spread the word.

3.     Advertisements

One of the best ways to find musicians is through advertising.  Through advertising, you will meet many people with diverse backgrounds and interests.  Not only will this help you to build your band, it will also expose you to creative people with many good ideas of their own.  These are people that you otherwise may have never met.

Advertising also places you in a position of leverage.  People that call about your ads generally want to be in your band.  Instead of asking someone to join your band under their conditions, musicians that respond to your ads must be willing to accept your terms and vision.

It is important that you describe what you are seeking in detail in order to avoid wasting your time with unlikely candidates.  It may seem like a good idea to place a generalized ad to get more responses, but this usually just leads to wasted time.  Be specific about what you are seeking and who you are.  You will find that the respondents are more in line with your ultimate vision.  You may even discover that the specifics in your ad were the reasons your best candidates called.

Television, radio, billboards and blimp advertising are usually too expensive for the average start-up band.  Instead, you must rely on print ads, flyers and the internet to find your future bandmates.

Print  ads  -

A classified ad in an alternative weekly is possibly the most effective advertising medium.  Most alternative weeklies have a section specifically designed for musicians seeking musicians.  Of course, this is where musicians look to find bands such as yours.  Ads here are usually inexpensive and provide the best results.  Sometimes, musician classifieds are free.  If you live in an area that does not have an alternative weekly, check local newspapers and other publications for musician classifieds.

If you do not get the results you want after a few weeks, rewrite your ad and run it again.  You may need to reevaluate the publication.  Perhaps, there is another publication in your area that is read by more musicians.  Ask around.  Keep making adjustments until you find what you are looking for.

 TIP:
 Many publications list classifieds alphabetically.  If your
 Publication organizes ads alphabetically, the first word in your
 Ad should be the position you are seeking, such as “BASS PLAYER
 WANTED” OR “VOCALIST NEEDED”.  By doing this, potential
 Candidates will be able to find your ad quickly and easily.

If you are seeking more than one position for your band, it is usually best to advertise both in the same ad.  Occasionally, you may find two or three musicians who already work well together.  Each week, you should rewrite the heading of your ad so that it is listed with a different placement.

FOR EXAMPLE:
 If you are seeking a bassist and a vocalist, your ad should begin
 “BASSIST AND VOCALIST WANTED…” in the first week and
 “VOCALIST AND BASSIST WANTED…” in the second week.

An effective classified ad contains these four components:

1.  Write a clear heading which describes exactly what you are seeking in
      capital letters.  Make sure the entire heading fits on the top line.  The
      sales representative will tell you how many letters fit on one line.  If it
      is too long, you must rephrase it until it does.  Avoid using adjectives
      in the heading.  The heading may be a full statement or the beginning
      of a sentence.

2.  Describe your band and the person you are seeking as carefully as
     possible.  This will help you to generate the best possible candidates.

3.  If possible, describe what projects you are working on, such as recording
     or performing live.  This will produce more responses than a basic ad.

4.  Include a contact name and phone number.  You may also elect to
     provide best hours to call.  The number must have an answering machine
     or voice mail service.

 SAMPLE AD:

    GUITARIST WANTED
    for original heavy metal band.
    Must be serious and willing to practice
    regularly.  Stage charisma and songwriting
    must be strong.  Vocal skills a plus.
    Stage and studio experience preferred.
    We are performing live and preparing
    to record full-length CD.  Call Tom at
    999-999-9999.
Avoid hyphenations and unclear abbreviations in your ad.  Most classified ads are placed over the phone.  After providing the sales representative with the text in your ad, have them read it back to you over the phone line by line.  If they tell you that a word has been split onto two lines, try to rephrase the sentence so that no words are hyphenated.  Abbreviations are acceptable, as long as they can be clearly understood by your potential candidates.

Display ads (graphically designed ads that are found in the main sections of newspapers and magazines) are not recommended for finding musicians.  These ads are typically more expensive than classifieds and have unpredictable placement.  Musicians seeking to join a band will not be looking in the body of a publication for your ad.

Flyers  -

Flyers should contain a detailed description of who you are and what you are seeking.  In addition, flyers should include graphic elements to attract attention and to communicate your band’s image.  Flyers should be designed professionally in order to attract the best people.  If a flyer is created on a typewriter and enlarged eleven times on a grainy copier, it will not appeal to the best musicians who are looking for a professional band.  Be professional.

Flyers that are to be posted should have pre-cut tabs with your phone number that can be easily torn off.  You may even want to crease the tear line so that tabs are torn off squarely.

Flyers should be posted and distributed at music stores, concert venues, studios and band rehearsal spaces.  If you have time, it won’t hurt to hit a few independent record stores as well.  You should stop by weekly to refresh your flyers.

Internet  -

An amazing number of musicians are online.  Almost every band has their own web site.  As a result, there are many bulletin boards, chat rooms, internet classifieds and other available services that can help you with your search.  We recommend that you begin with your local concert venue web sites.  They often have bulletin boards where musicians can post listings.  You will also find links to bands, music stores, publications and other sites that will help.  Also check out the web site for your alternative weekly, local music stores and independent record stores.  Local operations are more likely to help you find musicians in your area.

The goal of all of these activities is not to find the most candidates, but to find the best candidates.  We suggest that you employ all of the methods described above in your search.  You never know where you will find that superstar who fits perfectly into your vision.  He or she may not know someone you know or see your flyer, so you should do everything you can to find them.  They are out  there.


Audition  Process

So, you talked to people you know, you spread the word and you advertised.  Now you need to determine who is right for your band.  This is called auditioning.

Phone Interview

Auditioning begins with a phone interview.  The phone interview is an important part of the process.  It helps you to screen candidates so that you do not waste your time, or theirs.

Prepare yourself for these calls with a list of questions.  If you are busy, or do not have the questions handy, take down their phone numbers and call back when you are prepared.  The questions on your list will be unique to your needs, but most of the things you will want to know are listed in the 18 questions below.  If a person does not seem right for your band, be polite and move on.  If one of them sounds like they might be a good fit, set up a convenient time to meet.

Meet

Meeting prospective band members in person prior to auditioning can save you tremendous amounts of time.  You can set up 4-5 meetings per night and not waste time with equipment set up and tear down.  There is no need to evaluate talent that doesn’t agree with you philosophically.  Usually, you will know prior to an audition if a person is right for you.  Even if he is a little rough around the edges musically, his willingness to improve and his compatibility with the band may make him the best choice.

TIP:
 If a person is a strong prospect, you should discuss the details of how
 the band will operate in advance.  He will likely be impressed with
          your organization and your level of professionalism.  The meeting                                   
          should make any musician more excited about the possibility of    
          joining your band.  If he doesn’t share your goals or vision, it is easier
          shake hands and remain friends.
          Do not skip this step.  It is much more difficult to reject a  
          person based on their musical audition.


18  Questions  to  Ask  a  Musician  -

These are 18 things that you should know about each prospective band member before inviting him or her to join your band.

1.  What are his skills?
 Musical and other useful talents.

2.  What are his musical tastes and influences?

3.  What is his experience?
 Has he been in other bands?  If so, describe.
 Why did he leave other bands?
 Has he performed on stage or in a studio?

4.  Does he have any recorded material?  Can you hear it?

5.  How old is he?

6.  Does he have many friends?
 This will tell you two things, whether or not he is likable and friendly,
 and how many friends he can bring to your shows.

                                                 
7.  Does he have a job?  If so, what is it?
 What is his work schedule?
 Will it conflict with practice or performances?
 Does the job provide schedule flexibility?
 Will the band be a higher priority than the job?
 Is he willing to quit his job if necessary?

8.  How often is he willing to rehearse?

9.  What are his goals?
 Are they in line with yours?

10. Is he willing to move to a new city if the band earns a big opportunity?

11. Is he married or dating anyone seriously?  Any kids?

12. What clubs does he hand out at?  What are his hobbies and interests?

13. Does he drink or use drugs heavily?

14. Is he willing to help promote the band?

15. What equipment does he have?  Is it in good shape?
 Again, if it’s not good equipment, he may not be committed to being a serious musician.

16. Ask him to describe his level of commitment.
      Do not put words into his mouth or influence his response.  If he is 
      unable to verbalize his sincere commitment on his own, it may not 
      really be there.

17. What valuable relationships does he have?
 Be honest and tactful.  You do not want to look like a name-dropper. 
 Try to be modest about any high-profile relationships you have, if
 any.

18.  Ask him to explain why he is the best candidate for the position.

You should also take the time to describe your goals and plans for the future.  Every potential bandmate should share your attitude and goals.

NOTE:
By now, you will know if he or she is a strong candidate or not.  If  
the person is right for your band, you will likely be 90% sure before
the audition. 

                                
Audition

Prior to the audition, decide exactly what performance traits you are looking for.  Make sure you are evaluating candidates using the right criteria.  Sometimes it is easy to see things that aren’t there.  Don’t stretch.  You will know when you find the right person.

When you schedule the auditions, set 30 minute auditions with beginning and ending times in order to eliminate the uncomfortable situation that could arise if an audition doesn’t go well.  If any audition is outstanding, you can always extend it.

Auditions should last 30 minutes with at least another 30 minutes to spare before the next audition.  This will give you time to discuss each person before the next one arrives.

 TIP:
 Take notes on each and every person that auditions.  It would be
 very bad to confuse names when reviewing your choices later.


Accepting  a  New  Band  Member

Before inviting a person to join your band, you should require them to enter into a prepared band agreement.  By signing an agreement, each band member will be more obligated to perform his or her duties and remain committed to a rehearsal schedule.  Band agreements are discussed thoroughly in Chapter 4.

If you follow the above guidelines on how to form a band, you will assemble a skilled group of musicians that share common goals and musical tastes.  With this band, you can begin your journey down the road to success.

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