Tips for Starting Artists/Bands

Usually the hardest part in any creative process is the beginning, from where? How? And sometimes it turns into a monster big enough to discourage someone that used to have great hopes. In music, there are many similar questions, like what type of genre is my genre? Should I be alone or in a band? How much money will I spend in studios? All of these questions have simpler answers than their executions.

Genre

While there has to be some sort of guide and general idea of what the genre will be, usually it’s best to deal with this matter naturally as it comes. There is no way to deny the inspirations that took someone into the world of music, and the mix from all of this listening and dancing top music will become a reality in the music made from scratch. This way the genre will slowly reveal itself up to a point where you can understand and control where it’s headed, but first a musician has to play, then after, comes the planning.

Ideally, you’d take the time to master a single genre before expanding into another. However, if you’re struggling to decide, it might be an idea to just go ahead and play around with a couple before deciding on which one to master.

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Recordings

There is no better teacher in the modern world, than a recording of a performance, it’s as objective as it can be, and it’s proof of the good things and the bad things. Every small idea, every rehearsal, every magical improvisation, should be recorded, not only to remember an idea, but to evaluate the performance and should be corrected.

There are many times when something that may sound incredible at first, it loses its apparent magic in a matter of minutes, and the best way to hear what’s missing is to listen to the recording over and over again. Now, there is no need to record in a big studio, or use expensive recording devices, nowadays a phone recording works pretty good, and it will be enough to remember ideas, correct issues, evaluate performance and just have a personal portfolio of pieces of music that can later become something bigger.

Band or Solo

Choosing whether going solo or in a band sometimes just happens, however there are some considerations to have in mind. Playing solo means having to do all the work while at the same time having complete creative freedom, when you’re in a band, it becomes a team effort, and some sort of family bond begins to grow.

In contrast to the facile nature of existing as a solo artist, being in a band can prove a somewhat trying ordeal. Think of a band as a relationship—the members are all significant others with their respective shares of issues, conflicts, and obligations. Forming a band is akin to dating, with potential members comparing interests and skill levels, seeing if their personalities mesh, and considering any logistical problems having to do with being in the band itself. Whereas solo artists have only themselves to consider and worry about, each member of a band needs to be concerned about the other members

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Do It

Sometimes, the best thing to do and the best advice out there is just to do something, even if you are not quite sure what will happen. Music has a life of its own, this means that many times, the sounds themselves will carry the structure, and it will be as if the composer were dancing with the music, following the steps as if everything was falling into place.