So you’re looking for a band to sing in? Maybe you can’t find people, maybe you don’t know enough people or maybe you’re not in the right place.
If you can improve your network and move to a better place with a thriving music industry, you’re bound to find people who will join your band. Be sure to ask of others only to the degree you can provide yourself because being skilled gives you the privilege to ask more.
Your network can always improve and grow but it needs to grow in relevance to what you’re searching for. Let’s see how everything works.
Network Issues – Hello?
Ah, time to tell you those famous words – Your network is your net worth. I used to cringe at these sayings but as life would have it for me, it’s true. The more I have seen myself grow, I have come out of that cringe and come into the happy reality of how truly important it is.
One also has to realize that sometimes things will be harder if one chooses not to network with other musicians. Like me. I found it out the hard way and in reality, I came up with ways to overcome it but when I thought about it, it would’ve been better to network a bit more.
Keep it Relevant
Just so we’re on the same page, I am not talking about socializing with other people to make friends. I am talking about getting to know people who you may have a professional relationship with.
It’s important to set those standards from the beginning so you won’t expect a gig to come out after a night out and a bill to pay you didn’t have the budget for.
Of course, the music industry is an artistic industry. If you find people whom you think it’s going to be amazing to work with and maintain two different relationships, one with a friend and another with a colleague then do so at your discretion.
But, also know that there are plenty of non-musicians out there who will understand other parts of your life that aren’t related to music. I think this advice has a place to be told in someone who’s just entering their youth or is in their 20s.
Grow it Bigger
It only grows. It won’t hurt you to be in the know of other people. As I said above, if the expectations are set right, they’ll always know what you’re coming for.
If you’re valuable then they will happily invite you and if something is bothering them, then maybe it’d be better to look at yourself and reevaluate yourself. Nothing wrong with that, we all need that from time to time.
Pick Your Environment
I wish it didn’t matter but it does when you’re first trying out to find other band members. If you’re stuck way outside of the main city or if luck would have it in a city where finding band members are really hard to come by then it’s probably best to move.
I know that is not always possible but you should consider moving if you’ve done everything from your end and still don’t see any results or leads. Don’t try to fish where there is none right?
Also, remember that in a stagnant place members are likely not to stick around for long. How can I say this for most people?
People are highly influenced by the environment they find themselves in. If you put them in an environment everyone is happy and goes to the library every day you would find yourself wanting to go to a library to check it out for yourself.
Same thing in music. You need a music industry to thrive to keep people motivated to be musicians. That’s how it works. So, do it at your own discretion but I have seen it with my own two eyes.
Pick your environment.
Form Your Own Band
If all else fails then you know what you have to do.
Form your own band. Yeah, that’s right. If you can’t find a band at all then it’s probably a good idea to create your own. Finding individual members and screening them if they’re fit for you will also be in your control.
But, before you go and start to do that, I think it’s very important to realize that you need to be of a certain skill level before you can start asking people to join your band yourself.
If you’re a complete beginner then it’s amazing that you want to form a band. But, you can’t ask people who have ten years under their belt to join you. You can ask them to teach you but their joining you isn’t doing them any good.
This makes me say this, a band should try to serve everyone in the band. If it comes down to one person to support something on their own then it starts to become a burden.
If you’re the one forming it, you need to make sure it sticks together as well.
How to Become a Better Singer
It’s good to be in a band, even if you’re a beginner. But being a beginner doesn’t excite anyone and maybe you’re looking to take your singing skills to the next level as well.
The better you sing the better the band sounds.
I have written extensively on why singers should be learning from online courses in this article here.
I would highly recommend at least one course and on this particular page, I cover all the courses that you might ever need along with how much they cost so that you can make the choice for yourself.
This course is going to teach you techniques and how to get there. Robert Lunte is a great teacher and you read all about his method called ‘The Four Pillars of Singing’ (affiliate link). I personally own a digital copy of it myself.
It helped my singing out a lot.
But whatever you decide to do, I hope you end up in a band that you love working with and have a great time performing and eating out with!
All the best to your endeavors!