The best thing for many students about going to college is the personal growth they experience during the process. You become more comfortable in who you are and where you want to go, even if you aren’t sure on the specifics just yet. It’s also an age of development for many musicians, and many university students spend some of their free time jamming in a band. Here are some tips for how to start a band in college.
Find the Right Members
Finding a group of reliable musicians who share the same artistic direction can be challenging, but it’s is essential to the band’s success. There are many things to consider beyond technical playing ability, such as personality and commitment level. Playing music is supposed to be fun, but that’s almost impossible if personality clashes exist within the band. It’s also crucial for everyone to have similar expectations for the group, including how much time they want to dedicate to the project outside of classwork. A band rarely works if one person is carrying the group, kicking and screaming, while the rest don’t have the right size guitar or a complete drum kit.
Style First
The biggest reason many musicians give for wanting to start a band is to expose their artistic vision to the world. While music and bands, in particular, are a collaborative effort, it is vital to have a definitive vision for the band. This vision helps ensure all members agree on the proper direction, even if they don’t always agree on the specifics.
Practice… Lots of Practice… More Than You Think
If you have dreams of musical success, it will take more than a pretty haircut and some cool lyrics to reach your goals. Finding the time to practice can be challenging to coordinate around class schedules. Even with scheduled practices, it’s still possible for other projects to get in the way on occasion. These interruptions are what make the practice time you do have so important. While it’s great to have a good time with your friends, remember that everyone should be focused on the music during practice times.
Write Your Own Material
The last tip for how to start a band in college is to use all available resources. Taking advantage of the options available through your school can greatly simplify the process of composing music and lyrics. One of the best things about college is the fantastic services that schools offer to help students, including writing. Creative writing classes are a great way to broaden your artistic horizons. Many universities also offer music theory, composition, and history courses, all of which help when you’re trying to create your own material.
