by Olivia Busceme, TASI Band Nite Coordinator
photo by James Blaign Rambo
Hello campers, this is your band counselor speaking! If you’re interested in reading a “How To Be A Band” advice column from someone who has never been in a band, but who does have 15 years experience in DIY booking and local band management, then you’ve come to the right place! While I’m happy to share my own hard-won wisdom and steadfast opinions, be prepared to figure it all out for yourself anyway. Remember, there is no single correct path forward.
If you’re not familiar with DIY, it’s a method of pursuing music (either as a hobby or a career) that focuses on getting the work done yourself instead of waiting to be discovered by a record company. Do some light reading at one of my fave resources – dodiy.org. One great thing about taking the DIY route is that you can start with nothing at all. The greatest payout you may ever earn is friendship (and that’s nothing to scoff at!). You will build up resources as you need them and support others as they support you.
So let’s start at the bottom. The main things you’ll need starting out are an idea and the desire to execute it. Traditionally, you may think of a band as requiring various members and instruments, but those rules can be taken liberally. If you can’t find a drummer, a drum machine works just fine. Just guitar and no vocals works great, too, if that’s what you’ve got. You could sing acapella with a loop pedal accompanied by tambourine. Maybe you’re a guy dancing along to karaoke-style pre-recorded tracks. Perhaps the theatrical aspect of your performance supersedes the importance of any particular musical players involved. No matter what your concept or your available resources, a DIY band makes it work. It doesn’t have to be “two guitars, bass, drummer, and lead singer” or “sad girl with guitar” or “verse-chorus-verse” or literally anything you’ve ever seen or heard of before. Don’t ever feel like you need to fit in a box in order to be successful. In fact, get used to quantifying success by measures other than monetary gain.
photo by Dree Caloobanan
Once you’ve gotten a concept, and perhaps formed a band (and of course I use the term “band” loosely), and have a minimum amount of required equipment, then maybe it’s time to start writing songs. And if writing hasn’t come naturally yet, just start by getting really good at playing covers. Play them just like the originals, or make your own twists on some of your favorite tracks. Either way, get tight and be proud of what you can do. Make little recordings in your practice space and play them back. Self-critique is CRITICAL if you ever expect your project to see the light of day. If you can’t handle your bandmate giving a criticism during practice, then playing in a group is not for you. Go full solo or hire session musicians; collaborative art is not for the weak.
Some bands stay comfy playing covers for themselves and have no need to progress further. If you’re having fun, have fun! Not everyone has to make a living out of things they enjoy. But your friends will love you for sharing your passion, so once you feel confident in your practices and have a few tunes down pat, it’s a good time to start haunting your local open mics.
Tune in next time for “The Importance of Open Mic Night”
Write to VictoriaHouseTX@gmail.com for topics and questions you’d like to see answered in this column. Please include “COUNSELOR” in the subject line!
Olivia ran Beaumont’s underground music venue V Haus from 2010 until its end in 2022. During that time, she hosted touring acts at many other venues, worked on several local festivals, managed multiple local artists, booked a national tour, and oversaw High Street Gallery. She remains the coordinator of TASI’s Band Nite program