How To Start a Band: A Step By Step Guide

Learn the essential steps to starting your own band successfully and making your musical dreams a reality. From assembling the perfect team to navigating the music industry, this guide covers everything you need to know.

How To Start a Band (That Will Last)

BY CRISTINA CANO of CD Baby’s DIY Musician [Video Below]

FYI: See the “Hitting the Studio With a Plan” section for info on our 50% off distribution sale!

Many musicians have experienced challenging moments during band practice. First, tensions rise over chord changes or disagreements about the direction of a song. Then, someone storms out — or worse — calls it quits for the day (I’m looking at you, George Harrison).

How to start a band and maintain its harmony is a delicate balance. It requires finding the right performers, establishing clear boundaries and expectations, and creating an environment where creativity and joy can thrive.

In our latest episode of the DIY Musician Podcast, Cristina and Rachel get into the nitty-gritty on how to start a band, and share tips and tricks for keeping the peace and making sure everyone’s musically fulfilled!

What Do You Want to Sound Like?

The first step toward assembling your ideal band is figuring out what kind of music you want to make, and what instrumentation you’ll need. It’s important to find bandmates who not only share your musical tastes and ambitions, but are also the right players for the sound you’re chasing.

Don’t forget — not all players are skilled at the same thing! Set realistic expectations as you have conversations and jam with different musicians. If you choose your town’s best folk bassist for your electro-pop band, that MIGHT work, but would they be the ideal fit?

Set Clear Goals and Expectations

As you establish your band, take a moment to chat with your potential bandmates about your goals. Do you want this group to be a backing band for your singer/songwriting project? Is it an all hands on deck collaboration? Or something in the middle?

It’s essential to align on your vision, and discuss how responsibilities like songwriting, booking gigs, managing finances, etc. will be divided among the group.

Are you aiming to perform at local venues, head into the studio for a full album, or tour? Your strategy for success will look different based on what your goals are, and the feasibility of each option will vary between band members.

Practice Makes Perfect

For some, rehearsals sound like a chore. For others it’s the best part of their week! One way to keep everyone enthusiastic about the band is to establish a rehearsal schedule. A shared band calendar is a great way to lower stress, make sure everyone stays on the same page, and make space for fun.

It’s easy for practice to end up a bit aimless if you don’t come in with a plan, so set clear expectations for what you’d like to accomplish. Maybe this week, for instance, you want to flesh out a new song for the first half of the rehearsal, take a break, and then run the set list for the next show.

While you’re running through the agenda, don’t forget to consider the audience experience. You can do that by practicing as if you’re on stage in front of a crowd, rather than just rehearsing in a group, facing each other.

Also, make sure everyone has the set list down before the gig, and always practice as if the final rehearsal you plan will get canceled (because, you never know — it might!).

Preparing for Gigs

Once your band sounds tight, it’s time to hit the stage! But before you do, make sure you’re fully prepped for your gig, and that you’re respecting everyone’s time.

Here’s some suggestions that will keep you from falling flat onstage:

• Talk to your band about what the wardrobe vibe will be for that show — are you wearing matching outfits? Costumes? Keeping it casual?
• Answer pertinent scheduling emails or text chains promptly (and don’t ghost)
• Allow plenty of time for load-in and sound check, with all of your gear packed and ready to go
• Show up to the stage on time, and resist the urge to use ALL your drink tickets before you play
• Know the songs inside and out, or bring adequate cheat sheets if needed
• Shout out your bandmates from the stage, acknowledging all their hard work

Hitting the Studio With a Plan

For some, the recording studio is a sacred creative space to work out new ideas, while for others, it’s essential to come in with fully-formed songs and stick to a productive recording schedule.

It’s important to communicate and decide on the goal of each recording session with your band. That way, you can avoid arguments about creative differences, unnecessary monetary concerns, and maybe a few eye rolls from your sound engineer.

Before recording, consider:

• Is this studio a good place to come up with ideas, or are you all showing up fully rehearsed and ready to track?
• Does your band bring all of their own gear, or are you using what the space has to offer?
• How much time will you allocate for recording a song, album, EP, etc.?
• Do any of you have last-minute demos or scratch tracks you want to incorporate into a previously scheduled recording? Work together to decide when and how they can be added into the mix
• Are there plenty of breaks allocated for everyone? Snacks? Waters? Check-ins?

Then, once your recording is done and your tracks are mixed and mastered, it’ll be time to distribute your music (we’re having a 50% off sale through July 31, by the way, so use code JULY50 to get this deal while it’s hot!).

Make sure you to properly credit your bandmates for every part they played (literally and figuratively), whether that’s writing the hook for the band’s second single, or taking a photo that made it onto your EP cover artwork.

Embrace the Journey

Starting a band isn’t just about making music. It’s also about growing friendships and creating memories that last a lifetime. So, as you embark on this musical adventure, remember to enjoy the ride, even when you face challenges.

At the end of the day, you’re doing this because you all have one thing in common: a shared passion for creating and playing music. As long as you’re all aligned there, you’ll be well on your way to a successful collaboration.

VIDEO: How To Start a Band

Cristina Cano is an internationally touring songwriter, producer, and performer under the alias Siren and the Sea. She is also an experienced music industry professional with a passion for helping independent musicians create success pathways for their craft. She is always aiming to support the evolution of the industry from the inside, and to create more opportunities for the growth of independent artists through her work as Events and Brand Partnerships Manager for CD Baby, and as a music marketing and release strategy specialist. Cristina Cano is the host of the DIY Musician Podcast.