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Music is a business. You have to decide how seriously you want to pursue your personal enjoyment versus making money. This is not to say that you can't have both and sometimes if you plan carefully you can have a rewarding experience in every way.

Many of you have played music on different levels and it's good to talk to other musicians to get ideas and learn from their experience. Some musicians are happy to rehearse together only, some are happy to do cover songs and others write and play original content and go for the big time. No matter what you decide, the planning of your endeavor is a most often ignored and important part of your success.

MUSICAL STYLE

Rock, Country, R & B, Classical, Jazz, and other styles of music target certain audiences. You can have a mixture of these styles and you really should determine what it is that you want to play. Do you want to do cover songs, originals, or a mix? Before you can move on to selecting band members or plan rehearsals give it all some careful thought. How much time do you have to devote to your music?

The talent level you have and the type of music you want to play are determining factors in how long it will take to get your act off the ground. Take a look at the venues that hire musicians to play the style you select and see how often they play. If you can keep your band together long enough, you may be able to select a few different styles so you can keep working and get to play your favorites. You may only have Rock and Roll or Blues in your veins and there is nothing wrong with doing the music you enjoy the most.

The audience will pick up on the enthusiasm or indifference you have no matter what level of musicianship you have. You have a "feel" for the music you play and you need to "get it off the stage". This can only be done if your style fits your talent level and the amount of time you want to dedicate to your music.

Locally, some styles may be more or less competitive than others. New Rock styles vary in complexity and sound. Expect to pay some heavy dollars for equipment and lights. Oldies and Classic Rock may not have many clubs to play but there are many other "gigs" out there to keep an Oldies band quite busy. Country music is revived and in some areas you can play a lot, especially with a mix of old and new country. Jazz and Classical have limited venues and a select number of musicians generally dominate the local jobs. Original music might be more fun to play and more rewarding than doing cover tunes. Make sure you protect your songs legally and again, make sure the whole band is into the style.

You may already have another job and play music on the side. Don't make it like work. If you don't enjoy your music, change your circumstances. Select a style that you can "get into" and enjoy. Your audience will be more responsive if you do.

Other Organizing a Band articles written by this author:
Musical Style, Selecting Members, Goals and Timelines, Dealing with Change and Keys to Success.
The American Italian Baby Boomer
Charles Priore