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Band Guide

3. GET STARTED

Plugging in your gear and starting to play is one of the most exciting milestones in a band's history. Have fun with it.

Instruments

How much do instruments cost? A better question might be "How much do you want to spend?" In most price ranges, almost any brand, style, or condition of musical instrument is available. The guitar you buy for £15 in a pawnshop won't sound as rich as the one you order for £2,500 from a catalog, but both will play the same songs. Subtle sonic nuances probably won't matter as much when you're just learning to play an instrument.

The pawnshop doesn't have to be your only option, even if there's not much money in the budget. "Student" instruments, or guitars, drums, and keyboards designed for beginners, are reasonably priced. And used instruments, found online or through local classified ads, are often bargains.

Buying a musical instrument is a little like buying a car. If you're careful and shop around, you can usually get a good deal. However, you always risk ending up with a lemon.

Begin with the classified ads, in the local alt-weekly or daily newspaper, all of which have substantial sections titled "musical instruments." There's no shame in buying a used instrument. Just make sure that you test it out before buying, and consider bringing a superior player along to make sure there aren't any dead spots.

Also, talk to friends or relatives who have old instruments left over from their days in bands. They may be pleased somebody's putting their old guitar or snare drum to use. As you become more serious with the instrument, and in the band, you can upgrade to a higher-quality product. It's always possible, though, that you'll never want to part with the 1960s Telecaster you rescued from your uncle's dusty attic.

Almost every city has at least one music store, so start hanging around and befriend the clerks. They're generally musicians, and while their agenda is to sell high-priced instruments, they're usually honest about what's worth the money.

Pawnshops can be excellent sources of old instruments, but buyer beware. It's easy to lose the negotiation with a practiced haggler, and the pawnshop owner probably won't be quite as nurturing toward young band members as local music-store clerks.

As with any kind of merchandise, shop around. Try to avoid "new guitar fever," imagining yourself in a classic Jimmy Page pose as soon as you encounter a Gibson Les Paul. The more you're aware of instrument prices in general, the less likely you are to succumb to unreasonable markups.

The retail price for musical instruments tends to be considerably higher than the basic wholesale price. This means there's often plenty of barter room. Good salespeople, especially if you're a regular customer, might be willing to give you a deal.

Budget for the accessories. If you buy an electric guitar, you won't be able to hear anything without an amp. And neither one of those things will work particularly well without the proper cords to connect them. In addition, most guitarists will probably want to buy electronic tuners and perhaps some effects pedals.

Amplifiers, or amps, give electric instruments sound—and can make them as loud as you want. You'll need them for most rehearsal and gig situations, and they can be expensive, so shop carefully. And be ready to spend the rest of your band-member career loading them in and out of vans and venues.

Amps come in a wide range of sizes and prices. Guitarists' amps are perhaps the most elaborate—one of the most famous brands is Marshall, which sells amps anywhere from £500 to £1,200. You can also opt for a mini amp, also called a practice amp or studio amp, for considerably less money—as low as £50 for some models.

For best results, every player should use an amp specifically designed for his or her instrument's needs. A bass player should buy a bass amp, for example. But often singers and guitarists can economize by plugging their microphones and guitars into the same amps. If you plan to do this, make sure the amp you buy has enough inputs. Music-store clerks can show you what gear works best for this approach.

Finally, the drummer needs sticks and a throne, a special stool that stands up to years of loading and performance abuse. And you may want to pay a few bucks for an old music stand so everybody at rehearsal can see the song lyrics. None of this extra stuff is costly, but it can add up if you buy it all at once.

Playing

Usually, you won't choose an instrument. It'll choose you. If you grew up enjoying piano lessons and prefer putting your fingers on keys rather than guitar frets, you'll probably stick with piano or organ. If you can't tap your foot in time to any given song, you probably won't be the drummer. If you have the need to be the center of attention, you probably won't be the bass player (unless you're Sting or Paul McCartney). And if you've got a good ear for melody, you may be destined to be a guitarist or keyboard player.

Often, band members choose their instruments out of necessity. If four high school friends converge to form a band, and three play guitar, you may have to dig up a set of drums. Or you may be the only person whose voice doesn't crack above middle C, in which case you're the singer. Even if you've never played an instrument before, it's possible to learn as you go along. The key, though, is to go home and practice as many hours as possible. Picking up your bass only once a week during rehearsal will stunt your musical growth and frustrate the other members.

Many bands come up with strange configurations because of their members' particular musical skills. The Doors, for example, recorded several influential albums in the 1960s and 1970s with no bass player—keyboardist Ray Manzarek handled the low notes. The rock trio Morphine crafted a unique sound out of two-string bass, saxophone, and drums. In other words, just because you lack a traditional rock or pop instrument, that doesn't mean you can't play rock or pop music.

Guitar

Guitar players, in most bands, can be lead or rhythm players—the former takes many of the solos and provides a song's melody, while the latter falls in with the bass player and drummer to flesh out the rhythm. If you're considering picking up the guitar, you should have a decent sense of melody, fingers that can adapt to many tricky string-bending permutations, and at least a slight desire to be in the spotlight. For most bands, the focal point in concert is the singer, but guitarists get almost as much attention.

Guitarists are also often the backbone to the band, the least replaceable players when things get tough. Although the singer usually gives a band its unique voice, the guitarist is the fundamental building block of its sound. Once you've located a good one, don't let him or her go.

Drums

The drummer's job in any band—well, except for improvisational combos where the drum may be a solo instrument—is to maintain the tempo. If it goes too fast or slow, it can throw the rest of the band into disarray. So the drummer's responsibility is considerable. If you find yourself drumming on chairs and phone books, or keeping up with elaborate radio-song tempos using your hands, legs, and the steering wheel, it may be your perfect band role.

Drummers also need to stay in good shape, as they handle the most physically demanding job. The first several times you play the drums, you may feel muscle pain in your arms, legs, and back—and may develop blisters on your hands until calluses develop. (Music stores sell special drummers' gloves to prevent this affliction.) Blisters also afflict guitarists and bass players, but not with the regularity of drummers. Keep a stock of Band-Aids nearby.

Bass

The bassist complements the drummer in the band's rhythm section and fills in the low-frequency range of the band. The rhythm section sets the groove, on top of which go guitars, keyboards, vocals, and other solo-oriented instruments. Although bass players take occasional solos—check out John Entwistle's classic lines in The Who's "My Generation"—their job is almost always to stay in the background.

Bass players should avoid delusions of grandeur. Despite anomalies such as Sting and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, both of whom are also accomplished singers and songwriters, bass players tend not to be rock superstars. If that's your goal, consider switching to guitar or vocals.

Keyboard

Keyboards, a catch-all term referring to pianos, organs, and synthesizers of all types, perform essentially the same function as guitars. They solo when it's time to solo, and lay back and play little complementary riffs while the singer handles the verses and choruses.

What distinguishes the keyboardist from the guitarist, at least on stage, is a distinct lack of mobility. Where guitarists can jump around and kick their legs in the air while playing, keyboardists are normally trapped behind their instruments. So it's much harder for a piano player, say, to become a band's charismatic star than it is for a guitarist. Again, there are exceptions: Pianists such as Fats Waller, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Billy Joel, Elton John, and Ben Folds have become huge superstars by leading bands.

Others

When adding instruments beyond the bedrock vocals, guitar, drums, bass, and keyboards, try not to let them get in the way of your basic sound and framework. It's fun to experiment, but frills can be distracting and convoluting. At least at first, expand your sonic palette in small doses—maybe the drummer can pound a cowbell to the beat. Maybe the keyboardist can play the accordion. Think about what the song needs, and make adjustments accordingly.

Practicing

Four basic activities will help you improve your musicianship: group rehearsal, individual practice, lessons, and playing live. And they should complement each other. After rehearsing a new song or riff with the band, go home and practice it over and over until you can play it by memory. Plunge into practicing difficult passages.

Playing live will help the band get immediate feedback, figure out what to work on, and fix weak passages quickly. But you may not yet be in a position to play regular live gigs.

Just as athletes usually can't go from good to great without an experienced coach, musicians normally can't become accomplished without a decent teacher.

Finding a traditional music teacher is pretty simple—they're all over the phone book; faculty at your high school or college can probably make solid recommendations; and some schools offer lessons as part of their music programs. Finding a rock, blues, jazz, pop, or hip-hop teacher may be a little more difficult.

Piano players might take an excursion to a club or hotel lobby where the longtime local boogie-woogie master holds court. After the set, approach the musician and ask if he or she gives lessons—the receptive response may surprise you. Ask around at school; a jazz-orchestra teacher may know local blues-night veterans willing to give lessons. And check bulletin boards at record stores, bookstores, and coffeeshops, as well as local websites.

How do you know if a teacher is any good? Sit through a lesson or two. If you're interested in rocking out to Limp Bizkit and Led Zeppelin, and the teacher wants you to endure scales for two hours a week, it may not be the right situation. (Still, don't scoff at music-theory instruction; it may not pay off immediately, but in the long run you'll be surprised at how much it improves your playing.)

Screen teachers the same way you'd screen a new car. Find out who else they've taught and what kind of music they like. Ask about experience. Cost may play a role in your decision. Try to get a sense of pieces you'll learn as you progress—although you'll want to be exposed to different musical styles, playing what you like is important.

Roles in the Band

Your role in the band, to a great extent, will be determined by the instrument you play. The drummer and bass player, traditionally, are in charge of laying the rhythmic foundation, on top of which other instruments provide melody, harmony, and flourishes. The drummer and bass player tend to be steady, reliable, and nonshowy—characteristics that may translate to the players' personalities.

(There are exceptions, of course: Keith Moon of The Who was one of the flashiest drummers and drummer-personalities in rock history. And thanks to rockers such as Cream's Ginger Baker in the late 1960s, drummers are almost required to play long solos during concerts. Bass players, sometimes, too.)

Guitarists and keyboardists are more likely responsible for the melodies. A lead guitarist flies above the rhythm, playing solos rather than perpetuating the beat. A rhythm guitarist works in tandem with the bass player and drummer, fleshing out their beats with a fuller sound. Keyboardists tend to plug into the mix where necessary. The Doors didn't have a bass player, so organist Ray Manzarek handled the low frequencies with his left hand; most keyboardists, however, trade solos with the lead guitarist.

The singer, of course, is responsible for the words, and rarely solos unless he or she is known for Whitney Houston-style vocal histrionics. In those cases, moaning, groaning, and yodeling is standard procedure. In general, the singer's role is to hold the song together by providing the story and the lyrical continuity. The rest of the band members should follow his or her lead as the song progresses.