Keeping the peace in a band

Bands and music groups all around us are falling apart. There isn’t much we can do about it when personalities clash. It is an inevitable end to an era.
Try to keep it all in the family. Getting friends or friends of friends is a really good way in my experience in keeping it nice and close. You usually know what the person is like to some degree before they come to jam. That way you have less chance of finding some hidden skeletons in the closet.
My band has been through 8 members in 2 years (in a 5 piece band). Every single one of them has been a friend of a friend. It is by far the best way to know your members so you don’t get too sick of them.
There is always someone under a few degrees of separation that plays a musical instrument. Give them a shot. You may be surprised!

Where will my inspiration come from? (part 2)

I love to drive. Thoughts run freely through my mind while I have the steering wheel in my hand and I am maneuvering the turns. I will drive to the beach (a quick hour and a half away). For the first 20 minutes I will listen to my favorite musicians or bands. Try and pick the ones that really blend into the style of music you want to play. You don't want to copy these musicians but you will gain ideas and inspiration from their music. Your music is your own art. If you want to play someone else's art then join a cover band.
Last week I was listening to Avenged Sevenfold and I really started to hear those scales that Synister Gates practices meticulously throughout almost every one of their hits. I did my research and found that Syn uses many classical scales and modes in his guitar playing (the outcome of being raised by a classical musician). So I started to think back to my roots. What I grew up listening to. I took some samples into my guitar mentor and we started working on some riffs combining modern Jazz guitar styles into rock/metal music. The outcome was unreal and it only started from that moment.

So go to your favorite place or do something that really gets you into the right mood for your music and let the ideas flow.
When you actually sit down and start writing. Don't give in to the temptation of stopping and starting again the next day. Sometimes all that inspiration is gone when you stop and do something else. I am a smoker so although I will sit down for a few hours and write a piece, I will stop every now and again for smoko break. But throughout that break I will hum the tune and search my mind for ideas. If you lose that moment of inspiration the song will never be completed the way you wanted it to be.


MAKE SURE YOU RECORD EVERY IDEA YOU HAVE!
If you don't you will kick yourself when you get home.
Most mobile phones have a voice recorder built in. Use it. Hum your tune out loud and record it. No matter what instrument you play you can always hum. You will get home and it will just flow.
Another good tool is a chord finder that you can download free from the Hughes and Kettener website (www.hughes-and-kettner.com). It is for guitarists but you will find it

Where will my inspiration come from?

Please note: Every single one of us is different. Please do not expect that you will read this and write a hit song immediately afterwards. I only hope that I can help to get ideas flowing in your head and help you work out what is right for you.

You are trying to write that memorable song that will kick start your journey in the music industry... You have thousands of ideas yet no idea where to start.

The good news is that it really is not as hard as it seems. You have so many ideas that your brain is overloaded with thoughts and wont let you start with one.

Clear your mind temporarily and start here. (You wont completely forget your other ideas but just in case record them somehow. Even if it is only a few words that describe a story line.)

Please read on in part 2.....