After the trials and tribulations of creating my own rock band, I thought it would make a great article to tell you how to make your own band. The most important part of a band is the people and the music. Most bands are created by mistake or jokes, but, a band will not work unless all the participants know how to play their instrument.

1. Though it may seem guitar and vocals are the most important part of a band, they are not. Could you imagine a band without a hardcore headbanger hitting the drums and stomping on the bass in the back? What about the guy with long hair to the left of the guitarist that's tapping his wide-spread feet to the rythm of the bass guitar? Lead seems to be very important to the creation of a band but, every instrument is just as important as the others. If you are in a band and unhappy with your position, just think about what the band would be if you left. Every instrument is important!

2. Everybody in the band should know or be learning how to play their instrument. In my band, I'm the rythm guitarist and lead vocals but, my friends had an argument about who would play lead guitar and drums. One person didn't know how to play either and the other knew how to play both. It was settled because the other got guitar lessons. This is important! Know how to play your instrument!

3. Decide what kind of music you would play. My band plays southern and alternative rock. We play both things that we have written and songs already made. You should have somebody in the band that writes songs, if not everybody. If you don't have a song, you're not a band. Who knows, you may be a great song writer and don't know it. Play some of your own music!

4. You need to practice if you want to be good. You can get help, help your self, or help eachother but, without practice, you will bomb at any gig. Set up after school practices and design car pool schedules. It's best to practice at the same place every day so you don't have to lug around your equipment but, do what ever is best for your band. To make it alot easier, you can get a band manager that will get you gigs, find out where practices are and how you get there, and handle the cash. Practice, practice, practice!

That's it for part one! Read next weeks article for Part 2: The Song