Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

Which do you think is easier? Joining and already established band, or starting your own band from scratch.

Each has it's own advantages and disadvantages.

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Joining a band:

PROS:
Less work for you
They're already experienced
They already have songs and lyrics written

CONS:
You feel like you have to work up to their standard
They may not be the exact style you're looking for
They have the power to kick you out whenever they want

Starting a band:

PROS:
You have more control over the style
You help bring new musicians together
You can't be kicked out of your own band

CONS:
Having to find musicians that don't suck and that fit together well
Getting them all to agree on a style
Hoping that no one quits

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What are your views?

Ah, but you 'can' be kicked out of your own band!
I think if you can hold your own, joining something already established
is much easier.
There will be a period of time where you have to prove yourself, but that's as it should be I think.
If the pre-established band is in the ballpark of what you want to do, and you have some songwriting skills, then you can assimilate yourself and take it over at some point.

Starting something exceptional from scratch is like trying to invent some new kick-ass recipe. Except the ingredients bitch at you and have whiney excuses.

I've done both...enjoyed 'em both, for the most part

Starting one is tougher, I think, but more rewarding, too

are you gonna do originals that you write ? do you sing these originals? if yes you should start a band. how much creative talent you have in this case in my opinion really matters...........If you want to do covers then that all depeds on your musical ability. ive seen it a million times. guy starts a band, isnt one of the strongest players that he is associated with and then becomes dethroned , first personally then publically.

It's funny that GTZip mentioned the "ingredients". I've been thinking about starting a thread about just that. I've joined a few bands over the years and have never really been satisfied with the results. It seems that, if I am replacing someone, there are a lot of expectations for me to play like that person. Also, as a musician that focuses on the creative end of things, I usually find that the music is too evolved at that point. There have been exceptions, though.
As far as starting a band, I think that everyone has to be on the same page as far as the above mentioned ingredients. The problem that I have had with that is...well...too many cooks spoil the soup. If the goals aren't written out and set in stone, people tend to add or subtract vital parts, depending upon their own opinions. As with my last band, havinbg vague areas will doom the project from the start.

I've never joined a band but I've had a few sweet offers from some great bands. I have started a few bands. Some lasted a short while and some never got off the ground. Creative differences is one of the major reasons for the bands not lasting long. That and people who had better things to do than show up for practices. I started playing solo shows and was gigging pretty regularly but I wasn't having much fun. My band that I have now came together by accident. A few friends just jamming and playing around at first. We never thought we would be a band because each one of us wanted to do something different musically. Once again creative differences was there. Me, hard/rock/metal, Kyle, classically trained and into pop/rock and Kurt was already in a screamo band and wanted to scream everything. We kind of mixed all three together and put some tunes together and somehow became a band. Who woulda thunk it. The band is doing pretty damned good for a band that was never meant to be.

Mike Gentry wrote:I've never joined a band but I've had a few sweet offers from some great bands. I have started a few bands. Some lasted a short while and some never got off the ground. Creative differences is one of the major reasons for the bands not lasting long. That and people who had better things to do than show up for practices. I started playing solo shows and was gigging pretty regularly but I wasn't having much fun. My band that I have now came together by accident. A few friends just jamming and playing around at first. We never thought we would be a band because each one of us wanted to do something different musically. Once again creative differences was there. Me, hard/rock/metal, Kyle, classically trained and into pop/rock and Kurt was already in a screamo band and wanted to scream everything. We kind of mixed all three together and put some tunes together and somehow became a band. Who woulda thunk it. The band is doing pretty damned good for a band that was never meant to be.

To bring it back down, and not be such a dork for a minute...
Life is kind of funny that way. I think a lot of times finding the right people just 'happens', much like when you find that right person of the opposite sex.
Sure you can create or mold something, but it seems like the best stuff gets puts together for you by the universe.

Maybe John Lennon was right.
"There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be"

Yes things that just "happen" are usually much sweeter that any plan can cook up. Like my ol lady coming home for lunch the other day
Being a warrior soul I like that whole "Take over" thing.

to add to the op's list:

Joining a Band:

Pro's:

Much less downtime getting ready for playing out, if any.

Less involvement in the band's politics at least for a short while.

Cons:

Endless and demoralizing searching for a band that not only has an opening, but is looking for YOU.

Having very short durations from initial contact to auditions to learn the material that the band is doing.

Discovering there is a Yoko Ono in the band.

Starting a band

Pros:

Easier to walk away early on when things start to collapse.

Cons:

Politics - Having to be the axe-man weeding out the slackers and such.

Having disagreements on direction/style with more than one member, fear of being kicked out of your own band.

Discovering there is a Yoko Ono in the band.

The hardest part of being a musician is starting or joining a band. Either way, you have to orient yourself to what's going on. Conflicts of interest and agenda will eventually arise, and you have to learn to resolve them and move on. Otherwise, somebody will get fed up and leave, or you'll get kicked out.
And Gtzip was right.
Just as Jack Black said on school of rock, "How can you take away what is mine?"
You can get ditched by the band you started.
Everything has to be taken with a grain of salt, and once the majic gets to flowing, things will click and the sweet nectar of inspired creativity between people will runneth forth.