Play Guitar in a Band Your Future Awaits!
Dark Reign – My Band
Playing guitar in a band is the next logical step for many guitarists. I have known a few guitarists that were fantastic in their lounge rooms or in the shed but could never transition to joining a band. I met an amazing riff master. He was great with any riff you can think of. He could play the solo’s but unfortunately couldn’t play a whole song.
A really nice guy , he played our first ever gig as Dark Reign but after that he wasn’t interested. If you want to play in a band like most things all you need is practice. There s a point where for some at least, they need to take that next step to get better. It pushes you to grow as a guitar player.
Guitar Rock Band – It began
I can tell you from personal experience, joining a rock band was a great adventure and one I would love to get into playing guitar in a band again. I had been playing for many years but not really advancing. I think you need the right personality to take the next step and play in front of other people. Whatever it is, it’s the difference between people that can and can’t get on stage.
I ended up playing guitar in my first band doing mainly rock covers while working overseas in the Middle East. It was a tight nit community of expats. The band came together really by accident.
My Inner Slash
I had a desire to play lead guitar and was practicing and studying everything I could so my inner Slash could be released on the world. In this band I was not given any opportunity to play and solo parts. Mark was the main guitarist in the band so he played the solo’s where required.
I wasn’t content being in the background and I was growing more confident all the time. I was putting a lot of time in practicing what I wanted to do. Scales and playing to backing tracks took up a fair amount of time. I guess my ego was growing with my confidence as I felt more comfortable soloing on my own.
A Band is Formed
A group of us were in one of the bars and we had been watching some workmates playing in a band that night. In the conversation someone mentioned it would be great to form a band and have a go. I said I could play guitar a bit and then Paul piped up saying he could play drums. We had a drummer, we didn’t know he could even play play drums. It was coming together at an amazing pace.
One of the band members from the other band we had been watching said he had a drum kit for sale. So in that short hour the problem of getting a drum kit was solved. We quickly found a singer and a bass player, all in one evening as I remember it. We made a time to get together for our first band meeting and we were formed.
This band played for about a year and we were having a great time. There certainly was learning a lot to learn about being in a band, working with other players and the coordination of different instruments.
Starting a band of my own.
The band I started playing guitar with was slowly drifting in a direction that I was not really happy with. It was heading to very soft rock and ABBA! This was not where I wanted to be and when I was told ABBA was coming into the next set. The decision was made for me. I said “I’m Not Playing ABBA”. I was out!
It was a great relief for me and gave me the space to get a band and play the music I wanted to play. I really wanted to be in a guitar rock band with Guns N Roses style songs, Eagles and anything that required guitar solos. We played some really diverse music for sure. Some of the songs we played I had never heard of but regularly hear it today on radio stations today. It’s what you would hear on any 80’s & 90’s rock radio station.
If you think it’s a breeze being in a band then think again. Working with people and spending a lot of time can cause friction. Often splits are the result of music choices or just personalities. Bands can take many iterations over time until that magic combination of personalities and passion come together. People with the same passion to succeed are hard to find and it takes time. I found people that wanted to be in a band, or to say they were in a band but really didn’t want to do the work required. Some just wanted to turn up do a song or three then go to the pub. I met them all in my time playing.
Band Rivalry
Band rivalry is something you hear about with some bands getting on and others hating the other one. Our band was always treated as the other band. There were a lot of accomplished musicians amongst our work mates. Those that were more accomplished than us looked down on us as we were mostly new to the whole band adventure. This only drove us to push harder and stretch our limits every time we played a gig. In the end we had very accomplished players ask to sit in with us because of pure raw passion, energy and drive to succeed.
We chose songs other bands chose to avoid because we wanted to push our boundaries playing guitar and as well as vocally and musically. We pushed the limit of what we could achieve all the time.
Sometimes we did find our limit, but the next time out we got it sorted and moved forward. We all enjoyed playing songs that were from classic rock bands like the Eagles. This led us to play Hotel California which was a huge challenge that I accepted with a grin. It was to be a challenging song for sure. I wanted to be pushed and this song looked to be my chance to make a statement. I wanted badly to show everyone I could do it.
The song has two amazing guitarists, I was on my own so it was going to be a test of skill and courage. I had to learn all the guitar parts including the two main solos then the outro. I found the learning took a lot of time. Listening to cd’s and shuffling back and forward till I had each section down.
Lead Guitar – When I made it!
We played a gig at a smaller pub and had a moderate size crowd in attendance. It was one of the first times playing guitar as the lead guitarist. I really wasn’t sure I was going to be able to pull off or not. That doubt likes to creep in so you have to keep it at bay.
On the day I was pretty nervous when we started playing and after the first song I was feeling better. We started playing Hotel California and all was going well. When we hit the solo section I played through the first solo, but lost it totally when the 2nd section the other guitarist normally played. I chose to ad lib the remaining which I was reasonably capable of doing. Never Never stop! Cardinal rule! Keep going!
It went down ok, but we all know it’s not the same. People expect to hear the record when you play an iconic song like this. A little embarrassed we played the rest of the set just fine. When we got to the end of the set the crowd started chanting for Hotel California again!….. So we had to do it, and I personally had to nail it this time!
I lost the rock pose on stage and sat on the edge of the stage. We played the song and I nailed both solos as well as the outro. The grin I had comes to my face even now as I write this piece. I was very proud of myself and for me was a pivotal moment. I now believed I could do it and had proven to myself I could!
Dark Reign – Cover – Wild Thing
Great Band Mates
Drummer
The only full time band drummer I had was Paul. He was a great drummer and like us was thrown into the deep end as we all learn’t to both play ourselves and as a band. He did a great job! He was as reliable as a Swiss watch for sure. All you could ask for in a drummer. Always there at practices and regardless of his back, which was done no favors by bouncing in the chair playing drums. He spent some time recovering from gigs with a very sore back on occasion.
The most important person in the band I would say is the drummer. If you have a drummer who can’t keep time, the band falls apart mid song. Paul was reliable and a good friend. We had a lot of great times in the band and outside the band. My wife and I spent a lot of time either in his room or he at our apartment. We even visited his family in Scotland which was a great experience.
I had a few changes in my own band as time went on. I went through a number of not very dedicated bass players. This was until I found Mac. Mac was a solid bass player and sometimes needed some prodding but we got on really well.
He was always sick with nervousness before gigs. Often a bit of an emotional wreck until he played his first note, then he was Mr rock solid. We had a good chemistry and were able to play off each other well.
He like myself was passionate about playing and playing to the best of our ability. It really what drove him to continue to improve playing the bass every time we got together. We spent a lot of time together, most often with Paul our drummer.
We were always looking at new songs and ways to improve the band. This was something he did till we split with my leaving to head back to Australia. A great guy and guitarist.
I eventually had a second guitarist to fill the band, which was something that didn’t happen for quite a while. I played guitar on my own and I always felt a bit exposed without having the backup of a second guitarist. In hind site there are a lot of three piece bands out there so really as far as playing guitar goes its confidence. This takes time to get.
When Neil joined the band it was a real step forward. I’d say he was a much better rhythm guitarist than I, and could play pretty good lead when allowed to. In this I was probably a bit of a hog and wanted the majority of the major solos myself. We did eventually share more of the solos and was a great thing for the band.
When playing songs we had a great chemistry and we would play off each other in solos. During the course of songs we would ad lib with riffs and pinched harmonics war between us. If your not sure what a pinched harmonic is check out upcoming lessons.
It was a real pleasure having Neil playing there on stage. His enthusiasm and stag presence made him a really positive member of the band. Dark Reign.
Singers
Singers came and went over the time we played. Sometimes it was personalities that clashed. Other times it was a difference in musical taste that made the split inevitable. It was hard to get male singers in our band for reasons I don’t really understand. We had a couple early on but at least one was more interested in other things so that didn’t last very long. We had second, Paul and he was a good singer, but he would get drunk then he couldn’t sing.
I have a bit of a lack of patience and my mouth says exactly what I’m thinking. This is sometimes to my detriment or at least the bands future. One afternoon after a gig we did at the pub, Paul smiling away and glazed eyes says to me “That went well” but I had seen the cringing of the band members during the show and knew it was time. I simply said “No it wasn’t!” I got a dead silent stare and “Ok if that’s what you think I’m out!” And he left.
Soon after we found a fantastic singer, Julie was always keen to try anything we gave her to sing. Never scared to try something new. She did a great job and Julie was with us for the rest of the time I was playing. She was reliable and always made a positive contribution to the band and what we played. Her passion and dedication to bringing something extra and a desire to contribute were amazing, even with a hard to get along with lead guitarist. 🙂 (Yours Truly)
Conclusion
I hope my experience as limited as it was will inspire you to go out and find your own band. If your at places when there are bands playing or when you’re at your local music shop let people know you want to be in a band or start your own. You just have to let people know and then give it a go.
There are open mics where you can go play and sing if you can and this is where you could find the beginning of your own band. It was a rewarding and yes sometimes frustrating time but if you search hard enough you will find the people that click with you and have a band to get started. Its an amazing feeling getting up to play and be warned as well as be ready to play to rooms of only a few but if you give it your all the next time there will be more.
As the word gets out about your show and your music they crowd will grow. If you’re going to be famous or just a good local band will be down to the work and passion you have in you. Good luck.
Author.
Brendon McAliece Played in bands in Saudi Arabia for a number of years. He has played guitar for 20 years and loves to share his experiences in travel and guitaring.
