How to Start a Cover Band: A blog about how to start a cover band and build a fan base.
What makes a good band name?
If you want to start a cover band, first you need to think of a great band name. It can’t be taken, but it has to be something that rolls off the tongue, fits on the front of your t-shirts, and speaks volumes about what you are about. If you already have an idea for what kind of music you will play and who your members are, then this should be easy. For example, if your drummer is a bit overweight and smokes too much pot, then “Stoned Dwarf” might be a good name for your group. Or if your bass player is always late for practice or shows, then perhaps “Eternal Tardiness” would work well.
You might also find inspiration in the music itself. Hum some lines from your favorite song and see what they sound like when combined with other phrases. Think outside the box! You don’t have to name yourself after the lead singer or even allude to any aspect of rock-n-roll at all. For example, once I was driving home from work and there was a sweater in the back seat that really should
This is a blog about how to start a cover band and build a fan base. The blog covers issues like organizing the band, hiring musicians and finding gig opportunities. The blog also includes topics that can be of help to both new and established bands, such as marketing the band, expanding the fan base and growing the business.
Starting a Cover Band is an opportunity for people who are interested in music and would like to do something about it. It’s also a chance for people who have been in the music industry for a long time but want to learn more about music and playing in a band. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never played before or if you’re already in a cover band.
The blog covers issues like:
Organizing the Band
Hiring Musicians
Finding Gig Opportunities
Welcome to How To Start A Cover Band.
If you want to start a cover band, but don’t know much about the music industry and how to build a fan base, this is the blog for you. I will be describing my experience in forming a cover band, as well as other helpful information that I learn along the way. I encourage people who are more experienced than me to leave comments with your own advice and experiences.
If you have any questions about starting a cover band, please feel free to contact me through the “Contact” tab above and ask away! I’ll try my best to answer your questions.
Best of luck with your own cover bands!
I can’t decide if you’re being funny or not. Maybe you are, maybe you aren’t. You might be joking, but I don’t know it’s a joke.
If you’re serious, I’d love to hear some examples of good cover bands doing original music.
I’ve only seen one cover band do original music: the Rolling Stones. And that worked out pretty well for them.
But if you want to start a cover band and then write original songs, you have to ask yourself: why would anyone come see my cover band? And then, if they come and see your cover band, why wouldn’t they go see someone else’s cover band? Because there are lots of other cover bands. Your competition is any other live act in town. Because with the Internet, people can listen to any music anywhere at any time for free. So when they go out to a bar on a Friday night, it’s not because they want a specific kind of music – it’s because they want a specific kind of experience. And that experience has to be unique and authentic, or they’ll just stay home and listen to their favorite CD or vinyl record or stream on Spotify or Pandora or YouTube or whatever.
You need something that makes your band special –
The definition of a “cover band” or “cover group” is a group or solo artist that performs popular songs from other artists. These bands typically only play songs by other artists, although there are some cover bands that will combine their covers with some original music.
A cover band is not to be confused with a tribute band. A tribute band plays songs by one particular artist (i.e., a Led Zeppelin tribute band) while a cover band plays songs from many different artists.
Cover bands typically play at bars, clubs, corporate events, and private parties where people are looking to dance and have fun rather than listen to the lyrics of the songs being performed.
A cover band is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. Some cover bands make a business of playing covertime in bars or pubs, or at parties or other social events. Others are simply a group of musicians who enjoy covering the songs of popular bands and artists. Some groups do both.
Cover bands perform music written and recorded by someone else, usually well-known songs that can be easily learned and played by the average listener. While an original band may play obscure music genres such as progressive rock and jazz fusion that may be difficult to learn and play, cover bands typically play more accessible popular music genres such as rock, pop, country and blues.
There are many types of entertainment acts that provide “live” music at events without actually being a “band”. A DJ spins recorded music at dances or special events (e.g., weddings). A sound reinforcement system consists of microphones for the performers to speak through, amplifiers for these speakers, electric or electronic instrument amplifiers (e.g., bass amps), mixing console to combine all vocal/instrument sounds together into one signal, and loudspeakers for these signals to be amplified through. In many cases the equipment used is extensive enough that it requires one or more roadies to set up and
One of the first questions we get asked is “What cover songs should I learn to play with my band?”
It’s a tough question and the answer can be very different for each band. There are a few factors to consider when figuring out what covers to play with your band:
1. What genre of music does your band play?
2. Who’s in your band?
3. What songs do you enjoy playing?
4. What do people want to hear?
5. What venues will you be playing at?
6. What bands are in your area that you compete with?
7. How good of a band are you?
8. Who’s in your audience and what do they want to hear?