Let’s be honest, anyone who is interested in music and playing guitar, dreams of one day being in a band, playing to sold out stadiums and living the rock and roll lifestyle. If you have dreams of being in a band then we have been speaking to Tom Hess guitar virtuoso and touring guitarist in order to give you some tips on how you can get involved in a band.
It is important to remember that before you even think about joining a band, that you should work extremely hard on not only your guitar technique but also your ability to play along with others. Let’s take a look to see what Tom is all about and what his thoughts are on how you can get involved in a band.
Tom Hess
Tom has played guitar for over 3 decades, he has been a member of 2 main bands during that time, Rhapsody of Fire and HolyHell. Aside from being a member of these popular metal bands, Hess has invested a great deal of effort and time into understanding more about the craft and has earned himself 2 degrees in music. Whilst Tom still plays guitar in sessions and on tour, he spends much of his time helping others to improve their guitar playing ability and teaching music theory through his online course.
Social Media
Social media has taken the place of the ‘classifieds’ section that you would have previously found in newspapers and you should use this to put yourself out there. Join groups of musicians and band lovers online and start letting people know that you are a guitarist and that you are ready to join a band.
Specialize
It is important that you specialize in one form of music so that you can find it easier to join a band. This is not to say that you should only play one type of music but you should have a particular niche which suits you best.
YouTube
We live in a world where we can now show off who we are without having to even turn up and YouTube is a great way of showing off your skills. If you upload some videos to YouTube and start posting them on band forums, you can show off your skills to a wide range of people, some of whom may be interested in enlisting your services.
In the Scene
Many bands have high turnover of members and in order to get your shot, you should be trying to get involved in the local band scene. Make sure that you are attending gigs, striking up friendships with band members and letting them know that you play guitar. Remember, it is not what you know, but who you know.
Busking
Finally, you could try out busking on the streets to show off your skills, you never know who might be walking past and if you are good enough, you will get spotted.