Band vs. Independent Music

Here at ISU, I was given two very similar, but extremely different opportunities. The first was being a part of a band who covered songs, along with making their own music. The second was releasing my own music with the occasional cover. Both of these experiences are something I thought I would never do because of how little people know about the two. So, I want to describe my experiences with both, along with some of the pros and cons in case someone ever needs a little push to do their own thing. 

Life in a Band

I joined the band after finding a poster outside of my work place. I had to call the two guys already in it, and they gave me an audition date. During the audition, they showed me an original song that they were working on. They said that I did well enough to be invited back for another rehearsal date, but I was not yet in the band. I made it my goal to figure out a drum score for their original song before the next rehearsal. A week later I showed up again, and after that rehearsal they said that I was in the band. Together we created around six original songs and perfected about 15 covers. However, being in a new, unknown, band limits your options for gigs. We called everywhere that listed live music and asked for a shot. They all required us to have about 100 fans that would be guaranteed to come to the gig. So, our first and only gig was at an open mic. The crowd loved us, and we got offers to keep coming back when they needed more live music. However, after an altercation with our lead singer, we decided to disband. This was the end of the band and as far as I know, there are no plans to resume. While my time in the band was short, it taught me so much about how to improv, how to handle stressful situations in public, and how to follow some of my dreams.

Pros of Bands 

• The sound does not only require you 
• You can bounce ideas off of your bandmates 
• Instant feedback on your music 
• Bonding with people who are nothing like you but share the same interest as you 
• Fuller sound when performing 

Cons of Bands

• Creative differences
• Scheduling conflicts 
• Instable 
• Harder to release music (my band never reached this stage)

Life as a Solo Artist 

The band had a different sound than music I was used to. Before joining the band, I had already had some unreleased music in my TikTok drafts. Learning that I preferred a different sound than what the band was producing, I decided that I would be in the band while making my own music. I bought a professional grade microphone, downloaded apps used to create music using layering, and grabbed my guitar. Right off the bat, I recorded my first album, and released it in November. This required a lot of focus, poetry skills, and understanding that because I was new, it was not going to be perfect. With my first album, I also created music videos to go along. The projects were fun, but they took a lot of time and effort. Since then, I have bought more items to make my sound clearer. I have released two singles and a cover and I am currently working on my next album. The only problem would be that it is taxing and it takes a lot out of you when you are trying to be a whole band by yourself. 

Pros of Bands 

• Easier to get gigs as openers 
• All of the music comes from you 
• You get as many takes as needed
• No one is telling you what you need to produce or sound like
• You’re on your own schedule 

Cons of Bands

• Tiring 
• Lonely feeling 
• Higher rate of burnout 
• Higher cost 
• No safety net when you get sick or want to quit

In Conclusion

Personality I pick option C. My goal is to create my own band with our own unique sound. We would have to start off small but with the correct people leading it and having the band on the same page, I think it could work out. So, I recommend getting a bunch of friends together and seeing where that goes. That’s how most bands start so why can’t you? The fear of failure cannot stop you if you care enough, and that’s what my advice is. 

• band
• entertainment
• music
• solo artist