How to Create a Heavy Metal Band
Having originated in the 1970s, heavy metal music reached its peak in the 1980s, and the scene was flooded with bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Black Sabbath, and Alice Cooper, all of whom reached dizzying heights of fame. Since then, heavy metal is a genre in its own right, and the music is characterised by sheer volume coupled with distortion, and a heavy dose of bass and drums. The subject matter of the music is dark and morbid, with overtones of the occult, which is frequently used for symbolic purposes. If you find yourself inspired by the music, and wish to contribute to the genre and expand the heavy metal scene, consider establishing your own heavy metal band.
Instructions
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To begin, make sure you are knowledgeable in regards to the genre. Follow the development of heavy metal from its early days to the present time, and listen to as many songs as you can. However, do not be a passive listener – in addition to appreciating the music, try and understand its structure, and what it is made up of. Along with delving into the composition, pay attention to the sort of topics the music addresses, and how these issues are dealt with in the songs. Understand the genre thoroughly, to identify the trends – this way, you will be able to create a successful heavy metal band.
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Next, it is time to round up the members you will need to make up the band. Heavy metal bands generally consist of a lead vocalist, a drummer, and three guitarists (bass, rhythm and lead). If you have a group of friends who are interested and know how to play the instruments, you are all set. However, if you are in need of members, you can put up flyers for auditions, round up like-minded musicians, and pick the ones who fit the bill. Once you have your members, make sure they all have the appropriate instruments.
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Once your band has its members, you will all need to come up with a band name. Do not make this too complicated or long – it should be concise, so everyone can remember it, and it should reflect the identity of the band.
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Now, schedule regular band practice, so the band can learn to play together, understand each other’s musical styles, learn to harmonise all these styles into one sound, and grow together as a band. Find a place to hold your practice sessions, and schedule them for at least a couple of days a week. When you practice, you can start off by covering the songs of classic heavy metal bands you like (music sheets are available on websites like ThreeChords.com), and then gradually move on to creating your own songs.
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Once you all begin to find your sound and develop a band identity, start writing your own songs. Bounce lyrics and music around, write lyrics down, and record the songs, so that you can remember them, and keep working on them. Stay original, and express your inner sentiments on existential themes and dark emotions like anger, frustration, grief, and self-destruction. Once you begin to compose whole songs, record demo CDs and hand these out to people you feel can further the career of your band – these might be agents, club owners, radio station programmers and even fans.
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In the meantime, once your performances become polished enough, focus on landing as many gigs as possible, to popularise your band and put it on the heavy metal map. Get in touch with local club owners, or contact talent agencies. Make sure you are active about networking, so that you can continuously come across new opportunities for gigs.
