Question: How many songs should I learn to join a band, and how should I practice those songs before play them with other guys?

Tom Hess's Answer: There isn’t a single hard and fast answer to this question, because different bands have different goals and requirements. The most significant difference exists between joining the band “as a hobby” (playing for fun) and joining a band as part of your “music career” (that you plan to financially support yourself with). The steps needed for each are vastly different.

For joining a band as a hobby, first decide if you want to play in a cover band or in a band that writes original material. For joining a cover band you need to know in advance what repertoire the band specializes in and learn those songs to bring them up to performance level (this means being able to play your parts consistently well in a variety of environments that you will encounter during live shows). The number of songs you need to learn would vary with each band you join and you would have to determine this on a case-by-case basis.

For a band that writes original material, you do not really need to know any songs. Simply work on your general guitar playing, musical knowledge and songwriting skills. You can then write the music together as a band (or 1-2 people become the agreed-upon songwriters in the band).

If you want to join a band as part of your music career, then the issue of “how many songs you need to know” becomes much LESS important. The first and the most important thing you need to determine is whether or not you playing in a particular band is going to help your music career needs AND (THIS IS KEY!!!) whether or not “you” are going to be able to help the band meet “their” career needs. It is this ability to help each other in a mutually beneficial win-win partnership that is going to help you get into any band of your choice vs. some other guitar player who knows all the songs of the band note for note but is missing this critical piece. In other words, you must seek to become the “right person” for joining the band of your choice rather than merely “a guitar (or bass or drum or keyboard) player”. To understand more about what this means and how to do it, study these free music career resources.

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