Balancing more than one band

[HaveFaithWithin]

I've been in a band, the same one, for 2 years now. We've played tons of shows and have a somewhat big fan base (~100). We play Melodic Hardcore (i.e. The Ghost Inside, Hundredth) with a ton of other influences.

Well, lately, I've been listening to a few bands...pretty much hooked;
Fireworks
Man Overboard
Transit
New Found Glory
Four Years Strong

I listen to this and some of it is just brilliantly put together, especially Fireworks, and I'm really loving it.

I have a few doodled songs written that are kind of poppy, I can sing fairly well.

Pretty much what this is about is;

Is it hard having more than one band at a time?

Do you think it would be good or bad for my writing for either band if I write completely different music for two different gigs?

I'm ready for some conversation on this, so bring whatever to the table.

 

[poopyalligator]

I couldnt be fully dedicated to two bands. I had a hard enough time with one lol. However if you keep your main focus on one, and work the other as kind of a side project you could manage it.

 

[HaveFaithWithin]

Well, that's a good point. The thing is, though, that I really want to play shows with both bands. It's going to be a difficult decision, because the band I'm in now practices every weekend, both days. It'll be tricky, but in the end, I think it will be a neat thing.

I want peoples personal experiences, just to see how people deal with it, you know?

 

[McCap]

Can't give real help as with my two bands there's one that never practices. We meet before the gigs and rehearse once...so the other band which practices daily is easy to handle!

I would think it's feasible. Maybe make your second band with people of the first band. Then there wouldn't be any date conflicts.
Or if you have to look for other people make it clear from the beginning that you have another band, you want it to keep running as is and that the second band is to be done in your "free" time.

Then, once the second poppier band takes over the first one rearrangements can be done

 

[Harry]

Paging Bloody Inferno

 

[AK DRAGON]

Not that I have ever tried it, I would think it's like trying to balance 2 girlfrineds (hopefully without the drama). It's possible but you have to be a master juggler. maybe you could see if your current band would like to add some variation to your setlist

 

[Varcolac]

I have a few friends who do this for way more than one band. Tom, the drummer in Carpathia balances us (prog-metal) with Maw (death-black), Phyrexia (power-black), Hazlitt (classical/film music), Pouya Mahmoodi (Iranian world fusion) and Will and The Ways (pop/soul). Man's a machine, but music is his job: he's got a degree in music composition and is completing a masters' in performance with a view to an eventual doctorate. He makes a living doing session work and teaching, so juggling music is second-nature to him.

Me, I find it OK to juggle two bands and work.

 

[Dwellingers]

One can manage two bands - no biggie. All about the energy and attitude in them I guess.

 

[brutalwizard]

is it possible, yes

can we perceive if you have the ability to do it, without being you? No

do whatever your heart tells you.
just like every single song in the genre you plays tells me to do.

 

[Grimbold]

what i do to balance my bands is I have one that meets on the weekends
and another that meets during the week at school thus they never cross each other...

 

[rug]

I have 2 bands, it's not so bad...it's actually a lot of fun. It also helps that the drummer and bassist are the same for both bands, makes it very easy for scheduling. I'd recommend no more than 4-5 days a week practicing between both bands, otherwise it can get a bit overwhelming.

 

[rectifryer]

I would always be fighting a bias, thus would never do so.

 

[Explorer]

You talked about one band practicing on both days of the weekends, but you didn't mention what I thought would be more relevant: How many gigs does this band generate a month?

Unless it was a substantial source of income, I don't know how much I'd put into *any* band.

I might also have a slightly different view of what band practice is for. I've learned my material on my own, and then did group practices to fit it all together. If everyone is learning their parts at the group practice, then that's a demand on my time which I can't afford.

I would always be happy to kick it into high gear with just one group... if that group made it worthwhile financially.

You might make your decisions based on other factors, and that's okay.

 

[Grimbold]

I would always be fighting a bias, thus would never do so.

yeah
this is always a problem for me and my two bands...