I started playing guitar many years ago when I was in high school. It wasn’t long before I felt like playing in a band. Back then, putting together a band was pretty simple and straightforward. There was always enough talent to choose to roam the halls of high school. So it became a matter of finding the right group of fellows to suit his particular musical taste.

Today, things are very different, especially if you have a full-time job, are dealing with a family, and you still long to get on stage. With life as hectic as it is most of the time, forming a band can be a daunting task. Often times, it’s a bigger job than you first imagined. Simply finding the right members can take a great deal of time. But don’t worry too much, it CAN be done.

Four years ago, I was 49 at the time, I started sitting with a local band. Well, it wasn’t long before I wanted more. And the only way to have more time to play was to join a band or start a band. I settled on the latter as I felt like I would have more artistic control over the sound I wanted. It turned out he was right … it gave me control, but it also gave me all the responsibility that comes with running a band. And leading a band today is very different than it was when I was in high school. Back then … all you needed were the instruments, some microphones, and some amplifiers (talent helped too).

Today, you almost need to be an electrical engineer to perform on stage. I took a crash course on this as I went along, and there are three main things I learned that, if you know them beforehand, can save you some headaches down the road.

o Become familiar with the art of mixing

The first thing I learned was that a band lives and dies thanks to its public address system. To deliver quality sound, you must not only be able to play, you must be able to use a mixing console. There are many types and styles of mixers, and choosing the right one for your band is just as important as choosing the right guitar or keyboard to use. My suggestion is to acquire as much literature on mixing as possible. Understand how the whiteboard works and what can be done with it. In the long run, this will save you a lot of time. To produce quality sound in your band, everything must be combined correctly. The bass on top of the lead is just as bad as the unintelligible voice. The key is always in the mix.

There is not enough space here for me to teach you the intricacies of mixing. But it’s something to master … and if you’re the one running the band … ultimately, it’s your responsibility. Of course, you can always hire a sound man, but in today’s market, that will undoubtedly reduce the band’s earnings. So my advice is … read everything you can before choosing a mixer, and know how to work it once you’ve done it.

o Get the right sound

Okay, let’s say you’ve auditioned and decided on the right group of musicians for your band. Let’s also assume that you’ve already submitted your initial song list. So, you start practicing, trying to make your versions sound exactly like the recording. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I found that you really have to add something to make it fly. What do i mean? Shouldn’t what you’re playing sound like a replay of the band you’re covering? Well yes and no. What I mean is that you have to add your own style to what you are playing. You have to be able to put your heart into someone else’s music. If you don’t, no matter how well it plays technically, it will look flat. You should be aware that there are certain “signature” sounds for a particular song. But you must also be aware that you are acting … you are putting on a show. Playing a song, which is played exactly as it is heard on CD, is no more exciting to audiences than turning on the radio. You have to be able to grab people and hold them. So … yeah … make sure the lead solos from “Amy” or “I should have known better” are there. But on songs that don’t have a “main signature” experiment. Add your own style. You can even do this with some “signature” solos.

Think of it this way. When you go to a concert, does the band sound EXACTLY like their recording, or do they add flair and punch to their hits? It’s a live performance, and they want you, the audience, to come alive too. And it’s the same if you play at Joe’s Pub. You have to get the audience to become participants, not just listeners.

o Control your practice sessions

I learned very early that maintaining control over practice sessions was a vital necessity. There are a few reasons for this. When you start, you’ll find yourself blasting your songs … loud amps, microphones barely above that. You intend to copy the artist you are covering. But this comes at a very high price. My suggestion is to reject everything. Make sure you can hear the voices and harmonies. If you don’t, the voices may slip away and you may not sound as good as you think. In my experience, I’ve found that what really works wonders for vocals is turning off almost everything. One out of every five practice sessions, we use acoustic guitars just so we can hear every note that is sung. I can’t begin to tell you how much this ties to the harmonies, so when you plug it back in, it all sounds good.

Another aspect related to control, especially for the leader, is listening. You have to LISTEN to everything. It is more important to underestimate than to exaggerate, which is very easy to do. Like I said before, it’s good to make the song your own … to add that style that brings it to life. The trick is knowing which notes NOT to play. Sometimes, as they say … less is more. As a leader, you have to listen to everything to know when a song is being over-performed. It sounds simple enough, but if you don’t pay attention, it can happen without you noticing.

So is that it? That’s all you need to know to lead a successful cover band. Well, no. Like a quality diamond, there are many facets to putting together a paid coverage band. Many will learn them along the way through trial and error. But if you know the three that I’ve talked about, you’ll be in a much better position to get your band online and gig-ready faster.