Starting a ska band

[ToastmasterAlpha]

Yes, I know Reel Big Fish told us "Don't Start a Band," but whatever. I don't have any delusions of grandeur, as I'm well aware that a bunch of mildly talented teenagers from suburban Wisconsin playing ska in their spare time are never going to actually make it. I'm just in it for the fun.

I'm pretty set on instrumentation: guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, trombone, and saxophone. But I'm thinking about adding a keyboard, as I'm quite fond of those ska bands that do great things with an organ. And I'm pretty sure I'll need another trumpet or sax. What would be best? And do I really need a trombone? I'm not sure if I'll be able to get one. I play baritone sax, so I figure we could add an alto or tenor and I'd take care of the "low brass."

My biggest question is about what we're going to play. Would it make sense to start off playing covers, and then maybe move into original stuff once we get into it? Because it seems to me like trying to figure out some songs will be easier than trying to write something ourselves. Personally, I'm practically tone-deaf, so I'll probably be no help with either.

Also, I want to say this: I don't really care if you hate ska, just please don't derail this thread like every other thread about ska ever posted on the forums.

[Dave]

I'd say just add a trumpet, and a keyboard is great fun. ALso yeah, jam stuff you've been writing as long as play some of your favourite songs by other bands to keep things fun in between. Try some old RX Bandits stuff- I luvvem.

[MrDoctor]

You should probably start off with covers so you can practice but also like Dave said you should try to write your own stuff since you dont want to be too reliant on other bands.(Try some streelight manifesto songs theyre way better then rx bandits.)

[Idioteque]

Me and my friends have been thinking about this as well.

Anyone have any ideas on HOW to play ska on trumpet though? I have no freaking idea.

[blacksurge]

No idea about the arrangements, but covers would definitely work. I've always wanted to try The Science of Selling Yourself Short by Less Than Jake with my band, but we don't have a horn section :\

[ToastmasterAlpha]

No idea about the arrangements, but covers would definitely work. I've always wanted to try The Science of Selling Yourself Short by Less Than Jake with my band, but we don't have a horn section :\

That's definitely one cover I've been strongly considering. I could try to get some of my friends that are good with music theory to figure shit out, but I have no idea how that would work out. Suburban Legends actually sells the sheet music to their Dance Like Nobody's Watching EP, so I'll probably check that out.

[Profane Methane]

Me and my friends have been thinking about this as well.

Anyone have any ideas on HOW to play ska on trumpet though? I have no freaking idea.
See trumpet here.
TGDQ85Dg-ss

[Idioteque]

Yes, I do listen to ska, but I was more looking for ska trumpet players advice, technique, scales and whatnot.

[BKS]

If you're talking about practice, mix it up. If it comes to shows, do your original songs, then maybe hit them with a kicker of nostalgia with a cover, gliding right into your "best" song to finish it.

[Android]

Here is a great cover for you guys to work out.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7-NOZU2iPA8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7-NOZU2iPA8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[ToastmasterAlpha]

Here is a great cover for you guys to work out.
[Jesus band movie]

The scary part is that's actually really catchy. But I think I'll stick to Five Iron Frenzy for my Christian ska cover needs.

[Fluzz]

Me and my friends have been thinking about this as well.

Anyone have any ideas on HOW to play ska on trumpet though? I have no freaking idea.

Listen to The Johnstones their good and the trumpet play is sick man, hes an m.c too. Myspace them or something. He play tunes like rock around the clock and other similar riffs to songs.

Also if i were you I'd immediately name the band after your user name, drop the sax's and add the keyboard, yes you need a tromboner.Post your shit once you're done.

[ToastmasterAlpha]

drop the sax's

Um yeah, I'd be the one playing them. So that's out of the option.

[tds019]

ska band without a trumpet section? that is key
anyways ska is awesome, i've always wanted to start a band but never got around to it

[Fluzz]

Okay don't drop the sax's just don't include them in every song, completely unnecessary.

[ToastmasterAlpha]

Okay don't drop the sax's just don't include them in every song, completely unnecessary.

Completely unnecessary? Obviously it's not good to add more horns just for the sake of it, but if you've ever heard (for example) Streetlight Manifesto, I would hardly call saxes useless.

[Fluzz]

I didn't say useless, even some ska bands I know don't always feature of even include their trombone or their trumpet. Im just saying don't include it in every song, switch things around.

[Britney Spears]

Me and my friends have been thinking about this as well.

Anyone have any ideas on HOW to play ska on trumpet though? I have no freaking idea.

Other than truly talented ska bands like Madness and The Skatalites, trumpeters of ska bands today seldom deviate the scale of the key that they're in. For example, a general progression for ska (and every other genre) is I-IV-V (Let's use C-F-G-C for this). The horn section most of the time will just play a playful melody made up of notes in C major (C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C). The important part to this genre of music is the syncopation. Since the bass is usually on the beat (1-2-3-4) with some sort of major pentatonic thrown in there, and the guitar is on the backbeat (-chk-chk-chk-chk), it's up to the horns to actually give the song life and energy by making the song unique.

I used to have a ska band, and we all liked Ska and Jazz and all we would do for the first month was play jazz and ska songs we liked and everyone in the band picked up on patterns and recurring phrases. And it worked, because we had some sort of fanbase of people we didn't know, so I guess that means we were somewhat good. Just listen and play with a lot of music. You don't want to sound exactly like Rx Bandits and Reel Big Fish, do ya?

[ToastmasterAlpha]

Well, the band has been formed, with my originally stated instrumentation. We had our first practice yesterday, but it sucked because our bassist couldn't make it. Right now we're just throwng together a cover of "Superman" by Goldfinger (Link to original) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl8XMB9p0ZU). You know, that song that everyone knows from Tonk Hawk's Pro Skater. for our high school's Pops Concert. If that turns all right, we'll move on to bigger and better things.

[Britney Spears]

That's always a good song to play. People eat that shit up.