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How to Play in a Punk Band

Punk rock is a genre of music that originated in the 1970s with such bands as the New York Dolls, the Stooges and the Ramones. It is characterized by hard-driving guitar and drums, harsh vocals and iconoclastic lyrics attacking society, politics and popular culture. Playing in a punk band requires finding like-minded musicians and writing songs in the spirit of these old bands. Form your own punk band made up of guitar, drums, bass guitar and vocals.

Things You'll Need

  • Drum set
  • Guitar
  • Bass guitar
  • Microphones
  • Amplifiers
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find friends or acquaintances who also like to listen to punk rock. If you don't know anyone with the same musical tastes, place an ad in a local paper or on the Internet, or on a bulletin board in a coffee shop or music store. Advertise what instruments you can play and what you are looking for. Also look for existing advertisements seeking musicians for punk bands.

    • 2

      Meet with your potential bandmates and discuss what kind of punk rock you wish to play. There are a variety of important sub-genres, such as old-school, hardcore, new wave, pop-punk, emo-punk, garage punk, skate punk and many others. Listen to a variety of bands for influences, such as The Ramones, D.O.A., Black Flag, Bad Religion, NOFX and The Misfits.

    • 3

      Decide which instrument you will play and begin rehearsing. Write guitar riffs that use power chords and are simple in structure. The drum beat should be fast and driving, with a loud snare on each up-beat. Vocals can make use of a variety of qualities, including grating, raspy, haunting, deep or high-pitched.

    • 4

      Write lyrics that express frustration or alienation. Punk rock usually attacks social institutions, so try to write lyrics that are explicitly political. Punk bands also write love songs, but are usually ironic or simplified love songs that express a simple idea without being overly sentimental.

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