Rock Band Program
Seeking Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keys, and Vocalists for On-Stage Fun
Our band program at Vivid School of Music is small but mighty, producing some of the top kid bands in the Austin area!
What makes us different
- High ratio of teachers to students. Almost every band practice has at least three teachers present - to run sound, help with vocal harmonies, fill in instruments if needed, etc. (This is why we don't have a lot of bands - but the ones we do have are really good.)
- Custom song arrangements. Every song is arranged specifically for the group, based on the instruments and skill levels of each member. Students get printed music and audio practice tracks for home practice.
- Quality professional gear. We supply the electronics, like wireless pickups and guitar pedals, and teach how and when to use them for the most legit rock sound on stage. We keep extra guitars and basses on hand for songs in different tunings, giving us more flexibility in what we can play. And every band member gets their own individual monitor mix for performances and rehearsals, so everyone can hear exactly what they need to!
- Vocals aren't an afterthought. Our school owner sits in on every band practice, and as a vocalist, her biggest focus is helping band members get those harmonies right!
House and Session Bands (Open to Guitars, Bass, Keys, Synth, Vocals, and Drums)
Our band program has two sections: The House Band (our ongoing advanced group), and the Session Band (our ten-week program).
The House Band (Ongoing, Advanced):
- Ages 10-19. Seven members maximum.
- Weekly 1hr 45min rehearsals year-round with performances every 1-3 months
- Songs stay in rotation while adding new ones, building a full set list for longer concerts
- $149/month, billed monthly (or $189 for students not enrolled at Vivid)
- New members may apply at any time - but if bands are full, students may be placed on a waitlist
- By audition only, or teacher recommendation
The Session Band (10-Week Program):
The perfect way to try out the rock band lifestyle without the full commitment of a year-round band!
- Ages 8-16. Seven members maximum.
- Rehearses for 10 weeks (1hr 30mins weekly), and performs a 4-5 song set on stage
- $375 for the full ten-week session, payable in two monthly payments (full session is $450 for students not enrolled at Vivid)
- No commitment beyond 10 weeks required
- Students should know how to play their instrument, but inexperienced players are welcome!
After each Session Band performance, students may choose to continue into the next session, or request to move up to the House Band (if space allows), or take a break. It's up to you!
If we have more students applying for the Session Band than we have space, we'll go on a waiting list for the next cycle. Admissions from the waiting list will be based on a) which instruments are most needed, and b) the order students were added to the waitlist.
Text us at 512-817-3663 to ask about availability.
Practice Times:
- Session Band (intermediate-advanced): Sundays 4:15 - 5:45pm
- House Band (advanced): Sundays 6:15 - 8:00pm
Note: Our band practices take place at a separate location from the school, near Veterans Memorial Park in Cedar Park.
Spring 2026 Update: Seeking drummer and bassist
We're always open to meeting new students for all instruments, but at this moment, our biggest need is drums and bass!
Make Friends
- Making music with like-minded kids creates strong bonds and lasting friendships.
- Receiving constructive feedback in a band setting helps students be open and responsive.
- Exposure to new genres challenges you to adapt and grow musically.
Hone Your Skills
- Regular rehearsals and performance pushes kids to improve their technique and mastery faster than private lessons can by themselves.
- Band members use charts and sheet music, bringing classroom learning into real-world situations. Music reading ability develops quickly when it's required!
Build Confidence
- Performing live boosts self-esteem and stage presence.
- Successfully tackling complex music with bandmates is fun and empowering.
- Listening to other musicians helps develop skill in harmony and dynamics.
BAND PROGRAM PRICING
- Group rehearsals every week
- All supplies and music included
- No registration fee for current students
- Recital fees included
Rock Band Program FAQ
Currently our band members range from 10-18 years old, but age is less important than attention span and willingness to practice!
You don't need to be an expert in your instrument, but you'll need to be able to follow along during rehearsal. We hand out sheet music with tab and chord charts, so we recommend going over those in your private lessons.
It's okay if you can't read or play all your parts right away!
As long as you practice between rehearsals, that's what counts - and we can simplify parts as needed. We can't spend group practice time teaching everyone their individual notes, but band members get plenty of guidance when they're learning something new. Your private teachers can help too!
Note: Band practice is fun, but we cover a lot in practice each week. Members are expected to stay in practice mode even when they’re not actively playing, and be ready to jump in when it's time.
House Band rehearsals are one hour and 45 minutes long, once per week (except for the school's regular vacation weeks). The Session Band rehearses for 1 hour 30 minutes/week.
Both bands practice in a separate location about nine minutes from our Leander school, near the Good Lot and Veterans Memorial Park in Cedar Park.
Band openings depend on several things: which instruments are currently in the band, the abilities of the players, complexity of the current music, etc. If you're interested in joining a band, text us at 512-817-3663 to ask about open spots.
If we have multiple players on the same instrument, players may occasionally sit out for a song or two. We also create our own custom song arrangements, so we can write in additional guitar parts, or get creative with backing vocals, hand percussion, synth FX, etc.
There's a limit of seven players total in each band, though, because we don't want a situation where we have to make people sit out too often, or write in more parts than the music can really handle. If the band is full, we'll add you to a waiting list for an open spot or a future group.
For the House Band, your first band session is free and serves as an evaluation for both the students and the teachers. Joining the band is a commitment and we want to make sure it’s the right fit! You won’t be automatically enrolled after that first session, so when you decide you’re ready to join for real, be sure to let us know.
For the Session Band, you can attend one of the previous session practices, or a House Band practice, just to check it out for free - but in order to actually reserve a spot in the 10-Week Session Band, the full dues do need to be paid before the band cycle starts.
(This is because we arrange the songs specifically for the members signed up for each session, which we can't do if we don't know at the beginning who's going to be playing!)
We cover a lot of ground each week, so it's important to attend rehearsals!
If you need to miss a rehearsal, be sure to notify us ASAP via text (512-817-3663) so we can arrange to cover your part that day.
There are no makeups for missed band rehearsals. If a member misses enough rehearsals to affect the band’s ability to perform, their parts may be given to other members, at least temporarily.
Bring your music (and a pencil) every time! You'll learn MUCH faster if you pay attention to your music and take notes to use at home.
If you're on guitar, bass, or violin, bring those to every practice, along with your tuner, capos, picks, etc. (Be sure to get a protective case and never leave stringed instruments sitting in a hot car!)
Practice can get a little loud, so earplugs (designed for live music situations) are recommended.
We have cables, amps, drums, keyboards, music stands, mic stands, and microphones, so you don't need to bring those.
Our rock bands play at the end of our recitals (approx. four times per year), and there are band-only shows as well.
Some of our favorite venues are Firewater Cafe, Veterans Memorial Park, and Kick Butt Coffee in Austin, but we've hosted recitals at a number of live music venues in Cedar Park, Leander, Pflugerville, and Austin over the years, including Steamer Lane, One-2-One, Hanovers, Smooth Village, Lucky Rabbit, and Cherrywood Coffeehouse.
Our bands tend to play mostly rock, pop, and punk. Recent sets have included songs like:
- Into The New - Vallejo
- Mexican Radio - Wall of Voodoo/Vallejo
- American Idiot - Green Day
- Heart-Shaped Box - Nirvana
- The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
- Say It Ain't So - Weezer
- Zombie - Cranberries
- Big Bang Baby - Stone Temple Pilots
- Love Song - The Cure
- Need You Tonight - INXS
- Jenny Says - Cowboy Mouth
- Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
- All The Small Things - Blink 182
- Gold On The Ceiling - The Black Keys
- Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
- The Time Warp - Rocky Horror
- Gossip - Maneskin
- Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger
- Volcano Girls - Veruca Salt
- Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers
The House Band adds a few new songs each cycle, but also keeps most of the old songs polished, so they can play longer shows without having to play the same songs every time.
The Session Band will move on to new songs each 10-week session, but their performances will be shorter (4-5 songs). If a Session Band wants to repeat a past song as one of their song choices, they can request that, but the Session Band will mostly start fresh each time, so new players can join without feeling pressured to catch up on a large backlog of music.
For the House Band:
Billing is month-to-month, with no contracts. We require at least 7 days’ notice before the end of the month in order to cancel billing, but remember that being in a band is different from private lessons. There are other students depending on you!
If you need to leave the group, please try not to leave in the few weeks before a show, and give as much notice as possible so we can start recruiting for a new member. (Ideally, we'd love it if departing members stayed with the band until their replacement is found—but that's a request, not a requirement.)
Tuition is non-refundable once billed! If you cancel in the middle of a month after paying for that month, you can still attend all remaining sessions that month if you choose.
For the 10-Week Session Band:
Billing is due for the full session up front, and is non-refundable once the session starts. There's no automatic re-enrollment once the session ends, so you won't be signed back up or charged again unless you specifically request to join back up for another session.
