help/tips: getting known, getting out there

playibanez · #1 02-09-2008, 02:28 PM

hey guys. basically im just looking for tips and help to get lots of shows and just get out there and get your band as well known as you can.

i figured alot of you guys have been around the block with bands and stuff like this so you could help me out a little and mybe just shoot some tips i wouldnt have thought of.

im only 16 my band was pretty big in the local music scene(which doesnt mean much) but a producer found us, and offered to record an ep with us, a good quality one. stuff happend and we ended the band, but still are in contact with him. so we decided to write entirely new stuff, spent alot of time doing it and we are going to record our ep this week. and we will be making merch very shortly after that(kids buy shirts like crazy around here)

but we need shows, lots of them, and not just locally. we want to acutally get out there. all of us are pretty serious about it. we want to just have fun though too. we are scared once we start up we are going to just play around here and get boxed into only the town we live in.

well you guys probobly know this feeling. we are 4 teenagers that just want a van and our music for a while.(far fetched)

meev992 · #2 02-09-2008, 05:23 PM

- Get a myspace
- become good patrons to music stores.
- seek advice from the old-timers at the music stores about where to play
- make friends with other bands.

jaebee · #3 02-09-2008, 05:35 PM

play shows, rent a van for a weekend if you have to, and most of all dont quit your day job, added pressure of "we must find gigs" is never good

darkfinger · #4 02-09-2008, 05:50 PM

I know some of these have been said already but:

tour around your area...
play lots of local gigs
get a myspace page/website
make friends with other bands
open for everyone you can (sort of goes hand in hand with make friends with other bands

)
Network like crazy
once your cd is complete give it to local college stations, try for in studio performances/interviews
public access television usually has a local music show so try and get on that. (up here it`s called Signal to Noise)
apply for recording grants/video grants

That`s a start...good luck!

capnsandwich · #5 02-09-2008, 05:58 PM

Networking, Networking, Networking!!! The more you communicate with other people in the biz and get your name out there, the better chance for opportunity. The more opportunities you get as a band to be exposed, the better your chance in being discovered. I'll second Meev's Myspace account suggestion.

Another thing, get your band recorded. It doesn't have to be mixed and mastered professionally, it just needs to be clear and give a good idea of how your band sounds, otherwise known as your band's tamber. It would help if your band has a unique sound or some kind of catchy sound that helps them stand out.

Just a few ideas.

Edit: Ok, I just read the part of you guys recording soon so you're on the right track!

meev992 · #6 02-09-2008, 07:51 PM

It's a given that a musician/band has to be good and have a tight sound, but the business and professionalism and network and staying on top of things is where it's at if you want to be playing (out) often.

playibanez · #7 02-09-2008, 08:50 PM

yea we have a myspace. and our freind is a pro photographer. so we had him do our promos and those will be up as soon as we get our mastered songs from the producer.

we are aiming to make our page look as professional as we can, and come off pro and not flaky or that we dont know what we are doing.

and the college station is a good idea i havent even though of that. il have to look into it! when we used to play out we made alot of freinds with bands, that have gotten bigger and bigger while we were in hibernation making songs. so we are hooking back up with them asap.

and someone mentioned recording/video grants, think someone can point me in the direction of some of this stuff.

our goal is to get merch done and do a small jersey tour this summer. possibly buy a trailer if we make enough money.

thanks alot guys, any other tips would still be greatly appreicated. and also take into consideration that none of us are over 18

meev992 · #8 02-09-2008, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by playibanez

thanks alot guys, any other tips would still be greatly appreicated. and also take into consideration that none of us are over 18

It's good that you mention this. One of the greatest hurdles is age: more doors open up for you after 18, and even more after 21. So take it easy for now and make the most of the opportunities that you have.

Dave Muscato · #9 02-09-2008, 09:57 PM

Subscribed

I gotta run right now but I'll post some ideas here too later on.

darkfinger · #10 02-10-2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by playibanez

and someone mentioned recording/video grants, think someone can point me in the direction of some of this stuff.

thanks alot guys, any other tips would still be greatly appreicated. and also take into consideration that none of us are over 18

Hey, I can`t help you much in that because you`re in the states, but up here in Canada we have Canada Council For The Arts at a Federal level and Manitoba Film and Sound as well as F.A.C.T.O.R. at a Provincial level.

I just did a rudimentary search and found this: http://www.nea.gov/index.html
Try State specific artist grants, more federal grants, just google federal grants etc....

If you`re all almost 18 come up to Canada for a tour during the summer, there are lots of places to play, and if you`re situated near the West coast, British Columbia is like the land of milk and honey as far as making money on the road goes.

good luck

meev992 · #11 02-10-2008, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkfinger

Hey, I can`t help you much in that because you`re in the states, but up here in Canada we have Canada Council For The Arts at a Federal level and Manitoba Film and Sound as well as F.A.C.T.O.R. at a Provincial level.

Isn't it sad, the great U.S.A. hardly supports the arts, while the rest of the world has organizations that support starving artists.

*waves flag weakly*

darkfinger · #12 02-10-2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meev992

Isn't it sad, the great U.S.A. hardly supports the arts, while the rest of the world has organizations that support starving artists.

*waves flag weakly*

Yeah, Canada has some pretty decent support for artists, however to be considered for most of the music grants you can`t play popular music (rock, pop, etc.) which is a huge pain for a lot of great rock groups up here do to the constraints of the grants.

however, if you play jazz, or funk (like me), or electronica, or avant gard classical styles there are lots of grants.

There`s actually a grant up here that will pay you living expenses/recording expenses if you pitch a piece of music or project that will garauntee(sp) to never be a commercial success....

I`m applying for this one. I`m gonna play bass naked in a vat of margarine while smearing dog poop on a large wheel of cheese. I think they`ll go for it.

playibanez · #13 02-10-2008, 12:23 PM

i would never think canada but i dunno its kinda far from nj and im not sure what my plans after highschool are, im pretty sure im going to be going to college so a canada tour might not be easy. and its deffinatly not possible right now.

im going to look up some grants when i get come later tonight.

meev992 · #14 02-10-2008, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkfinger

I`m applying for this one. I`m gonna play bass naked in a vat of margarine while smearing dog poop on a large wheel of cheese. I think they`ll go for it.

Is it just me, or if you call anything Avant-garde, people will pay you to do whatever the heck you want

I'm going to put a pencil in a picture frame and dance around it with a fancy hat.

punkbassistfc · #15 02-11-2008, 01:12 PM

Its a lot of hard work, make sure you are ready, then get a good demo, and just go and hand them out on the streets.

playibanez · #16 02-11-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by punkbassistfc

Its a lot of hard work, make sure you are ready, then get a good demo, and just go and hand them out on the streets.

exactly what we are doing. first day we get the mastered we are hitting this town close by that alot of young kids go to and its a center for music also. just doing to drive around talk to people, promote, and give out demos.

tmart937 · #17 02-11-2008, 03:01 PM

I tried to send emails out to all of the local places to play and got hardly any responses.

Then I sent an email telling them that we could fill in if anyone every canceled a show. Started getting emails!!

meev992 · #18 02-11-2008, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmart937

Then I sent an email telling them that we could fill in if anyone every canceled a show. Started getting emails!!

brilliant!

playibanez · #19 02-11-2008, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmart937

I tried to send emails out to all of the local places to play and got hardly any responses.

Then I sent an email telling them that we could fill in if anyone every canceled a show. Started getting emails!!

that is a pretty good idea! il start doing that also

hunta · #20 02-11-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmart937

I tried to send emails out to all of the local places to play and got hardly any responses.

Then I sent an email telling them that we could fill in if anyone every canceled a show. Started getting emails!!

I'd recommend going into all the local places personally, charm the pants off them, and give them a copy of your disc. It's a lot easier to mass mail/e-mail than it is to go in and give that personal touch. Give them a face and a personality to go with that press packet.

Keep in mind that my old cover band lost a lot of gigs this way because our band leader/promo guy was a total dingbat... Make sure you're sending in your top gun charmer!