Instrumental music and getting off the ground...

MistaMarko · #1 02-12-2007, 10:40 PM

I'm in a prog instrumental band...and we've got a lot of local friend fans so far and things like that and they all like it...but sometimes I question how it would go across at a local gig...what you guys think?

www.myspace.com/Tetrafusion

that's just a demo..we have another song thats very piano oriented with odd meter latin breaks and classical twists then another 10 minute song that has movements and all this stuff and were working on a concept album involving cosmology and stuff..but as far as recordings..we just have that demo and that video..so lemme know what you guys think in relation to my question..thanks!

PalaNIN · #2 02-13-2007, 12:25 AM

Try networking. Find a few similar local bands who have been doing some gigs, and ask to support them at one of their shows. My band has already been asked by another band to gig with them, and while we're not ready yet, it's still a good opportunity to get a foothold into the gig scene.

It's not easy though, with less mainstream music. I have a hard enough time trying to find gigs to watch, let alone play! Good luck!

Matt Till · #3 02-13-2007, 02:40 AM

Yeah, find local bands to play shows with and if you're feeling saucy, find a small prog label to distribute your album perhaps.

Xoryn · #4 02-13-2007, 02:43 PM

I don't have any advice but I love the music, I would totally buy an album of it. Sounds to be a bit like a more keyboard orientated Liquid Tension Experiment. Your bass playing is great and really solid. I look forward to more stuff from you guys.

MistaMarko · #5 02-13-2007, 04:49 PM

Thanks guys.

Soon as we get some more material I'll post it...and we have about 2-3 bands locally that were interested in playing, so I'm gunna look into that more. Thanks guys...keep it coming if you can!

IanStephenson · #6 02-13-2007, 05:21 PM

You may just have to face it that you're never going to have a big local following. Thats not a bad thing, but you're never going to appeal to a signifigant portion of the population, so you need to find a place that has a lot of people.

HOWEVER the good news is (as I'm sure you know) there's a fanatical prog underground. There's a local Prog band (Galahad) who do very nicely putting out albums, and playing festivals in europe - they play locally about once per year.

Work on the studio stuff, build a following and use that to leverage your way into support slots for established prog bands. Be prepared to travel to the gigs rather than expecting to make them locally.

Ian

Zappstorius · #7 02-17-2007, 09:11 PM

I would think with the popularity of bands like Dream Theater with the younger crowd, that a progressive instumental band could be successful. Let's face it, not many people are listening to DT for the vocals. I would suggest getting to know some other progressive bands (with vocalists) in the area and hopefully getting some gigs with them. From there it would be increasing your fanbase just like any other band.

PalaNIN · #8 02-18-2007, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zappstorius

I would think with the popularity of bands like Dream Theater with the younger crowd, that a progressive instumental band could be successful. Let's face it, not many people are listening to DT for the vocals. I would suggest getting to know some other progressive bands (with vocalists) in the area and hopefully getting some gigs with them. From there it would be increasing your fanbase just like any other band.

Except with Dream Theater, people go to their shows to see the players. If you have a Petrucci or a Portnoy in your band then sure, you'll gain the interest of a lot of people on that alone, but otherwise it will be pretty tough.

SmittyG · #9 02-18-2007, 10:16 AM

Great tune; I like the direction your band is going. I'm trying to go more in the instrumental direction (more jazz-fusion) but the rest of the band (Deacon Dark) isn't too keen to kill our already weak standing with the local bar scene. BTW, noticed you guys were out of BC, LA. We are out of Texarkana.

Baryonyx · #10 02-18-2007, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PalaNIN

Except with Dream Theater, people go to their shows to see the players. If you have a Petrucci or a Portnoy in your band then sure, you'll gain the interest of a lot of people on that alone, but otherwise it will be pretty tough.

Yep, I ahree, you're going to have to work hard to makes "names" of the people in your band. That said, LaBrie is a fine vocalist!

Zappstorius · #11 02-18-2007, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PalaNIN

Except with Dream Theater, people go to their shows to see the players. If you have a Petrucci or a Portnoy in your band then sure, you'll gain the interest of a lot of people on that alone, but otherwise it will be pretty tough.

All I'm saying is that progressive music is becoming more popular with younger people. Look at much of the metal scene these days, and much of it is progressive metal, or influenced by it. Although any strictly instrumental music will always be a tough sell to masses, the timing is perfect right now.