2010 January | Band Themer

Stuff we learnt while in a Band

By Band Themer | Jan 19, 2010

Being in a band means trying a lot of new things and sometimes learning a lot of things the hard way. Here are a few things I would recommend trying/avoiding (most from personal experience) if you are in a band:

1. Debt.

The truth about a band is that to consistently make music it must also be a business. Yes, to get things started it takes money: recording, pressing CD’s, getting merchandise created can cost thousands of dollars. But sinking yourself in debt without a solid plan to get out will just leave you with a closet full of unheard cds and a broken bank. Usually people get along great until money is involved and suddenly everyone has a different opinion and fights happen. You can avoid this by having a solid business plan before going into debt. You need a plan to pay off debt before going into it. Whether that is a solid tour, online sales, or other opportunities, it is best to be smart with money if you want to have a career. Also, avoid getting into personal debt. If unpaid, debt becomes like a chain holding you back.

2. Management.

Having a manager is a key part of getting things done. Whether that person is in the band, a volunteer, or hired on, make sure it is someone you can trust and also someone who knows what they are doing. It’s a boring job but it is critical to being successful. There is nothing worse than leaving for a tour only to find out half the shows were never booked, or there are no contracts with promoters, etc.

3. Location.

Running a band out of the wrong location can be a huge challenge. If you are 5 hours away from the next big town and only 2 kids like your style of music in your town, you’ll only get 2 kids out to your show. But in a bigger area there is a higher likelihood of having a larger group of people who like your music style. Finding this target audience is very important. If you try to market heavy-metal music to baby-boomers (except those crazy moshing types you likely won’t make any sales. This means going to shows, talking to people, finding out who likes music that you are making and finding ways to connect with them.

4. Staying consistent.

Many bands will create new music and create a buzz – only to then fall into the background for a while. It’s hard work but it’s really helpful to always be “on”. Whether it’s daily blogs or new music or whatever, stay consistent.

5. Being good at what you do.

It’s easy to think that as a musician we are the best we can be and we have no need to practice or improve. But being good at what you do is very important. Practice songwriting, practice your instrument, practice your live show etc. Basically, laying the pride down and realizing that we have a lot of room for improvement. This type of mindset will open tons of doors. All in all get creative and get busy. Money isn’t the goal – but rather a necessity If you don’t make money you won’t be sustainable, and you won’t last. Aka – your message won’t go out