Hi All. For your benefit I have compiled a list of the Top 11 Ways to Find Gigs for your band or music, and I hope you enjoy! If you are not really sure How to Get Gigs for your band, hopefully you will find this list useful. I have included as many of the best online and offline, face-2-face methods for promoting yourself, which from talking to musicians and band members, and researching this, seem to really be the best ways known right now.
You really have to think about this on a couple of fronts. You have your Online Methods of Getting Gigs and then your offline or face-2-face methods to get gigs. So let's break this down into two categories:
Technique #1: Build A Myspace and add as many friends as possible! If you have a website link to the myspace from your website and link from your myspace to your website. Always tell people about your website and myspace and have the addresses printed on all of your promotional material!
Technique #2: Seek out online band websites like ourstage. This site allows you to create a Free Electronic Press Kit (EPK) which allows you to create a profile about your band and music, which makes you available for potential gigs, as well as contests for gigs, magazine exposure, and other prizes.
Technique #3: Check out the local Musicians section under your city craigslist ads. Scour these once a week at least and you can find gigs here, or post an ad that you are available.
Technique #4: Make sure you have a myspace! You are WAY behind the 8 Ball if you do not have a myspace or website at the least. This is a great place to extend your person to person network, and look for more ways to find gigs, network online. You can post your tracks for free or charge per download, post pictures of events, and add your fans to your friends list, and then send bulletins on upcoming events and shows so your fans can keep up with you! You HAVE to have a community available for your fans, and being on myspace with a profile and list of fans on your friends list, can take care of that. If not you need to create a website as an alternate. Having both a myspace and website does not hurt either, especially if you are a cover band, wedding band, etc and need a professional image and detailed information available.
Technique #5: Utilize Search Engine Optimization Techniques to enhance your band's website or myspace exposure for your local market, to get gigs and shows locally.
Technique #1: Offer to play charitable functions to help raise money for good causes. Not only do you do something good for society but you also do get your name out there. Seek out local music events and functions and offer to play free of charge. Have a good time, after all it is really about the music anyway, right? The purpose for helping to get future gigs, is the chance to network, get your music and band's tracks and faces out there.
Technique #2: Play at open mic nights, or host an open mic night. Yet another chance to get your name out there, network with other musicians, and possible come accross a writer from a local newspaper, magazine, or agent.
Technique #3: Have Demo CD's, Press Kits, and Business Cards ready to give out to club/venue owners, agents, writers, etc. Be like a boyscout, be prepared! You'll kick yourself on the day that you need a demo or a press kit and do not have this with you to give to an influential person you meet.
Technique #4: Design your own shirts with your band's picture, logo, cd cover, etc printed on it. You can print tshirts to give out to fans, venue owners, and wear them yourself too. Everyone loves free stuff so don't be afraid to give out some of it or sell it.
Technique #5: Submit your demo and press kit to as many people as possible! Submit this to booking agents, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, wherever you potentially can get some great exposure.
Technique #6: Network! Schmooze with other musicians, bands, your fans! They say within 6 people you know everyone in the world! Well I'm not sure if this is true or not, but think about if you talk to enough people and are a personable, influential kind of person, you can probably find some great connections to get you at least working part time as a musician or band.
Well that's it everyone! I hope you are able to get gigs from reading and utilizing these techniques here. I say that if you do much of what is on this list you should have no problem getting more gigs! Best of luck to you!