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How to Succeed in a Band

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  • Introduction

    • So, you're in a band that wants to get out of the garage and take your music career to a new level... But how do you accomplish all that you dream of doing? Unfortunately, there's no easy or straightforward way to "make it" as a band. The path to success takes a hefty dose of persistence, dedication, and luck. But there are plenty of things you can do along the way to increase your chances of getting where you want to be. After all, new bands are hitting it big every day—why couldn't it be yours?
    • It doesn't matter if you want to get signed to a major label or simply tackle the local club circuit regularly—this page will supply you with he information you need to turn your band into a more professional outfit.
    • This page is a continuation of How to Start a Band.

  • Step 1: Record a Demo

    • Your band's demo is a recording of 3 or 4 of your best songs. It is used to give the listener a good idea of what your band sounds like.
    1. Cover songs are usually only used for demos of cover bands. If you write your own music, you probably should not have any more than one cover song, if any, on your demo.
    2. Demos are your first impression, so they should be your absolute best songs that define your band's sound the most.
    3. Don't save the best for last. Your strongest song should come first, followed by your next strongest song, etc.
    4. The first song shouldn't take longer than about 30 seconds to get to the chorus or hook. The people listening to your demo do not have much time and probably listen to hundreds of songs a day. They will skip to the next song if they're not immediately sucked in, and won't bother listening to more than a few tunes.
    5. Though the songs matter more than the recording quality, you should do what you can to ensure the best sounding demo you can make.

  • Recording the Demo

    • Since first impressions are so important in music, you'll want your demo to have as much impact on the listener as possible.
    • Demo vs. album
    1. Most bands opt to start out with a demo or EP, but if you have the budget and enough songs, you could record a full-length album.
    2. No matter how many songs you choose to record, you will still need to make a 3 or 4 song demo. Most industry people don't want you to send them a full album. They don't have time to listen to the whole thing, anyway.
      • This means that if you're thinking of recording a full-length album, you not only have to factor in the costs of the extra studio time, artwork, and CD replication, but also the costs of making additional CDs of your demo.
    3. You don't have to record a full album to make money; you can sell a 5 song EP for $5 as easily as selling a 10 song album for $10.
      • This can save you some money in recording costs, and allow you to basically sell your demo to fans.
    4. Sit down with your band to discuss your budget and goals. Decide what makes the most sense as far as recording goes.
    • Putting the demo together
    1. Together with your band, choose your best 3 or 4 songs to include on the demo. Ask an outside source for an opinion on what their favorite tunes are. This source could be anyone you trust who has heard your band perform. If you've already played live before, consider which songs got the best reactions.
    2. Put in some extra rehearsal time to make sure these few songs are perfected.
    3. Decide how you will record:
      • Recording studio: Renting out a recording studio guarantees you a block of time in a quality space with good equipment. While you will be shelling out some cash, some studios are very affordable ($20-30 per hour). You can also find someone with a home studio who is willing to record you for a lower price.
      • Home studio: These days, technology makes it easy for anyone to have their own personal home studio. Investing a few hundred dollars can get you enough equipment to start recording right to your computer. See your local music store for more details.
      • Record a rehearsal. If your options are slim for ways to record, there is always the option of recording the band live in the rehearsal space with a portable audio recorder. Tape recorders are cheap, but recording to flash drives is much more preferable—most people will require your music to be on CD, and you're going to want to upload your music to the Internet in the next step.
    4. Master the recording. Mastering puts the finishing touches on a recording and increases the volume so that it can compete with commercial CDs. Mastering isn't mandatory, but it will make the recording sound nicer for a few extra bucks. You will need to pay an engineer to master your recording for you if you don't have a home studio with mastering software yourself.
    5. Make CDs. Once the recording is done, the final step is making multiple CD copies.
      • You can make them yourself using a CD burner.
      • Multiple CD burners allow you to make many copies at once in a single unit
      • Some CD burners will print labels right on the CD, eliminating the need to use a Sharpie or print stickers.
      • Clearly written on every demo should be: the band name, song titles, website (see step 3), and contact info. If you want your CD to have cool artwork on it instead, save it for the one you sell to fans. The demo you send to industry people should be clean and easy to read.
      • Services such as Disc Makers, Oasis, and Diskfaktory.com will press professional CDs and have more affordable options for short-run CD-R duplication.
      • If the CD is shrink-wrapped, take it off before putting it in your press kit (see the next step). The last thing anyone wants to do is wrestle with plastic wrap before they can listen to a demo.

  • Step 2: Make a Press Kit

    • If you want to graduate beyond playing open mic nights, you're going to need a press kit (also called a promo kit). You will send these to venues and concert promoters, and eventually to record label people and other industry folk. They typically include:
    1. Demo: Your demo is the most important part of the press kit.
    2. Cover letter: Include a personalized cover letter when you send the kit. For an added touch, print it on paper that includes a custom letterhead with your band logo and contact information.
    3. Band photo: This should be a cool-looking 8x10 photo (color or black and white) of your whole band.
      • Hire a photographer or ask a friend with photography skills and a nice camera to take your picture.
      • Try a variety of backgrounds, position band members in different ways, and bring a change of clothes to get a diverse photo set to choose from.
      • Everyone's face should be clearly seen in the photo. Consequently, live shots are not often good candidates.
      • Dress appropriately and make the photo reflect your band's image/personality.
      • To mass-produce photos, try a site like ABC Pictures.
    4. Band bio: Your bio is a brief background and description of your band. Keep it simple and to the point, and entertaining or funny if it fits your band's image.
      • It shouldn't be more than about three paragraphs (unless you are an established band who has been around for a long time).
      • Get the important information out of the way in the first paragraph: your band name, where you're from, what style of music you play, and what popular artists you sound like.
      • Don't say you play a ton of styles, even if you think you do. People would rather hear exactly what you sound like and who you sound like. Don't say you don't fit into any musical genre—you do, even if you think you don't. Ask a friend to give an objective opinion of some artists they think you sound similar to.
      • Don't lie about accomplishments, but don't be modest either. If you have something impressive to say, say it!
      • Give a little background about who is in the band and your band history. If you're a brand new band, it's OK (and inevitable) that it's short.
    5. Fact sheet/venue list: If applicable, include a list of accomplishments in bullet form (like impressive sales numbers, a string of sold out shows, radio play, etc.) and include any venues your band has already played. If you're a new band, omit this altogether.
    6. Press clippings: If your band has ever had any reviews or articles written about them (including online), include them in your press kit.
      • You do not have to include the full article. Make a page or two of clippings, blurbs, and headlines. If someone wants to read more, they can ask you for the full articles.
    7. Contact info: Even though we already established that the demo is the most essential element of the press kit, your contact information is a close second.
      • It is absolutely necessary to have your contact info on every element of the press kit: demo, photo, bio, etc. Things get separated, so if anything gets lost, you'll want your contact info to be available anyway.
      • Include the contact person's name, phone number, email, and your website address.
    • Making the press kit look slick and eye-catching is never a bad idea. Keep everything to the point and easy to read quickly, since most people reading your press kit will just be skimming it over. Decorate it with your band's logo if you have one, and do what you can to make whoever is looking at it actually want to listen to the music!

  • Step 3: Start a Website

    • These days, there's no excuse for a band to not have a website. The Internet is a free promotion machine and allows potential fans to listen to your music without wasting money on blank CDs.
    1. Every band is on MySpace. It's free, it's easy, and if you have no other option it can be used as your band's main website.
    2. Other online music venues for artists include Facebook, PureVolume, GarageBand.com, ReverbNation, and Soundclick.
    3. Rip your songs to MP3s from your CD to upload to your MySpace page or other site. This can be done easily using iTunes.
    4. For a more professional look, register your own domain name for your band's website.
      • Hire a professional or ask a friend with web design skills to build your site.
      • Purchase a domain name from sites like Go Daddy.
      • Some services, such as Hostbaby, provide web hosting aimed specifically at musicians.
    5. Use your site to list your show schedule and band bio, post news updates, and allow web surfers to listen to some of your music. You could also have a photo gallery, blog, lyrics, guitar tabs, etc.
    6. Promote your band in the forums and discussion boards of music sites that cater to the genre you play.
    7. Take an active role in seeking out and interacting with fans online. Write blog posts and tell stories about the band. Help your fans get to know you as real people. The more they identify with you, the more loyal they will become.

  • Step 4: Build a Fan Base

    • Besides the music, the most important part of being in a band is definitely the fans! Building a fan base is a long, hard task. There's no formula guaranteed to win you fans. The best thing to do is try every method and think up some creative original ideas to see what works for you.

  • Start Playing More Shows

    • Once your press kit is together, you are ready to get out there and start booking some more gigs. The more shows you play, the better the band will get. The better the band gets, the more likely it is people will start taking notice. Many venues will not require you to have a full press kit, but it's important to have it ready just in case.
    1. Contact as many venues and concert promoters in your area as you can.
      • Ask who you can speak to/e-mail about booking a show for your band.
      • Remember that persistence is key; people who book shows get many bands trying to contact them, so be sure to follow up more than once.
      • Inform them that you have music online that they can listen to, and that you have a press kit if they're interested.
    2. Look for any unique spin on a performance that you could use to get press coverage. Playing a benefit concert or fundraiser, for example, can be considered newsworthy.
      • An article about your band gets your name out there and can be added to the press kit.
      • Many local music magazines review live shows. This can be another great addition to the kit.
    3. If you're playing at a club or bar, you will often get paid per number of patrons that show up and possibly with a percentage of the bar tab.
      • Any time money is involved, be sure you see a contract explaining exactly what and how you will be paid.
      • Keep in mind that you usually have to be 21 or older to play in a bar.
    4. Some bands can get "residencies," or regular gigs at a particular club. This can help you build up a fan base and tighten the screws of your live show.
    5. Keep finding new ways of promoting your shows. Don't just hand out flyers, hand out flyers with demos. Advertise that the first 10 people to show up will get a free CD or T-shirt. Put out a Facebook flyer. Come up with a unique spin to convince people to show up!
    6. Playing shows is the ultimate way to tighten up your sound, work on your stage presence, and gauge reactions to your music. Getting comfortable on stage doesn't take long when you're playing regularly.
    7. Play for strangers whenever possible. You won't make new fans playing for people who have already heard your music.
    8. Book shows with bands who already have a following. Offer to open for them; they will be glad to have a headlining show, and you will get a new group of potential fans to play for.
    9. Interact! Talk to your fans at shows. The more they feel connected to your band personally, the more likely they are to come out to another performance.
    10. Build an e-mail list so you can keep fans up to date. Always bring a sign-up sheet to shows. Have someone walk around the crowd and ask fans to sign up.
    11. Play great music. You can think of as many gimmicks as you'd like, but the real way to get fans is to give them what they want—music they love.

  • Going on Tour

    • When you're sick of the same old local dive bars and want to spread your band's musical influence, it may be time to hit the road.
    1. A tour doesn't have to mean you pack up the van and drive around the country for a month. You could simply take an extended weekend to play two or three cities in your general area.
    2. Be sure you schedule in enough time between shows to travel to your next destination and settle in a bit.
    3. A booking agent can be a great help in booking a successful tour. Or you can read up on how to do it yourself.
    4. Save money by staying with friends and relatives instead of in hotels.
    5. A large tour is quite an undertaking. Be sure you're secure enough financially to cover costs like hotel rooms, food, gas, and your rent while you're gone.
    6. Many artists like to book college tours. College students are huge music fans and often receptive audiences.
      • It takes time to build up a rapport with enough colleges to book an entire tour. You can go through organizations such as NACA, but they usually require a significant fee.
    7. Touring often can help you build a fan base in some new cities—and make you money in the long run.

  • Radio Airplay

    • Wouldn't it be a great feeling to hear your song played on the radio? Radio play is another great way to spread the word and gain new fans. Although it's probably out of your reach to get into regular rotation on a major radio station (most DJs have little control over their playlist anyway), you can try targeting:
    1. College radio
    2. Indie/AM radio
    3. Satellite radio
    4. Shows featuring local artists
    • Go to stations' websites to see if there are guidelines for submitting your demo. Many major radio stations have a weekly program that features local artists. Get in contact with the station of every college you are playing at (or near) if you are about to embark on a tour. With a little effort, you may find yourself gracing those airwaves soon enough.

  • Step 5: The Business End

    • Now that we've pretty much covered most of the fun stuff about being in a band, it's time to talk business. While the business end of things may not be the most entertaining aspect of being a musician, it is extremely important if you take music seriously. If you feel there's something inherently wrong with taking fun seriously, this may not be the section for you.

  • Managers and Agents

    • At some point in time, you may start to realize that your band duties are becoming less manageable without some outside help. This is where managers and agents can come into play.
    • Managers help you organize your business affairs. Typically, they manage the band's money and try to keep things running smoothly at all times. They are often listed as the contact person in the press kit and will use any connections they may have within the industry to hook the band up with opportunities (like recording contracts). They will usually take a cut of around 10-15% of the band's earnings.
    • Agents book and help promote shows. They are responsible for all the details of a performance and can organize and book tours. Typically, an agent will receive around 10% of income from a gig (and from gigs only).
    • Some notes about managers and agents:
    1. You will want to sign a contract with a manager or agent so that both sides know exactly what is expected of them. If you are uncomfortable with legalese, contact a lawyer.
    2. Many beginning bands hire a friend as a manager just to help keep them on task and take care of the business side of things. Just be sure that whoever you hire is trustworthy and enthusiastic about the band.
    3. Hiring a professional manager or agent early in your band's career will often require paying a fee, since you won't be making enough money to make it worth their effort.
    4. If you don't feel like you're ready for a manager, you can always try using software such as Indie Band Manager and do it yourself.

  • Selling your CD/Merchandise

    • One of the best ways for a band to make a little extra cash is by selling your CD and other merchandise.

    1. Copyright your songs first. Though it does cost money, it is an essential step in protecting your creative work. Read Mahalo's guide to how to copyright your music.
    2. Have you ever heard the phrase, "you have to spend money to make money?" In the case of merchandise, this is true. Mass producing a CD or getting T-shirts printed can be expensive, so you'll want to make sure you have enough demand for a bulk order.
    3. Some sites like Cafepress and Zazzle allow you to upload images onto merchandise that is made to order. This allows you to avoid a large upfront cost, but you'll probably make less money and have to charge more for the merchandise. Also, you won't have any physical merch to bring to shows.
    4. People like unique items. Besides T-shirts and CDs, put your band logo on posters, flyers, mugs, keychains, bottle openers, or anything else you can think of.
    5. Get reviewed. Getting a review of your CD or an article about your band in a magazine, newspaper, or online can bring exposure and more sales.
    6. Always bring merchandise to every show. You never know who will want a T-shirt after the show, or who will really connect with that one song you play that's on the CD.
    7. Set up a store online.
      • CD Baby is a low-cost way to sell your CDs online. Many independent artists use the service, and they'll take care of shipping the CDs anywhere in the world. Also, their digital distribution deal allows you to sell music on the iTunes Music Store and other music download services.
      • You can use PayPal to accept payments through your website and ship merchandise to fans yourself.
      • There are several options (including selling directly through MySpace) for bands to set up their own online merch store with various pricing schemes. Do some research to find what works best for you.

  • Getting Signed

    • Getting signed used to be the holy grail of band accomplishments. But with the Internet age allowing anyone to have global distribution and exposure for their music, this isn't quite the case anymore. However, signing a record contract usually means financial support that will allow you to record an album, distribute it in stores, and go on tour to promote it.
    • If you're thinking about trying to get signed, here are some things to consider.
    1. Because of declining revenue from record sales, record companies are mostly looking for bands that have already done most of their work for them. This means they're looking for bands who already have a fan base, are playing regularly, and are selling CDs and merchandise on their own.
    2. The record business is just that—a business. This means your band is your product and you must sell it to them. Music may be important, but they really want to know that they can make money off of you.
    3. There are hundreds of independent labels out there. Don't just sign a contract from anybody—make sure it actually benefits you.
    4. Take stock of your band. Are you commercially accessible? Do you have a marketable image? Do you write "hit" songs? If not, hope is not lost, but you should probably think about targeting indie labels that specialize in your style of music instead of wasting your time with the "major" labels.
    5. Find a label directory book or explore the web to find contact information for different labels. Contact whoever is listed as "A&R."
    6. Many record labels do not accept unsolicited demos. That means if you mail them an unasked for press kit, they will just throw it out. Look into the label's submission policy before you waste time and postage.
    7. Entertainment lawyers can be hired to shop your demo to their label contacts. This will help you get around the solicitation policies.
    8. Any time a contract is presented to you, always consult a lawyer. If you've seen enough episodes of Behind the Music, you'll know that musicians are constantly getting themselves into bad deals without even realizing it.

  • Publishing

    • When it comes down to it, a lot of musicians just want to make some money from their craft, whether it's enough to live off of or just to cover some of the many expenses of being in a band. Besides merchandise and shows, the best way to make money is through publishing.
    1. Publishing is a way for the songwriter (and only the songwriter) to make money by "exploiting" their songs' copyright.
    2. Some ways of doing this include placing your music in films, television shows, and commercials.
    3. A publishing deal involves splitting royalties with a company who actively exploits the copyright of your music. These companies usually have connections to film and TV production companies.
    4. Be careful of record deals (or any other deal) that asks you to sign away your publishing rights. All that means is that the company will be able place your music in commercials and movies while raking in all the money for themselves while you don't see a dime.
    5. Register your music with a performance rights organization such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. These companies distribute publishing royalties to songwriters.

  • Dealing with Conflict

    • Any time you're working on something as personal as music, it is inevitable that conflict will arise. Luckily, this usually only entails a brief argument about the structure of a song or the color of the logo. But sometimes conflict between band members elevates to a point when something must be done.
    • It's unfortunate, but many bands have to go through the painful process of kicking a member out. You should think long and hard about this decision, as it can affect your friendships with people you've grown very close to. Some legitimate reasons to kick someone out include:
    1. A lack of interest or difference in direction. If the band is becoming serious, all members must be serious about it. If one member is in another place mentally from the rest of the band or clearly doesn't agree with the direction things are going in, it may be time to part ways. You can't afford to have one person holding you back from your ambitions.
    2. Serious personal conflicts. Sometimes people just don't get along. If it seems like everyone is constantly ready to wring the neck of a certain member, the chemistry just might not be there.
    3. Drug or alcohol problems. Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol have broken up countless bands in the past. Before kicking someone out for abusing substances, however, you should make a good effort to help them. You could be saving their life if they have a real problem.
    • Just remember these things:
    1. Always give them warning. Just like you wouldn't want to be fired from a job without notice, it's only fair to give them a chance to clean up their act.
    2. Be polite. There is such a thing as an amicable break-up. Do what you can to avoid an angry argument that ends a friendship.
    3. Keep it fair. If you're firing someone who has written songs for the band, they have the right to receive royalties from sales of albums with their songs on them. Always consider what the member has contributed so that the arrangement is fair when they leave the band.

  • A Final Note

    • By now you probably have a good idea that being in a band can be an incredibly complex thing. Members of successful bands have to put hours and hours of time into making things run smoothly, and this page can only really scratch the surface of all the different aspects. But when all is said and done, the real point of being in a band is to have fun, no matter how serious or casual your band may be. Here are a few final words of wisdom to remember:
    1. Be very careful when signing anything. Be wary of anything that asks you to sign over your publishing or copyright privileges or any wording that may strike you as odd. The general rule: read every word of every contract and hire an entertainment lawyer if necessary.
    2. Seeing any sort of success takes time. The music business is a tough industry to break into, and it is filled with people who will try to take advantage of you. It's also got plenty of cool people who are just like you, too!
    3. Don't burn any bridges. You never know who may be in a position to help you later, and ideally, music is supposed to be a community.
    4. There are a lot of bands out there trying to do the same thing as you. Any way you can make your band stand out is an advantage you have over everyone else. Embrace it!
    5. It's always good to weigh in on what other musicians are saying and doing to advance their careers. There are some great resources online such as CD Baby's advice section that allow you to check out some new ideas that you may never have thought of.
    6. Don't lose sight of the basics: great music, and great fun. If you're no longer having fun, there's no shame in stopping. Besides, you can always start another band...

  • Related Pages on Mahalo

    How to Start a Band | How to Make a Press Kit | How to Make a Demo | How to Copyright Your Music | How to Overcome Stage Fright | How to Write a Song | MP3 | iTunes | Music Lyrics | How to Read Guitar Tabs | How to Play Guitar for Newbies | How to Play Drums | [[How To Play Piano For Beginners (And Save $500 In Lessons)]] | How to Play Bass Guitar for Newbies | Rock Band | Guitar | Bass Guitar | Drums | Electronic Keyboard | Mixing Console | Earplugs | Guitar Tabs and Chords | How to Play the Harmonica | Download Music | How to Become a Music Producer



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