How Not To Lose Money With Your Band

Assuming that your band now has some money it's all to easy to squander it without being consciously aware of it. This is the perfect time to blow it. You are on top of the world, ready to make a positive change and take your band to the next level. But you also feel dangerously rich and this newfound, fleeting wealth is going to define you as a band from this point forward. How your band, which by now should be running as a business, uses its collective willpower (or doesn't), how it handles temptation (or doesn't) will determine whether your group is building a sustainable, long-term career or is merely dealing with fleeting infamy and locals-only fame. And no matter how money you are working with, mistakes are expensive to make and can quickly add up. So, for bands that are truly looking to capitalize on their new financial status, here are some tips on how to avoid squandering your newfound pseudo-wealth so you don't again end up working two odd jobs without enough money to pay the rent.

Drinking and/or Drugs

Yeah, I've heard it all and sadly seen it all. "Its part of the rock and roll lifestyle!" "It's only when I'm on the road." "What are you, straight-edge? Everybody does it." To be clear, we're not talking about having a couple of beers. We're talking about the undefined drug cocktails, the band member who blacks out and has no recollection of what he did last night and last night didn't remember who he was. We're talking about those with a real problem. And if it your band mate's problem it inevitably soon becomes your problem.

Drug addiction and alcohol abuse are a great  and tragic way to end up working at a car wash and being referred to locally as, "that guy who used to be kinda famous." The advice to avoid this scenario is simple: if you don't want to end up an alcoholic or an addict, avoid drugs and alcohol. The moment these scourges start to interfere with your band, you have a problem. And the moment you start denying that they're interfering with your band, you have a big problem. If this sounds like you, please get healthy and contact your local AA branch or MusiCares MAP (aka Musician's Assistance Program) and/or local allied health services. I urge you to do it now! I should know. I'm a recovering alcoholic of 3 years. Luckily I didn't have time for drugs what with me drinking 2 bottles of vodka daily. I have buried too many friends. The sooner that you concede defeat to whatever your addiction is, the better.

I have encountered so many bands who complain that they're broke. They carry on about how they have no money to buy food or gas yet put money into 12 cans of beer. Now, let's do a little maths. Assuming you don't have an endorsement where you obtain it for free, let's say you run a band bar tab of $60 for your various alcoholic drinks. If you're playing even just on the weekends, you're easily spending over $400 a month on alcohol. If you're a full-time touring band you can see where much of your money is going. And don't even get me started on bands that can't afford new guitar strings and yet somehow manage to find enough money to buy their drug of choice every night. These intoxicated scenarios lead to a simple, yet poignant question: Which do you want more alcohol and drugs or success, because the two don't go together well for long.

Spend $10,000 on a Music Video

I have met several bands over the years that are able to obtain some money and excitedly tell me the first thing they are planning to lay down some significant cash on is a music video. My reply is generally, "Why?" Because in and of itself, how exactly does a music video further your career? Does it independently increase your sales? Can you sell it to make you money to spend on other things? Do music video viewers tend to be motivated enough, without any other source of promotion, to buy your music? Invariably, the band gets defensive and mumbles something along the lines of, "We thought it would be cool."

There are two points to take away from this. First off, bands, you have no business at this stage in your career spending $10,000 on anything that isn't going to have a direct effect on your sales. Secondly, "Because it would be cool," is not a substantial reason to spend lots of money on things that aren't going to catapult your career to another level.

Indulge in Personalized Stage Gear

Another phenomenon I've witnessed is that bands with some money behind them seem to forget who they are. Do I mean this in some existential sense? No, I mean this literally, because they insist on everything - equipment, instruments, body parts - being emblazoned with their band name. And though there is no problem with this in theory, when you've finally obtained some capital do you really want to spend thousands of dollars on something as trivial as customized, matching road cases? Remember, at this stage it's not about what you want, it's about what you need and how what you need can lead to an amplified band profile, which results in increased sales and opportunities.

Order Customized Stage Clothing that Costs More than Your Rent

Like it or not, much importance is placed on the visual aspects of musical groups. However, it seems unfathomable that on a band's short list of priorities that stage attire would rank above something as integral equipment that reliably functions correctly. And yet, bands often put more time - and money - into their respective appearances than the more unglamorous, essential elements to their impending success. It again comes down to a group's priorities. When you run out of money and spend the next year playing the same ten venues because you chose trendy outfits over a more useful form of band advancement, will new outfits still be worth it? After all, who is going to appreciate your fierce new wardrobe if you are still playing in front of the same 500 people you always do because you didn't have the money to break into other markets?

Spend $30,000+ on Recording a New Album

Certainly, recording a quality album is every band's rightful priority. Bands need to spend enough that they get prime recordings and work with a producer they feel comfortable with. And there are definitely advantages to working with a "name" producer. However, at your current stage, it may make more sense to work with an up-and-coming producer who has worked with many notable bands, rather than a super producer who has worked with legends.

At this stage I am asssuming that you have the audio recording equipment to lay down your intended album recording as a demo and seek technical advice and tips via the internet by an objective and experienced sound engineer....Much cheaper than hitting the studio "cold." before entering the studioBesides, if your band spends all of its money on recording the "perfect" album, with the "perfect producer, in the "perfect" studio, what's left to actually sell your "perfect" album? Remember, a good album recording won't sell itself. If they did, then you wouldn't have had to obtain this outside funding in the first place, would you?

It is clear just how focused your band needs to be in determining how your funding ought to be allotted. Getting funded is only the first step of many that will directly impact your career. So remember to ask yourself the next time that irresistible temptation comes along - is this really necessary to our long-term career? If not, perhaps it's better to avoid it until there comes a time where you can afford to lose a million dollars.

The Necessity Of A Band Manager

The music industry covers numerous music related activities and businesses. It includes recording studios, labels, singers, musicians, live organizers and so on. Apart from this, the role of music managers is also a thing to boast of because these managers have sculpted the careers of several artists, songwriters and musicians. having said this, never lose sight of the fact that their services come at a price so, initially, your credit card may have to absorb a small dent. A wisely chosen manager will minimize or, ideally, totally negate any need for you credit card to be dented at all. Therefore, here we are going to understand the importance and role of different types of music managers. There are six types of managers and first one among is known as artist manager or the band manager.

Artist managers looks after the entire business side of the particular music band. This person sends out the demo version of the songs to different labels, print media, radio stations, and publication houses. Artist manager also invites labels and media employees to the music release of the bands. Artist managers book the studio; explores financial possibilities for the music band, negotiates the deal and oversees other individuals such as accountants and merchandisers.

The second type of music manager in the music industry is business manager. This individual manages the earnings and expenses of the client. He or she also takes care of paying the dues to the background artists, singers and tour managers.

The third type of music manager includes road manager. The road manager looks after the logistics, when the artist is on a music tour. His or her job is to verify the arrangements fulfilling the obligations and to administer the payments.

Production Managers And Tour Managers:

Tour managers are people, who coordinate large tours. They work in collaboration with road managers and look after the details of the entire tour such as catering, hospitality, communications and marketing. At times, a single person does the job of a tour manager as well as a road manager.

Production managers manage large tours, which involves major music artists. They schedule and keep the artists upgraded about all the recent happenings in the music industry. In addition, they also coordinate the tour crew and local site crew and manage the promotion of shows.

Thus, the role of music managers in the music industry cannot be ignored, as it is because of them that we can concentrate on our music careers freely without worrying for any management lookouts.




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Rock Band Basics

What are the basics needed to start a rock band? Well, besides the desire itself, one of the first requirements is having the ability to sing and/or play an instrument. Then you will need to find other band members. The size of the rock band will be up to you. Some "power bands" of the 60's (ie. Cream, The Jim Hendrix Experience) only had three members. These rock bands created a huge sound with only one lead guitar player, one bass player and a drummer. At least one of the band members will need to be able to sing, but if they all can, that's even better.

Assuming your band members have their own instruments, some additional equipment you will need when your band is playing a gig includes:

microphone(s)

mic stand(s)

guitar stand(s)

cables

assorted jacks

speakers

monitor(s)

power mixer

You can either purchase these items one by one, or find a PA package that puts it all together for one price. You will generally find a better deal in purchasing a package when you are just starting out. There are many different combinations to choose from, so it depends on what your needs are. Some factors to consider are whether your rock band will be primarily playing indoors or out doors, how many instruments and mics will be plugging into the system, how large and heavy the equipment is, etc.

After all this is acquired, your rock band will need to memorize and create a "set" of songs they can perform at short notice. Then you should find a public setting for your first debut. Some places to consider are schools, churches, fairs, coffee houses, restaurants, etc. You might even approach some restaurant owners to see if any would be willing to sponsor an open mic once a month. Try to convince them that live music can be good for business!

Make sure your rock band looks for opportunities to play as often as possible. The more exposure your band gets, the better likelihood there is of creating some devoted fans. Once your fan base is established, your chances for greater success down the road are more likely to be realized

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Respect Your Guitar

First and foremost, the new guitar player must learn the basics of keeping their guitar in good shape.

Online guitar lessons are a great opportunity for people who do not have the time or money to invest in lessons from a studio. Beginners, however, need to get some good advice on how to take care of their instrument. In a studio environment, of course, the instructor would take care of those valuable bits of advice. Some online guitar lesson providers provide their students with articles or files containing this information. In case your provider does not furnish you with this information, this article is for you.

First of all, when you finish playing for the day, protect your guitar by placing it into a stiff case that fits the shape of your guitar. If you do not play as often as you might like, take the guitar out of its case occasionally in order to allow its porous, natural parts to "breathe." Avoid temperature extremes, as well as environments with fluctuating humidity levels. Heat can do serious damage to your guitar. If you have central heat, humidify the air in order to keep the wooden parts supple, keeping cracks and warps from forming. Even a pan of water left near a vent will help, should you not own a humidifier. Cracking and warping can occur most often in cheaper instruments, because guitar makers often shorten the wood's seasoning process in their cheaper lines. Beginning players, of course, are more likely to have an inexpensive instrument.

That factor, together with your not having learned as many tips for care of their guitar as more experienced players, can be a recipe for disaster for your guitar. Therefore, please pay close attention to the environment in which you store your instrument. When you graduate to a more expensive guitar, the guitar will most likely be made of fully-seasoned wood, wood that has been completely dried before being used to manufacture the instrument. Furthermore, caring for your guitar will have become second nature by that time.

Wipe your strings after you play, using a duster or soft cloth. Exercise caution on the guitar’s wooden surfaces. Do not use polishes or other wood care products, since it is easy to ruin the delicate finish of the guitar, or cause the wood to absorb the product. You may, however, use a very slightly moistened cloth to remove grease spots, as well as other marks. Small cracks in the face or sides of the wood are common in fine guitars. Usually they are of little consequence until they attain considerable size. Before they get to that point, take your guitar to a skilled repairer, called a luthier. If, however, your instrument's fingerboard is warped, take your guitar immediately to an expert. The repair will be costly, but well worth the investment in the long run.


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Your First Gig

Landing your first gig at a venue shouldn't be difficult. In fact, if you aren’t picky about where you perform and don’t expect to make too much, if anything at all, then it should essentially be a cinch. The following are a few different routes to getting on stage you can take depending on your level, expectations and goals: 

Play At Your High School 

Most high schools have some sort of talent show every year. If you’re currently enrolled in high school, then there is no reason that you shouldn’t sign up and perform (unless everyone happens to be mysteriously sick on that day every year). It’s entirely free and you’ll have the support of your entire class/school because, next to the rest of the performers, you guys will likely be one of the few that actually display some sort of talent (we hope). 

Play At a Small Non-Venue 

By non venue, I mean a bar or a community room in a church or “youth activities center” type location. These should be relatively easy to book and often don’t require that you sell a certain number of tickets. You will, however, have to promote the show by posting flyers, sending MySpace and Facebook messages, telling/begging your family/friends, etc. all on your own because, unlike actual venues, non-venues don’t usually attract large crowds on any given night. 

Sign Up for a Battle of the Bands 

This is probably the least likely for the simple fact that you don’t find Battle of the Bands competitions very often. But if you live in a small city/community then there might be some organization that puts on an annual BOTB. Try to do some research via your local newspaper. Often times they are held at high schools as well. It could be a fun thing to do but will require a lot of research on your part. If you have the time you could even try self-hosting (and then rigging the competition!—just kidding). I’d recommend keeping this on the back of your mind while you try securing an actual gig. 

Play At an Actual Small Venue 

Depending on where you live, there should be a plethora of small venues that are always looking for local/unsigned/indie bands to perform. If you don’t already have an electronic press kit, then now would be a good time to put one together and start emailing to venues. I’d recommend first calling the venue and finding out their booking process and how long it typically takes them to get back to an artist if they’ve been chosen to perform. Then, of course, follow their directions and be sure to follow up with a phone call or email to find out whether or not they’ve actually received your press kit. Just don’t call them every single day … you don’t want to be “black-listed. “ 

Ultimately, landing your first gig shouldn’t be a difficult task. The real work is creating enough good music to have a decent set list in addition to a local fan base that will actually show up to your gig and doesn’t consist of your immediate family and the homeless man who just happened to wander in. Don’t be discouraged if the first show doesn’t go well. Even some of the biggest acts had to start off that way! Once you start playing shows, you will generate buzz and start growing a fan base. The next step is going on a mini-tour…. so start saving up for that dingy van! 

Gather A Fanabase

The internet is huge, especially for the music industry.
How does a new artist in the music industry manage to climb out of the masses and get to and gain fans? It feels confusing doesn't it?

Well there is good news and bad news:

1. The bad news is... that it is not really about being the best musician.

2. The good news is... most new artists are doing it really badly, so you can relax.

You just have to do it better than badly.

There was a stage that all one simply had to do is put together a good quality package of music, music video and great looking people. A club version release which you send to all your DJs contacts with a personal note about how much you have admired their incredible taste in music. A couple of plays and you would be on the road from club to club enjoying the rock and roll life stile. This is no longer the case

So what do you have to do now?

You need a cool group, artist, band. Then you are ready to pour out your thoughts to the masses.

So now you need to find fans. Your kind of people, they understand what you say and get excited when they see you. Yes , all your friends tell you that you are great but 20-30 friends do not make a career. Get a record deal and the record company would do it all for you. Now they expect you to arrive on the doorstep with your fans following behind. A that point it is question if you need an old style record company at all. But that is a different article.

You need to do more to get your own fans no matter what you do

There are many things you can do. I have outlined this area in great depth in my book "Online Music Traps."

The Music Industry is still in a state of major change. One solution is to just wait until the whole thing settles down. See what the new playing field looks like and then release. You are likely to be at least 10 years older and that rock and roll life style won't feel the same. You body will be too old for the late nights and the girls and boys will be too young.

My solution comes from a saying that I heard a long time ago.

"I don't want a piece of the cake, I want the recipe!"

Take that energy you have inside. The one that says, "I know I have what it takes". Point it in the right direction and let it lose. It has a good chance of getting you further than you are now.

The only thing that is certain is that the internet is going to be a major part of everyone's interaction with music, artists, managers and of course Fans. From music, music videos to concerts, either selling music, selling tickets or even online concerts or online TV, the internet will become of the main areas that this will be carried out in.

We know this as a near certainty. You have hear those conversations as people hurriedly hand out YouTube addresses or Myspace friend suggestions. "Listen to this, they are great. They are going to be the next big thing". They say to their friends on the bus or over the phone or even in a quick mail over the net mid work.. They need to be talking about you.

Fans... fans... fans....

In the music world we have long understood one thing and that gives us a huge advantage. We know that our fans are all me have and they are what make or break us. Understanding how to use the internet in the music business is learning how to transfer this ability to work with or fans to it.

There is good news and better news here.

1. the good news is that the internet makes it easy to talk to fans if you do it right and know and understand what you are doing..

2. the better news is that it is ALL FREE. 


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