J
james_face
New member
Ive been researching and people say do many many shows to create a buzz and that attracts a&r's, does that apply for major cities only? or any type of city ? any one know ?
E
Echelon
Lights Fish on Fire.
Unfortunately, it mostly refers to big cities, but you would be surprised by the number of bands that have been discovered at little mom and pop hole in the walls. The biggest problem for musicians today is trying to get the record industry to give a damn. If you don't sound like seether or avril or nelly or korn, you probably won't get signed. I hate the music industry so much right now.
If you want to get your self out there, get a in contact with some management firms. I don't know what style of music you play, but 4 of my friends bands are on True Player and one of them got signed to Elektra last year. Trueplayer.net. So yeah, the best bet is to get with a manager and have them do as much to get you out there as possible. Hope this helps somewhat.
If you want to get your self out there, get a in contact with some management firms. I don't know what style of music you play, but 4 of my friends bands are on True Player and one of them got signed to Elektra last year. Trueplayer.net. So yeah, the best bet is to get with a manager and have them do as much to get you out there as possible. Hope this helps somewhat.
B
bemo
New member
A couple of other things you could do would be to look around in your area for small, independant labels and get to know some of the people there. The smaller labels and their personnel are almost always more approachable and personable than some A&R tool from Arista or Sony who knows you'd swim a twenty-foot latrine just to get close enough for him to not ignore you.
Network. Find out when and where there are label showcases going on in your area. If there are none, go to where they are. Meet people. ALWAYS have a business card and demo with you. If you don't have them, GET THEM!! Vistaprint.com will give you 250 custom prointed cards for the cost of shipping, which is like $10. They guys at the smaller labels know people at the larger/subsidiary labels and they, in turn know people at the majors. Set up your goals in to smaller, more manageable steps. Yes, it's a bit more time consuming. But getting to the top, or even the middle, late is better than never getting there at all.
Have a PROFESSIONAL demo. Not something done on your cousin's MT8 in his basement to hand out. If they listen to the demo and it's pure dreck in any aspect, musicnaship, songwriting, production. It will go straight to the circular file.
Have a press kit with you at all times. This should include any festivals, contests, major shows/clubs you have done (not the bi-monthly poolhall gig your drummer's neighbor's son-in-law who knows the club owner got you), a brief description of the band's sound and musical direction. ANY press clippings of show reviews or CD/Demo reviews. If you don't have any press clippings, find out who the music /enterteinment editor is of your local paper of better yet if thre are any music magazines or papers, (here in DC we have Maryland Musician, On Tap, the City Paper and Music Monthly) sent your press kit and demo to them to get reviewed and then when they get reviewed, clip the articles and put them in you press kit.
Forget listing all the bands you and everyone else ahve been in. A&R guys could give two shits about the litany of garage bands you and your bassist played in unless one of them was Nirvana. Also include a brief list of your equipment. Pro equipment indicates a seriousness about music that a bunch of Hohner guitars and Park amps doesn't (don't list every rack effect, EQ or wireless system you might have just the basics). Just brand names should suffice:
Andy - Guitar: Schecter, PRS guitars, marshall amplification
Josh - Drums: Pearl Masterwork kit
Alan - Bass: Fodera bss and Ampeg Aplification
Brian - Keyboards: Yamaha DGX202 Korg Legacy
yadda yadda yadda
All this is assuming you are ready to approach a label. If your act and music are not ready, jumping the gun and trying to go to a label rep, even a small indie label, and wasting their time by having them come out to a shit show will make thm leery to do so a second time. It better to remain anonymous while you still suck than to be remembered for sucking.
*total cash value $.02*
Network. Find out when and where there are label showcases going on in your area. If there are none, go to where they are. Meet people. ALWAYS have a business card and demo with you. If you don't have them, GET THEM!! Vistaprint.com will give you 250 custom prointed cards for the cost of shipping, which is like $10. They guys at the smaller labels know people at the larger/subsidiary labels and they, in turn know people at the majors. Set up your goals in to smaller, more manageable steps. Yes, it's a bit more time consuming. But getting to the top, or even the middle, late is better than never getting there at all.
Have a PROFESSIONAL demo. Not something done on your cousin's MT8 in his basement to hand out. If they listen to the demo and it's pure dreck in any aspect, musicnaship, songwriting, production. It will go straight to the circular file.
Have a press kit with you at all times. This should include any festivals, contests, major shows/clubs you have done (not the bi-monthly poolhall gig your drummer's neighbor's son-in-law who knows the club owner got you), a brief description of the band's sound and musical direction. ANY press clippings of show reviews or CD/Demo reviews. If you don't have any press clippings, find out who the music /enterteinment editor is of your local paper of better yet if thre are any music magazines or papers, (here in DC we have Maryland Musician, On Tap, the City Paper and Music Monthly) sent your press kit and demo to them to get reviewed and then when they get reviewed, clip the articles and put them in you press kit.
Forget listing all the bands you and everyone else ahve been in. A&R guys could give two shits about the litany of garage bands you and your bassist played in unless one of them was Nirvana. Also include a brief list of your equipment. Pro equipment indicates a seriousness about music that a bunch of Hohner guitars and Park amps doesn't (don't list every rack effect, EQ or wireless system you might have just the basics). Just brand names should suffice:
Andy - Guitar: Schecter, PRS guitars, marshall amplification
Josh - Drums: Pearl Masterwork kit
Alan - Bass: Fodera bss and Ampeg Aplification
Brian - Keyboards: Yamaha DGX202 Korg Legacy
yadda yadda yadda
All this is assuming you are ready to approach a label. If your act and music are not ready, jumping the gun and trying to go to a label rep, even a small indie label, and wasting their time by having them come out to a shit show will make thm leery to do so a second time. It better to remain anonymous while you still suck than to be remembered for sucking.
*total cash value $.02*
ez_willis
.
james_face said:
The best way to create a buzz that will get labels interested is to WRITE GREAT SONGS! I was in a band years ago that got a deal after our 2nd show, 45 miles outside of L.A., at a club that held about 100 people. We had only been together for 2 months and only had 7 songs, but the chemistry was there and the songs were strong. When 1 a&r person shows interest in a band, alot of other reps from different labels will want to know why. At our 3rd show, we played early. The only people that were there were the bartenders and a row of label people standing motionless directly in front of the stage. Write the songs, THEY WILL COME!