An input list should include every instrument, DI, and vocal that’s part of your stage set-up. Here are some tips to help you put together an effective input list with minimal headache. Read More.
Your vision statement is the first step in the marketing process: when you know where you want to go, it’s easier to map out the directions to get there. Read More.
Think you’ve told your live sound engineer everything he needs to know for your big gig? Don’t forget these important details. Read More.
A well-crafted stage plot – customized to the lineup and tech needs of your band – can go a long way towards setting yourself up for success once you hit the stage, especially for a multi-band event. Read More.
Whether contributing backing vocals, laying down beats, or anything in between, playing the role of a musician for hire can be complicated. Here are some tips to help you make it. Read More.
The fifteen minutes between one artist’s final note and the next group’s first “hello” are precious. How you handle the transition can set you up for your best performance at your next music gig. Read More.
You’ll love Jewel’s story because it’s incredibly inspiring. You might also hate it, because it will leave you with zero excuses in your pursuit to find happiness in your music career. Read More.
When working toward your music career goals, the big question I want to focus on is: “How do I know if a gig is worth playing?” Read More.
Being a musician is a responsibility just like any other job and requires that you handle your employers with respect and dignity. Since a lot of independent musicians don’t have a manager advising them with what to do, here are some simple music career tips to put you in the right direction. Read More.
If you want to perform live more than just once a month, there are plenty of ways to fill up your performance schedule without saturating a particular market. Four basic strategies you should consider include: 1) A club residency, 2) Alternate format performances, 3) Dual territory performances, 4) A tour. Read more.
When people come to me for band practice tips, one of the questions I get asked a lot is, “What’s too much rehearsal? We want to keep it spontaneous.” Well, spontaneous is one thing, and winging it is another. And most people wing it. When you’re making it up as you go onstage, instead of in rehearsal, you’ll never be great, consistently. Read more.
In “Tales of the worst music gigs ever,” we shared a handful of on-the-gig horror stories and lessons learned from them. While those stories were all wrenching in their own rights, here is one from New York bassist Dmitry Ishenko that stands in a category of its own. Read more.
Every musician has stories of the best gig ever, that performances where the music, the crowd, and the stars aligned. Then there’s those other times when nothing goes right. Gear explodes, drunks attack, people vanish… But even the worst gigs can be valuable learning experiences. Read more.
Nearly every touring musician has at least one story about load-in or breakdown gone awry — that emotionally scarring gig where the venue promised a full drum kit but only delivered a broken snare drum, the festival slot when you expected fifteen minutes to set up but only got fifteen seconds, or that sickening post-gig moment when you realized your vintage Les Paul had grown legs and walked out of the club, all by itself. Read more.
As an indie musician with multiple careers in music to juggle, there have been many times when I’ve caught myself in the "Predictable Paycheck Predicament," or PPP. It’s the one where I’m jealous of my roommate as she leaves the apartment at her regular time to go to her regular job to get her regular paycheck. Read more.