Get Your Band Successful

You want to become a successful band? It takes a bit more than just wanting it; you'll need a plan, a sensible approach and a willingness to put in the effort to be the best musicians around.

Steps

Being the best

  1. Practice-an-Instrument-Effectively often and improve each time. It would suck if you got a gig at a famous club, and play terribly. Figure out what type of music you want to, and can, play, then look up bands in the same genre. Understand what your playing, don't make it up as you go along.
  2. Make changes to the band line-up if needed. Assess yourselves honestly. Are you each really good at what you do? Could a band reshuffle be in the offing? Maybe one of you would be better on bass than on vocals or better on vocals than the drums? Try a few things out if there are any weak spots, including making changes to band members if really needed.
  3. Expect and embrace change. Your band members may not always be the same people. People come and go, you may end up with new people all together. Just keep playing and, most importantly, spend time getting to know the strengths of new members and putting that to your band's best advantage.
  4. Do not take a girl/boy in your band only because she/he's your girlfriend/boyfriend. If you break up with her/him things might get fiery. Whether it's a relationship problem or something else, the band will be screwed because of it.

Are you authentic and recognizable yet?

  1. Consider how your band comes across. Even if your band is starting out by mixing unique music with covers, you should have already developed a band brand that people can recognize. What are the things that make your band stand out from the rest? What makes your band unique and authentic?
  2. Establish a “look.” These days, most bands are all either covered in black and eyeliner, piercings, or as indie fashion victims. Find something original and make it your trademark. Remember how you recognize KISS? For example, the female in your band could take on a schoolgirl look, whilst the singer takes on a glam rock look, etc. Make sure you’re remembered!

Promoting your band

  1. Find a booking agent. For a young, unknown band, this agent could be a good, trustworthy friend. Pay him a small percentage of anything that he books for the band. A good booking agent will try to get you gigs, because they only get a percentage of whatever the band makes. Many clubs will only talk to booking agents, not band members. The booking agent that you hire, or the person that you put in charge of booking, should only do booking! Your manager should be a different person than your booking agent.
  2. Edit-Pictures-and-Objects-in-MS-Office won't hurt. Hand out flyers to get popular. Come up with your own symbol or saying. Have something that people will remember you by, before they even hear you play.
  3. Use YouTube:
    • Post rehearsal videos on YouTube or any other video site. The Internet is how most people find out about many unknown bands. Make your own thing on many popular sites for music. The more you give people the opportunity to listen to you, the better.
    • Film yourselves playing and stick it on YouTube. For extra effect, do something crazy, like film it in your underwear, or covered in chocolate. Link it in an email to your friends, and encourage them to send it on.
  4. Use social media:
    • Make-a-MySpace-Page. Use your profile to comment on your favourite bands’ pages and tell them that they have inspired your band, e.g. “Keep the good music coming! Thanks for inspiring our band.” This is also a subtle way of advertising, as it encourages the band’s fans to check out your music.
    • Encourage people to add you through social media sites. This is a great way to get the word round.
  5. Get-Gigs-for-Your-Band. Playing live energizes people and wins you your initial fans, who can spread the word, upload photos onto Instagram and tell the world how amazing your band is.
  6. Get your music out there:
    • Create-an-Original-CD. Sell these at your concerts, starting at a low price.
    • Offer free or very cheap downloads of your music direct from your website. Or offer a teaser for free and then ask that the album be purchased.
  7. Have your band walking around. Get a logo and print it on a t-shirt or hoodie for your friends and relatives to wear. Most importantly, have all band members wear the t-shirt, hoodie, etc. whenever they're out and about. Ask them to be ready to talk about the band wherever they go.
  8. Find good, honest bands to play shows with. Regardless of genre, look, or even what size crowd they draw. If a band is working hard, and can be trusted and maybe even be friends, you should play with them. The more shows the better.

Having faith

  1. Be patient. Take a band like Anti-Flag, they started in 1989 but didn't start playing big gigs till about 1995. Just keep practicing, your day will come.

Tips

  • When writing a song (if you're going to write your own), write about something you know or truly believe in.
  • Talk to someone who is very critical, but likes the type of music you want to play, see what they think and ask what you can do to improve.
  • Good songs means people will like them and will notice your new band!
  • Put your music on youtube.com, thatvideosite.com, Myspace.com, and limewire.com.
  • No matter how much hate you get, or even if you think nothing's happening, continue.
  • The less members, the easier it is to keep things running smoothly. Start out with as few members as possible, especially if you're not performing live. Makes it easier to maintain an orderly schedule.

Warnings

  • Try not to fight with your band, or it could lead you to breaking up.
  • Make sure everyone in the band is (somewhat) friends. In-band Rivalries can lead to bad practices, making the band less better off.

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