Learn how to take the reigns of your next musical project with these articles on all the elements of running a successful band — from organization to booking, promotions to rehearsing. For more tools, check out Soundfly’s free course Building a Better Band.
If you work in the arts, you work in one of the toughest professions in the world. I once heard someone describe it as “getting kicked in the nuts every day and having to say ‘thank you’.” Ouch. Artists are constantly putting themselves out there, baring their souls, and getting doors slammed in their faces…
By Colleen Kinsey Guitar player: Check. Drummer: Check. Bassist: Check. That’s not a band, yet. You still need to get it together, and that means rehearsals. It takes a lot of practice to mesh the experience and styles that each player brings to your band. Get everybody together regularly, not only to practice for the next gig, but also…
I’ve been to a lot of music conferences. At nearly every single workshop or Q&A session, the question is asked: “What are the dos and don’ts of sending emails to industry people?” Most of the time, the answers are pretty generic and simple, but to be honest, it’s a good question. A lot of people suck…
This last January, some very good friends of mine in the Arizona band Sundressed woke up in Salt Lake City to their trailer stolen. It was later found but all the gear was emptied and they were out almost $10,000. On top of that, their tourmates, Papertowns., had their van break down in California and…
During a live gig, the relationship between the artist and audience is beyond that of simply performer and observer. Physically and emotionally, there’s little separation between both parties and a huge deal of direct interaction, both explicit and subliminal. Self-assurance is essential and, as with so much in life, confidence is the key. If a…
Most of us have a few horror stories involving raised voices, fallen tears, or temper tantrums. There was a time when I thought bad rehearsals were just one of the growing pains every band has to go through — as though a group wasn’t legit until someone kicked over a music stand. Thankfully, I have since…
After the breakup of seminal emo band, The Get Up Kids, frontman Matt Pryor said he found himself at a confusing spot within the work environment. Since he had been on tour for so many years, it seemed to be all he knew. He soon realized that being in a small but successful rock band taught…
To the readers who complained that my recently published “5 Worst Ways to Describe Your Band If You’re Trying to Get Press” piece lacked suggestions for successfully relating your sound to music writers: here’s your answer! While these tips are meant to help guide you in successfully illustrating your style, I’d like to point out…
By Dillon Riley As a young band starting out in a local scene, securing gigs and building a following can seem like a daunting task. While social media platforms, online streaming, and word-of-mouth certainly help level the playing field, creating buzz around your new project is still an uphill battle in this or any other era…
