How to start gigging?

[EVOL!]

I want to write a few comments here since I have been playing out in bands since I was 17.

 

1. Your voice/singing - the best advice is to sing naturally. Don't try to copy someone else's style or put on a fake British accent. Just sing. People dig honesty. And if you want to avoid the "lead singer is a princess" thing, work on your voice. Treat it like an instrument. You practice guitar so also practice your singing. Nothing is worse than a lazy singer.

 

2. Since you are still in high school, round up some other musicians and bands in your area, rent out the local VFW hall, and put on an all ages show. One of the things I loved about being that young was the music community and brotherhood around all ages shows. Growing up in a small town we used to rent out the village community center and the locale armory for shows. This will get you experience putting on shows, playing out, and you will meet a ton of musicians, artists, foxy ladies, and music lovers.

 

3. Once you get to college you will meet tons of people. Most musicians are hobby players, but keep meeting people and jamming and eventually you will meet cats who are serious about starting a band. To help narrow down your search get involved in college radio. Tons of music geeks and a great way to network and get turned on to new music. Once you have a band you can play house parties, university festivals, and clubs. Depending on what you want to do, there are a lot of different avenues. You can be a cover/bar band or do what I do and just play your own stuff (I did the cover band circuit for a few months and hated it. You might love it). A lot of cats here do it and do it well (and get paid well).

 

btw, where are you going to university at?

[TommyK]

Unless you've already picked out a college, make that part of your college search plan. Find out what is going on off campus at coffee houses, taverns and such. You will have to make sure to check the local liquor laws, you might not be able to gig in a drinking establishment until you are of drinking age. I think that is usually a city ordinance.

 

College towns, cities where the university / college is a major industry, usually have numerous places off campus where students gather that offer live entertainment. Be prepared to work for little or nothing until you get a following. Hang fliers around campus advertising your desire to form a band and start auditioning, then form a group. Unless you plan to do solo work the first semester or two, you probably won't be playing out until your 'group' gets a decent, tight set list.

 

Good luck!

[Silenced Fred]

I want to write a few comments here since I have been playing out in bands since I was 17.

 

1. Your voice/singing - the best advice is to sing naturally. Don't try to copy someone else's style or put on a fake British accent. Just sing. People dig honesty. And if you want to avoid the "lead singer is a princess" thing' date=' [b']work on your voice[/b]. Treat it like an instrument. You practice guitar so also practice your singing. Nothing is worse than a lazy singer.

 

2. Since you are still in high school, round up some other musicians and bands in your area, rent out the local VFW hall, and put on an all ages show. One of the things I loved about being that young was the music community and brotherhood around all ages shows. Growing up in a small town we used to rent out the village community center and the locale armory for shows. This will get you experience putting on shows, playing out, and you will meet a ton of musicians, artists, foxy ladies, and music lovers.

 

3. Once you get to college you will meet tons of people. Most musicians are hobby players, but keep meeting people and jamming and eventually you will meet cats who are serious about starting a band. To help narrow down your search get involved in college radio. Tons of music geeks and a great way to network and get turned on to new music. Once you have a band you can play house parties, university festivals, and clubs. Depending on what you want to do, there are a lot of different avenues. You can be a cover/bar band or do what I do and just play your own stuff (I did the cover band circuit for a few months and hated it. You might love it). A lot of cats here do it and do it well (and get paid well).

 

btw, where are you going to university at?

 

Thanks man, I am going to College of DuPage for my first two years, to get gen eds out of the way. It makes a lot of sense to me. I have the grades (3.7 gpa, 28 on ACT) but this is a lot cheaper, and I have no idea of what I want to do. If it turns out in those two years, that I get a decent music gig, and do some other stuff, I won't have to deal with expensive student loans. I will have to branch out some to get more gigs and everything, but I hope it works out.