On how to find the best gig for you as a
guitarist/musician, plus a list of handy links to find gigs and network
in the UK.
In the ever changing
world of the music industry, it is getting more and more challenging to
find your way as a guitarist (or should I say as a musician) and make a
successful career out of it. I think the best piece of advice I can give
from my experience, is to do a realistic checklist of your strengths, of
where we stand as a musician, of our goals and then make a plan on how
to achieve them. It is very important to review these goals from time to
time and even more important to renew them once achieved (or missed!!).
Without a goal to work toward it is very easy to loose our way.
First of all there are
a few dualities we have to explore: are we a leader or a sideman? Solo
artist or band member? Do we find work for ourselves or would we rather
be part of a team? Do you want to be a jack-of-all-trades or the best
at just one?
Do you have a product
to ‘sell’ or are you all form and no content?? This could be a CD, a
book or even just a song you really believe in. Maybe it is time for you
to start writing your own material rather than covering somebody else’s
or mimicking parrot-fashion your idol, or the ‘in’ act of the moment.
You always stand a better chance to make it with your own material, and
believe me the rewards are be much bigger, especially from a personal
point of view. You can record your own album or demo at home with very
little gear, so no excuses there.
Another misconception I
seem to hear many times, is that a musician has to be only a performer
to be called a musician…actually some of the most well established
guitarists I know are not only performers, but also writers, teachers,
producers and more! This is why well rounded musicians stand a better
chance to make it. Overnight fame very rarely
happens. Most artists concentrate on developing different ‘streams of
income’ or earning a living through a combination of session work,
writing, producing, and any other music opportunities that may present
themselves. Networking is a key element in all this and nowadays it is
easier than ever with social networking sites like myspace.com. Having
said that, nothing beats going to live gigs, meeting face to face and
building long lasting relationships.
Building a Mailing list
is vital if you want to keep your connections alive! These could be for
people that like your music and are your fans, or clubs where you want
to play, recording studios, management companies, and more. Keep those
email addresses in a safe place, and don’t be afraid to use them!
After all that, I must
say must say that one thing is still true: follow
your instincts!!
A
short list of websites where to find gigs/work in the UK as a musician:
http://www.jobs.ac.uk/categories/music
http://uk.music-jobs.com/welcome.php
http://www.starnow.co.uk/
www.gumtree.com - Pick your town and search in their musicians'
section.
www.myspace.com - Musician exchange section
http://www.lastminutemusicians.com/
http://www.bandmeup.co.uk/ - band looking for venues venue looking
for bands
http://www.musician-manager.com/en/
http://www.soundshed.com/default.asp
http://www.musicteachers.co.uk/
http://www.joinmyband.co.uk/
http://www.musofinder.com/international.php
http://bandmix.co.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onemusic/industry/
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