Written By: Dakota Malinowski www.wisconsinrockguitaracademy.com
One of the biggest things I had trouble with during the beginning of my music career was finding a band. It is hard enough to find musicians, let alone musicians that are as serious as you are. So let's talk about an easy, 10 step process, to help you find other dedicated musicians just like you are.
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First and foremost, have your goals defined before you even start looking. Make sure you decide on a definite style of music you want to play. It makes you look unprofessional when you have no direction on what exactly you’re doing. By having an understanding on your style from the beginning makes it easier for people to become attached to the drive of that project. If you clear and defined goals you’ll end up wasting other people’s time by not having your own plan organized. Remember, people don’t like to have to think about things too hard.
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Go to some local events in your area that fit the style you chose to work on. Talk to the bands or groups that are performing and ask if they know of anyone that is looking to start a band. Ask them if they know of any other groups you can talk to that might know someone looking for a band. Keep repeating this step. The more you go out in your market, the more people will remember you, and eventually, someone will come to you.
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Use the Web and sign up for artist profile websites like b andmix.com . These sites will help you throw yourself into the ever growing community of musicians in the world, and may not help you right away, but will become a great investment for your career.
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Use social media. Post everywhere that you are looking to start a band. Let people know that you are looking. Word of mouth is and always be the best way for news, events, and topics to spread through any group of people. People talk, they remember, and if you’re persistent enough, you will be stuck in their head.
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Go to where musicians frequent. Music stores, malls, theaters, art districts, public parks, colleges...Art is everywhere. Ask people you see in these places where to go in your situation. Make a poster and if the business, or township is okay with displaying it, hang it up in plain sight. If you live in a small town you might consider moving to a bigger city with a more active entertainment scene, but this only applies if you’re old and financially stable enough to go through a move.
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Post an ad in places like craigslist or newspaper classified sections. Always be careful and never meet people alone, especially if it was the result of a craigslist ad. But some of these services are free, so post away.
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Look around for bands in your area that may not be together anymore. Find their contact information and ask them for any help on the subject.
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Find someone who teaches instruments or vocal lessons and ask if they have any students that want to start a band. Also it wouldn’t be a bad place for a flier, and if you’re looking to learn more you could take lessons from them too.
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Attend open mic nights at coffee shops, pubs or small bars. This is one of the easiest ways to find your local music and art scenes.
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Never forget to build and maintain your relationships with other musicians that are already in groups, never burn bridges. You’ll never know if or when you’ll need someone.
Now, this is a list of just a few things to try and keep in mind while searching for people to work and make a career with. Persistence pays off.
To your success my friends,
About the author: Dakota Malinowski is the founder of Wisconsin Rock Guitar Academy. He specializes in teaching hard rock guitar playing. At Wisconsin Rock Guitar Academy he doesn’t just teach you, but trains, coaches, and mentors you each step of the way to get you to your goals.
Written By: Dakota Malinowski