The Final Step: Remember Where You Started

I’ve enjoyed this adventure we’ve had! I hope your band is doing well. It’s not over yet though. Remember how I showed you Antpile in the first post and talked about our success. The truth is, we’re still learning how new technology works AND using these steps I’ve shown you. This just goes to show the practicality of this blog an dhow important it is to use technology. Of course being in a band is about the music, but being good at technology is becoming an essential piece of the music.

If you can utilize these steps, then you’re setting your band up for success. People notice these things, and it looks very professional. Fans and booking agents like to see a band that’s in control. Technology is at the core of this. The rise of social media is a perfect example. With new technology coming about, you already have a head start in the game.

Lastly, I just want to say thanks for following this. I hope this blog was helpful! I will continue to update you on things ad new information. Please feel free to email me any questions: bmcghee@uga.edu.

Another Step: Creating Band Image (+ Interview)

I know, I know. This sounds a bit cheesy, but it’s important! Bands should be identifiable for listeners AND strangers. Once the name is out there, it’s time to start promoting the band and its members. This was something that took me a while to grasp, and I learned from watching other bands do it. To help me with this concept, here is an interview with Ryan Houchens (member of Of The Vine and Family & Friends).

Brian: Why do you think a band image is important?

Ryan: I think having an aesthetic persuades people to listen more and come to shows. Making an identity for a band can be a lot of fun too.

Brian: Awesome. What’s a good start then?

Ryan: Good question. This is sort of a hard concept to explain. The first thing I would do is get a band promo picture. This picture allows for people to see who is in the band and look at the name. You can always add a blurb about having new music and looking for shows too. Next, I would just start playing shows and inviting people.

Brian: That’s a very good answer. How do you show people the promo picture though?

Ryan: I usually upload it to the band facebook page and my own. This allows for a lot of people to loo at it. Plus, I like to print flyers and post them up around town. I personally like to have parties at my house, so I’ll make an event page and start inviting friends. Then they invite friends who may be interested. People like parties! This is a great way to have some fun (responsibly) and promote the band.

Brian: What’s one piece of advice you would give someone who is wanting to build an image?

Ryan: This is surprisingly very simple: play shows and have fun. Everyone likes going to shows and bands should have fun playing them. If people see your band having a great time and being passionate, then your work is being cut out for you.

Brian: Thanks, Ryan! This was great!

Another Step: Playing Shows

Most people start a band to play shows. Shows allow for your band to show off the awesome music being made. Here’s the problem: sometimes it’s hard to know how to get a show. Bands that make a lot of revenue usually hire booking agents to book shows, but that’s not the DIY attitude. I’m going to show you a few ways to get some shows. First though, you’ve got to have recordings to show-off.

Bandcamp

I really think Bandcamp is going to get even bigger in the next few years, so this makes this step extra important. For those of you who don’t know, Bandcamp allows for users to create a FREE band profile, upload music, promote the band, sell songs, and keep track of listeners. All of these are essential to being in a band, and you can use a website for it.

See, this allows for users to easily listen to the music of a band. Plus, it’s an opportunity for the band to get their name out there, which is extremely important for any band starting up.

Now I didn’t make a step for how to go about getting recordings because I’m not an expert at this. Your band can always record using GarageBand for Apple products or the program Audacity for other computers. If not, you can always pay someone to do it. No matter what way you choose, upload the recordings to Bandcamp!

Emailing

Email! Email! Email! This is very crucial to getting shows. This is the best possible advice to give for bands that are looking to start playing shows. Owners, managers, booking agents, and everyone else use email to communicate; no one really talks on the phone anymore. Making sure you stay on top of emails is important. First, link the band email to the “Mail” app on your smartphone.

If you connect your band email to this app, then it makes communicating much easier and efficient. Your phone will notify you when you have a response, which is great when you send out a lot of emails.

Now that you’ve got that set up, it’s time to start emailing. The best thing to do is do a google search of local venues. Pretty much all of these venues will have a website. Then, find contact information and shoot them an email asking about open shows! Venues are usually looking for a band or play some local shows. In the email, make sure to post your band’s bandcamp so they can listen!

Another Step: Band Communication

You might think this is extremely easy, but I will be the first one to tell you it’s not. Communication is extremely crucial to being in a band, especially once you’ve found members to make music with. Let’s face it, we all live busy lives. Some band members are just not as organized as others. I’ve found two unique uses of technology in making sure the band is together with everything: Facebook and group chats.

Facebook

If you haven’t noticed by now, Facebook is starting to be the pioneer in the logistics of being in a band (or maybe I’m just too big of a fan…). Regardless, just about everyone is using it. I’ve found you can use some really cool tricks on the site to make sure all the members are involved. The first one is “group” option on facebook. A user can create a group and then add any members to the open or closed group, depending on the privacy desired. For instance, a band member could start a group and then add the others members so everyone is a part of the same closed group. This allows for inner communication between members. Antpile actually uses this, and I’d be more than happy to show you some examples of it.

By using this, we’re able to discuss practices, shows, and other things. Since you’re just starting out, this is a great way for everyone to sort of get along and talk about the direction of the band. Pretty neat, huh?

Group Messages

 

 iMessage is only available for people with an updated iPhone. I wanted to include this because so many people have an iPhone these days. iMessage is not like regular SMS text messaging and is only available for texting between iPhones. It seems to be a lot quicker, so sending voice memo recordings, pictures, videos, etc. can be very quick. As seen above, sometimes it’s easier to just chat with the other members via iMessage. Most people use their phone regularly, so it’s likely this will speed up the process.

The Next Step: Jamming With Other Musicians

It looks like you’ve got your stuff together and you’re ready to start making music with your band. There’s a valuable piece missing to this equation: the band! It seems you’re in need of some fellow musicians to jam with. Well it’s not that easy…OR IS IT?!

Social Media

The internet is so vast that there’s bound to be someone who’s willing to jam with you. The best place to start is social media. Facebook allows you to connect with friends and strangers in a variety of ways. For starters, try posting a status about looking to start a band. If your friends aren’t interested, then they can always tag others into the status or recommend other places to look. What’s so great about Facebook is the group component. Try searching for keywords like “musicians”, “community”, “band”, etc. in the search bar to see what type of options you get. The great thing about facebook is that it’s programmed to look for groups near your area. Here’s a picture to demonstrate:

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Join a group and ask around! It’s more than likely that you’re not the only one looking to jam.

Messageboards

I only really started using message boards a few years ago. The reason why I’m highlighting them in this post is the specificity available on them. For instance, sometimes like-minded people use the same message board; therefore, it may be easier to find musicians wanting to play the same type of music as you. 

Reddit is a perfect example of this. There are a ton of users, and some very close to you. While this isn’t a music message board, one might be able to find musicians anyway. The example in my life is the Bridge Nine Message Board. Bridge Nine is a hardcore record label in Boston, but the label offers an online board for users. PLUS IT’S FREE!

 

Here, you can post a thread about looking for other band members. Other users can comment and help you out.

See!!!!! It’s not so bad!!!! 

 

 

The First Step

Before you can start a band, you’ve got to make sure your instrument is “in tune.” You may be shredding on-stage, but it might be lettuce if you’re out of tune. Here’s the first way technology plays a role in making music:

These are all ideal ways to tune an instrument. They combine technology with user-ability. While one can certainly tune by ear, these are used to make sure the instrument is completely “in-tune” at a fast rate. While these have been around since your dad was listening to vinyls, there are new ways to help you.

Take for example YouTube, Gieson.com, and other websites to help you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzKCgwvv-vw http://www.gieson.com/Library/projects/utilities/tuner/

These websites allow you to use other means to get the right sound for your instrument. Pretty cool, huh? Yeah, I guess so, but what if you are huge on apps? Solution:

  

The first photo is from the app “Tuner Lite,” which allows you to precisely tune each note to whatever note you want. In addition to this, it makes your phone play a certain note to get better at tuning by ear. The second photo is from another free app called “Guitar Tuna,” which gives the musician a detailed graph of how close you are to being “in-tune.” It also looks really great on the phone, and you can upgrade for different tunings.

 

 

Let me introduce myself…

Bio

My name is Brian McGhee, and I’m a musician/Netflix indulger/amateur adult. While I can admit I do not have “natural talent” when it comes to music, I’d like to think I’ve gotten pretty far on my own. I decided to pick up the bass guitar when I was 14, and I never looked back. Since 2010, I’ve been in a band called Antpile.

Here we are looking ravish, friendly, and sweaty.

This band has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. After several tours throughout the Southeast, nearly 100 shows, and a vinyl to show for (yes, they still exist!), we are heading up the East Coast to Canada this summer. The most rewarding aspect of being in Antpile is the experience I’ve gained as a musician.

20% Project

In addition to these wonderful aspects of my life, I am actually a students as well. I will graduate from the University of Georgia in May, which excites and terrifies me. Before I graduate, I am participating in a “20% Project” for my EDIT 2000 course. This blog has all you need to know about my progress on the project.

So what is this 20% Project about?

I will use my experiences in Antpile to show followers how technology plays a role in starting a band. I will go through all the processes of starting a band, playing shows, and promoting the band’s image. I will also use a new band I just started to show you the practicality of technology in music.

**Note: This blog is most helpful for musicians who have experience playing an instrument. I will help any of those who little or no experience playing music. Please feel free to ask me questions so that I can get you up to par on the blog!**