Guitar / Bass Amplifier Info & Education

A lot of preparation has led up to this moment. Now you are going to ask for the gig. You know the band is tight. You have the right songs and format. You've been hanging out at the other bands' shows and you know the regulars (and how busy the bar gets). And not only have you established personal relationships with the management and employees, you have also asked the manager how they run their business, what they expect from their entertainment, what they've been doing, and how well it's working. You have the right product to fulfill their needs. But the fact is, now it is time to sell or they will never know that.

You've done your research, identified your targets, created a professional-quality product tailored to their needs, established a marketing plan and online presence, and assembled first-rate promo with which to sell your band. You know your product and your market inside and out. Now it is time to learn about your customer's product and your customer's market. You can tell the booking agent how great your band is all day long, but the whole time he is thinking, "What does all this have to do with me?"

Many tone-minded musicians spend a significant amount of time in the rehearsal studio turning knobs on their amps and pedals, figuring out how to get a better sound for the next gig. However, what often happens is that a rig that is perfectly dialed in in the studio sounds completely different at a show. This can be frustrating, especially if you don’t have a soundcheck or have limited time to set up your sound. Each gig is a different beast with its own set of variables.

In our last article, we discussed how to prepare for your video shoot and assemble some of your crucial marketing tools. Next, you need to produce your EPK and supplemental marketing materials so that your band comes across like experienced professionals.

Now that you've put together your master song list and set lists, and rehearsed them to perfection with the band, you may be tempted to hit the streets and hit up all your 'A-venues' for gigs. Don't do it! You may have the best product in town, but if you don't take an incremental approach to sales, you might blow your best opportunities. In order to build a successful enterprise, you will need to make the right moves in the right order to get those most coveted venues to open the door to your band. In this article, we will look at some ways to package your product to convey just how incredible your band really is. In order to accomplish this, you will need to put those finishing touches on your marketing and stage production that convey the quality of your music. 

Landing a gig for your band isn't quite as easy as just showing up at a random club like The Blues Brothers did, and talking your way in. In Part 1 of How to Get a Gig, we learned that knowledge of your market is the first priority, and we learned the somewhat less than glamorous process of gathering the information you need. Being an entrepreneur at heart, you have invested your time into creating a tactical 'map' of your market. In this article, you will see how you can use the intelligence you've gathered to build a product (band) that will sell in your market.

A popular option for finding the ideal guitar tone is using an always-on guitar pedal. This can be a foundational overdrive pedal, a dedicated preamp box with a DI, or practically any effect that helps you achieve the sound in your head. While nothing beats a great amplifier, musicians who want to travel light, use different backlines frequently, or want to get great tone without having to crank their amp or deal with the acoustic variables at each venue may find a particular pedal or pedals to be a superior option.

In our Getting Started series, we have talked about how to prepare yourself for a job as a working musician, as well as highlighting what you must know to succeed as a musician when you get there. However, at some point you may have to be the one to go out and get bookings. Perhaps your band will decide to venture into a new market, or maybe you will decide to start a group of your own. I must warn you to be patient, because even when you have done your homework, getting a gig is a challenge for the most seasoned agents and bandleaders. The task requires a lot of research, making phone calls, and visiting establishments in your market. And no small amount of negotiating skill! The good news is this isn't rocket science once you know what you're doing.  Let's look at a common-sense method that guarantees you the best possible odds of beating the competition and getting work for your band.

In this segment we'll continue from Part 1 with five more Rules of the Road which you will need to know in order to be your best on stage. Let's take a look at some more pro tips:

Your moment of truth has arrived. You did your homework and mastered your instrument. You know the material. You walk into the gig looking healthy and professional. So far, you have conveyed to the band that you know what you're doing. That's the good news. The bad news is you can blow it all in spite of your hard work if you don't conduct yourself like a pro. But what does that entail? What are the basic expectations demanded of the whole band, and what pitfalls can make you tarnish the solid first impression you've made? In this article, we'll explore the things you need to know at showtime.

Knowing how to handle yourself on the job and understanding what people's expectations of you will be are just as important as the quality of your performance. If you have a good reputation, it will open doors for you. Bands often hire based upon two criteria other than musicianship: your experience, and your demeanor. Until you gain experience, all you have to work with is your demeanor. How professional do you come across, on the phone and on the bandstand?  Are you familiar with the business of music in general? Band leaders and managers also want to see how much you know about the local scene, because until you understand it they can't trust you'll know how to draw consistently and perform up to standards. A big part of that is how well you know and follow the basic rules of paid performance.

Whether you are starting out on your career path as a musician, or you just want to take your band (or yourself) to the next level and play some shows, knowing the basics which are expected on every gig is crucial. Of course, you will need to be a good player too. But the players who get the first call are the ones who understand the job at hand. In this series, we will explore the basic expectations demanded of a professional musician.