How do you attract bands to workin w/ you

[if6was9]

I've been trying to think of ways to basically promote my self and to attract bands to coming to record with me? I'm really just getting started with a few projects done and my gear list isn't huge. I've done some free recordings but i really want to step away from that to move on to the next step.

How do you guys do it?

I've noticed the social networking sites like myspace and bebo are flooded with people promoting their studio and no one gives the spam a 2nd thought.

 

[beyond dead]

word of mouth. produce and record for some established artists. if they like your work they will brag about how good their album sounds, and how good of an engineer you are.

 

[abyssofdreams]

Hmm, how is he gonna approach established artists if he doesn't have anything to start with? Isn't that the whole point?

 

[beyond dead]

well, offer to record for free. or maybe he is buddies with an decent band that has some respect. really it comes down to networking and luck really

 

[Kazrog]

Put up a website with clips of your mixes - not just MySpace, get a real hosting plan and host 320kbps mp3s. Ultimately bands will choose you based on the merits they perceive in your productions, and of course based on your rates. Don't give away your rates, budget each project uniquely according to the band's needs and what it will require of you.

 

[Notuern]

Do one really really badass mix, work on it for months if you have to, then scrap it, do it again.
Upload the results on a website that looks really clean and professional, and start posting around forums, and then you produce/mix some local bands and just let the word go around.

 

[dontletmedrown]

It really is tough for everyone right now. It can only get worse as thousands of new students are graduating from recording school every year. Now that I'm pretty confident with my recording/mixing skills, I've found that the REAL challenge is actually getting the work. Musicians I encounter have had bad experiences with "free" recordings. The hardest part about scoring recording gigs is that most people assume that the majority of recording guys suck. (They might be right?) The reality is that people will go with what they can afford. Some bands want the best sounding album no matter what, and others want quick and cheap. Figure out how to target both markets and you can maybe make a living. If you are really hot shit, you can do even better. Best of luck!

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

Work hard on a few projects and don't be a douche and you'll get recommended to more bands. The only publicity I ever did was just walking up to the first band and asking them if they wanted to record with me for free. Since then I've never had time when bands weren't waiting to record, and I charge now too. I have 20 bands waiting to record. It's not that good or anything, but bands appreciate hard work, and they tell their friends. Just get the ball rolling, and don't get frustrated and eventually they'll start asking for you! You do need some way of being contacted though. Myspace/website/whatever. Good luck.

 

[aramism]

goto local shows for the type of music you are into and approach the bands say look i really dig your sound and i'm an up and coming producer/engineer can i record one song for you guys, or whatever 3 songs for free.

1 song is less intrusive if the band has experience.


do a bunch of these and if your mixes are coming out well after 4 or 5 songs you should have some sort of local network of bands. you could friend them on myspace and start friending their friends and post bulletins referencing your work.

eventually if you do a good job one of these bands when they are ready to record a demo or ep will come back to you. if you talent is there the bands will realize it. i think having a portoflio of even free projects helps and maybe even create a sampler cd to give out to bands and as long as your prices are justified by your work you should be ok.

 

[Machinated]

I looked about for local bands on myspace a couple of summers ago, and kept nagging bands untill I had 1 summer fully booked. Ever since that, I have been fully booked up (sometimes up to 18 months in advance) without any advertising or looking.

 

[kaomao]

Anyway getting back to the topic:
- promote yourlsef with myspace/website
- ask bands through their websites/myspace if they need to mix/recprd something
- go to shows and ask over there as well.
- pay attention to death metal bands lol they're evil (*)!


(*) Lately I had problem with death metal bands: they really like my sound on previous records I have done.
Usually I give always a modern touch to all the recordings I make, but once I show all these fuckers "my sound" they argue:"that's not we wanted, we wanted old school"
then I tell them "you listened to my stuff and liked it, so I am not hear to please your need of that stupid Hate eternal/Obituary guitar sound I want things to be clear".
Seriously in case you approach bands like that tell them to go fuck themselves, otherwise you'll have a hard time trying to emulate a sound you can't because you don't have the same gear.

 

[greyskull]

word of mouth

 

[ArtGarceau]

well, offer to record for free. or maybe he is buddies with an decent band that has some respect. really it comes down to networking and luck really

Noooooo! Don't EVER work for free!!! Working for free says that your time isn't worth anything, and you'll get taken advantage of every time. I'm speaking from experience on this one. There has to be an exchange of some sort whether it is monetary or not. Even if it is $50 for a a whole day of recording you'll be taken more seriously.

If you want to "work for free" you can enter an agreement with the band which states that you have the right to use their name and songs in your advertisements and on your website. You can also do a "spec deal" with them, but nobody really does that anymore.

There is nothing wrong with getting into this for the love of doing it...hell...this business doesn't pay much unless you are a "name brand" so it's always a work of love. My best advice is to not sell yourself short by offering free services because you then have no value to your potential clients.

 

[ArtGarceau]

I looked about for local bands on myspace a couple of summers ago, and kept nagging bands untill I had 1 summer fully booked. Ever since that, I have been fully booked up (sometimes up to 18 months in advance) without any advertising or looking.

That's a good way to do it.

 

[Soundlurker]

Offer your services to people you know and also record your own band if you have one. Bands prefer to work with people they know and they tend to stay away from the unknown. Once you've produced a couple of good demos people will start asking "where did you record it" and eventually some will ask you to record their stuff. It is a very frustrating period, it was for me, at least, but it's also stimulating. Good luck and be patient.

 

[beyond dead]

Noooooo! Don't EVER work for free!!! Working for free says that your time isn't worth anything, and you'll get taken advantage of every time. I'm speaking from experience on this one. There has to be an exchange of some sort whether it is monetary or not. Even if it is $50 for a a whole day of recording you'll be taken more seriously.

If you want to "work for free" you can enter an agreement with the band which states that you have the right to use their name and songs in your advertisements and on your website. You can also do a "spec deal" with them, but nobody really does that anymore.

There is nothing wrong with getting into this for the love of doing it...hell...this business doesn't pay much unless you are a "name brand" so it's always a work of love. My best advice is to not sell yourself short by offering free services because you then have no value to your potential clients.

well, whatever works, works. it worked for me, and we all know there is more than one way of doing things. i get your point about working for free is basically saying your work is worth nothing, but if you have no rep yet, than it isn`t. luckily i have my own band, and im multi instrumentalist, so i can record without a band, but why would a band pay you if you have no experience.

I recorded a song for a band for free, and they paid me good money for their next 8 song cd. that definitely worked.

also, do you not master songs for free as a demo of your work? i seem to remember you mentioning that in another thread. also people do free reamping to advertise their services, does that mean their work is worthless??

not trying to rip on you, or start a geeky messageboard debate, just clarifying.

 

[-Noodles-]

What do you guys do if you don't have your own place to track drums in?

Just use other studios?

 

[abyssofdreams]

What do you guys do if you don't have your own place to track drums in?

Just use other studios?

rehearsal room of the band

 

[006]

I use to take my PowerBook and my rack with 8Pre/Saffire/Glyph/Furman and my mics and stands and cables to the drummer's location to track their drums. Oh and a POD (either 2.0 or XT, whatever I could borrow at the time of the "session") for scratch guitars and for the drummer, bla bla. I would just have to deal with whatever environment the drummer jammed in, haha. But then I realized the room at my house was actually decent for drums, so I stopped going to them. Now they come here, it's much better this way I must admit. Traveling to record on location blows, but it is one way you can do it. I think there are actually still a couple of guys on here that are mobile the same way. After tracking drums the guitars, bass and vocals were done at my house.

~006

 

[dontletmedrown]

What do you guys do if you don't have your own place to track drums in?

Just use other studios?

Yep.