How the hell do you get "out there"

[TheWinterSnow]

I noticed just recently, maybe earlier this year that in terms of social networking that myspace had completely collapsed to facebook, and since then, getting a band name out there has been difficult. I think right about the time everyone moved over, every music project and their dog had a myspace and it seemed like the whole site turned to a never ending sea of amateur bands and that seems to make up the most of the users that are left over there.

So my question is how in the hell do you get a band name out there in terms of advertisement and actually stick out from the rest of the mass majority of mostly shit, I am not talking about just social networks and mean out in the real world too, it just seems like everybody has kind of closed up to tight social circles that you have to be a part of to get any support. It just seems like everybody is ignoring bands, other artist projects and people they don't know simply because everyone is sick and tired (including me) of being spammed by complete mindless idiots.

so how do guys? I ask because My band is in the process of releasing an album here in the next few months and I would like to get at least the support that the music deserves. The local area has sucked for shows since everyone is tired of seeing the same local bands, so no one goes to shows and my band is at the moment only 2 members so playing shows is really not in the equation.

 

[El_Gato]

¥€$

Nah just kidding. Maybe originality in lyrics/music?

 

[TheWinterSnow]

well the problem is that we have sample music up and we have for awhile, the thing is people aren't listening to it, people aren't visiting our pages. The problem is with facebook, you can't invite random people to a page, they have to actually go there and hit the like button on the page, and the only way to prong them to that page is to link it to your main profile and that only goes to your friends, I only have 52. Barely a dent.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Play some shows? Jump on as a local.

 

[ahjteam]

how in the hell do you get a band name out there in terms of advertisement and actually stick out from the rest of the mass majority of mostly shit

make better songs than the majority.

 

[egan.]

This

Play some shows.

and this

make better songs than the majority.

Everyone always thinks they're better than average you have to prove it and it won't happen through spam alone. Despite conventional wisdom a label still helps.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

make better songs than the majority.

uh, check. The problem is, getting people to listen to it in the first place. Even if we spam our asses off on any social network tat allows us to spam to hell and back, people still aren't listening (as in track plays are not going up), and maybe for about every 100 new listens do we get one person that contacts us along the lines of that they are keeping to be keeping tabs on us. Its difficult to get people to give you a chance when there is so much spam, hell if i get a band invite, i just ignore it because I am so tired of hearing new shitty bands (and I try to support local bands, what about the people who don't care about supporting local acts, I think they care less), and I am pretty sure the majority of people are doing the same.

 

[Damian B]

Release your music for free on some blogs?

BTW the orchestral thing on the myspace sounds pretty good. A lot better than your average symphonic black metal band intro.

 

[sprack]

Add yourself to Last.fm. Just an idea.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

Release your music for free on some blogs?

BTW the orchestral thing on the myspace sounds pretty good. A lot better than your average symphonic black metal band intro.

kinds what I was going for. I spent the whole day a few days ago redesigning the whole page to make it look more professionally done in hope that between that and the sample tracks would at least give them incentive to give the music a chance. A previous drummer of our runs a blog however we have to already released the album before we can get a blog/interview. Same goes for a local TV show, but we need to be playing a shopw before we can get anything there.

Add yourself to Last.fm. Just an idea.

Can't believe I didn't think of that before. Still have to get people to listen to the music, although it makes it easier for the people who do know about us to get a good rotational listen.

 

[egan.]

I'd lose the 1 year old bedroom vlog posts (the ones with playing are ok) and the giant bio that talks about highschool and a bunch of bands noone knows. From an outside perspective it makes me think less of you before I even hit play (sorry, being brutally honest here). Also, no label wants to hear it took you five years to write 13 songs. I know you aren't asking about that but I'm telling you from experience that that is a big red flag. You might want to consult a graphic/web designer to get your stuff looking slicker and more modern. In a perfect world that stuff would be irrelevant but....

Post more songs. There isn't any advantage to holding back the material in this day and age as new band. Put the whole album up for free streaming on last.fm and spotify. This will lead random folks to your music. Also, I wouldn't call it a demo -even if it is- present yourself like you're professionals with an album to push.

Get more guys and play some shows. Don't underestimate the value of building some local hype. Most of us have to leave the interwebz to gain some hype.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

I'd lose the 1 year old bedroom vlog posts (the ones with playing are ok) and the giant bio that talks about highschool and a bunch of bands noone knows. From an outside perspective it makes me think less of you before I even hit play (sorry, being brutally honest here). Also, no label wants to hear it took you five years to write 13 songs. I know you aren't asking about that but I'm telling you from experience that that is a big red flag. You might want to consult a graphic/web designer to get your stuff looking slicker and more modern. In a perfect world that stuff would be irrelevant but....

Done and done, we will repost the youtube player up when we have a playlist of "Ad's" and studio diaries in attempts to arouse some anticipation.

Post more songs. There isn't any advantage to holding back the material in this day and age as new band. Put the whole album up for free streaming on last.fm and spotify. This will lead random folks to your music. Also, I wouldn't call it a demo -even if it is- present yourself like you're professionals with an album to push.

The album isn't out yet, the tracks that are put up are the only usable scratch tracks during the writing process. We haven't even begun recording yet.

Get more guys and play some shows. Don't underestimate the value of building some local hype. Most of us have to leave the interwebz to gain some hype.

Two guys can't play a show, and its not like we are going to find a full line up overnight. Getting fans has been easier than finding members, 5 years later and the bands still has never had a full lineup, so really while shows would be a nice thing, and I am really itching for it, at this very moment, is physically impossible.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Well if you're not even really a band yet what are you worrying about myspace for?

I'd get a solid lineup going first and start playing. It's really the best way. If you jump on local shows and open them, people have NO CHOICE but to watch hahaha. TAKE THAT! All those chadrools in the front row waiting to see whoever will have to watch you and if you deliver then you will make new friends, and fans.

I've discovered a SHIT TON of bands like this.

 

[NSGUITAR]

For me, playing locally NEVER worked.. Ever.

Talk to people from bands.. Whether it's via the internet or in person. That's literally the way to go. Now a days in the music industry, your music doesn't matter as much as who you know. Sounds to be a bit of a cliche, but it's 100% true. It's also a damn shame that it's this way. Sometimes you have to dumb down, play really shitty music that teenagers really like, and get a following. In the meantime, just talk to people.. Band members, A&R, booking agents. Literally add people from bands on facebook and talk to them.

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

My old band got more responses from jumping on any show we could get rather than myspace/facebook. After the shows there was always people asking when the next show was and all that. On the myspace, we barely ever heard a peep.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

I wouldn't add people from bands on Facebook to talk to them... most dudes only add real friends anyway. Which they should cause whores with 1000000 friends are idiots haha
But they can't sign your band, and they usually can't put you on their tours.

 

[egan.]

Networking gracefully is a fantastic skill and one which is valuable in any business. That said, it seems to me that with no album, no live band, and no famous members, hope for hype and exposure is pretty much non-existent. My best recommendation would be to record the album and do some pro looking vlogs (divinity is a nice example). Post them here and on other receptive forums and once you have something to show, then worry about the big push. You're putting the cart before the horse I'm afraid.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

Well if you're not even really a band yet what are you worrying about myspace for?

I'd get a solid lineup going first and start playing. It's really the best way. If you jump on local shows and open them, people have NO CHOICE but to watch hahaha. TAKE THAT! All those chadrools in the front row waiting to see whoever will have to watch you and if you deliver then you will make new friends, and fans.

I've discovered a SHIT TON of bands like this.

Its a double edged sword here in the local area. What happens is that there is very little demand for any other music outside tech death and hipster/indie. Even if you do manage to line p a show with a band that does bring people out, most of the fans of those bands are in a tightly knit social circle of the band and know when exactly that band will go on. Typically these bands will play either second or third in the lineup (not open, not headline). Fans show up later than fuck to purposely miss the opening band, and the fans that do show up early hand outside while the opening band plays and then everyone heads out when the headlining band goes up. The band that brings most of the fans, take their fans with them when they leave.

 

[updog]

the problem might be the fact that as there's only 2 of you in the band, many people probably won't be able to see you as a "real" band. Meaning, that they might look at you as a side-project or shit like that, not a full, working band. The fact that the songs don't have vocals isn't helping there either.

My band isn't "out there" either so I can't really give any advice. If possible, just get a full line-up and start playing gigs.

EDIT: actually, just forget what I said, I didn't notice all this was actually already been discussed.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

the problem might be the fact that as there's only 2 of you in the band, many people probably won't be able to see you as a "real" band. Meaning, that they might look at you as a side-project or shit like that, not a full, working band. The fact that the songs don't have vocals isn't helping there either.

My band isn't "out there" either so I can't really give any advice. If possible, just get a full line-up and start playing gigs.

EDIT: actually, just forget what I said, I didn't notice all this was actually already been discussed.

wasn't completely discussed, but for the type of music we play it has been five years of trying to find people, and the ones we do have no motivation and aren't really into the type of music. With that in mind a full lineup isn't just going to happen anytime soon.