Demos, Press kits, & all that stuff

[juineaux]

I was thinking about sending out some demos to some smaller indie labels, and I would also like to get some gigs, but I dont really know much about press kits(what do I say, how many do I send, ect.). Anybody got any ideas or any other advice on where exactly i should start looking?

[DaveKenneysBand]

Oh good call. Anyone that lets him know, if they would let me know that would be faaaantastic.

[madtadder]

this site might help you out some...

[Xoosh]

http://www.musicbootcamp.com

that's where i am learning about all this stuff... however since im a graphic designer and web designer and such i dont need them to make my press kit im going to design everything myself and have it printed at kinkos for much cheaper... and simply am using the websites guidelines for my own use

regards,
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[juineaux]

Does anyone know of a record company I should send it to? or is it not even worth my time.

[olkskoolpik]

whats up fellas, for the past 3 years i have been doing an "internship" (i use quotations because i get about $3/hr, but who cares i get to work with music all day long right?) at a small indie recording studio. Anyway i have actually learned a lot in my time there, by watching bands go throught the recording and press routines. As for the press kit i would have to say the most important parts of the kit are the bio and the press clippings. for the bio forget aboutthe 1 page stuff, put everything you possibly can in here, this is where the record company learns about you and your band, tell them everything!, and for the press clippings im not sure what you were thinking about here, but you need these to be good, if the company sees that other people and possibly companies are interested in you this will make their decisions easier. As for record companies to send the kits to, there is this magazine that is published once a year, it is called the complete musicians guide to music, i most recently saw it at Media Play in the magazine section, although im sure you can get it a lot of places, it is a huge recource if youve got the $40 to shell out for it. It has the mailing, and email addresses for every record company in america, as well as the names of people to talk to in the companies. it also has the mailing addresses and, websites of every radio station that accepts unsigned indie music, and the people to talk to there. Also it has the name of almost every club in the united states and canada that look for live entertainment, and the names of the people that you neeed to talk to in the clubs. ok i hope this helps, if you have any more questions just ask, and if anyone wants cheap recording studio time, and is in the north carolina area let me know. later

[juineaux]

Thanks
I think I will buy that book. I hope they have things like coffeeshops/folk clubs listed(i dought it though, oh well). Thats really cool that you have an internship. How did you get into that, are you in college, or from a recording school, or someting totally different?

[olkskoolpik]

no problem man, im not sure if they will have small coffee shops and place like that, but its worth a shot right. I ve been interested in music for a while mostly playng guitar although im not very good. A few years ago i went to go look at guitars in this shop and i started talking to the guy behind the counter, having no idea that he owned a recording studio, and that day he offered me an job, even though i had no experience. for me its the coolest job in the world, and everyone should look into it. Ive gone to UNC-Charlotte for the past 3 years, and now im finishing up my education at the Art Institute of Charlotte majoring in web design and music multimedia.