RE: Finding Gigs

["Jimbeau Harp" <jimbeauharp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From: Robb Bingham <robbingham@xxxxxxxxx>
>
>If you give out X number of demos [to the right places]
>you'll get Y number of calls- and Z number of gigs.

Thre is often one fact that a lot of non gigging musicians overlook:

You have to work very hard to get gigs.

The other fact they don't take into consideration is:

Successfully booking a gig has more to do with your business skills than 
your musicianship.

Where I live in NJ, 95% of my gigs are on weekend nights at bars/clubs. If 
you consider that there are only 104 Fridays and Saturdays in an average 
year, and dozens of bands chasing these gigs at the good clubs, it doesn't 
add up to very good odds.

As Robb illustrates, it is a numbers game, and recognizing this as such will 
vastly improve the odds in your favor. The only amendment I would make to 
his formula above is:

If you give out X number of demos AND make Y number of calls, you'll get Z 
number of gigs.

In my experience, the Z number will be much higher if you're proactive in 
making the follow-up calls.

The other thing to remember is that the Z number will never be as high as 
your X and Y numbers, i.e., you're going to get quite of bit of rejection. 
Don't take it to heart and get discouraged. Move on to the next opportunity 
and try again. Eventually you'll get a "yes" for an answer.

Jimbeau

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