Get Music Agents

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZW6NqrnKxM

How To Get To The Music Agents

(step by step)

 

Starting out from scratch like i did, it wasn't even on my mind that i could actually get a music agent.

 

We started out just jamming in a room, then slowly got more serious. When we could actually play a few of our own songs we then started looking to play live at venues around town.

 

Its the next logical step right?

Take it to the people!

 

Well, from having that idea to actually implementing it took ages.

 

First we had to find places to play, then we had to beg/plead/promise/bribe the “gatekeepers” to let us play at their venue.

 

It was a night mare!

 

Dragging all our equipment halfway across town, waiting around, and eventually getting to play to no one and not even getting paid - it was a depressing time…..

 

So how did we get music agents to want to work with us?

 

In short - we attracted them!

 

Now I know that sounds a bit “voodoo”, but i mean it in the most practical way - a step by step way…….

 

Heres how:

 

After playing many shows to no one, we actually got better at playing!

 

(For proof of this on a huge scale- checkout Malcolm Gladwells book Outliers, where he proposes that in order to become an expert at anything, you must do it for over 10,000 hours.

The Beatles became experts at their craft by playing in a club in Hamburg.)

 

Anyway, as we became better at playing, we began to attract a few followers.

NOthing major - but a few people here and there that would come and see us.

 

After about one and a half years of hard work, we had 20 people on average at our further away shows, and more at the easy to get to shows on weekends.

 

This was phase one, and because with this in place, we were able to attract the attention of a manager.

 

We had to work to keep his attention, but with his help and advice, we were able to refine our act and make some key distinctions.

 

With these distinctions, we were able to attract multiple agents.

 

So just to refine the process:

 

1. We got better at what we were offering
2. We attracted a small following
3. Having this following and being better, helped attract
4. the manager and more shows.
5. We played special shows where the manager brought agents down to see us play.
6. The ability to play and have people come and see us made the agents interested to work with us!

Its rare but some acts will get a music agent on the strength of someone elses recommendation or because they have been tipped to have a big record coming out.

 

There are some things that you need to do first in order for them to want to work with you.

 

Generally speaking, they don’t take unsolicited requests.

Its preferred by many to feel as if they have discovered a new artists by themselves.

 

In our case, the manager was the link to the agents.

He presented us to them.

People came to see us thanks to his wide sphere of influence.

 

One thing that you can do right now is to do research.

 

Learn who all the key players in your market are - so that when you are ready to begin to get music agents interested in what you are doing, you can be really focused in who you really want and you will know what kind of acts they work with, and what they look for in an act.