by Francesca | Feb 8, 2024 | Music Industry
Job hunting. We’ve all done it, and most of us will continue to have to do it until retirement comes along. Indeed and Glassdoor are great for seeing everything and anything all at once, but what if you’re tired of wasting your time sorting through thousands of unrelated jobs? Believe it or not, there are job sites just for us music biz folks. Here are some of the best music industry job sites to help you land your next job…
9 Music Industry Job Sites To Help You Land Your Next Job
The Digilogue
The Digilogue is a diverse community of creators and industry professionals in music and tech. They curate conversations and programming around industry education, artist discovery content, and a great career resource on their website. Under their Music Careers tab, click on Job Postings, and you’ll find tons of job listings up for grabs. // Check it out for yourself on their website here.
Music Business Worldwide
This site is one of the best resources for anyone looking to broaden their horizons in the music biz. Music Business Jobs is a website for the global music industry to find the best candidates for their open positions. They post openings all over the country, and you can filter results by location, companies, and job type. // Check out what’s available right here.
Doors Open
The world of electronic music is shaped not only by artists and fans, but also by thousands of small businesses, from clubs to booking agents to publishers and promoters. If you’re looking to work in the electronic music scene, this resource is for you. Doors Open is a place for people to connect with companies and projects they believe in, and for independent music companies to find the staff they need to turn ideas into reality. // Check ’em out here.
Shesaid.so
Shesaid.so is a global community of women and gender minorities in the music industry. They’re absolutely awesome, and they happen to also provide a very useful job portal tab on their website where you can browse open positions and apply. // Click here to see what’s available.
Music Careers
Music Careers is built for music professionals by music professionals to help you find your next job in the music industry. They post up to date jobs, refresh every 30 days, and give you the ability to refine your search by specific niches within the industry. They even post freelance opportunities, too. // Check out what they’ve got to offer here.
Digital Music News
You may already be a fan of Digital Music News‘ industry articles to keep up to date on the latest news, but have you checked out the jobs tab on their website? There, you can check out music industry jobs from major record labels and streaming services to universities, merchandising companies, startups, and more. // Check it out here.
A2IM
A2IM has their own job board to help you find your perfect position. Whether you’re looking for temporary work, an internship, or full-time, their database can search jobs by keywords and location. // Check out jobs on A2IM here.
Music Jobs
Music Jobs is part of a global publication and online community which brings their subscribers industry opportunities and daily news from the world of film, TV, music and gaming. On their site, you can also sign up and subscribe to emails with job opportunities tailored specifically to what position you’re looking for. // Click here to check out the site and search for jobs.
Entertainment Careers
Entertainmentcareers.net is a great site which features jobs in in Film, Television, Music, Production Companies, Radio, Animation, Acting, Production, PR, Design, and more. Whether you’re interested in the music industry or something adjacent, this is the ultimate place to check. // Browse available jobs on their site here.
You got this!
⚡️
by Francesca | Feb 1, 2024 | Music Industry
Looking for new resources to boost your productivity? Manage your finances, form better habits, and get shit done with these useful productivity tools. Here are some of our favorites for independent musicians…
10 Productivity Tools For Independent Musicians
Band Mule
Band Mule is an easy to use private band organizer and band calendar. With it, you can plan gigs, manage your set list, share files, chat, and share songs. It’s like having a mini manager in your pocket.
Editors Keys
Editors Keys is used by some of the top producers, editors, and recording studios in the world. They offer time-saving keyboards and keyboard covers with all the shortcuts for whatever program you use.
For example, this Serato DJ keyboard cover (shown right) has all the shortcuts for Serato.
Whether you use Garageband, Final Cut Pro, Ableton or many of the others like them, there’s probably a physical keyboard or keyboard cover available on this site, saving you ample time looking for shortcuts during your creative process.
Lifeline
Lifeline is a great app developed by the smart people over at Saent. It works by ensuring you take sufficient breaks and better manage your time so you can experience productive, healthy, and fulfilling days. It mainly functions like an innovative timer app, providing flexible session lengths, perfectly timed breaks, and a real-time progress bar to help you develop an optimal daily working rhythm.
If you’re looking to better manage your time and maintain a healthier workflow, this app will change your life.
Sheet Music Scanner
Sheet Music Scanner lets you easily scan, and playback printed sheet music using your smartphone, tablet, or whatever device you use on the go. Ever wondered how that interesting-looking piece of sheet music actually sounds? You can find out with this one. Just point your smartphone or tablet at the sheet and let it play the notes for you. You can choose the instrument, pick the speed, and you’re ready to go.
Mint
Mint is a budgeting app that can help you keep track of your spending and balances. Mint suggests how you could be saving money based on your financial information and transactions. As an independent artist, you’re in charge of how you decide to spend your money. From investing in your team to spending money on Spotify ads, it’s important to keep track of your spending no matter how big or small. — This app can help you do that.
To learn more about managing your money as an artist, check these out:
Kompoz
Kompoz is the perfect tool for remote collaboration. With Kompoz, you can use your favorite audio editing software, like Pro Tools, GarageBand, Logic Pro X, PreSonus StudioOne, REAPER, etc. Just upload your song idea to Kompoz, invite others to jump in and you might get a drummer in France, a keyboard player in Nashville, or a bass player in Malaysia.
It’s super easy to use, and you can create public collaborations to work with artists from their worldwide community or collab privately with your friends and bandmates. It’s up to you. (There are tons of other innovative online tools to help you keep working with your peers on your next banger without ever having to meet in person too. // This post gives you a rundown of some of our all time faves.)
Headspace
Hear me out on this one… If you want to avoid burnout, taking care of your mental health is just as important as anything else on your plate. That said, I think this one counts as a productivity tool. Especially for musicians. Through science-backed meditation and mindfulness tools, Headspace helps you create life-changing habits to support your mental health and find a healthier, happier you. It’s even proven to reduce stress by 14% in just 10 days, and can help you relax your mind in minutes, improve focus, and get the best sleep ever. All of which helps you stay on track in every other part of your life.
Streaks
Streaks is basically a to-do list that holds you accountable, every single day. With it, you can choose up to 12 habits per day that you’d like to implement into your daily life and track their progress. Want to spend more time learning music theory? Add it to the list. Want to make more beats every day? No problem. You can add that, too.
Working on something every day is the first step to forming a long-term habit. Every day that you complete on Streaks adds up, and if you forget a day, your score goes back to zero.
DropBox Sign
This website offers free online contract signing. For those who do a lot of remote collaboration, this is a godsend. Let’s say your vocalist lives in Los Angeles, your producer is in Atlanta, and you live in New York… Sure, you could mail everything back and forth or meet up somewhere in-between, but DropBox Sign lets you electronically request and add legally binding signatures to any document. From licensing agreements and split sheets to cowriting agreements and more, this one gets it all done with ease.
by Francesca | Jan 25, 2024 | Music Industry
If you’re a talented independent artist looking for grants for musicians to help you out in your musical journey, look no further. These are some of our favorite grants for musicians in need of some support…
Grants For Independent Musicians
Salt Lick Incubator
The Salt Lick Incubator is a nonprofit organization that supports emerging musicians on their path to sustainable careers. Their project grants range from $5,000 to $15,000 and are awarded to musicians performing in songful, contemporary genres to use for projects such as producing a song or album, producing a music video, developing social media assets, pressing vinyl, touring, or developing branding and marketing assets and strategies. — All grants are also accompanied by a plan developed with each recipient to ensure the artist’s activities are both strategic and successful.
“A successful applicant is an emerging artist pursuing a career in song-driven music who performs at a high level, has a distinct artistic voice and vision, and who has submitted a feasible project proposal that aligns with Salt Lick Incubator’s vision, mission, and strengths. A willingness to engage and collaborate with a broader musical community is encouraged.”
- Applications open February 26, 2024 and close* April 16, 2024. Awards announced on or before May 30, 2024.
- Applications open June 1 and close* July 25, 2024. Awards announced in September, 2024.
- Applications open October 1 and close* November 25, 2024. Awards announced in February, 2025.
National Endowment for the Arts
“Through our work, the NEA aims to strengthen the non-profit music ecosystem by supporting projects that have potential regional, national, or field-wide significance, and that nurture the interdependent relationships between and among stakeholders. Organizations of all types and sizes may apply for presentation, professional development, engagement, music and health, and service projects.”
Applicants may request cost share/matching grants for musicians ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. However, applications must be for projects only. Some of the types of projects they support include:
- Public presentations of musical works
- Commissions and/or co-commissions
- Development and performances of new musical compositions and innovative works
- Performances and educational engagements by NEA Jazz Masters that honor their work, history, style, and/or significance to jazz; and broaden public awareness of the art form
- Domestic touring (NEA Music grants cannot support international tours)
- Festivals and other events (may include performances, lecture-demonstrations, audience talkbacks, master classes, and workshops)
That’s not all, though. You can check out the full list of requirements and guidelines here before you apply. (Deadline to apply online: February 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time.)
Dolly Parton Songwriters Award
The Dolly Parton Songwriters Award is an annual, nationwide competition open to aspiring songwriters. The awards can be used as a career grant for study, instrument purchase, recording costs, or other professional expenses and are not restricted to tuition costs. Founding endowments include a lead gift from Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston as well as a contribution from country superstar Luke Combs.
The revised program offers $20,000 for up to two of the best original song entries in any of the following genres: Americana, blues, bluegrass, contemporary Christian, country, folk, or roots. Judges for previous competitions have included GRAMMY-winning artist Kacey Musgraves, hit songwriter Rodney Clawson, and Nashville music industry veteran Mark Brown.
To apply, you must meet these requirements:
- must be between the ages of 17 and 24 as of February 15, 2024.
- must be in residence in the United States or its territories.
- may only submit one application per BMI Foundation awards program.
- may not submit the same musical work to more than one BMI Foundation awards program.
- may only submit works that have not been assigned to any major music publisher or major record label.
- may only apply if they have not previously won the Dolly Parton Songwriters Award or Nashville Songwriting Scholarship. (Honorable mention may apply again.)
The ASCAP Foundation Scholarships
ASCAP Foundation Scholarship programs seek to ensure that opportunities for the study of music are available to students at all levels. With a long list of options to choose from, there’s a diverse lineup of opportunities for musicians of all backgrounds looking for support. Some scholarships on this list include: Asian American Pacific Islander Scholarship, Betty Rose Scholarship, HBCU Scholarship and many more. There is a long list of options for high school, college or university students looking for support.
- Check out the full list right here.
John Lennon Award
The John Lennon Award is an annual competition open to student songwriters and composers of contemporary musical genres including alternative, pop, rock, indie, electronica, R&B, and experimental. Over the past twenty years, more than $400,000 in scholarships has been awarded to talented young musicians throughout the United States, making this award one of the nation’s most esteemed accolades for emerging songwriters.
Through the generosity of Yoko Ono and Gibson Musical Instruments, three scholarships totaling $20,000 are presented annually for the best original songs submitted to the competition. Works are judged by a prestigious panel of music publishers, songwriters, musicians, and executives. BMI’s Vice President, Creative, New York Samantha Cox, and Tim Pattison, Director, Creative, New York, oversee the competition.
(Note: The same eligibility requirements apply as the Dolly Parton Songwriters Award)
peermusic Latin Music Award
The peermusic Latin Award is an annual competition open to student songwriters and composers of Latin music. One of the few distinctions of its kind, the award was established in 2003 through the generosity and vision of peermusic CEO, Ralph Peer II. For two decades, the program has nurtured promising musicians who have gone on to distinguish themselves in the fields of television, film, recorded music, and concert performance. A $5,000 scholarship is presented annually for the best original song or instrumental composition in any Latin genre.
(Note: The same eligibility requirements apply as the Dolly Parton Songwriters Award & John Lennon Award.)
New Music Creator Fund
The New Music Creator Fund offers grants to individual music creators working in any genre who need support to get to the next stage of their creative practice. The program supports costs that relate to collaboration with other artists and practitioners. Their aim is to enable music creators to take the lead in the development of new and existing ideas and projects. In addition, they support and represent a broad range of individuals across the country and musical spectrum. Not to mention, they give out a total of 50 to 60 awards of up to $5,000 each (with the average grant being $3,000).
With this fund, artists can use the money for things like:
- Support for the time you need to create new material and initiate new collaborations with your proposed artist(s)
- Creation fees for a work in progress that does not have additional support
- Performer or other collaborator fees
- Project specific equipment
- Recording costs
- PR/marketing
- Technical assistance/skills building
- Support for digital presentation/creation of music videos
- Workshopping
- Joint R&D (research and development) into new project ideas
- Other costs you consider to be essential e.g. childcare for yourself or a collaborating artist
Interested? The deadline for this years application has passed, but make sure to save this for next year! In the meantime, learn everything you need to know right here.
To wrap it all up…
Being an independent musician comes with a lot of ups and downs, mentally and financially. There are foundations out there that have committed to providing resources for artists who need a little help to get to the next stage of their career. Although some of these grants for musicians aren’t currently open for applications, save them for next year! You never know what could come if you don’t even try.
Good luck!
by Francesca | Jan 18, 2024 | Music Industry, Music Marketing
2023 is finally a thing of the past! It’s been a long year, but it’s time to start looking towards the future. As a musician, it’s important to set goals for your career and create a plan to make them happen. From learning new skills and getting more followers to earning more money and booking more gigs, setting clear goals is the key to seeing your dreams come to life. Here’s how to set better goals for the new year…
How To Set Better Goals As A Musician in 2024
Let’s talk S.M.A.R.T.
When it comes to goal setting, many pros around the world use the S.M.A.R.T method. Created back in 1981, S.M.A.R.T is an acronym that helps you create specific criteria for your goals to help improve the chances of their success.
What does it stand for?
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Realistic
T – Timed
How to use the S.M.A.R.T Method:
When it comes to your music career, your goals need to be realistic and specific. You should be able to quantifiably measure their success. For them to be achievable for you as an artist, you also need to be able give it a set time period for it to be accomplished by.
🧠 Pro Tip: Always write down your goals. Once they’re written down, you can look back at them whenever you start to feel lost and get right back on track.
Here’s an example:
Let’s apply the S.M.A.R.T method to, “I want more people to listen to my music”.
What’s wrong with that? — This goal needs to be more specific. First, think about where you want more people to listen to your music. Which platform do you want these listeners on? Next, make it measurable. Come up with a variable that is quantifiable. Now, it’s time to make sure it’s achievable and realistic for where you are in your career. How many new listeners are you actually capable of reaching with your resources?
Those big time goals are good to keep in the back of your mind, but starting off with unrealistic goals will make you frustrated and disappointed when you’re just starting out. You’ll eventually reach those crazy goals, but you need to start small and work your way up. That being said, this leads us to the last step. Timed.
Your goals need to have a time limit. It’s easier to stay on track when you have a set time frame to get things done. (With checkpoints along the way!)
When you apply the S.M.A.R.T method to, “I want more people to listen to my music”, it turns into something like: “I want 1000 more monthly listeners on Spotify by May 31th.” instead. You can keep it focused on your profile’s full monthly listeners or you could break it down even further by focusing on a single release.
Now, that’s doable!
Let’s try one more.
Let’s try a more complex example for applying the S.M.A.R.T method. How about, “I want to go on tour.”
Great goal!
Let’s make it specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed. Specifically where and when do you want to go on tour? Is it the right time in your career to start touring? Do you have enough fans in various cities who would buy tickets to your shows? When do you want to achieve this by? What variables do you have to meet in order to meet this goal? For example, reaching X total amount of monthly listeners by this date or cultivating X amount of fans in X cities by this date.
How does this change our original statement? Something like, “I want to go on tour” changes to something like “I will meet XYZ requirements for touring by December 1st in order to start touring by January 1st .”
Make sense? Keep in mind, you can make these goals as specific as you need to. The more specific, the better.
In Conclusion…
2023 was rough for a lot of us. However, one thing it did give us was a chance to assess ourselves. What do we want for our music careers? What’s been working? What efforts have been more time consuming than fruitful? Now that you’ve had all this time to brainstorm about the future, it’s time to make sure your goals for the new year reflect that. 2024 is a great opportunity to jump back in and hit the ground running!
Just be S.M.A.R.T. 😉
by Francesca | Jan 11, 2024 | Music Industry
Conferences are the ultimate hubs for networking in the music industry! If you’re looking to connect with some of the best minds in the business, these conferences are for you…
Top Music Conferences To Attend in 2024
Date: February 21-25
The Folk Alliance International Conference, presented by Folk Alliance International, is the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry and community (crossing a diverse array of genres including Appalachian, Americana, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, Global Roots, Hip-Hop, Old-Time, Singer-Songwriter, Spoken Word, Traditional, Zydeco, and various fusions).
The next conference takes place at the Westin Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Here, you’ll experience showcases, panels, networking events and more, all surrounding and supporting Folk music.
- Whether you’re ready to register to attend or want to read about the event, check this out to access all the resources you need.
Dates: March 8-15
SXSW welcomes the future of this industry with open arms. Through workshops, mentor sessions, networking opportunities and more, this conference offers 10 days of unparalleled learning and networking.
Not to mention, the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and diverse people come together. SXSW is the perfect place to scout new artists, meet up with distributors and attend events highlighting the future of the industry and how it pertains to the landscape of your business.
Date: March 2024
The Winter Music Conference is back and now stronger than ever with a renewed sense of purpose and direction under the umbrella of Miami Music Week, returning in March 2024 with insightful programming for music industry professionals and consumers.
- Check out their website here to learn more.
Virtual: April 24th – 26th
In Person: July 9th – 13th
The LAMC, which spotlights Spanish-language alternative music — as well as exciting artists in rock, hip-hop, and electronic music — will return in virtual form April 24 to 26. If you’re interested in going in-person, they’re also hosting an in-person event on July 9-13 in New York City.
Both the virtual and in-person events will host panels, workshops, showcases, and networking opportunities for attendees. For those interested in the Latin music scene, this one’s for you.
- Want in? — Learn more right here.
Date: May 13-16
After last year’s gathering of 2,100+ attendees from more than 800 companies across 30 countries, Music Biz is the place to be if you have a stake in the future of the music business. Whether you want to hear expert viewpoints on the latest trends & tech, to seek out new business partnerships, or to celebrate those who are innovating the ways our industry operates, you don’t want to miss this one in Nashville.
- To learn more and/or register to attend, click here.
Date: June 1-8
Hosted at The Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto, the Canadian Music Week Conference is still the premier annual music business and networking event in Canada. CMW is an annual entertainment event dedicated to the expression and growth of the country’s music, media and entertainment industries.
- Registration isn’t quite open yet, but you can check out all the speakers and additional details for the event right here.
Date: June 10-13
A2IM Indie Week is the world largest independent music conference. It consists of a four-day international conference and networking event aimed at maximizing the global impact of Independent music. Featuring keynotes, panels, exclusive networking sessions, and more, Indie Week has historically drawn an attendance of over 1200 participants from over 30 countries.
- Visit their website to learn more about A2IM right here.
Date: September 17-21
The 23nd annual AMERICANAFEST will take place September 17-21, gathering thousands of artists, fans, and industry professionals from all over the world in Nashville, TN. This year promises to once again be the must-attend event for anyone who loves the melting pot of Americana’s influences including roots, folk, country, blues and soul-based music.
Each year, this fest brings together legendary artists, the next generation of rising stars, fans, and industry professionals for multiple days of music and education.
- Whether you’re interested in playing the fest, attending the conference, want to volunteer, or any looking for any other type of involvement, click here.
Date: September 18-21
Taking place in September of 2024, Reeperbahn Festival is a German conference that offers industry representatives a programme of sessions, networking events, matchmaking events, showcases, meetings and award shows.
Talks, panels, keynotes, presentations, and workshops are all a part of the Reeperbahn Festival Conference programme. Top international speakers will address issues relevant to the music industry, its submarkets – recorded music, live entertainment, and publishing – and related sectors in the digital economy.
- Want a ticket? — Get yours right here.
Date: October 16-20
Going down in October from the 16th to the 20th, the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is one you don’t want to miss. It remains the most upfront, influential and educational gathering for electronic music and its industry.
With its conference, festival and educational breeding ground, ADE is able to create not only the biggest yearly industry tent-pole moment, but also a solid foundation for future generations of electronic music professionals. The event attracts a total of more than 1,000 events in nearly 200 locations across its multidisciplinary program; for five days and nights, the city of Amsterdam truly breathes electronic music.
- To pre register for 2024 and stay up to date with any news and announcement concerning the event, click here.
Date: October 22-24
Tech-fueled earthquakes have been shaking the music industry for some time now, creating dramatic new landscapes—and opportunities to serve artists at the intersection of music, technology, and business. Music Tectonics, the brainchild of PR firm Rock Paper Scissors, explores this junction with a conference, podcast, and blog. Going down in Santa Monica, California, check it out in May from the 13th to the 16th. This year’s event is going to be bigger than ever!
- Learn everything you need to know right here.
Date: October
The A3C Hip Hop Festival in Atlanta, Georgia is a great event where you can network, learn, create, collaborate, and experiment with the latest hardware alongside hip-hop’s most influential music industry professionals and producers. This annual festival is a must-attend for any hip-hop enthusiast looking to stay ahead of the curve and immerse themselves in the vibrant hip-hop culture.
- Although I don’t have an official date for 2024’s conference for you just yet, you can keep up to date on their website here.
Date: October 2024
Digilogue Days in a music and tech conference in Brooklyn, NY that lasts 2 days and is jam-packed with booths from Warner Music U, ONErpm, SoundCloud, the Orchard, Too Lost, Epidemic Sound, EVEN, Symphonic, Indie Flow, United Masters, and Creator SPC. Plus, you’ll experience useful services from industry professionals, photographers shooting headshots and artist photos, and one-on-one sessions with mentors to help guide budding artists.
- No official date dropped just yet, but you can learn more about the conference on their website right here.
Date: November 20-23
M for Montreal is an essential catalyst for the Quebec and Canadian music industry. It’s actually one of the most attended major events for the music industry in Canada. It also showcases a series of conferences that bring together local and international music industry pros while offering a rich program of talented musicians.
- Get early bird tickets and learn more about them on their website.
To wrap it up…
Don’t miss out! Whether you’re looking to sit back and learn, connect with your peers, or just experience a conference for the first time, these are the top ones in the industry that will not disappoint.
Enjoy!
by Francesca | Jan 4, 2024 | Music Industry
Touring internationally can be one of the best experiences of your life… if you plan it properly. Without enough detailed planning, the whole thing could fall apart and put you in more debt than when you started. That being said, how do you know if it’s the right time to pursue an international tour? How do you get started if it is?
In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about going on tour overseas without getting lost in a (possibly) literal jungle.
Things You Need to Know About Touring Internationally:
How to know if you’re ready
Going on tour at all requires having an audience that will show up to your shows. Plain and simple. If you typically only have fans in your local scene, it doesn’t make sense to spend the immense amount of money it takes to tour just to play for empty venues in another country.
That being said, if you have a large following online and you frequently get DM’s and messages like, “Come to Brazil!” or “Please do a show in London!!” that’s a good sign you need to expand beyond the U.S.. Truth be told, you’ll know when the time is right. Your fans will demand it.
How to decide where to tour
How you choose where to tour is monumental in ensuring your overall success. With the help of Spotify and SoundCloud analytics, booking a tour has become almost an exact science. These tools let you see which tracks your audience is listening to the most and where those plays are coming from. So, if you want to optimize the chance of having sold out shows at every venue, gathering this background info will tell you exactly what your audience wants to see more of, so you can perfectly deliver every time.
Check out: How to Book a Tour Using Spotify and Soundcloud Analytics to learn more.
Figure out your passport situation
This should be obvious, considering you need a passport to travel literally anywhere out of the country at all, but many people put this off until the last minute and assume everything will be fine and dandy. Please do not be one of those people.
If you overlook properly securing your passport and making sure it’s all up to date, you could end up planning and booking an entire tour just to get to the airport on the day of and be turned away because of your freakin’ passport. That’s months of wasted time and a ton of hard earned money down the drain. Before you even start planning the tour, get your passport(s) in order.
Find out if you need a work visa
Okay, so technically you could be shady and choose the illegal route here, aka doing gigs and hoping the government doesn’t find out. However, we advise against that for obvious reasons. We understand you may not want to shell out the extra money to pay for a visa, but think about the alternative. Without one, your gear could be confiscated, you’ll be forced to miss tour dates, and you’ll lose way more money than you ever want to lose.
The best thing you can do is research the places you’re planning on going, see what’s legally required of you, and do it. Some places don’t require any documentation, but some do. It’s always better to be safe than sorry (and broke).
Transportation
If you’re going somewhere like Canada or Mexico, there’s not much to worry about since you can drive you and your equipment however you normally do in whatever vehicle you normally use. However, what if your tour is in France? Or Sweden? This is where your expenses are really going to add up.
Don’t worry, you’ve got some options. In many places, traveling by train is a great option if you travel light and plan on renting all your equipment. However, if you have all your gear in tow, this is no longer an option. In that case, your best bet is to rent a van. Don’t have enough money? Try to borrow a van from a local band in that area or schedule your shows together so you can carpool. Use all the resources available to you.
Additionally, in most european countries, Americans can drive with their American license just fine for short periods of time. However, some places require you to have an International Driving Permit. Again, always do your research.
Some things to remember:
- Many countries have different electricity voltages and outlet plug shapes. Make sure you have adaptors.
- Amps are heavy as shit. Rent them when you get there.
- When renting anything, get multiple quotes to avoid being taken advantage of.
- Bring a physical map (cue shocked gasp) just in case something happens to your smartphone.
- Plan out how payments are going to be allocated between bandmates beforehand to avoid any and all arguments.
When it comes to planning something as big as touring, you can’t be too prepared. Make sure you have back-up plans for your back-up plan. You’ll be saving yourself a lot of stress in the long run if you do.
Yes, touring internationally is a lot of work. Hell, touring anywhere is a lot of work. But going on tour can be the most fun you’ll ever have and it’ll foster amazing memories you’ll cherish forever. You’ll learn a lot and evolve as you go, and that’s the beauty of it.
Be smart, always do your research, and let the good times roll.
