Pro Tips for Touring Musicians - Should We Tour?

This is an excerpt from our eBook "Pro Tips for Touring Musicians ". Visit our Our eBay Store for more info, or email: neckandbody@yahoo.com

Touring can be an incredible experience. You are going to new places every day, meeting new people, and very likely experiencing new cultures.  When it’s good, being on tour can be an experience that any musician is not likely to forget. When it’s bad, well… it’s pretty tough stuff.

Before a company or municipality begins a large undertaking such as releasing a new product to market, or building a bridge, they often require what is known as a “Needs Analysis”. Now, this is a pretty boring and stuffy word, but it is also a very good and useful concept. What it really means is: “Let’s make an organized effort to be 100% sure we really want to do this.”  Guess what? The same concept really applies to touring as a band. Going on the road sounds great, but in the end, it may not turn out to be something that will benefit your band. While it may be a lot of fun, and there’s nothing wrong with that, it may wind up being a very expensive vacation!

You don’t need to be overly dramatic and schedule a “Needs Analysis Meeting” for your next rehearsal. But it is generally a very good idea to set aside a few minutes to ask yourselves: “Are we 100% sure we really want to do this?”

My Dad used to always say: “When you want to solve a problem, get yourself a yellow pad of paper, a # 2 pencil, draw a line down the middle of the paper, and just work it out”  Well, you can certainly use any color paper you want, and don’t spend too much time trying to find a “# 2 Pencil”, I’m not sure they even make them any more. But his suggestion never failed me whenever I decided to just try it. You’d be surprised how logical a decision you can make when you simply weigh the pros and cons of something and promise yourself that you will not ignore the inevitable: More pros than cons: Let’s go for it, More cans than pros: Maybe not a good idea right now.

Here is a quick example overview of the Pros and Cons of touring:

Pros:

• Opportunity for multiple engagements
• Expose your music to a new (or potentially larger) audience
• Experience new places
• Meet new people, make new business contacts
• Broaden your horizons both professionally and personally

Cons:

• Difficult to maximize profits
• Logistical planning can be difficult and time-consuming
• Physical Exhaustion
  Mental Exhaustion
• Inability to use your own equipment means a potential compromise of your product

The purpose of this table is not to talk you out of anything. Quite the contrary, it’s a starting point for a discussion you need to have with yourself (or your band) about the benefits of going out on the road.

Don’t take this list as gospel. In the end, not everyone has the same priorities or in the end, the same experiences. Use this table as a template for your own pre-tour planning. When you go into the studio, it is very common to have a “Pre Production” phase. During this phase you most likely will rehearse the songs, tighten arrangements, and plan out what gear to use, what studio to book, how to best schedule studio time, etc… Well, the same approach can really help make a difference in your next tour. Even as a sideman who does not work with one particular group, you will benefit from thinking about your next tour on this level.

Overall, just ask yourself: “is it to our advantage to go out on tour, and if we go, how can we best plan this out to ensure a successful venture?”

This is an excerpt from our eBook "Pro Tips for Touring Musicians ". Visit our Our eBay Store for more info, or email: neckandbody@yahoo.com