Though a tiring process that requires research, patience, and perseverance, booking your band is a necessary evil if you wanna get out on the road and let the people hear your music.

As you continue to play out, you will, if you promote your shows properly (using flyers, word of mouth, e-mail, social networking sites, etc.) begin to draw more and more paying customers to your performances. This accomplishes two goals simultaneously: First, it shows the club that you are worth something—namely money. And second, as your draw gets bigger and bigger, you become attractive to Booking Agents.

The responsibility of a booking agent is simply to secure live performances for his clients. That’s it. He has no part in career planning and no stake in the band, other than his 10% commission from paying gigs that he secures for you. Here’s how the agency scenario works: If you are a new, baby band just starting to play-out, and your worth to a club is zero, then your worth to an agent is also zero because there is no income to commission. On the other hand, if you are being paid several hundred dollars per show, there is an income to commission and, quite possibly, an opportunity for an agent to increase that income with crafty negotiations. A definite reason for a booking agent to consider adding you to his roster.

There are many industry directories listing hundreds of booking agents, but the real chore is to find one who books the kinds of venues you play and who works with other artists compatible with your music so the possibility of “packaging” a show exists.

In most cases, finding the right agent is as simple as a telephone call. Most will ask you to send them a complete package including photo, bio, list of clubs you played at, and some of your music—a demo or finished CD. If they’re impressed, they will ask what it is you’re looking for and will then decide if you’re “worthy” of their time and effort.

For those who do not know, A&R stands for artist and repertoire. In a recording company these individuals are responsible for auditioning and signing new talent to the label. For many artists this may be the most important person they will ever meet! Currently in the music industry, the A&R department works very close to management on many different levels. They are expected to understand the current tastes of the market and to be able to find artists that will be commercially successful. A&R executives rely mostly on the word of mouth of trusted associates, critics and business contacts. They also tend to favor bands that play in the same city that the record company is located. Contrary to popular belief, their decisions are rarely based on unsolicited demo tapes sent by musicians.

The A&R division oversees the recording process. This includes helping the artist to find the right record producer, scheduling time in a recording studio and advising the artist on all aspects of making a high quality recording. They work with the artist to choose the best songs (i.e.repertoire) to record. For artists who do not write their own music, they will assist in finding songs and songwriters. A&R executives maintain contact with their counterparts at music publishing companies to get new songs and material from songwriters and producers.

As the record nears completion, the A&R department works closely with the artist to determine if the record is acceptable to the record company. This may include suggesting that new songs need to be written or that some tracks need to be re-recorded. A key issue is whether the album has a single: a particular track which can be used to market the record on the radio. The industry cliche, “I don’t hear a single!” is a reference to this process.