Band Web sites

[SanDiegoSaxMan]

I put together our bands web site to get more exposure and to give auditioners more info about us Etc. The leader of the band feels that I should not post our song list up on the site in fear of other local bands copying our stuff? I feel if they copy our stuff who cares it will just show how much better we are. I see that almost every bands web site that I visit has a song list posted. IM not really looking for advice (but feel free to give it) but IM more curious if anybody has a band web site. what do you have on yours or what pages get visited the most?

[Bill Mecca]

I recently set up our band's site, and yes, it has the song list... heck we're a cover band, its tunes everybody is doing, but there are some in there that are less covered, and the list is not complete.

very simplistic site, with updates to come including band bios, if I can ever get them to dust off teh computerkeyboard and give me the info..;-)

http://www.excellentadventureband.com

[cutlip]

heres the web site for the singer im working with currently.
http://bernadetteseacrest.com/index.html

i think the key things are:
gig schedule
song samples, or sound clips
pictures (the singer gets carried away with pictures of herself)
bio, (although i dont really understand why)
and contact info for booking.

also post any reviews you may have gotten, (except the ones that suck!)
j

[kcp]

If your band does covers, I don't see what's the big worry about other bands copying you - You don't own these songs anyway.

On the other hand if your band plays some original compositions and you want to put sound samples of these on your site, you should never leave a sound smaple longer than 30 seconds anyway.

Remember that the longer the sound sample = bigger file and longer download time which, may make your visitors impatient and make them want to give-up before they even had the chance to listen to the first sample.

If you are worried about folks copying your material, well they only have a 30 second sample, so they are going to have to make-up the rest.

[larry]

Here's some more unrequested advice!

You need to think about why you want a website in the first place and what you hope to achieve with it (gigs? exposure? international CD sales?) and make sure the whole package (centent + design) is focused to that end.

For many small groups the website is really your "virtual promo package" - put up anything you'd want to share with potential customers: song lists, gig calendar, venues played, personnel bios, pictures, sound files, and certainly contact information. My tendency would be to focus its use as a sales tool for potential gigs rather than making it fan-oriented or ego-tripping. Think about what your potential customers want to know about you: your style, your versatility, your professionalism, etc.

That's all related to content - your design should also reflect the kind of image you're trying to project: are you "out-there"? Mainstream? Professional? Avant-garde?

Our band's site, http://www.sambossajazz.com, is structured as this kind of sales tool - it tends to be more informative than creative, but we're not looking to change the world, just get some weekend work!

You may have a completely different bent and want to do something wildly creative that's an extension of your band's music. That's cool too, but I guess my message to you is figure out what your goals are and what you're trying to achieve so that you don't send a mixed message ("We're wild bohemian innovators, but can do your son's Top40 Bar Mitzvah as well!")

[scottyhoop]

My band's site has a song list...and I don't see a problem with as we too are a cover band. We do our songs different from the originals, but I think it's nice for people to know what we play. You did the right thing in my opinion!!
Scott

gigmasters.com/artists/Alias

[gary]

Let me be blunt, SanDiegoSaxMan . Why would I want to hire you if I don't know what you play? And if some other band posts the kind of songs I'm looking for, who ya gonna call...Ghostbusters?

It would seem that your bandleader is unnecessarily paranoid and off target. What is it he believes people will be copying? I would be interested in knowing that. If you're a cover band, as has been mentioned above, then what's the difference. If you are offering something quite unique, then take advantage of the web site to play that uniqueness up.

Cutlip - Bernadette's site is what a site should be. From the very first glance one knows what kind of genre she's in and that she is presenting a first class product. The graphics and the photo show that immediately. And then the follow-up links support all that.

...and I dig the Betty Page idea. Very Classy site!

[BBelly05]

In my experience, like anything else in sales, and especially in the music business, it's good to give people a sample of what you do without turning over all of your cards. Whether it's for bookers or fans or media, give them a taste of what you can do, but leave them curious about what else they might see and hear. Intrigue is very important.

I always find half the fun of playing a new cover is to see the shock and smiles on faces as the audience starts recognizing the arrangement. My band does not list our covers on our website (our fans know most of our staple covers anyway), but we do have a sheet that we can send out to bookers the types of bars that require lots of covers. But you can tell your bandleader no to be worried about other bands copying the songs that you're copying.

[Bill Mecca]

pictures (the singer gets carried away with pictures of herself)


well with what she has invested in body art, I would guess she wants to show it off.

I liked the one line in her bio about "Her background in fashion adds an interesting visual component to her performance, making it an experience out of time." it is a unique look.

[Frank D]

A few random thoughts:

1. Publish your songlist. If you're playing standards, covers, etc. potential employers will get an idea of what you can do. Lots of other bands play these songs, so I don't think you're giving anything away.

If you play originals, nobody will recognize the songs by name, anyway :D

2. Be careful about directing people to your website in lieu of a live conversation or audition. I foolishly did this a few times and think I lost gigs because of it. One band leader was looking for a "high energy" tenor for a wedding band playing rock covers, which is something I can do, but it doesn't really come across on my website, which is mostly straight ahead and R&B covers. I think he had been burned in the past by hiring jazz players who try to play Confirmation in the middle of Respect. My website probably scared him off since there's no Lenny Pickett kind of stuff on there.

Another time I was talking with a band leader who played "jazz" but he really couldn't narrow it down any further. When they finally put up a website, I found out they were doing very in-your-face, almost avant garde jazz. Again, nothing like that on my page.

[SanDiegoSaxMan]

Thanks for the input. There are some great points that were written that I didn't think about. We kind of reached a compromise on the web page. We have the Original artist or band name listed that we play. For instance we say we are doing "Average White Band" people might think "Pick up the Pieces" when we are doing "Cut the cake" Hey if the band leader is satisfied fine. It's on him. Besides I got a song list ready for the Manager or planner that is considering using us.

[Bill Mecca]

Another thing to consider when "holding back" information is that if those managers or planners are net savvy, and hit your website, and don't see what they want (song list etc) they are not likely going to wait for something to be mailed to them..

You have one chance to make a first impression...and this is a NOW society will live in, they want it yesterday.

I just had an internal client wanting a copy of a 6 hour videotape, talked to me about it at noon and though they could take it with them at 2 p.m. :shock:

sure... let me pull out my magic wand. :roll:

[acglass]

Simply as an ego thing I'm going to post my Web site in hopes that someone will find useful ideas.

A web site needs to look attractive, have sound clips with a song list, a price list that is fair, and a place to learn more about the group. Think professional.

http://www.acglass.com/TheSoundofMusic/index.htm