How to Join the Local Music Scene

Getting to Know the Music Scene

Do your research. See if your local news source(s) has a section or special newspaper for music. If not, you can always use "keyword search" to find different articles published about the music scene.

Find concerts in town and attend them. You can keep your eyes peeled as you read the news or walk around downtown, but even better, you can Google search for local musical acts, find the ones that interest you, and check their website for concerts. Some cities also have websites dedicated to the local music scene in which you can find concert listings and details. If you live in a university town, you can also check the university's website for any concerts going on.

Use social media to discover where you can fit in as far as your city's music scene goes. Check for groups or pages on Facebook by searching, for example, "(your city) music." You can also search YouTube for music in your city and use "recommended videos" to find other artists you like.

Inventing Yourself and Determining Your Contribution to the Music Scene

Think about what you have to offer. You can't join the music scene without considering what you might want to do in this particular community. Some questions to ask yourself are: What instruments do I play? Can I produce music or DJ? Do I perform well? Do I like to compose music? Do I like to play or produce popular tunes? What genres of music do I like? Do I enjoy large ensembles or small rock bands? Before joining the music scene, you have to know who you are as a musician and how you will fit into the grand scheme of things.

Practice! Practicing may sound annoying, but it pays off. The more your practice, the more you learn about yourself as a musician. And of course, the more you practice, the better you get! Do research on your instrument, on the genre you want to play; really delve into the intricacies of your individual contribution to the music scene.

Start meeting people. Even if you don't get to go to official "events," hanging around musicians is most definitely rewarding. Google is your best friend if you want find where to meet people. It will help you find out where to go to find musicians to talk to. You've probably already been to some of these places. Since you don't have to try that hard to find musicians, be willing to start conversations with buskers, hang out at the good music bars and meet the musicians, and go to a few parties with locally acclaimed DJs. Meet the people. Generally, if you love the people, you love the scene.

Be prepared! Having the necessary gear to present the community with quality music is very important. Think about the bare minimum of equipment that you need to present yourself in a professional way. That way, people's ears won't be bleeding. Think about overall sound quality, ease of access, safety and setup. These things are crucial to good a production, whether live, online, or through a club's speakers.

Getting Out There

Find a method that will help you get yourself out there. One method is to go busking. You can do this by first finding a location that is heavily traveled by pedestrians such as on a college campus, downtown, near public transportation, or by a farmer's market, flea market, etc. Be friendly, and it is guaranteed that you will meet other local musicians. New connections is the first step to getting plugged in to your local music scene. Not only will you meet people busking, but they will also get to see what you have to offer. If you open up your guitar case as a place for donations, this can also get you some income so that you can invest in gear, concerts, etc. If you are seriously interested in busking/street performing, read more about it.

Invent yourself as a musician online. Create a Facebook page, a YouTube channel, a ReverbNation account, or a SoundCloud profile. You have tons of options. Start sharing the music you make with your friends, and ask them to share it with their friends. The more connections you have, the better. Being online creates easy access for listeners and an easy way for you to keep people updated on what you're working on.

Join a large ensemble. Google can help you find local choirs, symphonies, or jazz ensembles that you could be a part of. The ensemble's website is a good place to find out about concerts, rehearsal times, and auditions.

Consider joining or forming a band. Bands usually consist of an average of four or five members, whose genres consist of rock, heavy metal, jazz, contemporary, pop, etc. It's basically four or more like-minded people making music and performing it together on a regular basis. Some bands are more professional and ask that you audition, but many will simply let you listen to them, then let you join to see how you sound added in. Be polite and friendly. These people are going to be your buddies. They might even end up being the ones pulling your hair back while your drunk puking in the toilet. Oftentimes there will be new band member requests on Facebook, Craigslist, or on billboards in music associations. If you're interested in DJing, one of the best ways to put yourself out there as a DJ is to share your creations online and to post updates about gigs as well. Another option is to make a stack of business cards and start handing them out! Your DJing options include high school dances, college parties, wedding receptions.

Meet and interact with humans! The local music scene is all about music and people, too. Hang out with the musicians and get involved. The more connections you have, the more opportunities you will receive.