Touring on a Shoestring

Bring your music on the road with our guide to the ins and outs of DIY touring.

90 Minutes
3 Sections

Touring is part of what playing music is all about. Hitting the road in a beat up van with your bandmates and some dude you don't even know on a quest for musical glory — what more could a musician ask for?

In this free course, we lay out everything you need to know to book a tour from scratch, from plotting your route to bringing an audience, to getting along with your bandmates. Featuring interviews with touring bands and booking experts that give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of touring.

Touring remains a valuable way for artists to bring your music to new audiences and make decent money from your art. Make sure you’re prepared and are getting the most out of the adventure by learning from those who have already experienced the journey.

Jeremy Young

In-House Touring Guru

Jeremy Young is a guitarist, experimental musician, and creative entrepreneur. He's booked and managed bunches of tours throughout the US and Canada, Europe, China and Japan. He is also a sound artist and freelance entrepreneurial strategist who loves audio-literature a lot more than you'd expect him to.

Course Outline

  1. Section 1

Booking Your Tour

  • Why Tour?
  • Soundfly Resources
  • Welcome! Introduce Yourself
  • An Introduction to Online Tools
  • Online Resources
  • CROWDSPACES: What Are Your Favorite Online Tools and Why?
  • 6 Tips to Finding Your Ideal Venues
  • Plotting Your Tour
  • Reaching out to Venues
  • CROWDSPACES: Favorite Venue and/or City for Live Music?
  • What to Watch Out for When Booking a Tour
  • Live Music Statistics and Info
  1. Section 2

Preparing for Your Tour

  • How to Attract an Audience in a New City
  • How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Press Release
  • A Downloadable Press Release
  • CHECKLIST: Before Sending Your Press Release...
  • INTERVIEW: Dustin Nelson, Marketing Director at Le Poisson Rouge
  • Digital and Print Ideas for Promotion
  • CHALLENGE: Sonic Squids Tour Poster Design
  • Thinking About Money
  • CROWDSPACES: Share Your Merch Table Stories and Tips!
  • CHECKLIST: Everyday Stuff on the Road
  1. Section 3

On the Road!

  • Keeping Costs Down
  • Downloadable Expense Tracking Spreadsheets
  • Staying Sane and Healthy on the Road
  • The Night of Your Show (Preparing for Your Performance)
  • Social Media (Keeping the Conversation Going)
  • CHALLENGE: Sonic Squids Swag Free-for-All!
  • Post-Tour Wind Down
  • CROWDSPACES: Share Your Tour Stories
  • Farewell and What's Next?

MORE INFORMATION

Who is this course for?

Honestly? Pretty much anyone. We made it specifically for DIY and indie musicians seeking to head out on the road, but as we crafted it, we unearthed tips that can even be helpful for the most road-hardened guitar slinger.

Are there any requirements?

Yes. In order to successfully book a tour, you will need to be a) willing to put yourself out there more than you ever thought possible, and b) willing to overcome massive amounts of failure because those are inevitable on the path to success. Hopefully, with the right support at your back, those just become great stories and fun adventures along the way!

How long does it take?

You can get through the content in this course in a little over an hour. Booking a tour may take a few extra months...

What can I expect to get from this course?

A tour! We aim to give you all sorts of ideas to get you going, but ultimately it'll still be up to you to reach out and start booking some shows!