Like anything in life, to achieve something that you consider worthwhile, you should set goals. You don't have to do this of course, but it helps to have goals to provide direction and motivation.

Step 1. What do you want to achieve?

Write down your goals, but don't quantify them just yet. Keep them open and broad.


Example 1: These are my goals
1. To perform my original songs solo
2. To record my original songs
3. Form a band to perform originals, folk covers, traditional ballads, jigs and reels
4. Play gigs

Step 2. Defining your style
The type of music that you play will often dictate the type of venues and scene that you want to be a part of. What is the style of music that you play?

Example 2 - My style:
Solo- Acoustic singer/songwriter
Band- Celtic folk rock

Step 3. Resources
Ok, now that you have writen down your goals and thought about the style of music you want to perform, you need to discover where the scene is and what is available in your town. Focus on your local resources first, and then expand from there.

Exxample 3 - Resources
1. Internet -Obvious and probably your best source of information. Type in your style of music and the place where you live and see what comes up
2. Local street press -Street press, such as locally produced music magazines and papers list venues, gigs, bands, news and a wide range of information. A good source of local information
3. Local and State newspapers - Local and state newspapers have sections on music. The local papers are pretty good and usually have information on gigs, venues and upcoming events.
4. Yellow and white pages - Good place to find pubs, clubs, venues, music shops and other leads
5. Music shops - Usually has a place for local musos to put up posters, adverts etc
6. Radio stations - Local stations play all kinds of music. Better still, some community stations have programs dedicated to genres of music. A great source of networking opportunities exist.
7. Venues - Some venues are reknown for the type of music they play and may just suit your style.

I'm sure there are others. Keep your eyes and ears open and make sure that you keep notes.

FolkyMatt

Editors Note: I transferred this lesson to our FAQ database, but it was written some time ago. I'd love for people to post the resources (especially internet) that they now use most frequently (and successfully) to promote themselves and uncover gigs. For instance, everybody has a MySpace page - how are you using it?