The 5 Band Support Members You Need

As far as band members go, you are already aware of the basics: guitarist, vocals, drums, bassist, ect., but if those are the only members of your band then you are really missing out on some opportunities. For example, who is taking your pictures while you are performing or rehearsing? All the selfie sticks in the world can’t help you out there. That’s when it is going to pay off to have a support system of people that are ready and willing to lend their talents to your band. Here are a few of positions that you should be trying to fill:

 

Photographer and Videographer

As mentioned above, you really need to have someone around that can take some high quality photos of you and your band in action. Most people have at least one friend that dabbles in some photography. Find that person and recruit them to take some quality pictures of your band. People are very visual and they want to see pictures of you on your website, social media, and even posters. Your band will look all the more professional if you are using images that are high resolution.

The same goes for video. A lot of people will look up a band that they are unfamiliar with before going to a show to see what they are getting into. If you don’t have any videos online of your band playing some songs then you could be missing out. Find someone that is interested in taking some video of your band at shows and post it on your website, Youtube channel, and social media pages; it will go a long way.

 

Artist

There is no limit to the potential that having an artist hanging around can have. You are going to need unique art for posters, album covers, t-shirts, and so much more. Find someone that will draw up some awesome art that really reflects what your band is about. That’s one of the pluses of recruiting someone that is close to you and your band, they are much more likely to produce art that will be representative of your band and your sound.

 

Web Manager

So, you have accumulated all this media from photographs to original art, but you need to make sure it ends up in the hands of your fans. Select someone to update your website frequently. You will need them to add your videos and pictures, update your calendar, and maybe even design your website. This is a non-negotiable thing in today’s world. If you don’t have a website, you don’t exist. The good news is, BandVista makes this easy to do with no web development experience needed. 

 

Merch Team

A lot of bands staff their own merch tables before or after a show, but it is very beneficial to have someone that is willing to do that for you. That way you can spend the time before your show getting ready and pumped up and the time after your show meeting fans. You also want to have the merch table running during the show for anyone that comes in late, has to leave early, or just wants to grab a cd while the crowd is died down. It’s an easy job that anyone you know could probably do, and they would get in free!

 

#1 Fan

This might just be the most important person on this list. You need to have a superfan that is always in your corner and spreading the word about your band. It’s like having a marketing team without having to hire one. This person will tweet and post about all your shows, bring friends into your fandom, and share pictures and video of your band. That is invaluable to you as you are starting up and trying to get the word out about your band. You can even bring this person in sometime to sample new songs of yours or even work your merch table. The possibilities are endless so keep this person around if you are fortunate enough to gain a megafan!