Looking for singing gigs near you? Here are the best websites to check out, rounded up by Ann Arbor, MI voice teacher Elaina R..
Are you a professional singer in need of gigs? Or do you and your band have newly formed money-making aspirations? Whether you are a seasoned expert or just starting out, there are oodles of websites for finding singing gigs. Here are five good examples.
GigSalad
Best for: Local Gigs
GigSalad is one of many pay-for-premium-service websites for finding singing gigs. Free users can receive quotes and communicate with clients via the website. There are several paid subscription levels available for users who want more.
The best perk of a paid subscription, which costs $15-$40 per month, is that singers can communicate directly with clients via email or phone rather than through GigSalad. Other benefits include increased visibility and larger deposits.
Backstage.com
Best For: Musical Theater
Backstage claims to be the world’s largest resource for performing artists. It lets singers search for auditions using criteria like location, age, and gender. Online subscriptions range from $12-$20 per month, but the site often offers discount rates to new members (around $10/month).
Although Backstage requires payment to use, it’s easy to use the search feature to find auditions and look them up elsewhere on the internet. For singers searching for big-time gigs, though, this may be worth a subscription.
YapTracker
Best for: Classical
Geared toward the classical crowd, YapTracker supplies unlimited access to audition alerts for $55 per year. Compared to services that charge by the month, that’s a steal – the equivalent of $4.50 per month. For an even lower price, get a referral from a friend ($5 off) or purchase a two-year subscription.
YapTracker is imperative for any working classical singer. Many young artist programs, competitions, and other institutions only accept applications submitted through the site. YapTracker also saves personal data to make filling out applications faster.
ReverbNation
Best For: Recording Artists
Another service that offers both paid and free plans, ReverbNation acts as an overall platform for singers and other artists. Artists can create a profile, share it on social media, gain new fans, and sell music as well as find gigs. ReverbNation is, in essence, like MySpace with a gig component.
A basic profile is free on ReverbNation Pro ($20 per month), and Max ($41 per month) get digital distribution on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and other online stores too. For singers who exclusively want gigs, a free profile should be enough. However, to dominate online byways with your awesome new EP, consider a paid plan. ReverbNation has free trials of its Pro plan for new users, so you can try before you buy.
Craigslist
Best For: Everyone
It’s the obvious first stop. Craigslist is free, popular, and effective. Just scan the gigs section for singing-related events, or post your own ad by creating an account. Link the ad to your website or post photos of yourself in performance to increase your chances of getting hired.
While Craigslist is a great way to book gigs, it has a mixed reputation because of some of the wanton and even criminal activities that take place through the site. To protect yourself, never post personal information on Craigslist and use your intuition when replying to ads.
This is far from a comprehensive list; the agglomeration of gig-related websites is impressive and always growing. But using one of these five websites for finding singing gigs can help you go from jamming in your basement to jamming onstage (and getting paid to do it). If I missed one of your favorite gig websites, feel free to post it in the comments section below!
Nervous about being on stage? Book lessons with a singing teacher in your area to get valuable feedback and advice!
Elaina R. teaches singing in Ann Arbor, MI. She earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Southern California, and she is currently working on her Master of Music from the University of Michigan. Learn more about Elaina here!
Photo from http://www.reverbnation.com/
Suzy S.