With live performances being one of the main sources of income for musicians these days, it's no secret how important touring is. However, before you let your eagerness get the best of you, there are several "reality check" moments you need to be aware of before going on your first tour. As you become more well traveled and gain experience, these lessons will become engrained in your head. But when first starting out, you may not know what to expect when it comes to life on the road and performing on stages where no one knows your name (yet!)

Often in the lead up to a performance, novice singers and band members feel the strain; running a band is a big commitment and requires some strategic planning! All you have to do is consider the main areas you want to cover or things you want to achieve and send them a timeline for the rehearsal. In a recent charity event my band were very complimentary during on stage interviews about the way I kept them informed

It would be an extreme understatement to say that local cover bands are not paid near as much as they should be. There are many reasons why bands do not make the money that they should be, such as the bands not being worth the money or that their song selection is mediocre. But no decent venue will hire a band that they have not previewed (throwing the song selection concept out the window).

We've all heard of those infamous band meetings where members arrive late only to talk (and sometimes scream) about important (and sometimes completely unimportant) matters in a disorganized fashion. Just watch Metallica's documentary, Some Kind of Monster, for a shocking dose of band dysfunction.

All independent musicians at some point are going to go through the process of booking their own shows. This means identifying, contacting, and performing at venues across your hometown and beyond. But all venues are not created equally. Sometimes it's because the management is shady; other times it's because the sound system will give you tinnitus. Either way, you shouldn't play a show just for the sake of playing a show, and you shouldn't book a venue just because they'll have you.

Whenever you book a gig at a fresh venue, you’re on a learning curve. Circumstances are different in every room and if you don’t know the deal, the night can go off the rails before you hit the first downbeat. As any well-gigged player will tell you, gathering a little information ahead of time can prevent some big headaches.

A band is simultaneously a friendship, a collaborative partnership and a business. Although it might be less personal and intimate than a romantic relationship, it is quite possibly more complicated. That's because there are usually more than two people involved, and everyone has an opinion. We are artists after all, so being sensitive and having opinions come with the territory of creating things.

Some people are born with an innate sense of confidence that they carry with them through life. For others, confidence is trait that has to be won in battle. Among all of the talent that exists in the world and the unfortunate realities of the music industry, it's easy for somebody who doesn't have innate confidence to feel intimidated. Below are six tips on what to do when your confidence starts to falter, and what you can do to improve the confidence you already have.

Too many people fail to see the bigger picture of life as a musician and the miserable state of the industry. If you are one of these people and catch yourself feeling in some way cheerful, stop right away and follow this simple 12 step plan to guarantee your return to a completely horrid existence on this miserable rock. Warning: Contains strong language. If you don’t like that, then you should probably still read on anyway as it will just give you more reasons to be pissed off.