What to Put in a Musician Press Kit

If you are looking for live gig opportunities for yourself or for your band, it is wise to develop a press kit. Press kits, also known as media kits, can be sent out to various concert promoters, booking agents, or venue managers, along with your Demo CD, to introduce yourself or your band and to provide a face, so to speak, or story behind the music.

The press kit will be the first thing the recipient sees when he or she opens your envelope. Making a good impression is key, as they may use the press kit alone to decide whether or not to listen to your enclosed CD.

Obviously, you want your press kit to stand out. Creativity counts when your recipient sees possibly hundreds of these materials a week. Of course, finances are an important consideration as well. You will likely be sending out press kits to numerous booking managers; the cost can add up. Do what you can to create a memorable kit without breaking your budget. If you think outside of the box a little, you will surely come up with a few ways to put together the common components of your press kit in such a way that the recipient will not be able to forget.

Most musician press kits are made up of a standard double pocketed folder and contain the following items:

Artist Bio
The artist bio page should list all members of your band as well as briefly highlight each person's individual expertise. The bio also gives a general summary of the band, with information such as where the musicians are from, how the band started, or any quick overview that gives a little background or tells your story. This section of the media kit should be well written and tends to read like a paragraph, not a list; a resume format or anything similar is not conducive to the use of adjectives and other descriptive terms that can be effective in emphasizing your band's merits and portraying your collective personality.

Photograph
A picture of you or your band helps the booking agent visualize an on-stage performance, which is ultimately what you are looking to achieve. Most photographs provided with musician press kits are 8 ½ "x 11" in size and black and white in print. Other sizes, though, and color pictures, are also acceptable.

Demo CD
Naturally, you will need to send the booking agent examples of your musical capabilities. The Demo CD should be well recorded and should only contain your best songs. And play it safe; make sure to label the CD itself with your band's name and contact information. Don't count on the CD staying inside the press kit. This way, if the materials do get separated, the person in charge of hiring will at least know what artist they are listening to and how to make contact if they enjoy the songs.

Track List for Enclosed CD
Somewhere in the musician press kit you will want to provide a track listing for the Demo CD you have sent. Avoid the common mistake of listing the songs on the CD itself; the listener will be unable to reference them while the disc is playing. Track lists are usually displayed in one of two ways. Often, they are displayed on a separate sheet of paper inside one of the folder pockets of your media kit. Other times, the list of tracks will be given on the paper insert which comes in the jewel case along with the Demo CD.

History of Accomplishments
This page may not be applicable to all musicians or artists, especially if you are just starting out. If you do happen to have made significant achievements, for example, local recognition or awards or perhaps you've placed well in a contest or maybe one of your songs has gotten airplay on a local or internet radio station. Show this all in a list. Alternatively, if you don't have enough to make up at lead a half-page list, you might consider listing such accomplishments in your artist bio.

News Clips
Have you or your band ever been written up by the press? If you have received any publicity- make sure it is positive or at least neutral- the press kit is the place to show it off. Make copies of the newspaper articles, magazine reviews, etc. and tuck them inside one of the pockets of your folder. Include on the photocopies the heading of the publisher, along with the author of the article and the date the piece was written, if possible.

Fliers
If you have fliers of shows you've played with your band name listed on them, make copies and include them in the kit. Don't go overboard; there is no need to send them all. But if you've ever performed alongside a popular or well-known band and have the promotional flier to show for it, by all means, boast it in your media kit.

Quotes/Testimonials
A quotes and testimonials page is not necessary if you have news clips to show, but it can be very helpful if you have no other examples of publicity. The testimonials page is especially useful for musicians looking to book wedding gigs, bar mitzvahs, or those aspiring to put on concerts for non-profit fundraising events or corporate business parties. Quotes can be obtained from past clients or anyone who has heard you play. Ask them to provide a public review. The more credible the person, or the higher up he or she is in the music industry, the better. In short, don't quote your mom.