Touring 101 for Musicians from Coursera

Have you ever dreamed of taking your music on the road? Becoming a touring musician can be an essential step for many aspiring musicians. Live performances account for 60-80 percent of musicians income, but touring also has other benefits for a musician’s career.

This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary to build a career as a touring musician. You will develop an understanding of why touring can be incredibly beneficial for a new artist and you will hear from leading professionals in the music industry on how to plan a successful tour. The course will focus on establishing the goals for a tour, identifying the best tour model for you, and highlighting marketing strategies for a tour. Upon completion of this course, you will be able to plan and market a tour in a way that allows you to best connect with your fans and grow your music business.

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome to Touring 101 for Musicians!

Welcome to the course! In this first module, we will cover all of the details about this course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.

Lesson 1: The Basics of Touring

In lesson one, we will start with the basics of touring and learning why having a tour goal is essential to your success. We will hear from a touring band and what their tips are for starting out before learning to write our own pitches to send to possible venues. By the end of this lesson, you will walk away with your touring goals, possible venues to reach out to, and a first draft booking pitch to send out to your venue list.

Lesson 2: Creating a Great Gig with Your Fans

In lesson two, we will start by learning how to create a great performance that grows your fan base. Then, we will discuss the idea of strategic touring and developing ways to measure if your tour is a success. Finally, we will finish off by refocusing on your fans as a reminder that keeping them at the center of your plans is the best way to ensure your tour is successful. By the end of this lesson, you will have a list of different types of measurements to use in order to determine the success of your tour.

Lesson 3: Hit the Road! Choosing a Tour Model that Works for You

In lesson three, we will focus all of our attention on different tour models. These models are common practices for musicians both at the beginning of their career and later in their career. All of the models can be combined to create the optimum situation for you. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify tour models and decide which will work best for your tour goals.

Lesson 4: Marketing Your Gigs and Tours

In lesson four, we will cover the important subject of marketing. Now that you have a basic plan for your tour, it is time to begin marketing. There are different ways to market to fans and many platforms to do so from. This lesson will cover low-budget options in case you are just starting out or have limited funds to market yourself. By the end of this lesson, you will have several affordable to free methods to get the word out about your tour.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Builds a strong foundation for those who wish to become professional touring musicians

Taught by instructors with recognizable expertise in the field

Presents learners with essential information on the goals and benefits of touring

Develops learners' understanding of marketing for touring

Outlines the process of creating successful gigs that attract fans

Provides learners with the tools and techniques needed to make their tours successful

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Touring 101 for Musicians with these activities:

Practice your instrument

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Reinforce your musical abilities by practicing your instrument regularly.

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Choose a piece of music to practice
Set aside a specific time each day to practice
Use a metronome to improve your timing
Record yourself and listen back to identify areas for improvement

Learn about sound engineering

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Expand your knowledge of sound engineering through online tutorials.

Browse courses on Sound Engineering

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Find online tutorials on sound engineering
Follow the tutorials and complete the exercises

Practice stage performance

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Enhance your stage presence and performance skills through regular practice.

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Set up a stage or practice area
Play through your setlist multiple times
Record yourself and analyze your performance

Three other activities

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Collaborate with other musicians

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Connect with other musicians and learn from their experiences and perspectives.

Browse courses on Collaboration

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Join online music forums and communities
Attend live music events and meet other musicians
Collaborate on music projects

Write and play a song

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Improve your songwriting and music production skills by writing and playing your own songs.

Browse courses on Songwriting

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Brainstorm ideas for a song
Write the lyrics
Compose the music
Record and produce the song

Set up a recording studio

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Gain hands-on experience in music production by setting up your own recording studio.

Browse courses on Music Production

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Choose a location for your studio
Purchase necessary equipment
Set up and test your equipment
Create a recording environment

Career center

Learners who complete Touring 101 for Musicians will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Tour Manager

Tour Managers oversee the logistics of music tours. This course is particularly relevant to Tour Managers because it provides a comprehensive overview of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, choosing a tour model, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be invaluable for Tour Managers who are looking to build successful and sustainable careers in the industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Tour Manager

Booking Agent

A Booking Agent secures performance opportunities for musicians, venues, and other clients. This course is particularly relevant to Booking Agents because it provides a comprehensive overview of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, choosing a tour model, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be invaluable for Booking Agents who are looking to build successful and sustainable careers in the industry.

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Concert Promoter

Concert Promoters organize and promote live music events. This course is relevant to Concert Promoters because it provides a strong foundation in the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be helpful for Concert Promoters who are looking to develop successful and profitable events.

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Venue Manager

Venue Managers oversee the operation of music venues. This course is relevant to Venue Managers because it provides a comprehensive overview of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be invaluable for Venue Managers who are looking to develop successful and sustainable venues.

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Event Organizer

Event Organizers plan and execute events of all types, including music tours. This course is relevant to Event Organizers because it provides a strong foundation in the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be helpful for Event Organizers who are looking to develop successful and profitable events.

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Artist Manager

Artist Managers oversee the careers of musicians and help them achieve their goals. This course is useful for Artist Managers because it provides a comprehensive overview of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be invaluable for Artist Managers who are looking to build successful and sustainable careers for their clients.

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Music Manager

Music Managers oversee the careers of musicians and help them achieve their goals. This course is useful for Music Managers because it provides a comprehensive overview of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be invaluable for Music Managers who are looking to build successful and sustainable careers for their clients.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Manager

Music Publicist

Music Publicists manage the public image of musicians and their music. This course may be useful for Music Publicists because it provides a basic understanding of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be helpful for Music Publicists who are looking to develop successful and effective public relations campaigns.

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Music Journalist

Music Journalists write about music and the music industry. This course may be useful for Music Journalists because it provides a basic understanding of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be helpful for Music Journalists who are looking to write informed and engaging articles about the industry.

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Social Media Manager

Social Media Managers manage the social media presence of businesses and organizations. This course may be useful for Social Media Managers because it provides a basic understanding of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be helpful for Social Media Managers who are looking to develop successful and engaging social media campaigns for music tours.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Manager

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and execute marketing campaigns for a variety of products and services. This course is useful for Marketing Managers because it provides a basic understanding of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be helpful for Marketing Managers who are looking to develop successful and effective marketing campaigns for music tours.

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Radio Disc Jockey

Radio Disc Jockeys play music on the radio and provide commentary and entertainment. This course may be useful for Radio Disc Jockeys because it provides a basic understanding of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be helpful for Radio Disc Jockeys who are looking to develop successful and engaging radio shows.

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Music Director

Music Directors oversee the musical direction of music ensembles. This course may be useful for Music Directors because it provides a basic understanding of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be helpful for Music Directors who are looking to develop successful and engaging musical performances.

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Record Producer

Record Producers oversee the production of music recordings. This course may be useful for Record Producers because it provides a basic understanding of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be helpful for Record Producers who are looking to develop successful and profitable recording projects.

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Music Educator

Music Educators teach music to students of all ages. This course may be useful for Music Educators because it provides a basic understanding of the touring industry, including the basics of touring, creating a great gig, and marketing gigs and tours. The course also provides insights from leading professionals in the music industry, which can be helpful for Music Educators who are looking to develop successful and engaging music education programs.

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Touring 101 for Musicians

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