Introducing

The path to getting signed is often a long and difficult one. Ask any 10 successful artists how they got to be where they are and they'll all have a different story.

For bands here in Kent, the story of Keane is a mouth-watering one: all three members of the group met at Tonbridge School and performed covers before beginning to write their own material. Fast forward to 2004 and their single ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ reaches number three in the UK charts – their album ‘Hopes and Fears’ has the world in the palm of their hand. Dream on…

Ex-Tonbridge School boys Keane

Making the break

So what do you have to do to be the next big thing? Whatever you may have heard, making great music is still the best way to get on in the music business. If you’re not yet at the stage where you can persuade a handful of people to come and see you at the local pub – they why would a record label risk thousands of pounds on your act?

So before you jump the gun and approach EMI directly, concentrate on making great music and drumming up the sort of local support that will have the industry sniffing at your stage door.

Going solo

If you're a singer but don’t write your own material, then it’s always going to be hard because you’re reliant on creative partnerships which may not serve your own interests. However as a solo writer-performer, there are plenty of open mic nights where you can try out your own songs – you could even think about starting your own event.

Finding a manager

The question of whether or not you need a manager is a difficult one to answer. Obviously a manager will demand a cut of any act’s income so if you are scratching round and gigging on a pay-to-play basis, then it may be an expense too far. A manager has to risk working with you for free to start with, in the hope that they'll get their reward when you're successful. Most bands think they need a manager long before they actually do. Generally speaking, if you've got to the stage where you're ready for professional management then one will come and find you. In the mean time, you or a good friend could probably do most of the ‘managing’ yourselves.

Dos and don’ts of demos

Sending out demos at random to national radio stations and major labels will rarely get you anywhere. But if you do your homework and target individuals within key areas of the industry (starting local), then your demo could bear fruit – try using a music directory to track them down.

BBC Local Radio

If you are Kent-based, then you should send your demo to us here at BBC Kent. If we're impressed we'll give you some air-time on BBC Local Radio and also give you a page on the website. Each week the Dominic King show features three acts who write and perform their own music, but who are not yet signed to a major record label. So, if you are used to performing in front of small groups of friends and fans at pubs and clubs, you can now enjoy air-time on a radio station with a weekly reach of over a quarter of a million listeners (not to mention the huge potential audience listening over the Internet).

What's in a label?

Almost all successful bands start out by doing a small release on a local label before moving on to a bigger one. The simple truth is that if you can show that your music sells with limited promotional resources then it'll reassure a bigger label that you're worth the risk. Keane were first signed by London’s Fierce Panda Records before signing with Island, the label with Daniel Bedingfield, Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey on their books.

Kent connections

Several venues around Kent are really proactive about promoting local music. Below, we list some of the best but we also want you to nominate your favourite unsigned-friendly spots. Email us at kent@bbc.co.uk

• The Forum in Tunbridge Wells: Acts that make the grade are put together into a ‘Stable’ and, each Monday night, three acts are each given 25 minutes to show what they can do. Each band then selects one track to be included on a compilation CD. These CDs are then sent to major industry figures.
• The Grey Lady, Tunbridge Wells: A music lounge that frequently hosts local unsigned artists.
• The Archer, Whitfield, Dover: The pub has an open jam session on Sundays at 8:30pm and an unsigned bands slot every other Thursday. All you have to do is send a demo to Andy and he picks his favourites for the weekly line-up. Tel: 01304 825890
• The Beacon Court Tavern, Gillingham: The venue can be hired privately for gigs but also runs the 'Kent Battle of the Bands' competition most Thursday nights.

Use the message board below to tell us about your tips and tricks for getting on in the music business...