I’ve been seeing a lot of local shows lately at different venues throughout San Diego. Recently, I caught a couple of bands at a bar in San Diego called O’Connell’s, which has a really good stage for bands and a nice spacious dance floor. Then I caught another set of bands at The Jumping Turtle in San Marcos, a really cool bar to check out. There’s always live music and they get some pretty big headliners in there. A lot of focus is given to the metal scene there, so if you like that kind of music, that’s definitely a place you’d want to check out.

Doing all of this has given me great insight into what it takes to be successful at being in a band. Because I try to talk to as many of these guys as possible after their shows, I’ve learned already that there are many elements to getting your band exposure and gaining a fan base critical to your ability to play bigger and better-paying gigs.

If your heart is not in your band 100 percent, then it’s not going to work. If you have someone who is in a smattering of other bands in addition to yours, chances are they’re not going to give your band the attention and focus it needs to flourish.

Every member in your band needs to have their parts down so well that they can play them in the dark or if someone messes up on stage, they can quickly recover without the audience knowing. This takes dedication to learning the songs and practicing them with the band as often as possible.

A great thing about this age in music is the technology available to musicians like MySpace, a great way to network and get your band exposure to a broader audience. You can blog your news, put shows or new songs up on your page or blast info out to everyone keeping them in touch with everything going on with your band. As a music columnist, I rely heavily on MySpace to listen to bands that don’t have a CD yet or don’t have music available on any of the other Web sites like Pure Volume. If your band doesn’t have a MySpace set up yet, then stop reading this and go create one right now; I’ll wait.

Another key component in having a successful band is never turning down a show — this is pretty obvious. If you turn someone down who asks you to play, chances are they’re not going to ask you again. You should also talk to other bands in your area to exchange ideas and information. If they get a show and need to fill an open spot and you’re on good terms with them, they may ask you to fill it. This is very much a “you scratch my back, I scratch yours” kind of business.

Also, networking is key. A great example of a good networker is someone who makes an effort to make as many contacts as possible, whether it is with bands, fans or media.

Bottom line in being in a band is you’ve got to love what you’re doing. You’ve got to be willing to skip going to that late-night party so that you can practice your guitar or drums. Music is your life. You’ve got be willing to pick up and go at anytime, anywhere just to play a show. And you have to put yourself out there for praise and for criticism, otherwise you’ll never leave your parent’s garage. It may take time and effort, but all good things come with exactly that.