4 Tips to Get You Acting Like You're In The Music Business.

I have been in the business along time. And I would freely admit back when I started, the industry was a different beast, and being an artist had a definite amount of roleplay come with it.

It seems like a cliche, but that was a time when musicians felt like it all had to be done by someone else and all you had to do was keep on turning out the music, everything else was handled by your management.

The hedonistic lifestyle is still portrayed in the media, but really, how much of it is still true today. The music marketplace has become a very competitive area, and it is important to be on top of your game, as someone else just might be more 'on it' than you and clinch that gig/deal/contract.

Alas there still seems to be a contingent of talented musicians that are following the DIY approach that havent quite fully made the shift.

Things need to tighten up.

Cheryl B. Engelhardt is a musician and has written an interesting article with basic points to help you to start acting like you are in the business.

Her four very simple points are:

1. Don't Flake Out

2. Be On Time

3. Craft Your Emails, Don’t Spit Them Out

4. Keep Your Receipts Organized, Finances Clean

She states:

So here’s the cold, hard truth: you are in a business now, so play the part. As a musician, I see more responses (which lead to more results) when my communications are clear and professional. I tend to be [annoyingly] persistent, so I want to make sure my messages are not annoying to read or decode. When I’m on the other end of those messages, I have an easier time reading a longer email that is well-written than reading a short-hand email, trying to figure out if the writer meant “there” or “they’re.”

Seems like she has some advice well worth following and reading, i suggest you keep an eye on her and check out her  “In The Key Of Success: The 5 Week Jump-Start Strategy,” an incredibly effective, result-oriented eCourse for independent musicians who are serious about breaking through plateaus in their careers.

You can read her full blog post here

and check out her music here http://www.cbemusic.com/

Four Business Factors Needed For A Successful Independent Musician

They absolutely frustrate the hell out of me. Who? Talented Musicians, thats who. I know and have worked with many, they are highly skilled, some with beautiful and distinctive vocals, they create amazing tracks and albums, but their downfall is that they believe that after the music has been made, that the rest of the business happens by magic.

I put this down to their childhoods. And their own discovery of artists and music. There was mainly 3 mediums of music discovery, TV, Radio and Press. It was very easy to get excited about a new artist, because on TV new music was scarce, there was total wonderment when you discovered something that affected you, it became very much a personal experience, something that you invested in, and something that you treasured.

These feelings eventually inspired alot of people to take that path, to becoming artists in their own right. But they seem to carry with them that these feelings of their own personal discovery of music will be the same process for anyone that discovers their own music.

Well times have most definitely changed. There's a whole world of new music out there waiting to be discovered through countless websites and devices for music fans to find something new. 

We have mentioned this many times here at Make It In Music, that the Industry as we used to know it is no more. The machine that used to create the paths to success through TV, Radio and Press no longer exclusively control the ways and means to a successful music carreer, there are too many independent routes to take now that anyone can access for little or no cost.

The thing that has changed for the musician is that being a talented songwriter/performer/band is not the only skillset you need these days. You need to get to grips with embacing a whole different set of factors to improve your chances in geting your music out there and building up a solid fanbase.

You now have the same tools at your disposal as the majors labels and industry players have.

What you have to realise also it's not rocket science.

Writer Shaun Letang of Music Industry How To has noted Four Business Factors Needed For A Successful Independent Musician, and of course there are more but he belives that these four things are key to getting you on the right path.

 

1. They Realize That Marketing Is A Key Factor In The Music Career

 

2. They Have A Good Online Base

 

3. They Don’t Burn Bridges Out Of Frustration

 

4. They Aren’t Afraid To Invest In The Music Career

 

 

On building up your own online fanbase he writes...

 

 

 

The internet is one of the best places to both build up relationships with existing fans, and gain new ones. Because of this, it’s important you have your online presence strategically set up, and make yourself stand out from the crowd.

While online properties such as Facebook fan pages and Twitter accounts are important for your online presence, they really aren’t a substitute for having your own website.

Your own website should be the base of your operations. All other account such as Facebook and Twitter should link to your site, drive traffic to your site, and in turn direct people to sign up to your mailing list. Once on your mailing list, you can build up stronger relationships with your fans, and communicate with them directly and effectively.

 

I don't know how many times I have said that to musicians and bands, for me it is the number 1 thing to consider in this new music economy. The chance to have a direct personal relationship is the single most important factor you need to embrace if you want your music to get out there. Your fans are what make you, they are the best form of promotion could ever desire. Keep them engaged.

You can check out Shaun Letangs article in full here.

 

Written by Steve.

 

LInks

http://www.musicthinktank.com/blog/4-key-traits-of-successful-independent-musicians.html

 

 

 

Crowdfunding - Beware of the Goldrush - 20 Things You Must Consider

The music industry has been recently turned on it's head. Who by? Amanda Fucking Palmer that's who.

She seems to of got what she wants just by asking for it, and she has made it look easy. One million dollars in just a few weeks is an incredible acheivement, and one many people are thinking they can replicate with ease.

Amanda came from the fortunate position of having a healthy sized fanbase to start with, and has obviously displayed a knack on how to entice and engage the crowdfunding public. Even to the point of managing to get a number of fans to part with 5000 dollars each for her and her band to perform in their living rooms. 

But there are many many things to consider.  Writer Scott Steinberg has written a free book, "The Crowdsourcing Bible"  and puts forward these questions that anyone considering crowdfunding should ask themselves for starting their project, music based or not, the principles and questions remain the same.

 

1.  How good is your idea – really? Are you certain that people will be interested in it?

2.  Why is your product, service or venture destined to sell – what value does it offer the customer?

3.  What differentiates your project from existing competitors, or alternatives that have come before? Are you utilizing an existing brand, IP or personality that has a pre-existing base of fans or consumers? (Using an existing, if perhaps older, brand or IP which consumers have fond memories of can be a very effective strategy.)

4.  Can you express your idea simply and at the same time get people excited about it?  If not, it may be that the idea isn't all that compelling, or that you may not be the right person to communicate or present it.

5.  Do you have something tangible to show when presenting your venture – some visual aspect of your project that can help other people visualize it?

6.  How well do you know and understand your target audience?

7.  Do you have confidence in your ability to reach out and connect with potential backers?  Have you planned which vehicles you will use to reach out and connect with them?

8.  Have you calculated just how much money you need – truly need – to get your ideas off the ground? 

9.  Have you factored in all financial variables, including the costs of reward fulfillment, payments to the crowdfunding service, and taxes?

10.  Have you been sensible enough to build a budget that allows for breathing room in certain areas, and factors in conservative projections?

11.  Are you positive that you can fulfill all your promises, including completing the project in the allotted timeframe, and delivering on all features and content covered in your pitch? Have you considered the impact on your product’s brand identity, or your own personal brand, should your campaign not succeed?

12.  Do you have some great rewards in mind to give backers and fans incentive to donate?  Have you mapped out your reward tiers? How will you offer these rewards, and what dollar amount will you attach to them?

13.  Can you offer meaningful rewards at a variety of investment levels to attract all potential patrons?

14.  What specific or unique rewards will you use to get people talking? Can you create any singular ones that can be utilized in social media campaigns or for press outreach?

15.  Do you understand all the personal and professional demands that the process of running a crowdfunding campaign demands from creators? Are you prepared to put 110% effort into making your crowdfunding project a success?

16.  Do you have at least some marketing, public relations and social media connections and savvy?

17.    What promotional campaign activities do you plan to pursue leading up to and during launch? How will you keep the buzz going after your crowdfunding project debuts?

18.    Are you ready and able to take a big personal risk?

19.  Do you – and at least a few other people you can look to for support, whether financial, emotional or otherwise – fully believe in your project?

20.   Who can you turn to for help, whether in terms of assistance with asset creation, financial backing, raising awareness or just help spreading the word?

 

With the forthcoming crowdsourcing boom, there are bound to be many failures, don't let yours be one of them. Luckily for you Scotts book is available to download for free.  Just click here.

 

Links

http://www.amandapalmer.net/category/news/

http://www.booksabouttechnology.com/

 

 

 

D2F isn't an option - it's a must

Just before Christmas I wrote my first blog for the MIDEM site - if you don't know, that's a big music industry conference held every January in Cannes, France.

I tried to make the post reflect my view that 'direct to fan' is an essential method that all musicians need to use to build their careers but I also wanted to show that many musicians still want a record deal or some other kind of partner to help them succeed.

It's more business centric than what I write here and on the main site but I think it's good - read it there.

 

How to make loads of money being DIY

You've probably already seen all about this story but I would be remiss if I didn't make sure.

In December the American stand-up comedian Louis CK, who has admittedly had significant mainstream media but really survives by his large cult following, decided to see what would happen if he released his own live stand up video.

In comedy, live videos are usually released by one of the major entertainment companies. They bear all the costs and pay the comedian a royalty - just like a record deal.

Louis decided to shoot and produce the video himself - which cost somewhere between $200k and $250k depending on what you include (the new website etc).

He then offered it for sale as a download only from his new website.

"The experiment was: If I put out a brand new standup special at a drastically low price ($5) and make it as easy as possible to buy, download and enjoy, free of any restrictions, will everyone just go and steal it? Will they pay for it? And how much money can be made by an individual in this manner?”

And, boy, did they.

In 12 days, he sold over $1million worth - hence the Paypal shot above.

Now, Louis already had a tribe that he could ignite through Twitter and other online PR, but so do a lot of bands, don't they?

The key point here isn't that he could do this but that his followers wanted to buy at that price and see that money go to him.

As Mashable said - His experiment proves, however that people are willing to pay for content if you communicate with them openly, shed the DRM and keep the price low.

I think it's also extremely important to understand that this was a globally available release done on the same day. It's a paradigm that the record labels don't get!

I want to see a band do this as their model, not as a one-off like Radiohead (which was fine), rather than signing a deal!

It will happen.

Here's the links to read all the stuff:

Lefsetz tells us how & why Louis could do this - this is a GREAT article!

Mashable tell us how much he earned

Hypebot on the story early

Louis's own explanation

Why D2F?

Why D2F?

Well, because building your fanbase through direct means is both long-lasting and rewarding for both the fan and the artist, but, crucially it is now a reality for every artist with access to the web....

...i.e. everyone.

This seismic shift in how to reach your audience and keep them close is discussed in this very good video.

You can see the original post at the Midem Blog here.

Direct to Fan - Inside Information!

This video is great.

It's a panel from lat year's Midem convention which is a group discussion between 5 people who are very involved in the DIY musician and direct-to-fan worlds.

There's loads of great ideas and facts in the video and it's worth watching the whole thing.

At its core the message is that if you are creating quality content starting with your music, and if you let your fans share it, they will. The music must be great, and then you need a LOT of other 'content' - photos, videos, remixes....whatever - and then deal with your fans direct.

If you DON'T understand this, you will make your chances of success much, much lower.

Build a community of people that care and build from that point!

What is the future for the DIY musician

Thanks to @AngeliqueSC (again) for sending this to me.

Dave Kusek's presentation on the future of the music business has a disticntly DIY musician bent.

Slides 16 onwards are very applicable to the indie musician and are must-read from 28 onwards!

View more presentations from Dave Kusek

Making money as a DIY musician

You may well have seen this story over the last few days as it was picked up by some big sites.

It's worth reading both these pieces and the comments (apart from the Trolls!) as they have a few insights in to what the band are doing well and not so well.

Gizmodo

Techdirt

In essence the band in question, Uniform Motion, disclose how much their self-released album will make them from all the usual sources - iTunes, Bandcamp, Spotify etc.

Some people have argued that they aren't making much because they have a small audience and that they are making some mistakes in their marketing.

I don't agree.

They seem to be doing everything absolutely right.

They've obviously learnt all the ways that are available to them to spread their music and are offering it for sale in a variety of ways with packages that increase in price to increase their revenue.

Like all artists, they could do more to expand their audience and I'm sure they're working on that.

What I find interesting though is that their material and their approach to their own artistic development is the right one. They are making music, evolving, practising what they want to do and be and letting their audience grow as they do so.

You know, like true artists do?

So, to say that they aren't making any money from each individual sale now and that their audience is small is to miss the point.

Getting to a sustainable level as a DIY musician isn't about hyping yourself up to get a fleeting sales boost. It's about embracing and perfecting your art, becoming really good and finding an audience that appreciates that and then monetizing that symbiotic existence in a non-exploitative way (for both sides).

My guess is that this band will get there.

Oh, and of course the irony is that in writing about how their releases don't make enough money they have sent massive attention their way from the web savvy crowd and this will undoubtedly shift them up a gear or two.

It's also well worth reading:

their original post on this;

and the follow up;

and the follow up to that!

Here's a video so you can see that they're great!

 

Forty Foot Man from Uniform Motion on Vimeo.

Take your time & do this for life!

I know that I've written about Malcolm Gladwell's book 'Outliers' before, but, I can't find the post with a search of our Dailies sites - apparently we're nearing 700 daily tips over the last year!

If you haven't read the book....you need to.

The basic premise is that 'genius' comes from hard work and application to perfecting your art and this generally takes about 10,000 hours.

Two stories that I saw over the weekend really brought this home to me.

First, on Hypebot, there's the story of Portugal. The Man.

The piece is about how they had a five year plan and a DIY approach to building their own success. It's also about how their fanbase saved them from a disaster, but that's not the bit that's inspiring!

We made a plan; we talked about a solid 5-year commitment.  That commitment had a structure.  We would release new music every 8-14 months.  We would tour virtually non-stop (more than 800 shows to date).  We would create and own as many masters as possible.  We would reinvest all of our money into the band.  The band would take care of everyone’s needs (living expenses, health care, equipment, etc).  We would document as much as possible on video and audio.  We would generate all of our own art.  We would cultivate our fanbase by developing a relationship with them by treating them like peers and always trying to give them more as often as possible. We held true to the concept of 10,000 hours, though Gladwell had not yet written his book.  We knew that it would take time to be a great live band, and the band knew they wanted to progress in their songwriting. They knew they needed to get a few more albums under their belt before they could make the right record.

Read the whole thing here. It's a very, very fine plan and one that I would encourage any band to apply.

Then there's this from one of the founders of Twisted Sister, Jay Jay French - which was in @Lefsetz's email roundup.

I have a record of every night and the amount of performances Twisted sister has played since the first one on March 20th 1973 up to the present.

Here are some statistics regarding our years learning our craft in the bars and nightclubs all of which were within a 50 mile radius of Manhattan between March 1973 and December 1982 when we signed with Atlantic Records that I think your readers would find interesting. It speaks directly to the 10,000 theory.

We averaged 250 nights a year for this 10 year span. Also remember that as a "show band' we did full costume changes for every performance.

We spent the first year 1973 playing 5 40 minute shows per night night

from1974-1976 we played 4 45 minute shows a night

From 1977-1980 we played 3 1 hour shows per night

From 1981 to the end of 1982 we played 2 75 minute shows per night

What this means is that we played an average of 3 hours per night x 250 nights per year x 10 years ( About 7,500 hours of live performance)

Add to that the 250 hours per year of rehearsals and studio time recording demos for record labels and you have 10,000 hours..............

BEFORE WE GOT A RECORD DEAL!!

We are now headlining more festivals in more countries (33 and counting) and getting paid more money then ever.

What 10,000 hours does is make you an iceberg meaning that what you see on the surface is the astounding end product. beneath the surface lies 90% of ones experience.

That is our business model, It's called hard work. not that the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame would ever recognize the blood, sweat and tears that we put in.

We really did embody all that is too patronizingly called the "American Work ethic".

It's just something that people should know.

Just let that sink in.

So, you have two artists from different eras that have both built long-term sustainable careers - meaning that they get to do this for life.

And they TOOK THEIR TIME.

It doesn't matter if you want to be resolutely DIY or whether ultimately you want to do whatever a record deal is today or might be in 5 years time, because these days you can develop in public with your fanbase growing slowly all the time. Take three or four albums to do it and get better all the time.

It's the way I'd do it!

A magazine for the DIY musician

I've been away again! Sorry for the lack of posts.

Whilst I was away I was contacted by the guys behind EyeSeeSound, which is a monthly web based magazine that offers a slightly different take on the music focused blog. I love their approach - I agree with them that having a monthly release and a magazine format on the web makes you delve deeper into their musings every month,

I've highlighted it here for 2 reasons. One is that they are obviously very open to approaches from DIY musicians as their remit is to focus on the DIY scene, but also, think about how their approach could be used to promote you and your music. I know we are always saying that you ought to have a regularly updated website, but perhaps you can step outside the box and offer something that has this monthly (or quarterly) approach - either as your sole offering on the web or as a paid extra for the more committed fan - like a fan club. And the web magazine format would work great for that.

This is what they say about their site-a-zine in their on words.

Focussing on independent and DIY bands and artists the magazine, Heads Up, offers an opportunity for music and culture lovers to discover new bands, short films, animations, artists, photographers and designers through a stylish and innovative approach to website design and functionality.

Check it out here.

Join the dots for DIY musician success

I love this post on Music Think Tank - an interview with Ian Rogers, CEO of Topspin, in which he talks about how DIY artists (or middle class musicians) can achieve success.

What I like the most is that it sets out the truism for almost all indie artists that the journey to success is a succession of baby steps, linking improvements in your music with an expanding network of fans and influencers (each a true 'publisher' of your work in the modern definition of the word).

The point is that from a PR perspective you have to be practical in answering the question: what are you destined for? The one thing I have learned is IT JUST TAKES A LONG TIME. It never happens overnight. You want to be Metric? Are you prepared to starve and take a mortgage on your home for 5-6 years plus? Because you are not doing it in the next 12 months. You have to come to terms with the fact that it will take three to four records to get from where you are. People dismiss the first four years or so that it took Bon Iver to break. Even the Mumford & Sons record; that thing came out in 2009 and really only broke here in the U.S. in the beginning of this year. A lot of people think they will release a record and it’s going to be huge. I don’t think that ever happens. Not anymore.

Read this piece.

It should give you hope and guidance!

14 New Rules - listen up!

Bob Lefsetz covers the same material a lot but every time he manages to sneak in a few new things to make you think.

This is, I think, his best set of rules so far - although I don't agree with them absolutely!

For example, he reckons that you shouldn't bother with Twitter and Facebook until you have traction - I disagree, they can create traction and your most evangelistic fans will want to be there to help you from the start.

Still, it is a great set of rules - I love his emphasis on development and practice before promotion and marketing, which is what we aim to preach as well - and every musician should take them in.

1. It doesn’t matter what kind of music you make.

You build your own audience. There’s an established niche for every genre. From folk to metal. Don’t worry about playing to everybody, just play to somebody.

The last thirty years, the MTV era, has been about giving people what they want, which is just like what they’re already consuming. Major labels and major media, most especially radio, had control of a narrow sieve and if you didn’t fit, you couldn’t play. That is not true today. Those powers mean ever less. You can reach your audience easily online. You’ve just got to start.

2. You’ve got to be good.

This is about practice. We’re in a music era, not a marketing era. Ignore those who tweet and Facebook their goings-on instead of focusing on the music. It’d be like Steve Jobs selling Dell. It wouldn’t blow up overnight. Even better, Ferrari selling Smart cars. A great marketer is nothing without a great product, focus on the product.

Play for three or four hours a day. Take lessons. Play in your garage before you play in public.

Read all 14 of them here.

 

Play by the New Rules

A Bob Lefsetz post.

You know the drill.

It's good stuff and you should read it.

1. Listen to a lot of records. A knowledge of music is the best education. Spend more time listening than posting on Facebook. The musicians of yore could play every lick on their favorite blues records, can you?

2. Learn how to play. Start with lessons. Only give them up when you surpass your teacher. Know how to play what you don’t like. It’ll come in handy, just like studying algebra.

3. Write. We’re interested in what you have to say. You can wring emotion with a note, but begin composing lyrics too. Music blew up in the sixties because we were interested in more than the surface, we wanted to know who these acts were, we wanted to know what they had to say.

4. Rehearse. If you’re not frustrated, if you’re not chomping at the bit, you’re not doing it right. Sure, post the results to the Net, but don’t expect anybody to pay attention. And promotion is passe. Don’t tell people to listen, go back and cut more until you create something so good it spreads by itself.

5. Use what’s come before as a stepping off point, not as a blueprint. Although you should know how to play the classics, your music should not sound just like the Beatles or Zeppelin, but different. If you haven’t got people scratching their heads, telling you to turn it down, you’re playing it too safe.

That's just a bit of it. Like we said, read it.

So, do that here.

Young and Beautiful - not the only way

There's a section in our free eBook for musicians called "Be young and beautiful" and some people get pissed off with it.

To give myself a break I must state that I wrote it two years ago when our focus was on what we had learned from 20 years of working in the traditional music industry - majors and indies - and our involvement was less with DIY and niche musicians - which is much greater today than it was back then.

But, I re-read that section often when people argue with it, and it's still mostly right (although I will make some minor changes when I do version 2!).

My argument is that the frontman or solo artist has a better shot if they are young and beautiful - and that, horribly, is true - even if you're a DIY musician. I do try to point out that 'beautiful' might not be what is so considered by any traditional definition, but more relates to the overall package of talent, looks, sex appeal, wit, "extremeness" and more.

The young thing is more easily defended - the younger you are it's simple maths that you have more time to get better, hone your skills, build a fanbase - whether in a deal or DIY.

And I don't say give up if you feel that these two assets aren't on your side. All I'm trying to say is don't ignore the truth that the world judges you on these things and therefore if you don't have them you will need to find ways around them - hiding from this truth won't help!

Of course, the more obvious the raw talent, the keener the desire and the more thorough the preparation and dedication, then the less these perceived superficial factors will impact - but they will still play a part.

So, I liked this article in the Telegraph as it looks at an artist who, although plenty young enough (at 26), has been told time and again by the mainstream industry that she wasn't 'pretty enough'. She isn't a Barbie clone, but nor is she just plain - major label A&R seems not to have learnt from Winehouse and Adele that the package can conceal rare talent.

She has now found herself on the brink of success by honing her talent, playing gigs and building an online fanbase - lo and behold, the route of the DIY musician.

'A friend of mine overheard a meeting at a major record company just the other day, a bunch of guys discussing whether 'ugly is in’,” says Lotte Mullan, in outraged bemusement. “The terrible thing is, they are not even joking. They were like, 'Look at Rumer and Adele, do you think ugly’s the new thing?’ Can you imagine anyone having that conversation about male artists? Whenever you get female artists who are ballsy and outspoken and don’t apologise for themselves, some people still want to make it about their looks. It would almost be funny, if these weren’t the people you had to trust your career to.”

Read the piece here.

And here's Lotte.

 

Is this the first DIY Musician star?

OK, so Lil B is now signed to a label - well, a very modern take on a label - Amalgam Digital.

But, his rise to success is almost entirely down to an understanding of the online marketing and promotion of his music. He embraced social media and demonstrates an ongoing willingness to give music away for free - his new album has a free download link as well as being for sale on iTunes.

And, that album was released with no fanfare and no obvious campaign from Amalgam, but it caused a stir in all the right places because of the work that Lil B has been doing for the last 4 years.

Of course, his talent for getting a story covered in traditional media has added to his level of awareness, but it's his hard work and DIY ethic that make him a DIY musician to model.

1400 tracks posted on MySpace over the last 4 years - constant improvement and evolution of his music whilst in direct engagement with his fans. Oh, and note, that's MySpace - dead for 'cutting edge' rock acts for a year or more, but still a very important musical hub for Hip Hop. A large part of the Hip Hop fan demographic is still looking for music there. Don't ignore it yet if that applies to you and your music.

He's got Facebook ,Twitter and YouTube licked too though!

For a far better appraisal of what this means for DIY musicians, read this article on The Arts Desk.

 

The myth of the DIY musician

New post on the main site.

Check it out here - The DIY musician myth.

The gatekeepers don't know

We often quote Bob Lefstz - sign up on his site if you don't get his mails already.

He rubs some people up the wrong way, but, for me, he just tells it as he sees it, whether he is going to piss you off or not.

This is a great piece where he talks about how a DIY musician will break through to the mainstream.

That’s what great music does.  Inspire you.  Keeps you going when no one else will pay attention, when they’re pissing on your dreams if they’re aware of them at all.  Put on that record and let your freak flag fly.

Well, not exactly.  Amanda Hocking was cold and calculating.  She delivered books she believed would sell.  Which is why when we ask why no outsider has triumphed in the music game we’ve got to point out that they’re all trying to be hip and cool, whereas he who wins without a major label…will be positively mainstream.

The music will be catchy.  With great vocals.  Harmonies.  Not only choruses, but bridges.

The breakthrough will come not from Brooklyn, but somewhere far from hipdom, where a young soul is creating to get out of the hole he’s in, to make it.

The gatekeepers don’t know.

Repeat that to yourself.  You’re as smart as they are, probably smarter.  Because you know the target audience.  What does a fiftysomething male know about what kids desire?  Radio doesn’t know either, otherwise it wouldn’t do research!

You’re the expert.

Read the piece here.

And, do follow his link (this link) and read the story about Hocking in the NY Times. It's inspirational.

I particularly love the part where she says that it was hearing two musicians encourage kids to make their dreams come true that made her keep trying - and then she put in the effort!

DIY music promotion - don't mess up!

The Prescription PR blog is my new favourite place to find some very honest and useful advice.

And this is a great article.

If you can now record an album in a shed, should you also take all the photos, make the video and run the marketing campaign? Maybe, and often you'll feel like you have no choice.

We often come across artists who have spent years perfecting their sound in their own home studios, and who excel at DIY recording...who then ruin a fantastic home-recorded album by designing a crappy cover in Photoshop and shooting their own video (making it much harder for us to get journalists or bloggers to take them seriously). It’s easy to see why bands do this: it’s infinitely cheaper and often quicker than hiring a professional. And in some cases, it’s absolutely fine to take the DIY route  – for example, there might be a guy in the band with a day job in online advertising, who can set up an excellent, cost-effective campaign. Or there may be a photographer in the group who can sort out some fantastic press shots. The problem is that there often isn’t, and with a plethora of cheap gadgets and online services available, it’s very tempting for musicians – who are so used to taking a DIY approach to their music – to assume that a) this is a good way of filling the gap and b) that a DIY approach to everything will always yield positive results.

Read the whole article for a balanced view.

Getting your music out there!

This is a great interview from the Music Making Month series made by Propellerhead software - the wholeset is an awesome resource!

In this episode they have a chat that's well over an hour with the folks fromn Nimbit - the DIY musician's 'direct-to-fan' system.

I know that most people won't watch this whole video - and that makes me sad!

When some people who really know their shit sit and pontificate for over an hour about things that you can do to get your music out there and make a difference to your career, you ought to listen!

Watch it below or at this link.