F@&%$#!!! What to Do When You Make a Mistake on Stage

“Advice, Tools, & Tips” Articles

F@&%$#!!! What to Do When You Make a Mistake on Stage

May 16, 2012{ 3 Comments }

[This post was written by guest-contributor Richard Lee Jackson, drummer and co-producer of the independent rockband Enation. Their music has been featured on ‘One Tree Hill,’ ‘General Hospital,’ and MTV.com.]

As a musician, playing live in front of an audience is one of the most thrilling parts of being an artist. To feel the immediate connection and response from your fans, or even the challenge of ‘winning over the crowd’ is oftentimes exhilarating.

Weeks or months have gone into preparing for your shows. Sometimes you’ve rehearsed or gigged so much that it seems like the songs can play themselves. On stage everything is falling into place, and the atmosphere is electric with possibility.

But what about those moments or gigs when things don’t go the way you’d hoped? What about the major mistakes you make on stage that almost seem to shut down the song, or even worse, the entire show? Read more »

Top 5 Things You Need to Have Before You Start Marketing Your Music

May 14, 2012{ No Comments }

[This post was written by guest contributor Jon Ostrow and originally appeared on the blog Mic Control.]

Is Your Music Marketing A Blindfolded Cliff Jump Or A Well Executed Dive?

As an advocate of well executed social media/blog-focused music marketing, I think it’s crucial to understand not only why you should be marketing your music, but how you should be marketing your music.

Taking the step to becoming a proactive, marketing-savvy, social musician can mean the difference between success and failure. Yes, it is that cut and dry, and yes, it is that simple.

However, before you dive right in and just start marketing your music to anyone and everyone you can, there are a few different things that you’ll to consider and have prepped and ready to go. Having a grasp on the following will ensure that you are ready to start marketing your music, and that your efforts are worth the time and effort, even from day one.

1. Original Concept

So obvious and yet so overlooked, making sure that your music is good and your concept is original is the absolute first step to ensuring your are ready to market your music. No matter how much time Read more »

How to Tour as an Indie: Strategies for Booking, Promoting, and Thriving on the Road

May 11, 2012{ No Comments }

Download a free copy of CD Baby’s Touring Guide.

Whether you hit the road for 3 months at a time or just tour regionally on 3-day weekends, Touring as an Indie offers you expert advice on booking strategies, assessing your band’s tour-readiness, budgeting, and more.

Topics covered include:

* Are you ready to tour?
* Booking strategies
* Using social media
* Getting resourceful with accommodations
* Maximizing your earnings
* Budgeting for your tour
* And much more!

Learn how to book better gigs, play better shows, travel cheaper, sell more merch, and stay sane while you’re away from home. Ready to take your show on the road? Download our free guide: Touring as an Indie.

Can I Use That “Free” Beat For My Commercial Release?

May 10, 2012{ No Comments }

[HELPFULAW FOR THE INDIE ARTIST is a monthly advice column on legal matters pertaining to the music industry. If you have a suggestion for a future article that you would like to submit to our columnist, entertainment attorney and indie artist Christiane Cargill Kinney, please feel free to leave them in the comments section below or send them to her at Christiane.Kinney@leclairryan.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @musicalredhead for more helpful indie-artist tips.]

Q: My band found a website that allows artists to download free beats for use in their music. I write poetry and want to use these free beats as background for our next commercial release. Can I, and are there any red flags I need to watch out for?

A: Great question. Even if you do not use free “beats,” this discussion applies to anyone that wants to use free fonts, free stock footage, free stock images, or other free “fill-in-the-blank” stuff that you find on the Internet and hope to be able to use in your music, album covers, music videos, etc. Read more »

How to Thrive in Today’s Topsy-Turvy Music Business

May 9, 2012{ 1 Comment }

Adam Gold from American Songwriter did an interview with Mike King, author and instructor of music business courses at Berkleemusic, in which they discussed the changing music business and best practices for success. Some of the quotes from that discussion were used in Adam’s story “Dream Big: How to Succeed in Today’s Volatile Music Biz” (a worthwhile, informative read, BTW).

Mike was kind enough to let us re-post the full interview (originally featured HERE) below.

Also, if you’re looking for the most up-to-date education on the music industry, Berkleemusic’s next term starts June 25th! Click HERE to download their free guide “The Music Business Handbook, Vol. 2.”

An interview with Mike King

American Songwriter: 2011 is over. I just recorded the best song I ever wrote. What’s the new model for getting my music heard? What to do with my demo?
Do I post my music on Facebook, or is there a better place for music?

Mike King: This is a long answer. I think there are really so many paths and so many options for musicians now to get their music heard. That’s both a blessing and a curse. I think the key is to think about this from a consumer, or fan standpoint. For consumers, there has never been a better time to listen to music. It’s everywhere. The floodgates are open, and if I want to check out practically anything I can do so in a matter of seconds. Read more »

5 Tips to Filling an Out-of-Town Music Club with Fans

May 8, 2012{ 6 Comments }

Many musicians who draw decent hometown crowds feel a little bit stuck when it comes to touring; they don’t know how to make that leap into a wider world where,… well,… no one’s heard of their band.

Here are 5 tips to help you bring a crowd to your next out-of-town show:

[Note: These same tips can help you build a following in your own town if you're new to performing, or returning after a long hiatus.]

1. Forge relationships with bands in other cities- Opening for established acts in other towns is the best way to build your out-of-town draw. Befriend them on Facebook. Follow them on Twitter. Repost their content. Once you’ve become chummy (and I don’t mean the ground up bait-fish, although some people might feel that way about networking) with other bands, it’s time to write them and see if you can swap gigs; you open for them in their town– they open for you in your town. For more information on gig-swapping, see our article “Touring: Friends, Favors, and Fun.” Read more »

Bandago: Affordable Van Rental for Touring Bands

May 7, 2012{ 1 Comment }

Photo of John Wesley Harding's Sprinter from Magnet Magazine

Touring Outside Your Home Turf: How Bandago Can Help

This post was written by guest contributor Richard Lee Jackson of the band Enation.

——————-

If you’re an independent touring band like us then most likely someone in your band is going to deal with the logistics of traveling. When the gigs are close to home (or even on your own coast) then it makes life pretty straightforward.

But what about those times when you have a tour, or a gig, on the other side of the country?

Unless you have some serious money in your bank account and own your own private jet (or happen to hang out with Bill Gates and he lets you ‘take it for a spin’ once in awhile), then you’re left with some ground transportation options. Buses, RV’s, and SUV’s are all common, but by far the most commonly used option is what some might call a staple in the indie band’s touring world: the tour van.

My band Enation is from WA State, and our tour consisted of gigs in the New York / New Jersey area, and then another week in Nashville. After doing the math several times (we’re musicians, not math majors) we decided it would be cost effective to fly over to the east coast and rent a van, then fly to Nashville and rent another van for that week.

But what’s the best and most cost effective way to do that? Well, thank you Google. That’s when we found Bandago. Read more »

Is Your Live Show Any Good? – Two Performance Tune-Ups with Tom Jackson

May 4, 2012{ 2 Comments }

Sure, an audience expects you to sound good– play in time, sing in tune, remember lyrics, etc.

But a great live show takes so much more than simple execution; you’ve got to create memorable moments on stage, and that involves tweaking, practicing, and perfecting all those OTHER things about live performance: the look, the moves, the banter, the set-list, the arrangements, the lighting, positioning, and length of the show.

Are you creating real moments on stage?

We’ve had the privilege of interviewing live music producer Tom Jackson for CD Baby’s DIY Musician Podcast on two different occasions. Tom is a performance coach (and so much more) who’s worked with big-name acts from Taylor Swift to Jars of Clay, helping them craft a concert from start to finish that sends audiences clambering to the merch table. Read more »

How to Get Your Music Placed in Film and TV

May 3, 2012{ No Comments }

A high-profile sync placement is one of the best ways to get exposure for your music (and make a little money while you’re at it).

But how do you get your songs placed in film and TV? Well, one way is to sign your music up for CD Baby’s sync licensing program; through our partnership with Rumblefish, your music will be included in a pre-cleared catalog of tunes available to music supervisors who’re looking for just the right music to fit their project. Best of all, our sync licensing program is non-exclusive, so you’re always welcome to seek out sync opportunities directly or through other agencies as well.

If you decide to wade into the water of music licensing on your own, you need a solid sync-placement strategy. Check out this helpful video from Hollywood record producer Joe Solo, or read my summary of his advice below on how to get your music placed in film and TV.

The DIY Musician Blog

“Advice, Tools, & Tips” Articles