Why should you join us in Chicago at the Conference Plaza Hotel (September 30-Oct 2)?
Reason #1: Community!
When we held our first DIY Musician Conference last year, we hoped attendees would bond through their shared experiences and love of making music. They did, and then some.
The family atmosphere felt natural from the start, and it just got stronger as the weekend progressed, with musicians coming together to jam, share stories, and learn from each other.
Artists from across many backgrounds made connections that last beyond the event. In my 10+ years working at CD Baby, one of the things I’m most proud of is that at this conference many of the markers that often keep people disengaged from one another (musical genre, age, race, sexuality, gender identification, career status, etc.) actually served as points of connection, education, and strength for the whole community.
Attendees — whether they were charismatic or shy, whether they were indie success stories or undiscovered talents — built a kind of community network that will continue to support them as they progress in their musical career.
Here’s what some artists had to say about the event:
“The CD Baby DIY Musician Conference was the first musician’s conference I’ve ever attended and I’m thinking it will be hard to beat! Everyone I encountered – both fellow musicians and presenters – were kind & generous with their knowledge with not even a tinge of condescension or cliche-y-ness. I felt supported, empowered and so inspired by the weekend. Definitely on my calendar for 2016!”
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“I’m a 47 black lesbian singer/songwriter, and I didn’t feel out of place at all. Not bad, guys! 🙂 “
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“My band The New York Rock has showcased at a handful of other music conferences. We learned that most conferences are more about the industry folk networking for themselves. CD Baby’s DIY Musician Conference was a conference FOR the artists. I personally learned more in that weekend than in the last 10 years of my career. The panels were aimed to help independent artists succeed. There was NO ego. I highly recommend this conference for any independent artist trying to make a career in this crazy god forsaken business we call the music industry!”
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“You made me feel very welcome and you brought in great insider content. Kudos!!!!”
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It’s something you have to experience for yourself, and we’d love to share it with you. In a room full of unique voices, yours will fit right in.
Reason #2: Education!
The music world moves quickly these days‚ and as an independent artist we know it can be tough to stay on top of the latest trends and strategies. CD Baby’s DIY Musician Conference is a great way to catch up – or expand upon – aspects of a music career that are relevant to YOU.
With keynotes‚ sessions‚ and workshops focusing on topics that directly influence and affect today’s indie musician‚ you can pick and choose what’s right for you and walk away with more inspiration and education than you thought could possibly be packed into three days.
Last year, artists learned about:
* Smart album release strategies
* Email marketing for musicians
* ProTools recording and production techniques
* DIY booking tips
* Boosting your music revenue
* YouTube Monetization
* and much more
We’ve got an even bigger and better curriculum in the works for 2016!
And the most vital lessons might not even come from us. Connecting with other musicians from around the world, sharing strategies and stories – these are the experiences you’ll never get from a presentation or a webinar.
Reason #3: Value!
Well, we checked and once again, “Independent Musician” did not make it onto the “Highest Paid Professions” list. Someday. But until then‚ the reality remains that every dollar counts when you’re doing this on your own. Since the CD Baby DIY Musician Conference is unlike any other industry event‚ we thought the price should reflect that‚ too.
Music conferences of this scope can easily cost upwards of $300‚ if not more. And what do you get? A bunch of industry schmoozers who love to hear themselves spew buzzwords. That’s not our style. We want our $99 price tag to open up this event to everyone‚ and to provide value you’re not going to see from any other conference.
Plus‚ with the money you’ll save on entry‚ coupled with our special hotel rate‚ you can make the most of being in Chicago‚ where there’s always plenty going on during non–conference hours.
Ever played a show in Chicago? We had multiple artists last year who booked gigs the same weekend as the conference, helping cover part of their cost and reaching a new live audience in the process!
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Tickets for our 2016 conference are on sale for only $99.
We expect this event will sell out, so grab your ticket now!
[We’ve also got hotel accommodations hooked up for the event at a special rate. Click HERE for details.]
Buy your tickets today.
Then start connecting with fellow attendees in advance of the conference. RSVP on Facebook, introduce yourself, and start some conversations!
Chris Robley is an acclaimed singer-songwriter and award-winning poet from Maine.
His Beatlesque indie-pop and milltown Americana songs have been praised by The Associated Press, No Depression, KCRW, The LA Times, Boston Globe, NPR, American Songwriter, and others.
His poems have appeared in Poetry Magazine, Prairie Schooner, The Poetry Review, and more.
Robley has received a Maine Literary Award in Poetry, Boulevard’s Emerging Writers Prize for Poetry, and in 2016 was selected by former US-poet laureate Robert Pinsky as a finalist for the Dorset Prize.