Category: Gerneral Music Articles

By: TJ Liebgott

For most bands it’s hard to get noticed in the opening slot.  Most of the fans haven’t arrived yet and those who have are anxiously waiting to see their favourite band.  So how does your band get noticed?  Well for a lot of opening acts, it takes a lot of time and experience and most fail in the process.  The following tips though, can help your band get noticed and on your way to a killer live show.

 Energy  

            This is where most bands are lacking.  Think of your favourite band live and you will feel that electric energy that was generating throughout the venue.  Most inexperienced, and some experienced, bands just hit the stage and play their songs mostly standing around like statues.  This is not exciting for the general music fan.  You may think that you just want the music to speak for itself and it can.  That’s what CD’s are for.  This is live entertainment and you should treat it as such.  

            You don’t necessarily have to run around the stage like you just drank 47 Redbulls, but you should get into the music enough to have some energy.  Simple things make all the difference.  Move from one spot of the stage to another, put a foot up on a monitor and lean towards the audience, and if your feeling up to it even try a jump kick when the song goes into high gear.  The more you play, the more comfortable and fluid these antics will feel.

 Connection  

            Most bands also find it hard to connect with an audience.  Start with the foundations.  Try to make as much eye contact with the possible fans as you can.  Move towards them.  Feed off of their energy.

            Try and practice some segues pre-show.  If a song of yours has a background storey to it, tell it to the audience.  Just try to keep it short and concise.  Think of some back and forth banter to have with the audience.  Finally, if all else fails, come up with some kind of contest idea that involves the audience in some way either on or off stage.  Even a free CD of your band that they’ve never heard of can be enough incentive to participate.  Plus you may gain a fan out of it.

            Introduce your band, as well as its members, throughout the set.  This way people will remember who you guys are.  It makes your band seem that much more personal/approachable.  This way people will stop thinking about you as “that guy from that band”, but instead will know you as “Jim, the lead singer of Wilderbeast”.

 Banner  

            Get a banner with your bands name and logo printed on it.  The banner acts as a 30 minute, to an hour infomercial of who your band is (depending on the length of your set).  This way even if people start arriving half way through your last song, they may like what they hear and know who your band is so they can see you play next time.

 Gear  

            Try and get at least 2 of every instrument and have them tuned and ready to go before you go on stage.  Nothing drags a show out more than a sloppy guitarist who can’t tune his instrument or breaks a string.  Try and get more instruments if your band uses multiple tunings.  Borrow guitars if you have too.

 Shtick  

            When all else fails get a shtick.  Wear makeup, cough blood, play naked, whatever you think it will take to get your band noticed.  

            Always remember that when playing live, your music may only count for 50 percent of the performance.  Draw influences from other aspects of your life whether it be theatre, movies, or even other live acts outside of your specific genre.  

            If your anything like me, try and remember when music first took a hold over you.  Odds are, when you were alone in your room, you would crank the volume of your favourite band and jump around your room playing a tennis racket guitar pretending that you were playing a sold out Madison Square Gardens.  If you’re able to recreate that level of passion for music, your band will surely get noticed.  I just hope that your songs don’t suck!

 By: TJ Liebgott

After scouring the Internet checking out Toronto indie bands it became apparent that the art of even a mediocre bio is lost on most bands/artists. With the increasing popularity of myspace and other such online music communities, everyone and anyone has a home for their music. Unfortunately, this has all lead to bands losing their professionalism and becoming lost in a sea of enthusiasts recording tracks in their basements.

Most bands hate the commercialism associated with the bio or feels that no one reads them. Regardless of your feelings on the music industry, every band should realize that this is a business no matter how indie you think your band is. Even if your just playing for the love of music, you still need to promote yourself as a product in order to get fans into your shows. In the end the bio is your business card to the music community. It helps fans, press, booking agents, managers, and record labels know who you are and what your about.

Key Points To Make In Your Bio

– Contact Information. Always make sure that everything associated with your band has contact information on it. Always have the contact directly on each piece of media from cd’s to bios. That way even if elements get lost, your contact information still resides on anything that didn’t make it to the trash.

– Influences. Every band loves to say that they are starting a musical revolution or don’t wish to pigeon hole their band by using genres. The fact of the matter is though, that no band is 100% unique. We all get our influences from somewhere no matter how random. If your band is afraid of being trapped within a genre, use words like hybrid, myriad, collage, or infused. Its still unique if you merge different genres, artists, political ideals, and non-linear thinking to describe your sound and it will give the average person an idea of what to expect if they where to see you live.

– Band Members. Very briefly describe who is in the band and what they play. Unless you’ve made a name for yourself, forget about writing 2 paragraphs about who came from what band and why. However, if one or more members/ex-members can give you some kind of instant music cred, be sure to drop their name a little more often. As well, pay more attention to this information if the band has numerous members or plays more bizarre instruments.

– Any Other Relevant Information. Briefly list off anything that was a major accomplishment for your band. Maybe you played a well-known festival, toured with a popular band, or were a major draw at NXNE. Quotes from reputable music journalist sources also help. Just be sure not to dwell too much on these facts or it may look like your band is holding on to glory days of the past.

– Humour/Individuality. Be sure to personalize the bio to the personality that fits the members of the band or the genre of music you play. If your music doesn’t sound like everyone else’s, why should your bio be a carbon copy of countless others?

Many bands are guilty of ignoring the bio, but it seems like Hip-Hop artists are the majority of those ignoring this key marketing tool. Regardless of style, every band needs a bio. All news is good news and a bio can help get press about your band from every angle, everywhere from Major music publications to local music rags to fans writing about you in their high school newspaper.

In most cases this is your bands first impression to make on somebody before they’ve even heard your music. It is sometimes your only chance to get your music heard and the last thing you want is to mess up any opportunity.

 By :  Ty Cohen  

Over the next few minutes, I am going to go over some music promotional ideas, offer advice on selecting musician resources and show you how to promote your CD without emptying out your wallet. Independent artists have the upper hand and no longer have to worry about being signed to a major label to make it.

1. As I said before, you don't need a record deal to "make it" in the music industry. The industry has changed and that is no longer the absolute measure of your success. You can define your own success.

2. As an Indie artist, you won't have anyone telling you what to play, how to dress, how to promote your CD, which songs to sing or who to socialize with. It is all about you and your creativity!

3. Financial freedom is one of the most wonderful things about being an independent artist. You can come up with all types of music promotional ideas about how you market your music and what you do with your profits.

4. Spend the most amount of time on your first album. Take full advantage of every musician resource out there. First impressions are everything so you want this first one to be great.

5. Spend your money wisely. Don't go crazy with studio time and rack up tons of bills. Try to work out any problematic areas before you go on the studio clock.

6. Don't skimp on the manufacturing of your CD. You these people to be reputable and it is ok to splurge in this area. You want to make sure you release a good product no matter what.

7. Schedule your own tour. You want to build an incredible fan base because they are the best musician resource out there. Your fans love you but they will also be honest about your music and shows. If they don't like something or something is up to their standards, they will let you know.

8. Lastly, never underestimate the power of the Internet when searching for music promotional ideas on how to promote your CD. The Web is your friend and that is where the Independent artists make the most dough. Get a website and get a MySpace page.

These are just the top eight music promotional ideas and tips that I can offer you. Constantly try to redefine your music and come up with innovative marketable ideas. The opportunities are endless so take advantage of every single one of them.
 Author Resource:-  Online music industry's most recognizable voice-the former owner of an Indie label-current owner of Platinum Millennium Pub. & music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Author/creator of 40+ best-selling music biz materials & other "How to" resources, that helped 1000s of people. http://www.musiccontracts101.com/docs/products/002/ for more on Music Promotional Ideas, How to Promote Your CD, & Musician Resources

 Is it true that in the world of independent music that marketing is considered a sell-out? Well, whether that is a stereotype or completely true, it does not matter because it is not a sell-out, at all! If you are an Indie musician who wants to taking an anti-corporate stance or huge labels in general leave a bad taste in your mouth you can still market in the music industry with out being left with the feeling of selling out. There are other music contacts to be made and other ways of getting your music heard with out going corporate.

The fact is, there are ways to build your fan base and amplify people's interest your independent music – without selling out. If you are an independent music maker, here are a few ways you can do some marketing without selling out to the music industry.

First, you need to put aside your anti-marketing frame of mind and think about what is best for your career in the music industry. Finding ways to reveal your ideas and creations through your sound to more people, which in turn is essentially marketing shows that you believe in what you are creating.

Doesn't the music you develop deserve to be heard around the world? Of course you think that way unless you only want to play for yourself. Marketing does not have to be a negative word. There are ways to market and advertise your music without "selling out" as independent music artist.

Think of your fans, they are your best promoters and marketers! Marketing isn't all about dealing with media and big corporations. If you're not comfortable with dealing with those people, forget about them and focus on your fan base. Have you considered provided them with ways to "spread the word." They may already be doing just this for you. Fans probably already market for you and they will be your most passionate music contacts and promoters.

So now, you just must increase your fan base's size and your marketing will increase. See, this is done without the use of those outlets you may despise. What is better than that? What do your fans love about your music? Once you know this, it becomes even easier to find more prospective fans that would also be interested in your music and your message.

Independent music marketing does not have to be corporate nor selling out, now does it? You are sharing what you love with those who love what you do. Use this concept to your advantage. The music industry is all about money and there is money to be made. Take a little piece of the pie without feeling like you are turning your back on your beliefs.
 Author Resource:-  Owner of Platinum Millennium publishing, former record label owner & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Author/creator of best-selling music biz books, courses, audio products & "How to" resources that helped 1000s. Go to http://www.TheIndustryYellowPages.com for more info on music contacts, music industry & independent music.

 Recording a first demo CD is a big step in the direction of being a professional musician. It is not every day that an artist steps up and decides to present themselves professionally to the world, which in effect is what a demo CD really is. For an artist, a demo CD is very much like a resume, a portfolio of the highest quality, and a calling card. Getting it right is important, and presenting it well is equally as important.

Recording your first demo CD will take time and money, something that most musicians have precious little, and the steps taken in preparation will enable you to make the most of your time in the studio. When choosing your studio setting, you have two options. You can pay the higher costs (which typically results in higher quality) for the use of a pre-existing high name studio or you can find local garage talent. In many cases, local garage talent will be more patient, will be more willing to offer suggestions and help you through the process, and will charge you less. The quality of the demo will be acceptable, sometimes even very high, if you find the right garage talent. This requires asking around … a lot … and listening to some previously recorded demo CDs.

Technology has advanced far enough ahead and has become cost effective enough that many professionals can now build their own recording studios right in their own garage, sound proofed spare room, or somewhere on their property. So can amateurs. This is actually good for the industry and many musicians are even beginning to learn how to build their own recording studios to create their own demo CDs. However, having your own recording equipment and having all the qualities of a good recording studio are two very different animals. You can find affordable, high quality amateur/professional recording without breaking the bank that will be of admirable quality if you look hard enough.

Once you are sure of the direction you want to head and have either found your garage talent or have booked yourself with a professional high end sound studio, the key to your success lies in your talent as well as your preparation. No matter how cool you are, you're going to be stoked and getting your foot in the door is going to feel very powerful to you. You must prepare so that your emotions don't take you out of your element and ruin your time allotted.

Preparation means organization, it means knowing exactly what you're going to do from the moment you step into the sound booth until the moment you step out. Ironically, it also means being a little bit flexible in case there's an issue out of your control that might delay or offset your intentions. Preparation means, aside from the obvious of knowing the music so well you could record it backwards while eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, having your equipment tuned, ready, in top working order and being emotionally ready to do what you do best.

If you are using live musicians, each of them needs to meet the same standard of organization that you are aiming to achieve. There is nothing more frustrating than having to wait on, cater to, and continuously replay for the benefit of one musician out of the bunch who can't seem to get his or her goodies in gear. Have a little meeting the night before and go over a written checklist as well as a little "pep" talk to help the musicians around you live up to their potential. Hours will be spent on each individual recording, so you are going to want you and your crew well rested, and relaxed so everyone can do the one thing that will make a higher quality demo CD. Have some fun.

Every musician knows, and this applies to recording your first demo CD, that the instant a musician is wound up, nervous, and focused on everything but the music, something will sound off no matter how well they are able to cover their emotions. There is a fantastic quality that comes through when a musician is relaxed and enjoying him or herself in the process. This is vital to creating the best demo CD possible.

From start to finish, recording your first demo CD should be an experience that you learn from, enjoy, and of course, create the perfect CD for you and your goals. This can be done with preparation, practice, a little guidance from those who "know a great who can help you out," and enough faith in yourself to have fun while performing.
 Author Resource:-  Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of musicianhome.com, a site that provides information and articles for musicians at all stages of their development.

As a musician, one of the best ways to start becoming successful in the music business is to build up a fan base.

You need to get your music out there so people can start listening to it and enjoying it. Publicizing your music is extremely important, and while ten years ago it may have been a difficult task, technology has afforded you some very simples ways to get started. One new way that you can start getting your music out there is by using a podcast. Podcasts are excellent ways that you can inexpensively and quickly get your music out there to the public, which is extremely important to your success as a musician.

What Exactly is a Podcast?

First of all, you may be wondering what exactly a podcast is. Basically, a podcast is a type of audio file that is usually created in a mp3 format, and after the file is created it can be uploaded to a server by way of Really Simple Syndication (RSS). You can put anything you want on this type of audio file, whether it is a type of radio show, or even clips of you performing your music. Once a podcast is uploaded onto the internet, it then allows people to use their computers with specialized software to download the file so they can listen to it on their own. They may be able to listen to it on their computer, an mp3 player, or even on their iPod as well. Even though the terms sound a bit technical, the process is an easy one that gives you a great new way to get your music out there to others.

How to Create a Podcast

Believe it or not, creating your own podcast is really quite simple. The following are five simple steps that can help you easily create your own music podcast.

1. Create the Content – The first thing you need to do is to create the audio content for your podcast. It really does not matter what type of platform you use when creating your audio content; however, it is important that you save it in the maximum quality possible so you have a great copy of what you have created. This is especially important when you are dealing with music.

2. Convert to MP3 – Once you have created your audio content for the podcast, you will need to convert the files to mp3 files, since they are the most used type of files for podcasting. When converting your audio files to mp3 files, you will probably want to use 128 stereo bit rate in order to get the best sound, since you are dealing with music, then save it as an mp3 file.

3. Upload the MP3 – After you have created your mp3 file, then you are ready to upload the file to the server. Once they are uploaded, be sure to test them to be sure that they are working.

4. Create the RSS File – Next you will need to create an RSS file, which will describe your pod cast and serve as the link to your mp3 file. You can use a text editor to create this file, and usually it is best to include the title of the file, the link, and a brief description of the file as well.

5. Publish the File – Once you have the RSS file created, just transfer it to your web server, and be sure to validate it using an RSS validator, which you can find online. If it works right, then you are ready to publish the RSS file.

Equipment You Will Need

In order to be able to do a pod cast, you will need to have the right equipment available. First of all you will need to have the right equipment available to suitably record your music. You may be able to purchase software for your computer to do this, or you may want to use a mixing board with a CD burner to do so. You can use computer software to edit your music and to change the levels to make sure that your music tracks sound the best as well. Also, you will need a program to help you convert your music into mp3 files, such a MusicMatch. More than likely, you will also need software that will help you upload your mp3 and RSS files as well.

Where You Can Send Your Completed Podcast

If you do not have your own place to put your podcasts, you can actually find free hosts that will allow you to upload your podcasts to their servers as well. Once you have finished your podcast and you have it online, there are a variety of directories that you can send it to in order to get some exposure. There are many available free directories that will help you with publicity so you can get your podcasts out there. Soon people will be listening to your music, and before you know it you may have a broad fan base all across the world due to using podcasting to publicize your music.
 Author Resource:-  Duane Shinn is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions- Intelligent Piano Lessons For Adults Only! " with over 84,400 current subscribers.