Strange New Day Productions

Outrageous Music Marketing Ideas

2009-02-16T08:39:00.000-08:00

by Bob Baker

I'm not sure exactly what triggered it, but recently my mind started popping with creative, off-the-wall ways to promote your music. So I jotted down some notes and am sharing them with you in this article.

I'll let you determine whether these are truly "outrageous" ideas. But one thing is for sure: They certainly aren't the traditional things that most musicians think about when they do marketing.

Ready? Here we go ...

Outrageous Music Marketing Idea #1
Turn Yourself Into a Happy Meal

I definitely advocate that indie musicians *not* try to emulate the same tactics as the major labels. However, there are times when you can take one of their ideas (or an idea from a related entertainment industry) and give it a small-scale spin.

You know how the major film studios promote their new animated features by tying into fast food chain kid meals, such as the McDonald's Happy Meal. Most likely, you won't be able to land a nationwide Happy Meal deal. But you might be able to do something cool with a local deli or restaurant.

I know a couple of radio disc jockeys in my town who have sandwiches or special meals named after them at certain eateries. Why couldn't you do that? Especially if you perform regularly at a particular coffee shop, bar or restaurant.

For example, if your band is called Sweet Potato Sunrise, approach a manager with the idea of offering a Sweet Potato Sunrise omelette, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise latte, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise daiquiri?

You get the idea. The special name would get you exposure at the establishment whenever it's open (hopefully, you're item will be listed on the menu). Plus, you can use the unique promotional angle to get mentions in the local press.

Outrageous Music Marketing Idea #2
Become an Instant Cult Classic

The success of the quirky film Napoleon Dynamite has me thinking. The movie itself is still growing on me, but I'm fascinated by the buzz it has among people who really connect with it. Most of my friends who rave about it have seen it numerous times and claim that the more they see it, the more they appreciate and enjoy it.

What a nice position for a filmmaker to be in. Admittedly, a lot of people don't like the movie and its flat characters at all. But those who do appreciate the film like it a lot -- and preach about it to their friends, memorize lines, encourage theatres to have midnight showings, etc.

How can you tap into that? It's hard to manufacture cult status, but here's an idea: What if your music CD came with an accompanying trivia game? And what if the game tied directly into the theme, style and lyrics of your music? The game instructions could be included in the CD sleeve or delivered separately to everyone who bought one. Or, to make a greater impact with the trivia game idea, you could package the CD in a DVD case or even a small retail box.

To make this work, you'd have to come up with a cool, interactive game idea and have a CD filled with interesting, funny or insightful lyrics and music. But if you can get people examining the nuances of your material and sharing notes with other people who are memorizing your stuff, you might have some powerful buzz going for you.

Check out my blog at MusicPromotionBlog.com for more outrageous ideas. But hopefully, these will get your wheels turning in the meantime.

Bob Baker is the author of "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "Unleash the Artist Within" and "Branding Yourself Online." He also publishes TheBuzzFactor.com, a web site and e-zine that deliver marketing tips, self-promotion ideas and other empowering messages to music people of all kinds. Get your FREE subscription to Bob's e-zine by visiting http://TheBuzzFactor.com today.

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2008-11-15T11:19:00.000-08:00

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Confessions of a Master CD Sales Woman

2008-10-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

by Sharon Wothke & Marc Gunn, Bard

A couple months ago, I wrote The Rogues to ask them directly what it is that makes them so successful at selling CDs, and why they are one of the top 10 bands on CDstreet selling CDs. Sharon Wothke wrote back:

"As head sales person for the band, I think that I would be the one to talk to. The Rogues are definitely unique in what they do, and if you will indulge me, very good at what they do.

As a sales person, I know that the way the guys play their music definitely is the biggest factor in their sales quotient. When the music, which can be described as infectious, is smoking hot, and everyone is having a good time, the sales are usually pretty good. Most people who come to a Renaissance Festival, where the band still does the lion's share of their gigs, do not come
expecting to buy a CD with bagpipe music on it. The Rogues have converted many people to this form of music. So in other words, they create a unique atmosphere which is conducive to sales.

If the guys are doing their job (making great music), it makes my job a lot easier. I just have to be available and approachable to people and looking like a I am a part of the show for people to feel comfortable in coming up to me. We started from the very beginning employing the use of a roaming basket. It is very effective and other groups have successfully copied our approach.

Our sellers walk around holding up the product so people can see them. Our sellers try to blend in with the show and not be pushy, just visible. I personally enjoy interacting with the crowd, spoofing off of what is being said on the stage and telling jokes to make the audience laugh. And I will talk and be nice to everyone, even if they don't buy a CD simply because I enjoy people and I am trying to be an ambassador for the band. They may not buy today, but chances are they will think about it and buy a CD at another time."

Straight from the Master's mouth. What does it take?
1. Great music
2. Great live performance
3. Roaming sales people with baskets of CDs
4. Sellers hold up product DURING the show
5. Sellers blend in an interact with the show

Bard Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000's of musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine and the Texas Musicians' Texas Music Biz Tips. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE "how-to" music marketing assistance.

How to Get People to Listen to your MP3s

2008-08-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

The concept of the eBook (electronic book) is fantastic. You no longer need to find a publisher. No need to spend a fortune printing. No need to do anything but write. Now it might seem kinda silly to for a band to give away an eBook when they have countless CDs and can copy/paste MP3s out the wazzoo, but why not? It's the silly things that make an impact. My suggestion is instead of giving away MP3s, give away an eBook.

Let me explain why. MP3s are rampant, especially since Napster started. People are downloading MP3 left and right. There is a surplus. Too many for people to handle and give significant thought to. Their attention is held for a few minutes. Then on comes the next MP3. They might notice your band's name. They might even get a URL to check you out... might. Might just isn't good enough. We want them to head to your website and buy your album. We need something more definite to effectively market yourself.

That's where the eBook comes into play. By providing a short 10-page book on an interesting topic, your audience's attention is held while they read about...(insert topic here). Then you can provide a link to your MP3, your URL, your band name, your name, and any additional info about you, your band, or the air speed velocity of an unladden swallow.

An eBook? You want me to write too? On what?

Write on what you know. My group, the Brobdingnagian Bards, plays Celtic Renaissance music at Renaissance faires. Guess I could write on the best faires to attend. How to choose good faire music. Or I could write about bards, their history, their stories, their music. (the one I'm working on currently)

What about you? Know anything about computers? It doesn't have to be detailed. There a lot of novices. Know how to set up MP3s? There's an eBook there. Know how to organize parties? Build DoHickeys? Look at who you are and what you know. Figure out a topic. Determine your audience. Write. Add a link to your Hit Single and web address and ordering page. And make it grow.

Bard Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000's of musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine and the Texas Musicians' Texas Music Biz Tips. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE "how-to" music marketing assistance.

How To Market Your Music Online

2008-06-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

As a musician you know that marketing your work is extremely important if you want people to purchase your work. One particularly good way of marketing your music is through the Internet, though many musicians are left confused as to where they should start. So just how do you market music online, what are the best ways to go about it and why exactly should you market your music online?

Why Market Music Online?

While many musicians have found the Internet to be extremely helpful when it comes to marketing their work, others are left wondering what exactly the benefits would be. After all, surely you want to target the people in your area and marketing to people that you can actually see is surely better than marketing to virtual people? Well, not necessarily! All you really want to do is encourage people to buy your music, so it doesn't really matter where they live, just as long as they like it.

The fact is, by marketing your music online, you are getting your music noticed by a lot more people than you would through marketing offline. There are literally millions of people who use the Internet daily. Some are in your own area, but you also manage to market your music to a much wider audience too. This means that more people from around the world are likely to purchase the music that you have made and you will become much more widely recognized because of it.

Marketing online gives you a much larger chance of becoming a successful musician than marketing offline. So if you have not yet considered it, then now is the time!

Tips on Image and Relationships

As with every other type of business, if you want to market to the right type of people then your image is everything. You need to be able to create a web presence that shows potential clients exactly what you and your music is about. The best way to go about doing this is creating your own website.

Creating a website allows you to link potential customers to your website whenever you post on forums, or whenever you create a web presence elsewhere such as on MySpace, etc. It is basically a space where potential customers get to see what you are all about and as first impressions are everything, you need to be able to leave a good image of both you and your music on your website.

So how exactly do you do this? Well, think about what type of music you are making. Is it Indie/Rock/Pop/Country music? The type of music you are making will reflect entirely on the image you want to give out. So if you are creating Country music, you will want to have a country theme to your website, not something with a modern and retro type style. Think about it, if you were visiting a musician 's website that created Rap music, you wouldn't expect to see a Country theme on it would you? So create a website that reflects your theme and that is the first step to marketing both you and your website.

Using Blogs, Podcasts and MySpace

If you really want to draw in a lot of potential customers, then blogs, podcasts and websites such as MySpace and YouTube are certainly the way to go.

Blogs are great because you get to add a voice to your music. Allowing you to link back to your website, people will get an idea of the type of music you make, who you are and what is new with your music. People love getting to know musicians before trying out their songs and so if you do create a blog, it will draw in a lot of new customers for you. Another advantage to a blog is that if you use the right keywords, you can get it recognized by search engines and therefore more people will discover your music. It is by far one of the best methods of online marketing.

Podcasts are also very popular and you can create your own quickly and easily by visiting MySpace and selecting "MySpace Music". Literally millions of people use MySpace and they are constantly looking at new music on there. So if you want to get recognized fairly quickly, creating a profile and releasing your music on there is definitely a good idea.

Using websites such as the ones mentioned above, you can easily market your music online. YouTube is another website that allows you to record yourself or whatever you like and millions of people will view your video. So get recording, place your songs online, set up a website and start blogging and you should end up with potentially thousands of new customers!

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.

Common Band Mistakes

2008-06-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

When working on how to get signed there are common mistakes that artists and bands make that they may not even realize. Record companies are only going to offer that record deal to the complete package, that has been established. And literally one mistake or one flaw can cause your band to lose that record deal.

First, let 's talk about power struggles within the band. One wouldn't think when working on how to get a record deal that this would necessarily play in. But honestly, band politics are extremely common and cause some groups to lose out on that holy grail, the record deal.

Greed is the main factor when it comes to power struggles within the band. Some members of the band believe they deserve more royalty rights or publishing rights or profits or whatever! Or you have the leader of the band who believes he is entitled to more than the others. Either way you look it, this is going to cause an apparent problem, the label is going to see this and the record deal will never come through.

Differences in the band are going to arise especially when you all are working on how to get a record deal. The problem truly arises when the label sees any sign of this. When they see this, they are going to mark your group as a gigantic risk and most likely move on to the next aspiring musicians. It is true, most bands do have "more valuable" members and industry people can clearly see that but if problems arise because decisions can't be made ahead of time then you will not get signed.

Next, you must understand completely how the music industry works. The music industry is not all about music. It is comprised of risks, investments, business, power, image, games, perceptions and then music. The music industry is truly a game and figuring out how to get a record deal is all a part of the game. Try not to focus on how you wish the music business would be and focus on how it really is. It is cut-throat, diehard competition! The sad reality is you are using the label and they are using you because that is the way the music business is.

Ideally, you could figure out how to get signed with a major label, perform in front of millions, sell billions worth of albums and just be a star. But honestly, that is too idealistic. If you don't want to be involved with the politics and requirements that arise when signed with a major label then a word to the wise is to become your own independent label. Or you can just stay an Indie musician and make, record, release and promote your music yourself, to your standards.

If you truly want to know how to get signed then pay attention to the above information. Most importantly, before you meet with any label, you MUST resolve any power struggles that may arise. This may mean that you have to make everything equal or pinpoint each person 's area of worth and have it set in stone before you stroll into that office to discuss a record deal. Don't make fools of yourselves because it will result in a loss of the deal.

Don't be unrealistic about how the industry works. There are great aspects of signing with a major label and their are bad aspects, depending on who you are as a musician. Make sure you know who you are and what you want before you go sign that record deal.

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.EZRecordDeal.com for more info on how to get signed, how to get a record deal & record deal.

The Ultimate Music Business Conspiracy Theory

2008-05-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

by Bob Baker
Whether it's the second gunman on the grassy knoll, the alien mystery at Roswell or what really is hidden within the high-security confines of Area 51... conspiracy theories abound. Many of us are amused by the speculation, while hardcore buffs examine every nuance looking for clues to support their version of the story.

If you'll notice, all of these conspiracy theories involve some type of dastardly deed or cover-up. Someone is out to brainwash us or hide the facts from the public. After all, "the truth is out there," according to X-Files scripture. I never seem to hear people suspecting, for instance, a conspiracy by furniture salesman to stuff money into the nooks and crannies of the couches they sell. Yet I always find change under the cushions when I clean. Hmm... maybe they're secretly... Oh, never mind.

There's another kind of conspiracy conjurer. You know the type. The artist, musician or writer who believes the deck has been stacked against him or that nobody will ever give her a break. "This town is just not artist-friendly," he/she proclaims. "This sucks. Why bother?"

To listen to these people, you'd think the radio stations, theatre groups, art galleries (or whatever venue applies) were all part of a sick joke, trying to obliterate creative growth. And just like the bigger conspiracy nuts, they find clues and plenty of ammo to support their claims.

"See, that guy never returned my call," they announce. "I can't buy a job in this town." Anything even remotely inconvenient that happens to them lends credence to the devious master plot.

Here's a fun little game that I challenge you to play. It's called the Inverse Conspiracy Game. For one entire day, I encourage you to go through the day believing wholeheartedly that there is a conspiracy involving you. Only with this Inverse Conspiracy, the whole world and everyone in it are involved in a conspiracy to help you succeed.

If you're familiar with the recent Jim Carey movie "The Truman Show," you know what I mean. In the film, everything that happens to the main character is a preplanned scene -- only he has no idea it's fabricated.

So for one day, imagine that everyone is pitching in on a secret mission to help you. There's a positive reason behind everything that happens to you. Even seemingly negative events are put into action in order to propel you toward a reward that's just around the corner. And it's your job to break the code and figure out exactly how the world intends for you to use what happens to your advantage.

True, this isn't your father's conspiracy theory. It will take some brain work to reorient your mental perspective -- especially to keep it up for an entire day. But just think how this shift in attitude might alter your progress. You'll be forced to view everything in a far more constructive light. And when bad things do happen, it will be your mission to find the hidden opportunity (instead of more reasons to stop trying to reach your creative goals).

Give this inverse conspiracy theory a try. You can always go back to looking for evil schemes and cover-ups. In the meantime, you just might discover an alien on a grassy knoll waiting to help you succeed.

Bob Baker is the author of "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "Unleash the Artist Within" and "Branding Yourself Online." He also publishes TheBuzzFactor.com, a web site and free e-zine that have been delivering marketing tips and inspirational messages to music people of all kinds since 1995. Get your FREE subscription to Bob's e-zine by visiting http://TheBuzzFactor.com today.

TalkMusicBiz.com Video

2008-04-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

Music Business - Find Your Musical Niche - Find Success

Online Music Promotion For Newbies

2008-04-03T15:54:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of playing miniscule gig after miniscule gig only to generate pennies? Are you tired or working that second job, just to scrape up enough dough to put gas in the van to get to gigs? Maybe you are one of those people who feel the have exhausted every option there is? Well, if that sounds like you, then you have come to the right place. Have you considered or even explored online music promotion?

If you are a newbie to this concept then hold on because you are in for a ride. Once you discover how many music promotion resources there are online, then you will be amazed at where your career goes. You can be the most talented artist out there, but if no one knows who you are then it won’t mean a thing.

Independent music promotion is on the rise. Artists and musicians alike are sick of sitting around waiting to get signed. They are ready to reach the masses on their own. And the awesome thing is, they have all the music promotion resources they need and all within arms reach. These artists are sick of waiting and you should be too. But you have to do something about it.

First things first, get a website to start with online music promotion! Chances are that since you are a musician, you are not an internet savvy tech guy or gal but that’s ok. There is a plethora of help out there, you just have to want it and get it! Do you realize that by acquiring a website, you can sell CDs, build an immense fan base, write and send newsletters, book gigs, post bios and have a specific place of reference for anyone to go to who wants to know more about you or your band?

Another bonus of independent music promotion is that you keep basically all of your profits! Doesn’t get much sweeter than that, does it? You might be thinking, how can I do this on my own? Well, you can and you will with the right guidance. So, now you know your first step in your quest to conquer online music promotion. Now all you have to do is make a plan and accomplish those goals, one by one. My suggestion is to find powerful music promotion resources that will guide you through creating, designing and marketing your website.

Ty Cohen, the online music industry's most recognizable voice is the former owner of a successful independent record label, current owner of Platinum Millennium publishing and nation-wide music industry seminar speaker and panelist. He is also the author and creator of over 40 best-selling music business books, reports, courses, audio products and other music industry "How to" resources, that have helped tens of thousands of individuals like you to successfully find their way in the music business. Visit http://www.SellMusicOnlineLikeCrazy.com for more information on online music promotion, music promotion resources and independent music promotion.

Crash Course in how to make it in the music industry

2008-03-31T18:16:00.000-07:00

Tips For Music Plan of Action If you an unsigned musician at any stage of your career, its really going to help you to plan things out, so here I have out together a crash course for a music plan, getting started as a soloist or a band, it can be pretty blinding to know what to do next, I think its really important to have a plan, and keep in mind the bigger picture..So you’re main objective, it could be record deal, it could be get a gig, it depends where you’re at. The Idea is read this, and it will hopefully give you a crash course to write youre own music plan.

Initial steps(things you should think about first)

• Write a plan

• List out all possible music opportunities i.e. Addresses and companies in the local area, Record all Name, Address Contact and Phone Numbers

• Research internet resources

• Build a Proper Website please see for tips http://1979blues.googlepages.com

• Advertise

• Get a recording

• Plan Covering Letter

• Write a band biog

Your going to need a really well written Email or cover letter, ready for when you approach venues, radio stations and record companies, Here is an example of the type of email I have used in the past:

HiMy name is Andy, i am contacting you because i am looking to see if you can help me bring my music to a wider audience, I am a soloist, guitar and vocals, if you like the sound of Tom Waits, Nick Drake, and the Beatles, mixed with Nirvana unplugged, then you'll more than likely enjoy my tunes. Please if you could find some time, maybe ten to fifteen minute to see what i am all about, i have some Music hosted on my website www.bleedinghands.com "Promise Land", "Some Day" and "Katie" are possibly the best examples of what i can do, any feedback on the site or the music is always appreciated.

I was hoping you may be able to provide me with ideas, or with any potential opportunities to be heard? i have already made a large amount of progress, playing live on Silk FM and soon ALLFM, I’ve been reviewed numerous times, including by the BBC Manchester, and my gig history speaks volumes of my ability, including playing some of Manchester’s most prestigious venues including, Night and Day Cafe and Dry Bar, I’ve played in Nottingham, London and Liverpool, and around the UK, last year i had a mini tour of Poland. All of which i have organised myself.

Please could you let me know if it is possible for you to assist me in someway, your professional opinion is extremely valuable, and if you could tell me the best way to get in touch, or if possible recommend anyone that may be able to help me? and possibly forward this email to them instead? Many thanks and i hope to hear from you soon....

RegardsAndy Some Basic things to think about Forming A band (for none solo artists) Create a Posters advertising for band membersThink about the Initial meeting, Where, and what do you need to find out about them1) What Music they are currently into.

What bands have they been in beforeWho are they?What they want to do, ambitions, how often the can practice? For solo artists and Bands It’s a good idea to consider your approach, who are your influences, etc, you’ll get asked this a lot, here are some initial things to think about:

• Visual image i.e. Wearing Sunglasses?? Or no shoes

• Define your approach, Blues Folk Approach – Think Beth Orton, Tim Buckley, Dylan, Bragg

• Asses you strengths

• These could include, Cord Patterns, Blues licks, Short riffs, Lyrical content, Stage presence, Friendly attitude, not up myself, real, Audience communication Next consider the things that will make you different from your competition?

This could include things like, Style Pop/Rock songs, Honesty, Own songs/covers, Lyrics, Chord Sequences Then break down you act, you need 3 words to describe you act e.g. Blues, Smiths, Ashcroft maybe. Stylish, Melodic, simple Writing SongsHere are some pointers you might wish to consider when thinking about writing or composing songs, this will help you to become more dynamic.

• Rhythm

• Slow- Fast – Movement with power of song

• Mood

• Movement Dynamic

Overall just be your self, don’t try to emulate, but empathise, music is a personal experience, if you want to get more out of it, put more in. Why become a musician?

Here are some starter reasons

• Artistic acclaim

• Spread Vibe

• Because I can Think about what restrictions you may have and how to overcome these challenges. Budget is usually the main one. How to choose and effective Set lists – Practice and record various set lists once you have decided on/written your songsRecord Various Sets at 30 60 90 mins, and listen back, see how they sound, which songs work together, (these don’t yet need to be studio recordings)One way to test how well songs go is to use media player, make up play lists including the different songs you have recorded At any point you may be usually asked to play, 30 minutes, 60 Minutes, or 2*45 minutesPrepare and rehearse before accepting workAlways ask about expected playtime!!An Effective set should include some of the following elements

• Contrast + Shape

• Loud- Quiet

• Fast – Slow

• Rhythmic – Melodic

• Dense – Sparse

• Relaxed – Tense

• Serious – Humorous

1st song Impact + confident about playing Build up set to a climax point ¾ of the way through then final number can be more intimate or sing along save quieter numbers for later. If not enough of own songs do covers.

Always have an encore in mind can repeat first number repeat what audience enjoys Advertising

Things to think about

• Press releases

• Forth-coming engagements – gigs

• Recording sessions

• Record releases

• General news and gossip about the act

• Brief band biography

• Economic clear and entertaining Sending your Demo

• CD is cheapest

• 3 best songs (possibly your favourites)

• Display contrast + Professionalism

• Opening first song must make impact style and character

Before recording in a studio meet the engineer, play him rehearsal tape of song to help set up... Think about designing an eye catching CD cover Name and number on both!!! Reasons your demo may be rejected:

1. No Contact Information (name, address, email, and phone number on both CD and Case)

2. Lack of Originality

3. The Music Is Good, But The Artist Doesn't Play Live

4. Poorly Recorded Material (if the world is going to hear your music, make sure it’s a decent recording)

5. Best songs are not identified (send only 3 or 4 songs and highlight the best ones)

6. Sending Videos – Keep it simple!

7. Sending Unsolicited Recordings – Check first before you waste money sending CDs that people don’t ask for!

8. Sending The Wrong Music To The Wrong Label - do your research to find out what the venue/label you approach is interested in

9. Musicians Can't Play – Practice harder!!!

10. The Music Shite

How to write your Bio Before you begin to write the bio, be sure you have "taken an inventory" of your background, accomplishments, goals, and objectives as a musician, and remember who you are writing the Bio for: A&R Reps at Record Labels, Media Contacts, Booking Agents, and Management Contacts. These professionals in the music business are busy individuals, who may deal with dozens of "wanna-be's" every week, so make your bio informative, upbeat, and filled with useful comments, descriptions, quotes, and motivational language that can make them want to listen to your music, and help you on your musical way. When you are ready to rock n’roll, writing the Bio using this outline can keep you focused and organized. 1st Paragraph:

Start with an introductory sentence that clearly defines the essential band/artist name, your specific genre of music, where you are from, and perhaps a positive quote about your music from a contact you have made in the music business.

2nd Paragraph:

This section should address the immediate purpose of the Bio. What are you doing at this time? Mention a current activity you are involved with. If a new CD or Tape is coming out, that should be the main topic of the first sentence of the second paragraph. In other word, a reason why the Bio has been written should be clearly stated early on. Hints about any promotional activities that will be occurring to support the CD/Tape is also useful in this paragraph. 3rd and 4th Paragraph:

At this point, information on any other band members can be introduced, and background information on the forming of the group, past experience, accomplishments, and recognition issues can be addressed. If you have developed a plan for your career path, additional paragraphs elaborating on this type of can be written, that demonstrate how your current project is part of a larger career development plan.

Ending:

As stated earlier, the Bio should not waste words. For a new artist 1 page is sufficient to get the job done. For more experienced artists, a page and a half to two pages should be the maximum length. So, ending the Bio in an efficient way should be the aim; use another quote from a gatekeeper who supports the artist, or summarize the 2nd paragraph information, reminding the reader of current activities. Misc things to remember

• Need a roadie to help set up gigs

• Must be familiar with material and control on stage sound levels

• Location – Time

• Access – when to arrive and set up

• Address – type of music expected

• Merchandising supplement gigs by selling T-Shirts Badges or cassettes

• PA is there a house PA small venue 100-200 Large 500 – 2000K

• Wardrobe – Simple but striking additions to normal clothes Finding Work

• Approach friends and contacts

• Beg to play

• Mail shot Marketing pack to all local venues

• Mention if have lots of friends

• Follow up with a phone call or personal visit

• Take note of names to target and build up a rapport

• Accept any criticisms constructively

• Invest a great deal of effort with little reward

• Patience and Perseverance will reap rewards eventually

• Undertake early work for little or no reward – training

• Pay to play – Avoid like the plague! Publicity packs should include

• Demo Tape

• CV

• Reviews

• Flyers

• Posters

• Introductory letter

• Badges? Key Fobs? Beer mats? Create a database of possible venues within reasonable travelling distanceAddress, Telephone and contact if possible. A Final Reminder!

• Record sets and listen back.

• Keep all information for your website/bandspace

• Get Some good Art Sorted

• Proper Gigs

• Try to Re-gig Place!!

• Keep On Recording all the time..

• Keep applying to radio, Record Labels Etc Post three best songs,, spread web address as much as possible.

• Get your own Equipment!!

• Reasons? - Personal Communication popularity artistic endeavour rebelliousness Restrictions? Budget/Equipment

• Impact on Audience? Climax/Variety/Relevance

• Stimulus?Every Day Events, Personal Experience Trends Literature

• Politics Philosophy Humour Advice Fun

• Set Standards be Ambitious but realistic

• Start with idea rehearse and develop further The main point is work hard, the internet is full of useful resources, for writing band bios, etc etcKeep at it an you’ll get there in the end!About the authorHi I am Andy, I’m an unsigned musician, and I have spent the last three months developing a website, as part of marketing and generating awareness about my work in the music industry. It as been a hard trail of lots of useful and lots of useless information. So I have tried to summarize the best things I learnt in an article, (which you have just read) Hopefully it was of use to you, and will save others that are following in my path time and energy when deciding how to develop content for a website.

Many thanks for reading
Andy

If you wish to visit the website discussed in this article, and see an example of how I have applied the above, then please visit www.bleedinghands.com or if you wish to comment on this article please contact me through my home page either at the aforementioned, www.myspace.com/bleedinghandshughes
Or by email: bleedinghands@gmail.com

How To Be A Professional In The Music World

2008-03-26T18:12:00.001-07:00

We all love to listen to good music. What if we are able to create our own music and add that extra effect, zing and personal touch? Music software is your perfect friend for this. Here is an account of all you want to know about music software and downloads.

Music software - the new buzzword in the music world, which makes most of us experts in the field. Whether you are a professional, a student or simply pursuing a hobby in music, you are bound to feel enamored by the enormous potential of music software. It allows you to create your own album and songs with that extra zing and class. With music software, you can download, copy, edit, mix and match music to play it to perfection. This will make you so special in the eyes of your sweet heart. What else you can aspire for? Internet has come as a boon for all music lovers who want to enjoy nice music at a fraction of otherwise exorbitant costs of CDs and albums. By downloading music software, you can create your own private album. In fact a large number of websites offer free music software, which is quite handy for beginners. So the old adage that ‘there are no free lunches in the world’ does not apply - at least not to the music world. Music software allows even amateur music buffs like us to experiment and create our own music. You can add effects, waves, echoes and reverberations to the music. All this makes your music more peppy and adds a feeling of freshness to it. Let us begin with the minimum requirements for making a start. You need a PC with 1 GB RAM (though lower end versions such as 256 MB RAM are also fine to begin with) and 80 GB hard disk (If you have less, never mind- you can add it later on). Your processor speed should ideally be 3.8GHz or more. This will allow you to work seamlessly across software and give you that extra power and speed to work on your music. You also need to have an internet connection to download music software and other stuff. Broadband connectivity is great and is now affordable. With broadband, the speed of your download increases and you can ride the music mania. Music software helps you in setting up and jazzing up instrument sounds, editing and converting music from one format to other such as WAV, MP3, WMA, OGG, CDA, VQF, AAC etc. You can add a good sound card which will have a great effect on quality and modulation. Music software also helps you in ripping music whereby you can copy audio files from CDs to your PCs and then work on it. As you learn the basic tricks, you may go in for other software such as MIDI converter, controller and sequencer, Jukebox, MOD trackers, software synthesizers, patch editors, multi-track recording software and samplers. Computer aided composition music software also takes you to a different world altogether. It is an intelligent software which helps you in composing, creating arrangements, giving notations and structures to your music. It also gives that extra jazz to your music and makes it more professional. Music software has made it possible for us to be on our own. No wonder you are seeing people getting more and more professional in the field and creating waves with their wonderful and aesthetic performances. You too can join the bandwagon. It is simple and does not cost much. Let us begin with a small exercise. Just browse the internet and download music and your favorite songs. Create an album and gift it to your dream date. Then sit back and enjoy the positive spin offs that your crooning brings!

The author loves making music. You can now set up a home recording studio easily and use to make your own music. Digital music recording is now very simple with the use of many available software. Learn terminologies through an online music dictionary before you start.

Independent Music Promotion on the Web: 3 Steps to Success

2008-03-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, the wildfire spread of web-based portals designed to introduce independent music to the world has created a bewildering array of opportunities and costs. So where do they all balance out? When does the cost of signing up to yet another music promotion service yield results? What results are we looking for anyway?

The key is to make your web promotion targeted, systematic and rich.

What is the main drive for independent artists promote their music on the web? The fundamental incentive for web promotion is the opportunity to get your music heard by people who might otherwise never know that you exist! If people know you exist they can become fans and repeat-listeners. Which of those fans buy CD's and downloads? Targeted listeners.

The most important goal of web promotion is to attract targeted listeners.

Any independent artist who says they use the web to sell their music has missed the primary target - attracting targeted listeners. Attracting targeted listeners should be every independent artist's first priority. Remember, you don't sell your music - listeners BUY your music. It's a buyers market. The more targeted listeners you have, the more sales you make - provided you are systematic in getting your targeted listeners.

The best way to get targeted listeners is to be systematic.

Many artists tend to approach their web promotion thinking that since they have a website and have signed up to a couple of artist showcase sites, that the listeners will just come pouring in. Yes you have managed to target some potential listeners, but you still have to shout, "Hey, over here...you'll like the sound of this!" A systematic approach to getting listeners to hear your music will attract and maintain their interest. But remember to make sure you have the content ready for the listener to enjoy.

Sites rich in content will retain your targeted listener.

In the independent artist's case, the rich content is the music. This may seem like old news, but look at the amount of independent artist websites that give the visitor loads of info about the band but very little (or hidden) ear candy. Music should be the first thing a visitor gets. At the very least they need an obvious link to where they can listen to your music. And not just one or two tracks but a variety of your music. Independent artists have to remember they have not had the radio exposure to model the presentation of their music after more well established acts. Listeners need to be convinced they like your independent music before they will buy it.

So the question is how to make your web promotion targeted, systematic and rich?

Tips for Targeting.

The best targeted listeners on the web will be those that make it to your website. Find a way to know who they are. Setup a newsletter and make it easy to sign up to it. People interested enough to want to receive news about you are your hardcore web fans, keep them happy.

The next best group of targeted listeners are those that hear your music on other sites. Try to pick sites that allow listeners to link to your site. If they like your music they might click on that link to visit your site. You can then find out where these visitors are coming from. Find a good web statistics package that lets you know which sites your visitors are being referred from. Take note of those sites and focus your efforts with them accordingly.

When choosing sites on which to promote your music, check to see if they offer any individual stats relating to your music. Like how many track plays or page views you and your music receive on their site. This way you can check in periodically and monitor your performance with these sites.

Systematic Steps.

The key to being systematic is organization. Keep a note of all the sites you use to promote your music, a brief description of what they do and how much it costs. Try to get into the practice of monitoring all of them regularly. Take note of which sites are getting better results than others and focus your efforts accordingly. You might pay for minimal promotion on one website, while another gets you loads of listeners for free. Naturally you'll want to put more effort into updating the sites that are getting better results.

Provide a link on your website and newsletters to all of the sites you use to promote your music. Remember your website visitors are your hardcore web fans and are the most likely to check out and spread the word about your spot on other websites. So encourage them to visit your profile on other websites. At the very least it raises your stats on those websites - making your music look more popular!

Try to create a ring of sites that link to each other though the content you supply. For example, you might have your music on your own website and two other showcase sites - Site A and Site B. Your site should without a doubt link with Site A and Site B. Site A should link with your site and Site B, Site B should link with your site and Site A and so on. What if these sites don't allow you to setup links to other sites? Put a web address in the areas where they do allow you to supply content. Like biogs or descriptions.

The ultimate aim of linking all your sites is to provide your listeners with a variety of access points to your music, as well as access to the different ways various sites may deliver your music. Remember to link to your specific page on the site and not just the site itself. Your site linked with a site that play your tracks on Internet radio, linked with a site that sells your downloads, linked with a site that sells your CD's provides for a powerful combination of exposure.

Be Rich

Without money! That is the challenge that most independent artists face. The conventional approach to selling music is that it should not be too readily available to listen to, should the incentive for listeners to actually buy albums be undermined. This has persuaded independent artists that they should limit web listeners to low-quality snippets of streaming audio.

Independent artists have to remember they don't have the resources and finances to support the "shotgun approach" of spraying their music across radio and music television. Big artists have big companies behind them that need to recoup the costs of mass media exposure, and therefore try to limit the extent to which listeners can sample their music on the web. Listeners have already heard the music and are trying to find a copy of their own.

Conversely, listeners haven't had a chance to listen to independent artist through conventional media. Therefore independent artists can't assume that people will buy their music off of a website if they don't get a chance to really listen to it. If people have already heard an artist's music, and like it, the value they pay for is in owning a copy they can play whenever they like. If people have not already heard an artist's music, the value is in being able to sample as much of the music as possible.

So being rich is providing your listeners with as much of your music as they want to listen to before they buy it. Now you don't have to make all your tracks available for free download, but you can provide good quality, full-length streams that impress the listener and enhance your sound. Not tight-fisted snippets that lose the listener because they are lo-fi and over before they attract the listener's interest.

Being rich is also making your music available in a variety of formats for different audiences. Telling fans that your music can be heard via Internet radio, on-demand streams, mp3 downloads and mail order CD means you can appeal to listeners who prefer more than one type of media. You can also use your web promotion to go beyond simply plays and sales - consider licensing.

Licensing your music for use with television, film, advertising, websites, video games and other multimedia will open up your listening audience, provide revenue and introduce a degree of professionalism to your career that attracts the notice of industry reps and A&R. Adding this depth to your web promotion helps to enrich the presentation of your music and retain targeted listeners.

So remember: a) maximise your targeted listeners, b) be systematic in obtaining them, and c) retain them by making sure your own site and other sites are rich in content.

Nick Hooper has helped to create Tunetrader, an online platform for independent music promotion at http://www.tunetrader.com.

Play It Forward - Viral Unsigned Bands Promotion

2008-03-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the Kevin Spacey movie, Pay It Forward? I loved the movie. I'm an idealist. So seeing an "idea" rocketed forward to me is beautiful. And it's a great example of effective Viral Band Promotion.

For those of you who haven't seen it, it's about a boy responding to a class assignment comes up with basically an idea to improve life. Basically, he determines to help three people in a "special, life-changing way". But instead of having them pay him back for his kindness, he tells them to pay it forward, that is, to help three people in a life-changing manner. Then they require the same pay it forward philosophy. It's a beautiful example of... well, network marketing.

Well, I left the theatre inspired, thinking, "How can I institute this in my life?" With MP3.com's help, I came up with "Play It Forward". It's a webpage that encourages fans to send e-cards of our music.

More At:
http://bardscrier.com/articles/

The page reads, "Is there a song here that you really like? Play it forward and share it with your friends. Your friends and we will both thank you."

Since posting that link we get an extra 2-5 more e-cards sent every day from people "Playing It Forward". And that is very personal way to get more people listening to your music.

Building a Fan Base for Unsigned Bands, as Easy as 1-2-3

2008-03-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

Originally, I was planning on publishing an article by John Wilmott of Celtic Ways. But the "article" was actually a promotional piece designed specifically for the Celtic Ways roster, and was less of an article than I anticipated.

So instead, I'm going to lay out the main promotional idea presented in the article. John was writing about putting on a Celtic version of Club MP3.com, called Ceilidh 2001. For those not familiar with Club MP3.com, it is an MP3.com-sponsored tour of 50 US cities by mainstream MP3.com. Celtic musicians were excluded, so we would do our own.

But in order to make a successful event, we need larger regional followings. Here's the advice John had on building a fan base.

"For those of you who have not built up a substantial fan base I will try to work with you to make this happen and the best route to this is through newsletters. With some of you, you'll need help getting people to subscribe to the newsletters in the first place.

If you are gigging that's the easiest way. Make sure you make it easy for people to leave email addresses on the way in or out of the gig. Even bolder would be to get people to give you the email in the middle of the gig. You might make up an "Email Song" and add a traditional tune to the lyrics and then have someone pass around a guest book where everyone leaves their email address.

If you are not gigging your only option is to visit chat rooms and forums and talk to people and collect email addresses. You could hold a yard sale and have your music playing and collect email addresses from visitors.

Best Buy & others are clearing out old 74 mins CDRs right now very cheap. Put 3, 4, 5 of your tracks on each one and use the paper folders instead of jewelcases. There is a way you can print regular paper and fold to hold a CD too - try it out !!!!

Then go to somewhere where these is people and hand them out free in exchange for their email address. You'll get 100 subscribers for under $20.00 cheaper than placing ads, doing flea markets and paying record stores to promote your CD."

After reading his article, I found a website (http://blankcdmedia.com/) that sells inserts and CD labels in bulk for pennies each. Sure it may cost a small bit to start, but this is one tip that I'm jumping all over.

Check Out TheTrackShack.com

2008-03-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

If you love making music and sharing it with the world (and, let's be honest, making a few bucks along the way), you've probably tried or heard about music websites where you can upload and sell your own tunes. And with a Central Hive full of musicians, trust us: we've seen and tried most of them, too. Many sites offer high registration fees, low profits, ongoing hosting fees and set prices — not too much of an incentive to share your stuff.

But when we found TheTrackShack. com, we were more keyed up than seeing our favorite band play a second encore on the last night of their tour. At TheTrackShack, artists and musicians can set their own prices and get an 80/20 split on sales, compared to the $3-5 and up other sites keep per sale, regardless of price. And we were really excited to hear bands can upload individual production tracks for sale – like just the lead guitar or a song's full mix minus vocals – making it easy for people to remix their songs, sing karaoke to their hits, or, as the TheTrackShack likes to put it, "Frankenstein their music." Jeff Tamelier, co-founder of TheTrackShack, thinks of it as "making your music by the mile and selling it by the inch." Sounds good to us.

I have only ONE free code left. First come, First Served... However, I do have several $10.00 off codes. So email me: terra@twpresents.com ASAP if you want one. This free/$10 off campaign ends JULY 1 2008!

TheTrackShack. com launched in November 2007, which means you'll be some of the first people to build a diverse catalog of music. The site will only be as great as you make it!

There's usually a one-time album upload fee of $24.99 to upload your own CD, Songs and Tracks. But as a special deal, I am giving you a chance to try it for free. So now the only thing between your music and the ears of millions is a few simple steps.

If you're a musician:

* Upload CDs, songs or individual tracks for sale (a CD is limited to 15 songs, with up to 20 tracks per song, totaling 2GB of storage)
* Name your own price for your music, and collect 80% of your sales
* Try TheTrackShack. com for free! One-time fee is usually $24.99, but will be waived for you. (ONE LEFT, offer expires July 1, 2008)
* Get featured on one of TheShack's fourteen streaming radio stations by simply creating a Studio account and uploading songs — they'll take it from there!
* Buy other artists' tracks and create a remix or just jam along with them
* Set up a virtual studio where you can audition new band members or collaborate with other registered musicians
* Have TheShack do all the work for you — send them your CD and they'll separate and upload your tracks and songs for $44.99
* Submit music in a variety of formats, including .aiff, .mp3, .mp4 and .wav
* Include lyrics and sheet music, either for sale or for free, in .pdf or .doc formats
* Check out TheTrackShack's exclusive contest, where you could win studio time in Northern California's newest Class A digital recording studios or Guitar Center gift certificates.

If you're a fan and music lover:

* Discover new artists on TheTrackShack. com's streaming radio stations and featured artist pages
* Buy CDs or songs from your favorite artists, or download their individual tracks (Like the full song minus vocals — karaoke, anyone?)
* Support independent artists and get exclusive tracks you won't find anywhere else

HURRY!

How Musicians Can Use Podcasts to Publicize Their Music

2008-03-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

How To Copyright Your Music To Protect Your Future Royalties

2008-03-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

Many musicians confuse copyrighting music with registering music; these are two different things. According to the law in the United States, once you have written or recorded your music in a permanent form, it is automatically copyrighted.

Of course, it might help to first understand what it means to copyright music in the first place. A copyright is a certain legal protection that is offered to those who compose creative works, whether those works are art, music, or the written word. The U. S. Constitution states there are limits one can place on the amount of time the work is exclusively protected.

If you copyright music, this means you (and you alone) have the right to use your work or allow others to use your work. You also have the right to distribute copies of your work. Whether those copies are in the form of written or sheet music or recorded music to the public as well as the right to perform your music for the public.

There is something called Fair Use (more commonly known as the Fair Use Doctrine) that allows anyone to use your written or recorded music for the purpose of research, news reporting, commentary, or criticism. In other words, there are times when the use of copyrighted material is deemed appropriate without the consent of the one holding the copyright.

In some cases, copyrighting music alone is not enough to protect your music, at least not without going through a lot of hoops to do so. One of the things you can do to protect your copyright is provide notice of copyright. This involves writing a simple statement such as using the word "copyright," the date, and your name at the bottom of your sheet music or on the case for the recording or the actual recording itself. CDs are the most common means for recording devices today and a notice of copyright can easily be added to the exterior of your CD or on your label if you have one printed.

Why copyright music? The answer is simple: so others cannot take credit for your hard work and creative genius. For extra protection you may want to register your copyright as well. Registering your copyright will provide you with formal legal documentation of your ownership of your music should anyone attempt to claim rights to your music or dispute the true ownership/authorship of your music.

You must have your copyright registered if you wish to file a copyright infringement suit; it is, in my opinion, better to not only copyright music during the creation process, but also to register your copyright before it could possibly become an issue. Registering a copyright is not a difficult a process. Basically it involves filling out an application, paying a filing fee (check with the U. S. Copyright Office for the current amount), and a copy of the work you want to protect.

Your music doesn't have to be published to obtain a copyright. Music should be copyrighted and registered long before the publication process to protect your rights as the creator of the music. Whether you are dabbling with cute little limericks or writing masterpieces and concertos, you want to make sure to copyright music earlier rather than later for the best possible outcome should any problems arise.

Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for www.ResearchCopyright.com. Download his free e-book, "Copyright Basics" at ResearchCopyright.com.

Music Promotion Using Viral Marketing And Old Fashioned Word Of Mouth. More Plays And Views

2008-03-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

Promotion, promotion, promotion is the main thing you have to keep in mind as you attempt to make yourself and your songs known to the world. Simply having a Myspace and playing at a few local scenes is not going to make you famous. Sure, you've sold a handful of CDs, you have a moderate amount of friends on Myspace, and your mom loves what you do, but the goal is to get more attention especially important attention from music executives. To achieve this attention takes promotion of your site.

Myspace is the premier social networking site on the web but using it alone will not draw the required attention to your page. If you notice that you are not receiving the amount of plays for your songs that you were hoping and that your page is quickly going the way of the dinosaurs, it's time to rethink your strategy. Be proactive and tenacious.

Promotional campaigns are important for your goal of being a recognized and possibly famous musician. Myspace is a way of promoting your music for free and this is why so many struggling musicians choose this method, the same is true for Facebook and Youtube. You are able to reach a large number of people, who may become fans, for free everyday. However, without additional help how are people going to know that you even have anything to promote? This is where word of mouth and viral marketing comes into play.

Word of mouth marketing has been around since our ancestors had items to barter. This is a time tested and trusted method used by large companies, corporations, and professional musicians. Take a moment and think about how you heard about some of your favorite musicians? Was it through the radio, TV, the internet, or was it from a friend who told you about them?

Word of mouth is a frequently the way news spreads about musicians and bands. You may have heard a bands name, but usually it wont be until a friend vouches for the band that you will give them a listen. This is how word of mouth works and how it can be used to work in your favor.

Some view this method as old fashioned with the introduction of the internet and advertising methods used there; however word of mouth will never fall into disuse as long as people continue to recommend, and talk about items, musicians, and other subjects of interest.

On the internet word of mouth is referred to as viral marketing and basically works the same way. Blogs, social networking sites, and other places such as forums all work to spread recommendations and news about a variety of items.

Both word of mouth and viral marketing work on the concept that if one person tells another person and that person tells two more people and so on then soon enough people will know about that object of subject to make an impact. This can work in your favor when it comes to your music.

You should ask your friends to mention your band and music to their friends, and tell as many people as you can that you have a new song out and where it can be found and how great it is. Post about it on blogs, forums, and use other sites like Youtube and Facebook to help spread the word and you will be very pleased with the results.

A great way to help entice people to come to your site is by mentioning how many plays you have for your songs. This will convince people that your songs are worth the time and all the buzz surrounding them is dead on. The dilemma is that if you do not have a solid fan base yet, or if your songs play counts are not as impressive as you would like, then you will not be able to use those figures to entice anyone.

Promotional tools are a great way of boosting play counts which will help gain fans, attention, and make heads turn. Back up claims of popular songs by actually having solid and impressive figures.

More plays and views adds an edge to your word of mouth and viral marketing efforts.

Once you are receiving a sufficient amount of traffic to your site, you will have to keep people coming back for more by updating your page, uploading new songs, and keeping up with the current information and be sure to never stop promoting.

TuneBoom Pro is now available beyond the major labels and artists and to the independent artist for the first time. Market your music like TODAYS MOST POPULAR ARTISTS! Everything needed to succeed is here. Use EXACTLY the same strategies used by Todays Mega Superstars at: http://TuneBoomPro.com

The Music Industry -- How To Lose Money And Ruin Your Career With A Number One Hit Song?

2008-03-05T05:26:00.000-08:00

Any career development person worth his salt, wants you to have a career that is constantly rising. Hence, that is why you should have three CDs worth of material already written when you approach your career development person or music industry executive. (For those of you who don't know what I am talking about, see my last article entitled "The Music Industry- Here is what a young artist needs to know to be a star.")

A good career development person will survey your material, ask you to throw away the songs that didn't survey well, then ask you to write some more songs, survey again, etc. until he can finally place your songs in an order that results in your first CD being good, your second CD better, and your third CD best of the three. He will do all of this by surveying your material. Some survey techniques are so accurate that they can even tell you where your song will place in the top 40--number 15 or number 35.

Why does your career development person do this? Because you can actually lose money and ruin your career with a poorly planned number one hit.

Now remember, rankings in the top 40 are determined by air play, not sales. So, here is how it works.

If you are an unknown artist, and you release your best song first, and your agents and managers and executives at the music companies are good salesmen, you might start getting airplay. If you get enough airplay you might break into the charts at say number 35. Music stores and major download services, however, probably won't carry it right away, because 1) there are lots of people vying for "shelf" space, so to speak and the music stores are going to wait and see how this new artist does before they commit to giving you any space. (After all you might break in at number 35 and be gone from the charts the very next week.) So let us just say there is not necessarily a mad dash to get your number 35 hit into the stores and onto the shelves; and 2) even if there is a huge demand (maybe you broke into the charts at number 15 your very first week, it is still going to take awhile for the music company to press the CDs and ship them to the stores. (often weeks).

It has happened numerous times in the past that a song will zoom from say the number 35 to the top number 1 spot BEFORE any CDs can be shipped to the music stores. By the time the stores do get the CDs, the song has fallen down the charts and is no longer getting the airplay on its way out (at say number 38) that it got on its way up to number 1. Let 's say the music executives representing you zealously pressed 500,000 CDs when your song was number one, but now that it has finally arrived at the stores it is not getting airplay anymore. People start forgetting about it and the actual sales only amount to say 50,000 units.

The music company loses money on this scenario because the cost to manufacture and ship the 500,000 CDs exceeds what they made on the 50,000 actual unit sales. Now, internet distribution and sales have made it a lot easier to counter this kind of scenario, but it still can happen with inexperienced, and inept music executive making the wrong decisions.

Now here is what an experience career development executive would do. Again he would survey your material and your first release would be a song that he knows will break into the top 40 at about 39, rise to number 30 than fizzle out after that. No one worries very much about getting CDs into stores or anything like that. What this accomplishes, however, is everyone becomes aware of you. The stores are aware of you, the internet downloading services are aware of you, and fans in general are aware of you. After all, a number 30 hit on your first release is not too shabby.

Now your second release is going to be a surveyed song that your career development person knows will place in the low 20s or high teens on the charts. So now all the people that were made aware of you by your first release realize that this is even a better song, that there really is something to you, and the mad dash to get you on the shelf DOES begin. Everyone knows you are not a one hit wonder and that this second release is going to make every one money.

Now imagine what happens when your third release does even better and makes it to number 10 on the charts. Then imagine what happens when your second album comes out. Well the people are lined up to buy it sight unseen, and when they hear it and it is even a better album, when you have three top ten and one number one hits off of it, you career is well on its way to being established forever.

When your third album comes out with your three number one hits. You are pretty much guaranteed to be in the music business as long as you want.

Now imagine the opposite. Suppose you released your best song first and every thing got progressively worse from there. Does a "one hit wonder" ring a bell. Does anyone even remember the names of the numerous groups who have done just that? NO.

So a word to the wise: Use experienced career development people. Survey your material. Do it smart. Do it right. Be successful.

Stan Medley is the CEO of Viscount Productions, Inc. which specializes in career development. Additional information on this topic is at http://www.viscountproductions.com

Stage Fright. Why Am I So Scared? What Can I do?

2008-03-03T05:24:00.000-08:00

You are not alone if you suffer from what we have come to know as stage fright. I do not believe I can recall any accomplished musician saying they are not nervous at all before a performance. Many are actually terrified and get physically sick prior to a concert. This basis for this is actually a good motivation, we want to be good, we want to be accepted. That is a good thing but being debilitated by stage fright is not. There are some effective ways of dealing with this condition.

The most effective way to manage the phenomenon of stage fright is constant performance. For some this may not be possible or you may just be starting out and you are struggling at the starting gate, so to speak.

If you are just starting out and cannot even imagine performing in front of people yet, find a friendly audience that will accept you no matter what, your family! Perhaps you can pick one to three songs to perform and set it up just like a regular performance; a certain time etc. Have the chairs set out for your family, maybe some refreshments and so forth. It may sound silly, but you will be nervous even though you know they will accept you no matter what you do.

When you perform for them try not to talk to them as they were your family, but make it a little "impersonal" if you will. Pretend they are an audience of strangers. If you make a mistake, keep going .This is very good practice. You will always make mistakes in your life as a musician so get used to it. You need to learn to "roll with it" or even sometimes make something out of it. This can lead also to improvisational opportunities, but we will discuss that in another lesson.

Once this little "concert" is over you will feel a sense of accomplishment. Even if you made a mistake or two, you will feel good about what you have done. I guarantee it! Now you need to continue to build on these performances. Do them more often, invite the neighbours but do not get too comfortable either. you must continue to stretch your self. If you have a teacher for your instrument, the chances are good that they hold concerts for the families of their students. Participate in these. It will do you a world of good!

Once you are past the first stage of performing and are on to performing for larger groups of strangers, there are some other ways of dealing with stage fright. Practice, practice, practice. You must know your piece or pieces of music backwards and forwards if you are to be truly prepared. Even if you do not have to memorize the piece you must know it very well. Memorizing is also for another lesson, but suffice it to say you must constantly practice to overcome any technical limitations on your performance, then you can more easily deal with stage fright as a separate issue. You may have a very real reason to be afraid if you do not know your music!

Now the day of the performance I think it is best not to practice very much at all. You can wear yourself out and "peak" too early. If you are a singer like I am for example, you can over practice and sound perfect two hours prior to performance but be worn out by the time the concert is here.

Just rest a lot and go over the music in your mind. Warm up, to be sure, but only that. If you know your music you should be fine. I like to take a nap before a performance so I can be rested. If I cannot actually sleep, then just laying down for 30 minutes or so seems to help. Now when you take the stage, remember all of the work you have done, tell yourself, " I am prepared, I can do this! You will be amazed at what you can do if you believe in yourself. Be not afraid!

SimpleMusicSecrets.com Learn to play,perform and enjoy music for a lifetime. Articles,tips and lessons on how to sing,play guitar,piano or band.Overcomestage fright. Be a better musician now!

Proven Ways To Protect Your Hit Song

2008-03-01T05:22:00.000-08:00

Tin pan alley possesses a standard bugaboo for all new songwriters. This is the always-current rumor that publishers, professional songwriters, bandleaders - in fact, anyone and everyone in the music business - is intent upon stealing the ideas of new songwriters. Many new writers are hesitant about sending songs to publishers for this very reason. They are positive that if they allow the song out of their hands before the publishing contract is signed, they will find that the publisher has "copied" the number and stolen their idea. This may seem far-fetched, but it does happen.

The publisher takes every possible precaution before accepting a song for publication to insure that the song is not an infringement upon some other published number. He is usually able to spot an obvious infringement but if it should slip by his notice he knows that it will undoubtedly be picked up by the arrangers on his staff. Sometimes, despite all precautions, the infringement will pass unnoticed and the publisher is faced with an infringement suit. But such instances are extremely rare, particularly when one considers the tremendous number of songs of all types that are published every year.

Both the songwriter and the publisher are protected by law against infringement. Since the main charge in an infringement suit is that one song has been stolen from another, it is plain that both parties must be able to prove when the respective songs were written. The party that can show that his song was created before the other stands a good chance of winning the case. This date of creation can be established by several methods:

1. Take the manuscript before a notary public and have him witness your signature and affix the notary seal to the sheet of music.

2. Put the manuscript in an envelope. Seal the envelope and then mail it to yourself. The post mark will establish the date.

3. Keep the manuscript in the sealed envelope until it should be needed in an infringement case. The envelope should be opened only in court.

4. Secure some reliable and unprejudiced witnesses who can attest to hearing or seeing the number on a particular date.

5. Secure a U. S. Copyright registration.

The last method is, by far, the most satisfactory. Copyright registration simply means that the song has been officially registered as of a certain date, therefore becoming a matter of record.

Although the songwriter is entitled to exclusive rights to his composition, under common law, he must prove, beyond a question of doubt that he had created the song on a particular date. This might be established by the methods suggested above, but these methods are, to a great extent, makeshift, and do not provide definite proof offered by an official copyright card.

Furthermore, if a case is being tried on the basis of common law copyright, minimum damages are not established and must be determined by the court. For these reasons alone, it is preferable to secure an official copyright for the song.

The procedure is quite simple. The songwriter merely has to write to the Registrar of Copyrights, Washington, D. C, and ask for some application cards for unpublished musical compositions. These cards are sent free of charge. One card is required for each song to be copyrighted. The songwriter fills out the card which provides space for the names of lyric writers and composer, residence, name of song, date, etc.

The filled-in card is then returned to "Washington together with a copy of the manuscript and the required fee of one dollar." Within a short time, the songwriter receives an official registration card attesting that the song had been duly registered as of a certain date. This card should be placed away carefully by the songwriter for it provides concrete evidence that his song had been witnessed on a particular date.

If the above procedures are followed, you precious song should be protected from any unscrupulous person intent on stealing your hard work!

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Ways To Get Your Music Noticed And Get Myspace Plays And Views

2008-02-28T05:21:00.000-08:00

As an up and coming musical artist, there are many things to keep in mind and to consider as you strive to build up your reputation and develop a fan base. Before you decide which venue to perform at and way before you decide which Malibu summer home you want, first things first: you have to get noticed.

It is no longer enough to perform at the local hotspot such as the coffee shop or underground music scene to get the word out about your music and band. With the advent of social networking sites like Myspace and the development of podcasts and other such options, the budding musician has many opportunities and obligations.

It does not really matter how good your band is, how inspiring the lyrics are, or how innovative the sound; if your music is not being noticed then you are still a "nobody". Many find it difficult to go out there and get recognition for their work and the major reason for this is that they simply do not know how to get their music noticed.

Promotion is really the key here as it allows the band and their music to reach a wide audience. If you reach an audience that would otherwise remain oblivious to your music then the promotion is working. There are a variety of promotional tools and options available from the basic word of mouth to using sites such as Myspace, Youtube, and Facebook.

Myspace, in particular, is gaining popularity with the music crowd as Indie performers and mainstream performers alike are beginning to understand just how important this peer networking site has become. Using Myspace 's innovative section designed for musicians, gaining notice and recognition is quickly becoming easy; as long as it is used correctly and to its full ability.

With Myspace, bands are able to keep track of the amount of times their songs are being played and how often their profiles are being viewed. Generally, the higher these numbers, the more popular the song and band are. Most guests to Myspace pages are more inclined to listen and view to bands with higher view and listen numbers than to those with small numbers. The reason for this is that it is believed, and correctly so, that the more listens, the better the music. Instead of passing over your songs, when guests see a high count they will be more likely to take notice and listen to what you have to offer.

For this reason, it is important to keep your music fresh and updated so that when guests return they will be greeted by something new. If they become bored as to what the band has to offer, then they will be less and less likely to return. Being noticed is just one step as retaining that recognition will take patience and diligence.

Having your music noticed is one of the greatest times for a musician and band. Fortunately there are services and software that no longer just work with the major labels and artists but now work with many Indies'. Just be sure to use one that is trustworthy and proven!

Gaining that needed notice just takes a keen eye for the tools that are readily available and designed to gather listens and long term fans who will keep coming back to your site again and again.

TuneBoom Pro is now available beyond the major labels and artists and to the independent artist for the first time. Market your music like TODAYS MOST POPULAR ARTISTS! Everything needed to succeed is here. Use EXACTLY the same strategies used by Todays Mega Superstars at: http://TuneBoomPro.com

Secrets to Savvy Press Kits

2008-02-26T15:01:00.000-08:00

== WHO NEEDS A PRESS KIT==

Press kits aren't just for big corporations anymore. Whatever your line of business, be it an entrepreneur, a performer (musicians, artists), or an author (books/ebooks) you need a press kit. But what exactly is a press kit you ask? A press kit is like a resume for your company. It's a collection of company information and articles put together to inspire interest from media, investors, clients, and potential employees. The goal is to create a press kit that grabs the reader's attention, creates a killer impression, helps them remember you, and makes them hunger to know more.

==KINDS OF PRESS KITS==

It used to be that press kits were cut and dry, but new technologies enable us exciting new ways to present our information. Here are a few different types of press kits.

- TRADITIONAL - The traditional press kit is a collection of articles and information packaged in a presentation folder and sent via mail.

- ONLINE - Get it on the net! If you have a web site, I encourage you to put together an online press kit. This keeps visitors abreast of your company's latest news and events and accomplishments. Online press kits have the added advantage of being able to include audio and video clips.

- PRESS KIT ON A DISK - Want to be on the cutting edge? Since the advent of ebooks, now you can create your press kit as a PDF file that you put on disk and mail out.

==ANATOMY OF A PRESS KIT==

Ready to put your press kit together? Remember to be selective: less is more. Don't put every article since the beginning of time. This will frustrate your reader. Only put the most recent and most pertinent to your target audience. Busy editors don't have the time or desire to sort through a 1-inch stack of articles, and they probably WON'T! (It may get "filed") Instead focus on the product or service you want to highlight.

Here are some ideas about what to include in it.

- Pitch letter: The pitch letter is the first thing your reader will see. It's important to create a good first impression, or your will lose the reader's interest. Tell them up front why they should care about what you are telling them. List the items enclosed. Create a call to action. Let them know you are available for interview or if they have questions how they can reach you. Use bold to highlight key points. Remember to include a PS! Although this is the last item in a letter, this is often the FIRST thing that is read.

- Two Business Cards: They can keep one copy and pass the other to a friend or associate.

- Recent Articles: Keep an ongoing file of your press coverage. This can include print media and ezines that reprint your articles. An easy way to keep a press file is to hire a clipping service. But you can search for articles yourself by doing a link check in the search engines.

Type Link:http://www.yourdomain.com in the search box. You can also search in Google or Dogpile by article title, author, and company name. Still another idea is to search in media portals such as Mag Portal - http://www.magportal.com . This searches through all recent media and shows articles related to a certain subject area, author name or other criteria.

- Press Releases

- Audio and video files of radio/television interviews, speeches, and performances. You can include a write up of the interview, an audio tape, or even a link to where readers could listen to it online.

- List of Testimonials (limit to one sheet)

- Sample News Story: often times they will print this verbatim. Editors see ready-to-print-stories as an easy way to fill up space with little effort on their part.

- Sample or actual product/service/performance review: This will let editors see what others are saying about you or help the editor to write his own review.

- Product Sell Sheet/Company Brochure
- Investor News
- Community Involvement Projects
- Recent Awards
- List of Events/Appearances
- Photos (If appropriate)
- Bio Sheet (If appropriate)

- List of Frequently Asked Questions? (This helps the editor to think of questions to ask you in an interview or include in their article)

==CREATE A KILLER PACKAGE THAT GETS NOTICED==

Busy editors sort through piles of press kits each day. Packaging is the key to getting your press kit noticed! Start off by placing your kit it an envelope they can't miss. Try mailing your press kit in a colorful envelope or one of an unusual size. Send it Fed-Ex or hand deliver it to add a sense of importance. Try writing a teaser question on the outside of the envelope with the answer inside. For another eye opener, try adding a red sticker that says, "important materials enclosed" to spark interest. Package your materials in a nice presentation folder for a professional polished look. Take time to stack your materials nicely inside.

==DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW UP==

It's crucial to follow up to make sure they got your press kit. Follow up calls provide the perfect opportunity for editors to ask questions, or schedule an interview. Take this opportunity to network and get to know the editors. By developing a relationship with important members of the media, you will build recognition and rapport and improve their chances of covering you. If you DO get coverage, be sure to send a handwritten thank you note.

==GET A MOVE ON AND DO IT==

A press kit is an important part of your public relations effort. Don't wait till you NEED one to scramble and put one together. Savvy press kits can be a powerful PR tool to improve your media relations, create media coverage, and act as a sales tool to potential clients.

Article by Kristie Tamsevicius - Dubbed as the "Marketing Maven & Brander Extraordinaire" Kristie Tamsevicius turns entrepreneurs into the lavishly paid in-demand experts in their field. Learn how branding helps you to attract customers, build income, & gain visibility while successfully promoting your business online with our FREE report "Web Branding Secrets" by visiting www.brandingonthenet.com.

Album Cover Design

2008-02-26T15:00:00.000-08:00

What makes a good album cover design? Is it the graphics, the photographs, the layout or the text? Whatever it is, the visual impact is what these elements try to consider. Excellent graphics, well-conceptualized layout design, superb photographs, and readable text, especially with the lyrics of the songs, if included, all make up an album not only worth buying but worth keeping as well. The trouble with most manufacturers today is that too little space is given to the designer for his album art. Many times, musicians are so involved with the designing process that the artist is not free enough to create. Winning their trust, which take some time, is what album artists usually do so they could create, invent, and discover original ways of expression in this popular medium.

Results of intervention into the cd and DVD cover designs by musicians or big record labels are relative. In some cases, they produce bad results. In other cases, they prove to devastate the artistic integrity and ingenuity of the album cover designer. This may sound like an exaggeration, but it has long been established that artists, in this case album artists, must have the freedom to exercise his or her aesthetic discrimination. This is not to say that album cover designers must deviate from what the record label or recording artist wants. It would certainly be bad for business. But "artistic space" or the freedom required of DVD or CD designer for artistic self-expression.

Since most musicians are concerned about the entire outcome of the album, it would be wise for the artist to consult with them from time to time. Contrary to what most people think, this saves more time and effort than actually producing something that in the end will not be approved by the record label or musician. Most of the time, musicians are just vocal of the design they want for the album cover to create a thematic mood for the album. As an artist, the cd or DVD cover designer must build concepts around a certain theme. And a good, logical basis for a design theme would be the content of the album. No one could explain the concept of the album's songs except the singer. Thus, a collaboration is always welcome.

This, in turn, affects the working relationship because compromising your original design would be tainted by the musician's or record label's. This is the concern of most album artists, as already mentioned above. The challenge is to create a design that is a consensus between designer and musician. Does the musician want that his or her songs would be included in the lyrics? Which photographs would jive with the theme of the entire album? What mood should be generated in light of the mood achieved in the songs? By answering questions like these, creativity can be directed to something that will please the record label-client and even artist itself. Themes can be a good starting in designing an album. And of course, because a musician who has an obvious bias to his work, he would certainly approve of a design tailored after the album content itself.

By Adrian Larsen. More than just free download of the latest CD covers and DVD covers. album art .

The Not So Tech Savvy Musician

2008-02-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

You are a musician, right? Not a computer geek. I know you want to bust on to the online music promotion scene but you don’t know where to start. It is tough because you know lyrics and sound, not megabytes and gigabytes. But that is o.k., you still have hopes of succeeding with your independent music promotion dream.

Everyone knows that there is money to be made online, especially musicians and artists. The problem is for most people is that they don’t know how to build a site, design a site, maintain a site and most importantly everything else that goes along with online music promotion on the internet. Not to mention placing streaming video, slideshows and MP3s on your website.

But there is no need to worry, you are not going to have to spend thousands on hiring someone to do this for you. You can learn how to do it yourself and save yourself tons of money. You don’t have to be super technologically savvy to achieve any of the above mentioned things. Fortunately, there are music promotion resources for people just like you that will guide you along the way.

If you already have your website up and running, then you are off to a good start. There are going to be a few more things you must do to incorporate the must-haves into your site. First you are going to have to know how to use streaming audio and media. Streaming audio allows you to add music to your site for your fans to enjoy. The same concept applies to the streaming video. Your independent music promotion will skyrocket once these features are added.

There are five simple steps to follow when setting up audio files on your site. First, set up the recording hardware. Then record the material as a .WAV file. Next, remove any background noise, especially if you were recording live. Then, compress the file into MP3 format. And lastly, post it on your page! Not as hard as you imagined, right?

Streaming video is your next step online music promotion and your website. Streaming video is a sequence of moving images that are sent in compressed form over the Internet and displayed by the viewer as they arrive. First you will need the appropriate software, which is up to you to choose. Create a video file in media format, upload the file to the server and then embed the video into the site using an HTML tag.

Both of these music promotion resources are simple to incorporate into your site. There are many other possibilities for improvement when it comes to your site. Do some research. Get in contact with someone of some products that will aid you in the learning process of online music promotion and you should do great!

Ty Cohen, the online music industry's most recognizable voice is the former owner of a successful independent record label, current owner of Platinum Millennium publishing and nation-wide music industry seminar speaker and panelist. He is also the author and creator of over 40 best-selling music business books, reports, courses, audio products and other music industry "How to" resources, that have helped tens of thousands of individuals like you to successfully find their way in the music business. Visit http://www.SellMusicOnlineLikeCrazy.com for more information on online music promotion, music promotion resources and independent music promotion.

Promote Your Music Band Yourself By Increasing MySpace Plays And Get More Fans, Gigs, And Get Signed

2008-02-17T18:00:00.000-08:00

Having a consistent and deliberate music promotional and marketing campaign is probably the most important thing you can do to increase the odds of your band or artist being recognized and successful.

Myspace music promotion and online music marketing is the key to any band and artists success. If your looking to promote your band or artist and get your Myspace music player to have a higher song play count and major label type music promotion you have many more opportunities available today than could of been imagined just a few years ago.

Increase your myspace song plays and views using a do it yourself Myspace Plays increaser software to have total control of your music promotion for your band or artist.

If you're an artist or band, music promotion is a area of you must focus on.

Creating great music is crucial, but the music business is just that... a "business". The competion for potential fans is greater today than ever before. Promotion is the key to the success of any aspiring artist or band.

Talent will get you noticed, but promotion is what sells CD's, digital downloads, gets you loyal fans and gets people to your shows.

Hiring a professional promoter can help jump-start your career. There are also services like TuneBoom Pro that will handle certain key areas such as Myspace Promotion. This is perfect as you might find taking care of your own promotion does not leave you enough time to actually be the artist. And for those that do have the time they even offer software to help you do it yourself.

Whether you use a myspace plays and views increaser software or a service to do it for you make sure that they have many "promotion packages" for aspiring indie artists and also experience working with many major artist's, labels and managers.

if you've already recorded your music and offer your music as a digital download or CD, and if you're ready to perform live on a regular basis it is crucial that you take a proactive role in your music promotion. Use them to increase and get more myspace music and video plays and promote your page so new fans will find you.

How do you get exposure to the largest audience on a reasonable budget? Myspace music promotion is the most effective tool a band can use to get a viral buzz started. By building up your Fans/Friends and having a active Myspace music player you will have a greater chance of getting noticed and standing out from the crowd.

It is important that potential fans and important music executives and venue booking agents do not come to your page and see a low myspace music player play count or they will get the impression that you do not have many fans and that you are not marketable.

Also make sure to keep all your fans informed of your performance schedule and other band info by using the "bulletin" feature and the section to post your upcoming shows.

This is a exciting time for the indie artist and band. You now have the exact same tools available to you that the todays top artist and major labels use..In fact by using TuneBoom Pro you are using the same service and company they use and they also offer new affordable promotional packages.

Get your artist and band noticed now by using these exciting proven promotional strategies and packages.

Things to look for in any myspace music plays and views increaser software or music promotional service include get myspace plays, get more plays, myspace music player, Increase myspace music plays, increase myspace plays, myspace friend adder, increase myspace plays, Band Promotion, Myspace Promotion, Promote my band, myspace mp3 increase, mp3 plays, Boost Myspace music plays, Get more Play.

If you focus on achieving all the above you will have a strong opportunity to get more fans to notice you as well and venues to book you and important music executives and insiders. If your looking to get attention and get noticed and signed by a record label these strategies are your tools to getting you to stand out.

About The Author-- Clive Calvin and Comnexis has just published a brand new book by a famous music executive directly involved in over 653 Platinum Records! Everything needed to succeed is here. Learn EXACTLY the same strategies used by Todays Top Superstars at: http://TuneBoomPro.com

CD Replication: An Affordable Way to Get Your Voice Heard

2008-02-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

Whether you're a motivational speaker in search of an audience, a musician in search of a recording label, or a company in search of customers, using CDs or DVDs is an extremely effective means of communicating your message. Marketing and advertising professionals understand the power of audio and video to leave a lasting impression, and frequently insert CDs or DVDs into mass mailings, magazine polybags, and press kits. They know something that those who are just making a name for themselves aren't aware of: CD duplication and DVD replication isn't as expensive as it might seem.

Whether you're putting together your own press mailing, developing a demo CD to send to movers and shakers, wish to sell video of your performance, or want to showcase your products and services, you can add an extra touch of professionalism by working with a company that specializes in CD and DVD duplication. When it comes to cost, it works like other forms of printing: the higher the quantity, the lower the per-piece price.

For example, if you want to produce a CD in a printed cardboard sleeve, you could get 1,000 made for about a dollar a piece. Up the quantity to 10,000, and the price drops to around 56 cents a piece. This price typically includes replicated discs with full-color offset or silkscreen printing, a printed cardboard sleeve, insertion, and shrinkwrap.

Bulk quantities of CDs and DVDs are even less expensive. One thousand CDs run only about 45 cents each, while DVDs are priced as low as $650 per thousand, or 65 cents per DVD. As for packaging, a printed paper sleeve adds only about seven cents per CD or DVD, while a jewel case is about 20 cents per case.

DVD box packaging is also an option at around $1.20 per DVD for 1,000, and about 67 cents per piece for 10,000. This kind of replication and packaging typically includes printing, a full-color case wrap, assembly, and overwrap. A top spine label generally costs a few cents more.

If you're planning to do a mailing, you can use a CD replication service that will duplicate your CD, then insert it into a cardboard mailer and shrinkwrap it. Pricing for the replicated discs and mailers runs about $1.60 each for 1,000, or about 50 cents each for 10,000.

If you want to go the extra step and take advantage of cutting-edge technology, the best DVD and CD duplication services have products like FlexDVD, which is a DVD that can bend without snapping or cracking. This is perfect for cover mounting and mass mailings. Another new and intriguing technology is called "Rub 'n Smell," whereby a scent is embedded into a varnish that covers the printed side of the disc and is activated when the recipient rubs the disc's label. Now, that's the sweet smell of success!

The bottom line, though, is that whether you're marketing yourself or your business, you can take advantage of the same techniques that huge marketing firms use - without breaking the bank.

Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource web site at: http://www.majon.com

To learn more about subjects like CD Replication please visit the web site at: http://cddigitalcard.com

For more information and informative related articles and links about this subject matter and content, please visit Majon's Business and Entrepreneurs directory: http://www.majon.com/directory/Business_and_Entrepreneurs

How to Get Free Music Promotion

2008-02-07T19:01:00.001-08:00

How The IPOD Changed The Industry

2008-02-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

Music fans have celebrated ever since IPOD was released. It does not just give them music on the go but plenty of flexibility.

Owning an IPOD means unlimited digital music to fill your soul. You can fill it with songs from CDs you own, from online music sites that offer free downloads or exchanges, and from Apples own innovation iTunes for as little as 99cents. A music lover can pay for just one song that he likes and does not have to purchase a whole CD.

And since IPOD supports MP3 a person can purchase songs from a consumer friendly store like MP3tunes.com. But the battle that rages in the music industry is about copyright protection and loss of revenue. The question is whether the music industry should move forward and allow consumers to transfer music to portable devices without restrictions.

The design of the IPOD is such that it promotes legal purchase and downloading of music around the globe. In three years IPOD owners have purchased 1 billion songs from iTunes stores world over.

It is not just consumers who benefit. Artists can choose to distribute their music world wide through iTunes. Any artist who has not signed a contract with a major or independent record label can present their music to the world by approaching Apple affiliates like iFanz.com or CCBABY.com. The artist stands to gain as he or she will get 91% of the income.

The IPOD can be used for more than music. IPODs can contain orientation material for freshmen entering college; students can use IPODs to download academic course material, notes, as well as audio books.

IPODs are for people on the move; you can store music as well as videos and take off. If you own CDs you can load them onto the IPOD or use music from iTunes or other internet sites. The music is pure, does not skip, and it is yours.

IPODs have changed the rules of the music industry. Digital technology has taken music forward but has also created problems with enforcement of copyright and generation of revenues. There are problems of music swapping, free downloads, piracy, and CDs being borrowed from libraries and burned or copied for use on IPODS and computers.

The future seems unrestricted and gurus predict that giants like Amazon.com will launch by end 2006 digital distribution of music and movies. With the boom of the World Wide Web, experts expect the online music industry to show unprecedented growth in the next 4-5 years. The internet is a key distribution point for music and music downloads and subscription services are expected to exceed sales of CDs. PricewaterhouseCoopers estimate that digital music will account for over 40% of US music sales in five years.

So, while IPODs and the new avatar that music has taken will be sweet to music lovers and buyers it is definitely sour or a threat to many giants of the music world. Sadly big players in the music business viewed the World Wide Web as an arch enemy. And now thanks to the success of IPOD and iTunes, the industry is acknowledging that music buffs will pay for legal music online.

IPODs have revolutionized music and literally the industry has changed “tracks.”

Chris Young is a freelance writer for www.1866Shopping.com , the premier website to find online shopping directory, online shopping and outlet shopping, retail shopping stores, discount shopping, shopping offers and more. He also freelances for the premier Search site www.Bavoo.com

Why Music Podcasts Are Exploding In Popularity

2008-02-01T14:17:00.000-08:00

The Internet has become a very popular for a way of getting music. Many people go online to find songs to download for their phones, or iPods, or MP3 players, or even to make their own CD mixes. The Internet has become an easy way for people to access a lot of music from home.

Podcasts are another way people are sharing their music over the Internet. Podcasts allow musicians to share their music with others. Most times these musicians are small independent groups who are trying to gain publicity and get a larger fan base. This is a great way for these musicians to get their music out there, and hopefully get noticed by the music industry.

Fans also love these Podcasts. The Podcasts allow the musicians and fans to have a closer connection with each other. Fans can give the musicians their feedback on their music. This is also a great way for the musicians to get a better idea of what their fans truly want from them. The musician may get a lot of requests for the same thing, and can know change what ever he needs to in order to make his fans happy. This also allows the musician to gain a loyal fan base.

Fans can get on these Podcasts and listen to music from their favorite musicians. You can listen to music before you go out and buy the whole CD. This is also a great way for the musicians to gain interest in their new releases before they come out in stores.

Musicians are not the only ones who can benefit from Podcasts. DJs are also benefiting from this. They can Podcast their own mixes and get some publicity as well, although, most of these DJs play Podcasts just for the love of it.

Podcasts will probably soon become subscription based just like the other places you can download music from. This will allow musicians to start charging a fee for their feeds. This should not be a problem as long as the musicians keep updating their music with new songs for their listeners. There are some non music groups that have already said they would Podcast their files if it became subscription based.

If you are a music lover this is a great way for you to stay connected even more. You can get online and sample new music, and even find a new band that you might really like. You never know what you will find and what you might like. You may find a new band that peaks your interest. You can even give your feedback and have a close connection with your newfound band of liking. The Podcast benefit the musicians and fans alike, what a great combination.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as digital music downloads at http://www.digitalmusicdownloadstore.com

The Death of the Music Industry in 2008

2008-01-25T12:16:00.000-08:00

The music business as we know it is dying a fast death and gone are those days of pressing up and selling CDs. That's bad news for those still playing the same old music game but definitely not bad news for those artists and labels willing to ride the new wave. But all is not lost with the music industry.

Emerging trends in online marketing and social media optimization has created new opportunities to market to a larger audience. Those who survive will see the need to step outside of the traditional label relationship and be more cost effective while still being able to make money and have longevity in the business. Those who fail will continue to do what they've been doing. Nevertheless, there are some hot new trends to jump start any music promotion campaign in 2008.

8 MUSIC PROMOTION TRENDS FOR 2008

Viral Videos: We saw what it did for Soulja Boy. Imagine what a little creativity could do in your online promotions.

Digital Sales: It's killed CD sales but created new sales opportunities (i.e. ringtones, mobile marketing, etc). Combine your digital sales with your Myspace, Facebook, & social media marketing strategy.

Free Music: It's not completely free but funded by advertisers and sponsors. Heard of RCRD LBL or Spiral Frog? Find out how Puma & other advertisers are helping their artists promote their songs.

Online PR: Print media is always a great source of publicity but notice how magazines are shrinking in size and becoming less content & way too much ads. Besides, online PR gets your message out quicker and to a larger audience.

Blog, Blog, & Blog: Besides being a great tool to stay in touch with your audience, blogging also helps to optimize your search engine rank.

Guerilla Marketing: Nothing beats in your face marketing that you can't seem to avoid.

Control at the Hands of Your Audience: It worked for Radiohead when they let their fans name the price of their CD. It could work for you.

New media technologies: Myspace, Facebook, Ning, Bebo, Joost TV, Goodstorm Mixtapes. Need I say more.

Request the extensive version of this report by contacting Fabiola@NYLAEntertainmentGroup.com

By Fabiola F Fleuranvil

Tips and Strategies On MySpace Music Marketing, Promotion And Online Branding For Artists

2008-01-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

Now that you created your profile page on MySpace, how do you make sure people see it?

In order to promote your music, uploading songs, providing a bio or band history, uploading photos and video of your band playing or rehearsing, and joining various forums are all great ways to promote your music. But what about those people who are new to MySpace? Or those who don't read forums or blogs? What about record producers who don't have time to sift through hundreds of pages looking for their next big recording star? Making it easy to find your page will help you build a fan base and get noticed by labels. The tips listed below are ways you can market your page.

Tip#1: Links are important

Linking your page to other musician pages and to your web site will help to drive traffic to your profile page. The music community on MySpace is filled with musicians who are into making different types of music. Hooking up with some musicians and swapping links is a good way to expand your marketing net.

Record labels love to find two or three bands at a time in order to save money and minimize search efforts. If they find a band they like, they will also check out who is linked to the page. By helping out fellow musicians, you will be doing yourself a big favor as well.

Tip#2: Selling merchandise on MySpace

Since MySpace now allows you to sell CD 's and other promotional items on the site, this is a great opportunity to get your music noticed. Printed t-shirts, hats, mouse pads, and other merchandise can be printed up quickly and sold in order to build your fan base and advertise at the same time. If you have some cool stuff to sell, then you will build a reputation. More people will visit your page to see new items offered.

You can also partner with other musicians and sell items together if you choose. Cross-marketing with musicians of a different genre will allow you to tap into new markets. Most people enjoy a few different types of music. Appealing to different genres of music lovers will help build a strong, but mixed fan base.

Tip#3: Add keywords to your profile page

Specific keywords that demonstrate which genre your music belongs to, famous artists you sound like or admire, or a list of songs you upload can help get your page noticed by those conducting MySpace music searches. When people are in the mood to listen to different types of music, they usually conduct a search to find artists that match what they are looking for. Keywords allow your page to come up during searches.
Tip#4: Meeting new friends

Another way to increase traffic to your site is to meet others on MySpace. These can be musicians, music fans, tech junkies, or others that are interested in the music industry. Adding friends to your profile page will increase your exposure while increasing curiosity by those who are surfing the MySpace site. Pages that are popular will be looked at more often by others.

Increasing traffic to your profile page is crucial to your success on MySpace. While there are others way to market your music, the tips mentioned above are quick and easy to use. Getting your page out there will allow you to create a fan base and get you noticed by record labels.

Clive Calvin and Comnexis has just published a brand new book by a famous music executive directly involved in over 653 Platinum Records! Everything needed to succeed is here. Learn EXACTLY the same strategies used by Todays Top Superstars at: http://MySpaceMusicProfitMonster.com

Three Basics for Success in the Music Industry

2008-01-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

The music industry is full of talent that may never find success. It is unfortunate that it may take years to get a record deal, even if you're awesome! And in the independent music world, it still takes hard work to succeed, even with the increased amount of opportunities for this group. The moral of the story is, "don't put all your eggs in one basket." Basically, you have to really know your stuff, network with music contacts and know your goals. You don't want to end blending in with the rest of the music industry hopefuls that don't succeed.

Let 's be honest, we all know that too many demos and press kits end up in the trash. So, try stepping away from the idea of a record deal being your only way to success. The music industry is moving out of the traditional brick and mortar and into the digital realm. Independent music artists are finding more and more ways to get there music out of their sheds and into everyone 's iPod. Up and coming artists looking for play time will get their name out there not by sending out hundreds of demos, but by getting their face and name on the web, getting their music played for the people who will listen, and building up a huge fan base.

When you have been at it for years or if you are just starting out, forget fame and fortune for a second, and get down the basics of the music industry:

1. Literally, you have got to know your stuff:
If you're truly devoted to making it in the music industry, then be committed to your music first. Practice and master your craft because we all know there is always room for improvement. This is the most practical yet significant recommendation you'll ever get. If you want to make a lasting impact and develop a steady, long term music industry career you should take the time to develop your own distinctive sound. Whether it 's your voice or your piano, you should be unsurpassed at what you do. Only hard work and devotion will get you there.

2. Be Seen!

The key is to build a fan base and the only way to do that is to play live! Don't be a snob about it either. Play anywhere and everywhere you can. Broadcast your performance schedule on your website, in local papers or through your friends and family. Music contacts in the music industry are obtained at performances and gigs.

In addition to playing live, you have to get your music heard. The radio, Internet radio, on your website, MP3s, ringtones, podcasts and web videos are all usable outlets. Take advantage of all the options out there available to independent music artists.

3. Lastly, Be Available.

Four out of five times, the first thing people do when. Find a way to connect to your website visitors. Tell stories, blog, put up pictures, schedules, freebies and anything else you can think of. Talk about what your music means or where you derive inspiration.

The bottom line really whether or not you have talent and are marketable in the music industry. Next, you have to put the time and effort into actually marketing your independent music to fans, music contacts and to anyone else who will listen. Take the time and put in the extra effort and success will come your way!

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.

New Featured Artist Blog

2008-01-23T14:09:00.000-08:00

Featured Solo Artist Keith Welch has a new blog! Be sure to check it out at http://www.myspace.com/keithrwelch.

MySpace - the most successful social network

2008-01-21T12:15:00.001-08:00

According to Alexa MySpace is on position sixth in the list of most frequented website. It is the biggest online community worldwide in front of Facebook.

MySpace was founded originally as a platform for musicians for communication with fans. Music band should be able to inform the fanx about the latest news, concerts and other events. But the site quickly turned into a communication platform for everyone. Teenagers express themselves on MySpace and grown ups can find people with similar interests and hobbies.

Each MySpace member gets a personal profile - the so called "space". This profile includes a couple of standard elements like blogs and buddy lists. There's also a comments section where friends can express their opinion and leave greetings. Every user is able to change the genereal appearance of their own profile by adding css styles. You can also enter HTML code to specific areas of the profile. You do not need to know anything about web programming - there are lots of MySpace profile pimping sites, so called MySpace Layouts websites out there. Most of these sites offer their service for free. They provide premade layouts and some of the also contain background graphics and other tools to modify a MySpace profile. Usually they provide a html code snippet. A user just has to copy the code snippet into the appropriate fields of their Space.

Most of these layouts are free and are related to a specific topic. You can find layouts for most of the famous rock and pop musicians and you also find a a lot of celebrity related layouts.

Currently MySpace has about 300 million registered users worldwide and the number increases every day. Though, the number of active members is not published.

MySpace is a great place to express yourself and find new friends or people with similar hobbies. You may also seek for potential business partners or new band members partners. MySpace is still music related but you can also include other media in your profile. Many internet websites tried to copy the concept of MySpace and start a similar service but none of them is as successful as MySpace.

Artist Bio - Keith R. Welch

2008-01-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

Keith R. Welch began playing guitar at the age of 9 and was performing with his parents** within a year on the local Utah circuit playing covers by artists such as Chuck Berry, CCR, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones.

After hearing Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads, Keith devoted all of his spare time to the guitar and would often practice eight or more hours each day. Keith played in various cover bands during and after his high school years and eventually formed his own group.

In the early 90’s Keith moved to Colorado to play the Denver club scene. In 1993 he was recruited to play Sturgis, an annual "bikers" convention in South Dakota, and returned in 1996 with the band Boss Blue as the opening act for The Jimmy Van Zant Group.

Keith was hired as a studio musician for local Colorado artist Ceaser X in early 2000, and later that year entered and won the "Prepare to Shred" contest hosted by guitar guru Marc Seal.

In 2001 he began writing and recording instrumental guitar music, playing all of the supporting instruments in the project himself.

Keith has volunteered his time and talents to local churches and non-profit organizations, playing multiple worship services and pastor's conventions along the front range and into Arizona.

Keith has gained much recognition recently as a local Colorado favorite and featured performer at the Rocky Mountain Taste Of Spring (2005) , The Big Event and Girlfriends Against Breast Cancer (2006), Jazz on the Plaza, J & R Graphics open house, 5280 Hypnotherapy Grand Opening, and Out of The Darkness walk (2007).

In late 2007 Keith released his latest all original instrumental collection on CD, State of Grace. Individual tracks are available for download in .mp3 format from Keith's MySpace site.

Keith currently resides in Littleton, Colorado where he actively composes new music from Strange New Day Productions. Keith is also accepting live and studio engagements for 2008 - 2009.

Please contact (303) 258-6610 for booking information. Tracks and info available online at http://www.myspace.com/keithrwelch.

**Keith's parents still enjoy making music together, and currently operate a successful Ebay Store from their home in Utah.