Madalyn's Music Biz Blog

How To Maximize Your Facebook "Fan" Page

2009-07-08T16:53:00.006-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

I get this all the time from musicians and music biz professionals:

"I have a Facebook 'fan' page, now what?!"

So in response to this, I have launched a brand new video tutorial,
How To Maximize Your Facebook "Fan" Page

I know in these tough times not everyone can afford one-on-one time with me and my staff, so I've been developing a series of video tutorials at a fraction of the cost.

You will learn new tips and tricks including how to easily navigate around your page, add the ReverbNation and YouTube applications, beef up your "Boxes" tab using HTML and so much more!

Get more info at http://www.sn4m.com/

Please let me know if you have any questions! I'd love to hear from you.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success in the biz. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Integrated Music Marketing Campaign

2009-07-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

as explained by Mike King of Berkleemusic

This video has been circulating all over the Internet lately even though it was created a few years back. The info still hold trues today. You need to integrate your music marketing campaign. As a DIY indie artist, the brief video will give you valuable insight on how to break ahead.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Berkleemusic

Maximizing Your Marketing Dollar as an Independent Artist

2009-07-06T14:38:00.002-05:00

Madalyn's Note: this video offers up some great advice. Check it out!

In this http://www.artistshousemusic.org interview, Corey Webb and Leo Larkpor of MogulTunes discuss why an independent artist can't hope to compete on an even footing with major labels that might spend millions promoting an album, and how to research and overhaul your marketing efforts to maximize the bang you get for your buck.

GoGirls Interview with Laura Payne of Rhythm and the Method

2009-07-01T17:28:00.018-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

What drives your music? When did you first know you had to do this thing called music or bust?

For me personally, music saved my life in many ways. It is my anti-depressant, my best high, my love, my family. I simply can't live without it. :) For the rest of Rhythm and the Method, the love of music is very strong in each and every band members, especially the lead singer/songwriter Rhythm Turner. Music and creativity just seeps from her pores! Rhythm and the Method is driven by the following belief and mission:

The music we create is meant to awaken human beings to the realization that they themselves hold the key to unlocking their highest potential; that they, as all of us, are living during this certain time, under these certain circumstances, for a very profound reason: We all have deep, individual missions to fulfill in this life. Rhythm and the Method knows that our mission allows us to tap into our own limitless potential through our gifts of song and word. These gifts can (and will) change the world. Political struggle, social change, environmental awareness, and overcoming internal strife: These are topics often exemplified by Rhythm and the Method's poetically passionate lyrics. They signify the desire to contribute to the propagation of positive thinking, peaceful resolution, and the enlightenment of human beings as a whole in this lifetime.

Describe your music style and name three musicians you have been inspired by and why.

Rhythm and the Method's style is rock/blues/folk/funk/indie (in that order ;). So many artists/musicians which have inspired us all, here are a few that come to mind:

- Johnette Napolitano: singer/songwriter/bassist extraordinaire, I saw her live with Concrete Blonde many mexican moons ago and she has continued to awe and inspire me ever since. I also get inspired by her politics and activism, which is a big part of her music & performances.

- Annie DeFranco: This is one of Rhythm Turner's biggest inspirations, for alot of the same reasons above. she's a dynamo on stage and has blazed an amazing trail for independent artists.

- Nancy Wilson: damn that girl can play some guitar! Listen to her solo acoustic stuff and be amazed. Her musicianship has been very underrated in my opinion, and she still jams it out to this day. She was the first female rock guitarist I knew of when I was a kid, and really inspired me toward learning how to play rock guitar through the realization that yes, Girls indeed can ROCK.

What's your ideal venue atmosphere?

The ideal venue is one with a good sound system with an engineer who can run it, good stage lighting, and great vibes from management, staff and patrons. Also, good food is important! It brings in the peeps and allows them to stay longer for the music :) Lastly, the venue should put in at least an equal effort to promoting your shows.

Describe how your music career has evolved since you first started performing.

I started performing in rock bands when I was 18, and been hooked on it ever since. When I first started it was mostly parties organized by friends in a central CA town. Now performing consists of live TV spots, video tapings, and playing venues anywhere from 50 to 1000+ capacity all over Southern California. Rhythm and the Method has been together just over 2 years, and we are just starting to see a noticeable up-tic in publicity and being known as one of the top bands in the area. It took consistency, hard work and promoting to build it up to this point. GoGirls music has helped us tremendously along this road by opening doors, establishing new contacts and broadening our network US wide.

How would you describe the music scene in your area?

San Diego is a great music scene! Lots of diversity in sounds & genres, there's alot of great female singer/songwriter and female-fronted bands around these days too. More than I've ever seen at a given time. We team up frequently for "female bands that rock" type of nights at our residency venues. Of course just like anywhere else, there's some politics, cliques and other obstacles to contend with. Just need ignore, or go over/around them and continue to move forward.

What was the inspiration for your latest release?

We've released one CD so far, the printed copies are sold out but the songs can be purchased/downloaded from amazon.com or itunes.com. The songs on this 6 song EP release were inspired by Rhythm Turner, from social consciousness and matters of the heart.

What do you think is number one for a musician to think about before preparing for a CD project and and do you have any tips on saving time in the studio?

Number one is practice practice practice and nail down the songs prior to recording them! :) One of the things we've learned that saves us tremendous time in the studio is to record the songs slated for your CD project during rehearsals and listen back, so you can discuss / fine-tune the arrangement and dynamics as a band.

What makes or breaks a musician just starting out in your opinion?

Attitude is everything, it doesn't matter how great you sing and/or play, if your attitude sucks no one will want to work with you and the audience will get turned off by your demeanor very quickly. In other words, check any negativity, attitude, bad vibes at the door no matter what's going on, and show up with a positive demeanor, an open mind and an open heart. This does wonders in attracting your audience and keeping your band mates happy! :)

Describe your toughest moments in your quest for a music career and tell us how you overcame them.

One of the toughest moments (and the most recent) was when our lead singer was attacked in a hate crime. It has caused us a major setback in many ways, we've had to cancel many high paying gigs and lost out on some great opportunities as a result. We are still in the process of overcoming the fall-out from this attack, mostly by the tremendous support we've received from the music community (i.e. GoGirls music members), the LGBT community, and our love and support for one another. We have no doubt that we will come through this stronger than ever!

Watch the video of Rhythm Turner talking about her hate crime experience:

What advice would you offer up and coming artists that get discouraged other than don't give up?

Hit alot of open mics to build up your name and music biz contact list! Follow up with booking at these same venues, because open mics tend to help open lots of doors. Leverage your GoGirls music network, when you go to a GoGirls chapter city, hit up the local chapter community and ask what venues/open mics and any other gogirls music related events that you can participate in. Leverage the internet via social networking tips for musicians to build your network throughout the world!

Tell us something you want the music world to know about you.

Hello music world! I've been with you since I heard my first song on the radio, I love you and I'm here to stay ;) Seriously though, if anything I'd like them to know is that my personal goal in music is to make a positive difference in the world through the gift of music, continuously grow my skills and strive to become the best female bassist on the planet. I don't know if I will ever make it there, the most important part of going after my goal is enjoying the journey itself.

What have you gotten out of being a member of the GoGirls community?

All sorts of great stuff! including but not limited to:

- Connections for female musicians from all over the place! I've met fellow GoGirls music member Sharon Hazel http://www.myspace.com/sharonhazel when starting up the local San Diego chapter and we've hit it off instantly as musicians and friends. Sharon's music is a very unique blend of jazz/funk/folk and I've experienced a whole new level of creativity in bass lines by playing in her group. Also met Holly Ransom aka Snakeoil through GoGirls music http://www.myspace.com/hersnakeoil who's voice is alot like one of my fave vocalists, Chrissie Hynde's. Playing with different artists helps me to grow my creative and improvisational skills

- Useful tips and information from the GoGirlsmusic.com website. There is so much useful content to read, written by the women who know their stuff. We should call it "GoGirls Music University" ;)

- Concalls with fellow GoGirl members: what better way to figure out your next step or to overcome an obstacle in your music career than to have a sounding board of like-minded peers from all over the US?

- The overall GoGirls Music community. As they say, it takes a village...to make it in music and with the large community of strong, independent female of musicians available through GoGirls Music there's just no stopping us now!

Check out Rhythm and the Method at www.rhythmandthemethod.com

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, GoGirlsMusic.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success in the biz. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

PLAN YOUR BAND! a must-have eBook by Peter Spellman

2009-06-23T08:16:00.012-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

I'm a big fan of really good books and eBooks on the music business. After all, we can't know it all. We must always strive to keep learning more. Peter Spellman is one of my favorite music biz authors and happens to be on the faculty at Berklee College of Music in Boston. His books are top-notch and extremely informative. One of my favorites is Plan Your Band! Sample High-Impact Band Business Plan and Music Investor Proposal All-In-One. It's a great read that will give you plenty of great ideas when it comes to planning your band's strategy for success. There are tons of resources in here too plus a sample Investor Agreement. You can't go wrong with this eBook in hand.

This eBook is a steal at only $19.95. click here for more info...

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success in the biz. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Facebook Marketing for Bands

2009-06-19T14:09:00.004-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

From time to time I come across a really valuable resource that helps you market your music on the web. I was excited to find this eBook simply called Facebook Marketing. It's geared for musicians and is filled with many useful tips on how to get the most out of Facebook.

When I read this paragraph on their web site, I was compelled to buy the eBook.

These Facebook marketing techniques come from years of experience; they aren’t screwy tips like “message your friends” or “write on their wall,” and this isn’t a flaky ebook. They are hand-picked and customized, being the most effective and efficient techniques for Facebook marketing.

I bought it and was impressed. Yes, I learned new things!

This eBook, Facebook Marketing, is a valuable investment for only $16.49. See for yourself. It's on my recommended list.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success in the biz. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Social Networks for Musicians - New Myspace Plan Announced

2009-06-18T15:48:00.025-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

I'm happy to announce that we have launched a new Myspace Promotion Plan at Social Networks for Musicians. The "value" plan was developed to assist those looking for help in managing their Myspace campaign on a tight budget. In case you are not familiar with us, we help indie artists and music businesses by offering advice and tips, set up social network sites and manage promotion campaigns. What sets us apart from the other guys is the "service" you get with SN4M. It's not a bunch of computers running things around here. It's real people (techie musicians actually) who take care of you, helping you achieve greater success with your Internet marketing.

Need Myspace Help?

Myspace Value Plan - 500 targeted friend requests per week new!
Myspace Lite Plan - 1500 targeted friend requests per week
Myspace Basic Plan - 1500 targeted friend requests + 250 comments per week

If you're on a really tight budget, our Value Plan is for you! It's only $99/month. We will consistently send targeted friend requests for you so you can focus on your music.

Need Advice?

We offer advice and tips on how to best utilize social networks (Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, ReverbNation, Blogs, etc) to your advantage when it comes to promoting and selling your music. We do this by phone + internet. Think of it as a private eClass.

Need a Facebook "Fan" Page?

We can set up any social network sites you are not currently on. We've helped lots of indie artists and music businesses set up their Facebook public profile (fan) page. We can also help set up your Myspace, Twitter, ReverbNation, Blog, etc.

What Our Clients Say...

"As an indie artist with so much on my plate, Social Network for Musicians is an invaluable resource for me." -- Nadia Fay

"The recent 'Facebooking for Musicians' online class I took was so amazing. I couldn't believe that I could look at your Facebook pages online, while you showed us how things you were talking about worked." -- Linda Kay Burk

"If you're looking to assert your presence on Myspace, generate sales AND expand your fanbase, Madalyn is the bullet train to take you there!" --Reign Lee

Get in touch today for more information. http://www.sn4m.com/

You do what you do best... create music! We do what we do best... make you look great on the Internet!

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success in the biz. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

FACEBOOK HOW TO: Find Your Public Profile Page

2009-06-17T16:18:00.007-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

As you know, in addition to blogging and being the fearless leader of the GoGirls, I'm also a Social Media Consultant at Social Networks for Musicians. In my dealings with people and discussing social media it's interesting how many have said they are not sure how to find their Facebook public profile. They know they set one up but can't figure out how to get back to it.

If you know me well enough, you know that I'm all about helping my peeps. So today I thought I would create a brief "how to" video showing you two ways you can easily get to your public page, also known as your "fan" page.

I hope you find this helpful! And while you're at it, be sure to check out our Social Networks for Musicians public profile on Facebook.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success in the biz. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

Where Have All My Blog Posts Gone? Blame Twitter!

2009-06-12T16:18:00.008-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

I know, I'm baffled. You're baffled. Where are my blog posts? I was blogging pretty regularly there for quite awhile - about 5 days a week. Well I'll tell ya. It's Twitter's fault!

Yes... Twitter.

See I stay on top of things via Twitter. I read posts and RT ("retweet") them. That's Twitter talk for reposting or resending someone else's info. Yeah I'm quite the queen of passing along good info. I do read lots of blogs too. I find some really juicy articles and Tweet them. I soon realized that rather than blogging about stuff I'm simply micro-blogging it on Twitter. This is, after all, what Twitter is all about. Who really wants to read a few paragraphs about what I think on a particular subject when it's easier to read my take in 140 characters or less?

I know, I need to rethink my motives and find a balance. I do love blogging and don't plan to give it up.

What do you think about blogging vs. tweeting? Are you blogging, tweeting or both? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Pssst - be sure to check out my newest Twitter @sn4biz. I'm now offering social media consults to people outside the music business too!

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success in the biz. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

We Recommend Crystal Clear Disc, Promo and Apparel

2009-06-02T10:28:00.001-05:00

They rock! Plain and simple. You know, there are so many CD manufacturers out there but who really knows their stuff and cares about the customer? Hands down, it's Crystal Clear. Give 'em a call and see why we are happy customers! -- Madalyn Sklar

CDs – DVDs – T-SHIRTS - PROMO
Madalyn Sklar at IndieMusicCoach & GoGirlsMusic.com recommends her friends at Crystal Clear Disc, Promo, and Apparel for your CD/DVD replication, T-shirt/apparel, and other music promotional needs. Serving the regional and national independent and major label music industry for over 35 years, Crystal Clear has grown to become one of the largest, most experienced and respected replication and music promotional products companies anywhere in the country. Visit them on the web at http://www.crystalclearcds.com/gogirls or contact the head of Crystal Clear, Jim Cocke directly at 800-880-0073, ext 114 or jim@crystalclearcds.com. Be sure to let Jim know you were referred by Madalyn Sklar for great discounts and special offers!

GoGirls Interview with Pantera Saint-Montaigne

2009-06-01T15:51:00.007-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

What drives your music? When did you first know you had to do this thing called music or bust?

Strong emotions fuel my creative drive. My passion, compassion, anger and joy all connect with my need to make music. My music is a window into what’s going on in or around my life. I knew I wanted to be a musician when I was a little kid, but I didn’t know I wanted to be a singer until I was around 12 and I got my first guitar.

Describe your music style and name three (or 6) musicians you have been inspired by and why.

I live in a blended world and my musical style reflects that. My style is “Eclectic Soul” (how’s that for a new genre)! It’s soul music mixed with pop, folk and jazz musings. I dig artists like Paula Cole, Dionne Farris, Annie Lennox, Brenda Russell, Donnie Hathaway and Peter Gabriel. They are such phenomenal songwriters and listening to them inspires me to get out of my songwriting comfort zone and try new approaches.

What's your ideal venue atmosphere?

Intimate rooms, like De Badcuyp in Amsterdam, are where I love to perform my mid-tempo, groove-driven, up close and personal set. Big venues, like festivals, allow me to play higher energy tunes and bring that intimate feeling in a larger arena.

Describe how your music career has evolved since you first started performing.

I interrupted college to go sing in a Funk/rock band and went on to sing in all kinds of cover bands. It was a great experience. I learned how to handle myself on the road and eventually teamed up with some wonderful musicians and began doing originals. I worked for many years at record labels, learned a lot about the industry and eventually started my own label, Orisha Records, to release my own material. I’ve been blessed to have songs featured in a movie (Spike Lee), on TV (HBO) and to do voiceover work (Grand Theft Auto IV). I’ve co-written with songwriters in Germany and Holland and I absolutely love being a singer/songwriter.

How would you describe the music scene in your area?

NYC is a magnet for every kind of music in the world. It’s teeming with musicians and it can be difficult to be heard. But come across the bridge to Brooklyn and a vibrant, music community is on the rise. Lots of music venues have opened up, the Knitting Factory is even moving over.

What was the inspiration for your latest release?

The inspiration for my last album, “Yummy”, was based on the first song “Blood”, which is the story of my family’s evolution. Something very personal, yet universal, which is always the challenge in songwriting. The desire to record and release this song kept me focused on the project. The other songs on the album continued in that vein, they are songs that needed/wanted to be written.

What do you think is number one for a musician to think about before preparing for a CD project and do you have any tips on saving time in the studio?

Artistically, be ready to speak your truth, don’t hide what is unique about your music and don’t waste time comparing yourself to what’s already out there. Then, before you set foot in the studio, practice your singing, rehearse with the musicians and develop a production plan. The biggest money/time killer in the studio is being unprepared. I like to do as much pre-production in my home studio then I bump up to a big studio for vocals, overdubs and mixing.

What makes or breaks a musician just starting out in your opinion?

Professionalism and graciousness will get you far in any situation. Music is no different. Be on time, be prepared, be open to change, check your attitude before you go through the door and don’t forget to say thank you. Sounds like what your mama used to say.

Describe your toughest moments in your quest for a music career and tell us how you overcame them.

Making the transition to a performing songwriter has been challenging. It’s hard to play live shows in a market that doesn’t seem to place a high value on musicians. Too many venues want you to “pass the hat” instead of paying a working wage. It’s extremely expensive to pay my musicians, so I don’t play a lot of full band shows. When I play overseas it’s a different story. Music, and the people who play it, are valued and paid decently.

What advice would you offer up and coming artists that get discouraged other than don't give up?

Feeling discouraged will pass. It always does. In the meantime don’t lose your sense of humor. There are days when I feel like throwing my music gear out of the window, packing my suitcase and going off to join the circus. So, I’ve learned to allow myself a “pity-party”, which is a couple of hours to call my friends and bitch about what’s wrong in my career, my life, the world …whatever! By the time I’m finished hating-on-folks, I have to start laughing myself and usually decide that the circus gig would probably suck – they have to get up too early in the morning.

Tell us something you want the music world to know about you.

Ok, here’s the thing. If there’s anything you need to know about me, just listen to my songs. It’s all there and so am I.

What have you gotten out of being a member of the GoGirls community?

I’ve met some amazing people by being a GoGirls member. I participated in one of the Mastermind groups and still keep in touch with some of the ladies.
Having a music career is all about relationships. I found people that I can vibe with, hang with and grow with. It’s a beautiful thing.

Check out Pantera at http://www.panterasaint.com

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, GoGirlsMusic.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

Facebook’s New App Directory

2009-05-21T08:17:00.000-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

As you know, Facebook is almost always changing and updating their site. It's in constant flux which is a good thing because they are making it better for us, the user.

The latest is their new App Directory. TechCrunch posted a great article about it. Check it out here and let me know what you think.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

New iPhone App: AudioBoo

2009-05-20T08:44:00.010-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

So you know I love my iPhone. I threw out my Blackberry in favor of this amazing Apple device well over a year ago. And yes, I've never looked back.

I'm always finding new and interesting applications to try out and my latest is super cool so I wanted to share. Enter AudioBoo, a simple and easy way to post audio quickly on the Internet via their web site. I can also link it up on my Twitter and Facebook pages. You can do up to 3 minutes of audio so it's more of an on-the-go, short and to the point application much like Twitter with its 140 character limit. Since we are now living in a "give-it-to-me-now" world, the AudioBoo app is a perfect fit.

I envision using this when I'm out at music events and conferences, reporting "live" and even conducting brief "on-the-fly" interviews. The quality of the recording is superb. I give it a huge thumbs up!!

I have two profiles set up:
http://audioboo.fm/profile/gogirls
http://audioboo.fm/profile/SN4M

Also check out this demo on how it works:

Walking through Audioboo from Mark Rock on Vimeo.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

GoGirls Interview with Kathy & Tracy of South85

2009-05-14T14:43:00.009-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

What drives your music? When did you first know you had to do this thing called music or bust?

When Tracy and I first formed our band South85, we were already good friends. We shared the same passion and drive for music. We both wanted to help and inspire others. Making music and performing is not all about the glitz for us. Our aim is not to get our picture on the front of People magazine (though we wouldn’t turn it down or the cover of Rolling Stone!!) We love making people smile and having them be a part of the fun. Once we started out, we knew it was meant to be because it consumed us!

Describe your music style and name three musicians you have been inspired by and why.

Our style is country rock. Tracy has an excellent full country vocal, but we like to rock out onstage too! We love outlaw country artists like Waylon, Loretta, and Willie Nelson for their rebellious writing and standing up for what they felt country music should be and also what they believed in. Kathy loves alternative artists like Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams who paint different pictures in your mind and can give music a surprising twist to the ear.

What's your ideal venue atmosphere?

We enjoy outdoor settings a lot like amphitheaters and festivals. We love places like this where we can closely interact with our fans and be accessible to them!

Describe how your music career has evolved since you first started performing.

Well, we didn’t expect to have things take off so well as they have already! We’ve been together for three years and in that time a lot has changed. We’ve grown as musicians in how we play, sing, and entertain as well as become a lot more professional onstage. We’ve tried to take on specifics like watching other performers to see what they do, especially when it comes to audience participation – most importantly making sure they have a great time! We never thought within three years we’d open for big acts like Little Texas!

How would you describe the music scene in your area?

Spartanburg, SC has produced some truly great undiscovered talent – many people know about The Marshall Tucker Band that is based here, but also groups that have spawned lately like The Belleville Outfit, the Watts, Shane Pruitt and more. Fayssoux Mclean calls Spartanburg home and frequently still plays out with Brandon Turner. “Sparkle City” is an undiscovered gem, but it may not stay that way for long with all this talent!

What was the inspiration for your latest release?

Our debut CD El Camino encompassed a lot of the independent cowgirl attitude that we share. We hope a lot of females can relate to it, but in general we wanted everyone to experience a full range of emotions from laughs to serious reflection. Kathy was most inspired on her trips to Arizona where she found her love of the desert.

What do you think is number one for a musician to think about before preparing for a CD project and and do you have any tips on saving time in the studio?

Have great songs together first. Don’t feel like you have to do everything yourself and don’t be scared to ask others, especially industry folks to help you or give you feedback. It’s always helpful to have extra tunes to pick from, and rehearse as much as you can before you get in there because it can be pricey! If you can talk to a more seasoned artist beforehand that’s great, especially if you haven’t sang or recorded in a studio a lot (it can be quite shocking to hear yourself in there the first time!). We are lucky to have our lead guitarist Mike who’s a wiz with music recording and devices. We can record a lot of our demos out beforehand with him before we even get to the studio. There are some pretty inexpensive home recording software packages available now.

What makes or breaks a musician just starting out in your opinion?

For a band, it’s probably keeping the group dynamics in check, making sure everyone is on board with the same goal, keeping the bigger picture in mind and being patient through the slow and crazy times. Many times you won’t be doing music full time as your main income so things can take a toll on you personally with all the multitasking and even stress your relationship with your significant other.

Describe your toughest moments in your quest for a music career and tell us how you overcame them.

For a full electric band it was finding capable musicians with the same professional attitude that had the same goal in mind. It takes a lot of hard work, patience, and practice. Balancing your “real job” and life until you hit the big time can be pretty stressful. It’s all about making sacrifices. You have to choose how you want to spend every bit of time in 24 hrs and prioritize your day.

What advice would you offer up and coming artists that get discouraged other than don't give up?

It truly has to be a passion in your heart, a yearning. You may ask a lot “will it ever happen?” If it’s truly meant to be, giving up won’t even be an option. Things will come together for you, but take the steps now to be ready for it – play play play for anyone who will listen, take notes from other pros, and don’t take criticism personally. Your friends and family want to see you succeed!

Tell us something you want the independent music world to know about you.

We love our fellow artists in the indie world and we think there’s exciting things to come for all of us! We want to help others out as much as we can and share our love of music.

What have you gotten out of being a member of the GoGirls community?

We’ve played with and met some fantastic artists in this community and love inspiring and supporting women in music. GoGirls is invaluable! It’s a great resource for networking, learning the biz, and making a difference. Finally, a place for us chicks who love to rock and can share that process and all that goes along with it!!! :o)

More about South85:
http://www.south85.com/
www.myspace.com/south85band
http://www.facebook.com/pages/South85/29317923712
http://twitter.com/South85

Copyright © 2009 GoGirlsMusic.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

How To Receive Twitter Posts via Text Messaging

2009-05-12T16:35:00.015-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

I put together a short video tutorial today that shows you how to easily set yourself up to receive text messages from people you want to follow on Twitter. I did this because I have people who have been following my motivational text messages via Mozes over the last few years. It dawned on me that I could accomplish this and reach a far wider audience over at Twitter.

Some time ago I set up a Twitter page where I would post motivational messages, similar to my text messages. You can check it out at http://twitter.com/motiv8r. It's been quite stagnant because I do run several other Twitter pages. And I thought, "do I really need another Twitter account?" I know, you don't have to say it. I'm very driven yet crazy all rolled in one.

Here are my other, more active Twitter pages:

* http://twitter.com/gogirlsmusic
* http://twitter.com/madalynsklar
* http://twitter.com/sn4m

Feel free to follow me on any of these.

One thing I strongly advocate is to set up a Twitter account regardless if you're ready to use it now or save for later just so you can secure your name. It would suck if another band with your name beat you to getting on Twitter first. Or if your name is common enough that you might not be able to get it.

So back to why I'm ready to start using my other Twitter account. See I've been running (yet) another dot com for years (yeah I know!), http://www.motivationformusicians.com/. For over two years now I sent out motivational text messages every Tuesday & Friday using Mozes. It's a great platform for text messaging your friends and audience. I'm a big motivator and have helped so many indie artists and music business professionals with their careers. In this process I help motivate them to succeed. It was only natural for me to do this in another format such as text messaging.

Then Twitter came along...

So lately I have been thinking about how can I better live by my motto, "working smarter not harder". When it comes to sending out these text messages why do it twice, right? I took a look at both. It's far easier to get people to follow you on Twitter. They have the option to receive your post via text message. It just started making more sense for me to move from a text only platform to Twitter's web and text platform.

I now plan to post only through Twitter. That brings me to my video. So today I thought I would create a short video on how to easily set up your mobile device to receive text messages from someone you follow on Twitter. I did it for my followers over on Mozes. But really it's for anyone who wants to know how to follow someone on Twitter via text messaging.

Here it is:

I hope you find my video tutorial useful. I have others available for viewing at http://www.youtube.com/sn4m. I would LOVE your comments, telling me what you think.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

Motivation for Musicians

2009-05-08T16:57:00.003-05:00

Need an occasional jolt?
Sign up for my motivational Twitter messages
http://twitter.com/motiv8r

Posting Photos on Facebook Could Get You Evicted?

2009-04-14T17:30:00.011-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

Have you heard the latest? In England a young couple was evicted for posting party photos on Facebook. It showed their house getting trashed. Yeah, seems they threw wild parties and the landlord found the photos on Facebook. Read more about the story here.

This is a great opportunity for me to remind you that, yes, the Internet is public domain. What you post online, especially on social networks such as Facebook and Myspace, can come back to bite you. So the next time you post your wild party photos, think about who can view them. I'm not saying don't use social networks but do keep in mind that there are ways to set privacy levels, controlling who sees what.

For Facebook I highly recommend reading, 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know. It details useful advice and will give you new insight.

Don't be paranoid, just be smart!

So a heads up to Facebook users (and social networks in general)... beware of what you post on your personal pages. Learn how to control what people see. But do share yourself with the world. Yes, people (friends and acquaintances) are interested in YOU! You may not think so, but they are. Why do you think reality shows are so popular?

On a separate note, how is your music page faring on Myspace and Facebook these days? I would love to hear your comments.

And I just posted a new video tutorial on how to add the Twitter application to your Facebook page.

Until next time...

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, Social Networks for Musicians

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

Why Can't I Follow Anymore Peeps on Twitter?

2009-04-02T13:48:00.015-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

In case you didn't know, Twitter has set in place follow limits. And you're probably saying to yourself, what does that mean? Well, I'll tell ya. In order for Twitter to keep their system from overloading (but I love the whale image when they overload!) and spammer abuse, they decided last year to place some limits on how much you can do.

If you go to I can't follow people: follow limits on Twitter's help page you will learn more about it. Click on the link for details, but I'll go ahead and fill you in.

You've hit a Twitter limit if you do one of these:

1,000 updates per day

1,000 direct messages per day

100 API requests per hour

Follow limit

Recently one of my clients hit a follow limit of 2000. That means they cannot follow anyone new until they delete some and get their following and follower numbers closer together.

Here's what I did to remedy the situation:

Remember, Twitter is an opt-in community, not a mutual one like Myspace and Facebook. It's one-way. People don't have to follow you back so it's easy to end up following more. Make it about reaching your audience who would be interested in you and follow you back.

So watch your numbers (following vs followers) and keep them close like mine above. Once you reach 2000 peeps you are following, your going to need to be at or near 2000 followers in order to move forward.

Hope this Twitter Tip was helpful! I'd love your input and any advice you'd like to share on this subject.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

GoGirls Interview with Natasha Fatale of Blister

2009-04-01T10:42:00.011-05:00

by Annette Warner

What drives your music. When did you first know you had to do this thing called music or bust?

I'm driven by a passion that's always been too strong to ignore. When I was three years old, I would sit at the piano with my sister while she practiced her piano lessons. It wasn't long before I could pick out the songs by ear. She showed me what keys the notes were and that opened the flood gates. Soon after, I began my formal training. Much to my instructor's delight, I learned at fast pace and much to his chagrin, I'd discovered Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. Later it was Stevie Wonder and Billy Preston. Dr. Prunty was very cool about letting me play what I wanted as long as I played what he wanted.

Describe your style and name three musicians you have been inspired by admire and tell us why.

My style is kickin' ass. Because I have no preference of musical style, I love it all as long as it speaks to me. I've been playing and composing for so long that every day, week, month, year, and decade hold something special for me and drives my passion. I mentioned my piano heroes from my early years, these days I lean more toward the "band" format. My favorite bands are Tad, Nirvana and my band mates, Larry Love and Dave Dred, in Blister. I love them because they ROCK! I came into this world kickin' and screamin' and I'm going out the same way!

What's your ideal venue atmosphere?

Parrrrrr-ty! I like it packed with everyone having as much fun as we are.

Describe your music career's evolvement since you first started performing? And tell us about your music scene at home.

I started as a classical pianist and retired at 28 because it just wasn't fun anymore. There was a short time doing the six string acoustic guitar thing, but it didn't last. My heart now knows true fulfillment playing bass in Blister. We started playing local gigs. Six months later we put out an EP that did very well on the internet. We had regular rotation on all the top sites for all three songs. On the strength of that EP, we made it to the semifinals of the "Best Unsigned Band" contest for Musician Magazine. Over the last years we've been listed in several tri-state music magazines "Best Of" issues. In 2000 we received a B.E.A.M. Music Grant from Jim Beam's Benefiting Emerging Artists in Music Grant Program. The next year we headlined The Jim Beam Stage of the Atlantis Music Conference in Atlanta. Since then we still make some prestigious "Best Of" lists only now it's on a an international level. We've put out 6 CD's, the last three we engineered and produced ourselves and we are currently working on a new CD. We've done three movie soundtracks and are working on our fourth as we speak. We get a big fat check every month from our music downloads, the majority sold in the Australia, England, Germany, the Netherlands and recently Japan. We also have sales in North America and South America.

The music scene is tough right now for everyone everywhere. We're based out of the Raleigh, NC area, but play more out of town concerts than local, we gotta' spread the love around. We actually get more money and respect on the road than we do here. The press in this area only write about the same bands they've been writing about for the last ten or fifteen years. They're too lazy to actually go out and look for talent. And, if it's not main stream middle of the road, you're out of luck until someone from somewhere else tells them you're good. Many of the venues here are pay to play, they're going to take the first $150 out of the door cover and you get to split what's left with the other bands or they just pay the touring bands.

Tell us about the inspiration for your latest release; what inspired the name and how has your music evolved since the first one.

Most of the time we write about the human condition. Some of the time ours, but most of the time, other's. Our latest release is called "Lipstickin' a Pig". We called it that because some of it's not real pretty and no amount of polishing is going to make it something it's not. Also, we had our difficulties getting it done. It's not easy getting the lipstick on the pig. We recorded it in 2004, the year of the pig according to the Chinese Calendar. We felt it pretty much described the CD. We got a lot of mileage out of it because of early buzz and the election thing. We are planning the official release party this summer. We delayed the release to go back into the studio to record music for the zombie western, "Fistful of Brains". We wanted to get that out of the way before touring in support of "Lipstickin' a Pig".

Our first release was a self titled EP demo called Blister. We later recorded three more songs and remixed the EP and combined them and called that one, "Moment". Next came "Live". We wanted listeners to know exactly what we sounded like at a show. After that we started recording at The Blister Compound, a huge leap for us. It takes a lot longer to make a CD this way, but it's more cost effective in the long run and we don't have to deal with other people except for mastering. Our fifth CD was "Blister VS. The Theory of Evolution" and was different from previous CD's in that "VS" was a departure from our high energy fast and loud predecessors. All three of us write and have different influences so we used "VS" as a showcase for our other material. As we prepared to record "Lipstickin' a Pig", we found out that another band we played with had recorded a show we did with them. After we took a listen, we thought there was enough material for another CD. That one is called "Alive Again". And finally, we have "Lipstickin' a Pig". Over time we've gotten better at recording and more diverse in our writing. "Blood in the Wind" is a single release for "Fistful of Brains". We had music in two previous movie by independent film maker, Christine Parker. She came to us with the idea that she wanted to do a zombie western and asked if we could write something for that period. Blister, write a cowboy song? Why not? We were very pleased to see the premier at The Ava Gardner Film Festival and "Blood in the Wind" got the opening credits. The first question of the Q & A following the movie was someone asking who wrote that first song, "It was perfect." When she said Blister, you could hear people gasp. So there seems to be no end to what we can do when inspired and we're inspired all the time.

What do you think is number one for a musician to think about before preparing for a CD project - and do you have any tips on saving time in the studio?

Number one; figure out why you're making a CD. Do you just want to be heard or do you have something to say. If you're on the clock in the studio, have your gear ready to go. I've heard stories about people changing their strings or drum heads when they get there! Have your music completely written and arranged and have yourself and other musicians rehearsed and polished, unless you're paying top dollar for a producer and he asks you change something. There can be a big difference in the end product if you haven't taken the time to find the right studio, engineer and producer. Make sure your expectations and budget are in line. You're not going to come out with a product that can compete with the big dogs if your buying a $400 demo package and, it's probably not going to be mastered. If you want radio air play or a record deal, mastering is essential. When mastering, go with a true mastering house, don't be fool with one stop shopping. Time is money, but you should be comfortable and feel that you've made an informed choice. Never mix after hours of recording, your ears will get tired. We usually only mix for a couple of hours at a time. Make sure the people you work with have good equipment and know how to use it. I know it's hard when you're new to recording, but don't get too excited about hearing yourself for the first time, it can be pretty heady. When you do mix, don't let the guy at the studio turn up the volume really loud. Bad engineers can hide a lot of crap that way. Your playback should sound good no matter the volume and you'll be better off in the long run.

What makes or breaks a musician just starting out in your opinion?

Not owning a tuner.

Your mama and your friends are going to think your great, but keep it real. Music can be a harsh mistress. You have to spend time honing your craft. No matter how long you've been doing it, there is always something new to learn or master. Be kind to other musicians, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything. Music is not a competition, there's nothing wrong with being confident in what you do, but that doesn't mean that you're better than someone else. And, just because you're not into the style that someone else plays, does not mean they suck. Different strokes for different folks. If someone has taken the time to put together a band and written songs or they do covers and they're on the stage, they've spent a great amount of time getting the gig, respect that. If you're playing with other bands, stand out front and support them. When you're done playing, stay till all the other musicians have played and support them. There's nothing worse than playing with a band and they leave and take all their fans to go out in the parking lot to hang out. Or, they leave one guy to collect the money and the rest leave with the people they brought. Don't fuck with or steal other peoples equipment, that is so not cool. And, this one is really important to me, get on the stage at the time assigned and get the fuck off when your time is up!

Describe your toughest moment in your quest for a pro music career so far and tell us how you overcame them.

Sometimes it feels like I'm beating my head against a brick wall when trying to book shows. I get really fed up with the assholes in this industry. It's hard to be professional when you're dealing with jerks, but because I am a professional, I conduct myself that way, no matter what. I just keep on keepin'. This happens all the time and I don't expect it to change so I'm still overcoming it everyday.

What kind of advice would you offer up and coming artists that get discouraged other than don't give up?

You have to find your own special niche. The music I play is not what I'd call user friendly. Not everyone likes it and I'm okay with that. If you really want to perform, you're going to have to get some thick skin. Play what you love for yourself, but play it well. There's always someone to put you down and someone that's going to think your great. Who are you making music for? Cause if it's not for yourself, you'll always be looking for validation from someone else and you'll always be disappointed.

Tell us something you want the independent music world to know about you.

I kick ass!

What can your fans expect at a show and after a show?

Blister kickin' their ass! After the show, hangin' out with the fans.

On gogirls music...

Go Girls Kick Ass!

More about Blister at:
http://www.blister.tv/
www.myspace.com/blisterusa

In addition to being the Founder, and Editor of CoffeeHouseTour.com, Annette Warner is a freelance sales Copywriter and Web Resource Developer with her own business; Awesome Webs. She also enjoys duties as a part time event planner and booking and music entertainment manager for several local festivals. She holds the position of Editor with the oldest and largest online community for Women in Music, http://www.gogirlsmusic.com/ and is the SC and NC Chapter Coordinator for the organization. She organizes and promotes the Wilmington, NC based and successful AWEsome 'Live Performance' Songwriting Competition now in it's 11th year. She is the owner of A. Warner Entertainment, a Live Entertainment Publicity Planning Agency. In short..."Some serious A'netteworking since 1995." Annette resides in Wilmington, NC with her tiny Chihuahuas, Kirby and Sofe. You can reach Annette at Awarner at coffeehousetour dot com.

Next eClass - "Facebook Fan Pages"

2009-04-01T09:44:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone, my staff and I are conducting a super cool eClass on Facebooking for Musicians. We'll teach you how to be more effective + get better results on Facebook!

"Facebook Fan Pages"
how to set-up and maintain a fan page for your band
Tuesday, April 7th @ 9pm EST / 8pm CST

Our eClass is designed specifically for those looking to increase their Facebook presence, learning new tips and tricks. We'll discuss how to set-up and utilize your "fan page" for your music. This eClass will concentrate on profile branding, wall settings and preferences plus a discussion on setting up and adding tabs, recommended applications, box arrangement and more.

Click here for details and registration info

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT OUR eCLASSES:

"The recent 'Facebooking for Musicians' online class I took was so amazing. I couldn't believe that I could look at your Facebook pages online, while you showed us how things you were talking about worked. Having the chat available to ask questions was great, too. Your discussions with Jamie Martin and Laura Marie were so down to earth and practical. I felt very encouraged. I put several things into practice soon after the class was finished. Thank you!"
-- Linda Kay Burk

"'Made me a Face Book Maverick'.....Very informative, concise, user friendly...And technologically advanced, but approachable."
-- Inky Glass

Social Networking Your Way To Music Success

2009-03-27T11:49:00.013-05:00

by Madalyn Sklar

We all know Social Networks have become quite popular and even necessary to help increase your fanbase. The music business has become a leveled playing field now thanks to sites like Myspace, Facebook and Twitter.

So today I ask you... are you utilizing social networks to your advantage?

Here is my list of SocNets:

I blog regularly, stay in touch with friends on Facebook, let people know what I'm up to on Twitter, make new friends and contacts on Facebook and LinkedIn, and show off my videos on YouTube.

What about you?

Musicians ask me all the time, "why should I blog or Twitter?" I tell them that yes, believe it or not, your fans are interested in knowing what you are up to. They want to feel connected to you and your music by getting the 411 on what you're working on, where you are at, what you like/dislike. I know, sounds like an invasion of privacy. But I'm here to tell you that social networks can and will bring your fans closer to you. If done right, it will get more people out to your shows, increase music sales and help you build a street team. It will help you gain industry contacts in all area.

But first you must get your social networks up and running. Learn how to use them. Strategize. Plan. Conquer.

So again I ask you... are you utilizing social networks to your advantage? I'd love your comments.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

Check 'NetteRadio

2009-03-12T11:08:00.001-05:00

'NetteRadio is a weekly 2-hour internet radio show that is dedicated to promoting unsigned women musicians. Hosted by Annette Conlon (from band Eden Automatic) the show broadcasts live each Wednesday night from our studios in Los Angeles, CA.

From piano to punk - it's great music by Indie Women Artists, as well as discussion of current events and upcoming showcases around the globe.

Many of our artists are members of GoGirlsMusic.com and Indiegrrl.com, SongsAlive.com, Femmuse, MusicSubmit and our artist and listener base is GLOBAL (Scotland, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Germany, Holland, UK, and of course all over the US!)

If you are a female musician or in a female fronted band and would like to be played on Nette Radio please SUBMIT YOUR MUSIC.

Check it out at http://www.netteradio.com/

Facebooking for Musicians eClass

2009-03-11T15:48:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone, my staff and I are conducting a super cool eClass on Facebooking for Musicians. We'll teach you how to be more effective + get better results on Facebook!

"Facebooking for Musicians"
Tuesday, March 24th @ 9pm EST / 8pm CST

Click here for details and registration info

Forte Notation Software

2009-03-06T12:30:00.003-06:00

Here is an interesting web site that came across my desk today, Forte Notation Software.

Here's what their web site says:

Forte creates an ideal environment for making the kind of music you've always dreamed of. It's the first music software to strike the perfect balance between infinite creativity and deceptively simple recording tools. Let your imagination soar as you compose original scores or edit existing MIDI files. Either way, Forte does the hard work for you-recording tracks as fast as you create them, and capturing changes as fast as you make them. All the while, you can watch your music-making in real-time notation on a dynamic score.

The main features of Forte are:
Notation, Sequencing, Transpose, Transpose by Instrument, MIDI In & Out, Drag & Drop Edit, Quantize, Copy, Nudge, Piano roll, Real-Time notation display and the ability to Punch Record (In / Out), Loop Record & Playback.

Other new notable features include:
Professional sound quality the support is included for plug-ins, instruments and effects. Import /Export Music XML. Export scores or selected tracks to JPEG, BMP, TGA, TIFF, EPS (PostScript), Wave and MP3.

Click here for details...

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
IndieMusicCoach
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

GoGirls Interview with Sarah Montes

2009-03-01T12:47:00.014-06:00

by Annette Warner

Entering a third decade in this independent industry with over three grand in performances under her mic, having turned down twice what would be anyone else's dream, and I do mean pick any musician, Sarah Montes, perhaps puts it best, when she says that "One needs to possess the ability to understand and work with the reality of the music business and not let it undermine their self-esteem." I believe that statement to be totally true. Can we all be as strong and confident enough with what we want to achieve to flatly refuse the fine print as necessary? Enjoy our March interview with Sarah and then go check out her tunes. She'll win you over and you'll just have another reason to feel good about yourself !
~ Annette Warner - Editor

What drives your music?
That music has the ability to evoke emotions and to touch lives; even if only for a moment. When the song I’m singing puts a smile on someone’s face or moves them for a particular reason; for me, that is the greatest joy.

When did you first know you had to do this thing called music or bust?
At 16 I was hired to sing with a casino act here in Las Vegas... the first night I performed; everything else went out the window and my life became all about the music.

What kind of advice would you offer up and coming artists that get discouraged other than don’t give up?
Be who you are and be original. Find the one thing that you do best; cultivate it and strive to continually do better... make your niche.

Describe your ideal venue.
I have performed Supper clubs to stadium arenas and I find both equally wonderful and comfortable.

Describe your music's evolvement since you first started performing?
I have run the gamete; singing and writing in every venue from Rock to Pop, Jazz, R&B to Country and finally settling back in to the Jazz arena. (It only took 20 years and 3,012 performances to figure out where I belonged. HA!)

Tell us about the inspiration for your release "Long as the day is !" What inspired the name and how has your music evolved since?

As I was writing new songs and adding them to my show, certain songs were very well received and repeatedly requested by the audiences. Those songs became Long As The Day Is. Long As The Day Is, was taken from a line in one of the songs from the CD and the rest of the story is on my CDs trivia card so you’ll have to listen to the lyrics on the CD or go to my website to find the answer. http://www.sarahmontes.com/

What do you think is number one for a musician to think about before preparing for a CD project - and do you have any tips on saving time in the studio?
Know what you expect to accomplish from recording your CD. Is it personal or commercial? If it’s commercial, I feel it’s important to have a business plan and course of action of what to do with your CD once you have it... distribution, marketing, budget etc. For years I have done an incredible amount of studio work across the country and the single most important thing you can do is to always be completely prepared; yourself, with your band, or if you are hiring studio musicians, have your music charted and a schedule set so that you maximize your studio time and dollars. If it’s not working out to your expectations, STOP... end the session and re-evaluate your position. It will save you time, dollars and heartache.

What makes or breaks a musician just starting out in your opinion?
Disappointment. One needs the ability to understand and work with the reality of the business of the music business and not let it undermine their self esteem.

Describe your toughest moment in your quest for a pro music career so far?
Turning down a major label deal; not once, but on two separate occasions. (In a contract; what one glorious line giveth…the fine print taketh away.)

Are you planning a tour and if so…where do you plan to take your music?
We are in the process of solidifying the material for the upcoming new CD release and the rest of my time is occupied with performances, writing and studio work but I am very much looking forward to performing again in the E.U.

What can your fans expect at a show?
My show has been advertised with the following... WARNING: Listeners will be subjected to refreshingly sassy Jazz; humor and quick whit that is lyrically engaging, songs that are musically expressive and well defined in character! Please listen responsibly by quenching your pallet with a savvy martini or soothing beverage of your particular fancy while also indulging in rich morsels of decadent chocolate.

On gogirls music...
I’m new to GoGirls but I am thrilled to see the camaraderie with in the GoGirls society and it’s great to have someone like Madalyn with her obvious enthusiasm and productivity as the driving force.

More about Sarah Montes at:
http://www.sarahmontes.com/
http://www.myspace.com/sarahmontes

In addition to being the Founder, and Editor of CoffeeHouseTour.com, Annette Warner is a freelance sales Copywriter and Web Resource Developer with her own business; Awesome Webs. She also enjoys duties as a part time event planner and booking and music entertainment manager for several local festivals. She holds the position of Editor with the oldest and largest online community for Women in Music, http://www.gogirlsmusic.com/ and is the SC and NC Chapter Coordinator for the organization. She organizes and promotes the Wilmington, NC based and successful AWEsome 'Live Performance' Songwriting Competition now in it's 11th year. She is the owner of A. Warner Entertainment, a Live Entertainment Publicity Planning Agency. In short..."Some serious A'netteworking since 1995." Annette resides in Wilmington, NC with her tiny Chihuahuas, Kirby and Sofe. You can reach Annette at Awarner at coffeehousetour dot com.