Volume 11 Music News Mix

TIDAL Passes 1 Million Subscribers, Announces Benefit Concert with Jay Z, Prince, Beyonce, More [hypebot]

Bruce Houghton — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 20:10:12 +0000

As the music industry goes into overdrive trying to figure out how many people are still using Apple Music now that their 90 day free trials are up, TIDAL has publicly passed milestone of its own - 1 million.

TIDAL has passed 1 million paid subscribers. Not bad for a fairly new independent streaming music service with no free tier. TIDAL officially launched just 6 months ago, but brought some subscribers from Aspiro when Jay Z bought that company for $56 million.

“Nothing real can be threatened, nothing unreal exists,” tweeted Jay Z, adding “Tidal is platinum. 1,000,000 people and counting.”

To celebrate, TIDAL is hosting and streaming a special concert in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Oct. 20th. “Let’s celebrate 10/20 Brooklyn,” he tweeted.

TIDAL X: 1020 is a huge charity concert featuring headliners Beyonce, Jay Z, Nicki Minaj, Prince, T.I., Usher, Lil Wayne, Fabolous and others alongside up-and-coming artists including Alessia Cara, Bas, Justine Skye and Flatbush Zombies.

A Beginners Guide To The True Cost Of Streaming Music [INFOGRAPHIC] [hypebot]

Bruce Houghton — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 18:00:00 +0000

If you follow the music industry press, it would be easy to decide that knowing what streaming music costs and what streaming music pays is a constantly moving target. While that's sometimes true, it is equally the case that there are constants and simple formulas to help you keep score.

While a bit simplistic, this infographic from Money Tips provides a strong beginners guide.

5 Ways To Check If Your Music Is Actually Good Enough To Release. [hypebot]

Guest Post — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 17:00:00 +0000

As it has become increasingly easy for artists to churn out music, it has also become harder to make said music stand out as anything other than mediocre. Here are some tips for how to make sure your work is truly release ready and that it will be noticed and appreciated by potential fans.

______________________________________

Guest Post by Alex Cowles of How To Self Release

[This is a guest blog post from music producer, DJ and label owner Alex Cowles. The 32-year old producer has released a number of albums and EPs on more than 20 record labels, including three of his own imprints. He has been on both sides of the artist/label table, has transformed a free net-label into a working subscription model and has performed his music all over Europe, the UK and the USA.]

Music appreciation is subjective. We all know this, and it’s one of the reasons why you can spend endless nights debating with your friends over whether the latest Flying Lotus release is really better than his production work with Thundercat or whether there is artistic merit in the Cloud Rap niche and how it might do better to integrate some of the sounds of drum & bass.

It’s rare to find someone who likes *exactly* the same kind of music as you, especially once you start delving a little deeper than “yeah, I guess I like to listen to all sorts of stuff”.

The subtle nuances between minimal tech-house and dub-techno might seem like giant genre-leaps to some, and to others it might all just sound a bit like some pebbles being chucked down an air-vent.

How much then, you might ask, can we all come to an agreement on what’s good and bad? How do we objectively measure the quality and merit of one song over another? One person’s trashy pop may be another’s ironic anthem.

It comes as something of a surprise then that one of the things I hear most commonly agreed upon across the board these days is complaints about how much mediocre music is being released.

Forums, comments sections, email threads and discussions with friends all seem to have the same undercurrent of opinion. It’s something that a fair percentage of us seem to be able to come to some sort of agreement on.

Most likely is that we’re all referring to different music unbeknown to others, but I myself have had many an agreeable chat with friends about specific labels and producers and their apparent lack of quality control over the past 5 to 10 years.

I dare say you can delve waist-deep into any genre and you’ll come across chin-strokers lamenting the days when the pioneers of the sound were experimenting and how it’s all just mediocre stuff being pumped out by the once-crucial labels, to a receptive audience already cultivated on seminal releases from 2006.

So where lies the culprit?

Is it the ease of self-release, fuelling any unique pioneering artist’s ability to get their genre-busting tracks out there without the need to court a suitable label?

Is it that the age-old adage of “it’s who you know” coming to a head with labels just sticking out their mate’s tunes in the hope that people will lap it up like they did with their older, more edgy output?

Maybe it’s just an ever rising bar being set as everyone’s access to a myriad of music increases with every cursor click.

I’d bet it’s all of the above and more.

Regardless of the reasons, it brings to the forefront one key question and issue for musicians in this day and age, and something every single artist needs to be asking themselves:

Is your music really good enough?

With an exponentially increasing amount of competition for your audience’s ears (and wallets) it’s already a challenge to get your music heard, and with a veritable quagmire of mediocre music clogging up the relevant channels, I’d urge artists to really give the question some deeper thought.

It’s no longer just a case of punting out a track after an hour or two’s work and hoping that it’ll wow someone enough to sign it, or be solid enough to get you some initial sales.

The requirement to really work on your craft and make sure you’re as good as you can be before putting your music out there is a somewhat disheartening thing to hear as a young artist. It is however, utterly essential.

This sentiment is often contradicted by “overnight success stories” (who have, unbeknown to the public, often been working for decades to get to that point) or artists like Sam Smith and his new Bond theme claiming just a 20-minute writing time. Sensationalist reportage fuelling public assumption tends to gloss over artists and their eternal slog by focusing instead on achievement and hype, or the latest celebrity “beef”.

How then, can a new, excitable artist calm their desperation to release long enough to build up a selection of tracks truly worth firing out into the ether?

I suggest the following few techniques which I had, for so long ignored, but in the last year or so have been adhering to in a (potentially futile) attempt to make sure that what I release is the absolute best it can be, and not merely “good enough”.

Listen to your work in context.

Take your mixdown or rough master and put it in a playlist or a mixtape alongside tracks that you respect. How does it stand up against your benchmarks?

How does it feel when your track drops in? Does the energy start to drag? Is there a noticeable dip in production quality? Do you think people would notice your track amidst the rest?

Give it some time.

I love this one. When I finish a track, I’ll stick it in a folder on my computer where I’ll leave it overnight.

In the morning I’ll get up and give it another listen. If it still sounds good, I’ll let it sit some more. Even just a night’s sleep can unearth some odd things you might want to fix.

A week later I’ll go back and listen again, if it’s still good - it gets left longer.

A month later, I’ll give it a listen. If I can still say after a month that I enjoy listening to it, and that it sounds great - then I’ll consider it release-worthy (at least in my eyes).

If you can still stand a track you’ve made a month or two down the line - that’s a good sign. The time away from the track should provide you with enough context to listen to it more subjectively when you do return to it.

Artists often get frustrated with music they’ve released too quickly and if you want to be able to continue to support your own music, perform it at shows, play it the radio and deal with people discovering your older stuff in 3, 5 or 10 years time - you have to be able to enthuse about all of the tracks you put out there.

Think about sending it to your musical heroes.

Assume, for a moment that you had the direct email address of your top 5 musical heroes. You knew that if you sent them this track to check, they’d definitely listen. Is it ready to go?

How do you feel about it now? Is it ready for them to check it out, or will you caveat the email with “well, it’s still in progress, so let me know where I can improve!”? How quickly will you regret sending them this track over another that you like more?

Get your mates round.

Have you got a few friends who enjoy similar music to you? Invite them round and play your tracks for them. Watch and listen to their reactions.

How do you feel as you press that play button? Do you get embarrassed? Do you mutter things like “well, I don’t know if it’s quite finished yet” or “I might actually look at sorting the drums here”? Do you get a bit of a pre-emptive cringe before the intro has finished? All good signs that when pushed, you feel like the tracks not good enough.

These sort of reactions might not surface when you’re alone, but having a small audience who are not afraid to tell you what they think will help.

Consult the internet.

As much as I feel like asking too wide an audience will always give you people who like something, and that the faceless nature of the internet means anybody will say anything to appease someone (or the opposite!), I’d suggest as a possible last resort turning to the internet for assistance.

Websites like Fluence or Audiokite can help you determine the viability of a track by getting feedback. Fluence, from a single tastemaker or person of interest (I’m on Fluence, if you feel so inclined!), and Audiokite, from a larger crowd of perhaps less relevant people.

This sort of thing could get you some interesting results, since many people will feel there’s no relationship or friendship at stake, and to give you honest, perhaps even brutal feedback is no big deal.

Honesty from your listener/s in this area is crucial, but you will also get those who likely gloss over how much you have emotionally invested in your own success, and respond with what they think you want to hear. This is the downside.

The bottom line here is that before you go sending music to labels, or starting your own imprint in order to self-release, stop and take some time out.

Consider your tracks. Try to set aside how excited you may be about your own work at the moment, and listen to them objectively. Try the exercises above, and see how you get on.

This advice and relevant exercises form part of my free “Getting Started With Self Releasing” course, which you can enroll for today here.

After taking the course, you should be much better equipped to figure out if self-releasing or starting your own small label is for you. You should also have a better understanding of how it all works, and what you can do to make sure you succeed.

The Struggle Of Selling vs. Giving Away Music [Kosha Dillz] [hypebot]

Guest Post — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 15:37:45 +0000

Here rapper Kosha Dillz discusses the pros and cons of giving music away for free, with a specific focus on how offering free music can frequently benefit an artist in other less immediate ways by building a positive relationships with fans.

Guest Post by Kosha Dillz

I am writing this article with the hopes that by giving this music away for free, I will not only experience what it is like to gain thousands of fans, but also let people hear the best music I ever made and guarantee that they will be happy. (since they are not paying) The other side of me balks at the fact that I must give away this music that I spent so much got damn money on. Why would I do such a thing? Here is a different way to go about it. Since I am trying to persuade myself to give a complete full EP away for free that I spent lots of $$$ on, I’d like to know how I will truly benefit from it $$$ in the long run through different avenues and giving it away for free as opposed to selling it online. Feel free to rip this apart, add things to it, take away and make new suggestions. This is a big deal article, because it depends on how much money we like to make!!

1) More listening experience (free and sell)- I am not sure how many albums I have sold online, but I know that it would be an amazing experience for people to come back to my show if they had my music for free. When you sell it, all the outlets you shop on can stream part of the song.

2) More social interaction online (free) - If you interact or tweet out the link to the album, you will get your album for free. This creates more of a social buzz for your album online , which could lead to Billboard Trending Tracks and other trends. Free DL for tweet via Livemixtapes is popular.

3) Future T-Shirts (free)-While on tour, I would sell 20 dollar t-shirts and give someone a free album. The shirt cost me $5 and the album would cost me around $.75 -$1.50 depending on the project. If I gave the album away, this would also be a way to lure them into purchasing the shirt.

4) Retaining information (sell, free) - Imagine you sell 1000 digital copies of your album. This is $10,000. Lets give up that scenario. Imagine if you give away 5000 copies digital for an email of each download. Now out of those 5000 emails, 50 people order physical copies ($50 x 10) and 50 buy tickets to your shows in the next two months at $5 each (50 x$5) and 10 of them order your $50 USB sticks (10 x $50) of all your albums after seeing you perform and 25 ($20x 25) of them buy t-shirts. 10 of them add video of you to their youtube channel which each have 1000+ views on your life performance of _______. But you wouldn't be able to get all those emails if none of them got it for free. You have $1650 vs the $10,000 but if 2 of those people work at a college and book you for $2,000 each at 2 schools, you are really at $5650 vs $10,000.

5) “You Never Know” Theory (sell, free) - Going back to retaining information , you never know theory is a great theory that always comes into play. If you give it away for free, you get the chance of reaching so many more people and the opportunity to create business through live performance. If someone loves the album and wants to book you, let us.

6) Pay what you want service (sell) - The option to pay what they want is always a great way to actually have it for sale as a “pay what you want” service on band camp. This leaves your true supporters an option to drop $1 or $20 for your new project.

7) What about Spotify? (Sell) - G-Eazy once had a free mix tape so popular they put it up on iTunes and it still hit #4 on the hip hop chart. Using tune core to put your album on so many different sites where you can stream your music helps it become a situation to work with these places and leave it up to stream on subscription based service. It enables you a way to engage in the new consumption process.

8) Apple Music Stream (Sell) - If you know people who have mac books, then they sure have apple music. It is a great way to digest new tunes, and by enabling it to sell there (or stream) . Imagine if they come to a show?

9) Gift Cards (sell) - Imagine if you focused marketing all on gift cards? So many kids get presents for holiday season, and shopping on iTunes is simply a habit. I love purchasing music on iTunes from a gift card, and I always have it on my phone.

10) Smiles (sell, free) - Any time I give a CD away for free at a show it literally makes someone's day. The "struggling artist" perception is thrown off and you earn a fan simply on your kind merits. Imagine if you are actually good. If you don’t sell someone a CD but try, sometimes they get turned off. (in my experience)

There must be a ton of things I am missing here. Can you let me know in the comment section. What do you prefer to do and what will help you in the long run? Please put number 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in the comment section. Let this spark a conversation!

Patreon Has Been Hacked [hypebot]

Bruce Houghton — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 15:23:58 +0000

"Yesterday I learned that there was unauthorized access to a Patreon database containing user information," Jack Conte, CEO and Co-founder of Patreon wrote users overnight. "Our engineering team has since blocked this access and taken immediate measures to prevent future breaches. I am so sorry to our creators and their patrons for this breach of trust. "

While no credit cards, social security numbers or other sensitive information were breached, a change of password is recommended.

There was unauthorized access to registered names, email addresses, posts, and some shipping addresses. Additionally, some billing addresses that were added prior to 2014 were also accessed. We do not store full credit card numbers on our servers and no credit card numbers were compromised. Although accessed, all passwords, social security numbers and tax form information remain safely encrypted. No specific action is required of you, but as a precaution we recommend that all users update their passwords on Patreon.

Read Conte's full letter here.

Choose your impact [Seth Godin]

Seth Godin — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 08:43:00 +0000

Is it that simple? Can you choose to make an impact?

Of course it is. You can choose to merely do your job, to meet spec and to follow someone else's path.

Or, you can dig in and transform your contribution. You can level up, taking advantage of the world-changing array of tools and connections our new economy is making available.

Access to tools is a small part of it. Mostly, it’s about taking control over where you go and what you do with your gifts.

The dislocations of our time are significant, the sinecures are disappearing, there is real stress and pain as the world changes. We can't control that, but we can control how we respond to it.

Those changes open the door for those that choose to stand up and learn to contribute. A chance to be put on the hook instead of let off of it.

The altMBA is a workshop designed to push you to see more clearly, speak more effectively and create change that lasts. It’s an intensive online group experience that works. You don’t have to travel, but you do have to be prepared to work hard.

When I set out to create this process, I decided to push it uphill. Not to make it easier or faster, but to make it more difficult, to have it take longer. Not to make it more digital and scalable, but to make it more handmade and require a smaller scale. Mostly, not to let people off the hook, but to create a process that would help a few people transform themselves.

This $3,000 workshop is for people who want to move up to leadership in their current organization, accelerate their indie projects and take control over their agenda. It’s designed to be the most significant lever for change we could create. This is our third session, and I can say with confidence that it's working.

You have far more potential than people realize. You have something to say, a mission to go on, a contribution that matters. I’d like to help you unlock that potential.

If you know someone who needs this sort of opportunity, I hope you'll share it with them.

There are {15} days left to apply. I’ll post {reminders} now and then over the next two weeks. I hope you’ll get a chance to check it out, but even if you don’t apply, go ahead and use this moment, right now, to make a choice.

Level up.

Guide To Improving Home Studio Acoustics [INFOGRAPHIC] [Music Think Tank]

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:04:54 +0000

There have beenLeaps and bounds in music technology over the past decade; giving the run-of-the-mill musician a new found set of applications and musical suites at their fingertips.

This has seen a sharp increase in the number of recording spaces popping up in domestic dwellings. A pair of cheap monitors, a budget microphone and some clever configuration of increasingly intuitive recording programs is the usual plan of attack for those forgoing the professional recording experience in favour of a DIY-approach.

It takes more than a random arrangement of recording equipment in a granny flat to create a studio that will actually sound good, however.

The bog-standard room has a more nuanced sound environment than one might think - with acoustic ‘modes’ and building design and integrity threatening the quality of a recording.

The infographic below from Resonics provides a guide for how a few careful considerations coupled with some decent handywork can take your humble home set-up into something just that bit better.

Click Infographic To Enlarge.

Jeremy is the head of digital content for UK-based acoustics company Resonics, who specialise in resolving acoustic issues for commercial interiors.

SUSDAT [Seth Godin]

Seth Godin — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 08:25:00 +0000

Abbey Ryan has painted a new painting every day for 8 years.

Isaac Asimov published 400 books, by typing every day.

This is post #6000 on this blog.

Writer's block is a myth, a recent invention, a cultural malady.

More important than the output, though, is the act itself. The act of doing it every day. When you commit to a practice, you will certainly have days when you don't feel like it, when you believe it's not your best work, when the muse deserts you. But, when you keep your commitment, the muse returns. When you keep your commitment, the work happens.

It doesn't matter if anyone reads it, buys it, sponsors it or shares it. It matters that you show up.

Show up, sit down and type. (Or paint).

6 Ways To Build An Engaged Audience On SoundCloud [Music Think Tank]

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 01:36:22 +0000

By Jack McCarthy, contributing writer for Soundudes

SoundCloud is a fantastic resource for your music. The platform is great for hosting music privately to send to promoters, record labels, or any stakeholders that you might hope to get involved in your musical endeavors since most interested parties do not want you to email them mp3 attachments or physical CDs. However, if you are only using SoundCloud to host and share music links you might be missing out. It serves a greater purpose as a music streaming and social giant. Here are six ways to start taking advantage of the social nature of SoundCloud and build an audience:

1. Upgrade your Account

First, let’s assume that you’ve covered the crucial basics on already having a profile for yourself or your band, and you have a professional-looking profile picture or logo as well as a solid and concise bio, and links to your website and social networks. Then, it can be well worth upgrading your account to one of the Pro options. Aside for the obvious benefits of being able to upload more music, it also gives you access to one of the most valuable tools an artist can have: data. Pro accounts give you extensive stats on where your music gets played from, which you can then use to market your music accordingly.

2. Get Exclusive

Release your next single exclusively through SoundCloud for streaming. This will allow for your followers, old and new, to listen to your songs exclusively on SoundCloud. Asking them what they think as a comment will help increase engagement, but make sure to show appreciation for whatever constructive comment you receive.

If you want a different kind of exclusive release through SoundCloud, consider getting audio recorded from one of your upcoming live shows and promote an exclusive live track or EP through the platform. Be sure to tag any music that you upload onto SoundCloud. Use both specific tags (like “glam rock” or “shoegaze”) and general keywords (such as “acoustic” or “piano”) so that listeners will be able to discover your music based on their interests. Additionally, if you decide to post a cover or a remix of another artist’s song, you will draw the attention of the other artist’s fanbase, and hopefully gain a few more fans, even though SoundCloud’s been clamping down on copyrights lately. Tactics like those will drive traffic to your profile and your fans will follow you there. With the ease of signing up via Facebook, you’ll likely find many of your fans across the internet are already signed up on SoundCloud waiting to flood your new single with listens and follow your profile.

Pro users should also draw attention to a specific track they particularly want to promote using the Spotlight feature. Spotlight allows you to pin up to five tracks or playlists to the top of your profile, so that visitors to your profile see and hear that music first, while the rest of your tracks and playlists are shown in reverse chronological order. You can use this feature to highlight your newest release, your singles, or your best songs.

3. Share on Other Platforms

Since SoundCloud is a social music streaming service, you can find ways to integrate it with your other social networks. Whenever you post music on SoundCloud, be fervent about posting it on Twitter, Facebook, and any of your other social networks that your fans are actively paying attention to you. Not only will that get your play counts up, hopefully your fans using SoundCloud will interact with you by commenting and sharing your songs on it. Don’t spam every single one of your new twitter followers with a direct message, but tweet about your track and include a link with a call to action if relevant, such as asking your followers to share the song if they like it.

4. Get Social and Engage

You are not the center of the SoundCloud universe. Like any other social network, in order to get the most out of SoundCloud you must interact with other users if you want to build an audience. Start by following other artists’ music pages. Comment on their music and repost it if you really dig it. They might just return the favor. Doing this will help you maximize your music’s exposure, build a community around your profile, and get you comfortable using the platform. A word of caution to the wise: While you may be tempted to purchase followers and plays from a third-party service to feel the some immediate satisfaction that comes with having a profile that looks busy, fake plays and followers only hurt your credibility. They cannot interact with you and they certainly cannot purchase your music, merch, or concert tickets in the long run.

Following and engaging with other artists is a great way to build up your own following as well as increase the engagement on your profile. Follow artists that you like, but also artists that are in your hometown and those that create similar music to you. They are more likely to follow you back. Whenever possible, establish a connection with them via other social networks as well, and ask them to provide feedback on your tracks.

For engaging non-musicians as well, follow followers of people that make similar music to you. By following them, you will attract their attention and indirectly introduce them to your music. In parallel, draw comments on your tracks by asking your followers from your other platforms to comment them. As an example, post a new release on your Facebook Page, and ask your followers to comment on the tracks in SoundCloud. Finally, make sure to always reply to comments by others on your songs. Ask for more information on comments wherever relevant to keep the conversation going. Others will see this activity on your tracks and will be more compelled to join in on the conversation.

5. Join a Group

Speaking of community, another way to increase your exposure on SoundCloud and build your audience is by submitting your music to the various groups on the platform. You can find the groups that similar artists belong to and submit your music to be posted on the group. Browse groups in SoundCloud’s search feature, where you can find groups in genres ranging from EDM, to Top 40, to indie rock, to old-school hip hop. Be sensible about how many tracks and how often you post to each group since these SoundCloud users don’t follow you yet (read: don’t spam), and watch as your play counts and followers increase over time.

6. Host a Podcast

If you are feeling super creative and want to bring a different kind of content to SoundCloud apart from your music, consider hosting a podcast for you or your band on the platform. SoundCloud Pro Unlimited offers an unlimited amount of space for an affordable monthly price ($15/month). A podcast is a great way for you to connect with your fans about virtually any topic that you think would be engaging. Podcasts give your fans an extra personal look into your life. If you feel like you can’t keep up with an ongoing podcast, consider a short-term podcast while you’re on the road or in the studio to share your experiences and thoughts. Your followers will appreciate even short audio updates on your happenings. Any form of verbal communication should be seen as a conversation. By asking questions to your listeners, you should incite further thoughts and comments by your followers, both from musicians and non-musicians alike.

If you’re feeling short on ideas, listen to the podcasts of other artists, musicians, or industry professionals for some inspiration on topics and formats. All Time Low’s Full Frontal radio show (which is hosted through iTunes and SoundCloud) and producer Jesse Cannon and ‘Property of Zack’ CEO Zack Zarillo’s Off The Record podcast (which is also hosted on SoundCloud) are filled with great content about music and the music industry and are great starting points for ideas.

Don’t Stop

Like any social network, building an engaged audience on SoundCloud takes creativity, effort, and time. Be positive, stay focused and don’t expect to see results overnight. Get your music on SoundCloud, interact with other users, and feel free to share the creative methods you’ve been using to grow your SoundCloud audience in the comments!

By Jack McCarthy, contributing writer for Soundudes – the intelligent solution for musicians to grow their audiences online. Soundudes’ unique targeting algorithm identifies and connects you with hundreds of real, new and relevant fans on SoundCloud every month. Fans who will love and share your music – your potential superfans.

How Much Longer Until Bands Have To Make 360 Videos? [New Rockstar Philosophy]

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 11:55:17 +0000

You’ve heard the news:

Facebook has announced that it will begin rolling out 360-degree videos… Star Wars, GoPro, Saturday Night Live are… When watching 360-videos on desktop, viewers can drag their cursor around a video to see different angles. When watching on a mobile device, viewers can either use their finger or simply turn their device. via TheDrum

So officially it’s a thing! Check out the videos below for tasty examples.
Foals

Bjork:

Of course Facebook is going hard on this. Remember when they bought Oculus Rift for billions? Yeah that is part two of their plan. Getting us used to thinking about video in a 360 way is part one.

So to answer my question of when should you be making 360 videos? Um, now. Yes, do it for your next video. How? I don’t know I’m not your father, Google it you genius. Then email me and tell me about it.

360 Videos will probably be another video fans will begin to expect from artist in the next 1-2 years. OR maybe the the whole VR thing will go down like Nintendo’s Virtual Boy.

Your thoughts?! Comment below.

IMAGE NOTICE: Man Buns Are Making You Bald [New Rockstar Philosophy]

Sun, 27 Sep 2015 23:41:04 +0000

Considering how hip man buns are, especially amongst my musician friends, I think it’s good to know about this:

Acute baldness around the forehead and temples, is a direct result of hairstyles that pull the hair over long periods of time.

“They’re putting traction on the hair follicles that the hair is not really meant to take,” Sullivan said, adding the behavior could lead to follicle death plus permanent scarring. “Traction alopecia in men is becoming more common,” she said and agreed that man buns were at least partly to blame. …via MIC

BEWARE!

The solution: Keep it loose brah.

What Goes Where? Setting Up A Recording Studio [Music Think Tank]

Sun, 27 Sep 2015 22:03:38 +0000

Your first attempt at recording a song or even just vocals at home will likely include the built in microphone and soundcard of your computer or even a webcam. It’s a confusing task to even understand what all pieces of studio gear are required, let alone how they must be connected to operate properly. Newcomers become intimidated almost immediately, but think of these factoids…

Bands Record in the Strangest Places

You’ve heard about bands like Linkin Park that will record large portions of their next album while they are in the bus on tour for the previous one. If they can do it in a moving bus, surely you can do it at home! Rappers all over the country have microphones set up in their closets and will allow their clothes to act as acoustic treatment. So it can’t be that bad, can it?

Thinking Through the Signal Path

The truth is is that it isn’t difficult at all if you can grasp one simple concept, and that is the signal path. It’s the sound moving from your mouth or instrument and into the mic and down the cables into the computer. Depending on what equipment you’ve purchased determines what other steps are in between. For instance, if you’re using a USB powered microphone, it’s going to have a built in preamplifier. You may not get killer results, but you are skipping a step. A high quality microphone, especially a tube condenser, is going to need phantom power and a preamplifier to supply it as well as boost the signal from mic-level to line-level without introducing noise.

So that tells you that you need a microphone and a preamp to record any non-digital sounds. If you’re starting with an electric guitar or synthesizer, you’ll be skipping both of those steps! So that’s your first clue, whether or not you’re starting analog or digital.

The next question is whether or not you’re going to use an external equalizer or compressor. If you are, they are up next. If you’re going to do it digitally then you can skip these steps. Simple! Assume you’re going to skip these as a newcomer or hobbyist.

All you need now is to remember that analog signals have to be converted into a digital signal, and that’s what the A/D converters do. These will be in your recording interface. As a matter of fact, it will have at least one preamplifier and a direct-in jack, so you can record with a mic or a digital instrument like a keyboard. You will, undoubtedly, buy an interface. So now we’re talking just a microphone to an interface, or a MIDI instrument straight to the interface. That’s it! It will convert your signal and move it into the computer.

Now all that is left is for you to press record in your digital audio workstation, such as Logic Pro, Pro Tools, or Fruity Loops. It’s a very simple process once you think about what has to happen. Once you’re able to work out that logic, you can hook up any level of complexity in your studio. Thinking about how to setup a recording studio for 16 microphones is the same as for one, just doing it 16 times! But as a one-man musician, you’ll rarely be hooking up more than one signal chain at a time. So don’t be scared! Use your brain, understand the components that your signal must flow through, and find out what piece of equipment solves your problem (in this place, an audio interface!).

Now get to recording! This is about art, not engineering!

MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: The Best Apps And Accessories For Music Lovers [Music Think Tank]

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 04:23:31 +0000

Emma Sturgis | Listen Anywhere: The Best Apps And Accessories For Music Lovers
Brandon Waardenburg | Are You Getting The Most From Your Current Fans?
Mark Knight | The Evolving Role of Social Media For Bands & Brands
Rachelle Wilber | 5 Rewarding Careers to Explore With a Music Degree
Gabe Schillinger | Recording Professional Quality Vocals At Home

Listen Anywhere: The Best Apps And Accessories For Music Lovers [Music Think Tank]

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 22:49:51 +0000

You use your smartphone for just about everything these days. Sending emails, playing games, connecting with old friends on social media… So why not listen to your favorite tunes while you walk the dog? But with so many apps and accessories out there, how do you know which ones will work for you? Here are a few options perfect for music lovers.

Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime is a subscription based service with tons of benefits. For $99 per year, you gain access to a mountain of benefits.

Use the free two-day shipping to order accessories like headphones or a phone case. Access thousands of Amazon Prime eligible movies and TV shows at no additional cost. Download the Amazon Music App and listen to any of over a million songs, right on your phone, tablet, smart TV, or any computer with internet access.

Amazon Prime is ripe with benefits, and offers discounted memberships for students, parents, and scheduled delivery of items you may frequently use like diapers, coffee, vitamins, and even motor oil. With so many included benefits, Amazon Prime is a smart buy for anyone who love music and wants to save money.

LifeProof Protective Cases

Safeguard your investment with a stylish, protective case by using a Discountrue LifeProof coupon code. Smart phones are expensive, and no doubt you try to take very good care of yours. Unfortunately, accidents happen. Whether you are caught in a sandstorm in the Sahara or simply fall into your neighbor’s pool, your phone will be safe inside a LifeProof case.

These cases are completely sealed so they are waterproof, dirt proof, snow proof, and drop proof. Basically, LifeProof cases are designed to be true to their name. They protect your phone from all of the things life throws at it.

With a LifeProof case, your phone is protected whether you’re listening to some classical music while studying in the library, or something a little more upbeat on your morning run. LifeProof cases let you go out and enjoy life without worrying about damaging your phone.

Skullcandy Method Ear Buds

While many smartphones come with a set of ear buds, they are not usually designed for music lovers. Whether you lost yours or just want an upgrade, Skullcandy Method ear buds are a great choice.

Designed for active music lovers, they are resistant to sweat, germs, and slippage. In addition to Supreme Sound™ technology, these ear buds also include a one-button remote and microphone so you can easily change the song or answer a call without having to mess with your phone.

Priced at around $30, these ear buds are a smart buy for anyone who loves to listen to music on their phone but doesn’t want something that is going to fall out of their ears or quit working after only a few weeks.

When it comes to apps and accessories for your smartphone, there are a multitude of choices. Don’t be tricked by a super low price, but also don’t assume that just because something is expensive that it’s the best.

Instead, look for what it going to meet your specific needs within your price range. You will be much happier with your purchase.

The New Jersey business community faces many…

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 19:46:24 +0000

The New Jersey business community faces many challenges. The Affordable Health Care Act, federal regulations, and municipal ordinances may each have an impact of a business’s bottom-line, and in some instances, their very existence. While a business owner has a tremendous amount of tasks to complete each day, it may be difficult to keep current with issues affecting New Jersey’s business environment.

Business bloggers provide a convenient source of information and opinion regarding economic issues, and if you’re not paying attention to those having the discussion you’re already late to the party. Want to keep up-to-date with NJ’s business community? Here are 10 prominent New Jersey business blogs for you to subscribe to and stay informed!

Suitable for Work offers an alternative view of the New Jersey business community. The blog is written by Tom Bergeron, an editor for NJBIZ.com, and covers a multitude of business related topics. While Bergeron seeks some more off-beat topics, every blog post is appropriate for discussion in the workplace. Some of Bergeron’s recent blogs discussed how four New Jersey companies were ranked among the top 50 companies for Latinas and how each of New Jersey’s counties rate in terms of incoming investment dollars.

Michael L. Diamond is a business writer for the Asbury Park Press and is also the author of In the Money, a blog dealing with business topics within New Jersey. Diamond has written about taking a tour of the former Bell Laboratory building and speculation of the future of the technology industries in New Jersey. Other blog entries include posts about the growth of the state’s economy in 2014 and the economic impact of Whole Foods stores in New Jersey communities.

The SBDC serves Monmouth and Ocean counties and seeks to provide business consulting services and training, research resources and certificate programs to small businesses in local towns. Their blog covers topics of interest to local entrepreneurs such as upcoming events and the use of social media for your business and emergency preparedness for companies. Some of the contributing bloggers include Pasqualina DeLucia and Christina Georgas.

Trentonian.com readers can gain a greater understanding of issues facing the small business owners of Trenton, New Jersey by reading Anwar’s Reflections, a blog that focuses on these companies. Author Anwar Salandry provides readers with a unique, personal look at the entrepreneurs of the city and discusses various aspects of the business world.

Salandry is a freelance journalist who has interviewed a number of New Jersey figures. He graduated with a BA from Rider University and later earned a master’s degree from Thomas Edison State College.

BizBlog focuses on the business environment of Northern New Jersey. Recent blog entries have discussed such topics as the impact of Whole Foods markets on local real estate values, new partner agreements between United Continental Holdings, Inc. and how major credit card companies and mortgage lenders are gearing their advertising towards women.

There are a number of business experts who contribute to BizBlog. The team includes Kathleen Lynn, who specializes in real estate and business, business reporter Richard Newman and Joan Verdon, who concentrates her writing on North Jersey’s retail industry.

Will the minimum wage be increased for New Jersey workers in 2016? Michael Diamond addresses the minimum wage issue in a blog post on myCentralJersey.com. The business section of this website highlights news and events and how they impact the local business community.

Other posts have discussed the reaction of local residents to the opening of a Quick Chek convenience store and New Jersey’s economic outlook for the next ten years. Mike Deak and Bob Makin are also contributors to myCentralJersey.com.

The Berger Law firm offers a comprehensive blog that deals with an array of business-related issues in New York and New Jersey. The firm serves business clients in both states and their blog covers such topics as business organization status, entity formation and the latest economic news. New posts are continuously posted to provide readers with the most accurate and current information.

The Business Marketing Association of New Jersey has a blog that covers many aspects that are a vital component of operating a successful business. Readers can learn about user experience design, the important role copy plays in the process of content marketing, and the similarities between marketing automation and a gym membership. The blog also has information about the Business Marketing Association’s monthly events that are either networking opportunities or educational seminars.

The New Jersey Main Street Alliance believes in enhancing small businesses throughout the state as they feel the success of these local companies is vital to the communities in which they operate. The group seeks to represent the state’s small business owners both in Trenton and Washington DC.

Their blog addresses many issues of interest to New Jersey entrepreneurs such as paid sick time for workers and the impact of such a practice on small business, the state’s response to businesses damaged by Hurricane Sandy and tax issues for businesses.

These 9 blogs should keep you in the loop about all the news and gossip surrounding New Jersey’s business community. I can hear you now – “But Eric, you promised us 10!”. Well as a shameless form of self promotion, the blog you’re reading now is a great resource to learn about evolvor.com’s upcoming digital media events that we’re launching this fall! Stay tuned for updates on events in NJ as well as other awesome content as we strive to help business owners of this great state learn how to grow their businesses through channels like search, social, email, and retargting.

Have a favorite NJ business blog that you follow? Help us add to the list by leaving a comment below.

The post Can’t Get Enough NJ Business News? Check Out These 10 Must-Read New Jersey Business Blogs appeared first on Digital Media Strategy & Training.

And Now An Evolutionary Music Documentary by Ariel Kalma [New Rockstar Philosophy]

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 02:26:17 +0000

Being in the Now while talking about the past…

“Hear Ariel talk passionately about his music and its origins. It is truly academic and spiritual without the over analytical overcast. The fact he is not as well [regarded] as Glass, Riley and Reich is beyond me. His music is a fine and meaningful contribution to the world of music and art. Free from the shackles of modern structural music hegemony.”

Ariel Kalma – An Evolutionary Music
Directed by Matthew McGuigan
From An Evolutionary Music (Original Recordings: 1972 – 1979)

GET IT. HERE.

Watch ALL 2015 Polaris Prize Performances HERE [New Rockstar Philosophy]

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 14:08:46 +0000

Performances from Yesterday’s Polaris Prize. Videos will be updated throughout the day.

Alvvays

Viet Cong

Buffy Sainte-Marie – WINNER

Drake aka

Braids

Jennifer Castle

The Full Show

Viet Cong Are Changing Their Name And Following Our 5 Tips To Do It [New Rockstar Philosophy]

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 18:18:39 +0000

Viet Cong are changing their name. After much controversy the Calgary band have decided to change it for their Polaris Prize showcase. A prestigious Canadian music award that they are favoured to win.

We wrote about the best ways to change your band a while back and it looks like Viet Cong are following our tips.

1. Have your assets ready.

By assets I mean, website, YouTube channel, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Twitter, Facebook, anything and everything that your fans are/were using to keep tabs on you should be ready for the change over. If you have a .com have it point to your new site. Have new photos with your new name everywhere. The idea is that from now on nobody will be using your old name. Give your fans the right resources to keep on being fans. Nobody likes a dead site with misinformation. Treat this like the big deal it is.

2. Get higher powers to anoint you/Use a big event. AKA POLARIS PRIZE

Hype up your name change. Use a big show to help spread the word to more people and if at all possible have a higher power make the name change feel big. By higher power I mean anyone who will reach more ears than just you telling people from the stage. Examples of a higher power: A big blog, a big radio show, a bigger artist, anyone who can reach more people is a higher power. When people hear that a higher power is cool with your name change, others will follow.

3. Let your fans know your reasons for the name change.

Your fans will be interested in the WHY? You should not only be telling them why at your shows and on the street, but remember to use the interwebs. I’m not only talking about your own Twitter and Facebook, but hit the blogs. If you’re in a band that is starting to get heat, approach a blog with an “Exclusive” to talk about your name change. Pitch the story in a way that you think will get the most readers and blogs will be into it (Email as many as it takes to get a story).

4. Keep your old pages open… for a time.

As with all changes, it will take a time for your new name to become a permanent part of your fans psyche. So keep those old pages open but make sure on every single page there is a notice pointing to the new name and how fans can now join your new places. The when you’re ready close the old sites down.

5. Have no fear.

Everyone’s going to have an opinion on your new name. A few ppl will swear by the old one, but let’s be real for a second; are your fans here for your name or your music? Obviously if they’re true fans they’re here for the music. Have no fear in changing your name. You will continue to rock and you will continue to gain new fans who will have never heard of the old name. Do you think anyone cared when The New Yardbirds changed their name to Led Zeppelin? I think not. Don’t be afraid of the haters. Your music will shine brighter than anything. Keep working hard and keep pushing your new name.

Entrepreneurs in New Jersey have access to a…

Mon, 31 Aug 2015 17:15:23 +0000

Entrepreneurs in New Jersey have access to a number of organizations dedicated to helping business owners. Experienced company owners as well those just beginning a new business venture often benefit from memberships in such organizations as they offer benefits such networking, group buying power and legislative advocacy. If you’re a business owner in NJ, here’s a list of some of the top organizations you should check out.

Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey

The Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey was established in 1927 with a goal of advocating for the business community. They have continued this goal to the present day and are currently working to eliminate estate and inheritance taxes in New Jersey, and reduce taxes and fee for the air travel industry. The group is also striving to revise methods of school funding.

The Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey realizes offering affordable, quality health insurance to employees is goal of many companies and they support a state-run health insurance exchange with practicing medical care providers and patients serving on the governing body of the exchange.

New Jersey Business and Industry Association

The New Jersey Business and Industry Association offers a great deal of benefits to their members. Members have the option of obtaining coverage from New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company. The NJM has consistently received excellent rating and pays dividends to policy holders.

Shipping costs can be reduced by taking advantage of group discounts on UPS for small packages and freight shipping with FedEx, Estes and UPS. NJBIA members can save on environmental safe office supplies by purchasing from online vendors. The group offers discounted subscriptions to RFP Watch, a searchable database that allows members to find business opportunities in New Jersey and nearby states.

New Jersey Chamber of Commerce

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce took an initiative to create Cornerstone New Jersey, an exclusive group within their organization that offers access to political leaders and features an impressive list of members from the most prominent companies in the state.

Members of Cornerstone New Jersey can receive information about legislative actions that may impact the state’s business climate. This information may be obtained before release to the general public. Cornerstone New Jersey is working along with of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce to advocate for business-conducive legislation.

Such laws and regulations not only will help existing business but will encourage other companies to consider establishing locations within the state.

New Jersey Retail Merchants Association

The retail industry is the second largest in the state of New Jersey. With this thought in mind the New Jersey Retail Merchants Association was established in the 1970’s to advocate for this vital industry. They seek to enact laws and regulations to benefit the retail industry and protect the jobs of the thousands of New Jersey residents employed in this sector.

The group is a non-profit organization that has their home base in Trenton. This location allows for greater access to state lawmakers that will facilitate their work to enhance the business climate for retailers and encourage their growth.

New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners

Businesses owned by women are increasingly growing throughout the United States and the state of New Jersey in no exception. The New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners was established in 1978 to help women establish and grow businesses within the state.

The organization’s Corporate Mentoring Program was established to help established women business owners enhance their skills and generate additional income for their companies. Members must have a minimum of 51% ownership of their company, have $100,000.00 or more of annual revenue and be the only NJAWBO member in the program to represent a particular type of industry. Other criteria are also required for participation in the mentoring program.

New Jersey Technology and Manufacturing Association

The manufacturing industry in the state has been enhanced by the work of the New Jersey Technology and Manufacturing Association. This organization was formed in 1943 by a small group of manufacturing companies who believed they could help each other grow and prosper. This philosophy continues today and the organization has expanded to include technology industries.

The organization offers a selection of discounts that include access to programs that involve asset conversion, manufacturing company selling and website design. Members can save on shipping with UPS, FedEx and YRC Freight. There are plans to offer discounts on supply purchasing and machinery movement.

New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association

Support, Educate, Advocate. This is the motto of the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association, an organization dedicated to helping one of the largest industries in the state and generates 12 billion dollars in annual sales. The association provides training and other educational resources for restaurant and lodging owners. Their website has information about from topics like credit card processing to hosted webinars regarding immigration issues.

They also work with law makers on such issues as the Joint-employer standard and its effect on franchising. Mandatory wage increases is another topic the group is addressing with state legislators. All members are encouraged to get involved to help improve the business climate for the industry.

New Jersey Builders Association

The New Jersey building industry has a strong advocate in their corner as the New Jersey Builders Association is working to enhance the business climate for builders, sub-contractors, material suppliers and all others in this vital industry.

The association provides the latest information on its website regarding significant issues such as affordable housing, environmental issues and housing data. They encourage members to become involved and created the Housing Ambassadors program to encourage this action. Housing Ambassadors are asked to learn about current and pending legislation regarding the housing industry and to spread this information to their co-workers. They are asked to emphasize how different laws and regulations may impact their jobs.

Marine Trades Association of New Jersey

Recreational boating is a popular activity in a coastal state as New Jersey. In 2006, 2.1 billion dollars were spent on this activity in the state. Given the economic impact of this activity, the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey was established in 1972 with a commitment to work for the welfare of the boating industry.

This commitment continues today as the association is very active in lobbying state legislators to protect the interest of the recreational boating industry. They meet with state officials to discuss laws and regulations relevant to the boating industry and will strive to protect this source of revenue for many businesses throughout New Jersey.

Health Care Association of New Jersey

The Health Care Association of New Jersey works on behalf of not only long-term health care providers, but on patients receiving such care. Their mission is to stress the importance of long-term care facilities to the elderly and disabled individuals of New Jersey.

The non-profit association works to enact common sense legislation that is fiscally responsible and also fully addresses the health care needs of New Jersey’s senior and disabled populations. They provide a wealth of information on emergency preparedness and host educational seminars and other events designed to enhance the delivery of long-term health care in New Jersey.

These are just some of the larger business organizations available to join here in New Jersey. Have one you’d like to share? Feel free to add to this list in the comments below!

The post 10 of The Best Business Organizations in NJ You Should Consider Joining appeared first on Digital Media Strategy & Training.

What’s Your “Internet Influence Index”? (3i) [Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog]

Fri, 28 Aug 2015 08:10:00 +0000

Do you ever wonder how you’re faring with your online reach and influence? Maybe you need to stop and take a snapshot of where you stand.

I call it your Internet Influence Index (or 3i for short).

A 3i is a listing of your current number of friends, followers and other statistics that indicate how well you’re connecting with fans online.

It’s a quick measurement of your Internet presence.

I refer to it as a snapshot because, if you’re proactive at all online, the numbers will be in constant flux – hopefully in an upward direction.

Of course, I need to emphasize that you shouldn’t focus on the numbers alone. The quality of the relationships you have with your followers, friends, fans, and subscribers is far more important than the quantity. But this 3i snapshot is one way to gauge how well you are connecting.

Some day I may create a form or checklist you can use to track these important statistics. But, as an example, here’s a rundown of my current Internet Influence Index (as of August 28, 2015) to give you an idea of the different ways you can measure your own 3i:

Twitter …
Followers: 16,700+
Total tweets I’ve posted: 22,700+

Facebook …
Friends (personal profile): 4,815
Fan page “likes”: 1,530

YouTube …
Total channel views: 540,680
Channel subscribers: 3,193
Videos posted: about 225

LinkedIn …
Connections: 4,578

Google Plus …
Followers: 2,731
Profile views: 861,626

Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook on Amazon.com …
5-star reviews: 28
4-star reviews: 10

As you can see, there are many ways to measure your Internet Influence Index.

What am I missing? Would you like me to create a checklist form that can be used to track your 3i?

Let me know in the Comments.

-Bob

P.S. This post was originally published in 2010 and was updated in August 2015.

The image above comes from opensourceway.

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get more tips like these when you subscribe to my Buzz Factor ezine — the longest running music career tips email newsletter on the planet. Since 1995. Go grab your free subscription now.

The post What’s Your “Internet Influence Index”? (3i) appeared first on Bob Baker.

The 3 Biggest Social Media Mistakes Musicians Make [Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog]

Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:42:15 +0000

Lately I’ve been experimenting with Periscope, the streaming video app that all the Twittersphere is buzzing about.

On this live stream I cover the 3 Biggest Social Media Mistakes Musicians Make. I also answer a couple of questions on the fly, including “How do you make a splash as a songwriter in your home town?”

Here’s a slightly edited version of the session. On Periscope, comments and hearts fly by as you broadcast. Since you can’t see them in this video, that’s what I’m referring to every now and then.

Would you like to get a better handle on your social media music marketing? Then check out this link for a much easier way.

-Bob

The post The 3 Biggest Social Media Mistakes Musicians Make appeared first on Bob Baker.

Social Media Marketing Sucks? Not If You Do It This Way … [Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog]

Thu, 13 Aug 2015 15:48:10 +0000

I get it. I hear it all the time.

“Why am I posting all of this senseless crap on Facebook and Twitter?”

“Social media sucks! It’s such a drain! When do I find time to actually write songs and perform?”

Yup. Online marketing can be a big, fat pain in the rear – if you’re doing it the way most musicians do.

Confused. Overwhelmed. Directionless.

“Why am I doing all this mindless stuff again?”

There is a better way …

This year I celebrate 20 years of being online. I started with a simple email account in 1995. Ever since then I’ve made the digital world my primary marketing arena.

I’ve witnessed a LOT of changes and felt the same frustration that you do – and still do. But I also learned to embrace it and get on friendly terms with online promotion.

With 15,000+ people on my email lists, more than 535,000 YouTube channel views, nearly 17,000 Twitter and 5,500 Facebook followers, I guess I’ve done okay over the years.

Building an online presence in this way has allowed me to make a difference and even make a living doing what I love.

Now I’d love to show you an easier way to approach social media music marketing so it doesn’t drive you crazy.

For about the price of a couple sets of decent guitar strings, you could be breathing easier about online marketing.

You could be connecting with more fans.

You could be selling more music.

Go to this page to find out how (and to learn about a cool no-cost bonus I’m throwing in this week).

You can do this!

To your success … and your peace of mind when it comes to social media music marketing.

-Bob

The post Social Media Marketing Sucks? Not If You Do It This Way … appeared first on Bob Baker.

The Kama Sutra of Music Marketing [Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog]

Mon, 27 Jul 2015 10:02:00 +0000

When was the last time you thought about music promotion and romance at the same time? Been a while? Well, by the time you finish reading this post, you may do it more often. (Thinking about the combination, that is. How often you “do it” is up to you

This whole idea started when I ran across an article by Desiree Gullan called “The Kama Sutra of Marketing.” (In case you don’t know, the Kuma Sutra is an ancient Indian text widely considered to be the first manual on love and human sexuality.)

It reminded me of an analogy I’ve often used: Marketing is a lot like dating.

But most self-promoting musicians don’t think of it that way. And because of that, they struggle to get noticed, connect with fans, and make money with music.

So, here are some valuable lessons from the world of romance you can apply to your music promotion efforts:

1) Don’t settle for just anyone – search for your music fan soul mates

You’ve heard the jokes. “He’s not Mr. Right, but he’s Mr. Right Now.” When dating, especially if people feel desperate, they settle. Instead of finding the right match, they pursue relationships that have little long-term potential. “Well, it’s better than being alone,” they say.

Do you do the same with your music promotion? Are you out to catch the interest of anyone who will listen? Or are you more discerning? The best way to proceed with a music career is to first decide who your ideal fan is. Who is your music-related soul mate?

How old are they? Do they tend to be male or female? Where do they hang out online and off? Where do they shop? What magazines, blogs and websites do they read?

Get a handle on who you want to attract. Then focus on reaching only those types of people.

2) Get to know your fans first

What do you do on a first date with someone you really think has potential? Do you talk endlessly about yourself and how great you are? Or do you listen a lot and have a two-way dialogue?

Sadly, most people feel the need to impress others with how cool they are. So they launch into a laundry list of everything they’ve ever accomplished in their lives. Unfortunately, this approach leaves the other person feeling more neglected than impressed.

It’s the same with music promotion. It’s not all about you and your needs. Get to know your audience and what their interests and concerns are. Listen more than you talk. Share some of yourself and your story as you get to know them better. Give your fans a chance to know, like and trust you. It’s all part of your musical courtship.

3) Don’t forget foreplay

Okay. You’re excited. You met someone new who really likes you. You anticipate the potential pleasure you will both experience together so much, you can taste it. It’s time to move in for the grand finale, right?

Wait! Hold your horses, Carl Casanova (or Valerie Vixen). Ease into the blessed event. Warm each other up first.

From a marketing standpoint, that means you don’t have to be so quick to ask for the sale. Wine and dine your fans (figuratively) before you flash your “Buy Now” button. Tease them a little with samples and insights into your songs. Leave them wanting more!

Consumers generally need to be exposed to something they enjoy seven to ten times before they get out their wallet or credit card to make a purchase. So expect and allow for this delayed gratification as you promote yourself.

4) Be a great music lover

When the time comes to consummate the relationship, make sure you deliver the best goods you can. Make it a joyful and stimulating experience for all concerned – one your fans will remember (and maybe even tell many others about) for years to come.

That means you must create an unforgettable experience (be it a CD, music download or live show) filled with benefits that make each fan feel good. Make yours the best music in your genre. Thrill your fan partners so much, they’ll want to recreate the experience again and again.

That’s your goal as a self-promoting musician: Create moments your fans will want to duplicate over and over – all the while telling their friends about you and the great time they had.

That’s right: You want to have a colorful “reputation” that spreads!

5) Contact them and ask for another date

Finally, don’t leave your fans hanging after your first meaningful encounter. Get back in touch soon to thank them and let them know how much you enjoyed the experience.

This means you must follow up after the sale or the live show. Why? Because, if it was good for both of you, you want the relationship to continue. You want to interact more and enjoy more positive experiences (including music and merchandise sales) together.

Therefore, you must put a huge emphasis on building and using a fan mailing list. Capture the name and email address of everyone who has a positive experience with your music. Then input those details into a database and send messages to your fan list on a regular basis.

See, there is a connection between the Kama Sutra and music marketing.

So, from now on, when you’re engaged in music promotion activities, I encourage you to think about dating and making love.

But vice versa, thinking about music marketing while making love … you might think twice about that one

-Bob

P.S. What do you think about the Kama Sutra of Music Marketing? I welcome your comments below.

The post The Kama Sutra of Music Marketing appeared first on Bob Baker.

A Hard Lesson I Had to Learn [Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog]

Tue, 21 Jul 2015 04:12:09 +0000

IT WAS A TOUGH LESSON TO LEARN.

For decades I’ve been the indie DIY guy. Self-reliance was my guiding principle.

It worked. However, something about it was incomplete.

The missing piece was facing the fact that I can’t succeed completely on my own – as a musician, a writer, a visual artist, or an actor.

And neither can you.

To truly thrive as a creative entrepreneur you need support. You need encouragement. You need people to celebrate victories with and share your defeats.

You need a team, a family, a network of peers who are on the same challenging journey as you.

That’s what inspired me to start the Empowered Artist Movement.

And that’s what lead to the launch of the new Empowered Artist Mastermind Group.

http://bob-baker.com/buzz/empowered-artist-mastermind/

It’s a thriving community of creative people from around the world. All set up in a structure that encourages and compels members to interact, set goals, take action, and get results.

Take a moment for yourself and watch the video on this page.

Scroll down and see all of the perks and benefits.

Then come join us in a new creative revolution!

Bob

P.S. Sure, you could continue forging ahead on your own. Or, you could energize your journey as part of this new creative tribe.

The choice is yours. Have a look now and see how you can change your creative life (and the world) for good!

http://bob-baker.com/buzz/empowered-artist-mastermind/

The post A Hard Lesson I Had to Learn appeared first on Bob Baker.

Why A Fan Mailing List Is Essential [Make It In Music]

Sat, 13 Jun 2015 04:40:32 +0000

Building an email list of fans is the single most important thing an artist can do for their marketing and promotion efforts.

We position that rule at the very heart of the advice that we give to musicians on this site.

We also spend a lot of time convincing our label clients that it is more important than their YouTube views, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram followers, and SoundCloud plays.

So, I had to post this infographic since it puts some hard data to this argument.

Data Proves Email Wins!

It’s important to be able to measure the effectiveness of the ways in which you communicate with your fans so that you can focus your efforts on the things that will ultimately do the most to drive your success.

And, as this infographic shows, social media is a very distant second to email.

I know that you may try and disagree since the data in this infographic is focussed on companies and brands, being as it is culled from commercial surveys.

And, it is fair to point out that social media is a key way for musicians to foster discovery and engagement with their fans.

Indeed, some artists can muster gigantic followings on social media that drive fan behaviour.

But, it is ‘some’ artists. And they are the artists whose careers have benefited from massive budgets from major labels.

In our experience these artists often overlook email as way to reach their fans.

That’s a mistake.

It’s a mistake for them as the data shows that email has 2 key advantages:

the number of people you actually reach;
the number of those reached that then take action.

But, it’s an even bigger mistake for the aspiring artist who is looking to build their fanbase.

If you have millions of followers on social media and easy access to global media (press, TV and radio) you may choose to be blasé about how many of your followers you can push to take action at any one time.

Reliance on old media and social media at that level is understandable.

Not building an email list is still short-sighted though.

If It’s Good Enough For Obama

If every political pundit in the US attributed Obama’s second election victory to his use of a massive email list (rumoured to be more than 12 million names) above everything else, then perhaps we should take notice.

I don’t know what Obama’s social reach was at the time of that election, but I do know it dwarfed his email list. Yet, it was email that raised the vast majority of the money for the campaign and got people out to vote.

If the President of the USA relies on email to win, perhaps the biggest artists in music should too!

What I know for sure is that when you’re on your way up, gathering every email you can is the smart thing to do.

Why is Email Essential?

The infographic shows us some critical facts.

Email is essential because it outperforms social media in every measure.

Obviously you should spend a lot of effort building strong social media followings and using them to draw in more potential fans.

Some people will never give up their email to an artist but they might still support you, buy or stream your music and come to gigs.

No-one is suggesting that these people should be ignored!

But look at the data

View Rate:

Email is seen (in this case meaning opened) by at least 20% of your list. That’s between twice and ten times as many as will see a post on Twitter or Facebook.

Plus, we often see open rates for emails sent by musicians of over 40% – making the difference even more stark.

Click Rate:

Email will result in 50 – 100 times as many people taking the action you want compared to social media.

Generally that being getting them to click where you want them to go – iTunes, Spotify a YouTube video or wherever.

The data we have here is also different for email and for Twitter and Facebook – the latter being a nebulous engagement measurement rather than an actual click.

So, again, it’s even more the case for email than the data suggests.

Cost:

As we all know Facebook are making it harder all the time to reach your followers without paying and Twitter gives you a very small time window of attention.

So, you can be forced to pay to reach your Facebook fans – and there is a good case for that – or you can email fans over and over agian for pennies!

Email makes Fans

What the data dosen’t tell us is that email is a direct line to your fans. These are people that liked your music enough to give you their email address.

If you build a long term real relationship with the people on your fan mailing list they will stick with you through thick and thin.

When radio and press are bored with you and won’t review your new single, the people on your mailing list will still click, open and buy.

If you’re not building an email list of fans, start now!

Source: Social Media Statistics: Email Still Has the Highest Engagement
From: Devesh Design

The post Why A Fan Mailing List Is Essential appeared first on Make It In Music.

005 – How to Use Your Band Website and Mailing List as the Engine of Your Success [Make It In Music]

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 16:00:23 +0000

I can’t wait for you to meet today’s guest, who’s an incredible success story from the online retail world: Susan Petersen of Freshly Picked.

Since starting out as an early Etsy entrepreneur, Susan’s had an amazing journey, including an appearance on Shark Tank, a partnership with Nordstrom, and now, a million-dollar online business selling baby moccasins.

I first met Susan at 1-Day Business Breakthrough Live, along with Chris Ducker, and was blown away by Susan’s success. I’m so lucky to have her here today to share her tips for building a brand and navigating the world of retail. She’ll share how she’s developed her booming social media following, scaled her team, and set goals for the future.

Susan’s story inspired me in a big way, and I’m positive it will inspire you, too.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Susan’s journey from Etsy entrepreneur to million-dollar business owner.
How to grow your business with brand advocates.
Tips for hiring the strongest team possible.
How to craft a top-notch marketing strategy.
The secret to growing your Instagram account.
The power of promoting the personal story behind your brand.
What Susan learned on Shark Tank, and more!

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Are you selling a physical product online like Susan? Leave a note in the comment section below! Post a link to your store, and let me know your feedback on the episode.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for The SPI Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

If you have any questions (or would like answers to hear previously submitted voicemail questions!), head on over to AskPat.com. This bite-sized show has over two million downloads and counting!

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates, or even better, download the new SPI Mobile App, now available for both iOS and Android! It’s free!

Thanks to Susan for being an amazing guest this week. Until next time!

The post 005 – How to Use Your Band Website and Mailing List as the Engine of Your Success appeared first on Make It In Music.

002 – How To Approach A Record Label Or Manager [Make It In Music]

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 15:57:20 +0000

The post 002 – How To Approach A Record Label Or Manager appeared first on Make It In Music.

Did you know that 67% of marketers surveyed in…

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 20:02:45 +0000

Did you know that 67% of marketers surveyed in a Social Media Examiner report claimed that they plan to increase their YouTube marketing? Why? Because video marketing rulez!

It wasn’t that long ago that video ads could only be seen on this newfangled technology called the TV, and advertising with video cost a whole lot of money. Now all of that has changed; here’s 12 reasons why it’s time for your business to jump into the video marketing game.

Will Dominate the Web

By 2017, 74% of all internet traffic will be video content. (Syndacast) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Videos Are Shared…a lot

An astounding 92% of mobile viewers share videos with others. (Invodo) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Gets You Up Front

Want to appear on the front page of search engine results? Site that include videos are 50 times more likely to achieve this goal. (Digital Serpa) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

The Juggernaut Known as YouTube

Not only are there more than 1 billion users on YouTube, over 300 hours of 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. Furthermore, the “number of hours people are watching on YouTube each month is up 50% year over year.” (YouTube) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Internet Visitors Are Tuning In

Each day approximately 100 million internet users watch an online video. (Digital Serpa) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

The Incomparable Capehart Saratoga IT&T
S092653

Drives Engagement

Including a mobile video ad with social media buttons can increase engagement by 36%. (Rhythm NewMedia) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Boosts Consumer Confidence

52% of consumers have stated that after watching a product video it makes them more confident in online purchase decisions. (Invodo) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Attracts More Inbound Links

Featuring a video in a post can attract 3 times more inbound links than posts with just text. (Moz) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Keeps Visitors on Your Site

Visitors on retail sites stick around for two minutes longer on average and 64% more likely to make a purchase after viewing a video. (Comscore) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Visitors Would Rather Watch Than Read

80% of online visitors will watch a video while only 20% will read an entire piece of content. (Digital Serpa) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Increases the Chance of Email Open Rates

Containing a video in your email can increase open rates by 20% and boost click-through rates 3 times. (Brainshark) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Used By a Majority of Marketers

Don’t get beat by your competitors. 93% of marketers are using video for online marketing, sales, or communication. (Brainshark)

If you want to boost inbound links, consumer confidence, sales, and keep visitors on your site longer then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use the power of video in your marketing strategy.

The post 12 Reasons Why Video Marketing Rulez appeared first on Digital Media Strategy & Training.

Facebook Like Gate – The Secret Return of A Marketing Super Tool [Make It In Music]

Wed, 27 May 2015 14:43:10 +0000

You used to be able to use a Facebook like gate to force someone (a potential fan) to ‘like’ your Facebook page in return for something free – a track download or similar.

But, in August 2014, Facebook decided to prevent the functionality that allowed the like gate and since November 5th it has been banned.

This was a very big issue for many music marketers who had been using it for a long time.

And, it seemed that it was gone forever.

But, it’s back!

And this new tool that makes it work again works for Facebook but also on SoundCloud, Twitter, YouTube or for email. Very smart!

But, before we get ahead of oursleves let’s look at what ‘gating’ is and why Facebook had an issue with it.

Like Gates Banned by Facebook – Why?

Facebook decided to remove the gating of any content on Facebook as they felt that it was a forced way of getting followers. That by requiring the user to ‘like’ your Page to get to the freebie you weren’t gaining an authentic or ‘real’ fan.

And, I guess they had a point – to a degree.

Facebook wants everyone to like Pages because they want to hear from the Page as a genuine fan, not because of an artifical incentive.

Yet, Facebook was also, at the time and ongoing, driving down the organic reach of your Page and making you pay to reach all your ‘authentic’ fans.

Further, as we’ve seen from the data we get from our experience running campaigns for established artists, there is a difference between the fans of a ‘brand’ and the fans of a ‘band’.

Whilst in the past a brand might have created exactly the ‘artificial incentive’ behind a like gate that Facebook wanted to prevent – coupons, promotion entry forms and items unconnected with the brand (i.e. bribes!) or similar – it’s not quite like that for musicians.

Essentially, if someone wants to download your music, then they are most likely someone who does want to connect with you!

Facebook, of course, was never going to be able to differentiate between bands and brands so that argument held no sway – although I do feel it’s completely valid.

And, as we see all the time, the level of engagement that musicians/artists get from their fans on Facebook is usually at a level that even the most loved brands just couldn’t hope to achieve.

And, crucially, whilst it’s absolutely true that just adding followers for the sake of it – as Facebook was stopping with that change – is pointless, music fans will gladly trade a social follow for music that they like.

From that point on, it only makes sense to build a social following that you engage with and that wants to hear from you.

So, getting the follow is the beginning. You are given a chance to reach a new fan over social media because you forced them to follow you to get free music, but what happens after that – the engagement – is where you create a superfan and a life long supporter.

What Happened to Existing Like Gates?

If a Facebook Page had a like gate in place (powered most likely by a Facebook App, or something like Woobox or ShortStack – who’ve now moved to ‘action gating’), you would show a ‘Like’ button to people who hadn’t liked your Page and then, when they had liked it, you’d show them the ‘Fan Only’ content – where you’d have a download button.

So, your potential fans and followers could only get to the download button by being forced to click to like the Page.

When the ban was introduced, Facebook switched all those tabs and apps to show the ‘Fan Only’ content by default.

You might still sometimes see a tab on a Page where the like button is shown and you are asked to like to get to a download, BUT, this will ALWAYS be accompanied by an option to ‘skip’ the like and go straight to the ‘Fan Only’ content.

In other words, Facebook killed that functionality dead!

Some people therefore decided to move to action gating and drive people to email signups for gating free stuff – a smart move no doubt (you know how we think that building your email list is the single smartest thing a musician can do!).

But others saw this as an opportunity!

UnlockTHIS – Like Gates are Back

When Facebook made the change, many musicians felt that they’d been short changed.

And one group decided to do something about it.

They wanted to be able to still ‘like gate’ their music on Facebook and build their Facebook fanbase in return for giving fans exactly what they wanted – free music and an ongoing relationship on the social media giant.

But, they also realised the power of the ‘like gate’ on other platforms – especially SoundCloud for which they had a special affinity since they were dance music cretors, but also for YouTube and Twitter and, of course, email.

UnlockTHIS was launched last month and works like a dream.

It gets around the Facebook ban on like gates by not being on Facebook!

So simple.

It allows you put any content you like behind a Facebook ‘like gate’ through their platform.

Because it’s outside of Facebook it doesn’t fall foul of the rules and very simply only allows your potential fan to access the freebie once they have clicked like and followed your Page – but, as I said, all done off the Facebook platform.

The tool creates a page where the ‘unlocking’ happens.

A feature that I really like is that you have some control over the unlock page so that you can add your own artwork and embed a Soundcloud Player or YouTube video.

That may be a player for the track or tracks that you’re offering for download or it could be, for example, the lead track from a downloadable single package or album.

That creates the opportunity to make the UnlockTHIS page a destination URL that you can share. When potential fans visit to hear or watch, they are then presented with a low friction option to follow you.

A virtuous circle!

Content Gating SoundCloud, Twitter, YouTube & email

Driven to build this new tool by the change on Facebook, the folks at UnlockTHIS realised that what they really wanted was a tool that allowed them to ‘like gate’ across all the social platforms and email.

So, UnlockTHIS works in exactly the same way for SoundCloud, YouTube, Twitter and email.

You can place a music download behind a follow or like or subscribe on any of those platforms.

Although other content gating systems do exist for social media sites, I haven’t seen one before that works across all of them.

Being able to set up a new campaign that requires a follow on Twitter or a subscription to your YouTube channel using the same platform is great.

The opportunities for spreading access to your material across all your social profiles are limited only by the amount of material you want to give away.

Double Likes and Partnerships

They’ve also thought about the effect that extensive collaborations in music (especially dance music) can have on building social followings.

So, UnlockTHIS allows you to put more than one like gate into the process to get at a download.

For example, you could offer a club track that has been remixed by a producer who is better known than you for free download. Using the tool you can require potential fans to take two actions – to ‘like’ both your Facebook Page and the remixer’s or perhaps subscribe to the remixer on YouTube but follow you on SoundCloud – to get to the download.

That opens up an attractive proposition that you can make to people you work with.

If they’ll remix your track you can offer to help them build their social following on the profile that needs the most boost!

Oh, and like I said above, building your email list should be a huge priority for your career.

The tool has that covered and can put the freebie behind an email capture as well as any of the social platforms.

Locking more than Downloads

With an eye to the future and the reality that downloads of music may soon be a thing of the past, this tool allows you to offer more than downloads of music.

Anything that can be downloaded can be offered. As people get more used to streaming and not wanting downloads all musicians will have to face the challenge of creating other content that fans will want.

This might be artwork or photos – at hi-res – that they can download and print or it might be some kind of written material.

Whatever it is, it can be put behind the UnlockTHIS gate.

And that includes a URL. Whether locking a stream behind a requirement to follow will work in the future is yet to be seen, but I can see that there may be ‘fan only’ areas of a website that you could ‘lock off’.

I do know that the team behind it have more ideas in the works, including functionality that aims to convert those new fans into committed fans – and that intrigues me!

I’m not going to give you a walk through of the process of setting up an UnlockTHIS gate.

It’s intuitive and simple enough.

My suggestion is that you give it a go and think how you can use it to build your fanbase – across all those platforms and your email list.

Try UnlockTHIS here.

The post Facebook Like Gate – The Secret Return of A Marketing Super Tool appeared first on Make It In Music.

Currently there are around 30 billion phone…

Tue, 19 May 2015 18:11:10 +0000

Currently there are around 30 billion phone calls being made a year with a mobile device. That figure is expected to jump to more than 70 billion by 2018. That’s important because if you’re a local business owner you need to embrace the mobile revolution. One of the most effective ways to achieve that is by including a click-to-call button on your site.

Need more proof? Check out these five stats that prove just how awesome click-to-call buttons really are.

Including a Number is a Big Deal

68% of consumers have used their smartphone to get directions or call button for a local listing.

It’s Convenient For Mobile Users

An incredible 70% of smartphone users believe that a call button is important; 77% of tablet users feel the same.

Delivers High Quality Leads

Over half of mobile callers are researching a product or service, or wanting to complete a purchase, when calling a business directly.

Triggers Conversions

55% of mobile searches result in a conversion (phone call, store visit, purchase) that happen within one hour.

People Are Using Call Buttons

Google has found that approximately 70% of mobile searchers have used the call button directly from Google Ads to contact a business.

There’s no denying that there’s an explosion in mobile/local search right now. If you want to stay relevant and increase both leads and conversions for your business then it’s vital that you have a call-to-click button on your site.

Sources:

http://www.invoca.com/?rr=1

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/research-studies/how-advertisers-can-extend-their-relevance-with-search.html

http://ringpartner.com/20-reasons-pay-per-call-marketing-is-about-to-blow-up/

The post 5 Reasons Your Website Needs a Click-to-Call Button appeared first on Digital Media Strategy & Training.

Why would 73% of marketers proclaim that email…

Wed, 13 May 2015 19:41:41 +0000

Why would 73% of marketers proclaim that email marketing is “core to their business?” Because email marketing just kicks ass! Here are 11 reasons why.

There Are Billions of Email Accounts

More than 4.1 billion email accounts worldwide to be exact. (The Radicati Group) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Email Pays For Itself

On Average, businesses in the United States have reported that email marketing yields a return of investment of 4,300%. (Direct Marketing Association) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Establishes Rapport With Customers

Personalized emails increase click-through rates by 14%, and conversion rates by 10%. (Aberdeen Group) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Acquires More Customers Than Facebook and Twitter

According to one study, email was nearly 40 times more effective in acquiring new customers than both Facebook and Twitter combined. (McKinsey & Company) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Enables Products and Services

60% of marketers claim that email is a critical enabler of products and services. (Salesforce Pardot) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

When Marketed Through Email, People Spend More Money

Consumers spend 138% more than people who don’t receive email offers. (Convince and Convert) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Influences Mobile Purchasing Decisions

More than 70% of all mobile purchasing decisions are influenced by promotional emails. (Yesmail “Consumer Online Behavior Report: Digital Marketing Strategies” – 2013) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Preferred Communication Method

69.7% of US internet users, have reported that email is their preferred method of communicating with businesses. (Salesforce Pardot) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

One of the Most Used Smartphone Functions

91% of consumers check email on their mobile phones. Additionally, 21% do so before breakfast. (Acxiom Digital Impact “2013 Consumer Digital Study”) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

Email Usage Will Grow

It’s being anticipated that email users will increase another 22% in 2015 and 23% in 2016. (The Radicati Group “Email Statistics Report, 2014-2018″) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

It’s The Most Effective Digital Tactic

Marketers have reported that email is most effective digital tactic for building awareness, acquisition, retention, and conversion. In fact, 56% of marketers surveyed stated that email was most effective at retention. (Gigaom Research) [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px”]

How To Improve

Want to improve your email marketing campaign? Keep the following in mind – courtesy of HubSpot.

Be mobile friendly and have a responsive web design.
6 AM has the highest CTR of any hour.
88% prefer to receive HTML emails vs. 12% who prefer plain text from companies.
CTR is higher when using the recipient’s first name in the subject line over no use of the first name.
“Secrets” is the most clicked lead nurturing subject line word. “Posts” and “Jobs” are the most clicked subject line words.
65% prefer emails that contain mostly images vs. 35% who prefer mostly text.
Most recent subscribers are the most likely to click through.

Now go kick some email marketing ass!

The post 11 Reasons Email Marketing Kicks Ass appeared first on Digital Media Strategy & Training.

Make It On Soundcloud [Make It In Music]

Tue, 10 Mar 2015 11:49:38 +0000

There are a core set of sites that every aspiring musician should be using to help build a fanbase and spread the word about their music.

Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram are obvious choices, but many musicians forget about the one social site that is driven by music alone – Soundcloud.

It’s true that music is a core part of YouTube and the place that many people turn to find music, whether for discovery or simply to use as a streaming platform – indeed YouTube is by far the biggest streaming music platform on the internet. Much bigger than Rdio and Spotify.

But if you’re looking for the website that is the best place for music discovery and where you’ll find a community of music lovers obsessed with finding new music, then Soundcloud is the place to go.

Of course, there’s also Soundcloud’s de facto importance in the world of music blogs and how that can be leveraged for promotional effect.

Soundcloud is Still Growing – Fast!

On top of that the growth of Soundcloud is stratospheric. There are now 175 million active users per month and Soundcloud is starting to consolidate its leading position as THE place where music lovers can both create and share music but also discover and listen.

In fact, the latest data shows that the behaviour of the users is also shifting slightly so that they are now more likely to be using Soundcloud as a place to go and listen to music and the focus has shifted slightly away from the act of following (a la Facebook and Twitter).

Don’t be misled by that blue line on a downward slope. All that means is that the users are doing less following – although they are still doing a lot of that! What they are doing more and more of is the listening and its growth is very strong.

Artists are and should still be building large active followings on Soundcloud but the takeaway for every musician is that having great music on Soundcloud will lead to it being heard.

And, of course, that’s what every artist actually wants and needs. To get your great music heard so that people can become fans.

It’s not just about Dance Music

There is a belief that Soundcloud is all about dance music – and that is kinda true.

The dance music community of every genre took to Soundcloud in a big way from its earliest days in 2007 and that genre has remained the staple of the site. There’s much about electronic music in general that feeds off the way the site works – the regular release schedule of lots of dance music producers and the remix culture plus DJ sets (now curtailed) all meant a Soundcloud artist could have a lot of activity in their profile.

However, every genre of music is represented and it’s fair to say that although you MUST be active there if you’re making dance music, the fact that many of your competitors won’t be aggressively promoting on Soundcloud if you’re in another genre probably means it’ll be easier for you to stand out.

And how do you do that?

Although I run Soundcloud profiles for some clients of our agency and I know my way around, I am not the expert.

A year ago I bought a book called ‘The Soundcloud Bible’ by a young Dutch guy called Budi Voogt who immersed himself in the platform and learnt everything there is to know about building a following on Soundlcoud and using it as the engine to break an artist.

He IS the expert!

And he became the expert by getting stuck in and trying all his tricks on his own clients – and it worked. His first client went from 4,000 to 89,000 followers and well over 8 million plays. This client, San Holo, is now well on his way to becoming a world class DJ/Producer. Part of that is down to him making a series of great tracks but a very large part of it is down to Budi’s skill and application in getting the very most out of Soundcloud for his client.

I have used the knowledge that I learned from Budi’s book for all of our clients with great results too!

And now Budi has updated the book and the bang up to date Version 2 is released today.

He has reworked the book so that everything that has changed on the platform over the last year has been explained and he has added further methods that he’s learnt and refined in that time.

Why You should get this Book

‘The Soundcloud Bible’ is the only practical guide to Soundcloud with detailed ‘how to’ information. This new release has 30% more content than the previous edition and is both a ‘get-started’ guide for beginner Soundcloud users, but is also filled with insider tips and tricks for veteran users.

It also goes far beyond Soundcloud, teaching you the fundamentals of online music marketing.

There are sections on mastering Soundcloud’s functionality, how to set up the perfect account, building momentum and developing a content strategy (both of which are crucial), details about Soundcloud Premier & Monetization, plus Budi’s own ‘reposting trick’ and ‘playlist trick’.

However, the book also goes further than that. As I touched on above, Soundcloud has a symbiotic relationship with music bloggers, a vast majority of whom use the platform to find music, to host on their blogs in the embeddable Soundcloud player and also, in a new development, curate their own channels (some with huge followings) where they showcase music they are passionate about.

The book shows you the best way to make the most of this relationship – how to get blog coverage and ultimately how to get signed by a record label.

A Soundcloud Marketing Masterclass

Budi is offering the book for $19 – and it comes as a pdf and as an ePub and Mobi eBook so you can read it on any device.

But, he’s also offering two other packages with an option for him to analyse your social media set up (at $49) and that plus a Skype session for $99.

I have spoken to Budi at length for our forthcoming podcast (stay tuned – the launch is due at the end of March) and we talked for well over an hour about music marketing in general and his specific knowledge of Soundcloud so I know that he knows exactly how to help musicians get the most out of their music on the platform. He’s very sharp and the book has all his knowledge that will truly make a difference to your Soundcloud promotional efforts.

If you’re making any kind of electronic music I really don’t think you can afford not to be on Soundcloud nor be without this book.

If you’re in any other genre the opportunity is perhaps even greater.

Click the banner below to read what Budi has to say.

We’re working on the launch of a rock act and having discussed this specifically with Budi we are making Soundcloud a central part of our marketing plan.

Even if you decide that you don’t need ‘The SoundCloud Bible’, take it from me, you do NEED to be on Soundcloud just as much as you need to have your own band website and be on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.

If you think doing that will be much easier with the expert knowledge of Budi at hand, then you can get that here.

The post Make It On Soundcloud appeared first on Make It In Music.

Where I've Been (and Where I Am) [Music Marketing]

Thu, 22 Jan 2015 01:57:09 +0000

My last music business book, Six-Figure Musician, somehow broke outside the music industry and found a non-musician audience of entrepreneurs, bloggers, speakers, writers, filmmakers, and others with a message to spread. These non-musicians realized they aren't any different from musicians...

Boards of Canada and Participatory Marketing [Music Business and Trend-Mongering]

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 21:56:55 +0000

I spoke with NPR’s Sami Yenigun last week for a piece he was working on about Boards of Canada’s pre-release marketing campaign. You can hear the full interview here:

Morning Edition – Boards of Canada Pre-Release Marketing

In a nutshell, Boards of Canada and their label, Warp, engaged in an easter-egg-hunt type of pre-release campaign that involved sneaking out different codes through key outlets, including a code on a very limited (one copy available in the US!) vinyl, a mysterious clip at the end of an NPR piece, a banner on a fan run message board, and more. Here’s an example of one of the “clues,” which was broadcasted on Adult Swim:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Bj9DvhBMw

I loved the campaign on many levels, but one of the things I liked the most was that I had no idea it was going on before Sami called me about it. And that is sort of the point. I’m familiar with Boards of Canada, but I am not anywhere near the inner circle of fans that the band and Warp were trying to reach with this campaign. To me, this was a brilliant campaign focused on the hard core fans that share a similar psychographic with the band – a band that is known to be cryptic, intelligent, tech savvy, and mysterious. Their serious fans, from what I can tell, are similar.

The campaign was a wonderful way to engage with fans in an authentic way, provide a level of engagement, and in many ways, flip traditional promotion on its head. Instead of the band releasing a standard press release to key online and print outlets, and instead of working retail with expensive co-op campaigns, press and retail were at once in on the campaign (in the case of Radio 1, Rough Trade / Other Music, Adult Swim, and NPR), and in other instances they were reporting on what was already happening with the fans (in the case of Pitchfork and others). Also, Warp picked perfect “niche” outlets to work with on the campaign. This was not a carpet bombing campaign where the label or PR company was sending out 500 advance copied of the record to press and blogs, this was a campaign totally focused on outlets that matter to the core fans, and outlets that speak to the exact psychographic traits of their fans. Once the clues were out there, the fans did the rest.

Certainly not something that every band can do, but I think it illustrates the success a band can have once they have acquired a substantial fan base, and engage with that fan base in the way that they want to be engaged with.

16 People in an 8500-Seat Venue [Music Marketing]

Mon, 28 Apr 2014 16:59:09 +0000

It happens. And when it happens, the show must go on... It would have been easy for this band, Great White, to cancel the show, just like it would have been easy for them to quit the music business entirely...

Music Licensing for Commercials - Should You Do It? [Music Marketing]

Thu, 27 Mar 2014 00:52:36 +0000

If you're thinking about licensing your music or performing a jingle to help a company sell its products, watch this video of a commercial featuring Cinderella... ...and think about how you'll feel about your endorsement 30 years down the road....

How To Hack Starbucks Pick of The Week [Music Marketing]

Sun, 09 Mar 2014 02:26:18 +0000

A couple of years ago, a Toronto-based musician hijacked Starbucks' Pick of the Week program, where participating stores give away free music download cards. Preston Clark Edmands was inspired by this and recently did something similar. He's also released a...

3 Ways to Sell More Music on Your Website [Music Marketing]

Fri, 14 Feb 2014 23:58:12 +0000

Bandzoogle just released a free ebook called "Building Your Website: A StepByStep Guide for Bands and Musicians." Whether you’re building a new website, or looking to improve your current one, it has some helpful advice that will help you sell...

Volume 11 On Facebook [Volume 11]

Thu, 06 Feb 2014 01:21:02 +0000

We have moved any future posts to our facebook page. As a collective effort, please feel free to post articles of interest on that page.

We also have a mobile site that works great on the iphone and other devices, and (should) collate articles in real time related to the business of independent musician.

Good luck on all your music endeavors!

Matt

Funding Your Music Project: NAMM Presentation [Music Business and Trend-Mongering]

Mon, 03 Feb 2014 22:00:17 +0000

A few folks asked that I post the funding presentation that I gave at NAMM this year. There’s three parts to this presentation: what you need to have in place before you start your campaign, traditional funding options, and some forward thinking newer options.

Funding your music project from atomzooey

Vaulternative Approach to Funding [Music Business and Trend-Mongering]

Wed, 15 Jan 2014 22:01:32 +0000

For developing, unsigned artists, there can certainly be a bit of a “Catch 22″ when it comes to funding the activities they need to find their core fanbase, engage with this fanbase, and ultimately monetize this fanbase. How does a developing artist fund the marketing initiatives necessary to generate a core fanbase, without having a fanbase to tap into? It’s something we talk a lot about in the courses I teach at Berklee.

For developing musicians, it’s important to consider the fact that without the ability to speak with fans in a direct way online, your opportunities for monetization are limited. The collection of permission-based fan contact info, through an email address, a Twitter follower, a YouTube subscriber, a Pinterest follower, a Facebook fan, and other existing and not-yet-existing services is a necessity before starting any extensive funding initiatives.

For established or legacy artists who have a dedicated, engaged, and growing fan base – and are communicating with that fan base regularly – generating funding can be a bit smoother. Continued awareness, acquisition, and engagement is still necessary, of course, but the opportunities to engage increative forms of funding increase exponentially if you have a base to communicate with.

Frank Zappa and the Zappa Family Trust have pushed the boundaries, creatively and entrepreneurially, for years. Little known fact: Frank Zappa introduced a proposal for a subscription-based digital distribution service in 1983! Recently, the Zappa Family Trust launched a new fan-focused initiative to coincide with the release of a new Vault live recording: All Roxy, No Elsewhere – 76 minutes of never-before-released Frank Zappa master recordings from the Roxy Performances of December 9th and 10th, 1973.

The ZFT is providing 1000 licenses (Roxy by Proxy) to Zappa fans for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing All Roxy, No Elsewhere on their own. This license, in Gail Zappa’s words, provides fan with the ability to:

“…make as many copies of the record as you can possibly distribute – AND except for reporting to us your sales & customers (just like any other record distributor) and paying us the publishing, YOU keep the money. AND you get to collect royalties from what is sold at Barfko-Swill AND you will also be entitled to a special wholesale price available to the OLAZRBPDs (Officially Licensed Authorized Zappa ROXY BY PROXY Distributor) exclusively.”

The revenue generated from these licenses (available at $1000 a piece) will go towards raising funds to cover the expenses related to releasing The Roxy Performances – The Movie in time for the 40th anniversary of the shows.

I think the Roxy by Proxy idea is interesting for a couple of reasons:

This is a great example and a creative implementation of Clay Shirky’s “Pool of Participators” idea, outlined in his book Cognitive Surplus. Engaged fans want to use some of their free time to help artists that they love – they just need a platform to do so. More from Clay on that idea, here.
It has the potential to build trust within the Zappa fan community. The ZFT will be working directly with fans on marketing collateral, distribution minutia, royalty payments, and more. While this could become a complete nightmare scenario for fans as well as the ZFT, it could also open the doors for a more transparent and mutually beneficial relationship. Guster, for example, build huge trust within their community in the early days with their “rep program,” where the band would send their fans CDs to sell on spec, with the fans sending the band checks for any sales after the fact.

Full Details on Roxy By Proxy here.

The Word of Mouth Manual Volume II [Music Business and Trend-Mongering]

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:41:02 +0000

One needs only to take a walk down Boylston Street pass the new Apple store at 8AM to see how important word of mouth is to Apple and their new iPhone. Apple is legendary for their marketing (customer service is another thing – I waited close to an hour last week to get an iPhone, in which time Apple was only able to service ONE person). Their integrated marketing campaigns are amazing, from the traditional print, packaging, television, and branding components; to their forward thinking viral and word of mouth campaigns.

To get a large group of people to evangelize about your product or service is the end goal of any marketing campaign, and it’s something that my friend Dave Balter knows a lot about. In 2002, Dave founded BzzAgent, a word of mouth media company that currently coordinates 450,000 volunteer “agents” in the US, Canada, and the U.K.. Dave recently wrote and self-published his second book on Word of Mouth marketing, creatively titled “The Word of Mouth Manual Volume II.” It’s a great read, illustrated with examples from the Grateful Dead, Crocs, and of course, Apple. The book is for sale for $45 on Amazon, but Dave’s provided the book to a few folks for free, as a PDF download, available here. If you’ve ever been curious about how or why word of mouth marketing works, or how to get folks to start talking about your own product, I recommend you check it out.

Using uStream to Host a Webcast [Music Business and Trend-Mongering]

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:32:27 +0000

I talk a lot in my course about the fact that touring “kickstarts” (I need a better phrase here, I think, one that does not make me thing of Mötley Crüe every time I write it) all the other marketing efforts: press, retail, merch, radio (some form), and Internet. It not only gives press a reason to write about you, a reason for radio to spin your record, and retail a reason to stock your music, but it’s the best way to forge that all important “emotional connection” with your fanbase.

My friend and colleague George Howard talks about the importance of having a foot in both the online and the physical marketing realm (he calls it theStraddle). I think uStream does a great job of providing a platform to accomplish this (in terms of bringing what you do offline, online) via their free webcasting tool at www.ustream.com. Similar to the most successful online ventures, uStream is extremely user friendly. The setup is simple: once you create an account, you can embed their video player on your site, use your webcam or plug in a firewire camera to film your live event, let folks know about the show through the scheduling tools on your uStream page, and you are off to the races. You can record and archive past live events as well. All for free.

uStream has some community based features that allows fans who are watching your Webcast to chat in real time with one another (hopefully positively) about your show. Superfans can embed the player in any social networking site, too. Take a look at the player in actionwww.rendtheheavens.com

Post of the Month: Who Picks the Music You Hear at the Mall? [Volume 11]

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 00:03:25 +0000

For November’s featured blog, I chose “Who Picks The Music You Hear At The Mall?” by Andrew Matson from NPR’s music news section. The blog discusses the job of Spencer Manio, who creates playlists for retail stores.

I think this blog is fascinating because it has a great discussion of the relationship of music and branding in a setting I hadn’t thought much about before.

The music used in these retail playlists has benefits for both the retailer, as well as the artist.

“A good retail playlist can bring home the culture of a business and psychologically affect a customer in a way that doesn’t feel pushy. And it’s positive for the featured artists. In today’s flooded climate, where new songs are published at a crazy rate on the Internet, having your song play in a Victoria’s Secret, for instance, can help cut through the noise.”

Matson points out that with music recognizing apps like Shazam, any place your music plays creates an opportunity to connect fans to you.

Matson focuses on one particular retailer that Manio works with, Under Armour, to highlight what considerations go into selecting the music for a brand. Not only does this discussion exemplify how music can fit into a brand, it also offers thoughts about branding that artists can bring into their own brand building efforts. Manio got the know the company, identified the word “innovation” as a word that represented the brand, and then used it in his strategy to create a playlist.

Similarly, artists should consider their brand, and identify specific words and ideas that they would like to exemplify their brand, then carry those specifics into all their marketing efforts. Furthermore, identifying the characteristics of their own artist brand, can help artists to pitch their music for synch or sponsorship opportunities in a way that shows how their artist brand fits in with the company’s brand.

“If [Manio] pulls it off right, he’ll communicate the brand, intrigue the consumer and expose people to extraordinary music.”

Visit NPR’s Music News section and read “Who Picks The Music You Hear At The Mall?” by Andrew Matson, and learn more!

October Post of the Month: What’s the Story? The Value of Story Telling in Music Promotion [Volume 11]

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 02:08:35 +0000

For October’s blog post of the month, I chose “ What’s The Story? The Value Of Story Telling In Music Promotion“ by Mark Knight of Right Chord Music.

In this blog, Mark Knight teaches artists how to use the advertising technique of story telling to promote their music.

According to Knight, as the advertising landscape became saturated with similar products, “brands provided a point of differentiation by developing a personality and attaching values to a product. The brands were bought to life through story telling in advertising.”

He suggests that artists can use this strategy as well – “Just as brands evolved their marketing, independent artists need to do the same to create compelling brand stories around themselves and their music.”

Two benefits of this approach include (1) making artists more memorable and (2) building deeper connections with fans.

What I like about this article is that for every benefit discussed, Knight demonstrates his point by including an artist story, which leaves readers with the sort of memorable, engaging impression of his blog that he wants artists to leave with his fans.

Easy advice for anyone to immediately implement!

Post of the Month: Music Pros Offer Their ‘Most Important Piece of Advice’ for Young Bands [Volume 11]

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 17:49:32 +0000

For September's Blog Post of the Month, I chose Hypebot's article "Music Pros Offer Their 'Most Important Piece Of Advice' For Young Bands," which highlights some of the advice collected by a University of Tennessee student for an honors thesis project (which can be read in its entirety here http://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_chanhonoproj/1481/).

The entire thesis is full of useful information on a variety of topics from industry professionals, including top venues for indie artists to perform in to top indie record labels, as well as how artists can develop their careers.

In the Hypebot article, blogger Clyde Smith pulls out a selection of what the interviewees considered their "most important piece of advice." While each tip is vastly different from the next, each tip offers valuable advice.

So take a look at the list and think about how you can apply each piece of advice to your career. Then, if you are an A+ student, check out the thesis in full for more tips.

Post of the Month: Are you one of 50,000 artists not claiming SoundExchange royalties? [Volume 11]

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 22:57:31 +0000

This month Billboard Magazine published an article claiming that over 50,000 artists and rightsholders that have earned royalties through SoundExchange are missing out because they aren’t registered.

With a figure that high, I’m guessing it probably includes some if not many of V11 readers, which is why I’ve chosen this article (as well as SoundExchange) to feature in this August’s Blog Post of the Month column.

The reason why so many artists haven’t claimed royalties that are being held by SoundExchange seems to be that many artists don’t understand what SoundExchange is, what types of royalties it collects, and who should register.

The short answer is that if you are an artist on a recording that is performed digitally (for example through a digital radio station, or television that is streamed online), then you should register. SoundExchange collects royalties for artists that perform on a master recording- regardless of whether they wrote the song or own the master recording.

To read a more detailed account of what SoundExchange does, as well as the top 10 misconceptions about SoundExchange/reasons artists don’t register with SoundExchange, check out this article from the DIY Musician, written by SoundExchange.

So get informed, and don’t be one of the 50,000 missing out on hard earned royalties!

The New Masters Of Online Marketing [Gen-Y Rock Stars]

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:01:15 +0000

Very exciting day here. My new book, through Celebrity Press Publishing is now available everywhere. It is called the New Masters Of Online Marketing and features 17 of the best Internet Marketers from around the world, including Nick Nanton, Lindsay Dicks, Brian Horn, Brian Evans and others.

I know this site is primarily focused around the music business, but let’s face it, 99% of what I teach here is Online Marketing that is geared towards you guys (and it works!).

In the book, I wrote a chapter a lot of you will be familiar with, Leveraging OPA. I teach in in the New Music Economy course and extensively go through the process in the NME Blueprint.

What I want you guys to do is help out, support the book and learn some really cool strategies today. When you pick up a copy today I want to hook you up with some super bonuses from myself and my friends in the book.

Check out all of the bonuses here!

This BONUS PACKAGE is ONLY available Thursday, September 8th!

After you buy the book on Amazon.com, forward your receipt to bonus@celebritypresspublishing.com and you will have instant access to all the bonuses.

I hope you guys enjoy the book and if you need anything from me, or want to help promote it, let me know and I can hook you up with some cool stuff.

Talk soon,

Greg

Why Social Media is Actually Ruining Your Ability to Obtain Fans [Gen-Y Rock Stars]

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:52:38 +0000

Today I have a guest post from Eric Hebert from Evolvor.com. Eric is one of my closest compadres in the indie music business and we even created Label 2.0 together a few years back. Below Eric shares his thoughts about the state of social media and indie music and it’s one hell of an opinion! Eric has also just released his Viral Press Release Service that allows your news, your music and your voice to be heard by more people and get more exposure than it would using traditional outlets. Check it out here.

Enjoy the guest post and leave your feedback and comments below.

I know what you’re thinking. “Wait, isn’t Eric one of those music marketing guys who is always talking about social media HELPING musicians and what not?!”

Yes, that’s me. I’ve been yapping about Facebook and Twitter and blogs all and that other crap since they first launched. And they are invaluable tools for anyone trying to market any kind of product or service. That is, they provide value if you’re using them properly, as in sharing relevant messages and providing excellent content, in addition to interacting with your users in a way that makes them fall in love with you.

Otherwise, social media is, well, crap.

Over the past week everyone has has gone nuts-o over Google+, calling it a “Facebook-killer” or possibly a “Twitter replacement”. As a heavy user of Google’s products, I was excited to see what exactly I could do with it, but after all this stupid hype I stepped back and asked myself what the point was. We already have a killer social network in Facebook that is so engrained in the web, why would I want to start over? Then I started seeing articles pop up about “music marketing with Google+” and I started banging my fucking ahead against the wall.

Why so angry, you say? Well because it’s dumb shit like this that has musicians running around in circles. Everyone is a “guru” and wants to write all these articles about how “Google+ is the next big thing you better jump on it” without really teaching anyone what the point of it is. Guess what – it’s just a social network. If you just sign up for it and not use the dam thing, and use it properly, it’s not going to do a damn thing for you.

Why are we using social media in the first place?

Using Google+ as a marketing tool is EXACTLY THE SAME as using Facebook or Twitter; while they’re might be small differences with the interface or how to specifically do something, the actual value in using them only comes from exactly how you use it. Do you post interesting an engaging content? Do you thank fans and respond to them? Do you make being a fan or follower a rewarding experience? Awesome, your doing the right things.

The problem is, most musicians are not doing this. Nope, they sign up for each and every new thing thinking that JUST BECAUSE it’s the new thing, thinking it’s going to help them. So they post songs, spam friends with events, do the whole “wave my hands in the air look at me” typical bullshit, and then sit on the porch and pout because they don’t have any new “fans”.

The rise of Tumblr

Let’s talk about another service that is getting a ton of buzz these days: Tumblr. I had a client recently tell me that Tumblr is “going to be the next Twitter” and had me actually turn off the pretty dope website I had built for him so we could focus on his Tumblog.

I made an effort to speak my mind, but finally gave in (I’m not on the payroll anymore so whatever). His people we’re telling him one thing, and it’s the same thing I see a lot of people talking about. “Tumblr is so cool it let’s you post updates like Twitter but with photos blah blah blah.” And they’re all idiots.

Led Astray by Music Industry Bloggers

This is a perfect example of musicians being led astray by all the stupid social media hype they are getting from their so-called guru news sources and it’s not helping. Now you have bands with a Facebook page, a Twitter account, AND a Tumblog and all are devoid of anything interesting. They just read the hype and think they “need” to have it.

The big reason I don’t like Tumblr is because it’s just redundant. You see, your strategy should work like this: you create a cool blog post on your website (one you control); you then share the link to that on Twitter and Facebook. Fans come and interact with your content and fall in love. Then you maybe convert them into a customer or some other conversion.

What I see people doing now is just using their Tumblog as their website, and sharing crappy content (like random pictures or quotes) and then sharing on Facebook/Twitter. It’s all this micro-blog type content that has no real substance and isn’t doing a damn thing to help anybody. Plus, since none of it is on a website that the artist actually owns, it’s just not being used properly in building residual traffic (via search engine traffic) and none of it is being properly converted (email capture or actual sale of product).

The other really big problem with everyone blabbering about social media is NO ONE, I mean, no one, is talking about the types of things that ACTUALLY drive traffic and create a buzz for you – real social media marketing involves using the social news sites Digg, Reddit, and StumbleUpon.

Explaining how exactly you can utilize these social news and voting sites is a whole other article in itself, and let’s just say the average Joe isn’t going to sign up today and become successful using them. However, the main thing, if everyone should shut up for a second and think about, is creating the best kinds of content. If you can learn to create the right kind of content, not only will your Facebook and Twitter start to see some traction, but you’d have a shot and going viral on a site like Digg.

So stop listening to all the hype everyone is dishing out everyday, and sit down and think about what the web is about: sharing information. None of these tools will do you any good unless you’re sharing the RIGHT kind of information. Learn how to create this kind of content and the tools around you will start to make a little more sense.

Music Business Lessons From NYC To Bozeman, MT [Gen-Y Rock Stars]

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:32:35 +0000

Today I have a guest post from Andrew Hand. Andrew and I have had many conversations on the music business, Internet Marketing and personal development over the years and he is always growing, but more importantly he is always helping people. Below is a great article that talks about transition, life and the music business. If you want to learn more about Andrew, you can check out his new Bozeman, MT Guitar School.

If someone had told me a few years ago that I’d be living in Montana and teaching guitar lessons, I wouldn’t believe it

Teaching guitar lessons on the other side of the US…Indeed I wouldn’t believe it. See, I was living in New York City and trying to make connections there and get my music spread to a larger audience. I didn’t have any plans to leave the Big Apple, but life had some other things in store.

Let me just say that I’m where I am because I made choices, it’s not like life happened to me, I was creating a scenario of events that led me to make other choices…and so here I am in Montana…Long way from NYC.

Though I miss the city, I am enjoying the process of embracing where I am

I think the important point, and the reason that I’m writing this, is to share with my fellow musicians, and perhaps all readers; that there are always more opportunities around us than we recognize.

About six months after landing here in Bozeman, I started thinking that I should see about connecting to the music scene here and perhaps try to teach some of what I’d learned about music, songwriting, recording and such. After a few months of trying a few things, I started teaching guitar at the local music store. The first lesson I gave felt so good.

There was just a positive wave of excitement I felt at passing on what I’d learned to someone else and seeing them learning

I’ve been teaching guitar for about four months now and have really enjoyed every student I’ve had. They have all been different and each has had their unique pace and style of learning, which has made me adapt some of my teaching and past notions about what people needed to learn first about guitar and music.

The reason I tell this brief tale is to share my realization that I am learning more from teaching than I am from when I’d just make teaching videos for my guitar teaching website. Seeing how people actually process this information in person has been enlightening. For some the eyes glaze over when we enter music theory land, and for others, an ah-ha moment happens.

I think the takeaway for me is that although I might be doing something other than 100% focussing on my music, I am able to keep involved with music and actually feel less burdened and stressed out about all I have to do to get myself out there. When a student wants to learn “Ring of Fire” or “Speak Now” by Taylor Swift, it gives me a reason to go and really look at these songs and see what’s making them tick.

Since beginning to teach (and for some time before) I’ve been working on a guitar teaching DVD. Because of my student interaction and getting to test things out, I find the product is becoming better and giving me new ideas. I thought I was done with it last week, but on reflecting, I felt that I had put too much information in and not enough ‘practical’ teaching. So I’m re-shooting the whole thing, and so far it’s getting better and better. Yet another bonus!

Doing things you never expected, or maybe didn’t even want to do, might just help expand you in a direction you hadn’t thought of before

For me, what I’ve gotten done since starting to teach, was cover “All Apologies” by Nirvana, do cover video lessons for “Come Together” by the Beatles, and “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash. I’ve created chord charts/scale charts, PDF’s, set up websites and even performed with my students in our recital. It was fun to sing with these kids…

When looking for an answer, they often never come

I have been trying to find an answer for the last year, and have met lots of internal resistance, stress, and a whole host of up and down swings. I’m not one to look at things as obstacles. I haven’t found an answer, other than what I feel to be right. And that is to continue going with the flow and trying to contribute value to others and pass on whatever I can. It’s the same approach that’s guided me in my songwriting and personal/business connections.

There are opportunities, so many in fact, that I have to try and best choose those to pursue, while still reminding myself that music is a part of my purpose here.

My hope is that this little posting has met those who needed to see it and been of service. My thought to you would be this: Listen to the little voice that nudges at you, saying ‘hey, maybe you should try this.’…and then do it. Especially if it’s something that you tell yourself you don’t want to do the next minute.

I’d love to hear from you, so please reach out and drop me a line.

My Very Best Wishes to You,

Andrew Hand

Is Vibedeck Picking Up Where Bandcamp Left Off? [Gen-Y Rock Stars]

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:21:01 +0000

I had a conversation with Vibedeck CEO Lior Shamir last week about the new music startup and what they are doing for musicians. I am always skeptical of telling musicians to get into the $1 game, because it is very difficult to scale a business selling $1 singles.

Yet, in is the nature of the beast and part of our current music economy and with services like BandCamp and TopSpin taking a cut from the artists these days, which isn’t a bad thing, VibeDeck is coming in again as a company with an artists first approach.

I know Lior from his days at another music industry startup, Audiolife, as I was a writer for them at one point. Anyway, here is what VibeDeck is from Lior’s own words:

VibeDeck is a free direct-to-fan platform for creative artists and discerning fans. With VibeDeck, you can sell or giveaway your tracks, or let your fans name their own price. Best of all, VibeDeck does not take a cut of your sales and the money flows directly into your PayPal account. So, you keep 100% of your sales (after PayPal fees) and have immediate access to your funds. It’s also a great way to seamlessly collect, store and export your fans’ email addresses so you can send them a shout-out when you have a gig near their home turf. It’s easy to use and truly free.

For musicians looking to take advantage of direct-to-fan sales and keep a bigger portion of that $.99 pie, I encourage you to check out Vibedeck. Lior has sent me a link for all the readers here at Gen-Y Rock Stars and this will also help Lior and his team know that you guys are coming in with the marketing and business smarts to use the platform (that means he experts more from you, lol)

Click here to check it out.

On another good note, VibeDeck just raised $2 million in funding, so don’t worry about them disappearing anytime soon.

Let me know what you think about VibeDeck in the comments below.

-Greg

P.S. If you have not watched our new presentation on the 5 Fatal Mistakes Every Indie Musician Makes, click here to register and watch it now!

Indie Musician Summer Reading List [Gen-Y Rock Stars]

Mon, 16 May 2011 16:49:11 +0000

Last summer over on Hypebot, I wrote out my summer reading list and as summer is kicking in full swing here in Florida I thought it was time to share what I have been digging into when I hit the beach.

Over the last 12 months my reading has really kicked up a notch. I am trying my best to knock out 2 books a month ranging on everything from the music industry to business, marketing, nutrition, travel and lifestyle. Some of my choices are obvious and run in the best seller category and some are diamonds in the rough.

I am going to do my best to share 5 titles that I think would be beneficial to musicians and those in the music industry, as that is what this site is all about. Also, just wanted to let everyone know that I have just signed a publishing deal with Celebrity Press to write in 2 of their upcoming compilation books, The New Masters Of Online Marketing and Win!. Both will be out before the year ends.

Top 5 Books To Help Indie Musicians This Summer While Spending Time Tanning

No BS Marketing To The Affluent by Dan Kennedy.

This book is changing my entire game. I have been getting heavy into marketing legend Dan Kennedy over the past few months and this book opened my eyes to a world we all know is out there but feel is too far away from us. The general idea is that by marketing to affluent customers, you can raise your prices, provide extreme value and be handsomely rewarded financially.

For musicians this may mean creating higher priced bundles, creating a market for exclusive private shows, creating music lessons for affluent students or looking for fans in more lavish neighborhoods. Check out the book on Amazon here.

The Pledge by Michael Masterson.

This book is really a look back at n incredible journey and an incredible life from one of the best direct response marketers on the planet. In the book Michael looks at the things in life that made him such a success and lays the blueprint for you to do the same.

I remember reading this book at night and jumping out of bed to find paper and a pen to do some of the exercises. That is powerful writing if it gets my lazy ass out from under the covers. Anyway, if you are looking for insights into an amazing career and more importantly a radically ambitious lifestyle, go pick this one up at Amazon.com here.

I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell by Tucker Max.

This one just came into my world and it’s a little shocking it took so long. I am usually onto these things. Anyway, the book is offensive as hell and I love it. I came from the college bar scene, spending 2+ years DJ’ing for the frat boys and sorority girls and witnessing first hand what Tucker tells in these stories of his.

The reason I think this book is important, more so than entertaining is to understand the mindset of young people. A lot of you are marking to this demographic and most of you get it wrong. By reading this book you start to see the lifestyles, the priorities and the budgets of the 18-25 year old crowd. Then you learn how to approach them. Picking up girls is very similar to networking, getting gigs and duh, the music industry. Go grab this best seller now at Amazon and laugh your ass of while getting a total education in the college kid psychology.

Work The System by Sam Carpenter

This book was recommended as a sort of prequel to Tim Ferriss’s 4 Hour Work Week. It goes along the same principles of working less and making more and I think musicians are really going to eat this up. The biggest thing holding most musicians back is time, or the fact that they think they don’t have enough time to dedicate to anything but making music.

Books like Sam’s and Tim’s open the mind up to explore what else is out there and what can be done when you create systems and apply them to your music career. It’s a quick read and looks good on the beach as your dream about your ideal musician lifestyle. Grab this one as well as Amazon.com.

Decoded and Empire State Of Mind

This indie musician summer reading list would not be complete without at least 1 music book reference. While I am not high on music industry books, most are outdated by the time they hit the bookshelves, these 2 deal with the bigger picture in an artists’ career, the other stuff beyond the music. That is what has made Jay-Z such a star, created staying power and created a half billion dollar legacy.

I loved Decoded as you get a first hand take on what made Shawn Carter. Empire State Of Mind takes a bigger look at the business man. Both are incredible reads and lay the real blueprint for making a career in the music industry, if you even want to call it that. Maybe it’s more of an entertainment empire. Either way, even if you are not an MC from Marcy, learn from this guy and how he has grown over the last 20 years. Find Decoded here and Empire State Of Mind here.

Just missed the list:

The 4 Hour Body by Tim Ferriss – loved and devoured it. I don’t think of it as exercise and diet, but the lifestyle I want and the way I love to feel.
Assholes Finish First by Tucker Max – I just finished ‘Beer in Hell’ and this in next on the Kindle.
No BS Direct Marketing by Dan Kennedy – Another one of Dan’s books. This is next on the list for me in the marketing category.
The Art of NonConformity by Chris Guillebeau
Never Get A Real Job by Scott Gerber
The Heart and the Fist by Eric Greitens
Brewing Up A Business by Sam Calagione

I hope you liked this list, but really, I want to know about you. What books are you reading (fun or business). Leave your suggestions for others in the comments below.

-Greg

P.S. Just got this killer link from Jon @ MicControl with over 100 books recommended by musicians. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer. The link to all the books above are affiliate links for Amazon.com. If you buy something after clicking on one of those links I make a little commission.

Volume 11 Music News Mix

TIDAL Passes 1 Million Subscribers, Announces Benefit Concert with Jay Z, Prince, Beyonce, More [hypebot]

A Beginners Guide To The True Cost Of Streaming Music [INFOGRAPHIC] [hypebot]

5 Ways To Check If Your Music Is Actually Good Enough To Release. [hypebot]

The Struggle Of Selling vs. Giving Away Music [Kosha Dillz] [hypebot]

Patreon Has Been Hacked [hypebot]

Choose your impact [Seth Godin]

Guide To Improving Home Studio Acoustics [INFOGRAPHIC] [Music Think Tank]

SUSDAT [Seth Godin]

6 Ways To Build An Engaged Audience On SoundCloud [Music Think Tank]

How Much Longer Until Bands Have To Make 360 Videos? [New Rockstar Philosophy]

IMAGE NOTICE: Man Buns Are Making You Bald [New Rockstar Philosophy]

What Goes Where? Setting Up A Recording Studio [Music Think Tank]

MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: The Best Apps And Accessories For Music Lovers [Music Think Tank]

Listen Anywhere: The Best Apps And Accessories For Music Lovers [Music Think Tank]

The New Jersey business community faces many…

And Now An Evolutionary Music Documentary by Ariel Kalma [New Rockstar Philosophy]

Watch ALL 2015 Polaris Prize Performances HERE [New Rockstar Philosophy]

Viet Cong Are Changing Their Name And Following Our 5 Tips To Do It [New Rockstar Philosophy]

Entrepreneurs in New Jersey have access to a…

What’s Your “Internet Influence Index”? (3i) [Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog]

The 3 Biggest Social Media Mistakes Musicians Make [Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog]

Social Media Marketing Sucks? Not If You Do It This Way … [Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog]

There is a better way …

The Kama Sutra of Music Marketing [Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog]

1) Don’t settle for just anyone – search for your music fan soul mates

2) Get to know your fans first

3) Don’t forget foreplay

4) Be a great music lover

5) Contact them and ask for another date

A Hard Lesson I Had to Learn [Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog]

Why A Fan Mailing List Is Essential [Make It In Music]

Data Proves Email Wins!

If It’s Good Enough For Obama

Why is Email Essential?

View Rate:

Click Rate:

Cost:

Email makes Fans

005 – How to Use Your Band Website and Mailing List as the Engine of Your Success [Make It In Music]

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Thanks for Listening!

002 – How To Approach A Record Label Or Manager [Make It In Music]

Did you know that 67% of marketers surveyed in…

Facebook Like Gate – The Secret Return of A Marketing Super Tool [Make It In Music]

Like Gates Banned by Facebook – Why?

What Happened to Existing Like Gates?

UnlockTHIS – Like Gates are Back

Content Gating SoundCloud, Twitter, YouTube & email

Double Likes and Partnerships

Locking more than Downloads

Currently there are around 30 billion phone…

Why would 73% of marketers proclaim that email…

Make It On Soundcloud [Make It In Music]

Soundcloud is Still Growing – Fast!

It’s not just about Dance Music

Why You should get this Book

A Soundcloud Marketing Masterclass

Where I've Been (and Where I Am) [Music Marketing]

Boards of Canada and Participatory Marketing [Music Business and Trend-Mongering]

16 People in an 8500-Seat Venue [Music Marketing]

Music Licensing for Commercials - Should You Do It? [Music Marketing]

How To Hack Starbucks Pick of The Week [Music Marketing]

3 Ways to Sell More Music on Your Website [Music Marketing]

Volume 11 On Facebook [Volume 11]

Funding Your Music Project: NAMM Presentation [Music Business and Trend-Mongering]

Vaulternative Approach to Funding [Music Business and Trend-Mongering]

The Word of Mouth Manual Volume II [Music Business and Trend-Mongering]

Using uStream to Host a Webcast [Music Business and Trend-Mongering]

Post of the Month: Who Picks the Music You Hear at the Mall? [Volume 11]

October Post of the Month: What’s the Story? The Value of Story Telling in Music Promotion [Volume 11]

Post of the Month: Music Pros Offer Their ‘Most Important Piece of Advice’ for Young Bands [Volume 11]

Post of the Month: Are you one of 50,000 artists not claiming SoundExchange royalties? [Volume 11]

The New Masters Of Online Marketing [Gen-Y Rock Stars]

Why Social Media is Actually Ruining Your Ability to Obtain Fans [Gen-Y Rock Stars]

Why are we using social media in the first place?

The rise of Tumblr

Led Astray by Music Industry Bloggers

Music Business Lessons From NYC To Bozeman, MT [Gen-Y Rock Stars]