Through A Glass Onion

2011-05-09T15:58:00.001-07:00

Check out Bob Findlay at ReverbNation: http://ping.fm/SkHaa

Online Music. The Big Picture

2011-01-17T21:34:00.000-08:00

Using the internet to find an online music download that you like to listen to and build your music collection in any style of music is an easy and affordable way to add to your music library. You can easily burn your own CD's or download mp3's to your iPod or other mp3 music player. It is also a great way to find out about current and new artists, new album and single releases, access a free music download and even online sheet music. The popular free iTunes software and music library allows you to create your own music library, find TV shows, podcasts and get free music downloads and for only $0.99 a song download you cannot really go wrong. Plus there are a lot of websites online where you can find free online music videos and mp3 downloads like YouTube, MySpace, CDBaby, Soundclick and so many others.

Recently I discovered an online music site that offers services to independent musicians that is far and away light years ahead of these major players. The paradoxical nature of this is that it allows artists to set their own prices, allow their fans free online music downloads whilst keeping 100% of the royalties.

The Bandcamp player at the end of this post does just this. It allows for online music streaming of the entire album as often as you like. If you decide that you like the album enough to download to use the codeword thistle view the discount.

What does this mean for the future of music? With the everyday consumer buying on average 2 new music albums a month this could have an effect on the music industry but most shops like Virgin, Sony BMG and other well known music retail shops also have online websites which offer even more discounts and sometimes a music community so the music lovers using the internet can only boost music sales.

The internet is also a good place for independent artists without a major record label to upload and promote their music. There are a lot of independent music websites where you can create your own profile, update fans with your news and even sell your own music. The royalty companies like ASCAP, PRS, Harry Fox and BMI also have internet music licenses you can get so that you receive royalties and commissions for all music plays on internet radio stations, and for any music downloads and mp3 or CD sales.

You can even make your own music by buying and downloading music production and creation software you find online to your PC or laptop and if you have a good sound card and microphone you can make and record your own music and beats very easily. In fact, you can find hundreds of free loops and backing tracks you can download and even license for commercial use making it easy for the music producer and songwriter to make their own music.

If you want to learn about music, study an instrument or get advice on the music industry you can do a search on the internet and find so much free and useful information in articles and on music websites and blogs.

Does this take away the traditional way of making and playing music for the musician? Some think so but you can look at it like this; the internet has opened up the whole globe to us and you can make good music contacts from all over the world and build your own worldwide fan base just by promoting your music online. Music you may never have even heard of has become easily available and the whole music scene and industry has benefited and grown because of internet and satellite communications.

You can see then that using the internet connects music lovers around the world and Cyber Technology has made it easier for the songwriter and musician to create and record their own music. Plus it opens doors for the independent music artist and also increases exposure for major record label artists so that they can build their fan base and sell more of their music.

Music Deserves The Right Promotional Tools

2010-08-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things that musicians do trying to make a living with their music that amounts to little more than spinning their wheels. Here are 3 easy ways to begin building a solid financial foundation for your music career.

Firstly, find the appropriate tools that will work for you or your band. Don't waste money on tools that will not help you as there are plenty of free tools staring right at you. The new music industry is turning out to be a mixed-matched combination of independent labels, D.I.Y independent musicians and the major record labels finally making efforts to join in the game. One of the results of this new music industry is that there have been hundreds of companies popping up offering products and services designed to accomplish what only the major labels could accomplish in the old industry model. Some of these companies are nothing more than hacks. It really does pay to check these sites out befor commiting anything. Some of these companies are incredible in what they are offering and how they are serving musicians. Certainly they are not all created equal. Furthermore it is near impossible to determine whether the product or service that is being offered is something that will work for you and your music. Fear not! There are plenty on companies that are both legitimate, sincerely interested and more than capable of serving your needs.

Secondly, measure your results. Use analytics and statistics tools available. You absolutely have to pay attention to what results you are getting from your efforts. This way you can tweak your approach until you are being as effective as possible. There are many analytic tools available. You can use Google analytics for free. I use Google analytics myself and can't speak highly enough of it. Google analytics will give you a wide variety of statistics about your website including how many visits, how many unique visitors, which links are being clicked on and what page your visitors are leaving from.

Any good online distribution service will offer your band analytics as to which tracks are being downloaded from which stores and so on. This is so important. You have to know what things you are doing that are producing the best results. This way you can continuously correct your course.

Finally, don't let band merchandise weigh your down. There are companies that are set up to manufacture all types of merchandise and will drop ship directly to your fans. You do not need to order 1,000 t-shirts and sell 50 in a 3 month period ending up with five boxes of t-shirts in your basement, or worse, renting a storage space to store the t-shirts that you lost money on. Of course your profit margins will be smaller with this method but it is a great way to offer the merchandise without having to carry inventory.

I hope that this brief entry will be of some benefit to you.

Enter the codeword thistle to grab your copy of "Mean Business" for ONLY $5 (AUD)
<a href="http://bobfindlay.bandcamp.com/album/mean-business">Snake Eyes by Bob Findlay</a>

Let's Stick Together

2010-08-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

No doubt this entry will initially raise the ire of independent musicians, fans and major record labels. I don't care. It's only one guys opinion.

To some degree I blame the independent musician who wants to get signed to a major record label!! I feel there is no need for you to get signed by a major label. Don't you want to help yourselves, plus everyone else in the same situation as yours? Well then lets stop having the goal of getting signed and have the goal of making your own profits and career!

On the other hand I don't blame independent musicians for trying to get signed, I mean they get more cash then they would not going with them. BUT! Lets change that! Lets make it so they no longer exist and you can help yourself to profits instead! And those profits would be yours entirely not like 50 cents for 1 album selling, no you would get whatever you want to sell it for!

When it comes to fans and anyone still buying CDs, merchandise and other things from major labels. Why blame them? Well I think you already know that answer... But lets say no one did buy CDs, merchandise, and whatever else the record labels try to push down our throats, lets say we only bought music that was sold from individual musicians and small labels that take a lot LESS cut into the CD, merchandise, etc... What would there be?

There would be a more equal opportunity for all musicians, no more media, radio stations getting paid off from record labels, instead they would be no more, or they would be down to the level of alot more record labels! There would be harmony and freedom to do anything you want. This is what we need to fight for! Or else we are no better than those 4 big record labels!!

I have discovered one pretty good distribution option for independent artists in the site Bandcamp. It is a no-frills site which allows the artist to upload music in most formats and likewise the fan has the option of what format to download. Musicians set their own prices and keep 100% profit, thus alowing for major price cuts.

<a href="http://bobfindlay.bandcamp.com/album/mean-business">Snake Eyes by Bob Findlay</a>

If you look at the soundplayer to your left (it is one of four sizes) you can play the entire album as often as you wish. In theis particular case, if you wish to buy the album, enter the codeword thistle for a 50% download, effectively making the album $5.00 AU (Ssshhhh). You also have the option of only purchasing individual tracks.

Think about it for a little, take some time, calm down, and think you and everyone else all helping each other out and all moving in one direction, there is really no stopping us! So what do you say? Lets get this rolling already!

Independent Musicians Can Make Money Against The Odds

2010-08-16T23:12:00.000-07:00

The independent music industry seems to be in a something of a slump of late. It seems like there is nothing good being said about the industry at all. Everywhere you turn independent musicians are reminded about how the illegal music downloading, low album sales, minimal video play on national TV, radio playing only a handful of songs, and lets not forget a glut of awful music being made by people who just became musicians yesterday have all killed the music scene.

All of those things paint an extremely dismal picture, BUT it's not all bad. True enough it's hard for even the biggest mainstream musicians like Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton to sell a million records, which just a few short years ago could be done in a week or two. Artists aren't even selling gold, which is half of that, even months after their album comes out.

The reason that I say it's not all bad is relies on your willingness to reprogram yourself on how the industry works. I'll break down some strategies that are not necessarily new, but for many artists a refresher is in order.

Be independent: With all of the successful examples of independent record label success, many artists are still shopping demos and breaking their necks to get signed to a major record label. The reality is that major labels are only taking chances on mega artists with huge followings and proving sales records, and even those mega artists are finding less support from the majors. For new artist, or those who have been dropped from the majors, starting an independent label is the way to go. Don't be afraid or embarrassed of being on a smaller scale, because there are bigger rewards and dollars in it for you. Take an artist who sold 300,000 albums, but was considered a failure on a major label and was subsequently dropped. Just think if he starts an independent label and sells that same 300,000, but this time he keeps all the profits. At $5 to $10 a copy...well you do the math. Let's say that you don't have that huge following, but you got what it takes to sell one, five, or even ten thousand albums or better. You're making more than some people make at their jobs.

Become internet savvy: Sounds like a no brainer, but just because you and your music is online doesn't make you savvy. The internet has almost crippled major labels like BMG, etc. but for independent artists who really have serious online campaigns, the internet is a powerful weapon for gaining exposure and sales. You must have a professional website, Facebook, YouTube, and other online campaigns and make yourself stand out from the average Joes. Please take note of the term professional. With an amateur image online, you're asking to not be taken seriously, plus you won't sell any songs via download, ringtones, or whatever other merchandise you have to offer.

Make your name a brand: Artist are and have been attaching their star power to products to sell everything from clothes, soda, movies, and even gold and platinum teeth. Too many think that record sales and performances are the only ways to get paid. Even on a small scale, independent artist with significant buzzes can make small fortunes hawking merchandise like T-shirts, bobble heads, g-strings, and even mouse pads via their online and offline presences. Having said this, don't focus on merchandising as an income. Utilise it as a free advertisement tool. People buy your t-shirt with your name on it. How many people do you think will see this? Lots. How many people may be curious about you (as yet) unknown name? More than you think. Any profit that you make on merchandise is, of course, always a bonus.

The music industry may be in a slump, but I'm confident that with the music going away from its corporate shackles and back to its underground roots, independent artist will finally get back to providing the airwaves with good, solid music of all genres and save us from this extreme 'same-ness' we're being force-fed. For those of you who have been inspired by this article, I encourage you to seek all of the knowledge that you can get to prepare yourself to further your independent musical career. Remember by starting an independent label, getting with the times and being internet savvy, as well as branding your name is a recipe for success.

I truly wish you well.

Outwork Your Bands Competition

2010-08-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

The opportunities that are available in the music business today have never been greater. The advancements in technology have really leveled the playing field for everyone that aspires to become a successful musician. Thanks to the Internet, local bands are no longer local; everyone is connected to a giant worldwide network with almost no limitations. The distribution of music is no longer controlled by radio, by record companies, or by chain stores. Your aspirations of becoming an international sensation have a better chance of materializing today than anytime in history. They are very real. However, since the opportunity for musicians has broadened, the competition for the big spotlight has never been fiercer.

The successful musicians of today have developed themselves intonmusic business workaholic powerhouses. These are the people that dedicate all of their spare time to their music career instead of casually promoting on the weekends. They are constantly thinking about what they can do for their band instead of what they can do to relax. They are willing to sacrifice a night at the bar for a night of Internet marketing. Success in the music industry isn't an accident; success is the result of consistent effort put forth every day. The bands that are getting ahead are not necessarily making the most groundbreaking music the world has ever heard; they are simply outworking the competition.

It is more important than ever to develop a music businnes workaholic mentality. The serious competition is doing whatever it takes to get the most recognition, and they are willing to work day and night to make their dreams come true. Most people in bands do just enough to get by and then find another activity to occupy to pass the time. This serves merely to your band going around in (small) circles and losing its' 'drive.' Time is the most valuable resource you have; wasting it will move you further and further from your dreams. Do something every day to benefit your band and benefit your music career. Even small steps in the right direction add up to miles over a period of time. What are your plans for tonight? How about for tomorrow?

Your bands competition plans on using that time to get further ahead in the business, are you?

How Your Band Can Make Serious Money Online

2010-07-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

Musicians have NEVER had the amount of freedom and advantages of being an independent artist as they do today. In earlier ages, the record companies were everything. Don't underestimate them in today's world though, they still have 1,000 times more contacts and resources than the independent musician will ever have, but my point is that independent musicians have never been able to strive in the past as well as they can today. Let me explain.

What is the most popular form of music purchasing in today's world? Most will say the internet of course.

Before the internet, you had to buy CD's from retail stores. Of course the independent musician could sell their own CDs after shows, but that isn't much compared to having your CD in every retail store throughout the country. In this obsolete situation, only the artists with record label support could get their CD on the store shelves. Why would a store waste shelf space by putting an unknown album on their shelves when they can put other CDs that are guaranteed to sell thousands of copies?

They wouldn't. So in this obsolete situation, you would be out of luck. BUT, since major distributors have become the main sources of music purchasing, you are in great luck. When CD sales relied on selling hard copies off store shelves, guess how much that costs? The materials, packaging, etc can cost up to hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars depending upon the quantity. For this financial outlay, there is NO guarantee that you will end up in the black. Guess how much it costs to sell that same album in digital form via a major distributor? Nearly nothing. No material costs, no packaging costs. This sounds like the ideal place to distribute your music digitally Why? because major distributors are all attempting to monopolize digital distribution. Show a fan an album of yours with a fancy wee logo and they're likely to jump on it purely for that reason.

This has to stop. Not only do you have to pay an initial fee but an annually recurring fee to keep your material there. Most major distributors give the artist NO control of the pricing of an album. Case in point: I have an album, "Catharsis" with a major distributor. It's priced it at $16.99!!! Admittedly it's a 15-track album but I am in the midst of making it much cheaper for you whilst maintaining the same sound-file format...and more! Who's going to buy a $16.99 album from a barely know artist such as myself when the likes of The Rolling Stones, etc. are priced lower?

<a href="http://bobfindlay.bandcamp.com/album/mean-business">Snake Eyes by Bob Findlay</a>

I have discovered a site called Bandcamp which allows independent artists to upload their music in more file formats than the major distributors. The upload and download process is very fast. For fans, they can download the file format of their choice. If you check out the Bandcamp player to your left, you can play the album "Mean Business" in its' entirety....as often as you like. Additionally, artists can offer discount codes. The discount code for "Mean Business" is: thistle Feel free to enter the codeword at checkout to observe the hefty discount. You are under no obligation to proceed at this point. It is this flexibility and transparency that appeals to this independent musician.

Theoretically, all you have to do is make ONE copy of the song and that ONE copy can generate MILLIONS of sales, where as in the obsolete music business it would take MILLIONS of copies to make MILLIONS of sales. See what I mean? You can have an equal amount of product on the "digital shelves" as any famous singer in the world - that eliminates your dependance on a record label to fund the massive production costs of putting an album in every store across the nation.

For the first time ever, independent artists are able to put their music up for download/sale on the digital shelves of iTunes just like all of the major artists with massive record deals. You, and anybody else in the world with access to the internet, can now put your very own music up for sale just like any other independent musician. You get the money for all of the sales, where as a record label would have taken 80-90% of the profits from you.

Its your music, and you should get paid for it - ALL of it, not just a small fraction. Of course getting a record deal will significantly boost your career, but it is no longer true that you can only achieve success with a record label. The tables have turned, the doors have opened, and ANYBODY can walk through them.

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Obscure But Effective Band Advertising Options

2010-06-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

Once your band has established what can be termed a "following," there are a few free advertising tricks that you can utilise with only a little effort in your part. Some may theoretically cost your band money....but.....where better to invest in return on your bands ingenuity along with its obvious talent.

The most blatant and effective free advertising that I have seen stems back to the days of the old blues bands in the States where they would either sit outside the venue that they were performing in that night, slap-bang in front of their poster. The other, for the more financially lucrative, was to drive around the block of the venue that they were performing in that night. Again, the band/artist poster being clearly visible.

These two 'advertising stunts' actually work better away from your home town....they've heard you before, remember? The Rolling Stones are perhaps one of the best examples of this, driving around a block performing their latest songs. Obviously they were playing at a local stadium....they are The Rolling Stones, after all.

Having partaken in the aforementioned advertising exploits, there are two important factors that I would suggest to you. Firstly, if performing directly outside your venue, only perform for approximately half an hour and do it during lunch hour. The second and to my mind the most important, is to do a 'practise run' with the truck, driver and P.A. system in order to give him and your band the 'feel' for what is right, pace-wise and sensation-wise. As good a driver the truckie is, you will still feel like you're on a small ship. NEVER let this show. Do whatever it takes.

The final piece of free advertising is something of an obscure one....but it works better than you will initially know.

After every every fourth album that your band releases, run a campaign. "Download all four albums and receive a free t-shirt." This can be done quite easily. From the profit of selling four albums in one hit, you can afford to send each fan who participates. This can be tracked by your website designer and/or manager.

I can hear cries of "....But we're losing money!...." No you're not. When was the last time anyone randomly downloaded four of your mp3s? Even after the expense of creating the t-shirt (which is zero and the cost of posting it to the lucky recipients you are not only financially better off but the advertising benefits have a huge ripple effect. Not only do these fans tell their friends of this great deal and free t-shirt, they will be wearing your bands t-shirt too. BRILLIANT advertising. Hint: keep the t-shirt design basic with your bands name prominent.

I suggest Audiolife for t-shirt creation advertising and the cheap postage option. Both are excellent qualities offered by the company.

These are but three advertising options that are both obscure and come at minimal cost and time on your bands part. At the end of the day, you will reap the rewards from these advertising options.

Get your 50% discount for "Mean Business" by entering the codeword: thistle

<a href="http://bobfindlay.bandcamp.com/album/mean-business">Snake Eyes by Bob Findlay</a>

Playing A Free Gig

2010-06-23T01:13:00.000-07:00

Early in ones musical career, playing a free gig is almost a given....almost. There are are numerous festivals, fete's and so forth screaming out for bands to donate their time (and musical talent) as a draw-card to their particular cause.

If your band hasn't performed your first paying gig then performing a 'freebie' is a good idea but don't make a habit of it. Advise the organisers that this is your only free gig. Additionally, you can but ask if you may headline the event. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

This free performance can gain you so much exposure (if you perform a blazing set) that paid offers will soon be coming your way. Treat the free gig as free advertising. Try, if permitted, to have your bands banner behind you when you perform.

Some events require only one band to perform. If you happen to be that band, capitalise. Chances are you'll be playing a longer set than the customary 20-30 minute set with the 'crowd' quite often being passers-by on their way around other attractions at the event. Again, capitalise on this. Give each passer-by a nod, smile, wink and so-forth. Humorously change a word if you happen to be performing a cover song. Use every trick in the book as this is your time to make a memorable impression.

Many moons ago the band that I was with had a significant and loyal following. A local promoter asked if we would play a free 20-minute set at a major outdoor event. Due to our following I, as manager, had a few requests. These requests included headlining the event, having our own road crew, lighting crew, sound engineer, a 10-minute gap between ourselves and the previous band (thus ensuring we went on at dusk to capitalise on the light show and having our bands banner clearly visible behind us).

The promoter instantly attempted to negotiate. By that stage of our career we didn't negotiate, thus we rejected his offer. We did, however, attend the event and were appalled by the lack of professionalism by the performing bands and lack of organisation by the promoters. Bands were sitting on the grass immediately in front of the stage & haplessly lugging their equipment onto the stage before the band on-stage had finished!
Additionally, it took the sound engineer most of each bands act to get the sound remotely listenable and the lighting appeared to have been set up by Stevie Wonder. The crowd of just over 2,000 began leaving just over half way through the event.

The following year, the same promoter approached me with the same proposition as the year before. This time, he had a contract ready to sign which included every request that I had proposed.

We went on at dusk with our crew at the helm. No-one saw us before we hit the stage. We played our hearts out.

A few days later I received a call from the promoter thanking our band and that the crowd was estimated to be around 4,000.

In conclusion, when approached to perform a free gig, bookmark this page, refer to it and weigh up your options. Performing a free gig should not be written off without due consideration.

To claim your 50% discount on "Mean Business" simply enter the codeword: thistle

<a href="http://bobfindlay.bandcamp.com/album/mean-business">Snake Eyes by Bob Findlay</a>

Start Local And Start BIG

2010-06-10T23:17:00.000-07:00

Although this entry is aimed at newly-formed bands, there are several aspects that can be utilised by more established bands.

Prior to any bands first gig, there are several things that can be done prior to that all-important first booking. Your band should have more than enough material to see you through an entire performance. This is a 'given.'

Being 2010, it is now possible to have your own CD recorded. This process is outlined in my book, "Online Music Traps." Your album should obviously consist of original material. At this stage, bare in mind that this album is not primarily focussed on directly making money. Indirectly, however, your CD can lead to countless financial opportunities later.

Dependent on your finances, give a copy to local record stores, live venues, radio stations and anyone that you can think of who has influence within the local music industry. Ask for their opinion once they have had sufficient time to listen to your CD. Giving a CD to a 'known' music lover at a local live venue works well. Back in my band days we used tapes and would 'accidentally' leave them in prominent places where music-minded people may equally 'accidentally' find them.

In the case of your first CD, make sure that your bands name is prominent. Go bold! People are more likely to be drawn to an obvious visual 'tag.'

Once your band secures its first gig, your imagination and dedication should be "turned up to 11."

Visit the venue and check-out the layout and acoustics. Speak to the manager if you're able to finalise terms. Ideally, a contract should be signed by the two parties. Have business cards and posters at the ready. If finances don't allow for professional glossy cards and posters, photocopies of well-presented items will do just fine.

Give as many posters to the venue as they wish. Posters can be further distributed to record stores and any other local retailer willing to help. Don't overdo things and have your band being questioned by the police due to inappropriate 'posting.' Having said this, it's quite an innocent mistake for one of your photocopied business cards be left in a phone booth,local bar, etc. Accidents happen.

Once all of your 'physical' advertising has been done, all that is left to do is your word-of-mouth advertising. I remains the best form of advertising. Fellow band members and I would, when in a different town or city, locate a poster of ours and stand in front of it, talking the band. No-one knew we were in the band back then. It worked a treat until we became 'known.'

You may find yourself employing these strategies for some time but if you stay true to yourselves, they will hold you in good stead for your future music career.

35% Discount Code for "Redemption" is: raunchy

<a href="http://bobfindlay.bandcamp.com/album/redemption">(You & Your) Poison Pen by Bob Findlay</a>

Get Your Music Discovered On The Internet

2010-06-05T03:16:00.000-07:00

In this entry will briefly address what is out there for the independent musician to connect with their fans, namely the internet.

As you may know, my book "Online Music Traps" deals with this in great detail. The difference between the book and this blog entry is that I intend to give a brief overview of the means by which the independent musician can utilise the internet. If you wish to delve deeper and get the full story then I highly recommend grabbing "Online Music Traps."

First things first; Blogs. There are many such sites. This is an internet name for a diary. You can even add your own on your web page. They are how you give your fans a piece of your soul. The daily/weekly ramblings of an suffering artist or crazy superstar. In addition, since these are likely to be one of the most regularly places you write, they can get you noticed by Google if you do a little bit of research regarding layout, keywords, their positioning and so forth.

Facebook is an opportunity that simply can't be overlooked. Since mid-2009 until May2010, it's popularity in the global 'sharing' stakes has risen by 10% to 35%.This is an immense shift.At the moment (2010) this is the king of the internet social sites. It has an almost arrogant disregard for musicians and their wishes. It is said that people go here to meet friends and get news. Not to search for new people. It is not to be ignored simply because it is the largest. Have a presence there. Most importantly, have a fan page there. A fan page is where people can join the club without having to wait for your approval. Thus you can just push out info to anyone who wants to listen.

Hubpages is a place for you to place articles about what you think is useful. It is probably more likely that your fans, management, P.R, team (more likely to be your best friend under the cool title of P.R. manager) would write these. They take some writing ability. These should be knowledgeable and mention you in subtle ways. This can get you noticed by the industry and industry followers.
This is the one place you could get people to listen to your music for free without sending them to your webpage. At the time of writing, Myspace is having discussions on what it is going to do with this particular service. Meaning, they have no idea if they can find a way to make money out of it.

Skype, Msn and Yahoo are just messenger platforms. The thing with these is that they have webcam ability. I have a feeling that this webcam phenomenon, though it was one of the earliest developments on the web, is not even close to being really developed.

Squidoo has been nicknamed the great "Lens". I think this is supposed to indicate a thing through which people will view you. It is not dissimilar to Hub pages. You can post many things to this. You can put things from across the various social networks into this as well as post articles. It You can put things from across the various social networks into this as well as post articles. It is an overall look at everything you think your fans should know, see, read and hear.

Twitter takes some getting used to. What is important about this? Well it is such an individual item that there is no real competition. For this reason almost everyone works with it and not against it. You can use it to post across the board. You can connect your other social sites to it. Post once on Twitter and it is instantly beamed magically to all of the other sites. And you can try to gain those all important followers.

Your website is your own personal web real estate. The one place that you can, if you know how, do what you want. It is your calling card, your living room, your own magazine. It is as much part of your image as your clothes. If you can't dress it well, then do not show it. It is also one of the places you can make money. Not the only place but possibly the best for you and easiest to control.

Xing is a business oriented site. Although a friend of mine said he had to leave because of all the others trying to 'chat up.' I find it is great place to interact with the business community. The People with the real money. Your manager should definitely be part of this. It is the internet Golf course.

YouTube is the all Seeing Eye. Here you can post your videos. It is the other place you can get your music heard and even better, get yourself seen. If you want to perform, this is where you can show your possible fans what you look and perform like. But be careful. It may be where they see your downfall. It has a great ability to attract people. It reaches two senses, sight and hearing. So double whammy. Don't forget to post your website address all over this.

This is a small list, dear reader but is nowhere near 'the' list. That list will appear as a fullyy-fledged book....which at present has a name smd s few scribbles here and there.

Make Cash Aside From Music.

2010-06-03T01:59:00.000-07:00

The vast majority of independent musicians know how difficult it is to make a decent wage from their music whether it be from digital downloads, performing live or a combination of both. Many independent musicians work 'regular' jobs which lessens the drive to earn a sustainable wage from their music.

As you may or may not be aware, I am in something of a more unusual position than most independent musicians. In June 2009, I finally got around to retiring from my 23-year career as a State Registered Nurse on mental health grounds. There went my 'stable' income. Additionally, as a seasoned live performer, I refuse to go down that road again due to cynicism towards the music industry and most people involved in it.

What was I to do? The solutions were immediately quite obvious. Firstly I completed and released the album, "Catharsis,"....all fifteen tracks of it. It was my first 'concept' album. This opened the floodgates for me to not only blog the album but to do spread it as far and wide as possible.I also shot two YouTube videos of tracks from the album, 'Dear Artist' and 'Crooked.' The results were astounding. Until the release of my latest album "Redemption," which can be downloaded with the additional bonus to fans of a discount voucher, "Catharsis" had been my highest selling album. Album sales of "Catharsis" continue to rise almost a year after release.

This was/is all very well but I had another trick or two up my sleeve.

I have enjoyed writing poetry, short stories and so forth for as long as I can recall. I began blogging 'seriously.' Prior to retiring from nursing I had been blogging in a rather random manner; basically whatever sprung to mind when thought of musical weren't at the foremost of my mind. I did a little research as I had seen ads pertaining to earning money by using adsense in an astute and non-obtrusive way in my blogs. To me it seemed (and still does) simply a matter of marginally re-wording what you want to convey without compromising content. Not exactly rocket-science.

Long-story-short....if you have the time and are a writer, give adsense serious consideration. It works.

I was then approached, almost on queue, I received a mountain of emails from disgruntled independent musicians about their dilemmas with regard to being constantly bombarded with 'requests' from numerous distributors encouraging them to upgrade their account to a 'paid account' and all the exposure and so forth will pour in.

I was 'curious' for want of a better word so undertook extensive research and followed up countless emails from these disgruntled members of independent music industry. My curiosity moved into 'annoyance.' This annoyance led me to write a book on the matter, "Online Music Traps." Not only has the book been met with open arms and critical acclaim, it has helped me to pay more than a few bills.

More recently I have joined EzineArticles and have been honoured by being recognised an 'Expert Author.' Although the site is a non-paying site, the traffic and recognition that I am receiving already is as humbling as it is astounding.

This is merely my story.

Being musical generally lends itself to you having another artistic outlet, be it poetry, photography, art and so forth. Why not harness this gift that you have? You have nothing to lose for a start and the worst that can happen is that you don't make any cash that you've enjoyed doing anyway.

If any single person takes one single piece of my advice, give it a little bit of time and let me know how you get on. I'd love to hear how you get on.

Discount Code For "Redemption" is: lusty

<a href="http://bobfindlay.bandcamp.com/album/redemption">(You & Your) Poison Pen by Bob Findlay</a>

Redemption At Bandcamp

2010-05-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

With the release of my most recent album "Redemption" via Bandcamp as well as Nimbit less than 24 hours old, I felt compelled to make mention of it in this blog earlier than one normally would as the feedback/results at this early stage are somewhat 'out of the ordinary,'....well, for this musician they are.

Early statistics, downloads and feedback have all confirmed my prior suspicions but on a much grander scale.

I had initial reservations about the dimensions of the Bandcamp player but over the last few weeks I have discovered that these guys have put an awful lot of thought into it. While the Nimbit player and download process are very smooth operators, that is all they are. There are no statistics provided for 'hits,' song plays and so forth.

Bandcamp, on the other hand, provide up-to-date statistics not only on song plays but on partial plays and 'skips.' They also provide 'hits' in as much detail as is required and where visits derive from.

The BIG bonus to my mind is the ability for the artist to offer 'discounts.' It's a very simple process and a big winner from comments received thus far. The artist chooses the price of, in my case, "Redemption." They can then nominate a discount ranging from 5% to 95%. They then select a 'coupon code.' For the purposes of this blog, the coupon code is busty

To claim the discount, simply click 'Download' on the Bandcamp player to the left of this entry. You will then be asked to apply the code. Once this is done you will see the already foolhardy price plummet further....we're talking more than a few cents here, folks. You can then choose which file format and payment method you desire.

Hey Presto!!! "Redemption" is all yours!

► All you have to do is "design album art" for his upcoming *SINGLE release "Teach Me"...........
► Requirements, the Singles Art cover must be 600px wide x 600px high in size.
► It has to be in the theme of "Teach me"...use your imagination!
► MUST have "Bob Findlay", "Teach Me" & IMGlobal© on the cover, the rest is up to you!

►No Smut etc, keep it professional.

►YOUR name will be featured on the art work, and this will be promoted avidly.
►All submissions need to be emailed to auchinockstudio@gmail.com
►Winner will receive the Album "Redemption" via email!!◄

Too easy! And you may get commissioned for more art!

With this apparent flurry of activity, "Redemption" is actually quite a way behind me as I'm back into the studio after something of a break. During the past week or so I have 're-visited' the album and was initially taken by how 'live' it sounds. I then delved through notes etc. regarding the album and the word 'live' kept popping out at me.

Seems that I've got this one right.....to me, anyway.

"Redemption." The Album and More.

2010-04-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

The album “Redemption,” release date May 1st, 2010 is perhaps my most cohesive album to date in most respects. The 10-track album is comprised of consistently heavier and rougher numbers than my previous releases. Like all of my material, some of it is factual and some is fictional. Attempting to differentiate the two is a needless exercise. The songs message is still the same.

When I commenced writing and recording (almost simultaneously) in late October, 2009, the initial overall feel of the album was along the lines of 'communication.' In this early phase the working title for the album was “Message.” A close friend, artist and photographer Stuart Reeman, threw countless photographic options my way. I'm particularly grateful to Stu as he was/is amidst getting his own site completed and working on a second site that I am sworn to secrecy on.

As the album progressed, however, the 'message' angle on the entire album wained. By the time the festive season was over the only theme that was still standing from the outset was 'communication.' With it came an overwhelming sense of misplaced redemption on my part.

Over the festive season one tends to hear from people that haven't been heard from for quite some time, hence my dislike of the festive. Xmas 2009 will be remembered by me as one of hearing from an awful lot of people who, at several stages of my life, made me feel, in no uncertain terms, that I owed them some sort of favour due to my lack of reciprocity of 'their' way of seeing things.

After three years with a relatively clear head, I was able to objectify the former goings-on of both myself and of these people from the past. To cut a long story short, I think I've done all the redeeming that has to be done. Anyone who thinks otherwise could probably do with a vacation.

The entire album is in no way 'doom and gloom' and hopefully this blog entry combined with the frighteningly similar album liner notes will put people in the picture before actually hearing “Redemption.”

The album is (deliberately) my most 'live' sounding album. The guitar tracks have a more raw sound, making it easier to hear the 'meshing' that I like to create. All three guitars can be blazing away full-tilt, chasing each other around the place, then suddenly almost vanish, to the point where even I was wondering if it was meant to happen. Believe me, it is.

In a nutshell, musically, I think I've made my own version of organised chaos dominate the album more than any of my other releases to date. What does this have to do with 'redemption'? In order for redemption to take place, there has to be some sort of chaos preceding it.

The album will be released via Nimbit and also Bandcamp. I have only recently discovered Bandcamp, courtesy of Tommie Brewster, so I don't feel adequately qualified to comment on the site. I guess all that I can say at this point is that I consider it, at this stage, to be well worth looking further into. I shall be keeping a close eye on how things progress between Nimbit and Bandcamp sales over the next few weeks and keep you up to speed.

I'm not so sure that bombarding people with options is such a good thing. I'm also not so sure if peoples preferences of distribution sites weigh heavier than ease of use or price. People are still downloading singles from “Catharsis” from Amazon.com for 99c when they can get the exact same thing via Nimbit for 88c. (!)

My first attempt as an author has taken me somewhat by surprise. A big thank you to all concerned on my first book, “Online Music Traps,” which was initially made available on Lulu.com as a PDF download and as a paperback. A special thanks to Grace Peffers of Girlirox, down here in Melbourne for her fantastic review.

Shortly after releasing the book on Lulu.com I made “Online Music Traps” available at Myebook where it received 1,000 preview reads (first 6 pages) in just under its first month! Suffice it to say I have commenced another book, the subject matter and release date remain undisclosed for the moment.

As is the case with all of my 'major' activities on the 'computer-net,' members of www.scotsbob.com are notified of these goings-on 12-24 prior to anywhere else online.

Whilst on the subject of my website, I'm currently investigating the possibility of making available discount coupons for “Redemption” to website members. The service costs me nothing and allows me to further discount the album for the folks who have provided untold support. If you want a chance to get a hefty discount on “Redemption,” feel free to sign up....because it is free. Discount vouchers are limited, so it's first in, best dressed.

"I Can't Got No Satisfaction."

2010-02-22T23:56:00.000-08:00

"Satisfaction!" I yelled. "Satisfaction!" I yelled again. Thrice I yelled, "Satisfaction!"....before giving a quick flick of my hair and saying "I can't get no!" to give my displeasure as much impact as one can get in a store full of teenagers who seemed older than the lad at the counter, the very same lad at the counter who raised my ire instead of my spending wrist.

This happened some 18 months ago. I went in there, in good faith, to buy a $20 iTunes card for each of my children. Not a big ask, I know, but this young lad had obviously only read the sections of his conditions of employment that involved being an intrusive & pushy little pillock & bleed as much real & potential future money from anyone within the confines of the store.

With me, he failed. I saw to it that he failed in spades. I was already in there, so I figured I wasn't going to make it a TOTAL waste of time.

He failed so well that my mood transgressed anger and found it's way to sarcasm, sarcasm that was not wasted on 'all the young dudes' in the shop. They looked like they'd forgotten that they were actually alive when I entered the shop, looking at tiny objects in their hand with a somewhat "I'm dead"-look & pressing them for some sort of response. (Perhaps they were broken).

I was first aware that I'd grabbed their attention at the point where, after being given a very basic maths lesson by the young 'house boy' at the counter on how much better $50 is because it gets me more than $20 (!), I slightly raised my voice & went 'camp' for effect. "Listen love," I said. "I know that 50 is a bigger number than 20. I'd like TWO smaller numbers! There's a good boy." I could hear poorly-muffled chuckles from various areas of the shop.

What this kid at the counter didn't know about me was that it took me some time to contain myself enough just to go in there in the first place & had it not been for my children I wouldn't have been in there at all. I cased the joint from across the street first, saw where the counter was & waited until the coast was clear before darting in and 'claiming' it. Shops like that give me the creeps. There's nothing at all in this particular shop that I want to buy....except for 'two of the small numbered ones' for my kids.

After the hapless house boy had settled down enough, he asked me the strangest question. As he was punching numbers in left, right & centre he asked, "Phone number?" I said "Yes." Then he asked me for my phone number! I said "What for?!?!" I was aghast. "For follow-up service." How can follow-up service be conducted on two of the small numbered ones? The only obvious thing that I could think of was that they call later & ask if you had any regrets about not getting two of the bigger numbered ones.

This all whizzed through my head in an instant, which was the same amount of time that it took my sarcasm & my 'audience' to return. Taking my receipt, as the 'camp' voice returned, I said "It's 7391563.....but I'm not home, lovey." As I turned, ruffled my hair again & deliberately minced out of the shop, 'all the young dudes' actually MADE EYE CONTACT with me, smiling & nodding. I couldn't help but give one last look towards them over my shoulder & say, "Well, awwrriiigghhtt."

I AM NOT A SAFE PERSON TO BE IN A SHOP WITH.

The above incident happened because I was out of my depth. Shopping for something musical shouldn't be an out-of-depth experience. Sure, I didn't fully know what I was asking for but the unpleasantness of that was compounded by 'generation-whatever' mentality. He almost had me backed into a corner but I wasn't having it. It became a game that; a game where I ended up changing the rules; a game that should not be created. Had he been a good salesperson, I may well have ended up buying two of the bigger numbered ones.

When I buy my music I make sure that it's in a place where I'm not going to be asked if I'm dying. "Are you alright, Sir?" "No! I've got a pneumothorax! Can't you tell, record-store person?" If I'm looking for a particular album or artist, I go straight to the counter. If I'm browsing and an employee looks like approaching me before I've been there 5 minutes, I leave. Call me old-fashioned.

I mentioned 'generation-whatever' above. I did so to display my lack of knowledge in the area & my reason for this. My lack of knowledge stems from my overwhelming lack of interest. Are we now going to 'categorise' our own children based on research that is becoming so awestruck by buzz-words that the full & true impact of many terms & conditions are not absorbed.

I mentioned the term 'all the young dudes' earlier. I used this term deliberately. For those of you who aren't aware, "All The Young Dudes" is a song written by David Bowie & released by Mott The Hoople in 1972. The track is a glam-rock icon that not only did kids of that era identify with, it was a song that people of older generations associated with them.

Labeling people dependent on when they were born & what technology is/was available to them seems very two-dimensional, almost patronising. I don't know how to use a Blackberry because I don't want to, not because I can't. For all of those techno-boffins reading this and sniggering smuggly, try finding your way around my mixing desk blind-folded. Given equal time, I'm sure we would both manage to figure out how to 'drive' each others gizzmos. The question would still remain. Why?

This is where I have a major gripe with the large organisations flooding the market with gadgets that merely 'deliver' sound. (This is still remotely a music blog, remember?). Your iPod or Blackberry can hold more music than you'll probably listen to & fit in your pocket. If you want to play it without headphones (perish the thought, that'd be sociable), simply place it in an almost as small docking station with its matchbox-sized speakers and off you go. Party!!!

Whilst oh, so, convenient & 'tidy,' this writer is left wondering how convenient & tidy things actually need to be....and I'm not talking exclusively about music.

Recently a friend of mine, artist Stuart Reeman, & I were talking about ebooks. The conversation arose as I'm actually contemplating writing one....but only contemplating at this stage. As we are prone to do, we took the concept a few steps further. The prospect of an ebook that transmits its content from a small headset onto your hand. As the conversation progressed it became somewhat exaggerated, with people being accused of reading over someones' shoulder from 20kms away as one transmitted their ebook content on low clouds.

Slimline digital photograph holders are also commonplace these days. Instead of a cosy assortment of photographs sitting around the place, you have one single holder with your favourite photographs being shown at intervals. Painting & photographs on your walls can now be replaced by projected images. No more dusting and; extortionate framing. Even your television and video/DVD viewing is projected onto a vacant wall.

These technological advancements are, without doubt, ergonomic. Many people seem to like this. I'm not so sure that I'd like my house to have a room that can be devoid of music, photos, TV and paintings almost instantly.

Led Zeppelin Complete Sheet Music

How The Other Half Live

2009-11-16T16:22:00.003-08:00

With so much commercially available music on the internet today it is very easy for ones’ perception to be skewed, particularly among the younger generation.

Big name artists such as Metallica, Pink, Coldplay and Robbie Williams greet you at every turn, not only on the sites of major distributors, but also in ads on a multitude of social networking sites. Make no mistake, I am in no way criticising these artists, they just sprung to mind. I actually happen to like them, despite being trapped in the rock music of 1972 as far as my taste in music goes. These artists are not only extremely talented but they have worked extremely hard for a long time to get where they are. There is no such thing as ‘overnight success.’

So where do lesser known or barely heard of artists fit into this picture? As far as the major distributors are concerned, they don’t. They are not making the distributor vast amounts of money so when such independent musicians puts their material up for grabs on the likes of iTunes and Amazon, etc, unless people in their droves download their mp3 and download it quickly, the artist may as well not be there.

Despite Apple, whose market is primarily U.S.A.-centric, recently increasing the price of 'popular tracks,' as they put it, infact only 26 of the top 200 songs are priced at $99c. These include tracks by the likes of Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus who have massive pulling power and are going to make Apple a truckload of money irrespective. Bands who really need their songs to be available for a cheaper price are obviously small-timers. I am absolutely disgusted by this almost arrogant and blaze' greed. In summation of iTunes they have just reinforced my longstanding suspicions that they hold no regard whatsoever for artists unless these artists happen to be money-making machines.

Despite Googles' claim that iTunes market share will decline it has infact increased. I can only deduce from a recent blog that iTunes/Apple are focusing on iPod sales. Having said this, iTunes still hold 69% of digital downloads in the States. With Googles' recently introduced search in partnership with iLike and Lala, which includes downloads from these sites available, I suspect that iTunes 69% hold on digital sales may plummet, hence their current focus on iPod sales.

To be a money-making machine takes one of two things....or both. A large amount of financial backing or a colleague well within the industry. The talent is a given. The unfortunate part is that younger folks are buying into it.

For the independent artist, all is not lost. Quite the opposite. If independent artists such as myself keep doing what we're doing, pay more attention to our target audience, maintain contact when possible (without irritating people) and throw each others name around on various blogs, websites and so forth. I exclude MySpace from this as it seems to be just a bunch of independent bands supporting other independent bands. It is physically impossible to do this and yet independent musicians are leaving in droves. MySpace have responded by adding a whole heap of musician-based gizzmos on there. I haven't had a chance to thoroughly check them out as yet, but I feel their days are numbered.

I see a massive resurrection in the position of independent bands. Why? Lots of reasons. Most of us don't want to be famous or rich. Most of us are true to ourselves and won't buy into childish and borderline evil 'in your face' promotion. I'm even beginning to hear the younger generation complain about the narrowing of the field as far as readily available material is on the sites of these major distributors. Even people my age and older who are well into a specific genre of music are saying the same thing.

Certainly independent artists network via the internet. With the exception of word of mouth, which generally applies to local gigs, there is a vast array of internet sites where independent music can be promoted. It's a matter of finding what site or sites suit each musicians' requirements best. Utilising every site available isn't a feasible option unless a musician has someone to keep all of the sites up to date.

Independent artists such as Michael Charles and Joe Gande have this down to a fine art. They make a point of popping by the various music sites just to remind people that they're still around. I find this sort of professionalism so refreshing as opposed to being overloaded by emails from artistes every time they play a chord. Michael and Joe are true professionals in the marketing sense. Musically, they also deliver. I am yet to hear a song from either artist that has tarnished their credibility.

Contemporary music and musical trends are cyclical. As I sit here in sunny Stanley, Tasmania, I can't wait for the day when the classic rock style of music is once again readily available to me.