A lot of musicians I know still don't realize that the real money in the music business goes to the writers, and that just playing in a famous, popular band doesn't bring much in the way of riches or security.
CD Baby explains more about how it works, here:
Music Publishing Royalties: What is a Performance Royalty? DIY Musician Blog
Friday, May 3, 2013
Friday, December 14, 2012
Promote your band for $5!
Five bucks doesn't get you much these days. But on this new website, musicbusinessmarketing.com, it can buy a whole lot of promotion for your band. The offers abound, to build your band Facebook page, add a couple hundred new fans, promote your new song. People with band services to offer can post there, as well. This sounds like a pretty great idea to me. Real, affordable, semi-organic grass-roots promotion. Check it out here and spread the word.
And if there are any musicians still on your list, check out this website Gifts for Musicians for thousands of customizable, useful products with music themed art and designs. You should have no trouble finding a unique, personalized gift for your favorite musicians.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
On Music 3.0's Post "Old Records Outselling New For The First Time"
http://music3point0.blogspot.com/2012/07/old-records-outselling-new-for-first.html
This post by Bobby Owsinski on Music 3.0 gives some interesting statistics on what music is actually selling the most these days, and it's not what's currently at the top of the charts.
So is this because people over 40 are more accustomed to paying for music? Or more able to afford it? Was the older music simply that much better? Or is there so much music available these days that it takes more time for the best of it to rise to top and stand out from the crowd? Is it because today new artists feel like their only chance for exposure lies in giving their music away, while hoping someday they'll be valued enough that people will pay for it? Is the musical public tired of sifting through huge amounts of new music, much of it mediocre at best, and becoming more inclined to return to artists and albums they already know or that have at least proved themselves to be able to withstand the tests of time?
I'm not attempting to answer these questions. I haven't personally found much popular music that really moved me in the last year or so, but I thought maybe I was just getting old. I have found some "new to me" music from years back I really love. And I've heard a few things from new, relatively unknown artists that I thought had tremendous potential. So is the public's growing resistance to paying for good music resulting in either a lowering of standards or a tendency for artists to take the DIY route? (which undoubtedly takes longer to gain national and international recognition) Or am I just speculating and reading something into what is no more than an off year in the music industry?
Have you found yourself more drawn to older music lately? Or do you just download the newer stuff you can get for free and pay for only what you have to?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. You can read it here:
http://music3point0.blogspot.com/2012/07/old-records-outselling-new-for-first.html
This post by Bobby Owsinski on Music 3.0 gives some interesting statistics on what music is actually selling the most these days, and it's not what's currently at the top of the charts.
So is this because people over 40 are more accustomed to paying for music? Or more able to afford it? Was the older music simply that much better? Or is there so much music available these days that it takes more time for the best of it to rise to top and stand out from the crowd? Is it because today new artists feel like their only chance for exposure lies in giving their music away, while hoping someday they'll be valued enough that people will pay for it? Is the musical public tired of sifting through huge amounts of new music, much of it mediocre at best, and becoming more inclined to return to artists and albums they already know or that have at least proved themselves to be able to withstand the tests of time?
I'm not attempting to answer these questions. I haven't personally found much popular music that really moved me in the last year or so, but I thought maybe I was just getting old. I have found some "new to me" music from years back I really love. And I've heard a few things from new, relatively unknown artists that I thought had tremendous potential. So is the public's growing resistance to paying for good music resulting in either a lowering of standards or a tendency for artists to take the DIY route? (which undoubtedly takes longer to gain national and international recognition) Or am I just speculating and reading something into what is no more than an off year in the music industry?
Have you found yourself more drawn to older music lately? Or do you just download the newer stuff you can get for free and pay for only what you have to?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. You can read it here:
http://music3point0.blogspot.com/2012/07/old-records-outselling-new-for-first.html
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
An Easy Way to Find the Sweet Spot on an Instrument | Audio Issues
Ah the proverbial sweet spot. The place you can't describe or explain, you just know it when you hear it. Although so much of the time, many of us, at least, are listening through a set-up that is already missing too many frequencies to ever sound perfect. Do you miss them as much as I do?
Björgvin Benediktsson gives some great tips on finding the best sound on his blog Audio Issues.
An Easy Way to Find the Sweet Spot on an Instrument | Audio Issues
Metallic Music Chaos Case for iPhone 3 Iphone 3 Case-mate Cases by UROCKDezineZone
Browse Music Casemate Cases
Björgvin Benediktsson gives some great tips on finding the best sound on his blog Audio Issues.
An Easy Way to Find the Sweet Spot on an Instrument | Audio Issues
Metallic Music Chaos Case for iPhone 3 Iphone 3 Case-mate Cases by UROCKDezineZone
Browse Music Casemate Cases
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Does giving your music away give you the opportunity to expose it more people? Or does it devalue it, ultimately making people less interested? Are you more or less inclined to download new music if it's free and available to all? Is taking the opportunity to (presumably) share with more people result in less people hearing it in the long run? If this is true, we're definitely doing it wrong.
This article from Digital Music News discusses some evidence that musicians who charge for their music may wind up with more attention, more listeners (some buyers, some not) and ultimately greater success.
Want More People to Care About Your Music? Then Charge for It…
This article from Digital Music News discusses some evidence that musicians who charge for their music may wind up with more attention, more listeners (some buyers, some not) and ultimately greater success.
Want More People to Care About Your Music? Then Charge for It…
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Expand Your Gig Opportunities with Alternative Venues | DIY Musician
It's easy to get into the mindset that reaching the widest audience means playing to the largest audience possible. But, there are many tiny flaws in that approach. Larger metropolitan areas have many venues, many more shows, a lot of bands and a lot more competition. While the more remote rural areas and smaller towns are often starved for entertainment, and thrilled to see you when you come there to play. I remember playing to small mountain towns, and the week we were there we were the only game in town. And the whole town would make a point of coming down to the gig to check us out. And as long as everyone was having a good time, they'd stick around to enjoy the fun.
We may have made that trip to fill in for the slow times in the city, or to rehearse a new band before taking it on the A circuit, but out there we were rock Gods and they adored us. They always wanted to know when we'd be back. If we'd been selling CDs, shirts and hats, I'm sure they'd have been willing and eager to buy. It would have be the perfect place to start building a fan base, but I was 20, the music business was an entirely different animal, and my knowledge of marketing and fan base building non-existent.
So if your band isn't getting the number and quality of gigs you want and expect, don't keep chasing the larger venues in the heavily populated areas. Recognize the gold mine in smaller audiences eagerly waiting for you to come to them in smaller towns all over the country and go out and make friends. You'll find some wonderful folks out there. Give them your best show, have music and branded items to sell them, and make sure you get them on your email list. They'll love you for including them and delight in helping you in your rise to the top. They're your friends now, and we all know that friends love to help friends. And you can bet they know people in other parts of the country and they'll help you spread the word. And chances are, you'll have a blast doing it.
Explore the link below for some additional ideas and then go exploring.
Expand Your Gig Opportunities with Alternative Venues | DIY Musician
It's easy to get into the mindset that reaching the widest audience means playing to the largest audience possible. But, there are many tiny flaws in that approach. Larger metropolitan areas have many venues, many more shows, a lot of bands and a lot more competition. While the more remote rural areas and smaller towns are often starved for entertainment, and thrilled to see you when you come there to play. I remember playing to small mountain towns, and the week we were there we were the only game in town. And the whole town would make a point of coming down to the gig to check us out. And as long as everyone was having a good time, they'd stick around to enjoy the fun.
We may have made that trip to fill in for the slow times in the city, or to rehearse a new band before taking it on the A circuit, but out there we were rock Gods and they adored us. They always wanted to know when we'd be back. If we'd been selling CDs, shirts and hats, I'm sure they'd have been willing and eager to buy. It would have be the perfect place to start building a fan base, but I was 20, the music business was an entirely different animal, and my knowledge of marketing and fan base building non-existent.
So if your band isn't getting the number and quality of gigs you want and expect, don't keep chasing the larger venues in the heavily populated areas. Recognize the gold mine in smaller audiences eagerly waiting for you to come to them in smaller towns all over the country and go out and make friends. You'll find some wonderful folks out there. Give them your best show, have music and branded items to sell them, and make sure you get them on your email list. They'll love you for including them and delight in helping you in your rise to the top. They're your friends now, and we all know that friends love to help friends. And you can bet they know people in other parts of the country and they'll help you spread the word. And chances are, you'll have a blast doing it.
Explore the link below for some additional ideas and then go exploring.
Expand Your Gig Opportunities with Alternative Venues | DIY Musician
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