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Monday, November 30, 2009 |
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Booking Your First Tour
By Versailles
Click to Listen
As far as booking is concerned I spent a lot of time sitting in my house hoping that someday someone might hear my music on myspace and decide that we should do a whole United States tour. Or perhaps that mailing out 100 press kits to different booking agencies would get some sort of interest. Thing is it seems like maybe 5 years ago that would have worked. Now everything in the mail and on the internet is so overly saturated. There are so many bands and what makes your band any different. Truth is you have to have all your ducks in order. Yes you still have to have that professional sounding mix of your songs whether it is a whole album or an EP. You have to have a sweet looking press kit to go along with this with a bio, pictures, reviews and past shows you have done or tours, if you have had the opportunity to get a tour yet. Next make sure you sign up with Sonicbids.com for an account. This is a great way to send an EPK to promoters, clubs and bars. Trust me a lot of them won’t look at it at all or even bother going to your website but it is worth having for the few that do want you to have an EPK.
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Posted by admin at 10:27 AM
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009 |
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Flying Solo – A Chicago Born Bird
By Alex Hoffer
Growing up just outside of Chicago was always an amazing bit of luck for me. Not only lucky because I love that city, but because as I got older, I’d begin realizing that I’d want to be working there as much as possible. Music and a place like Chicago do go hand-in-hand and I wasn’t about to let that opportunity slip by. A few things could, and did, get in the way though. In the end however, nothing is as powerful as a dream. Nothing is as powerful as belief.
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Posted by admin at 07:03 PM
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009 |
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Practice Your Scales
By Curtis McCormick
I find practicing scales and fingerings on the guitar pretty boring but it must be done if one is to improve. With a full-time job, a side job and a wife to spend time with, I had trouble finding the time to do that guitar practice until I hit upon a good formula.
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Posted by admin at 01:56 PM
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009 |
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Mistake Number Seven:
Not Spending Enough Time on the Phone
(an excerpt from the book, Called To Sing: 13 Mistakes To Avoid When Starting In Music Ministry (Volume 2 by Dr. Naima Tonya Johnston © 2007 7thirtyseven Logos Publishing)
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but when dreams come true there is life and joy.
(Proverbs 13 Verse 12)
The phone: the lifeline of the emerging artist’s music ministry. Inquiry emails are great, sending a press packet might peak some interest, but the ministry opportunity becomes a booked date when the deal is sealed on the phone. I hated to get on the phone and talk with people about my music ministry, I always looked at it as shameless self-promotion and I hated that thought. But I realized after much prayer, some growing up in the Lord and not enough singing engagements to make the bills, that if the Lord had given me this music ministry, and in fact wanted me to share it with the world, then I in fact had better promote this ministry as much as possible! Getting your music ministry out there is not about pride or a lack of humility on your part, it is truly about doing the work that the Lord has called you to do. So exalt Him in every booking conversation and watch Him open the doors.
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Posted by admin at 01:30 PM
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009 |
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Dust is The Enemy
By Marty “Big Dog” Mercer
I get countless people at the shop with problems with scratchy volume & tone pots on their guitars, amps, basses. I get their equipment in & see that they are completely covered in dust, dirt & grime.
I try to explain to people all the time that dust is the enemy.
If musicians would take a little more time to properly clean their equipment,
they could avoid (sometimes costly) repairs.
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Posted by admin at 11:15 AM
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Monday, November 23, 2009 |
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Make Money While Promoting Your Friends
By HeadAboveMusic
Here is a step by step instruction to strengthen your music community
and make a little extra money to put toward your next album while promoting your friends.
1. Create a “Friends” page on your website. If you already have this done, nice.
a. Make a list of all the musicians you have shared a stage with. After each name, maybe write where the show was and how you enjoyed hanging with them after the set. You don’t have to make a description, but it does let your listeners know a little more about you.
2. Click here for free LinkShare Membership and fill out the three simple forms with details regarding your website.
3. After you are signed up and confirmed as a publisher, you’ll need to sign up for iTunes Affiliate Program. Once you are accepted to that, you can look up your friend’s albums and link the HTML to your site under each listing on your “friends” page. When your fans browse your friend’s music and click on their album or the link you provided, they will be directed to iTunes Music Store where they can listen to the music and purchase a CD or tracks to their liking. You will make 5 cents for every song sold. Your friends will have sold one more album making an extra 65 cents for every song sold. 50 cents an album adds up over time.
4. Sign up for Amazon.com Affiliate Program. Most bands that sign for Tunecore submit their music to Amazon.
Take pride in the bands that you share the stage with.
We are all in this together. The more support you give to others, the more you will see in return.
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Posted by admin at 11:00 PM
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Sunday, November 22, 2009 |
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Chris Newman Recommends Black Postards by Dean Wareham.
Click to Listen
 
I just read Black Postcards by Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500 and Luna)
He tells the whole Indie story 80’s thru early 2000’s. It’s excellent!
Chris Newman
Portland, OR
www.myspace.com/naplambeach
Chris Newman, Naplam Beach, Black Postcards, Dean Wareham, Galaxie 500, Luna, PORTLAND, PORTLAND Oregon, Portland oregon music
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Posted by admin at 12:17 PM
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Saturday, November 21, 2009 |
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Insure Your Gear and Your Songs
By Steve Schiltz
Click to Listen
     
My name is Steve and I have been the singer/guitar player in the band Longwave for about 10 years. We have put out two records on RCA, and a couple of other indie records. I have also been a touring/studio guitar player for Albert Hammond Jr, Teddy Thompson, little joy, scout, and a bunch of others. Recently I made a record entirely on my laptop, and called the “band” Hurricane Bells. One of those songs just got put into the new “Twilight” movie, and soundtrack.
There are things that I think are important to remember about playing music, one being that is supposed to be fun. even when you are working very hard, recording, or when touring feels like a grind, it is important to try to keep a good attitude and remember how lucky you are to play music, for money or not. And being nice to everyone always comes back to you. Just as being a pain in the ass does, too.
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Posted by admin at 01:03 PM
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Friday, November 20, 2009 |
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Conversations on Music Licensing
By Lorelei Loveridge
Click to Listen
 
THIS WEEK IS ABOUT MUSIC LICENSING – ONE OF THE MOST LUCRATIVE WAYS TO SECURE LONG-TERM INCOME IN THIS BUSINESS
(Adapted from the 20 Nov 2009 ‘Friday Update’ to members of
the Facebook group Performing Songwriters (United Worldwide) otherwise known as
PSUW.)
****************************************************************
I know a LOT of people here have experience in this arena. So, please share
what you know on the talkback here, and please refer others to weigh in on this
subject if you have contacts with wisdom/experience (thanks):
TALKBACK 16: Licensing Music for Film/TV Synchronization, etc.
http://bit.ly/6P25aL
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WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THIS
My first album Endless Contradictions garnered a licensing deal with the
producers of prime-time TV shows Party of Five/Dawson Creek in the U.S., and I
continue to earn international royalties 13 years later (for airplay in
countries, worldwide) for over 1 minute of music taken from my first album
track (put your BEST track forward, first, as you know!!!).
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Posted by admin at 07:10 PM
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Friday, November 20, 2009 |
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Work-outs
by Daphnie Willis
Click to Listen
 
OK so I usually try not to get to crazy here but I LOVE working out! I have worked with a couple different trainers and have pretty much narrowed down the best workouts for different goals.
Best way to drop weight/fat: First thing in the morning, have one cup of black coffee and go straight to the gym. You walk uphill for 25 minutes and then run for 25 minutes. You can add and subtract minutes, speed/incline depending on your level of endurance. IT is important that you DO NOT eat prior to the work-out and just have the cup of coffee. BUT you HAVE to eat immediately when you are done. This will keep your metabolism going.
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Posted by admin at 02:33 PM
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Mar 09, 2010
