Friday January 27, 2012
Breaking into the music biz isn't easy. Competition is stiff and being competitive is expensive. Juggling a day job to pay for your musical ambitions AND still having enough time left over to actually pursue those ambitions can be tough. In short, hard work, patience and not a little bit of cash are all required to turn music dreams into realities.
If you're in the process of launching your music career, you know all of this first hand. Of all the obstacles you're trying to break down, which are the toughest you face? Is it a simple question of cash, cash and more cash? Is getting a decent show a nightmare? Do you dream of someone coming on board to get you the press you can't seem to get yourself? Share a little bit about your toughest music struggles - and what you've done to beat them.
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Wednesday January 25, 2012
So, you've decided that you're going to handle your own press push for your new album. Did you know that your chances of succeeding are pretty much decided before you even send out your first email? There are a lot of variables that you CAN'T control during a PR campaign, but one thing you CAN do is the proper preparation. Making it up as you go along is a recipe for a blah result - your press campaign will be disorganized, unfocused and difficult to manage. Instead, invest some time in some simple steps to get your press set up the right way - it will pay off in a big way when the real work begins.
Ready to make a move on your promotion? Follow these five steps to get the ball rolling.
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Monday January 23, 2012
When parents hear that their children want to break into the music industry, whether as a musician or on the business side of things, reactions can be decidedly mixed. Some parents go all out trying to help their children reach the stars, while others take the "dream on, kid" approach and others still are semi-supportive but unsure of what it all means.
Which group has the right idea? Maybe all of them. After all, it's natural for parents to worry about their child's ability to make a living in a very competitive industry - a dose of realism is always a good thing in the music biz - but parental support can also be the make-it-or-break-it factor that helps kids grow into their music industry dreams successfully.
If your child wants to work in music, whether they're entering college with designs on music biz education or you've got a budding star on your hands that needs help getting noticed, chances are you have questions. Before you make any decisions about your child's musical life, arm yourself with some facts. These articles will help:
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Thursday January 19, 2012
I get the question all the time - does where you live matter when you're trying to make it in the music business?
The answer? Well, a little bit yes and a little bit no. Obviously, there are benefits to packing your bags and heading for the bright lights of a some big music biz center (although, to be fair, not all music towns are big cities). If you're hoping to work on the business side of things, the clear benefit is that there are some music related business around to actually give you a job. If there's no music industry presence where you live, that kind of puts the kibosh on getting that type of employment.
For musicians, honing their craft in a place with a lot of industry faces means that the likelihood of having someone stumble across their music who can then help them make a move in their music career is increased. The odds of, say, a top notch music manager happening to wander into your gig is greater in London, UK, than it is in London, Arkansas (not that the smaller London may not have its charms). Plus, a city with a big music scene simply means more musician resources - more venues, more practice spaces and plenty of musical talent for when you need to court a new drummer or such.
Ah, but there are some downsides. More musicians mean more competition. Tons of venues means showgoers are spoiled for choice and may not feel any sense of urgency about your shows. Music "scenes" can get oppressive. The list goes on.
Further, if you want to start your own music related company, you can avoid the often high cost of doing business in a major music industry center and work from a more budget friendly, smaller town, thanks to the magic of the internet. Rent and other living expenses are a lot cheaper in Dunn, North Carolina, than they are in New York City, leaving you more capital to make your business a reality.
The bottom line? There's much to weigh up before you head to a music biz mecca. Learn more.
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