Posted by admin on March 1, 2011
Interacting with your fans on a regular basis will really help you to make it to the big time. You can mention them on your website and make sure that you always give them free promotional merchandise to keep their loyalty strong. It is your fans that behind the scenes that will give you a greater following as they will be writing blogs, generating you further interest with links on their social networking sites and generally putting the word out for you. Your fans will also be the ones that will increase ticket sales to your venues as if 20 of them tell at least 20 people each and just 10 arrive then they have filled the room without you having to do a thing so never underestimate the power that your fans have. You can also give them special mentions from the stage at your performances so that they know that you appreciate all the work that they are putting in by supporting you week after week and behind the scenes. People are attracted to your band on so many different levels whether it is social, cultural, musical or spiritual levels. These fans will in turn bring you increased popularity and stay with you for many years through your good and bad times. Make sure you give your music away to them for free and it would be a great idea to email them first with any new song release so that they know that they are the very first to hear it. Let them know that they are the first by announcing that it will not appear on your website for at least another week and this will make them feel very honored indeed. This is for sure the best way to give back to them.
Posted by admin on March 1, 2011
Having your band famous online is a great achievement but of course does not compare to performing live in a packed venue having fans sing along to your music. With the Internet being so advanced and so amazing to that of 5 years ago you really can get a great online following of fans without even needing to leave the house. Your fans still need to fall in love with the real you however and you still need to be out there gigging and getting your name out there. And to be honest what musician doesn’t get a high from performing live and listening to a rapturous applause? To start in this way you will need to find venues that already allow unsigned acts to take the stage and you must ensure that they have the appropriate music license known as an entertainment license for you to be able perform in the first place. It is illegal not to have a license so this really is a must. Secondly make sure that you book a venue that has a good deal of customers as there would be nothing worse than getting up on stage to find the place virtually empty and the room echoing! Also a good idea is to make sure that the same night you are looking to perform make sure that there are no other major events planned in the town or city as this will also have your venue looking like a ghost town. Don’t be shy to ask the general public where they think the best venue is in town as this will really be the best way to point you to the best place to get booked. Once you have managed to book the gig and go down a storm you can then ask the venue owner to up the fee a little; don’t be too greedy but it would be a good idea to ask for a little more. He will now know that you are great and will bring a large following which of course will generate him much more money. Most musician’s don’t think about this next point but once you have had a great performance then ask the venue manager or owner to book you up at least 6 months in advance; this way you will have regular money coming in and you will also be able to advertise way in advance as well as not having to hunt around for the next venue to play. Check out the venue at all different times of the day and different days of the week to see which type of people are there and which are the busiest nights. Also when you do your sound check try and make sure that you stand someone in all corners of the room to ensure that you can be heard perfectly.
Posted by admin on March 1, 2011
Any successful band should always remember who made it possible for them to be there in the first place and these people are their fans. Any band must always compensate their fans and the best way to do this is by creating merchandise. Yes your band might be fantastic but sometimes you should go over and beyond just performing for your fans and give something back to them for all their wonderful years of support. By creating promotional items you can show your fans that they are appreciated as well as advertise yourself to a whole set of new fans. There are so many promotional items which are a great idea and will be treasured by your fans. You can create T-shirts with your logo which is relatively low cost if you buy in bulk, you can sell bumper stickers, signed CD’s or you could try something completely bespoke and maybe comical. Some bands have little dolls made based on themselves and these are great collector’s items. For your regular fans you could try and give away free tickets to your next gigs which would be really appreciated. To reduce the cost of some of your promotional items you could try and get a sponsor that will pay for the production of these items and this way it won’t lose you a whole heap of money to be able to give your merchandise to your fans free of charge. So never forget who it was that put you where you are in the first place and always remember to give something back. Always make sure that you keep your super fans in the loop by emailing them with updates and newsletters which are addressed to them personally. At your gigs it would also be a great idea to call out to them by name as this will really make their day. Having your name mentioned in an audience makes someone feel really singled out and appreciated and you will gain their further support for years to come. So as you can see there are so many ways in which you can give back to your fans as well as gaining new support for the next wave of super fans that will follow your career no matter what you do. It is also nice for you the band to see fans that have been following you for years always in the front row of your gigs cheering you on and singing along to every word of your song.
Posted by admin on March 1, 2011
There are so many musicians that have to support what they do by getting a day job which is both menial and beneath their talents. It is unfortunate but until you start earning serious money as a musician there will always be bills to pay and general living expenses such as rent and a car to run. It is therefore very hard to believe that when you watch the most amazing performance on stage to imagine some of the horrendous day jobs that these talented people have to endure every day. As all weekends and evening have to be kept free to jam and practice with fellow band members it limits the type of day job that a musician can do. As my husband has been in a band for over a decade now I was quite shocked to learn the type of jobs his fellow musicians and friends had to endure to make sure that they could perform. These men some of which could command an audience with such talent that they could have girls screaming for more you wouldn’t expect to see working in a slaughter house during the day! This is just one of the many day jobs that would shock you. Another guy who played the most awesome bass guitar by night, and was so good looking, used to have to clean the overflow of septic tanks when they had broken. He would have to roll up the carpets and scoop up all the human waste and excrement and bag everything up and load it on to a waiting vehicle outside. There is probably no worse job than this and of course he hated it with a passion! My husband’s job wasn’t so bad but still beneath his talents and he used to work 9-5 in the print industry. He found this so boring but at least it was a job that he could earn a half decent salary, have time to rehearse and perform as well as helping me to pay some of our bills. If you know that you are capable of doing so much more then you really shouldn’t sit back and dread your day job. There are so many ways in which to earn a living as a musician and to incorporate your music without having to endure a job that you hate. You just need to put in some thought.
Posted by admin on February 25, 2011
Are you a musician that would be interested in travelling the world over? What a great way to see the world at the same time as performing each night and doing what you love to do whilst getting paid! There are US military groups that you can contact that actually employ people to entertain their troops all over the world and you can be a part of that. If you are at a good enough level then this could be a great opportunity for you and is not always in war torn countries where you will be put at high risk. You will need to be able to take months off of work at a time and you may also need some vaccinations and of course a valid passport but this is a small price to pay. You will get to see and do things that you have never imagined before and will get to meet people from all nationalities and walks of life. You may even be inspired by the different types of music of other cultures and countries. The military not only pay well but you can also save money as they will pay for all your transport and hotels during your stay in each country. You of course will have days off and some evenings free to be able to explore each new city you are in and really get to have an adventure. Many people have to save for years to be able to travel in this manner and you would be doing exactly what you love to do, be paid and get to travel. Who could ask for more? You will also be insured and there is no better boss of course than the US Military who will ensure you are paid and make sure your accommodation is suitable. Also all your visas and paperwork would be taken care of so you wouldn’t have to spend hot sticky days inside musky immigration offices where you are at their mercy as to whether you will be accepted for a visa for their country. You will form great relationships with other musicians from all over the world and end up with lifetime friendships as well as great stories to tell when you arrive back home to friends and family. Have a look at the US Air Force for the best information of how to go about applying for such an opportunity.
Posted by admin on February 25, 2011
When meeting a musician many people will think it’s great but will then follow by saying that it must be very hard to make a living as a musician. This is not true of every musician that you will ever meet as some have them have really mastered the art of making a good living by doing the one thing they enjoy the most in life. It would be harder to be a musician doing a job that you hate and don’t enjoy rather than putting in some hard thought and coming up with ideas to incorporate your music into your daily work schedule. You would probably be surprised to learn that there are some musicians out there that actually earn over the National average salary. Maybe not earning enough money to be mega rich, but certainly enough to cover a mortgage, living expenses and be generally comfortable like any other job. There is a musician that I know well that takes a great yearly salary by working as a guitar teacher for large music retailer and this earns him a good deal of money for just working 9-5pm allowing him to not only earn money but also to practice for at least 6 solid hours per day! The other main market to tap into is that of the cable and satellite television channels as there are now hundreds and hundreds which are crying out for music that is original and they don’t need to pay hefty royalties on each time one is played. Once you have managed to get your music on television this is not only paid well whether it be for advertisements or for actual programs but it may also get you noticed by the right people. This has happened many times in the past where as musicians have written music which has then been snapped up by the music industry and careers have been launched. Writing articles or blogs about music and your experiences within music can also pay very well and keep your finances up to par. There are so local gig venues.
Posted by admin on February 25, 2011
As a musician there are so many ways in which to make extra money whilst doing exactly what you love to do. There is no need to work in a burger bar or fast food restaurant when there are so many other routes in which to support your music career in its early stages. It can take a long time to build up to the big bucks and in the meantime I shall offer some ideas that you may not have thought of. These ideas will not only help to earn extra money but they will also allow you to be seen by people that can launch your career and get you work in the future; and why not earn money whilst you practice and sharpen your skills? This will help you to network and to meet influential people to aid you in your bid to becoming a professional musician. Playing at private parties is a great way to earn money as well as to get repeat bookings and get your name out there. Appeal to managers and owners of local bars and restaurants and offer your services for all private functions whether they are Birthday parties, Bar/Bat mitzvahs or any special events they may have. You could rent a suit and play at weddings, make sure you speak to all your local bridal shops and florists to let them know what you can offer and hand out business cards and maybe offer a commission percentage if they recommend you. Churches are a great place to advertise as this is generally free of charge and you will get a much larger response from all the community. Hotels are another good idea; many have functions and wedding parties that you could try to get booked for. Another idea is to work as a session musician and be available for other people’s recording sessions which will pay good money and give you regular work. You could also be a street musician and take up a spot in the busiest part of town; pretend it’s a performance and be paid by passers -by to entertain them. You can also teach; this is huge money and pays by the hour so you can earn a small fortune!
Posted by admin on February 25, 2011
Every single musician will struggle at some point in their career and some musicians overcome problems easier than others and in all different areas of their music. Identifying the potential struggles can help you to overcome them and will save you so much time and stress. Not knowing the right way to practice can hold you back for years as if you have spent all this time practicing in the wrong way it can be very hard to undo all of your brains understanding and re-write your knowledge all over again. For example as you are learning to play the guitar and you are learning various different songs you may find out in years to come that you have been strumming in the wrong way. This is very difficult to wipe out this learning and to start all over again so it is advisable that you start to practice in the correct way from day one. It will take far longer to learn a song if you are practicing incorrectly too and this can lead to most new musicians becoming frustrated and despondent and giving up on music all together. It would be awful to fail before you had even begun. Being able to understand music is crucial to not having to struggle with it. If you are just learning to have some fun and play around then this is not a problem but if you are looking at a career in music then this is an imperative part. If you wish to perform and become professional then you will need to understand everything about music even down to be able to read music, know every single note and not just listen to a song on the radio and try to play it by ear. Listening to your friends could be your downfall. We have all watched episodes of American Idol and So You Think You’ve Got Talent where there are endless people auditioning in front of music industry professionals and thinking that they are amazing. Well you must listen to critics that are non biased. On these programs you watch as these deluded people kill a song and sound like a strangled cat and they really believe that they have what it takes to make it all the way! The reason behind this is because they have been told by friends and family that they are great at what they do and eventually they have believed it. You will have to be open to take criticism and improve yourself; even the best in the world have to practice to remain the very best at what they do.
Posted by admin on February 25, 2011
The audio technology of a computer has become amazing over the past decade and is only deemed to get better. You can now produce the same sounds of an entire orchestra using a computer that is how advanced the technology has become. There are so many industries now, such as car manufacturing, banking and printing to name but a few that have seen staff dwindle due to the advances in technology. With a computer you can now store the audio frequencies of every instrument you can imagine and then adjust them to ensure the sound is identical to that of an actual orchestra. Does this mean that one day in the future there will be no need to have a physical orchestra? Will there be no need for anyone to become a musician or instrumentalist? The answer is a resounding ‘NO’. This is due to the fact that people will always enjoy seeing the performance of live music. Imagine you are sitting in a packed theatre and as soon as the chattering dies down, the room fills with anticipation to wait for the curtains to open to reveal a computer on stage with large speakers! Could there be any more of an anticlimax? An audience will always love to see live musicians and the way that they perform and create such energy. Adults will hope that one day they will be as good as the instrumentalists they are watching and young children will be inspired to take up a career in music. A computer would and will never have this affect on people. Music when played live in front of a captivated audience evokes strong emotions that are different to everyone, everyone will interpret music in their own unique way and a computer could never compete with this. Yes you will go to a performance for the actual music to be heard; but what would be the point without the visual stimulation to captivate you as well? As much as a computer can put out almost identical sounds, the human ear will always detect the difference. Music is an art and within art there is room for human error. This is what makes listening to a performance so very good compared with audio technology. When sometimes an orchestra can get a little wrong sometimes, it is so satisfying and amazing when an audience can see that they have mastered the more intricate parts to perfection. There would be no applause for a computer on stage and people appreciate the hard work and dedication of the orchestra.
Posted by admin on February 23, 2011
There is so much involved in being a musician. Many people think that it is simply a case of a band sitting down together having a few beers and coming up with lyrics and music and practicing for that all important gig. This is so far from the truth that is almost laughable! Alongside the hours of dedicated practice that has to be put in day after day there is also that of the updating the band’s website, keeping in touch with fans, PR and marketing, arranging photographers at the venue, keeping up with the music social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Myspace. This is to name but a few there is also the negotiating with venue owners for performances and bookings, posters to design and put up, letting everyone know where and when you will be playing. There truly is so much that needs to be done behind the scenes that you and I simply don’t and won’t get to see. The answer to a musician not having a nervous breakdown when it comes to taking on all of these tasks is by delegating the hard work and having more time to spend on your music. Not only is all this a daunting process of all the different tasks it will take to make your band a success but also the fact that most of the time these things have to be done as well as having a normal day time job. When you have a full time job as well as being a musician it can lead to you literally wanting to tear your hair out as there physically are not enough hours in the day to be able to do all this. Unfortunately the fact is that in order to become a professional musician or a half way good musician then this myriad of tasks needs to be done. You can be the best band in the about you and follow your career enough to get you follow on bookings? You must delegate anything that does not involve the making of music to people that you can train and trust in order to reduce your work load and relieve your stress.