From the monthly archives:

June 2009

Curtis band member treks from Tennessee to pick up CDs

by Disc Makers June 30, 2009

Curtis Band Member

A Curtis band member drove 10 hours straight from Tennessee to personally pick up his 1000 CDs in jewel cases. After a full Disc Makers factory tour, we went out to his car so he could show me the new album. Looks great, and now the Curtis band is all set for their release party on Sunday! Check them out on MySpace: myspace.com/thecurtisband.

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Chairman Ballen lifts 1700lb bag of polycarbonate

by Disc Makers June 17, 2009

Ever wonder how CDs and DVDs are made? Chairman of Disc Makers, Morris Ballen, shows us the raw material (polycarbonate pellets) that is fed into the injection-molding machines to make discs. Then he hoists a 1700lb bag of these pellets into position.

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The Digital Toolbox

by Scott Kirsner June 16, 2009

Fans, Friends, & FollowersThe way the music industry worked for most of the 20th century involved artists striving and gigging and hoping to get discovered, and then letting someone else worry about everything else. Today, most of the responsibility for marketing, promotion, and building an engaged fan base falls upon you – even if you are lucky enough to get signed to a label. Take a band like OK Go, signed to Capitol Records. The band members say that the way they’ve achieved a global reach is by coming up with their own clever tactics to connect with fans, like making cheap, homemade music videos and posting them on YouTube. (OK Go’s video for “Here It Goes Again” has been seen more than 45 million times on YouTube.) Read more…

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Pro Studio: Make the Most of Your Songs

by Keith Hatschek June 16, 2009

Tight Knit, Vetiver's 2009 CD showcases songwriter Andy Cabic's talents.Connecting with producer Thom Monahan took a little doing, since he was halfway around the world in Tel Aviv, Israel, tracking a new album with singer/songwriter Geva Alon. We started our phone interview discussing his background, including his eight-year stint with well-respected songwriter Joe Pernice, during which time they recorded ten albums. Monahan was not only a member of the band, but he also engineered and produced. He has also produced albums by Devendra Banhart, Beachwood Sparks, Lavender Diamond, and Little Joy. One clear lesson Monahan has learned includes the importance of having great songs when you set out to make a record. Read more…

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Harness Your Fanpower

by Daylle Deanna Schwartz June 16, 2009

Seven tips to get your street team organized and mobilized

Street teams are a great way to spread the word about your music to potential fans. They can effectively generate a buzz for your CD before you even release it. If you have the budget, you can hire street marketing companies to put them together in any market across the country — that’s what large labels do. If you can’t afford it, create one from fans, which can be the single most valuable tool you can cultivate to market your music. Street teams made up of fans that love your music become a very productive marketing campaign. Think about it. Which might pique your interest more, an advertisement for an act you don’t know, or fans enthusiastically telling you why they love an artist? Enthusiasm is contagious. Hiring street teams often doesn’t get the same bang. Fans are happy to help when asked to, and they’ll go to many lengths if you show appreciation for their efforts. Read more…

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List Your “Like” Bands

by Bobby Borg June 16, 2009

A tight description of your sound is essential to marketing your music

Listing your “like” bands (the bands that you sound most alike) will further help to define your musical category and sound. This will enable you to attract new fans via print media and the Internet, prepare you to respond to requests from “music users,“ and open you up to a variety of marketing strategies based on the successes of other artists and bands. If you can pinpoint your sound to something like “Alternative Rock in the style of Queens of the Stone Age, Wolf-Mother, and Eagles of Death Metal,” you’ve come along way. Read more…

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Understanding your Competition

by John Stiernberg June 16, 2009

Applying business strategies to your music career can help you succeed

You and your competitors have one key characteristic in common: you are both going after the same target customer. There are two basic kinds of competition: direct and indirect.

Here’s a quick review of the definitions:
• Direct competition: similar businesses in your product category.
• Indirect competition: any product from outside your product category that goes after the same target customer’s attention and money.

The total competitive environment includes both the direct and indirect competitors. While this may seem obvious, I’ve found that most music people focus primarily on one or the other. Consider these two scenarios: Read more…

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