Posts tagged as:

strategy

5 Habits That Will Make You a More Successful Musician

by Scott James August 3, 2011

There are a lot of posts out there that have great tips for becoming a more successful musician by using things like social media, sales techniques and email marketing strategies. I wanted to take a bit of a different approach and look at getting better results by improving the foundation that those things are built on…YOU! By changing some of your unconscious habits you can literally multiply your results in just a matter of months. Read more…

5 comments

10 Questions to Ask a Potential Band Member

by David Hooper July 1, 2011

It’s like a job interview, but so much more. A band member isn’t just doing a job – they are joining your creative family. You want to be sure of their technical ability, and you also want to be sure they will blend with the rest of the band. Success for your group depends on a synergistic blend of personalities. Here are ten questions you can ask a potential band member to ensure they will be exactly what you need to take your band to the next level. Read more…

1 comment

An Innovative Approach to an Album Release

by Disc Makers June 17, 2011

We are always on the lookout for new album release strategies. Here’s the latest from Billboard.biz and the Kaiser Chiefs:

U.K. guitar group Kaiser Chiefs is taking an innovative approach to the release of its new studio album, “The Future is Medieval” (Fiction/B-Unique Records), by allowing fans to choose their own track listing and album artwork.

Read more…

0 comments

Re-Energize Your Career

by Scott James June 7, 2011

Do you ever feel like you’re just going through the motions? Like your shows are not quite as fun for you as they used to be? Has your audience started to shrink and lose interest? Then now might be a good time to take a step back and reflect on where you are and what you can do to change.

If your audience has started to dwindle then chances are you’re feeling anxious, depressed, sad, etc. Not exactly the right frame of mind to put off an attractive energy that’s going to make people want to forget about whatever else is going on, get in their cars and pay to come see you play. Read more…

2 comments

Sell the Story – Not the CD

by Scott James April 26, 2011

flannel ball In 2009 Rob Walker and Joshua Glenn tried out a little experiment. They spent $128.74 on a bunch of yard sale junk and hired professional writers to draw up interesting stories about each item. Then they put everything up on eBay with the stories that they created to see what happened. Read more…

4 comments

Are You an Artist or Just Someone Who Plays Music?

by Scott James March 31, 2011

Many of us use the term ‘independent artist’ or ‘recording artist’ to describe ourselves, but are we really artists, or are we just people who play music?

To answer that question we need to decide what it means to be an artist. Many of us grew up in an environment where we were only taught what art means at a superficial level. Maybe our first definition of an artist was someone who was really good at making realistic paintings or drawings or maybe someone who made weird abstract creations that were supposedly only understood by special people. Read more…

10 comments

Combining Forces = WINNING!

by Scott James March 17, 2011

Combining Forces Being an independent artist doesn’t mean you need to take the word ‘Independent’ too literally. Chances are, you’re missing big opportunities to take your career to new levels if you’re not actively looking for chances to join forces with other artists and industry pros. A piece of something big is worth a lot more than all of little or nothing. If you feel like you’re bashing your head against the wall trying to get people to your shows or to buy your music on your own then changing your approach can make all the difference in the world. Read more…

21 comments

The Album Release Schedule Is Back!

by Disc Makers February 24, 2011

CD Baby and IndieGuide.com have put together a very interesting and helpful album release schedule – updated for 2011.

Back in the late-90s at Sony Music Entertainment, we had these incredibly detailed setup schedules for albums. That included everything from getting artwork approvals, passing elements to distribution, setting up artist interviews, the works.

Read more…

0 comments

Licensing Your Music Ain’t Easy – Be Cool

by Scott James January 14, 2011

I recently had lunch with the founder and CEO of a popular website for independent artists. It was great to catch up and hear about all the exciting things going on with the site. On the other hand it was a bit of a concern hearing about some of what he and his staff have had to put up with recently in dealing with some of the more, shall we say, frustrated and/or unstable musicians that use his services. Read more…

110 comments

Leverage Your Way to Success

by Scott James December 16, 2010

Scott James concert In the course of your journey as a musician there will be some things that go right for you. What you choose to do about those things will go a long way towards determining your success (or lack thereof).

The concept of leverage is all about finding your opportunities to capitalize on the things that will give you the best return for your efforts. Read more…

1 comment

Quincy Jones: Tools For Success

by Quincy Jones December 8, 2010

My daddy used to say to my brother, Lloyd, and me, “Once a task is just begun, never leave it ’til it’s done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all.” Every day he said that. That has stuck with me through everything I’ve done.

There’s nothing in the world worse than having an opportunity that you’re not prepared for. Good luck usually follows the collision of opportunity and preparation – it’s a result of that collision. Read more…

42 comments

What’s the Best Time to Release Your Album?

by Disc Makers November 19, 2010

All too often, musicians rush their new album’s or EP’s release without considering what the best time-frame for that release may be. Just because your album is done doesn’t mean you have to rush it out – there are numerous factors to take into account before you confirm your release date.

Here are some tips on how to schedule and promote your album’s release: Read more…

6 comments