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THE BLOG FOR INDEPENDENT MUSICIANS

close-up of right hand of guitarist working on sweep picking

5 ways to improve your sweep picking

March 24, 2023March 25, 2023 Shawn Leonhardt

There’s no getting around it, if you want to improve your sweep picking — or any music technique — time and practice are required. These ideas will help make your practice more productive. Read the post.

busker getting tipped

Tips for getting more tips at your next gig

March 20, 2023March 21, 2023 Andre Calilhanna

How do you turn a standard music gig into a high-paying affair? Step one: make it easy for fans to tip you. Read the post.

country artist celebrating his great song

Who gets to decide if your songs are “great”?

March 15, 2023March 15, 2023 Johnny Dwinell and Brent Baxter

If listeners decide your music is great, then it is. Focus on writing and recording better songs and put out the best product you can. Read the post.

pianist contemplating his composition

The moment you knew music was your calling

March 10, 2023March 13, 2023 Michael Gallant

The pivotal performances that convinced two renowned artists to build their lives around music are not what you might expect. Read the post.

young musicians filming music for TikTok

4 reasons your music needs to be on TikTok

March 5, 2023March 13, 2023 Tony van Veen

Should you start promoting your music on TikTok? We’ve got four compelling reasons to join the latest online hotspot. Read the post.

elevate your music

Mirror, mirror: How watching yourself perform can elevate your music

February 28, 2023February 28, 2023 Michael Gallant

Watching yourself in a mirror while you perform or practice can help you elevate your music and performance, so find opportunities to gaze while you play and learn from what you see. Read the post.

Add some sizzle with secondary dominant chords

February 21, 2023February 22, 2023 Scott McCormick

In our continuing exploration of music theory and songwriting, we dive deep into secondary dominant chords, with examples from popular hits. Read the post.

woman busking on the streets of the city

What do music attorneys, managers, and agents do?

February 17, 2023February 20, 2023 Emily White

Adapted from Emily White’s new book, How To Build A Sustainable Music Career, this post dives into building your artist team and digs into the role of music attorneys, managers, and agents. Read the post.

audio mastering in the orange room of Disc Makers SoundLAB

Avoid these common mistakes to get the most from audio mastering

February 15, 2023February 15, 2023 Brian Lipski

Supplying audio files in compressed formats or applying heavy limiting or compression during mix down can compromise your master and negatively impact your audio mastering results. Read the post.

artist brands on a wall of stickers

Who are you as a music artist? (Thoughts on your artist brand.)

February 10, 2023February 10, 2023 Tony van Veen

To attract an audience to your music, you need to tell a story, and a deliberate approach to building your artist brand is key to doing it right. Read the post.

band performing on stage with a set list

Set list tips for your next live show

February 8, 2023February 8, 2023 Andre Calilhanna

There’s an art to crafting a good set list, and here are 13 set list tips to get you on the right track. Read the post.

Songwriting and writers block

Songwriting and writer’s block: 11 tips to help the songwriter get unstuck

February 4, 2023March 13, 2023 Michael Gallant

What do you do when you hit a wall when you’re writing a song? Here are tips from experienced songwriters to help you overcome writer’s block. Read the post.

Man putting merch fees into pocket

The movement to end the merch fees charged by venues is growing

January 31, 2023January 31, 2023 Bruce Houghton

Senate hearings and calls from music artists to end the merch fees assessed by live music venues are making an impact on the industry. Read the post.

young women buying CDs

Want to double your merch and CD sales? Here’s how to do it.

January 27, 2023January 27, 2023 Tony van Veen

There are simple ways to boost merch and CD sales at gigs — but you’ve got to have merch and CDs to do it! Read the post.

home recording studio mic in red wash

Acoustics and your home recording studio

January 24, 2023January 25, 2023 Andre Calilhanna

Finding the early reflection points in your home recording studio can go a long way to improving the acoustics in your rooms. Read the post.

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Recent Posts

  • close-up of right hand of guitarist working on sweep picking

    5 ways to improve your sweep picking

  • busker getting tipped

    Tips for getting more tips at your next gig

  • country artist celebrating his great song

    Who gets to decide if your songs are “great”?

  • pianist contemplating his composition

    The moment you knew music was your calling

  • young musicians filming music for TikTok

    4 reasons your music needs to be on TikTok

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