Work to find your artistic voice
To find your authenticity, your true artistic voice, you have to explore and create – and be patient. As an artist, your job is to practice without expectation. Read More.
goals and objectives
Working in music IS a “real job”
This personal story from music consultant Wade Sutton reaffirms what you know but may need to hear again: working in music can be a real and gratifying job. Read More.
Your musical talent isn’t enough (to make it in the music business)
Your brilliant musical talent (imagined or otherwise) is worthless unless you understand how to stand out in the crowded marketplace. So what does it take? You have to hate to lose. Read More.
How to stay sane and lower your stress as an independent music artist
The perks of life as an independent music artist can be bountiful – but every silver lining has a cloud. Knowing how to manage stress can be just as important to your music career as your skills as a musician. Read More.
Are you an organic musical artist? That depends on your definition.
Being an organic musical artist doesn’t mean you shouldn’t cultivate an image and market yourself. You need to identify your “known unknowns,” create an artistic lane, and rethink your definition of “organic.” Read more.
15 music marketing mistakes indie artists make
Reaching fans is certainly easier in the digital age, but that doesn’t mean marketing is easy. Indie artists need to follow some basic marketing tenets if you want to make the most of your marketing efforts. Here are 15 of the biggest music marketing mistakes indie artists make. Read more.
Build a story that someone will want to invest in
Spinning your wheels is not the recipe for a sustainable music career. Build a story that someone will want to invest in. Pay attention to the business details. Don’t wake up 10 years from now just to realize that you’ve been spinning your wheels when you could have been making real progress. Read more.
Burned out? Maybe it’s time to pause and refill the well.
Whatever the circumstances, we all get burned out. In that fatigued state, it’s easy to think that this is the end. We might as well apply for that job at the shoe store now and sell the guitars on Craigslist. Our minds will give us 1,001 reasons not to do something, and especially will attempt to kick us when we are down. Read more.
Want music success? You’ve got to love the grind.
Are you always bitching about the current state of the music industry? Are you constantly going on about how much easier it would’ve been to find music success had you been an artist 20 years ago? I’ve got big news for all of you. Life is not a grind, life is the grind. The trick is understanding that you have to love the grind. Read more.
8 tips for holding band meetings that don’t suck
You’ve heard it before, “it’s called the music business for a reason,” and one good business practice that can help you meet your music career goals is holding effective band meetings. To ensure your meetings go smoothly, check out the following eight easy-to-execute tips. Read more.
The initial mistakes (almost) every young musician makes
Every young musician – or anyone starting out on a music career path – has a lot to understand about where to focus his or her time and energy. The bad news is that every field in music is extremely competitive. The good news is that once you decide exactly what you want to do, you will have a big advantage to finding success. Read more.
Defining your vision and your music marketing plan [Video]
Setting a successful music marketing plan in motion begins with defining your vision and determining how to set and accomplish the goals designed to get you there. These videos expand on themes and ideas from Bobby Borg’s book, Music Marketing for the DIY Musician. Read more.
Give your fans a live music performance to remember
It takes more than just great songs and great performances to get people excited about your music career, especially when you’re just starting out or you want attention in a competitive city like Los Angeles, New York, or Nashville. A musical artist must produce a live show experience that excites the audience and reinforces its brand. Read more.
Trust your musical vision if you want to succeed
In this video, music manager Steve Rennie talks about finding your “true north,” which often means you have to pick yourself up when something fails and stay true to your musical vision. When you’re not in a place of success or showing signs of improvement, it can be tempting to think about your music and career in a different light. Read more.
Five truths about today’s music industry
Even in this age of information overload, falsehoods and myths about today’s music business are prevalent. Let’s make one thing clear: if you want to achieve your music career goals, you had better focus on the realities of the business of music. Here are five truths all musicians should understand if you want to get ahead. Read more.