Archive for the ‘Indie Artists’ Category

How Can I Find Work In Music When There Are Only 25 Music Careers?

Indie Artists | Posted by guest author
Aug 12 2009

music_careerThe Music Industry is not only limited to 25 music careers and - is not just for singers, rappers, musicians, dancers, song writers, producers, etc. that are super talented. (and some not so talented) It’s also for those that love a behind the desk job, or hands on work or technical electronics or the office executive and so on and so on.

Many pass over the thought of themselves actually working in the industry due to the common mindset… “if one has talent they have a chance in music.” If one wants weekly (or bi-weekly) pay with benefits one seeks a normal job in the 9-5 workforce. This is simply false. Most people love music to some extent. Those that are paying attention to their future and careers know or at least wish they can be involved with something they love.

Many will admit they believe they don’t have what it takes to make it in the music industry and some will admit they don’t have a desire to be a musical artist. But many will also admit they need a job, and for longevity’s sake will admit they need a career they love. They love music and need career involvement in something they love.

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Indie Artist Road Map – Tips on How to Find Useful Resources on the Web

Indie Artists | Posted by duane charles
Jul 25 2009

highway1Ever Since I started the independent artist | music journey on the web, I have been mining it for useful information and helpful resources on a daily basis to help guide me on my way. Need a great tip? Blogs are great pit stop. Want to learn form the pros? There is usually one at every at every other exit. Get lost and can’t find your way? Google it. It is a wonderful road map to take on any journey. Just be careful when you drive past page 10 of the search results. You just might lose your way… unless you’re specifically looking for back highway links to nowhere.

Anyway, what’s great about the wonderful world of the web (www) is much of the information on its pages is toll free. Blogs, Social networks Indie music, art, images, eBooks, videos tutorials, etc; many sites give away information freely, some on a daily basis. Most are great places to visit. I circle the best on my bookmark road map for regular return visits.

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Independent Music Artists Adjusting To New Social Media Outlets

Indie Artists | Posted by duane charles
May 15 2009

web2_logosWeb 2.0, with all its new social networks, social media, applications and mobile technologies, has radically changed the way people socialize, play, think, communicate and work. For independent music artists, it’s become a vital tool for attracting new listeners and building a fan base.

And just like any other marketer, you have to learn to grow along with these trends if you want to take advantage of them. Truth is, if you’re not making the most of social media outlets, you’re probably wasting big opportunities to be heard, reach new fans and grow your career.

OK, but how do you do that? It’s not easy, as an independent music artist, to have enough time to figure all this stuff out. You already have your hands full creating art — developing your passion — while building a business of sorts, your own personal brand. To stay competitive we have to adjust to evolving technologies and participate fully in social communities all over the Internet…and still make time for music.

It is challenging. And when you’re first getting started in social media, the learning curve can be pretty steep. Your vocabulary’s going to grow by leaps and bounds as you figure out new things like SEO, SMO, MySQL, Adwords, Adsense, ROI, VC, CSS, RSS, CPC, Ajax, coding, widget, Twitter, Mashable, TechCrunch, Digg, Facebook, Myspace…

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Music Distribution Deals - Facts You Should Know Before Signing

Indie Artists | Posted by guest author
May 06 2009

Carla is a musician and freelance writer with over ten years experience in the music industry. She currently manages independent music label Melodrift Productions, and is the Editorial Assistant for music news site http://www.indienewslive.com. For more article samples and detailed information on Carla’s career please visit http://www.carla-acheson.co.uk

By Carla Acheson

contractWith the escalating progression of music technology in the last decade, mainland CD stores are continuing to decline in popularity, as the trendy demand for digital music downloads continues to crush them further into the archives of history. Claiming more than half of the globes music buying audience, Digital Music Distribution is the predominant method of music marketing the world offers us today.

More and more musicians are appearing on the scene with highly polished albums, mostly produced entirely under their own steam. They have become resourceful singular empires, holding sole rights and authenticity as unconstrained producers and marketing agents of their own products. These musicians are ready to take the world by storm by hooking themselves up with one of the many distribution companies currently available.

But as an independent musician, what are you really signing up to in a distribution deal?

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The Playing Field Has Been Leveled…and it’s Time for You to Play

Indie Artists | Posted by guest author
Mar 16 2009

By Michael Angier

level_field1In today’s market and with today’s technology it’s never been easier to compete with established companies and well-known individuals. Never before has opportunity been so universally available.

Every day I see where someone has published their first book, launched a new company, starred in a new film or partnered with a large corporate entity. I like to read about people going for their dreams.

What may not be apparent is that these are everyday people. Those who have been successful in achieving their dreams are usually not any different than you and me.

Except for one thing–they went out and did it.

All too often, I see people hold back and not go after their dreams because they don’t feel special enough. They erroneously believe that the people out there doing great things are privileged in some way. They believe them to have more knowledge, more connections or more inside information than they themselves do.

This is rarely true. With few exceptions, the ones out there making things happen simply had the courage and the urgency to do so. They believed in themselves and in what they were doing. Sometimes not a lot–but at least enough to get started.

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Independent Music Blossoms on the Internet

Indie Artists | Posted by guest author
Mar 07 2009

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International,
one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing
companies on the web.

By Chris Robertson

cherry-and-blossomsToday, the Internet provides unprecedented opportunities for independent music to find an audience. Unsigned bands and solo singers can now build a fan base that will not only listen to their music, but to buy MP3 downloads.

The Internet’s Grassroots Movement

It’s indisputable that the Web has created a paradigm shift in the way we live our lives. We’ve come to depend on the Internet for communications, information gathering, shopping, and so much more. With the advent of what is widely known as Web 2.0, the Internet has once again shifted into what could best be summed up by one word: democratization. For example, journalists are no longer affiliated with mainstream media outlets; they’re researching, blogging, and breaking some of the top news stories of the day. Experts no longer sit in their ivory towers and publish papers in academic journals; your family members, neighbors, and co-workers are constantly refining the compendium of expertise known as Wikipedia. Throw in MySpace, YouTube, and other social networking sites, and the top-down information structure is tossed out the window, replaced by a bottom-up, grassroots movement.

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Why Independent Artists Need To Develop Their Online Presence Beyond MySpace

Indie Artists | Posted by duane charles
Feb 28 2009

myspace-logo1As the administrator of a new social network for music makers, I’ve watched a lot of independent artists follow the same path: they create their music/art, build a fan base, generate a MySpace page and market themselves exclusively from MySpace.

And that’s it. They put all their proverbial eggs in this one basket. Which is fine, unless you’re really serious about reaching a wider audience.

Don’t get me wrong, Myspace is one of the best places to start the process of getting your music out there. It’s easy and free. But considering the sheer abundance of other technologies available, independent artists who don’t branch out beyond MySpace are missing out on huge opportunities to reach new fans, network, grow and sell their music.

The good news is that the Internet has leveled the playing field for so many of us — almost to the point where we can bypass the big record companies altogether — but only if we take advantage of our online opportunities.

Need some more convincing? Here are five good reasons to develop your presence beyond MySpace:

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