Why You Really Need Excellent Promotional Materials!

Illustration by Ben Wiseman

I have been working as an booking agent for almost five years and the number of times I am let down by the promotional materials sent to me by entertainers wanting to join GME is staggering. Very few get it right, and maybe this is down to not understanding how Agents (and I would venture to say this also applies to Managers, Record Company Execs, Radio Station Managers, etc.) operate. I am a small company and I receive 100s of submissions a year. Because I am the only one reviewing the submissions in my company, I don't have much time to give to each Act, usually about 20 seconds is enough for me to decide if I want to hear or see more. Sometimes, I don't even get to the point where I want to listen because the cover email has typos or if they've completed my on-line application, I won't even look at the submission if they haven't provided all the requested info.

What Acts get wrong the most is the promo video. I book 99% of my Acts off of their video. The video you submit to me is what I'm submitting to my clients so if your video is not up to par, I won't even consider you for an enquiry. A video shot on your mobile device is unacceptable because there's usually too much background noise or people walking in front of the camera or the image and/or sound quality is poor.

I'm finding that there are three key promotional elements that get bookings confirmed:

1. High Quality Video
2. High Def Photo
3. Sample Set Lists

Entertainment bookers don't care who you've worked with, other places you've played or the awards you've won. They just want to hear what you sound like, see that you look good and feel confident that the material you perform will appeal to their customers.

High Quality Video

If you are having your footage filmed live, try to do this in a neutral setting or on a professional stage with good lighting. If you are after corporate and private work, a pub setting is not the best backdrop for your video. Also, if you're staging the video, make sure that your performance is as lively as it would be if you were performing before thousands. Too often I receive a staged promo video and it's obvious that the Act is performing to an empty room because they are so disengaging in their performance, or they don't quite know where to look if the camera is in front of them. When filming a video, it's best to ignore the camera (no cheesy Harry Hill moments, please). Just perform as if you're doing a live performance and not being filmed.

Film three or four of the best songs that represent who you are as an Act. Then have them edited down to no more than two minutes of your best footage. No long introductions, get right to it! If your intro is 20 seconds, you've lost me and I haven't even had the chance to listen to you. Make sure your videos are agent-friendly with no personal details ... no emails, websites, phone numbers. Just the name of the Act. Make sure you're dressed for the type of work you're looking for. Most agents represent Acts for corporate and private events so they are looking for bands with a professional and slick look. Don't submit a video where you're in jeans and a t-shirt and expect to be taken seriously (unless that look fits your Act - 50's Tribute, for example). Take the time to plan the video ahead of time so that you don't waste time and money.

Pre-record the vocals if possible and lay them over the video footage. Again, this will give your video a much cleaner, professional quality.

If you do decided to shoot your promo video live, check out these tips!

High Def Photo

Your promo pic needs to clearly show each member of the Act, and capture the essence of who you are as an Act or represent your show, especially in the case of Tribute and Themed Acts. If you're a 60's or 70's band, obviously you want to dress in the era, but make sure your costumes don't look like they came from the local fancy dress shop. You don't want to come off as if you're making fun of the era, but that you're representing it and that's done by getting quality clothes and wigs, if required.

Sample Set Lists

This is so crucial for corporate and private gigs, especially weddings. If you do sets by genre, then send this through to the agent in sets or 12-15 songs. I include up to 3 sample set lists on my acts webpages. Make sure the songs you select for those sample set lists are the most relevant in your repertoire.

Other things to consider are your bio. This is your chance to sell your Act. It should be no more than 150-200 words, so short and sweet and right to the point. Here you should include the various genres your perform, who your Act appeals to or what type of events or venues your Act would be a good fit for. Also include if you offer any other options (3pc, 4pc, Duo) or if you have other Acts that you perform. Your bio should be about selling your Act, not bragging about your accomplishments.

If you want to include audio demos with your submissions, that's fine, but most Agents just want a good video because that's what ents bookers want. I was speaking to the booker at Warners the other day, and she said to just send through pictures and videos of any Acts I want to submit to them. They don't even want a bio when considering Acts.

Do yourself a favour and evaluate your promo materials to make sure they are of the best quality possible, so that you're always presenting yourself in the best way possible. Invest in your video and promo picture. This will pay off. I am in the process of doing this very thing for my Solo and Motown/Soul Shows. 

If you want me to have a look at your materials and give you some feedback, I am happy to do that. Just email me. The better your promo materials, the quicker people make a decision to book you, the easier it is for you, agents or your manager to sell you to their clients, and the more full your diary will be.

Top Tips for Booking Entertainment!

To ensure that you're not left disappointed with your entertainment, follow these simple 3 steps.

1. Use an entertainment agency and ensure that there have testimonials on their website. 

2. Ask for a contract between yourself and the act through the agency.

3. Build a rapport with the agency and the act. Talk to the agency and act frequently, tell them exactly what you want and build a relationship with them. This will build your trust with both parties.Top 5 reasons for booking through an entertainment agency.

1. Top quality acts. Most agencies have a strict criteria when it comes to acts being accepted. So only top quality and reliable acts will be available.

2. Office contact. The agency will have office personnel on hand if you have a query, and an emergency number if you have any problems on the day of your event so someone will be able to talk to you about it directly.

3. Contracts. All agencies will use contracts. This is for all parties involved so that there is a clear and concise set of guidelines and all dates, times and financial factors are covered legally.

4. Financial Factors. The entertainment agency will take care of all the financial aspects from deposits to full payment so it is less stress for you and all prices are handled professionally and securely.

5. Back Up. If the band you have booked through the entertainment agency has had a last minute disaster and cannot attend the event, the agency will have back up bands in the system so your event will still go ahead with zero panic.

Gloria Miller Entertainment is a great place to start when looking for entertainment for your next event! We provide star-quality entertainment at affordable prices for Weddings, Corporate & Private Events and Venues. 

Click here to get a quote for your next event or you can call me at 02392 894902 to chat about what type of entertainment you looking for. Gloria Miller Entertainment, have we got an ACT for you!

Promo Video

As an agent I get submissions from Acts all across the globe who are looking for work through my agency and very few of those submissions include a video that clearly shows what the Act is about. You've typically got about 10 seconds to capture the attention of the viewer of your video, and in that 10 seconds you need to have clearly shown the following:

1. Type of Act (function/party band; solo, duo, or Tribute act, etc.)
2. Personality of Act (fun, upbeat, mellow, laid back)
3. Genre(s) of Act (Pop, Motown/Soul, Vintage, etc.)
4. Talent (get right to the best part of your Act; no long intros; no long guitar solos, etc.)

If you are submitting promo videos for function and event work, don't send a 'music' video of your latest single. Use those types of videos for booking festivals and shows. Here's some things to think about for your promo video:

1. Length should be no more than three minutes long. 
2. Include short clips of several songs showing the variety of music you perform.
3. Use a professional videographer.
4. If the video is being captured live from one of your shows, make sure that the video is angled to capture each member of the Act and that the sound quality is good. Try to avoid picking up too much background noise and people randomly walking in front of the camera. It's fine to include shots of your audience having a good time, but not vital. The video is about showcasing your talent.
5. If you are staging your video, make sure you've got good sound & lighting. Use two to three different camera angles (including full body shots, close-ups, etc.)
6. If you are working with many different agents, make sure the video is unbranded (no contact info in the intro our outtro). Agents will add their own branding when they are submitting you for work.

Here are some examples of really good promo videos:

Staged Video

Live Video

Acoustic Video

I hope you found this information helpful. If so, please let me know by leaving a comment below. Also, you can subscribe to my weekly newsletter by joining my mailing list.

If you need a promo video, I recommend Mayfield Media Ltd. 

Blurred Lines

According to Google Trends, the most searched item on Google yesterday was Blurred Lines with 100,000+ searches. Needless to say, people are indeed talking about Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams being ordered to pay $7.4 million to the children of the late singer Marvin Gaye, after a judge ruled that their 2013 hit Blurred Lines was plagiarised from Gaye's 1977 track Got to Give It Up. Here's a mash up of two songs: 

I have to admit that while I was listening to Blurred Lines when it was first released, I found myself singing Got To Give It Up to the track. This was before the plagiarism controversy broke out. As a songwriter myself, I just chalked it up to these young artists being influenced by the late great Marvin Gaye. 

I like what Bobby Owsinsky had to say in Forbes: "We’re all influenced by the art and/or craft that we love, and that influence seeps into our every creation whether we like it or not. Sometimes in music it’s totally obvious (the famous George Harrison “My Sweet Lord” vs. “He’s So Fine” by The Chiffons lawsuit), and other times its less so (Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” vs. Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down”), but with only 12 notes and a limited number of chord progressions that are pleasing to the Western ear, one might think that it’s surprising that there aren’t more lawsuits for copyright infringement than there already are."

According to Ari Herstand, there are 22 songs that sound MORE similar than Blurred Lines and Got To Give It Up. He also mentions George Harrison vs. The Chiffons and Sam Smith vs. Tom Petty, along with 20 others. Click here to see the full list.  

Thicke and Williams are apparently not going down without a fight and plan to appeal the court's decision according to Pitchfork.com. Their attorney, Howard E. King, had this to say: "We owe it to songwriters around the world to make sure this verdict doesn't stand,” King said. "We are going to exercise every post-trial remedy we have to make sure this verdict does not stand. ... Just because eight people think two songs are similar doesn't mean they are. I think this is a horrible decision that is going to affect whether or not record labels provide the necessary funds for new music to be created."

According to Time Magazine, "Robin Thicke's legal defeat could have a chilling effect on Music." Time goes on to say "It’s easy to see the judgment as a worrisome sign that authorship in music is about to get a lot more narrowly defined." 

Twitter was also buzzing about the ruling with some colorful comments ranging from support for Thicke and Williams that the ruling would set a terrible precedent for the music business to others feeling that the musicians had got everything they deserved. My favorite twitter comment was: "Blurred Lines should have paid us all 7 million for having to endure it for a whole year."

I think that the songs are so obviously similar that Thicke and Williams should have gotten permission to 'cover' Got To Give It Up. What do you think?

The Art of Asking ... Amanda Palmer

I was introduced to this very inspirational lady by Ari Herstand* who's newsletter I subscribe to. Take a look at this YouTube video for inspiration to get your music to your fans in new and innovative ways. Let me know what you think by sharing your comments.

Website

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02392 894 902
07504 611 173

We provide star-quality entertainment for every budget covering most genres and eras from the 30’s through today for weddings, corporate & private events, venues, festivals and cruise ships offering solo acts up to 8-piece bands, tribute & variety acts, and more!

* http://ariherstand.com

X Factor Production Team are coming to Caffe Concerto!

The X Factor Production Team are coming to Caffe Concerto on Thursday 12th March at 7pm. Who is interested in coming down to showcase their talent to them?  Limited slots available – please email daniel@caffeconcerto.co.uk for a booking and for more information.

Daniel Benisty will be organising singers to perform from 7:30pm to 11pm. Arrival ideally by 7pm, but in some circumstances, he will allow a later arrival. 

Facebook Link https://www.facebook.com/events/1561186014100364/

If you're interested, contact:

Daniel Benisty 

www.danielbenisty.com

Good Luck!

Gloria xx

Sentric Music - Music Rights Management

 

This is a great company to affiliate with if you are performing your own songs at your gigs. Please visit their website to learn more about the services they provide.  I've been receiving a quarterly payment through them for the past two years. 

Crafting A Hit: How Many Songwriters Does It Take? ... Guest Post By Mesfin Fekadu

From the Associated Press — How many people does it take to write a hit song? If you're Pharrell, one. If you're Pitbull or Jason Derulo, probably eight — or more.

Billboard's recent Hot 100 chart reflects a group of hits mainly showcasing songs written solely by an act and an additional songwriter or those with seven or eight songwriters, such as Pitbull's "Timber" or Jason Derulo's "Wiggle."

What does it take to craft a hit? Who gets the credit? Is a song written by nearly a dozen people less special than a song with only two or three co-writers?

Pharrell, who has the longest-running No. 1 song so far this year with "Happy," wrote the tune alone.

"You got six, you got 18 people in the room, you don't need me," said Pharrell, who has written hits for Britney Spears and Usher. "Who am I to judge? Just because I do it my way doesn't mean it's going to be the stat(us) quo. (It's) more than likely not going to be the stat(us) quo, as we see."

The songwriters on Katy Perry's No.1 hits range from four ("E.T.") to six ("Dark Horse"). Beyonce and Jay Z's latest smash, "Drunk in Love," lists eight collaborators, and Eminem and Rihanna's "The Monster" was crafted by seven people.

That's in contrast to Lorde's "Royals" and OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" — solely written by Ryan Tedder — to any of the successes from Imagine Dragons' debut album, which credits the four members and occasionally producer Alex da Kid.

"I don't think that there'll probably ever be a time, to be honest with you, that we would sit down with like six songwriters and be like, 'Write an Imagine Dragons song.' It just wouldn't feel right for us," said bandleader Dan Reynolds, who will be honored Thursday night at the Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony in New York. "I've heard about artists who have a song written for them and they embrace it ... but for us, it's not real to what Imagine Dragons is."

Some of today's hits with a list of songwriters that scroll on and on include others who don't physically write lyrics: Writing credit can also be earned by producers who design the beats, artists who sing the song and add their own flavor, engineers who mix the track and others who work specifically on the melody. The publishing percentage for each person listed on the song varies, though.

"You have a programmer that's in (the studio) and they're like, 'OK, give me a beat Simon.' Simon gives a beat, well now he is a part of the co-write,'" said Linda Perry, who wrote Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" and hits for Pink.

"It's a crazy jungle in that area. In that room, I don't want to be a part of," she added. "And then you got the guy that's smoking the blunt that's paying no attention and then he's like, 'Hey, say, "Chow down mother, chow down mother." Now that "Chow down mother stoner mother" is now part of the songwriting process, even if he only brought in one word."

Other times, sampling older songs adds to the lengthy list of credited songwriters. Pitbull and Kesha's "Timber" lists eight songwriters, but technically the total would be 11 because it borrows from Lee Oskar's "San Francisco Bay."

The largest group of writers to win the coveted Grammy for song of the year — a songwriter's award — is four, including Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." Other winners with four songwriters include songs by U2, Coldplay, the Dixie Chicks and fun., where band members count for all or most of the writers.

John Legend, who has dominated the airwaves this year with "All of Me," said winning the song-of-the-year Grammy is one of his top goals. He wrote the song with Toby Gad, and said within the music business, the long list of songwriters isn't too shocking.

"But if I were a lay person looking at the credits and I saw six people wrote it, it might turn me off a little bit because you would think it's writing by committee or it doesn't feel as personal," Legend said. "But then when you understand who's involved and how they are involved, you understand it a little bit more."

____

AP Entertainment Writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody contributed to this report.

___

Follow Mesfin Fekadu at twitter.com/MusicMesfin

How To Get Your Band Info Synched Everywhere At Once! Guest Post by Ari Herstand.

To be honest, I had kind of ignored BandPage for the past few years. I used it for one purpose: the Music tab on my Facebook Musician Page. I peripherally saw they had been rolling out other features, but didn't find a reason to use them or really investigate what they were. 

Until last month.

I read a few articles about how BandPage had been striking deals with music companies left and right (Clear Channel, Rdio, Xbox, LyricFind, Livenation, Soundcloud, Rhapsody, and others).

So I sat down with the CEO (via Skype) to get a better glimpse at what BandPage is doing and if it's something bands should pay attention to.

And I was stunned. And inspired. 

J Sider gets it. The 29 year old CEO of BandPage has seen the industry top to bottom. From booking bands in his hometown of Harrisonburg, Virgina to managing the 4,000 cap Saltair theater in Salt Lake City, he's seen the business of music first hand. He saw how it began to fold and is now helping to revive it.

Anyone who says the music industry is dying is defeatist and lacks creativity. We're in the most exciting time the music industry has ever known.

No longer is the industry about who can sell the most music. Or ticket sales.

Yes, download sales are down. Music purchasing is at an all time low. Ticket prices are at an all time high. The old guard is freaking out, while the new players figure out a better way.

+How To Make Money From Your Music On An Ongoing Basis

Forget having to rely on a broken system.

J Sider saw how people were jumping ship from Myspace to Facebook. Naturally, musicians needed to find them. He created the best music app on Facebook. BandPage was wildly adapted and became the industry standard for music on Facebook back in 2010.

When Facebook completely changed the layout of the Musician Page and moved to the Timeline format in 2012, BandPage's entire business model was rocked. No longer was the BandPage app featured on the main screen of Musician Pages. Sider had to pivot.

And luckily he did.

Sider, along with his team of 40 at BandPage, are creating the best monetization and connectivity platform the industry has ever known.

Connectivity

"Every place where your fans are we want to help you reach them" – J Sider, CEO, BandPage

Click here to read the rest of this fantastic article.

Vocal Singing Tips

A couple weeks ago I judged 'TeenStar' a singing competition ran by Open Mic UK and they handed out a little booklet that was full of great tips for aspiring and professional artists.

I'd like to share a few with you!  Here goes ... 

Protecting Your Vocals
Keeping your vocals protected is primarily about lifestyle choices. Two good vocal singing tips are avoid speaking loudly or shouting (no more yelling at your siblings or shouting in nightclubs!), and avoid whispering as this causes the vocal cords to squeeze together tightly, which can create trauma. 

Hydration is one of the most key vocal singing tips, and drinking two litres of fluids a day, especially two hours before a performance, will do your vocals wonders. Avoid smoking, coffee and alcohol, as these will all dehydrate your vocal chords. 

Finally, keeping your general physical health in check, working to reduce any muscular tension in your body, getting enough sleep, and maintaining a happy persona will each allow your vocals to shine.

I hope you have found this weeks tips helpful.

SINGING COMPETITION AUDITION DATES ANNOUNCED

FOR - Open Mic UK 2014!

How to Make Money from Your Music on an Ongoing Basis! Guest post by Ari Herstand!

Last month I profiled Jeff Price’s Audiam on Digital Music News and how he looks to fix YouTube’s royalty system. That’s all well and good, but even if things worked perfectly in the YouTube royalty world, creators still rely on viewers to click ads. Then for those ads to generate revenue for YouTube and, eventually, sure, the creators. Maybe.

Enter Patreon.
Patreon skips the middlemen altogether and goes directly to the fans. Patreon is a Kickstarter-like service for constant creators. Instead of raising a bulk amount for one big project (like an album), Patreon is for those who create on a regular basis – like YouTubers, musicians, podcasters, bloggers and the like.
“Patrons” pledge a set amount PER CREATION. The average pledge on Patreon is $7. So if you create 3 videos a month, and a fan pledges $7 per video, you would earn $21 from that fan per month.
Jack Conte, a successful YouTuber in his own right (and one half of Pomplamoose), created Patreon because he saw the discrepancy between impact and monetary value.

“I think everyone is embarrassed about their low [YouTube] ad revenue dollars because they read stories about people getting rich off YouTube and they think ‘ugh I’m just not getting enough views. I’m just not smart enough’ And no one wants to speak out and say ‘Yo this model sucks! It doesn’t work for anybody!’ ” – Jack Conte, Co-Founder and CEO of Patreon

Conte (and his co-founder Samuel Yam) launched Patreon in 2013 and it already has built up a user base of 30,000 active patrons and 10,000 creators. Patreon.com gets 2 million page views per month.
The website lists that Patreon is for Musicians, YouTubers, Web Comics, Writers and Bloggers, Indie Gamers, Video Producers, Authors, Podcasters, Animators, Artists, Photographers and “Any creator who wants to share their work.”
Fellow YouTuber, Peter Hollens, is a singer who creates A Cappella videos and has over 558,000 YouTube subscribers. He puts out about 3 videos a month and so far makes $2,745.68 PER VIDEO.
Zach Weinersmith creates comics and books. He has 2,821 patrons and makes $7,777.61 per month.
Cara Ellison reviews video games. She makes $1,938 per article. Contrast that with the starting weekly salary of a New York Times reporter of $1,360.
There’s a woman who makes ASMR videos (which Time Magazine calls “a strange, tingly sensation, known in some corners of the Internet as a brain orgasm.”). She’s at 409 patrons and $2,859 per month.

And now, there's a dude with funny hair who writes blog posts that help independent musicians succeed with their careers.
Patreon can be used by any type of creator putting out regular content.
Unlike YouTube, Conte mentioned that the comments on these creations are 100% positive.
Creators can choose if they’d like to setup their profiles to collect per piece of content or per month. Fans can put a cap on how much they are willing to pledge per month.
Creators can offer perks and rewards (ala Kickstarter) to reward fans who pledge more, but aren’t required to. Unlike Kickstarter, all perks are digital. No breaking the bank on postage or cramping the hand signing lyric sheets.
Patreon just launched the Creation Page where creators can share a direct link to each new creation (video, song, blog, podcast, etc) to their social media so fans are directed to the page with the embedded creation and a link to become a patron. The Creation Pages look very similar to Kickstarter – highlighting the perks on the right side bar.
Like Kickstarter, Patreon takes 5% (after the transaction fee of around 3%).
Following in the footsteps of other tech giants like Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt, Jack Conte is currently not taking a salary (well the others took $1). Conte says he wants to live off of Patreon as a creator. VP of Operations, Tyler Palmer mentioned that Conte comes to the team and says “Guys, we gotta change the product in this way because I rely on this and I need this as a creator.”
Musicians are putting out more music now than ever. Sure major label artists may only put out an album every 3 years, but Patreon is not for them. Patreon is for musicians and creators who put out regular content to connect with fans on an ongoing basis.
Fans will pay you for music. Ask them. Don’t make them.
I just launched my Patreon page for Ari's Take. Check out my page, become a patron and see how it works. Browse the site and launch one of your own!

If You're Not Selling Tickets & T-Shirts, You Don't Even Matter ... Guest Post by Ari Herstand!

This past Saturday I caught the Building Your Team panel at the ASCAP EXPO at the Loews Hollywood Hotel. The panel included entertainment attorney, Josh Binder Esq., artist manager, Marcus Grant from The Collective, business manager, Sean Welch, and A&R rep Walter Jones from Sony/ATV Publishing.

They discussed what they look for in a client, when artists are ready for representation and how to build the team.

The sentiment that sums up the entire talk came from the artist manager, Marcus Grant, when asked how artists can get his attention. He said:

“If You’re Not Selling Tickets and T-Shirts, You Don’t Even Matter.”

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is “how do I get a manager.” But the simple answer is: you don’t find a manager, a manager finds you.

Grant also revealed the hard truth to the room full of musicians:

“You’re not going to get a record deal by asking for a record deal.”

Believe me, I understand how frustrating it can be to think you’re ready for representation only to be greeted by cold shoulders and silence.

But that should not be discouraging, it should be inspiring. Inspiring to get better.

Can you sellout a club in your hometown? Or a club in any town? Are you getting hundreds of thousands of plays on YouTube, SoundCloud or Spotify? If not, then why do you think big players in this industry are going to care about you?

They want to know that you are proven. You don’t have to have the full package set in stone, but you have to be making some waves somewhere.

Engagement

Having a million twitter followers doesn’t mean anything if only 100 of them are actively engaged. If that’s the case, “you just have a lot of spies,” Grant joked. But it’s true. You don’t need Lady Gaga #littlemonsters engagement, but you need some influencing power that will get people to actively go out of their way to proselytize for you.

“When You Create A Business, People Will Come To You”
- Marcus Grant, Artist Manager, The Collective

You have to be killing it in at least one area of your music career before people will pay attention. If you want to work the YouTube angle, then model successful YouTubers, get high quality video up every week and start to build a solid subscriber base. If you want to work the Twitter angle, then study up on building a Twitter fan base and ENGAGE. If you’re a DJ, take over SoundCloud. If you’re working the grassroots, live scene then sellout your local venues and become the biggest band in your scene. Start touring and building a real ticket buying following.

Once you’re at a level where things are starting to happen, then people will take notice. If the right people aren’t taking notice (while things are actually happening), then it may be time for you to hire an entertainment attorney to get you in the door with a manger FIRST.

But don’t take the first manager who says yes. If the manager takes the meeting then she’s obviously interested. Ask her what she can do for you. What are her 3 year and 5 year goals for you. What tours does she see you supporting? What producers, labels, publishers or booking agents does she see you working with?

Remember, the gut check is the most important check before hiring anyone on your team.

Depending on the manager’s vision, she can start bringing others onto your team, like an agent, label, publicist, publisher and business manager. These people can manage the macro side of your career.

But you need to also have either a personal manager, a “best friend manager,” or yourself, to micromanage all of the day-to-day duties to build and sustain a career in the modern age of music.

“It’s up to me to build the story. I’m not promising you anything. My job is to build the best bridge to get you wherever you need to go.” – Marcus Grant, Artist Manager, The Collective

Ari Herstand is a Los Angeles based singer/songwriter and the creator of Ari’s Take. Listen to his new album, Brave Enough, on Spotify or download it on BandCamp. Follow him on Twitter: @aristake

6 Ways To Save Money Recording Your Album ... Guest Post by Ari Herstand!

Albums seem to be a dying breed these days. Now more than ever we are in a singles driven society. Passive fans download and stream their favorite songs. But music lovers enjoy full albums.

I recently released my 3rd full-length album. It’s not a collection of songs, but rather a complete piece of art. The album makes sense to me and hopefully to my fans as well.

Artists love creating albums because it’s a process. A pause from life. A time to give credence to the vitality of our souls. To fully immerse ourselves in our first true love.

The reason artists continue to create albums is not because record labels tell them they need 12 songs to justify an $11.99 price. It’s because artists truly love to create albums.

I know I do.

But, unfortunately, the album making process is expensive. Record labels are signing fewer acts. And advances are lower than ever.

Most artists of the world are creating records on their own dime. And I don’t need to tell you that most artists aren’t rich.

Here are ways to save money creating your album.

1. Spend Time On Pre-Production

This is an incredibly important aspect of your recording process. Maybe even the most important step. Working out as much as you possibly can before you step into the studio (on the clock) will save you a tremendous amount of money.

You want to rehearse the studio version of your songs to the point where you could play them in your sleep. Get the arrangements locked in. There should be no debate about how to get out of the bridge when you’re tracking. Have your guitar/keyboard player and singer record scratch tracks to the click (of the exact BPM you will use for the song). Write the tempo BPMs down for every song, so when the engineer opens the first song on day one all you have to do is tell him “this song is called ‘Maybe’ and the BPM is 132.” Don’t waste time figuring out tempos in the studio.

You should figure out what program the studio is using (Pro tools, Logic) and if you can, record the scratch tracks in that program so all the engineer has to do is dump in those tracks. You’ll most likely do much of the pre-production with your producer before hitting the studio.

2. Don’t Waste Time In A Fancy Studio

It doesn’t matter how successful the previous projects that were recorded in this studio are. It matters if you like the sound of the albums. Sure, it’s a fun tidbit to include in the album’s press release, but at the end of the day it matters what your album sounds like. I can’t stress this enough.

You don’t need a state of the art studio to track vocals. You need a good vocal mic and an isolation booth. That’s it. But you do need a good sounding live room to get good sounding drums.

Shop around for great sounding drum rooms and spend a couple days tracking drums.

You can then track the majority of the other instruments at smaller home/mixing studios. It’s not super rockstar, but neither is having to remortgage your home.

3. Hire The Right Producer

This is the most important person for your project. When you’re seeking out producers, the first check you need to make is the gut check. Don’t hire a producer before having an informal meeting, lunch, jam, whatever. This person will be with you every step of the way. You guys need to get along. You need trust.

You need to know that she GETS your project, your songs, your band. Figure out what her favorite albums are. Listen to some past records she’s produced. Some producers will even offer to track one test song with you from start to finish for free. If you’re on the fence about this producer, take her up on it – even if it’s just in her home studio. It’s worth it to get a feel for how she works and to see how well you vibe. You don’t want to step into a $700 a day studio and start fighting with this producer. Not only will it mess up the overall vibe, you’ll waste a ton of money!

Similar to the studio, the producer’s resume is not as important as her skill.

There are so many “producers” out there who scam young bands into working with them because they promise stardom. Don’t take the bait.

You can get virtually anyone to work on your record if you can pay them. Remember that. Find the best person for YOUR project. Not the person with the longest resume.

4. Run An Effective PledgeMusic Campaign

I profiled PledgeMusic a couple months ago and discussed how they are looking to completely change the album creation process.

It’s a great way to raise money for your album and with a 90% success rate, PledgeMusic is the most effective crowd funding service out there – way above Kickstarter or Indiegogo.

PledgeMusic also brings your fans along for the entire process AND the moment your funding campaign finishes, the pre-order begins. You can continue to MAKE money while you’re in studio – well after the funding period is over.

Full disclosure: I’m not associated with PledgeMusic or being paid by them. I’ve never run a PledgeMusic campaign. I’m just impressed by their service.

5. Don’t Order Vinyl

I learned this the hard way. I promised my Kickstarter backers (before I knew about PledgeMusic) vinyl records for the $125 and above package. I didn’t do complete research on vinyl before I promised this to my backers. I didn’t realize that vinyl records can only hold about 22 minutes of music before the quality and volume is drastically reduced. The runtime of my latest album is 55 minutes. So, I needed to create a double LP. Nearly twice the cost.

Don’t make the same mistake I did. Yes, vinyl is cool and trendy. I’m happy I have it. But it cost me WAY more than I had budgeted. If you’re going to order vinyl, make sure you do your research and make sure there’s demand amongst your fans.

6. Shop Around For Mastering

My biggest regret of my first album was not hiring a professional mastering engineer (I was 19 and stupid). Mastering is an incredibly important step of the process – even if most people don’t really know what it is.

Mastering is the final sparkle. It can dictate the overall vibe. It’s the difference between a professional sounding album and an amateur sounding one.

Because mastering is so nuanced and elusive, it’s incredibly expensive. I’ve worked with some of the greatest mastering engineers on the planet. I sat alongside Bernie Grundman while he mastered my last record. He was worth every penny.

But that’s not to say that you need the best of the best. Do your research and shop around. See who mastered your favorite (newer) records. Get recommendations from engineers, producers and other musician friends and then LISTEN to those records and make sure you like the mastering.

Ask your musician friends for their final mixes pre-mastering and the final masters. Can you tell the difference? Did it bring the songs to life? Did it add the sparkle?

Don’t cut corners with mastering, but you don’t need to hire the first great mastering engineer who returns your email.

Photo is by Ann Larie Valentine from Flickr used with the Creative Commons License

Ari Herstand is a Los Angeles based singer/songwriter and the creator of Ari’s Take. Listen to his new album on Spotify or download on BandCamp. Follow him on Twitter: @aristake

How to be a Classy Self-Promoter ... Guest Post by Ari Herstand!

Why do we love it when politicians talk about themselves? Why do we love hearing them stump on the campaign trail talking about how great they are?

Well maybe we don't love it, but we accept it. And vote for them.

But we hate musicians who talk about themselves.

In the hip hop community it's more accepted. But outside hip hop, it's shunned.

I've been labeled a "shameless self promoter." And many other less flattering names.

But so was James Brown. Until he was the "hardest working man in show business."

And so has nearly every band who's ever made it. Especially in the last 10 years.

You don't make it by hiding out in your basement recording amazing songs. Well, even if you do, in the Owl City case, he did so by promoting the fuck out of his music on Myspace. He didn't do it on the streets with posters and flyers. He did it behind a computer.

It's a different era we live in.

Self promotion is, unfortunately, a necessary component to any musician's career. But it's a fine line between being confident and arrogant. Endearing and distasteful. Persistent and annoying.

So how do you know when you're crossing that line? I know I have many times in my career. I don't like being a self promoter. Despite what thousands of show posters might claim otherwise.

I do it because I believe my music can affect people. That my music can be therapy for others - like how it was therapy for me.

I do it because I am hopelessly addicted to the feeling I get when I play a packed show.

I do it because I'm madly in love with creating and sharing music and want people to reciprocate that love.

I do it because I don't want to play empty shows.

I do it because I don't want my album to fizzle out.

I do it because it's what it takes to succeed in the modern age as an independent musician.

Before you have a team around you to do it for you, you are going to have to share your music. If you don't, who will?

But there are classy ways to go about it that don't involve spamming.

Before you do any sort of self promoting, do the gut check. How would you feel if a friend of yours hit you with the same message? Remember, 10 personal conversations are more effective than 1000 Facebook invites. Or 1000 flyers left around coffee shops.

When you're self promoting stay humble, but confident.

Set your pride aside and remember the feeling you get when you succeed. When your music touches people. When you connect.

There are brilliant musicians who refuse to network and self promote. They never make it out of their local club. There are mediocre musicians who become superstars.

Be a leader.

You wonder why politicians can amass millions of followers behind just words? It's their confidence, humility and message.

If you can connect and inspire. You can affect millions.

Visit Ari Herstand's website for more fantastic music business info!

12 Ways to Earn Money From Your Recorded Music and Original Compositions - Guest Post by Chris Robley

In the modern music economy, many revenue streams must converge to form a river

If you want to build a sustainable music career, you need to earn money from your music in multiple ways, including:

1.Download sales on iTunes, AmazonMP3, Google Play, and more.

2. Streaming revenue from popular platforms such as Spotify, Beats Music, Rdio, and more.

3. CD and vinyl sales in record stores around the world.

4. Music sales on Facebook.

5. Music sales on your own website.

6. Download, CD, and vinyl sales on cdbaby.com.

7. Performance royalties when your songs are played on radio, TV, and in concert venues.

8. Mechanical royalties when your songs are downloaded internationally or streamed worldwide.

9. YouTube monetization (ad revenue generated by the usage of your music in any video across the YouTube universe).

10. Sync licensing fees from the usage of your music in TV, film, commercials, corporate presentations, video games, and more.

11. Download cards.

12. SoundExchange revenue, which is paid to artists, performers, and labels for the usage of a master recording on internet radio stations.

Get paid for your music

That’s an awful lot of ways to earn money from your music, to say nothing of performance fees paid when you play live, T-shirt and other merch sales at gigs, sponsorships, and more.

Editor's Note:  My Soul Band Mayfield released our debut album, 'Tempo of Your Soul' through CD Baby. This post was shared from the CD Baby Blog.