Music Business – Cash in on the Big Show

by Greg Joes

Summer is prime time for large musical festivals. Every genre and crowd has their own music business in all major festivals. Between musicians, fans, and press the event can be a practical who is who of any given scene. Regardless of who is there the large volume of people make a music festival (or any show really) the perfect opportunity to spread the word about your own music business.

I know that we all have been at a show or festival and been handed a flyer to another show. I typically find this action annoying, but that is because the presentation of the person handing out the flyer. They act as if they are handing out a sample of toothpaste on the street during lunch hour. If you are passing out flyers or demos you need to impress the people in the ten seconds you have their attention. Read more »

Starting your Own Band

by Andrew M. Lee

If you learn to play guitar, drums or bass for example the next step that many of you will want to take is to start your own band. This has been the dream of teenagers for years but just how do you go about undertaking this? Well there are a number of avenues that you can explore; you could advertise for other members or you may know people who have friends or family who are also interested in starting up a band.

In my experience however one of the main ways that bands come together is friends. If you are learning guitar and your best friends are learning bass and drums it comes pretty naturally that you will form a band together but deciding to be in a band is one thing, making it work is another… Read more »

Schmoozing for Gigs

By: Ty Cohen

If you want to get gigs, then you are going to have to do some schmoozing with club owners, bar owners and people of that nature. This means you are going to have to appear as professional and convincing as possible. You are going to have to come prepared with all the gear you need to successfully market yourself so you can book gigs and get paid.

First impressions are the most important thing in this biz. If you want to book gigs then you need to bring the following things with you to a meeting: a resume, a demo, a business card (with a link to your site), a poster or flyer, price and a confidant attitude. And most importantly, dress for success. You don’t have to wear a tux, just look presentable. You might even want to bring your instruments in case they want a short live audition, you never know.

Hopefully you will get the gig and it will end right there but you may not get hired right away. If this is you then you need to have a little persistence. Stop in every week or so and see if they have anything for you. Ask them if anyone has canceled and if there is a spot that needs to be filled. But beware, there is a fine line between persistence and stalking so be careful you are not doing the latter. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Read more »

How to Have Stage Presence For Groups

By Terrence Harper

1. Prepare and rehearse. Know everybody else’s lyrics, so that you can fill in and define parts of the song to get or keep the crowd hyped. Rehearsal is important in order to show that your a professional or on the brink of becoming a pro, you’d got to know where the other person should be onstage.

2. The lead vocalist should almost always take center stage, then move from right to left interacting with the crowd. Always, go center stage when your verse starts this brings the attention to you, especially if you have multiple people on stage. Read more »

Learn Proper Breathing Support For Singing

By Sarah Walther

In singing proper breathing support is very important, because it is one of the foundation. Proper support must be observed for you to have quality voice and it makes singing a joy. If you have proper support, in the eyes of the audience the production seems effortless and magical. In this article I’m going to share to you helpful tips and learn to sing with proper breathing support.

Stand Tall

In singing perfect posture is very vital as well as good breath control. In doing this, you have to look at the mirror by standing sideways and observe your posture. You must see to it that your back is as straight as a board. Read more »