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 »

How to Promote Your CD

By: Rashi Singh

Congratulations! Your debut CD is now recorded, replicated, packaged, and ready for market. It’s an amazing feeling to see the fruit of your labor in front of you, nicely packaged as a CD that’s ready to be sold alongside the big wigs in the industry. One small problem: you don’t have the backing and capital that the big wigs do to promote your CD… and you just know your CD can be a huge success in the market.

Promoting a CD can seem like a daunting task at first, especially if you haven’t done anything like this before. Here are a few tips and ideas on how you can get started promoting, and selling your music CD.

1. First, you should plan a launch party. 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 »

Marketing Your Music

By Stan Oldman

The principles of marketing a band and getting to the point of making actual money from shows don’t really differ that much from running a business. Just so happens that this business is music.

An old saying goes something like “build it and they will come”. You can tell it’s an old saying because in today’s world it should read “build it, MARKET IT… and they will come.” Don’t believe me? How many super talented people have you come across that made incredible music in their basement that never made it out of their house.

It’s like they’re waiting for somebody to knock on their door and say “I was just passing through the neighborhood with a briefcase full of money and wanted to see if you have a great song available”. It’s not going to happen. However there are things you can do to get your music/band marketed and we will be discussing this in the following article. Read more »

You Too Can Start an Independent Record Label

By: Ty Cohen

It’s no big secret, the trick of how to start a record label definitely involves some cash and most definitely involves some talent. If you want to know the secret to how to start and run your own label then here it is, talent. You have to have something to sell your business pitch with. It doesn’t matter what your particular genre is, you need to get out there and discover your first million. Yep, I am talking about dollars.

If you are just sitting around trying to figure out how to start you own independent record label then you are wasting your time. Get out there and try to find “the” band or “the” person that is worthy of a record deal. Go to clubs, rummage through MySpace, hang out at bars with live music, there is talent all around you so find it.

Do you have friends or a band already in mind? If you do then you are one step ahead of the “how to start a record label” game. Two or three bands would really be optimal when beginning your own record label. For those of you who don’t have someone in mind, then you have some work to do. Read more »