The document discusses the changes in the music industry and what it takes to be successful as an independent artist today. It outlines several steps artists need to take, including developing an image, unique sound, strong stage presence, online presence through social media, YouTube videos, and touring to build a following. Independent artists also need financial backing and relentless self-promotion and drive to succeed without a major label. The document uses the example of the successful independent band Sick of Sarah to illustrate these points.
Continuing our Frequently Tweeted Question (FTQ) series with a discussion of the do's and don'ts behind a good profile picture for Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social sites.
Be The Talk Of The Town - How To Maximize Your Media CoverageJim Norris
Have you shared your music and story with dozens or even hundreds of media outlets and received little to no response or publicity? There are probably many reasons for that, and what's more, they likely have little or nothing to do with the quality of the music.
Regardless of whether they work in print, television, radio, or the blogosphere, every music and arts journalist in the country receives dozens of pitches every week - even every day - and pays attention to only a small fraction of them. So what separates the artists that score coverage from those who don't?
Join us for this webinar to find out.
Canadian Musician's Andrew King and Mike Raine will put you into the mindset of a music journalist and explain why and how they decide to cover certain artists.
Topics will include:
- Who to target in the media
- Making a first impression
- Putting together an effective media kit
- Finding & telling your story
- What media wants from you
- Effective follow-up
Cengage Webinar: Successfully Implementing an Emporium Structured CourseCengage Learning
In this 30-minute webinar, presented by Solomon Willis, Cleveland Community College, you will gain insight into how emporium style learning came to be at Cleveland Community College, as well as hear about teacher and student experiences.
We'll take a look at how Enhanced WebAssign can be used to reinforce skills taught in the classroom, and how it can be completely implemented as a stand-alone delivery method for hybrid and online courses, including a self-paced (emporium style) course. We will also discuss how the conditional release feature in Enhanced WebAssign allows students to work at their own pace, along with the many tools available to instructors to help enhance student engagement, improve student learning outcomes, and promote critical analysis
Continuing our Frequently Tweeted Question (FTQ) series with a discussion of the do's and don'ts behind a good profile picture for Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social sites.
Be The Talk Of The Town - How To Maximize Your Media CoverageJim Norris
Have you shared your music and story with dozens or even hundreds of media outlets and received little to no response or publicity? There are probably many reasons for that, and what's more, they likely have little or nothing to do with the quality of the music.
Regardless of whether they work in print, television, radio, or the blogosphere, every music and arts journalist in the country receives dozens of pitches every week - even every day - and pays attention to only a small fraction of them. So what separates the artists that score coverage from those who don't?
Join us for this webinar to find out.
Canadian Musician's Andrew King and Mike Raine will put you into the mindset of a music journalist and explain why and how they decide to cover certain artists.
Topics will include:
- Who to target in the media
- Making a first impression
- Putting together an effective media kit
- Finding & telling your story
- What media wants from you
- Effective follow-up
Cengage Webinar: Successfully Implementing an Emporium Structured CourseCengage Learning
In this 30-minute webinar, presented by Solomon Willis, Cleveland Community College, you will gain insight into how emporium style learning came to be at Cleveland Community College, as well as hear about teacher and student experiences.
We'll take a look at how Enhanced WebAssign can be used to reinforce skills taught in the classroom, and how it can be completely implemented as a stand-alone delivery method for hybrid and online courses, including a self-paced (emporium style) course. We will also discuss how the conditional release feature in Enhanced WebAssign allows students to work at their own pace, along with the many tools available to instructors to help enhance student engagement, improve student learning outcomes, and promote critical analysis
1. The Change of Music and What it
Takes to be Successful Today
2. The Music Industry Over The Years
Look back at years before the millennium and see how artist got
famous or made money.
• Playing the major sites in New York or Los Angeles.
• Ruthless self promotion
• Play with anyone that they can on the Hollywood club circuit
• Get noticed
• Get signed to a label
• Make an album
• Tour
•Make your money/
3. What They Did To Make It
Artist that played the Hollywood club circuit spent all their
money trying to make it. Artist depended on their fans to live.
• Fans to hang out the charge was a couple pizzas
• Glam rock band relied on their female fans for clothing and
makeup
• Artist lived day to day by their fans
• Some found a gimmick to survive
4. The Day Of The DIY
In today’s day and age the artists have found a way to make the
digital world their own without the help of the label. They have
found ways of doing everything themselves.
• Buy recording equipment
• Record Music
• Play music on social media sites
• Play local/ statewide clubs
•Sell music on I-tunes
• Make own label
• Make videos and upload to You Tube
5. What You Need To Make It On Your Own
Artists today need a few things in order to make a successful
career in the Industry. Reference to a control band that has
done this. First off you are a brand not a band.
• Image
• Sound
• Stage Presence
• Following
• Online presence
• Video
• Backing
• Drive
6. Image
Image is everything in starting to develop a brand. Look at bands
that used a gimmick in their image statement.
– Kiss
– AC/DC
– Poison
– GWAR
You don’t need a gimmick to be great. Your look is important
though. You should find:
• A common dress for all members
• Make-up or not and how much
• Hair and how much or little
8. Sound
Sound is what every brand has to develop. You must have a
sound that is your own and unique. Too many people sound
like another artist and they can never get out from underneath
that perception.
If you have a sound like another artist make sure that band has
not been around for years. The mid 1970’s is a good point to
shoot for.
Too many hip-hop artist sound a lot alike and need to find a
sound that is all their own. If everyone sounds like Jay-Z there
is no originality there.
9. Stage Presence
So you got your image and your sound down. Now can you
perform on stage in front of a crowd of screaming fans?
• No stage freight
• Interaction is key
• Move around often
• Talk to your audience
• Respect your fans
11. Following
You gotta have fans right? Following related to the people who
come to see you play. Some people attend the same clubs every
week no matter who is playing we do not include these. Your
following should be:
• People that show up wherever you are playing every time
• People that tell everyone of upcoming shows
• People that would walk on broken glass to see you play
•People who are not altered by weather or other acts that hinder
performances.
12. Online Presence
Your fans need to follow everything about you what they need to
know about your music and shows. The best way to do that
these days is through social media and other web accessible
sites.
• My Space
• Face Book
• Twitter
• Tumblr
• Instagram
• You Tube
As well as your own sites that you may set up.
13. Videos
You Tube has been a great help to independent artists. They can
film anything and upload it on the site for their fans to see. Videos
and backstage or behind the scenes footage is what your fans will
watch endlessly.
Make sure they are entertaining and worth the time of your fans.
This will help others see you and enjoy your music and find out
what you are all about.
No money is need to upload content and it is a easy way to get
your music heard by the masses.
14. Backing
It is true you can only do so much with little money. You need to
find money in creative ways, but still maintain your presence
in the circuit. Some creative ways to keep cost down and gain
money to put into your brand are:
• Street teams to help you promote ( they work for free)
• Flyers at every where you want to play and places where your
target audience flock to.
• Friends and family who believe in you.
• Some investor willing to take a chance on you
• At some point you could get a label to give you a shot
15. Drive
By far the most important part of DIY. You must believe in
yourself and have the drive to see it through to the end.
• Ruthless self promotion
• You must tour outside your local states
• You should play the Hollywood circuits and New York
• Have something your fans can purchase
• You must play anywhere you can
• Your hometown should sponsor you to play in their venues
17. Conclusion
These are the most common ways to succeed. Your experiences
may vary, but these are the steps that our control band went for
and now have three full length albums and six Eps. They even
have a movie in the editing room and will release in the Summer.
They have even toured in Europe.
Yes the band has found a label to sign to, but had to make their
own way in the beginning. This is an outline of what they did
before the label.
So get out there and seek your success.
19. References
1. Our control band Sick of Sarah
2. Learning from Music Business classes
3. (http://www.musicthinktank.com/blog/4-key-traits-of-
successful-independent-musicians.html)
4. (http://musicmusic.com/categories/best-practices-tips.html)
5.(http://www.wipo.int/aboutip/en/studies/pdf/study_r_wallis.p
df)
Editor's Notes
The statics on this happening where slim. Only 1 in several thousand actually made money doing this. Many artists can make an album but never recoup the advance from the label.
