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Live Music Industry Predictions For 2021

Posted: Jan 11, 2021

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest post written by Jordan Gates, of Megaphone Agency.

 

Megaphone Predictions


"Even through all the challenges this year has brought, the industry hung on through remarkable resilience. Live streaming, drive-in shows, fundraisers, even lobbying the government – there’s nothing we won’t do to keep the culture alive and the music playing. Music isn’t going anywhere. It’s only a matter of time before we can get back to that unparalleled feeling of experiencing it live and in person again."

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NIVA’s Statement On The Passage Of The Save Our Stages Act

Posted: Jan 4, 2021

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest post by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers. Originally featured on CelebrityAccess.com. Reprinted with permission.

 

NIVA


"T​he Save Our Stages Act...just passed as part of the COVID-19 Relief Bill. The Save Our Stages Act will provide financial assistance to independent venues and promoters that have been devastated by the pandemic’s shutdown. The Save Our Stages Act will enable these locally owned businesses to hold on until it is safe to gather, reopen fully, and once again return to serve as economic engines for their communities."

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Don’t do it alone: Live music event roles

Posted: Nov 30, 2020

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest post by Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan of MakingMoneyWithMusic.com. Originally featured in the Disc Makers Blog. Reprinted with permission.

 

Dont Do It Alone MMWM


"...there’s a lot to managing a music career if you intend to make money with your music. Fortunately, do-it-yourself doesn’t mean do-it-alone. Plugging in and outsourcing to music services that handle different aspects of the industry is one way to get the help or expertise you may be lacking. In this post, we’ll tackle roles and services associated with live music events."

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Safety Guidelines to Return to Gigging in a Coronavirus New Normal

Posted: Jun 15, 2020

Category: Live Performance

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**Guest post by Kristen Ford, Nashville based indie rock act with a passion for music business and a book on DIY touring in the works, featuring members of the health, scientific and musical communities of Nashville.

 

Until we have a vaccine, have increased testing capacity and learn more about antibody testing and if having the Coronavirus antibodies in your system means you cannot contract the Covid-19, we must move forward in a "new normal" environment...

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Why would I be a support act?

Posted: Mar 2, 2020

Category: Live Performance

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**Guest post written by James Redhead, one half of the duo behind the music podcast Anyone Can Play Guitar.

 

ACPG - Support Slots


"We thought it worthwhile to give a balanced view [about support slots] based on what we’ve learned so far, to help all you bands and artists make as informed a decision as possible when you’re presented with such opportunities, or even before you start actively seeking them out. Let’s start with the negatives…"

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6 Marketing Strategies Which Are Helpful for Music Promotion

Posted: Feb 3, 2020

Category: Promotion

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**Guest post written by Rahil Verma of Promoly, a software that helps record labels and publicists keep on track with their promotion.

 

6 Marketing Strategies - Rahil


"Even though any promo is better than none, it’s undeniable that some music marketing strategies are better and more effective than others. That means that choosing how you’ll promote your music is half the battle. These are the six music approaches we recommend you start out with."

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Mmm (Musicians Making Mistakes)

Posted: Oct 7, 2019

Category: Live Performance

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**Guest post by Eki Shola, a musician and physician that creates a healing and transformative space for the listener through sharing her lush, jazzy-soul, live electronica vibes.

 

"We all do it but I’m not sure if we openly talk about it. Instead, what I’ve observed are a range of reactions - some subtle and others not. I’ll chat about two different scenarios but in reality, I think we all fit on a spectrum, save for the bands that appear to play completely perfect and are tight all that time (but I guarantee they did not start that way)..."

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Is It Worth Playing Open Mic Nights?

Posted: Sep 30, 2019

Category: Live Performance

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**Guest post written by Joe Hoten; an avid writer of songs, content and song related content, and regular contributor to Bands for Hire. Originally featured on Ditto.com.

 

Open Mic Ditto
"Any stage can be a platform for you to propel yourself into the musical stratosphere, and, in your capacity as an intrepid and curious musician, you will always find people worth talking to at such events [open mics]. And, at any rate, you only get as involved as you want to..."

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Making a Living as an Independent Artist

Posted: Sep 3, 2019

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest post written by Jake Shane, an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who resides in Spain. He makes his living as an independent artist by touring around Europe. His fourth album will be released in October, 2019.

 

Jake Shane - Making A Living as an Indie


"A recent article by Larry Fitzmaurice titled “17 Indie Artists on Their Oddest Odd Jobs That Pay the Bills When Music Doesn’t” is by turns comforting and deflating to the indie musician...Contrastingly to me, none of those artists makes their living exclusively from music, and many of them actually lose money touring. So, what does this mean for musicians in general, and me specifically? Well, a variety of things, but I’ll limit myself to three important factors..."

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THIS IS YOUR MOTHER SPEAKING! - Part 2

Posted: Aug 5, 2019

Category: Health

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**Guest post written by Electra (The Rock-n-Roll Health Chick), an Integrative Health and Nutrition Consultant and Coach, specializing in the health of musicians.

 

Electraland Radio


"No one likes a hypocrite, and I want to feel great as well. I’ve been having the lemon and salt water in the mornings and more fruits and veggies. That leads us to the second most important change you can make to think and feel your best...EAT WELL."

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The PA Bill That Should Worry Musicians Nationwide

Posted: Apr 29, 2019

Category: Live Performance

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**Guest post written by Wade Sutton of Rocket to the Stars Artist Services.

 

Wade PA Bill


"You know how difficult it can be for bands to create leverage when trying to negotiate better guarantees from venues? Well something is happening in Pennsylvania that is going to make that even more difficult ... and musicians nationwide should be keeping an eye on this because it is something that could spread to other states."

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Your Three Communities, Part 1: Your Super Fans

Posted: Sep 4, 2018

Category: Fans

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**Guest post written by Ariel Hyatt, originally featured on the Cyber PR Blog.

 

3 Communities Super Fans
"In the desperate desire to try to connect with as many fans as possible artists are forgetting something: not everyone “out there” is the same. Some may be following you simply because they liked your sunglasses or your cat and have no idea you are even a musician, while others are waiting to like and comment on every post. You need to understand the differences and create a separate way of communicating with each community."

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Is Your ‘Producer’ Ruining Your Band’s Potential?

Posted: Apr 9, 2018

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest post written by John Kay, a touring and performing songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, and the leader of John Kay & Who’s To Say.

 

"..the burning question which keeps those who are truly passionate about their local music scene is: Why? Why does “the scene suck”? Why does it need fixing? What is the root of the problem? It’s more complicated than a one-answer summation, but I proffer that a major contributor to why a local scene suffers—and new/young/up-and-coming bands ultimately fail—is the recording engineer’s decision to manipulate an amateur band’s recorded performance into a near-perfect production."

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When Should You Hire a Booking Agent?

Posted: Mar 5, 2018

Category: Show Booking

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**Guest post written by Jordan Gates, of Megaphone Agency.

 

HireAnAgent - Megaphone Agency


"In the early days, a lot of bands book their own shows until it becomes necessary to seek out an agent or when an agent finds them. For serious artists, hiring a booking agent can be a big step in launching their music career to the next level. If you are wondering when you should get a booking agent, here are some things to consider..."

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Getting Through Your First Gig: The Do’s And Don’ts

Posted: Feb 12, 2018

Category: Live Performance

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**Guest post written by Roz Bruce of Zing Instruments.

 

FirstGig Zing


"So, you've been rehearsing with your band mates for several weeks now, you have a set together and are finally feeling ready to start gigging. But what can you do to make sure everything runs smoothly? As someone with 10 years of gigging experience, I would like to share some first gig: dos and don'ts with you, to ensure that your first gig is memorable for the right reasons!..."

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Getting Out Of Your Own Way

Posted: Jan 2, 2018

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest post written by Joshua Rich, a pop pianist out of Washington, DC.

 

"The best thing I have learned as a performer is how to get out of my own way - to look at myself through other people’s eyes...Listening to others and being open to what your strengths are can be the difference between making it and not..."

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Going to a Show to Get in the Know

Posted: Dec 11, 2017

Category: Show Booking

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**Guest post written by Adam Young, CEO and founder of Event Tickets Center, a marketplace for tickets to sports, concert and Broadway events.

 

"Playing a concert takes a ton of preparation, especially when it’s your band’s first time on stage...But when it’s finally time to make your debut, it’s important plan for the venue—and it’s hard to know what to expect until you start going to performances at a wide range of bars, clubs and concert halls in any town. When you do, here are a few things to keep an eye out for..."

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How Your Music Can Get Discovered by New Fans

Posted: Nov 27, 2017

Category: Fans

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**Guest post written by Amanda Kenyon founder of Blue Crane Music, a New England based artist management, booking, and consulting service dedicated to helping musicians grow their careers.

 

Get Discovered Chart - Blue Crane Music
"Do you ever wonder how other people discover new music? YOUR music? We did...So we did what any modern day Joe would do to answer such a question: ask friends on social media. And here you have it, the unofficial survey results."

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Touring - Solo vs. Band

Posted: Nov 20, 2017

Category: Touring

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**Guest post written by Andrew Tufano, Nashville based Acoustic Pop Singer-Songwriter.

 

"When you’re strapped for cash on the road, it can be a relief to have a bandmate in the passenger seat, lifting your spirits and holding things together. At the same time, splitting $42 in tips and then going out to drink every night can make turning a profit feel like a luxury you can’t afford. Here are some of the pros and cons to touring alone versus with your friends."

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Why Doing This One Thing Will Make You A Better Live Act

Posted: Aug 28, 2017

Category: Live Performance

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**Guest post written by Scott Aumann, originally featured on The Legit Musician blog.

 

Legit Musician - Record Performances
"One of the best things to do in order to improve your live performance is to record your shows. You can record audio only, or record video. Either way, make it a point to review your recordings and critique yourself. Don't be too critical, but be honest with yourself. This is a great way to find what works, and what doesn't work."

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Meet the Music Booking Agents

Posted: Dec 12, 2016

Category: Show Booking

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**Guest post written by Louise Dodgson, Editor at The Unsigned Guide.

 

Meet the Music Booking Agents
"Working with a booking agent is a topic we’re often asked about by artists and bands who wonder whether they should still undertake all gig bookings themselves or acquire the services of an agent who can bag those lusted-after festival slots and tour supports. Do I need an agent? At what stage should we approach one? Will a booking agency even work with an unsigned or emerging band? If you’ve ever wondered about any of the above, this blog is for you!"

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Numbers Don’t Lie: Is Your Live Show Effective?

Posted: Dec 5, 2016

Category: Marketing

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**Guest post written by Wade Sutton of Rocket to the Stars.

 

"What I am going to talk about in this article is rooted so deeply in common sense yet so few bands actually do it. Your live show will ALWAYS be your most powerful tool when it comes to marketing your music, your merchandise, your music brand, and getting people to sign up for your e-mail or text lists..."

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What I Got Paid in 2015

Posted: May 23, 2016

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest Post by Max Garcia Conover, modern folk singer-songwriter out of Portland, ME.

 

"i just did the taxes for my first year as a full-time independent songwriter and i wanted to share some details about the business side of the work i’m doing...so here’s me...taking some pride in humble, honest, hard-won earnings:"

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The Road to Joy

Posted: Apr 26, 2016

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest Post by Bret Alexander of The Badlees and Saturation Acres.

 

"Many years ago I remember standing on the side of the stage talking with a crew member of The Marshall Tucker Band...We were in the middle of our first tour as a major label act and I was chatting with him about our experiences on the road...After a while, the roadie pointed up at the sound check that was taking place onstage and in his thick Southern accent he said, “These guys are just happy to still be playing.” Things had certainly changed for these guys over the years, but they were still at it. Why?"

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What We're Learning About The Music Industry

Posted: Mar 28, 2016

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest post written by Carlos A. Machado of Mystery Loves Company.

 

"With almost 200 shows and multiple music conferences in the past two years, Maddy and I have learned a ton about the current music industry. For those wanting a career as singer-songwriters, here are a two things we think are worth keeping in mind..."

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