Indy Musicians
Have you gotten your music played online yet? Will taking charge of your own music career, the DIY way, turn you into a well-paid music star overnight?
Probably not. Yet, it is possible. It takes a lot of motivation and sticktoitiveness. Most people don’t have that much, do you?
The big question is, “How do you build a fanbase?” and “What’s the difference between a fan base and a super fanbase?”
It doesn’t matter “whether you’re a musician, a movie star, a celebrity chef or a health and wellness guru,” Lawrence Court of disciplemedia.com states that “building, engaging and retaining your fanbase is essential.”
Court states that you need to go beyond a fanbase and build a community, a community that is highly engaged and inspired. But, you must start with a fan base.
Many musicians have found that being a DIY Musician is the answer to getting their music heard.
The big problem is that many of us believe what the music execs tell us about having a successful music career. The advice given by the “music experts” is totally one-sided from their point-of-view, their “bottom line”. They do not consider the musician.
Yes, the music industry is in business to make money, all companies are. But, they are casting a wide net to see who they catch.
Doing Everything And Getting No Place in the Music Industry
Since my youth, I dreamed of having a music career, performing on stage for thousands. People told me I was a better than average musician and singer-songwriter. But, I still had my doubts.
After many years of putting my songs on the shelf, I decided to take a risk and pitch them to some music execs. Living in Southern California provided the opportunity to personally go to Pitch Sessions in Los Angeles.
The internet has changed the music industry drastically. The change started in the 90s with the illegal downloading of music by Napster, which is now-defunct. The music sharing sites, like Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and streaming services still have the industry in flux over issues such as the royalties to be paid to artists and labels.
Not all the changes are bad. Currently, more music is accessible to people around the world, but that has made it more difficult for musicians to make money from their music, the old fashioned way. At the same time…
You will find that how to start a music career today is different. It can still be done, but it does require a lot of work and thinking outside the box.
Ben, a better than an average musician, singer-songwriter, had always dreamed of having a music career, performing on stage for thousands of people. Maybe we should say, he always dreamed of being a star, a big-time entertainer. He was doing everything and getting no place with his music career.
The Indy Artist Marketing approach combines some of the traditional music approaches, such as gigging, pitching your music, creating a fan base, whether online or in-person, and having CD’s to sell, with new Digital Marketing, approaches.
The term Indy Musician or the DIY Musician, as described in the first article, was coined in the 80’s short for “Independent Artist”. They were usually singer-songwriters or bands who recorded and released their own records independently of the music moguls.
Learn how to evaluate Song Clips as an expert by following our sampling tips. Sampling songs is very similar to the sampling of fine wine. First of all, you’ll need the right setting that is free from distractions to get the full flavor of the music.
The right environment enhances your listening pleasure. In contrast, a noisy or crowded room where kids or pets are romping and playing will make it difficult to hear and concentrate on the nuances of Larry S. Warfield’s Original Songs.
A Musical Copyright
We hear terms like copyright, music registration, licensing music, BMI, ASCAP, SESAC, and more. Let’s work through all these terms and see if we can make some sense out of all of it and understand how to get your music to the next level.
To complete Music Registration involves several steps. The first is to complete a Copyright with the government.
The term Indy Artist, coined in the ’80s by the media, is short for ‘Independent Artist’. It describes the band or singer-songwriter who records and releases their own records or albums released under independent labels.
Often times, the Indy Artist writes lyrics that are “rawer” than that of the mainstream.
The “Indy Artist” has come to describe a unique sound, different from the major labels. They often use sounds that are less polished or have a very different way of using their voice.
Retro Music is not necessarily about Babyboomers. It’s a term that seems to be floating around. What does it actually mean? Is there a difference between Retro Music and Modern Retro Music?
Retro music can be songs that you listened to in your youth, times that brought laughter or tears, or even anger. It could be the actual song you heard in the past or a remake, like “I’ve Got My Mind Set on You” by James Ray originally recorded by George Harrison, or the many covers of “I Who Have Nothing” by Ben E. King (1963).
Digital Audio WorkstationWhat are DAWs? And what is the Best DAW for beginners?
I got that strange look from my wife when she read the title. DAWs are Digital Audio Workstations (DAW). DAWs range from the massive, very expensive recording equipment to the FREE and simple that offer the basic recording and editing capabilities of multiple tracks. My first DAWs was Audacity, which I still use. In this post, I’ll cover some of the equipment used in the Best DAW For Beginners and some of the equipment I used in the beginning.
Will taking charge of your own career, DIY style, turn you into a well-paid music star overnight?
Probably not. Yet, it is possible. It takes a lot of motivation and sticktoitiveness. Most people don’t have that much, do you?
We’re going to look at two current musical stars. One gained his stardom online before landing a contract. The other traveled the traditional path with a contract.
Ben, a better than an average musician, singer-songwriter, had always dreamed of having a music career, performing on stage for thousands of people. Maybe we should say, he always dreamed of being a star, a big-time entertainer. He was doing everything and getting no place with his music career.
Like many other musicians, Ben didn’t handle rejection well. Every time he’d get close enough to see that he might have a chance at a music career, his fear would surface causing him to back down.
Questions?? Comments??
Leave a Reply Below
AllMusicThings.com is a participant in the EBAY Partner Network, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to EBAY.com. For more info check our Affiliate Disclosure page.