For Your Submission: 2009 - Picking up the pace.

So with the 2009 year looking to be the most active year in both d and Mystic Nation, i can assure you that there will be many more resources utilized and blogged upon. It is amazing to see the effect many of these tools have had on our progress and the exposure the tools have brought has been worth the efforts.

This year's focus.

1. Expanding the live show. Now that we are doing roughly 54 shows a year, give or take a few, the next phase is going to focus on the live show. Larger events, more stage tuning. Look for blogs on this process.

2. Marketing expansion. Many of the posts so far have focused on a wide range of tools. Some will work better than others for all types of scenarios. What works for us, might not work for you. This is why I focus on a wide spectrum of online resources rather than just the ones I have had complete success with.

3. Studio tips and tricks. Being that Mystic Nation is going back into the studio i am more than sure there will be many more posts on the subject.

These appear to be the main three focal points moving forward as I hone the old blogging skills and bring you the resources that hopefully will make being a struggling artist/band a little more easy.

Good Luck and Happy New Year!

d and proof in the pudding...having belief...

I am in a band d and over the last few years we have been using many of the tools listed here as a means of pushing our music out into the world with little to no resources.
event
d recently went on to win a talent event that involved many artists across many genres of music. Initially we were very sceptical and honestly did not really intend to enter this event.

The good news is we decided to give it a chance realizing that any exposure is good exposure.

The sum of the story is had we chosen not to participate in the event we would not have been given the exposure in front of record comapnies and grammy award winning producers, and all sorts of other contacts within the music business. Not to mention that had we not entered the event, our band would not have won and we would not have received a guest performing appeaance on HBOs hit Entourage in the upcoming season.

Lesson learned. Taking risks and putting yourself out there is all a part of the game. Now if I could only maintain this blog better!

Resource of the Day - Elektrolab

Found this site which had a great list of links related to the Indy band experience. Check them out,you might find them useful. Regardless, it is always a good idea to have that resource notebook in process at all times. Check it out at www.elektrolab.com

My resource notebook is all stored in an excel document with each tab representing different aspects of the business. Usually just have website address, contact name if Applicable with phone number and email, as well as a notes box to track my latest interaction with that resource and the result. It is simple and basic, and at the core....ORGANIZED!!!!

Promotion: The Power of the Koozie...

Yes I have been gone since October 1st, such is life, but life is good. d and Mystic Nation are in full swing either live and in the studio, but this blog has gone by the way side...NO MORE!!!! I am revived and ready to help find more resources for the artist to help them strive in the music industry...and it remains FREE! Not even a sales pitch! Of course resources are more than welcome to advertise across my sites :)

If you have been using most of the resources on this blog to help your band while i was out and about, chances are you were too busy too read this blog in the first place, so let's get back on track shall we.

Today's promotional tactic....the Koozie. It's that little piece of neoprene that keeps beverages cold and also becomes a traveling advertisement. Having just gone through a whole box in 2 shows flat, I can only say these are very popular. And far more useful as well. We went with the collapsable Koozie first round, makes it easier to lug to shows and for people to take home. A little more flimsy than a standard Koozie, but hey they can always come back to another show if they break theirs :)...which is the point of it all anyway.

When designing the Koozie art...keep it simple...band name or logo and in small print beneath your website address(minus the http://)



If you get quoted by your printer over $140 at a 100 quantity, email me and I will get you some info on a great online tool for low inventory purchases.

Recording - Mastering.

Once you get something recorded I highly recommend getting your works mastered. This adds such a level of quality when put in the right hands. Rather than give a long winded blog on my take on the mastering process I found a very well written article online by The G-Man at Music Biz Academy

Resource of the Day - Your Local Artists

So you have your CD recorded and are pondering how to bring it all together with a great representation for your marketing purposes. In addition to the photography you will probably want to get done, the other qquestion is how to get some CD art without breaking the bank.

The first option is to check with any of your artistic friends would be interested. This can often be the least expensive way of getting some artwork for the CD cover.

Another option, which also benefits a new artists portfolio as well, is to go to the local college and ask the art professors if they have any artists interested in a project for their portfolios. You can also just post a flyer at the local college as well. In most creative pursuits surrounding low budget options this is a great way to benefit yourself and a budding artist. This can also be applied to marketing and photography.

Your Local college is a HUGE resource for resources and no budget.

Myspace That Matters

I am starting a new thread to weed out the BS and post significant myspace connections, well ones that I feel serve a different purpose than the self serving I love myself type myspaces out there.

The new thread is Myspace That Matters.

Todays link was provided in the For Your Submission blog post...

Link
75orLess

A review service, and this is their myspace.