The band d that I am in recently performed a webcast for these guys. Great group of people and a great source of exposure. In the spirit of this blog, Flashrock is a musicians helping musicians experience, and they are very cool in the process of helping out. They get an insane amount of views each month so the exposure is worth it. They also provide a lot of other tools for the common musican.
Check it Out
Website
FlashRock.com
Showing posts with label online tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label online tools. Show all posts
Friday, June 27, 2008
Friday, August 10, 2007
For Your Submission - Gig Masters
It's been a while but thats because i have been busy playing and putting on the second CD, so forgive me, but I will have much to share going forward. As for teh submission today I stumbled upon this website for promoters looking to find bands. Get you band up there and if someone is looking they will find you based on it being a match(as long as you dont lie)
Link
Gig Masters
Link
Gig Masters
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
The Business Side Part 1 - AllMusic.com
Sending your product to allmusic.com is mandatory. Don't think why, don't ask why, Submit your finished CD to this website. It has many benefits.
1. When you decide to join the Recording Academy as an artist, this is the site they use to validate your existence.
2. Wikipedia editors look here to see if you have the necessary three works of art to be a artist with a bio on wikipedia.
Basically it is one of a thousand sites you will want to put your music on this happens to be a more important one than most. You existence on this website shows that you put a little more effort and thought into your music career and are really trying to be the Little Engine that could.
1. When you decide to join the Recording Academy as an artist, this is the site they use to validate your existence.
2. Wikipedia editors look here to see if you have the necessary three works of art to be a artist with a bio on wikipedia.
Basically it is one of a thousand sites you will want to put your music on this happens to be a more important one than most. You existence on this website shows that you put a little more effort and thought into your music career and are really trying to be the Little Engine that could.
Monday, March 12, 2007
sonicbids.com - Part III. - Selecting Opportunities
Once you get your EPK all set up and dialed in and looking great. It is time to pursue the purpose of using this tool to begin with. The main objective is to set goals based on certain objectives. Do you want press? Are you looking to play festivals? Are you looking to get the attention of A&R? These are questions you should be asking yourself going into the submission process. The big mistake I initially made was to submit to everything all at once without a focus.
Pick a goal and focus on that. Then filter out the opportunities that are relevant. You many want to play a mega festival or a college, but if you are a band just starting out and have not much of a touring history, unless a stroke of luck occurs, chances are you willnot get picked and now you have wasted $5 or $10...this adds up quick when you pick every possible opportunity.
Also, some opportunities ask questions, answer these honestly. It also is a great way to filter yourself out of an opportunity. If you can't answer the opportunity honestly or if the answer looks to be a disadvantage to you, I would suggest that you not submit to the post.
Keep it real, and eventually things start clicking...
Pick a goal and focus on that. Then filter out the opportunities that are relevant. You many want to play a mega festival or a college, but if you are a band just starting out and have not much of a touring history, unless a stroke of luck occurs, chances are you willnot get picked and now you have wasted $5 or $10...this adds up quick when you pick every possible opportunity.
Also, some opportunities ask questions, answer these honestly. It also is a great way to filter yourself out of an opportunity. If you can't answer the opportunity honestly or if the answer looks to be a disadvantage to you, I would suggest that you not submit to the post.
Keep it real, and eventually things start clicking...
Monday, March 5, 2007
sonicbids.com - Part II. - Setting up the EPK
I am going to assume you may have read the first blog on sonicbids.com or that maybe you already had a sonicbids.com account. "Here's the deal" (trademarked by BTLS)...now that you have created an account, what next, so many options, so many choices...
Before you get so excited about the opportunities and spend as little time possible prepping your EPK, SLOW DOWN! The biggest mistake I made once I created an account was to put together a basic EPK with no content and little focus, and then submit to as many offerings as I could afford...THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT! It took me about three weeks to realize that my initial promotional effort was all for nothing because I didn't take the time to "present" the band.
So here are some ground rules that seemed to help my response rate as I learned the system(well I am still learning it).
1. Every aspect of the EPK should be filled in, right down to the Set List and stage requirements. Nothing worse than an EPK with empty links...it's wasting peoples time who are interested in you.
2. Pictures...cram them in, including Hi Rez. They don't allow many, even with the super package, put as many as you can, and make sure they are consistent with the theme or vibe you are trying to present yourself as.
3. Songs. This is frustrating to me, because they have a limit of 5MB for the songs...which sucks, most of my files are 8+ so I ended up dumbing the quality down. There are two tricks here...give a sample and fade it out, or give in and include a complete song at a worse than CD quality. Don't forget lyrics!!!!
4. Keep your elevator pitch consistent with your Band bio...DON'T BE ALL OVER THE MAP! keep your message clear and consistent...on a personal note, I hate bios that sound like a big reach around...be humble and focus on the band mission...get the attitude when 4 million people buy your cd :)
5. Once you have finished your EPK, link to it everywhere you have a website, blog or related link. They have a tool under "Promote My EPK" in the "My Account" section.
That's a good chunk for now...next step will be throwing yourself at the opportunities.
Before you get so excited about the opportunities and spend as little time possible prepping your EPK, SLOW DOWN! The biggest mistake I made once I created an account was to put together a basic EPK with no content and little focus, and then submit to as many offerings as I could afford...THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT! It took me about three weeks to realize that my initial promotional effort was all for nothing because I didn't take the time to "present" the band.
So here are some ground rules that seemed to help my response rate as I learned the system(well I am still learning it).
1. Every aspect of the EPK should be filled in, right down to the Set List and stage requirements. Nothing worse than an EPK with empty links...it's wasting peoples time who are interested in you.
2. Pictures...cram them in, including Hi Rez. They don't allow many, even with the super package, put as many as you can, and make sure they are consistent with the theme or vibe you are trying to present yourself as.
3. Songs. This is frustrating to me, because they have a limit of 5MB for the songs...which sucks, most of my files are 8+ so I ended up dumbing the quality down. There are two tricks here...give a sample and fade it out, or give in and include a complete song at a worse than CD quality. Don't forget lyrics!!!!
4. Keep your elevator pitch consistent with your Band bio...DON'T BE ALL OVER THE MAP! keep your message clear and consistent...on a personal note, I hate bios that sound like a big reach around...be humble and focus on the band mission...get the attitude when 4 million people buy your cd :)
5. Once you have finished your EPK, link to it everywhere you have a website, blog or related link. They have a tool under "Promote My EPK" in the "My Account" section.
That's a good chunk for now...next step will be throwing yourself at the opportunities.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
sonicbids.com - Part I. - An Introduction
I thought I would finally post something related to getting the wheels of progress turning, rather than another post on the philosophy of being in a band. After all this blog is dedicated to sharing useful information, not just my opinion...though my opinion will still be used as a weapon :)
Of all the tools that has produced the most results in terms of tangible music industry results, http://www.sonicbids.com has been the most effective.
In a nutshell this website allows you to create an eletronic press kit (dubbed "EPK") that not only is great to shoot out to the media, but also to submit to many different opportunities in the industry, as well as make available to your fans, plus it makes you look more organized and professional. The amount of opportunities are staggering. Festivals, Interviews, Licensing, Promoters, Magazines, College promoters...all available for you to submit your band to if you see the fit (hint...that's the key to using the tool).
Part Two of my discussion about Sonicbids will focus on what I have learned in terms of the submitting process and what to expect and basically how to get around the website. They have a ton of useful information and I will share what has been glaringly obvious for me.
Some of the opportunities Mystic Nation has been fortunate to be selected for using this tool:
For an example, check out our EPK... http://www.sonicbids.com/mysticnation
This is what goes out to the industry...so if you do set an EPK up, use every part of the EPK. Even more exciting is the interface they have to interact with the industry...but thats for another time.
Of all the tools that has produced the most results in terms of tangible music industry results, http://www.sonicbids.com has been the most effective.
In a nutshell this website allows you to create an eletronic press kit (dubbed "EPK") that not only is great to shoot out to the media, but also to submit to many different opportunities in the industry, as well as make available to your fans, plus it makes you look more organized and professional. The amount of opportunities are staggering. Festivals, Interviews, Licensing, Promoters, Magazines, College promoters...all available for you to submit your band to if you see the fit (hint...that's the key to using the tool).
Part Two of my discussion about Sonicbids will focus on what I have learned in terms of the submitting process and what to expect and basically how to get around the website. They have a ton of useful information and I will share what has been glaringly obvious for me.
Some of the opportunities Mystic Nation has been fortunate to be selected for using this tool:
- Exposure to 100 college related websites
- Booked Several large clubs in LA that are difficult to get booked with just their phone number and persistence.
- Our product shopped in Asia for distribution and promotion
- Several podcast and internet radio sites putting us into rotation
Some of the things we are under consideration for:
- Interviews with several online and print publications
- Licensing for several different film and TV opportunities
- College Booking
- A couple different compilations
For an example, check out our EPK... http://www.sonicbids.com/mysticnation
This is what goes out to the industry...so if you do set an EPK up, use every part of the EPK. Even more exciting is the interface they have to interact with the industry...but thats for another time.
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