During a live gig, the relationship between the artist and audience is beyond that of simply performer and observer. Physically and emotionally, there's little separation between both parties and a huge deal o direct interaction, both explicit and subliminal. Self assurance is essential and as with so much in life, confidence is the key. If a band looks like they're enjoying their music and project a sense of confidence, that will convince a crowd as much as their material will. Conversely, bands that look shy and embarrassed will make the crowd feel awkward and that negative emotion becomes associated with their music.
If you don't have the natural boundless confidence that lights up the room every time you walk in it, it's time to put these six stage hacks into action.
Many musicians may not want to hear it, but giving your music away for free is a good idea for most. Sales are dropping every year, and it's only getting tougher and tougher to get somebody to buy anything rather than stream it. That doesn't mean you're going to stop making music, but your focus should shift.
These days, many music listeners- especially younger ones- expect a lot for free, and that includes your music. Many people still want to own music, but few are willing to pay for it, though if you treat them right, they'll give you money in other forms. A giveaway here of there might help you sell more tickets on your next tour, or maybe even an entire album if the one song you offer for free is something they fall in love with.
But how do you actually give a song away for free? You can't exactly email it out to everybody, can you? It's actually pretty easy if you just know where to post it. You can put it where you like, but here are a few platforms I'd suggest if you want to get your music in front of the most people.
A lot of musicians want to play colleges, but most don't really know what that means. Here are 9 things that you probably didn't know about the college entertainment market:
Saying you need a record deal to launch an album these days is like saying you need a desktop computer to visit the internet. Twenty years ago people would not have believed that you could have every song in he world in the palm of your hand or on your television, but here we are. Now it just takes a mic, a bathtub, a computer and few clicks to launch your record and make it accessible to people all over the world. But it's also just as easy for your music to get lost in the shuffle and disappear into obscurity. The following tips are your best shot at making it in this ever evolving music game and getting the airwaves bumping with your heartbeat.
In the world of independent music, you can rest assured that there will be plenty of stressful days where you'll find yourself wanting to give up on chasing a seemingly unattainable dream. As technology and the means of making a sustainable living as a full time musician continue to change, having the ability to take the highs and lows of the game in stride is more vital now than ever before. Being unstable and overreacting to the little things will prove to have dire consequences, whereas keeping the big picture in mind as an adaptable professional will steer you inn the right direction.
This type of guidance may seem obvious, and always keeping a positive mindset is easier said than done, but sometimes you can fall into the trap of harboring a career killing mentality without even realizing it. To help ensure you don't succumb to any mental pitfalls, check yourself against these four mentalities to make sure you're not holding yourself back from your fullest potential.
In case you haven't considered this before: talent buyers are busy people, you guys! Filling a venue's calendar requires a ton of work: sifting through a perpetually growing inbox of inquiries, reaching out to bands independently, keeping an eye on events at other local spots, and ensuring all booked events run smoothly are just the basics. That said: don't annoy them.
Common sense should really rule out these six irksome habits, but the eagerness and ambition you likely possess as an independent musician can sometimes muddy your judgement. Make sure you're thinking clearly before contacting a talent buyer by reviewing the most common ways that musicians irritate them.
Considering how heavily bands and artists rely on Facebook to promote shows, it's crucial to stay up to date on the platform's event policies so you can beef up the reach of your events as best as you can.
The latest update on Facebook's event invite policy states that users can only invite up to 500 people each, but if "a large number of invites" aren't responded to on a regular basis, you'll be limited to even fewer for a "short period of time". People who organize a lot of shows may find themselves with a cap as low as 520, a frustrating hindrance on the ability to promote an event without paying for it.
That's the issue here, really: Facebook seems to be pushing users to pay for sponsored posts. I'm not debating the usefulness of that option here, but instead focusing on the scenario on which you're not going to use it and are hoping to maximize the visibility of your Facebook event for free. These four methods won't cost you anything but a little time and effort.
During a live gig, the relationship between the artist and audience is beyond that of simply performer and observer. Physically and emotionally, there's little separation between both parties and a huge deal o direct interaction, both explicit and subliminal. Self assurance is essential and as with so much in life, confidence is the key. If a band looks like they're enjoying their music and project a sense of confidence, that will convince a crowd as much as their material will. Conversely, bands that look shy and embarrassed will make the crowd feel awkward and that negative emotion becomes associated with their music.
