How to Make Shareable Video Content

It's no secret that videos are the leader for content online. Videos are the future and if you create good ones, it can do well for your music.

Here are a few short tips to creating not only viewable, but shareable videos.

1. Have a strategy. If you don't know where you're heading, you'll never get there. Have a plan for what kind of videos you want to release. Do you want to release tour diaries? How to play the song? Song meanings? Creating the song?
Have a game plan and stay consistent.

2. To be continued. It's as effective as it was years ago. Strategically placed cliff hangers bring people back. Don't say it in ten minutes when you could say it in 5 videos that are 2 minutes each. The population is more ADD with every passing year so keep it short.

3. Be consistent. Keep to a schedule. Find a good time and frequency for you to post and keep to it. The consistency will make your fans trust you. Not keeping to a schedule will result in dropped viewers and less subscribers.

4. Promote yourself. If you have other social media platforms, tell your viewers. They won't know unless you tell them.

be kind+make good music.

The New Wild West (Music Business in 2016)

The music industry is the "wild west" now. Sharpest "gun slinger" survives and the weak wither away. It's an EXCITING time to be in this industry...if you have the stones for it.

Gone are the days of bands being fronted large advances to sign a record deal and then buying a luxury car with it. The idea of rock stars is dead, and musicians are as blue collar as any plumber or construction worker.

Today, major indie rock bands have album budgets of $10k or less. Because album sales are so low, it would be foolish to spend much more on making an album.

There are very few slots on a label's roster and if a band can't make that cut, then they have no choice but to front the money themselves from their own pockets. If you don't have the money yourself, you can take to sites like Kick-Starter or other 'crowd-funding' websites and ask for fans to donate money to make your record or fund your tour. The incentive for fans to contribute big money is merchandise, concert tickets, and even private concerts. Instead of large sums like $50-100k awarded to make a record you can take three years on, now you have to plead for every dime to make a record that costs a tenth of the price which you have to deliver by the end of the year.

After the record is finished, bands don't snub their noses at indie blogs with no budget anymore. All press is gold now. Artists get paraded from interview to interview, radio show to in-store performance, just to sell 5,000 copies of their record. You play your heart in an unplugged performance to a camcorder for a site that has nearly zero following to gain 3 more fans. Nothing comes easy any more.

If you as an artist are lucky enough to play a late night talk show or 'Good Morning America' that might account to another few hundred copies sold...if you're lucky.

You may have heard that touring is the 'life blood' of the new music industry, but for many artists it's a cost not a profit. You save money to go on tour. Even signed bands barely break $3,000 per night on the road. A fact that keeps many of them on the road for 3-4 years at a time, taking small 'pit stops' to make a new record to tour behind.

Artists are forced to play the same state sometimes three times in support of a single record. It used to be uncommon that you'd see a band in your city twice in a year, now you can wait till they come back. This also results in smaller attendances, because...well...there's no rush.

But it's not all bad.

Yeah, you have to learn to work social media as effectively as a hammer and your online etiquette is the directly decides if you eat or not that week, but that same power allows you to release whatever you want. If you want to put out a coloring book from your current record...if you can fund it...you can do it! Even if you're signed to an established record label, if the fans demand it they're not gonna say no. You can release as many projects as you'd like as the fans demand, in fact, over-exposure is a good problem to have in the new model of the industry.

Thanks to sites like Periscope bands can have the eyes of their fans on them all day, every day. And some do...because...whatever it takes to make it these days!

The 'Wild West' is brutal and exciting. It forces out those who don't fully love it, because working at a coffee shop or being a clerk at a grocery store for many would make you more money. But those who love it...you're now surrounded by passionate/driven people.

Here's the good news! It's not impossible and you very well could make a living with your music. But you're gonna need to be smart and business savvy. Keep checking in for more posts on tips and strategies to help you make it in the new music industry.

Till next time...

be kind+make good music.

Lessons to Take Away From Your Day Job

Have you ever been told, "don't quit your day job"? They might have been right, but not because you don't have what it takes to make it in your dream, but because your job is a great training ground for the music industry. If you put in the hours and soak up as much as you can from day job, then you'll be better for it!

1. Keeping Regular Hours: You have to treat your career in music like a regular job. Keep a regular set of hours. Those hours can start at 1am if you can make it work, but keeping a schedule is healthy and good.

2. Customer Service: Treating people right will get you far and just like your day job...treating them wrong could result in you getting fired. Learning how to deal with difficult people is a priceless skill, if you get to do that daily at work then it'll better prepare you for your life in music.

3. Good Accounting: Just because your job is behind a microphone or on the other side of the glass, doesn't mean you can act irresponsible with your money. Practicing good book keeping and having an account for every dollar in and out will save you in the long run. If you sell a t-shirt, is there a record for that sale? Manage your money well and your career will be much easier.

4. Sell, Sell, Sell: "A good salesman is one who can sell himself before his products". That's how the quote goes. This is true for the music industry as well. There are so many people aiming for the same thing as you and the "gatekeepers" of this industry can be jaded, how are you gonna make them believe you? You have to make money to be a professional. Who's pocket is that money gonna come from and how to plan to make them part with it? Practice your salesmanship.

5. Mission Minded: The easiest way to fail is to have no goals. You need to treat this like any business. You need a mission statement, you need policies, and you need concrete goals.

6. Business Communication: Can you write a compelling email with proper grammar and spelling? How are you over the phone? Can you speak without saying "umm" too much? Can you negotiate in a professional manner? If you've answered no to these, you may need to read your employee handbook at work again and get in some practice.

7. Punctuality: Being on time is the difference between money in your pocket and money leaving it. If you schedule a session from 4-8pm and you arrive at 5:30pm, you paid for that hour and a half regardless that you were stuck in traffic. Learn to plan ahead and be known as someone who's punctual.

be kind+make good music.

So You Want Your Music on TV?

Once you find the right avenue to get your music to a music supervisor's desk there's a few things you can do right that will help your chances so your music doesn't get pushed into the waste basket.

1. Presentation is key. Get great album artwork. It doesn't have to be colorful, but it does need to be engaging. Here's where I go against the majority. Having a cartoon version of yourself or the other countless cliches I see on mix tapes doesn't necessarily constitute engaging. Keep in mind how many CD's this person receives. You want to stick out of the heap. You want your's on first glance to say, "I'm different and I won't disappoint you like the rest".

Here are a few examples that caught my eye...

3 Easy Things You Can Do to Improve Your Mixes (That Require No Talent)

I'm pretty hesitant to write on mixing as the internet is flooded with advice on the subject. Some of it's good and some of it's bad, today I'll bring up a few things that I've been taught that improved my mixes.

Mixing is a game of balance, but it can be more difficult to balance your track if you have too many things to juggle. Here's a few tips on how to alleviate some of those variables so you can just concentrate on mixing.

1. Speakers

This is the most important one.

Find the right spot for your speakers and then...don't move them. I'll let you watch a video or read a book on how high and what angle you should point them at. It depends on how your speakers disperse sound, so it's a case by case basis. Keeping your speakers the same is only one part of the equation though...

2. Volume 

I try to mark a few spots on my monitor control that I'll set my volume knob go to, that way I know if something is too quiet or too loud in context with the mix. I've marked those spots off with tape and my monitor control knob always stays within that ballpark.

3. You  

It's not enough to set your speakers in the same place with the same volume, your ears and the distance to that audio is as important as everything else. Sit in the same chair, at the same height when you go to mix. If you need to, mark a spot on the floor where the front of the legs should touch, so you're always a similar distance and height from your desk/monitors.

Why? 

Why go through all that hassle and be so strict on silly things like how high your chair is. Sound changes and our perception of frequency changes depending on distance. But the reason I jump through all these hoops when working on music is the only variable I want to be different is the source material. If I control everything I can on my end then when I hear a kick drum that's a bit too loud or to bright, I'll know it, or a vocal with a few too many high-mids. After doing enough work with those same controlled variables, you'll get used to what good work sounds like in your room and when it doesn't it'll stick out. When it does you can make the needed change quickly with all confidence that it's the right decision.

There ya go. 3 simple tips that will improve your mixing today. Go try this stuff out and see if it makes your more productive. 

be kind+make good music.

A Game Plan to Market Your Next Record

The record is done. You just got confirmation that your new album is on iTunes. Great! Now what?...

Everyone knows, in order to make a living doing music, you have to make some kind of money. And that's not as hard as your friends may make that out to be, but it won't just happen without a plan and some concrete goals. This post is intended to help you establish some of that.

Single Release 

A month or two before the release of your album release one of the singles. This can be a great way to create a spark about your project. If you have the budget, you could bundle this with a music video for the song. If you don't, a single will suffice. At this time start talking about your Pre-Sale packages and how they'll be available next month.

Pre-Sales! 

Before the release of your record, hold 'Pre-Sales' for it's release. This could be a month before or two months before. It's up to you, but you want to let two weeks to a month have passed since the release of your single. If you release your record through CD Baby there's a Pre-Release option. I highly recommend it.

If you have a site, create different packages for your album release.

Example: 

1. Digital Copy + Hard Copy + 2 Album Release Concert Tickets + Exclusive Single
2. Digital Copy + Hard Copy + Band T-Shirt 
3. Digital Copy + Hard Copy + 50% off a prior release 
4. Digital Copy + Hard Copy + Stickers

It's not uncommon to make each package exclusive to itself. Meaning, you can't get the sticker and the t-shirt in the same package and more importantly, the 'Exclusive Single' is only available in the premium package.

A week or two before the release, send your fans who purchased your pre-sale packages their goods and send them the full album the day before it releases. Hey, there's perks to being prompt!

Album Release Show 

Book the venue for your Release Show as early as possible. Don't try to book the venue a week before the release. Just don't do it! It's also smart to start inviting people to it. Tell them where it's gonna be, date/time and price. Keep your fans in the know! Also start gathering your merch or pressing t-shirts yourself (if you have to). Just because it's for your new album doesn't mean you can't sell a lot of great merch. Have a plan for your merch table's design and recruit a friend or a relative to run your merch table on the day of the concert.

Press Release 

It's easier to get your music into people's hands when you have help. Many artists ignore this facet of marketing, but press is good. Before the release of your album make a list of who you would like to reach out to about your new project. Are there any notable bloggers, newspapers, magazines, websites, podcasts that would be a good fit for the music you make?

Now, get a variety of photos taken of your band. Some can be color, but have some black & white just in case. When getting the pictures done, remember...you're the focus not the location. A simple picture here is better than one where you're balancing on a tightrope over a pit of guitars. They need to see your face (or maybe not), just whatever fits your music's brand.

Then you'll want to get a good writer to do a short bio of you as an artist. This could be a friend that's an English major or it could be a professional who writes copy for a living. It's up to you and your budget, but remember you want to be taken seriously as a professional. So make sure it sells your act. Be sure to include info about your new album/project in the write up but don't go into painstaking detail. The press doesn't need to know what mic you used to record the pan flute. Unless it's a recording magazine. Again...the aim is to sell your art and your new project.

When contacting press be sure to offer them some free stuff. If it's a music blogger offer them a free track from the new album. Give them an exclusive. If they like it, offer to send them the album free of charge for their personal listening. This is a friend you want to keep.

After the initial contact, be sure to follow up with them. See what they thought of the album. If they're going to do a feature on the project be available for an interview or to answer any questions they might have about it. If they do cover your project check on them once a week or once every two weeks at least, to see how they are and how it's been received. Like I said earlier...this is a friend you want to do your best to keep.

Contests 

Free marketing is great marketing. Allow your fans to market for you. I recommend to artists to run a contest for a free copy of the album or for a free Premium Pre-Sale Package. Again...it's up to you.

The contest could be as simple as recording a cover of your single on YouTube and have their friends view their video to win. Most views wins the prize. Or it could be make your own music video for the single of our song. Or you could hold a remix competition and provide contestants with the stems. The contest can be anything, but the point is to maintain momentum before the album drops.

Release Week 

On the week of your release, keep checking in with your press, send any packages that still need to be sent off and choose your winner for your contest. This should be a fairly busy week for you. Post on your website and your social media about the release, but don't be annoying. A simple two lines with a link is enough.

If you have these kinds of fans, ask them to write reviews of your album on iTunes. I know it sounds crazy, but albums with reviews sell way more than ones without. Don't wait too long to do it either. Sales are greatest the first two weeks. After that there's a steep decline in sales, so you want to have those reviews as soon as possible.

I hope that helped and gives you a game plan for your next release. It's a lot of work, but hey I promise it'll be worth it when you can quit your day job to do music full time. 

be kind+make good music.

Spotting a Counterfeit

Mastering. It's a hot bed of debate, but regardless of where you stand on the topic...we can't ignore that some version of it is a crucial step in the production process in modern times.

I know before just a few months ago, when I would try to master a track...I would attempt to enhance the track, nearly upgrade my mix in the mastering stage...but it was a game failing diminishes. I would throw everything I had at the master; I'd use multi band compression, exciters, reverb, saturation, clipping, expanders...now I may be exaggerating a bit...I probably didn't use ALL of those processes on everything, but the point is I would try more than I should.

These days, my chain is as follows...

Character EQ
Passive EQ
Single-Band Compressor
Brickwall Limiter

(sometimes I'll clip my converters, but not always)

But today I won't be talking about processing. I won't even talk about touching the track. Because the area I think many people mess up in mastering is much more fundamental then what and how do you EQ...

I want to be upfront. I haven't been mastering for very long at all. But I have recently had the chance to learn from some guys with some 'grey hair' who've been doing this job for a bit. I'll share a few of the things I learned from those experiences, but as you know with mastering (more so then mixing), there are trade secrets and even house secrets. There are many engineers who have special processes, gear, techniques that they use to produce their masters...so as such...I'll be keeping the information here vague and we won't get into anything too particular.

You need to be able to spot a fake. When Federal Agents are trained to spot counterfeit currency they ARE NOT trained with counterfeit money. No, instead they learn to handle the genuine article. They learn the feel of it, the weight, how it folds, how it reacts to water. Point is if they learn the real thing inside and out, its easy to spot a fake.

I was taught the same for mastering. You need to have excellent references. You need to take time to find these. Be deliberate on the ones you choose, because your references are conditioning your ears to how a record should sound. Be intentional on what you put in your ears. Take your time to find songs that are excellent from start to finish, from production, to tracking, to the mix and the master. Find what your gold standard is. Then when you have quite a few in many different genres, or at least the ones you work within...it's time to listen!

You need to listen very critically to your references. You need to know what a great mix sounds like and how it translates. Listen to how wide different genres choose to be. What goes where? Learn what a great bass/kick blend sounds and feels like. How does it move your speakers? If you walk out into your hall, how does it translate then? How bright is good and how bright is too much? Find some tracks with a loud vocal, some where the vocal is nearly buried, where guitars are bright and in your face, ones with great powerful low-end, maybe some hip-hop with very little low-end, pop songs where the mids are forward, some 'smiley face' frequency blends, a dark sounding master, one that's on the edge of too bright, really wide tracks, narrow ones, songs with loud RMS and ones with quiet ones. These are just a few examples of questions you should be asking yourself and things to look for in your references.

After you feel like you've listened to your tracks enough, take a break for your ears to rest and then listen some more. Your success in knowing what something needs and what it doesn't need is based on how well you know your "gold standard". If you're prone to do car tests, listen to your references in the car. If you're going on a trip...listen to your references. Play them back so much you get bored of them and you can describe in detail how much they move your speakers and what the frequency blend is like.

If you do this religiously...it will become second nature when mastering a track how much something needs or when it's good to go.

I have a fat stack of references and I paid as much for them as I have some of my more expensive hardware gear. You have to invest into your craft. I'll warn you, this isn't going to be cheap. Look to spend about $20-$25 per album. I personally recommend HD Tracks for full quality lossless audio. I've been very pleased with my experiences with them and I'd wholeheartedly recommend them for audiophile music.

Now, for those of you who've made it this far...I'm sure you want to know what some of my references are. But I'm not going to tell you. Not because I'm some secretive jerk who doesn't want to share 'the cookies with the other kids', but because it would actually be a disservice to you. Part of the journey and fun is rummaging through a bunch of music and having to make up your own mind on what 'good' is. Having to do the homework yourself will make you much better. This is something I learned from a conversation I had with a great mastering engineer, Brian Lucey. Forming your own opinions is how you develop your own color and style within your work.

But if you never know how to 'define the fence' then you'll never know when you've gone too far or where the lines are to color in.

I know that's not the sexiest topic for mastering. But the truth is it's the unattractive stuff...the simple things that have value. If you get this right, so many other things will fall into place.

Many of you will be turned off by the time commitment it's going to take (because it's going to take a really long time just to find your references). And others of you will probably never do this and continue doing what you already do. But those of you who follow through with this advice to the letter...I promise...maybe not next month or the one after that...but with time....you'll see an improvement in your work and this art of mastering will be less mysterious to you as well.

be kind+make good music