January 7, 2002 -- Is there someone who could make your music career better? Consider writing this person a fan letter that subtly asks for what you need. For example, I recently drafted an e-mail to another author, who happens to be the editorial director for a popular music Web site. I told him how his work inspired my own, and that I had wanted to follow in his footsteps ever since I'd read his first book. (This was no lie. He was a mentor in absentia for me and my work). I then told him about my work and included a news release about my Profiting from your Music and Sound Project Studio book. Soon after, the Web site ran my news release in a prominent position which resulted in a flood of new orders. All this from one genuine fan letter.
January 14, 2002 -- Don't feel you must only get radio airplay to promote your music. There may be other radio-based opportunities to plug your act. In Chicago, one radio station hosts "Breakfast with the Beatles" every Sunday. All of the local tribute bands regularly appear on the show--calling in, playing unplugged, providing Beatles song parodies/station IDs, and generally plugging their upcoming gigs and Web sites. These bands generate buzz and fans all around Chicagoland simply by using this radio show. Is there a similar opportunity in your neck of the woods?
January 21, 2002 -- "Here's my tape. It's not professional quality..." That is how the cover letter sent to me last week began. [And] "the telephone number on the end is wrong, too" the letter continues. "I realize I could do better if I was in a professional environment ... I hope you don't judge me too harshly from this tape." A person wishing to break in to the highly competitive voice-over field actually signed her name on this letter. Although I'm all for modesty, actually apologizing for your work is never the way to land a gig. Always preface your introduction with this-is-my-best-work-so-far. And make sure your demo is very good before you send it out. Don't make the mistakes made by this poor amateur. And to make matters even worse, she wrote: "I would like [this tape] back. It's the best copy I have!"
January 28, 2002 -- One negative review can have you question all that you are about and all that you believe in. Even if only one person pans what you do, you quickly forget about the other thousand who really appreciate you. I know from experience, it's discouraging. If you're stuck with an unfair critique, and you can't respond to it, it's even harder to deal with it. Don't let it interfere with your music or your life. Sometimes you have to consider the source (such as Amazon.com where they don't screen those who submit bad reviews. Any goof can say what they want without any repercussions. And you can't refute their claims either.). Other times, there may be a valid point or two that applies. Once you get past the shock of a depressing criticism, put it behind you. Channel your energy into something more positive. My feeling is all reviews -- good or bad -- are messages that you should learn from and use to make your work better in the future.
February 4, 2002 -- I've been reminiscing about my
musical roots lately and decided to compile a list of ten songs that had the
greatest impact on my life. These are not necessarily my favorite songs, nor
are they the best songs I've ever heard. They are just those tracks that either
inspired me or sent me in a specific direction.
-- Down in the
Boondocks, Billy Joe Royal. My Mom tells me I loved this song when I was
little. The record had a scratch at the end which I also sang, thinking it was
part of the song. Down in the Boondocks, scratch ...Down in the Boondocks,
scratch ...
-- Brandy (You're a Fine Girl), The Looking Glass. This
is the first record I ever remember asking for and buying. A friend of my Mom
worked at Polk Bros. and was able to get 45s at a discount. I loved this song
at the time (and I still know all the words!)
-- Jumpin' Jack
Flash/Young Blood, Leon Russell. The first time I ever recall seeing a
concert was the Concert for Bangladesh film at the Tivoli theater in
Downers Grove, IL. I thought Leon's rendition of this medley was absolutely
fab.
-- I Am The Walrus, The Beatles. All my siblings listened to
the Beatles, of course, so did I. This song has always been and remains one of
my favorites. The first LP I ever bought with my own money was Sgt.
Pepper (duh!).
-- Message in a Bottle/Roxanne, The Police. I
actually saw Sting perform these numbers solo as part of the Secret
Policeman's Other Ball movie. I had no idea who he was at the time, and
his version on that film was stunning. A major moment in my life. Time to start
a band.
-- Propaganda, Various artists. Along with the Police, Joe
Jackson and Squeeze were on this "sampler" cassette. I still listen to those
artists.
-- Miami Vice soundtrack, Jan Hammer. One man, home
studio, incredible music like no other TV show. I was hooked. Another defining
moment in my musical life. It's what made me pursue my current musical
direction ... it's been over 20 years. Wow!
-- Men, Ships, and the
Sea, Jeffrey P. Fisher. The first song I ever recorded in a studio with my
band, Analog. A sort of Gordon Lightfoot meets Simon and Garfunkel folk tune,
complete with a canticle!
-- Release, Roddy Frame. High Land,
Hard Rain was the first album I ever bought based only on a review (I'd
never heard a track). Roddy is still my favorite songwriter/artist.
--
My Wife with Champagne Shoulders, Mark Isham. This recording was on a
flexible "soundsheet" bound into Keyboard magazine. I discovered Isham
and subsequently, Patrick O'Hearn and David Torn as a direct result of this
track.
There you have it, my musical roots. Now it's your turn. Think
about those songs that brought you to your current place in the music world. I
found this an interesting exercise and fun. I hope you discover a little about
yourself along the way, too.
Honorable mentions:
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Willie Nelson's version for reasons too
numerous to detail here. Early Elton John, through Caribou, because it
helped me find the love of my life for the last 22 years. Oh, Darling,
the Beatles, because it was the first dance with my new bride. And, of course,
the song I wrote yesterday. The new ones are always the best so far, don't you
agree?
February 11, 2002 -- Establishing, defining, and refining your goals is an important contributor to your success. Far too many people either don't have a goal or their idea of one is so nebulous, it's impossible to understand, let alone reach. Try this exercise. Get three pieces of paper to record your answers to these three questions. 1) What are your have-tos? These are all the things you must do to simply survive. 2) What are your like-tos? These are your fantasies; something you'd like to do someday, but don't necessarily need to do them. For example, watch the Rose Bowl parade in person. 3) What are your real want-tos? These are those experiences you wish (and desperately need) to bring into your life. Once you've taken care of the first two (have-tos and like-tos) you can really buckle down and address real goals. When you complete this exercise, you'll have a clearer picture of where you want to go with your life and music career. Congratulations. You are far ahead of the majority of people who ignore their need to make plans. Now comes the next hard part. How do you plan to reach all these goals and when?
February 18, 2002 -- To model your success, take a detailed look at what another successful music professional does. Make sure you choose somebody you know is successful and carefully dissect their career and promotional tactics. What products do they have? What services do they provide? How do they use publicity? Advertising? Radio/TV? Internet? Now apply all that you discover to your situation. Try mirroring their specific career techniques as closely as possible. You should be able to emulate their ideas on some level and in your own music market. Knowing how the big guys succeed, and patterning your strategy after their success, can lead to bigger and better things for your music career, too.
February 25, 2002 -- Where do your best ideas originate? It's been proven that the more stimuli you can bring into your life, the better your chances of coming up with new, creative ideas. Rarely does an good idea stem from a single event or experience, though. Instead ideas are usually a combination of factors that connect together to form a new thought process. So, first bring new stimuli into your life. Reading, writing, and experiencing are the right path. Read both within and outside your area of interest. Write ideas down and work them out on paper through free association and doodling. Get out and experience new people, places and things. Second, try looking beyond the obvious and instead search for unexpected connections in unusual places. For example, an idea for an upcoming project came from a brochure my wife received in the mail, a TV program on TLC, and the lyric to a song. My mind made a connection and now I'm working on the details of a new education project (stay tuned).
March 4, 2002 -- In simplistic terms, left-brained people are logical while right-brained people are emotional and seemingly more creative. Though I may love the ideas turned out by a right-brainer, I'd turn to a left-brainer to get the job done. Many right-brained musician types are full of creativity, but lack the discipline to turn their lofty thoughts in real, tangible products and services. They aren't always willing to learn how to be more logical and organized. True left-brainers, however, almost always recognize their shortcomings in the creativity department and work hard to find new ideas and approaches. Lefties strive to be more whole-brained, while righties tend to stay away from left-brained activities altogether. I'm not reprimanding anyone. My point is this: if you know you are a right-brainer, either improve your skills to be more left-brained when it's necessary or hire a trusted left-brainer to take over after you've done the creative work. Left-brainers don't need any advice; they know they need help and actively pursue it.
March 11, 2002 -- A key to a moneymaking music career is to build a core and then go explore. (I loosely borrowed this concept from Charles Schwab). Generate your core income doing whatever it is you do best. Derive this base income from a diversified group of moneymaking music activities (playing, composing, producing, CD sales, etc.). Also, take on a few other ventures to explore other possibilities that perhaps may increase your earnings. Devote no more than 5-10% of your time and money to these speculative ideas. What you explore may either turn out big (and put more money in your pocket) or be a dismal failure that, thankfully, doesn't cost you too much. Let the core put bread on your table and give you the freedom to explore the limits of your creativity.
March 18, 2002 -- Another aspect of the core/explore concept is to follow the old path or blaze new trails. With the old path you follow proven methods that have worked in the past. You will be find reasonable success and make money right away when you pattern your music career after successful models. To blaze new trails means to look for new ways to accomplish things and move away from what worked before. Here it may take longer to innovate and make money from it, but the possibilities are boundless. Strike a balance between making your music money in conventional ways and exploring unusual means to be successful.
March 25, 2002 -- Although my approach to the music business can be quite mercenary at times, don't lose sight of the reasons you chose this profession in the first place. Everything you do doesn't have to be a commercial success. Nor does it have to generate income. So, don't give up something musical that you love to do because it doesn't bring in money. You can (and should) include this in your life anyway. If what you do makes you happy or brings some other satisfaction, by all means keep doing it. If it makes a buck or two, great. If it doesn't, so what. My feeling on this issue is simple: Use your music to fund your life AND provide the freedom to pursue other activities whether they pay or not!
April 1, 2002 -- A client of mine has a pithy saying: "Profits hide sins." When your music business is going well, you sometimes lose track of your real financial situation. It's easy to spend, spend, spend because the bucks keep rolling in. Unfortunately, if business takes a turn for the worse, you may not recover quickly (if at all). Even if your star is shooting high, monitor your finances regularly and diligently. Make it easy to weather the ups and downs of a musical life. Don't overspend during the moneymaking months. Save some money for the inevitable lean months, too. Having a sound financial strategy that works for you is crucial to ongoing musical success.
April 8, 2002 -- Busy-ness can be hazardous to business. When all is going great, don't forget to look ahead. Sure, there's plenty of work NOW. But what about next month? Don't let that fateful day arrive without taking steps to secure future work. Always be promoting a little, especially when you're swamped. Make contact with past clients. Catch up again with some recent prospects. Send out a simple promotion (short letter, postcard, news release, etc.). Make some inroads toward landing new gigs when your current workload finishes up. You'll sleep better knowing that today's good fortune won't dry up through sloth. Get busy ... and stay busy!
April 15, 2002 -- Make a list of projects that you'd like to do. Then, go find clients who need that kind of work and pitch your services to them. Alternately, if this is a project that only you can do (or you're doing for yourself), put the wheels in motion and start working on it right away. For example, I'll brainstorm an article that I want to write and then pitch the idea to the magazine where it fits. Or, I'll scribble a line or two about an idea -- video, music score, et al -- and then pursue those avenues that can bring the project to fruition. Follow this formula: Ideas + Promotion = Gigs and, of course, Gigs = $$$
April 22, 2002 -- What music products and services that you sell are your most profitable? Do you know? Do you know why? You need to carefully track your sales and expenses to arrive at a valid conclusion. You may be fooling yourself into thinking a venture is putting money in your pocket when it's really just eating up resources. Start tracking your sales for each product and service that you sell. Also, track the expenses that relate to those sales. Use this formula: sales - expenses = gross profit. If you sell a CD for $15 and it costs you $7 to make and ship, your profit is $8. But if it's costing you $12.50 to make, your gross is significantly lower. Products typically are low profits while services often put substantially more money in your hand. However, if products let you leverage services (e. g. a band's CD helps the band secure bookings), then the lower profit is justified.
April 29, 2002 -- What main problem is hurting your music sales? What one expense is reducing your income? Once you identify these two crucial roadblocks, do whatever is necessary to overcome them. If a lack of promotion is keeping you from making sales, it's time to double your efforts and get the word out about the music products and services that you sell. With an out-of-control expense, cut down if you can or look for alternative ways to buy. As the saying goes, it often pays to shop around. Increasing your sales and reducing your expenses puts more money in your pocket -- where it belongs!
May 6, 2002 -- The whole idea of increasing profits by reducing expenses should be obvious. Unfortunately, some people never learn. Spend spend spend is not necessarily the way to earn earn earn. Hollywood continues to throw megabucks at blockbuster movies, and it's getting harder and harder to make money from them. If a film costs $100 million to make, it must be rather successful just to recoup. Make a film (Orange County) for $15 million and gross $40 million (as MTV films did) and even a minor hit can be profitable. You can get started in your little corner of the music business for a lot less than you think. And the less you spend, the more you can conceivably make.
May 13, 2002 -- You can learn a great deal of useful information from your competitors. What are they doing right? Wrong? Can you adapt their successes to your way of doing business? Can you beat them where they are weak? Don't by shy about visiting the competition (if possible) or checking out what they sell (and how they sell it). A band could go to other shows put on by competitive band. Buy the CDs of the music acts with whom you compete. Visit their Web sites. Dig out your magnifying glass and start searching for clues. You just may learn some valuable knowledge that you can apply to make your situation better.
May 20, 2002 -- Two unusual things happened to me recently: 1] A client gave me clothes from his closet. Yes, it's true. I was visiting the client and arrived a little early for my meeting. The client, an older man, had brought in his seldom worn (if ever!) clothing for his employees to try on. Some of the clothing fit the employees and some did not. Faced with having to take the clothes back home (or to charity), my client asked me to see if anything fit. What to do? Well, needless to say I went home with some hand-me-downs. 2] After finishing a rather lengthy and involved project for a client, they sent ME a thank you gift (Omaha steaks!). I was just getting around to sending several of my thoughtful thank you letters to all those involved when UPS rang my doorbell. It's not often a vendor gets a gift from his client (typically the other way around). I sent my usual thank-yous anyway. BTW: the steaks were yummy and my young son loved the dry ice experiments we did in the kitchen. Aren't these awkward situations?
May 27, 2002 -- Joining your local Chamber of Commerce may be advantageous for your music career. Though you won't get much music industry-related help, you will have access to varied general business advice including staff tips, banking, loans and other funding, insurance, legal problems, promotions, and more. Small business people often have unique ways to overcome many business challenges. You may learn some valuable lessons from their experience. Their insight can help you avoid mistakes and come out ahead. Getting together and networking with your fellow, local entrepreneurs might be just what you need. Always remember that networking is not just take take take. See how you can help, too, through your more creative perspective on business.
June 3, 2002 -- My upcoming book, Moneymaking Music (available later this Summer), suggests that before you launch your musical career, you must know what you really want. Before you can set your goals, it's often useful to understand where you've been. Writing your biography, your life's story, is one revealing exercise. Find some quiet time, grab some paper, a pen, and begin at the beginning. To keep your catharsis on track, focus on key factors that brought you to where you are today. Read my take on this exercise here.
June 10, 2002 -- I called a major national magazine to cancel my subscription. It wasn't that I was dissatisfied, rather I just didn't have the time to read it anymore. Why pay for something that goes from mailbox to recycle bin? The customer service rep took my information with a healthy does of conviviality. He offered me subscriptions to other mags, at special prices, to replace my canceled one (upselling!). I declined. Then he said something else. "We'll credit your account for the subscription within 30 days. You may still receive an issue of two in the interim. Please accept these extra issues with our compliments and to thank you for trying our publication." I was pleasantly surprised. Instead of what could have been a cold, potentially unsavory experience, I walked away feeling good. And I wouldn't hesitate to re-subscribe in the future. The lesson? Turn a negative experience into a positive one for your clients and you will earn respect and loyalty and feed good word of mouth.
June 17, 2002 -- This week's tip come from David Conley: "Diversification plays an integral role in my business. In addition to my many recording and composing pursuits, I also enjoy teaching music. To that end, I sell a punch card good for 4 lessons (45-60/min). My lesson rate is $40/hour, but the punch card sells for $140. My students save some money and I get paid in advance for 4 hours work. Students then call and book their time in my studio. I do ask for a 4 lesson commitment before I agree to be their teacher, though. You can easily design/print your punch cards on your computer/printer. Students really appreciate its tangible, physical connection to their investment. It's amazing how reverently and respectfully my students handle and care for their cards. One student has 6 years worth of punch cards tacked to his wall. One student asked if I taught recording/ MIDI and I agreed to sell a lesson punch card for that instruction. The punch card approach leads to increased studio recording customers, too. I created a similar discounted recording punch card and have a few customers who buy 2-3 cards a month. These selling techniques offer a means of connecting with your client and showing them the value of what they have (or will have) purchased."
June 24, 2002 -- Have your sights set on the big time? Lofty goals are fine, but don't neglect the success right in front of you. Consider this: You might do better staying local. For instance, you can control your promotion by leveraging local contacts. By concentrating on who you know, and where you know to go, you can often create a great success in a smaller geographic region. One recent caller told me about how all his old college buddies run the local radio stations. He has an "in" for placing the musical acts he's producing/managing. Getting popular in your local area is often easier to achieve than going for the gold. You may then choose to stay local or expand as interest increases. One band with whom I worked kept pursuing a record contract. For years they played all around town at bars, festivals, parties, even touring regionally. They had a loyal following, many paid gigs, and sold merchandise, including their own CDs. Still they spent energy trying to get the elusive record contract and ignored the success they had already achieved. Eventually it all caught up to them. Members left and life went on. While I think the record deal was a noble goal, they spent too much energy on it and ignored the tidy little business that was waiting outside their door.
July 1, 2002 -- When you do what you love, it often doesn't feel like work. You get so absorbed in your music that you forget about the real work going on around you. That's a great place to be. A creative well-spring! You are excited and enthusiastic about what you are doing, and this positive attitude comes across in the music you make. It also rubs off on people, too. They sense how much you enjoy what you do and usually can't help but feel swept up in your good vibes. Enthusiasm is a terrific ally to have. Having a positive attitude and the energy to pursue what can often be an arduous journey can help you better realize your success. Many people comment on the excitement I bring to projects, and I notice it in others with whom I have dealings. When somebody is not happy, I sense it immediately. They drag down everything and everyone. But when an enthusiastic person enters my life, I know this person has a greater chance of success.
July 8, 2002 -- What two ways can you both sustain your existing momentum and grow your business? New products and services. The pressure to introduce new products isn't only for corporate America. Coming up with new "things" to sell is crucial to your growth. Obviously, a new CD makes the most sense for a musical act. Don't feel you have to innovate with every new product, though. A "live" CD is just one way to re-use old material. Going back to older music and re-releasing it is still another trick. For example, Jan Hammer has just released a special edition of his much-admired "Miami Vice" soundtracks. Add merchandising, or expand your current line, to bring more products to the front. If you're not making merchandising part of your profit plan, click on over here and see how easy it is to make some money selling swag. How does a soundtrack and jingle composer such as myself add products? A music library, sample CD, or ACID loop CD are possibilities. It's no good selling music CDs if you're not out touring in some capacity. If you're product-centered, it's time to add services to the mix. If you're already a service provider, look for other services that complement what you sell. For example, a project studio could add design and duplication services for the acts that record there. Consider outsourcing some of these services. Take action now: What new products that fit in with your overall music career path can you create and start selling? Also, carefully examine your skills (and those with whom you work) to determine all the new services you can offer.
July 15, 2002 -- What is your main job in the music industry? To play music? To engineer recordings? To write songs? All of these are indeed "jobs" in the music industry. However, you real job is to get more gigs. The player needs a place to play. The recorder needs something to record. In short, everyone needs buyers -- people who are willing to pay you for the music products and services you sell. Therefore, finding and contacting buyers is a key component to your music industry job description. And getting those buyers to part with their hard-earned cash is equally crucial. We are all in sales, whether we like it or not. It's your own responsibility to bring what you have to offer to the people who need what you sell. Nobody is going to do it for you! So, while you concentrate on your musical art and craft, set aside some time and energy and devote it to sales, too.
July 22, 2002 -- Make selling part of your daily routine. Try these tips: Get into research mode. Is there a company/project you'd like to work on? Take some time each day to find people who need the music products and services you offer. Next, make contact with the most promising firms. Call and discuss possibilities. Follow up with a letter, brochure, business card, and demo CD, if that applies. Follow-up these contact again with phone calls in 7-10 days. Also, list your contacts on computer/paper and keep notes about them (I use a Palm). Join or volunteer for clubs and associations that put you in contact with people who buy what you sell. Participate regularly and build your network. Also, let friends, peers, past clients, family, and others know what you sell and that you are looking for clients. Keep yourself informed about what's going on and use what you learn to find new gig sources.
July 29, 2002 -- Improvisation. Many of us do it when playing our music. And the same thought process can apply when running your music business career. Sometimes you just have to make it up as you go along. However, most will agree, that to be a good music improviser, you need solid music skills. The same applies to your career. You need strong business skills and a track record of success before you can start improvising. Because when you know the rules and what works, you can break them to your advantage. You simply know what to do when it matters the most. Call it experience or intuition. Improvisation means being flexible and creative and using your knowledge to go with the flow. It doesn't always pay to be tied to traditional ways of doing things. Stretch yourself a little and see where it takes you.
August 5, 2002 -- If you sell products, make sure you never go out of stock. You can seriously damage your positive momentum with backorders. People want what you have ... NOW! And when you can't deliver, they either take their business elsewhere or forget about you completely. So, keep an eye on your inventory and make sure you're never a victim of your own success.
August 12, 2002 -- Pressed for time? Who isn't these days. Here are some tips: Good organizational skills are crucial because wasting time on certain tasks will forever keep you in a time crunch. Work your strengths hard and find other ways to accomplish those items on your to-do list. Hire out subcontractors to help when the pressure's on. Also, consider doing only what makes sense to building your music business. Let the other stuff go. Try multitasking through technology. For example, I can burn CDs on one computer, print booklets, address labels, and such on another, while working on a music or sound project on still another! And I can do laundry and run the dishwasher at the same time, too. Most of all, set aside some time each day to work on your music. Even if you can only steal five minutes, make an appointment and keep it. Setting aside time to work on those project that are most satisfying for you will make the drudgery of other tasks much more palatable.
August 19, 2002 -- Is there a way you can offer a subscription as part of your music business? For example, Sonic Foundry offers the Acid Loop Subscription series. You pay one fee up front and get a new loop library (for use with Acid) shipped to you each month. They make it really worth your while as you save something like $700 off the regular price of buying the loop CDs. Of course, you may get stuff you don't need/want/like, but it's a sweet deal overall. The benefits to offering your own subscription is you get money in advance and you keep yourself in front of your buyers repeatedly. Subscription buyers get a great discount and become part of your exclusive club. Brainstorm ideas and see if this can work for you.
August 26, 2002 -- Need to learn ACID, Sound Forge, and Vegas Video better? Check out Sundance Media's VAST Tour sponsored by Sonic Foundry and others. The day-long seminar will be presented by Douglas Spotted Eagle, Grammy-winning artist, producer, sound designer, videomaker, writer, and respected authority on all things musical, sound, and video. The agenda is jam-packed with valuable, real-world information on how to get the most from these powerful software tools. And every attendee gets some cool, free goodies (worth over $400 in value!!!). The VAST tour is coming to a city near you. Get complete details, and register, here.
September 2, 2002 -- Sonic Foundry has just made ACID so much sweeter with a HOT new release. Surround sound mixing, effects automation, new MIDI features, VST instruments, and so much more. I didn't think they could make this program better. They really did. You can't go wrong. Get your copy of ACID PRO 4.0 here. Not sure if ACID is for you? Check out this short article.
September 9, 2002 -- O.K., so maybe your music career isn't going where you'd like it to go. If you feel like giving up. STOP. Take a step back and analyze the sitch. If you have no money coming in, then start promoting: pick up the phone and send a promotion to past buyers/new prospects. If you're profits are down, then cut some costs by either eliminating waste or shopping smarter. If you're just discouraged, then take a vacation, outsource tasks you hate, or consider doing something different for a short time. This advice should get you back on track fast.
September 16, 2002 -- My digital audio course (MMA 140, 5 college credits) at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL covers the basics of sound, digital audio, and recording. We discuss microphones, mic techniques, mixers, monitors, and other gear. And we spend a lot of time using both Sound Forge and Vegas to record, edit, and mix several projects. Project One: Basic voice editing. Edit pre-recorded voice track to match script using Sound Forge. Project Two: Record voice to Sound Forge and edit it to a good take. Project Three: Record an on-location "news" interview with multiple people, mics, mixer and edit the interview to a complete best take. Project Four: Prepare, record, and edit a commercial ad or public service announcement (PSA) with multiple voices, narrator, sound effects, and music. Project Five: Edit longer music takes to :60, :30, :10 second spots. Final Project: Conceive, write, and plan a final 3-5 minutes project that uses sound effectively such as an audio book, interview, commercial/PSA, drama, comedy, lecture, training, infomercial, etc. Throughout the 12 weeks I share tons of valuable advice related to recording, editing, and mixing along with valuable music and sound business advice. We talk about sound aesthetics, listen to lots of examples of good and bad audio, and generally have a fun time. Homework is minimal as class time is lab time. And only one test! Interested? Click here and search the Multimedia Arts curriculum for my course.
September 23, 2002 -- What's the right price for the music products and services you sell? Try these ideas. Survey the typical rates for similar products or services in your area. Also, shop the competition and price yourself between the highest and the lowest price. Or decide to be the low end, but with few frills, just basic service. Alternately, dip your toe in the premium waters and charge higher prices with more amenities and quality. With some clients, ask about budgets and decide if you can do the work for the money available. Build a tier of pricing options depending on a project's scope. Build a pricing menu for different services. too. For example, a soundtrack/jingle composer could sell a music library, sell non-exclusive music, sell buy-outs, and offer a few other deals in between.
September 30, 2002 -- Planning your music career isn't something you can take lightly. Obviously, you need to both take care of short-term needs and long-term goals. Along with that, make room for regular or steady gigs that contribute to your progress. Additionally, set aside some time for explorations into unknown areas. You never really know where your career will take you unless you spend some time looking at and experimenting with other options. Those short-term plans make up your To-Do list, the long-term plans fill your calendar, your regular/steady work keeps the money flowing in, and the explorations can bring potential future gains or make pipe dreams painfully clear.
October 7, 2002 -- Clean out your workspace a couple of times each year. Things start to look messy and may make you feel disorganized. Plus, you might find it increasingly hard to find important material buried under the ever-growing stacks in your musical realm. These little Spring cleanings help you "clean the slate" before moving on. It's best to use your downtime following a huge (or series of huge) projects to clear all that tends to clutter up. Try rearranging the space a little too. The fresh perspective can spark your creativity. This is something I've done regularly for my whole life, and few activities rejuvenate me more.
October 14, 2002 -- Too busy to get everything done that needs doing? Get some help. First, start with your family and friends. Can they remove some of your workload from you? Second, hire subcontractors to fill in the gaps for you. Third, hire an employee. If you feel that's a big step, consider this. Let's say you charge $100 an hour for client work and you waste an hour running errands. You not only lose an hour, you lose $100. Hire a helper for $10 an hour and have this person run your errands for you. You gain an hour for work and lose only $10. However, you can make $100 during the same hour and net $90 instead. That's wise time and fiscal management.
October 21, 2002 -- Are you also spending too much time managing your music career finances? Between opening the mail, writing checks, and other bookkeeping matters, you're probably wasting an hour or more a month. Get some software (like Quicken or MS Money) and record those reoccurring transactions in the program. Now when a bill comes in, enter the amount, due date, and file the statement. Once or twice a month, print checks (don't write them!), stuff them in envelopes, and mail them. I do check runs once a month, postdating checks and sealing envelopes. I write the date the envelope should be mailed in the lower left corner and drop it in the box when it's time. Better still, sign up for direct debit of your checking account for all the bills that you can. Mortgage, car payments, and many utilities have programs for this. Sign up for direct deposit with your employer (if possible/applies). Using the software also makes tax time a snap. Though I spend more days doing bookkeeping (entering bills and such as they arrive), I spend less overall time (probably 30 minutes a month and a couple of hours at tax time!) Now you've reduced your personal and business bookkeeping considerably. That frees up more time for music activities!
October 28, 2002 -- I was reminded of an old formula the other day. It goes something like this: SWLY + SWLY = SW. It translates to "some will like you" plus "some won't like you" equals "so what?" There will always be people who adore all the work that you do. Contrarily, there will be others who slam your very existence. Does it really matter? You could fall into a pit of deep, dark depression just worrying about it. You can't please everybody. Why try? Don't waste time and energy converting those who will never appreciate the music you make. It won't happen. Instead, focus on those who are already predisposed to enjoying your contributions to the world.
November 4, 2002 -- Coming out with a new CD? Consider offering your old CD free (or at a greatly reduced price) to people who buy your latest opus. Or if sales of the old CD are still going strong, put together a sample CD of your upcoming music release, say one or two tracks on business card-sized CDs, and give it away to people who buy the older disc. Using each product to cross-promote another is always a sound promotional strategy. While you're making sample CDs, give five copies to your most supportive fans. Ask them to pass on the CDs to people they feel would like your music. Make sure your contact information, including where to buy your full CD, is on these sample CDs, too.
November 11, 2002 -- Here's how to get your word of mouth work working: First, decide what it is you need to promote. Get specific. Next, make a detailed list of all the people you know. Include past clients, prospects who never bought anything, relatives, media contacts, business associates, and so forth. Now develop a promotion package that highlights what you need to promote. Include all the appropriate and suitable materials such as brochure, flyer, business card, CD -- whatever makes sense for you. Send this promotional material to each and every person on your list. Make sure in the cover letter you are NOT asking for their business. Instead, you want them to pass this information on to someone they know who would be a candidate for your work. Of course, you can bypass this step and simply ask your clients for referrals to other people, too.
November 18, 2002 -- It's that time to start thinking
about last-minute tax strategies. In addition to accelerating your business
expenses and delaying your business income (see below), pay other tax
deductible personal expenses ahead of the new year. Send in your January 2003
mortgage payment before January 1. Do the same with your health insurance
premium. This way you can deduct their cost off your 2002 taxes. Of course,
these prepays affect you down the line (2003 taxes). But, if you've had a good
year, and need to reduce your tax burden, this might be a good strategy. If
not, don't do it.
There are only two legitimate methods for reducing
your business taxes: Delay your income and accelerate your expenses. To reduce
the money you have coming in, bill your clients later and offer liberal credit
terms. This lets you put off the income you would receive in December to
January of the next year (2003 taxes). Also, uncover purchases you can make
before the end of the year. Don't just look for big gear. Consider office
supplies, postage, and other doo-dads that you consume regularly. Buy this
stuff before December 31 and get the tax break from legal business
expenses.
November 25, 2002 -- Before you prepare your music for the Web (MP3, RM, WM, etc.), treat your best master to this little recipe: First, on a completed and mastered mix, use EQ to roll off at both 100 Hz and 10,000 Hz. Use a steep shelving filter. These extreme low and high frequencies often "fool" the lossy encoders. Next, compress the track slightly, say 1.5:1-2:1 with a fast attack and medium release. Then, normalize the audio to 97-98% (using your audio software's peak mode). Save this file under a new name, such as "FinalMix_for-Web". Finally, run the best encoder you have. I do this little exercise in my digital audio class. My students are always amazed at how much better the treated sound is compared to just encoding the original, unaltered version.
December 2, 2002 -- What is the anatomy of music success? Just a brain, heart, and stomach. You need to know all about how the music business works. The more knowledge you have in your head, the better your chances for success. You need passion for what you do. Throw your heart into every aspect of your music career. And you need guts. You must have a stomach for taking risks. When these parts of your body work together, they'll help you get where you want to go.
December 9, 2002 -- As I finished reviewing the galleys of my latest book, Moneymaking Music, I noticed that in the text, I ask a lot of questions. These inquiries force you to carefully examine your situation and where you want to take yourself. Answering the deep questions can really reveal important issues that affect your music career. In the real world, a healthy dose of curiosity is vital. By exploring all the facets of any problem in greater detail, you'll usually arrive better solutions. So, ask questions, really tough questions, and you'll find all the answers you need to achieve the success you envision for your life.
December 16, 2002 -- While CD sales are down, DVD sales continue to skyrocket. Are there elements of DVDs that make them a little more salable? What about the bonus content? It might be the reason many people buy DVDs today. I know the last two I bought was mostly because of the bonus material. Is there some way to offer bonus material with your CD releases? Consider including another disc with bonus content: song demos, behind the scenes pictures, member interviews, music videos, concert footage, etc. I've noticed a few name acts are starting to do this (and it's about time, too). What about you? For indie releases, this bonus content could really set you apart from the crowd.
December 23, 2002 -- Here are my answers to questions I'm most asked. What's in the CD player? David Gray, A New Day at Midnight -- a terrific songwriter. What's in the DVD player? Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones -- a feast for the ears in 5.1. What's your favorite URL? www.creativecow.net -- the Vegas Video and Sound Forge forums. What are you reading? VO: Tales and Techniques of a Voice-over Actor by Harlan Hogan -- a wonderful, practical, and fun book. What's the latest piece of music gear you bought and why? Izotope Ozone 2.0 -- great on individual tracks and as an overall mastering effect plug-in, too. What's the next music thing you're going to buy? Probably a semi-hollow body jazz guitar -- a 335 knock-off. What music gear do you recommend? All the Sonic Foundry software: Vegas, Acid, and Sound Forge. What project did you just finish? Restored some old music tracks. And two books! What's next? A video for a corporate client and my basic and advanced digital audio classes at the College of DuPage. How do you have time to do all the things you do? Focus, sacrifice, and a great attitude. What's your wish for the future? Peace (and a better economy!).
December 30, 2002 -- As 2003 looms on the immediate horizon, it may be the right time to evaluate what you charge for your music products and services. When did you last raise your rates? If it's been a while, it might be time for a 10-15% fee increase. Be careful, though. Make sure the rate increase won't result in your losing substantial business. A few people may balk at the new fee, but the majority should see it as a normal business factor. Find more ideas to "Make More Money ... Today" with this free report.
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