January 6, 2003 -- A few tips back I touted the CD vs. DVD phenomena. I'm happy to report that former Black Crowes frontman, Chris Robinson, gets it. His latest solo album, New Earth Mud, comes with a bonus DVD that features a behind the scenes "making-of" documentary and several acoustic performances of the songs from the album. Though it would have been better to have a concert video of those performances, the extra tracks do add value to the package. Another important point is the circle C (copyright) and circle p (sound recording copyright) belong to -- not a record label -- but Chris Robinson himself. The artist owns it all. Bravo! I predict we'll be seeing a lot more of this approach to the new music industry! Perhaps YOUR next release?
January 13, 2003 -- The best time to ask for more work is after you've just finished a successful project for a client. You are in an ideal position to greatly expand your options. Don't blow it. If people are happy and satisfied with what you did, parlay that euphoria into more work. A gigging band, for example, should book the next play date. A project studio owner or soundtrack/jingle composer should inquire about the next project. Don't be shy about suggesting a project, either. After finishing a video for a client, I pitched the idea of on-hold messages for the phone system. They bought it! If you can't get work from that client, at the very least, ask for referrals to others who need your services. Follow up these recommendations promptly.
January 20, 2003 -- Your to-do list is a critical component to ongoing planning. Unfortunately, some items on your list may be to broad, such as a new CD. This kind of undertaking requires that you break it down into more manageable parts. For example, I divide a music project into basic tracks, lead overdubs, re-recordings, extra ear candy, and mixing. Establish interim goals on your to-do list. That way, when taking on major projects, you'll feel you're making some progress as you tick off the smaller steps. Think about quotas, too. When writing books, I shoot for 1000 words each writing day. These ideas will make your planning more effective.
January 27, 2003 -- How much money a recording artist
can expect to earn on each CD sold. Here's the scoop: First, the majority of
signed artists make NO money on their record sales beyond the initial royalty
advance. If they don't sell enough CDs to recoup that advance, they do not earn
any additional cash. Advances are given by labels based on projected first year
sales and vary greatly from act to act. Typically, an act gets a 10% royalty
(on the retail price) for every unit they sell. A $15 CD earns them $1.50.
HOWEVER, record labels deduct many costs against these royalties. Once those
costs are covered -- and the advance is earned back -- then the act begins to
see some more cash. The costs include:
-- recording charges to make the CD.
Yes, the act pays for studio time, mixing time, mastering, etc.
--
packaging costs for the CD
-- certain promotional costs
-- holdbacks
for returns
-- up to 70% of the cost to make music videos.
But
there's more: Songwriter's make money from mechanical and performance royalties
of the songs. If the band writes their own material, they can earn these
royalties, too. Mechanical royalties are given to songwriters when their songs
are reproduced on CD (and other media). Currently, a song gets 8 cents per
unit. So, if a songwriter has 10 songs on a CD, they earn an additional 80
cents per CD. This figure is usually split between the writer and the publisher
50/50 -- and virtually every writer has a publisher to represent their
songs.
Performance royalties are earned when songs play on radio, TV, etc.
The industry tracks plays and collects licenses. The money collected is divided
up among writers and publishers based on their plays. More play time = more
money. Sheet music sales is another revenue source as our synchronization
rights (when a song plays as part of a commercial, TV show, of movie). Again,
these moneys go to the songwriter (and not necessarily the "band").
February 3, 2003 -- Soundtrack and jingle composers make their moneys by either licensing their music or selling it outright (called a copyright buy-out). Licensed (basically rented!) music let's the composer sell and re-sell the same piece repeatedly. A buy-out has the composer give up all rights for one fee. Many scores and jingles are produced as a package deal where ALL costs (recording, people, and music creative) are paid from that single fee. Performance royalties for music scores (not jingles, though) played on major network TV can be substantial, approximately $200 a minute. Additional money can be earned through reruns and syndication.
February 10, 2003 -- As I say in my new book, "Moneymaking Music", to expand your success, you need to invest. And investing goes beyond just conventional investments. First, invest in yourself and work to become a better, more skilled person. Second, invest in your business and personal relationships because the more people you know, the more doors open up for you. Third, invest in your business to make it stronger (gear, people, promotion, etc.). Fourth, invest in a few things you can hold in your hands (real estate, gold, et al). And last, obviously, invest in the economy through traditional means (savings, stocks, bonds, etc.) to grow you music success fortune even bigger. Also, it's far too easy to live for today when you should really take the long-term view. Growing your music career takes time. Growing your investments also takes time. They are both lifetime pursuits. Progress may be slow at first, but that is definitely not the time to give up. Keep pushing and build on each success. That's the best way to get where you need to be!
February 17, 2003 -- As I say in my new Moneymaking Music book, it's worth doing any and all work you can get. Even the tiniest gig can grow to something bigger. Small fish often swim in bigger ponds. In many cases, they take their friends with them. Stay in touch and build relationships with people who, at first, may seem inconsequential. You may be surprised when the time and effort you put into these relationships comes with due rewards down the line. The small fish who hired you for pennies last year is now a big fish with an even bigger budget -- and she wants to hire you again!
February 24, 2003 -- What music products and services do (or will) you sell? What promotions do (or will) you use? After you answer these questions, test your results and follow the advice offered in my new "Moneymaking Music" book: "Will these activities move more products and services out the door and make more money or are they just pipe dreams? Your answer to this question, based on the research you do, should go a long way toward preventing you from making egregious errors." If you can't make any real money from what you're doing, you might want to question your motives. If the reasons are valid, keep doing it. If not, stop and move on to more profitable ventures.
March 3, 2003 -- Music CD sales continue to plummet while DVDs experience double-digit sales increases. What's the sitch? Click to read my article on the subject: "Music CDs vs. DVDs."
March 10, 2003 -- Have you ever thought about putting together a music, sample, or loop library? Here's how: (1) Select appropriate music or samples from your past work. Many musicians have old tracks just waiting for an audience. Here is an opportunity to get your music heard. (2) Create new music or samples. Writing original music for the library or designing new sounds is a great way to both make a salable product and hone your chops at the same time. (3) Create a demo. You need a way for people to listen to what you sell before they buy. Producing a demo CD and on-line demos are the way to go. (4) Promote the library and/or sample CDs. Put together a basic promotional package that can be mailed, e-mailed, and posted along with your demo to your own Web site. (5) Make and sell the library. You can manufacture your library in short-runs to keep the costs down and to test the waters without a major financial commitment. These are the techniques I use to sell my own two-volume, buy-out music library, Melomania!
March 17, 2003 -- Of course, not every gig pays well. And there's nothing wrong with taking on a lower paying project if you can do it with a minimum of fuss. For example, most video producers can't afford original music for their productions opting for library music instead. Selling your own library music is one way to capture that market. However, the video producers might want a short, original theme to use with their mostly library-based score. You could offer to do the work for a minimal charge. The secret here is to do the work fast (and keep all rights to the music; no reason you should give away the store for a small stipend). Hunt through some old tracks for ideas and transform them to meet the client's need. Collect the check and move on.
March 24, 2003 -- Having trouble collecting money? Specify your payment terms up front either in your contract or in the purchase order provided by your client. Prominently feature the payment terms on your invoice. For new clients, collect 50% up front; 50% on delivery. A few days before the bill is due, call your client and remind them. Do they have everything they need to pay you? Send past due notices after the deadline has passed. If you're having trouble collecting, start documenting your contact. If it goes on for a long time, either A) have a lawyer send them a letter on their letterhead demanding payment and/or B) consider taking them to small claims court. In court, your documentation (contract terms, original invoice, follow-up information, etc.) can help your case. It can be hard to be the "creative" person and the bill collector, so consider having another person be the "bad guy" for you. Have a friend, significant other, or relative make the calls and do your collections.
March 31, 2003 -- As you might imagine, I get quite a few phone calls. And many of these end up in my voice mailbox. What is painfully clear is few people know how to leave a cogent message. Here are some tips that will help ensure your calls make sense (and get returned). Prepare what you're going to say before you dial. Think brevity. A voice message is not the forum for your life story. Don't be vague either. For example, I won't return calls from people I don't know when they go something like this: "This is Simon. I need to talk to you. Call me ..." Speak slowly and clearly; don't rush. Start with your name and the reason for your call. Don't forget to tell what you want to happen next such as "please call me back today with your answer." Always leave your return number. People often retrieve messages remotely and don't have your number handy. And when you do leave your number, please say it slowly and clearly. I can't believe how fast some people rip through their numbers. Give sufficient time for a person to write it down! You might want to repeat it (along with your name again), too. Sometimes cell phones break-up and the number gets garbled. Remember: often you're dialing for dollars. Make sure the message counts!
April 7, 2003 -- Many of those same tips about leaving voice mail messages apply when you're sending e-mail. Use the subject line to give a real indication of what your message is about. Don't by obtuse or gimmicky. Think about what you are going to write, before you start typing. Take steps to make sure your writing serves its fundamental purpose: to communicate ideas and information. Take the time to organize your thoughts. Use simple, everyday language and write short, action-packed sentences that progress in a logical way. Make sure to proofread what you write and revise as necessary. Revision is the real secret to good writing. And always check your spelling before you release your prose on the world. Keep the message brief and get to the point, too. If you're asking a question, do it right away. Don't bury your inquiry at the bottom of a lengthy life story. Make sure you say what you want to happen next, too. Don't give the recipient an easy way to trash your message. Ask for a specific response. Also, use an e-mail signature to do a little selling for you (include a link to your Web site).
April 14, 2003 -- If you've had some success with your
life, it is your obligation to share what you've learned. For example, Tai Chi
is passed from teacher to student. Over time, the student becomes the teacher
and passes on his or her knowledge to new students. And so the cycle, the
yin-yang, continues. As it should be in all endeavors. I learned a great deal
from teachers, mentors, peers, research, trials, and errors. And so now I feel
it is my obligation to return the favor, if not to those who helped, at least
to others who can benefit from my assistance. This debt I owe (indeed we all
owe it eventually) is the primary reason I write books
and teach. I don't want others to suffer the anguish I endured as I attended
the school of hard knocks. And although there is no substitute for earning your
experiences this way, your career journey can be more fruitful (and less
costly) with a little guidance. Don't be afraid to ask the right questions and
benefit from the road already taken. That said, once you receive a modicum of
success, give back what you can to make another person's journey easier, too.
There are some characteristics of book writing and teaching that are the
same. There are major differences, too. No matter how empathetic I try to be,
book writing is somewhat dictatorial. It's a lecture, a one-way conversation.
Teaching can also be one-sided, but what I've found is it works best --
students learn more -- when there is interaction and personalization. Sure,
I've prepared material for my classes, but I'm eager to explore other terrain
if that is what the students want and need. I frequently go off the page to
accommodate their requests. I also provide a stimulating environment in which
to work by assigning projects with somewhat loose guidelines and leaving it up
to them to accomplish the task with the content and approach that works for
them. They learn by doing with my input and guidance. Ultimately, they get to
explore their voice and pursue the material and themes that are meaningful to
them. Often I'm pleasantly surprised; occasionally shocked, but rarely
disappointed.
April 21, 2003 -- Do you know your top income sources? This information can really reveal where your time and money should best be spent. For me, it's A/V work (music, audio/video post, etc.), Consulting (music, sound, and promotion related), Teaching (lessons, classes, and seminars), Web sales (music, books, etc.), and Writing (book royalties, articles, etc.). If you're wasting a lot of time on an endeavor that is bringing in very little return, it may be time to rethink matters. Go where your bread is best buttered. That said, if something brings you pleasure beyond monetary gains, feel free to keep it in your life. Diversity is really the secret today. The more related products and services you offer, the better your chances of earning a good living doing the work you want to do.
April 28, 2003 -- I have a client who recently experienced some bad news. Rather than get it out into the open, they decided to hide it away. If somebody asked, they would tell, but otherwise they essentially disappeared from the public eye. Needless to say, the rumor mills are in full swing. Instead of putting out the factual information fast, they're now back-peddling, trying desperately to stem the tide of negativity. I advised them from the beginning to be forthright and honest about their situation. They chose the other road, and it was the worst possible thing to do. It would have been more prudent to put a positive spin on their news and keep people informed. That minimizes the harm and, perceptually, gets them on the road to better times. Always promote your positives and never hide bad news. Skeletons have a way of coming out of closets eventually. Why fight that battle needlessly?
May 5, 2003 -- Increasingly, soundtrack and jingle composers are turning to loop-based music to augment their services. It's not a bad tactic. When clients don't want to spend a lot for original music, but want more than a library track, loops come to the rescue. You can get together a track fast by grabbing a few loop libraries. In fact, the sheer glut of soundware out there makes loop-based music the new library music of choice. And don't think that loops are only for dance-oriented tracks. I've heard (and composed) many different styles using loops as the foundation. And you can get into loop-based music quite easily, too. So, if you're looking for a way to offer music cheap to those low-budget clients, loops may be the solution.
May 12, 2003 -- A band contacted me because they were having a hard time building their reputation. I suggested they launch a media wave. Get articles written about the band (and the band's CD) in media serving their area. Have their gig calendar published. Take out a few ads to promote upcoming gigs (try for a 50/50 split of the cost with the venue). Send postcards with news, gig dates, and CD buying info to their mailing list. Work harder to increase their mailing list via giveaways at their shows. Get a rubber stamp with their Web address on it for stamping hands at shows. To promote the CD, create a short sampler and give it away ... in droves. Have a studio CD? Put together a quick and dirty "live" CD. Offer to play free at record stores (even Borders and Barnes and Noble) to promote the band and CD. Offer incentives to people to book you. Hold a contest (name the Webs site, name the next album, etc.) and the promote it a lot. Get gigs where they open for more established acts. That's a fast way to build a fan base. In short, get moving and try anything and everything to get on the minds of the people they want to reach.
May 19, 2003 -- Being a perfectionist and procrastination are two ways many of us waste time. Today's musical gear makes it oh-so-easy to tweak your music infinitesimally in the pursuit of perfection. Artists throughout history have had to do their best work with the limited resources they have on hand. And one of those resources is time. Instead of going for the perfect piece, allot some time to your music and do your best work within those constraints. Procrastination is both fear and laziness. Many people put off tasks for fear they won't turn out as expected. News flash: it rarely turn out exactly as expected. To some that's a journey worth taking; to others it's a nightmare to avoid. Identify your fear and then work to overcome it. Other procrastinators are just plain lazy. They'd rather be doing something else (or nothing at all). Break up tasks into more palatable chunks and do a little at a time until you're done. Other times, just start working in some small way, usually once you get started, you're on a roll.
May 26, 2003 -- When you're in an interview or selling situation, it's critical to remain focused on your prospect. A job seeker recently met me, and though he was nicely dressed and reasonably prepared for the interview, he had a bad habit. Instead of looking me in the eyes while talking, he'd look away, past me, at his shoes, anywhere and everywhere except where he should. I came away with the impression that he was hiding something. In such a situation, you have to speak with confidence, and part of that comes from making a solid, personal connection with whom you're speaking. If you're asked a question that you can't answer right away, don't look away. Instead, focus right on the person, parrot the question right back or say something along the lines of "that's a good question, let me think about that" and buy yourself some time. Sustained eye contact makes you look confident, knowledgeable, focused, and prepared. It's one more tool at your disposal that can help you get what you want.
June 2, 2003 -- Want to know the fourteen most effective ways to put more cash in your pocket fast? Here they are: Work your strengths, Raise your rates, Cut your expenses, Run a business of your own, Charge for your services, Be good to your anchor clients, Find better clients, Launch some new promotions, Resurrect old leads, Turn 10% effort into 33% more cash, Add products, Develop additional services, Outsource, and Have a fallback. Need the details? Read my FREE article here!
June 9, 2003 -- This week celebrates the sixth anniversary of my Moneymaking Music Tip of the Week (archives start here). I've learned a lot along the way, and I hope you have, too. Writing this every week isn't easy with my busy schedule. Keeping it fresh is even more challenging. Most importantly, I haven't tossed in the towel, nor do I plan to anytime soon. To really build something takes time and commitment. I recognized that early on and continue to stick with my goals. Are you as committed to your goals? It's cliché, I know, but true: the more you put into something, usually the more you get out of it. Just when everything starts to look bleak or you're exhausted from the effort, that's about the time people start to sit up and take notice. Don't give up now ... the rewards are on their way to you!
June 16, 2003 -- The cold call: Decide what you're going to say ahead of time. Some people need a script while others can just jot down an outline. Calling before 8:30 or after 6:00 can improve your chances of reaching the person you want directly and avoid gatekeepers. Lead with a benefit to the prospect: "Would you like to know how to increase your sales with a simple telephone tool that will make your clients spend more money with you?" After you've grabbed attentions, then you can go on with the details. In general, it's best not to make the whole sale on the phone. Instead, ask for a short face-to-face interview to better explain what you want. Take your best sales material and make your presentation and close the sale in person. How to close more sales? Find out what people want, need and desire. Show these people how your music products and services give them what they want, need, and desire. Focus on the buyer and what she wants to achieve (not on what you sell). Provide clear benefits and the results of using your music products and services. too.
June 23, 2003 -- The elevator doors open, you step in, and there he or she is. The VIP you need to talk to. You have 15 seconds to make your pitch and explain what you sell or do. Are you prepared? Make sure you have a statement that delivers your image and message, including your main benefits, and a simple offer or call to action. Think short and to the point; 25 to 50 words will do. Use this quick blurb to introduce yourself, when networking, and whenever/wherever your need it. The elevator pitch is an effective and necessary technique for promoting your music products and services. Get it together today.
June 30, 2003-- To promote your music business effectively and make more sales, ask and answer these seven questions: 1] What do you sell? 2] What gig do you want to land? 3] What does it take to get the sale? 4] Are there any obstacles or drawbacks? 5] Who is responsible for buying? 6] How do you make contact? 7] What will your pitch or offer be? Run down these questions for every music product and services that you sell and for every individual market that you want to reach. This technique forces you to really plan your promotional strategy, work that plan, and ultimately be more successful.
July 7, 2003-- Here's how to increase YOUR project studio profits right NOW! Also, read about its current gear list and setup here.
July 14, 2003-- Is what you're trying to do with your music career innovative? If you're just like all the rest, you might consider rethinking your approach. What really sets you apart from the crowd? What value do you bring to buyers? What ways do you build your reputation and reduce skepticism? Are you giving away a sample of what you do (encouraging people to try before they buy)? Are you creating a series of products and/or services that build on one another? Are you offering convenience? Is it easy to buy from you (credit cards, payment terms, etc.)? Are you going above and beyond for customers, making their experience unique? In short, what specific techniques do you employ to tell the world that what you do is what they want?
July 21, 2003-- What is the anatomy of music success? You need your head, heart, and stomach at their peak performance. 1) Head = Brains. There are two sides to your head: creative and logical. You need your creativity to serve you well in your musical pursuits. But don't ignore the logic either. To make it in the crazy world of music, learn all that you can about how the business works. The more you know, the better off you will be. 2) Heart = Passion. Desire comes from your heart. It's the love you have for yourself, others, and your music work. When you feel passionate about your music, that positive energy works in your favor. Your enthusiasm will rub off on to others creating a good experience for fans and others with whom you associate. 3) Stomach = Guts. You have to take risks -- whether you have the stomach for them or not. There are two key issues to address. One, it's OK to make mistakes. That's how you learn and grow as a person and as a professional. Vow not to repeat errors and try to limit the downside to every venture you take on. Two, give yourself a challenge. Don't rest on your laurels. Always push yourself to do and be better. It is this constant pursuit of bigger, better, brighter that drives the most successful artistic temperament.
July 28, 2003 -- Stick your neck out for the sake of
what you believe in. That's good advice from Michael Done who took the risk of
producing and self-publishing a book and CD package called "The Gift of Peace". The book contains
quotations from some of the world's greatest peacemakers artwork specially
painted for the book, and a CD single "Child of Peace" which he wrote and
recorded in his home project studio. He told me his story, which I hope
inspires you, too:
"Now this might seem ordinary enough to some people, but
the fact is before this project I'd never produced a book in my life, never
worked with a professional artist before, never recorded a commercial quality
CD in my lounge room, and never seen myself making any real difference to how
people feel or think about peace in the world or in their own lives."
"Was
it a good result? Well hundreds of buyers have said "yes" so far. Has it made a
difference? Maybe not in the newspaper headlines, but some of the people who
sent me letters and emails tell me it's touched their lives deeply. Was it a
good experience for me? Without doubt, the most extending, exciting, satisfying
and confidence building project I've ever undertaken. Was it worth the money
and the risk? Absolutely!"
August 4, 2003 -- Before you grab your credit card and buy the latest, greatest musical gizmo, stop and think about how you'll pay for it. Aside from the basics (computer, software, etc.), I rarely buy anything else unless a single project will pay for it. If I can get the money I need for something from a client job, then I'll get it. Not before. This way you're not spending money on things you might need. I don't feel you must have everything in place before you begin. It is OK to acquire stuff as needed, when needed. This approach helps your cash flow and is prudent fiscal management.
August 11, 2003 -- More gear advice: consider renting pieces instead of buying them. For example, I have a decent mini-DV cam I use for basic video work. When a bigger project comes in, I rent a better DV camera for a few days. That way I get to use high-end, high-quality gear at a small price. I then charge back the rental fee to the client as a camera package price. Now is the time to find a local rental house and see what they have available. That way, when you need a fancy mic, preamp, or other cool gear, you can get what you need, use it, and pay a smaller rental charge. And that is always significantly lower than buying and maintaining the gear yourself.
August 18, 2003 -- I use Sony/Sonic Foundry Vegas for my audio, music, and video work. It's a terrific tool right out of the box. However, I feel there are a few items that make working with Vegas even better. Find out what I mean here.
August 25, 2003 -- It's back to school week around here, so I thought I'd remind you of a few educational opportunities. First, I'm participating in several sessions of the Digital Media Conference at Seybold this year, September 9/10-9/11 in San Francisco. I'm again teaching both my basic and advanced digital audio classes in the Multimedia Arts department at College of Dupage in Glen Ellyn, IL this Fall. The basic class is T/R afternoons while the advanced class is T/R evenings. For details on how to schedule a personal consultation with me, click here. As always, books are a great way to improve your skills. Find the specific resources I highly recommend here.
September 1, 2003 -- I often work with voice-over talent -- amateur, semi-, and professional. In almost every case, working with the pro is worth the extra bucks you pay. They do a better job, have a consistent performance, and rarely make mistakes. Want a different read? Many can give you a dozen deliveries, each one unique. For a recent phone hold project, I e-mailed Harlan Hogan the scripts, he recorded them in his home studio, and mailed me a CD with a .wav file. All I did was drop the track on my Vegas timeline, chop it up, throw in some music, and ... done. The finished tracks sound great (and the client loves them!) This strategy saves time and money on my end. That more than makes up for the extra cost of the pro talent.
September 8, 2003 -- One method for monitoring and evaluating your music career financial progress is to use the return on investment calculation. Subtract your expenses from your income to get your profit. Divide your profit by those same expenses. Multiply the result by 100 to get your ROI percentage. As follows: $10 - 9 = 1 / 9 = .11 x 100 = 11.11% ROI. Not bad. To put that in perspective, every dollar you spend brings in $1.11. How 'bout this: $10 - 1 = 9/1 = 9 x 100 = 900% ROI! Every dollar you spend brings in $10. Great! Do this calculation monthly and compare to the previous months (compare year to year, too.) Are you making progress? Since there are two parts to the equation, increasing income AND decreasing expenses are the ways to improve your numbers.
September 15, 2003 -- Research your prospects carefully. Don't go into a sales meeting blind. Find out what the prospect is about and custom tailor your presentation accordingly. You'll impress them with your knowledge and that you took the time to discover more about them. When you can work a few specific examples into what is usually a generic pitch, you stand a better chance of getting the gig. Where do you get the info? Usually just a Web site visit or a Google search or two will turn up these data you need. For a recent meeting, the prospect was very impressed that I knew so much about their situation. My custom laptop presentation made a distinct impact, too. I'd even anticipated some of the questions he would ask and already had the answers prepared for him.
September 22, 2003 -- I was at the huge Seybold conference in San Francisco and participated in several audio and video sessions. For each session, I supplied tip sheets for attendees. Here they are on my Web site for you to use.
September 29, 2003 -- Work to get more in-person sales situations. The personal touch really works in today's often sterile, anonymous world. No letter, e-mail, or flyer is ever going to take the place of standing face-to-face with someone and making the sale. You can build rapport, address every objection, and win people over fast when you are in the flesh. When you finish work for a happy client, that's the perfect time to ask for another project or gig. If you have a prospect that's wavering on your proposal, simply meeting this person on their turf can close the sale. Back-of-room sales are always helped when the members of the musical act participate and interact with buying fans.
October 6, 2003 -- What's the best demo to send if you are trying to land gigs as a soundtrack/jingle composer? Here's the test I use. If the music buyer is looking for a specific music style, give them your best demo of music in that style. However, if the music buyer just needs music for a variety of purposes, give them a demo of your best overall work in the styles that you have mastered. If you are approaching a prospect cold, give them your best overall demo, too. In all cases, offer to do a more specific demo that closely matches their needs. This gives you a chance to really show them what you can do for their particular project.
October 13, 2003 -- Stuck in a musical rut? Try these ideas. 1) Learn to play a new instrument. The different perspective can help you expand your musical boundaries. 2) Listen to other music besides what you like. Don't stifle yourself in a musical cave or risk becoming a musical snob. 3) Get in the mind of another composer by imitating their style. Write as Mozart would. Or Sting. Or? 4) Compose in a style or musical form that you've never attempted before. Try string quartet. 5) Write multiple variations on a simple theme. Try writing Row Row Row Your Boat in rock, rap, jazz, orchestral, and new age. Leave your comfort zone and open a new doorway. It just might lead to your best musical work.
October 20, 2003 -- Don't you just hate it when somebody says they are going to do something for you ... and you wait. And wait. And wait some more. Then, you're forced to ask them about it again. And again and again. You start making a nuisance of yourself. Finally, the person follows through. Though, often they simply drop the ball. This is a frustrating experience, but what can you do? Set down specifics with this person that clarify what they are going to do and by when. The more concrete you are, the better. Also, make sure you follow through on everything you say you are going to do. If it's for an important client, drop everything and attend to matters.
October 27, 2003 -- Run your music career prosperously by monitoring six key areas: sales, promotion, administration, technology, finances, and planning. Don't rest. Sell! You must always be out there selling both to new and current clients. Promote regularly, and in a variety of ways, to get your message out and generate new sales leads. Take timely care of typical daily business matters; don't let these chores pile up. Stay on top of new gear and make sure you have what you need to deliver what your clients want. Always watch the money, in and out, to make sure your business is fiscally sound. Don't forget to look ahead and see what is the right direction for you to take in the future. Keep these six under control and you have a better chance of success.
November 3, 2003 -- Recently a peer quipped "I'm really busy today, but who knows about tomorrow." That observation struck a chord with me. It's a typically entrepreneurial thing to say. You might be busy right now, but you might be dead slow in a few days. Those of us who work on our own tend to take on any and all work that comes along. Why? Because you never know what might happen next. Your next gig might be weeks or months away. Of course, not refusing some work can find you overloaded at times (and risking burnout). What's key is striking a balance. Make sure you keep promoting and selling to bring in a steady stream of business. Take on enough work to keep you comfortable and find ways to outsource the overload when that happens.
November 10, 2003 -- Want to go national with your jingle business? You have to find the ad agencies that handle the big, national accounts. Where? Read the media (web sites and magazines) that serve the advertising community. There will be plenty of stories about what agencies are handling what accounts. Then you'll need to sleuth the contact information for those who directly control those accounts. Send your demo and ask them how to be considered for upcoming campaigns. Offer to send in a spec demo based on their needs. This isn't the easiest market to break, but with a willingness to research the info you need, a killer demo, and some perseverance you just might land that big account. Read more here.
November 17, 2003 -- My pal, Harlan Hogan (veteran voice actor) has a saying: "The work is getting the work." That is so true. The hard part of the music business is indeed getting the gigs. Doing the actual work -- performing, playing, composing, etc. -- is the easy (and fun) part. Positing yourself to actually do what you do best, now that is difficult. The key? Promotion, of course. You must be out there plugging away every day letting people know what you can do and how you can help them. You'll spend far more time trying to get music work than actually doing music work. You'd better start working hard right away.
November 24, 2003 -- "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." -- Cicero. Have you thanked your best customers lately? Have you expressed your gratitude to the people who have helped you along the way? If not, today is a good time to let everyone know how much you appreciate their support. Be humble, generous, and sincere. Take the time to express how you feel and the reward will be greater than you imagine. That said, THANK YOU! one and all for your continued support of my work. I continue to learn from you and grow both as a professional and a person. For that, I am truly grateful. -- JPF
December 1, 2003 -- Too many distractions interfering with getting more done? It's important to have time to take care of business and time to be creative. While I'll put up with interruptions when I'm in business mode, I prefer extended time to work on my creative endeavors free from nuisances. What to do? Find the best time that you are your most creative (e. g. mornings, after midnight, etc.) and use that time to work on your music. Don't let anything or anyone interfere with that time. Close the door, turn off the phone, shut down your Web connection, and ask not to be disturbed. Now, use your peak time to your best advantage. When you're not at your peak, use that time to take care of mundane other matters that don't require your creative attention.
December 8, 2003 -- The holiday season is a perfect time to have an open house party. Invite clients, prospects, fans, family, club owners, media, and other influential people from your local music market. If you're an act, you are the entertainment; composers can screen your latest work. Make sure you give everyone a gift bag containing your latest music (demo or CD), some promotional material, a discount coupon or other appropriate offer, and more. Serve up some munchies and libations and make sure you show off what you can do. If you give away prizes (at a gig, open house, or otherwise), make sure the prize results in more business. Try this tactic: buy 4 hours of studio time and get 4 hours free.
December 15, 2003 -- I'm currently scoring an independent film using Reason, Vegas, and Acid. Reason is my tool for sound design, Acid for loops and such, and Vegas to put it all together. Both Vegas and Acid let you preview the video on an external monitor, so I positioned my monitor between my stereo speakers and used an ADS A/V link to get the DV into the analog world. Now I can watch on a bigger screen while I compose, tweak, mix, and more. It's an elegant system -- one I used to dream about years ago -- and very efficient. I had to write over 30 minutes of music in a short time and couldn't have done it without today's tools. I worked with the director by composing sequences, rendering them, and burning quick VCDs. He'd make suggestions and I'd move forward from there. Don't even think about starting a scoring project without first sitting down with the director to discuss his or her music needs in great detail. Choose the style, instrumentation, and, of course, where to place the music. Do some demos and run it by the director before you get too far along.
December 22, 2003 -- Here are a few last minute gift ideas: Auralex Mo Pads ($30) for isolating your monitors from the surface they rest on. Ozone 3 ($49 upgrade) is a terrific mastering plug-in for Direct-X host applications. Not bad on individual tracks either. Contour ShuttlePro V2 ($119) for jog-shuttle wheel and 15 programmable buttons. It works great with Vegas, Acid, and Sound Forge (and many other programs). If you do video, Digital Juice products can't be beat. Oh yeah, and any of my books make ideal gifts, too.
December 29, 2003 -- As I teach my audio classes, certain problems consistently emerge. Here are the solutions. The more sophisticated the project, the more you need to be organized. Start by building folders on the hard drive for the project and using subfolders wisely to hold raw takes, edited versions, and works-in-progress. Backups are crucial. Make sure you backup multiple times to multiple places. Don't just backup to the same drive you use -- go out to another drive and perhaps CD/DVD, too. Don't trust your headphone mix. Use real speakers in a couple of different rooms when making critical mixing decisions. Dialog and vocals rule. It's very easy to get "used" to the voice and push it back in your mix. First time listeners will struggle to understand what's being said/sung. Last, always please yourself. Don't try to do work that you think might impress others if it isn't true to your own vision.
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