August 20, 2013 Our digital age has not made it easier for indie artists to get exposure; it’s only created more options to consider for reaching that end.
Streaming tagged Internet radio August 19, 2013 There’s no shortage of lists on how bands can get free music promotion, but I’d like to add one more. My hope is that this one is a bit more up to date, and shines light on some of the great free tools that have emerged in the past 2-3 years. If you have any other great tips for promoting music for free, feel free to add them in the comments below!
Promotion tagged music promotion August 17, 2013 August 15, 2013 Back in June Right Chord Music launched The Big Survey in association with Farida Guitars. Our aim was to better understand the realities of being a musician in 2013. The online survey was completed by 200 musicians, of which three-quarters were unsigned or independent. Two-thirds of the respondents reported they had released at least one single. The vast majority of respondents came from three countries: UK, Australia, and the USA.
Results highlight the increasing number of sites and services used by artists to promote their music. It’s no surprise that Facebook dominates, but it’s interesting to see the growing importance of Soundcloud and Bandcamp and the much heralded fall from grace of Myspace.
August 14, 2013 Well, it looks like Toronto and Austin are now twins. Music city twins, that is. Each city’s respective council have approved a musical alliance partnership between the two cities.The music city initiative, 4479 (named after Toronto’s longitude and latitude coordinates), is lead by Music Canada. 4479 will be a collaborative effort between Toronto city official and members of the music industry to increase attention and tourism towards Toronto’s music scene. 4479 also plans to make Toronto a leading music destination. The city of Toronto will work to strengthen relationships with other music cities around the world, particularly Austin, TX. Austin is a city that has seen amazing growth and tourism traffic in recent years thanks to music industry events such as South by South West and Austin City Limits, among others. This seems to be an exciting time for the industry here and for the city of Toronto as a whole; but while this is a great step for our city, one can’t help wonder just how much of an impact this alliance can make on the culture and economy of Toronto - in actuality.
August 12, 2013 This is a chapter from my book The Independent Musician’s Survival Guide. You can see more chapters here.
So now you know that it’s possible to make money from your music career, and you also know you should take things one step at a time. But before you go out and start trying to earn money from your career, it’s important you take time to set goals for what you want to achieve.
While it’s easy to say, “I want to get a lot more fans” you have to ask yourself, how is saying this actually going to help you achieve your goal? It’s a non-specific “want,” rather then a well thought out business plan.
Musician, Realizing Your Goals tagged setting goals August 10, 2013 
MTT News & Announcements tagged MTT community August 9, 2013 Country music is as American as apple pie and baseball. The genre, a combination of American folk music, blues and western music, originated in the southern American United States in the 1920s. Since then, country music has evolved to appeal to a broad, international audience. Said Scott Stem, the Media Relations Director for the Country Music Awards (CMAs), “We are a very real-life music, based on real-life experiences.”
August 8, 2013 Keeping up with the times is something almost everyone struggles with. It’s a challenge to step out of our comfort zone and try something new. However, in a professional setting, the only way to survive is to submit to the idea of change. For musicians, progressivism can sometimes be an especially challenging concept. However, it is imperative that we continue to adapt to new trends, and stay relevant to our fan base.
I’ve picked four basic methods every musician can implement to ensure they are ‘with the times’:
Developing a Strategy, Musician tagged Artist Advice August 3, 2013 
Diana Hereld: Creativity in Constraint: Exploiting the Boundaries
David Dusty: Seeking Success for Your Songs in the World of Music Licensing
Jeremy Gocke: Your Fans Won’t Come to Your Shows…
Corey Denis: Blogging Sucks
MTT News & Announcements tagged MTT community August 1, 2013 Some artists are just good at Social Media, and some artists even love interacting with other people. In my lectures & panels around the world I have always told musicians Twitter is a medium which works best for an artist who enjoys going to the merch table at the end of a show, shaking hands (a bottle of anti-bac in pocket) and signing vinyl, possibly even breasts. But for creative introverts, Social Media is a dish best served cold.
For those who don’t reside in the digital media bubble, blogging is still an abstract verb looming over the undercurrent of social media nuisances interrupting the daily routine of an otherwise productive artist.
July 31, 2013 That’s right, on average, 75% or more of your fan base won’t make it out to a show on your next tour. Proximity. Sold out. Cost. All factors which can keep your most loyal fans from attending your next killer show. Learn some creative ways to engage your non-attending fans.
Live Music tagged Fan Engagement, Live Shows, shows July 30, 2013 Most young bands these days understand the importance of synchronization licensing—a really great use of your song in an ad, TV show, movie, video game, or trailer can help launch your band to the next level. However, many of those same songwriters and artists don’t really know how to get their music licensed. As the Creative Director at Round Hill Music publishing, it’s my job to help land the songs we publish in advertisements and other media. Here’s what I’ve learned so far in my career that might be of help to you.
Music Business Advice tagged License, music licensing July 29, 2013 If one were to Google “This Is Your Brain On…”(fill in the blank), they would find everything from drugs, to football, to Jane Austen. This Is Your Brain On Music spent over a year on the New York Times bestseller list. Empathetic humans have a basic need and survival tendency to understand ourselves, and our behavior. Music has proven to be somewhat of an outlier and unifier simply due to the capability for a universal method of notation and expression. The expansion and sharing of music leaps from country to country, from people group to the academy and back again like wildfire. In culture, it is often a greatest common factor.
Creative Process, Creativity | 1 Reference 