How To Take Your Band On Tour

Today’s music industry looks a lot different than it did twenty years ago. CDs are gone, the music-sharing wave that was Napster, Kazaa, Morpheus and Limewire has come and crashed, and the digital music industry has transformed our listening experience into a subscription-based one. 

But some things never change. Touring live is perhaps the simplest and most intimate way of sharing music. If you want to make your name as an artist, it’s still difficult to do without hitting the road. But how do you go on tour? Here are some tips. 

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Winter Touring Safety & Etiquette, For Musicians On The Road

Winter is officially here, but that doesn’t mean touring season stops. Maybe you’re not playing sweaty summer festivals at the moment, but there’s nothing quite like cozying up to a coffee shop or even playing a house concert for your next gig.

While touring in the winter can be fun, there are also some extra things to keep in mind that you might not have to think about during other seasons. Your safety, of course, should always be your number one priority.

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MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: Improving Your Sound System & More

• Lizzie Weakley | 5 Tips For Improving Your Home Sound System
• Brooke Chaplan | 4 Ways To Handle Distribution Costs For Your First Album
• Anita Ginsburg | Child Learning A New Instrument This Year? 4 Practice Space Tips
• Brooke Chaplan | Low-Budget Musician: Use Your Phone To Create, Share Music
• Jack Brady | 10 Benefits Of Listening To Music

5 Tips For Improving Your Home Sound System

If you have a sound system for your home, there are ways that you can improve the sound quality so that you’ll be able to hear your favorite music with greater clarity. Some of these improvements won’t require you to invest in other equipment pieces and can still make a big difference in how you hear. By following these five tips, you’ll be able to take your listening experience with your home sound system to a whole new level.

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4 Ways To Handle Distribution Costs For Your First Album

Creating a great body of work is the first step towards a successful career in the music business, but getting the songs heard by countless people across the world should be the next move. It can be challenging to get your first album distributed and into the homes, cars, and playlist of music listeners, but it is not impossible. Below are some of the ways that you can handle the distribution cost for your first album, putting you even closer to a great music career.

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Is Your Child Learning A New Instrument This Year? 4 Tips For The Ideal Practice Space

Learning how to play a musical instrument can have wonderful effects on a child’s development, but the added noise and cost can cause some discomfort for the family. Improvement only comes through practice, and if your kid is passionate about their newfound hobby, chances are they’ll want to play every chance they get. To make your home comfortable without dampening their enthusiasm, here are a few tips for helping your child learn an instrument at home.

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Low-Budget Musician: How To Use Your Phone To Create And Share Music

Making music can be incredibly expensive. With many musicians shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars to have their songs professionally recorded and produced, most musicians hope to find more cost-effective ways to make music. If you’re looking for more affordable methods to make music, consider using your phone. With the following tips, you can share and create music from your smartphone:

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10 Benefits Of Listening To Music

Why do we live for live music? On the molecular level, research shows that listening to music improves our mental well-being and physical health.

Enjoyment goes far beyond the present moment, as it directly influences the outcome of our hormones and cognitive functioning. While research has suggested that people who play instruments are smarter, there are also plenty of benefits for the music enthusiasts.

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4 Lavish Christmas Gifts For The Pianist In Your Life

If you have a pianist in the family, you’re likely trying to find a great Christmas gift that will help them with their hobby. With so many options out there to choose from, it can be hard to determine which ones are going to be the best. Here are four of the most lavish Christmas gifts that you can get your favorite pianist.

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MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: Making Money & More

• Blessing Bona | How To Make Money And Pay The Bills From A Music Career 

• Sam Bowman | The Need For Cybersecurity In Streaming Services

• Magnolia Potter | Evolution Of Female Musicians

• Caleb J Murphy| 7 Ways I Balance Quality And Quantity

How To Make Money And Pay The Bills From A Music Career

Today it seems that everyone wants to be on the microphone or in the studio making rhythmic sounds. You can bet there are thousands of singles and albums produced each year but only a few make it to the limelight.

What happens to the rest?

They often become obscure. Well, except for the few friends and family of the aspiring artist that listen mostly for the sake of encouraging them. A few times, though, the songs make it round to the limelight. 

But is singing all there is to music? Is that the only way to have a music career?

Of course not.

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The Need For Cybersecurity In Streaming Services

The growth of technology in our lives has offered us many amazing benefits. We are able to connect and share information with people all over the world in a breeze. We have knowledge on just about any topic at our fingertips. Tasks such as depositing checks into the bank or paying bills no longer require a physical trip anywhere.

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Evolution Of Female Musicians

In November 2019, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame unveiled its list of nominees for induction in 2020. Per usual, the nominee list is a predominantly male showcase — of the 16 nominees, only three are women. Further, one of those women is Chaka Khan, who is up for nomination not as a solo artist but as part of Rufus, the group with which she initially found fame.

Yet her solo career has far eclipsed the popularity of Rufus, a Chicago-based funk ensemble that disbanded in 1983. An active musician since 1970, Khan has sold approximately 70 million records and won 10 Grammy awards. So why isn’t she already in the Rock Hall, or at least up for nomination as a solo artist? 

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7 Ways I Balance Quality And Quantity

Quality vs. quantity — which is better for musicians to focus on?

Some musicians can pump out amazing music on a regular basis, like Bob Dylan in his hey-day.

Others prefer to take their time, years even, to release great music, like Adele.

Here’s the thing: they’re both the ticket to success. Balancing the two is just part of being a musician.

You don’t have to choose quality over quantity, or quantity over quality.

I learned this lesson the hard way.

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