The Difference Between Talent And Success In Music

This artice originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

Even without seeing his full face, it’s a fair assumption that the man pictured above is none other than Bono from U2. Say what you will about the man, but it’s hard to deny his success. The quest to finding success like Bono’s – or any other famous musician, for that matter – is a difficult one. The reasoning behind this is because the definition of success is different for many people.

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How To Work A 9-to-5 Job And Still Be An Inspired Musician

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

I speak for myself when I say this, but I’m sure plenty of other musicians think the same: we all want a consistent, full-time, make-a-living-off-of-music job. Whether that’s behind the scenes or center stage, being able to sustain a life off of our music would be fantastic.

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6 Tips For Musicians: Rapidly Grow Your Instagram Following

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

With 500 million active users, Instagram is a great visual social media platform to build your online community. Instagram allows you to give your fans a peek into your world through your photos and videos. While funny memes, quotes, and viral videos may get attention, building a community of fans for you and your music requires the right strategies. Here are six tips to grow your fanbase on Instagram.

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Make Yourself An Irreplaceable Musician

This ariticle originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

This may be difficult, but try to picture your role in the band. Not just as the drummer or guitarist, but seriously look at your significance in the group. Unfortunately, many musicians find themselves as “cogs” in the system. They show up to band practice, learn the songs just enough to get by, go home, and repeat the same process. While there could be far worse situations, being a “cog” doesn’t make you unique. In fact, it makes you entirely replaceable.

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4 Online Marketing Mistakes Musicians Make

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

The internet has allowed artists to reach millions of fans and grow their careers with a click of a button. While, for some, the web has been a boon for music promotion, many musicians make pivotal online marketing mistakes that prevent them from breaking out and building a successful career. Here are four of the most common mistakes to avoid. 

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Mistakes The Beatles Made That Your Band Can Learn From

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

The Beatles got a lot right. After all, you don’t become the most famous and beloved band in music history if you’re constantly effing up right and left. But they were also pioneers, close pals, big personalities, prolific talents, and – perhaps most surprising of all – only human, which means they made some mistakes along the way. Luckily, you don’t have to do the same with your band. Here are six lessons to learn from when John, Paul, George, and Ringo screwed up big time.

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5 Tips To Increase Your Chances Of Getting Press

Most music writers will agree: we get way too many press emails to actually read every single one. In fact, some are never opened. What can you do to make sure yours is seen? How can your band stand out in so thick a swarm?

Honestly, there are tons upon overwhelming tons of unread emails from publicists in my inbox. My freelancing schedule falls somewhere between part- and full-time, and I always say I’ll make time to read every one – but there are days when the best I can do is skim the subject lines. It’s unfortunate; a lot of music I’d probably love is overlooked entirely or discovered too late to for a story to make sense.

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Indie Artists: Should You Give Your Music Away For Free Or Charge?

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

As a musician, you’ve probably been told over and over again that recorded music simply doesn’t have any value anymore. Ever since Napster shook up the scene in the ‘90s, it’s been getting harder and harder to convince music fans to pay for music, and it seems that by 2016, most artists and labels are giving up on the idea of trying to make money from album sales.

The problem with this argument, however, is that not everyone agrees that music should be free. If Taylor Swift and Adele are refusing to give into the world of streaming music and free downloads, can’t other artists take the same route as well? After all, we need to make a living somehow.

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DIY Musicians: Trying To Do Everything Is Hurting Your Chances of Success

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

Pretty much every indie musician I’ve talked to has two big problems: there’s just too much to do, and despite putting a lot of time and effort into their career, they feel stagnant, like they’re not making any progress.

In this article, we’re going to solve these two problems with one stone. If you want to go further, I have a time management and productivity ebook as well as a goal-setting ebook that you can download for free to keep the momentum going in your music career.

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5 Old-School Marketing Tricks For Your Next Show That Still Work

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

Think you’re doing everything you need to do for your next show by creating a Facebook event invite? Close your laptop and think again. While the internet is a powerful tool for promoting your band, traditional marketing tricks for promoting your shows still work wonders, especially for creating real fans with a real interest in your music.

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What 'No Unsolicited Material' Means And Why You Should Take It Seriously

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

Artists and songwriters have encountered this roadblock of a phrase many times before: “no unsolicited material.” The ominous slogan conjures up images of faceless label execs in black suits and ties with an arm out, palm forward in the universal gesture for, “Stop. We are untouchable. Your career goes no further.”

It can be the most infuriating thing for an eager artist to deal with. That’s especially true when youknow you have great material that aligns with the label’s brand and roster. I get you, buddy. I’ve been there, too. But “no unsolicited material” is actually not as scary and unapproachable of a term as it seems once you understand why labels use it in the first place.

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Facebook Is Cracking Down On Event Invites – Here Are 4 Ways To Maximize Your Reach

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

Considering how heavily we rely on Facebook to promote shows, it’s crucial we stay up to date on the platform’s event policies so we can beef up the reach of our events as best we can.

The latest update on Facebook’s event invite policy states that users can only invite up to 500 people each, but if “a large number of invites” aren’t responded to on a regular basis, you’ll be limited to even fewer for “a short period of time.” People who organize a lot of shows – ahem, me – may find themselves with a cap as low as 50, a frustrating hindrance on the ability to promote an event without paying for it.

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8 People Who Can Help Your Music Career Right Now

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

You know the story: one fateful night at the local music hot spot, an up-and-coming local band is playing a show to a packed house. The place is going wild when suddenly, the crowd parts as a hot-shot record executive strolls in. The band plays their last song and starts packing when, out of nowhere, a sweaty, diamond-ring-encrusted hand is thrust into the face of the lead guitarist. It’s the hot-shot record executive, and he wants to offer the band a record deal. It could happen to you, right?

Don’t count on it!

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5 Essential Tips To Make Your First DIY Tour A Success

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

Your band’s first tour can be your first step up the ladder to success, but if it’s not done properly, it can end up wasting a lot of time and a lot of money. Always take care in planning your tour, whether it’s your first one ever or just another month on the road. To make sure it’s a success, check out these five essential tour planning tips. 

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