7 Basic Design Principles To Clean Up Your Band's Website Without Coding

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

About once a month, a friend approaches me with the same question: “Will you help me with my website? I keep tinkering with it, but nothing I do looks good enough.” As a web designer by day, it breaks my heart when I hear that my friends are struggling with indie budgets and WISYWIG editors, trying to fit everything they possibly can into the predefined templates of create-your-own-website services.

Click to read more ...

How to Be a Confident Musician Without Being Cocky

Confidence is key in just about any career, and in the music industry, there’s a fine line between ego and conviction. As an artist, you want to establish yourself as a compelling creator, and you want fans to believe in you enough to invest their time and money in your efforts. Arrogance will surely divert your supporters, so it’s important to develop a confident persona that’s still relatable and likeable. Here’s how to be a boss without alienating your devoted followers.

Click to read more ...

The 6 Things This Unknown Band Did To Make A Sizable Profit From A Short Tour

I’m talking with Rolfe Briney IV, lead guitarist for Birmingham, AL, garage rockers Freaky Deakys. He and Trevor Dane, the group’s lead singer and other guitarist, recently returned home from a brief yet busy tour that found them playing 12 shows over 10 days. After talking about the crazy things that happen on tour, there was one thing that totally shocked me: they made a sizable profit.

Click to read more ...

Yes, There ARE Rules for Songwriting

Professional songwriters are not “artists.” They are craftsmen. They know the rules and play by them. I understand this might sound a little icky to a lot of people, but remember this one thing: every song that has made a lasting impact on the career of its performing artist has been carefully crafted to have this exact effect.

Click to read more ...

The 5 Most Important Questions Every Serious Musician Needs To Ask Themselves

At some point, every musician hits a wall. The worst part is, sometimes you don’t even realize it. You’re trudging along, so stuck in the day to day and what you need to do to keep your head above water that any room for growth is instantly stunted. And before you know it, you’re beating your head against the wall trying to figure out why there hasn’t been any real progress in six months.

When a venture is new and everything is still fresh and exciting, it’s easy to get swept up in the potential of it all. But when dreaming turns to reality, and the stress of day-to-day life hits us, we forget how essential it is to step back and really focus on the future – not just the now. So before you go throwing in the towel, try asking yourself these five questions.

Click to read more ...

6 Dead Giveaways That You're Uncomfortable Onstage

This post originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

Performing live music is a nerve-racking experience. No amount of singing in the mirror or head-banging in the garage can quite prepare you for the moment when the lights come up and you’re there. The center of attention. The subject of scrutiny. “Here we are now, entertain us.”

Click to read more ...

5 Things Serious Musicians Should Do Every Day

When you desire to improve upon a skill, regardless of what the skill is, consistency is key. Practicing your instrument for 90 minutes every day will produce much better results than trying to fit six hours of practice into two days per week. This holds true for every aspect of the music industry. Consistent, daily work will be much more efficient and keep you much more sane than trying to fit a week’s worth of work into your single day off.

Click to read more ...

5 Creative Ways To Keep The Buzz Going After Your Show

In my last post, I discussed five creative ways to build buzz before a show. For this edition, we’re focusing on ways to maintain momentum after a gig.

Any music fan knows about the high you get after seeing a killer show. That feeling makes you want to listen to the band even more, purchase merchandise, and vow to see them perform again. Artists shouldn’t let these moments pass them by, as this is one of the best opportunities to connect with your fans (new and seasoned) face to face. 

Click to read more ...

4 Old-School Promotional Methods That Still Work

Step right up! Step right up! You don’t need to hire a carnival barker, but you shouldn’t spend your entire life online. 

We live in an age where fans receive hundreds of Facebook event invites, and artists see dozens of people click “going” only to perform to crowds that include very few of those people. Artists tweet links to events and send out e-flyers on Instagram, and while everything I’ve just mentioned is a free way of promoting an event or album, is it as effective as some of the tried-and-true ways of the past?

Click to read more ...

5 Signs You're Ready to Release Your First Full-Length Album

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids blog.

The first album you release sets up the rest of your career, and it can help you gain a lot of fans… if it’s any good. Timing the release is important, because if it comes too early, not enough people will know who you are, but if you make people wait too long, the perfect moment might have passed you by. Here are five signs that it’s the perfect time to release your debut album.

Click to read more ...

4 Ways To Make Money On Tour (Besides Selling Tickets)

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids blog

It’s a pretty well-known fact that touring is incredibly expensive. Even if your entire band sleeps in the van every night and survives on a diet of nuts and Top Ramen (not recommended), the cost of gas alone can be completely debilitating. And that’s only if everything goes smoothly – there are always emergencies that can come up, such as van breakdowns, gear malfunctions, or medical emergencies. All of these problems will require money to solve.

Click to read more ...

How To Target Radio Stations That Will Actually Play Your Music

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids blog

If you’ve been following the Sonicbids blog, you already know the three things you need to be “radio ready.” But after you’ve met those prerequisites, how do you determine which stations or music programs you should submit your music to for airplay consideration?

Radio stations come in a few specific types, and it’s not only AM/FM and internet. Here’s the breakdown.

Click to read more ...

4 Things Your Music Publicist Should Never Say

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids blog

There are things that a publicist, or someone purporting to be a PR professional, will say that are instant red flags. If these statements don’t sound quite right, that means they probably aren’t. So you better ask the person who said them to clarify. That, or reserve your right to be a bit suspect.

I’ve heard certain people who claim to be/who act like PR people say a handful of things that cause my eyebrow to raise a little. These sayings indicate that they don’t know what they are doing, that they aren’t legit, or that they might be a poser. Four of the most questionable statements I’ve heard in some variation or another are below, and are what to be on the lookout for.

Click to read more ...

4 Ways To Battle The Stress Of Managing Your Own Music Career

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids blog

We’ve said it a thousand times: being an independent musician isn’t easy. Part of the difficulty in that effort is managing the stress it brings. When you’re overwhelmed, achieving your goals can seem impossible. Minimizing the pressure is paramount.

The four points outlined here are pretty basic, but the effects of wholeheartedly incorporating them can be tremendous. If you often find yourself stressed about your career, try them out, and let us know how things go in the comments section.

Click to read more ...