Learning to take a helping hand in music

Guest post by Mahea Lee. This article originally appeared on Soundfly’s Flypaper

The following post is part of our new column, Poorly-Guarded Secrets from the Soundfly Mentors’ Guide. Written by mentor and VP of Learning & Curriculum Development Mahea Lee, this series is intended to assist, inspire, and offer a peek into the types of discussions we have behind-the-scenes here at Soundfly. 

Even the most productive and organized among us are burdened by the weight of low-priority tasks that we push aside to focus on more urgent matters. They gnaw at the back of our minds like yellowing wallpaper or tell-tale hearts. I know that’s pretty melodramatic, but you get the idea.

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A guide for musicians on building a team and avoiding industry sharks

I’ve been speaking with a lot of clients lately, both about the work we do together on their websites, and the bigger picture of their careers. A common thread that has been coming up in conversation is that around building a team, and the mixed experiences they’ve had around this.

Many of the concerns that we’ve discussed recently have included: Ul>

How to identify what roles you need to fill in your team, and how to find the RIGHT people to fill these roles

The impacts of hiring people/companies who simply don’t deliver what they say they will

Consultants offering bad or irrelevant device (AND charging over-the-odds for it)

Poor expectation management (especially when it comes to PR campaigns).

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Showing Guns in Music Videos: 7 Things You Need to Know

As a musician, artist or band, it makes sense that you’d want to represent your artistry in visual ways, whether that’s in your album covers or in your music videos. 

Artistic expression can happen in all kinds of settings, using all different tools and props to display your music can be the perfect way to stand out and build stronger relationships with your audience. That being said, some props are much more severe than others, which might come into play when you’re considering using weapons in your music videos.

Whether you’re an independent artist making your first video or you’re an industry veteran who is branching into other genres, you may be circling ideas of using weapons to make your videos look cooler. 

However, if you’re considering including guns of any kind in your music video — especially if you don’t have experience with guns — there are a few things you need to know before you get started. Here’s what you should know about showing guns in music videos.

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6 considerations for summer shows

There’s a lot to love about summertime shows and concerts. From a performer’s perspective, concert venues in the summer are usually outside which not only allow for more people in the audience but offer a more fun, festival-like performing atmosphere. Paired with the nice warm weather, summer shows prove time and time again to be a hit with performers and audience members alike.

But as a performer, you know that you must be prepared for anything to happen to ensure the most successful show possible. Take a look at our 6 considerations to make sure that you’re adequately prepared for your next outdoor summer show!

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How to survive the touring lifestyle: 7 tips

Hitting the road is an exciting time for any musician, whether you’re touring for the very first time or this is one of many tours you’re about to add to your list. If you’re a musician for any band, whether wildly famous or still up-and-coming, touring can bring about a unique experience that doesn’t always adhere to the conventions of normal life, and that’s totally okay. 

You aren’t always meant to live like you’re on tour, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take care of yourself to make sure that the touring lifestyle doesn’t get to you too much.

While each tour is inherently different — based on factors such as your budget and the length and span of the tour itself — there are a few universal tips that you can take into consideration when you’re packing up to hit the road.

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The 7Fs Of Payment Or "Should I Take It Or Not?"

Heading into a new year (or new quarter, season, headspace; depending on when you read this), many a thought turns to “I’m going to start getting paid my worth” and “I’m not working for no or low payment anymore!” The artists I work with often ask me how to decide if an opportunity is paying them enough - and I also think about this myself when asked to take on new projects. While I used to think payment had to be monetary, I’ve been thinking differently of late and I’d like to share what I use as a rubric of sorts to before taking on a gig, task, project

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Unexpected Expenses To Prepare For As A Musician

As a musician, you’re used to fending for yourself. Whether you’re picking up a side gig to pay the bills, researching the latest Gibson to see if it’ll improve your sound, or figuring out the logistics for your next tour, you know how to get things done. With that said, though, even the most responsible musically-inclined entrepreneur can overlook things from time to time.

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How To Submit To Music Blogs, Magazines And Radio And Get Heard

How To Submit To Music Blogs, Magazines and Radio and Get Heard… It’s extremely annoying and very unprofessional trying to get the attention of music blogs and radio when the artist is private messaging or has an automated message saying, ‘Yo, check out my music’. Not is it unprofessional, but it shows that you do not have the respect for others, including artists’ or place any effort into wanting to have your music really listened to as this is seen as being lazy…. ….It is obvious to every station and blog site when an artist has not really had a look at the site or station to understand or know what it’s about and what the protocol is.

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Are You A Brand Or A Mouse?

Music has always been a business. At least since the advent of the recording “industry” in the last century. There’s little doubt about that: it’s a big money-making machine and little more for a good portion of the music world.

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Dirty Money And The Starving Artist

As artists, we need to value our work, be proud enough to put a fair price to it, as fans and art lovers, we need to respect the artists we love and support their work for what it’s really worth. It’s a matter of respect.

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10 Rock Bands That Disappeared Thanks To Problems With Alcohol And Drugs

Highly-successful rock ‘n’ roll musicians may have literally “partied like rock stars” by popping pills, smoking marijuana, and binge-drinking while snorting cocaine. 

In these cases, drug rehab could have helped address the problem, and they could have been given a better chance. 

Here are 10 rock ‘n’ roll bands that went downhill because of substance abuse. 

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Contracts Studio Producers Should Be Familiar With. Part 1

Here we compile and analyse information about the type of contracts that studio producers and sound engineers are likely to require as part of their work. Our objective is to clarify when and under which circumstances sound engineers are entitled to ownership of copyright and when a one-off fee will suffice.

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Creating Small Goals For Maximum Success In 2017

Are you looking towards the end of 2016 and wondering why you didn’t achieve more? Why didn’t your band get signed to a label? Why didn’t you get added to a major music festival? Why didn’t more fans support your music?

When you look at goals from a large-scale point of view and evaluate how you did on your quest to achieve them, it’s easy to get discouraged. It’s easy to say, “What’s the point anyway?” Big-picture goals are fantastic and it’s important to dream big, but sometimes you need to take a step back to look at ways to create forward momentum.

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14 Incredible Pieces Of Wisdom From The Art Of Organized Noize Documentary

Yes, I finally sat down to watch this documentary. I know, I’m late. 

First, the film is so damn good, I wish I would have shot it myself. I’m mad QD3 beat me to it. 

Second, the film contains ninety minutes of heavy, mind piercing ammunition and large atomic bombs of knowledge that fire in rapid succession, covering everything from the internal mindsets and attitudes necessary for success to the external situations and factors that rain down failure.

In other words, if you aspire to create success as they did (and avoid the trap of failure they ran into), reading this AND watching the film is very much worth your time (as you watch, you may mistake twinkling jewels of wisdom for mundane commentary as viewers tend to do).

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