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What should an indi musician do to get attention online?
I'm a singer/songwriter. I play frequently in my community, recently released an album through CDbaby and have had it distributed online. I have a bunch of profiles and pages, music for free and music for sale.
I feel good about all of that but I don't feel like it's enough to break through the glut of online noise.
What do you think?
I feel good about all of that but I don't feel like it's enough to break through the glut of online noise.
What do you think?
answers (6)
This can be very difficult with so many musicians out there these days. I have a bit of experience with this subject. My recommendation is to make a song that is closely related to a popular current song. Examples would be, make a cover or better yet, a remix of a song that is getting a lot of attention. Then post that song on the interent by various methods like myspace, youtube, other music websites. Do a little promotion for it and you should start getting some attention from the many fans of the original song.
If you don't want to do a cover or a remix, think about making a song that appeals to a niche market. Examples would be to take a popular hobby, television show, movie, and make a song about it. This way you can make an original song, but it will still have a large appeal to the fans of the subject matter. Hope that helps!
If you don't want to do a cover or a remix, think about making a song that appeals to a niche market. Examples would be to take a popular hobby, television show, movie, and make a song about it. This way you can make an original song, but it will still have a large appeal to the fans of the subject matter. Hope that helps!
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Everyone had good ideas but I chose this one for two main reasons.
1) I was looking specifically for an online strategy (I've got my local strategy covered) and you gave me one by suggesting--
2) A creative project that makes me focus on a specific market.
It's no guarantee that it's the foolproof way to the top but hey, it worked for Jonathan Coulton.
Thanks.
1) I was looking specifically for an online strategy (I've got my local strategy covered) and you gave me one by suggesting--
2) A creative project that makes me focus on a specific market.
It's no guarantee that it's the foolproof way to the top but hey, it worked for Jonathan Coulton.
Thanks.
Posting a cover or a song about a niche market are great ideas. Creative and they make you focus on your audience. Good stuff.
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My first thought would be Magnatune and then MySpace, but you may have already heard of those. I would say that having music that sets you apart from others, something that makes you unique and of higher quality will make you the cream that rises to the top.
Promotion is the answer and always will be. Spread the word on all and every available forum. Concentrate on places which relate closely to you style of music and let those communities know who you are and what you are doing. Once word begins to build, spread out and use other similiar sites. People don't listen to only one style of music, for the most part, and others will hop on.
Don't bore people with great long pieces about you and what you do. Make a short bio, perhaps four or five lines and use it everywhere (it looks more professional). Attach a link to your web spaces and make sure those are up-to-date at all times. Again, keep it looking professional.
Talk to your local radio stations and try to get them interested in what you are doing. Interviews and advertising via radio can still do wonders for your career.
Build up your local following and get them to spread the word. They can do flyers on the street and also spread the word on forums and social groups they belong to. Use MySpace, Facebook and any other site you think will help.
Use Youtube and get some visuals out there. People like to see live performances. It doesn't have to be a fancy video. Often, music 'in the raw' is far better to watch than some polished MTV video. Use the same tools to promote your video and get people's attention.
Talking of which, getting people's attention is a must. Try to find a unique 'hook', something which is yours alone and which you can use to promote yourself. Maybe you play an unusual instrument or use your lyrics to talk about local issues. Whatever your 'unique' selling point it, use it everywhere and get people noticing you.
I wish you well in your career and look forward to seeing you climbing those charts ;o)
Don't bore people with great long pieces about you and what you do. Make a short bio, perhaps four or five lines and use it everywhere (it looks more professional). Attach a link to your web spaces and make sure those are up-to-date at all times. Again, keep it looking professional.
Talk to your local radio stations and try to get them interested in what you are doing. Interviews and advertising via radio can still do wonders for your career.
Build up your local following and get them to spread the word. They can do flyers on the street and also spread the word on forums and social groups they belong to. Use MySpace, Facebook and any other site you think will help.
Use Youtube and get some visuals out there. People like to see live performances. It doesn't have to be a fancy video. Often, music 'in the raw' is far better to watch than some polished MTV video. Use the same tools to promote your video and get people's attention.
Talking of which, getting people's attention is a must. Try to find a unique 'hook', something which is yours alone and which you can use to promote yourself. Maybe you play an unusual instrument or use your lyrics to talk about local issues. Whatever your 'unique' selling point it, use it everywhere and get people noticing you.
I wish you well in your career and look forward to seeing you climbing those charts ;o)
I would suggest trying to find a more established group or player and try to record a duet with them so that one song on that person's next album includes you on it. Anne Murray did an all duets album last year of her musician friends who were relatively unknown including her daughter and some famous names, and the buzz it created made her come out of retirement and tour with it and make a TV special. The late Luciano Pavarotti recorded an all duets album without ever having to meet any of the singers, it was all done with tracks in a studio as was some of Anne Murray's. Therefore, as I hear John Mayer for example was saying on Twitter how difficult his business meetings were and that he had an album due on a set schedule, I would perhaps try to see if you have a song ready that you could both sing and try to present it to him or anyone else in that situation. You can say I sent you but I doubt that would do any good at all as he has over a million followers on Twitter and wouldn't know who I was. If you have any song that is not hard rock, make money, or all those material girl or boy topics, but that is more of a spiritual nature, or even if you would like to sing someone else's song for free for exposure or a number of songs, then contact these folks and volunteer to sing for free on a Christian show and be featured on their global Youtube Channel after the performance (they are pre recorded mostly so you don't have to be part of their show} usually they are featured on 100 Huntley Street a daily daytime talk show and/or Nite Lite Live. Paul Brandt sang on the first one for sure, and it sure did nothing to hurt his career, it has really taken off but he was not well known when he did it. There may be other such opportunities, look at the Christian TV channels and you will see probably lots of shows that do that. I have no idea if they pay for travel expenses or anything but there must be shows similar to that produced globally. Also local cable television shows probably would welcome a talk show guest with a song demo or not to build up your resume then try to get on Craig Ferguson on his Late Late Show as he features singers at the end of his show frequently and boosts their album. Do you know any radio show hosts? or have you been on a radio show as a call in guest or in studio? For example, Khloe Kardashian is a music DJ on a Miami show, and is very popular right now with their new reality show Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami which got 2.7 million viewers on the premiere and is holding strong, maybe you can be on their show also on TV when they film you at their studio being interviewed. If you wonder who that is, it is the sisters of Kim Kardashian and daughters of Kris Jenner wife of former Olympic gold medal athlete Bruce Jenner who star on the Reality Show Keeping up with the Kardashians. Are there any charity events locally or nationally where they are looking for someone to perform a song? that would especially give you exposure if the show was televised and broadcast. Those are just a few ideas. Do you have a website with a blog? see Hillsong United for a good example. Are you on Twitter? they are too. Also Myspace page, facebook etc are other free places for exposure. Soleil Moon Frye is already well known from her roles in Punky Brewster and Bratz and others, but look at that page, she has a Childrens Clothes store where she also maintains a website and it is hugely active linked to Twitter, she asks her fans one question every night and the blog on her site has a signup, and the fans really get involved, in four minutes she had 365 new answers to her question pop up in Twitter, so she REALLY knows how to do that right, although on Twitter look at http://www.twitter.com/johncmayer and also http://www.twitter.com/iamdiddy because they also have IT! Good luck!
Almost forgot, my best collection of Related Mahalo Pages to do with Music and breaking into the field with suggested books you can find in bookstores or libraries is here, this is also a creative professional in many fields trying to break into fame so I thought it appropriate to dedicate her page to her journey and help others achieve their goals too: Sarah Atwood
Almost forgot, my best collection of Related Mahalo Pages to do with Music and breaking into the field with suggested books you can find in bookstores or libraries is here, this is also a creative professional in many fields trying to break into fame so I thought it appropriate to dedicate her page to her journey and help others achieve their goals too: Sarah Atwood
Also find any song or singing contests to see if you can enter but look up music copyright rules before you sing anything not copyrighted and watch for those that are not real contests but just make money on musician entry fees. If you cant find them or anything on the web, find all the professional musician associations and websites you can and ask them or also your local public library librarian and see if they can help, many public libraries now offer quick questions answered by email or on the web chat etc. Do you have a t shirt designed? and or hat? you can sell such things on Amazon on their cafe press or on other sites and bring them wherever you go also bring cds to sell. You could self publish a small book also and sell it at modest profit at concerts or also on Amazon check out the deal there as to how to get on there as they are the Earth's BIggest Store and have a lot of affiliate programs.
If you go to http://www.google.com and click on other options and toggle blogs, that is a very good blog search place, can you find other blogs that may relate to your music or any topic you are knowledgeable about, and can you comment on the article and put a link to your site and perhaps search for something like guest blog or guest blogger and see if you can find a blog that will let you blog for one article as a guest and link back to your blog, then invite the person whose blog you were on to be a guest on your blog, and raise both your profiles for free?
If you go to http://www.google.com and click on other options and toggle blogs, that is a very good blog search place, can you find other blogs that may relate to your music or any topic you are knowledgeable about, and can you comment on the article and put a link to your site and perhaps search for something like guest blog or guest blogger and see if you can find a blog that will let you blog for one article as a guest and link back to your blog, then invite the person whose blog you were on to be a guest on your blog, and raise both your profiles for free?
The duet idea is a good one. I know a couple people more famous than myself (not too hard). Now if I can get them in the studio.
I like the idea of recording duets. I know a couple people who are more famous than me (not hard). Now, can I get them into the studio.
Get a purevolume account that is important, Forever the Sickest Kids got famous with their purevolume and now they hang out with Paris Hilton, and have a nerf commercial. Get a youtube, and just record your self playing your music for the camera, and make sure you have lots of tags, and do a couple covers because people will find you and if its good enough they will look at the rest of your videos. also on myspace just start adding people who you think would like your music, like people who are friends with similar musicians.
purevolume wasn't on my radar (lots of damn sites out there). And the cover idea is good too. thanks.
Make use of the popular social networking sites. Try and promote yourself on Youtube performing your originals and maybe do a cover of the most popular song of the week based on the Billboard Charts with a link to your original music. Create a Myspace music page and promote your songs and image. You can also go on craigslist and look at the gigs section or events. Maybe you can join Meetup.com and meet other Indie musicians and network. Make business cards and demo Cd's and give them to places like churches and schools that may have a need for performer for weddings concerts festivals etc. Here is an article I found with ways of promoting yourself online. It seems helpful. http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/promoting-yourself-online-by-maryellen-gibson-158475/
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