7 Little Known Techniques On How To Get Your Music Heard — Omari MC

Just about every artist knows how to set up a SoundCloud page, but what happens when you think you’re doing everything right and still no one is listening?!

Source: 7 Little Known Techniques On How To Get Your Music Heard — Omari MC

Ari’s Take: 8 Reasons Why Singer/Songwriter Shows Are Boring

I just played a new songwriter series billed as #songwritersundays at The Fox and Hounds in Studio City, CA. They have built up quite a supportive crowd of musicians and music lovers for this Sunday series. Without fail, every Sunday the place is packed with an audience silently listening to the performing artists. This isn’t a glamorous event. There’s no stage. The artists setup in front of the front window, and for all intents and purposes it’s a bar. But what makes these shows special, is the crowd.

Run and booked by musicians and music lovers, these nights have become somewhat of a hidden gem of the Valley. Most people in the house are other singer/songwriters checking out the talent. And unlike the pay-to-play clubs on Sunset Strip, the singer/songwriters are paid a guarantee for their performance. And the show is free for attendees.

Before the show, a woman came up to me and mentioned that she was going to review my show for a publication she writes for. We got to chatting and she asked me a curious question, “why are most singer/songwriter shows unmemorable?” Taken aback (being a singer/songwriter) I asked her to expound. She said that most singer/songwriter shows she walks away from she can’t remember a single song they played and nothing sticks out to her about the show.

As someone who has probably seen (and played with) hundreds of other singer/songwriters, she had a point. Most singer/songwriter shows ARE boring. But that doesn’t mean that the singer/songwriter genre is boring.

So, dear singer/songwriters, here are 8 reasons why your shows CAN BE boring as hell:

Ari’s Take: 8 Reasons Why Singer/Songwriter Shows Are Boring.

What Should You Look for in a Producer? 4 Questions to Ask and 5 Must-Have Qualities

Image via Wikipedia Commons

Shopping around for a producer? Make sure you pick the best match for your music by asking these key questions and looking for these qualities.

Source: What Should You Look for in a Producer? 4 Questions to Ask and 5 Must-Have Qualities

Ari’s Take: 9 Things You Didn’t Know About The College Music Market

A lot of musicians want to play colleges, but most don’t really know what that means. As someone who has played over 100 official university sponsored shows around the country, it’s a field I know quite intimately. From the schools surrounded by …

Source: Ari’s Take: 9 Things You Didn’t Know About The College Music Market

Ari’s Take: Don’t Be Afraid Of The Phone

I’ve played over 500 shows and I booked the majority of these. I set up a 60 date tour around the entire country from scratch – starting without contacts for the majority of the cities. I’ve spent the better part of 4 years living on the road, making nearly all of my income from live shows.

Ari’s Take: Shows Sell, Events Sell Out

You can’t expect everyone to come out to every show. Even if your favorite artist played multiple times a month in your city you wouldn’t make it out to every show. People need a reason to devote an evening to your band. Being your friend may work for a little while, but a buzzed about event will push them over the edge.

Ari’s Take: 10 Steps To Sell Out Your Show

There’s no point in playing a show if no one shows up. Just listing a show on your Facebook Page will not bring people. Bands sometimes think that all they need to do is go on tour and get their shows listed on the venue’s website and people will magically show up because they are a ‘touring band’ far away from home. You must understand that venues do not promote their shows. They can’t. They have just too many. It is the reason Venues work with Promoters or expect bands to bring 100% of the crowd.

Crafting a Set List: Your First Step to a Great Gig | NationWide Disc Source

You’ve gotten THE gig, and you’re super excited. You’ve been rehearsing, but now you’ve kicked rehearsals up a notch or twelve. You’ve also come to the place that most musicians dread but every musician must deal with: You have to make a set list.

Some bands don’t bother with set lists, but they are important. Why? A bad set list can ruin a show. A good set list can take a decent band and make it sound like a good band. A great set list can reel a listener in, keep them with you for the entire show, and win you new fans.

There are many different things to consider when creating a set list, but we are going to focus on five key elements for creating and using your set list to its fullest potential. These five elements are:

• Purpose/Audience
• The Technical Stuff
• The “Feel” of the Song
• Transitions
• The Art of Spontaneity

Ari’s Take: 10 Social Media Mistakes Bands Make

I originally wrote this for Digital Music News.

1) Your Call To Actions Are Too Frequent

Don’t enter every contest you stumble upon that could win you $100 in recording gear. Pick and choose the best contests that can advance your career the most. Nearly every band driven contest is based on votes. Some, however, CAN be extremely valuable – like getting festival slots or opportunities to perform with huge artists.

When you have a new album out or are going on tour, yes, it’s completely acceptable (and encouraged) to encourage your fans to purchase. Make sure you spread out your requests for action. Because if you don’t, your fans will eventually tune you out.

How to Be a Good Music Citizen in Your Local Scene | SonicBids Blog

by Farah Joan Fard
Jun 6, 2014 10:00 AM

As musicians, we’re told over and over again how important it is to promote our work. And while this certainly holds true, it’s sometimes easy to forget that it’s just as important to be there for our fellow musicians, who – gasp – might actually return the favor! Having a strong support network among your musician peers can go a long way in building your music career, and if you make a genuine effort to support other artists, you’ll surely see the power of reciprocity at work sooner or later. Below, Sonicbids artists offer advice from their own personal experiences to help you get started on the path to being a good music citizen.