Archive for the ‘NEXT STEPS’ Category

Even if you use Facebook, you should consider having a website. I use Dreamhost as my hosting server, and WordPress for my website development. Dreamhost has been very reliable, and their tech support very responsive, and they are one of the few WordPress verified hosting servers.

Do you know what people are saying about you on the internet? Google Alerts will notify you anytime someone posts a blog or review about you so you can keep tabs on what’s being said about you and where your name is being dropped.

Think of Google Alerts as a customized automatic Google Search that delivers the search results to you in your email inbox anytime something new hits the internet.

Google Alerts are also helpful when you’re trying to keep up with certain topics, news, or people.

This is very helpful for musicians to keep track of reviews and places their album is featured.

Good article by Jonathan Ostrow on Music Think Tank

Tuesday, July 13th, at 12 noon

Join the New Orleans Arts Council online for our latest webinar, Making Money with Your Music: Songs and Recordings. Presented by ELLA Project supervising attorney Ashlye Keaton, this webinar will cover:

      * Maximizing your revenue streams.

     * The importance of owning your music.

     * Making money from digital downloads.

     * Music in film and television.

     * Plus your questions via live chat!

 Making Money with Your Music: Songs and Recordings An Arts Council webinar presented by Ashlye Keaton Tuesday, July 13th at 12 noon For the link to this webinar, please email: gmeneray@artscouncilofneworleans.org

Scan your passport, important documents, prescriptions and photos of your instrument and equipment in case they are stolen.

Then email them to someone (you can contact easily by the internet) staying home so that if you lose your documents you can have them emailed to you (or your embassy – or the authorities) to make it easier to get replacements.

If you have a secure file server with your website, you can also upload the files there for retrieval by you. I also read where you can upload the images to a free account on Flickr and then set it as “private” (not sure how secure this is.)

DiscRevolt is developing the next version of their technology platform and it should be released in the next 4 weeks or so. This new platform is going to be a huge upgrade and we’re super excited about the prospects. The new platform will still do the same things the old platform does, but it will do them better and will also do much more.

http://www.airbnb.com/

Do you have an extra room/apartment/house to rent? If you have a spare room to rent out during mardi gras/jazz fest you need to get on this site. I use this site to rent my house in New Orleans during jazz fest and mardi gras. The people I get are wonderful.

Do you need cheap places to rent while traveling / on tour? There are some really great deals on this site. Don’t be fooled by the Airbed in the name - most have real beds!

Our goal is to help you reach a level of success that you set for yourself, by providing you with the tools you need and promoting you on all of our sites in the “Spun Universe”.

Spun will create a page for you on our site that includes any or all of the following:

•Custom Header

•Profile Picture

•Bio

•Mp3 Player

•Video Player

•Image Gallery

If you do not have photos, videos, bios, etc. we can introduce you our network of photographers, directors, writers, etc. to get you the material you lack.

Why should I get download cards when I can just tell people to go to my site or CDbaby to download my music?

You will get a much BETTER RESPONSE if people have a physical card.

The card is a HUGE MOTIVATOR because:

• The card is perceieved to have VALUE, even if it downloads something that is free. It feels like a gift card.
• The physical aspect of the card REMINDS people to go to your content when they find it in their purse or wallet later.

Here are some resources I’ve discovered in my internet travels that you might find helpful. I do not endorse any of these sources, and cannot vouch for the validity of their content or characters.

Music Phone Book contains over 75,000 listings from 29 music industry categories and provides detailed contact information for all 50 states including: nearly 10,000 live music clubs and venues, 1,800 + independent and major record label A&R reps, nearly every national touring artist, and thousands of music contacts that can’t be found anywhere else. www.musicphonebook.com

www.startarockband.net

www.artisthousemusic.org

www.knowthemusicbiz.com

Offbeat Magazine

WWOZ Radio

When a music CD is inserted in a computer connected to the internet, the media player application (like Itunes and Windows Media Player) goes online and retrieves the album, artist, track information, and even album cover from a central database. Different media players use different databases – Itunes uses Gracenote. Windows Media Player uses AMG.

Deadline October 1, 2009

Jazz Fest producers are accepting applications for performers for the 2010 event, scheduled for April 23-May 2.

Upwards of 80 percent of the hundreds of acts featured each year at Jazz Fest are Louisiana-based. Bands interested in performing should submit a recording, bio, photo, press clippings, contact information and an email address.

To view the application online, please visit www.nojazzfest.com/index.php?http%3A//www.nojazzfest.com/apply2010/

On June 4, 2009, the Arts Council’s Cole Bernstein and Gene Meneray sat down with Kristen Evans and Dennis Monn of New Orleans Fringe Inc for a conversation about the successes of the Fringe Festival, plans for future festivals and performances, the state of the performing arts community in New Orleans, and tips and ideas for others looking to create a start-up arts organization.

This conversation is available for free streaming through our website. The conversation lasts roughly 15 minutes, and can be listened to by clicking here.

• If you check a bunch, you can usually find a sale going at one of them for the item you need printing. I just got 500 business cards at gotprint for $23 with shipping cause I caught a sale.
• COUPON CODES: Google “promo codes” for the printer you want to use and you might even find a coupon code for a couple bucks off.
• I recommend ordering 500 or more – you will find the prices for 250 and 500 are almost the same.

“How To” videos that to help you maximize your presence on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace YouTube, etc. from Madelyn Sklar’s Social Networking for Musicians. Her latest video, “How To Add ReverbNation App To Your Facebook Fan Page”, is available on YouTube. You can view it and others at http://www.youtube.com/sn4m

If you thought YouTube was a great venue to connect with the world, you need to explore one of the latest trends – online performance sites. Some are geared around a specific venue. Others feature live performances from all over.

Live from Daryl’s House Live from Daryl’s House started with Daryl’s “light-bulb moment” idea of “playing music with my friends and putting it up on the Internet.”

Black Cab Sessions A unique venue – the back of a cab.

They Shoot Music Don’t They? Viennese videos

Blogotheque

What’s in your gig kit?

Leave a comment below to contribute to the list.

It’s 9:49 pm and you go on in 10 minutes. You’re downing a last gulp of your drink and someone knocks into you, spilling it all over your shirt. Did you bring another one? Do you even have any spot remover? Anticipating what could go wrong and planning for it can save the day (night).

So what items should always be with you, either out in the van or in your gig bag? You may be surprised by what you’ve forgotten.

ESSENTIALS

• extra strings, picks, reeds, etc.

You’re at a music conference and you get in the elevator with a major producer you’ve been hoping to get to come to your gig. What do you say???? You only have 30-60 seconds to make a powerful first impression.

Get to the point. Unless you’re in an elevator stuck between floors and you’re waiting for the maintenance crew.

Have a short and a long version. 1 sentence, 5 sentences, long version for at a restaurant.

Use words that are powerful and strong.

Use words that create a visual image in your listeners mind. This will make your message memorable.

Compiled from multiple sources on the internet, my experience, books, etc.

1. Send out press releases frequently. The press need a story. Just releasing a CD is not a news item. Do you have an interesting story that will get their attention? What are the songs on your CD about? What’s the theme? What’s the message you are trying to communicate through your music?
2. Website and online press kit – be sure to include press quality photos, schedule, bio, press releases, mp3s, gig pics, fan blog, re KEEP IT UPDATED!! MAKE IT WORTH THE VISIT. [Websites are a tool, not a means – it is useless if people don’t know it’s there.]

Do you have a fun or different way to market, promote or sell your music? Leave a comment.

Confused by Facebook?

Normally selling for $14.95 I’M SELLING THE CALENDAR FOR $5 EACH!!!!!!!!.

www.louisiana-festivals.com to order.

 The most complete listing of events in the state, listing over 500 events with dates, town names, phone numbers and websites

Each year the calendar is updated with new festivals and photos. On the top part of each month a particular festival is chosen to for display with photos and detailed captions.  An index on the last two pages lists each festival for the whole year alphabetically, which then directs you to the correct month.

My exclusive proofing system shows you how your graphics look in your packaging.  Also great to include in your digital download packages or on your site.

Louisiana’s first completely carbon free, eco-friendly music festival.

Podcasting the Arts Webinar Available On Demand

The Arts Council’s latest webinar, Podcasting the Arts , is now available for free streaming via our website. The webinar runs roughly 15 minutes, and can be viewed by clicking here.

To supplement this webinar, please see this Basic Guide to RSS and Feeds, downloadable as a PDF.

Presented by Cole Bernstein and Gene Meneray of the Arts Council’s Arts Business Program, the webinar covers how to create a podcast, how to distribute it, what other artists are doing with podcasts, and tips for production and recording.

Arts Council Workshop: Three Artists and the Internet

On Wednesday, July 15th, 2009, join the Arts Council and our esteemed panel for our latest workshop, Three Artists and the Internet.

Presenting at this workshop will be artists Heather Elizabeth, Rebecca Rebouche, and Dona Simons . All three artists have different careers, and different marketing strategies, but all have made creative and innovative use of the web to market their artwork. Topics to be addressed include:

• Creating an effective internet presence.
• Using music and video to enhance your presentation.
• Promoting your art via blogs and social media.

CDBaby

Louisiana Music Factory

Gonzales Music Wholesale

TuneCore.com

Carrollton Station
8140 Willow Street – New Orleans, LA 70118 (504) 865-9190

House of Blues
225 Decatur Street – New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 529-2624

The Howlin’ Wolf
828 South Peters Street – New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 522-WOLF

Mid-City Lanes Rock ‘N’ Bowl
4133 S. Carrollton Avenue – New Orleans, LA (504) 482-3133