[Perform-talk] 10 rules for being a successful independent musician
Brad Dunse
brad at braddunsemusic.com
Wed Jun 16 01:38:56 UTC 2010
This is really awesome, very blatantly honest. I love it.
Brad
At 05:41 PM 6/15/2010, you wrote:
>Hi Friends,
>I just saw this on the Music Thoughts list and thought it merited passing
>along.
>Donna
>***
>The 10 Rules Of Successful Independent Musicians -Byree Belleville
>"Booking, Promoting & Marketing Your Music"
>1. Be Determined and Dedicated. On your path you will, inevitably,
>collide with people who don't understand or like your music. When this
>happens try to remember that even the most successful musicians have been
>in your shoes.
>2. Believe in Yourself. You must believe that every song you
>write, every recording you
>make, and every gig you play is the absolute best that you can make it
>be. However, don't despair if right at this moment you aren't thrilled
>with every
>aspect of what you are doing as a musician. Musical development,
>progress, and pride will come from experience.
>3. Maintain a Dual-Focus. Be a Great Musician and a
>Street-Smart Entrepreneur. First and foremost, to succeed as a musician
>you must possess great musical talent. You can work towards this by
>practicing and performing, by working with a great teacher and mentor, and
>by writing song after song. However, you must also be a wise and wily
>entrepreneur. Even if you assemble a competent team, you should still
>master the full array of entrepreneurial skills, Budgeting (money and
>time), marketing, setting prices, and sales. You do not have the luxury
>of sitting around waiting to be discovered.
>4. Educate Yourself. Know Your Genre Inside and Out Read
>magazines, books, web articles, etc etc about your genre and artists whose
>paths you would like to emulate. Take time to get to know area musicians,
>read local newspapers to become familiar with the names of clubs, bands,
>promoters, open mics, etc in your area.
>5. Let Go Of the "Starving Artist" Too many musicians, painters,
>and writers unthinkingly worship at the altar of the starving artist,
>believing that selling their art is "selling out". If you need to ease
>into selling your music, have a friend sell your merchandise for you.
>But always stand next to your table ready to talk to fans, sign CDs, and
>shake hands.
>6. Create a Plan and then Follow Up on It. One thing about making
>a plan for your career is that it forces you to
>examine the driving force behind your will to play music for a living.
>Working on a Business and Marketing Plan will help you define your vision
>and the
>steps you need to take to succeed. Working on an Artist's Plan will help
>you set up rituals for preserving and growing yourself as a musician and
>artist.
>7. Take Actions Despite Your Fears. As an independent artist you
>will wear many different hats each day. Learning to deal with people over
>the phone,
>in cover letters, and at shows is a learned skill. The more you do it, the
>better you will be at it. The first 10 calls you make might not feel so great,
>but the next ten will be easier, and by call 30, you will sound calm,
>collected and professional.
>8. Appreciate and Respect Your Fans. Fans of your music are
>your greatest supporters in the present and they have the greatest power
>to propel your career forward in the future. Be Sure To Respect Your
>Fans! After a show, always go stand by your merchandise table. Offer to
>sign CDs, Be ready and willing to chat with fans, Reply to every letter
>and email that a fan sends you with at least a "thank you".
>9. Build a Support Team Regardless of what stage your career is
>at. Having a great
>team behind you will make a huge difference. However you build your team,
>make sure to surround yourself with people who you can trust implicitly. Anyone
>doing work for you, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is
>representing you as both an artist and business owner.
>10. Work HARDER After Every Success. Every time you have a great
>success a big show or a great review in a major paper, you should get
>working even harder than you did before! One
>great review can be transformed into a dozen reviews across the
>country. A big show with a national act can create relationships with a
>series of national
>acts. Working even harder after good news comes is part of the process of
>developing momentum. If all goes well, each success will lead to more work
>and more success.
>
>
>--
>Read Donna's articles on
>Suite 101:
>www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/donna_hill
>American Chronicle:
>www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3885
>
>Connect with Donna on
>Twitter:
>www.twitter.com/dewhill
>LinkedIn:
>www.linkedin.com/in/dwh99
>FaceBook:
>www.facebook.com/donna.w.hill.
>
>Hear clips from "The Last Straw" at:
>cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
>Apple I-Tunes
>phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374
>
>Check out the "Sound in Sight" CD project Donna is Head of Media Relations
>for the nonprofit Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of
>the Blind:
>www.padnfb.org
>
>
>
>
>
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Brad Dunse
Monthly Story Behind The Song at Brad's Blog http://www.braddunsemusic.com
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