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Go to the "Concert Photos by Ken Arnold" and check out some new pics!
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In this part we will focus on those who wish to make music more of a career than a hobby. These are the professional musicians, which is not to say that a hobby musician can't be professional. It simply means that this select group has made music more of a priority and look to gain a large portion of income from the work they help produce. These can be bands playing cover tunes or originals, but we're going to stay focussed on bands performing original material. With that said, let's talk about getting started from the ground up and working your way to the top. As you begin rolling along you will encounter many bumps in the road along your path to success, so watch your step along the way.
Rolling along isn't easy, so you have to get very creative in your approach. Keep in mind, this is not a level playing field and it's crucial to your success how you handle business from this point on. You either do or do not have a product that sells and this is where the music industry differs greatly from any other product on the market you may find for many reasons. Let's say you have a product, a recording of your music, packaged and distributed. Along with that you have a product, your performance in front of a live audience. Not only can they hear it, they can see it, so how well you perform adds to your ability to sell more product. In some cases your recorded product will sell, but your live peformances will not. You're at least gaining some momentum, despite the hard fact that your live performance needs work. You have to sell as much product as possible to succeed in any business and the music industry holds true to that.
After all, that's what business is all about. You have to give buyers something that makes them purchase your product rather than your competition's and to do this takes very creative marketing, as well as good performance. There are so many talented performers out there in the world, as I'm sure you're aware, but that doesn't always guarantee success. Many of them are sitting at home wondering why they aren't out there on the scene while others who may not be as talented are enjoying major success. Why? Perhaps they have the talent to play, but not to perform. Maybe it's their attitude toward others or they just aren't with the right group of players. Whatever the reason, they seem to think that because they have this talent they deserve their time in the spotlight, but talent isn't everything.
That goes back to the creative approach, which means you have to separate yourself from the rest of the pack by not only being a good player and performer, but also a good business partner. Finding the right group of people to share in your success is not easy in this business or any other, so you have to do more in order to achieve your goals. This means getting together with others who share your same ambitions and have the skills to help you get where you wish to be. For those out there who have experienced this or are still enjoying the success this formula has helped create I applaud you. You have accomplished a feat that is certainly not easy to do, so you are hereby commended for making it happen. For those who have not there's still plenty of time. It's all a matter of knowing when to cut your losses. Does this sound familiar with any other jobs you've had in the past?
You have to teach yourself that it's nothing personal, it's just business when you just don't fit or someone doesn't fit with you. Any business is like this and it's these same principals that we must adopt when we get into the music industry. You'll hear every reason to be let go from a band, such as hair color, height, weight and even how you dress. The music business is one of the most discriminating businesses there are, but it's what works. In any case, it is what it is and you can't take it personal. You just have to move on until you find the right group with the same mindset all looking to achieve a common goal, success. Unfortunately, you can't have much success if you can't earn money and that's something very hard to do in this business if you're not careful at how you go about it.
Let's get back to the basics here. We're talking about the point where you have your band together and are ready to gig out. Just like in any other business it's very hard to get your foot in the door, so you have to give them a reason to let you in. A quality demo of what your band is like can be a great start, so spend some time to make sure what you are dishing to potential clubs fits what they're looking for and is as good or better than your average competition is giving them. This is very much a "who you know" business and having friends in the right places will always help. If you don't have any friends in the clubs to help get your band some gigs to start off with you may have to settle for playing a few promotional gigs to gain a fanbase until you reach a point where your band becomes a commodity. By that I mean you are now filling seats wherever you go.
However, you can't make playing for free just for the sake of performing a habit because it will quickly be taken advantage of by the few clubs out there that rely on bands like this. The bottom line is, you should be paid if you perform. It's not so much a matter of money, it's a matter of professional business and music is no different from any other retail market. It's just a different form, so keep that in mind. When you play for free for exposure make sure you're getting exactly what you expect out of it and get everything in writing. Even if it's just a simple e-mail covering the basics of when, where and what is expected from both your band and the club. Regardless what the gig is, it's always best to get it in writing. This reduces the chance of a misunderstanding and helps both the band and the club/promoter hold up their end of the deal.
Another thing bands tend to do is sell themselves short just to play out. This is a crucial mistake because it makes you look desperate to play and gives club owners a larger list of "bargain bands" while preventing other bands from getting paid what they may be worth. You should get paid what you're worth while being reasonable with your expectations. If your band is drawing well consistantly it gives you the advantage when approaching club owners because they know they are likely to have a very good night in sales. For those bands who have worked hard, yet still fail to draw larger numbers after several gigs it's time to take an honest look at cutting your losses. Sorry, but this is a brutally honest business and unless you are honest with yourself your individual success is jeopardized. You have to know when it's time to move on or make the necessary adjustments to improve your band's worth. It can be as simple as changing up your set, tweaking your songs or replacing members of the band. If you want your band, your business, to be successful you have to be willing to make these decisions or you will fail.
Once you begin playing out you need to keep your gig calendar as full as possible because every show means the potential to sell more product and increase your worth on the scene. You don't want to become stagnant in your hometown, either. Use it to build a solid fanbase, then begin to branch out to other clubs within your region until you have expanded your market considerably. To do this a band must be at a level of self-sufficiency, which means they are making enough money to support themselves on the road away from home. This is why you start out working in your home town, then begin playing clubs in other cities nearby where you can split a few motel rooms and return home in a relatively short period. Keep as much money in a band fund to keep things rolling as you can possibly afford and, with the right alignment of the planets, the moon and the stars, you may begin to see your dreams unfold.
Now it's time to separate yourselves from the rest of the pack by providing a show that patrons want to see while expanding to a broader market. You have to develop consistancy with your show while playing on different stages using different sound systems and lighting, unless you bring your own. It takes some time to build up to, but having your own sound, lighting and crew who knows how to get the most out of what you give them can jolt your success rate up tremendously. Granted, it's an extra expense and a very costly one, but once you reach this level you should be able to command a rate of pay that more than compensates for what you spend. You should always keep your sights set on higher levels of performing, which means having the right people to get you there. This means having a manager that can get you to that level, as long as your sales provide for it. The moment you get your first big break when you go out on tour with another national touring act is the moment where your dreams begin to come true. Congratulations! Now wake up and get back to making it all happen.
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The digital age has brought about many changes in the way we buy much of our entertainment products today and music remains top of the list when it comes to buying and selling conveniently online. However, it has also brought about major changes to the means and manner in which we can now produce, market, then distribute our products by taking advantage of the options we have today. It's time to examine some of these new options available to us and how they can help us spend less while earning more. There are so many options available to both artists and consumers for buying or selling entertainment products that are worth fortunes, yet don't cost us a penny. Things like the Internet, digital recording or online sales are changing the landscape of the recording industry right before our eyes, but few realize what's right in front of them.
Like any business you are in constant competition with everyone else in different companies in your field and it's amazing to see how few understand this or even take note. Most get blinded by the big dream of becoming a superstar or going out on a major world tour, but just how hard is it? Well, that really depends on the level of success you wish to achieve and how you go about everything. In general, the odds of 'making it' for anyone in the talent pool are astronomically stacked against them, including the most talented individuals the world has to offer. This isn't meant to say, "Stop dreaming.", but you do need to open your eyes very wide and understand the industry you have chosen to be a part of.
Let's put this all in perspective from a simplistic point of view, as there are many paths, twists and turns you may face along the way. Welcome to big business. Yes, it's time to get back to reality because this is a business and it's up to those who wish to be successful here or in any other business to conduct themselves accordingly. Simply put, make smart decisions and increase your worth in your industry. The basic concept is to get a product to the mass market that will sell and make money. Remember, there are thousands of others selling their products, as well, so how good your product is compared to theirs can make all the difference between who's living the dream and who's still dreaming. Does that sound simple enough?
We'll start by taking a look at what it costs to record music, produce it, then distribute it to the market. Today's digital technology gives us a wealth of products and services to help make this possible to just about anyone, so you need to use it wisely. Recording an album years ago would cost you tens of thousands to get a proper recording of your music, but the new wave of digital recorders, software and hardware have spawned a horde of new recording studios. Many operating from someone's back room in their home. If utilized properly this can save a band a lot of money and time with emphasis on the words utilized properly. This is where the term GIGO comes into play, which stands for Garbage In - Garbage Out.
Once you have your final product it's now time to get that into the hands of potential buyers. Just as it is for marketing any other product you have to let them know your product exists, which used to mean sending out thousands of demos and promo packs to record labels who most likely placed them in file 13 (where most end up) trying to get a record deal. Getting a record deal was crucial to many bands years ago because the record companies would take care of all the advertising, marketing, sales and distribution. Of course, the bands would pay dearly for all that later and most went into bankruptcy because of bad deals. Now, bands can do this all by themselves thanks to sites like GarageBand.com or MySpace, just to name a couple. This gives you direct access to millions of people and costs a band or artist only the time it takes to type everything in.
The same goes for distribution, which can now be done by uploading your CD artwork and music to sites like CDBaby.com or Soundclick.com where buyers can either buy the song/songs they like or the entire CD with just a few clicks of the mouse. Your CD comes right to their doorstep completely packaged and UPC coded. Remember going to shows and seeing boxes of t-shirts, hats and other items that your favorite band was selling behind the counter? Bands used to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars with very little returns and often having lots of items left on the shelf. With sites like CafePress.com bands, once again, can upload their artwork to sites like this and begin selling merchandise without a penny out of pocket. Starting to get the picture now?
There are so many ways the digital technology of our time has provided us with avenues that were only available to a very select group, and this has opened the playing field to a whole new dimension. On the other hand, it has also brought about some adverse effects. Issues such as illegal file sharing, duplication of copyrighted material and the like are costing the entertainment industry billions of dollars per year. Just as shoplifting is to retail outlets, internet and local piracy has hit the entertainment industry hard. However, there are new methods of digital recording signatures made to help curb or significantly reduce the amount of theft occurring. Governments across the world are also stepping up their efforts to help prevent ongoing piracy that takes money out of all our pockets.
Again, there are so many changes and these are just a few examples of how they are affecting us today, so now it's time to open our eyes. We have so many ways to get the job done, which should place more emphasis on creating an even better product for our target audience. There are more tools for us to use now, so the potential to increase sales is much higher. At the same time it has also increased the competition to record levels making it harder to earn the consumer's dollar and only a scant few will survive. Hopefully, I've done my part to open your eyes to the big picture. The picture of the ever changing music industry.
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Stop by the Reviews section to check out my review on last night's Journey - Def Leppard concert. What a great show for us 80's rockers, like me.
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The forums are once again filling up with activity and it grows every day. Don't forget to check out the Events area to find out who's playing where and be sure to support the bands out there busting their humps to bring some great, live music to you. There are many great venues here in Jacksonville to catch the best live entertainment, so show your support by going to a show!
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