#15 - Crowdfunding...

Thanks to Arts Hub, here's a great article on crowdfunding.  The do's, don'ts and very worth the read.

http://www.artshub.com.au/au/news-article/opinions/arts/what-makes-people-give-191507

#14 - How to get your stuff on the Radio

Hi,

Just thought I'd pass along some excellent ideas from Amanda Easton on how to get on the radio. It's a great blog you should definitely check it out....this is part one of a three part blog - visit the blog at  http://amandaeaston.blogspot.com.au/.

How to Get on the Radio, Part 1

Hi there,
Having worked with 100s of indie artists through PopTarts, and the independent release of three singles and two albums of my own, I often get asked for advice on what to do with an album once it's recorded. This is the first of a series of blogs that will hopefully give you some ideas. And please add any of your own ideas to the comments - it's all about community!

OK, you've poured your sweat, tears and bank balance into the creation of an original recording. You feel drained yet proud. Now the hard work begins - you actually have to sell the thing!

Radio is an important slice of your promotional pie. If you are a self-funded independent artist, there are still plenty of avenues open to you. Commercial radio in Australia (don't pack up and move, it's even harder in other countries!) is a very hard nut to crack for everyone, particularly indies. Nothing is impossible though and I will cover the options for commercial radio in another blog. But I wanted to start with something a little easier to achieve.





Community Radio Wants You

I've been a community broadcaster myself (2MCR, 2SER and TVS in Sydney) so I'll start there.

Community radio stations are largely run by volunteers, are not-for-profit and encourage community participation. Part of their charter is actually to promote the local arts - that means you! Community radio stations often have solid, dedicated listener bases and with enough of a groundswell, community radio airplay could even help lead tocommercial radio play.

One of your best friends should become the CBAA or the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia - the national body looking after 270+ community radio and TV stations throughout the country.

The CBAA have wonderful government-subsidised programs for indie artists. One is called:

'AMRAP' - CD Mailout

Amrap charges a small fee to distribute ‘radio ready’ CDs by Australian artists to community radio stations around the country. The good folk at Amrap actually listen to your CD and work out which stations are likely to play your style and distribute it accordingly. If you have a hip-hop record you want to promote with a tour through the East Coast, they will send out your CD to only those radio stations in the Eastern states who play hip-hop. Even though you pay a certain amount for this service, it is still cheaper and hugely more efficient than buying the padded bags and sending out CDs yourself. And their contact databases are comprehensive and up-to-date.

I've used this service quite a few times and managed to cultivate some fabulous community radio airplay and contacts as a result. Like anything in this indie game, the more work and time you are willing to put in, the more benefit you get. Amrap give you an invaluable report which includes contact info of all the radio stations to which they've distributed your CD. Use this to follow up!

When hosting and producing my own radio and TV shows I always appreciated artists getting in touch with me personally, keeping me in the loop with their upcoming gigs and releases, being available for phoner or in-person interviews and generally helping me provide interesting content for my shows. Never pester, but definitely get in touch. Community broadcasters are waaaay more accessible than their commercial counterparts. They will probably love hearing from you.

Amrap do mailouts every month but they are no longer a well-kept secret, so get in touch with them in plenty of time before you are ready to promote - they are popular! Their website is here.

Next week: How to get your music on the Digital Catalogue used by Community Radio.

#13 - Gigs and Clubs....

This is a great blog from Dave Goldberg, an LA based Jazz muso on the difficulties of gigs, bookings and dealing with venue management.

It's very timely and sadly applies everywhere.....

http://www.scribd.com/doc/78468650/La-Club-Owners

#12 - The artist 1-pager

Hi there,

Wow! It's been a while....

I saw this today at CDBaby and thought it was definitely worth a repost.... Subscribe to their newsletter - heaps and heaps of great info...

Check this out http://diymusician.cdbaby.com/2011/07/how-to-make-an-effective-bandartist-one-sheet/?utm_source=DIYNews&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=072111

Cheers,
Simon

#11 - So you want to be a pop star?

Hi there and welcome to The Record Factory Blog,

Recently I received an email from an artist in Perth, WA who like a lot of us always seems to be one step short of making it big. She's experienced writing sessions with big stars and been promised a lot of opportunities which never quite eventuate.

I completely understand that this happens. If we all made a dollar for each of the 'if onlys' we wouldn't ever need work again!

Of course, every now and again one of these big opportunities will be the big break. It's a matter of having everything in place and being ready, so can you can take advantage of the opportunity.

Almost every overnight success, was in fact not actually an overnight success - it's something that people have been working hard at for years.

Overnight successes for the most part only happen in the movies. If they do happen in the real world, they won't last long as there's unlikely to be any substance.

So, please don't just sit there expecting a starmaker to knock on your front door and do all the work for you. Get out there and take control of you career yourself.

So what do you do..? Well there's a lot of things and I picked 3 of my favourites.

The Starmaker

I really think the age of the ‘starmaker’ is long gone – last year over 85% of music was independently released. Big record companies aren’t really putting money into unknown/developing artists, they’re struggling to survive themselves. So you have to do gigs, write material and put it out yourself.

It won’t be until you have tangible independent success that a record company will look at you. Josh Pyke is a great example of how it works.

Be Independent

I think the only way to go is to ensure that you have demos/recorded songs available online so people can hear you. Make sure you have a music profile online. Some great examples of this fiercely independent approach are www.amandaeaston.com, www.yolandathomas.com and www.heatherfrahn.com. Unless you’re doing a reasonably sized show a week and selling 500 CDs a week, a manager is unnecessary. Of course all managers work on percentage, so even if you do engage management, unless you are doing the shows and selling the CDs it’s unlikely you’ll get a good manager as the good ones won’t work for free.

Be Ready for 'The Opportunity'

While it’s always great to get songs placed in TV shows and opportunities like writing with a big star could break an artist, I think you have to have everything ready (i.e. gigging, releasing songs regularly) in order that you can really get the best out of these sorts of opportunities. The Idols who lasted beyond the TV show have had heaps of experience and have worked hard on making their music career work. Then of course after getting the Idol opportunity they really work it and don’t rely on the industry to hand it to them. Even after having a number one single and lots of Idol exposure, Casey Donovan is out there doing regular original acoustic pub gigs.

So that's all for now. Don't wait and expect things to happen, go make them happen yourself. When the great songwriter Albert Hammond moved to the US in the 1970s, despite having numerous worldwide hits as a songwriter he still needed to get out there and make things happen "you've got to hustle, no matter what you do. If you don't...[it won't happen]"

#10 - Finished recording? Think about your release date!

Hi there,

Not quite sure how it's April already, but there you go....

If you haven't checked out the great info at diymusician.cdbaby.com you really should....

Here's a great example of the type of stuff to be found....

I'll be back soon, in the meantime if The Record Factory can help out with any of your 'I want to make a CD' needs, email me.

Cheers
Simon

"
Release dates: Why it’s better to wait!


You’ve heard it said that timing is everything, right? But the right timing can amount to nothing if you aren’t prepared. This is certainly true when it comes to releasing an album. Now if you’re planning to release songs or albums only through digital means, then you can ignore the following advice. Go ahead and release your music online the moment it is finished. But if you’re going to press up CDs (and we hope you do since CD sales still make up the largest portion of worldwide music sales), don’t be in such a rush. Here are a couple things to keep in mind when deciding on a release date.

Don’t book your CD release party until you have your discs back from the manufacturer. We have heard countless stories of people who book their release show first and then are scrambling around like headless chickens because the process took longer than expected. Wait until they’re in your hands. Are the discs in good shape? Right colors printed on the artwork? Do the CDs actually play? Good, now book your show. That probably means you’re looking at 2-3 months away. Use that time to get your promotional machine in gear. Send your discs to press, radio, and bloggers with enough lead-time so that the buzz will be audible by the time of your release party. If you really want to start selling, do a pre-release through CD Baby so fans in-the-know can get advance copies.

Don’t stale-date your album. Music journalists want to feel like they’re discovering tomorrow’s masterpiece, not yesterday’s news. If you know you’re not going to get discs back from the manufacture until October, November, or December anyways, just go ahead and put the following year’s date on the artwork’s copyright info. Book your CD release show for the early part of that following year, too. Waiting just an extra month or two can buy you a whole year of possible press-coverage."

#9 – So I’ve recorded my music what now? (part 1 of 2)

Hi there and welcome to The Record Factory Blog,

Yes, it's been a while, and yes, there's no excuse... but we did just have a little boy and well, it's going great so far (thanks for asking).

This blog is all about tips and tricks to help you get what you want out of your music career. I hope you find the info useful... If you have any questions, or are looking to make a cd and would like some free help, advice and contacts, please email me.


Anyway, onto the task at hand...

So first things first – well done! You had some songs, workshopped them and got them sounding fab. You rehearsed them, played them at live shows and got the band sounding really tight. You sought out and found a great producer at a great rate and you've got your hands on the masters of your album.

"Now for certain rock stardom! Nothing's gonna stop us now!" I hear you say...

And yes, you've certainly taken a great big step, but there's still a way to go yet...

In this blog, I'm going to chat through the next steps to releasing your own CD, on your own label.

"But why would I want do that? With this material I'm bound to get signed by a major and go on tour with Kings of Leon..."

Releasing an Independent CD.
Releasing your own music gives you the freedom to design your own future, promote yourself in your own way (who loves/knows the music better than you?) and means that you get the best return possible from your hard work. Remember – there's been a technology revolution, it is now easier than ever to self-release an album which is equal to major-label releases for a fraction of the cost. You'll have spent way less money and therefore you're likely to break even (and start making money) quicker.

"Hey Simon that sounds great where do I sign up?"... well before you jump in head first, let's consider the costs involved to get your CD into the collection of your fans.

Getting set up
First up it's a good idea, (if you haven't already got one) to get an Australian Business Number (ABN). To get one you'll need to visit www.abr.gov.au/ABR_BC/. This way you can set yourself up as a 'sole trader' – for more info on types of company, ABNs and other business setup information visit the Government's business site www.business.gov.au.

If you're a sole trader you can use your own name and you won't need a separate bank account. However, if you're a band it's a good idea to set up a joint account matching the name of your business which will help you all keep track of your earnings and expenses. It's a good idea to get an account that has a debit card, it'll make buying band stuff much easier. Remember to keep all your receipts and save online invoices in a folder for tax time!

Admin
No, it's not rock and roll, but it is good to be organised. Buy an a-z folder and file your receipts in different categories, petrol, postage, equipment etc. Why? Well many of the expenses incurred in making your CD will be tax deductible. If you think accounting software is necessary, MYOB and Quicken are two market leaders. I've always found an excel spreadsheet works pretty well too... Prices for accounting software generally run from $150 to $300.

Remember, if you're organised it will take your accountant less time to do your tax. If you save your accountant time, you save money.

The Sound of your CD
It is very important to have a technically consistent sound (i.e. levels, quality of sound) on your CD. For example if you recorded your album over a period of 3 years, it could be that when played back to back you notice small differences in how the songs sound.

This is where mastering comes in. Mastering is the glaze on the pottery! What mastering engineers do is ensure that the levels and sound quality are consistent across the whole album. During the mastering session, you'll also be able to decide the amount of time between the songs on the CD. Mastering a 11 track album will cost in the region of $500 to $2,000, depending on who you choose and where you have it mastered.

The look and presentation of your CD

1. The writing

Writing lyrics is not writing copy. They are two very different skills... You may want to consider getting someone to write your bio, press release or adverts. This will cost anything from $100 to $300. If you spend more than $300 on an independent release, you're probably going overboard. If you want to give it a go yourself, there's some great online resources.

Press release www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Press-Release

Bio www.musicbizacademy.com/knab/articles/artistbio.htm

Ad www.startupinternetmarketing.com/pagelinks/how2ad.html

2. The photography

If you are going to have pictures of yourself on the disc, then good photography is the most important aspect of your design. Pictures stand out and are worth getting done professionally. Check out The Record Factory's photoshoot package deal! If you have a plan and are well prepared for the shoot, you will make it easy for the photographer, thus saving time and money

3. The Graphic Designer

Next, you'll need to combine your text and images and layout the design of your release. A good graphic designer can take your materials and create a package that is greater than the sum of its parts. You may be able to call on talented friends to help, or you could solicit the services of disc manufacturers, who often have staff designers with an appreciation for music products. If you go with a manufacturer that offers this service, you can expect pay about $100 per page for package design.

MANUFACTURING
Here's some good news. The cost of CD manufacturing over the last few years has dropped significantly. One word of caution though – make sure you get your CDs manufactured locally. Sure it's a little more expensive, but in my experience having someone on the end of phone onshore if there's a drama is better than having to wait through time zones etc. There's also certain local manufacturers that will spot the little things and fix them up for you.

In addition, non-local manufactured discs are often replicated, not duplicated. That's why they're cheaper and there's the risk that replicated discs won't play in all CD/DVD players.

For budgeting purposes, figure that you can get a basic 1,000 retail-ready disc package with four-page inserts that are professionally printed and replicated for $1,200 to $1,500.

Before you go to manufacture you might want to get a bar code for your CD. Get one from AIR (www.air.org.au).

Phew! Let's cover off the remainder next time. Hope this is helpful – if you have any more questions, just shoot me an email – happy to try and help.

Cheers,
Simon