Galaris and the Galaris Music Directory

Here is another excellent resource that contains literally thousands of verified music websites and contacts where you can present your music.
The Galaris Music Directory will save an artist literally hundreds of hours of surfing the net and scouring the planet for the right contacts and services they need to get their music "Out there."

"The GMD is the ultimate tool for anyone interested in taking their music career to the next level. This resource is a fantastic way for any aspiring musician to get heard by the industry and the world. The GMD is full of tools, tips, links and services needed to further your career in this saturated industry. I recommend it to anyone looking for a complete and easy to use musical network."

-Rick Camino - Senior Director, Capitol Records.

You can also visit the Galaris Website and sign up for their free newsletter and view articles here

Remember.

Hone your skills.
Develop your craft.
Build your friendships and contacts.
Strive for excellence.

Good advice from a music journalist

Promoting your music online - tutorials and resources from music journalist Sean McManus.
This is an excellent link with some good advice and resources.

Scams and traps to avoid in the online music world.

Beware of music scams .

Ok, we know the net can be a great place to promote your music and actually get some kind of payment for your efforts.

Yes I must admit it is exciting to get an email from someone who is interested in promoting your material, but before you eagerly send off that CD, take a good deep breath and think for a moment....
I'm not too proud to say that on one occasion when I was starting out I have been taken in (at other times I have seen the ploy).

One thing I must point out (though to many it will be obvious) is that there ARE scammers out there looking for unsuspecting artists.

One of the hazards of having an online presence (ie a website with contact details including email) is that you will attract attention that is unwanted.
Don't let this discourage you from building a website or posting samples of your music, just be aware.
Here are examples of scams.

The first email I ever received regarding music was from a guy in Asia or India (I can't remember exactly) simply asking for my music for free because his "church music team" was unable to afford to pay.

On first view I thought maybe this was legitimate (being kind hearted perhaps I may have sent him a copy). However I had to ask myself why he was asking for my music which is instrumental - and not church style at all. also if he was so broke what was he doing with a computer and connected to the net?
I suspect he was just using religious reasons to cover up his real intentions - to get free CD's and I doubt he had anything to do with a church.

The second email was from a radio station in Russia (the station existed) however the DJ did not and again I suspect this guy was using this as a screen.

I understand that in both the above incidents (and confirming this after talking to a good friend of mine at a legitimate radio station) both Asia and Russia have a reputation for piracy of music and the CD you send could be copied and sold on the black market (while you never see a cent for all your hard work).

The third incident (though not what I would exactly call a scam but a little on the grey side) was through a record company in the US.
I even spoke to these guys on the phone a number of times and was about to consider the possibility of moving to the States as a career move.
Once again these people had contacted me first (perhaps you could go so far as to say that I was spammed) they had even critiqued my music, there were forms and questionaires and even phone interviews - the whole thing was professionally done.

Why I'm saying that this was a little on the grey side was the fact that they really wanted a cut of the action - I would have to record my material through them and organise touring etc to pay off production fees etc, (which seemed ridiculous since I already had two albums out and my own recording facility).
Guys if at all possible do avoid debts of this kind (they are more likely to break than make you).
I have come to the conclusion that it is better to build your own music business than sell out to a contract unless you know exactly what you are doing.

So friends do be careful.
If you know of anything that seems to be a scam or a little grey, let me know and I'll check it out and post my findings.
I want to help prevent unsuspecting musicians and artists from being ripped off.

Remember sell your music - not your soul.

MediaWebSource.com

Another helpful site I found recently is MediaWebsource.
They provide as their website quotes:
"Music Industry Resources For Any Songwriter, Garage Band, Local Band, or Indie Music Act".
There are some good links here worth visiting.

The Music Link Exchange.

I discovered this site recently - a great place to add your band listing for free.
The truth is the more you list your site in targeted areas, the more likely you are to be found (which is always the number one goal when promoting your website - to be seen. Being heard is a very close second).

Quote for the week.

Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things.
The saddest summary of a life is: could have, might have, and should have.

-Louis E. Boone

Selling your music online - a reality check.

Article by David Nevue - July 2005

I am often asked how much money a person can really make selling music online. I hear both extremes, both from artists who think they'll use the Internet to make it rich, and others who don't believe anyone can make any money online selling music. The truth is somewhere in between.

What follows is a brief, edited excerpt from the introductory chapter of my book, How to Promote Your Music Successfully on the Internet.


Will You Make Millions?
Let’s get real for a moment. Promoting your music successfully on the Internet is hard work. Don’t ever forget that. I’ve spent years doing this. The Internet is not a shortcut to success -- it’s simply another tool, one that can be very effective in the hands of someone who knows how to use it. Still, it’s important to have realistic expectations before investing your time and money marketing your music online. You’re going to face some very heated competition. There literally tens of thousands of musicians out there who already have web pages on the Internet (as of this writing there are over 98,000 artists registered with CDBaby.com alone). How can you compete with all those musicians? They are just the tip of the iceberg, though. Once you embark upon your promotional journey, you are, in a very real sense, competing with every other web page out there. How can you possibly stand out in that crowd? Pretty daunting, isn’t it?

According to the Neilsen Netratings web site, there are over 299 million people actively using the Internet. A Georgia Tech survey of actual buyers provided some very interesting statistics: 70% of all buyers searched for the item they bought, 16% searched for a topic related to what they bought, and 4% searched for the name of another product which led them to the final product they purchased. Adding it up, 90% of all buyers used the Internet as a modern-day, digital Yellow Pages. So the question is, what does this tell you about selling your music on the Net?


Quite simply, it means that creating a web page to sell your music is not enough. That’s something I discovered very early on. Even if you submit your site to the search engines, you’re not likely to see a significant traffic increase. Think about it. If 90% of the buyers out there already know what they are looking for and are searching the Internet for that particular item, how will they find you, someone whose music they have likely never heard of? If they are not looking for you, they won’t find you. So, what ARE they looking for? Therein lies the key.

Here’s the slap-in-the-face reality: In my experience, the average musician sells between two and five CDs a year from their web site. Sales that low do not justify the expense of putting your music online. Can you do better than five CDs a year? Yes, you can do much, much better, but only if you have a quality product people care about and market it properly. Let me be up front with you. To succeed on the Internet, you must prepare yourself for the long haul and prepare to work hard. Success on the Internet won’t come overnight.

As you read on, keep the following questions in the back of your mind. They hold the key to successful online music promotion:

1) What is unique about my music?
2) What general style of music are my fans most interested in?
3) What other artists do my fans compare my music to?

and most importantly...

4) Who is my target customer?
5) What kind of information is my *target* customer searching for on the Internet?
6) How can I use that information to bring that target customer to my web site?

To answer the question I posed at the beginning of this article, no, you are not likely to make millions on the Internet doing just music. But you can bring in a good, steady income. In 2004, I was able to generate an average of about $6,000 per month in total sales just from the Internet (that doesn’t include gigs and CD sales at gigs). This income comes not only from CD sales, but sheet music sales (of my own music), book sales, partnerships, advertising revenue, and other sources. But every single thing I do online is related to the music business I love.

It's Not Just About the Money...
There is still the question of using the Internet to advance your music career, and that’s something the Internet can help you do also. I’ve been able to generate a lot of publicity for my music online, and as a result not only do I sell CDs, but I often receive requests to have my music used in independent film and media projects. I’ve negotiated three distribution deals overseas as a result of someone finding my music online. One company is using my music on an internationally distributed DVD series that raises funds for various charities. Even NBC contacted me to inquire about using my music in a made for TV film. Finally, I’m playing a lot more gigs in a lot more places as a direct result of marketing my music online and as you know, the more you play live, the more doors get opened up for you. You, like me, can use the Internet to create a huge amount of exposure for your music. The more exposure you generate, the more likely you are to gain new fans, sell more music get more gigs and of course, make those contacts you want to make within the music industry.

The above a brief, edited excerpt from the introductory chapter How to Promote Your Music Successfully on the Internet.

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David Nevue is the founder of The Music Biz Academy and Whisperings: Solo Piano Radio. He is also a professional pianist, recording artist, full-time Internet musician, and author of the book, "How to Promote Your Music Successfully on the Internet."

Recording equipment, software etc - where to get it.

zZounds is one of the best online music stores I have seen with everything from guitars and keyboards, microphones and PA systems through to computers and recording software (and their prices are excellent) they also promise to beat any competitor's price (and offer free shipping within the US).
What I really like about this site is they have a section where customers have rated the products and given their feedback which is really helpful if you are browsing for items such as recording software etc.
You can purchase over 125,000 different products from their website 24 hours a day.

The Indie Centre

Indie centre is a resource for bands, musicians and aspiring labels. Includes a directory of resources for manufacturing, distribution, and helpful articles about starting a label, touring, and promotion.

The Starpolish Advice Library

StarPolish are dedicated to educating and empowering artists, with an emphasis on artist advocacy and artist development.
Their Advice Library is very comprehensive and easy to navigate.

Freeware! Audio and Video.

After some free audio software to get you started in music recording and video editing?
While freeware isn't always the most advanced you can often be pleasantly surprised with some high quality software if you know where to look.
If you are just beginning and want to experiment with your own computer - based recording studio then Don't Crac[k] is a great place to start.
This site features both Mac and Windows programs.

Live music is not dead - it's in transition. Are you?

House concerts are one of the most important trends in independent music today. Musicians across the country are discovering a wonderful alternative to playing in smoky clubs and noisy coffeehouses - performing in people's homes. House concerts are a great way to connect with new audiences.

"I love house concerts - they are the emotional anchors of every tour." -- Hans York

There's just something about house concerts. The intimacy really allows a deeper connection to the audience, and that connection often leads to strong merchandise sales and lifelong fans.

Is this for you?
Generally, house concert hosts are seeking solos, duos, and small trios that can perform mostly original material with little or no amplification. They are seeking professionals who can perform 60 to 90 minutes of strong material. Hosts usually collect $10 - $15 donations from the guests, and the only financial guarantee is that you'll get most or all of that money.

Concertsinyourhome.com is the most complete and up-to-date source of house concert information on the web. It is also the leading the charge in creating more of these opportunities nationwide. For just $25/year (a fraction of what you'd make from a single show,) you can promote your act to the growing house concert community. There's no contract and it's quick and easy to join.

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Be a part of the growing house concert movement. Here are some of the benefits of joining concertsinyourhome.com

*Pay no commissions
*Perform for friendly, attentive audiences with little or no sound equipment.
*Create a professional artist listing to attract house concert hosts and music-lovers to your talent.
*Find house concert opportunities quicker and easier than ever before.
*Create your own opportunities with free helpful tools.
*Help fund a nationwide campaign to create more house concerts.

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The low-down on house concerts.

How things are at the moment: (the bad news)

The house concert community is generally made up of hundreds of very loosely affiliated folk music fans. They are generally interested in folk, contemporary folk, singer-songwriter, bluegrass, country/americana, and some celtic. If you perform rap, hard rock, cover tunes, or electronic music, you won't find much interest from them.

However, if your music fits, there's another hurdle. Many of the current house concert hosts aren't looking for new acts - at least not online. They go to festivals, and usually book people they have seen before. They host two to twelve shows per year, so there's not a ton of opportunity out there.

What's going on now: (the good news)

I'm proud to say we are a big part of the good news.
1. Few people in America know what a house concert is, and fewer still have ever been to one. How is that good news? It shows the enormous upside potential here. Concertsinyourhome.com is leading the charge to make "house concerts" a popular way to see live music, and a great source of new fans for artists.
2. Through the web, it is now easier than ever before for artists and concert hosts to find each other. Concertsinyourhome.com is already the most comprehensive, up-to-date resource for house concerts in America. As more hosts join the site, you'll be able to easily find the ones that make sense for you, and contact them directly.
3. A larger community will open up to different kinds of artists. Why not poets, children's performers, instrumental or flamenco guitar? Any act that can fit into a living room might eventually find a fan here.
4. Artists are actively growing the market. Every time they play a house concert, they have a good chance to convert a fan into another house concert host. Concertsinyourhome.com provides them both with the tools to turn that spark into another great show. This new host might then enjoy the experience so much that they start booking other artists.

What will happen (the best news).

Artists from around the globe will discover that there is a great alternative (O.K. - supplement) to performing in noisy coffeehouses and bars. Music fans are creating places where you can perform instead of distract, where you can connect instead of practice, and where you can be treated like an artist instead of a meal-ticket.

Music fans will discover that live music is something to be cherished, not stumbled upon while ordering a cup of coffee. They will re-learn to listen to the unique, instead of bobbing their heads to the mainstream.

Live music is not dead. It's in transition. Are you?




fran snyder
www.concertsinyourhome.com - the most comprehensive and up-to-date house concert site on the web.

Free Recording Software for Mac- HyperEngine AV

HyperEngine AV by Arboretum Systems, is a free Audio and video editing software package that I have been experimenting with and is a neat little program if you are wanting to just do some basic recording and a few effects.
You have a small amount of plugins and can purchase more by upgrading if you want.
I can recommend the "Ray Gun" plugin as an excellent noise reduction tool to reduce the hiss and rumble from LPs and cassettes.

Your Audio Mastermind...

AudioMastermind is a site I discovered just recently and is packed with information all about recording and music in general.
You'll need a few hours free to browse here with links to a lot of good sites with a collection of free and commercial links to bookmark for later reference. (Just don't forget to bookmark me too!)

About Home Recording.

About.com is an excellent resource to visit if you are just staring out in recording your music and want to do it yourself rather than go to a recording studio which does have it's advantages.
There are some very good links here including some free recording software.
You can visit About Home Recording Here.