An example of using video to promote your music.

Finally fixed my website issue and I'm back online although it will take up to 72 hours for my site to propagate through all the servers no major harm done - my hosting service was most apologetic (this is the first time I have ever had a problem such as this).
Ok enough said.
As mentioned in a previous post I'm currently using the Helloworld service to promote my music and have started to get set up on their virtual TV station.
Being low budget in what I had to work with (a digital camera that records video as opposed to a proper video camera and freeware video editing software) I have created my first music videos (or montages in this case)and the result isn't too bad at all.
Below is my first attempt which has been encoded into a number of formats (including one for video ipods).
(file runs for a little over a minute so may take a while to load if you have a slower connection).
As mentioned a couple of posts ago, I have a small number of free trials to give away for those serious about taking their music to a wider audience.
(Check earlier posts)
In the meantime, here's my sample video.

Monitoring your website - a vital tool in your online music sales.

Back from holidays I read my emails and was delighted to receive some notifications from CDbaby - 2 more CDs sold online (I need to send more to CDbaby) and the fan had bookmarked my website which was excellent.
I like to drop by my website every so often to check to make sure everything is working (Occasionally a link may not work due to a url change or I need to add an update).
Today was my big launch of video on my music site so I made my way to my website and was horrified to discover my site was completely down (Domain name had expired).
I had paid my fees a month ago but somehow the hosting sevice had missed this.
A great way to miss sales is to have your site down like this.
I have emailed support and will be following up with a phonecall at midnight to make sure everything is fixed.
The lesson:
Check your website regularly at least weekly (or perhaps more often) to make sure you're online and your visitors can still find you.
Also it's worth adding a stats counter to your site so you can monitor traffic and what effect changes you make to your site, advertising etc is having on the number of visitors coming to your website.

Christmas greetings from Mark

Click on the logo to view a video message from Mark.

Helloworld trial CDs are here.

Hi everyone,
As mentioned in a previous post I had made a promise so I'm here make good on that and to make an announcement that the free trial CDs for the Helloworld service are now available.
I have a very limited supply left, so if you are wanting to trial this product to promote your music (Free for 30 days) then you need to drop me a line straight away.
This would be the perfect promotion to record a video of you playing your material to send to fans as a Christmas or New years greeting for example, or you could record part of a recent gig to forward to other prospective venue owners, but there is a whole lot more you can do if you decide to continue on with the service in the new year.
(Want a chance to get on national TV and get huge exposure without the big dollars?)
Basically all you need is a video recording device (ie a video camera or even a good webcam will do), a pc with windows 200 or XP, a broadband connection and an account with Helloworld and you have all the tools you need to broadcast your music with your own virtual TV station.
I'm currently in the process of putting together my own music videos and I'm looking forward to the increase in music sales and exposure this will generate for me.
You can check out some examples and contact me here.

Note:
Below are 3 free 30 day trial CD codes (which give you a basic account service - you can always upgrade later with a paid account) which can be redeemed at cd.helloworld.com
As I mentioned earlier, you'll need a decent PC running Windows XP or Windows 2000 and a broadband connection for this to work best.
Ok here are codes for 3 accounts.

232CD97D66
FA03C7B1E7
C22BF297A8

The power of chilli and how tight is your band?

Just a couple of nights ago I watched the smoothest drummer swap I have ever seen.
Being involved in live sound production I get to see some interesting things.
Last weekend was a classic.
The band had eaten earlier and the drummer was doing fine - until the chilli kicked in and he had to leave for the bathroom - mid song.
A quick signal to one of the lead singers (who also played) and there was a smooth transition as drummers exchanged seats.
It was almost poetic to watch.
Not a beat was missed and the crowd kept grooving.

The lesson?
The band was tight and knew each other.
They had been playing together and professional enough to take any problem in their stride without being thrown.
This is why they get gigs every weekend and get invited back time and time again (and why I benefit with lots of stage work).

Keep it tight.
Practice together on a regular basis, know your material, know each other, get to know each other's style, communicate on and offstage and the groove will flow.

Myspace - a must for musos.

Myspace is growing in popularity (right up there with Google and Yahoo) and is an excellent resource for musicians and bands.
I have my site up and running and it has helped to increase exposure at no cost.
If you want to really squeeze every last drop of potential from this free online service, you might also want to visit the Music biz academy and download the ebook MySpace Music Marketing which has some great tips that will help you get the ball rolling.