For many artists, landing a record deal is the ultimate goal. Obviously you’re undertaking a Herculean task in trying to get label attention, but here’s some insider knowledge that should help you feel a little better: Here are some of the biggest mistakes made when contacting record labels, learn what you can do to set yourself up as the type of artist labels dream of signing.

1. Not Doing Your Research

This is the cardinal sin in contacting record labels! You wouldn’t believe how many p...
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I get a lot of emails everyday and to be honest with you sometimes they provide a well needed comedic break in my day. I often read emails and think "Oh my God, I can't believe someone actually wrote this to me!" I thought it would be nice to share four things you should never write in an email and why. These are in no particular order with regards to comedic value.

 

1-I need your help, please! What does your company do?

Let me break this down for you because there is so much wrong w...

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I get sick and tired of artists telling me that they are already doing the things necessary for success, when in fact; most of them haven’t the foggiest idea what music business success looks like. When you don’t know, then your objective should be humility, and within that state of humility you will allow yourself to be open to not only constructive criticism, but also opportunity.

Nowadays, a lot of artists have grown accustomed to writing checks with their mouths that their asses can’...

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Ever wondered why some super talented musicians don’t get the fanbase and recognition they ‘deserve’, while other not as talented musicians get a lot more exposure and seen in all the right places? Well while there could be a number of different reasons for this, one of the most common is that successful person’s ability to handle the business side of the music industry. More specifically, they probably know how to market themselves well.

Music marketing is that key piece to the puzzle...
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There have been a whole bunch of revolutions lately. One of the ones I’m most excited about is the revolution in the area of recording gear and software. I think it’s really incredible how just in the past few years tools have evolved to the point where people like you and I can get REALLY great recordings on our own, in our own homes.

I think a lot of people are aware of this particular revolution and are really jumping on board, which is awesome! But there’s another revolution I want t...
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Everyone talks about networking and how it’s so important for your business, but when it comes down to it, not many people know how to do it and why it’s so valuable. Here are a few tips for all the new networkers out there.

No matter what your business, if you’re a up and coming musician, a publicist or an accountant, it’s important to know people in your industry. Industry connections, no matter the context, can make a considerable difference when it comes to growing and maintaining ...
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Non-musicians are always confounded as to why musicians struggle so much for their art. If you look at it logically, there’s really no reason why some of us would give up promising careers in “legit” businesses to groval for a few bucks in an effort to keep on groveling for one more day. And this is all in the hopes of someday “making it,” which usually means that we can continue making music, just without the day-to-day groveling.

But there’s a reason why we do it. Performing musi...
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Does promotion often feel like pulling teeth?

Has it been hard for you to get people to share your music?

If so, continue reading. We’re about to clear things up for you.

The truth is, paying for promotion and getting your music on bigger outlets can do wonders for your career. HOWEVER, your core fan base is actually your most effective form of promotion. If you can get all of your fans to share your music, their friends will catch on, and then their friends will catch on. Before you know it, ...
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Do you sometimes feel that the enthusiasm for your music is languishing? Are you tired of seeing the same people at your shows and want to perform to a new crowd, even in your hometown?

If you’re like most artists, you know that you absolutely can do better, that you have more fans out there than who actually show up at at the venue, and despite always receiving positive feedback, you don’t know why more people aren’t showing up. Here are some tips on building some momentum back into you...
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Smart musicians know that their career depends on building a loyal relationship with as many fans as possible. But before you can start to build that relationship, you have to get people’s attention…

So how do you cut through the noise?

Well, here’s a simple rule: What stands out gets remembered and talked about. What blends in gets forgotten - or worse - goes unnoticed.

If you want to be remembered and talked about, here are 3 simple and effective ways to do it:

1. Use Stunning Visuals

We l...
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Quick. Simple. And they make a huge impact. What’s not to love?

1 Remember Peoples’ Names
Ya ya ya, you meet a lot of people… we get it. If you want people to remember your name, you better sure as hell try to remember theirs. Find a good system. Make notes. Facebook stalk. Do something.

2 Send Thank You Notes
A small and simple gesture that goes a long way to ensure you leave a great impression.

3 Database Relentlessly
Keep organized and detailed databases of your mailing list, the local ...
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Mixing is where it all comes together - it is an important stage.


1 Try and install, at the least some, minimal acoustic treatments. They will assist every mix you do and help you get better results. Side wall absorbers, a ceiling cloud and a few broadband bass traps will help neutralize your room acoustics. It need not be costly if you can do a little DIY.


2 Wherever possible, try to get your loudspeakers as far from the room corners as is possible to do so. This reduces bass tip up. (This is ...
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No I can’t make you famous. No one can. That’s not how this works. So why do people like me need to explain this to artists all the time? Fame is a very intangible thing – and in this day and age it’s largely purchased. By hiring a producer, manager or promoter you’re probably not going to get famous right away. In fact, even having rad music and an entire team behind you does not guarantee that you will make it. It’s only one step forward. Here’s the thing – we live in a worl...
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What does your typography say about you? It speaks volumes about your music brand and what it stands for. As visual creatures, most people respond to the look and feel of your music’s branding as much as its sound. According to the Social Science Research Network, 65 percent of the population learn visually. Since your branding is often the first impression people will have before hearing the music, it pays to craft it in a way that best reflects your identity.

Chris Lake argues in a recent ...
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Self-promotion in the music industry is a topic that has been explored extensively over the past 20 years. Some of the basic ground rules are the same that apply to any business or freelancer. Most people in the industry, however, artists included, don’t know a whole lot about it. Many prefer to hover around the topic of social media because it’s all they know.

Just as people starting businesses often under-estimate the amount of work necessary, so do unsigned artists. A quick disclaimer:...
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I've read at least a dozen articles with people who make sweeping claims like “Don’t release in January” that quite honestly don’t have any idea what they’re talking about. When you should release your album depends on A LOT of factors and there’s no simple reason why you should pick one month over another. It all has to do with what your plans are AFTER the release. Let’s take a look.

January Boom - In the last few years there has been a big push to get major label artists to re...
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1. Write in the moment. So many times I've had song ideas that sort of crept up. My best successes have been when I stopped what I was doing and wrote the ideas down. At best, grab your mic and get to work, but at least jot it down. I've even sung lines into my phone so I can remember melodies for later. Keeping a notebook nearby is definitely a necessity for songwriters.

2. Don't be afraid to view songwriting as storytelling and role playing. Use songs to explore things you might not have exp...
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 "This music is free! Go download it!”

I see this statement a lot, but offering your music for free doesn’t encourage new people to listen to it. Why? Because so much music is free now!

Here’s another statement quickly becoming a cliche:

“This [formerly on a major label band] is now going indie and needs your help! Support their Kickstarter!” It was an amazing story when Amanda Palmer did it; now it’s commonplace.

Note, I love Kickstarter and I love how we can offer our music for free...
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One of the major problems that has plagued today’s music world is the bad stigma placed on lack of “Professionalism”. With the market being as flooded as it is, it becomes extremely difficult for artist to set themself apart from the rest of the pack. Furthermore, to even break out of the local music scene you might just have to enlist help  – imagine that! You have embarked on a business journey that, if handled correctly, will be very rewarding. But, how do you avoid fatal errors co...
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We box with the demon of doubt daily, while at the same time wrestle with our art, fighting to get it just right before we launch, release, publish, ship or produce. The inner dialog is relentless and the process is exhausting. No one else on earth could possibly understand what you go through to manifest just one inch of acceptable, original work. However, this is it, this is what it’s like to be an artist, an entrepreneur, and every single day of your life is “Showtime!” And every sin...
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If you’re a musician/singer/actress or other kind of creative person, you may find that you struggle to cope with the overwhelming amount of work you need to do and still manage to fit in your singing/monologue practice that will help you in the lead up to a gig or audition. I know. I’ve been there. And I know how hard it is to pick yourself up when the weather outside is miserable and you feel miserable too.

Here are my top 5 tips on how to combat those low days and still make good progre...
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Ready for the world to hear your brand new track after spending hours in the studio recording it? Not sure exactly how to go about it? You’re not alone! Understanding the moving parts behind a release is half of the battle, and we’re here to help. Let’s honor the time you spent toiling over the tracking process and do this right. This checklist is meant to be used as a resource as you plan your next single release.

So how can you successfully launch your new single into the ether a...
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If you are not already on Youtube, you need to stop reading this and go create an account.  For everybody else that already has an account, hopefully you’ve been utilizing it to its maximum effectiveness.  If not, read on for some easy and helpful tips to improve your Youtube page.

First of all, you should make sure your Youtube Channel is looking the best that it can.  Upload all of your music videos and tweak your channel’s appearance so that it fits with the vibe of your music.   If you...
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Twice in one week I heard from two different people involved with booking bands about the importance of your website and social presence. Sometimes I feel like all I do is repeat myself when I say your official website needs to be core to everything you do and it must be current and look professional and… engage with your fans on your social networks. Well this article is going to repeat those statements again.

I was at SF Musictech and listening to Nic Adler from the world famous Roxy night...
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Some people are into money. Some aren’t.

Some people are inspired by helping the needy. Some aren’t.

Some are into fame, power, and prestige. Others are into anonymity and freedom from responsibility.

It gets more interesting when you realize people have different preferences in the different parts of their life. Famous online, but anonymous in their local community. Generous with time, stingy with money. Introvert when working, extrovert when not.

You have to know your preferences well, beca...
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It can be difficult for adults to have to take care of their families and manage their music careers. This can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. As a result, here are a few steps in how to take care of your family and your music career without getting stressed.

Try to set goals for yourself when you manage your family or career. When you go to work each day, try to set some goals for you to accomplish. For instance, let’s say your goal for today is to finish the report that your bo...
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Here's the good news:

These days if you want to sell your music online it is pretty damn easy.

You find a nice music distribution service, upload your songs and BAM… you are worldwide.

Your music is blasted out all over the world in less than an hour.

Here's the real bummer.

This is the point where most every Indie musicians stop. They think “Hey, I just released my music to the world. Break out the Pabst Blue Ribbon and lets party [high faves all around].”

That is the lazy way to sell your m...
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In today’s ultra-competitive and sometimes over saturated music industry, it is important for independent bands and artists to not only go out and perform in order to gain fans, but to also understand and relate with these people. Knowing who your audience is and what they are all about can help you connect with them on a deeper level in order to gain truly devoted followers of you and your music. These things are necessary in order to independently take your act to the next level!

...

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As an artist who are you? How do you want to be seen? Unfortunately a talented musician without an image and a web presence that appeals to the public won’t get very far.  It is important to take a moment and step back to think about how you would like to be perceived by others. What are you doing to portray this image to your fans?  

In this new technology driven world artist have the opportunity to be very transparent. Fans can interact with bands they love directly through omni...

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Besides Facebook and Twitter, there are dozens of other social networking sites out there for independent musicians to take advantage of.  And while some might be great for easily sharing your music like SoundCloud and Last.FM, there are other sites that are finding more and more interesting uses.  With over 10 million users, Pinterest is one of the fastest growing social networks out there today.  Pinterest is an online interactive pinboard that lets you “pin” your favorite videos...

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Taylor is a killer vocalist. He’s always been a natural and never had to practice much. He doesn’t need to warm up, just shows up, belts, then goes partying with his friends. He’s done shows buzzed or hungover more than once.

Dan’s dream is to be a recording artist. He practices every day. He’s not particularly musical, and he’s rather shy, but he works hard and doesn’t leave the house much.

Luke is a likeable guy and a decent drummer, though not the best. He practi...

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There are some fundamental things that you as an artist have to understand to make your art go from a hobby to a career. First and foremost, if you are trying to make your music your career, you have to be able to view it in two forms: art and business–there is no other way. If you can’t do that, you need to re-evaluate what you’re trying to accomplish. Now that we’re past that, let’s discuss your music career as a business and how you should be investing in it.

Treat it like...

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Artists are mostly brooders; we are, let’s face it.  We worry too much.  We are constantly tripping about where we should be and therefore look down on ourselves about where our careers currently are and as a result, we get depressed, crotchety, upset, and some of us get downright mean.

I got news for you, this mental process is breaking the 10th commandment; THOU SHALT NOT COVET.  This isn’t a religion thing; it’s a great piece of 2000 year old advice.  Somebody already articu...

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When you're writing, the end of the song is naturally the last thing you think about. You can end cold or you can fade out, but there are numerous other ways to bring your song to a close, such as dissolution, subtraction, cadences, and the false beginning. After all, the last moments of your song are the freshest memory your listeners will have.

Here are seven creative ways to close out your song, with a few examples for inspiration. And please pardon us if the list is a bit Pink Floyd-centri...
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Describing sounds is a difficult thing to do. While we have plenty of common terms we use to describe what we see (bright, dark, colorful, pale, etc.), finding words to describe what we hear can be more of a challenge. Although many of the same words that apply to visuals can apply to sounds as well, the way we understand these sonic terms can vary widely from person to person; what one band member might hear as "warm," another might hear as "thick" or "muddy." So in an effort to get everyone...

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This week I'd like to take you into the wonderful world of lyrics. For some people, mostly musicians-turned-songwriters, lyrics are hell on a stick. Making dope melodies and tracks is easy peasy. But writing an interesting yet simple lyric that people can identify with and remember? That hasn't already been done a million times before? Kill me now.

I feel your pain, amigo. I grew up on instrumental classical and jazz music, and English isn't my first language. I didn't care about lyrics at all...

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Positive thinking can lead to a lot of positive change in your life. Developing an optimistic outlook can be good for both your physical and mental health. But sometimes, certain situations arise in life that makes it hard to keep a positive outlook. Take steps to make positive thinking become more like second nature and you'll reap some big benefits. Here are 10 tips to make positive thinking easy.

 

If you surround yourself with constant compla...

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If you've seen Easy A, you probably remember the scene where Emma Stone receives a card that plays Natasha  Bedingfield's "Pocketful of Sunshine" and how Stone's character hates the song ­ at first. Flash forward to a few days  later, and she can't stop singing it.     There are songs that we can't stand, yet can't get out of our heads. There are also songs that we love and feel  addicted to. For whatever reason, songs get lodged in our brains ­ and often stay there for a maddeningly long t...
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If you want to get anywhere in music today, fan interaction is a major part of it. There are so many options in music, and so many ways to obtain it (legally or not) that fans are only going to be loyal to musicians who truly give something back.

This is a problem that we see more indie artists facing: Their music is out there, on streaming services and online stores, but that’s not turning into tickets and T-shirt sales. In other words, they have listeners, but not fans.

What’s the differe...

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So, you’ve got a new album…  how do you get the word out?  Music promotion usually makes the difference between a success and a failure.

There are more options than ever for artists to promote themselves, but on the other hand, there are more ways for everyone to promote themselves and it’s creating a public that’s under a constant messaging deluge.  Music promotion won’t simply be about getting the word out…  it’s about making sure someone actually hears it.

Getting Your New...

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Most often crowdfunding is used by musicians to raise money for new recordings, but touring vehicles, video budgets, new gear and even tour expenses are common causes for these campaigns. While there are many platforms for raising money, the most popular and longest established sites for songwriters are Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

For a time, “Kickstarter” seemed synonymous with crowdfunding, with 5.5-million monthly visitors in the US. Nonetheless, Indiegogo, with about 1-million vis...

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I recently hosted one of my monthly BMI Nashville Songwriter Workshops, where each of the 50 attendees had an opportunity to pitch one song to a successful publisher. Typically, at these workshops, with few exceptions, every song played was perfectly crafted. The writers have mastered the use of current song structures; the lyrics made sense and were well written; rhymes were where my ear expected them to be; and the melodies worked well with the chords—avoiding any dissonance. Yet the publ...
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When you're having problems in the studio with pitch and don't quite know how correct this problem, it can become very frustrating. Adding to the pressure to perform, the harder you try, the worse your pitch gets. This is almost universal in new singers recording for the first time, but even veteran and professional vocalists can be affected by pitch control issues.

An artist who is a really good live performer can enter the vocal booth and often experience a numbing of body language witho...

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To effectively promote your music, you have to appreciate the art and the business involved in becoming a successful recording artists. The art is easy to appreciate, but many artists find the business end to be a tedious task. The business part is easy to appreciate with success, so to help you achieve that success here is a list of 2 things that can be easily overlooked when growing a fanbase for your music.

1. Get your music out there to be heard

It's easy to overlook the simple fact tha...

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Have you ever wanted to do voice overs? As artist who consistently utilize our voices for our music, it would only be a natural progression to also look into doing voice overs. Remember the last time you were watching TV, did you hear that voice announcing the next shows for tonight? That commercial with voice overs trying to sell you insurance, or maybe something to eat? Have you ever wondered who those hidden talents are, behind the scenes?

Doing voice overs is an exciting career opp...

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The album cover art is the first thing potential buyers see when looking for music online and in retail stores. In this article, I intend to give you a few simple tips to help you when brainstorming about the design of your album cover.

1. Your band name or artist name should stand out or be eye catching. If your name can't be spotted at a glance, then your album cover want help your sales.

2. Make your album cover art unique and memorable. Don't forget that presentation is the key to g...

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Why submit to Pandora? Hmm let's see!

Pandora is hands down the most used music radio station and can get your music some great exposure. Exposure is the first step to connecting with potential fans and industry professionals. Plus Pandora is a free way to get your music heard by the masses. Now some artists have neglected to use Pandora because they do not have the required UPC code or a listing of their CD on Amazon.com So first off lets talk about killing those two birds with a pap...

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Getting your foot in the door to the music industry can be a long and hard process. You may have a few songs prepared or even a few mixtapes and self published albums, but how do you get your name out there? A cost effective way to get it done would be to submit your material for an album review service. Using this service is a great way to start off your marketing strategy.

You typically just have to send the reviewer a copy of your album, mixtape, or song and they will take the time to liste...

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  When the Beats by Dre headphones first came out, they caught my attention. Of course my initial evaluation was based on looks, because of their sleek and modern design. And of course their marketing did a great job of promoting them in various music videos.  So I decided to test them out for myself and see if they held up to all the hype.

The Solo HD looks great and offers a great fold-able design which allows you to take them just about anywhere. They also have ControlTalk technology which ...

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So you have written some great music and would like to sell your songs to artists who are looking for great material, but you are unsure of how to go about it. Well this post will hopefully give you a little insight on how to get your music to the right people who can "do something" with it.

The most likely person who would listen to your music and promote it to artists would be a song publisher. Song publishers function as agents for songs and songwriters. Getting a song publisher to accept y...

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When building your brand the number one goal should be to make your brand stand out so it sticks in people's minds. In order to do this your brand must have a distinctive look that is all its on. That look must be consistent where ever it appears; online, in social media, flyers, business cards, and all other forms of media. The message must be clear, so use words and or images that are simple to understand. Most importantly it must have the ability to connect on an emotional level with peopl...

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Many artists have found success in the music industry through performing their music, but sometimes the gigs can slow down or even dry up, so how do you continue making money with your original music? Licensing your music to TV and Film is a great way to keep the money rolling in while being able to expose your music to the masses. TV and Film companies are always willing to use quality independent music, and some companies prefer to use independent music

because they don't have the budget to ...

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   Most Music Directories tend to focus on major and larger labels, but The Indie Bible is a great tool for independent recording artists. Its a large book available in various formats, including e-books, Indie Bible Online and a set of directories geared towards venues for the U.S. and Canada. The Indie Bible is a resource focused on providing helpful contacts for artist who are looking to promote their own music and broaden their audience. What makes this directory so useful is The Indie Bi...

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The Blue Yeti USB condenser mic might be massive in size which gives it quite a bit of weight, but that is what may make it perfect for desktop or studio use. It's stable and durable however it reduces the portability of it, so if you require a lightweight and portable microphone the Yeti wouldn't be recommended.  The Blue Yeti has sublime sound quality which adds a deep richness to just about any voice. Another plus to the Yeti is it includes a plain pop-filter. It is also very easy to setup...
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The AT2020 offers an affordable price, quality, and functionality. The Audio Technica AT2020 plugs into the USB port and offers professional quality recording, it is also small and portable and includes a stand which makes it very stable when recording. The AT2020 is also simple to get going, just plug into your USB port and go into your system preferences and select the AT2020. Just that easy to get it setup for recording your sessions. Only down side to the AT2020 (if you consider it that) ...
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Listening to all the great hits on the radio might leave you wondering how do they make it look so easy. Especially the artists who are timeless and have been creating great music for years that seem to always grab our attention. They seem to have an endless supply of great ideas, that make us wonder, how do they do it? Clearly they have an inexhaustible supply of good songwriting techniques that they have educated themselves with over the years.

The best songwriters usually achieve their abil...

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While promoting my own music I have made several textbook mistakes, which is why I now believe I'm more effective at it. Sometimes it takes trial-and-error to discover those techniques which will help you to be more effective at promoting your own music. So this article is aimed at helping you to avoid some of the more common and not so common mistakes.

In many cases when you're promoting your music, you come across another artist who is promoting their music as well. You usually listen to it ...

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Leasing beats from music producers is one of the least costly ways to get great beats to download for your mixtape or album.  A lease or nonexclusive gives you the ability to use the producers cool rap beats without costing you much.  Buying a nonexclusive or leased beat s basically like renting the producers best with certain limitations but its perfect if you are working with a budget (read terms and conditions on the Contact page for limitations).  For the cost of less than hundred dollars...

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95% of the music uploaded online isn't being listened to.  Why?  Most times it is due to poor planning. I have listed 8 reasons why this may be happening so you can increase your plays.

1. DON'T ONLY TWEET ABOUT YOUR MUSIC... Try starting out with "Hello!", don't just send random tweets with links to your mixtape. Engage in conversation with potential fans.

2. DON'T SPAM... tweets show up on your profile.  That will stop people from following you because you start to look like a spammer and fol...

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Why should you upload your mixtapes to mixtape sites? The difference between a successful tape and one that doesn't do well is how it's promoted. Every recording artist wants to have a successful mixtape or album. One way to reach your goal is to upload your mixtapes online, with all the music websites you can increase your fan base, and build your reputation.

Most of the sites are free, and you are still able to get great exposure. So this leaves you with more money to invest to get your name...

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