Independent Music Online

Using the internet to find music you like to listen to and build your music collection in any style of music is an easy and affordable way to add to your music library as you can easily burn your own CD's or download mp3's to your iPod or other music player. It is also a great way to find out about current and new artists, new album and single releases, get free lyrics and find free music downloads. The popular free iTunes software and music library allows you to create your own music library, find TV shows, podcasts and get free music downloads and for only $0.99 a song download you cannot really go wrong. Plus there are a lot of websites online where you can find free music videos and mp3 downloads like YouTube, MySpace, Rawkus, CDBaby, Soundclick and so many others.

What does this mean for the future of music? With the everyday consumer buying on average 2 new music albums a month this could have an effect on the music industry but most shops like Virgin, HMV and other well known music retail shops also have online websites which offer even more discounts and sometimes a music community so the music lovers using the internet can only boost music sales.

The internet is also a good place for independent artists without a major record label to upload and promote their music. There are a lot of independent music websites where you can create your own profile, update fans with your news and even sell your own music. The royalty companies like ASCAP, PRS, Harry Fox and BMI also have internet music licenses you can get so that you receive royalties and commissions for all music plays on internet radio stations, and for any music downloads and mp3 or CD sales.

You can even make your own music by buying and downloading music production and creation software you find online to your PC or laptop and if you have a good sound card and microphone you can make and record your own music and beats very easily. In fact, you can find hundreds of free loops and backing tracks you can download and even license for commercial use making it easy for the music producer and songwriter to make their own music.

And if you want to learn about music, study an instrument or get advice on the music industry you can do a search on the internet and find so much free and useful information in articles and on music websites and blogs.

Does this take away the traditional way of making and playing music for the musician? Some think so but you can look at it like this; the internet has opened up the whole globe to us and you can make good music contacts from all over the world and build your own worldwide fan base just by promoting your music online. Music you may never have even heard of has become easily available and the whole music scene and industry has benefited and grown because of internet and satellite communications.

You can see then that using the internet connects music lovers around the world and Cyber Technology has made it easier for the songwriter and musician to create and record their own music. Plus it opens doors for the independent music artist and also increases exposure for major record label artists so that they can build their fan base and sell more of their music.

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Dear Artist: Behind The Music Video

The video clip to "Dear Artist" is the first time that I have discussed any of my songs at any great length publicly. There are a few factors that I feel I should address to put you in the picture before viewing the "Dear Artist" video clip with the idea of increasing your insight and enjoyment of the track.

I'm a recovering alcoholic. I have been sober for several years now. I suspect that I was an alcoholic since I took my first drink. I reacted to alcohol differently to other people. I could drink much more and yet cause no harm to others....any direct harm that is. The severity of my abuse led to numerous alcoholic seizures. Once a person experiences a seizure, they remain prone to seizures for the rest of their lives; alcohol induced or not.

I had been sober for two years and gave the aforementioned alcoholic seizures no thought as I had been put on medication to help prevent them. At around 7pm. one evening I began to feel 'odd.' As my former seizures were alcohol induced, I had no recollection of any aura that often surrounds gran mal seizures. I took myself to bed. Approximately an hour later (according to my parents) I had a seizure. They were alerted by me slamming against my bedroom wall. The seizure lasted approximately 15 minutes.

After each seizure I can recall feeling 'odd.' On this occasion I can recall spending the night listening to the rain and trying to escape the odd sensation that I was experiencing. I tried to visualise a calming scene. It took me some time to reach a scene that my mind was happy with.

The scene ended up as a French cobble-stoned street. It was in black and white. I took this image one step further and pictured how this scene came about. In my minds eye I came up with an artist painting this scene from a second storey window, so I was actually picturing a scene upon a scene. It sat very well with me. It sat so well with me that I was able to get to sleep. The following morning, I had the lyrics that you hear on the video below written in the space of about 15 minutes.


The 'scene' of the video was, to my mind, a stroke of genius by Haych Storm. I think the various 'displaced' paintings in the background of the video really capture the confusion of "Dear Artist." The 'jaunty' beat & uplifting lyrics of the chorus, from comments received, act as a perfect counterpoint to the more serious & cynical nature of the verses.

The video clip is obviously mimed. Haych suggested wearing headphones purely as a prop. My initial response was "What?" She thought that I wasn't keen on the idea. The fact is, I was so blown away by the idea that I was half-shocked. 

It worked a treat. "Dear Artist" became the first track on my "Mean Business" album.


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Fast Internet Music Promotion

When it comes to Internet music promotion, most people become very lost! I don't blame them either because I used to be in the same exact boat. It is often a struggle because many people don't know where to begin or how to begin. It's tough trying to start something when you have no clue where the starting line is. Here are some online music promotion techniques I learned that will help you get started and fast!

1. Create a Blog and Hide it!

Yes, you're reading correctly. The purpose of hiding it is to brand yourself. When I say hide, I mean instead of your blog reading "mymusic.blogspot.com," it will read, "mymusic.com." People will remember "mymusic.com" faster than any "MySpace.com/mymusic" or "YouTube.com/mymusic." First, go to Blogger.com, create a free blog, and add your videos, music, ring tones, albums, T-shirts, and anything else you want to promote. From there, go to GoDaddy.com and purchase a domain name. After purchasing the domain name, there will be a link on your home page titled "domain forwarding." Here, it will give you directions on how to mask your "mymusic.blogspot.com" site and make it look like "mymusic.com." you have just hid your blog and made it look like a professional website.

2. Getting Traffic to It

Online music marketing is simple in terms of branding your site on something you're already selling. On every T-shirt you sell put your website somewhere on it. For every gig you perform, tell people to go to the website. Put it on your CDs, YouTube page, videos, etc. You want your website name to get out as fast as possible but, there is more. There are thousands of article and press release sites on the Internet that allow you to write articles and press releases directing them to your website URL in the article. Some of them are EzineArticles.com, ArticleAlley.com, GoArticles.com, ArticleBase.com, and so on. I can go on forever but these four are extremely powerful for generating website traffic however, if you are going to do it, read 5 or 10 well written articles from each website so you will learn Internet music promotion correctly.

3. Extra Tip Throw Some Ads on It!

Blogger.com has a section in the control panel where you can put Google AdSense on your blog and earn revenue every time someone clicks on an ad. Many people can actually make a good living off of the revenue they get solely from AdSense clicks, so this isn't anything to take lightly.

Most people settle for a job and a boss after getting nowhere close to their music dreams, even knowing this information. Slow income, to no radio play, this doesn't have to be you and; should have never been them.

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Digital Music Distribution Tips

The main goal of an independent musician is getting the music out there. There is nothing more lethal to an artist of any sort than obscurity. It does not matter if you are the best thing to happen to music since Wolfgang Amadeus, Beethoven or Jimi Hendrix if there is nobody out there listening to you. Fortunately, the Internet has made it a lot easier for independent musicians. It is entirely possible for an indie musician to not only get their music heard, but to actually make a living from it, something that artists like Jonathan Coulton have proved. But in order to do so, you have to get your music distributed.

This is where you hit the downside of the Internet. Because it has made everything so much easier, you now have to work even harder to get your voice heard above the crowd, since everybody and their brother thinks they have got the new sound that will rock the world. You can rise above the crowd. All it takes is some canny marketing and making the best use of your time and energy. Every musician has an audience, you just have to go out there and find it

First and foremost, you need to remember that all the people out there downloading music are not your enemy. They are, in fact, your potential audience and, if you use the download sites correctly, your best friend. This is one of the most efficient ways of getting your music distributed.

So the very first thing you should do is to make sure that your music gets on the download sites and social media networks such as Facebook and MySpace. You then need to make sure your music is available on paid download sites, of which iTunes is the big one. This way, if people like your music and want to get more of it, it will be easy for them to do so.

The next step should be to try and get your music available on Internet radio services like Spotify. Again, this will not make you much, if any, money but it will get your music out there. Likewise, put up some performance videos on YouTube and then link to your other online sites so viewers can buy your music.

All of this should be done in conjunction with aggressive offline tactics including distribution of CDs and download cards at your gigs and through your website. The best way to take advantage of CD sales is to make sure that you are offering them something that they cannot easily get in digital form. Consider adding bonus live versions of songs or maybe some nifty stickers with the CD.

Personally, I always carry fours stock-standard articles that I carry with me as a matter of course. The first is an XLR Male Jack 3 Pin Plug for Microphone Cable. Even though vocalists have the least to maintain as far as equipment, they are predominantly 'ordinary when it comes to actually doing it. These XLR connectors are suitable for audio connections and for connecting microphones and other recording equipment. Features: Brand new and high quality Nickel housing and nickel contacts signed Die-cast assembly with rubber insulation Offering improved protection and shielding suitable for audio connections and connecting microphones and other recording equipment Package Include: 1 x 3 Pin microphone cable plug.

The other 'minor' thing that I carry is a 3.5mm Stereo Jack Plug to 2 RCA Phono Socket. This connects the speaker output of your PC to an amp/HiFi system. Also can be used to connect the headphone socket of MP3 players. Features: Brand new and high quality Gold plated to cut down on interference and enhance the sound Left and right stereo phono sockets Connectors: 2 x RCA plugs to a 3.5mm stereo jack plug Suitable for audio connections and connecting microphones and other recording equipment Package Include: 1 x 3.5mm stereo jack plug. Both of these products are inexpensive but can (and will) save you from more than one embarrassing evening.

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