Perhaps the biggest impact on your live performance is how you approach practices and rehearsals. Many artists use the two terms interchangeably even though there are some differences. Practice is usually what is done individually, it is the work that is prepares someone for a rehearsal. It’s used to improve your technique, musicianship skills, and ability … Read more
Divas. These days, that word is usually treated with disdain. We associate it with arrogance and haughtiness. We all know a few artists who have a ridiculous sense of self-entitlement. And though they might take themselves very seriously (and maybe a few of their fans too), the rest of us will laugh behind their backs. … Read more
It’s no secret that often in the world music, it’s more about “who you know” than what you know. The industry generally favors pre-existing relationships, whether you are looking for a venue, a sponsor, a review on your new album, or a slot at SXSW. Like it or not, networking can make or break an … Read more
Music industry veteran and Renman Music & Business founder, Steve Rennie (aka “Renman“), will return to the CreativeLive stage for the course, “Dream It, Do It: Breaking Into The Music Industry,” on Wednesday, July 2 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. PDT (12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. EDT). During “Dream It, Do It: Breaking Into The Music Industry,” Rennie … Read more
When I was in my MBA program, I often learned more about business from business owners (and running one myself) than the instructor. Usually, the people out in the field have a different perspective than those who are teaching. With the music industry, you have experts who come at it from many different angles: managers, … Read more
This week, I’ll be a guest curator on OPB’s State of Wonder. We’ll be talking about my new upcoming book, Music Business Hacks, and discussing how artists can navigate their career with creativity and passion. Tune in on Saturday – and keep watching this blog for the link to the new book when it is released!
Market segmentation involves breaking down a broad audience into a smaller subset of customers. You can divide along demographics (age, gender, ethnicity, etc.) and/or psychographics (values, lifestyles, interests, etc.). The more that you can segment a market by narrowing it down while still having an audience large enough to offset any investment, the better. Broad … Read more
These days, it seems that there are opportunities to promote your music everywhere you look. Some band services sites like Sonicbids and ReverbNation are full of opportunities that you can submit your music to (though often, that submission requires you to pay a fee). However, it doesn’t always require a submission service, a paid EPK … Read more
It’s easy to fall into the routine of scrolling past terms conditions agreements without thinking much about them. However, they can often affect the future of your music, where it can be released, who controls it, and how it can be distributed. For example, a licensing agreement can change how future revenues are received (or … Read more
Author Zig Ziglar was often as saying, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” Your music career is no different. Unless you have a target that you are reaching for, you’ll just continue down random pathways hoping to get somewhere. How will you know what successful looks like if you haven’t defined … Read more