Open Mics can either be a huge waste of time or the most rewarding experience for a newcomer. That outcome is usually up to you. Below are some tips for making the most your of 2-song show; because in most cases, 2 songs are all you got! CALL AHEAD The website might say 9pm [...]
This is a post I’ve been meaning to write for quite a long time. Having talked to many of our readers online, I realize you all are coming from different places in your careers. Some folks have been playing for years, some have been touring for years, and some of you are closet musicians. Well, [...]
A good friend of mine has just moved to a new city and has, for the most part, put his music on hold. He doesn’t know much about the music scene, he doesn’t have any fans in the area, and he doesn’t know where the good venues are. Maybe you’re running into something similar – [...]
To see the first post in this series, visit The Things You’ll Hate To Do…But Should Do Anyways #1. Ummm…read! I imagine this is hard for many musician (and not just me), but you’ll find that when you do take the time to read magazines like American Songwriter, Music Connection, or BMI Music World (i think you must [...]
Here are a few things that seriously only take 1 minute, but will ultimately make a load of difference. Invite people to find you Each time someone adds you as a friend on Facebook, send them a link and invite them to join your FB music page. You can leave the link as a comment [...]
Today’s question is prompted by an older post titled, “The Things You’ll Hate to Do…But Should Do Anyways” THE ARTIST: Sean O’donnell (Pittsburgh, PA) THE QUESTION: Jim Richards of the Pittsburgh A&E Group suggests: “Here is a friendly marketing tip: unless you are a cover band or a tribute band, never compare yourself to other acts. Not everyone will recognize [...]
gotta love this photo! Got a question for us? You can always submit it via our contact page. Here’s today’s “Ask Grassrootsy” post. ARTIST: Bridgette Perdue (Pittsburgh, PA) QUESTION: What is your advice for cold-call networking? Or, what’s the most successful approach to creating a business relationship out of thin air? How does it alter between [...]
The first time I came across Allison Weiss’ myspace page, I knew she was a musician after my own heart. Grassrootsy first covered her back in July in a feature on Kickstarter. And after reading more about Weiss, it was apparent that she is one of the hardest working independent artists you will ever come [...]
All “talk”, and no “do” makes Jack an interesting boy…but just a talker. The problem with people who have great ideas and no execution is that their ideas either get stolen by others who hear them, or their ideas get dusty on top of a metaphorical shelf full of past ideas. Everyone’s got dreams they want to [...]
THE ARTIST: Samuel Storm (Pittsburgh, PA) THE QUESTION: What are your thoughts on “local” tours, including “Open Mic” performances as part of the tours? THE ANSWER: Hey Samuel, I think it depends on what your definition of “local touring” is. Do you mean touring within the same city or touring in the same region – [...]
Every artist goes through it – that slump where suddenly everyone’s forgotten about you. You put out a CD and everyone talking about it for two months. And then, all of a sudden, no more emails, fewer hits on your myspace, and fewer bookings. This is why they say the music industy is so fickle. [...]
So here’s what a couple other bands are doing to push through these economic times. “TOURING WIH JOBS” “The model of touring [involving a bus and several weeks of shows scheduled across the country] is gone. The recession has made it so that bands have to focus on their geographical areas, which is regionalizing [...]
See read the first two posts in this series, visit Incredible Resources You’ve Never Heard About #1 and Incredible Resources You’ve Never Heard About #2 BETTER THAN THE VAN What’s better than the van? The couch, of course! If you’re touring, here’s a stress free way to go about finding a place to stay for the [...]
Subscribe to Grassrootsy For many singer/songwriters and bands, the biggest initial challenge is breaking into their city’s music scene. When there are hundreds of other “competing” musicians, it’s extremely difficult to make a name for yourself. This is why it is so important to be connected to an organization(s) that already has established connections. Why Get Involved? Why [...]
Folk/Americana artist Brianna Lane is an independent musician based out of Minneapolis, MN. She’s the author of three self-released, full-length albums and tours full time. She’s opened for several National touring acts including Dar Williams and The Weepies. Brianna is one of the few artist I know who has had success with acquiring patrons (i.e. individuals and organization who fund [...]
