Mar
28
Sleeping Dogs
Filed Under Sleeping Dogs, artists | Comments Off
Live at Ellaways Underwood, Brisbane, Australia, Saturday 27 March 2010
Oct
28
Create Your Own Indie Artist Press Release
Filed Under artists, promotion, publishing, website | Leave a Comment
Creating a press release can be one of the best ways for an indie artist, or band, to gain some instant media exposure for themselves. And you know, as well as I, that exposure is the name of the game these days.
Even though the world-wide web has opened up many new possibilites for the independent artist, the competition can be fearsome. So, if you have any news item worthy of print (i.e. a new CD for sale, or a concert coming up, etc.) then a press release might be just the ticket to give you an edge. It will provide the publicity necessary for people to know who you are, so that your music will get heard.
In order to make the best first impression on your readers, your press release should be well written, informative, and to the point. Be careful not to lose your reader’s attention by adding too many unneccesary details. Stick to the facts by explaining who you are and what you have to offer.
I generally prefer to write in a third person narrative when I have to create my own press release. By asking myself the questions a reporter might ask me, I am able to think more freely and objectively.
[Reporter] - Who are you- what is the name of your band?
[Band] - We have decided to call our band “Tangerine Sunshine”.
[R] - What kind of music do you play?
[B] - It’s somewhat eclectic and hard to define; kind of a mixture between alternative and rap.
[R] - I’ve heard that you have just finished recording a new CD. When will it be availabe to the public?
[B] - Yeah, it’s called “Mixed Emotions” and we’re really happy with the way it turned out. It will be available next week.
[R] - Where can a person get a copy of the CD?
[B] - It will be offered on our website (url) and through various other retail outlets (identify them).
[R] Great! How many tracks are on your album?
[B] Twelve.
[R] - Why did you pick “Tangerine Sunshine” for a name?
[B] - We like the colorful and positive image that it represents.
Of course, all the names mentioned above are fictitious and the illustration is only meant to show how you might organize the information you want to put in your press release. It can be modified any number of ways to suit your own particular needs. Once your make-believe reporter has gathered up all the facts, you’re ready to write.
THE HEADLINE
One of the most important things is to begin your press release with a catchy headline. You want to make sure that it will grab the attention of your reader right from the start.
FIRST PARAGRAPH
Get the information about who you are (the name of your band, etc.) and what you have to offer within the very first paragraph. Keeping the who, what, when, where, why and how questions before you as you write will help to stimulate the creative process.
SECOND PARAGRAPH
In the second paragragh of your press release you can go into a little more detail. Perhaps you’ll want to describe the style of your music, or tell something more about your upcoming event. If so, this is the place to do it.
THIRD PARAGRAGH
In this third and final paragragh you can briefly tell something about the other people who were involved with your project or event. Whatever you haven’t covered in your press release yet, but feel is important, you can add here. Be sure to include any contact information you have, especially a website or email address.
When your press release is ready, after you’ve spell-checked it for typos and grammar, go ahead and post it on your website and/or in your blog. Then send it to as many free PR sites as you can find. Mi2n.com is a good one for musicians and indie artists to start with.
You should also send your press release, along with a cover letter, to all the local newspapers in your area. Put “Attention: Editor” above the address on the envelope and if possible include a photo.
Don’t forget to send an email to all your friends, relatives, and neighbors as well. This is your time to shine, so reach for the stars!
Written by Kathy Unruh, singer/songwriter and webmaster of AbcLearnGuitar.com. She has been providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for over 20 years.
Click here to listen to a showcase of my recordings.
Oct
21
How to write top-selling songs
Filed Under songwriting | Leave a Comment
Amateur songwriters tend to look at the entire business of songwriting as a single-dimensional activity. It’s as if they say, “I want to be able to write commercially successful songs that I can sell to professional singers,” as if it’s all just one big process. The songwriting business is actually a multidimensional world, involving two major areas: creating and marketing. The marketing end of the business will not happen unless you have created a good song. Creating a good song is where the process comes to a grinding halt for most people.
SO WHAT’S THE SECRET?: It often surprises people when they discover how incredibly simple most of the biggest songs of the past fifty years are. If you think that songs are complicated art forms, you are about to discover one of the most important principles of songwriting, and why many writers’ songs might not be working yet. It’s a principle that applies to so much in our life – not just music: KEEP IT SIMPLE. The biggest and best hits in the songwriting business are songs with simple melodies using a simple form, songs that are easy for people to remember. Most songs in the popular music realm use no more than five chords, often fewer. And their melodies usually encompass only seven or eight notes, if that!
IN NEED OF INSPIRATION? If you aren’t listening to music on a daily basis, then start! Trying to write songs without listening to the pros’ songs is like trying to draw a picture of something you’ve never seen. If you’re really serious about songwriting – start listening now! Listen all the time, and not just to one style of music. Let yourself become influenced by different styles – pop, rock, jazz, country, blues, or classical. Open your mind – let it grow! By listening to many genres, not just one, you will be subtly developing your own personal writing style in a way that will differentiate you from all others. Using the shuffle function on your iPod is a great way to ensure you hear the full range of your music library. I know of people who deliberately try to limit how much music they listen to, because they don’t want to be unduly influenced by another songwriter. Big mistake! Have you ever had that nagging fear that everything you write is something that sounds familiar? And you wonder if you are simply plagiarizing music already written by someone else? The good news is that you probably aren’t. But that fear is more common in songwriters who limit their listening experience to only one or two favourite performers. If you are a pop songwriter, listen to classical music. Listen to blues, or country, or bluegrass. Even if you don’t like a particular style of music, keep in mind that there are great songs in every genre. Great songs are great because they work, and we need to learn why they work. The more you listen, the more material you’ll have at your disposal. And your musical brain will begin fusing ideas together in a way it hasn’t really done before. The world’s best songwriters are able to speak intelligently about many different styles and writers from many genres.
DON’T FIXATE ON “TALENT”. Fixate on writing good songs. If you get into a system of writing good music, talent becomes a side issue. Not that it’s not important… it’s just not worth worrying about. Think of it this way… who’s the more “talented” artist, Monet or Rembrandt? Who knows? And frankly, who cares?!
Click here to listen to a showcase of my recordings.