Welcome to Part 12 of an ongoing, immediate experiment. For the last 11 weeks, and over the next 5, we’ll learn together as I (Secrets in Stereo) write, record, promote, and release my new album.

To catch up, here are links to the past 11 weeks worth of blogs…

Part 1 - Meet The Artist

Part 2 - 3 Things That Have Let Me Quit My Day Job

Part 3 - 5 Things Music Supervisors Are Looking For in You and Your Music

Part 4 - 5 Truths About Licensing Companies

Part 5 - 5 Rules to Follow When Getting Your Music to Music Supervisors

Part 6 - The First 3 Questions of Artist Positioning

Part 7 - A Real Life, Current Example of Artist Positioning at its Finest

Part 8 - Applying Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics to an Album Release

Part 9 - 3 Key Tactics For The Release of The New Secrets In Stereo Album

Part 10 - 5 Blogs Every Indie Artist Should Read Every Day

Part 11 – 5 Keys to a Successful Fan Funding Campaign

Jill Sobule gets a lot of press when it comes Fan Funding.  And in a lot of ways, rightfully so.  This week, I want to look at 3 campaigns that you might not know about.  But, are equally, if not more impressive than hers.

1. Five Times August

Just generally speaking, if you are a DIY artist, this guy should probably be your blueprint.  Not just with Fan Funding.  He teamed up Kickstarter.com in its very early stages for a campaign, and raised over $20,000 in 31 days.  Not too shabby.  Check out his Kickstarter page here.

Besides having a rock solid foundation of fans, I see two things he did that made his campaign successful that we could learn from.  One, he created urgency with a 31 day timeframe.  And two, he created a societal element by donating half of his sales for the rest of the year if and only if they reached their goal. Very smart on both accounts.

2. Allison Weiss

There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Allison.  I hadn’t.  But, she is a prime example that you don’t have to have a massive following or a large number of backers (she had a little over 200) to make Fan Funding work.  Again, through Kickstarter, she actually far exceeded her goal of $2,000 by raising over $7,700.  That’s remarkable, as most backers stop backing once the goal is met.  Check out her Kickstarter page here.

Two things jump out at me as to why her campaign was so successful.  One, she’s real and relate-able.  Her video is very basic, but she comes across like-able.  And that’s a good quality to have when you’re trying to get people to give you money.  You can’t fake that.  And two, she was super creative and super personal with her packages.

3. Ellis Paul

Some of you may have heard of Ellis.  He got some press with his Fan Funding campaign (although I would argue not enough).  He is the perfect candidate for Fan Funding.  A large following.  An amazing artist that can deliver.  And a fan base that is older and affluent.  All this adds up to raising over $100,000.  I’m a little bit biased with Ellis’ project, because Sorted Noise actually produced it.  But, none the less, he is a great example of how Fan Funding can be a game changer.

There is a GREAT case study article by Rachel Klein from Ellis’ management company on Nimbit.com that details the specs on his campaign.  I highly recommend it.  You can read it here.

Until next week!

Josh

www.SecretsinStereo.com

www.twitter.com/SecretsinStereo

www.facebook.com/SecretsinStereo

www.SortedNoise.com

www.twitter.com/SortedNoise

www.facebook.com/SortedNoise

P.S. If you’re finding what I’m saying interesting, maybe other people will too! Pass along these blogs on Twitter, Facebook, and through Email.  Thanks!

Welcome to Part 10 of an ongoing, immediate experiment. For the last 9 weeks, and over the next 7, we’ll learn together as I (Secrets in Stereo) write, record, promote, and release my new album.

To catch up, here are links to the past 9 weeks worth of blogs…

Part 1 - Meet The Artist

Part 2 - 3 Things That Have Let Me Quit My Day Job

Part 3 - 5 Things Music Supervisors Are Looking For in You and Your Music

Part 4 - 5 Truths About Licensing Companies

Part 5 - 5 Rules to Follow When Getting Your Music to Music Supervisors

Part 6 - The First 3 Questions of Artist Positioning

Part 7 - A Real Life, Current Example of Artist Positioning at its Finest

Part 8 - Applying Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics to an Album Release

Part 9 – 3 Key Tactics For The Release of The New Secrets In Stereo Album

I want to get off the beaten path a little bit this week, and talk about the “Evolution of Information.”  Although, I do dog the lack of real life, usable information out there for artists, there are thinkers that are a part of the solution.  This past week, I had an artist friend of mine ask me who I thought those people were.  I thought that was a great question, and it seemed the best way to answer it is to give you the blogs that I have bookmarked and read every day.  So, that’s what I’m gonna do!

Something to remember, there are a ton of obvious great music blogs out there.  This list I’m going to try to pass along are the ones you might not be aware of, and also look at a couple that you may have never thought of from a music perspective before.

1. Hypebot.com

No doubt about it, the first blog I read every morning.  Run by Bruce Houghton and Kyle Bylin, they usually post 7-10 blogs first thing in the morning, and the site is a great place to start the day.  Post topics range from the major industry news of the day to under the radar success stories of DIY artists.

I would highly recommend reading some of Kyle Bylin’s posts.   In my opinion, he is a leader in the “Evolution of Information.”  Very deep, but great thoughts.  You can check out some of his posts here.

2. Mashable.com

VERY popular blog that focuses on social media.  Although the site isn’t music focused, you can learn so much from how other industries are using social media.  This is one you will want to subscribe to their RSS feed.  They post well over 25 posts a day.

3. MusicThinkTank.com

I know a lot of you know about this blog, because my posts have been getting a ton of traffic from this site.  But, for those who don’t know, MTT.com is space that’s owned and operated by a handful of forward thinking bloggers.  Notably, Bruce Warila and Andrew Dubber.  They all contribute posts, so it’s a great place to get a lot of different views on a wide range of topics.  Also, there is an “Open” section where anyone can post.  Occasionally, there is some decent content there as well.

4. MusicianCoaching.com

This is a new one on my list, and I’m still testing it out.  So far, so good.  It’s run by former major label A&R guy, Rick Goetz.  What I love about the site is Rick gets great interviews.  He just posted one with an Advertising Agency Producer, and discussed how music is chosen and used in Ads.  Great, unique content.

5. DamnIWish.com

Short for “Damn I Wish I Had Thought of That,” this is another one that isn’t music focused (Detecting a trend?).  The tag line for this blog is “Unusually Useful Ideas For Smart Marketers,”  and that’s exactly what the site is.  The blogs are daily and short, and it’s a great place for ideas.

Like I said before, there are a ton of great blogs out there.  Let me know which ones should be on this list.  Just leave a comment!  I’m always looking for great thinkers that make me think.

Until next week!

Josh

www.SecretsinStereo.com

www.twitter.com/SecretsinStereo

www.facebook.com/SecretsinStereo

www.SortedNoise.com

www.twitter.com/SortedNoise

www.facebook.com/SortedNoise

P.S. If you’re finding what I’m saying interesting, maybe other people will too! Pass along these blogs on Twitter, Facebook, and through Email.  Thanks!

Welcome to Part 9 of an ongoing, immediate experiment. For the last 8 weeks, and over the next 8, we’ll learn together as I (Secrets in Stereo) write, record, promote, and release my new album.

Here are links to the past 8 weeks worth of blogs…

Part 1 – Meet The Artist

Part 2 – 3 Things That Have Let Me Quit My Day Job

Part 3 – 5 Things Music Supervisors Are Looking For in You and Your Music

Part 4 – 5 Truths About Licensing Companies

Part 5 – 5 Rules to Follow When Getting Your Music to Music Supervisors

Part 6 – The First 3 Questions of Artist Positioning

Part 7 – A Real Life, Current Example of Artist Positioning at its Finest

Part 8 – Applying Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics to an Album Release

This week, I want to focus on 3 key Tactics that are being implemented during the release of my new album.  I would highly recommend opening another page with last week’s blog, so you can see my comments on the Objectives and Strategies that these Tactics are addressing.  But, just for a recap, here are the 3 Objectives for this project…

All to be reached by the street date of June 1st, 2010:

1. The Production and Distribution of the album are paid for

2. Double the size of SIS’s email list, Twitter followers, and Facebook fans respectively

3. Receive coverage from popular Music/Web 2.0 blogs

Now, having stated those, here are the key Tactics that will help meet those Objectives:

1. Fan Funding

I have yet to hear of an artist that tried fan funding and had it bomb.  Sure, there are different levels of success.  Ellis Paul, who Sorted Noise had the honor of producing his fan funded record, raised over $100,000.  I, on the other hand, have a much lower goal money-wise.  But, I’m about to reach it.  Last week, someone purchased my $2,500 package.

There are really two questions you need to be able to answer “yes” to… One, do I have at least 2,000 emails on my email list?  And two, do my fans have credit cards?  If the answer is yes to both, go for it.  You can either design the page on your own, and use Paypal buttons (That’s what I did, with the help of my buddy Jimmy Jernigan).  Or, I would recommend Kickstarter.  They take a fee, but seem to be good at what they do.

You can view my fan funded page at www.secretsinstereo.com/newalbum And, you can view a case study on Ellis Paul’s fan funding project at here at Nimbit.com

2. Utilize Topspin’s Email for Media, Re-Tweet For a Track, and Fan and Share on Facebook For a Track Widgets

Topspin is ridiculous.  The Sorted Noise crew just finished our Berklee course on the platform, and the suite of widgets they offer is game changing.  Not to mention the invaluable data you gather with them.

For my campaign, my goal is to double my direct to fan reach (email list, Twitter, Facebook).  Topspin has a widget for each one of those tasks.  For each one respectively, I will ask for either an email, a follow and re-tweet, or a become a fan and post.  In exchange, I’ll offer an download of a track off of the yet-to-be-released new album.  If a fan does all three, they’ve got almost a third of the album before it’s released.  Again, the goal here isn’t monetary (although I’m sure these actions will turn into dollars), it’s building awareness and a fan base.

3. Write Blogs Detailing Your Experience

Wait a minute!  Don’t worry, you haven’t’ been duped.  I do have a passion for this information, and I do want to help other artists.  No doubt about it.  That’s my main goal.  But, yes, these blogs do gain attention for myself and my project.  No doubt about that either.  And, you should start thinking through that prism as well.

Until next week!

Josh

www.SecretsinStereo.com

www.twitter.com/SecretsinStereo

www.facebook.com/SecretsinStereo

www.SortedNoise.com

www.twitter.com/SortedNoise

www.facebook.com/SortedNoise

P.S. If you’re finding what I’m saying interesting, maybe other people will too! Pass along these blogs on Twitter, Facebook, and through Email.  Thanks!

Welcome to Part 7 of an ongoing, immediate experiment. For the last 4 weeks, and over the next 12, we’ll learn together as I (Secrets in Stereo) write, record, promote, and release my new album.

In Part 1, we got to know each other. I introduced myself and let you in on my motivation and goals for this project. In Part 2, I gave you 3 things that have allowed me to quit my day job. In Part 3, I gave you 5 things Music Supervisors want from you and your music.  In Part 4, I told you 5 things I wish someone would have told me before I signed that contract with the licensing company. In Part 5, the 5 rules to follow when trying to get your music to Music Supervisors. Last week, we discovered the first 3 questions of Sorted Noise’s practice of Artist Positioning. This week, we’re going to take a look at Artist Positioning in action and at its finest.

Like I said last week, Artist Positioning is discovering what separates you from your competition, then utilizing that identity to be memorable to a potential fan.  The “discovery” part is the hard part, and is different for every artist.  But, Sorted Noise has found that once the artist uncovers what makes them unique, they become empowered and are able to make decisions with ease.  The reason why?  Because every decision is made through the prism of… “Does this drive home my message?”  That’s the key.  Repeating what makes you unique over and over and over again.  The human mind gets cluttered with thousands of messages a day.  The more you repeat your’s, the more likely you’ll grab a position in a potential fan’s mind.

There is one artist out there right now that repeats her message and identity better than anyone…

Hello.  My name is Kesha, and my position is… Party Girl.

Kesha is huge right now.  She seemed to come out of no where late last year with her massive first single, “Tik Tok.”  But, put aside for a moment whether you like her or her music.  Let’s look at her strictly from a business/marketing perspective.

I think we all agree what we see is NOT little Kesha Rose Sebert from Nashville.  What we see is Ke$ha.  With a dollar sign.  And what we hear is the creation of super-producer, Dr. Luke (Britney, Katy Perry, etc).  But she isn’t the first artist to create a character around herself and her music.  So, what makes her so successful?  More than anyone before her (even Lady Gaga), she drives home her message (aka “the party girl”) with an obsessive persistence.

She always looks like the morning after a long night of partying.  She always sounds drunk when she talks.  She always redirects interviews to her agenda of partying and getting in trouble (See Annie’s article on how to do this).   When she pops up on gossip blogs, it’s always about her partying at a club (and usually getting kicked out of it).  Her choreography is intentionally sloppy.  Of the 14 tracks off of her debut album, Animal, 10 of them have a “party” theme.  Listen to some of the titles… “Hungover,” “Party at a Rich Dude’s House,” “Dancing With Tears in My Eyes.”  Even the ballads are based around dance floors and late nights.

Having said all of that, there is one big lesson we can all learn here.  And, it’s the same reason why she is successful… After about 10 minutes of listening to Kesha, you know exactly how to describe her to your friend.

It’s that simple…  She is easy to understand, and easy to communicate.

Are you?

Josh

www.secretsinstereo.com
www.twitter.com/SecretsinStereo
www.sortednoise.com
www.twitter.com/SortedNoise

P.S. If you’re finding what I’m saying interesting, maybe other people will too! Pass along these blogs on Twitter, Facebook, and through Email. Thanks!

Welcome to Part 6 of an ongoing, immediate experiment. For the last 4 weeks, and over the next 12, we’ll learn together as I (Secrets in Stereo) write, record, promote, and release my new album.

In Part 1, we got to know each other. I introduced myself and let you in on my motivation and goals for this project. InPart 2, I gave you 3 things that have allowed me to quit my day job. In Part 3, I gave you 5 things Music Supervisors want from you and your music.  In Part 4, I told you 5 things I wish someone would have told me before I signed that contract with the licensing company. Last week, the 5 rules to follow when trying to get your music to Music Supervisors. This week, I’m going to pull from an article I wrote a while back, and look at the first 3 questions of Artist Positioning.

What is Artist Positioning?  Over here at Sorted Noise, we’ve been getting that question a lot lately.

Simply put… Artist Positioning is discovering what separates an artist from their competition, then utilizing that unique identity to be memorable to a potential fan.

But, let’s look a little deeper at how Artist Positioning came to be.

This idea of “positioning” itself is a marketing concept developed by Jack Trout and Al Ries. Sorted Noise believes this can be applied to the music industry as well. Also, It’s important to note the difference between “positioning” and “branding.” “Branding” starts with the artist, and asks… “What do I want to be?.” It’s inward looking. “Positioning” starts by evaluating the artist’s competition and the artist’s potential fans, and asks… “What void in the marketplace can I fill?” It’s outward looking.

We developed the practice of Artist Positioning because of two key shifts in music industry…

1. The shift labels made away from developing artists (less development)

2. The shift in quanity of the artists in the marketplace due to the internet (more artists)

Think about this… Five years ago, how many bands or artists were you introduced to on a daily basis? And, now, with Myspace, Facebook, the viral word-of-mouth power of Twitter, how many are you introduced to daily? I would guess a few more than five years ago. Artists might only get one shot to find a “position” in a potential fan’s mind. And, only the artists with a clear, unique identity are going to claim that position.

The journey of discovering this identity and message begins with the artist asking themselves 3 simple (but incredibly difficult) questions:

1. Who do you get compared to? (That’s your competition)
2. What are some common characteristics of that group? (That’s the identity of your marketplace)
3. What characteristics do you have that they don’t? (These are the “weapons” that will determine your Position)

How about a real life example…

Let’s take Katy Perry. Great songs. Great performer. Great looking. But, what’s her position?

Controversial.

Think about it. Her first single was released on a limited basis to blogs in an attempt to get people talking on the web. It was called “Ur So Gay.” And, her first mainstream radio single? …”I Kissed a Girl.” Pick up a magazine or watch an interview with Miz Perry. There is one constant in every piece… controversial comments. And don’t be fooled. This is a calculated move. Don’t forget. She was a clean cut Christian artist in Nashville named Katy Hudson just a few short years ago. “Controversial” is Katy Perry’s brand. Her unique identity. Her position. And, it’s the reason she will be around for a long time.

Now, let’s take a look at Howie Day. In the Spring of 2004, he had a Top Ten hit called “Collide,” He was red hot. An amazing performer, amazing songwriter, and the ladies loved him as well. The sky was the limit. He was right where he (and his label) wanted him to be. Now, here’s a question… what was his second single called? Anybody? I’ll give you a second… Don’t you go googling!

So, what went wrong? Well, having great songs and being a great performer aren’t positions. There are too many of each. It’s all about unique identity. What was Howie Day’s? I would argue nothing. Don’t get me wrong… he has a very nice track record. But, we are talking about his ability to grab a position in the Top 40 fan’s mind, and hunker down for the long haul. That was his and his label’s goal. That’s why they pushed the single to Top 40 radio in the first place.

In the end, the song became his position. This happens a lot. You might recognize it as its more dubious title, “One Hit Wonder.” Howie didn’t have a memorable enough brand, and he was just visiting that potential fan’s mind.

Sorted Noise guides the artist from day 1 on the journey to find this identity that is so crucial to longevity and success. Once that identity is discovered, it determines all that follows. What TV show’s audience would best connect with this song? Should the artist release an EP or full length album? Should the album be released digitally or on vinyl. What social media sites should the artist concentrate on? What web designer can best capture the artist’s identity? What labels should we connect the artist with?

Bottom line… the old school way of doing things isn’t working anymore.

The future is targeted. The future is a clear identity. The future is Artist Positioning.

Next week, we’ll take a closer look at one of the most blatant, real life examples of Artist Positioning out there right now.  She also just so happens to be one of the most successful artists out right now as well.  Go figure.

Josh

www.secretsinstereo.com
www.twitter.com/SecretsinStereo
www.sortednoise.com
www.twitter.com/SortedNoise

P.S. If you’re finding what I’m saying interesting, maybe other people will too! Pass along these blogs on Twitter, Facebook, and through Email. Thanks!

Welcome to Part 5 of an ongoing, immediate experiment. For the last 4 weeks, and over the next 12, we’ll learn together as I (Secrets in Stereo) write, record, promote, and release my new album.

In Part 1, we got to know each other. I introduced myself and let you in on my motivation and goals for this project. In Part 2, I gave you 3 things that have allowed me to quit my day job. In Part 3, I gave you 5 things Music Supervisors want from you and your music.  Last week, I told you 5 things I wish someone would have told me before I signed that contract with the licensing company. And this week, the 5 rules to follow when trying to get your music to Music Supervisors.

Let me begin by re-interrating what I’ve said a few times over the last couple of weeks. For 99.9% of songwriters and artists, I highly recommend researching licensing companies, and partnering with one that fits you. Having said that, if your music is great and you are able to check off all of the qualifications we discussed in Part 3, then going direct to Music Supervisors can be a fruitful decision. If you are unsure whether you fall into that .1%, then you don’t. Stop reading now. Because you will burn every bridge that you want to cross over. Phew! Ok, now that that’s out of the way, let’s learn the…

5 RULES YOU MUST FOLLOW WHEN TRYING TO GET YOUR MUSIC TO MUSIC SUPERVISORS

1. Do Your Research

There’s a reason why this is #1. Before you even think about contacting a Supervisor, you should know everything about them, as well as what shows/films they are currently working on. This pre-game work can be very valuable. Once, I found an article from a Supervisor where she said Wednesday was the day she set aside each week to listen to new music. What day do you think I emailed her?

A good place to start this research, is backwards. Start with the show. What shows do you watch and think, “My music sounds like that.” Make a list. Then, find out who the Music Supervisor is for that show, and see if you can track down an email. You can usually find it just by Googling. But, there are directories out there. I recommend the Music Business Registry.

2. Be Personal and Focused

Do not send mass emails. I repeat. Do not send mass emails. Every email should be targeted to what that particular Supervisor needs. Be VERY specific. Maybe you have a song in your catalog that you think would be perfect for their show. Lead with that. Focus on that one song. Not the 5 albums you’ve recorded over the past 7 years.

3. Respect the Supervisor’s Time

Music Supervisors don’t have much time in general. Much less, to answer an email from a random person. Your email should be short and to the point… This is who I am. This is why I’m reaching out to you. Here’s the perfect song for you. Also, think about timing. Early and late in the week aren’t good times to send emails. Mondays are crazy because they are catching up from the weekend. And, Fridays are crazy because they trying to finish up for the weekend. Not to mention they will forget you over that weekend. My favorite day to email is Tuesday. The Monday craze is in the rear view mirror, but there is still a lot of the week to get business done.

4. Expect a 10% Response Rate (At Best)

If you send 50 emails out, expect 5 to return your email. That’s not a bad scenario if 3 of those 5 end up using your music. But, now you are seeing why I highly recommend the 3rd party route for most people. This road takes time, and no fear of rejection.

5. Get Permission to Send Music

I’m a big believer in the fact that there should be a purpose to everything you do. For this email, the purpose (or goal) is to get permission to send the Supervisor music. To do that, they need to hear it. So, the “Call to action” in the email should be ONE link to your music, and a phrase like… “Let me know if you think you can use the music, and I will send it your way.” But, whatever you do, don’t attach mp3’s or send music unsolicited.

If you make it to this point in the relationship, then you are farther than most. Congratulations! Moving forward, the first 3 rules still apply until the end of time. Whether you just started a correspondence with a Supervisor, or have known them for 5 years, ALWAYS do your research and know what they’re working on, be personal and specific in your back and forths, and don’t waste their time.

Next week, we’ll get into the concept of Artist Positioning. What is it? How will it help you? Who’s practicing it? All those questions and more will be answered next week.

See ya then!

Josh
http://www.secretsinstereo.com
http://www.twtter.com/SecretsinStereo
http://www.sortednoise.com
http://www.twitter.com/SortedNoise

P.S. If you’re finding what I’m saying interesting, maybe other people will too! Pass along these blogs on Twitter, Facebook, and through Email. Thanks!

Welcome to Part 4 of an ongoing, immediate experiment. All of last month, and over the next 3 months, we’ll learn together as I (Secrets in Stereo) write, record, promote, and release my new album.

In Part 1, we got to know each other. I introduced myself and let you in on my motivation and goals for this project. In Part 2, I gave you 3 things that have allowed me to quit my day job. Last week, I gave you 5 things Music Supervisors want from you and your music. And, this week, I’ll tell you 5 things I wish someone would have told me before I signed that contract with the licensing company.

There are really two roads that lead to the ears of Music Supervisors. The only difference in the roads? One has a guide (help from a 3rd party) and one doesn’t (you go it alone). I have a lot of information I want to pass along for both avenues, but this week we’ll just focus on the 3rd party option. While next week, we’ll get into the solo route.

As I mentioned last week, a solid relationship that’s built on trust is extremely important to Music Supervisors. It takes a lot of time and focus to build that type of relationship, and it’s one that most artists aren’t cut out for. That’s ok! There are companies out there that have devoted time and energy into building these relationships. And if your music is good enough, they will take it on and pitch it for a fee. I highly recommend this option for 99.9% of artists.

Of course, this is not new information to most of you. So, let’s dig a little deeper. I went back though my experiences (good and bad… trust me), and thought of…

5 THINGS I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME BEFORE I SIGNED THAT CONTRACT WITH THE LICENSING COMPANY

1. It’s Gotta Be Non-Exclusive

This essentially means that you (or any other person/company) can pitch your music as well as the company you signed with. I’ve never heard of an artist that was happy in an exclusive deal. There really is no need for it honestly. But, don’t get carried away.  It’s not a good thing to have your music being pitched by more than 2 or 3 companies. If a Music Supervisor is getting the same music from 3 different places, they begin to ask the question, “who actually owns this?” No good. Not good for trust.

2. 50/50 is OK

I scoffed when I saw my first contract from a licensing company, and saw they wanted to split everything 50/50. But, after I saw my 12th one, I realized that was definitely industry standard. Trust me, if they’re good then they earn it.

3. Be Wary of Re-Titling

This is the practice of actually re-registering a song with a P.R.O under a different title. This new title has the licensing company as the publisher, and works as in entirely separate entity from your original song. It’s a common accounting move, but doesn’t it feel a little weird?

Well, even if it is common, here’s why you want to stay away from it… Are you familiar with the iPhone app Shazam? You play a song into your phone, and it recognizes it. Sooner rather than later, this same technology (except on steroids) will be how P.R.O.’s are going track when songs are played in TV and Film. Your re-titled song is going to sound exactly like your original one. The question is, which one will the tracking system recognize it as? Uh oh.

4. There Better Be a Way Out

Make sure, make sure, make sure there is clause in that contract that allows you to be released. This goes for any contract really, but licensing companies like to lock you in because it’s a pain for them to have to pull your music from their library. But, trust me, you do not want to be shackled to a licensing company that has been less than impressive. With that said, I do NOT recommend the licensing company Songs To Your Eyes.

5. Do Your Research

There are a ton of licensing companies out there. Good, bad, big, and small. So, how do you narrow them down? I recommend looking for two things… track record and relationships. Make sure they have recent placements. And, look for testimonials from Music Supervisors. If you don’t know who the Supervisors are that they are quoting, google them.

A list was started over at IndieMusicTech.com that’s a good place to start. I’ve personally had some decent success with Crucial Music. They are respected. For internet focused licensing, I would highly recommend Rumblefish. They license for the Audioswap function on YouTube. I just got a $3,000 check for the last quarter for internet royalties alone

As I said before, the 3rd party road is for most of you. If your music is indeed “sync-able,” these types of companies can do some serious damage for you. But, if you have a knack for the business side of things as well as the artistic, then there is another way… Straight to the Music Supervisor. And, we’ll dive into that game next week.

Thanks!

Josh

P.S. If you like what you are reading here, be sure to spread the word. Retweet. Share of Facebook. Digg. Google Buzz. Do it all!

Hello from LA!

Welcome to Part 3 of an ongoing, immediate experiment. Over the next 4 months, we’ll learn together as I (Secrets in Stereo) write, record, promote, and release my new album.

In Part 1, we got to know each other. I introduced myself and let you in on my motivation and goals for this project. In Part 2, I gave you 3 things that have allowed me to quit my day job. This week, we’ll begin focusing on the most important of those “things”… getting your music into TV, Film, Advertising, and every other medium out there.

It’s fitting that I’m in LA as I write a blog on this topic. I get out here every other month, mainly to meet with Music Supervisors. A lot the information I’ll include in this blog is pulled from these conversations. Straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

I know this is an area that A LOT of songwriters and artists are interested in right now. And, there is A LOT of information I could pass along. So, with that in mind, I’m going to break this down over two weeks. This week, I’ll focus on the things you need to do before you even think about getting into this game. And then next week, I’ll get into how to actually play the game.

Also, this isn’t Licensing 101. Remember, my main motivation in this series of posts is I saw a need for an “evolution of information.” So, I’m assuming you understand the basics TV/Film Licensing. I’m also assuming your music doesn’t suck. There are plenty of books and blog posts out there that can catch you up on the basics if you need it. But, the information found here is beyond those basics.

So, with that in mind, let’s look at…

5 THINGS MUSIC SUPERVISORS ARE LOOKING FOR IN YOU AND YOUR MUSIC

These 5 things are the components of a word I hear over and over again from Supervisors in describing the type of music and artists they are looking for… “sync-able.” Sync-able doesn’t just refer to lyrics and melodies. There is a nuts and bolts element to it as well. Before you can even think about hearing your music in Grey’s Anatomy, you need to check these off the list. Let’s jump in, shall we!

1. Master Quality Recordings

No demos allowed. (Step up onto soapbox) Do demos even exist anymore? Considering how easy and economical it is to record high quality stuff now days, why would anyone limit that recordings’ opportunities by making it a demo. (Step off of soapbox)

If you’re confused about how to define “master quality recordings,” the easiest thing to do is listen to recordings and artists that have been successful in the TV/Film world already. I recommend you go listen to a few friends of mine like Perrin Lamb and Lee Hester. Of course, you can go listen to my stuff as well. We’ve all been lucky to have some successes with placements, and it’s partly because of our high quality product.

Some other indie artists that get used a lot are Tim Myers, Katie Herzig, and Matthew Perryman Jones.

2. 100% Ownership

If you’ve got a major pub or record deal, you’re reading the wrong blog. There is a reason why Supervisors use indie artists. Because they don’t have to deal with slow, haggling publishers and record labels.

A lot of times (especially in TV) a Supervisor doesn’t have time to get 5 people to sign off on a license. And they might not have flexibility in a budget to negotiate for 200 more dollars. These are all things that are avoided when a single artist can sign off on a use.

3. General Themed Lyrics

In TV and Film, music compliments the dialogue and visual. As oppose to driving it. With that said, lyrics should be general or metaphorical enough to be interpreted in as many ways as there are viewers. The song should fit into the story that the viewer is seeing. What the viewer is seeing CAN’T be forced to fit the song they are hearing. It doesn’t work like that.

In other words, if you are detailed story teller, then you are going to have a hard time in the TV/Film world.

4. Feel Good and Break Up Style Production

Obviously, there are a million different music needs out there. But, in my experience, a good 80% of the uses fall into two musical production styles. I call them “Feel Good” and “Break Up.”

Feel Goods are uplifting, anthemic, mid-tempos. Usually with positive, universal lyrics. They do exactly what their title says… make you feel good. Think U2 and Coldplay. Here’s an example of a Feel Good. It’s my song, “Not Today,” and it’s been used in Grey’s Anatomy and The Real World.

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The other style, Break Ups, are broken down, acoustic or piano, relationship-themed ballads. Here’s another one of my songs as an example. It’s called “Step Outside,” and it’s been used in The Hills.

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5. Instrumentals

If you don’t have instrumentals for all of your songs… get them now. Sometimes Music Editors need to work around dialogue. Or, maybe they love a track, but lyrically it doesn’t it work. You want to give them that flexibility. They will love you for it. Not to mention it will give you a ton more opportunities.

All of the things I’ve listed here will make you and your music more sync-able.  But, more importantly, it builds a foundation of something that is essential in a relationship with a Supervisor… Trust.

Next week, we’ll get into some smart and effective strategies for getting your music into the hands and ears of Music Supervisors.

See ya then!

Josh

Hello again!

This is Part 2 of an ongoing, immediate experiment. Over the next 4 months, we’ll learn together as I (Secrets in Stereo) write, record, promote, and release my new album.

Last week in Part 1, we got to know each other. I introduced myself and let you in on my motivation and goals for this project. This week, I want to give you 3 things that have allowed me to quit my day job. Two of them, anyone can do. And you can start today. The third isn’t for everyone. But, it’s a game changer. Let’s dive in, shall we!

1. I SOLD MP3′S FOR THE PRICE OF AN EMAIL

That title is for all the artists that cringe at the idea of giving away music. But, whether you like it or not, MP3’s have a value of $0 in the consumer’s mind. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that you can’t change the consumer’s mind once it’s made up. You have to adapt. Now, I’m not saying that your music has a value of $0. I’m saying that the low quality sounding, easily copied MP3 format of your music has a value of $0. Big difference. If you disagree, you might want to jump to #2.

At the level that you and I are at, our goal should be simple… Get our music in as many ears as possible. As an unknown, the most obvious way for me to do that was to give it away. I view an MP3 as my business card. And I view a potential fan’s email address as theirs. With that mindset, it makes sense to exchange business cards, with the notion of doing business together in the future. That’s the key… be confident that there will be future business. If you throw a hissy fit about giving away MP3’s, then you probably don’t have other products/experiences to sell.

There are a few great ways to facilitate this exchange of business cards. I’m a fan of Reverbnation’s Fan Collector Widget. Currently, I use this nifty little gizmo from Topspin…

This thing is supercharged. Unbelievably viral.  And I have all kinds of useful data that I can access on the backend. But, we’ll get into that further on down the road.

I’ve been giving away my music for a little over a year. I started with my 10-song debut album, and now my entire catalog to date. I’ve got close to 2,000 people on my email list, and I now average about 12 email adds a day. Without any type of active promotion on my part. These people are my “go to” people. Not only when I’ve got a new product to sell. But when I need help spreading the word about something, when I need input on a decision, or just to engage in conversation. They are indispensable. And if there’s one thing you do today… I recommend that you start passing out those business cards.

2. I IDENTIFIED AND ENGAGED LIKE-MINDED FAN-DOMS

This is easier said than done. Sorted Noise’s process of Artist Positioning gives you killer tools to the accomplishing this. And, again, we’ll get into that in more detail down the road. But before Artist Positioning even existed, I kinda fell into my first experience of a Fan-dom. It was eye opening to say the least.

Before I go on, let me define what I mean by a “Fan-dom.” This is really any group of people that are bound by a common interest. Not necessarily music. Read that last line again. But, back to my first Fan-dom experience…

It just so happened that the Fan-dom I fell into was the mother of all Fan-doms… Twilight. Very randomly (or maybe not), one of my songs was used in a fan made YouTube video about Twilight. All the video was, was a list of the songs on the soundtrack. You got it… a glorified track listing. Well, the song connected, and now that glorified track list has been viewed well over 1,700,000 times. Pretty crazy.

I could have been quite content with the exposure it garnered. But, what I did next to engage the Twilight Fan-dom was the most important tactic of this whole scenario.

I launched a campaign to write and record a song to pitch for New Moon (Twilight 2), with the help of the Twilight Fan-dom. I documented the whole writing and recording process on my blog, and asked for input all along the way. The project was covered by a ton of Twilight blogs (and there are 100’s of them), and really took my relationship with one of the largest Fan-dom’s in the world to another level.

What are your likes and loves outside of music? These could be good places to start finding Fan-doms you could relate to and engage with.

3. I LICENSED MY MUSIC TO TV, FILM, ADVERTISING, WEBISODES, DVD’s, TRAILERS, ANIMOTO, PHILANTHROPIES, … YOU GET THE PICTURE

Over the last 2 years, my 16 song catalog has generated over 50 placements in every kind of medium you can imagine. It’s the best exposure you can get… if you can get it. Sure, I’ve had songs in Grey’s Anatomy and The Hills. But, I’ve also had songs in independent internet shows like Palisades Pool Party.  I don’t discriminate.  I used a careful set of strategies and tactics to accomplish this. And there are absolutely rules you have to play by.

Like I said, this third one isn’t for everyone. It’s an animal in and of itself. (Get ready for the American Idol style cliffhanger) Which is why next Monday in Part 3, I’m going to talk exclusively on my strategies for getting your music into TV, Film, Advertising, and every other medium you can think of.

Until next week!

Josh

WHO ARE YOU AND WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY

Fair questions. And ones that I would want answered before I started reading a blog like this. So, with that said, my name is Josh Collum, and I’m really two things…

1. A living, breathing, self sustaining DIY artist. I write and record under the band name, Secrets in Stereo, and I’ve released 2 projects (a 10-song album and a 5-song EP) in the past 2 years. All 15 songs have been featured in TV/Film/Advertising. Over 50 placements total, on shows like Grey’s Anatomy, The Hills, Young and The Restless, Private Practice, and the The Real World. If you want to know more about me on the artist side of things, you can go to www.secretsinstereo.com

2. A member of Sorted Noise. The progressive thinking, Nashville-based team that specializes in advancing artists’ careers. We see changes in the music business as opportunities. We embrace new media, artist direct-to-fan relationships, and have developed and practice “the next generation in artist development.” We call it Artist Positioning. Along with being an Artist Positioning “coach,” I also spear head our TV/Film/Advertising wing.  If you want to find out more about that (and you aren’t already on the site) go to www.sortednoise.com

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS CASE STUDY

I don’t know about you, but I’ve grown frustrated of the generic “tips” and “advice” like… “you need to embrace social media” and “you’ve got to connect with your fans.” When I hear those things, two words come to mind. The first word is “no.” And the other rhymes with “spit.”

There is a whole class of DIY artists that have evolved past this level advice, and it’s time the advice itself evolves as well. In my view, this evolution of information should come from artists themselves, or managers that are working with artists day to day (as oppose to a former this, a former that, or marketing specialist). There are two reasons that I feel artists and managers are the best communicators for this info…

1. As most of you know already, the journey of an artist changes daily. We have to be agile and flexible, always ready to try the new thing and discard the ones that won’t work. Who better to pass along that important info, in an immediate fashion than the people that are in the middle of it? Our fans want immediate content. Why shouldn’t we?

2. We’ve got mouths to feed, and being an artist is how we feed them. Not speaking on panels, consulting, or selling advertising on our blogs (Not that there’s anything wrong with that). We have a hunger to find out what works and what doesn’t. Because our livelihood depends on it.

I’ve been inspired by recent attempts at this delivery of evolved information. Topspin’s Ian Rogers’ documentation of his managerial journey with Get Busy Committee (I wish it wouldn’t have sputtered out after 2 blogs. He’s a busy guy) and, the ongoing guest posts of Hope and Social’s Rick Huxley on www.creativedeconstruction.com are great examples of this.

THE DETAILS OF THIS CASE STUDY

Every Monday for the next 4 months, at www.sortednoise.com, I’ll be blogging about the ongoing writing, recording, promotion, and release of my new album. My goal is to not only let you know what’s worked for me in the past, but give you useful info every week about what’s working and (more importantly) what’s not with my current project. I’ll be a living, breathing, case study. An immediate experiment. Specifically, I’ll cover these topics and more…

1. Specific things that have allowed me to quit my day job
2. Thought process and implementation of giving away my music
3. Thought process and implementation of a fan funded project
4. Tips and advice about the TV/film/advertising world
5. An inside look into Sorted Noise’s Artist Positioning
6. An inside look into the Topspin platform
7. Viral promo tactics that work and don’t work with my Topspin-powered release

So, bookmark www.sortednoise.com, and check in every Monday. My hope is that every week, we all come away with an idea or tactic that we can use moving forward. Next week, I’ll be looking back, and passing along a handful of strategies that have allowed me to quit my day job.

See ya next Monday!

Josh