Avsnitt
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Episode 65
Greetings friends and welcome to this week’s episode!
For this podcast, I wanted to dive into an issue that rarely gets addressed for artists and musicians and that is how to pursue your passion for music as a parent.
Let’s face it, being a parent is challenging. Not only is a lot of your time dedicated to raising a child (children) but it can also take up a lot of your energy. Especially the little ones!
I myself am a parent and have dealt with many of these challenges when it comes to learning how to stay productive and creative in music whilst staying active in your children’s lives.
Just because you are a parent doesn’t mean you have any less reason to pursue music as your passion. It is still very much a reality for you, especially in this day and age.
You may not have the same freedoms you once had before kids but that’s not a bad thing. Arranging your life and setting up new habits to keep music in the forefront for you is very achievable.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Why becoming a parent can be traditionally perceived as a “show stopper” when it comes to pursuing your passion for music and why this isn’t true.
2). Why your most important asset as a parent still pursuing music will be time management and scheduling.
3).How using the technologies of today (skype, file sharing etc) make it possible for you to still stay creative and productive towards growing interest in your music and collaborating with other people.
4). Why remembering your reasons for pursuing music in the first place will help you push through during challenging times and knowing that it is still very much a possibility for you to create and pursue music as a parent.
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Thanks again for joining me on this week’s episode. If you are a parent or are “soon to be” one, then I hope you found this week’s episode valuable.
As mentioned before, becoming a parent doesn’t mean that you have to put your career on hold. There are plenty of ways to still pursue music just like everyone else.
The trick is knowing how to adjust your life to being both an amazing parent and a passionate artist at the same time.
Til Next time, peace n love!
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 64
Greetings friends and thanks for joining me today on the podcast!
This week I’m taking a closer look at the opportunities you can create for yourself by “diversifying” your skills as a musician.
In today’s industry writing, recording and performing music is only one aspect of what we now have complete control over.
With advancements in media streaming, social media and technology there are endless amounts of resources available to us to further our skills and abilities as an artist that can benefit our music career.
How about learning a new instrument, or how to record yourself, maybe give lessons via Skye?
These are just a few skills that we have the power to adopt which can open up new opportunities to help either fund or further our career in music.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). What I mean specifically by “diversifying” your current musical skillsets to benefit your career to either gain more fans or add possible revenue streams.
2). Why focusing efforts into doing “more” than just the main passion you have for music makes you more valuable to yourself and possibly to your creative project.
3). How sharing your knowledge of being a musician and playing your instrument through teaching lessons online or through a YouTube channel is a great way to diversify your presence with skills you already have. This could also lead to other revenue streams as well.
4). Why investing in learning a new skill like recording your own music or learning a new instrument is also an investment in your career. This can make you more valuable to any situation you encounter in the future.
5). The reason why NOW is the time to start investing in yourself outside of what you already know in regards to your musical abilities.
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Thanks again for listening to this week’s podcast!
This truly is a great time to be an artist with all of the resources we now have available to us. Being able to write, perform, and distribute your music is only a small portion of what we can add to our musical plates of skill sets.
There are many more “side” hustles you can adopt to help compliment your music and give you more opportunities to achieve your goals in music.
I hope you have a moment to check out this week’s episode.
Peace N Love,
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Episode 63
Hello friends and thank you for joining me today on the podcast!
Playing live is the best feeling as a musician.
Getting to share what you love to do in front of a live audience is the root of what usually inspires us to get into music in the first place.
However it’s very easy to be forgotten especially with the abundance of live acts out there today.
Whether you’re a local or national act, we all struggle with trying to find new audiences and most importantly “retain” them.
Luckily, there are some things we can all keep in mind when playing live that will “spice up” our chances of being remembered far after the venue doors have closed.
If you are serious about holding onto the people that enjoyed you live then today’s podcast may have some great tips for you to consider the next time you saddle up and head to your next gig.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Why it’s important to think about ways to retain fans during your shows and how you can easily be distracted which can lead to lost opportunities.
2). The difference between being proactive by making it easy for fans to find you instead of expecting the fans to be more proactive in looking you up. It doesn’t always work that way.
3). How important it is to communicate your name and your social media sites while you’re on stage and the importance of repeating this information during the course of your set.
4). Why making an effort to collect email addresses after your show is the best time and is key in growing your email subscriber list.
5). If you have the chance to leave your fans with something they can take home like a sticker or a flyer, that gives you great chances in them remembering you after the doors have closed.
6). Why being personable when you meet someone that likes your music makes a great impression and how that can make a difference in growing your fanbase.
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Thanks again for joining this episode! Building and retaining fans via live performances can be a lot of fun but can also be big missed opportunities.
For many musicians, playing live is their bread and butter and maximizing every opportunity you have to make a new fan is very important.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of setting up for a show, playing it and then packing back up it can be easy to forget the main reason why you do it all…
To make new fans.
I hope you enjoyed this episode and that it shed some light on a few things that will help you not only make new fans but retain them for as long as possible.
Til next episode, peace n love!
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 62
Greetings friends and thank you again for swinging by the podcast!
YouTube is the biggest video watching platform on the internet. With 1.9 active visitors per month and 5 billion videos watched per day, it has become the leading “go to” place to consume video content on just about anything you could ever imagine.
But how does this help you?
The good news about YouTube is that ANYONE can start a channel and as an artist, you should be jumping out of your underwear because of this!
Ok, maybe not that much. But it does give you a great way to connect with your fans and/or find new ones.
So, what should you post on your channel? Your music of course but what else can you provide to the people who want to get to know you more?
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Why having a YouTube channel is crucial to you if you are an artist who is serious about finding new fans online.
2). The importance of uploading as much content you currently have (albums, live shows, demos etc) to your YouTube channel and why that’s a good “base” to start from.
3). A few ideas you can upload for a “video diary” to update your fans on your latest shows, recordings or songs and why this is great for connecting with people who are interested in you and showing them more about you than just your music.
4). Why being consistent with uploading new videos is most important when growing a YouTube channel. Fresh content is crucial to keep your fans interested and engaged over time which will help separate you from other artists that don’t maintain their channel.
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Thank you again for joining me for this episode. YouTube is one of the best weapons we have as artists in today’s modern music market. And the great opportunities it provides artists to connect with friends, family and fans make setting up your own channel worth it.
I hope you enjoy today’s episode especially if you’re just starting out on YouTube and want to know more about how it can help you build your music career up.
Til next time, peace n love!
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 61
Greetings friends and thanks as always for joining me on today’s podcast.
This week I’m tackling an issue that we can sometimes struggle with as musicians which is how to be a better “live” performer.
If your goal is to become a great musician, band or artists then there is no escaping the need to play in front of a live audience.
It’s the essence of what we do!
But what if you feel you’re not good enough or not as good as you want to be? How do you get to the point where you feel confident like the people you idolize or influence you?
Self-doubt, watching others and saying “I’ll never be as good as them” can cripple your confidence and we don’t want that.
Luckily, there are some basic things you can work on to help give you the confidence and presence you seek.
Becoming a great live performer doesn’t happen overnight and takes work but that’s the journey we all partake when we choose music.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). How the people who we idolized when starting out heavily influenced our perception as to what it is to be a great live performer.
2). A few of the reasons why being a great live performer is important and how it can help make an impact on your career.
3). How researching and learning from those that put on great live performances can help you become more aware of what you can do to improve on stage.
4). Why focusing on productive rehearsals are important and how they prepare you to attain better confidence.
5). When it comes down to it, why there is no complete substitution for getting better on stage other than doing it as often as you can.
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Thanks again for joining me for this episode. It’s important that you feel 100% confident when you step on stage. As an artist, it’s one of the best feelings in the world!
But if you don’t feel on par with where you think you should be or compare yourself to others then it won’t be the amazing experience it should be.
Just remember, it doesn’t have to be that way!
If you feel like you’re live performance is lacking where you’re a solo artist or a band, I hope you have a moment to check out this week’s podcast.
Thanks and as always, peace n love!
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 60
Greetings and thanks again for joining me on the podcast today!
For this episode, I wanted to dive into something that occasionally happens when you’re working in either a band or collaborative project for an extended period of time.
You break up.
I know it can be frustrating, disheartening, sad, and debilitating creatively. Unfortunately working in a group situation can lead to this and that is all part of the creative process.
But how do you stay creative when this happens?
Staying inspired and creative is still key to being an artist and no matter what happens along your creative journey there are always things you can do to keep those creative muscles flexing and in shape.
Doing so can also make you feel like you’re still “in the game” so to speak and get you back up and running on to your next project.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). How band break ups can affect your inspiration and willingness to still create especially if you’ve been vested in the project for a long time.
2). Why it doesn’t matter how you express yourself musically (singer, guitarist, drummer etc), there is always a way to stay motivated during challenging times.
3). The importance of collaborating with someone new and how that can open up new ideas that you never experienced before.
4). How experimenting with new instruments or genres can keep you in an inspirational place and help fuel more creativity outside of what you are used to.
5). Why changing your surroundings by traveling or seeing new places can keep you inspired without you even knowing it.
6). The importance of trying a new creative outlet like drawing or painting can ignite certain feelings of creativity and motivation that you may have forgotten.
7). Why staying active and keeping your motivation alive during transitional periods will help make you a better, more well-rounded artist overall.
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Thanks again for checking out this week’s episode. It’s no fun when your creative outlet decides to call it quits. Especially when you’ve dedicated a lot of time and energy to it.
But it happens.
Fortunately, that doesn’t mean the end for you, quite the opposite actually. Finding ways to stay creative as you transition into your next project (whatever that may be) is key to staying connected to your creative side.
I hope that after listening to this episode, you will agree.
Til next episode! Peace N love.
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 59
Greetings friends and thanks for joining me on today’s episode!
This week, I’m diving into social media promotion and why most musicians and artists fall short when it comes to promoting their music online.
I’m also including myself in this group since I regularly promote my own projects as well.
Social media is the most powerful tool we have as artists to get more people interested in our music but in most cases, we aren’t utilizing it most effectively.
Social media is meant to be just that… “Social” and most times we forget that aspect of it. we tend to just use social media as a place to advertise our latest shows or new music.
In order to get the best results from promoting on social media we will need to dig a little deeper and look at it from a more value added perspective.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Why promoting on social media can be challenging for artists and musicians when it comes to finding new fans and why it’s easy to forget the “social” aspect.
2). Why “transmit only” style promoting which used to work before the age of social media, doesn’t necessarily work now and what is transmit only promotion in the first place.
3). The importance of “adding value” to your fans when you promote and flipping it around to focus on them instead of you to build trust which will then lead to attention.
4). Why following the 80 – 20 rule when posting online is a good indicator of how much you should focus on you and your music and how much you should focus on adding value to your fans.
5). How we as a society have been trained to “tune out” ads online and if you’re not careful, you could easily sound like an ad when promoting your music and thus being ignored.
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Thanks again for checking out this podcast! If you’re like me then you are constantly thinking about ways to get more eyes and ears on your art.
Social media is our best weapon for this but only works best when utilized for the very nature that it was intended.
I hope you find insight and value in this episode and that it helps you in your own promotional campaigns.
Til next time, peace n love!
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 58
Greetings friends and thank you for joining me on today’s episode!
For today’s topic, I wanted to take a closer look at something I think we all wrestle with from time to time.
Our age and where we think we should be in our careers.
When starting out in music most of us have grandiose dreams of making it “big” and pulling in huge crowds and being big stars. (Maybe just me?)
But as time goes on, we may feel like the correlation between our age and our “success” as artists isn’t matching up.
Have you ever felt like this?
The good news is that you don’t have to. The world today is a new place, even from what it was just 15 years ago. Today you have unlimited ways to find new fans for your music no matter what age you are.
Your age and progress can have nothing to do with each other (they never should really) and the internet has opened up ways for us to create, promote and share our music with audiences across the world.
It truly is a time for you to make music at your own speed as there is something for everybody.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Some of the common misconceptions we tell ourselves as we get older about why we don’t make music a priority anymore and why that’s farthest from the truth.
2). How the internet has changed the game in terms of finding new fans and getting your music heard no matter what age you are or where you’re at.
3). How different generations (baby boomers, millennials etc) view the music industry today and why your age has nothing to do with utilizing this new landscape.
4). The importance of affordable technology to record your music and how that has shifted the power back to the artist in terms of making your own music and records.
5). The different ways you can grow your fanbase via the internet by posting your music on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud etc.
6). Why persistence, learning, and passion are more important than ever to remember as an artist and how they will help you grow your music career in this modern age.
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Thanks again for swinging by this podcast!
If you’ve ever felt like you haven’t had enough “success” or haven’t “made it” yet and are too old to try then I hope you found this episode useful.
There truly is no limit to what you can achieve with your music in today’s market. There is a fan base for everyone and your age should have nothing to do with it.
Whether you are a Baby Boomer, Gen X’er, Millennial or beyond, there is a way to find fans who will connect with you no matter where you are. It just takes time, work and patience.
Thanks again and here’s to the next episode!
Peace N Love,
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 57
Hello friends and thank you for joining me on this week’s episode!
For this podcast I felt the need to revisit the same topics I discussed in episode #56 “Your Audience Is Everything”. As I was filming that episode I didn’t feel like I had touched on enough.
So I decided to film a part 2 of course!
This episode gets closer to the idea of thinking and promoting yourself as a relate-able “brand” towards your audience instead of just an artist or band.
We all start off in music as a project with musical ideas and songs. But with the power of the internet and the abilities to broadcast your music/message 24 hours a day, this gives us the opportunity to be more than just music.
Social media allows us the chance to reach our audiences all over the world and connect with them on a consistent basis. Doing so allows growth and trust which is the cornerstone of any reputable brand.
Building a following of people who don’t know who you are at first isn’t easy but it is possible. With a consistent message, music that you pour your heart into and empathy with the people you interact with, it is very possible to grow and take care of your audience.
But it takes work:)
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Recapping what the new “audience” is defined as in this social media-driven world and why that’s important for artists.
2). The commonalities that make up a successful “brands” and how we can learn from these points to help create a brand around our own music.
3). Why people’s attention is the most valuable commodity in the market and why approaching your music efforts in a branded fashion will help garner more attention to you.
4). How consistency with creating your content (music, videos, social media etc) is one of the backbones of branding and why you should make it a priority.
5). The importance of engaging with your audience and making yourself attainable and relate-able and how that translates into loyalty and attention.
6). Why the journey to becoming more “brand like” is different for everyone but what’s important is the effort you put into finding that formula that your fans (current and new) respond to the best.
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Thanks again for swinging by this podcast. I hope this “Part 2” episode of “Your Audience Is Everything” will further illustrates how important it is to re-engineer our mindsets when it comes to finding new audiences and nurturing current ones.
As artists we exist in an amazing new era and the tools and tactics available to us to help spread our music across the planet is astounding.
Knowing the best way to approach your music from an “audience” standpoint will give you the best chances in carving out a rewarding career in music for yourself.
Til the next episode, peace n love!
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 56
Greetings friends and thanks again for stopping by this week’s podcast.
For this episode, I wanted to dive into what it means to have an actual “audience” in today’s music industry and how it can be a game changer for you and your music.
Trying to grow a following is very difficult especially if you’re just starting out in a project or career. The key to gaining any kind of traction is to attract an “audience”.
But there is more to it than just an audience in the traditional sense where people come to see you at your shows etc.
In today’s social media driven world, having an engaged and in-tune audience 24/7 can make the difference in your music career and help separate you from everyone who is struggling to gain fans.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). What the new definition of an “audience” is in this day and age and why it’s important to understand this as an artist.
2). The biggest mistake musicians and artists make when trying to promote their music online which ultimately leads to frustration and feelings of failure.
3). Why it’s great to have a “core” following (friends, family etc) but in order to grow as an artist and find new fans, you’ll have to learn new promotional tactics that work better for “cold” audiences online or people who don’t know who you are.
4). Why learning how to find more fans online is more powerful than putting in work to try and find new fans for your live performances.
5). How the best promoting techniques to find new fans doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with your music or album. Why building an audience is much more than just asking people to check out your music.
6). Why having people’s “attention” is the most valuable commodity and why you should treat it as such when you begin to actually grow and engaged audience.
7). How approaching your music as a relate-able “brand” will give you a more solid foundation towards building a loyal audience that will listen when you have something to say.
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I hope you enjoyed this episode as I feel gaining an audience is a real challenge for all musicians and artists.
The definition of “audience” has changed over the past few years with the rise of social media and promotion. It’s no longer just about getting people to your shows.
It’s also about getting people to pay attention to you online as well because that’s where our attention spans reside.
Hopefully, you find some value in what I’m saying here and if not, that’s ok too. The important thing is that we all understand what our challenges are as artists 100% and that we constantly work to improve how we promote ourselves.
Til next time, peace n love!
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 55
Greetings and welcome to another episode, thanks for swinging by!
For this podcast I wanted to take a look into something I think every musician and artist thinks about at one time or another.
What “success” looks like.
If you’ve ever stepped on a stage, written music, performed music or expressed yourself through music I’m sure you’ve thought about what success in music looks like for you.
Does it mean making millions of dollars? How about touring the world? Maybe being able to pick up a weekly gig somewhere in your hometown?
There are many ways to determine what success means and each person this is different. Why is this so important to determine what success looks like for you? That’s what I’m here to share with you.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Why it’s important to define what success means to you and how that can affect your motivation for creating your music.
2). Different types of “success” that can be motivations for us as artists and musicians and why you should decide which is right for you.
3). If we don’t ever feel like we are successful in music does that necessarily mean that we are failures? What things can mislead us into feeling unsuccessful?
4).The most important aspect about “success” no matter what professions or career path you’re on and why understanding that will keep you motivated forever.
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Thanks again for joining me on this episode. Pondering what success looks like and means to you as an artist is an important aspect of our creative lives. We take a lot of time out of our schedules to learn our craft and promote it.
Making sure you know the reasons why you do it and where it can take you provided you put your heart and soul into it is crucial to finding a meaningful creative life.
Til next time, peace n love!
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 54
Greeting friends and thanks for swinging by this episode.
For this podcast, I wanted to dive into some things that may be holding us back from getting more done with our music.
There comes times in our music careers where we ask ourselves if we are making the kind of progress we had hoped for or are we where we want to be and if the answer is always “No” then it might help to think about ways we can take charge of our goals.
It’s not easy trying to create a path for ourselves in music and there are many distractions that can derail our efforts. Even when we think we have things under control.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Why it’s a good idea to occasionally take a step back and check your progress as an artist over a 6 month period and how it can help you to make improvements if you don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere.
2). How not managing your time in an organized fashion can easily eat away at your aspirations as an artist and what you can concentrate on to get better at it.
3). Different distractions that can be getting in the way of you making music a priority and how to re-focus on your goals to minimize distractions.
4). Different reasons why you could be lacking in motivation to work on your music and the things you can remember if you find yourself with these feelings to help get you back on track.
5). Why envying others and wishing you were where they are can keep you from focusing on your own success. Also, what you can do to help tune everything else out so you can get back to focusing on your own career path.
6). Why installing productive habits in your regular schedule is the key to achieving more and keeping you motivated to hit your goals.
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Thanks again for joining me on this podcast. It’s not easy taking a look at ourselves and finding things that we can improve upon. But in order to create momentum and progress with our music, identifying things that could be holding us back can be a crucial step into finding ways to achieve more and feel better about who are as artists.
I hope you find this podcast useful today and that it helps inspire you to find things in your life and career that you can make changes too or improve upon.
There is no wrong way to self-improvement and self-reflection is a major part of that.
Til next time, Peace N love,
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 53Hello and thank you for swinging by this week’s episode!For this podcast I wanted to go in a different direction than my usual “schpiel”.Today is all about getting you motivated:)Motivated to do more for your music. In today’s music space there are many things we are responsible for outside of writing and playing music.To really build a fan base and sink our teeth into building a following we need to take on the roles of social media marketer, graphic designer, videographer, email marketer, web designer, audio engineer and much more!Whew!It can feel overwhelming. But I am here to tell you that it is all possible and there are artists doing all of these things autonomously today.In This Podcast You Will Learn:1). What it actually means when I say that we need to do “more” to be seen and heard as artists in today’s modern music landscape.2). A quick back story into how I realized that becoming autonomous and learning new skills to promote my work through creating own content (video, audio, graphics etc) has made the biggest difference for me as an artist.3). How we are now the “Learn & Do” generation with unlimited resources available to us to learn and figure out how to do just about anything and why that’s important for musicians.4). Why defining your goals and where you want to be in a year will help get you started with building a plan to get more done for your music.5). What it means to have an actual “audience” and how doing more around your music will help build up this layer of people who pay attention to you and your music.6). Understanding that you won’t be good at creating content and marketing yourself to begin with but over time with continued work. you will get better and slowly find what works for you and your audience.///Thank you again for checking out this week’s episode. I really hope you find what I talk about here not only useful but motivational.The world is a DIY (Do It Yourself) place and that definitely includes musicians and artists. There is nothing stopping you from creating the reality you want to see with your music. It just takes patience, an open mind, and work.Much like most things that are worth it.Til next time, peace n love!Mike—Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!Swing by and drop me a line at:[email protected]/songwritersplannerwww.instagram.com/songwriters_plannerGet organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today.
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Episode 52
Greeting friends and thank you for joining me on this week’s podcast!
In this day and age, it’s easier than ever to film and create your own music videos. It’s almost essential now that you have some sort of video representation of you and your music to be taken seriously as an artist.
The good news is that you don’t have to go out and spend thousands of dollars to create a great video. Most time you can get away with using your phone, some free video editing software and a little bit of know how to get you on the map.
But what else do you need to know to create great videos?
For this episode I’m diving into a few fundamentals you should know before you start filming. Whether you’re hiring someone to do it for you or you’re going at it yourself, there are a few things you want to consider before diving into being the next Steven Spielberg.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Why having some kind of video content to complement your music is almost essential for artists in the modern music industry and how it can legitimize your efforts.
2). Why video is important to artists and why you don’t have to invest a lot of money or shell out thousands of dollars to create your own videos.
3). The different kinds of videos you can create for your music and a few things you’ll want to think about in the planning stages.
4). Some of the basic components that you’ll need to create your videos including camera, cast, software, location etc.
5). Why using lighting reinforcement is an essential part in making your videos look professionally made and how it adds to the attractiveness of your videos.
6). Why creating your own videos not only gives you your own content but also teaches you the skills to keep creating them on your own terms without having to pay someone to do it for you. Autonomy is the key.
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Thanks again for joining me and checking out this episode. Video has fast become the number one consumed media on the internet and it’s easy to see why. It gets your message across quickly in a way that humans can easily understand and consume.
Being able to churn out your own videos regularly can give you a big advantage over someone who still hires out the work. As mentioned, you don’t have to go big with investing in video labor or gear. Some simple creativity, planning and organization will get you where you need to be.
I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Video has a secret spot in my heart when it comes to artists and musicians. Having a DIY mentality about your own videos is only the start and I hope you travel down this journey with an open mind.
Til next episode!
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 51
Hello and thanks for swinging by this week’s podcast!
For this episode, I wanted to take a closer look at one of the most powerful tools we have available to us as artists. Facebook Ads.
Regardless of what traditional means we used to deploy to advertise our music, FB ads are the most powerful tool we have available to us to get our music heard by current or new fans.
But when should we use them?
Without having a solid game plan, it’s easy to throw away a lot of money with FB ads especially if you aren’t sure how or when to use them. There are a million resources online showing you how to set up and run FB ads but it can be overwhelming especially for musicians and artists.
Today I’m here to simplify and breakdown the best uses for your hard-earned money in regards to deploying FB ads.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Why Facebook ads is one of the most powerful ways to find new fans for artists but also why you should learn to deploy them properly to avoid wasting funds.
2). Why it’s important to your bottom line not to promote “everything” and why choosing the best content to run ads on is the way to go to get the best bang for your buck.
3). How deploying ads for an upcoming show/event or tour is a great way to get a lot of people through the door if they know who you are. Hyping events through FB advertising can pay off in the long run.
4). Using FB ads to promote your music releases and what types of ads work best to catch people’s attention.
5). Why using your budget to run ads that promote your merchandising is a great opportunity for return on investment.
6). The importance of identifying different audience types (“Cold” and “Warm” audiences) and why you don’t want to jumble everyone in together to the same ad. Deploying tailored ads to set groups of people can give you better results.
7). How finding your audience and deploying successful ads takes time. You may not have the best results right out of the gate but sticking with it is important to building your fan base in the long run.
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Thanks again for checking out this week’s podcast.
Facebook ads can be a great adversary for musicians but can also be a big waste of money if not utilized efficiently.
Ultimately it’s up to you to decide when and what to promote online and how you want to spend your hard earned dollars. Trying to build a music career and following can be challenging.
Make sure your Facebook promotional strategy best represents you, your content and your budget.
Til next time,
Peace N Love!
Mike
—
Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 50
Greetings and thank you for swinging by this week’s podcast!
For this episode, I wanted to dive into a few important things I’ve learned so far while recording my own album for the very first time.
I truly believe this is a common situation for most musicians these days as we are faced with limited budgets yet cheaper DIY recording equipment.
For me, I made it a goal of mine this year to finally take the step into DIY recording and record my own album with my band mate for our project.
We had both been in the studio many times before but those experiences have always been in professional recording studios with seasoned engineers and producers.
For our own project, decided to try and do things ourselves with just the knowledge, experience and equipment we already have.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Why I felt it was time to try recording an album by myself and why I consider it to be an attempt at an “official” release (hopefully).
2). Why going into a project like this with the will to learn and understand that making mistakes is important to becoming a more well-rounded musician.
3). Some of the more technical aspects of recording that I’ve learned about that I think all musicians should be aware of especially when entering the studio or recording yourself.
4). The importance of “learning how to learn” from the endless amounts of tutorials online and why I think that is the most important aspect of taking on a project like this or something similar.
5). Why not settling for the perfection you hear in your head compared to what you’re hearing through the speakers will make you a better engineer of your own music. Keep working at it and making improvements as you go.
6). How having realistic expectations about your skill level and experience going into recording shouldn’t deter you from trying it and learning more. Everyone starts somewhere and you get better by learning faster.
7). Why the most important aspect of recording your own music is that YOU are happy with it and proud of what you have accomplished.
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If you’re on the fence or have been thinking about finally recording your own music and releasing it then this podcast is for you. I’m here to say that you don’t have to be professionally trained to get started.
All you need is some decent affordable gear, patience and the will to learn. I’ve been learning a lot these past few weeks and wanted to share the most important aspects of DIY recording with you so that you can be better prepared when you’re ready to take on your own project.
I hope you find this episode valuable and helpful.
Til next time, Peace N Love!
Mike
—
Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 49
Hello and thank you for swinging by this week’s podcast!
This week, I wanted to dive into a topic that I think most musicians think about from time to time if not often.
What does it take to work full time as a musician?
There are many different variations of being a full time musician. You can be involved in touring, session work, fill – ins, weekly gigging, orchestras and musicals etc. The list is endless as to how you can make a living playing music.
However, in order to actually rely on your experience as an artist and musician there are some things that you’ll need to know before you take that big step.
Playing music for a living or full time can be very rewarding but at the same time, it can be quite risky, especially if you’re not prepared for the challenges that you’ll face.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). The many different definitions of what it is to be a “full timer” and how you can strategically position yourself to fill these many roles to maximize your earnings.
2). Why transitioning into a full-time musician doesn’t happen overnight and what things you will have to have in place long before you can quit that day job.
3). Why it’s important to have a deep library of songs that you can play in any scenario and how that will help you get more gigs and consistent work.
4). Why networking and connecting with as many people as possible is important to help keep your schedule filled with work and how it’s the lifeblood of any serious full-time musician.
5). The importance of managing your finances and preparing yourself to take in a musicians income to start off. Also being prepared for times when there is little work.
6). Why considering relocation or moving to a bigger city might be an option for you if the town or city you live in doesn’t have enough opportunities to work full time.
7). Why your main goal when building up a reputation as a full time musician is to be the “go to” person when someone needs to fill a spot for any playing or performing scenario.
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Thank you again for joining me on this episode. Playing music full time is a dream for a lot of musicians. Relying solely on our abilities to either perform or write music has always been a “mecca” for artists and tempts us at every step.
But knowing what you’re up against and the challenges that come with it is important as it can keep you from unrealistically chasing a dream that you may not be prepared for.
Being able to work towards a full time career without going bankrupt and putting you out on the street is a better goal to shoot for ahead of time and there are many ways you can achieve it.
I hope you find this week’s podcast valuable and as always, let me know what you think:)
Mike
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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 48
For this episode I wanted to dive into whether or not learning cover songs specifically if you are in an original project is worth the time and effort?
Over the years I’ve heard many sides and opinions on whether playing cover songs (playing someone else’s song) is worth the time and energy AND if it really even matters?
There are many reasons why it could be a good idea to include a few covers in your set but you could also make the argument that you would rather focus on your music instead of showcasing someone else’s song.
It can be confusing whether or not to play cover songs in your set, especially if you’re just starting out. There’s also a lot of opinions on which cover songs should you play if you decided to include them in your set.
We’re taking a look at these issues and more:)
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). Some of the different variables outside of how you feel about playing cover songs that could affect your decision on adding them or not.
2). How the vast amount of cover songs performed on YouTube has changed the landscape and attitudes of what a cover song can do for an artist.
3). Some of the reasons against including them in your set especially when your main focus is getting your original music written and heard.
4). Also, some of the reasons why including some cover songs in your set could be a good idea and how it could help you pull an audience back in to focus on you.
5). If you decide to add covers to your set, when is the best time to include them? The beginning, middle or end? This can vary based on how you want to portray your art.
6). What makes a great choice for a cover song which is going to be unique to each artist and how you can make it more interesting to the listener so it sticks with them longer.
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Thanks for swinging by and listening to this episode. Deciding on whether to incorporate covers into your own set list can be frustrating especially when you are really trying to make a name for yourself and your own music.
Relying too heavily on covers could take away the spotlight from your own music, On the flip side if you find yourself having trouble with pulling people into your own music then a cover might help people get re-focused on what you’re doing.
There is no right or wrong answer here. Just what works best for you.
Til next time, peace n love!
Mike
—
Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 47
This week as I approach the one year anniversary of starting the Songwriter’s Planner – Podcast I wanted to take a moment and reflect on what I’ve learned from putting together this podcast week after week.
The initial idea for this podcast was to support the Songwriter’s Planner and provide helpful content to other artists and musicians out there who have the same questions I have.
The new music industry is a big place with a lot of new opportunities for artists to take advantage of to grow their fan base and get more people to listen to your music. But with this new amazing place comes a lot of questions.
My hopes were for this little podcast to help serve as another resource and tool to musicians and artists alike and help find ways to navigate the new music landscape.
It’s been quite a year and I’ve learned so much so this week I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). The original reason I decided to start a podcast and how it fits into supplementing the purpose for the Songwriter’s Planner.
2). How the landscape of the new music industry has changed and brought the focus back to the “Artist In Charge” mentality. And also why it means we have more responsibilities.
3). The various skills I’ve learned or have gotten better at putting together a podcast week after week and how that has helped me as a musician.
4). The most important lesson I’ve learned this past year as a podcaster and how it’s helped me stay on track consistently.
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Thanks again for swinging by this week’s podcast. I’ve had an amazing time putting together these episodes this past year and have learned more than I thought I would when first starting out.
Applying the same things I’ve learned here to your music ambitions can also help you make progress in such a short amount of time.
Whether it’s new music, starting a blog or vlog or even podcasting to supplement your art, there is always something new to learn that will only help you find more fans.
Til next episode!
Mike
—
Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. -
Episode 46
Greetings and thanks for joining me on this podcast!
Being a musician and trying to get your music heard can sometimes be a frustrating road. There is a lot of competition out there and it seems like there are less and less venues to perform at and less people paying attention.
On top of that, music itself just isn’t selling anymore. All of which can lead to frustration. Sometimes it’s easy to catch ourselves taking it out on the one people we rely on to support us…
The fans.
“Support Local Music!”, “Don’t Steal Our Music”, “Support The Artist!”.
These are all battle cries of artists in a changing industry. But the reality is if we relay this message in the wrong way, we can slowly turn off the people who support us and make it easy for them to gravitate elsewhere.
In This Podcast You Will Learn:
1). How the current landscape of the music industry today (lack of sales etc.) can cause frustration for artists and cause us to lash out unknowingly towards innocent fan bases.
2). The kinds of messages we may be unknowingly broadcasting that can turn fans off to you as an artist. the kind of negative messaging we should avoid.
3). Why it’s still important to work on gaining new fans even if they never pay you a cent for your music and how you can leverage a growing “audience” online and at your shows to generate income down the road.
4). Why making your fans feel appreciated and attracting new ones with positive messaging will make the biggest difference between growing an attentive audience or alienating and struggling to find loyal fans.
5). A few tips on how you can build trust and gain relationships with your growing fan base and how to give them more than what they ask for even when they’ve given you no money. And that’s OK!
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Thanks again for joining me on this episode. As artists navigating our way through an evolving industry it can be very frustrating when things don’t seem to be working the way they used to.
However, the one thing we need to keep in mind is to not take it out on the fans. When one door seems to be closing, a new one always opens. And if you tell your story and bring your fans along with you, they’ll stick with you and feel appreciated.
I hope you found some insight in the episode, as always I’d love to hear your feedback as well.
Till the next episode!
Mike
—
Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!
Swing by and drop me a line at:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner
www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner
Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today. - Visa fler
