Expert Music Career Advice For DIY Musicians
4 Times You Shouldn't Take the Gig
The Number One Mistake Bands Make Right After Booking a Gig
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Features, Songwriting

Sep 30, 2014 12:30 PM

Christiana Usenza

13 Tips to Make Co-Writing Fun and Productive

Image via blog.songtrust.com

There are a million ways to write a song – which means there are also a million ways to co-write a song. Writing is a personal practice, and each person does it differently; in fact, some writers feel the process is too personal to share, while others thrive on collaboration. Even if you're a songwriting loner, you might find someone who you feel compelled to share your creative process with every once in a while. And when you inspire each other and complement each other's strengths, what could be better?

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Musician Success Guide, Strategies for Success

Sep 15, 2014 12:30 PM

Christiana Usenza

The 7 Biggest Challenges DIY Musicians Face – And How to Conquer Them

Image via apartmenttherapy.com

A DIY musician not only creates and plays music for the love of it, but also masters the nuts and bolts of business management with the goal to share their music and, eventually, "go pro." Usually, one goes into the business with a burning desire to play music, not to manage social media accounts, organize shows and tours, build a fanbase, design merchandise and websites, manage a group of people, or become an accountant. To be successful, a DIY artist must have the entrepreneurial drive to overcome obstacles and do whatever it takes to create something out of nothing. Here are seven of the most common challenges that DIY artists face – plus, ways to overcome them.

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Features, Marketing & Promotion

Sep 5, 2014 10:30 AM

Christiana Usenza

8 Ways to Build and Strengthen Your Band's Brand

Photo by Shervin Lainez

For a band to be successful, it must ultimately create its own brand, which presents its musical story both tangibly and intangibly. Your brand applies to every aspect of the band's activities, including visuals, sound, and presentation. Anything from its logo, website, and photos, to its recordings, performances, and merchandise counts. Even your silly social media posts, online interactions with fans, and clothing styles can impact your brand. It is the band’s persona that leaves an impression on people.

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networking, Musician Success Guide, Strategies for Success

Sep 2, 2014 02:00 PM

Christiana Usenza

How to Make Meaningful Music Industry Connections (Not Just Contacts)

Image via tipsforclassicalmusicians.com

In any field, "who you know" often counts more than "what you know." This is especially true in the music industry – an ever-shrinking pool of people that exemplifies the proverbial "small world." Now, more than ever, it's important to not only build your list of contacts, but also make true connections with fellow folks in the biz.

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Opportunities, ceg, fontanas, jennifer sellers, Musician Success Guide

Aug 21, 2014 09:30 AM

Christiana Usenza

Spotlight On: Jennifer Sellers, Promoter at Creative Entertainment Group

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Sellers

Jennifer Sellers has always been a supporter of the live music community. Fueled by her passion to connect artists and industry professionals, Jennifer naturally and ambitiously began her career in the music business during college by working to showcase local bands and songwriters. This turned into band management for acts such as Boss Relief, Foster McGinty, and Arjun after she graduated. She then went on to intern at Creative Entertainment Group (CEG), was brought on full-time as a concert promoter in 2005, and has been with the company ever since.

CEG often partners with Sonicbids to give artists performance opportunities. They're currently booking for Fontana's, a unique NYC venue with a great atmosphere, where the owners truly care about providing quality music. In the interview below, Jennifer tells us more about the gig and why she loves booking Sonicbids artists for her shows.

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