Looking to form a band? Then you’ve come to the right place! I give all kind of tips, from getting the right band name, to putting the members together and more. If you find the below useful, please share them with your band members.
High school is a great time to start a band. You have lots of potential band mates around you all the time. You have free time to spend doing what you want, and hopefully you don’t have too many responsibilities at home that take you away from your passion. The hard part is always taking…
These days, there is no magic number of band members or magic combination of instruments that makes up a successful band. There are bands that make it work with just two people and bands that make a success out of touring with entire ensembles and diverse orchestration. It comes down to what you require to…
Stage names are used by some of the most popular acts of all time, and for good reason. Bob Dylan is a heck of a lot catchier than Robert Zimmerman. P!nk is more memorable than Alecia Moore. In many cases, fans will see your name before they even hear your music. Your name needs to…
How tough is it to make a living in music, exactly? The correct answer is “it depends.” It depends on your strategy, your execution/work ethic and your mindset. These are the three variables you have control over – everything else is a moving target. Interestingly, getting a handle on what you can control – and…
No matter how much you enjoy your creativity and passion, there will be times when you feel like giving up. When you decide on a direction for your career or life, the universe will test you. It will throw everything at you to see whether you’ll stay committed. Many people give up when the challenges…
You’ve found your passion. You’re ready to embark upon a magical journey with your music. But your family doesn’t support you. They don’t want you wasting your life on something you can’t make money at. Or, maybe they want you to become a lawyer, doctor or attorney. They want you to make a “real” contribution…
For many artists, playing in a band and then moving into a solo project is a natural progression. There are pros and cons to both. Managing all of the personalities and egos in a band is a challenge. Trying to organize an entire creative project by yourself is also a challenge. Sometimes, a solo project…
I’d like to share a little about my latest mini-book, The Essential Guide to Music Entrepreneurship: 2018 Edition. In 2011, I had an awakening. I’d started and ran a couple of businesses up until that point. But as I look back, I can see that I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t…
If you came here looking for a quick fix, an easy out, or a slam-dunk social media tip, you came to the wrong place. For most of us, a career in music is a grind. It’s hard. What I have (only recently) started to figure out is how to make that grind more rewarding. My…
This is the first in a three part series looking at how to form a band. If you’ve decided you don’t want to be a solo act and are instead interested in putting together a professional or semi-professional band with the aim of gigging regularly and making money, this is the guide for you. It’s…
Up until recently, an artist could stand out on the merits of the uniqueness of their style of music. When making niche music, you still had to stay within the constraints of what sounded good, even if there were only a thousand people that would ever like it. But you’d be surprised by how far…
Finding the perfect band mates can be a challenge. The reality is that even well-known acts like Cream, The Police, and Oasis were full of tension. Somehow, despite their differences, they managed to create great music together – at least for a time. Ideally, you don’t want to be playing in a band where you’re…
I’m in a band, and I love it. I am not the lead singer, lead guitarist, or principal songwriter. I play bass and keyboard. The other two members are the lead singers and songwriters. And yet, I love the way our band feels. I love being a “supporting musician”. It can be incredibly gratifying and…
So, full disclosure, I am still a young person in the industry. I would hardly call myself an expert, and I wouldn’t call myself a veteran either. That said, I’ve had the opportunity to experience some amazing things while in music, and I’ve certainly learned a lot. In fact, every six months, it’s like I…
There are three types of artists. There are those who are stubborn. They refuse to change, even in the face of rapid technological advancement. They don’t purchase ads. They don’t tweak their live show. They’re determined to blaze a trail whether it kills their career or not. Then are those who are extremely adaptive, and…