Month: November 2015

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News

Monday Motivation: Eric Church

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

Today I turned 28, so I guess now is as good as time as any to admit that I am no longer the most knowledgable person on the planet when it comes to new music. Okay, I probably never really was the number one person for music discovery, but I always thought I was at least in the upper echelon of quote/unquote tastemakers. Through my work at Under The Gun Review, a music blog I launched in college, I was able to help promote a number of bands before the industry at large took notice, and there were countless others I discovered whom I wish I could have helped as well. In all my time as a music professional there has never been a period when there was a shortage of great new music to discover, and I am certain that will continue to be true for the foreseeable future.

Something I learned over the last year is that while I may have been on the pulse of everything new in the world of alternative music I had neglected to consider the artists currently dominating other areas of the entertainment industry, as well as what they may or may not have to offer me as a music fan. It’s as if I had become so consumed with all things rock, metal, and punk that I never even thought to see how the rest of the music business had been evolving, or who was responsible for inciting those changes. When I did make time, I was admittedly shocked by how many artists outside my musical comfort zone appealed to me. There were many I didn’t like as well, of course, but quite a few names that were more or less new to me began creeping into my daily playlists. Specifically, several country artists made the cut, and by the time fall fell I had to admit there was a fairly good chance my favorite record of the year would be an album most the world labeled as country. I didn’t see it that way, and to be honest I still don’t, but our consumer culture loves labels, so I guess I have to say country has, in some small, way stolen my heart.

I was debating between two different country releases for this column, and I ultimately chose the more recent of the two simply because I feel like less has been written about it. Eric Church is a man who has long straddled the line between country and rock, and his latest album, ‘Mr. Misunderstood,’ is no exception. Over the course of 10 songs, Church shares tales from his own life through a unique sound that feels most inspired by the heyday of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers. Though the emotional content of the material ranges from happy to sad and everything in between, the cohesion of the songs, as well as the replay value for even the most bittersweet melodies, is incredibly high. Church has crafted a one-of-a-kind road trip record that feels every bit as exciting on the twentieth play as it did on the first. If that isn’t the definition of the true rock and roll spirit, I don’t know what could be.

The day I fell in love with Eric Church I was in the middle of a six-hour drive from Pennsylvania to Boston with no one to keep me company. I had heard and enjoyed several Church songs before, but I never took the time to enjoy one of his albums from front to back until that day. I started with his last album, ‘The Outsiders,’ and by the time it ended I had listened to several songs three times in a row. I knew I needed more, and fortunately for me Church had ‘Mr Misunderstood’ read to share with the public. As soon as the album hit iTunes I bought it without a moment of hesitation, and though it was nearly midnight I stayed up until I could complete one full spin. I was so overjoyed by the end of the album I nearly woke up my fiancé, Lisa, to tell her about the album. Being a man who loves having a happy household however, I decided to let her rest and talk about it in the morning (happy wife = happy life, fellas).

When I play ‘Mr Misunderstood’ now I still feel the way I did when it first came pouring through my headphone late on release day. I do relate to the title character in many ways, as you will no doubt be able to discern from the title track, but my love for Eric Church goes beyond that simple connection. There is a spirit to this record that is palpable, and no matter how many times you hear the material on this album you walk away wanting more. Church has tapped into a sense of creative freedom that inspire others to do whatever it is they want to do with their lives. It’s infectious, joyous, and all too rare in music today. I know many of you reading this now probably wouldn’t consider yourselves a typical country fan, but this is not typical country music. Heck, this isn’t even really country. It’s just great, original, all-American music.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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Job Board News

Haulix Weekly Update #111: “Remember Alf? He’s back…in Pog form!”

Hello, everyone. We really appreciate you finding time in amidst your busy schedule to spend a few minutes on our company. The past week has been incredibly busy for our team, and we are excited to share our latest developments with you. Before we get there however, we should probably celebrate the arrival of the weekend. Use this to get your party started:

As I mentioned above, each and every weekend we like to take a brief break from our regularly scheduled programming to update and reflect on everything happening at Haulix HQ. We are far more than a music blog, as many of you already know, and posts like this give us an opportunity to share more our efforts with all of you.

Development News:

Company founder Matt Brown has requested we pass along a note regarding the upcoming relaunch of our platform. As you know, we have spent the majority of 2015 working on a series of major updates, many of which have been pulled from client requests received over the last several years. We are still a bit too far from launch to share any screens, but please know our team is working diligently to complete our remodeling before the end of the year. There will be dozens of new updates once all is said an done, and as soon as we are given the clearance to do so we will begin sharing those changes with you. Stay tuned!

Blog News:

Things have been very busy on the marketing front at Haulix. For starters, our blog has been churning out at least 10 new articles a week, and many have covered recent headlines, including Lyft’s entry into music distribution and the latest music-related post format from Facebook. We have also been busy planning our live appearances for 2016, which at this point involve at least three conferences and a handful of colleges/universities. If you would like to bring Haulix to your school or event, please email james@haulix.com at your earliest convenience.

If you missed any of our recent posts, please use this list of links to catch up before a new week begins:

6 Tips For Lowering The Cost Of T-Shirts

Haulix Basics: How Does Bandwidth Work?

A Complete List Of Holiday Songs That Are Currently In Public Domain

Ride-Hailing Apps Are The New Record Stores

How Should The Concert Industry Respond To The Recent Attacks In Paris?

What Adele, Drake, And Modern Baseball Have That Every Musician Needs

3 Tips for Recording Your Best Demo

How To Establish Yourself In Music: Start Small, Dream Big

Monday Motivation: Ernie

Music Industry Job Board (11/15/15)

That is all the content and updates we have to share this week. Check back on Sunday for a new Job Board.

Best,

Haulix

Categories
News

ADVICE: 6 Tips For Lowering The Cost Of T-Shirts

There are many ways to get attention for your band, but regardless of what tips and tricks you may have picked up throughout your experience in music there is nothing that can impact your career like a great hook or brilliant melody. This is not a theory or a thought, but rather proven fact that has worked for artists trying to make it in every corner of the music business. Everything else that follows, from touring to merchandise, must take a back seat to songwriting.

All that aside, artists still need to make money. Music sales have dipped across the board over the last decade, and with streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music on the rise it seems like the amount of money most artists see from their new releases will continue to dwindle for the foreseeable future. Great music still sells, yes, but only a fool would rely solely on the strength of their music sales to support themselves in the entertainment business. Merchandising beyond albums and singles is an absolute must in today’s music business, and the one item every artist can use to generate income while trying to craft that perfect song is a t-shirt. There are a billion ways to customize shirts, some far more expensive than others, but by considering the following tips you can keep costs low while furthering your marketing efforts:

——————  SUPER BASIC TIPS ——————

  • Two-sided designs costs more than those with a design appearing on either the back or front.
  • Shirts requiring the use of many inks (colors) will cost more than those created using a single ink.
  • Dark fabric often costs more than light fabric because more layers of ink must be applied in order for the design to stick

—————— THINGS TO CONSIDER ——————

Large designs can make a big impact

Why incur the cost of creating a two-sided shirt design when you can make a bigger, more cost effective impact with a large, single side design. The vast majority of printers charge the same rate for a design measuring 3”x5” as they do for those measuring 12”x12”. That said, not everyone is a fan of big designs, so it would be wise to check with your fan base prior to moving forward with any design.

Stop printing on both sides

The occasional two-sided shirt design can be cool, but trying to cover both sides of every shirt you create will only raise the overall cost of merchandising. Using the knowledge you gained from the tip above regarding design sizes, artists should think twice before incurring a potentially unnecessary extra expense.

Use fewer ink colors

Fans of alternative and punk music have been one of the leading forces behind a recent trend toward more color-heavy shirts. Bands like A Day To Remember and Asking Alexandria have found great success with shirts featuring cartoonish designs and many bright colors. Similar branding efforts may work for smaller artists as well, but those musicians should first consider the additional costs incurred from use of multiple inks. The number rises with each color, and unless artists plan on ordering a large quantity of shirts up front (500+) the up front cost may be more than some are willing to pay for a few extra color. Our advice is this: Keep it simple. Try and use one color whenever possible unless you know the idea you have is going to be a hit with listeners.

Order larger quantities of shirts

We touched on this a bit in the tip above, but one way musicians can lower the cost of their merchandise is to increase the number of shirts they order at one time. The price due up front will increase, but the cost per unit will drop, which in turn raises the revenue potential for your order. 100 shirts are better than 50, but 500 shirts at a time would be an ideal place to start. Of course, if you don’t have an engaged audience large enough to support such an order then you should keep things small.

Consider offering shirts for a limited time only

One way to cut out essentially all costs from merchandise orders is to create the exact number of items needed. Most print shops will tell you the per unit cost on whatever design you wish to print, as well as the number of units you must purchase in order to lower that cost. With this information in hand, artists can launch shirt designs that are available for a limited time as pre-sale only items. Once the purchasing period ends, artists can order the exact amount of shirts needed without having to make any investments out of pocket.

Think twice about upgrading your shirt choose to a fashion brand

One determining factor in how well your merchandise will sell is how comfortable that item is perceived to be. There was a time not that long ago when artists with shirts printed on any type of fabric would sell, but in an age where brands like American Apparel exist this is no longer the case. There is demand for high quality fabric, and if you meet that demand you will give listeners another reason to consider purchasing your

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News

HAULIX BASICS: How Does Bandwidth Work?

One of the questions we receive most frequently at Haulix HQ is in regards to our premium membership plans and the bandwidth allotted by each. There is nothing preventing our clients from using more than their allotted bandwidth in a single month, but we do enforce overage charges, so more often than not new signups will want us to shine a little light on just how bandwidth is consumed. 

To explain this aspect of our business and how it works we put together the following example. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to use our support pages and/or email us.

You, our client, create promos and send out email invitations through your Haulix account to those contacts.

Lets say your promo is 70 megabytes in size.

If 1 contact downloads the zip file, you use 70 megabytes of bandwidth.

If 1 contact streams the entire album, you use ¼th the size or 17.5 megabytes of bandwidth. 

Streams make less of an impact on bandwidth usage than downloads. Always.

If you go over your monthly bandwidth, we waive the first 1 gigabyte and then charge $5 per every 1 gigabyte after.

The bandwidth resets to 0 every month.

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News

CHRISTMAS IS COMING: Holiday Cover Songs Currently In The Public Domain

The topic of cover songs can be a tricky one. Not everyone loves them, but every year a number of artists new and old rise to the top of their respective music scenes by adding their own take to an already well-known song. The problem with covers as far as young artists and groups are concerned usually involves royalties and whether or not they can afford to market their recording beyond streams and videos. Today we’re going to look at holiday covers, and how you can leverage royalty-free songs to reach new listeners who otherwise may have never discovered your music.

You may or may not be aware of the term ‘public domain,’ but it refers to works whose intellectual property rights have expired, have been forfeited, or are inapplicable. In other words, works that are unavailable for private ownership or are otherwise available for public use. You do not need mechanical licenses to sell your version of these works, but certain arrangements me be copyrighted (do your own research). Below is a list of holiday songs currently in the public domain:

  • “Angels We Have Heard On High”
  • “Auld Lang Syne”
  • “Away In The Manger”
  • “Deck The Halls”
  • “The First Noel”
  • “Go Tell It On The Mountain”
  • “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
  • “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing”
  • “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day”
  • “I Saw Three Ships”
  • “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”
  • “Jingle Bells”
  • “Joy To The World”
  • “Come All Ye Faithful”
  • “O Holy Night”
  • “O Little Town Of Bethlehem”
  • “Silent Night”
  • “There’s a Song In The Air”
  • “Toyland"
  • “The Twelve Days of Christmas”
  • “Up On The Housetop”
  • “We Three Kings"
  • “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”
  • “What Child Is This?“

Many classic Christmas songs that are presumed to be in the public domain are in fact copyrighted, so make sure to double-check your sources before deciding a track is public domain.  PDInfo Online (www.pdinfo.com) is a good starting point if the liner notes and copyright information are unavailable. Here are just a few notable songs that would require a mechanical license: Christmas Songs NOT in the public domain

(Writer/Composer)

  • “Winter Wonderland” (Written by: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith)
  • “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” (Mel Tormé, Robert Wells)
  • “Sleigh Ride” (Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish)
  • “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin)
  • “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” (Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie)
  • “White Christmas” (Irving Berlin)
  • “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne)
  • “Jingle Bell Rock” (Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe)
  • “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” (Johnny Marks)
  • “Little Drummer Boy” (Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone)
  • “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” (Edward Pola, George Wyle)
  • “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” (Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram)
  • “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” (Johnny Marks)
  • “Silver Bells” (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans)
  • “Feliz Navidad” (Jose Feliciano)
  • “Frosty The Snowman” (Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins)
  • “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (Johnny Marks)
  • “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” (Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman)
  • “Carol Of The Bells” (Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovich)

There is no question that some of the songs mentioned above have been reinterpreted by so many artists that putting an original spin on proceedings seems impossible, but it’s often the most challenging of endeavors that prove to be the most fruitful. By taking a holiday classic like the ones above and making it your own you’re further engaging already devoted followers while simultaneously creating an amazing opportunity to reach new fans. The holiday season generates a large amount of sales and internet searches for seasonal music, and with proper tagging your efforts will reach countless new listeners who could very quickly be converted into fans.

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News

Ride-Hailing Apps Are The New Record Stores

Food trucks are everywhere, so why not mobile music stores? The potential for a mobile retailer of physical music products may feel like a pipe dream, but at least one ride-hailing company is currently doing their best to disrupt the world of music sales with an innovative approach to artist collaborations. Lyft, perhaps the second most recognized app of its kind behind Uber, has partnered with Justin Bieber to offer fans the chance to grab a digital download of the singer’s new album, Purpose, for just $5. It’s a limited time offer, lasting 10 days in total, and its being promoted with a viral campaign that finds Bieber surprising fans on random Lyft rides across America. Here’s a promotional video released by Lyft late last week:

Here’s how it works: To get your copy of Purpose for just $5, all you have to do is slide into ‘Bieber Mode’ (Yes that is a real thing) in the Lyft app between 9 p.m. PST 11/12 and 11:59 p.m. PST 11/19 while supplies last and tap ‘Buy & Ride.’ Then, after you finish at least a $5 ride, Lyft sends you a unique download link and credit your account $5 for your next ride.

Anyone who has ever used a ride-hailing app in the past knows it doesn’t take long to spend $5, so I imagine practically anyone who desires the new Bieber album will be able to get a copy through using Lyft without much stress. From my research, ‘Bieber Mode’ offers the cheapest option for purchasing Purpose, just as long as the cost of your ride does not exceed $10. That price point puts Lyft in a unique position during what will almost unquestionably be the album’s biggest single sales week, and if proven to make a significant impact on the number of units moved you can bet the company’s competitors will follow suit with deals of their own in the months ahead. 

Really though, this promotional collaboration seems like a better deal for Lyft, as the company is seeking to connect with the demographic Bieber’s music appeals to the most. Recent studies have shown less than 70% of people 16-21 even have a driver’s license these days, so demand for services like Lyft are on the rise, as is the number of competitors in the ride-hailing market. Aligning themselves with Bieber during the height of his comeback allows Lyft to target young people in a way Uber, Fasten, and all the competitors cannot possibly hope to match with copying their idea. It’s honestly kind of genius.

The question still remains as to whether or not this promotion will work. A lot of press has already been given to the company’s initial reveal of their Bieber collaboration, but it’s unlikely any hard data will be released regarding the successfulness of the campaign. We reached out to Lyft for additional information on this promotion, as well as any future music collaborations they may have planned, but we did not receive a response.

Purpose, the new album from Justin Bieber, is available now wherever music is sold.

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News

How Should The Concert Industry Respond To The Recent Attacks In Paris?

(This photo was taken shortly after Eagles Of Death Metal took the stage at Bataclan over the weekend. The terrorists who took hostages at the venue were just minutes away from arriving with guns drawn. Credit: manuwino.com)

The terrorist attacks that took place in Paris over the weekend are still fresh in everyone’s minds, and now that the dust is finally starting to settle the world is wondering how best to respond. U2 frontman Bono was quoted in the press as claiming the hostage situation at the Bataclan concert hall to be the “First direct hit on music.” He’s not wrong, but this incident is not the first hit on the entertainment industry. The past year has been littered with news of gunmen in movie theaters all over the United States, which in their own way are also acts of terror, and now it seems the venues that once felt like a safe place are also being targeted by those who wish to see the demise of our culture.

I’ve been to hundreds of concerts in my lifetime, and I can honestly say I have never really questioned my safety at any given event. There have been times I thought certain shows may have been overcrowded, or perhaps held in an area that was definitely breaking fire codes to host said show, but I had never even contemplated the possibility of a terrorist attack at a show I attended until I heard the news from Paris over the weekend. I imagine many of you reading this now probably had a similar experience. There are occasionally stories of death or violence at music events, but they have become increasingly rare, and never in my nearly thirty years on this planet has there been anything like what took place at the Bataclan over the weekend. The closest thing I can even think of is the on-stage shooting of Dimebag Darrell in 2004. That event was once called the ‘Worst Day In The History Of Metal,’ but after the last few days I’m convinced that is no longer the case.

The immediate response in any situation like this is to find ways to ensure such tragedies never occur again, so it should come as no surprise that the media has begun questioning the security, or lack thereof, found at most live music events. There was no way the staff at the Bataclan could have prepared for the terror they endured, but looking ahead other venues around the world will more than likely have plans of action for this, as well as other acts of terrorism. They have to, really, as the public will no doubt demand it. Young people make up a large portion of the concert-going community, and parents are only going to allow their children to continue attending shows if they feel their child will be safe at the venue. Likewise, adult concert-goers with spouses and children won’t want to risk their lives to see a band perform a few songs they enjoy. The risk outweighs the reward.

LiveNation, the largest concert promoter in the world, issued a statement earlier this week regarding their plans for the future. It reads:

“The safety and security of our shows, fans and venues continues to be our highest priority. Due to the recent events in Paris and in an abundance of caution we have implemented heightened security procedures globally. However, because of the sensitive nature of these protocols, we cannot elaborate further on the specific details.”

This is a fairly boilerplate statement. It makes no specific promises, but insists LiveNation is taking steps to improve their security efforts worldwide. There is no doubt that is true, but one does have to wonder what specific actions could and should be taken in response to these tragic events.

Scott Hammontree, General Manager and Talent Buyer for the Grand Rapids, Michigan based venue The Intersection, claims the attacks in paris were an eye-opening experience for he and his staff. In a message sent to Haulix in response to an inquiry regarding his thoughts on the attacks, Hammontree wrote:

“We are actually meeting on this internally to discuss things moving forward. We’ll be focusing on making any and all changes to prevent things like this from happening in our venue. I can certainly send along what those changes are once they are finalized. In the meantime we’ll be increasing the number of our security personnel on site and making some changes to what is allowed into the venue as well as monitoring behavior more closely of those in the venue. More to come.”

It seems it may be a bit too soon to know for sure how things will change, but one thing that seems certain is that change will come.

Speaking with The New York Times, Pollstar editor Gary Bongiovanni makes a good counterpoint that may be hard for some to swallow. “It’s only logical for major venues worldwide to have heightened security,” said Bongiovanni. “But the truth is that there is only so much anyone can do to stop a wave of suicidal attackers.”

Bongiovanni may have a point. There is no way anyone could foresee a terrorist attack on a concert venue, which only makes the whole affair more terrifying for consumers. Venues can add all the cameras, metal detectors, and checkpoints they want, but at the end of the day there are limits to the amount of security one can provide.

Personally, I agree with Bongiovanni and am sure that there is any way to fully prevent tragedies like the one that occurred at Bataclan from happening again, but I do understand the need to try. We as music professionals have to do everything in our power to make consumers feel safe and welcome in concert venues. Live music is the backbone of our business, and the attacks this past weekend put the immediate future of that industry in jeopardy. While the proper channels plan and carry out their response, we need to be working to increase safety protocols across the board. We have to let consumers know the sense of freedom and community that has long been associated with live music cannot be scrubbed away by those who wish ill will upon on our way of life. We also need to honors those we have lost, and do our best to ensure similar tragedies do not ever occur again. It won’t be easy, but it’s what we must do. Not for our business, but for the fans, bands, and everyone else who finds joy in music.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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News

What Adele, Drake, And Modern Baseball Have That Every Musician Needs

The only thing more annoying than bandwagon fans may be bandwagon haters. People who feel it is their duty as fans of a particular sound or genre to tear down whoever is currently dominating the charts because they believe it makes them unique or edgy in some way. We who embrace the hitmakers know better, as we understand there is a reason certain artists see their star shoot into the stratosphere while others must work incredibly hard for every tiny bit of success they achieve. The reasons for this are as numerous as grains of sand on the beach, but one thing that is almost always true about real music stars, and by that I mean those who are able to hold the public’s attention across multiple albums, is that they always find a way to connect with people in a way that feels personal.

To be clear, what I just said is far easier to grasp than it is to recreate. We all follow our own paths in this life, experiencing practically every aspect of existence in a way that is wholly unique to ourselves, yet for some reason there are certain songs and/or artists who have the power to make us feel as though we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Call it a community, or a culture, or a way of life, but there is something to the biggest material in history that connects with people in a deeply personal way. You may have never experienced the situation being described in the song, and you may never know the story that inspired the lyrics, but something about the way emotion is being expressed cuts through the noise and strikes you right in your soul. It moves you, as it does others, and as soon as it’s over we long to feel that connection again. That is the sign you’ve found something truly great in music, and it’s something that is completely achievable by pretty much every artist working today. That is, if they work hard enough.

The big star of the moment is Adele, and by now you’ve no doubt heard her single “Hello” between one and one-hundred times in your daily life. Her music is everywhere right now, and her new single “When We Were Young” seems poised to push her exposure even further. The production on these tracks is undeniably gorgeous, and Adele’s powerful voice is something that will be praised for decades to come, but what makes these songs work at Top 40 radio and beyond has little do with those factors and far more to do with the feeling you get when the music plays. Adele, like Drake on tracks like “Hotline Bling” or “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” has the power to make you miss people and situations you have never actually known. Something in the way the music compliments the lyrics, which are typically pulled from a deeply personal place, creates an atmosphere of turmoil and heartache that listeners take upon themselves to connect with events in their own lives. It doesn’t matter whether or not the events that inspired the song are the same as the events the lyrics are being applied to by the listeners, and it never will. All that matters is that the performer is able to capture a feeling, or perhaps a better description would be a sense of being, that translates on a massive scale.

What I’m trying to say is that the reason these artists skyrocket into the music stratosphere while others fight over lower chart positions is because people feel like the know them. When you hear the music of Adele and Drake, or even smaller acts like The Hotelier or Modern Baseball, you feel as if you are hearing an update from a close friend about what has been going on in their life since you last spoke. It’s entertaining, yes, but it’s so much more than that as well. You long for those updates, and when they arrive you click play with all the hope in the world that you and this person or group, whom you’ve never met, have been experiencing similar situations in life. You hope there is something in there story that relates to your own, and that kind of connection is incredibly hard to break. Even if the quality of the music begins to suffer, and the radio songs can’t crack the top 10, people who have connected to an artist on an emotional level will continue to follow them for as long as they are able.

I cannot tell you how to create songs that connect with people the way the latest singles from Drake and Adele do, but that is okay because writing material like that should not be your goal after reading this post. Writing music that would work for Drake or Adele is not guaranteed to work for you, at all. Your goal, or better yet your mission, should be to find a way to create the music you want to make in such a way that it connects with people like the material released by your musical peers. It’s not about copying someone else’s formula, but rather finding a way to tap into the same set of relatable emotions that has established countless artists as household names over the last hundred or so years of pop music. Even if you’re writing metal, the goal remains the same. You want to create something that is both personal and universal, which shares a part of you in a meaningful way while still allowing others to add their own meaning to the material. There is no recipe for that kind of creation, nor are the any guides I would suggest you spend time reading. The best way to make material like this is too simply keep creating, and in time you will learn to refine your skills. As your songwriting improves, so will the reach of your music, but you cannot allow yourself to get lost in thoughts of what a song could potentially be or do for you. As soon as you take your focus away from creating great songs that actually mean something to you, the artist, your chances of connecting with listeners begins to drop. Stay true to yourself and people will notice. It might take time, but that’s perfectly okay.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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News

3 Tips for Recording Your Best Demo

This is the latest post in our ongoing collaboration with SonicBids.

In today’s highly competitive music industry, it seems like it’s becoming harder and harder for independent artists to break through the noise into the mainstream. Record labels are constantly bombarded with samples from “the next big thing,” but what’s the trick to actually standing out from the crowd? A high-quality demo is the perfect place to start.

A demo is a recording that demonstrates the talent behind an artist or band, usually created specifically for the purpose of convincing a record company (or other opportunities) that they should work with you. It needs to be well thought out, but come off as authentic. Short and sweet, but deep and powerful. Good quality, but not overproduced.

So what are some of the trade secrets to recording a great demo? Here are some tips and tricks.

1. Have a unique vision for where you’re going

It’s crucial when laying down the initial take to be thinking about the overall shape and vision for the idea. It’s a demo, of course, and when being spontaneous you might not want to write detailed parts.However, after you’ve built a strong foundation for a song, every other musical decision you make will come easier because it’s based off of something that is real to you. It’s that genuine passion that can ultimately come out when a record executive listens and helps you stand out, as guitarist Jack Côté explains: “My best guess at what the ‘it’ factor is, is something that’s catchy – familiar enough for people to enjoy, but also different and unique, bold and honest as possible. I think people can tell easily when things feel derivative, so it’s mostly about being as musically unique as possible.”

2. Capture ideas on the fly

Traditionally, recording a demo could only be done in a recording studio. It required time and energy spent writing the actual song, then countless hours rehearsing it before paying to make the final recording. Now, thanks to the ever-changing world of technology, musicians can capturing ideas right as inspiration strikes. They don’t always have to be fully fleshed-out ideas, but rather can serve as a reminder of great thoughts for future reference.

“Where we’ve had great traction as a band is capturing those spontaneous, genuine moments,“ shares Matt Hines of Dan & The Wildfire. "We often jam, trying out new ideas, committing those sparks of inspiration to a recording simply to listen back to later, and so as not to forget that riff we liked by the next time we meet. It’s such a joy to be able to go back and listen through so many ideas and rehearsals and moments from the past few years.”

3. Don’t sacrifice sound quality

Five years ago if you told a record executive you were submitting a demo that was recorded on a phone, they would have laughed you out of the room. Even today, when recording on the go is becoming a more common occurrence for independent artists who are often traveling from gig to gig, chances are recordings will come out sounding awful, thanks to the less-than-superior microphones on today’s smart phones. Luckily, there are new apps out there that exist to help solve this problem. One of them is Spire, powered by iZotope. Spire is a free 4-track recorder that adds professional polish to your recordings so you can record, mix, and share great-sounding audio anytime inspiration may strike.

No matter how you end up recording a demo, the important thing to remember is to make it a reflection of who you are as an artist. Staying inspired and motivated are traits you should never lose in this industry, and will only help drive you towards that breakthrough musical moment!

Spire is partnering with Sonicbids to discover the best original tracks to feature on the Inspired Collection, an official Spire SoundCloud playlist. To enter, just download the free Spire Recorder app (iOS only), record your original song, and enter it for free on Sonicbids by December 2, 2015.

In addition, the songwriter with the most incredible song will be selected to be featured in a performance video, shot in their favorite recording space. We’re so excited to hear all your original creations! Be sure to enter by December 2.

Stacey Dyer Messier is the strategic, creative liaison between product and marketing for the Spire brand, which is passionately designed by iZotope. As a trained vocalist and past performer of metal, jazz, trip-hop, and classic rock, she’s excited to be working with the incredibly talented members of Sonicbids.

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How To Establish Yourself In Music: Start Small, Dream Big

The idealized version of being a young band on the rise in America is becoming more and more of a myth with each passing day. The market for talent is more crowded than ever, and the number of venues looking to take a chance on a low-to-no level band just starting to cut their teeth in the business is at its lowest point in recent memory. Music has always been a buyer’s market, but these days you don’t even have to be an actual consumer to set the rules for engagement. There will always been an artist willing to play for less, and there will always be people willing to give away their music, but the number of artists and groups who actually establish themselves by doing everything for free is pretty low. Like, so low you probably can’t think of more than 10 artists you enjoy who made their career that way. A free release or two, sure, but somewhere along the line they had to start making a living through their art before a label or management company would pay attention. That’s just the way things work in the music business. You have to be, for better or worse, a business.

With all this in mind, it’s easy to understand how an artists starting out in 2015 or 2016 may be completely lost on how to establish themselves in the world of music. Anyone can upload a song online and anyone can email blogs with links to said content, but the likelihood of breaking through the vast array of wannabes and never-gonna-bes that exist today through strictly promoting online is again, very low. You have to follow the saying about rolling up your sleeves and doing, day I write it, actual work. You have to build your career one step at a time, just like the vast majority of musicians big and small who have ever existed throughout all recorded time. You have to start small and dream big, striving daily to make your reality more closely resemble the future you envision for yourself.

Claiming to know the right way to establish yourself is easy enough, especially when using vague words and tired motivational phrasing, but proving your knowledge is far more difficult. No one at Haulix has been in a band or musical project that ever made an impact on the world at large, but we do know a few people who have, so we’ve turned to them for additional insight. Joey Genovese, vocalist for Maine based pop punk group Friday Night Lites, was kind enough to write something for our readers on the topic of establishing yourself that we feel really puts into focus the elements of marketing that matter most. You can enjoy his thoughts below.

Theres a certain reality in becoming an established band. Where do you want to be established? Some establish themselves heavy in their hometown. Starting off strong as a cover group. Then trying their hand with originals. Unless you’re Our Last Night, doing both can be stressful and damn near impossible to succeed in. But if you start from the bottom, write your own material, and  keep a level, humble mind.  You can succeed. You don’t necessarily need to be “the next big thing.” Rather, focus on what you do know, as the future is just so flooded with unknown(s), in this industry. Who’s ears you may land on, and what may come of that. Fight for a chance in the spotlight. Love what you do and how you do it. If luck is on your side and the hard work pays off, then there’s a future in this. With luck you can “skyrocket” onto the scene. Making waves in a huge pond, isn’t easy. But, there’s a chance. There’s also the  "slow steady climb"  method. That may seem more of a reality for most.

With the ever so crowded & growing Internet and social media outlets being mobbed with bands that also want their chance. How do you stand out? Get original material that speaks to people. You have to stand out. My guitarist Matt and I have been writing music for almost a decade together. It’s work. We put in the hardest of work. You have to. We didn’t even have a band for a long time. But we kept creating. The Internet and social media is full of thousands and thousands of bands. Where does it end? It doesn’t. Kids are brilliant these days.

Gigs/promoters aren’t paying some “nobody” tons of money to be on their bill. So you have the classic “you have to spend money, to make money” business model knocking hard and loud on your door. Requiring you to travel down wherever and whenever, as much as you can, to bust your asses to impress the hell out of promoters and potential “authentic” new fans. This will cost you. But that’s where you decide, where’s your commitment? How much sacrifice do you have in you?

Being in a small band is HUGE! You have to start somewhere. With all the small bands out there, there’s gonna be some amazing acts breaking out into the scene. It’s important to get your local scene up and running and as much alive as you can. Hit the streets post up fliers go to local shows that I have bigger acts. And to talk to the local kids. A small band in your town could be the next BIG thing!

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