Tag: Advice For Artists

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The Music Industry Through The Eyes Of An Independent Band

Hello and welcome to the second ‘Advice’ column of the week. This one is a bit different than others that have come before, as it is a guest post covering a wide array of industry topics. We never know what our guest contributors will deliver, but we are always impressed by the results, and this entry is no exception. If you have an idea for this blog, or if you would like to learn more about the digital distribution services we offer, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. If you prefer social media, feel free to reach out to us on Facebook and Twitter.

A couple weeks back, I was watching our news ticker here at Haulix HQ when I say an exclusive on Billboard from an up and coming pop rock band I did not know existed. The photo accompanying the article showed three young and, admittedly, my mind instantly jumped to comparisons with the recent resurgence of boy bands. Then I heard their music and realized that was not the case in the slightest. No, these young men were (and are) onto something real. Something people can dance to, yes, but also connect with again and again.

The name of the group from that article is King The Kid, and they are currently watching their career ascend like a rocket through the various levels of underground stardom. They are indeed young, but that in no way means that have not learned the proper way to navigate the often tumultuous terrain of the music industry, and in the paragraphs below they share their recipe for success. From getting started, to touring, infrastructure, and goals, this may be the most wide-reaching guest article we have ever hosted and the information contained is absolutely indispensable. 

If you would like to stay up to date with everything King The Kid have going on, make sure you follow the band on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

Introduction

On the surface, King The Kid, our band, is a group of three best friends that not only write and record music but also travel the country playing for our rapidly growing fanbase. But behind the scenes, King The Kid, LLC. is a well-oiled machine/ independent band that tries to effectively leverage our skills to maximize growth and potential opportunities. At all times, we are focused on both the Art and the Business of what we are trying to accomplish.

The Band Infrastructure

Our team is small. The three of us do everything. We delegate when we need to or where we don’t have the expertise. When we met in Los Angeles, the musical chemistry was remarkable, and we quickly learned that our success depended on the passion behind our music. We decided to leave our friends and connections in LA and move to Oregon, where we could develop our synergy and our music without distraction. We set up the band as a Limited Liability Corporation, entered into a partnership agreement with each other, and hired a lawyer and an accountant. With that out of the way, once in Oregon, we deliberately and strategically prepared the band for its introduction to the world. We wrote and recorded our first album, Start Something, as well as produced numerous covers and videos that helped us develop our production skills even further (and made us a few new fans along the way). We learned basic photography and design and we set up our merchandise infrastructure that allowed us to manage our costs to sell and distribute our merch completely by ourselves. By keeping the production and development “in-house”, we were able to manage the costs that would have been a part of setting up the band, and in a matter of months, we created a vast foundation of content that would both satisfy “old” fans and convert “new” fans into die-hard advocates. 

Content is King

-Music

It is the life-blood of the band. And guess what… as an artist in any genre, it is an equal playing field. You are competing against everyone from Katy Perry, Daft Punk, Imagine Dragons to The Beatles. With the entire musical discography available for FREE to anyone, your music needs to compete or you will not break through the clutter. Everyone is in the “big leagues.” Push yourself to find your own sound. Think outside the box. Imitation will get you nowhere, however through the right combination of inspiration you can find your unique voice. People respond to what is DIFFERENT. Think Lorde, Macklemore, Adele, Gotye. 

-Social Media

You need to connect with your fans with the resources available to you. We live in such a fast-paced world, that if you are “out of sight, you are out of mind.” From Twitter to Instagram to YouTube, you need to be constantly updating your fans. They want to connect with you. They want to participate in your journey. They want to feel like they have access to you! Be yourself. Much like the music, they will fall in love with you in your most honest, authentic and genuine moments. 

-Talent

“Your ability to play exceeds social networking” – Bob Lefsetz

There is currently a shift in music back to true musicianship. The Top 40 charts are changing. As an artist, you need to be a triple threat. You need to be able to sing, to write, and to perform. And for us, it has been beneficial to also record, mix and produce. Not only do you need to be the best you can be, you need to be better than everyone else. An honest song that is true to YOUR heart is the way into the audience’s heart and that will only come through years of honing your songwriting chops. Anyone’s recordings can sound good, but when it comes to a live performance, you need to WOW the audience. 

Traditional Media vs. Social Media

Nothing is more powerful than a person-to-person connection. Giving someone a hug after a show is more valuable than responding to someone’s tweet. Fans want to look you in the eyes. It is very important that you never neglect that. This is the reason Amanda Palmer raised over 1 Million Dollars on Kickstarter. She was the master of the fan-artist communication. This was built through years of touring & personally meeting people, AS WELL as utilizing social media. It is important that you balance both of these tools. 

Drive

This is our job. We are on call 24 hours a day. When the band gets an email, it is our personal responsibility to read it and stay informed. We hold each other accountable. We are homeless for this band. We have sacrificed relationships, jobs, sleep and countless other opportunities in pursuit of our dream. Sacrifice and persistence are the key elements. Wanting to make it is not enough. We NEED to make it. 

Decisions

We don’t make any decisions without truly thinking them through. Every business-move the band makes is strategic and calculated. We aren’t afraid to take risks. And we always have at least a 3-month plan.  

The Team

Build your team based around trust and productivity. Anyone can talk the talk, but it’s the people that actually get shit done that you should keep around. And always compensate everyone for their work! Treat your employees well and they will exceed your expectations.

Goal

Our goal is to be true to our fans, our music and us. We strive to do as much as we can ourselves, to get expertise where we need it and to make some great music along the way and release it in the smartest way possible. 

Extra Pointers:

  • Practice your ass off. There is always room to improve and progress will only come through being self-critical.
  • Look for every opportunity you can find. 
  • If you make a promise to your fans, follow through. 
  • Stay Hungry.
  • Be smart about fundraising. Kickstarter, Pledgemusic, merch bundles, sales, preorders are key. 
  • Subscribe to Bob Lefsetz. Read Donald Passman’s “All You Need to Know About The Music Business”.
  • Carefully balance your use of social media tools (like YouTube) and traditional media/promotion tools. In person interaction is more valuable than online. 
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News

Advice: Learning The Fine Art Of Patience

Hello and welcome to the final ‘Advice’ column of the week. We have been extremely fortunate to have received several article contributions from bands over the last month, and today we are continuing to share the advice sent our way with all of you thanks to a guest blog from Daniel Lancaster of rising pop rock outfit Stages & Stereos. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Up to this point, the majority of talent we have asked about contributing ‘Advice’ pieces have given us lists and focused editorials about specific aspects of quote/unquote ‘making it.’ These pieces have been great, and a lot of the content included in them has offered insight we could never have written ourselves, but that does not mean that the only way to be informative is through educational writing. Sometimes, all you need to do in order help someone else is share something about yourself.

When we asked Daniel Lancaster of Stages & Stereos for his advice for other artists on the rise, he decided to switch things up a bit and share with readers a story much more personal than anything we have posted through this column in the past. He’s chosen to look at his own career for this article, and in doing has shed light on what it really takes to build a brand in the current music industry. You can read about how he and his fellow bandmates learned to persevere the highs and lows of life in this music industry below.

If you would like to learn more about Daniel Lancaster and everything going on in the Stages & Stereos camp, we highly recommend taking a few moments to follow the group on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

I’m writing you today to share the struggles I’ve faced as a career musician. The high’s and extreme low’s. Victory and defeat. 500 words couldn’t possibly be enough, but I will do my best to summarize.

I remember the first time I ever picked up a microphone with the true intention to sing. Honestly I didn’t want to be a singer in the first place. I would have rather been on a skateboard. I was 15 years old making music with a group of guys who didn’t care about the future or even who played what instrument. No thoughts of finding management, a label, or booking agent. It truly was a beautiful thing even if the music was awful. We were completely ignorant to the idea of “the industry.” What I’ve learned in the past 10 years of making music is that the more success you find as an artist the more complicated things become. It never gets easier. Everything is trial and error. Every decision that you make is important if you want to make a career out of being a musician. I can’t say that I have always made the best decisions, but what I can say is that I wouldn’t change anything. Every bad decision is a learning experience. I am lucky enough to share the same goals and passion with every member of Stages and Stereos. The biggest struggle many bands face is getting along when you’re in a van for months at a time surviving on PB&J’s and the dollar menu. Things can get pretty intense in those situations haha. On top of that you have the political side which can get very intense as well. I find comfort in knowing that when times are tough and all of the doors seem to be closed our team will do whatever we can and have to do to open one.

The industry is a beast of a mountain that sometimes seems impossible to climb. I’ve come to grips with the fact that every star has to align in order to beat the odds. I do believe if you create a brand that you believe in. Make music you love (that translates well to people that buy records and come to shows). Find a way to make that music marketable, and have tons of luck. You can make a dream reality. I’m not even close to the top, but it’s not a struggle if you truly are in love with what you are doing. Overnight success its 10 years of hard work. In my case I’m looking at 15……possibly more.

Daniel Lancaster is a member of Stages & Stereos. When not working on new material in the studio he can be found touring the country.

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News

5 New Tips For DIY Artists

Hello, everyone! Welcome to the first of a few new ‘Advice’ column we have planned for the day ahead. This one in particular is quite special because it was contributed by one of the hottest up and coming alternative acts in the world, and the advice they have to offer could very well aide another developing act in reaching a new level of success. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

For the better part of the last three years, Stars In Stereo have been working their way up the underground rock ladder of success. From their from their first practice in the city of Los Angeles until now they have been focused on proving once and for all that rock and roll is not dead. In fact, it is very much alive, and anyone with doubts need only witness Stars In Stereo’s critically acclaimed live show for proof. This four piece is the real deal, and slowly the rock world has begun to give them the attention they deserve.

Recently, a publicist friend of ours brought Stars In Stereo’s latest release to our attention. After learning of their journey through the various levels of rock recognition it dawned on us that the band may be able to offer some insight into life as a touring artist that otherwise may never be shared. We made a request, and late last week the following submission arrived in our inbox:

5 Tips for DIY Bands

My name is Jordan McGraw, I play guitar in Stars In Stereo and I own a record label called Hundred Handed.  When we started this band, we decided that we wanted to do things our way and have control over every step of our career.  We signed ourselves to our own label and went for it!  So far, it is working out better than we could have imagined.  Here are a few tips about what I’ve learned from being in a “do it yourself” band.

1.  My first piece of advice for a do it yourself band is to keep in mind that doing it yourself does NOT mean doing it without help.  The first key step to putting your DIY band out there is to surround yourself with people that know everything that you don’t about what you are doing or hoping to do.  This person could be one mentor at the beginning or a whole team of people.  Either way, you NEED someone watching your back and looking for the things you might have missed or might not have learned about yet.  For us, the first person to help was our friend and producer/engineer Eddie Jackson.  He roped us in when we were going on too far of a creative tangent but was such a close part of the team that he could tell when and what seemed like a tangent was more of a development and would challenge us to go after it.  We wouldn’t have found our sound as quickly as we did without him.  Once we had our sound and a first batch of songs, we were lucky enough to catch the ear of Craig Aaronson (he signed The Used, My Chemical Romance, Avenged Sevenfold… the list goes on). For the next year, he acted as an A&R type voice, manager, agent… everything.  From there we went on to grow into a need for more team members.  Best of all, because we are a DIY band, we were able to pick who we brought in based on what we wanted and what they were willing to do rather than just being handed a team and dealing with it.

2. My second piece of advice is to STAND YOUR GROUND.  Now you have your team, listen to them but don’t let them push you away from what you want. It’s no secret that the music industry is full of “know it alls” but there is no right answer… There never has been.  Hell, tell me I’m full of shit if you don’t like this article… but DO keep in mind that the formula for the music industry is broken.  Not in every way… but it is broken.  With social media, easier access to studios, the ease with which you can steal music, and plenty of things I probably haven’t even heard of, there is no one way to do things.  So, if something doesn’t feel right, challenge your team to come up with a new way to get it done.  If that new way fails, try another one.

3. Thirdly, now that you are your own boss, you now have all the time in the world to get through every step of your career.  That’s not necessarily a good thing…  Taking too much time and being too picky about little details when it comes to EVERY decision will, 9/10 times, be detrimental to your end goal of success (whatever your measure of success may be).  BOSS YOURSELF AROUND.  Set realistic deadlines for every step of your process and do everything you can to get there.

4. This is a big one to me… One thing that I see time and time again on tours with other DIY bands is the blurring of the line between business and creative on the way up.  When you are on tour with a band, make friends with them, hang out with them, party with them, whatever… but don’t turn every hang into a networking meeting.  From what I’ve seen, it never works as well as a band thinks it will.  A lot of times they don’t make a lot of the decisions anyway (because they aren’t a DIY like you… They have higher ups to answer to).  If their manager is around, THEN put on your business hat.  If you’re hanging out, grabbing a beer with the headliner after a show, just hang… Don’t start selling yourself for other tours or collaborations.  All that fun stuff happens with time and with a good relationship. 

5. Finally, this is a full time job.  If you’re going to “do it yourself,” expect to do A LOT more work than if you were just going to be on some label where they do the work for you.  Lots of emails, late nights, early mornings, hiring, firing, failing, problem solving, budgeting… PLUS the creating, writing, performing, practicing, interviews, photo shoots, video shoots… EVERYTHING.  If you aren’t ready for that, then do it another way.  Again, there’s no one right answer.

Stars In Stereo have big plans for 2014. Be sure to ‘Like’ their Facebook page and follow the band on Twitter.

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News

Advice: What It Really Means To Practice

Hello, everyone. Welcome to the first ‘Advice’ column of the week. We spoke in January about the meaning of being a professional in the music industry, and today we’re returning to that topic for an attempt at defining the term ‘practice.’ If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Every aspiring professional knows they need to practice in order to improve their skills, but those destined for a lasting career recognize early on that the journey towards perfection with your art is one that never truly comes to an end. There is always room for improvement, whether you’re trying to be the best artist or publicist, and practicing your art on a regular basis is key to further developing your skills.

But what does that mean exactly?

The dictionary will tell you that ‘practice’ is defined as ‘(the) repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.’ That’s a perfectly generic way to explain the term, but if you approach your work on your art with similarly vague intentions you will stunt your development. To truly practice something means to be fiercely focused and driven toward specific goals, taking every opportunity to improve and further refine your abilities. You don’t just play guitar for an hour a day, you work on specific songs and/or song creation. You don’t just write to read your own wordplay, but to get something off your chest that feels like it might suffocate you if kept within. To practice is to work towards something with purpose, whether or not you actually achieve your goal.

Practice familiarizes you with your art.

As creative people, it can sometimes be hard to revisit things we make once they have been shared with the world. Our basic instincts tell us to move forward and continue creating, but it’s supremely important we do not give in to these urges and instead spend time reflecting on just what it is we are doing with our time and minds. Is your latest work better, or at least on par with everything you have done before? How can it be improved? Do you need to scrap the majority of your current project and start over with the handful of honestly good lines you have been able to create? Practice forces us to look at our art and question whether or not we are representing ourselves to the best of our own abilities.

Practice allows you to create the future without committing to it.

Your next book, album, or press release may change the world, but you will never complete that project if you do not first practice and refine your current skill set. When we practice we are not only preparing for the future, but we are also taking steps to create it. We are reaching into the ether of creativity and forging something into existence that never would have been seen, heard, or otherwise experienced without our mind and body bring it to life. That is a beautiful thing, and all too often we forget that it is in the regimen of a strong daily routine that the best ideas are born. By practicing we can dabble in the possibilities of tomorrow without commitment, giving us the ability to make mistakes free from judgment and then grow from them before taking steps to further expose our art to the world.

Practice makes us stronger.

Whether you use your time to work on new projects, spitball future possibilities, or refine already developed works, practice allows creative people the ability to strengthen their skills. To what degree this occurs is directly related to how focused the effort is on the part of the individual. Those who have specific goals and work towards them are more likely to find happiness with the result of their efforts. Those who do not choose a goal or specific task to work towards lack focus, and their practice sessions will ultimately suffer as a result. Practice is meant to be fun, but purposeful fun is far more rewarding than simply messing around.

Practice reminds us that there is still room to grow.

Have you ever created something you loved only to look back on it days or weeks later in disgust (if at all)? Sometimes we avoid practice because we know it will force us to confront our downfalls, and those are things we as people prefer to leave unexposed. To be a true professional requires us to be honest with ourselves, which includes admitting that we are nowhere near as perfect as we sometimes like to think ourselves. We are flawed, but if we practice our skills and focus on becoming better we will, in time, develop both as people and artists.

Practice keeps you humble.

You know who never practiced? Me either. You know why? Because they never accomplished anything worth remembering. Everyone who goes on to do anything of value with themselves does so through dedication and practice at refining a skill or craft to the best of their abilities. When we practice we force ourselves to realize that we are not where we ideally want to be. That’s okay though, because so is everyone else walking the planet today. We are all going through our own individual struggles with becoming who it is we feel we are meant to be. If we ever hope to get there we must come to terms with the fact we are going to have to work – probably quite hard – to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves.

Practice reminds us that humility is worth much more than ego.

Your practice space should be considered a sacred location. It’s the place you shed all the armor and disguises you wear to otherwise avoid the harsh realities of the world and allow yourself to be truly free. Those who gain the most from practice sessions do so because they allow themselves to be honest with where they are as an artist. They must face the fact that the entertainment world will go on with or without them, then find it within themselves to forge ahead and continuing creating in spite of what the rest of the world may think of the final result. They create for the sake of creating because they know to do anything else would be to stunt their own development as a person and nothing else. If fame and fortune follow, that’s good, but true professionals realize during their time in practice that neither reward is ever lasting. True success comes with a feeling of completion. That you finally overcame whatever mental hurdles stood between you and what you were attempting to create without giving up your artistic vision. It doesn’t matter if everyone in the world loves it if you know deep down you could do better. Purposeful practice will make you better, but it requires the abandonment of ego.

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Haulix Advice: Questions Every Artist Should Ask When Preparing For SXSW 2014

Hello and welcome to a very special edition of our ‘Advice’ feature. We know many of you have been following our series on professionalism, but this afternoon we want to take a brief break to help our readers who are currently preparing to travel to SXSW. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

SXSW is still seven weeks away, but if you are even considering the possibility of performing in or even visiting Austin during that glorious week in March the time for preparation is now. In fact, you should already be well on your way to being completely prepared to overtake Austin, but just in case you have been dragging your feet we created this post to help get you back on track. Read through, ask yourself the questions listed, and by the time you’re done you will be more ready than ever to tackle the chaos known as South By Southwest.

1. Do you know your travel plans and budget for the week?

Budgeting and planning a trip can be a headache, which is why many people choose to procrastinate nailing down the details of any journey until the last possible moment. If you want to make this SXSW the most successful is can possibly be you need to know your plan of attack as soon as possible. Book a flight (while you still can), lock in your lodging, and discuss amongst everyone coming with what your daily budget will be. Many events offer free food and drink, but those seeking water or actual meals will need cash in order to satiate their cravings.

Beyond budgeting financially, you will also want to begin discussing how you plan to use your time in the city of Austin. Create a calendar and fill in every event you absolutely need to attend. Once that is complete, work together with your band members and anyone else going to Austin and devise ways to promote you music and any performances you may have during the week. Assign each other tasks and brainstorm various approaches you can take to gain the public’s attention.

2. Speaking of promotion, how are you going to get the word out about your music?

There are over 1500 bands performing in Austin during the week of SXSW, and more than 90% will walk away without seeing much, if any change in their careers. We could go back and forth about the reason for this, but more often than not it boils down to how much attention the individual act is able to bring to themselves during the course of the week. If your plan for promotion is social media updates and handbills, you probably will not see a very big impact on the trajectory of your career following the festival. If, however, you begin researching innovative marketing techniques for 2014 and apply them to your efforts in Austin the sky is the limit. Creativity is key to success, and when you’re surrounded by literally thousands of creative people it takes something extra special to stand out from the herd. Do not let your art become part of the majority.

3. Are you focusing on your efforts on quality or quantity?

There are bands who believe the key to being noticed at SXSW is to play as many shows as humanly possible, but the real way to take your career to the next level is actually far simpler: Connect with the audience. Whether you play one show or ten, it only takes one person with the right connections noticing your music for your career to change overnight. Do not stress over the amount of gigs you have or the time allotted, but instead focus on delivering the highest caliber performance possible when the time comes. Remember: It only takes one person to change your world.

4. What are you doing right now to promote your time in SXSW?

The entire list of artists showcasing at official SXSW events was recently released, which means everyone with a publicist on their team is already at least one email into their promotional efforts for Austin. As an independent artist with few festival appearances under your belt, it would be a good idea to begin promoting and otherwise advertising your presence at SXSW as soon as possible. Reach out to bloggers, share your latest music and let them know if they’re coming to SXSW you would love to meet up. You don’t need to sell them right away, but you should at least make them aware of your plans. It won’t be long until publications begin compiling the ‘must-see’ bands of SXSW and with a little luck your group could make the cut. Click here for some additional tips on contacting members of the press.

5. What goals do you have for SXSW?

The worst thing you could possibly do before heading to SXSW is convince yourself that one trip to Austin will change your life forever. We’re not saying such things will not happen because they most definitely could, but the odds are incredibly stacked against you. Set achievable goals that will help you further your efforts in the long run instead of focusing on short-term success. If you want to play to 50 people, then do whatever you can to bring 50 people to your show. If you want to find a manager, order business cards and make plans to network whenever time allows.

SXSW works for those who know how to work it, and the first step to doing that is understanding you get out of your efforts what you put in. Those who do the work necessary to play at their absolute best and go out of their way to be creative with marketing are going to get further than the band with great hooks and zero following. It’s that simple.

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News

Haulix Advice: Embracing Internet Radio

Hello and welcome to the very first ‘Advice’ column of 2014. We have been planning a number of these articles for the weeks ahead and are beyond excited to begin rolling them out this afternoon. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

If you read our feature with Vince Edwards from Metal Blade Records last week you may recall him mentioning how radio is still one of the best pathways to a career in music available today. This was directed towards aspiring professionals at the time, but the same applies to independent musicians as well. Radio has always been one of the best avenues to new listeners available to artists, and even though your time at terrestrial stations may still be far away, the age of the internet has created countless new stations/podcasts/outlets for reaching consumers. We cannot guarantee airplay for anyone, but if you follow the advice below you will position yourself as well as you possibly can for exposure on radio in 2014.

It’s worth noting that it is possible for artists to hire people and companies who specialize in radio promotion, but for the purposes of this column we are speaking to those who prefer to go the DIY route. It usually takes more effort on the part of the artist, but the costs are much lower (and people tend to appreciate the personal touch).

As I mentioned above, the digital age has brought a wealth of new radio opportunities for artists that were not possible even a decade ago. Whether you hope to be in the mix on Pandora, spotlighted with other newcomers on New Music Inferno, or if you want to sit across from comedians like Marc Maron and talk life, the boom of internet radio has created a variety of new and innovative avenues for your music to reach people who may have otherwise never knew your art existed. Before you can reach them however, you need to set some goals. Decide what type of audiences you hope to reach and in what ways you want to reach them. Do you want to have your song added to a bunch of shows, or do you want to promote the new record with an interview? Every radio show is different, especially online, and knowing what type of programming you want to be a part of before diving any further into your quest for digital exposure will aide your efforts later on.

Once you have a handle on the type of shows you want to contact, you will undoubtedly need to research the best programs that fit your criteria. To help get you started, we’ve included a few links below:

  • Want to be featured on Pandora? Make sure you meet the requirements outlined in this article and then head to the official submission site to apply for placement.
  • Need a list of popular radio shows? Wikipedia can help get you started. We also suggest combing through the top radio stations and music themed podcasts available on iTunes.
  • Looking for airplay and are open to exposure from anyone will to share your art? Signing up for Music Alley will help make your media available to broadcasters in search of new music.

After your list is compiled, you will need to research each outlet individually to understand the procedures that you must follow in order to submit your music. There will likely be similarities along the way, but every station is unique. Keep this in mind and do whatever you can to personalize the messaging that is sent alongside your media. Sending a blanket message to every email you find is tempting, but crafting original messaging can go a long way towards forging relationships with hosts, DJs, broadcasters, and beyond. You never know who will read your message or who will hear music as a result of your submission. Don’t take any opportunity for exposure for granted.

Need more help on this topic? Maybe this article can help:
Advice: 5 Tips For Crafting The Perfect Pitch Letter

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News

Haulix Advice: Optimizing Your YouTube Presence (Pt. 3)

Hello, everyone! Welcome to the third installment of our ongoing series on YouTube optimization. This will be the last installment in this series before 2014 and also one of the final Advice columns of the year. If you have any questions regarding the content of this article, or if you have a topic you would like to see address in the coming weeks, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts.

If you have been following this optimization series since its launch earlier this month then you’ll hopefully remember our coverage on metadata and the importance of profile design. This week we’re continuing our efforts to better your presence by taking a look at the importance of longterm care for your content, and why keeping tabs on the latest YouTube updates may help boost your streaming revenue.

One of the many reasons technology is so exciting is the ability for it to evolve in leaps and bounds over relatively short periods of time. YouTube, for example, has changed greatly from its original design. Videos uploaded in 2006 or 2007 now look like home movies shot on VHS in comparison to the slick HD clips of today. As an example, here is the official video for From First To Last’s 2004 hit, “Ride The Wings Of Pestilence,” which was uploaded in 2006.

A little rough, right? The clip has received nearly 2 million views since launch, which is 2 million people – fans new and old – who found this to be the highest quality version of this clip available online. They may still enjoy the song and video in its current state, but the likelihood of sharing low quality material like this is relatively low.

Now look at this video from Rise Records’ Crown The Empire, which was created when the band was still unsigned:

You don’t need me writing at length to understand the quality of the above video is exponentially better than the previous clip, even if you do not enjoy the song quite as much. A big part of this is due to when the clips were uploaded and the type of files YouTube was capable of hosting at that time. Things were simpler when that From Fist To Last clip went live, and as a result of the person in control of the account that posted the clip not maintaining its presence a beloved single is beginning to show its age.

Whether you’re a new artist on the scene, or an independent talent a decade into your career, it is incredibly important that you dedicate time to regularly update and maintain the videos you have posted online. YouTube is now the number one method of music discovery for the teen market and it is winning over more adult demographics with each passing year. Regardless of your sound video is going to play a major role in raising awareness for your music and brand if you hope to make it in the current music industry. This not only means you need to put extra effort into your video content, but you also need to maintain your presence on the video market as new technology and updates becomes available. Like songs available to stream online, you never when someone will come across your video and/or how familiar they will be with your music beforehand. Every video you post could very likely serve as a first impression for though sands of people, if not millions over time.

Another reason to care about the quality your video library is how it may or may not impact your income. YouTube offers a number of ways to monetize through its site, whether allowing advertisements or adding purchase links, and
more opportunities are being added on a regular basis. Regular maintenance of your video library will allow for you take full advantage of these opportunities as they become available, as well as offer you the ability to update the quality of your hosted clips as new capabilities are added. As we mentioned above, sharing is key to success in the video market, and maintaining a library of high quality clips will go a long way towards encouraging social engagement.

Music videos do not have the same characteristics as most viral videos, but many do possess the potential for high virility if marketed correctly. Music videos, like great songs, are something people will share with friends and family for years to come. When future generations study the music of the past, videos will play a large role in understanding not only the song, but the culture that inspired it. That is, after all, what music videos represent. Whether or not you want to admit there is no denying the influence Miley Cyrus has had on pop culture in 2013, and a large reason for that impact is owed to her music videos. “We Can’t Stop” presented the reinvented Miley to the world, and within days the clip racked up tens of millions of plays. “Wrecking Ball,” which followed a few short months later, did even more impressive numbers while featuring a far more naked Cyrus. Some of us laughed at the clip, others found their new pop idol, but regardless of where you stand the song changed how you viewed the world. For days, if not weeks after you and friends joked about Miley, her twerking, and all the teens online trying to copy their newfound heroine. Her album, Bangerz, did none of that, and almost soon as it hit shelves it was no longer part of the conversation. That’s not a slight against Miley, but simply listening to her ‘wild new style’ is not enough to generate the type of headlines made from singing the same material while straddling construction equipment in the nude. The album may (probably) be forgotten, but the videos live on for as long as sites like YouTube exists, and they will continue to be a topic of conversation every time someone talks about culture in 2013 until the end of time. The same goes for your content, and you should not take that knowledge for granted.

We cannot tell you how to make videos that will go viral, but we can tell you that high quality footage goes a long way toward winning over increasingly distracted young minds. By regularly maintaining and updating your video library you are positioning your content to be received by viewers worldwide in the way that represents you best. Do not underestimate the power of first impressions.

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Haulix Advice: Winter Tour Survival Tips From The Venetia Fair

Hello and welcome to another exciting week of music industry insight and advice here on the official blog of Haulix. Christmas is fast-approaching, but here at Haulix we are showing no signs of slowing in our efforts to bring you the best blog content and music distribution services available anywhere online. We have new content planned every week day until the end of the year, and yes that even includes the day when Ol’ Saint Nick will come scurrying down your chimney. If you have any suggestions for future articles on this blog, or if you have a question you would like us to tackle in the weeks ahead, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook, which we update regularly.  We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook. 

We know there is no way for us to give each and every reader of this blog a gift for the holidays, but we have been working around the clock to compile the best content we possibly could to help keep you both informed and entertained while staying warm indoors. Today’s piece is the second-ever guest advice column written by an artist, and in my opinion it’s one of the best pieces we have ever run.

Whether he’s working with bands through SwitchBitch Records or melting faces in venues around the country with his own musical endeavors, Michael Abiuso lives music 24/7. When winter began to approach I knew we would eventually want to run an advice column geared towards preparations for seasonal touring, and Michael was the first person that came to mind to help create the piece. Fortunately for me, he agreed to help after only a few requests (and friendly nudges over social media). You can read his fantastic insight, below:

Winter Tour Survival

Hey kittens, Mike Abiuso of The Venetia Fair and SwitchBitch Records/Studios here. I was somehow invited back but this time to speak about touring in the winter. Don’t ask me how, either James has a man crush on me, or you guys get a kick out of mocking my poor writing capabilities. Either way I’m happy to be here.

Although I tour and have been touring since 2006, I’m still not quite sure I’m the best candidate to take advice from when it comes to prepping to hit the ol’ open road for the winter. I’m actually in the middle of an east coast tour as we speak with The Venetia Fair and in all honesty I’m sick as a dog and slept in the freezing cold van last night in attempt to enhance my gritty throat so I could continue singing in the vein of Madball. Are they still around?

Without any further adieu, lets freeze our balls off (gals this includes you).

Having your vehicle and paperwork up to date is so important. Be sure the following are all good to go:

  • Driver’s licenses are not suspended
  • Vehicles registration
  • Insurance cards
  • Inspection stickers
  • Oil changes
  • The wipers actually wipe shit off the windows and not just smear it around (This all pretty much goes for every day life and vehicles as well you hoodrats)

  • Anti-freeze

Learn from mistakes:

For about 5 years I was in a touring band called Kiss Kiss. We had a diesel school bus and although it was cheap and seems really cool, there were a lot of issues we ran into. I’m sure myself and everyone else would think…”$3,000 for a full size school bus and I can take the seats out and put couches and tables and make it cool…blablabla” We’re all stupid, trust me. Why?:

  • They don’t sell diesel at every gas station.
  • Do you remember in middle school how bumpy those things are? Good luck reading a book, or doing anything.
  • There’s a heater in the front and the back AND THAT’S IT. Not to mention it’s one big draft box made of aluminum.
  • If there are any issues, most places don’t service or have parts for these vehicles and if they do, you get charged a shit ton.
  • These things don’t like to start in the winter. Be prepared to purchase a block heater and a bunch or different sprays to blast in the engine prior to starting. Cool right?

That all sad, I personally would stick to a van and trailer. There’s a reason why every other touring band has one, it’s because it works, however there are things you need specifically for a van and trailer that you wouldn’t ordinarily need for a standard vehicle:

  • You’re going to want to make sure you have a separate braking system hooked up to the trailer or you will not be able to make abrupt stops putting yourselves and others in danger.
  • Be sure you know how your different high and low gears work for heading up and down large up/downgrades.
  • Snow tires are definitely helpful, but this winter we (The Venetia Fair) brought snow chains for our tires. In the past the band has gotten stuck trying to go uphill (upmountain) through the Rocky Mountains, and had an 18 wheeler push the van and trailer from behind.
  • Occasionally you’ll run into situations where a) you can’t fit a van and trailer anywhere and need to park them separate or b) you have a day off and don’t want to lug around a trailer and unnecessarily waste gas. For these occasions a ball lock is essential to put in the hitch of the trailer so it doesn’t get jacked when you leave. When you “D the T” more commonly known as dropping the trailer we make sure to have triangular wheel blocks placed under the trailer tires so it doesn’t accidentally roll away.
  • In cold temperatures the padlocks on our trailer freeze closed, so we keep a blowtorch in the door of the van.
  • There are always chances you will break down. It’s a good idea for at least one member of the band to have AAA so you can take advantage of roadside assistance without paying an arm and a leg.
  • People sometimes forget that the internet answers to everything. That said, we have a wireless internet router in the van that we share. If there are any issues with the van or anything, there’s a good chance you can google the issue if not to fix it, then to at least have an understanding of it to avoid being bullshitted by auto repair shop.
  • Frequently when driving through mountains there will be dead zones with no service. Breaking down in these areas can be a nightmare. It is important (especially in the winter) to try and keep your gas level above ¼ tank so (depending on the type of breakdown) you can at least keep the heat on in the van till someone stops to help.
  • If the scenario described above occurs but the van can’t idle or the issue is with the engine, we have a generator and a spare gas tank. We mainly use this to power microwaves, coffee makers, tvs etc, but I’m thinking for this upcoming January tour it may be a good idea to bring along a small space heater to use if a) we breakdown in a dead zone or b) we sleep in the van.
  • Lastly, I’d suggest getting some reflective cones to put outside of your rig when pulled over. This is just an extra precaution on top of hazards to avoid getting sideswiped.

A perk about touring in the winter is that you can buy food in larger quantities so it’s cheaper and will stay longer in the trailer! Maybe I’ll get invited back someday for a lesson on budgeting money on the road! Until next time kids, be safe and don’t do anything The Venetia Fair would do!
Much love,

-Mike Abiuso

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