Category Archives: musician

5 Music Submission Mistakes

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When a music manager or A&R department receives music submissions, they often tend to skip over e-mails that are incomplete or require too much work when it comes to listening. Moreover, an e-mail that barely contains a message, bio, or any contact information is most definitely going to be moved to the trash. While the quality and content in your music is of primary importance, getting your foot in the door is the first step. Don’t make the following mistakes and you can rest assured that your music is, at the very least, being listened to.

1 – Sending Incomplete Tracks. There’s no point in sending something that doesn’t represent you as an artist to the best of your abilities. Waiting until your song is mixed and mastered allows the concept and personality of your music to shine through.
2 – Attaching the Song with No Concept. A lot of times, when a song is downloaded from an e-mail it shows up anonymously (ie. “track1.mp3”). This offers no information about you or your story. You’d be much better off attaching an EPK, or at the very least a photo, so that the receiving end actually has some insight into what they are listening to. Adding links to your site and social media pages also shows that you have an online presence.
3 – Messy Files. When you attach too many of your files to an e-mail in a disorganized way, managers get fed up and are more likely to skip to the next submission. Your best bet is to put your soundcloud, reverbnation and bandcamp links in the body of your e-mail. This showcases your work in a clean and efficient way, allowing people to listen to even more of your songs without the hassle on either end. Use safe links to popular platforms.
4 – No Contact Info. Too often e-mails get sent without any contact information. As silly as it may seem, make sure you write your full name with your phone number and e-mail address so that if someone likes your work, they can actually tell you!
5 – Little-to-No Bio or Press Release. A poorly written bio or press release is an immediate turn-off. Providing too few details or even too many can instantly send a message about your professionalism as an artist. While there is no need to write a life story, it is important to create a brief and relevant bio about where you’re from, what kind of music you create, and what you’re doing now. 
Pro Music Records & Entertainment Media can make sure that you have the tools to send a complete e-mail music submission that gets you heard. From a website to a well-written bio to a thorough press release, we do it all. Visit us at www.promusicrecords.com for more information.

New Rules for Making Music in the Digital Age

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1. Put it in perspective. The number of YouTube hits you have on any one video can communicate more than the number of sales that were made. For example, a video that has 50 million views may only have sold 50,000 units. Though this number may seem low, today’s industry actually deems it a success.

2. It’s what you can do for others. If you can prove that you will bring ticket sales and a line out the door, promoters, agents and club owners are far more likely to book you. Record labels will want to sign you if you already have an audience they can sell to. 
3. Money will most likely come later. Real success doesn’t happen overnight and you’ll need to grow your audience little by little. The longer it takes for you build your fan base, the more likely you’ll have a long-lasting career instead of being a one-hit wonder.
4. Create music regularly. With so much music available on the internet, fans have a shorter attention span than ever. Keep them excited about your music by putting out songs, even if they’re just acoustic covers or lyric videos, to stay at the forefront of their minds. 
5. Cultivate an organic audience. Friends and family are great for spreading the word about your career, but they don’t count as real fans. Finding an audience that loves your music without even knowing how great you are as a person will result in a loyal fan base.


Money Solutions to Streaming: Licensing & Publishing Deals

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It’s pretty clear that sites like Spotify and Pandora aren’t paying out big bucks for all artists, so small to mid-level musicians need to start being craftier. Though streaming can be beneficial for growing a fan base, there has to be a better way to make money than half a penny per play. Fans streaming your music can hopefully lead to purchases and increased sales, but these sales are harder and harder to come by in an age of digital music. Then again, artists have always had to look to other sources of revenue such as merchandise and tours…
However frustrating it may be, streaming and piracy aren’t going anywhere. It’s time to start embracing alternatives to generating income by looking to diversifying streams of income. Licensing companies and publishing deals are becoming more and more popular. These resources help artists get their music placed on TV shows, in movies and commercials. 
The solution? Adopt new ways of spreading your music and becoming successful. The technologies that are available to us today to build relationships with fans on social media and other sites are a great place to start. And, with the option of submitting music to a licensing or publishing company, monetary success can become a very tangible option.
Pro Music Records can set you up with either an exclusive publishing deal or simply submit your music to as many music libraries as your budget allows. The greater the number of submissions, the better your chances at landing a placement and making thousands of dollars through entertainment media. Please visit us online at www.promusicrecords.com to find out more about our licensing opportunities and take your music career to a new level! 

What to Avoid: 4 Ways to Ruin Your Music Career

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Navigating the music industry can be tough, but there are four basic ways to ensure your career isn’t a flop. Pro Music Records has the tools to help you avoid these mishaps!


1. Depending on anyone but yourself to build your career
These days, having a solid fan base is essential to even getting noticed by a record label. They want artists who are working and developing their fan base, which means that you need to make sure you’re fulfilling fans’ needs (ie. putting up new material often, interacting with fans through comments).


2. Not having a serious web presence
Be everywhere. Not only do you need to be on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, but using other platforms like Instagram or blogs can help reach your target demographic. This will make it easier to interact with your incoming fans, too.

  
3. Not selling merchandise
Selling a variety of merch at all your shows (and online) is key. It helps pay for all the little things that got you there, like gas and food. Not only does your stand or site need to exist, but it needs to be easy to get to and easy to purchase from.

  
4. Delivering subpar press kits
A strong, well-crafted press kit can greatly increase your chances of getting into a venue or onto a radio station. With only a few slots to fill, you’ll need to be noticed immediately through your marketing materials. A powerful bio, press release, EPK and one sheet can ensure your submission won’t simply get deleted.  

  
For music promotion services to get your work out to radio stations, blogs, podcasts and magazines, as well as merchandising and publicity services, visit www.promusicrecords.com. 


Music Artists as Entrepreneurs: Building Your Empire

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Until recently, the only way to “make it” was to be picked by an A&R rep at a major record label, and even that didn’t guarantee success if the label dropped your record or cut your marketing budget. Today, your success is primarily up to you. You are your own CEO and your product is your music. Identifying multiple sources of revenue and having a team is the first step in thinking like an entrepreneur and forming your thriving business 

Develop Your Product & Identify an Audience
Think about exactly what it is you are making and how it is different from existing music. What genre do you mow identify with? Your personality and image are significant aspects of your business, too. Understanding how to develop your brand in the market is invaluable.
Next, find out who your customers or fans are. Use internet tools like Google Analytics, Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels to see who is listening, watching and commenting. Talking to fans after shows will allow you to figure out who your key demographic is. 
Get Your Music Out There
You’ll need to get your product to the market as quickly as possible, so release small and often on easily accessible digital platforms. If you don’t have the money to release a full length album, start with distributing singles every few months or EP’s. Cover Songs for your YouTube channel can keep fans interested without forcing you to spend thousands of dollars. Another good method is releasing a song to social media and telling fans you’ll release the next once you get a certain number of comments or likes. Promotions are key to building your fan base. Most importantly, get feedback as soon as you can and adjust your business accordingly. 


Network
Take tips from outgoing and energetic entrepreneurs and don’t be afraid to talk about your music, your band, and what you are trying to achieve. When you play gigs, Introduce yourself to the other bands playing or the guys behind the scenes running lights or sound. You never know who you can meet and you may find a way to collaborate! In the music industry, your success will come from your connections.
Build a Team
Think about who you know who would be willing and able to work with you to develop your career. Hiring professionals, like those at Pro Music Records, to carry out your website, marketing, promotions, and submissions to labels or radio stations can ease your stress and keep you organized. Delegating tasks to your team can also give you more time to hone your craft and create more music. There’s a reason most successful businesses are more than one person! 
Pro Music Records & Entertainment

YouTube Fame: Still Very Real (And Very Relevant)

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We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Social Media is invaluable when launching your music career. The proof? A capella singer Peter Hollens has just been offered record deal after unleashing a series of other innovative covers via the internet. His YouTube channel has over 63 million views and features collaborations with other YouTube musicians. Now, Sony Music’s classical and crossover label called Sony Music Masterworks has signed Hollens, whose album will be released on October 28th. 
What we can learn from Hollens’s success is the importance of being visible, accessible and prominent on the internet. Your launching point? High quality videos. Using a good camera and editing can go a long way.
Additionally, the buzz that is created around your music can take you from unknown to #1 in just a matter of time (Vine star Shawn Mendes just hit #1 on iTunes in 37 minutes). Not only do you need to consistently be uploading new content to keep your fans engaged, but also communicating with them to build and maintain relationships. By being genuine and friendly, you can attract more and more people. That being said, you’ll want to watch and support other musicians or music blogs too. Spreading the love is an easy way to double your fan base.
Finally, tagging your videos with descriptive and specific key words will help you get found! Use words that are relevant to your content so viewers won’t be misled.
Having the tools to carry out these crucial steps can be the most challenging part of the process. Pro Music Records & Entertainment Media offers services for Video Production, Promotions and Marketing to produce and keep up with your social media presence. By taking advantage of Pro Music Records experts, you can rest assured that your fan base and video views will increase exponentially. We can even submit your music to record labels, radio stations, and other entertainment resources to further promote your music. Save time and money today by calling Pro Music Records at 818.971.9301 or e-mailing info@promusicrecords! 

The Importance of Understanding Web Analytics [For Musicians]

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In today’s world, any musician striving for success needs to have a basic understanding of technology. While your music should be mastered first, knowing the basics of website statistics can take your career to another level. Understanding who is visiting your website and listening to your music as well as how often, for how long, and from where, is key to honing your target market and accessing a potential fan base. 


Several sites offer web stats that show you what’s happening. They can tell you how many unique visits there were to your site in addition to how many visits were made total. This then translates to your page views so you can see which pages are most or least popular. The average time spent on your site can represent how engaging your content is. The longer a visitor spends on your music page, the more they like what they hear. Or, if your videos page is lacking views, however, perhaps your videos need to be more interesting or of higher quality. 


Referrers explain where visitors came from, whether it was a link you posted on Facebook or a search result on Google. The better you recognize the origins of your site traffic, the better you can find more fans. Finally, search terms that fans use to search and then find your site are displayed so that you can optimize what keywords are included your content. 

Of course, the most important step in this entire process is creating a visually appealing, high-quality website to showcase your talent and work. Then, you’ll need to make sure to market your music to a targeted fan base using web analytics. You’ll want as much time as possible to perfect your music, so getting help from marketing experts and web design professionals will allow you to gain the online presence you need without compromising your time. 
Pro Music Records & Entertainment Media can design custom search-engine friendly websites the are complete with industry specific photos and functionality. Pro Music Records clients are also guaranteed to dominate the 1st page of all the major search engines given reasonable time, driving traffic to your site. Please visit us online at www.promusicrecords.com or call 818.971.9301 for a free quote today!

4 Ways To Make Your Music Go Viral

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Dream Big, but Start Small. 
Instead of focusing on the endgame, which can be both daunting and discouraging, prioritize the steps you’ll need to get there. For example, you’ll probably have more success submitting to an independent publication than Rolling Stone, and more luck trying to get signed by a record label if you play outside your town/state. There are many steps you can take to launch your career and amongst them are building a solid website, advertising, optimizing your results on search engines and reaching out to music blogs. PMR has experts on each of these tasks to leave you more time to work on your music and make the process less overwhelming.

Know Your Competition. 
Make a list of competing bands or artists in your genre. Who motivates you? Who is getting sponsorships and airplay? Who is being interviewed? Then, understand why. If they have a stronger brand, it may be worthwhile to rethink yours by seeking consulting or brand development services. If they have better marketing, spend some time getting your name out. PMR can submit you to hundreds of the best internet resources for independent music and entertainment to drive traffic to your site.

Focus on Your Music as Your Business. 
Once your music is released, you are no longer just an artist, you are a business owner. Selling your music and personalized merchandise is your #1 goal. Entertainment professionals exist to help you succeed by marketing your talents, gaining publicity and spreading the word about your goods. 

Get Popular. 
Be everywhere for everyone and never underestimate the power of social media. Your music needs to be available on Rdio, Spotify, iTunes, CDBaby, YouTube, underground music sites and discovery platforms. Making money is great, but the more people can hear your music for free, the more likely they will be to purchase it, attend your concerts and talk about your talent. PMR can handle your physical and digital distribution as well as promotions on social media.
For more info, please contact Pro Music Records & Entertainment Media:
502 S. Verdugo Dr. Suite 204
Burbank, CA 
91502
Office: (818) 971-9301
info@promusicrecords.com