Music Soul and Music Sold

Learning Left Hand Blues Patterns

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:00:43 GMT

I am going to spend the next few weeks discussing some of the left hand blues piano patterns I teach in my new piano blues DVD. The first pattern I discuss in my video is just a simple quarter note boogie woogie pattern. It's a great pattern to play in both rock and blues settings. Simple and really effective.

Click Here to Read More

How a Mindmap Can Help You Become A Better Musician

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:53:18 GMT

I've experienced some really dramatic changes in my music business over the last month...

Learn Chicago Blues Piano with Steve Nixon Now Available!

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:05:31 GMT

My new piano instructional DVD is finally here. Thousands and thousands of hours of performance, study, and teaching have gone into the making of this video. I'm delighted to share my passion for blues music and piano education with you.
I made this DVD to be a valuable learning tool for many players out there, and players of all levels can benefit.

Here are just some of the subjects I talk about in the video.
1. Blues Theory and Application
2. Right and Left Blues Hand Patterns
3. Blues Rhythms
4. Blues Vocabulary
5. Licks and Variations
6. Hand independence – something difficult for players of any level to grasp, but very achievable through the detailed method and practice tools in the video
7. Improvisation: Learn to construct your own unique killer blues licks
8. Practice : Structuring your blues piano practice for maximum performance
9. Music career advice – How to apply your blues chops in the real world of professional performance
10. Notation of left and right hand patterns that can be downloaded as a .pdf - RiGHT OFF THE DVD!
12. ... and a lot more!

Click Here to Read More!

Android Phone for Musicians?

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:59:48 GMT

Yesterday I traded my Blackberry in for a Google Android phone. It’s a little hard to believe, even for me. I loved my Blackberry, and got some pretty extensive use out of it. I was hearing great things about Android, particularly for musicians, and I was ready to make the leap.

To be honest the jury’s still out on whether or not the Android is for me – I plan to give it 30 days, and swap my Android for my Blackberry if I don’t find it useful. I want to make sure that I’m not going to be more distracted by this thing as opposed to saving time. I’ll let you know how the experiment goes!

Click here to read more!

Subscribe now, and get Updates from my Blog!:

My instructional DVD "Steve Nixon's Learning Chicago Blues Piano" shipping in 1 week

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:10:00 GMT

The final proof for my new instructional DVD "Learning Chicago Blues Piano" arrived today. It looks great!! I should have the finished DVD ready in about a week!

You Can Preorder Your Copy Here

Cool Technology Tips for the Serious Practicing Musician #1

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 23:45:00 GMT

In my last post I talked about the dangers of too much technology. In the spirit of fairness and alternative viewpoints I'd like to talk about some ways technology can help us as musicians as well. Technology can be an amazing gift for practicing musicians if used the right way. It seems like every day, another cool, unique tool is hitting the market for musicians to use. Today, I am talking specifically about tools that help musicians practice. Technology used in connection with disciplined practice habits can really open huge doors for you.

There’s so much out there that allows a musician to build a studio online – why not integrate some of these great tools into your own practicing?

1. Google Docs (http://docs.google.com)

For starters, Google Docs is a great tool that just about anyone can use. You can use Google’s tools from anywhere, they’re free, and you’ll be able to access all your documents all in one place. You can use Google Docs to organize transcriptions, setlists, practice logs, PDFs, Fake Books, and even keep scans of music in one place. If you have a laptop or a smart phone you can bring with you to a rehearsal or a gig you’ll always have access to your documents.

2. Flip Mino (http://www.theflip.com)

The Flip Mino is an excellent little camera that’s cost-effective, sturdy, and extremely portable.

If you’re looking to record yourself practicing, the Flip is a great little camera.

Wondering why you just can’t nail the transition into the bridge of the new song you’re working on? Video record yourself playing it and then take a look. You can now quickly take a look at what your body is doing during that time. Sometimes we’re thinking so much about the notes that’s it hard to notice every detail of our technique. Play back the recording and bam.....super quick feedback on your technique. Serious practice problems can be fixed in minutes. I’ve done this many times and it’s really improved my technique.

It even comes in HD, so you can grab the highest video quality of yourself playing possible. This could also be extremely handy to use in your own promotional materials.

3. Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net)

Mac users have GarageBand, but PC users have an open source recording suite at their fingertips that’s actually quite advanced – being that it’s free. Audacity had plenty of downloadable plugins you can use to manipulate sound, create mp3s, and work with your own VST libraries. If that weren’t enough, programmers are constantly working on the project, so you are assured updates will happen in a timely fashion.

4. Metronome Online (http://metronomeonline.com)

This is a handy tool, along with many other handheld metronome and even tuning apps on smartphones for musicians. It’s the kind of thing you can take with you or access anywhere, as long as you have your phone on you. For those musicians likely to get frustrated and damage their metronomes, trust me – you’re far less likely to drop your iPhone or hurl it against a wall when you just can’t get the timing right.

5. Roni Online (http://www.ronimusic.com/)

Roni makes some great audio software, such as the “Slow Downer” that can be used to transcribe music, loop sections, and slow down difficult passages. I use this program all the time.

There are also plenty of midi converters and other neat toys available on the website for musicians to use.

There’s so much new information out there, and more coming all the time. Even a few years ago, you couldn’t get a free piece of recording software or access a metronome on your computer unless you had a special program. Life is good for musicians these days who have tons of new technology to lean on – Why not use it and increase the efficiency of your practicing and playing?

For more information on taking your music career to the next level, visit http://www.stevenixonmusic.net/careermentoring.cfm.

Subscribe now, and get Updates from my Blog!:

Turn Off Your Crackberry and Create Something!

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:25:00 GMT

Today we get so caught up in technology that we forget how important creativity is to what we do. For many people the barrage of email, Facebook messages, Twitter, text messages, and other types of electronic communications have taken over their lives. It’s getting harder and harder to find that uninterrupted time to do good creative work like practicing your instrument, writing songs, making art, and even just living a healthy life. Being accessible 24 hours a day and constantly being distracted by technology is a disastrous thing for creative people.

My whole music career has spawned from one simple concept. Uninterrupted time alone with my instrument. In other words.....PRACTICE. Every gig I’ve ever played, every student who’s ever wanted to study with me, and every audience member I’ve ever inspired have all arrived in my life because I sat down alone and worked consistently on my craft.

If you catch yourself spending more time with your Blackberry than you do with your instrument, maybe it’s time to consider another approach.

Tell technology to shut up for a few minutes, and be alone with your instrument, the sooner you start the better. Put aside a small block of time each day to practice and create.

Turn off your phone, turn off your Internet connection for awhile, and shut the door. You’re a musician who LOVES to play and create with your instrument. When you make great music everything else in your music career will manifest from there. Never forget that.

For more info on how to better utilize your practice time and make music more than a hobby, please visit my Music Career Help page.

Subscribe now, and get Updates from my Blog!:

Guest Post: Increase Your Music Teaching Business

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:23:46 GMT

Today, I published another guest post over at Music Teacher's Helper: "Online Tools to increase Your Music Teaching Business". I discuss some online tools you may not know about that will increase your student base, solidify your rep, and expand your reach as a teacher.

For readers of my blog, consider the info I presented a great way to extend your branding of yourself as a teacher. Using mentoring advice and some other techniques listed here on my site, you can build a global power house studio showcasing your own techniques and student base.

For readers of the Music Teacher's Helper blog, the applications mentioned are an amazing way to add to the management of your studio in conjunction with the excellent Music Teacher's Helper management tool, which is really the best out there.

Subscribe now, for more helpful career and teaching management advice!

Here are a few more articles, both from my blog and the Music Teacher's Helper blog, that will help you manage your studio and reputation more efficiently.

Mistakes Are Information

Musicians - How to Make Your Website More Manageable

Studio Newsletters

Who Influences Your Music Career?

Musicians - How to Make Your Website More Marketable

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:45:00 GMT

Musicians are often folks on a low to no-budget plan when it comes to marketing. Plenty of people would rather craft a website themselves or have a friend do it for free than pay a webmaster a few hundred bucks or more to make one. While I have no argument whatsoever against saving money, having a website sufficient to meet the needs of your product is absolutely essential to moving forward in your career.

In 2010, the top two income streams for independent recording artists comes from record sales and live show ticket/merch sales. Yet, you’d be surprised how many artists don’t have their touring or live gig info easily available on their websites. You’d also be surprised at how many artists don’t have their music readily available to stream and to purchase on their websites.

If your music is your product, it’s very important that your intended audience be able to reach that music literally within seconds of getting to your website. Go with the five second rule – if it takes more than five seconds for a user to find out 1) Your band name, 2) A functional button to stream your music, and 3) Where you’re playing next, you might as well go ahead and send the user on to the next website. Not being able to capture a user’s attention in under five seconds greatly increases the chances of your new potential fan to leave your site.

Monitor your own browsing habits the next time you’re on a website. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, how quickly do you exit? If you’re required to click through several pages to get to the product, you’re likely to go somewhere else and complete a purchase from a vendor who’s made it easy. Music is, unfortunately, enough of a commodity in the mind of certain fans that he or she isn’t going to click throughout your site looking for something just for the sake of art. Trust me – if you have a kickass live show and/or a great CD worth selling, you want to make it easy to find.

Musicians tend to obscure their “product” by creating an artsy website that showcases the band’s image as opposed to the “product” (the music). I’m completely supportive of having a really cool and artistic website but economic and brand function should never be ignored.

Music career mentoring could be just what you need.Get active about your music career now, set your goals, and prepare to succeed!

Subscribe now, and get Updates from my Blog!:

Musicians Looking to Relocate Go Where the Money Is!

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:54:19 GMT

Plenty of people are working on starting a music career by moving to bigger music towns – Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Chicago and Austin, to name a few.

There are also many musicians looking for music career advice, who are living in small towns and getting ready to relocate to a town with a thriving music community – or at least, it seems like the town is a musical metro.

Here’s a thought – maybe moving to a larger town with a “great” music scene isn’t going to help your career. In fact, if you’re looking to launch a music career, it could be a real career killer.

First, there’s the competition. It’s very likely that in moving to a larger town, you could get lost in the mix of many musicians who are competing for the spotlight – and more importantly, for money. When club owners know they have a pool of talented musicians to pick from, the likelihood of finding a regular, well-paying gig decreases.

This also holds true if you’re giving lessons. There might be a ton of music studios out there, but you can be sure you might deal with parents and store owners who don’t have the kind of money to throw around that you’re looking for. One of the most important tasks of an independent musician, whether a teacher or performer, should always be figuring out where the best source of income is, and how to tap into that.

If you’re looking for music career advice, here’s a unique perspective to consider: Move to a town where the average income is high, and where the average clientele can afford to pay what you’re worth for lessons.

This is actually true of any musical endeavor you’re charging for - gigs at a club, at weddings and high end events – pretty much anything you want to do musically will be so much more profitable if you’re located near people who can afford your talent.

Starting a music career in a small town isn’t necessarily easy, but if it’s a small town where people love music, have an appreciation for the arts, and have money to spend, you could find yourself making six figures easily being the “go-go guy” (or girl!)

America’s highest earning cities include Washington, DC – where there are plenty of lush suburbs such as Bethesda or Chevy Chase, Maryland – and plenty of places for you to go into the city and play if needed. Parents of these communities may not necessarily want to trot their kids into the cities for lessons. If you’re looking for financial help with your music career, your talents would serve you well in a community like Bethesda.

A smaller place like Hartford, Connecticut, is still a city, without being one of the size and competition offered by a place like Los Angeles. You’ll also be likely to land a gig near any resort town, particularly if the residents of the community are higher income folks. Even if we’re talking about a really small town, you can succeed if the money’s right. It doesn’t matter how great the city’s musician seen is. If there is no money in the city it will be extremely challenging to make a living.
So, if you’re looking for music career help and thinking of relocating…. Go where the money is!

According to CNN here are a list of the top 25 earning towns.http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/moneymag/1007/gallery.best_places_top_earning_towns.moneymag/index.html

Steve Nixon is pleased to give more music career tips and advice Check out http://www.stevenixonmusic.net/careermentoring.cfm.

Subscribe now, and get Updates from my Blog!:

Who Influences Your Music Career?

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 03:55:00 GMT

I’ve always been a huge basketball fan and see lots of parallels between professional basketball and professional music. So, it was with great interest that I tuned in to watch Lebron James announce “The Decision” on Wednesday night. I wanted to see how Lebron navigated his basketball career choice. Could I apply anything from the situation to my music career?

For over two years leading up to this night the media had obsessed over which team Lebron would sign with. Thousands of articles and tweets were written asking this question: Who influences Lebron? The answer to this question is sort of shocking. It’s amazing to realize that Lebron, being one of the most powerful men in the world, has advisors. He does though. In fact, they were a deliberate and carefully chosen group of people.
On the level Lebron is at there is no room for decisions to be made on a mediocre level. They have to be GREAT decisions.

I’ve never set a goal of mediocrity either. From Day 1 I knew that I had to control who gave me advice. I didn’t want the same old mediocre results that most musicians get.
On the musical level I’ve had many different musical advisers. Two in particular are Bruce Katz (from Greg Allman’s Band) and Jim Trompeter (from Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine). Both have been hugely influential on me. Both of these guys play on a world-class level. It was a simple decision. I love their music and I wanted to be where they were. Their advising and influence over the years has helped me get to where I am today in my music career.

On the music business level I’ve been really careful who I’ve taken influence from as well. In fact I’ve been even more cautious. There are plenty of people who’ve given me “advice” over the years. A lot of the “advice” may have been well intentioned but often times a cookie cutter approach. Great music and great music marketing can’t be cookie cutter.

When I first started I wanted to learn how to share my music with people and make a fantastic living. My friend Joe Lilly runs a $50 million dollar marketing company and also is a guitar player. He is someone I’m proud to let influence me because I know Joe’s track record. He understands marketing on an insanely high level. Top 1% type level.

What about you? Do you have advisors? Do you have a specific group of people who advise you in your music career? Have they been there before? Do they share the same goals as you? Do they know what it takes to get there?

For some real life changing music career advice click here

Letting Your Audition Etiquette Slip? Maybe That's Why You're Not Getting Gigs. (Part One)

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 02:43:36 GMT

Auditions are a little nerve-wracking for all of us. Not only are you expected to show your talents and abilities, but you’re thrust into a situation where you’re dealing with the egos and attitudes of other musicians. If you can make it through the audition and make it into the band, you might have one of the best musical experiences of your life – or, you might find yourself turned away, or worse , not called back.

There’s also a HUGE difference between your run-of-the-mill band audition, and those higher-paying gigs you’re looking for. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to be ready to get serious with yourself, and take a good look at how you carry yourself and appear when you go to auditions. Want gigs that make you money? Then you have to be worth that money, which includes sharpening your talent and looking the part.

If you’re finding yourself in a situation where you aren’t getting callbacks, it could have something to do with your Audition Etiquette. Here are some to-do’s that should definitely be on your list.

• Get There Early

I’ve seriously heard people discuss how being “fashionably late” to an audition makes you look like your skills are desired. Naturally, the person who said this was having lots of trouble getting gigs.

You must think of an audition as a job interview. If you show that you can’t be punctual or trustworthy, you’re going to be flat-out rejected in many cases. No one wants to deal with a person who won’t show up to practice, or worse yet, a show.

If you make it a point to get there even 30-45 minutes early, you’ll not only give the impression that you’re regularly punctual – you’ll show the important folks in the equation that you want the job. At the end of the day, wanting to be part of the band could be a huge part of the decision factor for the people who are auditioning you. That extra edge could get you a great opportunity.

If you’re looking for a high-paying gig, someone is paying – and that means that you need to prove you’re worth their money, and that you can be dependable.

• Dress Well

Some musicians make the mistake of thinking that because they’re auditioning for a rock band or a particular genre of music, it’s okay to look a little sloppy to show up to the audition.

You have to remember that how you dress is a reflection of yourself. Showing up with poor hygiene or getting there poorly dressed could be detrimental to getting the gig.

If you’re looking for a higher-paying gig, take it a step further. Iron your clothes TWICE. This is basically a job interview, so it’s in your best interest to present yourself as you would at any other job. If you’re not ready to dress the part, you’re not ready to get those serious, high-paying gigs. It’s time to get serious!

You also want to make sure that you dress the part. If you’re going to an audition outside your typical genre, make sure you understand the best way to dress. Don’t underestimate the importance of looking the part.

• Know the Repertoire

Seriously. It’s an audition for a reason. Don’t waste your time or anybody else’s walking in with excuses about why the music isn’t learned or you’re not up to speed. Plenty of people think they can walk into an audition and improve, and snare a gig by sheer talent. The person with a little less talent who’s better prepared is often a wiser choice.

• Have the Right Gear.

Don’t want to lug your amp all the way to practice? Make sure to call ahead and inquire as to what gear is going to be there in advance. You don’t want to leave your important equipment at home. You’ll look unprepared, and like an amateur. That’s not going to improve your chances for getting into the band.

Think about it – if you’re a guitarist and you leave your strap at home, you might be the only person at the audition perched on a chair in the middle of the room. This isn’t an ideal scenario, and it’s one I’ve seen before. Come prepared!

It’s also a good idea to print out your press kit, or make sure they have an electronic version of any materials that will help you better present yourself. You wouldn’t go to a job interview without taking the required resume and hiring materials – so make sure you have those handy.

Next week, we’ll talk a little more about this from an attitude standpoint. Covering the practical bases is important, but you should also understand if the way you personally prepare for an audition is beneficial to you and your practice. How do you approach going to an audition? Are you professional? Prepared? A little self-analysis might go a long way!

Looking for more tips and career advice? Check out http://www.stevenixonmusic.net/careermentoring.cfm.

Steve Nixon's Interview With Jeremy Baum (Keyboardist For Shemekia Copeland)

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:55:00 GMT

I'm excited to share with you my recent interview with keyboard player Jeremy Baum.
Jeremy is currently the full time keyboard player for Grammy Nominated blues singer
Shemekia Copeland.

Jeremy and I first met on a gig in Atlantic City. I heard one solo of his and I knew
immediately he had something special! We developed a friendship backstage after the
gig and we’ve been friends ever since.

Over the years Jeremy has done freelance work for many different artists, touring and/
or recording with Richie Havens, John Hammond Jr., Shemekia Copeland, Jim Weider,
Melvin Sparks, Bill Perry, Sue Foley, Debbie Davies, Murali Coryell, Slam Allen, Little
Sammy Davis.

This is my second interview in my "Artists Interviewing Artists" series. I know you all
will definitely enjoy this one and learn quite a bit. Enjoy!

Steve Nixon: What do you think are the main ingredients that are important in building
your career as a musician and getting your name out there?

Jeremy Baum: I always knew I wanted to play music, from the time at least from the
time I was thirteen on and but the circumstances of my life - when I was
eighteen I moved in with this girl that I was in love with. My first love,
and we moved in together and for at least a year I was working but – I was
working for about maybe a year, year and a half at this gas station. Forty-
eight hours a week, it was six nights a week from 3:00pm – 11:00pm. All
the money that I made just went to you know pay the rent and put gas
in my car and I wasn’t getting anywhere and I had no time. You know,
every night I was sitting at this gas booth just collecting money.

Steve Nixon: Wow.

Jeremy Baum: And at that time I didn’t own a piano. I was, you know, not too happy
about the situation and then a couple years later, kind of interesting, my
aunt passed away and she actually had a life insurance policy in my name
and left me some money, and I saw it as sort of a real opportunity to
pursue my dreams in earnest. You know, I moved back home with my
dad and the first thing I bought was a piano and then I bought a station
wagon and I bought some keyboards and an amp and then I started –
basically, I quit my job at the gas station and I went out almost every
night of the week and I live out near Woodstock, New York and there was
usually something happening somewhere.

Jeremy Baum: You know, that was before people regularly used the internet and you’d
just check all the papers and look at the papers and see what was going on
and between Woodstock and New Paul, I’d go out almost every night of
the week and find at least some live music and I got to know a lot of the
local musicians and basically asking everybody if I could sit in for free.

Steve Nixon: Right.

Jeremy Baum: And I did that for about a year just, and half the time they’d say yes.
Sometimes they’d say no but I got to know everybody, you know in the
area. There were a lot of people and they would just welcome me up and
you know I was just jumping in with both feet you know just playing
for free and putting all of my energy into just being out there where live
music was happening, being surrounded by it and trying to be a part of it.
I went to school for music and then Murali who’s the son of Larry Coryell
joined his band. We had a band for four or five years and we learned
lots of covers and we started hosting a blues jam in Middletown. I met a
lot of guys. It was basically trial and error too. It was like we were into
fusion. We were into like ‘musicians music” so what excited us, wasn’t
necessarily what excited people in the bars we were playing and so at first
we’d go out and we’d play some Return to Forever stuff and all this crazy
fusion stuff that we were really into and maybe some Miles Davis, late
Miles Davis from like “We Want Miles”. We used to do all this crazy stuff
and have these wild jams and it’s like we’d open our eyes and realize that
the bar had been cleared out.

Steve Nixon: Yeah. Ha ha…I’ve seen that before.

Jeremy Baum: You know, we’re drinking and rocking out. We thought we sounded
great and the next thing we know, there’s nobody there. So then we
started hosting this blues jam and because it was blues jam we were
learning a bunch of blues, you know, tunes and we would learn them and
everything was in there and then we started doing some R&B stuff and the
next thing you know we got really popular in this one bar. We were like
packing the place every Thursday night and that seemed to work. Playing
the R&B and the blues and the James Brown and Al Green and Freddie
King and all that. All that stuff resonated in the bars and you know,
with all ages. Young people and older people and everybody seemed
to dig what we were doing. It was like trial and error but really, more
than anything, it was just going out and playing for free and playing with
anybody and everybody and the next thing you know, people are calling
you for gigs and you’re playing with anybody and everybody, but you’re
getting paid a little bit of money to do it.

Steve Nixon: Right, right. Now did you have business cards?

Jeremy Baum: Yeah, back then nobody really had computers. It was the early ‘90s.
Maybe some people had computers, but you know I went to the print
shop and printed out a thousand business cards with just my name and
phone number and a little picture of a keyboard and a piano on there and
handed them out to everybody that I’d meet. At the blues jams really is
where I met most people. Some jazz jams, a lot of blues jams. There
was one blues jam over in Poughkeepsie, New York at this place called
The Sidetrack. I met a lot of guys there that I still know and the one in
Middletown at this place called The Downtown. Those were the two main
blues jams. I met a lot of people at those places and then like I said, you
know playing down at Manny’s Car Wash in New York City. I met a lot
of musicians down there.

Steve Nixon: How do you handle life on the road as a touring musician and being gone
form home so often?

Jeremy Baum: Well, it’s almost like you give your life to music. You make this
decision. This is what you want your life to be and you know it’s going
to be hard on relationships. There’s compromises that you make but
on the other hand you realize that you’re living your dream and you’re
living a dream and you’re so fortunate to be able to do this. So you know,
psychologically, that’s it. It can be it’s own reward. Playing music for a
living and you know playing for anywhere from 100 to 10,000 people in a
night, but all the experiences are great. Just doing what you love and just
being on the road, you know it’s really tiring.

Steve Nixon: Yeah. Ha ha…I think I have bags under my eyes permanently.

Jeremy Baum: To say the least, as you know. It can be really hard on you. It takes a lot
of endurance, physically and mentally. So sometimes pace yourself. Try
not to drink too much. Of course these days, having a laptop makes it so
much easier or having a Blackberry or whatever it is that you use to stay
in touch with people. Facebook is great for staying in touch with people
all over and you make friends everywhere you go so after a few years, you
start returning to the same towns and you start seeing the same faces and
seeing people that you having established these friendships with and these
relationships with that you can you know. They kind of feel, you don’t
feel like you’re away from home so much.

Steve Nixon: Okay, next question here. So I know that when you’re not touring, you
gig fairly consistently in your home market, which is the New York area?

Jeremy Baum: Yeah.

Steve Nixon: How do you keep your home gigs and connections in tack while being
regularly away from the scene?

Jeremy Baum: Well I’m home about half the time, sometimes a little more than that so
I’m not away so much that it’s impossible and I just started working with
another local band and basically I have a pretty open, like a pretty good
relationship with them and they basically said any gigs that I’m home for I
can do with them.

Steve Nixon: Oh wow.

Jeremy Baum: Because they work pretty regularly and they’re a great band, and that
only just happened but for the last three years basically, whenever I was
home and had a night off I would go out and hear them and sometimes sit
in and sometimes if their keyboard player wasn’t around they’d tell me to
go home and get my gear and I’d come back and I’d actually do the gig
with them. I’m the full-time guy I guess when I’m, when I can do it. But
it’s cool because I’ve had a few relationships with local bands like that
over the years where they’re like, yeah anytime you’re home if we have a
gig, you’re on the gig.

Steve Nixon: Gotcha.

Jeremy Baum: So that helps. That makes life a lot easier.

Steve Nixon: Definitely man. Now so do you have a sub then when, for you when
you’re on the road?

Jeremy Baum: Yeah, I basically told the leader my schedule, my touring schedule and so
he knows when I’m not going to be available for their local gigs and you
know I think he’ll call me. He’ll call a sub for me. I don’t have to call
subs.

Steve Nixon: Oh, That’s really good.

Jeremy Baum: Yeah, they have my schedule and basically just, yeah.

Steve Nixon: So I’m starting to notice a trend here Jeremy. Twice now you answered a
question by being saying something like, “I’d go see the band or I’d go out
and see live music”.

Jeremy Baum: Yeah I mean even at this point in my career. I do the same things that
I did twenty years ago. When I’m home and I have a night off, if there’s
a good local band that I like, I go out to see them as a fan and sometimes
they ask me to sit in and I’m always happy to sit in and sometimes they
ask me to sub and when I’m available, I’ll sub and yeah. It leads to more
work, so definitely getting out of the house.

Jeremy Baum: Seeing other bands and just making that human contact instead of just
staying home on the computer or watching TV or whatever it is. That’s
how you get more work. That’s how I get more work.

Steve Nixon: Yeah, I gotcha. Okay, next question. I knew your father was also a
musician.

Jeremy Baum: Mm hm. Right.

Steve Nixon: How did growing up with a professional musician in your house affect
your development as a player?

Jeremy Baum: Well basically just seeing that that’s a way to make a living kind of put
that thought in my mind, that idea in my mind when I was a kid. I was
like I could do this, you know. I could be a musician. That’s a viable
option as a career. Whereas a lot of people’s parents are not musicians.
You know if they tell their parents that they’re thinking of being a
musician, they’re often discouraged from it. I was never discouraged or
encouraged. It was basically my dad worked in the Catskills for thirty
years raising a family, raising my sister and me and we had a house
in the mountains, in the Catskill Mountains. He worked at this place
in Allenville, which is one of the Jewish hotels. He was working six
nights a week basically. So he wasn’t home nights but on the weekends,
even when I was not even a teenager, when I was maybe nine, ten,
eleven, twelve you know on Friday nights, Fridays and Saturdays if I
was home, you know he a lot of times would take me to work with him.

Jeremy Baum: And I would just hang out for however many hours and he played in the
show band so they would back up comedians and singers and so I got to
see a lot of comics, you know, the Jewish comics who would play the
Catskills and the singing duo teams and comedians and magicians and
every now and then there would be a burlesque act. You know, whatever,
just like this old school show business. It was travelling around, probably
the Catskills and Atlantic City and Vegas and whatever else. It was an
interesting way of growing up and just seeing this how everything worked
and hanging out backstage in the back. Oh and the entrance musicians
just, as always is like through the kitchen. When you walk through the
back where the garbage truck was and the next thing you know you’re,
walking on the stage and then everything’s groovy.

Jeremy Baum: You know bright lights and everything
It just made it like seem like a viable option like it was normal to go out
at night and play music.

Steve Nixon: So it was almost just the fact that like you didn’t even know any better, it
was just the model was set for you?

Jeremy Baum: Yeah it was just like, yeah that’s something you can do. And also when
I was probably eleven, ten-eleven-twelve I was already sitting in with the
band and then there was another band in the bar that was the lounge band
and they did more covers, and my dad played in the show band where
entertainers would come in with sheets of music and they would read the
show down and you know, like entertainment.

Steve Nixon: What a neat experience!

Jeremy Baum: Yeah it was pretty cool.

Steve Nixon: So I know that in addition to being an in-demand sidesman, I know that
you’re also leading your own organ trio. Are you still doing that or not
really?

Jeremy Baum: Yeah not as much.

Steve Nixon: Not as much?

Jeremy Baum: I mean not as much as I used to since I’ve been doing Shemekia’s gig.
It takes a lot of time if you’re going to be doing your own project, you
know, booking and lining up work and keeping the band working and I
was doing it before I worked with Shemekia but since then not so much.

Steve Nixon: Okay.

Jeremy Baum: You know a couple times a year. I have on organ trio gig coming up on
the 31st of this month and we’re playing a party with guitar and drums and
I’ll play organ but I don’t do it very often.

Steve Nixon: How do you shift your mentality when you’re not playing that role
regularly?

Jeremy Baum: Even when I’m playing with the trio, I don’t feel like I’m the leader of
the group. You know, I’m playing with my peers, my friends and Chris
guitar, Randy on drums who played with The Band for like ten years,
the “The Band” The Band”.

Steve Nixon: Yeah.

Jeremy Baum: We get together and we play and it’s just kind of a joy. You know, we
just play and we all pick songs and learn the songs that the other person
wants to do. It’s not really like being the leader as much as just being able
to stretch out with your friends and enjoy the gig.

Jeremy Baum: So it’s not so hard.

Steve Nixon: Gotcha, gotcha and that’s obviously…

Jeremy Baum: As far as, as far as being a sideman with Shemekia, the mindset is a
little different because I’m playing my role in that gig. I’m doing, I’m
playing the songs the way they are played on the record and learn the
arrangements. Learning the arrangements how they are on the record.
It’s like playing a role and the solos are very short and everything is set
and also, it’s a show. You know, we play a 75 minute show and she’s
usually a headliner and so it’s basically you have to be on from the time
you get onstage until you’re walking off. You have to be totally focused
and doing your job and being a part of that group and playing a supporting
role for her and trying to make everything sound as good as possible and
be truly focused – almost like you’re doing a recording session. You know
it requires a lot of focus and keeping your energy where it should be and
it’s not about you. It’s about her and about the whole sound of the group
and yeah, so it’s different from being home and jamming with your friends
or doing a local gig that’s a little looser and being able to stretch out your
solos.

Steve Nixon: Okay cool. So what’s your keyboard rig currently consist of?

Jeremy Baum: I actually got an endorsement from Hammond and I have the new
Hammond XK-3C which is a fantastic organ.

Jeremy Baum: And I play that through the Leslie 3300, which I also hook up. It is a
300-watt solid state and a two preamp Leslie with you wheels and handles,
only 125 pounds which for a Leslie isn’t so bad.

Steve Nixon: Right.

Jeremy Baum: And it sounds amazing. It’s warm and it’s loud and it’s clean and that
organ, through that Leslie, I’m really happy with that. That’s my organ
and then my piano; I’m just not completely satisfied with it. I’m ready to
update my piano rig. I’m still playing a Yamaha P120.

Steve Nixon: Ah okay.

Jeremy Baum: And I’m playing it through a Peavey amp.

Steve Nixon: Gotcha. Do you like that amp?

Jeremy Baum: It’s decent. It’s loud enough and decent enough and it’s a Peavey so it’s
like a workhorse you know. It doesn’t break. It’s totally solid. It’s heavy
and it’s solid and it’s loud and it’s reliable.

Steve Nixon: Yeah that’s good. That’s huge especially for a rig that you’re taking.
Now do you take that on the road or are you doing backlines and stuff like
that?

Jeremy Baum: Occasionally there is, like in the next couple of weeks I’ll be taking my
rig in my van and driving it around. Whenever we fly there’s a, they rent
backline.

Jeremy Baum: Right now I have like the Yamaha CP300.
Steve Nixon: So, next question. What three artists have influenced you most as a player
and can you tell us why?

Jeremy Baum: It all depends on what I’m playing, you know. If I’m playing jazz I
would say Bill Evans and then Keith Jarrett especially with solo piano or
even if I was playing like trio setting. If I were playing organ, especially
like soul jazz things, I’d say you know Jimmy Smith of course and then
Jack McDuff, and Brian Auger.

Jeremy Baum: Growing up my dad had a lot of Jimmy Smith, a lot of Ray Charles.
That stuff influenced me. I just love music. I listen to all kinds of stuff.

Steve Nixon: So lots of different influences?

Jeremy Baum: And then I played salsa music for ten years and you know Afro-Cuban,
Latin, all that and you know definitely the Buena Vista Social club guys
influenced me a lot. Ruben Gonzales on piano influenced me a lot for my
salsa playing, so it all depends what I’m playing.

Steve Nixon: What are you listening to right now?

Jeremy Baum: I would say over the last year I’ve listened to a lot of Imogen Heap.
She’s a singer and songwriter and producer from England and she’s
amazing.

Jeremy Baum: It’s an unusual name but she’s fantastic. I listen to a ton of her -
everything that she put out. I just couldn’t get enough and then more
recently a jazz group I listened to for a while, GSP.
another group, this duo group from Brooklyn, an organ player and a
drummer – Benevento Russo Duo.

Jeremy Baum: Yeah I really dug some of that stuff. So I would say that. Oh and I’m
always listening to Peter Gabriel. I would go see Peter Gabriel and Bruce
Hornsby.

Steve Nixon: Gotcha.

Jeremy Baum: Bruce Hornsby’s a big influence too.

Steve Nixon: Yeah he’s a huge influence on me too!

Jeremy Baum: Well there you go.

Steve Nixon: That’s a fantastic list!

Jeremy Baum: Cool, cool.

Steve Nixon: Now in 2010 with the current skills you’ve already developed, how do you
improve your playing?

Jeremy Baum: Well it’s for me now it’s more learning songs, so like I just picked up this
local gig with a great cover band, so learning the songs that they do, that
they cover and whenever an artist asks me to, you know do a showcase gig
with them, learning their original music. Learning off the chart. Learning
new material helps my skills develop more. When I’m home, trying to
read like Chopin, learning Chopin pieces and sometimes Bach and also
just standards, you know, going through the little drill books, going one
two three whatever and just picking the tune that I know from my music
collection that I’ve never played before and maybe trying to memorize it
and play my own arrangements of it. You know that’s basically what I’ve
been doing lately.

Steve Nixon: That’s great. So it’s kind of a cool thing man that you say you also do it
just as much for your pleasure and enjoyment because a lot of guys can
get burned out when all they’re doing is just learning music for gigs as
opposed to doing it because they just love music. There is some pleasure
to it, you know.

Jeremy Baum: Oh, absolutely. It’s all, to me, for the most part that’s why I do what I
do. It’s definitely not for the money.

Steve Nixon: I hear you there man. Alright now, so do you have any advice for aspiring
players in regards to how to improve their blues piano skills?

Jeremy Baum: Listening to as much of the music that they can get their hands on. If it’s
blues piano that they want to be better at then just listen to as many great
blues piano players that they can, you know, so…

Jeremy Baum: So listening is my advice.

Steve Nixon: Okay let me as a side question on that because I know for example some
of my students, if you gave them an answer like listening, which is
obviously very true and you know there’s no substitute for listening, but
they might be confused by how you listen to music to learn.

Jeremy Baum: Well I guess not just listening but also trying to learn the stuff that you’re
listening to.

Steve Nixon: By transcribing and things like that?

Jeremy Baum: Yeah, transcribing work, you know either transcribing, actually literally
transcribing or just figuring it out by ear what you’re hearing and trying to
get it with your ear and play it as close to that as you can.

Steve Nixon: And you’ve done a lot of that?

Jeremy Baum: I’ve done a bit of that, yeah I mean especially if I’m learning a particular
song, I try to figure out what he plays on those songs. Like if I’m learning
an Albert King song or a Freddie King song or whatever, let’s say “Born
Under a Bad Sign”

Jeremy Baum: Okay so learning the actual piano part in there, it’s like an arrangement.
One part is like quarter notes, another part is like eighth notes and it’s
just, it’s very particular what they’re playing. They’re not just playing the
changes. They’re playing top, you know so learn the parts you know on
all these classic blues tunes. Figure out what’s actually being played and
play those parts. When you go to the blues jam, play the parts that are on
the record, you know, don’t just play the changes and improvise wherever
you want. Play what the guys are playing on the record.

Steve Nixon: Yeah that’s huge.

Jeremy Baum: That’ll get your playing up to the next level.

Steve Nixon: That is right there man, that is a money statement. It really was because a
lot of guys are good musicians but they’re improvising too much. Much
more on the national scene, there’s a lot more parts playing as opposed to
just jam playing.

Jeremy Baum: Yeah, yeah which for me on Shemekia’s gig. I’m not improvising there.
I did an eight measure solo here or there, sometimes a four measure solo.
Whatever it is and you know even then, if it’s a short solo like that, you
got to burn from the moment, you know from the get go you’ve got to
play what you’re going to play immediately you know? But then the rest
of the song, you’re playing the parts. No screwing around, you know?

Steve Nixon: What about in your fills? Is it the same type of concept?

Jeremy Baum: Yeah, I mean the fills they’re improvised but you don’t want to be over
the top in your fills. You don’t want to be like calling too much attention
to yourself. You want do your job.
.
Jeremy Baum: Don’t overstep your welcome. Don’t overstay your welcome. Don’t
make your presence be too known because it’s not your name on the
billboard outside.

Steve Nixon: Jeremy that’s a great point. Okay, last question. You’ve had quite a bit of
success so far in your career. What are your future goals going forward as
a musician?

Jeremy Baum: I’d like to write more. I’ve put out a couple of CDs. One was a salsa
CD with a salsa band that I worked with for ten years. It was all original
music. My own CD with my organ group was mostly original music.
I’ve written some music with other artists and had a few songs on other
people’s CDs. I would like to write more. I would like to do another CD
of my own. Maybe another organ CD, maybe even a jazz piano CD with
a trio or something. I’d like to produce some CDs with some friends of
mine that are singers and guitar players and local musicians. I would like
to spend more energy on music. That will be my future goals, my say
three to five year goals – writing more and possibly producing more and
just creating more original music and getting it out there.

Steve Nixon: Original music. I hear you man. So it sounds like your goals aren’t
necessarily business goals. They’re more along the lines of personal
artistic goals and those potentially could lead to business. Is that a fair
statement?

Jeremy Baum: Yeah, that’s, it’s always been that for me. I’ve always, and I’ve always
thought about as far as a sideman goes, well who do I want to work with
you know, musically? Who excites me? What do I want to be? What do
I want to be a part of? Where do I want to be making music? Never so
much like, who can, how much money do I want to make? Or you know,
what do I want to do business wise? But different people think differently.

Steve Nixon: Right.

Jeremy Baum: But for me it’s always been artistic and aesthetic goals and spiritual
goals, like what’s going to give me happiness in this life? And how am I
going to, you know make music best.

Steve Nixon: Wow that’s really important. The beautiful irony of that is that you’ve
been able to parlay that mindset into making a living.

Jeremy Baum: Yeah, it didn’t happen overnight. I probably was in it for ten years
before I was actually at a point where you could say I was self-sustaining,
making a living as a musician. I probably did it for about ten years before
I got to that point. It’s always gotten a little easier. Every year’s been a
little bit easier.

Steve Nixon: Thanks so much for your fantastic interview Jeremy! It's truly been a
pleasure. You're answers were really informative and I know we’ve
all learned a lot. If you guys get an opportunity, be sure to check
out Jeremy’s playing with Shemekia Copeland. It’s a phenomenal show!

For more information on Jeremy Baum visit him at www.jeremybaum.com
His latest release “Lost River Jams” can be purchased at www.cdbaby.com/cd/
baum and Itunes.
.

Are you finally ready to Take Your Music Career To The Next Level?
Click Here To Learn More

Blast to the Top Using Your Own Music Distribution

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 22:11:28 GMT

We’ve been talking about how the way music was once produced and distributed is quickly becoming obsolete. As I mentioned before, you don’t need a record company to distribute your music or help you make a living.

That being said, if you don’t have a record label and you want to do everything yourself, it’s going to be up to you to promote your own music and sell your records. These days, lugging a stack of CDs and other merch to your show just isn’t enough. There are some intuitive, affordable solutions out there that will help you get your music to the people who need to hear it.

1. Use Your Website.

Myspace used to be a great way to connect people to your music, because everyone seemed to have a profile on there. These days, people are using Facebook, and you probably are, too. Facebook has the world’s largest database, and is a lot less intuitive a resource for musicians than Myspace.

So, maybe now’s the time to think about getting off Myspace. You can keep your Myspace and all your other social media profiles, but beef up your online presence with a store, and start using a website as your one sheet. With more and more people migrating from Myspace, there’s less chance you’re going to be found there.

2. Use Social Media.

We’ve all probably heard of sites like ReverbNation by now – if you’re not using music social media sites, do it. This isn’t something you need to put daily work into, and it’s going to help other users connect with you. Put your most decked-out social media profiles on your marketing materials, and on your website. You’d be surprised how many people will find you just by browsing.

I also recently learned that many people under the age of 24 don’t actually have an email address, and never have – because they use Facebook almost exclusively! This tells you something about the power of social media.

3. Listen to Music, and Network.

Some of us get so wrapped up in our own marketing, that we forget how important it is to enjoy the music of other people, and to network. You may find yourself liking another band so much that you strike up a conversation or introduce yourself. Before you know it, they have one of your CDs – and before you know it, you’re playing a show with them. People seem to highly underestimate the value of networking and enjoying the music of other people these days. You never know what kind of networking could start a movement!

4. Use Local Radio.

Many local and even internet radio stations will have a local talent hour. Think about this: Many radio listeners tune in at the top, bottom, or middle of the hour. People tend to head off somewhere after a show goes off on TV, or they schedule appointments with people that are around these times. If you can get yourself a local radio spot around these times, listeners will be more likely to hear you as they’re browsing through stations.

It’s going to be really difficult to try to specify when you want to go on if you’re trying to get local radio play, so the key there is submit, submit, submit – make sure that your music is spread around enough to be played during the local hour so that you can get some of those choice spots.

Remember, promoting your music is everything, and you’re really only going to make a ripple if you know what you’re doing!

For some real life-changing advice on getting your music career moving, click here!

How Do I Get A Record Deal?

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:50:00 GMT

I received an email from a reader a couple days ago asking my advice on how to get a record deal in 2010. I know that many of you have the same question so I'll post my response. I have changed the first name just to protect the reader's privacy.

Hi Suzanne,
   I have to be honest with you. Getting a record deal is getting harder and harder these days. Record deals are no longer what they used to be. As a result of illegal downloading of music the record companies have really lost a large hold of the industry. Albums aren't selling the way they used to. Record deals do still exist but are really much harder to get.

The people who do get record deals in today's day in age are often time considered "conservative investments" for the record company. So, often an artist who gets a deal either has large fan base already, or is already established in the industry and just need a bit more "push" from a financial and marketing perspective. Occasionally, an artist is signed based off their marketability factor alone and hasn't really done much in music. In these situations the artist usually has a team of people who help produce them (think Ashlee Simpson, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber etc.). These artists are usually young and attractive. They may or may not be that talented but through marketing and positioning on the business side of things a label can turn these people into "a star". In order to get fame, production, and financial backing like that you have to give up lots and lots of the rights to your music. This is a very bad thing! An artist wants to keep as much of the rights (publishing and songwriting credit) to their music as they can.

The GREAT news though is that in 2010 you don't need a record deal to make a living in music. The vast majority of professional musicians do not. With the Internet there are lots and lots of ways to market and establish yourself in the business. It's truly become an equal playing field. If your talented, hard working, and know how to market yourself really well than you can be successful. Here's the awesome part of this. Most musicians either don't know how or don't have the interest to really learn how to market themselves.

Sometimes we learn the most by asking different questions or focusing on different things. If I were you I wouldn't focus on a record deal. I'd focus on 2 main things.

1. Work extremely hard and put out great music. Make your music as amazing as you can. Never ever ever cut corners. Wrong notes, bad timing, out of tune vocals, mediocre writing, bad recordings, cheesy lyrics, lack of style etc etc. etc....none of that is ok. This includes your live shows and your recordings. Don't rest until they're as polished as you want them to be. I have a 25 point checklist of things I go through before I release anything to the public. Quality control is everything.
Your music must truly say something and create that wow factor. What will make you stand out from the rest thousands of artists out there? The answer is extremely hard work and originality in your sound.

2. Learn to market yourself. The best advice I can give you is to read as much as you can and educate yourself on the music business side of things. The more you know about music career marketing the better of you'll be. You should even consider getting a music career coach or mentor.

Remember: Talent, hard work, and a fantastic marketing plan is a great recipe for long term success in music. A record deal does not guarantee that. Some would say that a record deal never was the "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow. That rings even more true today.


Learn How To Take Your Music Career To The Next Level Click Here

My First Guest Post!

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 16:00:00 GMT

I'm excited to announce that through luck o' the Irish I received my first invitation to do a guest post on another music blog. I've been a fan of Music Teacher Helper Blog for quite some time. It's a great opportunity. Anyway,
Here is the link http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/crafting-a-compelling-music-teachers-bio-2/

A Gig Question That Most People Forget To Ask

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:05:00 GMT

So, you've been doing a great job of meeting other musicians. Your reputation as a musician is spreading and your musical "brand" is growing. Finally, some calls are starting to roll in. Band Leader X, who has seen your regularly working rock act perform many times, calls you on a Tuesday. In a real casual voice asks, "Hey, you free for a duo gig on Saturday night?" You are free and could definitely use the $225 bucks because rent is due in 4 days. You reply, "Yeah, I'm free. Tell me where and when to be and I'm there." Band Leader X says casually in response, "Dude, the gig is from 8pm-10pm at a new restaurant called Rowell's in (fill in your city here). Check will be written to you at the end of the night. We're doing all laid back stuff and blues tunes. It will be fun time." Now, most musician would end the conversation there but an essential question was not asked. Even though, as stated the gig will probably be a "casual" and a "fun time" you still have to ask this: What's the dress for the gig?? Let's fast forward to hear the rest of the story: You show up to the gig at Rowell's and you're horrified to find that it's a fancy restaurant. There's a valet, the Maitre d is wearing a tux, and the place is exploding with white linen table clothes and dark oak furnishings. You are wearing your best rock outfit "jeans and a cool retro T" but it's just won't cut it here. You feel out of place, you stick out like a sore thumb. You played your ass off on the gig throwing in all your killer licks but it really doesn't matter. From a image standpoint you just don't cut it. You never get the gig call again. This whole situation could have been avoided. Playing at Rowell's may not be your dream gig but if you have no work at all then sometimes taking a gig to keep food on the table and to sustain you is important. That way you continue to have the energy and the financial resources to stay in the game. So, you can continue to pursue your more desirable gig for the future. Never assume from a band leader's casual approach to a phone call that the gig apparel will be casual as well. Always ask no matter what the situation is, "What's the dress for the gig?" I like to wear jeans as much as anybody else does but it's really important for a performer to distinguish themselves. At a minimum be as well dressed as your audience (if not even better). If you're serious about building and sustaining a career as a musician you'll need to wear all kinds of different clothing choices on the gig. I like to wear jeans at home but sometimes the gig calls for a suit, a tux, a leather jacket, or a variety of other clothing choices. You've practiced your instrument for years. Don't let silly mistakes like this derail your music career. Ready To Learn How To Take Your Music Career To The Next Level? Need More Music Career Advice? Click Here

The Music Career Memory

Mon, 31 May 2010 14:55:00 GMT

I had a really fascinating moment musically speaking a few minutes ago and figured I'd share it with you. I'm currently putting the finishing touches on the design work for the release of my "Learning Chicago Blues Piano" Instructional DVD. I just posted one of the song snippets on my listen page (check it out here "Steve's Boogie" under Blues Keys). As I was posting this song I ended up getting a moment to listen back to some of the older pieces I've recorded over the years. I almost never do this. I don't reflect much on where I've been and never really have. I spend most of my time thinking about where I'm going in the future. My focus is almost always on the "next gig" and I don't ever feel comfortable resting on my laurels. I'm not quite sure what this comes from but I know that my hunger for both artistic and music career improvement is just as strong as it was when I played my first gig...in fact it's even stronger. Anyway, so I'm listening to a couple songs from the past (of course to make sure they were still fit my artistic voice moving forward) and I was just struck with such a rare and pleasant feeling. The satisfaction didn't come from the notes or the music itself. Rather, my contentment actually came from remembering just how truly hard I worked on those previous projects. Thousands of hours put forward into creating something that did not exist before. The sounds were just a nugget or a dream I had in mind and through the thousands of hours of crafting they became tangible. I didn't take much time to appreciate them when they were initially completed because I was always on to the next gig or the next project. It was a similar feeling that a home builder might experience if they had been building homes non-stop for 10 years without a single break. Then one day they're driving down the road late night after a slight lull in their workload. They look out the window and there right in front of them is a home they had built. A physical structure now exists....made from the earth and crafted from their own two hands and sweat equity. They look at their hands and then look back at the building....just thinking " I can't believe I made this. It just doesn't seem real." So, I sit here for a brief moment in acknowledgement of the countless hours I've put in up to this point. These moments don't last long for me. I'll live this feeling for just a minute here until.....I.....uh....I...wait....oh no!!.....next gigs this Tuesday.....back to the piano! Moment over.

Getting Past What Currently Limits You In Your Music Career

Sat, 29 May 2010 04:15:00 GMT

Getting beyond the mediocre threshold as both an artist and a music business entrepreneur can be extremely challenging. There is lots of information out there about how to get lower and medium level gigs. There isn't a lot of information about how to get high level and quality gigs.
The simple fact of the matter is that an average and cookie cutter approach to your music career produces average results at best.

Here's my gig schedule from last year. This is only my national and international dates. This isn't including approx. 30 local gigs and 4 radio appearances.
Hopefully 2010 will be even better as I continue to learn and grow more as a musician, a music entrepreneur, and as a human being :) I'm passionate to almost a fault on self improvement on all levels. Never stop growing.

Jan 8, 2009 TBA Buddy Guys Legends Chicago, IL
Jan 24, 2009 9:00 PM Cool River Draught House Homer Glen, IL
Feb 13, 2009 12:00 PM WGN-TV Studios Chicago, IL
Feb 14, 2009 10:00 PM Mullen's Lisle, IL
Feb 18, 2009 TBA Private Event Chicago, IL
Feb 20, 2009 9:00 PM Shamrock Pub Saint Louis, MO
Feb 21, 2009 3:00 PM Shamrock Pub Saint Louis, MO
Feb 22, 2009 7:00 PM Mid-Peninsula Media Center*** Palo Alto, CA
Feb 28, 2009 8:00 PM The Virginia Theatre w/ Buddy Guy Champaign, IL
Mar 13, 2009 8:00 PM Motor City Casino w/ Robert Cray Detroit, MI
Mar 14, 2009 9:30 PM Billy's Lounge Grand Rapids, MI
Mar 20, 2009 TBA City Limits Delray Beach, FL
Mar 21, 2009 TBA Tampa Bay Blues Fest Tampa, FL
Mar 22, 2009 TBA Bradfordville Blues Club Tallahassee, FL
Mar 24, 2009 TBA Southgate House Newport, KY
Mar 25, 2009 TBA Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
Mar 26, 2009 TBA Callahan's Auburn Hills, MI
Mar 27, 2009 TBA State Theater Kalamazoo, MI
Mar 28, 2009 TBA Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts Schaumburg, IL
Mar 29, 2009 TBA Key Palace Theater Red Key, IN
Mar 30, 2009 TBA Slippery Noodle Indianapolis, IN
Mar 31, 2009 TBA The Cellar Struthers, OH
Apr 1, 2009 TBA Sellersville Theater 1894 Sellersville, PA
Apr 2, 2009 TBA Blender Theatre at Gramercy New York, NY
Apr 3, 2009 TBA Ramshead On Stage Annapolis, MD
Apr 4, 2009 TBA The State Theater Falls Church, VA
Apr 10, 2009 9:30 PM Cool River Draught House Homer Glen, IL
May 1, 2009 9:30 PM Beale Street Music Festival Memphis, TN
May 8, 2009 8:00 PM Voodoo Lounge at Harrah's Maryland Heights, MO
May 9, 2009 9:00 PM Knuckleheads Kansas City, MO
May 14, 2009 8:00 PM High Noon Saloon Madison, WI
May 15, 2009 TBA Private Event Chicago, IL
May 16, 2009 6:00 PM Lewis & Clark Landing Omaha, NE
May 23, 2009 9:30 PM Fitzgerald's Berwyn, IL
Jun 10, 2009 8:00 PM Blues On Grand Des Moines, IA
Jun 11, 2009 5:30 PM Murphy's Lounge Omaha, NE
Jun 12, 2009 9:00 PM The Walnut Room Denver, CO
Jun 13, 2009 3:15 PM Greeley Blues Festival Greeley, CO
Jun 14, 2009 8:00 PM Little Bear Saloon Evergreen, CO
Jun 18, 2009 8:00 PM Callahan's Auburn Hills, MI
Jun 19, 2009 9:00 PM South Haven Harborfest South Haven , MI
Jun 20, 2009 TBA Aspen Utility Contractors Pig Roast Minooka, IL
Jun 27, 2009 10:00 PM Buddy Guy's Legends Chicago, IL
Jun 28, 2009 3:00 PM Irvine Lake Blues Fest Irvine, CA
Jul 3, 2009 9:30 PM Thunder Bay Blues Festival Thunder Bay, ON
Jul 10, 2009 TBA Jazz Sommer Festival Munich, Germany
Jul 11, 2009 TBA Golmp Alm Festival Merano, Italy
Jul 13, 2009 TBA Astimusica Festival Asti, Italy
Jul 14, 2009 TBA Poggio Picenze in Blues Poggio Picenze, Italy
Jul 17, 2009 TBA Break Summer Festival Ascoli Piceno, Italy
Jul 19, 2009 TBA Marco Fiume Blues Passion Cosenza, Italy
Jul 22, 2009 TBA Nincasi Blues and Beer Festival Cisternino, Italy
Jul 23, 2009 TBA Torre Alfina Blues Festival Viterbo, Italy
Jul 24, 2009 TBA Antequera Blues Festival Malaga, Spain
Jul 25, 2009 TBA Baia Domizia Blues Festival Alcamo, Italy
Jul 26, 2009 TBA Trasimeno Blues Festival Perugia, Italy
Jul 29, 2009 TBA WLAV Blues on the Mall Grand Rapids, MI
Jul 30, 2009 TBA WMMQ Blues on the Square Lansing, MI
Jul 31, 2009 TBA Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
Aug 1, 2009 8:00 PM Erie Art Museum Jazz and Blues Fest Erie, PA
Aug 3, 2009 TBA Mexicali Live Teaneck, NJ
Aug 4, 2009 TBA Musikfest 25th Anniversary Bethlehem, PA
Aug 7, 2009 TBA Riverfront Blues Festival Wilmington, DE
Aug 8, 2009 7:00 PM Heritage Music Blues Fest Wheeling, WV
Aug 9, 2009 TBA Kitchener Blues Festival Kitchener, ON
Aug 13, 2009 TBA Boulder Station Casino Las Vegas, NV
Aug 14, 2009 TBA Texas Station Casino Las Vegas, NV
Aug 15, 2009 1:00 PM Reno-Tahoe Blues Fest Reno, NV
Aug 21, 2009 9:30 PM Cool River Draught House Homer Glen, IL
Aug 22, 2009 6:00 PM Ribberfest Madison, IN
Aug 26, 2009 TBA Oskar Blues Lyons, CO
Aug 27, 2009 TBA Stargazers Theater Colorado Springs, CO
Aug 28, 2009 TBA Lucky Monkey Trinidad, CO
Aug 29, 2009 TBA Trinidaddio Blues Fest Trinidad, CO
Aug 30, 2009 8:00 PM Little Bear Saloon Evergreen, CO
Sep 6, 2009 TBA Heart of America - Living History Blues Fest Urbandale, IA
Sep 11, 2009 Shamrock Pub St. Louis, MO
Sep 12, 2009 9:30 PM Greater Ozarks Blues Fest Springfield, MO
Sep 16, 2009 TBA Lafayette Tap Room Buffalo, NY
Sep 18, 2009 TBA Camp Jam in the Pines Medford Lakes, NJ
Sep 19, 2009 TBA The C-Note Hull, MA
Sep 20, 2009 3:00 PM Rockland Blues Cruise Rockland, ME
Sep 23, 2009 TBA (The New) L'Astral Montreal, QC
Sep 25, 2009 TBA Warmdaddy's Philadelphia, PA
Sep 26, 2009 TBA Warmdaddy's Philadelphia, PA
Oct 3, 2009 TBA The Landing, Peoria Riverfront Peoria, IL
Oct 7, 2009 TBA Blues On Grand Des Moines, IA
Oct 8, 2009 5:00 PM Murphy's Lounge Omaha, NE
Oct 9, 2009 TBA Knucklehead's Saloon Kansas City, MO
Oct 10, 2009 TBA Uncle Bo's Topeka, KS
Oct 13, 2009 TBA Little Bear Saloon Evergreen, CO
Oct 14, 2009 TBA The State Room Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 16, 2009 TBA Cafe Boogaloo Hermosa Beach, CA
Oct 17, 2009 TBA Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise San Diego, CA
Oct 24, 2009 12:00 PM Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise San Diego, CA
Oct 24, 2009 9:30 PM Humphrey's Backstage San Diego, CA
Oct 26, 2009 7:30 PM Sierra Nevada Brewing Co Chico, CA
Oct 29, 2009 TBA Crystal Bay Casino Lake Tahoe, CA
Oct 30, 2009 TBA Biscuits and Blues San Francisco, CA
Oct 31, 2009 8:00 PM SLO Blues Society Dance Party San Luis Obispo, CA
Nov 1, 2009 TBA Sacramento Horseman's Club Sacramento, CA
Nov 3, 2009 TBA Boulder Outlook Hotel Boulder, CO
Nov 4, 2009 TBA The Zoo Bar Lincoln, NE
Nov 5, 2009 TBA Northland College Ashland, WI
Nov 6, 2009 TBA MN Music Cafe St. Paul, MN
Nov 14, 2009 TBA Clearwater Theater West Dundee, IL
Dec 19, 2009 9:00 PM Fitzgerald's Berwyn, IL

Are You Ready To Take Your Music Career To The Next Level?
Click here for more info

How To Supercharge Your Band's Bookings

Thu, 27 May 2010 08:50:00 GMT

The following is a guest post by Joe Lilly. Joe is a professional internet marketer and guitar player based in Las Vegas. You can read more of Joe's excellent writing here http://baldguitardude.com/

Getting More Gigs That Pay More

It's a common problem with local bands - you have a great press kit, a good demo and a great look. You have a decent following. But for some reasons the bar owners and booking guys aren't following up and don't answer your calls. You're stuck playing the same Irish pubs night and night again. You really need to get some new ears on your music but it's tough when the booking guys won't call you back. If you've felt like this, you aren't alone. Lots of musicians feel as if the booking guys aren't driven by booking the best musical acts possible.

I have a secret to tell you....

They aren't.

(Technically it's not that they don't care about great music - it's that you are not memorable or different enough to warrant a listen to your demo or a call back. This is a common problem in businesses of all types and seems to really frustrate musicians, who tend to care a lot more about making music than they do follow up calls.)

Just like rehearsing or practicing your modes, marketing yourself is something you just gotta woodshed. I used to make 150-200 calls per day to businesses that had absolutely no interest in buying what I was selling. At times that 'something' was whatever I was schlepping for my day gig. Sometimes that 'something' was me or my band. I learned the hard way that in order to get attention from the booking guy (your prospect) you have to be different and memorable. Lucky for you, I'm going to teach you how to do that. These techniques are EXACTLY what I used to book tons of gigs...and build an internet marketing business that generated $100 million in revenue last year.

Laying the Groundwork: Abandon Your Current Approach
I would bet my ES-335 that your current sales process looks something like this: You hear about a venue and decide it would be a good place to play. You either a) call and ask for the booking guy, or b) stop by and ask for the manager/booking guy. They either a) blow you off and ask you to mail a kit, or b) tell you they aren't available and ask you to leave a kit with the bartender. So you do. You also ask the name of the decision maker. After waiting the obligatory 2-5 days you make the ol' follow up-call or e-mail. That goes down something like this: "Hey, Mr X, this is Joe Lilly with the Joe Lilly Band. I mailed my kit to you and wanted to ensure that you received it and talk about playing a show at your bar/venue. Please call me at XXX-XXXX...."

What exactly is wrong with that? It's the easy way out and 95% of people do it half-baked. It's the business equivalent of karaoke. Mr. X gets 10 lead guitarists per day dropping off 10 press kits, and soon all the calls, all the kits, all the everything starts to blend together with his AOL install CDs and pictures of his cat. Mr. X starts making booking decisions on stupid things like "do I like the way the kit looks?" At the very least he'll ditch your kit without giving it a listen if he doesn't like your chosen font or shade of blue. So.....take all of that and and stop it. Just stop. Instead, use my simple 3 step approach.

Step 1: Represent Yourself During the Introduction
Did you see Boiler Room? How about the scene where Ben Affleck tells the trainees to "act as if?" Although we aren't hard-selling bogus stocks, there's a lot of wisdom in this approach. Let me explain: Instead of acting like a guitar player trying to book his band, you should act like an agent trying to book his superstar act. If you're going to the venue, dress professionally. If you're calling, do so from a quiet location. Don't wear flip flops or call from Hardee's...and never, ever, EVER tell ANYONE that you are a member of the band. Instead, your introduction should sound like this: "Hello, my name is Joe Lilly with Lilly Entertainment. I represent a number of regional acts in the Midwest and happen to have a fantastic group pulling through your neck of the woods on [date you'd like to play]. I've taken the liberty of sending you a kit, and will call you on [name a date] to discuss your venue's schedule that night and talk about getting an agreement together. I understand if you already have a headliner - my boys are happy to open since they're new to the area. If you have a moment, please call my direct line at XXX-XXXX. If I'm on the phone just leave a message with my receptionist and I will do my best to drop everything and get back to you. Thanks so much."

Why this works: You sound professional. You sound like you're running a business. You sound like you're successful enough to have a receptionist. You are also not asking permission to call back - you're telling Mr. X what you are doing and you are (most importantly) assuming the sale.

Real World Example: When my band was ready to start playing out, I used this technique to book us at a very popular pub outside of Chicago, IL. After our first show I followed up, again using this technique. They were so impressed with us that we earned a standing monthly gig at this little pub. That earned us well over $10k in the first 12 months we performed there.

[If you have HUGE cajones, add this: "I don't normally book acts without visiting the venue first, but I've heard about you guys and you seem to have a good reputation so I'm really excited to talk to you about this." ]

Step 2: Assist Yourself During the Follow Up
In most worthwhile venues the booking guy will have a gatekeeper answering the phone. The receptionist's job is to ensure that Mr. X is only talking to important people. So....you need to prove that you're important. How do you do that? Simple. Call on behalf of yourself and act like your own gatekeeper. I know what you're thinking. "That advice and a few orange midgets puts me in the chocolate business." Bald Guitar Dude doth retort - this step is a golden ticket to ENSURING that you will connect to Mr. X. Let me roadmap it out for you. Your call will sound like this: "Hello, this is Jeff Anderson calling from Joe Lilly's office at Lilly Entertainment. Mr. Lilly was hoping to connect with Mr. X. Is he available? If so I have Mr. Lilly standing by." One of two things will happen: 1. You'll get through and connect to Mr. X, now magically yourself. 2. You'll leave a message or (preferably) request to be sent to Mr. X's voicemail. In this case, leave a voicemail as Jeff Anderson.

Why this works: Mr. X starts to think that your time is so important that you have to have an assistant call Mr. X on your behalf. Mr. X thinks you are the best agent in the region and feels like a big fat wank for not knowing who you are. Other fun facts: Almost nobody notices similarities in your voice enough to realize that you are acting like someone you aren't. At most you'll get "You guys sound a lot alike," to which you say "yeah I don't like to talk about it but he's my half brother."

Real World Example: Bald Guitar Dude got his band a gig at Taste Of Chicago using this technique. Oh....and no press kit was sent. (It happened that the agent had just had a band fall through and she was panicking. She checked us out online and booked us on that call.)

Step 3: Revive Unresponsive Leads
Now that you have a list of venues who can't wait to book your band, it's time to dust off the folks that don't remember you. (Remember them, from before you read this article?) Here's how to get them crawling back to you. Invent a name for yourself and call when you know Mr. X WILL NOT be in the office. (This is counterintuitive but stick with me here.) The objective is to get his voicemail. Call on as your alter ego and say the following: "Hey X, how've you been? It's Steve. Haven't heard from you in a while so I thought I'd call and see what you're up to. My number in case you forgot it is XXX-XXXX. Oh, by the way, man, I have great news about - [click] -." And, that's right, hang up the phone mid-message. Just make sure you leave your number before you hang up. Mr. X will call you back within 72 hours. When Mr. X calls back, just remember the name you used and act as if you've been representing the band (a la step 1).

Why this works: Booking agents talk to loads of people all the time and are frequently big networkers. They have no idea who half the people are that they talk to. By acting informal and cutting yourself off mid-message, they assume you're an old colleague or friend that they haven't heard from in forever and that you have some exciting news that they need to talk to you about ASAP. Oh...and that you use AT&T wireless because a trendy iPhone is more important to you than reliable cellular service. I tested this method extensively when I was in inside sales. This increases the "return call probability" by about 300%.

Real World Example: I cold-called a senior executive at a very large (Fortune 50) financial firm, got a call back and wound up closing a HUUUUUGE sale. Due to a non-disclosure I'm forbidden from saying who it is but let's just say that their stock price isn't doing very well right now.....

Wrapping It Up
I hope you've learned a bit about how to increase your bookings by being different and memorable. In addition to being effective, the techniques above are really fun. Once you're comfortable, use your creativity and try to think of your own ways to be different and memorable. Some of you might think this stuff is a hokey, which maybe it is. But what's better - being run of the mill, not memorable, and spending your weekends playing Playstation 3 and eating Papa Johns, or playing a couple of little tricks and booking yourself for bigger, better shows more frequently that pay more?

Joe Lilly is an internet marketer and guitar player based in Las Vegas, NV. He writes about music, marketing, and the benefits of dry heat at http://www.baldguitardude.com