Music Business
The Auditioning Process (Part 2)
Remember, first impressions count for everything.
In “The Auditioning Process (Part 1)” I outlined the three steps to the auditioning process and dealt with the first two steps in detail. Now, this post will deal with the final step – Face To Face Contact!
Let’s set the scene here.
You’ve fielded phone calls from prospective bass players and whittled it down from a cast of thousands to a handful of possibilities. It’s time to meet them face to face.
Before you start though, make sure you have a really good idea of what you want from a band member. Things to consider could be:
- Same playing level and experience as the band.
- Someone who knows what they are doing.
- Reliable equiptment
- Applicant mixes well with others members
- Shows committment to the project
- Anything else that you and your bandmates find important
On the day make sure you arrive at the designated rehearsal spot early and set up giving yourselves plenty of time. I say this because you are going to be just as nervous as the applicants that will be coming through the door. Relax and enjoy the day.
You are going to form a band. This is supposed to be the exciting part!
From the time the first applicant steps through the door here is the step by step process.
1. Did they arrive early, on time or late?
If they arrived late that is a bad start unless they contacted you beforehand. Don’t tolerate lateness, it’s not professional and that’s the reputation you and your band is trying to attain. Isn’t it?
Remember, first impressions mean everything and almost always what you sense in a first impression is usually correct. Musicians are notorious for being slack, don’t allow your fledgling band to perpetuate the stereotype.
2. Introduce yourselves
As a gesture of goodwill you might offer to help bring in the stuff from the applicants car. This is a good time to check out the reliability of the applicants car for yourself.
3. Warm up with a jam
This allows everyone to have some fun to start with and it also allows you to check out the applicants confidence and improvisational (jammimg) skills. This is very important for band songwriting sessions. You never know you might write the bands first collective song at this point.
4. Go through the pre-determined songs
Both you and the applicant over the phone agreed to learning two songs for the session. If the applicant says “Sorry, I didnt have time to learn it” then stop the session and say your goodbyes. The reason for the task was to see how much initial committment the applicant has to the project.
If the applicant is keen to show off their wares at this time then play the songs. This is where things could click together and the fun really starts.
5. Put down the instruments
You’ve seen what the applicant can offer your band, now is the time to make your offer to the applicant. Down the tools, find a comfy place and start talking about:
- Group direction
- What the band goals are
- What are the applicants expectations
- Rehearsal expectations
What you talk about here is a very individual thing and varies from band to band but what you want to do is to lay everything out on the table for the applicant to see.
6. Set a time in which you’ll call back with an answer
Thank them for their time and make sure you honour that promise. Call them back either way
7. Band debriefing – This is essential!!
Make sure that in your audition schedule you leave some time for everyone to get together (without the applicant there) and ask questions like:
“Well guys, what do you think of that one?”
Band consensus is everything in the auditioning process. And now for the last step.
8. Next applicant arrives, start again from step 1
Make sure that the process is the same for every applicant to ensure efficiancy and consistancy.
There you have it. It can go one of two ways.
Either you have to start the whole advertising and phone interviewing process again or you have found someone that you all agree would be a perfect addition to your band.
Once again I can’t stress strongly enough the importance of calling everyone who auditioned and letting them know either way (make sure you call the successful applicant last so you can end on a high note).
Once you have made you choice and contacted your new bass player with the good news it’s time to say…
“Congratulations, you now have a band!”
Until next time,
Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music
Keywords: indie music, independent music, music industry, music business, music marketing, music promotion, free band promotion, orangutang music, corey stewart
The Auditioning Process (Part 1)
Auditioning new members? Here comes the fun part.
In my post “Ok, So You Want To Start A Band” I mapped out the three questions you need to ask yourself in order to get your band going. In regards to finding new members there were three choices.
1. Asking family and friends
2. Using your music industry network
3. Posting an advertisement
Let’s say you’ve filled the other positions through your network but you’re missing a bass player. You’ve posted ads in your local music shop and street press.
Now the waiting game starts. The auditioning process has begun.
The auditioning process has three parts to it.
1. Preperation
2. Initial Phone Call
3. Face To Face Contact
In this post I’ll be dealing with the first two parts.
1. Preperation
In between putting up the advertisement and getting the first phone call some preperation is in order.
- What questions are you going to ask at the phone call?
- What questions are you going to ask at the face to face meeting?
- Where are you going to have the face to face meeting?
- How long is the face to face meetings going to take?
- What songs are you going to get the applicant to play?
- Are you going to provide a tape of the songs? Or,
- Are you going to leave it up to the applicant to learn the songs?
These questions need to be asked to make sure that you look and sound as professional as possible. Once you have these questions answered you can then move onto the next stage.
2. Initial Phone Call
Here is a possible scenario. You and the other band members are hanging out jamming on some songs when the phone rings. You look at the others, take a deep breath and answer the phone.
It’s your Mum (PHEW!).
An hour later the phone rings again. You take another deep breath and answer the phone. It’s your first applicant…
Lets stop here. Hopefully you have done your preperation and are ready to tackle your first of many phone calls. The initial phone call is an opportunity to sort out the wheat from the chaff.
The serious applicants from the “time wasters”
Make sure you have your ad in front of you and highlight the information that you want to gain from this applicant.
As a reminder here is the posted ad again:
BASS PLAYER WANTED
To join folk/rock band
Influences include
Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Counting Crows
Some experience preferred
Own gear and trasport essential
Interested?? Give me a call
Corey – 555 555 555
From the ad, the questions you want to be asking the applicant are
- Name and age?
- What suburb do you live in?
- What gear do you have?
- Do you have own transport?
- How long have you been playing?
- What’s your favourite music?
- Why do you want to join?
If these essential questions are answered favourably then, have a short but general chat just to get the feel of what they’re like. How you do this is up to you.
If you are satisfied that this person is keen and worth meeting face to face then you give them a task.
Schedule a meeting at a neutral location, like a rehearsal room at a time say, a week from the call.
(NB: Remember, the neutral meeting location and pre-determined time should’ve been worked out already in the preparation phase of the auditioning process)
After that, give the applicant the names of two cover songs that you and your bandmates know and tell the applicant that they need to learn these songs by the time set.
After that, ask if there are any other questions. If not, end the call on a positive note.
Hopefully the ad will generate a steady flow of phone calls. If at anytime you dont feel that the person you are talking to is right for the job please, end the conversation quickly and politely.
Have a pre-determined number in your head of the amount of applicants that you want to try out and slot them into your diary.
Imagine you’re a manager of a business and you are looking for more staff. What would they do? Do you realise that you are in the same boat? Think about it.
The next post will be all about the face to face meeting. Watch this space!
Until next time,
Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music
Keywords: indie music, independent music, music industry, music business, music marketing, music promotion, orangutang music, corey stewart
The Music Industry Is All About Community
It’s a well known fact that having a sense of community in our lives is so very important for us as human beings
However, it’s even more important for independent artists and musicians.
Swimming upstream can be very tiring and we need all the support and encouragement we can get but we’re living in a world that’s losing this sense of community. FAST!
At the moment, the achievements of the individual is cherished way, way above the endeavours of the collective group. I personally believe that individual and group efforts should be looked at in a more balanced way.
Quite simply human beings don’t function at their fullest potential in anything by themselves. We need other people around us.
This is the power of community.
I have mentioned in previous posts the power of networking and getting to know the music industry from the inside.
The main aim of all of this networking activity is to build your own community.
A community of fans, like minded individuals, businesses and organisations that can help you, support you, enourage you and inspire you to do whatever it is that you want to in the music industry.
This is the very thing which anyone working in the music industry has in common with each other.
We all have our own communities and, at the same we’re all part of someone else’s community even if we dont know it. The real secret is realising this fact and using this knowledge to the advantage of you and everyone else around you.
Everyone has a skill or something that they can offer, even if it’s words of encouragement.
If I find someone that does wonderful work in any field then I’ll try use them all of the time. I want the people that I work with to grow with me and my work. This creates a community.
I personally have a wonderful community of people, bands and networks that I can tap into and I’m always on the lookout to expand on this.
If everyone in the indie music industry worked on the basis of inclusion rather than competition, there would be networks upon networks moving congruently with each other, all reaching for the same goals.
To be seen, to be heard and to be noticed.
If you’re a solo artist or part of a band then your fans and associated businesses are your community.
If you run a business then your clients and other networks you deal with are your community.
Communities are the lifeblood of your dreams and goals. Build them and use them.
Until next time,
Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music
Keywords: indie music, independent music, music industry, music marketing, music business, music promotion, orangutang music, corey stewart
Converting Punters Into Your Fans – It’s All Up To You!
“What’s in it for me?”
This is the main question that people are asking of anyone that’s wanting to attract their attention and/or intend to part them with their hard earned disposable income through live music.
Think about it for a minute! How would you as an indie artist or band answer that question?
I used to run an acoustic music night at a local pub a while back and I noticed that attendences go up or down depending on a whole range of things. Who is playing, the weather and so on.
This experience did give me some food for thought though on how someone can evolve from a person who has no idea about a certain band to being a rabid ‘fan’ or ‘groupie’ of them.
There’s some sort of conversion process that takes place here.
From my experience there are four types of people who comprise a listening audience at your local venue. They are:
1. Converted fans
As mentioned before these are the rabid, one eyed supporters of your music. They come to every show, know all the words to your songs and would even buy a lock of the lead singers hair if given half the chance.
It’s safe to say that the more of these you have in your fan base the better.
2. People that know you
Im talking about friends, family, work collegues, acquaintances, next door neighbours and anyone who is not a total stranger to you.
NB: When you first start off it’s always a great idea to make a list of everyone that you know and contact them to let them know of what you are doing and to make sure you have their permission to put their details on your fledgling opt-in email list.
If you are a four piece indie music band for example, you then have four times as many people to contact and put onto your email list. If you do this before your first gig you have a better chance of getting a good crowd.
3. Punters
These are people that dont know you but are the type of people that go out and see any band because they just love live music.
4. The rest of us
The ones that are at the pub because it’s their local hangout not because they want to hear you (or anyone else for that matter). The ones that are there for dinner or because they were driving/walking past and fancied a drink.
These people are generally apathetic, don’t care or can be offended if a band starts setting up and they didn’t know about it beforehand (if you have already played a few gig you will know what I mean)
I’ve come to the conclusion that the way to have more converted fans is to have in your own mind the answer to the various questions that people in groups 2, 3 and 4 mentioned above are going to ask in their own heads when you start playing.
Questions such as:
“What’s in it for me?”
“Why should I listen to you?”
“What am I going to get out of this?”
“What is the benefit of me staying?”
(I think you get my point)
If you are thinking that this post is reading like a sales article rather than indie music information well, you are right. We as indie artists and bands are selling ourselves to the public. The public today is bombarded with more information and choice than ever before.
I hear musicians complaining all the time that they dont get people to their gigs and that venues won’t take them seriously.
I believe that if you dont answer those questions listed above through the way you present yourselves and your live shows then why should people come to your shows?
Why should venues take you seriously?
I reckon the secret to getting more converted fans is to give them a reason to be converted. Touch, move and inspire your audience.
Give the people that are at your gigs (whether they want to be there or not) an experience they will not forget in a hurry.
Think about it, how you answer the “what’s in it for me” questions are up to you. Just have the willingness to search for the answers.
Until next time,
Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music
Keywords: indie music, music industry, music business, music marketing, music promotion, independent music, orangutang music, corey stewart
Planning Ahead – You Have Some Choices To Make
You know what they say “a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”. It is a well worn cliche but it’s so true isn’t it?
You want to do something with your talent and you want to do it without the help of the ‘majors’ but you have to start from somewhere.
It looks like you have some choices to make.
I have met a lot of musicians along my journey and some of those I have gotten to know pretty well.
All of them have a similar story as to how they got started in the music industry and it goes a bit like this:
“I dont know how I started really, I just sort of fell into it and before I knew it I was in a band”
Sound familiar? It does to me. That’s how I got started.
I didnt have a plan, didnt have a clue, didnt have any idea of what I was getting myself in for let alone what I wanted to get out of it.
I wanted to be a “rock star” so I could “meet girls”.
I was only fifteen when I made that decision and thinking back on it I cringe and laugh at the same time but it does show me the importance of planning ahead.
It’s very easy to get swept up in the hype of it all and before you know you are in the same place that you started but ten years have gone by and you are left wondering ‘where did it go’.
Before going any further you need to ask yourself some questions. These questions could be (in no particular order of importance):
1. Am I going to write songs or not?
2. Am I going to be a solo artist or play in a band?
3. Am I going to sing, play an instrument or both?
4. Am I prepared to practise, drill and rehearse my craft?
5. Am I going to find my own work?
I think you’re getting the idea of where I am going with this.
I know these questions are simple and straightforward however, I’m constantly surprised how a simple question such as “am I going to be a solo artist or play in a band” can distract someone from actually moving forward.
I’ve seen it happen to many musicians and, at the same time, experienced it myself.
Before you start your indie music journey have a clear knowledge of what you want to do and what you want to get out of it.
By asking yourself these types of really simple questions a series of paths will be presented to you. All you need to do then is to choose which path you take.
Until next time, happy playing,
Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music
Keywords: indie music, independent music, music industry, music promotion, music marketing, music business, orangutang music, corey stewart
Getting Quality Gigs Not Quantity Gigs
“Treat your fans like gold because without them, you dont have a career”
Indie music bands and artists want the same thing as their record company sponsored contemporaries. A crowd to play in front of.
It took me a while to realise that it’s not how many shows you play but how many people come to them that’s important.
I’m not sure what the indie music business is like in the US, Canada or the UK when it comes to playing gigs as I have not been there (yet) but I know in Australia we still have venues that pay guarantees for bands to play.
This is great because you know exactly how much you are going to be paid at the end of the night for the service that you are providing.
What it can also do is lull you into a false sense of security by thinking that the more shows you play the better off you are.
That maybe true if every show that you play has a guarantee but what happens if you have to charge at the door and you haven’t cultivated a fanbase as yet?
I learnt this lesson pretty quickly. Let me tell you a little story.
In 1994 I moved from Adelaide to Sydney to further my music career and had the opportunity to get my own band together with a couple of really good players.
For the first time it was up to me to get the gigs as I considered myself pretty good with the “gift of the gab”. With that in mind I went out and got a lot of gigs for the next three months.
I was buoyed by the fact that I was part of a “working band” but I wasn’t prepared for what happened next. It ended up that the band was basically paying to play and we were losing money. FAST!
Because I spent all of my efforts in getting the gigs I forgot to develop a strategy to actually get people to the gigs. When we did play shows we didn’t have a mailing list to communicate with our audience about future gigs.
I then realised that the most important thing was not how many gigs you played but the amount of people you played to. Very soon after this realisation I started a mailing list and started to cultivate a fanbase.
Every gig or performance that you do needs to have some sort of reason behind it. As soon as you start saying to yourself that the gig is just there to do then you are not doing yourself (and your audience) any favours whatsoever.
It’s pretty lonely up there on stage when you have to charge money at the door and there are only three people (besides the band and a couple of mates that you let in for free) in the audience.
Think of every audience member as someone who can bring along at least five friends to the next show. Make every gig count. Focus on the quality, not the quantity.
Until next time,
Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music
Keywords: indie music, independent music, music industry, music business, music marketing, music promotion, orangutang music, corey stewart
Indie Music Industry – The True Meaning Of Indie
Indie seems to be the ‘buzz’ word at the moment.
I came across this cute and clever article by Bob Baker putting across the meaning of ‘indie’ in a slightly different way and I just had to show it to you guys. Its a bit of fun but the message is still very clear.
We hear the term “indie” bounced around a lot these days. It’s become quite a trendy word (although some of us have been preaching about it for more years than most). So, let me ask you …
What’s your definition of indie?
Many people think of it as a reference to a musician, small record label or film company without an affiliation with a major corporation. That’s true, but I believe it has a much deeper meaning than that.
(By the way, “indie” is an abbreviation for “independent.” The “ie” at the end is the proper spelling, as opposed to “indy,” which is usually a reference to Indiana or Indianapolis — as in the Indy 500. There’s your grammar lesson for the day 
I think of indie in much the same way I think of the term “guerrilla.” It’s more than a simple, surface-level reference to your financial backing. I believe it’s a state of mind and a way of life you must bring to your entire pursuit of music.
The best way to explain my angle on this is to use an acronym. So here’s my definition of I-N-D-I-E, with every letter standing for a separate concept (and I didn’t even use the word “independent,” which was tempting considering I had two I’s to work with).
I – Inspired
To embrace the indie frame of mind, you must be inspired.
You have to know in your gut that music is what you are meant to do. You must become energized when writing, recording and performing your music. Hopefully, this is something you already experience fully, without having to force yourself to feel that way.
When this kind of natural inspiration comes over you, it’s a sure sign that you’re on the right path. And you will need this desire to carry you through the ups and downs of pursuing the independent music path.
N – Nontraditional
Indie musicians don’t mind learning about what has come before, and they are happy to listen to the “rules” that others say are required to have a successful music career.
However, the smartest indie artists keep their minds flexible and constantly ask questions about how the supposed “rules” of the past really apply to them. They actually develop a mindset that seeks out the road less traveled. And when they spot a good idea that’s off the traditional path, they fearlessly go after it without apologies.
D – Determined
Successful indie artists are fixated on their goals and determined to reach them.
They still leave room to veer from the original plan, when needed, but they are steadfast in their desire to produce more and better music, reach more fans, sell more CDs, etc. With this attitude, obstacles become short-term learning experiences along the road to higher levels of success.
I – Innovative
Being an indie means thinking outside of the proverbial box and looking at fresh opportunities from every angle.
It means not promoting yourself the same way a thousand other acts have done it. It means being resistant to knee-jerk marketing tactics and open to new ideas and overlooked avenues for exposure.
E – Empowered
Indie musicians don’t wait for someone or something else to come along and rescue them.
They don’t pray for a “lucky break” or to “be discovered.” They know to the core that the power to succeed with their music resides inside of them. And they understand that it’s their mission to tap into that personal power and use it to share their music with the world.
Let’s recap my definition of INDIE:
I – Inspired
N – Nontraditional
D – Determined
I – Innovative
E – Empowered
Print this article and pin it up where you’ll see it every day.
Being INDIE has nothing to do with what company you are or are not affiliated with. It has everything to do with how much you take control of your own life and take steps to build the kind of music career you deserve.
Bob Baker is the author of “Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook”, “Unleash the Artist Within” and “Branding Yourself Online.”
He also publishes The Buzz Factor, a web site and e-zine that deliver marketing tips, self-promotion ideas and other empowering messages to music people of all kinds.
Get your FREE subscription to Bob’s e-zine by visiting The Buzz Factor today.
I really liked the way that INDIE was used as an acronym.
It sums up my feelings about what the term ‘indie’ means to me. If one word could be used to describe the driving force behind the indie music industry it would be “EMPOWERMENT”. Think about it
Until next time,
Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music
Keywords: bob baker, indie music, music business, music industry, music marketing, music promotion, independent music, orangutang music, corey stewart
Indie Music Industry – Knowledge Is Power
Too much information is much better than not having enough.
If you are going to create a career for yourself in the global music industry, first you must understand how the industry works.
Here is probably the most important music industry tip you’ll ever recieve:
“Join up and subscribe to every indie music industry and DIY band promotion email list, newsletter and resource that you can get your hands on and read everything that you recieve”.
I really mean it when I say that too much information is better than not enough.
If something you joined up or subscribed to is not giving you the information that you need then you can just opt out or un-subscribe.
Read what you recieve, make notes, ask yourself if it’s relevent for you and where you live. Integrate the information into your life.
The only way to gain this knowledge is by research, and having intimate knowledge of your local music scene and becoming very active in it. Here are some ways that you can do this:
1. Start reading the music magazines in your area.
Local street press is an invaluable tool in letting you know what is going on in the local industry. Generally these magazines have features/interviews with local bands, a gig guide (great for targeting where to play), industry news and so on.
2. Go and see some local bands.
Check out your competition (I mean that as a figure of speech the most important thing about a healthy indie music industry is the community that builds from the music and the people who play it), introduce yourself, get out there amongst it all and immerse yourself in the vibe.
Get familiar with the places these bands play at and know who to talk to when it’s your turn to play there.
3. If there are music associations where you live, join them.
Seek out anything that supports indie music on an association level and join up.
If it costs money to do that then do it (generally its not an expensive exercise). Joining these types of associations instantly gives you a sense of community and solidarity. Also the amount of information you will gain about your local area will be huge.
4. If these local organisations have websites then bookmark them.
Need I say more on this topic. Most websites for offline organisations offer more to online users.
It pays to be an active online user. One advantage that comes to mind is the fact that you are able to participate in forums and messageboards which, in time will become powerful DIY marketing tools for you.
You got to start somewhere and the best place to start is with your own local area. As you expand your knowledge base you will work out ways to further your career and hopefully a snowball effect will start.
This website/blogs purpose is to help you on your journey by providing you with information to make informed choices as to where you want to go in this indie music industry.
If you have any questions you can always contact me.
Until next time,
Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music
Keywords: indie music, music business, music industry, music management, music marketing, music promotion, independent music, corey stewart
You’ve Got To Wear Many Hats In This Music Business
There is no magic formula for success in this industry.
Lets face it, being independent means that you’re going to have to be wearing more than one hat to survive. You are going to have to do a lot of things yourself and at the same time build a team around you and your music.
I’ve always believed that the music industry as a whole is much, much more than just getting a band together, playing gigs, recording a CD and then (hopefully) getting signed by a record label in which case you live happily ever after.
Getting on in this industry is all about diversification, multi-skilling and not putting all you eggs in one basket.
Whatever you want to call it, it means that you are going to have to get used to wearing different hats.
I hear a lot of musicians say that they want to just concentrate on the art and have someone else (loosely termed a ‘manager’) do all the other stuff.
Well, unless these musicians have the ability to convince a manager who has a well respected and proven track record to take a punt on someone who’s totally unknown and unproven then they are living in some sort of musical fantasyland.
I’m sorry but it just doesnt work that way.
Being independent is a choice, being independent is a way of life, a way of doing things. It’s embracing the fact that it’s all up to you to make things happen.
It’s about giving yourself back power and control over your own affairs.
Being independent shouldnt be a scary proposition. There are lots of resources around including this website/blog to help, guide and light up the path of whoever wants to explore it.
I myself, am in the same position as you. I realise that the global music industry is huge and that there is room for everybody to have some sort of a go, we just need to find the spaces.
I also realise that having belief in what you’re doing and being open to learning as much as possible about the industry then putting it all into action are the keys to moving forward.
For me, the answer to the question of what seperates the artists that ‘make it’ from the artists that don’t is “you’ve got to be business savvy”
You got to be prepared to wear many hats. For example:
The Agents Hat – Calling up venues for gigs
The Promoters Hat – Putting up posters and handing out flyers
The Publicists Hat – Putting articles or gig details into street press
Being an independent artist is all a matter of balance.
We straddle between two worlds, the ‘artistic’ and the ‘business’ worlds. How far we go in this industry seems to be determined by how well we marry the two worlds together to form a whole.
If you need any help with these matters you can always contact me.
Until next time,
Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music
Keywords: indie music, music business, music promotion, music industry, music management, independent music, music marketing, corey stewart
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