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

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You’ve written some songs and learnt some choice covers just in case but there’s one missing ingredient left to consider.

Band members. Where do you find them?

Starting up a band is a very exciting time in a musicians life. There is a fine balance of nervous anticipation and the fear of the unknown that follows the whole process.

A band has a different dynamic than working as a solo artist.

There are other people involved, other personalities, other strengths and weaknesses in character and abilities to consider.

Because of this, it’s really important that you have a few things worked out before you start looking for band members.

1. Have a good idea of your own strengths and weaknesses
The band members that you want to get will need to be around the same level of competence as you are. The main reason for this is that you can all grow together rather than have one or two musicians carrying everyone else. This type of player imbalance causes doubt in the group and doubt is one of the major killers of bands.

2. Know beforehand how the band is going to be run
Is the band going to be run by you or the whole group? The personality types of the musicians that you choose will need to be agreeable to the way the band is going to be run.

3. What instrumentation is the band having in its lineup?
This is mainly determined by the type(s) of music that you want to play but having an idea of what musicians you are looking for will be of great help.

It is now time to hunt down some band members

4. Ask your network of friends and/or contacts
This is always a good place to start. Ask everyone that you know or come into contact with. If you dont have much of a circle of friends and/or contacts this will be a great chance to widen it.

This is one of the reasons why networking in the industry is so important, for occasions such as this. Having a musician referred to you has a much better chance of working than one that comes from an advertisement.

This leads me onto my next point.

5. Post an advertisement
Having said that I have had made some great contacts from musicians enquiring from a ‘muso wanted’ ad.

The key to effective ads is that they need to be concise, to the point, not too lengthy and put in places where musicians are very likely to see it and read it like in a music shop, a local music magazine or a music classifieds website.

A sample ‘musician wanted’ advertisement could read something like this:

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

As you can see, the ad is clear in its intention. It clearly states the musician wanted, the type of music the band is playing, what the music may sound like and that the band has some experience behind it.

Make sure you have a clear contact name and phone numbers (if you want to include an email address as well, that’s cool).

Don’t put in stuff like work waiting or no time wasters please. You can judge those sort of things yourself when an interested musician contacts you.

Once you’ve done that the waiting game begins. More on the auditioning process later.

Until next time,

Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music

Keywords: indie music, independent music, music industry, music business, music marketing, music promotion, orangutang music, corey stewart

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I know that we’ve all heard that saying thousands of times but at the end of the day, when you’re dealing with the music industry it does comes down to who you know doesn’t it?

I would even go as far as saying that your circle of contacts is like bank currency. Having a lot of people that know who you are is always a benefit, not a hinderence.

Here is an example of the power of having a good network around you.

Not long ago I got a call from someone who wanted to find out if I was available to play bass with their band. I declined on their offer due to not having the time to take on another project but, I did give them the number of someone else I knew that would fit the bill perfectly.

That day, that band found a new bass player.

That particular experience got me thinking about the power of networking. I worked out that all of my dealings with the music industry is based on who I know.

People like working with others whom they trust will do the job they want them to do or like recommending others for jobs that they can’t tackle themselves.

I was proud of myself when I heard that the band found their bassist through one of my contacts. I was glad to help someone out.

That’s what networking’s really all about though isn’t it? Helping people?

For anyone who is just starting out my advice is to seek out as many people and go to as many functions and gigs as you can. Immerse yourself in the local music scene.

The more people that know who you are, the more opportunities that will open up for you.

Become the squeaky wheel that gets all of the oil. Have that belief in yourself and dont be afraid of asking questions and attaining knowledge.

One thing that you don’t do however, is that you get to know people for what they can do for you.

Get to know them for who they are as a person. Others can spot your deperation and insincerity a mile away and that is a real turn-off.

Personally I am chuffed when someone asks me for advice or just wants to have a chat about how things are going for them, but only if they are genuine about it.

A great place to start networking would be at open mic nights. I happen to run one myself at the Daniel O’Connell Hotel (165 Tynte Street, North Adelaide) on Wednesday nights from 8:30pm. Feel free to come along and pick my brains.

When you’re at the open mic really get yourself involved, just walk up to someone and say “hi”. Everyone is there for the same reason so there is some common ground to talk about.

Another place to get involved is at a Music Managers Forum meeting or contact your local music or songwriting association. Make yourself known to a few music shops in your area.

The opportunities to expand your circle of contacts is virtually endless.

Remember, the more you network the more you will be known and the more you are known the more work you will get.

In time your little black book of names will become your greatest asset.

Until next time,

Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music

Keywords: music business, music marketing, music promotion, music management, indie music, music industry, independent music, corey stewart

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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

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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

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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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The only thing that matters at the end of the day is the amount of belief that you have in yourself and the music you create

Let’s face it, without that belief, you don’t have a career.

I have been involved in the music industry for twenty years however, I’ve only really belived in myself over the past five years and in that five years I’ve achieved much more than the fifteen years preceding that.

I don’t remember that moment when I finally climbed up the top of a mountain and put my flag of belief into the summit but I remember the feeling of knowing that it was okay to be doing what I am doing and, most importantly, it was okay to be ME.

I can’t tell you how to believe in yourself, only you can do that but I can tell you that if you are lacking in belief then you are not alone.

We live in a world that is not overly tolerant to artistic endeavours. I mean just the other day I had someone ask me at a party.

Q – “What do you do for a living?”
A – “I am a musician”
Q – “Oh, that’s nice. So what is it that you really do?”

That really threw me back. I was initially insulted but I proudly answered that being a musician was my ‘real job’.

We as musicians are always being told that we:

1. Can never make a living out of a hobby
2. Need something to fall back on
3. Should go and get a real job.

If you do have a day job, fantastic.

I’m not telling you to give it up all I’m saying is that when you have belief in yourself and what you do any decision that you make is made for you only, not to please well meaning friends or family.

Be proud of what you do but don’t be too proud to not take advice from people that have trodden the path that you’re about to take.

Use this website/blog for instance to ask any question that you want. I will only give you encouragement because I have been there myself.

Always remember, no matter how many articles you read, how many courses you take, how many bands you play in or how many gigs you do, you can’t get others to believe in you unless you start believing in yourself.

Starting today, go and look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you deserve to be a musician and that you are not going to feel guilty about it.

After that its time to go forth and ROCK (or country or punk or whatever you do)!!!

Until next time,

Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music

Keywords: indie music, music business, music promotion, music industry, music marketing, music management, independent music, corey stewart

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With the major labels focusing on quick returns rather than artist development and the advent of downloading music online, the traditional record company/artist relationship has become blurred to the point of being obsolete.

Nowadays, being independent has real advantages…

How many times have you heard or read somewhere that the internet has changed the face of the music industry forever? Personally, I’d love a dollar for everytime I heard it.

However, it’s true and there are a couple of reasons for this:

1. A traditional record company/artist relationship is optional and not a necessity. You can do your all music sales and band promotion online cutting out all of the ‘middle people’.

2. Websites can turn an artist with a local audience into an artist with an international audience. As the internet is not ‘owned’ by any one entity the playing field is a lot more even.

A really great example of an artist that is doing it independently and (doing very, very well out of it thank you) is Ani DiFranco.

Ani and her record label Righteous Babe Records have been kicking it against the system for many years now. Personally I think that Ani is the best example of how an indie music artist can have total control over their career and be a roaring success at the same time.

Her example has inspired me.

I read somewhere that by 1996 Ani had her own warehouse, about eight or nine full time staff and her music sales were nudging over 500,000 units (in which the profit goes to her company not to some multi-national). I found these facts very impressive.

To me, being an independent artist means that you’re the one driving the bus and being in control over your own affairs.

A lot of talented artists and performing songwriters around the world are at this very moment waiting for that knock at the door, the opportunity to ‘get discovered’.

What’s likely to happen is that these same people will spend their creative lives being very, very disappointed.

If you are reading this and feel that this is you, consider this. Where do you think you would be if you managed your career yourself rather than wait for someone (or some company) to do it for you?

There are many, many sites online that are there to help you take control over your career by spreading practical information about band promotion and the indie music industry as a whole.

Take advantage of these sites. Go to as many as you can and learn. Become inspired to take control over your indie music career. It’s the only one you’ve got.

Until next time,

Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music

Keywords: ani difranco, indie music, independent music, music industry news, music industry resource, music promotion, music marketing, music business, corey stewart

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I was kind of hoping for a July 1st launch but as life gets in the way sometimes it wasn’t meant to be.

As of now I will be adding Orangutang Music news and Music Business content to this site on a regular basis so make sure you come back often.

I promise you, there will always be something new to see.

Until next time,

Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music

Keywords: indie music, music business, music promotion, music industry, music management, independent music, orangutang music, corey stewart

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