Martin Holmes music

How to get a digital distribution deal and get your music on itunes etc…

martholmes — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 10:18:33 +0000

Here is a link to a site that may help..

Chart Registration

Register Your Release For The UK & US Charts!
With EmuBands you can register your release for inclusion in the Official UK and the US Billboard Charts. Make sure that every sale counts!

To register your release simply select this as an option when adding your release!

Video Distribution

Get Your Video on iTunes!
EmuBands can provide you with you the ideal low cost solution to video distribution, by offering full music video distribution to iTunes for only £49.95. Emubands will handle all encoding and distribution of your video worldwide.

Click here to download our User Guide on distributing your music video!

SMS Purchasing

Add Pre-Orders For Your Release!
SMS Purchasing can either be used as a pre-order facility or as a mobile purchasing method for your fans.All purchases made are fully UK Chart eligible, meaning SMS Purchasing is a great way to promote your release.

Click here for more information on SMS Purchasing!

Sync Opportunities

Submit Your Music For TV, Films and Video Games!
EmuBands have teamed up with Music Supervisors, Music Conultancies and Ad Agencies across the world to offer artists the best licensing opportuities across TV, Film and other Media.

Click here for more information on our EmuBands Sync Service!

How much money do musicians make on the internet?

martholmes — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:39:25 +0000

Here is a picture that helps explain how money is made on the internet.

Job titles explained

martholmes — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:57:10 +0000

Here is an article from the Gaurdian about the different job roles in the music biz. Click on the picture below for the link.

New music website launched

martholmes — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:37:34 +0000

On thesixtyone, new artists make music and listeners decide what’s good. We’re nurturing a growing ecosystem where talented folks can sell songs and merchandise directly to their fans. Unlike a record or distribution deal where they only make $1-2 per album (if they ever get paid, that is), artists on thesixtyone make at least $7 per album and are paid every 30 days — no wait for recoupment and no complex royalty schemes!

We’re named after Highway 61, a U.S. route that runs along the Mississippi River and marks the origin of American music culture. Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan and B.B. King rode the 61. Elvis grew up in the housing projects along it. Highway 61 was the road by which people left their homes to take their music to the world.

thesixtyone, inc. was created in 2008 on the basis of yielding the highest annual dividend of auditory happiness for our shareholders across the universe. For ongoing news and updates, please follow us on our blog, Facebook, or Twitter.

Questions? Suggestions? Dating tips?

http://www.thesixtyone.com/#/

Advice from the BBC

martholmes — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:07:01 +0000

You might like some of the ideas in the link below about How to get Gigs. Although it’s aimed I think mainly at Original/Indie bands most of the tips will apply to covers acts too.

“Getting to know” the venue promoters by regularly visiting the venues will work – but you can obviously only do this if you have the time. Watching other bands play the venues you’re aiming for though is always a good investment of your time. You can learn how good you need to be, how you can improve on what these other bands do and also network for gig-swapping or even to host your own gigs as the writer Henry Carden (himself a promoter), says in point 4 of the link below.

Hosting your own gigs with another band (or two) is often a great way to break into gigging before you have the experience you’ll need to get work in more prestigious venues. With a little work at self-promoting your events it can also guarantee good crowds and some income to help with new gear.

Here’s the link – the tips will work if you’re not on Teesside btw!

BBC – How to Get Gigs

Posted by Giggetter

Get gigs from a music agency

martholmes — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:05:31 +0000

I watching a video about how to get gigs and it recommended “sub contracting” out through an agent to get your first gigs.

The idea being that they music agency would take on untried acts and “train” them to do bigger gigs.

I’ve got a couple of issues with this for bands who are just starting out trying to get gigs.

1. Most music agencies won’t touch you if you haven’t gigged before

2. Why would you want to surrender a % of your gig fee to someone who will never care as much about your music as you do?

OK so a music agency can in theory take away a little of the effort involved when you’re trying to learn how to get gigs. But I don’t know why anyone would chose turning up at venues they’ve never heard of just becausesome middleman or woman tells them too.

Not when you can be master of your own destiny - and gig fee.

Posted by Gig getter

How to get more Gigs..

martholmes — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:03:49 +0000

The best way to get gigs is actually by playing live.

One of the facts about gigging as a semi-pro or weekend warrior which surprises some bands when they first start is the number of gigs which can come as a result of people seeing you play.

People booking you for their own private function after they’ve seen you play in a bar or club. And also of course, follow-up bookings from the venue you’re playing at.

All this depends of course on you being able to put on a half decent show. However, as your experience gigging grows, you’ll probably learn how to maximise the art of getting gigs at gigs.

You’ll get a whole lot more work once you adopt the attitude that

No gig should be an end in itself.

If your band isn’t getting enough work you should start approaching every live gig as means not just to having a good night, but to generate as many further gigs as possible.

Here are two specific tips which can really help you.

1. Make sure people know the name of the band and how to contact you
This might sound too obvious to be true but you’d be surprised at the amount of acts who put on great performances with no banner up behind them on the stage or no details of who they are anywhere to be seen. I’ve been to a lot of gigs, thought the band were great and had to ask someone behind the bar the name of the band.

How can people contact you after the gig to book you if you don’t know who you are?

For example, we had a call this week from someone who’d seen us at the Hard Rock Cafe and wanted us for a 40th birthday party. They’d taken a note of our name and number at the Hard Rock. We had the details on the crowd-facing side of our on stage monitors.

So, get your name, number and website address up on stage where people can see them. Leave fliers on tables with contact details and ”email or call to discuss your party or corporate event”

2. Ask the venue management for more gigs when you come of stage
Don’t leave it for them to call you when they need you again or for you to ring them in a few months when you’re scratching round for another gig. Take your gig diary with you every gig night and sit down with the management for a moment or two after you’ve played. When you collect your fee is usually the best time.

Tell them your available dates are getting taken quite fast and ask whether they want to put a “couple more” dates in the diary together.

I’ve taken 5 more dates at one time from venues in the past like this so give it a try.

Posted by Gig-getter

Be more proactive when getting gigs..

martholmes — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:02:29 +0000

If you’re like most part-time bands you’ll have a web presence.

The best of these bring in a steady stream (OK, “trickle”) of gigs.

Although your sites can work well for inviting your fans to gigs, sitting back and waiting for your site or myspace page to land you gigs can get very frustrating.

A lot of the bands I’ve worked with have great web presences but admit there’s nothing like taking the pro-active approach and directly pitching your band when you want new gig venues.

Some marketers look down on this approach, calling it ”Interruption”marketing. Interruption meaning YOU approach the venue rather than THEM approaching you.

It’s all very well taking a more passive approach to getting gigs providing your web presence is filling your gig diary.

If it isn’t – you might want to get a bit more pro-active….

Sonic Bids – Your online electronic press kit (EPK)

martholmes — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:48:54 +0000

Try Sonic Bids as an electronic press kit.

Press kits

martholmes — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:34:52 +0000

Band Press Kits are an integral part of any musicians band or a music career. Sometimes they are referred to as media kits or an artist bio. Band Press Kits are used for music promotion, music publicity, booking agents, and band promotion. We will attempt to show you how to create a successful band press kit for band promotion. Below you will find sample press kit information, musician press kit ideas, and band press kit tips. Basically, you would send your press kit and demo to a venue if you want to secure a gig or show for your garage band or local band. Press Kits are also given to booking agents to book your band or act. They would take a copy of your press kit and demo and decide if they want to book your indie music act. If you would like to see a Band Press Kit Sample Outline try this link.

Listed below are a few ideas to help get your local band, garage band, solo career, or songwriter career off the ground. If you are a local band or garage band target clubs that usually book your genre of music. Check out your local music newspapers to see what genre of music plays in certain clubs etc. Submit your Band Press Kit to these venues or clubs. Songwriters or indie music acts should send their press kits to record companies, producers, or music publishers that accept their type of music also. Hopefully, with some of the press kit ideas below, you could take steps to secure a gig, submit a demo, or move your talented garage band out of the garage and into a gig. We will also link you to Band Press Kit articles and Press Kit Books below.

How To Create A Successful Press Kit

Press Kit Cover – The cover of your press kit should introduce your indie band and tell the venue or booking agent what type of music you play. It should display your band Logo in and Eye catching and to the point manner. Always add your contact information whenever possible. Include your Name, Band Name, Phone number, Address, E-mail address, Website URL, and any other contact info necessary.

Artist Bio Page – Introduce your garage band or indie music act, tell your genre of music, names of the members, specific info about your band or style of music, how many people in the act, name some quality clubs that you have played, and what areas or cities do you perform. Does your act have a sound guy for live performances or will the venue need to provide one? Does your band have lights or a light show? Highlight this information and any key characteristics about your act. Include your Fan Base, (Do you have one?). Are you a Tribute band, Original band, Acoustic act? Remember in most cases for your band to make money or get another gig at a club, you must bring in people to see the show. So if you don’t have a fan base, Reflect upon how you will promote the show on your website, or send flyers to the venue. If you just want to get your bands foot in the door, the best bet is to try open mic nights, and leave your press kit for the owner for possible future gigs.

Band Photo - If you are serious about your band, you’ll want to get some Professional 8×10′s taken of your act. The better the Picture quality, the more seriously someone important may look into your press kit. If you can not afford professional taken pictures, blow up some of your best band pics to 8×10. Smaller individual shots of band members could be displayed, with a description of the picture. Use your imagination. You may even want to include your best picture on your cover.

Equipment Page – If you did not cover equipment in your Artist Bio above, this is the place to do it. List the types of equipment your band will bring to the venue. Include Brand names, wattage of amps, whether you have a PA system, Mics, etc. If you don’t own a PA, target clubs that have there own PA. But, be aware that you need someone to run the PA, so find out what they charge for their sound guy or sound tech, and whether you can bring your own. Does your band have lights and someone to run them too? All this info should be included in your equipment page of your press kit.

Booking Information – Have a page with contact Names, Phone, Web address, fax, and e-mail address so the venue can find the info quickly. It’s best to have booking Info all through your press package. Also, include booking info on your indie bands demo CD’s, tapes, or flash drives that you send with your kit. I don’t recommend flash drives for bars, but more for song submission to record companies, music sync. co.’s that ask for them.

Demo CD, Tape, or Flash Drive – A venue or club will want to hear what they are paying for. Create a demo CD or tape with usually no more than 3 Songs. Use your best material. Place a label on your CD with your song titles, and all your booking information. This is in case the club owner etc. would lose your press kit and only had your CD, he would still be able to contact you. Make your CD or Tape look and sound as professional as possible. This will get the venue’s attention, and make them listen to your indie material and possibly book your act.

Song List – Place a list of some of the material your rock band performs in your press kit. Include a list of your best Cover Songs, Original Music, and any other material you may want to add.

Gig Sheet – Include a gig sheet of where you have played or where your band will be gigging in the future.

Newspaper Clippings (Copies) and CD Reviews – Obviously if your local band or your act is just starting out, you will not have clippings just yet. But, why not contact your local municipal paper, college paper, city paper, etc, and see if they would cover one of your shows. You would be surprised at the response you can get, especially from local municipal or school newspapers. Include any copies of Newspaper Clippings in your press kit. It’s more professional to scan the clipping or find it online and attach the file to your word document. This shows credibility and that your an established act.

Business Cards – Include your indie acts business card in your press kit. If you do not have any band business cards you can get them made at many copy stores. Programs like Microsoft Word or Word Perfect are great for making Band Business Cards. Most Computer word processors include business card templates. They can be made fairly easy with a printer and business card paper. Always give your business card out at shows. You never know what person in the crowd may have significant contacts. Include Band Name, Contact Name, Phone, Website URL, E-mail address, and any eye catching fonts or graphics (if possible) on all your Band Business Cards.

Press Kit Envelope – Even your envelope including your Press Kit should catch the club owner or bookers eye. Use a loud color, or place stickers on your envelope that may catch a venue owners eye. Your indie act may want to be more conservative w/ submissions to record companies, but be inventive and get them to open your press kit and listen to your indie demos.

This information is a little dated now but it is still relevant if you send music to contacts (Never send stuff off without knowing the person first) Online press kits are very good and you should try using

Myspace

Facebook

Sonic Bids