IOTM Blog
Posted: Dec 10, 2024
Category: Recording
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**Guest post written by Ryan Donaldson of Boombox.io.
"Audio quality is the cornerstone of music production, shaping the way listeners experience music across diverse platforms. Behind every flawless track lies the expertise of mastering engineers and mixing engineers, whose roles are critical in ensuring that music resonates perfectly, whether played on studio monitors or smartphone speakers. This article explores the meticulous steps taken to refine audio and achieve professional-grade sound, highlighting the tools and techniques used to perfect every track."
View Full ArticlePosted: Nov 19, 2024
Category: Fans
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**Guest post written by Scott Aumann, originally featured on The Legit Musician blog.
"Have you ever felt like you wanted to find a way to steal all the fans of that band that is doing better than you? Well, you can. The best part is that you aren’t really stealing them and you won’t get arrested. Find out which bands are similar to you. Their fans can be your fans. If they like that other band then why can’t they be your fan as well?"
View Full ArticlePosted: Aug 28, 2024
Category: The Musician Business
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While the official venue listings on the site are administratively curated and controlled, we do still encourage community input as it relates to additions and updates to our venues directory.
Posted: Aug 6, 2024
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Scott Aumann, originally featured on The Legit Musician blog.
"Do you feel like you are up against all the other bands in your genre or region? Do you consider those bands your competition? If they win, do you lose? The secret is, we’re all in this together. That’s why fighting bands is a waste of your time."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jul 9, 2024
Category: Marketing
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**Guest post written by Mariami of Sungate Records.
"In an age where the internet and international communities are on display 24/7, independent artists have an enormous opportunity to invite a larger audience into their world. By sharing aspects of their culture—whether it's through food, clothing, lyrics, or images of their hometowns—artists can create a deeply personal and engaging narrative...Here are five ways our Sungate Records artists are tapping into their cultural individuality to build unique platforms online..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 17, 2024
Category: Fans
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**Guest post written by Downupright, a producer, composer, & DJ from Buffalo, NY. They/them have released many projects over the years under a variety of different artist names. In their “spare” time, Downupright is a serial startup entrepreneur and fractional Chief Technology Officer of between four and ten startups at once.
"Across [three projects between 2015 and 2024], the unifying theme was that I was asking more from my listeners and backers than simply “go stream my track”, “follow me on TikTok” etc… I was asking them to participate. I wanted them to have some skin in the game."
Posted: Apr 3, 2024
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by James Hill, a veteran of the music industry. He has worked at Warner Reprise Records and then Interscope/ Geffen Records and now helps indie artists with branding and manufacturing through his company Unified Manufacturing, a CD/DVD, custom vinyl records and merch company in LA.
"Having a career in music is not all sunshine and rainbows, and I’m sure you already know that, especially during the pandemic. To start a career in the music industry, you need to not only release good music but you have to be willing to learn the trade, to advertise yourself, get to know the right people, and many more. It’s too tedious! But still worth it. Let’s head on and enumerate the 25 reasons why being a musician today is awesome." View Full Article
Posted: Dec 20, 2023
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Baxter Brown, CEO/Founder of Muze, a platform all about connecting talented professionals in the music industry with people who need their skills.
"The music industry, like the songs it houses, is constantly evolving. With every passing year, new technologies and trends reshape the way music is created, consumed, and shared. As we step into 2024, it’s clearer than ever that independent artists have an unparalleled opportunity to make their mark on the music scene. However, this new frontier comes with its fair share of challenges and obstacles. In this guide, we’ll explore how independent musicians can not only survive but thrive in today’s digital landscape." View Full Article
Posted: Jun 6, 2023
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Logan Crowell, Founder & President of HOME, Helping Our Music Evolve.
"Whatever the case, if you are starting a community, and especially if you are planning your own music industry support hub, you will benefit from the tips I have shared in this post. By implementing effective community building strategies, support hubs like HOME - Helping Our Music Evolve create an environment that encourages collaboration and engagement among their members."
View Full ArticlePosted: May 23, 2023
Category: Social Media
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**Guest post originally featured in the Symphonic Distribution Blog.
"Instagram Reels is the perfect place to post creative video content and engage with your audience on Instagram at the same time. If you don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to Reels, there are a lot of ways you can still create them with existing content you already have or things you already love. From behind-the-scenes clips to easy memes, here are 7 ideas you have to try..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 11, 2023
Category: Promotion
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**Guest post by One Submit, the smart way to promote music.
"Now is truly the best time to be an independent artist. Thanks to the internet, everything is feasible and accessible. Regardless of whether you are just starting out in music or are already an established professional, spreading music around the world has become easier than before. As an artist you can promote your music independently and efficiently without needing to break the bank."
Posted: Mar 7, 2023
Category: Technology
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**Guest post written by Ryan Donaldson of Boombox.io.
"The ability to collaborate remotely has given musicians and music producers the freedom to create, share, and develop ideas as never before. By connecting with other creatives from different parts of the world, it is now possible to bring together a unique blend of sounds and styles that can result in something truly special...In this article, we want to explore how remote music collaboration can be the key to growing your audience and achieving success as a musician."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jan 24, 2023
Category: Songwriting
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**Guest post written by Hovey Otis.
"When it comes to songwriting, having a unique and creative perspective can be the difference between a great song and an average one. But how can you look at the same lyrics in a different way and create something that stands out? Here are 3 tips to help you switch up your approach to songwriting and find new inspiration."
View Full ArticlePosted: Oct 11, 2022
Category: Recording
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**Guest post written by Hovey Otis.
"As a musician, there are few things more frustrating than feeling fatigued during a recording session. You're in the studio, you've been working hard all day, and suddenly your creative spark just seems to disappear. It's normal to feel exhaustion setting in from time to time, but there are ways to overcome it and get back on track. Here are some tips for dealing with fatigue during a recording session."
View Full ArticlePosted: Sep 27, 2022
Category: Social Media
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**Guest post written by Yona Marie, originally featured in her blog.
"It's not too late for you to get some shine and go viral on this popular platform. I say this mainly because of TikTok's current algorithm, which doesn't focus as much on follow count as you think it would. Sure, people who already have tons of talent will get a lot of views since they have probably been working hard on their content for a while now. But with great content and a great approach, you could also blow up on the platform!"
View Full ArticlePosted: Aug 23, 2022
Category: Managers
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**Guest post written by Yona Marie, originally featured in her blog.
"Have you reached the point where you need someone else to manage many of your business aspects in order to you to be able to focus more on the creative side of things? Are you unsure of the process for getting a manager that fits your style, location, budget, and interests? You are not at all alone...Not everyone that can manage should manage you. Also, more importantly, not everyone that is looking for management is ready for it."
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 28, 2022
Category: Tips & Tricks
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**Guest post by Sam Saideman, co-founder of artist management and consultant agency Innovo Management.
"2020 wreaked havoc on everyone’s lives, however in my opinion, artists (and freelance creatives as a whole) took the brunt of it. Reminiscing now, it’s clear which artists figured it out and which didn’t, but I want to utilize this piece to discuss ways I saw artists adapt in the hopes that it helps readers dig back into YouTube (and other resources) to learn a part of the industry they didn’t know existed! It’s worth noting, these are not the only ways to build supplemental income or adapt, but merely a few to start with."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jan 18, 2022
Category: Publishing
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**Guest post written by Vampr Publishing, originally featured in their blog.
"In the digital age of being a DIY artist, many songwriters are asking how to publish a song. This is a valid question. The purpose of a music publisher is continually evolving. It needs to in an ever-changing technological landscape! To some extent, artists and songwriters can publish their own music. But – they may find it gets harder as their catalogue and network grows...Whether you’re looking to cover it alone, with your team, or looking to work with (or get signed by) a bigger publisher, this post will help you understand the ins and outs of music publishing."
Posted: Dec 20, 2021
Category: Promotion
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**Guest post written by Jessica Fender, a copywriter and blogger at Edubirdie with a background in marketing and sales. She enjoys sharing her experience with like-minded professionals who aim to provide customers with high-quality services. Previously featured on MusicGoat.com.
"If you want to get more people to attend your music event, keep reading. I'll show you how to generate more pre-show hype using an outstanding social media marketing strategy. Here are a few tips you can use to boost your event marketing efforts."
Posted: Oct 11, 2021
Category: Promotion
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**Guest post written by Bruce Wawrzyniak, who runs Now Hear This, Inc. and www.InterviewTipsCourse.com.
"...this list of 20-plus ways that you can promote (your music, your podcast, your book) can overwhelmingly be done alone and with little to no cost! So, rather than sit back and say, “Okay, my new release is on Spotify or my podcast is now on iTunes or my book is on Amazon,” promote the little minnow rather than sitting back and waiting for people to find it swimming in the ocean-sized inventory of content on those platforms. Remember that as easy as it is to hire me to be your publicist and do the promotion for you, up until then, when you’re on your own, if you don’t promote, who else will?"
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 8, 2021
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post from Justin Paul, music/career coach, A&R, DJ, and producer.
"The pandemic has hurt all artists, even larger acts had to cancel tours. Ultimately what we're talking about is that there has been loads of money lost for the artist, for the promoters, also for the sound engineers, light engineers, stage crew, food vendors, security, stage techs, drivers, venues, and merchandise sales in live music. Furthermore, the pandemic has created a lot of self-doubt and uncertainty for artists. Some artists are now thinking about shifting to a different career or creating side hustles. Multiple income streams are the way to go even during normal times."
View Full ArticlePosted: Feb 8, 2021
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post by Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan of MakingMoneyWithMusic.com. Originally featured in the Disc Makers Blog. Reprinted with permission.
"In part four of our DIY music business series, we cover the tasks required to get your music written, recorded, produced, and made ready for distribution...Whether you handle all these roles for your music, or just a few, there are resources that can help with each."
View Full ArticlePosted: Aug 10, 2020
Category: Songwriting
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**Guest post written by Kristen Ford, Nashville based indie rock act with a passion for music business and a book on DIY touring in the works.
"Hearing how the audience responds can be hugely helpful in deciding to cut that verse or extend that outro, bands often "road test" songs before committing to record them. Now that many venues are closed for Covid-19 and open mics are on hold for the foreseeable future, it can be easy to feel stuck, isolated or missing the community feel. The more collaborators you have on a project, the more possible doors could open."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jul 6, 2020
Category: Marketing
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**Guest post written by Kai Marks & Lyron Haceon of Les Flair, an electro-pop project based in London.
"With not a single track released and a limited budget in tow, we sold out a string of live shows across the UK, led by word of mouth alone. Which we've now come to realise, is the most powerful tool in music marketing. Here’s our top tips for building a strong WOM foundation and translating hype into sales..."
View Full ArticlePosted: May 13, 2019
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Ellisa Sun, Jazz/Soul musician formerly based in San Francisco currently full-time RVing across the USA.
"200 days ago, my partner Ken and I left our home base in Oakland, CA to spend one year full-time RVing and playing as many shows as we can to build an audience, learn about the industry, and hopefully earn enough money to survive...the following 10 Things I’ve Learned are more focused towards DIY Musicians like myself..."
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