I'm a bit late with this blog due to lots of time going into the album at the moment. Plus I sat down tonight to write my thoughts on week nine of ariels course only to find I couldn't remember the password to enter my blog!!! So.... Writing a short blog on my iPhone and will write a long one once google send me a change password email!!!
Anyway the album is coming on great, we had intended to release it in october but on reflection we really weren't giving ourselves enough time. The bulk of what we recorded in a day is very good. What need to do between now and Christmas is get it all sounding good, get the art work finished, sort out the PR campaign and go for it. That's why doing thus course has been so helpful as it's helped us to re focus on some of the things we were already doing and help us to work out what else we needed to do. The last week of the official course (and like some of you other ariel bloggers imam going to carry on) is all about networking and my basic view on this is that you really can't do enough of it. It's all about networking in the industry, outside the industry and with fans people who might become your fans later on. One of the best things we did early on was to have business cards made. These can be used not only to give to business contacts but also to anyone you think might be interested in your music. Also don't assume you have to go to the big music conferences to make industry contacts. The best industry events we've been to are the small trade association events - that's where we've made some very good contacts and for the price of a beer why not:)
Blimey you can write quite a bit on an iPhone once you get going. I wonder if google have sent me that password change email yet :)
Zak
Isaac's Aircraft
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Monday, 6 September 2010
Learning about the music industry - week eight
Yes I know it's a day late but I have a very good excuse. Last week was about recording our acoustic album. This involved turning our rehearsal studio into a recording studio and getting the bulk of the album recorded in a single day. Over the past few weeks we've been carefully taking each of our songs apart and turning them into familiar but different acoustic versions.
We started on Tuesday with producer Phil coming over to set everything up. That evening we recorded one song – my baby did me wrong. The following morning we started in earnest and worked from ten in the morning until late at night recording another nine songs. Once the songs were done we spent the Thursday evening over at Phil's house recording vocals and backing vocals. With a few tweaks and some additional vocals on one song from a friend of ours to go we hope to have the whole album ready for mixing in a couple of weeks time. Certainly it's sounding fresh, sharp and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as the fans who came to the pre-recording fan night on the Monday before we started recording on the Tuesday.
So to this weeks learning. Real live networking. I have to say that networking isn't necessary one of my strengths. However, it is our manager strengths and he really pushes us to network here there and everywhere. Whether its industry meetings, meeting our fans, or just getting out and about with people in general, networking is something you have to get used to but also something you have to do a sense of modesty. As Ariel points out it is definitely not about going up to people and saying 'hi this is how good I am' it's about saying 'hi hello what's interesting about you and this is what people other than me say about me.' Certainly, we've got some great quotes from other people that we can use as part of networking. We've been compared to 'High energy Coldplay mixed with the Beatles in the potting shed,' or 'better than Keane,' plus lots of other really good quotes from other people.
I find the best thing to do with networking is very definitely to take a deep breath before you start, to go in to any situation knowing what you do is good and that some people like it and some people won't and that's okay. That the real people you meet through networking will want to help you, will want to work with you on and will really know what they're talking about. After you've been networking for a while you'll soon be up to pick out the ones that don't.
Networking for me has to be based on a good product and a modest, honest way of doing business.
I will write more next week when i have recovered from recording!!
Cheers
Zak
We started on Tuesday with producer Phil coming over to set everything up. That evening we recorded one song – my baby did me wrong. The following morning we started in earnest and worked from ten in the morning until late at night recording another nine songs. Once the songs were done we spent the Thursday evening over at Phil's house recording vocals and backing vocals. With a few tweaks and some additional vocals on one song from a friend of ours to go we hope to have the whole album ready for mixing in a couple of weeks time. Certainly it's sounding fresh, sharp and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as the fans who came to the pre-recording fan night on the Monday before we started recording on the Tuesday.
So to this weeks learning. Real live networking. I have to say that networking isn't necessary one of my strengths. However, it is our manager strengths and he really pushes us to network here there and everywhere. Whether its industry meetings, meeting our fans, or just getting out and about with people in general, networking is something you have to get used to but also something you have to do a sense of modesty. As Ariel points out it is definitely not about going up to people and saying 'hi this is how good I am' it's about saying 'hi hello what's interesting about you and this is what people other than me say about me.' Certainly, we've got some great quotes from other people that we can use as part of networking. We've been compared to 'High energy Coldplay mixed with the Beatles in the potting shed,' or 'better than Keane,' plus lots of other really good quotes from other people.
I find the best thing to do with networking is very definitely to take a deep breath before you start, to go in to any situation knowing what you do is good and that some people like it and some people won't and that's okay. That the real people you meet through networking will want to help you, will want to work with you on and will really know what they're talking about. After you've been networking for a while you'll soon be up to pick out the ones that don't.
Networking for me has to be based on a good product and a modest, honest way of doing business.
I will write more next week when i have recovered from recording!!
Cheers
Zak
Sunday, 29 August 2010
about the music industry–week seven
It should have been easy for me to get the blog done this week as band wise the only thing we've done is to have the first of our monthly directors meetings (as we are just in the process of establishing ourselves as a company and one of the things you have to do is have regular minuted meetings. I can't say that our meetings conform at the moment to what you might think a board meeting looks like:) What came out of that business meeting was a long long long list of company actions that we need to sort out. They include ticket management, sponsorship, website development, business cards, campaign decisions on the album release, new gigs, branding and a lot more.
So although I should have had lots of time to get the blog done this is the first time I've had to sit down and write.
This week it's all about building your mailing list and as I've said before this is something we only really began to get to grips with in January this year.
It's very true that your mailing list is just as important as selling stuff at shows because every person that you collect an e-mail address from at a show is an opportunity to get them to come and see you again, buy something from you, or tell somebody else about you.
I can't say that we've added friends and family to our mailing list, I can't say that we are using our mailing list as well as we ought to. I can say it's growing through signing people up as we gig, but I can't say that we've put a lot of time into building that mailing list up online.
We do give away a track to people who sign up to the mailing list and funnily enough a lot of people have heard of that track and have shared it with friends (the downside of that being we don't get hold of peoples mailing addresses and if it's been shared friend to friend.
It had never occurred to me to trade a mailing list with a band and though I can see the sense in doing that it's really important to make sure that people really want to be on your mailing list. Certainly, in the UK with my business hat on you need to make sure that you stick to and stay within the law around the data protection act. I would also recommend that you get registered because it is only about £35 and what you end up doing is using the data that you have on your fans not only legal way but also an way that is safe for them and you.
To date we've never collected phone numbers although quite a few people have given us their phone numbers (our drummer is particularly popular) and I'd never thought about sending a text message out to those people - though properly people are more likely to read a text message than an e-mail.
I like the idea of sharing mailing lists where possible and going through our MySpace friends to see if people would like to join our mailing list.
Another thing that we've seen other bands do that seems to draw people in is the onstage photograph. What I mean by this is that you take a photo of the audience and tell the audience you will put that photo on Facebook/ MySpace and get people in the audience to come and find themselves in that picture and say hello.
The people that do come and find themselves in that picture will often join your Facebook page, send you an e-mail and join your mailing list. and, get your free tracks and slowly become a fan for a along long time.
Cheers
Zak
So although I should have had lots of time to get the blog done this is the first time I've had to sit down and write.
This week it's all about building your mailing list and as I've said before this is something we only really began to get to grips with in January this year.
It's very true that your mailing list is just as important as selling stuff at shows because every person that you collect an e-mail address from at a show is an opportunity to get them to come and see you again, buy something from you, or tell somebody else about you.
I can't say that we've added friends and family to our mailing list, I can't say that we are using our mailing list as well as we ought to. I can say it's growing through signing people up as we gig, but I can't say that we've put a lot of time into building that mailing list up online.
We do give away a track to people who sign up to the mailing list and funnily enough a lot of people have heard of that track and have shared it with friends (the downside of that being we don't get hold of peoples mailing addresses and if it's been shared friend to friend.
It had never occurred to me to trade a mailing list with a band and though I can see the sense in doing that it's really important to make sure that people really want to be on your mailing list. Certainly, in the UK with my business hat on you need to make sure that you stick to and stay within the law around the data protection act. I would also recommend that you get registered because it is only about £35 and what you end up doing is using the data that you have on your fans not only legal way but also an way that is safe for them and you.
To date we've never collected phone numbers although quite a few people have given us their phone numbers (our drummer is particularly popular) and I'd never thought about sending a text message out to those people - though properly people are more likely to read a text message than an e-mail.
I like the idea of sharing mailing lists where possible and going through our MySpace friends to see if people would like to join our mailing list.
Another thing that we've seen other bands do that seems to draw people in is the onstage photograph. What I mean by this is that you take a photo of the audience and tell the audience you will put that photo on Facebook/ MySpace and get people in the audience to come and find themselves in that picture and say hello.
The people that do come and find themselves in that picture will often join your Facebook page, send you an e-mail and join your mailing list. and, get your free tracks and slowly become a fan for a along long time.
Cheers
Zak
Saturday, 21 August 2010
It's all about performance
Second mobile blog whilst at vfestival in Chelmsford. Watching other band is a real insight into what works and what doesn't work on different stages. The thing you have to remember at all times is you must respect and engage with your live audience as much as you would your Cyber audience. Whether it's the intimacy of a small stage or the wide expanse of the main stage treat everyone in the audience as a fan, entertain them, give a great show and some love and they will love you back.
Cheers
Zak
Isaac's Aircraft
Cheers
Zak
Isaac's Aircraft
Quick blog
I know that it's only yesterday evening since I last blogged, however since then I've just discovered an iPhone app for blogging that allows me to blog on the move. For a musician what could be better as I'm more likely to be near my iPhone than my lap top! So here's to mobile blogging:)
Cheers
Zak
Isaac's Aircraft
Cheers
Zak
Isaac's Aircraft
Friday, 20 August 2010
Learning about the music industry: Learning about the music industry - week six
Learning about the music industry: Learning about the music industry - week six: "I had two chapters to read this week as I have the original version of the book and the new version. The main change being that in version t..."
Learning about the music industry - week six
I had two chapters to read this week as I have the original version of the book and the new version. The main change being that in version two blogging has become a chapter in it's own right.
So news from the band before I talk about the learning from this week. We are on a sort of pre-recording holiday time at the moment with Martin in Italy, Calum just back, Ant visiting his family and me off to V Festival this weekend. Earlier in the week Ant and I spent some time working on a new song, sorting out some of the press and PR stuff that goes with releasing an album - like what should it be called, what should the artwork look like, should we have promo copies and fan copies, how can we get the best out of our very very small marketing budget. Which is why this course is so useful as I hadn't quite realised how much of a cyber impact we can have if we make the internet work for us in a meaningful way. I nearly forgot! The most exciting thing that happened this week was the release of our first sinc deal! My forgetfulness was because we did the work for this a while ago. We just weren't allowed to talk about it until the launch. The story behind the promotion is that a few weeks ago we were approached by the artist manager for focusrite (focusrite make lots of very good professional recording stuff). Anyway we were asked if we would like to feature on a promo video for a new piece of focusrite gear - the saffire pro 14 - and of course we said, yes. The whole process involved organising a date to shoot in London, choosing and re-writing one of songs to fit the time the guys at focusrite wanted the video to last, heading off to London to spend a whole day recording and filming. The result you can view here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1hh1aXifx0
The most amazing thing about it so far is that is been up 8 days, already had over 1200 hits and has also pushed people to come and find out more about us. Plus we were given some very nice gear for doing it. So thanks all round.
So to this weeks learning - connecting with fans and blogging (a sort of two for one read offer :)
It's certainly true that to be a successful artist you also have to be a successful business person. For us that’s about making sure that as we develop our music, our shows, our style and our fan base we also work on our business - managing our money properly, having goals and objectives and sticking with them until we achieve them or need to adapt them. It's also true that you have to think about your band business as much more than the music. Certainly without the music we wouldn't be a band and music is what brought us into being a band plus putting on a great show is what we want to do more than anything else. However, as a band we also know that to make living from being in a band means we have to look at all the ways in which we can support our fans to want to support us and bring new fans along too. Making an income is something we have to do from all the different things (T shirts Mugs, shows music, branding) that we can offer in a why that people can identify with, and, want to buy into again and again. So what is our identity, what are we selling to our fans - great music, honesty, high quality, having a good time, integrity are just some of the things that come into my mind to start out with. How we communicate that is where we need to do some more work. Yes we are using Twitter, facebook and Myspace and yes we have a mailing list. The trap we have fallen into though is not making our mailing list work properly as we have only ever sent messages to people when we wanted them to come to a show or buy something we have never done a proper news letter!!! Whilst we have a good idea who are fans are, their gender, how old they are and what the like I can't say that we have really thought through how make best use of that information meaningfully. So here's job number 203445 - Write a newsletter that tells people what we've being doing, shows how we are progressing, tell them what they've missed, included a fan opinion, and generally pit out a regular newsletter that brings the band to life. We know that we have an emerging following abroad and what better way to communicate with them until (and even when) we get out to them to play shows. So time to get writing it using the format - make it personal, guts, putting people into action.
And the extra blogging stuff. The new chapter on blogging certainly expands on the stuff I read earlier. I guess the main message that still hits me on the head about blogging is that if your are to be a successful blogger you have to engage with eh blogging community, It's one thing to blog it's another thing to get involved.
I can't say I’ve done much of this yet but I’m adding it to my list and as always will use my business head as well as my artistic head to get it done.
Cheers
Zak
So news from the band before I talk about the learning from this week. We are on a sort of pre-recording holiday time at the moment with Martin in Italy, Calum just back, Ant visiting his family and me off to V Festival this weekend. Earlier in the week Ant and I spent some time working on a new song, sorting out some of the press and PR stuff that goes with releasing an album - like what should it be called, what should the artwork look like, should we have promo copies and fan copies, how can we get the best out of our very very small marketing budget. Which is why this course is so useful as I hadn't quite realised how much of a cyber impact we can have if we make the internet work for us in a meaningful way. I nearly forgot! The most exciting thing that happened this week was the release of our first sinc deal! My forgetfulness was because we did the work for this a while ago. We just weren't allowed to talk about it until the launch. The story behind the promotion is that a few weeks ago we were approached by the artist manager for focusrite (focusrite make lots of very good professional recording stuff). Anyway we were asked if we would like to feature on a promo video for a new piece of focusrite gear - the saffire pro 14 - and of course we said, yes. The whole process involved organising a date to shoot in London, choosing and re-writing one of songs to fit the time the guys at focusrite wanted the video to last, heading off to London to spend a whole day recording and filming. The result you can view here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1hh1aXifx0
The most amazing thing about it so far is that is been up 8 days, already had over 1200 hits and has also pushed people to come and find out more about us. Plus we were given some very nice gear for doing it. So thanks all round.
So to this weeks learning - connecting with fans and blogging (a sort of two for one read offer :)
It's certainly true that to be a successful artist you also have to be a successful business person. For us that’s about making sure that as we develop our music, our shows, our style and our fan base we also work on our business - managing our money properly, having goals and objectives and sticking with them until we achieve them or need to adapt them. It's also true that you have to think about your band business as much more than the music. Certainly without the music we wouldn't be a band and music is what brought us into being a band plus putting on a great show is what we want to do more than anything else. However, as a band we also know that to make living from being in a band means we have to look at all the ways in which we can support our fans to want to support us and bring new fans along too. Making an income is something we have to do from all the different things (T shirts Mugs, shows music, branding) that we can offer in a why that people can identify with, and, want to buy into again and again. So what is our identity, what are we selling to our fans - great music, honesty, high quality, having a good time, integrity are just some of the things that come into my mind to start out with. How we communicate that is where we need to do some more work. Yes we are using Twitter, facebook and Myspace and yes we have a mailing list. The trap we have fallen into though is not making our mailing list work properly as we have only ever sent messages to people when we wanted them to come to a show or buy something we have never done a proper news letter!!! Whilst we have a good idea who are fans are, their gender, how old they are and what the like I can't say that we have really thought through how make best use of that information meaningfully. So here's job number 203445 - Write a newsletter that tells people what we've being doing, shows how we are progressing, tell them what they've missed, included a fan opinion, and generally pit out a regular newsletter that brings the band to life. We know that we have an emerging following abroad and what better way to communicate with them until (and even when) we get out to them to play shows. So time to get writing it using the format - make it personal, guts, putting people into action.
And the extra blogging stuff. The new chapter on blogging certainly expands on the stuff I read earlier. I guess the main message that still hits me on the head about blogging is that if your are to be a successful blogger you have to engage with eh blogging community, It's one thing to blog it's another thing to get involved.
I can't say I’ve done much of this yet but I’m adding it to my list and as always will use my business head as well as my artistic head to get it done.
Cheers
Zak
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