Earlier today, I wrote about the emerging importance of the Facebook band page. I noticed another thing while looking at bands’ Facebook presences: Many bands–singer-songwriters especially–have more friends on their profiles than likes on their band page. Why? Because the profiles were more valuable a few years ago, and many musicians ignored their pages.
Ari Hest might have made the same mistake I did: He gave his profile the more valuable url name: www.facebook.com/arihest.The shorter URL should have been saved for the band page, but at first, the profiles had more options. Now, the band page is more usable for us, and Ari had to make his band page www.facebook.com/arihestmusic. I made the same mistake, valuing my profile more than my page. It made sense a few years ago. My profile’s URL is www.facebook.com/mikevial. My band page is www.facebook.com/mikevialmusic.
Ari Hest also has almost 5000 friends, but only 3033 likes. (He might also have multiple profile pages.)
Now that the Facebook band pages are more usable, many of us will have to make an adjustment. Soon, we will be able to update our pages on our mobile phones, and when that happens, the full transition will be complete.
For businesses this is extra important: Don’t make a profile, make a page!
Seriously, many of us will be turned off by having to “friend” a business. Some people are extra sensitive to sharing their “friendship” information with a corporation. I constantly get a friend request from a local business, but I always deny it. I don’t want the business having access to my friendship circle. If that business had a page, which it doesn’t, then yes, I’d “like” it. Then, I can (in theory) control my involvement with the business’s page.
Since a singer-songwriter is a person, a profile page might still work for a while, but it will get tapped out at 5000 people and is then useable. And shouldn’t we interact with our friends? A page has no limit to “likes” or fans. I think it’s more suitable in design for fan interaction.
Right now I’m blessed or cursed, operating two Facebook things for music, a profile and a page. Oddly, only 300 people of my friendship circle like my page, which has been dormant for months. I wonder if this will change as I use my band page more.
Yesterday I noticed Brooklyn singer-songwriter Ari Hest post on his Facebook profile, “Hey all – Don’t forget to ‘like’ Ari’s official page since this one will no longer post updates!” I already was a fan (or “liked”) Ari Hest’s band page, but I also also am a friend of his profile page with 4894 “friends.”
I then realized not only has Myspace died, but the band (and business) page on Facebook has already become essential. Back when Myspace was still king in 2007, most musicians were creating profiles for this “bands” as well as band pages. It was confusing, but band pages were less interactive.
Now a band page can not only post updates, but also tag. Apps are popping up offering bands options for Facebook, rising from the ashes of the dead Myspace music pages. There will be some benefits to this, and the largest one is the white elephant in the room: affordable advertising options for musicians.
As the major labels continue to shrink in size, in numbers, in relevance, the number of independent businesses that help musicians will continue to grow this year as the economy returns to stability. I expect a surge.
NPR had an interested article last month addressing the growing number of industry for indie music:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2011/01/27/133274068/fractured-industry-companies-that-serve-musicians-without-deals
The interviews offered interesting numbers, especially Eric Garland’s thoughts
Most of the 500,000 artists using TuneCore’s services are not making a living, according to Garland. “Every sound being created in every dorm room or every shower or every basement is now just a couple of clicks away from being out there.”
So the continued question that we hear is “How do I rise above the rest of the noise?” Paraphrasing Seth Godin, technically we are all adding to the noise. The way we rise above this noise isn’t in our hands; it’s in the hands and voices of those willing to talk about our music.
The only thing we control is how often we practice and how satisfied we are with our music before releasing it. The game’s change, but that rule hasn’t.
But I’d like to add another rule that hasn’t changed: The importance of helping each other out. Being an independent musician is like being an independent business owner in a DDA area. A stronger community offers more business for everyone, and this idea applies directly to musicians too.
Artists don’t have to feel like they are competing with each other. We aren’t athetlites performing in a game to win; we are artists that are inspired by the music we listened to as kids, the music we hear today. Let’s be inspired by the musicians closest to our circles.
I believe there is enough room for those willing to work hard and put out authentic, honest music, so don’t be afraid to pass those gigs to your community, to share contacts with dependable musicians, to offer paying studio sessions, to do split releases of a record or EP.
Hey singers of all ages! Sing with a real band and get discovered!
I’ll be a judge at Real ii Reel Studio’s Talent Quest competition this Sunday. Marshall Block has been hosting this annual competition at Bubba O’ Malley’s for many years, and I was a judge for the event back in 2006.
All $5 donations to sing in the competition go to the Hurley Children’s Miracle Network. First place prize wins $1000!
Sunday, Feb. 13 – Talent Quest @ Bubba O’ Malley’s
1076 Belsey RD (Exit 161 off I-69), Burton, MI.
810-715-9900
5-8 PM
More info: http://www.realiireel.com/news/10/talent.html
I just realized today: There is nothing stopping an independent musician, except lack of patience and perseverance .
I used to wait two years to figure out how to release music. Now, four years after releasing my first EP, I’ve realized getting the music out there can be as simple as posting this blog.
Seriously. Here’s a timeline outlining how quickly I was able to get my new acoustic song “I Just Want to Be Your Last” released to the public in digital content:
1. Jan. 5 – 9 PM- I got an email from Taxi requesting a song for a film placement. I thought one of my songs fit the request, but I didn’t have any professional recordings of it. I called Marshall Block at Real ii Reel Studio and left a message about an inquiry to book the studio.
2. Jan 6 – 7:38 AM – Marshall called me back before school began and said, “Yes! I have studio time available. Come in this evening!”
3. Jan 6 – 5-6:30 PM – Recording Session – Marshall and I recorded three takes of vocals and three takes of the acoustic guitar. I did a double tracked guitar in one take. Within another 45 minutes the track was mixed and mastered. I was out the door by 7 PM, playing a CD burn of the song in my car.
4. Jan 6 – 9 PM – Submitted the song to Taxi. (It didn’t get placed, but that’s how it goes! My fingers are crossed for next time.)
5. Jan 23 – 3 PM – Decided I should still release the song digitally. Asked Jake, a designer, if he’d be interested in contract work to make the digital artwork. He said yes by 5:30 PM!
6. Jan 28 – Jake emailed me concepts of the artwork. I asked for some other font options, and he was done with the final draft by Jan 30!
7. Jan 31 – I spent an hour sending the information, uploading the artwork, and uploading the .wav file to CDBaby.com, who then distributed the track to iTunes (and other online sellers) behind the scenes for my official release on Valentine’s Day . Confirmation of approval was received by the next day!
8. Feb. 1 – I spent 20 minutes making a simple video (just audio and the artwork) in iMovie to post to Youtube. Hit upload, went to the bathroom, and the video was already online by the time I got back to my computer. This video got about 100 hits this week.
9. Feb 8 – 8 PM- On a whim, I thought I’d try Bandcamp. It took less than 20 minutes to make a Bandcamp page and upload the song, artworks, lyrics, and info. Bandcamp’s uploading was seemless–took seconds!–and the song was instantly available for release if I wanted it to be! I was shocked at how easy Bandcamp was to use.
10. Feb 8 – 9 PM – I posted two Facebook updates about the free download for the first 200 people. 20 people had downloaded before I was done writing this blog.
As a musician who is just getting started, these online tools are not only exciting, but encouraging creativity! In less than five to six hours of work time, my acoustic track could be available to the public. I’m in control of everything: who I hire, how the song will be done, how much it will cost to download, etc.
I’ll be realistic, as an unknown musician playing locally in Michigan, I’ll probably only sell a few hundred tracks, break even on the investment. But that’s how things grow, and I’m doing this on my terms. I get to work with other independent professionals who also work for themselves.
I recognize, the work is just beginning; and while these tools don’t replace the need for practice and forethought, they have replaced something: the fear of “how to…” Now, all I need is the patience and perseverance to continue.
