January 4th, 2008

Royalty Free Music from RoyaltyFreeMusic.com and More about Succeeding in the Music Industry and the Power of People!

For the past few months, we've been giving you expert tips about how you can start making music for a living in ever genre, style and type of music -- background music, stock music, and good music that will reach people around the world. Several months ago, Mike Bielenberg, composer of royalty free music and stock music talked to Derek Sivers, the founder of the successful music Web site, CDBaby and got a slew of useful tips about how to really make music that gets heard. (Before you read this article, you might want to catch up on the conversation so far in the royalty free music news archives).

As you know, there are a lot of artists and musicians involved in the production of the stock music that graces our royalty free music and background music library of over 10,000 tracks of original music. What you might not know (or have forgotten) is that these talented people are real, working musicians with collective experience in the 20's of years in the music industry. Our artists have enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) successful careers in multiple genres of background music, stock music and royalty free music. They have worked with many different types of music and continue to create new and innovative works of the best royalty free music found on the market. So, when you are buying royalty free music and background music to finish high-quality projects, you are truly getting top of the line, well-crafted and beautifully-performed music - the crème de la crème.

If this article sparked your attention, you are probably looking to break into the music industry yourself, or perhaps you know someone who is trying … and perhaps, like so many musicians across the world … supremely frustrated. How much experience do you have making background music, stock music or any other type of music? You may have been trying for months or years to get noticed. But the truth is, your level of experience is one of the least important elements of "making it" in the music industry.
Surprised? Don't be! No matter who you are or what you have accomplished so far, being seen by the people that can help you move forward is the number 1 most important thing about musical success. "People" should be your focus!

As Derek Sivers details in his comments below, getting to people and working with people is critical to success in the music industry. Yet another ingredient of successfully creating background music, stock music or any other type of music is "the power of people."

"GET USED TO THE IDEA OF DATABASE AND QUANTITY

If you want any level of success beyond the admiration of friends and family, you have to get used to the idea of dealing with great numbers of people.

One good review means almost nothing. Getting airplay on one radio station is not enough.

You need to stay in close touch with hundreds, and soon, thousands of people. Whether fans, music biz or the endless characters you're going to encounter around the world on your way to the top, you're going to need to keep track of them all.

You're going to need a database. A ‘contact manager,' which is a fancy term
for an ‘address book' - an amazing tool with endless memory to help your artistic, creative, musical brains which are often lost in space and notoriously flaky.

It takes a discipline and orderliness you may not be used to, but comes in SO handy when you need to contact that graphic designer who introduced himself to you once after a gig in St. Louis a year and a half ago. Or to be able, in 5 seconds, to find the 28 drummers you know in northern Oregon.

Get used to this concept, and we'll go into detail.

STAY IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.

It's a shame when you get lost in a project, or go out on a tour or get stuck in a demanding relationship, and find out that all of your old contacts have dried up.

You go to call a booking agent you used to see weekly, and she says,
‘I'm sorry - I don't really remember you. You're going to have to me...'

A successful publicist advises that you secretly give everyone in your phonebook an A, B, C, D, or F. That's your A-list (call every 3 weeks), B-list, (every 5 weeks), C-list (every few months), D-list (twice a year), and Friends.

There are a few people in my life that would have disappeared long ago if they hadn't been so persistent in calling me every month, or insisting on a face-to-face a couple times a year.

Go through your database, and call those people just to say, ‘Hi.' Or - even better - know their interests and life (from memory or perhaps from your notes) - and call them with some news that's of interest to them, even if it's of no other interest to you.

In other words, don't *only* call to say ‘How are you?' when it's always going to end with ‘So - can you come to my gig tomorrow night?' Call unselfishly. Call with some news that will make them happy. Keep in touch to make both of your lives better.

DATABASE TIPS

Database tips, from an expert:

- Best programs, in order: (1) Indie Band Manager: http://www.IndieBandManager.com It does EVERYTHING I recommend. It works on Mac and Windows. And it's only $39. If you don't have a database program already, start with that. (2) Filemaker Pro. Sells for $299 but you can find it used on EBay.com for $40. Both Mac and Windows. Totally flexible. (3) MS Works or Claris Works comes with a database section. These programs are usually free and inlcuded on your computer. (4) ACT. http://www.act.com Sells for $189. ACT is meant more as a "salesman's tool" and so it's more corporate, and less flexible. But it is already set up to do exactly what you want. On the Mac, I've heard that ‘Now Contact Manager' is very similar to Act. (5) MS Access. It's like using an army tank to go do your groceries. It's so powerful and complicated that it might take you a long time to learn. But like Filemaker, it can do everything you need if you harness it. (6) MS Outlook. Yuk. Unflexible. Hit by viruses. But if you have it already and you can't afford something new, go with it. (7) Do NOT use a spreadsheet like MS Excel, or a word processor, or a notebook of paper. These just won't do the job. Choose from #1-#5.

- Keywords! Multiple keywords are the most important thing in your database. Every person in your address book should have a few words attached to their record like ‘drums, web design, percussion' or ‘agent, club owner, songwriter.' Some folks will only have one word there some will have a list of the 25 instruments they can play. This comes in the most handy when you need to find "drums" in Texas, or you're trying to remember the full name of that web designer named ‘Dave.' If your address book program doesn't have keywords already, put it in there! Find out how! It'll save your life many times.

- Collect all the information you can. Have areas in your database program for first name, last name, two phone numbers, fax, email, website (know their website!), two address lines, country, keywords (see above), mailing list tags (who gets your mailings and who doesn't want them), date last contacted, and very important: NOTES. Other ideas would be birthday, interests, and referred by (or ‘met through').

- NOTES should be a big giant text area underneath their contact info, where you're free to type, type, type anything you want. Type notes from your conversations. Cut-and paste Emails they've sent you.In ACT and Filemaker you can set it up to make an ‘event' for every single conversation or contact you have, each with its own notes. Very handy. Set this up if you can. But even if you do, keep the big giant Notes field for all permanent notes you want to remember about this person

- Learn how to mail-merge these people, so you can send them all a personalized Email or letter. Using a person's name in the letter instead of ‘Dear Music Industry Professional.'

MEET THREE NEW PEOPLE EVERY WEEK

One of the best books about the music business was called ‘Making It in the New Music Business' by James Riordan.

He suggested that, as an aspiring musician (or producer/agent/writer/etc.) - you make a point to meet three new people in the music industry every week. (And, as he says, not just burned-out guitarists.)

Imagine that! Three new people every single week - people that could actually help your career! In a year from now you'll have relationships with over 150 new people that are potential ‘lottery tickets' - and hopefully the interest is mutual. (Meaning - always keep in mind how YOU can help someone, not just how they can help you.)

The thing is, you have to *develop* these relationships. Put them on your A, B, or C list. Stay in touch. Go beyond the introduction, and really get to know these people, what they're looking for in business and life, what they're interested in, and how you can help them.

ALWAYS THINK HOW YOU CAN HELP SOMEONE

As you're meeting all of these people in your life and career, always keep in mind how you can help someone. You should practically meditate on it before contacting them.

There must be someone you know that is exactly what they're looking for. There must be some resource you've got that would really make their day. Some favor you can do.

An article you read in this morning's paper might be of particular interest to someone you met last summer. Cut it out and mail it to them. A film/TV music supervisor might mention she's getting married and is looking for a reggae band. You don't do reggae, but with your database you can help her find a great band that does.

Maybe you spent 3 months shopping for a laptop. Maybe a booking agent you met today mentioned that he's looking for a new laptop. Send him a fax or Email with all the best info you found.

Give, give, give and sometimes you will receive.

GET PERSONAL

Some people, out of the thousands I know, actually contact me on a regular basis. I consider them friends.

But some of those always stick with a strict business ‘script' when they call: ‘Hi I'm calling to check in to see how sales are doing, if you need more inventory, how things are going.'

Others seem to have the gift of small talk. I don't know how they do it, but soon we're talking about my girlfriend, their dogs, about yoga, high school, Japan, and something that happened on the way to work today.

Now - when an opportunity comes up to help someone - (say, a Film/TV person I know calls up and asks ‘who's good in that standard rock genre?') - guess who comes to mind first?

The person who hasn't departed from the standard business call, or the person who went beyond?

Be a real person. Be a friend.

Don't always be selling yourself. You'll be like that annoying uncle who shows up at the family reunion to try to sell everyone on life insurance.

Have the confidence to know that being a cool person, being a friend will sell you more than being a pushy salesperson.

People do business with people they like. With their friends whenever possible.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR FAVORS

Don't be afraid to ask for favors.

Some people LIKE doing favors.

It's like asking for directions in New York City. People's egos get stroked when they know the answer to something you're asking. They'll gladly answer to show off their knowledge.

One bold musician I know called me up one day and said, ‘I'm coming to New York in 2 months. Can you give me a list of all the important contacts you think I should meet?' What guts! But I laughed, and did a search in my database, Emailing him a list of 40 people he should call and mention my name.

Sometimes you need to find something specific: a video director for cheap, a PA system you can borrow for a month, a free rehearsal studio. Call up everyone you know and ask! This network of friends you are creating will have everything you want in life.

Some rare and lucky folks (perhaps on your ‘band mailing list') have time on their hands and would rather help you do something, than sit at home in front of the TV another night. Need help doing flyers? Help getting equipment to a show? Go ahead and ask!

KEEP IN TOUCH!

Mentioned earlier, but important enough to say again.

Sometimes the difference between success and failure is just a matter of keeping in touch!

There are some AMAZING musicians who have sent a CD to CD Baby, and when I heard it, I flipped. In a few cases, I've stopped what I was doing at that moment, picked up the phone and called them wherever they were to tell them I thought they were a total genius. (Believe me - this is rare. Maybe 1 in 500 CDs that I hear.)

Often I get an answering machine, and guess what... they don't call back!! What masochistic anti-social success-sabotaging kind of thing is that to do?

Then 2 weeks later I've forgotten about their CD as new ones came in.

The lesson: If they would have just called back, and kept in touch, they may have a fan like no other at the head of one of the largest distributors of independent music on the web. A fan that would go out on a limb to help their career in ways others just dream of. But they never kept in touch and now I can't remember their names.

Some others whose CDs didn't really catch my attention the first time around, just keep in touch so well that I often find myself helping them more as a friend than a fan.

Keep in touch, keep in touch, keep in touch!

People forget you very fast.

SMALL GIFTS GO A LONG WAY.

10 years ago, I worked at Warner/Chappell Music Publishing. Being the largest music publisher in the world, I dealt with thousands of songwriters. Most of them I can't remember their names.

Three times, and only three times, I got a surprise gift from a songwriter.

James Mastro, a great songwriter from Hoboken, got me a cool little ‘Mother Mary' keychain when he was touring in Spain.

Gerry DeVeaux, a successful R&B / dance songwriter, got me some funky plastic fish with lights inside, like Christmas ornaments, when he went to the Bahamas.

And Jane Kelly Williams got me a red sweatshirt from the Gap for helping her out with a demo session. I was thrilled.

Can you believe I remember these details 10 years later? Believe it!

A little gift you might give to someone, as you climb the ladder of success, may go a long, long way, and mean a lot to someone down the road.

If any of the three people above called me today to ask a favor, you can be sure I'd stop what I was doing to help them out.

Be generous. It will be returned. As you stay in the music biz, you're going to see the same faces for years to come.

KEEP IN TOUCH - (LONG VERSION)

Give away lots of CDs. But do NOT just toss them away. Make every one count!!

Get volunteer friends/ band members/ fans to help call or Email and track the results of as many of these as possible.

Go ahead and ask for favors - be a little bit of a pest. Take notes on each conversation.

Keep everyone happy. Don't lose touch. Ask for references. Ask if there's anyone else they know that can help you. Then contact all THOSE people, and keep doing it.

It's a LOT of Emailing and calling. But it means EVERYTHING. (As long as you superhumanly balance this with making new music and writing great songs.)

I think KEEPING IN TOUCH is THE single most important thing. Here's why:

Whenever I'm talking to someone in the ‘industry' or have the opportunity to help promote a CD Baby member, I often find myself hooking up the person who I just got off the phone with. (You know -‘Oh I was just talking with Scott from the band called the
Rosenbergs, you should talk to them - he's home right now, and just
told me how well their tour is going!')

On the flip side, there are 60 people a week or so who submit their CD to CD Baby, I put it in the store, I email them but they never reply, I send them checks for CDs sold but never hear from them.

I often wonder who these people are that just let a potential fruitful relationship just disappear into anonymity.

(Do I sell a band called Conundrum? Umm.. let me check the database. Well it says here I do. I don't know them, though.) And CD Baby is just ONE company!

Imagine if you actually stayed ‘close' with 100 little companies! Or 1000!! You'd have people in all corners of the industry everywhere constantly recommending you, referring you, hooking you up with opportunities, promoting you, etc. You'd be very successful, very soon.

When you're on tour, look up all the people who you've sent CDs to in that area. Meet with them. Sleep at their house.

Ask everyone's advice. Pick everyone's brain. Hear their thoughts & point of view. Remember it.

Oh, send them a present every now and then. Chad the Dungeon Bunny sent me a bag of Baby Ruths. Guess who comes to mind first now when people are asking for his kind of music??

God now that I think of it I probably remember every little present anyone has ever given me in my 10 years being in the music biz. I can count them one hand. It's such a rare wonderful surprise.

On the flip side, I made a friend for life at the top ranks of BMI because I showed up to his office with a pizza for our meeting. (Luckily he was hungry and never forgot it.)

Radio stations are just people. Magazines are just people. Websites are just people. Record companies are just people.

People like to work with their FRIENDS whenever possible. Be a good friend. Be a real person, not a slick schmoozer. If you're acting TOO professional in all this ‘keeping in touch' then it just sounds fake and will be forgotten.

Oh, and try to sense when they don't like you. Sometimes they just don't like your music, and aren't willing to help. Don't take it personally. Mark it in your address book/database and move on to the next.

LIFE IS LIKE HIGH SCHOOL.

Last week a musician wrote an Email to the effect of, ‘I've been working hard - why isn't it paying off?'

Keep this in mind... LIFE IS LIKE HIGH SCHOOL.

When you're in High School, it's ALL about popularity, clicks, being 'cool,' what you wear, what parties you're at, etc.

When you go to college, the focus shifts to academic achievement.

Many people get out of college thinking the world will be like that. ‘The harder you work, the more you should be rewarded.' - But it's not.

Life is like High School. It's all about who you know, how socially charming you are, what 'scene' you're in, what you wear, what parties you're at, flirting, and - being 'cool'.

BUT YOU CAN MAKE THIS WORK IN YOUR FAVOR.

When I think about every big leap that happened in my career, it was always because of ‘someone I knew.' Always friends of friends. People in some position of power who I kept in touch with, did favors for, and got the same in return.

Go meet 3 people each week you think could help your career. Be a good friend. Make it mutually beneficial, not some suck-up relationship. There's always some resource you have that can totally help out someone who may be "above" you on the ladder. Invite a NEW friend to a party or show you know about.

For years I was booked solid, touring the college market, making way too much $$, not because I'm GOOD, but because we made a FUN, ENTERTAINING, ‘COOL' show. We won the popularity contest in a sense.

I think it's possible to approach the music business as if you were a new kid going to a new high school, and wanted to be the most popular kid in class. Sounds shallow, but it works.

Ask Andy Warhol, or someone like Prince who actually made GREAT music, but knew how to toss in a little controversy and sex appeal to get the world's attention.


MAKE THESE HABITS, AND THEY WON'T SEEM HARD.

All of these suggestions may sound exhausting to you.

But keep that database at your fingertips. Get used to taking 1 minute after a conversation to take some notes about it. Give some of these ideas a try.

You can probably tell, by reading this, that if you were to actually DO all of these things mentioned, you'd be much more successful than you are now. The gates of life would swing wide open.

Hard to start, but easy to continue.

Incredibly powerful when done every day. (Like a little river made the Grand Canyon.)

Make these habits, and they won't seem hard."

Keep paying attention to RoyaltyFreeMusic.com for more useful tips about making many different types of music and being successful - whether you are creating background music, stock music, royalty free music or popular music to be heard throughout the world by millions of people.

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