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How To Promote Your CD

admin — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:52:15 +0000

Congratulations! Your debut CD is now recorded, replicated, packaged, and ready for market. Its an amazing feeling to see the fruit of your labor in front of you, nicely packaged as a CD thats ready to be sold alongside the big wigs in the industry. One small problem: you don’t have the backing and capital that the big wigs do to promote your CD… and you just know your CD can be a huge success in the market.

Promoting a CD can seem like a daunting task at first, especially if you haven’t done anything like this before. Here are a few tips and ideas on how you can get started promoting, and selling your music CD.

1. First, you should plan a launch party. Tell all your friends and fans when the CD is going to launch, and generate some buzz. Let local papers and shops know as well, and have them help you spread the word.

2. Network - tell everyone you know about your new CD. Ransack that mental rolodex of yours, and hit everyone you know, and tell them to do the same. Believe it or not, this is probably your best resource!

3. Have a website before your CD launches, and use it to promote your CD. Set up a page on myspace and other similar sites that allow navigators to sample your new tracks.

4. Look into setting up an email list for your fans. Before the CD launches, send out an email letting everyone know. Its cheap, its easy and its a fast way to get the word out about this and other upcoming events.

5. Write a press release and put it on your website. You can find lots of examples and instructions of how to do this online.

6. Contact the music reporter(s) at your local newspaper(s). Don’t leave out the smaller papers - sometimes they are the heart and soul of the local music scene.

6. Offer a free copy of your CD to local radio stations. Remember the school stations - they frequently tend to favor local artists. If they play it, it could pay off quite well for you.

7. Approach internet radio stations, and offer them the rights to play your CD for free. Every time they play a track, you receive free advertising.

8. Call DJ’s and DJ companies and offer a free copy. If they play your CD, that’s more free advertising.

9. Get a barcode for your CD. This can help encourage retailers to sell your CD.

10. Get your CD sold at online distributers, such as cdbaby.com or amazon.com

11. Sell merchandise with your name or the band’s name on it. This is not only a little extra revenue - it’s great advertising.

12. Find out if there is a music show on your local TV stations, and see if you can be featured.

13. Cross-promotional deals - Talk to another similar band, and work out a cross-promotional deal. ie. They promote your CD at their shows, and you promote their CD at your show. Or even better…

14. Work out cross-promotional deal with several bands. Each band contributes a track or two to a sampler CD. Then each band gives away the sampler CD as a bonus with every CD they sell of their own.

15. Naturally, you should promote your CD at every show you play

There are lots of things you can do to realize your dream faster. These are some simple ideas on how you can begin to promote your CD, and get the word out to your future fans. Good luck!

Rashi Singh is with Duplium Corporation, a CD Duplication company based in Dallas and Toronto. Duplium provides top quality CD and DVD Replication, customized printing and packaging, and full-scale fulfillment solutions. Visit http://www.duplium.com for more information or to receive a quote.

How To Buy A Classical Guitar Tips And Hints To Help You Make A Good Purchase

admin — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:53:49 +0000

Purchasing a classical guitar can be a difficult task particularly if you are not yet an accomplished player. Here are some tips and hints on finding a good quality classical guitar whether it is in the hundred dollar range or the thousand dollar range.

If you are have ever gone into a well stocked guitar shop you have no doubt been confused by the selection of guitars. There are literally hundreds of shapes, sizes brands and types of guitars. And the price can range from a hundred dollars to several thousand. .If you are a beginner, judging the sound quality can be difficult to do because your ear is not yet highly trained. Here are some tips to help you make a good choice.

When in a guitar shop and looking at the guitars you should always ask a sales person to help you. This way you can take guitars down and play them. If you cannot play very well you should ask the sales clerk to play for you so you can get a feel for the sound of the different guitars. If the sales clerk doesnt play you should ask if there is someone working in the shop that does play. As a last resort you should even ask other customers in the store. Not listening to the different guitars is like shopping for a car but never test driving any of them. Guitars have very different feels and tones and you should listen to a lot of them to get a sense of what you like. Dont be bashful in this respect. Guitarists are usually a very gregarious bunch and a guitarist will almost always jump at the chance to play for someone else. If you dont yet play well and you cant find somebody to play for you I recommend you not purchase a guitar. You should come back another time when someone is available to play or you can bring a friend who knows how to play.

Check the size and shape of the guitar

Classical Guitars, of course, come in different sizes and shapes and you should sit with a wide variety of them to get a feeling for what is comfortable to you. Your body shape has an effect on this. If you are over six feet tall the smaller guitars might not be comfortable for you and the fret board may be uncomfortable for your hands. So even if you cant play music you should always hold and sit with the guitars to get a sense of how the different ones feel.

Check the mechanics and playability of the guitar

Here are several things you should do when considering the purchase of a classical guitar.

1. Play every note on every string all the way up and down. Listen for frets that dont play properly. They will give a rattling sound and if this occurs on any fret at all you should put the guitar aside and try another one. This is a sign of inferior quality. Every string should play cleanly on every single fret.

2. Check the action of the strings against the frets in terms of how much pressure is needed to play notes and chords. You should play bar chords all the way down the frets to insure good pressure. If it is too hard to press the strings in order to make a clear chord this could be a sign of an inferior guitar.

3. Play harmonics on the strings. This is an excellent test of the quality of the guitar. Playing harmonics is the technique of plucking the note with your right hand and only lightly touching the string with your left hand. Test the harmonics of all the strings on the 5th, 7th, 12th and 19th frets. If you do not know how to play harmonic notes ask the sales clerk to help you.

4. Examine and test the tuning pegs. Do they look clean and sharp? Wind and unwind them while watching and feeling for smooth turning motion.

5. Visually examine the whole guitar. Look it over very carefully from front to back and top to bottom. Are there any small cracks? Are the frets firmly installed into the fret board? Are there any cracks or glue exposed around the bridge?

6. Tap on the front of the guitar (The sound board) in a variety of different spots. Does it have a rich echoing sound or are there spots where it sounds dead and limp? The internal structure of the classical guitar is very important for the sound and important for the longevity of it. Dull thud sounds could be an indicator of an inferior instrument.

7. Examine the details. Look at the purfling around the edge. This is the decorated pattern that goes around the full body where the soundboard or face meets the sides of the guitar. Is it accurately laid in? If this has variations and inconsistencies it is a good sign that the guitar is of inferior quality.

8. Dont hesitate to take a good look inside the guitar sound hole. You will see wooden braces in there. Do they look straight, accurate and well placed? If you see sloppy globs of dried glue around these braces it could be an indicator of inferior craftsmanship.

9. Remember that there are three distinct areas you must consider when purchasing a classical guitar: The Look, The Feel, and the Sound. If you keep all three of these things in mind and carefully examine the guitar in relation to these you will be able to choose an instrument that will bring you a lifetime of trouble free playing enjoyment.

A Classical Guitar is a purchase that can give you a lifetime of enjoyment and you should consider the purchase carefully. Even if you dont plan on playing every day you should buy an instrument that is of good quality so it will maintain its sound quality for a lifetime. And to do this you dont need to spend thousands of dollars you just need to know how to identify a well made guitar.

Will Kalif is the author of two self-published epic fantasy novels. You can download free samples of his work at his personal website:
Storm The Castle - Creativity and Fantasy with an edge

Or you can visit his site devoted to classical guitar at:
The Classical Guitarist

A Possible Solution To Every Brides Wedding Hair Nightmare!

admin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:20:28 +0000

A Possible Solution To Every Brides Wedding Hair Nightmare!

By: Andrew Regan

Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly popular for brides to opt for wedding hair accessories instead of the classic tiara. Some brides prefer the simplicity and versatility hair accessories offer, whereas others are thankful for an alternative to the tiara for fear of looking too princess-y. Whatever the reason, the sheer range of hair accessories available provide brides with variety to enhance their style and discover hair jewels to work with every hair type.

Wedding hair pins are one of the most popular hair accessories for brides and, indeed, bridesmaids. Many brides choose to wear their hair up particularly because a neatly styled up-do is guaranteed to remain chic and stylish throughout the day. Although hair styles such as a chignon or French pleat are classic, they often require dressing to soften and to avoid looking too harsh. Wedding hair pins are perfect for such hair styles, adding decadence and subtle sparkle for a timeless look. Popular designs range from butterflies, intricate floral and vintage inspired ornate design and are often set with crystals.

Possibly one of the most versatile of wedding hair accessories, jewelled hair combs suit most hair styles and work with practically all hair types. With such a diverse range of wedding hair combs available, most brides will find a suitable design. A large hair comb can look stunning worn to hold hair up on one side and, with a more informal style, can be particularly suited to beachside weddings whereas a medium sized hair comb is perfect to add sparkle to an up-do or pin up small sections of hair for brides wearing their hair loose. Wedding hair comb designs available include floral, vintage inspired styles, butterfly and petite hair combs. Classic designs are often adorned with crystals and hand-made styles are often beaded.

Wedding head bands adorned with jewels have become a favoured wedding hair accessory for brides preferring a simple and elegant look. Often set with crystal flowers or butterflies, they offer simplistic contemporary style combined with a feminine feel. Particularly popular because of their suitability for all hair lengths, wedding head bands are the perfect answer for short haired brides who are often limited by the choice available. Wedding head bands are often adorned floral, butterfly or bow designs and are usually set with crystals or beads.

Whatever the brides style or hair type, its safe to say that with a little shopping around, the perfect wedding hair accessory (http://www.glitzysecrets.com/acatalog/glitzy-secrets-hair-accessories.html ) can be found. Its important to firstly consider the suitability to hair type and length. This is where a hairdressers advice can be invaluable! Once the type of hair accessory is decided, the fun can begin. Remember to take in account the style of wedding dress, colour themes, flowers and time of year - as with every aspect of wedding planning, co-ordinating is the key to success and a beautiful wedding.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/women/article_2438.shtml

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5 Paths To $100000 Per Year Part 2: Fast Freddie’s Way

admin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:59:59 +0000

Welcome back to my little documentary (or moc-umentary as I prefer to call it). We are now on Part 2 of a 5 part series exploring the lives of five fictional artists who are all racing toward a six-figure income with very different approaches. Though the casts of characters in this moc-mentary are indeed fictional and sometimes silly, the techniques are not. These are the same skills that artists like you use day in and day out to survive and thrive as independents.

Last time we were together I introduced you to Gigging Gidget who loved to gig but really didnt take the time to develop any other skills. In spite of her lopsided business plan she still managed to arrive at a six-figure income. This time we are going to take a look at the lopsided plan of the next of our five fictional artists on his quest to make a $100,000.

Today youll meet Fast Freddie, who has built a fanatical following of fans. Youll see how he leverages his relationship with his fans to arrive at his $100k.

[Scene Two, Act One Camera opens on one Fast Freddy, A Southern Fried Rocker and bandleader from Huntsville Alabama.

Fast Freddies Faithful Fanatics

From the start it must be recognized that Freddy has a gift. He has the amazing ability to change strangers into fans like no ones business. Freddy has done right by his gift and used it to build up a fairly large statewide fan base.

One day while driving his Ford Fairlane to a gig in Dothan Alabama, Freddie was wondering how he could use his well-developed fan base to increase his income, and on the way he had an epiphany. Freddie thought that maybe if he offered more of himself to his fans he could possibly create some sort of win-win relationship with them. He instantly took up with the idea of forming a paid membership Insiders Club for his band. But Freddie didnt want to have just any old fan club so he decided to build a very special club with all the fixins as hes fond of saying.

He named the club Fast Freddies Faithful Fanatics, and then went all out to make his Faithful Fanatics club a real temptation to join. He offered exclusives for his members beginning with a signed glossy picture, the Fast Freddy Factoids road journal, free tickets to any show he could get comped tickets to, and the famous Fast Freddy News. He also added every other trick in the book to keep it fresh and exciting.

Freddy also went the extra mile and made it affordable, so that for only $15 per year, you too could become a Faithful Fanatic and receive all the Fast Freddie trinkets and news you could handle. Plus you would automatically be first in line to buy the up-coming Freddy and the Fender Benders album Switching Lanes.

Who could turn down such a deal?

Apparently his fans couldnt because - much to Freddies surprise most of his email list signed up, as did a steady flow of people from his gigs. By years end he had managed to grow his Insiders Club to a robust 2500 people. Excited by what this might mean to his bottom line Freddie pulls out his trusty calculator to figure the take. To Freddies dismay he finds that his 2500 fans giving him $15 each yields him a fat $37,500 per year just for joining his well thought out Insiders Club.

In case you are following along on the math Freddy took the yearly due of $15 and multiplied it by the total number of fans that Freddy had in his club, which is 2500 fans. When you hit the equal button your calculator would undoubtedly show $37,500.

Now as good as Freddie is at getting people to join his club, he was not as good at selling them on his new CD. All told only 50% of his club (1250 people in all) ended up purchasing his highly anticipated CD, which he offered for 15$ to the public, but for only $12 to his Faithful Fanatics. The CD cost him $2.50 per unit including studio and duplication costs. So this netted him $11,875 from those sold to his club members. He sold another 800 randomly at all of his gigs, which netted him an additional $10,000 for a grand total of $21,875 in CD sales.

Im sure youve already figured this one out, but the math goes like this: Freddie offers the CD to his club members for $12. It costs him $2.50 each, so the per CD profit is $9.50 [$12 $2.50 = $9.50. Next he took the 1250 sales and multiplied it by the $9.50 profit per CD and arrived at $11,850. Freddie then figured the CD sales to his non-club members. Those CDs still cost him $2.50 each but he sold them for $15, so the per CD profit is $12.50 [$15 $2.50 = $12.50. Next he took the 800 in non-member sales and multiplied them by the $12.50 per CD profit and arrived at $11,875. And, of course, both $10,000 and $11,875 added together equal $21,875.

Freddie had one more shortcoming. For all of Freddies ability to get fans to join his club, he still hadnt grasped anything beyond the basics of booking.

Consequently he averaged only two gigs per week. But the buzz on the streets was pretty good so he managed to attract an average of 320 people to each of those gigs. He also hadnt learned how to negotiate either, so his split of the cover charge was still only $1.25 a head. According to his figures, his 104 gigs a year multiplied by 320 people per gig, multiplied by $1.25 each, netted him $41,600.

When Freddy sat down at year-end to do his taxes he added all these totals together and was rather fascinated at the results. He punched in the first number from the CD sales totals of $21,875 and hit the plus button to add it to the $41,600 from his gigs, which showed him a total of $63,475. Finally he added the $63,475 to the $37,500 from his Faithful Fanatics Club and hitting the equal button made him pause. Freddie rubbed his eyes and saw that he had brought in a grand total $100,975!

Not to shabby for a guy with no sales skills and a light booking schedule.

Editors Note: As an update to Freddies progress, he has recently avowed to read more on booking and promotions and see if he might get a few more gigs and bump up his average crowd size a bit. We think this recent surge in motivation is due to the custom rebuilt Ford F-150 he has his eye on, and a pretty girl name Felina. But were not sure. ?

Join us next time as we visit the urban jungle of South Philly and check out how the rapper MacDaddi gets his profit on.

Sean Farrington, is an Author and Band Coach. He wrote the book Band:Profit and specializes in helping independent artists, bands and performers with the business of music by turning their passion for music into profit. You can check out him out at http://www.bandprofit.com

You may freely reprint and reproduce the above article as long as the resource box (above) this disclaimer and the article are copied in their entirety. In addition if the article is used on the web or in e-mail, the link must be kept in hypertext.

How To Download All Cool Music Legally

admin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:52:03 +0000

How to Download All Cool Music Legally

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There are many mp3 music download websites on the Internet that you can download abd share MP3 Music long as you obey all relevant copyright laws.

Just be careful in selecting MP3 Music download websites because 99% of them are scams.

You should consider checking out the Review Sites for MP3 Music Download Websites.

You should carefully consider those Legitimate and Best Music Download Websites that has Good Users’ Satisfaction and Product Sales Performance.

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How To Promote Your CD

admin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:51:25 +0000