tag:sheldonlow.com,2005:/blogs/diy-musician?p=3Musician Revolution2020-07-08T10:14:08-04:00Sheldon Lowfalsetag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/63796542020-07-08T10:14:08-04:002020-07-12T04:15:54-04:0020 Ideas to Make Zoom Services Better Than In-person Services.<p><em>To download the list, <a contents="follow this link" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://mailchi.mp/509e9a27bf34/mailing-list-for-20-ideas-list" target="_blank">follow this link</a> and submit your email address.</em></p>
<p><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/9976c36ab3f07d9b4de63e1f3c5e8256c136eb7e/original/purple-and-pink-modern-work-from-home-simple-presentation.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></em></p>
<hr><h3 style="text-align: center;"><em>"When we feel stuck thinking that virtual offerings are inferior to in-person, I would argue it is a sign that we have fundamentally lost sight of our purpose."</em></h3>
<hr><p>I’ve got a new pet peeve. I’m seeing and hearing so many conversations about re-opening Temples and synagogues for the High Holidays. At the crux of many of these conversations, is the idea that virtual services are somehow inferior to in-person services. That is simply not true. Are there things that the in-person service offers that are missing from virtual services? Certainly. But the opposite is also true. Virtual services offer a whole new realm of possibilities that are missing from in-person services. </p>
<p>When we feel stuck thinking that virtual offerings are inferior to in-person, I would argue it is a sign that we have fundamentally lost sight of our purpose. Our purpose on earth isn’t creating services. Services are simply the medium. </p>
<p>We do this work because we are deeply deeply passionate about building community, about fostering Jewish identity and peoplehood, about repairing the world, about spirituality, about pastoral care, about education, and any number of similar reasons. That is what we want to do. That is our purpose. And that hasn’t changed. Only the medium for accomplishing that has. </p>
<p>Instead of focusing on how we can no longer use the old medium, we can have fun, get creative, and breathe new life into our offerings by discovering new ways to achieve those same goals. If you were a sculptor who ran out of clay, would you continue trying to sculpt, or might you pick up a paintbrush and still try to create something beautiful and provocative? </p>
<p>Is it easy? Is this how we envisioned our careers? Probably not. But this is the new reality, at least for the time being. One option is to keep doing what we’ve always done and throw up a “pandacam” as a Rabbi friend recently called it and, in that case, you probably are providing an “inferior” experience relative to in-person. </p>
<p>Or you can get creative, have fun, and think about all the advantages the new paradigm offers to help you achieve your goals and fulfill your purpose. I want to help us all reframe the situation in our minds, so I’m sitting down to write “20 Ideas to Make Zoom Services Better Than In-person Services.” </p>
<p>To demonstrate how fun and easy this really can be, I literally came up with this list as I typed. Since I’m doing it live, the later ones might be better than the early ones. After each reason why Zoom services are superior to in-person services, I’ll put an actionable idea based on that Zoom advantage which can be implemented in your community. Take these ideas and use them, or use this document as a jumping off point for your own brainstorm. Of course, if you still feel stuck, leave a comment below or reach out to me <a contents="here." data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:info@sheldonlow.com" target="_blank">here.</a></p>
<p><em>To download the list, <a contents="follow this link" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://mailchi.mp/509e9a27bf34/mailing-list-for-20-ideas-list" target="_blank">follow this link</a> and submit your email address.</em></p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/56801322019-03-14T12:51:17-04:002020-10-17T13:32:41-04:00Resources for continued learning<p>It's been a minute since my last post and a large part of that is because I've done a kickstarter, recorded 2 EPs, gone on tour, hired an intern, and been releasing music...so the blog has taken a bit of a back seat. But it's been a lot of doing and a lot of learning and it's all great stuff that I will be able to share here. Which brings me to a really important point. I've said it here and I'll say it again, the music industry is undergoing rapid seismic shifts. On the one hand, it means for the first time in history, musicians have a ton of opportunities and paths toward building their career in music...opportunities I'm trying to highlight in this blog. And musicians are no longer reliant on gatekeepers like music labels to give them those opportunities. On the other hand, now the musicians themselves have to do all of the work that the record labels used to do including but not limited to booking, tour advancing, graphic design, budgeting, press, and on and on, na na na na na...It can be really hard to know where to spend your time, energy, and money.</p>
<p>There are also a lot of people trying to take your money, offering all kinds of promises for what they can do for your career. It can be tempting. But don't do it! Unless you can verify what they're saying is true, and they can guarantee they will help you achieve exactly what you want help achieving, just stay away.</p>
<p>Having said that, there are some amazing resources which really can help, and I would like to share a list of the books, blogs, podcasts and conferences that I have personally used and which I would highly recommend. This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive list of all the great resources I've ever used, or that exist, but rather ones I've used in the last year or so, and which I believe rise above in terms of their usefulness or their impact on what I do. </p>
<p>You should know that you don't read a blog and suddenly become a "successful" musician. That takes focus and work. But I think these resources make up an excellent course in what's current (and constantly updated) and important to know and do as a musician from any genre in the modern music business. So without further ado....</p>
<p><span class="font_large">Books -</span></p>
<ol> <li>
<a contents="How To Make It in the New Music Business: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ariherstand.com/" target="_blank">How To Make It in the New Music Business: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician</a> by Ari Herstand.
<ul> <li>Whatever you're doing just stop and purchase this book right away. I'd say this replaced the Donald Passman book as the new bible for modern musicians and it is being used as a textbook in colleges such as Berklee College of Music in Boston. Ari Herstand is a working musician and the writer behind the blog/newsletter <a contents="Ari's Take" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://aristake.com/" target="_blank">Ari's Take</a> listed below. In this book from 2016, Ari compiles and updates his blogs into a very comprehensive book covering everything from recording to publishing to social media to touring colleges and much much more. It's a few years old at this point (I believe Ari is working on an update) and some of the material is a bit dated, but most of it is timeless and spot on.</li> </ul> </li> <li>
<a contents="The Art of Asking&nbsp;or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://amandapalmer.net/theartofasking/" target="_blank">The Art of Asking or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help</a> by Amanda Palmer <ul> <li>It took several chapters before I really understood what it was that Amanda was teaching me. Whereas Ari's book is a practical lesson in how to build your business around your music, Amanda's book is written more as a memoir that artfully details Amanda's approach to building and maintaining relationships with her fans. In addition to explaining how she managed to raise $1 Million for her Kickstarter to record one of her albums, this book is a great lesson and reminder that our fans are humans and not just numbers.</li> </ul> </li> <li>
<a contents="Live Music Method" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://onstagesuccess.com/" target="_blank">Live Music Method</a> by Tom Jackson <ul> <li>Tom Jackson is a self-proclaimed live music producer. He's worked with some of the biggest acts in history such as Taylor Swift and Shawn Mendes to develop their live performances. As Tom says, we spend so much time practicing, writing, recording, buying equipment, promoting, building websites, etc but often only spend 5 minutes writing a set list and then walking onstage. So Tom teaches you to devote that same attention to your performance, and breaks down his method for crafting a dynamic show no matter what size stage you're on. And he's funny too. </li> </ul> </li> <li>
<a contents="Music Business Hacks: The Daily Habits of the Self-Made Musician" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Music-Business-Hacks-Self-Made-Musician/dp/0615980155/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417213285&sr=8-1&keywords=music+business+hacks" target="_blank">Music Business Hacks: The Daily Habits of the Self-Made Musician</a> by Simon Tam <ul> <li> Simon is the leader and founding member of "The Slants" band who took their trademark case all the way to the Supreme Court and won the right to trademark "The Slants" as their band name. Here Simon outlines daily tasks and hacks professional musicians can do in as little as 15 minutes each day to move your career forward. Simon is also the host of the daily podcast of the same name listed below. </li> </ul> </li>
</ol>
<p>Some other books I've read over the years that left strong impressions but which I haven't read in a while include <a contents="The E-Myth Revisited " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=e-+myth+revisited&i=stripbooks&hvadid=174222165772&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9067609&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2387707608682402396&hvtargid=aud-647006051489%3Akwd-4964018726&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_891uvl3gmm_e" target="_blank">The E-Myth Revisited </a>by Michael Gerber, <a contents="The Four Hour Work Week" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://fourhourworkweek.com/" target="_blank">The 4-Hour Work Week</a> by Tim Ferris, <a contents="Book Yourself Solid" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com/" target="_blank">Book Yourself Solid</a> by Michael Port, <a contents="Awaken the Giant Within : How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Awaken-Giant-Within-Immediate-Emotional/dp/0671791540" target="_blank">Awaken the Giant Within : How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny!</a> by Tony Robins, and <a contents="The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Big-Leap-Conquer-Hidden-Level-ebook/dp/B0026772QU" target="_blank">The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level</a> by Gay Hendricks.</p>
<p>Also, make sure you've got some good writing notebooks like these awesome ones from <a contents="RayGun" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.raygunsite.com/collections/notebooks-1" target="_blank">RayGun</a> and a rhyming dictionary and Roget's Thesaurus. Yes, you can use <a contents="RhymeZone.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.rhymezone.com/" target="_blank">RhymeZone.com</a> and <a contents="Thesaurus.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.thesaurus.com/" target="_blank">Thesaurus.com</a> but I prefer the tactile books, especially for when I'm laying on the beach and writing ;)</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/12364e86bcf4d30f955a7cc19b737091f5188d1c/original/img-1760-copy.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Blogs -</span></p>
<ol> <li>
<a contents="DIY Musician Blog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://diymusician.cdbaby.com/" target="_blank">DIY Musician Blog</a> - This long standing blog created by CDBaby has articles on everything you could think of as a professional musician. Keep in mind CDBaby is a business, so sometimes the articles are pointing you to their products and so they won't include features and services provided by other competing businesses. Still it's a great resource.</li> <li>
<a contents="Ari's Take" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://aristake.com/" target="_blank">Ari's Take</a> - This is Ari Herstand's blog which was what his book listed above was born out of. Ari sends out very comprehensive emails on specific topics, on average every couple weeks. They can be long but they usually either have great new information, updates, or just good reminders on things you may have forgotten. </li> <li>
<a contents="Musician Revolution" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://sheldonlow.com/musician-revolution" target="_blank">Musician Revolution</a> - That's what you're reading right now! Admittedly this is much more limited in scope right now, but I'm trying to give clear, step by step instructions on things that I do and which I hope will benefit you. Also if you have a question, just ask in the comments and I just might do my next entry on your topic.</li>
</ol>
<p><span class="font_large">Podcasts -</span></p>
<p>A great tip given to me by my friend <a contents="Jacob Spike Kraus" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.jacobspikekraus.com/" target="_blank">Jacob Spike Kraus</a> is to listen at 1.5X or 2X...this way you can get through more podcasts quicker. I usually listen to these with my morning coffee and while I'm at the gym. Also, I'm linking to each of the podcast websites, but all of these podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, and many other places...simply search for the title.</p>
<ol> <li>
<a contents="Music Business Hacks" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://musicbusinesshacks.com/" target="_blank">Music Business Hacks</a> - Usually under 7 or 8 minutes, this daily podcast mimic's Simon's book by the same name giving daily tasks you can do in 15 minutes or less to move your music career forward. Occasionally he features guests such as <a contents="this episode with We Are The Northern Lights." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://musicbusinesshacks.libsyn.com/225-how-we-are-the-northern-lights-successfully-embodies-the-d-i-y-spirit" target="_blank">this episode with We Are The Northern Lights.</a>
</li> <li>
<a contents="DIY Musician Podcast" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://cdbabypodcast.com/" target="_blank">DIY Musician Podcast</a> - Kevin Breuner and Chris Robley from CDBaby put out these hour-long episodes about once every two weeks. They usually start with industry news before they jump into information and advice on anything and everything you should know as a DIY musician. They also take emails and phone calls if you have a specific question.</li> <li>
<a contents="Music Industry Blueprint" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.buzzsprout.com/262701" target="_blank">Music Industry Blueprint</a> - Rick Barker, who was Taylor Swift's first manager, puts out two 10-minute long episodes a week giving general advice to DIY musicians, as well as oftentimes featuring prominent industry guests.</li> <li>
<a contents="Jewish Songwriter" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.JewishSongwriter.com" target="_blank">Jewish Songwriter</a> - This is my podcast featuring interviews of new and up-and-coming Jewish songwriters. Each of these 20-minute long episodes focuses the lives of each songwriter, their writing processes and tips, and features one of their songs. It's a great way to learn new repertoire and get some writing and performance or teaching tips. If you like this, please subscribe AND leave a quick review!</li> <li>
<a contents="And The Writer Is" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.andthewriteris.com/" target="_blank">And The Writer Is</a> - Ross Golan, a #1 pop hitmaker, interviews other major songwriters to learn their stories and processes behind writing. The interviews are long but are a good insight into how the songwriting sector of the pop music industry works. </li>
</ol>
<p>Some other great music related podcasts I listen to include Switched on Pop, </p>
<p><span class="font_large">Conferences - </span></p>
<p>Non-Jewish</p>
<ol> <li>
<a contents="DIY Musician Con" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://diymusiciancon.com/" target="_blank">DIY Musician Con</a> - These are relatively new annual conferences hosted by CD Baby. The American conference happens each August in rotating cities, and there's a conference held in Valencia, Spain each April. Many of the authors and podcast hosts mentioned above attend and speak at this conference, as well as representatives from Spotify, YouTube, Pandora, Berklee, and a slew of other big names in the industry. I highly recommend this conference to anyone who has never been though as of the writing of this blog, I have only attended one conference and can't speak to the benefit of returning in consecutive years. </li>
</ol>
<p>Jewish</p>
<ol> <li>
<a contents="Songleader Boot Camp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.songleaderbootcamp.com/" target="_blank">Songleader Boot Camp</a> - This annual leadership conference created by Rick Recht and Elisa Heiligman-Recht, along with help from yours truly, takes place each February in St. Louis. It's not only an opportunity to refresh your soul with music, it's a way to seriously up your skill set with practical skills and leadership development. Rabbis, teachers, educators, and musicians from around the country gather to teach and learn from one another.</li> <li>
<a contents="Hava Nashira" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://osrui.org/event/hava-nashira-2019/" target="_blank">Hava Nashira</a> - The original Jewish music institute founded by the likes of Debbie Friedman, Jeff Klepper, and others, this enclave takes place at the end of May each year at Camp OSRUI near Milwaukee, WI. If you want to experience what several hundred highly skilled Jewish songleaders, musicians, Rabbis, and others can sound like singing together in a beautiful camp setting for 5 days, there's no better place. </li> <li>
<a contents="Biennial" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://urj.org/urj-biennial" target="_blank">Biennial</a> - Every two years 5,000-10,000 Reform Jews gather to network, socialize, and learn. As a musician, it was mostly an opportunity to hang with fellow musicians and do a bit of networking with clergy, staff, and lay leaders of congregations who might be interested in hiring you. In 2017, my friend Peri Smilow helped introduce a lot of new opportunities for musicians and songleaders to share their gift and songlead/perform. Hopefully that was the first of a trend for future conferences.</li>
</ol>
<p>I haven't personally been to these conferences but they may be worth investigating on your own:</p>
<p>Non-Jewish</p>
<ol> <li> <p><a contents="Folk Alliance" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://folkconference.org/" target="_blank">Folk Alliance</a></p> </li>
</ol>
<p>Jewish</p>
<ol> <li><a contents="NewCAJE" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.newcaje.org/" target="_blank">NewCAJE</a></li> <li><a contents="ACC-GTM Convention" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://templemusicians.org/professional-development/acc-gtm-convention/" target="_blank">ACC-GTM Convention</a></li> <li><a contents="Mifgash Musicale" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://templemusicians.org/professional-development/mifgash-musicale/" target="_blank">Mifgash Musicale</a></li> <li><a contents="Sue Horowitz Songwriting Retreat" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.suehorowitz.com/jewish_music/retreat/" target="_blank">Sue Horowitz Songwriting Retreat</a></li> <li><a contents="Dan Nichols and Alan Goodis Songwriting Retreat" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.dannicholsmusic.com/songwriting-retreat" target="_blank">Dan Nichols and Alan Goodis Songwriting Retreat</a></li>
</ol>
<p>I think that's a fairly good list to start with. Hopefully you've surmised that I try to never stop learning. Whether it's business strategies, songwriting, performance, instrument practice, staying curious I'm always on the lookout for new ideas that can expand my understanding of the world and my career. You should do the same.</p>
<p>Now of course there are other resources that I'm surely missing, or which are on my list to read, listen, consume. So tell me (and everyone else) what those resources are by leaving a comment below. Thanks and keep rockin' out there! </p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/50166762018-01-24T00:13:23-05:002018-10-19T10:20:26-04:00I judge books by their covers, and so do you.<p>Yeah, we're taught not to. And of course, we know that it's because the design of the cover has nothing to do with what's written inside. It's a book after all, and we want a good writer, not the best book cover designer. That's like looking for some great comedy at a Radiohead concert...You kinda missed the point.</p>
<p>And yet, what if you were to step onto an airplane and the seats were all torn, the decor was old, and the flight attendants were wearing flip flops. You can have the head of the FAA come over and give me his personal assurance that this plane has passed all safety checks but I don't think I'll be flying that day. </p>
<p>Or maybe a less extreme example, you just go to a restaurant. The paint is chipping on the outside of the building, it's empty inside, the flower on the table is wilted and there's a hole in the wall. Either this is a great BBQ spot, or you're likely in for a not-so-desirable meal. True, these details have no bearing on whether the food is good (or safe!) or not. The food <em>could</em> be outstanding...but if you've ever had food poisoning in your life, you're likely going to bet on a different restaurant that night.</p>
<p>Sure, we might miss out on certain wonderful books, flights, and meals but the truth is you already do this without even thinking about it. Your brain is constantly receiving information, consciously and subconsciously, and you are drawing conclusions on all of that data. So maybe you make the conscious connection that the restaurant is empty and therefore possibly not good, or that airline doesn't seem to pay much attention to details and may not operate the plane safely, or maybe you just get an overall bad impression without necessarily knowing why. </p>
<p>Why am I saying all of this? Well I want to write about logos. For better or for worse, I think a well designed and well-placed logo can really help make you look pro. It can be one of those small details, among many, that gives your fans and potential fans a conscious or subconscious impression of you. </p>
<p>There are other benefits I'll get into in a moment but your first thought might be that you don't need a logo, and I agree, you TOTALLY do NOT need one, ever. <span class="font_regular">If you're just starting to make music, you should write more, play more, and spend the time and resources you are thinking of putting into creating a logo into honing your craft. Even if you're a veteran musician I don't know if you need a logo...in fact, take a moment to think about some of your favorite musicians or the musicians you want to emulate and whether or not they have a logo. I mean, it's not like the Beatles or the Rolling Stones have logos...oh, wait!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Personally, I like logos. Here are two of mine:</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/da96b8fe79f534a5f78271296caf2e3ccb79c710/medium/sheldon-low-logo-copy.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/6781597a4fae3fe391b9945f698c2bc254b73cd8/medium/hallelu-music-logo-final-1.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular">If nothing else, they make for a nice design element on your website (look in the upper left-hand corner of your screen and the favicon on your URL bar or browser tab), and the business cards, promo materials, CDs, picks, mailing list, printed materials and other merch as you can see below. In fact, if you have a good eye, you'll see my logo appears three times in the first photo below.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/b96dfe55f0da25a03936861a210bbf22e5e1ca91/medium/img-7085.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/281aea291e54abce77c82e1a824d96c2e0947053/medium/sheldon-low-business-cards.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/e1ed1a6d36e16b838469eb7901349830003d8f11/medium/img-7095.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/85d520db820584ddaee64e4d2a41b3a20b8a9289/medium/img-7096.jpg/!!/b:W1sidCIsOTBdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Or they could be the entirety of your design as in the case of some of my apparel. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/b23e2498434b16fb303093a28dd7f8dff5daf082/medium/sheldon-low-hats-facebook.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/dd3608d95d9432824bd95325489e4f4e3aa28d9f/medium/blue-logo-shirt.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /><br>As you can see, it's not only helpful for providing some design to all of the physical items on display at my show, it also gives me a consistent branding. The bright colors that mostly follow a color scheme, the stressing on the designs (that's what gives it that gravelly or imperfect look), the font, etc. And to some extent it's that branding that is the heart of the matter. No, you can't just draw a nice graphic to automatically brand yourself and instantly give your project a positive image and make it highly regarded around the world. BUT, as we now know, people are going to judge a book by it's cover. I think the products in the pictures above look pretty pro and I think, and I hope, that fans and clients alike see them that way as well. I hope it conveys that I take pride in what I do and try to set a high standard for myself. And I hope it gives them the impression that I pay attention to details and try to deliver a well thought-out and high caliber experience, whether in my performance or in the quality of the merchandise I'm selling them. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Alright, enough of that. Let's talk about actually designing a logo. </span>Don't start drawing just yet. </p>
<p>The first thing you should do is just google different logos. This will give you a sense of which logos and styles appeal to you and it will help you generate ideas for your logo.</p>
<p>Next, figure out what you want your logo to say. I don't mean what text you want on there. I mean what type of messaging do you want this image to convey. Now this is actually a two part answer. The first part is what actual images you want. In my case, the brand I'm trying to promote is myself as a Jewish musician, a guitar player, a singer, songwriter, and probably some other things. So the imagery I was considering included guitars, Jewish stars, notes, musical staff, microphones, CDs, headphones, blah blah blah. I also wanted to include my name in the logo.</p>
<p>The second part of that answer is the feeling I want to convey. For a bit longer, I think I can call myself 'young' and I make music that's contemporary pop/rock, so I want my logo to look artsy, fresh, hip, edgy, fun, exciting. Think about the feeling you get when you see the <a contents="Rolling Stones tongue here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=rolling+stones+logos&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=4qhD-sTL3xW7jM%253A%252CehehEJIvNyl_AM%252C_&usg=__43a2rmhlOSmXNPuG92gf9JXvZCY%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiaq8OT3O_YAhXkguAKHYseBqYQ9QEIKzAA#imgrc=4qhD-sTL3xW7jM:" target="_blank">Rolling Stones tongue here</a>. It's colorful, fun, irreverant...it's rock and roll! So good! Now if you just saw it, you wouldn't necessarily know they were a rock band, but in my opinion, they nailed the feeling part. </p>
<p>All of that may sound easy, but it may not be. And it's the most important step so get it right. You can quickly design a logo and be done, but if you want it to convey a specific idea and feeling, you need to narrow this down, and then use it as a baseline to measure the different design options you consider. </p>
<p>Next, I recommend getting a good handle on how you plan to use the logo. If it's just going to go on a business card and a website, this part may be easy, but if you plan to use it on as many different items as I do, you should definitely consider these criteria:</p>
<ol> <li>Colors - If you choose specific colors, that may limit your options for the colors or backgrounds you put it on. For example, if you choose a pink logo, you may not be able to choose an orange shirt. Or if you have a pink and black logo, it might get lost on a black page of your website. Also, if you plan to screen-print a T-shirt, or certain other products, each additional color incurs an additional PER T-SHIRT charge. That can dramatically increase your costs.</li> <li>Square VS rectangular - I don't think there's necessarily a right answer here. I chose to go square because I thought it might be more versatile, but truth be told, there are a ton of rectangular places to put your logo like business cards and YouTube videos. </li> <li>Size and shapes - Similar to colors, just make sure to consider where you will be putting your logo. If you have a design with thin lines or small text, they may become illegible or unprintable at smaller sizes (ie on a business card). The thin lines or white space might not work in embroidery like on my hats. Definitely look at your logo in different sizes before you settle on a final version.</li> <li>Your name - On a certain level, a good logo doesn't need any text. Think McDonalds, Starbucks, Nike...I'm actually able to use my logo with and without my name. My product is me, largely, so I wanted to be able to have my name on there. Also, did you notice the guitar body is actually an 'S'?</li> <li>Fonts - This can be a long tough search through an incredible amount of fonts. Finding one that matches the feeling you're trying to convey is important, and in some cases just typing your name into such a font might be all you need for your logo. That's more or less what the Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Kiss, and countless other bands have done. There are some sites such as <a contents="Dafont.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.dafont.com/" target="_blank">Dafont.com</a> and <a contents="1001freefonts.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.1001freefonts.com" target="_blank">1001freefonts.com</a> where you can search through thousands of fonts, preview your text in them, and download many of them for free. Just make sure you choose a font that allows you to use it commercially. </li>
</ol>
<p>Last thing I will say, is there are TONS of options for finding designers if you want to outsource that work. I actually have used <a contents="upwork.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.upwork.com/" target="_blank">upwork.com</a> twice with success, and I know there are other popular sites such as <a contents="Fiverr.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.fiverr.com" target="_blank">Fiverr.com</a> or <a contents="99designs.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://99designs.com" target="_blank">99designs.com</a>. These sites have different models, but they allow you to put up a description of what you're looking for and then choose from a bunch of designs or designers. In the case of UpWork, you create a description and a price point and then designers from around the world bid on your project. If you go this route, definitely make sure you get clear on the type of imagery and the style and message you want to convey and make sure you are as clear and thorough as possible in your job descriptions. Lastly, if you do outsource to a designer, make sure your they deliver your design in several different formats such as jpg, pdf, png, and .ai which is Adobe Illustrator. Even if you don't have Illustrator, this can be helpful if you ever need to make adjustments, or work with other designers, say for your album art or t-shirts. These manufacturers often prefer illustrator files. </p>
<p>I'll leave you with the designs I ended up rejecting for Sheldon Low and Hallelu Music. Do you think I chose well? Any questions or other thoughts? Leave a comment!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/5db15268abb17e0e1d99f6f90bd9d7c696762f50/medium/sheldon-low-logo2b.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/c6c241e945bde682f911971b0c788b91da4d96c5/medium/sheldon-low-logo3.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/ad935fa088c82c499f3a25477227181dc716f56f/medium/hallelu-music-logo1.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/260a8be1767b828a65fa41a481458d0b77399111/medium/hallelu-music-logo3.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/ded5dca8413e856c40b47977581a212976e3081e/medium/hallelu-music-logo2b.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_thin" alt="" /></p>
<p> </p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/50119402018-01-17T00:16:30-05:002018-10-19T10:19:45-04:00House Concerts - Part 2 of 2<p>In this post, I mention some scripts and a manual we send to our hosts to help them prepare. I put a lot of work into that manual and I will be happy to share it with you, but in return, I ask that you <strong>follow</strong> and <strong>subscribe</strong> to me in the following places...choose one project:</p>
<p>Shelcon Low Project:<br><a contents="Mailing List" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://sheldonlow.com/mailing-list" target="_blank">Mailing List</a><br><a contents="Facebook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/SheldonLowMusic/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br><a contents="YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/TheSheldonLow/" target="_blank">YouTube</a><br><a contents="Spotify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/3rc69vSuwWvhwofn1aK9uP" target="_blank">Spotify</a></p>
<p>We Are The Northern Lights Project:<br><a contents="Mailing List&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.wearethenorthernlights.com/#mailing-list-section" target="_blank">Mailing List</a><br><a contents="Facebook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/wearethenorthernlightsband/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <br><a contents="YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gblgeXFJsKo&list=PL1qNrYZqmAdD7s9H_jF-6qlFHmZGSh-_I" target="_blank">YouTube</a> <br><a contents="Spotify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/user/124160914/playlist/1EbmvxkVhVfJvbTorBiVqY" target="_blank">Spotify</a></p>
<p>Afterward, <a contents="click here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:info@sheldonlow.com" target="_blank">click here</a> to email me a request for the manual. Thanks!</p>
<hr><p>Ok, so in <a contents="part 1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://sheldonlow.com/musician-revolution/blog/house-concerts" target="_blank">part 1</a>, I explained why house concerts are some of the most rewarding, fulfilling, and magical experiences you can have as a performer. Before I go on to the tips, I have to say that this past summer tour, which included something like 16 house concerts, <strong>was the most fun I've ever had on a summer tour</strong>. Somehow, despite all of our intentionality in planning the tour, we forgot the one advantage a house concert tour has that made it the best tour ever; because a good number of the house concerts were held in the homes of colleagues, family, and close friends, we basically spent the summer traveling from the homes of people we love to other people we know and love. And got paid to do so! And through the magic of house concerts, we quickly became close with the people who opened their homes to us who we didn't know as well. I'm usually fairly exhausted both physically and mentally by the end of my summer tours, but my personal tank was more than full after this tour, even after driving 5,000 miles. </p>
<p>Also, I got to do this:</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/cfc1cfc7c8f7f2ede89285283275b9d2435c8f5e/original/g0040202.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ok, so how did we do it? Well, first we went and purchased <a contents="Shannon Curtis's Book&nbsp;"No Booker, No Bouncer, No Bartender: How I Made $25K On A 2-Month House Concert Tour (And How You Can Too)."" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://shannoncurtis.net/houseconcerts/book/" target="_blank">Shannon Curtis's Book "No Booker, No Bouncer, No Bartender: How I Made $25K On A 2-Month House Concert Tour (And How You Can Too)."</a> You will really appreciate, as did we, how In this inexpensive and short read, fellow DIY musician Shannon Curtis gives easy step-by-step instructions on booking and running house concerts, including some really helpful advice to help get you past some rookie mistakes. Our tour was almost entirely based on the model and information in this book. <strong>So go buy it and support Shannon now.</strong></p>
<p>I'm not going to rewrite everything she already wrote about, but I will try to fill in some more advice based on what we've learned up to this point.</p>
<p>I'll break it down but first you have to understand the basic model. We took Shannon's suggestion to use a donation based model, meaning guests are informed on the invitation that they'll be asked to make a donation to the band in whatever amount they would like after the concert. We don't charge the hosts a fee or anything (though they almost always participate in the donations) but they are asked to bring a strict <strong>minimum</strong> of 20 adult guests. Again, read Shannon's book because there are some important details, but that'll at least help the rest of this blog make sense. Now on to some pro tips.</p>
<p><strong>Booking</strong> <strong>-</strong> Most people want to know how to find the houses/hosts for the concerts. A couple times in my life I've seriously considered <a contents="ConcertsInYourHome.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.concertsinyourhome.com/" target="_blank">ConcertsInYourHome.com</a> which is supposed to connect performers with hosts that are interested in hosting house concerts and, in theory, have experience doing so. Years ago there were a couple sites doing this, and a google search will probably find some in your area (AirBnb also recently launched an <a contents='"experiences"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.airbnb.com/s/experiences" target="_blank">"experiences"</a> type of platform that people are using.) For ConcertsInYourHome.com you have to 'audition' and there's an annual $400 fee to join. If I personally knew anyone who had used the service, or if there was an option to "try before you buy" I might consider it, but I've never actually applied. All we did was compile a list of people we knew who might find an event like this exciting and made sure they had a space that could comfortably seat all of their guests. <strong>We also made sure they knew in no uncertain terms that if they wanted to book us we needed them to get 20 adults to show up so that we wouldn't literally lose money to play there. </strong> That means they should be inviting 45-50 adults minimum because we've found that on average about 50% of invitations are declined. </p>
<p>(*Side note - House concerts have become much more popular over the last decade or so, but they are still a foreign concept to most people. You'd be surprised at how little and how big people's imaginations run when you mention a house concert. <strong>To that end, I slapped together the video at the bottom of this email.</strong>..I know it's not a great video, so it's unlisted on YouTube but it's good enough to paint a picture for would be hosts, and perhaps you.)</p>
<p><strong>Hosting - </strong>We provide the entertainment and have some needs but by and large, this is the hosts' party. If they want to wine and dine their guests, that's great. Potluck and BYOB are great too. I suppose you could not have food/drink but who wants that??? In addition to providing the 'venue' for the night and inviting guests, the important role that hosts play is in introducing you before the show and outro after the show, during which time they make sure to mention the donation jar. We provide scripts in the manual which hosts can use...they should be free to adapt it, but make sure to cover the important points, including the donation jar. </p>
<p><strong>Guests -</strong> Adults. No kids. No pets. No exceptions. Ok, mature young music fans aged 10 and up allowed. We love dogs (not cats, though you wierdos!) and we love children. But they will absolutely interrupt the evening and have for us on several occasions when we were trying to be nice. Nothing like a dog barking and chasing it's tail on stage, right at the peak of your intense love song. (To be fair, we've had some adults do the equivalent too...saving those stories for the memoir.)</p>
<p><strong>Invitations - </strong>Must make clear that guests are expected to make a donation. You don't want to surprise anyone with this. Check out our manual for some language we wrote that people could just copy and paste into <a contents="evite.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.evite.com" target="_blank">evite.com</a>, email invitations, and/or Facebook. We learned this great line for the invitation from one of our hosts: "Please make a reservation only if you can commit to attending, as empty seats deprive the artist of revenue." Love that. Added it to our manual. Again, you need to send a minimum of twice the number of invitations as people who you'd like to show up. We provide some hi-res pro photos that people can insert in their invitations and have even recorded a video for one of our hosts to share as part of their invitation. </p>
<p><strong>Donations - </strong>Several different points on this topic which I'm sure you're dying to know:</p>
<ul> <li>Some people like to give a suggested donation amount. We didn't because we would regularly receive amounts several times the figure we would suggested. Also, we don't want some people to not come because they can't afford that suggested amount.</li> <li>All of the above being said, and per Shannon's suggestion, we used a clear jar and pre-filled it with some $20 bills to help 'suggest' the order of magnitude of donation. Sorry for the math term there...mechanical engineer in me comes out from time to time. What I mean is, a typical concert ticket these days not including parking, food/drink, etc is usually $25-$100 bucks. Your guests are getting front row seats to a boutique type of event. They should be donating amounts in the order of $10s not $1s.</li> <li>In the introduction and after your show, your hosts will remind the guests of the donation and point out the jar. We hide at this point because it can feel a bit awkward and we don't want anyone to feel like we're watching them make a donation. <ul> <li>Pro pro tip - make sure to have the donation jar out, visible and have your host mention it and physically point to the jar in the intro. At a recent house concert, about 20 of the 60 or so guests left early and we forgot to have the jar out so we missed out on potentially a considerable amount of income.</li> </ul> </li>
</ul>
<p>(*Side-note - We've run into some would-be hosts are uncomfortable with the donation based model. They may be uncomfortable doing the request, or with the idea of asking people to make donations at all. We've played a couple concerts where the host generously paid us a fee, and we know some hosts sell tickets. You'll have to figure out those figures and models yourself, but if you're going donation-based, the host really should be the one reminding their guests about the donations. Remember, the guests knew they were going to be giving donations when they RSVP'd and showed up. Also, some hosts are REALLY good at asking for the donations...they make it fun and explain very matter-of-factly that this is how we make our living and think about what you would pay to see other musical artists of our caliber.)</p>
<p><strong>Seating - </strong>Make sure everyone is in comfortable seats and can see and hear. Nobody likes standing for an hour, or watching a show with partial view or partial hearing. Seriously, you are going to all be transported by this experience so make sure everyone keeps all arms and legs inside the ride at all times. Also, arrange the seating before guests arrive to make the audience as close to you and as close to each other as possible...think public transportation plus an inch or two on all sides. In all my years of performing, I have ALWAYS found that the less personal space, the more people enjoy the concert. </p>
<p><strong>Sound - </strong>Make sure everyone can hear well. Rooms with carpet swallow a lot more sound and you may find you have to play or sing much louder. Though the fully acoustic shows are amazing, if you can amplify yourself, it can really help. It may surprise you but even for a crowd of 20 people it may be difficult for you to be heard by the furthest audience member if you're fully acoustic.</p>
<p><strong>Lighting - </strong>If you can, consider trying to dim the 'house' and light the 'stage.' It's a home and there aren't usually separate lighting zones in a room, so I try bring a few of my professional LED stage lights to light up the stage and then dim or turn off the room lights. Outdoor flood work lights work well for this, in a pinch.</p>
<p><strong>Merch</strong> - Bring it and set it up...people are going to want to a souvenir of this experience, with your signature. Especially so they can say they "knew you when..." Also, you gotta hit the iron when it's hot. Know how many times people have gone to the website when I'm sold out of an item in person? Maybe one time in 11 years. Also, have your host mention your merch table in the intro and outro, and you should mention it several times yourself. If you're uncomfortable with this, either get over it, or just come to terms with the fact that you'll get relatively few sales. Know why you see the same TV commercials hundreds of times? Because studies have shown over and over again that people need to be told things multiple times in order for it to be heard. Science. It's real. </p>
<p><strong>Mailing List - </strong>Definitely head over to my <a contents="post on mailing lists" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://sheldonlow.com/musician-revolution/blog/grow-your-mailing-list-in-person-part-1" target="_blank">post on mailing lists</a> but during our set, we actually pass the mailing list around the room. We usually get close to 100% sign-up rate in the room when we do this. The opposite is true if we just leave it on the merch table. </p>
<p><strong>The Schedule - </strong>Here's more or less what Shannon suggests and it works great for us. Do one hour of meet and greet with drinks/food, then about one hour of concert, then another hour of merch sales, more meet and greet, and food/drinks to cap the evening off. For you (and your hosts) there's additional setup and teardown on either end of that. Here's a typical breakdown for us:</p>
<ul> <li>4:00 PM - Arrival and setup</li> <li>6:00 PM - Guests arrive for meet/greet and food/drinks</li> <li>6:50 PM - Announce that show will begin shortly and ask guests to fill up on food/drinks and use restroom one last time</li> <li>7:00 PM - Showtime</li> <li>8:00 PM - Merch sales, more meet/greet and food//drinks</li> <li>9:00 PM - teardown</li>
</ul>
<p>*Side note - Shannon explains that 1 hour of meet/greet and drinks is ideal and I fully agree. It's enough time for people who are late arrivers to get there before the show begins, to have some drinks and ease into the space which is hard for some people, get some time to meet us, and get situated in seats. But it's not so much time that people have too many drinks for their state of mind or for their bladders during the concert. And yes, we ask that people use the restroom before the concert...it's just an hour.</p>
<p><b>Pics and video </b> - We encourage people to take pictures and video throughout the show. Some artists get on a high-horse about 'experiencing the music in the moment, man'...I get that and certainly don't want one guest to block another guest's view with a phone. But if I'm doing something that someone thinks is cool enough they want to document it and share it with others, I'm more for that. In fact, not only do we allow it, we actually tell people to take out their phones a few times during the show and not only document it but to share and tag us on all our socials....telling people to not take their phones out...ridiculous. </p>
<p><strong>Thank you's - </strong>Remember to thank your hosts and the people who came out during your show. You know how hard it can be to get people to follow you on your socials, which is just clicking a button. These people actually planned and spent money to come see you. Your hosts put a lot of time and effort to making the evening happen. Make sure they know how much you appreciate it. When possible we try to bring small gifts to our hosts (like bagels from NYC) and we mail handwritten thank you notes after the show. </p>
<p><b>The rub - </b>Ok, you still want to know, how much are you gonna walk away with at the end of the night? Well, put simply, on a few occasions we've brought in $1400 accounting for donations and merch sales. Yes, on average we make less than that, and sometimes far less than that. So even if I wanted to stop doing Jewish music, and I don't, it wouldn't make financial sense. But I'm fortunate to be able to choose what gigs I want to do, and aside from all the other benefits I list off in Part 1, for me, these can be a great add-on to another gig if I'm already in the area. </p>
<p>Very last point....PUT ON A GOOD SHOW! You might think that since it's at a house, you can be more lax about your prep. In fact, I think the opposite is true. Your audience is close and will be able to see and hear everything. Make sure your show is dynamic both in audio and visual. </p>
<p>That's it for me for now. The video I mention in the "Booking" heading above is below. If you have anything to add or ask, you know what to do. </p>
<p>Keep rockin' out there!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="hXRy8HlfOFU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/hXRy8HlfOFU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hXRy8HlfOFU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/50032112018-01-10T09:30:00-05:002020-06-30T08:26:09-04:00House Concerts - Part 1 of 2<p><strong>"Put simply, the guests would spend less time and money, we'd make more money, and EVERYONE would have a MUCH better time."</strong></p>
<p>Before I begin, I just want to say I'm really enjoying sharing these blogs and I hope you're finding them both fun to read and useful. If so, I'd really appreciate you leaving a comment below. But the best compliment I can receive is if you sign up for my <a contents="mailing list" data-link-label="Mailing List" data-link-type="page" href="/mailing-list" target="_blank">mailing list</a> or subscribe to my <a contents="Spotify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4T6rfdaVCdLJN8M6rYFlDJ" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, <a contents="YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/sheldonlow" target="_blank">YouTube</a>, <a contents="Facebook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.facebook.com/SheldonLowMusic" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and/or <a contents="Instagram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/SheldonLow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>. Thanks and rock on!</p>
<hr><p>Back in February of 2017, my wife and I were out in Hollywood for a writing retreat. This was the 1-year anniversary of the writing retreat where we accidentally started our "<a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.wearethenorthernlights.com" target="_blank">We Are The Northern Lights</a>" project. In addition to getting our vitamin D, we spent our days writing, waiting to hear the first mixes of our first EP, and trying to figure out how to spend the summer. On the table was a vacation, finding another cabin in the woods to write or record even more, or maybe trying to book some WATNL shows.</p>
<p>The top of my list was booking WATNL shows. I could do my usual "Sheldon Low" summer tour and throw in some WATNL gigs as well. Given the choice, I'll take a summer tour with Hadar, rather than another one without her, and this was exactly the type of challenge and adventure I love doing with her. Usually our adventures involve traveling somewhere far from home where very little English is spoken and we speak nothing of the native language. Learning about the new cultures and being in a completely foreign place and discovering beautiful, delicious, or bizarre places and things is both fun and mind expanding for me. The tour would be more culturaly familiar, but an adventure nonetheless.</p>
<p>But Hadar wanted to have some more tangible and attainable goals beyond a grand adventure for its own sake. So we decided to investigate what it would take to do a successful tour. By successful tour we meant we would want to make back all of the money we'd be spending on travel (rental car, hotels, gas, tolls, food, and alcohol of course!) and on our merch that we would want to have available (CDs, T-shirts, hats, etc). For me, success meant we'd do so well that we'd be invited back to most or all of the venues. We had other goals of course but these were biggies and they both meant one thing: getting people to attend our shows, lots of people.</p>
<p>We figured the best way to do that, especially as a brand new band with very little recognition, was to focus on cities where we had a good number of friends and/or family. So we spent a while plotting a course through the country hitting places like Boston, Piittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, etc. Then I began compiling a list of the camps I visit near each of those cities while Hadar began the exhausting work of researching venues and the contact people for those venues in each city. There's a great site called <a contents="Indie On the Move" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.indieonthemove.com/" target="_blank">Indie On the Move</a> which you can use to learn about venues in each city, but making sure you find the right fit and best venue for your music and your performance is a time consuming and brutal job. </p>
<p>The plan was to compile the list of venues and then begin the next exhausting round of tour planning which is to reach out to each of these venues that had never heard of our brand new band, so brand new we had no studio recordings or professional performance videos or other important content, and hope and pray that they'd not only respond to our emails but actually book us. There are obviously all kinds of venues that all operate differently but by and large, you send a well-crafted (read time-consuming) email to the venue and hope you hear back. Often you have to send 2-3 emails before you get any type of response, and even if they do, they don't waste any time trying to be polite. Make no mistake, they are doing you a huge favor by allowing you to play at their place, but instead of the 8PM slot you had requested, they'll give you the midnight slot. But only if you can guarantee 20 people will attend. Oh and they'll be taking the first $100 and 50% of every ticket sold beyond that. On the night of your performance you'll get 15 minutes for the other band to get off stage, for you to get setup on stage, AND for your "'soundcheck" from an angry engineer who seems to have landed the job without any knowledge of sound. You'll show up on time only to be told they're running 45 minutes late so you need to tell your guests who have work the next morning that you'll actually start playing closer to 1 AM and you only get to play until 1:25 at this point. If your friends even want to sit down, it'll be on sticky rickety chairs and they'll also have a two drink minimum from the bartender who pays no attention to the fact that you're playing a show whether she's standing directly in front of your mic taking orders or smashing ice as loudly as she can from behind the bar. You can't hang with your friends and family who came all the way downtown to hang with you because you don't want to be rude to the bands before and after you, and you can't hear them anyway because the PA is up so loud. Forget selling merch...there's no where to put it, no time to sell it, and no guarantee your merch and cash won't be stolen. The place smells awful and somehow you only walk out with $50 no matter how many people show. </p>
<p>Ok, I'm exaggerating. Kind of. To be fair, these venues are businesses and they're in business to make money and stay in business...not promote your band for free. They need to sell tickets and drinks and if you've ever worked with musicians and other artist types, you know that 'reliability' is sadly not a word we can always use. The angry sound engineer is being tasked with an impossible job (6 or more 15-minute sound checks each night) and talent and performances probably vary greatly each night. If they've seen you bring crowds a couple or more times, maybe they'll be more willing to give you that critical time slot (like a Saturday night) where people are out and when they should RELIABLY make money. I really am not trying to bash venues...in fact, some of them such as "Rockwood Music Hall" in NYC and "Hotel Cafe" in Hollywood are the exact opposite experience. But in many cases, it can be an underwhelming experience and a lost opportunity for both the performers and the audiences who show up. </p>
<p>So back to our story. Hadar and I are looking at the lists of people we know in each town, and how many of them we realistically expect to show up so we can estimate the number of people we can guarantee at each show in the emails we are planning to send to each venue begging them to let us play when she looks up at me and says, "What about house concerts?"</p>
<p>Now I had played a few house concerts already and knew how magical they could be. And running my own sound and lights, if we even needed them at all, would be some extra time and physical labor at each show (not to mention room in the car) but would also give me much better control over the quality of our sound. And if we were going to invite the same people whether we were performing at a venue or a house concert, we'd have a better chance at covering our expenses if we took 100% of the ticket prices and didn't give 50-75% of it to some venue. Quite frankly, we might even be able to get a larger crowd if the house concert host invited a bunch of their friends. </p>
<p>The more we thought about it, the more convinced we became that with house concerts we could not only optimize the experience for us, but also for the people who came to our shows.</p>
<p>For example, instead of begging a venue to let us play and hoping to get a response AND a favorable showtime when our guests could actually show up, we would be emailing back and forth with our closest network of people and choosing the best time for us and their guests. On the day of the concert, we'd be able to show up early, have no trouble with parking and unloading the car, have a relaxing setup and make sure that we sound good both in the mains and in our monitors. We could actually hang out and have conversations with friends, family, and guests before and after the show. When our show was designed to be quiet, we'd actually be in a quiet room. We'd be able to set up a merch booth and after putting on the best show we could, feel reasonably confident we would sell merch and get mailing list signups. We could have a leisurely teardown at the end of the night. </p>
<p><strong>Most importantly, we knew that if we were in control, we'd be able to create a truly magical performance for our guests. You chat, break bread, sip wine and get to know the guests attending your performance. There's no physical separation between you and the audience and you can look every person in the eye during the performance. A house concert is this beautiful symbiotic shared experience. That shared experience means you're not only making fans, you're really making friends of the band. Not only is this a way to make huge fans, it's really fulfilling and rewarding as a performer and human being. </strong></p>
<p>Our hosts would get to have a party with all of their friends and have the social currency of introducing their friends (that's us) who are in a brand new band to their friends coming as guests. They'd also get our complete adoration. :)</p>
<p>For our guests, they'd be going over to their close friend's house where they wouldn't have to pay for or find parking, they might get wined and dined by the hosts (or maybe save some money over going out if the hosts did a potluck and BYOB). They'd sit comfortably and get to watch an intimate show from up close. And they'd be able to hang out with us. What I mean is, if they're our friends and family, we'd actually get to hang out with them as opposed to if they came to a venue. Or if we didn't know them, they'd get an opportunity to hang out with the performer before and after the show. Maybe that sounds pretentious, but I'd LOVE to hang out with the performers I go see. ;)</p>
<p>Put simply, the guests would spend less time and money, we'd make more money, and EVERYONE would have a MUCH better time. </p>
<p>So it really was a no-brainer for us. Now I'm not saying I'll never play a venue again. First of all, certain venues are iconic and historic and aside from the honor of getting to play them, they look great in a bio or when trying to book other venues. And in addition to a stage, lights, and PA already on premises, most venues can seat more people than most houses. Much as I love house concerts, and I REALLY do, we've done a few that may have worked better in a venue just so everyone could sit in the same room as us. Also, if<strong> </strong>you play in a death-metal band, house concerts may not be the right fit for you. Just be sure to think about your performance and how it would work in a living room or backyard before you start booking yourself. For acoustic folk-pop, house concerts are amazing. </p>
<p>But then, how exactly were we going to put the whole thing together? How much would we charge for tickets? What would we need to do to make this whole thing work? Well this is way too long so head on over to Part 2 (coming soon!) for some tips on how to actually book and run a house concert.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/30fef9f3d099dbb8c8127ebaaf76bbb2b7f8264a/original/amy-perlin-still-frame.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/49362642018-01-03T14:48:07-05:002018-01-04T16:23:47-05:00Why is this called the "Musician Revolution" Blog?<p>Hi there. If you've been reading my previous entries, you may have noticed something. One, that in the words of one of my heroes, El Duderino, I am "not into the whole brevity thing." I'm working on that. But two, more importantly, with each entry I am trying to offer at least one unique pragmatic solution, strategy, or process that I employ, along with step by step instructions on how and why I do employ that strategy. I definitely don't claim to have all the answers, but I've figured out a few things that have worked well for me and I want to share them with you. Why, you may ask?</p>
<p>At a recent show, a musician friend of mine told me about her first experience attending a leadership conference that I presented at called "Songleader Boot Camp." She couldn't believe that successful musicians were sharing their personal strategies and resources with all of the attendees. Up until that point, she had been taught that the music industry was territorial and that you should guard your strategies and territory from everyone, especially other artists. If you've spent even 5 minutes trying to make music your career you probably know well the uncomfortable feeling of interacting with someone who operates this way. The music industry is NOT this way. Or rather, it isn't if we choose to make it so. And I'm saying this because whether you realize it or not, the music industry is being rebuilt right now. It's being rebuilt by musicians and bloggers and creative technologies and that means that, RIGHT NOW, we have an incredible opportunity to rebuild the industry and community as we want it to be. Together.</p>
<p><strong>And that's exactly why right now is one of the most exciting times to be a musician</strong>. Imagine the music industry was a club you and I really wanted to play at. There was really only one way to get on into the club, but even trying to get in took a lot of money, especially because you were competing with entire companies that were footing the bill for other artists. Even if you were lucky enough to get into the club, the owners (major labels) would determine whether or not you'd be allowed to stay, let alone have your music be heard. Then, out of nowhere, one of the other artists standing in line went and just opened up their own club, and that one club you spent so much time and energy focused on suddenly went out of business. At first you're disoriented and sad, but then you look up and realize suddenly there's a whole city full of other great clubs where you can play, or empty lots waiting for you to stake your own claim, in building a whole brand new music scene in your city. You realize that not only can you play your music at your own club, but a bunch of other stores now want your music too, and you can even help build new tools to make it easier for other artists. Where there was once only one path, you now have multiple viable paths. </p>
<p>Ok, maybe this analogy is falling apart. Bottom line is this; big business (mostly major music labels) were the only ones who could afford to spend the enormous amounts of money it took to record, promote, and book a recording or touring artist. Even if you were "lucky" enough to get signed to a record label and record an album, that same label could put your finished record on a shelf and never release it, for any reason at all. At the same time you were still locked into a contract that you couldn't escape. Your project got canned before it ever got started. </p>
<p>Horrible allegory aside, my point is, the old gatekeepers don't exist anymore. Maybe they never did. Maybe the better way of thinking about it is that now, armed with all of this technology, individuals have access to all sorts of tools that were previously either cost-prohibitive or that replaced entire teams of people necessary to accomplish certain tasks. To some, this change is scary and bad. I'm not going to be selling tens of thousands of CDs anymore. But you can lament that unchanging fact, or you can pull up your britches and get to work. As soon as you do, you'll realize that it's a whole new exciting time to be a musician, one in which almost every day some new tool comes out that enables you to accomplish more than ever before. The barrier to becoming a career musician has all but been eliminated and the playing field has been significantly flattened. Between powerful computers and inexpensive audio software and the internet, <strong>w</strong><strong>e, the musicians, can take back the power. That's the revolution I'm talking about.</strong></p>
<p>Hate touring? Well now you can make a career completely online on social media, YouTube, and endless other platforms. How about publishing your own radio program as a podcast? Or you can be a blogger. You can be an online music teacher and set up a subscription to your video lessons. If you can dream it, nowadays you can do it! </p>
<p>Now, if you're definition of success is a carbon copy of Taylor Swift's ENORMOUS career as a songwriter, recording artist, performer, and celebrity, that's the equivalent of trying to win the lottery. I'm not trying to sound cynical, but if that's your dream, and your only metric for success, just understand there's a lot of factors way beyond your control that will determine whether or not your career will explode and sustain the way TayTay's has. And quite frankly, if you want to enjoy that kind of success, and that amount of corporate power behind you, you will probably need to work your tail off gathering a following that would interest a label to invest in you in the first place. And if you've already gathered that following, what do you need a label for? </p>
<p>Chance the Rapper, who famously denied label support is an awesome example of someone who blew up and knew that a label wasn't going to do much for him at that point in his career. I think I'd love to have that amount of recognition, but the truth is I'm pretty happy where I'm at as well. I'm not trying to compete with anyone (except for myself). I'm just trying to be financially stable so I never have to go back to mechanical engineering as a career. So far, it's been 11 years, and going strong!</p>
<p>All those tools and strategies the big businesses use are cheap and accessible enough for you to have an amazing career. That isn't to say that you just purchase some new things and suddenly you're going to be an expert songwriter, recording artist, producer, tour manager, cover art designer, booking agent, etc...These things will take time to learn and hone, but over the last decade I've recorded 6 albums, toured over 100 dates each year, and I own my apartment in Manhattan. All from music. Not bad, right? </p>
<p><strong>Last thing going back to being territorial. Your success does not in any way take away from my success, nor does mine take away from yours. If I figure out a way to get 10 million views on YouTube, you can be sure I'm going to share that with you here. If you figure out a way, I'd sure appreciate you sharing it with me, here or somewhere else. My stream numbers don't come at the expense of your stream numbers. I want to be part of a music community whose members excite, inspire, and positively challenge each other to dig deeper. As we rebuild this music landscape, let's revel in each other's successes, and always help lift each other up. </strong></p>
<p>So if you're convinced about this revolution, you can go ahead and stop reading here. But in case you need more clarification, or need more convincing, or just feel like reading more, I'm going to lay out some of the tools and changes that have created this "Musician Revolution."</p>
<p>As per usual, thoughts, questions, and comments are welcome below and thanks for reading!</p>
<hr><p><strong>*Just to be clear, the following are just some of the ways in which life as a musician is much more efficient now than it was 5,10, or 15 years ago, but a lot of this stuff does take time and effort to master or to grow. Don't think you can buy a few new things or setup a few new accounts and suddenly be a career musician.</strong></p>
<p>Let's start with the fact that almost every new computer comes pre-loaded with some pretty sophisticated recording software. You can do things with a few clicks on Garageband that used to take hours in a recording studio. Back then you'd need to have access to a recording studio with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment and tape, and spend upwards of those amounts in order to record just one album. Or you had to be talented enough AND lucky enough to somehow get signed to a record label. And even then, if and only if the record label lets you cut an album, and only if they release it, you still have to recoup all that money you spent recording before you earned a dime. They also tell you what, when, where, and how to record. Nowadays, who gets to make all those decisions? You do. </p>
<p>Oh, and speaking of recording, did your favorite session musician move halfway across the country? No problem. She can just record in her city and dropbox you her tracks. Need to find a player or producer? A quick Google search will show several services to help you find the person you need. </p>
<p>What about marketing? In the old days, you could tour or take out an ad in a paper, radio, magazine, or TV. Now you can reach magnitudes more with nearly endless options for free social media sites which allow you to not only reach, but also engage with fans and potential fans. You can make a nice looking website for $10 a month, Add another $2 per month if you want an email with your vanity domain on it (ie info@sheldonlow.com). In the old days you'd need to go to a design firm or hire a professional designer. Now anyone can purchase top of the line design and photo editing software (or choose from several great free options such as <a contents="GIMP" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.gimp.org/" target="_blank">GIMP</a>) and design posters from your laptop while sitting on a Boltbus down to DC (as I am right now). Or use a great service like <a contents="GetBandPosters.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.getbandposters.com/" target="_blank">GetBandPosters.com</a>. Or set your budget and hire a free-lancer on sites such as <a contents="Upwork" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.upwork.com/" target="_blank">Upwork</a> or <a contents="Fiverr" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.fiverr.com/" target="_blank">Fiverr</a>.</p>
<p>Let's talk distribution. Think you were gonna get your CDs on to the shelves at FYE? Not a chance! Maybe at <a contents="Vintage Vinyl" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://vintagevinyl.com/" target="_blank">Vintage Vinyl</a> for those of you fellow hometown St. Louisans, but otherwise you were only selling CDs at your shows. Those were good days to be sure, but imagine going back in time and telling yourself that someday the entire world would be able to access your music in their pocket. Don't get me wrong, as a creator I wish I could sell CD's like I used to, and I wish that we creators were paid more fairly for all the streaming, but as a music fan and in terms of potential to get my music to a MUCH larger population, that's bananas! </p>
<p>How about planning a tour? How did you find venues before Google? Can you even imagine going back to the days of mapquest and printing out all of your directions for the entire tour before leaving home for your first gig? How much time and money did you lose when getting lost? What about finding gas stations, restaurants, or hotels along the way? I'll stay in the present, thank you very much. </p>
<p>Mailing list? Digital collection methods for the list (as described in my <a contents='"Grow Your Mailing List"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://sheldonlow.com/musician-revolution/blog/grow-your-mailing-list-in-person-part-1" target="_blank">"Grow Your Mailing List"</a> blog post, and virtually free emails directly to your fans, rather than printing and mailing physical newsletters by USPS. How much did 1000 copies, envelopes, and stamps cost in the 90s? </p>
<p>Need some financial support for your music? Whether it's a tour, a new album, or finding patrons, there's sites and a culture of support through sites like <a contents="Kickstarter" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.kickstarter.com/" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a>, <a contents="IndieGogo" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.indiegogo.com/" target="_blank">IndieGogo</a>, <a contents="PledgeMusic" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.pledgemusic.com/" target="_blank">PledgeMusic</a>, <a contents="Patreon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.patreon.com/" target="_blank">Patreon</a>, <a contents="Jewcer" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.jewcer.org/" target="_blank">Jewcer</a> if you're a fellow Jewish creator, etc etc etc. </p>
<p>Want to purchase some used instruments or music gear? Search the whole country and world with eBay, Facebook marketplace, or <a contents="Reverb" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://reverb.com/" target="_blank">Reverb</a>. Or rent it from another musician with <a contents="Sparkplug" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sparkplug.it/" target="_blank">Sparkplug</a>. </p>
<p>I think you get my point. If you need something for your career, you can probably get it, and more easily than ever in history. And if you don't know how to do it, you can probably find the answer online or watch a free video tutorial on YouTube. <strong>You are only limited by your time, energy, and sheer will.</strong></p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/49166242017-11-13T12:43:58-05:002021-08-17T06:04:53-04:00Grow your mailing list in person - Part 2<p>Alright, so I convinced you why your mailing list is so important in Part 1. Now how to grow it in person...</p>
<p>The first thing I tried was rather than just mention that people could sign up for the mailing list during my concert, I would offer something to anyone who signed up. Online that's the mp3 for an email. In person at a concert, that's a custom Sheldon Low guitar pick. The picks, which are the same Dunlop Tortex Orange (.60 mm) picks that I always use, cost me about $300 for 800 custom picks. In addition to a give-away, I haven't run out of picks for my own use in a few years now! If $300 is a lot of money for your business to bear, I wouldn't recommend doing this. It's a somewhat low return on investment. If I could say I got 800 email addresses for $300, that'd be an awesome investment but it hasn't been that effective. I'd say it gets me a handful of extra sign-ups at each show.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/e1ed1a6d36e16b838469eb7901349830003d8f11/original/img-7095.jpg?1509645396" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>This past summer I came up with a far better solution that cost me about $100. And the result was I gained nearly 200 new email addresses over about 15 shows in less than 7 weeks. For some people, that may not seem like a significant number. If not, then please send me your blog as I have a lot to learn from YOU. But I want to share this solution because it has eliminated all of the time and frustration associated with the paper sign-up. And 200 email addresses may not sound like much, but I'd estimate that was <strong>above a 75% signup rate</strong>. (Many of the emails we collected were already on our mailing list).</p>
<p>I simply signed up for a free mailchimp account, purchased the cheapest reputable tablet that could run the Mailchimp app, and downloaded the free <a contents='"Mailchimp Subscribe" app' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://mailchimp.com/features/mailchimp-subscribe/" target="_blank">"Mailchimp Subscribe" app</a> onto the tablet. The app lets you upload images (like a logo or photo), choose colors, and designate which fields you'd like your subscribers to enter when they sign up. In my case I chose, Name, email, and zip code. The other wonderful thing about the app is that, when connected to the internet, it automatically verifies any email address entered, so as not to duplicate any emails already on the list as well as notifying you of any addresses that don't work. Miraculously, only about 3-4 of the 200 from this summer were invalid, and in every single case, it was a typo that was easy to figure out and correct like "xxx@fmail.com".</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/85d520db820584ddaee64e4d2a41b3a20b8a9289/original/img-7096.jpg?1509645684" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I'm going to leave some tips below, but the other important solution we came up with, is during the concert itself, we kept the tablet up on stage with us, and at a specific point in the show (with enough time for the tablet to make its way around the entire crowd), we let the audience know that we could really use their help. We told them that one of the biggest ways they could help support us was by signing up for the mailing list, told them what cool stuff we wanted to share with them by email and truthfully promised them that our correspondence would be limited and would not clog their inboxes. Then we immediately passed the tablet out to the audience. I'm pretty sure something like 95% of our audience members entered their email address. I know this because I would see how many entries we would get each night and also knew the size of the crowd.</p>
<p>Here are a couple important tips:</p>
<ul> <li>Placement <ul> <li>I have a card on my merch table that says in huge letters, "PUT TABLET HERE" so that when the last person signs up, they can go put the mailing list on the merch table instead of having to hold it throughout the show. If you have an assistant or host, they can also go grab the tablet.</li> <li>Make sure the tablet isn't placed in direct sunlight for a while. They can overheat and you'll lose your opportunity to grab email addresses while they cool down.</li> </ul> </li> <li>Hardware <ul> <li>I bought a refurbished <a contents='7" Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Tablet-White-SM-T113NDWAXAR/dp/B01AZ7LT20" target="_blank">7" Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite</a> on Amazon. I knew it would run the app, was a reputable brand that wouldn't fritz out on me, and was inexpensive enough that it wouldn't sting too much if it got lost or stolen. At 7 inches it's large enough for the visually impaired or large thumbed (like myself!), but also still relatively small and lightweight.</li> <li>I also bought this <a contents="screen protector" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G8IFUSY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">screen protector</a> and colorful <a contents="protective&nbsp;case" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N7H9GJJ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">protective case</a> on Amazon here. Equipment takes a beating on the road and broken equipment can really sabotage your tour...you already know how I feel about cases from my <a contents='"Equipment for Professional Songleading" blog.' data-link-label="DIY Blog" data-link-type="page" href="/diy-blog" target="_blank">"Equipment for Professional Songleading" blog.</a>
</li> <li>Make sure to charge the tablet before each show.</li> </ul> </li> <li>Mailchimp and software <ul> <li>Make sure you change the setting on your tablet to never let it go to sleep. Once the tablet gets placed back on your merch table, you want it to be displaying the sign-up form, instead of a black screen.</li> <li>The software also allows you to lock the sign-up form page with a password. I don't have any personal information on the tablet that I'm worried about but this means no one can accidentally leave the app (by hitting a button while passing the tablet, for example) or do anything on your app or tablet other than sign-up for your mailing list. <strong> Use this lock!</strong>
</li> <li>Mailchimp's free account only allows you to have 2000 subscribers across all your various lists in that account. If you are looking to do this professionally, you should be aiming to far exceed that number of subscribers, and you will learn that it is not that large of a number. I use <a contents="Bandzoogle" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bandzoogle.com/" target="_blank">Bandzoogle</a>, my web builder designer, as my primary email collector and mailing list email campaign manager, and mailchimp as one of my other supplementary email collection methods so I get by on the free account. But as I mentioned above, if you get over 2000 subscribers, you should be able to afford Mailchimp's or any other email marketing business's fees.</li> </ul> </li>
</ul>
<p>Here are two other ideas I've encountered:</p>
<ol> <li>I use <a contents="Square" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://squareup.com/" target="_blank">Square</a> to accept credit cards at my merch booth. The app allows the customer to sign-up for your mailing list when they check out. It seems like a pretty good option considering the fact that the customer likes you enough to purchase some of your merch. I haven't gathered many email addresses passively this way, though I imagine if I tried to create a more active strategic approach, I might be able to make this more effective. </li> <li>I was listening to a <a contents="great podcast" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://cdbabypodcast.com/2017/10/197-rick-barker-earning-74000-using-facebook-live/" target="_blank">great podcast</a> called the "DIY Musician Podcast" which is one of CDBaby's podcasts. This particular podcast was a broadcast of Rick Barker's seminar from the 2017 DIY Musician Conference. Close to the beginning, Rob tells everyone that he's going to send them his slides so they don't have to take any notes. In order to do so, he asks everyone to take out their phones and send him an email with a particular hashtag in the subject line. He has a smart mailbox setup to collect all those emails so he can send the slides, but also add those emails to his contact list. He then gives someone in the audience who emailed just emailed him. Within a few minutes, he received a few hundred email addresses at the cost of one of his books, $2.21. I haven't personally tried this yet, but I'm eager to try it out!</li>
</ol>
<p>That's it for now! Please let me know if you try to implement any of these ideas and how they work for you. Also, if you figure out something smarter, please let me know by leaving a comment below!</p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/49243482017-11-09T15:12:03-05:002017-11-09T15:12:03-05:00Grow your mailing list in person - Part 1<p>(Ok people. I've been writing some long ones so I'm gonna try and keep this one short, and still practical. If you hadn't noticed, I'm trying to give you at least one practical and actionable item you can use to improve your setup in each post. <strong>As always, and especially for this post, please support by <a contents="subscribing to the email list" data-link-label="Mailing List" data-link-type="page" href="/mailing-list" target="_blank">subscribing to the email list</a> and commenting and sharing on social media.</strong>) </p>
<p>Let me get right to the point here. Forget Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc etc. Your mailing list is where it's at. Ok, Ok...don't forget them, but understand this crucial point. Social media sites come and go...think Friendster, MySpace, Vine, Meerkat, and a slew of other companies I've never even heard of. And even if they buck the trend and miraculously stay around, they are constantly changing their algorithms, features, and functions whenever and however they want. That means if you build up your fan network and communications entirely through them, you are at risk of them changing the very feature that you rely on to grow or communicate with your network. Or worse, you risk entirely losing that network you worked so hard to build if the company goes out of business, gets acquired, or simply becomes unpopular. Not to mention, you have to craft each post catering to the unique strengths of each platform. </p>
<p>Your mailing list, on the other hand, gives you complete control...and remember, that's what this musician revolution is all about. It's about how each of us DIY musicians have all these great tools to be able to "make it" as musicians today. </p>
<p>Email is here to stay. Until something game-changing comes along, something as game changing as the internet which will change EVERYTHING as we know it, I think people will continue to use email. And sure, some people will change their address over the years, but by and large, people stick with what they have. Case in point, I still regularly get people signing up to my email list with AOL, Hotmail, and Yahoo addresses. So 1999, right? The point is, your mailing list gives you complete control and access to your fans who have signed up. </p>
<p>And here's an encouraging fact. You can make some serious income with as little as 1000 mailing list subscribers. Do a little math...I know you're a musician and math is hard so leave it to this former mechanical engineer! Let's just say conservatively that you can get 1/4 of your subscribers to donate to your crowdfunding album. Your lowest tier donation is $10 so you're going to get a minimum of $2500 (1/4 of 1000 = 250, 250 X $10 = $2500)...and I'd say that's being conservative. You're going to average more because that's your lowest tier and these are your fans...they OPTED-IN to your mailing list. They want to support you! Maybe you can build up to 2000 subscribers and get a Patreon going. Using those same figures (1/4 of your subscribers at $10) you could bring in over $5k a year. Sure, you can't subsist on $5k a year, but these are conservative numbers for what I think is a realistic minimum for ANYONE...there are a ton of artists who are making a serious living off that modest number of fans. And remember, this is just one potential revenue stream among so many that have become available to us in this new music business.</p>
<p>Does 1000 subscribers sound like a lot? Well break it down. If you're averaging 20 signups per show that's 50 shows, or about 1 year if you play once per week. I make over 100 appearances per year, so that could be as little as 6 months if you play that often. You've got your own situation obviously, and you still have to build it one fan at a time, but bottom line, it's totally doable! </p>
<p>To be clear, I'm NOT suggesting you abandon social media. Social media is a tremendously powerful and critically important tool for us. And quite frankly, you don't want to communicate to your mailing list with the same frequency and type of content as you do on social media. Just understand social media's limitations, and do not make any one social media platform the entirety or even the backbone of your fan communication. Here's another way to think of it...social media algorithm changes and business closings aside, would you rather have 1000 page likes/followers or 1000 mailing list subscribers. I'd unquestionably choose the mailing list subscribers...the people who were willing to give you a direct line of communication to them are much more likely to be interested in engaging with and supporting you than someone who just clicks like on Facebook. Ok, if by now you don't agree with me, then we're just going to have to agree to disagree. </p>
<p>What you do with that mailing list is a topic for another blog. I'm not going to talk about all of the online options for collecting email addresses here, such as mp3 for email exchange sites like <a contents="NoiseTrade" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://noisetrade.com/wearethenorthernlights" target="_blank">NoiseTrade</a>, or plastering a sign-up form all over your website, and posting links on your social media. </p>
<p>I want to focus on two ideas for easily collecting email addresses at your shows or appearances, but first of all, <strong>do not add anyone to your mailing list who has not explicitly given you permission to do so.</strong> In some states, it is illegal, but equally important it's annoying to receive email from a list you didn't sign up for. For me, every time I receive an email like that, I get annoyed at the person who sent it, instead of interested in what they're sending me. That's the exact opposite effect you want to have on your mailing list subscribers. (Ok ok, I break this rule with some of my closest friends and family who I KNOW without any shadow of a doubt want to support me and know what I'm up to. But aside from that, seriously don't do it.)</p>
<p>It used to be that I would set out a clipboard with a pen and some print outs of a spreadsheet with columns marked name, email, zip code on it, and then after each gig I would spend 10 seconds entering 2 email addresses from humans, 10 seconds smiling at the prank signups (ie Seymour Butts), and then about an hour trying to decipher what appeared to be hieroglyphics from the rest of the new subscribers who had scribbled on the pad. I was constantly having to remember to print and carry the spreadsheets, the pens were always somehow disappearing so people couldn't sign up even if they wanted to, and overall it was time consuming and ineffective. </p>
<p>I have finally scrapped that method and am happy to report that for about $100, and about 30 minutes of setup, I've managed to completely streamline this process and collected over 200 new subscribers in 15 small shows this past summer. All that and more in Part 2.</p>
<p>(If you enjoyed this, please be sure to subscribe to the <a contents="mailing list" data-link-label="Mailing List" data-link-type="page" href="/mailing-list" target="_blank">mailing list</a>, share, and comment below)</p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/49069132017-11-02T14:04:17-04:002021-08-16T06:06:32-04:00I’m Still Selling CD’s - Part 2<p>Ok, in Part 1 of "I'm Still Selling CD's" I explained why I still manufactured CDs as recently as summer of 2017, and about how I've shifted the purpose and target audience for CDs so they can continue to be a successful part of my overall strategy. I also explained that part of that shift involves offering every CD purchaser a download of the CD. In this post, I am going to get in the weeds about how I give out the downloads and why I prefer this method.</p>
<p>I'll be honest, I don't know that this idea is helping me get more sales. Of the 200 CD sales from my summer tour, only about 10% have redeemed their codes. To me the biggest takeaway from that fact is that either there are a lot of generous people, a lot of trivet collectors, or that there are a lot of people who still listen to CDs. I digress.</p>
<p>Back to the topic. So you have a few different options when it comes to distributing album downloads to your fans. You could purchase download cards from any number of companies and hand them out with the CD. Don't do this. You're just throwing away money. Not to mention you'll be adding the hassle of counting them out and in for each gig, the real estate they take on the already crowded merch table, etc etc. Many of these companies also charge you according to your file size or a hosting fee, and the codes often have expiration dates. Blech. Also, will these companies still exist in a few years???</p>
<p>You could also just print a permanent link with a single unlimited use code into your album art. I don't love that idea either...I mean, I don't think I'm losing lots of money to piracy, but I don't need to literally hand over the keys to that. And then, in theory, I have to keep that webpage active forever.</p>
<p>So I’ve come up with a solution that is secure, takes no room, doesn’t require counting inventory, and is virtually FREE. My solution involves printing unique codes onto Avery print-at-home labels and sticking them on the front of every CD. Yes, depending on the number of CDs you manufacture, this could take a little while. But I did 300 CDs in a few hours from design to finish. Besides sticking them on the CDs, there's really two steps:</p>
<ol> <li>Getting your download codes</li> <li>Designing and printing the labels</li>
</ol>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/b96dfe55f0da25a03936861a210bbf22e5e1ca91/original/img-7085.jpg?1509036318" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">The finished product</p>
<p><strong>Getting your download codes:</strong></p>
<p>For getting your unique codes, I've used two services. </p>
<ol> <li>
<strong><a contents="Bandzoogle" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bandzoogle.com/" target="_blank">Bandzoogle</a> - </strong>Bandzoogle is my website designer/builder which is specifically geared for musician websites. This is my first choice for generating codes for several reasons. First of all, you can instantly generate unlimited codes (which never expire) for FREE and export them in .csv file format. On the backend, you can see how many of them have been redeemed and best of all, the download page is your website where fans can continue to engage, sign up for mailing lists or other calls to action, and increase traffic to your site. And unlike other services, you are in control of your website including whether or not your website stays up. Imagine if you had set this up on MySpace...it's still around believe or not, but do you want to send people there?</li> <li>
<a contents="Bandcamp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Bandcamp</strong></a> - If you don't use Bandzoogle, Bandcamp has pretty much all the same features in terms of no hosting fees, ability to export codes in .csv format and tracking the number of redemptions. It's a great service with a pretty great free account. But with Bandcamp, you only get 200 free codes (after that they are 1.5-3 cents each depending on how many you purchase) and the download page is your bandcamp page, which is better than a random page, though not as good as your website. To put the cost into perspective, if you buy 300 codes at 3 cents each, that's still only $9. Basically free! </li>
</ol>
<p>I'm sure there are others but these are the options that I can vouch for from personal experience and which should be around for a while.</p>
<p><strong>Designing and Printing your labels</strong></p>
<p>I use the <a contents='Avery® Easy Peel® Address Labels, Permanent Adhesive, 1" x 2-5/8", 750 Labels (8160)' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.avery.com/products/labels/8160" target="_blank">Avery® Easy Peel® Address Labels, Permanent Adhesive, 1" x 2-5/8", 750 Labels (8160)</a>. These are about $10 for 750 labels and can be found at any office supply store. These are white lables (as opposed to clear) and are made for inkjet printers. They're also a good size to get all the info I want on them without covering too much of the CD artwork. Best of all, Avery® has a free and relatively easy-to-use <a contents="web-based design software" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.avery.com/software/design-and-print/" target="_blank">web-based design software</a>. Here's how I do it:</p>
<ol> <li>Download your codes into a .csv file format</li> <li>Go to the <a contents="design software here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.avery.com/software/design-and-print/" target="_blank">design software here</a>
</li> <li>I would create an account. This way you can save your work and go back to it easily when you need to reprint or do a similar design.</li> <li>Follow the on-screen directions to select the "8160" labels</li> <li>Choose your design template. I start with the blank template. I like putting my logo on there because it looks nice, and because on some of my CDs it's going to be stuck on the CD cellophane which will be removed from the CD at some point. </li> <li>Here's the trickiest part which is importing your codes so that each label will have a unique code. I'll give my my directions below but you can also find this explained on the <a contents="Avery website here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.avery.com/help/template-support/customize-template" target="_blank">Avery website here</a> under <em>"How do I import data from a spreadsheet (mail merge) into Avery Design & Print?"</em>. <ol> <li>On the left side of the page, click "Import Data" and then "Import Data" on the tab that opens.</li> <li>Click "Browse For File" and select your .csv file with the download codes </li> <li>Uncheck any fields, cells, or columns that are not download codes. (If you use Bandzoogle, your .csv file will have a column for your album title, the download link, and the unique download code. I recommend leaving all of those checked so you don't have to manually add them to your design). MAKE SURE YOU UNCHECK ANY ROWS OR COLUMNS THAT ARE COLUMN NAMES (ie "Title", "code", "URL")</li> <li>Click "Next"</li> <li>Drag the "Available Fields" one-by-one into the "Arrange Fields" box. You can add text and spaces if you want in this step though I prefer to do it later.</li> <li>Click "Next" and then "Finish"</li> <li>Your codes (and possibly your album title and download URL) should all appear on the screen. You can rearrange them to your liking, drag them around your design, change their colors, font, size, etc. (I don't go below 10 size font!) Keep in mind your design will end up on a relatively small 1 inch by 2.5 inch label so be conscious of legibility. Feel free to add whatever you'd like to the label (ie logo, website, social media, etc) but <strong>Make certain it is absolutely clear how to redeem the code by typing any instructions you feel necessary on the label. My labels say "1) http://sheldonlow.com/dl 2) Enter XXXX-XXXX"</strong>
</li> <li>When you're finished designing, click "Preview and Print" in the lower right hand corner.</li> <li>Click "Print it Yourself" (unless you want Avery to do it for you)</li> <li>Click "Print Now." Pay attention to the warning about "Fit to page"...this should be unchecked in your printer dialogue box.</li> <li>I choose to just open the PDF instead of downloading especially because the software gives you the option to save to your Avery account in a couple steps.</li> <li>Go through your print dialogue and make sure "Fit to page" is unchecked. I also print in highest quality so that it's as legible as possible. I also select "label paper" in place of plain paper. These steps all ensure it's aligned and as clear a print as possible.</li> <li>
<strong>Here's my best tip: Load one sheet of labels sticker side down and print only page 1 on the back of the page as a test. See the picture below. </strong>This is important to make sure your prints are properly aligned. After the page is printed, I hold it up to the light to make sure that no part of the print has gone over the edge of a label. If this happens, there is an option on the website to make a printer adjustment by shifting the print up, down, left, and right by increments of an inch or millimeter. Mess around until your test print is perfect and only then feed the labels in right side up.</li> </ol> </li>
</ol>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/92542/6fbe29b6b6368f33e71de465b538c47c38282879/large/img-7084.jpg?1509035995" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Properly aligned test print on back of labels. Notice no part of the print on the entire page goes over the edge of the label.</p>
<p>A couple other tips.</p>
<ul> <li>Make sure to watch out and only design within the safe area. If you are close to that edge in your design, it will make printing your labels much more difficult.</li> <li>Be mindful of colors, fonts, and sizes...you want this to be extremely legible and don't want your fans to have to guess what letter/number that is.</li> <li>I put in "CD Purchase Includes Free Download" in big underlined letters at the top of my labels</li> <li>These labels have a perforation so you can bend them back and easily peel them off the backing</li> <li>I saved a little real-estate by not including the album title on my sticker but I print more of these than I stick on CDs at any one time. With 6 albums, I don't want to confuse which stickers/codes are for which albums, so I use a different color for each album (matched to the artwork so it looks nicer this way anyway) and I also write the name of the album on the back of each sheet of labels.</li>
</ul>
<p>That's really it besides sticking them on the CDs. Hope this was helpful and if there's anything that needs further explanation, something you discovered that's smarter, or anything else DIY musician related, leave a comment below!</p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/49055232017-11-01T13:09:05-04:002017-11-01T14:01:13-04:00I’m Still Selling CD’s - Part 1<p><em>(I'm really enjoying writing these blog posts. If you enjoy reading them, could you help support me by sharing this post on social media, commenting below, subscribing to the blog, and/or <a contents="signing up to my mailing list" data-link-label="Mailing List" data-link-type="page" href="/mailing-list">signing up to my mailing list</a>.)</em></p>
<p>Do you love going to the CD store and rifling through the stacks trying to find something new that is going to satisfy the $15-$20 you paid for it? Do you enjoy the smell of a freshly cracked CD while you read liner notes end to end? Do you have plans to get together with friends specifically to sit and listen to your favorite artist’s new album? If this sounds like the days gone by, it is. I know...I miss those days too. </p>
<p>But those days have been gone for a while, and you can bemoan the shrinking of that revenue stream, or you can look around and realize that this is actually one of the most exciting times to be a musician. Sure, I'll never sells 75,000 CDs again, but if the industry hadn't changed beforehand, I would never have been able to afford making those CDs. And I would never have been able to share my music, let alone sell it to anyone who hadn't been to my concert. And the new music industry brings with it a tremendous number of new tools and new revenue streams to be able to afford to make art. Now instead of one or two big revenue streams, we may have to piece together a bunch of smaller ones, and CD sales can be one of those. The point is that we musicians, are back at the wheel, and we can do it if we work hard and work smart at this DIY musician revolution.</p>
<p>Before I begin about selling CDs, let me be clear…people are no longer buying CDs. At least not en masse like they used to. If you hadn't noticed, this has been the growing trend for almost two decades and you know what? They’re probably not ever going to again…not enough for artists to make it a major portion of their income anymore. I don't know of any time in human history when people have thought, "Nah, this is too easy. Let's go back to when this was much more inconvenient and more expensive." So if you’re looking for a way to return to the heyday of CDs, you can just go ahead and stop reading… </p>
<p>But if you’re still here, then like me, either you’re still not fully convinced that releasing music strictly digitally is the way to go, and/or like me, you have a large stack of CDs that you bought and paid for and want to turn into something else, preferably dollars. </p>
<p>The truth is, there actually still is a market for CDs. Probably not if your fan base is limited to millennials. But either side of millennials and there's some potential, especially if your fans own cars (that's most of America, with the exception of my hometown of NYC) . People still love listening to CDs in their cars. Even moreso if they have kids. In fact, I think I owe an apology to a good number of parents in America who are upset that they ever put my children’s CDs in the car. I keep hearing that the CDs have been on repeat ever since, and that parents are on strict orders not to ever replace them. </p>
<p>Aside from the car owners there's the audiophiles. For them, the quality of the sound is incredibly important and CD quality is still far superior to the compressed formats currently offered by most of the major streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. And audiophiles spend MONEY on music listening.</p>
<p>There's two examples of potential buyers. There's more of course. I would guess that, like vinyl, CDs will always have some sort of following. I still have my own collection and occasionally I'll purchase a new one to support an artist, but personally, I don’t really buy them anymore. But I know some people who still do. My dad still does. And so did at least 200 other people from my last summer tour at $10 a pop. Not like the old days, but not bad right?</p>
<p>That could be a nice piece of the financial puzzle, whether that’s a tour expense line, or one of the thirty other annual income lines you need to set up to be a modern DIY musician. </p>
<p>How did I do that, you may wonder? It’s pretty simple and I’ll get to that in a moment, but first I want to explain something about CDs, namely that your fans, your real fans, want to buy your CD. They want to buy it because they want to support you, and because they want a souvenir from the show, and they want an autograph, and they want to get to talk with you at the show, and frankly, because maybe that’s the only way they know how to listen to music. A close friend recently helped me realize that certain "more experienced generations" have dispensable income, are much more likely to become highly devoted lifelong fans, and as lifespans continue to increase, are likely to continue purchasing your music for many decades to come. I’ll take 200 real fans and real CD purchases over 200,000 YouTube views any day. Luckily, you don't have to choose...in fact, if you can get both, that's ideal. </p>
<p>But here's the thing, you can’t autograph a YouTube view. And fans can't hold a Spotify stream, or put it on their desk or in their car, like a little billboard reminding them about you every day. And that’s important because, if you’re like me, you’re listening to new music all the time. But even if you take the time to figure out who it was you were listening to, and even if you listen to their music for a few weeks, chances are it’s not long before you’re on to the next and you’ve forgotten what you were listening to previously. Music actually IS my life and still I don’t geek out on new music like I used to…mostly, I would say because of streaming. Yes, I’m older and there’s much more music out there, and there’s so much more accessibility, but I think that the devaluing of music (from $20 CDs to $10 album downloads to $10/month streaming) has also led us to devalue music even more. If we have something for free or near free, we treat it less nice. On the other hand, if we pay for it, sacrifice for it, we're more invested in it and we pay it more attention. And I think that without something to physically hold, something with artwork and lyrics and songwriters, the names of the artists and the music itself just doesn’t stick as much. So the CD is your business card, and your daily reminder to your fans about the amazing concert you put on and the personal authentic connection they made with you when you signed their CD. It’s like a Facebook ad, but much much MUCH better. </p>
<p>Ok, I know it's not rocket science to say that you want to sell CDs. I'm just trying to point out how you should be thinking about your CDs. It's no longer about getting the music itself to your fans or targeting the bulk of your fans. (In fact, it's in your best interest that they buy the CD but actually listen on a revenue generating and view/stream counting service.) The CD is now the specialty product for special fans, like the fans who always purchased the special edition, or the vinyl version of your album. Your job is to figure out how to reciprocate the adoration and support from your fans right back to them when they purchase your CD. For me, part of that is the autograph, the conversation, and the photo opportunity at the merch table after the show. For Taylor Swift it was some faux polaroids in her release of 1989. Maybe it's an extra track only available on the CD. I'm just riffing here but you get the idea. (Of course, be smart. Don't design a CD that costs $9 to manufacture unless you're independently wealthy or certain you can sell it for enough that it actually pays for you to be able to do your art.)</p>
<p>So how did I manage to sell 200 CDs over 8 weeks in 2017? Well, it’s pretty simple. I put on the best show I could, reminded people a few times during the concert that afterward I’d like to meet them at the merch table, and had a nicely designed merch table set up near the exit. Nothing you didn’t already know, right? Well, if you didn’t know that, you’re welcome. (I can get into some of those ideas like merch, and merch table design, and who and what to announce in the concert in future blogs…if you’re interested, just leave a comment below).</p>
<p>Ok, in fairness, those 200 CD sales were from my "We Are The Northern Lights" project, which is folk music, and the overwhelming majority of our shows were house concerts. (Interested in hearing more about how to book and run house concerts? Let me know in the comments!) So yes, your fans may not have the same purchasing/listening habits as folk music fans, and you may not be able to get to experience the incredible magic of performing a house concert and its subsequent merch sales. This may not work for everyone.</p>
<p>But I do have one idea that might help. I can’t really say whether or not it helps with sales, but it helps me bridge one particular gap. Painting with broad strokes, younger people (I’d guess anyone born after 1975 or so) generally are done purchasing CDs and even if they wanted to, don’t have a CD player anymore. So for them, buying a CD is literally buying a paperweight or a trivet. For the really young crowd, (let’s say anyone born after 1995), CDs might seem ancient, thereby making you look ancient. Then again, if you have early childhood aged fans, you can get that CD-in-the-car market.</p>
<p>So in thinking about these fans who would like to support me and get a souvenir from the show, but literally don't have the hardware to play a CD, I’ve decided that any fan who purchases a CD, gets a free download of the CD. I know, I know, downloads are on there way out too. You’re right, they are. And they don't make good souvenirs and I've never been asked to sign one. I'm not purchasing download cards anymore. If your fans want to download your music, they're gonna use iTunes, not buy a code on a piece of soon-to-be garbage. But they might be willing to buy a CD, even if they don't have a CD player, if you can give them something else, like a download, especially if it also comes with an autograph, artwork, liner notes, lyrics, a chance to meet you, and any other creative added value you come up with and include. And for what it's worth, I’m always incredibly thankful for iTunes when I forget to download something onto Spotify and I get on a plane or am driving through spotty cell service. </p>
<p>If you like the idea of giving out a free downloads of the album with every CD sale, you have a few ways to go about it. But it took me this long just to convince you to keep CDs on your merch table so stayed tuned for Part 2, where I'll tell you all about how I do it.</p>
<p><em>Disagree with me? Have some better ideas? Leave a comment below!!!</em></p>
<p><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/032014612e6e23290f4366c26b430ac158db54b5/original/misc-23.jpg?1399641848" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></em></p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/49151652017-10-31T15:30:00-04:002021-06-28T02:49:27-04:00Equipment for Professional Songleading - Facebook Live Webinar<p>Here's the <a contents="Songleader Boot Camp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/378553729180788/" target="_blank">Songleader Boot Camp</a> Facebook Group Webinar I gave that's an overview of this blog post. As always, please leave feedback and help support me by signing up for the <a contents="mailing list" data-link-label="Mailing List" data-link-type="page" href="/mailing-list">mailing list</a>.</p>
<p>You've already found the blog so no need to link to it, but here's the <a contents="link to download my packing list." data-link-label="songleading-packing-list.docx" data-link-type="file" href="/files/306768/songleading-packing-list.docx" target="_blank">link to download my packing list.</a></p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="XAopQUBPCQQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/XAopQUBPCQQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XAopQUBPCQQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/48826872017-10-08T21:35:52-04:002017-10-10T00:53:34-04:00Equipment for Professional Songleading - Part 3<p><em>This is Part 3 out of 3 of my Equipment for Professional Songleading blog which is devoted entirely to my wireless microphone and wireless guitar setup. </em></p>
<p><em>In Part 1, I introduced the topic and gave some tips that I’ve come up with that are important for any gear like how to save money when purchasing, how to save thousands of minutes each year and how to never forget or lose any of your equipment, at home or at the venue. </em></p>
<p><em>In Part 2, I delve into my arsenal of songleading gear, why it works for me, and other important considerations when choosing each piece of gear. </em></p>
<p><strong>If you have questions, feedback, other recommendations, or a question about your specific needs, please leave a note in the comments section below.</strong></p>
<hr><p>Ok, I get the feeling this is a lot of what people want to know about. I purposefully put this as the last entry because this equipment should probably only be used by what I'll call career level songleaders. This equipment is costly and takes time to learn how to use. Plugging these in will not in and of itself make you a better songleader or performer...it will allow you to be mobile while it amplifies whatever sounds you currently make acoustically on your voice and instrument. If you sound like you need practice, this will only make you sound like you need practice a lot louder from anywhere in the room. Also, this equipment might work to a better or lesser degree depending on your exact PA and room setup. Using this equipment takes practice and time to learn how to setup properly in your space. Then it takes practice and time to learn how to use properly. If set up or used improperly, it can actually get in the way of your performance. So make sure you practice and test everything as much as possible in private before the first time you plan to depend on it. </p>
<p>(Also, before you purchase, make sure to check out the section about saving money on your purchase in Part 1 of this entry. Please also check out the section on batteries in Part 2 to be more environmentally friendly and save even more money.) </p>
<p><strong><a contents="E6 (E6DW6T2SL)&nbsp;cheek mic by Countryman" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.countryman.com/e6-earset-microphone" target="_blank">E6 (E6DW6T2SL) cheek mic by Countryman</a> </strong>– Ok, this usually gets a lot of attention, whether from clergy who hate the look or feel to other songleaders and musicians who think it looks awesome. The bottom line is, vocal mics pick up the best sound directly in front of your mouth. If aeshetics are really important, you can go for a lavalier (AKA lapel, AKA clip-on) mic but think about when someone with little mic experience holds a handheld mic at their chest. You can’t hear them and if you’re like me it makes you want to jump out of your seat and shout “WE CAN’T HEAR YOU! PUT THE MIC AT YOUR MOUTH!” I mean, why use a microphone at all? Rant over. But seriously, that’s kinda what a lapel mic is. Except it’ll pick up even less if you turn your head away from center and it will pick up the sound of your clothes moving or when you adjust your tallit and drag it over the mic…ok, rant officially now over. There are several options out there for brand or model but I want to point out a couple important options for the e6 which are explained in great detail <a contents="here&nbsp;on the Countryman website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.countryman.com/how-to-select-a-lavalier" target="_blank">here on the Countryman website</a>: </p>
<p>I use model E6DW6T2SL and each letter represents an option: </p>
<ul> <li>E6 – This refers to the flexibility of mic ear loop and boom, in other words the part that goes over your ear and sticks out from your ear to the mic. I STRONGLY recommend that you get the E6 (not the E6i or E6x) or a stiff version of whatever brand you purchase. I have been forced to use more flexible and “bendier” versions before which are meant to be more useful if multiple people will be using the mic over it’s life. Bottom line is, they can be so flexible that they fall of your ear just from opening your jaw and singing. <br> </li> <li>D – directional. Because I frequently play services or children’s concerts where I stand in front of the speakers, there’s a higher likelihood for feedback (those horribly loud sounds when the mics are amplifying what’s coming out of the speakers and getting re-amplified louder and louder in a vicious loop). The directional option has a narrower pickup pattern which is supposed to reduce this possibility. <br> </li> <li>W6 – Sensitivity of the mic. This is the middle option so I can both speak in services and sing loudly at children’s concerts. <br> </li> <li>T – Just the color. There’s a few options to help make it as innocuous as possible. <br> </li> <li>2 – Cable diameter. I’ve used both and while the 1 mm is certainly smaller and therefore less visible, I just psychologically feel safer with the 2 mm. <br> </li> <li>SL – My initials...but much more importantly, these mics are meant to be used with wireless packs which have smaller proprietary connections depending on the brand. Whereas there are standard cables and connections such as XLR and ¼”, you need to order the right connector here. SL is for Shure since I use the Shure wireless systems. That means they’ll work with any Shure wireless pack, but only Shure. If I wanted to use a different brand in the future, I would need to order a new cable. Thankfully, Countryman allows you to purchase just the cable portion of the e6 which you can easily replace yourself. </li>
</ul>
<p><em>*The Countryman E6 is an expensive mic for professionals wanting some of the highest fidelity sound amplification around. It is also somewhat delicate and therefore I would not recommend this mic for camp settings unless you have an extremely competent and responsible songleader who's voice is good enough to merit such an investment.</em></p>
<p><em>**Pro tip: When I use my E6, before I connect it to my wireless body pack, I snake the wire under my shirt from the collar down and out the bottom of my shirt. This limits the possibility of the chord getting yanked or caught on anything as I move around. When I'm wearing a button down that's tucked in, I pull the end out of my lowest shirt button which is hidden anyway by my guitar. </em></p>
<p><strong>Shure PGXD14</strong></p>
<p>A few notes:<strong> </strong></p>
<ul> <li>The PGX-D refers to the entry-level digital wireless system from Shure. The 14 refers to what package you purchase, in this case the the wireless guitar package which comes with transmitter (the bodypack), the receiver, power, and a proprietary 1/4" guitar cable that plugs into the body-pack. There are other packages if you want to get a "Madonna" or <a contents="headworn&nbsp;mic" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.shure.com/americas/products/wireless-systems/pgxd-systems/pgxd14-pga31" target="_blank">headworn mic</a>, <a contents="lavalier mic" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.shure.com/americas/products/wireless-systems/pgxd-systems/pgxd14-93" target="_blank">lavalier mic</a>, or other. <br> </li> <li>I purchased the PGX-D years ago and had no problem until a few years ago when I began to encounter interference (sound dropouts) in two specific locations (one in Washington D.C. and one in New York City). Both locations are near hospitals and in dense urban areas, meaning there's a lot of FM interference. I considered upgrading to the Shure QLX-D which has a stronger signal and automatically switches frequencies when interference is detected to avoid those sound dropouts, but ultimately found solutions to those two specific venues. If I had switched to the QLX my suitcase would have been several pounds heavier, and had less space (a big deal when every inch and oz counts!) <br> </li> <li>Again there are a lot of options from different brands. Most importantly, if you are considering going wireless, please become familiar with the current FCC allowed FM frequencies as well as what frequencies are most free of interference wherever you will do most of your songleading. Think about the FM radio in your car for a second, which you can tune from about 88-108 MHz on the dial, right? Sometimes, when you’re driving, you start hearing two stations simultaneously. That’s two signals on the same or similar frequency that are competing with each other. The wireless system you choose will operate within a specific range of frequencies and most wireless systems these days have options for which frequency range the system is built to operate in. Do a little research or use this <a contents="handy tool from Shure" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.shure.com/americas/support/tools/wireless-frequency-finder" target="_blank">handy tool from Shure</a> to determine which frequency range would work best (ie least interference) in the areas where you’ll be doing most of your songleading. To complicate the matter, occasionally the FCC auctions off some parts of the frequency range for other purposes. For example, as of writing this article, the FCC just re-allocated the 600 MHz band so if you own wireless equipment in that frequency range, it will soon become illegal to use. Imagine you’re a radio station at 108 FM and the FCC just told you that radio can only use 88-100 now…not only do you have to replace your equipment, but all the radio stations are going to be competing for space in a much narrower frequency range. So just be careful when you purchase. </li>
</ul>
<p>Here are a couple Pros and Cons to this particular setup that I hope you will find useful:</p>
<ul> <li>Pros: <ul> <li>Extremely small and lightweight which is important since every inch and ounce matters for me. </li> <li>Automatically scans for the clearest available channel </li> <li>1 touch sync between transmitter and receiver, making for very fast setup </li> <li>Digital technology means clean sound and less susceptible to interference </li> </ul> </li> <li>Cons: <ul> <li>Signal not strong enough to overcome interference in areas of dense FM frequency areas (downtown cities, near hospitals) </li> <li>Had to replace power chords on both due to thin power cable </li> <li>No automatic channel switching </li> <li>Like all body-packs, these need something to clasp onto. Men's clothing usually doesn't make this a problem, but I work with many women whose clothing often lack pockets or other locations such as a belt to clip the body-pack onto. </li> </ul> </li>
</ul>
<p><em>*Pro tip: Keep the receiver as close to the body-pack as possible and with the most direct line of sight. Usually that means placing the receiver as high as possible so that no people or furniture get between the body-pack transmitter and the receiver. </em> </p>
<p>Well, I think that's about it. Hope this is useful to you and if you have anything to say at all about this topic, you know what to do! (Leave a comment below!)</p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/48826862017-10-08T21:35:46-04:002020-11-05T12:08:01-05:00Equipment for Professional Songleading - Part 2<p><em>This is Part 2 out of 3 of my Equipment for Professional Songleading blog where I delve into my arsenal of songleading gear, why it works for me, and other important considerations when choosing each piece of gear. </em></p>
<p><em>In Part 1, I introduced the topic and gave some tips that I’ve come up with that are important for any gear like how to save money when purchasing, how to save thousands of minutes each year and how to never forget or lose any of your equipment, at home or at the venue. </em></p>
<p><em>Part 3 is devoted entirely to my wireless microphone and guitar setup.</em></p>
<p><strong>If you have questions, feedback, other recommendations, or a question about your specific needs, please leave a note in the comments section below.</strong></p>
<hr><p>So now that Part 1 is out of the way, time to dive into my list of gear for songleading. I don't necessarily bring all of this each time, and sometimes I add things not on this list, but this is always my starting point when I'm packing. If you like this list, hate it, or have an idea for how to improve it, please share it with everyone in the comments section. <br><br><strong>Cases</strong> – I know, I know. Could I start with a more boring item? You want to know which mic and wireless unit I’m using, right??? I promise to get there but the truth is, what good is your wireless mic system if you open your bag and it's smashed to bits? Sometimes, the equipment comes with it’s own handy and highly portable case. But more often than not, just like with your cell phone, the case is an expensive but necessary afterthought. If you enjoy replacing costly equipment regularly, by all means, forego the case, but otherwise, build it into the budget. Also, take care when packing your equipment. If it <em>can</em> move in transport, it <em>will </em>move in transport and that’s where you’re likely to run into trouble. I usually pack heavy un-breakables like shoes on the wheel side of my suitcase so they don’t mash down my more fragile items which go on top. </p>
<ul> <li>22 inch Suitcase by <a contents="Pathfinder " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Revolution-Vertical-Garment-Black/dp/B00KCGYRH4/ref=sr_1_12?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1507476369&sr=1-12&nodeID=15743251&psd=1&refinements=p_89%3APathfinder" target="_blank">Pathfinder </a>- It’s a running joke amongst my high school buddies how much my family spends on luggage. And to be honest my mom bought my first one for me in college and the only reason I don’t still use that one is because she bought me and my sisters a newer version a few years ago. It has a lifetime warranty that I’ve never had to use except for wearing out the wheels on my old one. This thing just doesn’t break, even when packed with 50 lbs of equipment and tossed around by the airlines. This 22 inch version is the largest one that still fits in almost all overhead bins (unexpanded) and I like the two-wheel version (rather than those spinners) so it doesn’t roll away on uneven ground. It expands, has zipper protectors, and comes with a folding garment bag inside which is perfect for protecting my nicer threads.<br> </li> <li>Guitar Case by <a contents="Calton&nbsp;Cases" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.calton-cases.com/" target="_blank">Calton Cases</a> – I know a lot of people bring their guitars on planes these days, but I’m too non-confrontational to argue with the occasional uninformed gate agent and I don’t love the idea of someone shoving their bag or coat in next to my guitar in the overhead bin or flight attendant coat closet. Years ago while they were still fighting out the federal instrument-allowed-in-the-cabin-of-a-plane-argument, I bought this Calton. It is custom fiberglass fitted to my instrument with an identifiable serial code etched into the side, and aside from sending it in to be refitted for my new guitar, I have never had a problem with it. There are other companies out there, making lighter if not cheaper alternatives, but it’s a costly investment and it ain’t broke so…I believe the new ones come with a microchip so in addition to damage protection, they can help you in case of theft. This is a great one-time investment if you fly a lot! <br> </li> <li>Flight case cover by <a contents="Small Dog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=small+dog+guitar+case+covers&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjquKTireHWAhXG0SYKHeNiDOYQ_AUICygC&biw=1280&bih=676" target="_blank">Small Dog</a> - Unfortunately it looks like the company I purchased from is no longer in business so my link just goes to a google image search. I know other options exist so do your research because no matter what case you do purchase, and certainly in the case of Calton, <strong>I strongly recommend getting a bag to cover the case</strong>. Besides offering even more thermal and wetness protection to your baby, it can protect the latches. I’d rather replace a $200 bag, than a $1000 dollar case because the latches all broke off. My bag looks pretty beat up, but aside from some patches and having the zipper fixed, I’ve never replaced it. The other benefit of the bag is it gives you some additional room to pack things like cables or tennis shoes. But this case is WAY too heavy to use outside of gigs I’m flying to. So I also have:<br> </li> <li>Taylor Hard Bag by <a contents="Taylor Guitars" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.taylorguitars.com/taylorware/bags/taylor-hard-bag" target="_blank">Taylor Guitars</a>– Again, I live in NYC, and I’m walking, taking the subway, or a cab to most of my gigs. I want something I can throw on my back and still have hands for my backpack and/or rollerboard. I got the hard-bag which provides some bump protection, but this thing doesn’t do much for thermal, humidity, or wetness protection. I still use it in the dead of winter and heat of summer walking around the city, but I’m always conscious and try to limit that as much as possible. <strong>When I get home I always put my guitar in a real case with the humidifier</strong>. Unfortunately, the zippers don’t have zipper protectors so I’ve had to have the zipper repaired a few times…shop around and find one you like. My wife, Hadar uses a cheap one she bought at guitar center. She loves how light it is but I don’t like how little protection it offers, I don’t like the way it’s balanced when I carry it in my arms, and on my back, it sits too high on my shoulders forcing me to do one of the Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks to enter the subway or walk through doorways…point is, shop around and bring your guitar to try it out if you can. </li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Business Cards - </strong>This entry is titled Equipment for PROFESSIONAL songleading. True, business cards aren't technically equipment, but if you don't have business cards, don't expect to get enough gigs to be able to call yourself a professional songleader. I think it's safe to say that most of my clients reach out to me because they saw me perform or songlead somewhere else first and having a business card handy indicates your level of professionalism behind the scenes as well as on the stage, Bimah, etc. As attention spans get shorter and shorter, don't expect someone to be able to remember your name, let alone how to spell it. In addition to your contact info, put what you do and even a photo of yourself on the card. When you hand them to people, consider writing where they met you and something memorable from your conversation on the card you hand them. </p>
<p><strong>The Equipment (Finally) </strong></p>
<ul> <li>
<strong>Shure PGX-D14 Wireless System</strong> - See Part 3 for more detail<br> </li> <li>
<strong>Countryman E6 Over ear/cheek vocal microphone</strong> - See Part 3 for more detail<br> </li> <li>
<strong>Strap Locks by <a contents="Schaller" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.schaller-electronic.com/hp748232/Security-Locks.htm" target="_blank">Schaller</a></strong> - Let's be honest, guitars used in songleading take a real beating. And they get passed around. And even though you know to NEVER HOLD A GUITAR BY ITS STRAP ALONE, it happens and guitars get dropped and broken. I've seen it happen too many times. In fact, my very first performance, I put my hands up to get the crowd clapping and somehow my strap simultaneously disconnected from both ends of my guitar. I caught it before it hit the deck, but I'm sure my face and posture reaching for the falling guitar right at the top of my performance killed any chance of me appearing in any way cool. These are cheap and will save you lots of heartache. My dad also got me one of these <a contents="Cinchfits by D'Addario" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://daddario.com/pwProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=4115&productid=1092&productname=CinchFit_Acoustic_Jack_Lock" target="_blank">Cinchfits by D'Addario</a> which locks my strap to the 1/4" jack on my guitar since the strap lock doesn't fit there on my Taylor. <br> </li> <li>
<strong>Batteries</strong> - Most guitar pickups and a considerable amount of other audio gear uses 9V batteries, or otherwise they use AA. Always have some spare batteries within reach during your songsession. Alkaline last much longer than Heavy Duty batteries. I have recently been testing the newest rechargeable batteries which are nickel–metal hydride (NiMH). I'm using the <a contents="Panasonic Eneloops" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-K-KJ17MZ104A-eneloop-Advanced-Battery/dp/B00N05RL22/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1507498423&sr=1-6&keywords=eneloop+charger" target="_blank">Panasonic Eneloops</a>. It used to be that rechargeable batteries had to be run completely empty before recharging or they would develop a memory and never hold a charge. They would also discharge on their own pretty quickly if you didn't use them. This new generation of NiMH has neither of those problems, and in fact will stay charged on a shelf for years. Within a few uses, these batteries pay for themselves and given that they can be recharged thousands of times, not only are you saving a tremendous amount of money (and time and gas going to the store) they significantly reduce your impact on the environment. <ul> <li>A couple important caveats: <ul> <li>I haven't used them long enough to fully recommend them as a replacement my disposable alkalines</li> <li>To my knowledge they don't come in 9V size</li> <li>It's important to know that these batteries give a fairly constant voltage throughout each discharge, as opposed to disposable whose voltage output decreases over the discharge. This is important to know because many devices (such as my wireless bodypacks) have battery level meters, which apparently read voltage as the indicator of battery life remaining. As I learned the hard way this past weekend, that means my battery meter reads fully charged up until right before the battery dies. So just be sure to charge up before each session.<br> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li>
<strong>Gaff Tape </strong>- This is the black tape used by all professional A/V crews. The tape and glue are strong, but won't leave a residue or damage any properly constructed walls. It's expensive but incredibly useful especially for taping cables down to the floor to prevent tripping hazards, or for example, taping power cables to loose electrical outlets.<br> </li> <li>
<strong>Scotch Tape</strong> - I tape my songlists and keys to my guitar so having a roll in each case makes life super easy. Get Scotch or some other good brand that won't leave glue or residue on your guitar.<br> </li> <li>
<strong>GS-1000 Guitar Stand by <a contents="Ultimate Support" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.ultimatesupport.com/products/guitar-stands/gs-1000-pro.html" target="_blank">Ultimate Support</a></strong> – Not only are these extremely handy during the soundcheck and service or songsession, they can protect your guitar, all the while making you look like a pro. Sure, you can put it in your case, but unless you have a really large case (that probably doesn’t protect your guitar) you might have remove the strap and capo to actually fit the guitar into the case and put them back on each time. And you don’t have time for that in the middle of a service or songsession. This document is titled “Equipment for PROFESSIONAL Songleading”…so get a stand. I like this one because it’s sturdy and weighted enough to protect the guitar on the most unsteady stages, but when folded up, it still fits in my rollerboard. Yes, there are stands without a neck support that fold up even smaller, but I’d rather that my most personal and most expensive tool (my GUITAR) is as safe as possible from any harmful possibility. I also prefer the ones without the body support fold outs…it’s easier and faster to get the guitar on and off. Just watch out and don’t force the red locking cap at the end or you’ll be buying another stand. <br> </li> <li>
<strong>Aura Spectrum DI Preamp by <a contents="Fishman" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.fishman.com/products/series/aura/aura-spectrum-di-preamp/" target="_blank">Fishman</a></strong> (AKA Direct box, DI box, or simply DI)– Ever notice that guitar cables usually only go up to about 25’? What if you need to be further from the board? 25' sounds like a lot, but if you measure it out in the room you're songleading in, you'll see it's not. Without going too much into the science, ¼” guitar cables are high-impedance (sort of like high-friction) cables so they can only be so long (~25’) before you start getting some signal quality degradation. XLR cables, sometimes referred to casually as mic cables, are low impedance (like low friction) so signal can travel much further without any degradation. The DI box simply turns that high impedance signal into a low impedance signal. So you plug your ¼” from your guitar into this box and an XLR from the box to your soundboard and voila, you can get much further than 25'. This Fishman has a built in pre-amp, 3 band EQ, trim knob, tuner/mute, anti-feedback, ground lift and some sound modeling software. I purchased this in part because I was able to replace my Boss Tu-2 Tuner Mute and DI with just one piece of hardware with a pre-amp and EQ but it's a little expensive and if you don't want to use a battery, you have to purchase the power cable separately (LAME!). There are lots of other good options with all kinds of features but I started off and still sometimes use an inexpensive GrooveTubes (out of business now) passive DI (no battery necessary) <a contents="nearly identical to this one" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/livewire-pdi-double-shielded-heavy-duty-passive-direct-box?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=CjwKCAjwmefOBRBJEiwAf7DstL5Jx-IL23Ufb5InmI0h8IJ7Ts1ByOIsMOCDqXuFBXixO5XaI--BMxoC1fcQAvD_BwE&kwid=productads-adid%5E221957295803-device%5Ec-plaid%5E335491601473-sku%5E150439000000000@ADL4MF-adType%5EPLA" target="_blank">nearly identical to this one</a> which I think I purchased for about $40 new. It has a ground lift which you click to get rid of the buzz caused by a ground loop. It's hard to go wrong here but do some research and find one that meets your budget and needs. <br> </li> <li>
<strong><a contents="¼ inch cable" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=1/4+inch+guitar+cable&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjD_pSmsuHWAhVEKiYKHZPiBfAQ_AUICygC&biw=1280&bih=676" target="_blank">¼ inch cable</a></strong> – Again, there are different ones at different price points based on materials, length, brand name, warranties…do your own research. The important thing to know is that as a guitar player, it is generally understood that you will bring your own cable. In fact, I carry two in case one of mine goes bad. I have experienced when a live sound engineer, rehearsal studio, or venue does by some miracle have an extra 1/4” cable, but you can’t expect it. That’s your responsibility. <br> </li> <li>
<strong><a contents="XLR cables" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1280&bih=676&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=XLR+cable&oq=XLR+cable&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l2j0i67k1j0.20793.21239.0.22144.3.3.0.0.0.0.94.259.3.3.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.3.257...0i7i30k1.0.O4BwxmHj7bU" target="_blank">XLR cables</a></strong> – Contrary to guitar cables, almost every community building I’ve ever worked in has an extra XLR in varying forms of conditions, lengths, and ages. Still, I carry two 3’ long XLR cables for my wireless units because they’re small enough to guarantee I’ll have what I need, and they’re also short and therefore tidy on stage or wherever they go. It can also save me the time of having to find the person who knows where they might have seen an XLR last year in a red bucket if only they could remember where that red bucket was when…you get the point. And sometimes (say if a plane is delayed) being able to plug in and be ready within minutes can make all the difference. <br> </li> <li>
<strong>Ungrounded (2 prong) household power extension cord, black</strong> - Light, takes up no room, and sometimes gives you the extra distance you need.</li> <li>
<strong><a contents="Snark Tuner" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.snarktuners.com/" target="_blank">Snark Tuner</a></strong> – Tiny. Cheap. Works great. Warranty. ‘Nuff said. (Amazon has <a contents="great deals" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Sony-CR2032-Lithium-Batteries-Pack/dp/B0042KOJRE/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1507500598&sr=8-3&keywords=cr32+battery" target="_blank">great deals</a> on extra batteries for these, btw.) <br> </li> <li>
<strong><a contents="Kyser Capos" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.kysermusical.com/" target="_blank">Kyser Capos</a></strong> – Quick clamp on and clamp off. Inexpensive. Warranty. <br> </li> <li>
<strong>Acoustic Coated Strings by <a contents="Elixir&nbsp;Strings" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.elixirstrings.com/guitar-strings/acoustic-phosphor-bronze-nanoweb-coating" target="_blank">Elixir Strings</a></strong> – I used John Pearse strings for years. Then I got curious and switched to D’Addario for years. Then I got curious again and tried some Elixir strings to see if after all these years they were worth the price. In short, yes, I think they are. I love both the bright sound and sustain of new strings and back when I was using the John Pearse and D’Addario I’d put new strings on the guitar almost every week. Now I’d say I change my strings at most once per month so even at 2-3X the price, I’m actually saving money and a lot of time. <br> </li> <li>
<strong><a contents="Peg Winder" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/WinderPro" target="_blank">Peg Winder</a></strong> – get one with a string cutter.<br> </li> <li>
<strong>Water Bottle</strong> - Rest and hydration are the two most important ways to protect your voice.</li> <li> <p><strong>Mechanical Pencil with eraser</strong> - Always useful.</p> </li>
</ul>
<p>Ok, I think that about covers it...anything else you use that should be added to this list? Leave a comment! Otherwise, check out Part 3 for an in depth look at my wireless setup.</p>
<p> </p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/48823742017-10-08T21:35:34-04:002020-07-13T03:34:22-04:00Equipment for Professional Songleading - Part 1<p><em>This is part 1 of a 3 part entry on Equipment for Professional Songleading. Here I introduce the topic and give some tips that I’ve come up with that are important for any gear like how to save thousands of minutes each year and how to never forget or lose any of your equipment, at home or at the venue. </em></p>
<p><em>In Part 2, I actually delve into my list of gear, why it works for me, and other important considerations when choosing each piece of gear. </em></p>
<p><em>In Part 3, I focus specifically on my wireless guitar and wireless vocal mic setup, and some related considerations and tips.</em></p>
<p><strong>If you have questions, feedback, other recommendations, or a question about your specific needs, please leave a note in the comments section below.</strong></p>
<hr><p>I can now say I’ve had over a decade of professional touring and songleading experience (wow, I’m getting up there!) and in that time I’ve dealt with some pretty wild equipment (speakers catching fire, stages cracking underneath me, etc) as well as some pretty wild scenarios (like that time none of my luggage arrived and I had to do a late night run for clothes, toothbrush, and a GUITAR!!!). Sometimes it’s out of my control, but I’ve definitely made a lot of mistakes on my own, including not having the right equipment on hand, or simply not using the equipment properly. The good news is that with each mistake, I’ve learned something, and tried to find a way to prevent myself from ever being in that situation again. And I’d like to give you the benefit of all those learning experiences right here…in other words, I made the mistake so you don’t have to! </p>
<p>Before diving in, I want to be very clear. Nothing I will list here will ever be a substitute for strong leadership skills. In fact, it may sound incredible, but one of my favorite camp songleaders growing up never played an instrument and used no amplification in the dining hall at camp. There is no piece of equipment you can buy that will automatically make you a virtuoso (not yet at least!). But the right equipment can help optimize an experience for you and for your group. For example, getting an expensive wireless mic system for your guitar isn’t going to automatically make you sound like a professional guitar player…it will only amplify (make louder!) your current playing. But it might allow you to un-tether yourself from a cable so you can reach those 6th graders at the back of the room, or dance on the table, without losing amplification. And a microphone can protect your voice from having to scream through a loud dining hall for 10 weeks. </p>
<p>I want to also be clear that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Any songleader worth his/her weight in salt knows that every space and every community has its unique challenges and opportunities. But over the last decade I’ve come up with an arsenal of equipment, systems, and best practices that prepare me as best as possible to walk into almost any situation. I live in NYC which has it’s own unique conditions (space is at a premium, lots of wireless frequencies, I don’t own a car so I have to be able to carry everything in two hands) so definitely tweak this to your liking, but given that I travel across North America for my gigs, this is a good starting point no matter what your situation. Also, my list is my own particular balance of trying to be prepared for any situation VS how incrementally it would enhance the experience, how likely I am to use it regularly, the cost, and how big and heavy it is since I might have to add it to my already heavy load. </p>
<p>One thing to be sure, if you do decide to go make some purchases, wherever you go, unless you're independently wealthy you should <strong>never pay retail price</strong>. With the exception of some products and some stores, you can always negotiate the price, even at most of the online retailers if you call in or chat with a salesperson. It’s as simple as asking for a discount, especially if you’re purchasing a lot of things. Ask for the best price they can offer, then ask how much more they can take off if you add ‘X’ to your cart. You can also look at the used market…for larger purchases, I’d recommend a store (ie local music store, Guitar Center, major online retailers) with accountability and existing return policies or a service like <a contents="eBay" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.ebay.com" target="_blank">eBay</a> where they protect you as the buyer. Just be sure to read the fine print on the return policy and make sure it’s exactly the product you're looking for. Other services for the used market include sites like <a contents="Reverb" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.Reverb.com" target="_blank">Reverb</a> which is specifically for buying and selling music gear online, Facebook Marketplace, or you can try one of the apps such as <a contents="LetGo" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://us.letgo.com/en" target="_blank">LetGo</a>. Craigslist also works but I’m hesitant to purchase electronics on Craigslist unless I have time to spend some time trying out every single feature before purchasing. You can also see if you can rent some equipment from your local A/V company or using a peer to peer site like <a contents="Sparkplug" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sparkplug.it/" target="_blank">Sparkplug</a> to try something out before you purchase it. </p>
<p>Please note that <strong>this list is for my songleading gigs only</strong> (ie camps, worship services, workshops, etc) and not for concert performances. There’s definitely some overlap but otherwise they are very different lists for me. </p>
<p>Ok, one more thing. Before I get into my list of equipment in Part 2, I want to highlight several of the cheapest and easiest solutions I’ve come up with over the years because they don’t really fit one of the categories below. These are good tips for any traveler and I may write something separate with just my travel tips, but if you take two lessons from this document, I’d say these are them. </p>
<p>1) <strong>I keep my bags packed all the time.</strong> No, I’m not a doomsday prepper, but it’s much easier for me to not forget something if the default is to have everything packed, and to have to physically remove it if I don’t want to carry it. Rather than try to remember everything I need to bring, and then find where it is in my office, I can just assume I have everything and only remove the things I know I won’t need. It also saves a ton of time in packing and unpacking because I only need to pack and unpack my clothes. I also pack everything pretty much the same way each time which keeps things from moving and breaking, and also is a pretty quick visible way to determine if I forgot something.</p>
<p>2) <strong>I have two sets of everything.</strong> Ok, not everything, but the cheap easy stuff like toiletries. I do over 100 shows per year. If it takes me 5 minutes to gather my toiletries, and another 5 minutes to unpack them, that’s 1000 minutes a year. I can get almost all of them back if I just buy a set of travel toiletries and always keep it packed. It also means I’m much less likely to forget something important like deodorant or toothpaste. Same things go for guitar accessories like capos, tuners, strings, and straps…I keep a set in each guitar bag or case. <strong>If you use something up, just make sure to replace it immediately.</strong> </p>
<p>3) <strong>Put labels on your stuff with your name and phone number. </strong> You’d be surprised how often you leave something behind. Or someone grabs your stuff thinking it belongs to them or the venue. Without a label, it’s almost certainly never coming back. That goes for the big stuff all the way down to the little stuff like cables and power adaptors. </p>
<p>4) Lastly and maybe most importantly, <strong>use a packing list.</strong> You can <a contents="download my packing list here" data-link-label="songleading-packing-list.docx" data-link-type="file" href="/files/306768/songleading-packing-list.docx" target="_blank">download my packing list here</a>. We’ve all shown up with a dead battery, without our strap, or sometimes without our signature stylish and, more importantly, functional suspenders! Create a packing list. Know who else uses lists? Hospital doctors and flight ground crews. So if you want to be foolproof, spend the time and do it. You can print several copies and check them off as you pack, or make a list on your phone and tick the checkmarks as you go. It’ll be a living document for a while, but soon you’ll get your own list that doesn’t change much…you can laminate it and leave it in your suitcase. And by the way, this list isn’t only good for getting all of your equipment to the gig, it’s good for making sure you don’t leave anything behind either. <strong>VERY IMPORTANT -</strong> <strong>BE SPECIFIC! </strong> Putting “Guitar” on your list, won’t help you remember that you took your tuner out of the case where it usually lives to replace the battery last week and now you’re at your gig but your tuner is still on your kitchen table. </p>
<p>Ok, hope that was helpful. Now, on to the more exciting stuff in part 2.</p>Sheldon Lowtag:sheldonlow.com,2005:Post/48821352017-10-08T21:28:19-04:002017-10-08T21:28:19-04:00DIY Musician Revolution<p>In 1998 or ’99, at the age of 15 or 16 I went on a hay ride with my Jewish youth group one Saturday night. A hay ride, for those of you unfamiliar with the term, is where Missourians get into a flatbed wagon filled with hay that’s hitched to a tractor and it drives you around some path in the woods for fun. Funny as it sounds, that night changed the course of my life because when we got to our destination, a long haired guitar-toting musician shared his first contemporary Jewish song that he’d ever written. At the time, I didn’t know that truly contemporary Jewish music existed but that experience was only amplified when some of us were invited to the artist's studio (in his basement) to sing on his first Jewish album. That musician was Rick Recht, one of the top touring Jewish rock musicians today and you can see a picture of 16 year old me in the back row of teens if you lift the “Tov” CD out of the jewel case. </p>
<p>Over time, I became Rick’s intern, office assistant, road crew, merch designer, web updater, project manager, etc. and he became my mentor and friend. In high school, I worked out of the office in Rick's home, counting inventory, assembling promotional packages, updating his website with photos of audience members with Rick on his website (back when getting your picture on the internet was a novelty), printing Mapquest directions for tour because Smartphones and Waze didn't exists yet, and more. I went off to college to study mechanical engineering but on weekends or summers on the road, I would help set up and operate the merch booth, set up and tear down sound, take photos and video, and help out however I could. A few months from graduating, Rick called me and offered to sign me to Jewish Rock Records as an artist. </p>
<p>It’s been over a decade since that phone call, and in that time I’ve released 6 albums which have sold upwards of 100,000 units, performed over 100 dates each year, and started my own indie music label. My songs and recordings have been on additional compilations reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners around the world, and I’ve had 3 song placements in film and television. I recently purchased my own apartment, for the second time in my life. Even as I type I’m amazed at those accomplishments. </p>
<p>For most of my career, I have attributed my success to the unique opportunities of the Jewish music genre and incredible support from the community and my fans. But I have only recently come to realize that I witnessed and was actually part of some of the earliest history of what I call the DIY musician revolution. Yes, it’s true that Napster and iTunes were enormous change agents, but musicians had already been recording in their homes by the time those came around, making music more affordably, and making more music in general than ever before. And now that anyone could have a website, artists no longer needed a major record label to get on the map.</p>
<p>Now, with close to 2 decades of experience under my belt (if you count some of those early high school intern years), it occurs to me that I might have some tips for musicians who are starting out. I happen to believe that though the dust has yet to settle on this DIY musician revolution, this is one of the most exciting times to be a professional musician. True, you can’t make money selling music today, but there are so many new ways you can make money as a musician, and in some ways it’s cheaper and easier than ever. </p>
<p>I look forward to sharing what lessons I’ve learned, but more so, I hope that this blog can serve as a sort of water fountain for the DIY musician community, a place where we can connect, share ideas, and learn from each other on how to help raise the tide for all our ships, individually and collectively. In that spirit, I invite you to please share any and all questions, comments, feedback, ideas for future entries, or any other requests right here in the comments.</p>
<p>And of course don't forget to subscribe. Thanks for reading and rock on! </p>
<p>Sheldon</p>Sheldon Low