Performance Testing
BEFORE you go and invest a ton of money on studio time, session-musicians, or shrink-wrapped CD product: it makes total sense to test-market your material in the real world, and then keep evolving it until you have the sales numbers to back up further investment.
This gives you the advantage of being able to try out a whole variety of different arrangements and see if any of them resonates on a powerful level with the public. Find out if there is a creative chemistry that drives SALES!
THE TRUTH:
Well-written music always sells itself – even in the raw form – without a fancy production behind it.
A Dose of Reality:
I'm going to be starkly honest. If people aren't lining up to buy your material, you don't have it YET.
Either it does not have the right structure or it is already too watered down with the analytical side of the brain and you need to go back to the drawing board.
Properly structured music creates an instant craving factor that drives sales. We literally have a physical NEED to hear it again which causes us to purchase a copy.
If you haven't read our songwriting articles take the time to get fully oriented. These life-changing articles will empower you to take your natural inspiration as it flows and then structure it in the way that drives sales.
Have You Discovered Your Ideal Market?
There is also the possibility that you haven't yet found the right venue – or market – for YOUR style of music.
Go deep and ask your self WHO would resonate with your soul sounds, and WHERE you could go – to share them – with the RIGHT people.
Seeing Your Self Objectively
Get in the habit of taking video of your performances. Observe your work later on after the fact. Notice your body language, presentation, and audience responses. This information is crucial towards evolving your performances to the most optimal, and powerful level.
- Are you building mystique?
- Are you creating excitement?
- Are you building rapport with your audience?
Hearing Your Music through other Ears
Test out different song arrangements and phrases. Little kids are often great test subjects, for checking natural human responses. Let them choose the one that sounds the best to them!
The Numbers Tell the Truth
Ultimately your sales numbers will tell the story. Either your music has it or it doesn't.
It's extremely important to build your web sales store right from the beginning so you can see how much follow-up business you are generating. If your sales are strong at live performances but you have hardly any web sales activity, it may be that your sales are based on your live presence – but the music itself does not have the qualities required to drive sales: independently of your personal charisma.
Establishing Your Web Presence
These guys have some free Myspace Layouts for Musicians that look like actual normal web sites.
Click here to get your own . com name registered for $15 per year. You can point this name at any web page of your choice (including your Myspace page) in three easy steps.
**IMPORTANT** ONLY register a name that is sufficiently unique that you are able to secure the DOT COM form of the name. (Don't bother if only .net or .info etc.. are available).
Read about developing your own total recall brand name in Exposure that Pulls.
Now you can sell your music on iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, Emusic and Napster! Get started HERE. **BONUS** Includes UPC retail bar codes for your albums.
HINT: Music Really starts selling once you have a clickable iTunes icon right in your Myspace Profile and in any comments you leave on other people's profiles.
Persistence and Passion
If you've got what ALL great artists have in common – Sincerity and Simplicity – you CAN make it happen. You just have to continually be learning and adapting your approach to reality.
If you know in the core of your soul that you have a gift to give, and you practice persistence – the whole world can be yours.
See "Your Own CD Factory" to learn how you can easily and affordably do this.
By learning some basic recording skills – such as how to operate a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) you can eliminate concerns about the high-cost of studio time – especially while you are in the songwriting stage.
A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is a program that runs on a computer and provides all the functions of a recording studio.
Chances are, that you can figure this out on your own in a very short time. But if you prefer, you can hire someone for a couple of sessions to help you set it up and learn to use it. Once you are empowered you are free to really get creative with your music.
Sell Your Music Now!
