How To Find The Best Open Mic Nights In Your Town

July 9, 2020 by onefloent

When I first started in a female group we decided to do a lot of open mics around our town in Chicago to help give us exposure. An Open mic is one of the best ways to network to meet new people in the music industry and also a great way for you to showcase your talent in different states and towns.

Open mic nights can also help you build confidence in your music and help gain more experience as a performer. This post will share some of the top tips for picking the best open mic nights in your town and how to prepare for one.

Is Open Mic Nights Really Worth it?

Absolutely! At open mic nights, you can connect with other singers and network with different music industry executives. Also when you perform at an open mic you can practice your songs in front of an audience which will help develop your skill of singing.

What Is An Open Mic Night?

An Open mic is when different artists come together to showcase their talents on stage. You can either bring your performance CD or have a band play with you at the open mic night. Each open mic is different depending on the venue but usually, each venue will have a day and time blocked out for open mic performers.

Before You Start Your Search

Before you start your open mic search keep the following questions in mind.

What type of open mic I am looking to perform at?
Do I want to perform in front of a huge crowd or small crowd?
Do I want to bring people with me?
Which song(s) do I want to perform?
Will I use my track or have a band with me?

Where To Find Open Mic Nights Online

One of the best ways to find open mics in your town is from the website Eventbrite.com. Eventbrite is an awesome website that will show you all the places online and in-person that you can perform for the month.

Simply go to the actual Eventbrite website and type in the keywords “ Open Mic Night”. After you do that that a list of different open mics will populate you for you to look through and choose from.

Google Search: Another great place to find open mic nights in your town is right on Google. Go to the Google search box and type in the keywords “Open Mic Nights Near Me”. Once you do that a list of different venues and places that hold open mic night will come up.

OpenMic Website: Another great website to find open mic nights is OpenMic.Us. If you are in the USA you can find tons of open mics in a town near you on this website. When you get to the website scroll down to select your town. In order to view the listings in each town, you have to sign up for their email list.

Openmicfinder: Open Mic Finder is a website where you can find open mic nights throughout the USA. On this site, you can search by a distance or browse open mic nights being held throughout the United States.

Can You Bring People To An Open Mic?

Most of the time you are totally welcomed to bring people with you to an open mic. I often suggest it as it can help build a support team and give you that extra boost of energy while performing in a new place.

2. How To Prepare For A Open Mic Night

Your Music:One of the ways to prepare for an open mic night is by bringing your music for your performance. This will make it easier for the DJ and make it a smooth performance for you. If you are with a band make sure that all your band members know the location of the venue and are able to make the open mic night beforehand. Also, make sure that the band members have all their required equipment for the night.

Your Merch: If you have merch I highly recommend bringing it with you just in case someone wants to buy some product from you. Merch can be T-shirts, your albums, posters, and more.

Practice! Practice! Practice: One of the best ways to prepare for an open mic is to practice your material. So, make sure you rehearse how you want to perform on stage for the night. If you have a band make sure to schedule rehearsals before the open mic night so that everyone can be on the same page with the performance.

Bring Business Cards: If you have some make sure to bring some business cards with you while you network throughout the night. In most cases, you will meet other artists and people who work in the industry looking for talent such as you.

If you are not sure how to create or get business cards a great tool is Canva. On this site, you can create a business card within’ minutes and have them ready to print in one day.

For printing options in your town simply go to the Google search bar and type in the keywords “Printing near me” and a list of different printing companies will come up near you. Other options I suggest are Office Depot and the FedEx Store.

Warm-up your voice: One of the best ways to prepare for a performance is by warming up your voice. One of the ways I do this is by pulling up my vocal exercise session Apple Itunes. You can also find a ton of great vocal warm exercises on Youtube. Check them out by clicking here.

3. Track Your Results

At the end of the night make sure to track your results and write down things you want to improve before the next performance. Some questions to think about after the performance are

How did I feel on stage? Am I happy with my performance?
Which songs did I perform and how did the crowd enjoy them?
How was the venue? Were the staff professional?
Would I perform at that venue again?
How many people did I have to sign up for my email list?
Did I build a new connection?
Did anyone come up to me after the show?
Were there a lot of people at the Open mic night?
Did I Like any of the other performances?
What’s one thing I wan to improve my overall performance?

Are Open Mic Free?

Most open mic nights are free but make sure to check in with the host of the open mic to make sure. One of the first things you want to do is make sure to sign up so that you can have a spot in the open mic.

Can You Sing Covers At Open Mic Nights?

Yes, most open mic nights allow their performers to sing cover songs. It’s also a great idea to sing one or two of your original songs so that you can promote it to a new audience.

Final Thoughts

Performing at an open mic is a great way to gain exposure and a great way to meet new people. If you are looking to build confidence or just to get your music out there consider doing open mic nights around your town.

If you have done an open mic how did it go? What did you learn from the experience?

15 ways to make extra money as a musician

13 Ways To Make Extra Money As a Music Artist

February 14, 2018 by latasha

Blog, Music Artist Resources

13 Creative Ways To Make Money As a Musician This Month

Yo! Are you a musician or music artist and have no idea how to make extra money while on your journey to grow your artistry? Well, if you answered YES you are in the right place. We know how hard it can be to grow your career as well as make enough money to support it so we developed this post. This post will share over 10 creative ways musicians and music artists can make extra month starting this month.

So, Let’s dive in!

1. CD & Digital Sales

If you are performing at different lives shows you can totally sell your physical CDs to the audience members and your fans. You can also sell your music through digital sales through your actual website and through an online retailer. While digital downloads are now decreasing with the popularity of streaming music online, it’s still one of the best ways to sell your music directly to your fans.

In most cases, online retailers take a percentage of your sales such as Itunes who takes 30% of each digital sale from artists. On Bandzoogle you can sell your digital downloads commission free and with Bandcamp, you sell your downloads when you create a free account and they take 15% of the sale.

2. Live Shows

Another awesome way to make money as an artist is through live gigs. Not only can get paid to perform at different venues but you can also sell your merch at the live showcases as well, which can add to your overall income. You can sell items such as Tshirts, CDS, buttons, planners, booklets and more.

A ton of venues are available for you to perform original music throughout the year such as bars, clubs, colleges, music festivals and more.

You can also get paid to cover other artist songs as well. Such as performing at live weddings, private events and corporate events. The payout for these events are normally pretty high averaging $200- 500 per night for covering 5 to 15 cover songs. If you are looking to book shows at parties and private events check out GigSalad! Gigsalad helps singers and performers find top-notch gigs in the USA and Canada. If you live in the UK you can check out Encore which hires musicians and music artists to perform at different events such as weddings, private parties and more. Oh! Encore is FREE as well.

3. Streaming

While streaming music may not be the biggest income source it’s still a way you can earn money for your music. With streaming, you basically get paid every time your song is streamed. Streaming can also be a great way for new fans to discover music and find you. Additionally, getting songs added to top playlists on streaming can really boost your career.

4. Digital Royalties

If your music is playing on non-interactive services such as Pandora and SiriusXM Satellite Radio they are required to pay you royalties. You can collect your non- interactive digital royalties on sites like SoundExchange. Registering for SoundExchange is FREE, easy and fast.

Live performance royalties

Did you know you can also get paid for LIVE performance royalties as well through PROs? PROS knowns as Performing Rights Organization helps songwriters and publishers get paid for the use of their music in public places.

For example, when your song is played on the radio, in restaurants, sports arenas, and other public places the owners must pay you for use of it. PROs collect the payments and pay the money to you. Pretty cool, right? An example of a PRO organization is ASCAP!

5. Fiverr

You can also put your music services on Fiverr such as voice over, production and more. A ton of Fiverr music artists sell their services right on the site and earn a great living by doing so. To sign on Fiverr simply go to the site and sign up for FREE and put up what you are offer.

6. YouTube

If you are into making videos then joining Youtube must be up your alley. On Youtube you can collect money from ads being placed on any of your videos that you use your music.

7. Songwriting & Producing

If you are a songwriter you can write songs for others artists and musicians and get paid by doing so. You would also be able to collect royalties on the songs you have written and be able to grow as a musician and meet new people to collab with. If you have your own studio you can also produce songs for other artists as well. To promote your services you can use social media such as your Facebook Fan page and Instagram page to get the word out. You can also put up flyers in local music colleges and venues.

8. Teach Music Lessons

Do you love teaching and connecting with new people? If you are great at playing a musical instrument or if you have a great ear for music you can actually teach for places such as TakeLessons. TakeLessons lets students take private or online lessons which is AMAZING.COM!. So, you can actually teach lessons online and make extra money. The lessons are taught via video and you can be taught in the comfort of your own home.

9. Rent out Your Studio

If you have a studio you can rent it out to other artists to work in. I know a lot of record producers who rent out their studios throughout the week and make great money. To set up an effective system you can use Google Doc for scheduling to keep everything organized.

10. Start a Music Blog

Are you passionate about writing about the music industry? If so, you can totally start a blog. There are a ton of ways you can make money from a blog and currently I make over $1500 extra a month from my business blog Arts and Budgets! Some of the ways you can make money from a blog are through affiliate marketing, ads, and products. If you want more information on how to start a blog and how to make money from a blog check out this post on how to start a blog by clicking here.

11. Recording and Mixing online

If you are a studio musician, mixer or engineering places such as AirGig.com might be right up your alley. AirGig is a marketplace & community of recording, mixing and mastering professionals working on projects from their own studios. On Airgig sellers post gigs for music production services that they can deliver online.

With AirGig you can team up with other artists, producers and mixers and collab with them. Another amazing place online to work with other artists is Soundbetter. Soundbetter has some of the best musician, songwriters, mastering engineers, producers for hire. You can get paid for offering your services on this site as well.

12. Equipment Rental

If you have a ton of equipment you can totally rent out your equipment to make extra money. Places like Sparkplug lets musicians put their items up for rent on their online community. Sparkplug verifies all members and musicians get the final say in approving who gets to rent their gear. Pretty cool, right? So, if you have musical instruments that you aren’t using you can totally put them on Sparkplug to help other musicians out and make extra money in the process. #Score

13. Music Licensing

With music licensing you can get your music heard on television, movies, apps, computer games, Youtube and more. Places online such as Syniko can help get your music placed and in a rotation. You will also be able to make money as well. Some of the companies Syniko work with are Sony, Apple, Microsoft, Audi and many more.

So There you have it! Over 10 ways to make money in the music industry! How are you making money as an artist?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Latasha is a Creative Entrepreneur who helps Creatives grow their biz + income through effective online strategies & side hustles. Make sure to join the Creative Ninjas Facebook Group It’s filled with 1000+ other awesome Creatives!

How to Network Effectively as a Musician

June 9, 2017 by latasha

Blog, Creative Arts Resources, Music, Music Artist Resources

How to Network Effectively as a Musician

Build Relationships

Networking is about building relationships for the future and not the present. Many people think that contacting someone they don’t know and asking for an opportunity is what they need to make that big break but I disagree. It’s hard to reach someone’s trust if they don’t know you and therefore you must develop a frequent form of communication that will cause them to remember your name. Networking has a lot to do with marketing and pushing a brand.

Find Your Audience

Who do you want to network with and who would benefit most from what you have to offer? Making it in a professional world is about using wisdom and not about reaching just any person. Find your target audience and grow relationships in their network.

How? Find out who they work with and connect them. Usually, it’s the people you don’t see in the limelight that are accessible and easier to reach.

When I want to work with someone in the future, I simply learn things about them such as their accomplishments, what collaborations they did and what people say about them people reports about them. I go and study their traffic on social media and keep up with their posts. I also support them!

Support Others

This is huge and means a lot in the music industry and without the support of musicians and fellow industry professionals, we cannot go to the heights of success. With this in mind, I like, share and comment on their posts on social media. So, make sure to support other artists by going to their social media profiles and like and share their posts.

Attend their events

I make it my business to attend special events and outings that artists have. At these events, it’s important not to run up to them immediately about your goals and plans for the future because you don’t want to come off as some opportunist even though you are looking for opportunities.

Never interrupt their current conversations because you don’t want to annoy them. Politely walk up and smile while shaking their hand and introducing yourself. Let them ask what you do and don’t spend too much time talking about yourself. Also, Spend at least 5 minutes talking about yourself and goals.

This may seem small but it’s very important but always have your phone fully charged. You don’t want to handicap yourself by having a dead phone that you can’t enter new contacts and images in. Your phone is the biggest networking tool.

Also, mingle and find out who else is in the room and engage with them because you might just be talking to someone who has a need that requires your talent. When you approach someone with a higher status, don’t act like they are the biggest thing that happened to you. Treat them like a professional in the business and act like you belong there with them!

Additionally, never ask for their number but let them offer it and If they decide to share their personal contact with you, that’s great! If not, ask them if they are on Instagram and if they say yes, always let them pull their phone out and follow you. Remember, you can’t make someone connect with you and have a conversation with them before the exchange takes place. People will want to stay connected if they enjoyed the conversation with you. Make your conversations meaningful by asking about what their current projects are and congratulate them on their past achievements.

Connect On Social Media

If the artist decides to follow you on social media, don’t flood their inbox with links to your songs and random stuff to make conversation. Be impressionable by sharing their posts on your page and letting your friends engage. On social media, you can see the likes and follows of theirs and this will allow you to know more about them. Let them start engaging with you and keep it going. Once you get a like on Instagram from your artist that means they are starting to notice your presence and it gives you a chance to later present your work to them.

Re-Engage With Your Network

Share posts that your audience will enjoy and on some occasions tag them. If they never respond by liking your tags, stop tagging and let them choose to engage. The goal is to not force your connections because you want real supporters and people who are interested in what you are doing. Make sure you reach out to your contacts on the holidays and on their birthdays. Use special occasions to keep yourself engaged with them and never let a phone number sit in your phone for so long that they don’t remember who you are.

Connect With Your Circle

If one of your connections want to do business, it’s important to find out how they are as business partners. You may want to google them or ask a trusted party who would keep this question concealed. In a new industry, it’s important to ask around and find out about someone before doing business with them just like employers ask for professional referrals. Take it upon yourself to check their LinkedIn, business pages, and reviews. Don’t just assume that people are good to do business with just because they are well known by several people. This method can and will save you a ton of frustration in the end.

Serve In The Music Industry

When I wanted to connect with industry professionals I served at a music studio. This gave me the opportunity to find out who the engineer, writer, and producer was on certain projects. It was a great way to meet people I would’ve never met while serving them and it also taught me etiquette around industry professionals. This will also allow you gain knowledge about the music industry and find out what it is like to work with others in the industry.

Have Your Content Ready To Present

I can’t stress this enough! Make sure you have content to present when you’re meeting people. What good is it to say you write, produce or sing if your social media pages hardly have any content of such? Always be ready to showcase what you do no matter what!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: With a mixture of soul, r&b, jazz, gospel, and house, Grace Burage is a singer, songwriter, producer from Chicago that has a passion to express words, sounds and rhythms from the heart of God.

12 Tips on How to Become a Better Producer

June 9, 2017 by latasha

Blog, Creative Arts Resources

12 Tips on How to Become a Better Producer

1. Master What You Have

Too many times producers think they are not able to achieve Pro standards due to limitations of DAW, Drum Library and lack of VST plugins. This is simply not true; you can become a master with what you already own. Know your DAW inside out, know its strengths and identify its weaknesses, know your Drum library inside out. Many of the top producers in the industry create hit records by recycling the same drums they have used for countless hit records. Eq, compress and filter in creative ways. In the end, a tool is only as good as the individual who wields it.

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2. Don’t Try To “Fix It” In The Mix

Many producers try to toss tracks together without considering the quality of sounds they started with. A house is only as strong as its foundation, USE QUALITY SOUNDS when making your music. If you don’t have access to quality sounds yet, get to work. Find a small part-time gig and invest in yourself. Purchase quality sounds that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

There are many websites selling terrible products; please BE VERY SELECTIVE ABOUT WHO YOU PURCHASE FROM !!! DEMO EVERYTHING!!! For beginners, I would recommend starting with Fruity Loops. It has been an excellent tool for creating classic records. It has a vast drum library and stock VST’s that goes a long way. Start with an excellent sounding source, and you will see the results translate in the mix. USE QUALITY SOUNDS. Don’t sell yourself Short.

How To Network Effectively As An Musician

3. Collaborate With Other Musicians

Collaboration is KEY to inspiring new ideas and music. Too many people take the lone wolf approach. History and time have taught us that the most significant achievements in life have come from people working together. A one-man band is not always your best option. Find people that share your vision for music and life. Allow like-minded people to connect with your creative process.

4. Take Time To Break

Many times, the production process is a vital step away from the song, beat, and score. Take small breaks in between your production process to clear your ears. Sometimes listening to the song on repeat for many hours can kill the vibe of creativity. Let the song come to you, don’t force it. If you find yourself in the zone and have no production block, then finish the song, but like many of us, we just need a break in-between the countless hours of the looped sample and redundant choruses. Stay back, breath and go at it with a fresh perspective.

5. Do Not Over Produce

Many times, less is more. Trying so hard to make the song sound full just by adding sounds, FX, and samples. This cardinal sin that I have been guilty of countless times. Now there will be times where the song calls for a very complicated arrangement, so go wild, other times we as producers tend to focus too much on the beat instead of the entire song as a whole, we throw all kinds of sounds, drums, and FX into our tracks wondering why people are not drawn to it. Keep it simple.

Let the track breathe. When moments of complexity are needed goes Nuts.

6. Listen To Constructive Criticism

Do not become so attached to what you create that you lose sight of the people who consume your music. Now with this tip, I would say be mindful of who you allow to give you feedback on your music. We all know this industry is filled with haters. Therefore, you must be careful which comments about your production you entertain. True constructive criticism will make you a better producer; you must have at least one person in your corner who will always tell you the truth about what you produce no matter what. Be open to taking it all; the good, the bad, and the ugly. It’s ok to trash beats and ideas that don’t work.

YOU’RE A PRODUCER JUST MAKE ANOTHER SONG !!!YOU WILL LIVE!!! LIFE WILL NOT END, AND THE WORLD WILL NOT EXPLODE!

7. Be Open To Experiment

BECOME FEARLESS IN PRODUCTION. Try new things. Be bold and take risks with what you make. Too many producers are playing it safe. Create the music you want to listen to. Experiment with genres, tones, bands, singers and new instruments. Don’t be afraid to make what you love. Step outside the box of what is popular in today’s Culture.

8. Be True To Yourself

In an age of copycats, original music is becoming rarer. There will never be another you on this planet. THAT IS YOUR BIGGEST ADVANTAGE. BE YOU AND DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THOSE WHO HATE WHAT YOU DO. Create a place of originality.

9. Practice Daily

Practice and create daily. It will pay off in the long run. Now for some this may not apply. Some people are just naturally talented and never practice, but for others, I mean the 95% of us remaining, practice does make perfect. Find time in your day to practice your craft. Play your guitar, beat your drums, bang your MPC UNTIL YOU PASS OUT, then get up the next day and do it again. You will only get out of this what you put in. If you want to be great, begin to create great habits.

10. Find a Production Mentor

Music mentors will be a great asset to your growth as a producer and as a professional within this industry. Learn from someone who is creating at a far better level. Humility will take you a long way. Never be ashamed, afraid, or self-conscience about wanting to become great at what you do.

11. Learn to Mix Your Tracks

MIXING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS A PRODUCER CAN HAVE IN HIS/HERS ARSENAL. When creating music and sending out tracks for placements many of us fall short when it comes to mixing. Mixing is a colossal task. Take your time. Learn what techniques work with your style of music and then master them. This will set you apart from a lot of the competition.

12. Learn About The Music Business

As the backbone of the music industry, every DIY and Pro producer should know some of the basics of the music business. Know your right as a producer. Don’t sign any contract that you have not had a lawyer look over. Take some online classes on publishing rights, copyrights, master recording rights, composition rights, and percentage points for commercial production gigs. Do not be caught in a great opportunity with no knowledge of what you are stepping into. Labels will not get out of their way to make sure you get a great deal; they are about their company and their artists. Many producers have mishandled this portion of their production career, but I promise it is vital to your success and longevity within this industry.

Blog

How To Find The Best Open Mic Nights In Your Town

Is Open Mic Nights Really Worth it?

What Is An Open Mic Night?

Before You Start Your Search

Where To Find Open Mic Nights Online

2. How To Prepare For A Open Mic Night

3. Track Your Results

Are Open Mic Free?

Can You Sing Covers At Open Mic Nights?

Final Thoughts

13 Ways To Make Extra Money As a Music Artist

13 Creative Ways To Make Money As a Musician This Month

1. CD & Digital Sales

2. Live Shows

3. Streaming

4. Digital Royalties

5. Fiverr

6. YouTube

7. Songwriting & Producing

8. Teach Music Lessons

9. Rent out Your Studio

10. Start a Music Blog

11. Recording and Mixing online

12. Equipment Rental

13. Music Licensing

How to Network Effectively as a Musician

How to Network Effectively as a Musician

Build Relationships

Find Your Audience

Support Others

Connect On Social Media

Re-Engage With Your Network

Connect With Your Circle

Serve In The Music Industry

Have Your Content Ready To Present

12 Tips on How to Become a Better Producer

12 Tips on How to Become a Better Producer

1. Master What You Have

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2. Don’t Try To “Fix It” In The Mix

RELATED POST

How To Network Effectively As An Musician

3. Collaborate With Other Musicians

4. Take Time To Break

5. Do Not Over Produce

6. Listen To Constructive Criticism

7. Be Open To Experiment

8. Be True To Yourself

9. Practice Daily

10. Find a Production Mentor

11. Learn to Mix Your Tracks

12. Learn About The Music Business

Author Bio: Gabriel Labrador is a producer and writer of the OneFlo Ent. team.

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