Bandhive

Learning a new skill can be difficult, frustrating, and sometimes even painful… We all know that.

But it doesn't have to be.

You've probably heard that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something... What does that really mean? Well, we know it doesn’t mean you need 10,000 hours to become good at your new skill.

Listen now to hear us discuss the 20 hour rule showing that you can learn just about anything to a passable level in 20 hours!

What you’ll learn:

• Why the 10,000 hour rule doesn’t apply to you
• How to learn a new skill quickly
• Why you shouldn’t focus on becoming a specialist (yet)
• How to break down a skill to learn the fundamentals
• Where to find the right resources to learn your next skill
• How to eliminate distractions and focus on learning
• Why learning too much is bad
• How to break down your goals into bite-sized pieces to avoid overwhelm
• How you can become the greatest ____ in the world
• Why tracking your progress is important to staying motivated and

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/96

Whether you're hitting the road for a weekend or going on-two month tour, packing the right things is important.

Especially if it’s your first tour, you might not know what to bring. That’s why on this week’s episode of the podcast we go through our tour essentials, as well as tips shared by our listeners.

Don’t go into your next tour blind: listen now to find out what you should pack so you have (almost) all the comforts of home while on the road.

What you’ll learn:

• What to pack for your next tour
• Why it’s good to have a pen and paper in your backpack
• How to protect your hearing on the cheap
• How to create lasting memories for your fans
• How to instantly feel better on tour
• Why you should only use cheap towels on tour
• Which snacks travel well – and which ones don’t
• How to stay focused on long drives
• What our listeners recommend you pack
• Which essentials should be in your van to keep you on the road

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/95

Keeping track of your gear isn’t easy.

Even with checklists to make sure you don’t forget anything, you need to know the difference between potentially identical cases, so you don’t mix up your gear with someone else’s.

It happens more often than you think, luggage gets switched at the airport or your guitar case gets swapped with someone else’s at the gig. No harm meant, but a frustrating experience for all.

Or, even worse, your gear might be stolen. Thieves can take off labels on the outside of your gear… But will they think to look everywhere before pawning it or listing it on Craigslist?

Listen now to learn how to protect yourself from mistakes or malicious acts so you can keep track of your gear easily, and have a claim when it’s discovered where it shouldn’t be!

What you’ll learn:

• Why you should keep track of your gear effectively
• How to sell more merch at shows
• How accountability keeps your gear safe
• What simple system you can use to track your gear
• Why sometimes it’s good not to be famous
• How to avoid confusing two pieces of gear
• Why stage managers always seem mean (they aren’t)
• How to label your gear in a way that thieves won’t find

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/94

Most musicians are perfectionists – it’s unavoidable. When we expose our souls via songwriting, we want every single aspect to be impeccable.

But if perfection is your goal, you’ll never get there… Perfection is virtually impossible. Don’t get stuck on tiny details, instead focus on the big picture.

Just remember, the artist who creates a song a month and gets those songs 95% of the way there will become a much more skilled musician than the artist who writes one song a year, but considers it “perfect”.

Listen now to learn why “done is better than perfect” applies to everything you do in music, so you can become the best version of yourself!

What you’ll learn:

• How to prevent wasting your time
• Why finishing your music quickly is important
• How to write better music
• Why trying and failing is not failure – it’s a learning experience
• When “perfection” might be appropriate… But it usually isn’t
• Why it’s vital to pick a sound and stick to it
• How to know when your song is finished
• Why you need to play a show ASAP
• How you can jump into the deep end

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/93

Keys, wallet, phone.

Do you have a mental checklist when you leave the house? Probably…

But once you have more than a few items to remember, it can be tough to keep track of everything you need to check.

That’s where checklists come in. Checklists make sure that you never forget an item that’s part of a repeatable task. They’re part of the Standard Operating Procedures for most major companies, including every airline.

Listen now to learn how checklists will help you and your band stay safe, never lose gear, and most importantly, keep track of your bass player!

What you’ll learn:

• How to make sure you don’t leave your bass player two states back
• Why it’s important to follow checklists for every repeatable element of your business
• How to increase your chances of getting stolen gear returned to you
• How you can create effective checklists
• When to use digital checklists
• Why checklists make your process faster rather than slower
• What tasks you can use checklists for
• How to create your checklists
• Why this shouldn’t be optional
• When it’s time for checklists

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/92

Many bands want to be appealing to a record label, but don’t know how to get their foot in the door with the right gatekeepers.

The answer is simple, the execution is not: take your business seriously. By really putting in the effort to take your business to new heights, you will naturally catch the attention of label execs and other music industry insiders.

In this episode, Adam Fiasco of The Fiasco joins us to discuss what artists can do to make their band stand out from the crowd and get opportunities that the average act doesn’t. Listen now to learn more!

What you’ll learn:

• How learning piano at a young age helped Adam become a better musician
• What successful artists have in common – and what labels look for
• How you can grow your audience
• Why it’s ok not to appeal to everyone
• How to see if Facebook ads are right for your band
• How you can get the best ROI for advertising spend
• Why you should look to other artists for examples on how to interact with fans
• How to make your merch table an experience for your audience
• How cold outreach can be done tactfully
• Why you need to reply to every social media comment

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/91

As a DIY artist, at some point you'll want to release a music video. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as hiring a videographer and showing up on the day of the shoot... A lot of prep work goes into shooting a music video.

If you don’t have a plan, nothing will go in your favor. Your entire crew will be frustrated if they don't know what shots are coming next or where they need to be standing when the camera rolls.

Thankfully, the principles of planning out a music video shoot are pretty straight forward. Listen now to hear our tips for a flawless music video experience!

What you’ll learn:

• How a solid plan can make or break your music video
• How to harness the power of branding in your music video
• Why you need a treatment for your music video
• How to budget for a music video shoot
• Why planning in advance is key to a painless music video shoot
• How to schedule your video shoot
• Why you need checklists for your shoots (and any other time you travel)
• How being prepared ensures you can roll with the punches
• How to decide what direction your music video should go

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/90

For some people, going into the studio is all they dream about – other people dread the thought of stepping foot into a studio due to anxiety or fear.

Whether you’re in the first group, the second, or somewhere in between, going into the studio with the right mindset and ideas is make or break for your music.

Listen now to hear how you can increase your productivity, keep bandmates happy, and leave the studio with the best finished product that you can get!

What you’ll learn:

• How you cope with anxiety in the studio
• Why working with a producer gives you an enormous advantage
• How attitude matters for your recording
• Why you shouldn’t be afraid to mess up loud
• How trusting outside opinions boosts your confidence – and results
• Why every note matters
• Why a producer making you redo takes isn’t being mean
• How giving constructive criticism is a gamechanger
• How to give each band member an ideal studio experience

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/89

People often think that being a musician is a great way to get rich. The truth is, it's hard work and most musicians fail at making money from their music.

Most musicians dream of the big time when they should be focusing on smaller things like getting gigs in front of small audiences and perfecting their live show and branding so they can stand out.

Listen now to hear Jon from Memorist describe how to use business principles to become a more successful musician and artist!

What you’ll learn:

• How the driving force to make music affects your career
• Why business skills are important for musicians and creatives
• How to understand marketing and give your band an advantage
• Why putting your album on Bandcamp and making one post on social media isn’t enough
• How to craft your band’s brand identity
• When to start your fan club
• How to use calls to action sparingly and effectively
• Why you should upsell at your merch table
• Why you never want to sell bad merch
• What’s in store for Jon and Memorist

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/88

Many musicians want to make a living from their music, but are falling short of that goal.

For lots of artists, having a full time income from their own music is not achievable in the short term – but in the long term it could be.

In the meantime, an often overlooked income stream is being a musician who plays with other artists, both live or in the studio… This helps build your name, and can give you the income to leave your boring day job.

Listen now to hear Ryan Stevenson discuss his career and share advice for artists who want to branch out into new revenue streams!

What you’ll learn:

• How you can become a “hired gun” working for artists who need touring musicians
• Why knowing about the music business protects you from scammers
• How to understand the relationship between artist and manager
• Why drive and commitment are important for a music career
• What artists can learn from baseball players
• How to motivate collaborators to share your music
• How you can stay active on social media
• Why staying top of mind is important
• How to curate your social media presence
• Why appreciating your fans is one of the best ways to grow your following

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/87