When you set out to pursue a career as a musician, it can be difficult to know what that even looks like. There's a "mist" that surrounds the music business, and knowing what to aim for can feel like a complete guess. Even knowing if you're hitting your target can be elusive.

The truth is, the path from hobbyist to pro or indie musician to signed artist will look different for everyone. But some things remain true in almost all journeys: it's one foot in front of the other, one step at a time. One show builds on the next, connections spread and grow, and above all, the music matters most.

Siri Undlin of Humbird joins me for a transparent look at the slow and steady grind of working your way from being completely "DIY" as a fully independent artist to gaining the attention of management and labels and accessing industry support.

Siri is an impressively talented singer-songwriter. Over the last 7 years or so, Humbird has been slowly and steadily “learning things the hard way.” But with over 150,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, a growing fanbase, and heaps of critical praise across multiple releases of varying styles, it’s clear that Humbird has figured out a thing or two along the way.

In this episode, we chat about the origins of Humbird, what it's like to work with a manager and a label, the tricky transition of going full-time on your music, hitting the road and DIY touring, and why being a fan and supporting live music is still the best strategy of all.

Get a glimpse behind the scenes with Siri as she shares what her career looks like, the struggles, the breakthroughs, and the day-to-day of a hard-working artist on the rise.

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Interested in my Free Song Analysis?

🧰 Get some objective feedback on a song you're working on

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Humbird

Featured Song

"Cornfields and Roadkill" by Humbird

🎧 Listen on Spotify

Connect with Me:

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🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

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This week, we’re thrilled to welcome award-winning songwriter, composer, and producer Danny Burke to the podcast. With nearly 20 years of experience in the sync industry, Danny has an impressive portfolio featuring placements in TV shows, network promos, movie trailers, and ads for some of the world’s biggest brands.

In this episode, Danny shares his journey into the sync world and offers invaluable insights that only come from years of experience. The music industry is complex, and the sync side can feel especially secretive. Danny is passionate about demystifying it and helping others succeed.

Topics we cover in this episode include:

Having learned so much from Danny over the years, I can attest to the wealth of knowledge he brings. If you’re interested in the sync industry, this is one episode you won’t want to miss. Enjoy!

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Interested in my Free Song Analysis?

🧰 Get some objective feedback on a song you're working on

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Danny Burke Website

Featured Song

"Start A War" by Klergy (with Valerie Broussard)

🎧 Listen on Spotify

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

What does success in the music business mean to you? Is it about fame and fortune, or is it about playing shows and releasing music? For many of us, it also involves our personal standards for when we get to call ourselves "musician," "songwriter," "producer," or any other title we aspire to.

In this episode, we explore the intersection of identity, success, and money. As independent musicians, we are all self-employed entrepreneurs, forging our own paths toward our goals. It's up to us to decide what success means and when we can call ourselves "professionals." Our standards are deeply intertwined with our views on money and its significance to our goals.

Joining us is Holly Hansen, a multi-talented engineer, producer, and musician. As the owner of Salon Sonics in Northeast Minneapolis, Holly has built an impressive portfolio over many years in the music business. Despite her accolades, even Holly still questions if she can truly call herself an engineer.

Why is it that defining identity and success can be so challenging, even when there are no wrong answers? Holly and I dive deep into these complex topics, sharing our insights and advice on claiming your identity, defining your success, and being honest about how money influences it all.

Tune in to gain a new perspective on your journey in the music industry and discover practical tips for navigating the nuanced relationship between identity, success, and money.

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Interested in my Free Song Analysis?

🧰 Get some objective feedback on a song you're working on

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Salon Sonics Website

Featured Song

"Ruby" by Holly Hansen

🎧 Listen on Spotify

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

This episode includes a free resource guide with tons of extra information to help you register your music appropriately. You can get yours here.

As of April 2024, more than $2 billion in music royalties are unclaimed by artists, songwriters, and performers, according to one YouTube video. Other sources estimate that 20–50% of music payments never reach their rightful owners. Let's ensure you're not part of that unfortunate statistic!

Registering your music for royalties can be frustratingly difficult and complex. Many independent artists end up with incomplete registrations and partial collections or simply ignore the process and miss out on their money.

To help you navigate this, I've spent the last few months creating a free step-by-step guide with walkthrough videos and a detailed podcast episode. We'll break down this complex topic into manageable chunks to make claiming your royalties as easy as possible.

In this episode and its accompanying guide, you'll learn:

If you plan to release music soon or want to brush up on your music business knowledge, this episode is for you. Enjoy!

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Interested in my free song diagnostic?

🎵🧰 Fix my song!

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

The music business is a realm filled with anecdotes and half-remembered stories that often get mistaken for gospel truths. We've all encountered strong opinions and tales about "the way things should be done." But what do these notions really mean? How can we separate fact from fiction?

In this episode, I'm joined by the renowned Kevin Bowe to debunk some of the most pervasive myths, misunderstandings, and outright lies that circulate in the industry.

Kevin Bowe is a multifaceted writer, producer, mixer, and musician, boasting credits on multi-platinum, Grammy-winning albums. His impressive roster includes collaborations with legends like Johnny Lang, The Replacements, Etta James, Joe Cocker, Paul Westerberg, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, 3 Dog Night, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Little Steven Van Zandt, Communist Daughter, and many more. His songs have even been performed by icons such as Lucinda Williams and Bruce Springsteen!

Tune in to hear our take on common myths like:

Kevin is an incredibly talented, kind, and funny guy, and I can't think of a better industry veteran to learn from. Enjoy!

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Interested in my free song diagnostic?

🎵🧰 Fix my song!

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Kevin Bowe

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

In episode 40 of Secrets From The Scene, I sit down with Brian Reidinger, co-founder of In The Groove, a sync company celebrating three decades in business. Brian shares the story of how In The Groove started, detailing his own journey from an aspiring rock drummer to a successful business owner with Darren Drew. The episode covers the challenges faced, the importance of understanding the business side of music, and the ethos of In The Groove, which focuses on advocating for artists and maintaining a values-based company culture. Brian discusses various deal structures for musicians interested in sync opportunities and provides advice for aspiring musicians on the importance of preparation, persistence, and realistic expectations. This episode provides valuable insights into the sync industry and offers advice for musicians looking to get their work placed in media.

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Interested in my free song diagnostic?

🎵🧰 Fix my song!

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 In The Groove Music

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

Have you ever wondered what it takes to successfully book festival gigs? I sit down with Maygen Lacey and Noah Neumann from the band Maygen and the Birdwatcher to explore just that.

In this episode, Maygen and Noah share their journey as an independent band, offering valuable insights into the strategies they use to secure festival spots. We also discuss the challenges of maintaining a band once you get those coveted gigs, especially when your band members have families and day jobs. The logistics of balancing ambitious band goals with personal commitments is an often overlooked detail until the problem is staring you in the face.

Along the way, Maygen discusses practical tips on networking and the importance of staying top of mind with festival bookers. At the same time, Noah highlights the significance of maintaining a positive attitude and being flexible, especially when it comes to using substitute musicians to keep the band's schedule on track.

Their experiences shed light on the behind-the-scenes work that goes into leading a band with various members' commitments and priorities. They emphasize the importance of consistent follow-ups, leveraging social media, and hard work in achieving success as an independent group.

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Interested in my free song diagnostic?

🎵🧰 ⁠Fix my song!⁠

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Maygen & The Birdwatcher Linktree

Featured Song

"He Ain't Me" by Maygen & The Birdwatcher

🎧 Listen on Spotify

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

Ready to finally tackle that annoying string buzz? Show your guitar, bass, mandolin, ukulele, or other favorite strumming box some extra love this year by bringing it to Overman Guitars.

In this episode, I sit down with Wyatt Overman, the owner of Overman Guitars, to talk about all things guitar maintenance and repairs. Wyatt walks us through what a "setup" involves and shares best practices for basic maintenance between tune-ups. If you're anything like me, you might lean towards the "ignorance is bliss" mentality and wait until something goes wrong before taking action. But there are simple things we can do to keep our instruments in top condition, playing smoothly and sounding great.

In addition to basic maintenance, Overman Guitars can handle your repair needs and mod requests. Wyatt also has some custom builds underway that I’m sure will impress you.

Whether you're looking for a friendly guitar repair shop or simply want to learn how to take better care of your guitar, this episode is for you.

Enjoy!

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Interested in my free song diagnostic?

🎵🧰 ⁠Fix my song!⁠

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Overman Guitars Instagram

🔗 Overman Guitars Website

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

If you've ever recorded music at home, you've likely dipped your toes into the world of mixing. Among all the stages of recording a song, mixing stands out as one of the trickiest and most complex skills to master. But for me, it's also one of the most rewarding parts of making music.

In this episode, I sit down with Jason McGlone, a talented audio professional and music professor at Hamline University. We discuss the intricacies of mixing, explore steps to take if you want to dive into this wonderful art form, and discuss when it might be time to bring in a professional.

Jason shares his thoughts on the philosophy behind mixing, highlighting the importance of organization and continuous learning. We offer essential steps for beginners eager to take on more of the recording process and emphasize why a basic understanding of acoustics and ear fatigue is crucial for accurate results. We also touch on subjects like finding balance in life to enhance creativity and improve decision-making.  

Jason brings 15 years of experience as a mixing engineer and teacher to our conversation, offering invaluable advice and practical tips. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your skills, this episode is packed with expert guidance to help you elevate your mixing game. 

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Interested in my free song diagnostic?

🎵🧰 ⁠Fix my song!⁠

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Jason McGlone Instagram

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

Feeling like your creative goals are always bogged down by poor execution? Whether it's bad planning, lack of communication, or simply not following through, our ambitions often outweigh our accountability. Despite our good intentions, time keeps slipping by and nothing seems to get done. If this sounds like you, it's time to get organized and start working like a professional creative team.

In this episode of Secrets from the Scene, I'm excited to welcome Mike Borell, a local musician and experienced project manager. Mike's got some fantastic insights, drawing from both his corporate gig and his music projects, to share actionable strategies for building and managing effective creative teams.

Here's what we dive into:

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Interested in my free song diagnostic?

🎵🧰 ⁠Fix my song!⁠

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 13 Arrows

🔗 Midnight Horses

Featured Song

"I Can Roll" by 13 Arrows

🎧 Listen on Spotify

👀 Watch on YouTube

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠