The David Andrew Wiebe Show

What did Marty Friedman recently say on ROCK FUJIYAMA that caught my attention?

What’s Wolf’s philosophy on achieving success in the new music industry?

All this and more on the latest iteration of the monthly, 2022 Edition of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Podcast Highlights:

00:32 – David and Wolf share what’s new in their worlds

04:44 – The secret is there is no secret

11:48 – The shortcut to success is the long road

31:20 – The Unstarving Musician

31:48 – Marty Friedman’s bold claim

40:02 – The fastest growing industries in the US

45:20 – A special message

49:10 – Get in touch and final thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Music by EvgenyBardyuzha from Pixabay

Music by Coma-Media from Pixabay

Gaki Music

David Andrew Wiebe

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

The Unstarving Musician

ROCK FUJIYAMA

Frontiers Music

Rock Legends Cruise

Sex Money Kiss by Gene Simmons

Fastest Growing Industries in the US by Revenue Growth (%) in 2022

The Great Gift Giveaway

Chord King Course

Episode Summary:

David and Wolf share what’s new in their worlds. Wolf introduces himself and talks about his London-based independent business, Gaki Music. David is taking on his new album, Back on Solid Ground, publishing daily on DavidAndrewWiebe.com, and is looking for an interim Chief Marketing Officer for Music Entrepreneur HQ. See Careers page.

The Secret is There is No Secret

What is the secret to success? Is it a specific set of actions? A mindset? Having a great attitude and working hard?

David explores the example of Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, in which the author described a “secret” in the introduction that everyone claims to know. David says the secret was removed. It’s not in the book!

The Shortcut to Success is the Long Road

As an artist, it may be a long time before you see the fruits of your labor. Are you willing to play the long game? Stay patient? Keep putting in the work even if it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere?

Mid-Roll

The Unstarving Musician podcast, hosted by Robonzo, features interviews with independent music artists who share their experience and expertise on recording, touring, getting gigs, the creative process, marketing, and more. It’s a podcast intended to help independent music artists better understand the marketing, business and creative processes that empower us to do more of what we love – make music. Find it at UnstarvingMusician.com and wherever you get your favorite audio.

Marty Friedman Says “All Successful Rock Musicians Are Business Minded”

What did Marty Friedman recently say on ROCK FUJIYAMA that caught David’s attention?

David mentions Gene Simmons’ Sex Money Kiss as an essential read for music entrepreneurs.

The Fastest Growing Industries in the US

It seems like there’s a lot of pent-up energy because of the pandemic. People are looking to travel, vacation, attend events, and find opportunities to get away from the humdrum lockdown life. Concerts and artists are clearly on a path to recovery as well.

David shares his views on The Matrix Resurrections.

A Special Message

Wolf and David deliver a special message to a notable figure in the music entrepreneur space.

Get in Touch

Find Wolf at GakiMusic.com. Email [email protected].

Find David at davidandrewwiebe.com. He’s easy to reach on Twitter and BitClout.

Final Thoughts

Hey, it’s David Andrew Wiebe here to wrap up this episode. I really hope you enjoyed this episode. And I wanted to urge you to stay subscribed to the show. I know we’re going down to a monthly format for a while, and that might be disappointing to some, but if you think of it like a Christmas present each month, wait on bated breath for each episode, and the moment it arrives, consume it like you just paid $997 for it, you’re going to get so much value out of every show.

And if you want to see more from us, show us that you care. Leave a rating and review for the show in iTunes and share this episode with a friend. There’s bound to be someone you know who can benefit from it, so give the goodness away and be a leader in your world. Be someone who adds value to others.

Thank you for listening. We love and appreciate you.

Closing Segment

Today, I wanted to share something special with you. It’s called The Great Gift Giveaway. You might recall that my friend, Amos Bracewell has been on the show a couple of times, and most recently, he shared about his new contest. Well, this contest is now live, and there are daily giveaways, weekly giveaways, some amazing opportunities to win access to my brand-new Chord King Course, vocal lessons with Jane Perrett, handmade soaps, and a great deal more. Go to TheGreatGiftGiveaway.com and sign up today. You’ll have me to blame when you start winning…

This has been episode 262 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.

So, what exactly is going on with Music Entrepreneur HQ and The New Music Industry Podcast in 2022? Will it be business as usual, or are there changes to come?

That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this episode The New Music Industry Podcast.

Podcast Highlights:

00:32 – David addresses what’s been going on in his world

02:40 – Improvements that need to be made to Music Entrepreneur HQ

03:40 – Career opportunities at Music Entrepreneur HQ

04:22 – These are tough times

05:24 – But these are still amazing times to be an artist

05:44 – Our plan moving forward

07:54 – Opportunity for innovation

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Chord King Course

Careers

Music Entrepreneur HQ YouTube channel

The Unstarving Musician

Transcription:

Hey, it’s David Andrew Wiebe.

You may have noticed that we’ve been a little slow to update Music Entrepreneur HQ as of late. So, I wanted to address this.

A lot of this will become clearer as we go, but in general, this has a lot to do with the renewed efforts I’m putting into my music career, as well as my new guitar course, the Chord King Course program at ChordKingCourse.com.

In terms of music, I’m working on my album, Back on Solid Ground. This has been the big, unfinished, “Duke Nukem Forever” project in my life that dates to 2008 / 2009 that I have yet to complete.

I realized there’s not going to be a perfect time or space to complete it in. It’s now or never. That’s why I’ve been working on it this quarter, and I will continue to work on it next quarter, as I’ve realized it’s a little ambitious to try to get it all done in three months.

My yearlong leadership program is part of what has me engaging in these projects to begin with, but the leadership program in and of itself, as I’ve said before, is also expansive in its scope, velocity, and intensity.

So, while I am using it as a vehicle to finish the things, I’ve chosen for myself, it’s true that there are certain requirements and demands in terms of training, meetings, calls, and tasks. Either way, I’m going to continue to share what I’ve been discovering in the program so you can benefit from it.

But it’s come to the point where picking up more clients, working on music, and everything else I’m up to right now isn’t entirely sustainable. I get it done, but at the expense of life – and to an extent, health, because I’m exhausted.

It has come to my attention too, that while Music Entrepreneur HQ’s SEO needs to be improved, constantly publishing new content doesn’t give us a lot of space to do the overhauls we need to do.

As it stands, there’s still a good amount of traffic coming to the site, but a lot of it is deadweight, and people who bounce off. Maybe this is just the curse of having a site that’s so big with content that needs to be updated, but we’re noticing that this doesn’t drive results.

I’m acknowledging that, while I could be the point person for SEO, it would be a very slow-going process because of what I’ve already taken on.

And, to that end, we’re looking for solutions. There is a new Careers page on the website, and we’re currently looking for an interim Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) – this is not a full-time position, but rather a medium-term revenue share opportunity where the CMO will be paid a percentage of the business based on performance.

It would be their responsibility to improve the site’s SEO and copy, so if you happen to know anyone that’s skilled in those areas that’s looking for five- to 10-hour per week type commitment and would like to work with me over the course of the next two to three years, do let me know.

But I’ve also heard from some of you that this is just a tough time and you’re trying to figure out your finances, and you may not have discretionary income to spend on courses and other programs right now.

And I can appreciate that, but there is an impact. Look, in the last few months, I’ve had to tighten the belt a bit, cut some expenses, look for additional writing work I could take on, and generally begin to seek out opportunities that are a little less reliant on client purchases, and are more predicated on engagement, views, time invested, and so forth.

But whether it’s Medium, YouTube, BitClout, Odysee, or otherwise, it takes time and effort. Short-term, there isn’t much in it.

And while I still think this is an excellent time to be an artist, and there are more opportunities than ever, it’s basically brought me to this point of having to switch things up a bit.

And the decision isn’t to stop everything, give up, or otherwise walk away from what we’ve built up with The New Music Industry Podcast or Music Entrepreneur HQ… Like I said, we’re looking for solutions.

The plan is to slow things down a bit, to get our messaging right, optimize our website, and to fine-tune what’s clearly not working for us right now.

So, I wanted to give you a sense of what to expect moving forward:

With the podcast, I will be moving to a monthly format for a while, probably for the rest of the year, but it all depends on participation, engagement, shares, and monetization.

And there are some surprises coming with the new format. I have a new co-host that’ll be joining me for each episode, so in that sense, I expect it to be a lot more interactive and fun, and an easy space for everyone to get into the conversation.

The blog is going to be a little sporadic in the immediate future, but I do have multiple pieces to share with you, so I’m looking to set up at least one new post every two weeks.

As for the YouTube channel, I think you can still expect weekly updates.

Overall, I believe these will all be positive changes, but I wanted to make sure you were aware of them and know where to follow us.

Stick with the podcast. Don’t unsubscribe. Wait on bated breath for every episode. Consume it the moment it’s published. Soak in the content and listen to every word. That’s how you’re going to get the most value out of it.

One of our goals is to make Music Entrepreneur HQ easier to follow. Personally, I’ll still be experimenting a lot and posting everywhere, but with Music Entrepreneur HQ, we want to make sure you aren’t confused, and you can easily find what you’re looking for in the format you want it.

So, keep an eye on the blog, on the podcast, and our YouTube channel. You can also check out our social media destinations for updates.

And I want to leave you with this. This is the best time to innovate. Historically, the best time for businesses, entrepreneurs, and even artists, is when things are tough. This is the best time to innovate and create something new.

Closing Segment

The Unstarving Musician podcast, hosted by Robonzo, features interviews with independent music artists who share their experience and expertise on recording, touring, getting gigs, the creative process, marketing, and more. It’s a podcast intended to help independent music artists better understand the marketing, business and creative processes that empower us to do more of what we love – make music. Find it at UnstarvingMusician.com and wherever you get your favorite audio.

Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.

Are you looking for licensing and placement opportunities? How is multimedia changing, and how does that impact your outlook as an artist?

That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Download the PDF Transcription

Podcast Highlights:

00:31 – What is Artlist and what makes it unique?

05:58 – Where are things going with stock music?

09:01 – The intersection between multimedia and NFTs

09:49 – Can anyone join Artlist?

15:08 – A&R and a new kind of record label

17:16 – Revenue models for independent musicians

30:09 – What is Ori most excited about with current producing efforts?

32:47 – What was the last YouTube video Ori watched?

33:23 – What is Ori’s daily routine like?

34:28 – What are Ori’s favorite books?

35:38 – What is the greatest challenge Ori has overcome?

36:46 – What is the greatest victory Ori has experienced?

38:24 – Closing thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Artlist

Episode 248 – Get Your Music Distributed & Tap into More Revenue Streams

Mixing with Your Mind by Michael Paul Stavrou

The Unstarving Musician

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Closing Segment

The Unstarving Musician podcast, hosted by Robonzo, features interviews with independent music artists who share their experience and expertise on recording, touring, getting gigs, the creative process, marketing, and more. It’s a podcast intended to help independent music artists better understand the marketing, business and creative processes that empower us to do more of what we love – make music. Find it at UnstarvingMusician.com and wherever you get your favorite audio.

This has been episode 260 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.

What would it look like to start a new podcast? How do you market your music effectively? What are the most important tools you could be taking advantage of in 2022?

That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Podcast Highlights:

00:35 – Robonzo returns

01:46 – Robonzo’s new podcast startup program

09:56 – The importance of segmenting your audience

12:16 – Is it too late to get into the podcast game?

18:00 – Robonzo’s latest singles

22:12 – How has Robonzo been holding up during the pandemic?

27:07 – What was Robonzo’s approach to writing lyrics?

28:35 – What are the most important music marketing lessons Robonzo learned?

31:05 – Leveraging your successes

32:06 – What roadblocks has Robonzo worked on overcoming?

34:46 – Robonzo’s tool / tech stack – the essentials

37:25 – What is Robonzo most excited about?

40:04 – Closing thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

The Unstarving Musician

Episode 164 – How to be Happy & Profitable Live Performer

Podcast Startup

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr. Joseph Murphy Review

The Music Entrepreneur Code – 2022 Edition by David Andrew Wiebe

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Closing Segment

Did you pick up your copy of The Music Entrepreneur Code – 2022 Edition yet? If you got the original edition, then I understand why you might not be rushing over to Amazon to grab this, but there are some new things in there, especially on the opportunity side that make it quite compelling. And if you don’t already have a copy, well, this is the definitive version of The Music Entrepreneur Code. Think of it this way – you would be supporting the podcast with your purchase. So, go to davidandrewwiebe.com/Code2022 to pick up your copy.

I hope you’ve been enjoying the holiday season, and I want to wish you a Happy New Year!

This has been episode 259 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.

What can you expect from the 2022 Edition of The Music Entrepreneur Code? What’s different about this version versus the last?

That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Podcast Highlights:

00:26 – The big reveal: The Music Entrepreneur Code – 2022 Edition

01:01 – What led to the creation of the latest edition of The Music Entrepreneur Code

01:54 – What’s new in the latest edition of the book

04:02 – Closing thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

The Music Entrepreneur Code – 2022 Edition by David Andrew Wiebe

Transcription:

Hey, it’s David Andrew Wiebe.

So, at long last it’s been revealed…

Now you know ONE of the reasons I’ve been wanting to talk more about The Music Entrepreneur Code as of late. It’s because I’ve been working on the second edition of the book!

As for the other reason I’ve been wanting to talk more about The Music Entrepreneur Code? Well, that will have to wait…

In this episode, I wanted to give you a preview of the new book. Normally, this is where I would read you the introduction, which is what I’m going to be doing in one of the next couple of episodes.

But here, I wanted to share a little bit about what’s new with this edition. So, let’s get into it.

What Led to the Creation of The Music Entrepreneur Code – 2022 Edition (Now with More Ninja)

This post originally appeared on http://www.davidandrewwiebe.com/ on December 7, 2021.

Last year, I had the pleasure of sharing my best-selling, guitar-windmilling, cigar smoking, and whisky swilling The Music Entrepreneur Code with you.

And the feedback I got on the new book was phenomenal. Rocker status.

As I continued to share the work with readers and friends, though, I realized there was an opportunity for an encore performance.

Most if not all of what’s shared in the book is going to stand the test of time, like “Stairway to Heaven,” meaning it’s unlikely to go out of style like nu-metal shlock of the early 2000s.

Not to mention, in the book, principles were distilled down to their core essentials like Eric Clapton’s Unplugged. No fluff, no B.S. In that sense, revision would have been redundant, like the Beastie Boys’ deluxe edition of Check Your Head.

Here’s What’s New in The Music Entrepreneur Code – 2022 Edition (Now with More Ninja)

The most significant opportunity I recognized with the book was the importance of sharing my story.

As we all know, story creates connection. And I don’t say that to sound smart. Some of the greatest songwriters of all-time, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, and Paul Simon obviously knew this.

But with a new introduction centered on story and heart-based connection, I knew that the tactics and strategies discussed in the book would land the plane on smoother, gold-studded runways.

As with any other artist or creative, I’ve had many struggles (some would say that’s putting it mildly). And while struggling is ultimately optional, to get to that point in your development requires some deep intellectual digging (and usually several thousand dollars’ worth of courses). But that’s a whole other conversation. Remind me to waffle it out on another occasion.

With the latest edition of The Music Entrepreneur Code, I wanted to crack the code on creating intense relatability and instill an emotional connection, just as Elton John did with “Candle In The Wind.” I believe I have accomplished exactly that with the new introduction.

This isn’t all that’s available in the latest hard-rocking edition of The Music Entrepreneur Code, though. Here’s what else was changed:

More data and insights. Although some of the bigger questions will be left to the forthcoming follow-up, The Music Entrepreneur Companion Guide, the latest edition of The Music Entrepreneur Code features art- and science-based secrets to unlocking your inner musical star.

More opportunities. We’re getting ready to launch some done-for-you opportunities to earn an income from sharing the book, and we’re excited about what’s to come.

More ninja. Talking about revisions and updates is unsexy. So, I’m calling these changes “more ninja” instead. It’s more fun that way.

More tool and resource recommendations. One of the things readers loved about The Music Entrepreneur Code was how it pointed them in the direction of other great gear to help them on their Budokan journey. The latest edition of the book comes with even more.

Closing Segment

So, if you’re ready to crank your amps up to 11 and embark upon your Budokan journey, the 2022 Edition of The Music Entrepreneur Code is ready for pre-order on Amazon. Of course, I’m groovy enough to have set up a short link for you. You can go to davidandrewwiebe.com/Code2022 – that’s the numbers 2 – 0 – 2 – 2, to pre-order your Kindle. The Kindle launches on December 15, and paperback and hardcover versions will be soon to follow.

This has been episode 258 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.

There are many forms of pain, whether physical or emotional. What if there were tools and products that could help you live pain-free?

That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Podcast Highlights:

00:29 – Amos Bracewell makes his return to the podcast!

01:36 – What has Amos been up to since August?

06:18 – Amos’ story: From pain to freedom

10:41 – What David Andrew got out of The Gold Within program

12:21 – The purpose of Knockout Originals: The 3 R’s

15:02 – Why Amos bundled up The Gold Within and Knockout Originals

20:51 – We’re not meant to stay in pain

22:12 – David Andrew’s transition

23:21 – Closing thoughts(

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Episode 240 – Manifest Your Music Career Dreams

Knockout Originals

ClickFunnels

The Music Entrepreneur Code – 2022 Edition by David Andrew Wiebe

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Closing Segment

So, if you’re ready to crank your amps up to 11 and embark upon your Budokan journey, the 2022 Edition of The Music Entrepreneur Code is ready. Of course, I’m groovy enough to have set up a short link for you. You can go to davidandrewwiebe.com/Code2022 – that’s the numbers 2 – 0 – 2 – 2, to get your Kindle or paperback.

This has been episode 257 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.

How do you establish a successful music business online and off? How do you create a popular YouTube channel, and market your music or your enterprise successfully?

That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Podcast Highlights:

00:29 – Matt Ramsey is back!

01:10 – Matt’s journey to building Ramsey Voice Studio

07:40 – Choosing your focus as a small operation

10:04 – A love for sharing knowledge and discoveries

12:00 – How to set yourself up for success on YouTube

14:46 – Noah Kagan and The Underdogs

19:23 – Repurposing content

21:05 – Using compelling thumbnails in your YouTube videos to get the click

23:24 – Diversifying your content

24:16 – Organic traffic and annoying guest post pitches

30:08 – Waking up to do what you love to do every day

35:31 – Success leaves clues

37:29 – Dan Kennedy resources David loves

39:24 – Wasting time on fluff work and figuring out what to prioritize

41:15 – Your dream customer

46:18 – Mastering the marketing channels you’re using

55:39 – Repositioning your offers (can sometimes lead to success)

57:06 – The importance of keyword research in creating content

58:23 – Is building an email list still all it’s been cracked up to be?

1:00:06 – What is Matt most excited about right now?

1:01:00 – Closing thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Episode 198 – How to Become a Better Singer

Ramsey Voice Studio

Noah Kagan

How to Make a $1,000 a Month Business Course

80/20 Sales and Marketing by Perry Marshall

No B.S. Business Success in The New Economy by Dan Kennedy

The Renegade Millionaire by Dan Kennedy

$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi

Elite Players: All Access Pass

ThriveCart

10XPro

Ahrefs

Surfer SEO

Moz

Descript

The Music Entrepreneur Code – 2022 Edition by David Andrew Wiebe

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Closing Segment

So, if you’re ready to crank your amps up to 11 and embark upon your Budokan journey, the 2022 Edition of The Music Entrepreneur Code is ready for pre-order on Amazon. Of course, I’m groovy enough to have set up a short link for you. You can go to davidandrewwiebe.com/Code2022 – that’s the numbers 2 – 0 – 2 – 2, to pre-order your Kindle. The Kindle launches on December 15, and paperback and hardcover versions will be soon to follow.

This has been episode 256 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive audio training.

What does it feel like to compose an award-winning score for a short film? What goes into a project like that?

That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Podcast Highlights:

00:25 – The story behind David’s award-winning compositions

01:56 – The Long, Lonely Walk

03:00 – Desolation (Broken)

04:18 – Suspense

05:18 – Meet Me Here

07:07 – Closing thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

The Nobody Prayer (Original Soundtrack)

Members Only Audios

Transcription:

Hey, it’s David Andrew Wiebe.

You may have heard me talk about my award-winning compositions in recent episodes of the podcast.

So, in this episode, I thought I would share a little bit about The Nobody Prayer (Original Soundtrack) as well as a few audio clips from the score.

These compositions won Best Original Score at:

Hollywood on the Tiber Film Awards

Vesuvius International Film Festival

New Jersey Film Awards

This came as a surprise even to me and wasn’t imaginable when I originally went to work on this score five or six months ago. So, let’s rewind…

Five to six months ago, I started an intensive two-year leadership program.

A long-time collaborator reached out to me and asked whether I’d be able to compose for his short.

I wasn’t sure how much time I’d have to dedicate to this project, but I said “yes.”

But of course, it wasn’t long before the chickens came to roost.

The producer gave me a relatively tight deadline for the music. And so, while I’d already started the process of writing, I now had to deliver on my promise in short order.

Based on the subject matter of the film, I knew I wanted to feature the acoustic guitar in the score. So, I made some sketches and sent them over to the producer.

At first, he was worried that the score might end up coming out sounding like Brokeback Mountain, but when he layered the music over the footage, he could see the merit in my approach.

And so, with his approval, I set to work on turning my demos into full-fledged compositions, with strings and piano playing a supporting role to the acoustic guitar.

The score opens with a song titled “The Long, Lonely Walk.”

#1 – “The Long, Lonely Walk”

In the opening scenes of The Nobody Prayer, the protagonist is seen walking along a path on a hill with the Calgary skyline in the background.

I probably don’t need to say much more about this tune because what I just said paints a nice word picture.

The song carries a dark, melancholy feel because that’s where the leading character is at mentally and emotionally for most of the film.

It’s the first composition in the film and on the original soundtrack, but it’s not the first song I started piecing together. This next one is:

#2 – “Desolation (Broken)”

“Desolation (Broken)” is the centerpiece of the score. It’s the first song I started working on for The Nobody Prayer.

In a short film requiring about five minutes of music, it usually happens that one song does most of the heavy lifting, and in this case, it was “Desolation.”

Compared to the other tunes, which tend to feature more repetition, or what one might call “mood music,” this one is longer and features more movement. It’s a song with structure, as it goes from dark and melancholy to urgent and emotive.

There’s a bluesy lick in the middle section, and that was pure inspiration. It just felt right.

I don’t think it would be too much of an exaggeration to say that “Desolation” is the main theme of The Nobody Prayer.

Then comes a track called “Suspense.”

#3 – “Suspense”

In The Nobody Prayer, the leading character starts out despondent.

But as the short unfolds, he experiences a significant shift in emotion.

The “voice of God” calls to him, letting him know that everything is okay.

So, I knew I needed a song that bridged the earlier songs in the score, which were decidedly gloomy.

“Suspense” is obviously somewhere between woeful and hopeful, and from that perspective, the title might be a little obvious or tongue in cheek. Oh well.

The film ends on a happy note, and that’s why the following track was written:

#4 – “Meet Me Here”

“Meet Me Here” is the happiest song in the score, and that’s because the score follows the character arc of the lead, from feeling completely desolate and alone to finding hope in his identity, from upset to resolution.

This song features percussive “slaps” on the acoustic guitar. I knew from trying this in an earlier demo that I’d need to use automation rather heavily to tame those beasts, and I was successful in that.

What’s fascinating about this guitar part is that it was quite easy to perform. Sections that should have been obvious and easy on the guitar ended up tripping me up, and sections that should have been harder to capture came together relatively quickly.

Scrapes, string noise, body shifting, muted notes, and other minor noises were all left in to create a more authentic feel.

When The Nobody Prayer opens, the lead is unstable, and I wanted this to be reflected in the music too. I didn’t want everything to sound perfect. It needed to have an unsettled feeling.

Something else a trained musician will probably notice is the fact that all songs in the score are in the same key.

Although it is easier to compose everything in the same key, that’s not why I did this.

In a short film like this, to demonstrate a change in mood and feelings, I found it much easier to create this transition with multiple tunes in the same key.

The Nobody Prayer (Original Soundtrack)

You can listen to The Nobody Prayer (Original Soundtrack) wherever you listen to music online – Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, TIDAL, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Napster, and elsewhere.

You can also go to davidandrewwiebe.com/Nobody and choose where you’d like to listen to it.

Closing Thoughts

Are you interested in finding out what it took to compose an award-winning score? Would you like to learn more about my process? Then you’ll want to check out our latest product, Members Only Audios, because that’s where I bear it all. For a small monthly fee, you get access to the entire archive of Members Only Audios published to this point, as well as new, value-adding music career tips and insights delivered on a weekly basis. Go to MusicEntreprneurHQ.com/Members to learn more.

This has been episode 255 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

How do you run an independent record label? How do you set yourself and your artists up for success long-term?

That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Podcast Highlights:

00:24 – Nick Sadler is back!

00:54 – Nick’s new book

08:57 – Artist contracts and recording agreements

10:02 – Finding an extra set of hands to help you in your career – artist manager

13:30 – Successful artists generally don’t wait around for representation

16:04 – Why is it important to throw more money at album artwork?

21:11 – How David won Best Original Score for The Nobody Prayer

23:15 – How to grow an email list in depth

33:33 – Has Nick ever had to diagnose and repair a business that wasn’t working?

34:48 – What is the importance of a business plan?

39:05 – Instagram and Facebook ads and the gold rush

45:58 – Nick’s closing thoughts

49:03 – Setting up your artists for success

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Episode 167 – How to Get Your Independent Record Label off the Ground

NSDMT

The Label Machine

The Label Machine by Nick Sadler

The Nobody Prayer (Original Soundtrack)

Music Money Machine

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Closing Segment

So, if you enjoyed this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast and want to figure out how you can take care of your artists, or even give your own music a serious boost, I want to invite you to download our new free training called Music Money Machine. If you’re discouraged and tired of trying to stand out from the crowd, only to come up empty handed, this training is for you. Claim it now at davidandrewwiebe.com/Machine.

This has been episode 254 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

Do you have an email list? Are you actively building it? Is your email list continually growing, are you building your community, and is your customer experience as good as it could be?

That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Download the PDF Transcription

Podcast Highlights:

00:31 – What David learned from James Schramko’s course on email marketing

00:58 – How are you capturing your prospect’s email addresses?

02:40 – What happens when someone joins your list?

05:38 – How are you communicating with your subscribers?

08:59 – How our learnings have changed our email communication at Music Entrepreneur HQ

11:42 – Episode summary

12:33 – Closing thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Advanced Email Marketing Strategies

Leadpages

ClickFunnels

Music Money Machine

Transcription:

Hey, it's David Andrew Wiebe. In this episode, I wanted to share what I recently picked up from James Schramko's course on email marketing.

I'm not going to summarize the course or give you a step by step or share templates with you. We're not about plagiarism. I'll be sharing my own discoveries from taking this course.

And then I'll be sharing a little bit about what we've been doing at Music Entrepreneur HQ to improve our email process.

1. How Are You Capturing Emails?

What lead magnets do you have? A lead magnet is something you give away for free in exchange for an email address. It might be a single, it might be an EP. Are you giving anything away? If you're not, then you don't have a lead magnet. But if you do, you're going to  want to identify your assets.

Where are the signup forms on your website? Do you have email opt-in boxes on your site? Where are they located? Are they on your homepage? Are they in your internal pages? Are they in the sidebar? Header? Footer? Where are they?

Do you have any sales funnels set up? Because typically those capture emails as well?.

And are you capturing emails in person at gigs and conferences and wherever you go?

What you want to do here is identify all the touch points and preferably log them in a spreadsheet or maybe in a tool like Notion, so you can look at all of them from a bird's eye view.

Now there is sort of a pros and cons of having more opportunities for people to sign up to your email list.

On the one hand, when you have more opportunities, and more lead magnets and more opt in boxes, you can tailor your communication to specific segments of your audience.

Let's say for example, they download your free single. So, your first email might be delivering the goods that you promised them, right? But then in the future, when you have a new music release, and they are interested in your single, they might be interested in your EP or album or whatever your next release is.

But like I said, there's a con. More isn't always better, because it can add complexity. And you'll see why that is a little later in this episode.

2. What Happens When Someone Joins Your List?

We have a few more questions to ask here.

Does everyone get added to the same list, or are they tagged the same way, it's not a problem. If everyone is being added to your same list. It's not even a problem If you're not tagging them immediately. In fact, if you're just getting started, and you don't have a lot of products, and you don't have a lot of offers, then maybe adding them all to the same list is a good idea.

But by the time you've started incorporating more lead magnets, and more offers on your website, you may want to start adding them to different lists. Or as the case might be with certain ESPs or email service providers, you're going to want to start utilizing tags to track the behavior of the person who joined the list.

Do they receive the same automated welcome sequence from you, no matter how they get on your email list? Again, that's not a bad thing. You definitely want to have an email sequence. You want to be able to introduce yourself, maybe share about your community, maybe share about your latest release in maybe three emails or so. But depending on the action they took, or whatever behavior they last exhibited, you may want to tailor your communication to them.

Do you even have a sequence set up for when people join your email list? Or do you just send out emails ad hoc?

Now, we're artists, and although we're quite smart, and we're usually on the cutting edge of marketing, sometimes we're a little lazy. And sometimes we're a little afraid to put more emails in front of the people who are interested in us.

You know, if they signed up to get emails from you, even if it's just a newsletter, they're obviously more interested in you than you even realize. They want to see what you have coming out. They want to see what's next. So, I wouldn't recommend sending ad hoc emails only. That could absolutely be part of your plan. Such as if you're sending weekly or bi-weekly or monthly emails. I don't know that you'd want to go any less than that.

But the point is, if you improvise everything, this machine's not going to work as well as it could.

Are new subscribers are receiving customized communication from you?

And this kind of goes hand in hand with what we've already talked about. When they sign up for a certain lead magnet or when they sign up for a certain offer or when they buy a certain price. product, are they receiving communication that's a little more tailored to what they've already exhibited interest in?

Are you following up with leads and customers?

Many artists aren't. In fact, there's a lot of sales funnels out there that make big promises and offer big things. But after the fact, for whatever reason, they don't follow up with additional communication, or you just don't hear from them as often as you think. So, they work really hard to get you in the door, but then don't really do a lot of work to keep you on the back end, right? And it's worth looking at whether that's true of you and your communication.

3. How Are You Communication with Your Subscribers?

And this goes hand in hand with a lot of things we've already looked at. But here's a few more questions to ask yourself:

Do new subscribers get a welcome message from you when they sign up?

I would say one welcome message is minimal. Right? You at least want to put something in front of them saying, "Hey, thank you so much for joining the list. Thank you for joining the community." And then maybe one next step, like "follow us on Facebook" or something like that,

if they are signed up for a lead magnet, are they actually getting it?

You know, this is where automation makes a big difference, right? You should probably have that set up in Leadpages or ClickFunnels or some other automated service that allows you to put that lead magnet in front of them right away, so that you aren't sending out emails, you aren't watching all day going, "Look,oh, someone new signed up, we have to send it!" It doesn't work. And the customer, or in this case, the prospect, is expecting to receive that right away. So leverage automation.

if they bought a product, did they actually receive it?

It's certainly worth following up, isn't it? And even if that's just a "thank you" email saying, "Hey, thank you for purchasing this product." If they at least receive that email, they're going to be more likely to respond to you if perchance they didn't actually get it [the product]. It's always good to make sure they did.

Are you following up with customers who bought something from you?

Look, the reality is the customers or your existing customers are really the best source of income. We often work really hard to get new customers. And that's as it should be. We want to grow our fan base, right? We want to grow our subscriber list. But it's important to realize that you're not going to be spending as much time or energy or resources into nurturing your existing customers and putting new offers in front of them. If they already bought from you, they're interested in buying from you again, you just have to create that opportunity.

Are you sending emails on a consistent schedule? Or are you just winging it?

Again, we can't just improvise all the time. You should probably put a schedule in place if you don't already have one. Like I said weekly is probably pretty good. We've figured out at Music Entrepreneur HQ that while you seem to like about two emails per week, any more than that starts to get a little crazy. We often actually do send about three emails a week. And it's not to bug you. It's just because we have different content initiatives. It's like Tuesday, we do promos. Thursday, we send out the new podcast episode and then Saturday, we send out our weekly digest. But we could certainly adjust that depending on the user and their interests.

And do your subscribers get customized communication from you, when they've signed up for something specific?

Kind of goes hand in hand with what we already talked about. But let's say they signed up for your new EP. So they like your EP, they've listened to it, they got it for free. Now they're interested in a little bit more. How are you going to tailor your communication to them? What are you going to say? What's the next step? And you might not immediately follow up with "Hey, buy our album," but down the line right after you've nurtured them, you probably don't want to wait forever. You want to get them into the habit and sort of training your customers. And it sounds weird. We're not hurting sheep here. But we want to train our customers to buy things from us. And so putting an offer in front of them on a regular basis. Once every 90 days is good. We want to make sure that we get them into that cycle.

How We've Adapted at Music Entrepreneur HQ

Now here's a little bit about what we've been up to with Music Entrepreneur HQ