The David Andrew Wiebe Show

Are you actively making new connections to grow your music career? Have you made it a point to attend conferences and events to build your rolodex?

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

Podcast Highlights:

Coming soon.

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Closing Segment

We just launched a new program called Elite Players: All Access Pass. And what this should really be called is Digital Marketing, Mindset & the Business of Music Academy for Musicians because that’s what it is.

This is a new platform where you can access courses, eBooks, members only audios, a community forum, personalized coaching, archived trainings, and more.

This is a premium program that carries a premium price tag. So, it’s not for everyone. But if you’re ready to learn more, head on over to davidandrewwiebe.com/Elite. That’s e-l-i-t-e.

We are currently accepting applications, but there isn’t much time left. I think there’s literally a day left. So, head on over to davidandrewwiebe.com/Elite and I look forward to seeing you on the inside.

This has been episode 242 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

What does success mean to you as an artist? How should you go about setting your goals? How can you define your own version of music career success?

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

Podcast Highlights:

Coming soon.

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Closing Segment

We just launched a new program called Elite Players: All Access Pass. And what this should really be called is Digital Marketing, Mindset & the Business of Music Academy for Musicians because that’s what it is.

This is a new platform where you can access courses, eBooks, members only audios, a community forum, personalized coaching, archived trainings, and more.

This is a premium program that carries a premium price. So, it’s not for everyone. But if you’re ready to learn more, head on over to davidandrewwiebe.com/Elite. That’s e-l-i-t-e.

We are currently accepting applications, but there isn’t much time left. So, head on over to davidandrewwiebe.com/Elite and I look forward to seeing you on the inside.

This has been episode 241 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

What do you want out of your music career? Do you find yourself dreaming about things you don’t have and wonder if you’ll ever get them? Do you have a plan for getting what you want out of music?

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

Podcast Highlights:

Coming soon.

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Closing Segment

So, people sometimes ask me…

“David, I’ve got your books, I’ve got your courses, do you have anything else?”

Well, we just launched a new program called Elite Players: All Access Pass. And what this should really be called is Digital Marketing, Mindset & the Business of Music Academy for Musicians because that’s what it is.

We’ve set up a new platform where you can access courses, eBooks, members only audios, a community forum, personalized coaching, archived trainings, and more.

This is a premium program that carries a premium price. So, it’s not for everyone. But if you’re ready to learn more, head on over to davidandrewwiebe.com/Elite. That’s e-l-i-t-e.

I look forward to seeing you on the inside.

This has been episode 240 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

You may have noticed that I’ve been publishing fewer podcast episodes as of late.

So, what’s been going on in my world? What’s been happening?

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

Podcast Highlights:

00:31 – David’s unspoken promise

02:27 – David’s June break

03:12 – Intensive leadership and management program

09:30 – New music business membership – team, impact, and contribution

11:15 – Blogging daily for a year

12:46 – Working vacation in Calgary

13:24 – Catching up with writing work

13:48 – A summary of what David has been up to

14:26 – Music Entrepreneur HQ on social media – new visual content

15:52 – Creatives ask “what about me?

17:26 – Interviews to come

17:45 – Composing music

18:10 – Final thoughts

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Are you wondering how you can be happy, healthy, and successful in the fast-paced, high-stress, non-stop nature of the music industry?

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

Podcast Highlights:

00:22 – Ariane Paras from Olympia Coaching

00:34 – What led Ariane to the point of starting Olympia Coaching?

04:45 – Spiritual awakening

05:30 – Personal development in the music industry

07:58 – Where does one start if they’re looking to enjoy their music careers more?

14:13 – How would you describe pivoting and how should one go about the process?

18:38 – Are there early signs that you should pivot?

20:56 – What does self-actualization and contribution mean and what does it look like?

26:33 – What are the main mindset blocks that get in the way of artistic success?

33:05 – Getting over perfectionism

39:00 – Movement will undo karma

41:03 – What is the last YouTube video Ariane watched?

42:24 – What's Ariane’s daily routine like?

43:36 – Are there any books that have helped Ariane on your journey?

45:38 – Transforming your relationship to money

47:09 – Final thoughts

49:17 – First-Time Coaching Special

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Closing Segment

So, if you enjoyed this episode, and you’re ready to tap into the power of personal coaching, go to davidandrewwiebe.com/Special. Whether you’re feeling frustrated in your career, need guidance, or require a helpful outside perspective, the best way to leap forward in your music career is with a coach who’s invested in your success. So, head on over to davidandrewwiebe.com/Special to claim your personalized coaching session now.

This has been episode 238 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 does the influx of streaming apps affect artist and composer rights? What are NFTs and what can they do for your music career?

All this and more in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Podcast Highlights:

00:39 – How did Steven’s passion for music develop?

01:57 – How Steven realized he wasn’t going to “make it” as a musician

03:02 – How did Steven get into the business side of music?

04:15 – How does the influx of streaming apps affect artist and composer rights?

06:12 – Exploiting one’s copyrights

07:34 – What are NFTs?

11:46 – Copyright has been playing catch-up in the music industry

13:00 – NBA Top Shot

13:51 – What does the rise of NFTs and music distribution platforms mean for artists with regards to the compensation the receive?

17:18 – Music distribution horror stories and how music distribution has evolved

20:11 – Are NFTs even viable for independent musicians?

22:20 – As an Entertainment Lawyer, what are some of the top issues artist come to you with?

24:49 – The fragmented but interrelated business of music

26:36 – The pillars of a successful music career

27:56 – Copyright: Broad overview of what matters to artists

35:41 – What was the last YouTube video Steven watched?

36:35 – What is Steven’s daily routine like?

38:41 – Books that have helped Steven on his journey

41:01 – What did David learn from writing his books?

43:23 – First-Time Coaching Special

Transcription:

Coming soon.

Closing Segment

So, if you enjoyed this episode of the podcast, and you’re looking for direction in your music career, I want you to head on over to davidandrewwiebe.com/Special. Lately, I’ve been helping musicians with everything from technical issues concerning live streaming, to getting focused on the right thing in their careers. If you’re looking for personalized coaching, head on over to davidandrewwiebe.com/Special now.

This has been episode 237 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

Are you a solo artist? Are you trying to figure out how to achieve success on your own terms in the music industry?

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

Podcast Highlights:

00:25 – Finding your path to independent success as a solo artist

01:24 – There are three steps to blazing your trail to independent success

02:29 – Step #1: Hone your craft

04:09 – Step #2: Lay the relational groundwork

05:20 – Step #3: Grow and solidify you portfolio

06:58 – Episode summary

08:05 – The newly renovated Music Entrepreneur HQ

Transcription:

Hey, it’s David here.

So, you’re a solo artist. And you’re committed to finding your path to independent or even major label success.

But you’re not sure what you need to do to get there.

Not to mention, the task seems daunting, because instead of working together with committed band members with different skills, you end up having to take on the entire load yourself – be it social media, updating your website, promoting your gigs, or otherwise.

You’d love to be able to get to the point where you can focus on your creativity, make great music, and engage your fan base without having to worry about all the other stuff.

You don’t want to feel anxious before every gig because you’re not sure whether it will be well-attended, constantly be running errands to ensure you’re staying afloat financially or feeling burnt out all the time because of the demands on your time and schedule.

Creating independent success might seem akin to navigating a minefield.

Fortunately, I’ve been reflecting on my years as a solo artist, as well everything that has worked and hasn’t worked for me. Here are my best tips to help you find your path as a solo artist.

Achieve Independent Music Success in 3 Simple Steps

There are basically three steps to blazing your trail to independent success. I’ll be explaining each step in more detail in just a moment, but here’s a mile high overview.

The first step involves honing your craft. But this means more than just getting good at playing your instrument and singing. The reason this is important is because it increases your collaborative opportunities, which can lead to increased stage time, exposure, revenue, and more.

The second step is laying the relational groundwork. This is all about developing the right relationships and being intentional about the process. If you do this right, you will find that you don’t need to do much of your own booking work. Gigs and opportunities will come to you in the form of referrals and recommendations.

The third step is growing and solidifying your portfolio. The more credible you are, the more people will want to work with you, and this will open doors. The thing is you don’t necessarily know what indicators are going to matter to whom. This step is all about laying your spiderweb to capture opportunities from a variety of channels, and I’ll be sharing how.

Keep listening to find out more…

Step #1 – Hone Your Craft

It might seem obvious that you would need to keep improving as an artist and write great music.

But this goes well beyond that.

In singer-songwriter or solo artist culture, it’s been my experience that collaborative opportunities abound, and if you aren’t taking advantage, you’re missing out.

You can book tours with other solo artists, play on each other’s sets, appear on each other’s YouTube channels, and more. But only if you’re easy to work with and have the skills necessary to back it up.

If you can play guitar, maybe learn piano. If you can play piano, learn the guitar. If you consider yourself a rhythm guitarist, learn to play tasteful leads. If you sing lead, learn to sing backup. See if you can pick up some bass and djembe as well.

Through the years, I’ve been called upon as a rhythm guitarist, lead guitarist, bassist, backup vocalist, and more. And because I was locked and loaded, I was asked to join other artists on stage many, many times. This often led to gigs, opening slots, guest appearances, and more.

At a singer-songwriter open mic night, for instance, you can easily double, triple, and even quadruple your stage time simply by being available and being the kind of musician others like to work with.

If you complement others well, a performance at the local café can quickly turn into a tornado of opportunities.

This also tends to solve the problem of trying to make it on your own, doing everything by yourself, and relying on your own draw and skills to grow your career. You can work with others and leverage their draw and skills as well.

Growing as a solo artist is often a collaborative effort, and if you make it a point to look out for opportunities to work with others, you will go further faster.

#2 – Lay the Relational Groundwork

Like step #1, you might think this is all about collaboration, and while you might be presented with such opportunities, there’s more to this than meets the eye.

Eventually, I got to a point in my solo career where it was extremely ineffective for me to seek out and book my own gigs. I came to rely primarily on my contacts, who usually led bands of their own.

These contacts were either well-acquainted with the local scene or were constantly engaged in their own research and legwork, that if they came across opportunities that were better suited to solo performers, they would notify me.

And because of their endorsement, it was easy booking gigs with venues who already had a sense of who I was.

If you don’t put effort into building relationships locally, and even all over, you won’t ever be in the position where others are recommending you. So, some legwork is par for the course.

You may need to do favors for others. You may need to play in a few bands, even if it’s just to fill in for a member who couldn’t be present.

But long-term, you can get to the point where you rarely if ever need to book your own gigs because of the relationships you’ve built.

Other relationships that can be of immense help include the staff of guitar or music stores, universities and colleges, churches, and more.

#3 – Grow & Solidify Your Portfolio

This is about more than just writing and recording new songs. As you’re about to see, growing and solidifying your portfolio is all-encompassing ongoing work.

The truth of the matter is that you just never know what accomplishments or credentials might end up building your reputation.

Some of it is predictable, like quotes and testimonials from notable industry people, being played on mainstream radio, performing at notable festivals, and so on.

But for others, the fact that you performed with one of their favorite obscure singer-songwriters might end up being the hinge that swings doors open.

One summer, I was looking to book a gig during Stampede time in Calgary. I’d heard rumors of how lucrative gigs could be that time of year.

Once I set my sights on a specific venue, I dropped by and talked to the owner. I came prepared with an envelope in hand. That envelope contained my demos as well as my resume as a musician, which at the time, would have shown that I had played over 100 shows. It also included a list of cover songs that were in my repertoire.

It’s safe to say I got the gig, as no one was willing to go to those lengths to get the gig.

In this instance, my archivist tendencies paid off. I was rewarded for keeping a record of the work I’d done to that point.

The point is that everything you do could end up being the credibility indicator you need to land your next opportunity.

So, play shows, collect quotes and testimonials, record and release more music, do co-writes, get on the radio, get your music reviewed, give interviews, make videos, build out your website, write blog posts… you get the idea.

If you want to create more leverage for yourself, build out your portfolio.

Episode Summary

Everyone must start somewhere, but if you’re listening to this right now, chances are you’ve already made some progress in your career as a solo artist.

But you aren’t where you want to be yet because you haven’t honed your craft to the degree that you need to, you haven’t created a strong foundation of relationships, and your portfolio needs to be further developed.

This all takes time and effort. The good news is you can take it one step at a time.

Once you’ve done the work:

You’ll be presented with more opportunities

You’ll be able to maximize the results from your live performances

You’ll be exposed to a larger audience

Your reputation will precede you

You’ll get more gigs as result of word of mouth, referrals, and recommendations

Doors that previously didn’t open for you will begin to open

You won’t have to work as hard for gigs and opportunities

Your music income will increase

Your fan base will steadily grow

You’ll be able to enjoy your creativity and passion more

You’ll achieve a greater sense of fulfillment

But remember… If you don’t act, you won’t enjoy any of these benefits. Not to mention, you’ll need to live with the regret that you could have put in the work to make your dreams a reality.

Closing Segment

So, if you’re ready to get into action, I want to invite you to the newly renovated Music Entrepreneur HQ. It’s still a work in progress, but we’ve put a lot of work into simplifying the site, helping you find what you’re looking for, and adding a lot of incredible, exclusive, high value music business resources you’re just not going to find anywhere else. So, visit davidandrewwiebe.com and let us know your thoughts.

This has been episode 236 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 have things changed for musicians in the last 12 months? How can musicians utilize social media and digital marketing powerfully to create success in today’s world climate?

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

In this episode:

00:32 – Gaki Music podcast interview

01:41 – Digital marketing and social media overview

08:51 – Forming your marketing strategy

11:38 – What’s the one thing musicians should be focused on in digital marketing?

17:17 – Diversifying your product range

24:23 – How to overcome physical or mental obstacles

32:30 – Musicians are innovators

35:33 – What is the key to digital marketing and social media success?

39:04 – The New Music Industry book

Get The New Music Industry book

David here.

In today’s episode, you’re going to be hearing an interview I did with Wolf at Gaki Music, which is at gakimusic.com.

We had a great conversation about social media, digital marketing, and how independent musicians can create results with their marketing efforts, even in the midst of lockdowns.

Let’s get into it.

Wolf shares about social media and digital marketing

Wolf shares about how it has become even more essential for artists to embrace social media and digital marketing during lockdowns, even if they have an adverse reaction to social media or self-promotion.

Wolf asks about how things have changed in the last 12 months and what the impact has been.

David shares broadly about digital marketing and social media

First, David explains the importance of knowing who your audience is. He shares how you can identify both the demographic and psychographic data concerning your audience.

David says it isn’t necessarily for musicians to play in dive bars for 10 years to build their audience from scratch anymore, as their audience has already been built. Musicians can act as the CEO of their own music business and find ways to collaborate and partner with others who have access to their audiences they’re trying to appeal to.

All you need to know is who you’re trying to appeal to, and you can begin communicating with that audience in different online pockets (like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) today.

Second, David explains the basics of octopus marketing, why it’s important, and how it works. It’s all well and good to create relationships and a following on social media, but if you have nowhere to send your fans to (i.e., a web property you own), you’re almost certainly leaving money on the table.

Your website should be the central space where fans can access everything you’ve ever worked on – demos, bonus tracks, your back catalog, anything your fans might be interested in.

Use your website to collect email addresses and sell to your fans. Don’t be shy or tentative about your selling! That can create unnecessary awkwardness.

If possible, musicians should not measure their audiences wallets by their own and be proactive in creating offers ranging from 99 cents to $9,999 (entry-level, mid-tier, high ticket, etc.).

Third, musicians must craft their brand. Not just their visual brand (colors, logos, costumes, etc.) but also their internal brand – their purpose, the impact, the difference they want to make in the world.

One’s branding and audience should be in alignment for them to work optimally.

Musicians should also be clear on their brand positioning – what makes them different or unique, what makes them stand out in the world. They should use this brand positioning in all their marketing materials so art they can create an instant connections with their fans.

Wolf asks what’s next for artists once they have these pieces in place

David explains that once artists have the key pieces in place, they can begin creating their marketing strategy. Once you know who your audience is, you should have a good idea where they hang out online, as well as how they like to communicate.

So, now it’s a matter of approach.

Once artists have identified where their fans are online, all too often, they just post “check out my music” or “buy our stuff.” And this isn’t effective.

Artists can build curiosity, or they can even appeal to people’s ego by asking them, “what do you think of our latest track?” People love to be thought of as experts, so appealing to their ego is a good way to get a listen and a response, and you might even convert a fan in the process!

The music business is a relationship business, so focus on relationships, and you will do well.

David also cautions against being weird, as he’s had personal experience with those who approached him the wrong way. He started ignoring or blocking them as they did not demonstrate a clear understanding of who David was.

Wolf asks how artists can figure out their digital marketing approach

David explains that it mostly goes back to identifying one’s audience. The better you understand your target audience, the more you know about them – their likes and dislikes, how they like to communicate, their preferences, and so on – the sooner you can figure out your approach.

If you’ve done the work, you should also be clear on where they hang out online – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or otherwise.

But David cautions against putting too much time and resources towards tactics and strategies that can act as distractions and money pits.

The first is Spotify. Although artists have had some success exploiting the algorithm, ultimately Spotify is going to be removing such advantages over time. And even if the day comes when Spotify pays a cent per stream, how much can artists realistically expect to make? 3,000 streams would still only be equal to $30.

There are some powerful ways to use Spotify, especially if it’s where your audience likes to listen to music, and if you’ve developed your advertising chops. But otherwise, it can be an uphill battle.

The second is Instagram. The most challenging aspect of Instagram is getting people to click on the link in your profile, which is about the only profitable action you can get your fans and prospects to take. Getting likes and comments doesn’t amount to much.

There are brand building opportunities on Instagram (especially if you have a lot of visual content to share), and some artists even become influencers, but it would be best to think of these as the exception rather than the rule.

The third is sales funnels. Sales funnels require a great deal of specialized knowledge to work. You must know your way around advertising, video, copywriting, landing pages, A/B testing, and more. Generally, you must also have an advertising budget and be able to use a funnel builder like 10XPro or ClickFunnels.

By no means are sales funnels a dead end. Some artists have done quite well with them, and there are quite a few experts like John Oszajca (whom we’ve interviewed on the podcast), that give artists templates, scripts, WordPress themes, and other tools they can use to make their funnels effective with less effort.

The main thing to know is that funnels are effort intensive. And you might end up needing to spend a lot of time developing your digital marketing knowledge to be able to execute at a professional level, leading some artists and businesses to opt to hire professionals in digital marketing.  Optimization is generally the name of the game, and sometimes there are little nuances (like quotes or testimonials from high profile people) that can be hard to get but can sometimes make or break a funnel.

With all this in mind, David doesn’t want to discourage anyone from trying anything, be it Bandcamp, SoundCloud, funnels, social media, blogging, podcasting, YouTube, Patreon, or even 10XPro (which gives you the ability to build any kind of website you want and set up funnels, a membership, fan club, or otherwise).

David even notes that there are some social media tools that can broadcast your posts to 20 – 30 networks at a time.

Bottom line – experimentation is quite valuable. But once you have the key pieces in place – audience, website, and branding – you can drill down into tactics and strategies and iterate fast. This is key to finding a winning formula.

Wolf calls back to what David said earlier about having offers at different price tiers, and asks what musicians could do to create products at various price points

David begins by sharing that most artists probably already have fans that are willing to – and are interested in – spending more money with them.

He then shares some ideas on how to create products at different price points:

Bundles (e.g., your entire catalog of music)

Merch – T-shirts, hats, buttons, etc.

Track stems

Transcriptions (David references pianist David Nevue)

Guitar tabs

Performances

Book

Behind-the-scenes interviews

Making-of DVDs

Excited about the prospect of creating higher ticket offers? You can find additional ideas in this blog post: Should I Start with a Single, EP, or Album for My First Release?

Wolf asks how musicians can overcome physical and mental obstacles in creating these types of offers

David references GigSalad, a site where gigging professionals and event planners can connect. He points out that even mainstream artists like Beyoncé are hired to perform at the same birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, weddings, and church functions in between albums and tours through GigSalad. These are the same events most independent artists have played.

So, if that doesn’t put you on equal footing with the artist elite – David asks – what else does?

David goes onto explain some common obstacles faced by artists. The first is not having the chops and skills to command an audience.

He says that an artist’s responsibility is to improve every time they perform. By doing so, they can begin to rise through the ranks as if an underdog.

The second obstacle is not connecting with the right a

Why was The Renegade Musician eBook written? Why was it a crucial addition to our product portfolio at Music Entrepreneur HQ? Why did I write it, and who is it for?

All this and more in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.

Podcast Highlights:

00:28 – Behind the scenes of The Renegade Musician

01:15 – Why did David write The Renegade Musician?

03:11 – Who is The Renegade Musician for?

04:48 – Stepping Out of the Shadow of the Old Music Career Model?

06:03 – Pick up your copy of The Renegade Musician bundle

Transcription:

Hey, it’s David Andrew Wiebe.

It’s time to go behind the scenes of The Renegade Musician eBook and digital magazine bundle. This bundle officially became available on April 1, 2021 and not as an April Fool’s joke. It’s interesting because I have a bit of a history with April 1 releases. My second book, The Essential Guide to Music Entrepreneurship also came out on April 1 in 2018. That also wasn’t an April Fool’s joke, even though it would be exactly like me to play a bit of a trick on you.

In previous episodes, I’ve already read the introduction and offered an overview of what you can expect to learn in each chapter. So, in this episode I’ll give you a bit of an insider’s perspective on the new bundle, why I wrote the new eBook, who it’s for, what it means to step out of the shadow of the old music career model and so on.

Why I Wrote The Renegade Musician eBook

At the end of February, I created The Renegade Musician digital magazine. I gave away a few copies, and some people enjoyed it.

I thought about making The Renegade Musician digital magazine a series. And that would mean putting together new installments of it regularly. Maybe not once every moth, but at least once per quarter.

Though the digital magazine did okay, it wasn’t a runaway success, so I didn’t necessarily think it would be the best use of my time to create future issue.

I was planning to archive the March issue on April 1 anyway, so that could have been the end of it.

But then I realized something. If I deleted the offer, all the links I’d built up to it would become broken links. And then I’d have to fix those. That would be a significant time loss, and not a task I’m likely to prioritize, despite it being kind of pain.

That’s when it occurred to me that I could replace the digital magazine with an eBook. And of course, the idea to bundle the two was soon to follow.

I ended up writing, editing, and formatting the new eBook, at over 8,000 words in just four days. Certainly, I was under a bit of a time crunch by the time I had realized I was going to action this plan, but to my surprise, an important message poured out of me as I was writing. A message of artist empowerment.

I didn’t write this eBook to add another product to my portfolio. Music Entrepreneur HQ and Content Marketing Musician are already home to multiple eBooks, books, courses, and coaching programs. I wrote it because I was compelled to write it.

In the past, I’ve written logic-minded how-to guides like The Music Entrepreneur Code. And I’m proud of that work. But this was something different.

It shares some similarities with The Essential Guide to Music Entrepreneurship, in that it revolves around mindset. But I’ve evolved quite a bit as a writer, thinker, and coach since then. So, from the opening paragraph, you will find that this book is a no holds barred, no B.S. harsh truth book that shamelessly calls you out and point to you as the solution to all your problems.

Who is The Renegade Musician for?

Nobody said artist empowerment would be easy. It sounds good. It feels good. But at its core is tough love. Because let’s face it – we don’t grow without stretching. Every routine gets stale if you adhere to it long enough. Just like with working out, if you want to keep growing your muscles, you’ve got to put in the effort and keep your muscles guessing.

And that’s why The Renegade Musician eBook is all about harsh truths and tough love. It expands your thinking. It holds a mirror up to you and has you look at the possibilities of setting new personal standards in your life.

Whether it’s right or wrong isn’t part of the conversation. Because no matter how well-researched we are, we can all be wrong at times. We can all have gaps in our knowledge.

Maybe we consistently mispronounce a word. Maybe we mistake the Lydian mode for the Mixolydian mode. Perhaps we have bad personal habits that gross other people out. But they’re just too afraid to say it.

This is what it means to be human. So, don’t be down on yourself. But realize that we can keep setting higher standards for ourselves and our teams.

Getting others onboard isn’t always easy. But the main thing to remember is that it always starts with you.

So, The Renegade Musician is for you if you’re ready to hear some harsh truths. It’s for you if you could see yourself rising to new personal standards. It’s for you if you could see yourself growing, expanding, and going beyond in every aspect of your life, not just your music career.

Conversely, if you can’t see yourself doing any of those things, this is the wrong resource for you. You would probably be better served with an easy read like The Essential Guide to Music Entrepreneurship or The Music Entrepreneur Code.

Stepping Out of the Shadow of the Old Music Career Model?

So, what does it mean to step out of the shadow of the old music career model? Why is this important?

Well, we all know that things are constantly shifting. And it’s not just technology. In the last year or so, we’ve seen how social norms and behaviors can change rapidly due to crisis.

In 2019 or early 2020, being a musician meant one thing. In 2021, even though you might have the occasional gig or live stream, it means something else.

Music is not any less important here in 2021 than it was in 2020 or 2019.  That’s a point I hammer home in The Renegade Musician.

That said, we can’t rely on the infrastructures of the past. Denial and avoidance seem to be how even record labels, never mind artists, are dealing with this. But we must get passed that.

Artist empowerment means so much more than that, though. It also means to let go of stereotypes and cliches. The way things use to be. The devaluing of music. The exploitation of the artist.

As I see it, there’s an opportunity to reset. To rewrite the rules. To step into a new dimension. It could be scary and uncomfortable stepping into this new dimension at first, but I can envision a reality where artists are all rewarded more than fairly for their work.

And that’s what it means to step out from the shadow of the old music career model.

So, if you’re ready to be challenged, if you’re ready to be empowered, if you’re ready to set new personal standards, you can either head on over to Gum.com/RenegadeMusician or davidandrewwiebe.com/Renegade to pick up your copy of The Renegade Musician bundle.

This has been episode 234 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.

What can you expect to find inside The Renegade Musician? How can it help you on your music career journey?

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

Podcast Highlights:

00:26 – The Renegade Musician, a “harsh truth” eBook

01:02 – Chapter 1: Music business

01:19 – Chapter 2: Personal development

01:42 – Chapter 3: Profit leverage

01:59 – Chapter 4: Reinvesting

02:20 – Chapter 5: Opportunity

02:40 – Chapter 6: Prioritization

03:02 – Chapter 7: Home base

03:27 – Chapter 8: Paying the price

03:55 – Chapter 9: Leadership

04:14 – Chapter 10: Intuition

04:32 – Chapter 11: Question everything

04:54 – Chapter 12: Commitment

05:17 – Chapter 13: Networking

05:41 – Chapter 14: Planning

06:02 – Conclusion

06:31 – The Renegade Musician bundle

Transcription:

Hey, it’s David here.

Today I wanted to talk about my new eBook, The Renegade Musician: Stepping Out of the Shadow of the Old Music Career Model.

In a previous episode, I read the first two chapters of the book to give you a better idea of what’s on the inside.

In this episode, I’ll go through each remaining chapter and give you a brief overview of what’s inside the eBook, which you should pick up right away. I’ll share the links at the end of this episode.

This is a “harsh reality” kind of eBook. In this episode, I’ve softened the blow a little bit, but fair warning – you can expect these points to be harder hitting when you get to reading it.

Chapter 1: Music Business

The music business is 50% music and 50% business. The smartest musicians know this, so in addition to their creativity, they prioritize outreach, networking, marketing, and other high-level tasks that can bring the next breakthrough in their careers.

Chapter 2: Personal Development

Smart musicians understand the value of personal development and actively engage in reading, listening to podcasts, watching videos, signing up for seminars, going to conferences and events, seeking out mentorship, and more.

Even if it’s just to keep up with best practices in communication, email marketing, or release strategy, you will never find them resting on their laurels.

Chapter 3: Profit Leverage

Smart musicians are always looking for ways of turning their income into more income. They don’t blow their cash on alcohol and afterparties. They consider carefully how their financial resources can be leveraged, be it advertising, PR, saving up for their next release, or otherwise.

Chapter 4: Reinvesting

Smart musicians reinvest into their career. Their money goes towards better stage costumes, banners, lights, gear, websites or sales funnels, photos, branding, copy, and more.

If you’re the type to spend everything you’ve earned at a gig, there’s much you can learn from those who actively and aggressively reinvest in their careers.

Chapter 5: Opportunity

Most musicians tend to compete for the same festival and opening slots, as well as bar gigs and other opportunities. A smart musician might throw their hat in the ring, but they also create their own opportunities. They are always looking for opportunities to add value to people and places where their music fits in.

Chapter 6: Prioritization

A smart musician prioritizes what they work on day to day. They might spend some time on social media, but not before working on their website. They might work on their website, but not before sending an email to their list. And so on.

Smart musicians actively prioritize and ruthlessly triage. They put first things first in their day and set aside low-value tasks for later.

Chapter 7: Home Base

Most musicians tend to put all their eggs into the social media basket, not realizing that there are higher value tasks they could be engaged in.

Smart musicians know to prioritize home base. They build their website. They link up all their assets. They showcase their portfolio of work for others to see. They look for ways to take more ownership of their audience and work, instead of trying to minimize responsibility.

Chapter 8: Paying the Price

Many musicians look for ways to reduce costs. Haggle over price. Ask for a free lunch.

A smart musician isn’t afraid to invest. They might panic over having to spend $100 now, but will eventually grow into someone who drops $1,000 in a go, without thinking, when they see something worth investing in.

Smart musicians understand the value of quality goods and services and have a strong sense of self-worth.

Chapter 9: Leadership

Smart musicians know that they can make a difference in the lives of their fans, local communities, and even globally. They don’t shirk from responsibility or run from it. They actively seek out opportunities to grow, take on more responsibility, and fulfill on their commitments. As result, their bandwidth is always expanding.

Chapter 10: Intuition

Smart musicians are critical thinkers. That’s why they aren’t easily duped. They know how to listen to their intuition. They don’t just get their news from Google or mainstream media and take it for granted that they’re getting good information. They’re willing to dig deeper into the truth of every situation.

Chapter 11: Question Everything

Smart musicians always question everything. They realize that even the best-meaning coaches, experts, and gurus don’t necessarily know it all, no matter how qualified or experienced. They follow their intuition because they know their journey will be different from anyone else’s. They’re willing to experiment and try different strategies and tactics to verify their efficacy for themselves.

Chapter 12: Commitment

Once committed, smart musicians are unmovable. They are people of their word. They follow through and fulfill on their promises and create a Teflon reputation as result. They’re willing to make big financial commitments if they know there’s a payoff for them on the other end of it. They understand that everything will come back to them, so being cheap with others means someone else will be cheap towards them.

Chapter 13: Networking

Smart musicians understand that their best opportunities are going to come through people. Which is why they strive to be known, liked, and trusted, and find new people to connect with daily. They understand that it’s a numbers game, that they might be rejected, and they might not be able to make friends with everyone, but also know that breakthroughs in their career could be just two or three relationships and conversations away.

Chapter 14: Planning

A smart musician isn’t just thinking about tonight’s live stream. They’re always thinking ahead. Which is why they don’t settle for second best. They invest in quality goods and services. They set aside time for practice when they need it. They’re always thinking about how they can add value to others, because they know whatever they put out into the world is what’s going to come back to them.

Conclusion

And, of course, there’s a conclusion and links to some additional resources at the end of the eBook.

This is not a long eBook. I’m sure you could demolish it in one or two settings.

The eBook’s promise is artist empowerment. And while none of us are perfect, we will make mistakes, and our integrity will be broken at times, that just means we’re up to something in the world. And we don’t settle for second best.

I believe the eBook delivers on this promise by showing you what it would look like to grow, expand, and step up your game to meet and exceed your challenges.

So, if you’re ready to pick up your copy of The Renegade Musician eBook, which comes bundled with the digital magazine of the same name, you can either head on over to Gum.co/RenegadeMusician or davidandrewwiebe.com/Renegade.

This has been episode 233 of The New Music Industry Podcast. I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world.