Episode 25

Greetings and welcome to this episode!

I really appreciate you taking the time to check out this podcast. Today I’m taking a look at a few things to consider before you head into a recording studio so that you’re better prepared and ready to go.

If you’re a musician, at some point you’ll probably record your music in a professional recording studio. Basically, someplace where you pay someone else to record your music.

Playing live and recording in a studio are two completely different experiences so before you drop that money down, consider the things I mention in this podcast because hopefully at least one of these things will help you save time, stress and most important of all… money.

In This Podcast You Will Learn

1). Why choosing the right songs to record sounds like a no-brainer but is more important than you might think.

2). How spending as much time as possible on pre-production is vital to having a well-prepared recording session and can save you money in the long run.

3). Making sure all of your equipment is ready to go when you’re in the studio and why having sub-par working equipment can slow you down and cost you money.

4). Why communicating with everyone involved with your project before you enter the studio is key and how it helps make for lower stress levels when you’re ready to record.

5). Why it’s important to be patient with the recording process and why knowing and accepting this ahead of time will help you be more relaxed with your studio team.

6). How important it is to do your best to have a great working relationship with not only your band members in the studio but the team that is recording you. The engineer, producer, runners etc.

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Thanks again for checking out this episode. Getting a chance to record your music in a professional recording studio can be a blast! It’s such a great experience to hear your music become the best it can be.

Hopefully some of the tips in this podcast will help you be prepared for this experience so you have fewer problems and stress when it’s time to hit “Record”.

Til the next episode!

Peace N Love,

Mike

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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!

Swing by and drop me a line at:

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www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner

Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today.

Episode 24

Hello friends and thank you again for swinging by this podcast. I really appreciate your time and realize that we all have busy schedules so thank you again!

This week on the podcast I wanted to run through some great hacks you can try out in your band or project to help make life a little easier.

There are so many aspects to being in a band, collaboration, promoting, marketing, moving equipment, recording etc (Too many to mention!) and I am always thinking about ways to make life easier for musicians.

So I finally decided to dedicate an episode to these so called “hacks” that I’ve either thought of myself or picked up from other places over the years.

This will most likely be the first of many to come since there are so many tips, tricks and hacks that apply to all areas of making music so I’m glad I could finally get this first episode off the ground.

In This Podcast You Will Learn

1). Why setting up a file sharing drive is important when collaborating with other members of your creative project and how it helps keep lines of communication open and idea sharing more efficient.

2). How keeping an online shared calendar will help you and your collaborators plan and schedule more efficiently.

3). Why it’s important to embrace recording all of your rehearsals so you don’t miss out on some great ideas that can slip through the cracks or easily become forgotten.

4). How delegating tasks to other members of your project can help with comradery, make people feel included and minimize feelings of resentment.

5). An easy way to make sure you have fresh content for your fans to check out on your social media channels that will save you time during the course of your week.

6). Why it’s important to take the time to learn how to record your own music at least to demo quality and why that helps keep you more efficient as an artist.

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Thanks again for listening to this podcast. I had a great time filming this one because I always enjoy getting to help out and serve other musicians and hopefully provide some value to you.

On the same note, I would love to hear your feedback on hacks or tips that you use on a regular basis to make your creative life easier.

Being a musician is to be part or a community no matter where you are in the world. Sharing information with others out there is what it’s all about these days so always feel free to post to my Facebook page and drop me a line with you hacks:)

Til next episode, peace n love!

Mike

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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!

Swing by and drop me a line at:

www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner

www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner

Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today.

Episode 23

Hello and thanks for swinging by this podcast!

This week I wanted to get back to something that we may have all dealt with at one point or another.

Auditions.

Going into an audition can be pretty intimidating. Meeting new people, playing new music, wondering if you’re the right person for the gig etc. It can all add up to be a stressful situation.

However, there are some things you can do to help better your chances of feeling more relaxed, play your best and make a great impression.

I personally have experienced all of these feelings at one point or another while trying out for different projects over the years and I’m sure you have too.

If you are currently looking for a new band or creative project or are looking to start auditioning someone for your own band then I hope you get a chance to listen to this week’s podcast.

In This Podcast You Will Learn

1). Some of the best ways to find out about bands or creative projects that are looking for new members.

2). How important it is to do research into the project you are auditioning for and how that can help you feel more confident and comfortable when it’s time to try out.

3). Why making sure you put enough work into learning the audition songs is important and what kind of impression that makes on the people who you are auditioning for. It can make all the difference.

4). Why arriving on time and prepared with the right gear (if you need any) is just as important as the audition itself.

5). Why you shouldn’t dwell on “mistakes” during your audition. You should try to minimize them, but it’s OK to not be 100% perfect.

6). How important it is to leave on a good note no matter what the outcome is. Regardless of whether you get the gig or not, it could lead to more great networking opportunities in the future if you approach it professionally.

Thanks again for visiting this episode. Auditions aren’t only about how well you can play, but how well of an impression you make with someone.

If you are really looking to secure the gig, being prepared and knowing what things can trip you up along the way are important to feeling relaxed and making your audition memorable.

I hope you found the points in this podcast useful and hopefully you can try out these tips these next time you get the call.

Til next episode, peace n love!

Mike

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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!

Swing by and drop me a line at:

www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner

www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner

Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today.

Episode 22

Greetings friends and welcome to another episode of the Songwriter’s podcast!

Let’s face it. If you’re a musician, band or artist your interests reside in writing, creating and performing music. That’s how it works right?

However in today’s music landscape if we are serious about getting our music heard by new people then we must also be responsible for our marketing and promotion. More specifically building a following online.

Gone are the days of putting up flyers everywhere and hoping people come to your shows. Now we need to nurture our audiences and fans because we have instant access to most of them via social sites like Facebook, Instagram etc.

A great way to build up trust with your current fans and to also find new ones is to have a tight social media game. And that doesn’t mean just posting flyers for your shows every week.

In This Podcast You Will Learn

1). The importance of building trust with your audience and why that is important in this fast-paced social media world.

2). Why approaching your social media posting as “adding value” to the people who follow is the most effective way to nurture your fans.

3). How often should you be posting on your social media accounts to keep the interest of your fans.

4). Some great examples of what you can post that aren’t flyers for your next show or for your music that will keep your fans interested and engaged with you.

5). The difference between “Promoting & Marketing” and Building a solid “Brand” around your music and lifestyle. This can make the difference between having fans and having a “Tribe”.

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Thanks again for swinging by the podcast. Hopefully there is some value and ideas here for you to take and implement on your own. Building up a fan base isn’t always easy especially when it seems like there is so much competition out there.

Having a great social media workflow will help you stay at the “top of mind” of your fans as well as attract new ones with shares and comments.

Use your healthy social media strategy as a secret weapon behind your music and watch your social engagement rise.

Til next time, peace n love.

Mike

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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!

Swing by and drop me a line at:

www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner

www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner

Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today.

Episode 21

Greetings friends! As usual, thank you for swinging by this podcast!

If this is your first time Welcome!

This week we are taking a look at some things that you can do to get more people to your shows.

Growing your audience and getting more people to come out and see you is a challenge that all artists face at one point or another. Luckily there are things we can try that will help our chances of steadily growing an audience over time.

That is the theme of today’s episode and hopefully after listening to it you’ll have a few more ideas in your idea box on how to get more people to your shows.

In This Podcast You Will Learn

1). What are some of the common problems we have as artists when it comes to promoting and building a fan base through our shows.

2). How identifying a great venue to play can help make a difference when it comes to attracting the right crowd for your music. Also tips on thinking “Outside The Box” when identifying a new place to play.

3). Why you shouldn’t settle when it comes to identifying a great date for your next show and how it can affect your motivation.

4). Why consistent advertising & promoting will make a huge difference in your crowd numbers and the best way to go about posting on social media to generate more interest.

5). The importance of letting people know far ahead as possible about your event and consistently putting out gentle reminders as the date gets closer.

I hope you get a few new ideas out of this week’s podcast. There is never enough sharing that can go around between artists and what works for someone else may also work for you.

If you have any methods and tips that you’ve found work for you then please feel free to share them on my Facebook page at any time.

As always, thanks again for stopping by and see you at the next episode!

Peace N Love,

Mike

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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!

Swing by and drop me a line at:

www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner

www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner

Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today.

Episode 20

Greetings friends and welcome to another podcast!

I appreciate you taking time out of your day to check my podcasts out and if this is your first time, Welcome!

In this episode, I wanted to chat about something that we all encounter throughout our musical journeys. “Creative Differences”

Sometimes making the best music means collaborating or working in a group setting. This can be extremely helpful and can sometimes bring out ideas in you that you thought you never had!

However, it can also lead to disagreements.

As artists, I know we can take our ideas personally and when working with others, it doesn’t always go the way we plan. What can we do when we find ourselves in conflict with a collaborator, band mate or creative partner?

In This Podcast You Will Learn

1). Why it’s important to keep considering collaboration and group creativity as part of your workflow.

2). How creative differences aren’t limited to just making music with someone else. It can encompass other aspects of your music career.

3). Why most artists may not have the proper skills and toolsets to use when dealing with creative differences.

4). The importance of understanding 2 people’s different opinions on the same creative idea and knowing that not all creatives will see your ideas the way you do.

5). How important it is to listen to other’s feedback in a non-judgmental and defensive manner before deciding your next step.

6). Why staying calm and not losing your head during disagreements is key to keeping the creativity flowing.

7). Remembering to keep honesty front and center when working on new ideas and how that can affect creative levels among yourself or others.

8). How you should always try to leave a creative situation on good terms if it just isn’t working out.

Thanks again for visiting me here on the podcast. Creative differences and conflict are tough to deal with sometimes. Especially when you are in the middle of creating.

Having issues like this can slow down your productivity and more importantly your inspiration.

I hope you get some value out of listening to this episode. Especially if you are currently in a situation of differences with someone. Remember there is always a path to creating and getting the best music out of you even if it doesn’t directly come from within you.

Having the respect, nurture and motivation for each other is where we can sometimes create our best work.

Thanks again for your time. Til next episode!

Peace N Love

Mike

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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!

Swing by and drop me a line at:

www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner

www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner

Episode 19

Greetings friends and thanks for joining me for another podcast episode.

This week I wanted to dive into the basics of using video as an artist and some tips for you to keep in mind when you’re planning your next video.

It’s no secret that video is king online and if you’re on the fence about creating videos for yourself and your music, now is the best time to start.

Most social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and of course YouTube are making video a priority and for artists, that’s a huge opportunity to get your music and more importantly you “brand” out there.

In This Podcast You Will Learn

1). Why I think video is still underused by most artists and how that can give you an advantage when you decide to embrace creating your own videos.

2). Why video is the best tool to use when marketing your music and what it brings to your audience better than any other form of media out there.

3). Different types of video you can create and the social platforms that are best suited for each.

4). My recommendation on how much you should budget for your first camera when you’re ready to transition off your phone to lens based cameras.

5). How capturing external audio with microphones can improve the overall quality of your videos.

6). Why taking time to create a great setting for your videos makes a difference in the portrayed quality for the viewer.

7). Why video editing isn’t as difficult as you think.

8). The most important aspect of creating your own videos that will give you the best chances of finding new fans.

Thanks again for swinging by. I hope you find the tips and info on this episode valuable to you and your video ambitions.

I highly recommend jumping into creating videos for yourself if you haven’t already. Especially if you’re serious about getting yourself out there.

If you ever have any questions about what you need, where to start or ideas for using video, please feel free to hit me up. I love this stuff and am happy to help!

Peace & Love,

Mike

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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!

Swing by and drop me a line at:

www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner

www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner

Episode 18

Welcome to the week’s podcast!

For this episode, I wanted to dive further into Facebook Advertising. I have spent a little time in previous episodes talking about it but because there are so many aspects to running Facebook ads I felt it was necessary to at least dedicate an episode to set up the basics.

As you already know Facebook is the largest social network in the world and the power that it gives you to find new fans is unmatched.

Learning how to use this platform can supercharge your growth as an artist and it doesn’t take thousands upon thousands of dollars to do so either.

In This Podcast You Will Learn

1). Why it’s important for artists to take on the role of “marketer” over their music and how Facebook Ads is the perfect tool for the DIY musician.

2). The difference between sharing posts from your artist page to your personal page and running ads to new untapped audiences who’ve never heard of you.

3). The difference between “warm audiences” and “cold audiences” and how you can find and leverage engagement with each to make them aware of you and your music.

4). Why Facebook is a “Pay to Play” platform and how that can actually benefit you in finding the right audiences.

5). Why it’s important to learn how to define your “target audience” and get the best return on investment for your ads.

6). What kind of content makes for the best ads to both cold and warm audiences.

7). What you expect to pay to start running ads and testing what works for you. It’s less than you think!

8). The benefits of running your own advertising campaigns. No one will care more about your music than you:)

Thanks again for listening to this podcast. It truly is a pleasure for me to discuss a topic like this because it is a direct tool that empowers the artist themselves.

If you’ve been following me for a bit, you know that I am all about helping musicians find ways to get things done themselves and not rely on others to get their own music heard.

Utilizing Facebook Ads is the first step to growing you fan base on your own terms which ultimately is where you want to be.

Til next time. Peace N Love,

Mike

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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!

Swing by and drop me a line at:

www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner

www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner

Episode 17

Greetings friends and thanks for swinging by this podcast, I really appreciate it.

This episode hits close to home for me because I recently fell on some hard times. A personal relationship ended for me not long before recording this podcast and I will admit, this has been one of the hardest times for me in recent memory.

It’s moments like this that give us our biggest obstacles and can really challenge what we think of ourselves.

This is the reason why I wanted to film a podcast about how we can find ways to stay productive during time of tragedy or challenge. It’s a part of life and we all face times in our lives when we feel depressed, un-motivated, un-inspired and hopeless.

Does this mean we should give up with our efforts to get our art scene, heard and noticed?

No.

It may be hard to stay a float but there are a few things we can do to try to maintain a productive schedule when times are bad.

In This Podcast You Will Learn

1). What inspired me to film an episode about facing hard times or challenges in life and how to stay productive during these times.

2). How making an effort to schedule things ahead of time can keep you on track with things to look forward to. It just starts with a glance at your calendar:)

3). Why it’s important to stay flexible during hard times and not get down on yourself when things fall behind. Always keep an eye on what you’d like to get done but build in flexibility and back up as well.

4). How important it is to not give up and quit. Going through times of challenge is hard but staying in tune to your goals will help get you through the other side and you’ll be proud of yourself when you do.

Thanks again for swinging by this podcast.

I really appreciate it and if you are going through some hard times right now I hope this has helped you feel like there is a light at the end of a tunnel for you.

This too shall pass.

Til next episode, peace n love.

Mike

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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!

Swing by and drop me a line at:

www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner

www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner

Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today.

Episode 16

Greetings and thanks for swinging by this podcast!

For this episode, I wanted to dedicate a full segment to discussing social media platforms and which ones you should be focusing to help get your music discovered and heard by the right people.

Not all social sites are created equal and they all have pros and cons.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Soundcloud, Snapchat and yes even LinkedIn. They all cater to certain audiences and demographics. They also all have their own etiquette as well so it’s be to know what to use and how to use them.

In This Podcast You Will Learn

1). Why it’s important to realize that not all social media platforms are created equally. Learning the nuances of each can help you decide which is best for you and your audience.

2). Why it’s important to consider your ideal fan’s demographics and choose a platform that best fits them.

3). What makes using Facebook’s Ads Platform so powerful and how you can use it’s targeting tools to reach new fans.

4). How using #hashtags on a consistent basis is a great way to get more eyes and ears on your music. Especially on Twitter & Instagram

5). Why you should consider YouTube as a social media platform and it’s effectiveness in building your fan base.

6). The importance of “testing” out different platforms first before you go all in.

Thanks again friends for joining me here today. If you’re on the fence about building your social media empire around your music, I hope this helps provide some insight into what direction you should go in.

Social media has become a big world out there and anything that we can learn about the most effective platforms for our music should be welcomed.

Also, on the podcast I mention Twitter only having a 140 character limit. It has been updated last year to 280. Good news for you!

Thanks again for all your support, we’ll see ya at the next episode!

Peace N Love,

Mike

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Questions, comments or concerns? I’d love to hear them!

Swing by and drop me a line at:

www.facebook.com/songwritersplanner

www.instagram.com/songwriters_planner

Get organized, accomplish your goals and stay inspired. Order your planner today.