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The Bands Page
This page is intended to give all of you in a band some help, whether you're looking to get some exposure, or just want to do some things for your own self-satisfaction.
Getting Heard/Publicity
For those of you that would like to widen your listening audience, there are quite a few resources - some free, and some not so free. Here's a listing of some place where you can get clips of your music on-line:
- AK Music and Talent Agency
Puts videos of unsigned artists on the web.
- Amazon.com
Join their Advantage program (annual fee) and they will sell your CDs from their web site, sending you a portion of each sale.
- A&R Online
Gives free exposure to unsigned artists, and will even help negotiate a record deal.
- Artistopia
Offers space to upload songs, classifieds, and other unsigned artist resources.
- Audiogalaxy
Provides free web space to musicians to create pages and put their music on-line.
- AudioStreet.net
Hosts your music with free and paid services available.
- BandHub
Web site creation, hosting, and management software for musicians.
- Band Universe
Web based service to help bands maintain an online presence.
- BurnLounge
Online music distributor for unsigned and signed musicians.
- Chicago PsyberView
Free web pages and on-line audio clips for Chicago area artists.
- Ctmusic.com
A web site specifically for Connecticut musicians that will put your sound clips on-line, plus other resources.
- dmusic.com
Web site hosting for musicians.
- Dr. Duck's Cyberspace Showcase
- Earbuzz
site to sell your band's CDs
- GetPlayed.com
Submit your songs for listeners to rate.
- Gigmasters
Will put your songs on-line.
- Global Electronic Music Marketplace (GEMM)
You can list your band in their database for free, and you can also put your music on-line and advertise with them.
- Gulf Coast Music
Offers some free and paid services for promoting Gulf Coast area artists.
- Hear My Tune
Get your songs listed and linked without a length registration/upload process.
- Discover Sounds
A site and magazine that will help artists to sell their music.
- Ind-Music.com
Sells your music as digital downloads.
- IndieBandSites
Creates web sites for artists including e-commerce for selling CDs.
- IDN: Independent Distribution Network
A non-profit distribution network for getting your music heard.
- Independent Records
A label that assigns bar codes to independent musicians to help get your album into stores.
- INvibe
Offers free web pages to musicians and will also sell merchandise.
- Loopwise.com
Collaboration site where you can get exposure and sell your services as a musician.
- Mixposure
Promotion services for artists with free and paid plans.
- mudhut.co.uk
- The Music Broker Network
Helps members get them record deals, publishing deals and film or TV placements.
- The Music Hype
Site for promoting UK music artists.
- Musician's Atlas
A book for working musicians with listings of venue contacts, press contacts, agents, managers, record stores, and more.
- musicSUBMIT
Helps promote your music.
- MySpace
Free webpages, song hosting, networking, and more for musicians.
- Netunes
Will promote and sell your CD's on-line with streaming audio.
- OnlineGigs.com
Susbscription-based service providing venue listings with contact and scheduling management.
- Orbitmusic
Will distribute and sell your music over the web, allowing users to create compilation CDs.
- The Orchard
A distributor that can get your music into on-line and traditional record stores.
- Pandamonium Records
Australian independent label and distribution service
- Peoplesound.com
A UK based site that will sell your music on-line.
- PowerGig
An online booking site for artists and venues.
- PressKits.tk
Free online press kit/promotion service for artists.
- ProBands.com
Free listings for bands for exposure to venues, agents, etc.
- Road Noise
Online independent music community for performing and recording musicians and music fans.
- Rhythm Net
Will put your music on the web and sell your CDs as well.
- ShareSong.org
A site for Christian artists to share their work and post charts.
- SongCritic.com
Upload your music for critique by the world at large for a small fee.
- SongRamp.com
Provides web pages, promotional services, products sales for independent artists.
- Sonic Bids
Free hosting and networking for bands and promoters.
- TalentMatch
Get an on-line presence for getting fans or business.
- The Virtual A&R List
Maintains a list of sites that will sell your music and compares their features.
- WhoopTonez.net
Will distribute and sell your music on-line. Mostly rap/R&B oriented.
- ZeBOX
Create web pages and put your music on-line.
Getting Gigs
There are two places where you can get contact info for clubs. These sites rely on people like you contributing club information, so if you have someting to add, please let them know! If you're getting started, check out these Tips on Booking Yourself - It offers advice for dealing with club owners.
Copyrighting Your Work
Basically, once you write something, it is copyrighted - however defending your copyright in a court of law will be very difficult if you don't file wth the Library of Congress. But you shouldn't believe me just because I said it, so here are some things you can do to find out for yourself:
The Copyright Law and the Musician (18K) - This article discusses how the copyright law affects musicians, and covers many common situations. It's dated 1991, so it might be a little out of date, but is still very useful.
BMI also has some copyright information on-line.
You can get the Copyright Form PA form online. Provided by Derek Sivers
Here's some documents from the U.S. Copyright Office that you may find useful:
Other resources include a Copyright FAQ. It is not specfically oriented towards music, but you may find it useful. For additional information, you can check out Kohn On Music Licensing.
- Click & Copyright
Offers on-line copyright application.
- Copynot.com
Information and advice on copyright infringements and piracy issues.
- SongRite
Information and advice on copyright and all related issues relevant to the music business.
Trademarking Your Band Name
- How to Trademark Your Band Name
This excellent web page has some tips and pointers on protecting your name via trademarking. It covers many of the details, and provides additional references. By Derek Sivers.
- Trademark Electronic Search System
Search the US trademark database on-line.
- Creative Artist Development
Offers trademark/servicemark registration services.
- Bandname.com
provides a way to register your band name and check to see if it's already in use by someone else.
- Tape and CD Suppliers/Production/Mastering
Once you've recorded your tracks, whether it's on your own computer or in a studio, you'll need some mastering and manufacturing services to produce your album. This list of companies and duplicators will help you find the right company to do it.
Other Stuff
- Music Business Tip of the Day
Daily tips on the music business and building your music career. Daily ezine plus hundreds of archived tips; directory of thousands of related sites.
- Songwriter101.com
Resources to help songwriters build a career.
- MusicBootCamp.com
CD/DVD duplication, press kits, and various music biz resources and articles.
- TAXI
Independent A&R company helping unsigned bands, artists and songwriters get record deals and industry contracts.
- 101 Music Business Contracts
A variety of contracts to help protect yourself, available as a book or download.
- EarLender.com
A music evaluation service to critique your work.
- Where's the Gig
Free online service for band members to keep track of gig details.
- SongSpyder.com
Links and resources for working independent artist.
- (Sponsored) Impressive Promo Kits
A full chapter from Berklee Press's The Self-Promoting Musician.
- (Sponsored) Media Power: Creating a Music Publicity Plan That Works
A full chapter from Berklee Press's The Self-Promoting Musician.
- Touring - Get out of town!
Practical advice on how to prepare for and complete a successful tour.
- Tips: Steps for Success
A 25-year veteran of the music industry shares some tips on getting the attention of the major labels.
- A&R Insider: Record Producer Michael Lloyd
The record producer with over 100 gold and platinum records to his credit shares some of his advice on how to break into the record industry.
- A&R Insider: TV Composer Jonathon Wolff
Don't recognize the name? You've probably heard some of his work, which includes the Seinfeld theme.
- The Show Must Go On
How to put on a great show that will keep the audience screaming for more.
- No Money and Gigs to Do
Some advice on spending your money wisely by choosing the essential pieces of gear and how a little ingenuity can go a long way towards improving your band's image.
- The Art of Finding Band Members
Tips to help you find the perfect musicians to complete your line up.
- The Art of Keeping Band Members
Once you've formed a band, here is how you can make sure you stay together.
- www.bandprobs.dk
A site devoted to helping you prevent and solve band problems. Interesting stories welcome.
- BandUtopia
A contact database for studios, mastering, CD production, legal help, promotion, touring, and more.
- Offical Record Industry Online Network (ORION)
A database of contacts including lawyers, studios, CD manufacturers, publishing, and much more.
- Nashville Song Service
Songwriting service/management company.
- Emerging Artists and Talent in Music - EAT'M
A conference that focuses on the recording and concert/touring business.
- BandRadio
A general resource with example contracts, articles on the business, a database of agent, labels, and managers, band of the week feature, and more.
- BandPasses.com
Sells custom back-stage passes to use for your concerts.
- StudioFinder
A service for finding local recording studios.
- Musician's Atlas
A book for working musicians with listings of venue contacts, press contacts, agents, managers, record stores, and more.
- RainMusic
Indie music promotion resources including law/copyright, CD manufacturers, talent agencies, and more.
- Mojave Music
Publishes the producer report and has a free searchable database of recording producers and discographies.
- Cavalier Productions: Music Business Tips
Covers copyright issues, making demos, managers, and more.
- Applause Music Careers
Sells guides to help you get a job in the industry.
- Asch Records
Some tips on touring, recording, making a CD, publicity, and copyright.
- Studio FAQ v0.1
A new FAQ to help answer questions about making your first recording and preparing for the studio.
- RockNRollStore.com
Resources for bands including CD duplicators, studios, labels, radio stations, etc.
- Beats E-Zine Music Industry Magazine
- Shavano Music
Some business advice for bands.
- IndyNet
Resources for bands including listings of studio and venues.
- Musician's Assistance Site
Contains listings of CD manufacturers, labels, promoters, and more.
- Music Business Bookstore
Some of the books here cover making a recording and getting publicity.
- The Music Law Offices
This site offers some advice and tips on issues such as copyrights, sampling, and doing business.
- CIP Productions
Sells a database of record industry contacts for building your music career.
- International Marketing Group
Sells the book, "How to Get a Record Deal".
- Platinum Road
Services for helping musicians make it in the industry.
- Music Row Pluggers
Services for promoting and pitching songwriter's work.
- Artist Management Services
Services for helping musicians to be successful.
- Tag It
Specializes in building web sites for bands and musicians.
- Outer Sound
Under construction.
- The Power Chord
Subscription based site with industry contacts (labels, distributors, booking, etc.) and promotional services.
- Musician's Guitde to Touring and Promotion
Available in print and in searchable electronic format too. Published by Musician Magazine.
- Doing it Yourself
Tips on building and using a studio, and hints on distribution of your recordings. By Ram Samudrala.
- Cagey Systems
Makers of Band Manager, software for managing things like schedules, song lists, set lists, mailing lists, etc.
- The Wedding Music Information Source
If you play wedding gigs, you can have yourself listed here (for a fee).
- Jerome Headlands Press
Sells two books - How to Make & Sell Your Own Recording, and The Musician's Business & Legal Guide.
- Millennium Productions
Music Info Source page from the Music section has some club listings, demo of the Digital Touring Guide, music libraries, some business related articles, and more.
- FourFront Media & Music
Offers consultation and seminars on marketing your music.
- Songwriting Consultants Ltd.
offers services to help create hits songs, and the Songwriter's Collaboration Network to help you find a writing partner.
- BandNameEngine.com
Web site the generates potential names for your band.
- Band Name Maker
Name maker that takes custom words from the user and uses it in the generation process.
- Band Automatic Name Generator (Abstract or Download 49K (1/24/96) )
- Gig checklist
This was grabbed off of a newsgroup a while back. It has some useful information that might help your gig run smoothly.
- Silk-screening FAQ
Some advice and ideas to help you make your own t-shirts.
- The rec.music.makers.bands
newsgroup has some discussions that you may find useful.
- Band Guru
Music business consultant
- Bandit A & R Newsletter
"Helping unsigned acts/songwriters target their material to the right people"
- HitQuarters
"Presents the world's top record company A&R's, managers, publishers and producers, including their contact info & track records, free of charge.
- BandMonster
Promotional products for the music industry
Here is a series of articles courtesy of Dick Hodgin, who has produced and/or managed Flat Duo Jets, The Accelerators, Cravin' Melon, Corrosion of Conformity, Hootie and the Blowfish, Faith Collapsing, Confessor, Far Too Jones and Johnny Quest.
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