Interview with Raj of: GUITAR TONE TALK
For many musician’s deciding which guitar to buy can be the first decision in deciding what kind of music you want to play. Too much twang in your guitar and it might ruin your dreams of becoming a punk rock prodigy.
When I was a Senior in High School I attempted to learn the Guitar. (I had already failed at learning drums, clarinet & singing.) I always thought it was my calling to be the guy that always pulls out his guitar at camp fires, on the beach, at tail gate parties. (Also… he’s the one that gets the ladies… right?) After one year of lessons I realized I sucked at playing the guitar.
FIVE FREE eBOOKS
article by: Stefan Aronsen
No more waiting… you can now download all 5 of my Survival eBooks for free… ENJOY!!!
I started writing SF Intercom 3 years ago for two reasons. One, to help musicians survive, and two, as a way to get involved in the indie scene I so dearly loved. SF Intercom started as a design thesis aimed at getting musicians more access to design/marketing/promoting advice. Such advice can be extremely expensive. My goal was to leverage existing advice from other successful bands. I assumed if bands taught other bands/fans and industry professionals shared advice… the indie scene would thrive. I’ve always wanted to be in a band myself… but with many failed attempts at learning instruments I finally realized my calling as a “Groupie with a Purpose.”
BUZZ: PERSONIFY – a survival guide for bands
Buzz helps the community flourish by actively curating a collection of advice from existing bands, spotlighting venues that cater to indie music, and building a network of resources designed with the indie musician in mind.
Hopefully you’ve read BUZZ: PLAN a survival guide designed to help bands get started. Today, I am releasing the second book in my survival guide series, BUZZ: PERSONIFY, which is available for perusing or download. This book covers all the info a band needs to create their brand and should be implemented as soon as your band sounds good. I believe having a solid brand is almost as important as an epic sound. However, bands are afraid of the word brand … So with that in mind I say “You don’t need to brand yourself as long as your create a strong persona.”
Please browse the pages of BUZZ: PERSONIFY above or download your copy below.
BUZZ: PERSONIFY is only available for a limited time.
STEPS 9 & 10 OF PERSONIFY
The 5 P’s of survival are Plan, Personify, Promote, Plug-in and Play. If you’re reading in order you have survival tips 1-6 of Personify. Today I give you #7 and #8.
9 _ GET SPONSORED: Athletes get sponsored so why can’t you? Find sponsorship from company’s you like. Use this as a way to have food when you’re on tour, custom gear when you’re on stage and clothes to look steezy always. Then hook me up!
10 _ CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE ADVERTISING: Where are your fans? Are you advertising there? Are they reading it? Talk to your fans, find out what they respond well to, advertise in ways that work … stop wasting money on advertising that isn’t helping you.
STEP 7 & 8 OF PERSONIFY
The 5 P’s of survival are Plan, Personify, Promote, Plug-in and Play. If you’re reading in order you have survival tips 1-6 of Personify. Today I give you #7 and #8.
7 _ PUT CONTACT INFO ON EVERYTHING: Put your contact info on your cd, on your cd case, on your photos, on your shirts, everywhere. Fans, bands and industry professionals will get in contact with you if you make it easy.
8 _ MAKE MERCHANDISE: Most bands don’t make a lot of money on cd sales. They do however make money selling t-shirts, stickers and other band merch. Make some … then put your contact info on it.
STEPS 5 & 6 OF PERSONIFY
The 5 P’s of survival are Plan, Personify, Promote, Plug-in and Play. If you’re reading in order you have survival tips 1-6 of Personify. Today I give you #7 and #8.
7 _ PUT CONTACT INFO ON EVERYTHING: Put your contact info on your cd, on your cd case, on your photos, on your shirts, everywhere. Fans, bands and industry professionals will get in contact with you if you make it easy.
8 _ MAKE MERCHANDISE: Most bands don’t make a lot of money on cd sales. They do however make money selling t-shirts, stickers and other band merch. Make some … then put your contact info on it.
STEPS 3 & 4 OF PERSONIFY
The 5 P’s of survival are Plan, Personify, Promote, Plug-in and Play. I gave you the first two survival tips of Personify. Today I give you #3 and #4
3 _ BUY YOUR DOMAIN NAME: You aren’t truly you until you own your name. As soon as somebody buys your domain name … they are more you than you. Even if you don’t know how to design a web site you need to own your domain name.
4 _ CREATE A SOLID WEB PRESENCE: This has multiple meanings. First, be searchable on the web, people need to be able to find you. Second, tie all of your web concepts together visually. This will let people recognize you without seeing your name.
STEPS 1 & 2 OF PERSONIFY
The 5 P’s of survival are Plan, Personify, Promote, Plug-in and Play. You have my 10 survival tips for Planning. Today I give you tips #1 and #2 of Personify.
1 _IT IS OK TO BE COMMERCIAL: It is ok to fear the man. However you should not fear some of the words “the man” uses. ultimately you have two options with your music: make it a hobby, or make it commercially viable.
2 _ MAKE SMART DESIGN CHOICES: Poor design choices will reflect poorly on you. You may be a wonderfully talented band, but if your graphics suck, people are going to assume your sound sound sucks. If you’re not good at design, hire a designer.
BUZZ: PLAN – a survival guide for bands
Buzz – A survival guide for emerging indie musicians in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Building and maintaining an audience is as important to a successful music career as it is to a venue, restaurant, theater, and even a retail store.
Buzz helps the community flourish by actively curating a collection of advice from existing bands, spotlighting venues that cater to indie music, and building a network of resources designed with the indie musician in mind. Buzz provides unique guidance and best practices across every style of music, based on years of research. The backbone of Buzz’s message of Persona, Planning, Promoting, Plugging-in, and Playing, relates to any person or group attempting to build an audience.
TOURING ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom
When you’re on tour you suddenly realize how much you value sleeping in a bed, eating food at home… and having the ability to take a shower every day if you so choose. I quickly discovered the pleasures of a baby wipe shower, a gas station sink for brushing my teeth and variety within a fast food menu.
BATTLEHOOCH’S ADVICE FOR BANDS
Battlehooch is larger than life, they pack more punch than Mike Tyson and are better for you than Tyson Chicken. SO CHECK THEM OUT!
OR, THE WHALE’S ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom There are some people you just don’t run into enough. Lindsay from Or, The Whale is one of them. What are 5 survival tips you’d give a new band? 1. Don’t sweat the small stuff, especially when it comes to publishing. 2. Enjoy the ride, because you never [...]
MUSIC FOR ANIMALS’ ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom
Everybody keeps saying MFA this, MFA that, MFA, MFA… so now MFA here and now.
What are 5 survival tips you’d give a new band?
1. Write good songs.
2. Make sure you tour.
3. Make sure you sweat.
4. Moderate your drug and alcohol intake.
5. Get your merch in order.
5b. Collect emails.
5c. Maintain connections/relationships
5d. Your merch is your brand. (persona)
JUDGEMENT DAY’S ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom About a year ago… Anton from the string metal band, Judgement Day, and I sat down to a cup of coffee. During that cup of coffee we talk about, what is music, what do bands need to do to sell CDs, and what is the role of today’s [...]
TRANSFER’S ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom
Long Live Logos say’s the best band in San Diego is Transfer, Transfer and Transfer.
Do you have any advice about being in a band?
Don’t do too many drugs the first night of tour.
Do you have any success stories?
Purchasing baby wipes… works!
LONG LIVE LOGOS’ ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom
SF Intercom cares about San Diego too. Thus… Long Live Logos on Survival.
Do you have any advice for bands touring from SD to SF?
Make friends with SF bands, then book your shows with them.
Has your band made any mistakes?
Put oil in your van… and save up for gas money!
BUTTERFLY BONES’ ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom
Mentioned as one of Julie Schuchard from Tricycle Records favorite bands, I bring you Austin from Butterfly Bones.
Do you have a any horror stories about what bands shouldn’t do?
Don’t try to find any shrimp costumes. Oh and don’t make 1,200 cds on your first go!
THE INDUSTRY ON SURVIVAL
If you still haven’t heard of Tricycle Records or Wiretap Music… you’re missing out!
The goal of SF Intercom is to collect advice from fans, bands and industry professionals. One way to do this is by gathering industry professional on a panel and grilling them with questions about the SF scene. Thus that’s exactly what I did.
Please enjoy this survival video, with advice from Olivia from Wiretap Music and Julie from Tricycle Records.
JHAMEEL’S ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom More unique than any other musician I’ve ever seen. This is Jhameel on Survival. What advice do you have for Bay Area Bands? Play every show possible. Don’t be too big for any type of show. Enjoy and love your music. What bands are you currently following in [...]
LETTERS AND NUMBERS’ ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom I met Nick in January at an open mic at The Candy Shop in NY. To my delight he was from SF. We met up at my art studio, this is what he had to say about survival. What advice do you have for Bay Area Bands? Don’t [...]
WES LESLIE’S ADVICE FOR BANDS
Video and Interview by: Stefan – SF Intercom I attended a Wes Leslie show at The Art Explosion in San Francisco. This is what he had to say about Survival. What advice do you have for Bay Area Bands? Give away your cd for free, nobody is paying for that shit anymore. Just get your music [...]
MIDORI LONGO ON SURVIVAL
article by: Stefan – SF Intercom photo by: Midori! HIYA! So… I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about you recently. I’d love to get your thoughts on Surviving in a band in the Bay Area. Hello, Hello! Well, I think the most important thing I have learned so far is to create music that [...]
DownDownDown ON SURVIVAL
article by: Stefan – SF Intercom photo by: Rus Anson I’ve caught up with Jayce Alexander Basques from DownDownDown. My hope was to discover how other bands could get down with the survival advice of DDD. Jayce Alexander Basques: “Ok… lemme answer. This is my take on these; the rest of DownDownDown may or may not agree [...]
PDNF ON SURVIVAL
article by: Stefan – SF Intercom photo by: Anna Larina I’ve got Zen here from PDNF with a little advice on how your band can survive and “NOT FIGHT.” The biggest thing I’ve learned from the last 8 months is that anything can happen. As a band you must be ready to roll with the punches. Everyone [...]
