Madalyn's Blog

Performing Songwriter magazine has a great link on their site to Song Contests. We all know there are so many different contests but how do you know which one to enter? Performing Songwriter has done the work for us! They put together a comprehensive list here.

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~

"My mentor said, 'Let's go do it,' not 'You go do it.' How powerful when someone says, 'Let's!'" -- Jim Rohn

I love this quote! It's powerful. It makes me think of our community at GoGirlsMusic.com. It's "let's help each other" that makes our community so awesome. I get emails just about every day from musicians who tell me how much we have helped them. That finding us has helped in some way. It all comes from my mission to promote, support and empower indie artists. It's an US thing not a ME or YOU thing. That my friend is powerful and so uncommon in today's world.

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~

Here is an interesting idea. You have a new label that is indie at heart, allowing creativity and artist development yet it's being started by the founder of Elektra Records with the backing of Warner Music Group (WMG). Their goal? To take advantage of online and mobile technologies. They let the artist retain ownership of their masters and copyrights. This is very interesting and worth keeping an eye on.

For more information, check out their web site at www.cordless.com

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~

The Independent Artist Registry
http://www.independentartistregistry.com

Here's what their web site says...

The Independent Artist Registry is a talent scouting service for over 100 of the nation’s top record labels. It’s goal is to find and promote the US’s top independent artists to a quarter million music industry professionals, including those A&R reps. The IAR evaluates artists in four categories and only selects the best artists for induction into the Registry.

Three times a year the IAR selects an IndiE Award winner. That artist is declared the top independent artist in the country and has their demo sent to 100+ of the top record label A&R reps. The artist also receives: 1,000 CD’s replicated for free, a one year endorsement deal, a feature article written on them in a national music industry publication, a dedicated page on the IAR website, a one year Broadjam primo MoB membership and radio as well as print publicity in the form of interviews and articles.

In addition to the IndiE Award winner, the IAR selects a maximum of 300 artists for induction into the IAR. Those artists receive; a one year endorsement deal, a dedicated page on the IAR website, an artist listing alongside 3,000 major label artists in the nation’s top music industry magazine, a detailed review of their submission, a six month membership to Broadjam, and has their one page summary sent to the 100+ participating record label A&R reps.

Although there is no entry fee to be considered for the Registry, The IAR isn’t open to every independent artist. The labels and promoters who use the IAR aren’t looking for part time or local artists. They are looking for the best artists who are regionally developed and have the talent to make it at the next level.

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~

"The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy." -- Malcolm S. Forbes

What are you good at? Making music? Performing? Selling cars? Managing others?

Are you stuck in a dead-end job doing something you dislike because you are afraid to do what you love? Many people are in this boat! Afraid of change and afraid of what others will think. It's time to get out of that mindset.

Are you at least trying to do what you love? I'm not saying go quit your job today. I'm saying think about where you are and where you would like to be.

If you do what you love will the money follow?

Well that depends on you, your dedication and your mindset. If you say, "I want to make money doing what I love NOW". Well I would say the odds are low that it will happen. How you think is very important. If you do what you love and are very good at it, it's only a matter time before the money comes in. What helps is keeping a positive attitude, being tenacious and not being afraid to ask for what you want. And don't forget to work at being an expert at what you love. Read every book you can. Attend workshops. Network. Don't think you "know it all" because honey you don't! But do visualize it. Work for it.

What do I do for a living is I'm a music business consultant/coach, promoter, and web site developer. And I love what I do! I love helping people. I'm very good at it. I like watching others achieve their goals. I love music! I love meeting musicians.

So what are you doing?

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~

IndieMusicManager.com is my new web site that will surely become a valuable online music resource for indie artists. Annette Warner and I will host FREE monthly conference calls where we'll discuss important issues facing indie artists. It will be highly interactive so you can ask us questions and get answers.

Our next FREE Music Business Conference Call is set for Wednesday, November 9th @ 9pm est (6pm pst). You can sign up at http://www.indiemusicmanager.com

We are also busy putting together our tele-class schedule where you call in and participate in highly informative classes by phone. It's for serious indie artists only! We have awesome music industry professionals on board for this great new service.

Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~