Monday, June 30, 2008 

Recommended CD Manufacturer



CDs – DVDs – T-SHIRTS - PROMO

Madalyn Sklar at IndieMusicCoach & GoGirlsMusic.com recommends her friends at Crystal Clear Disc, Promo, and Apparel for your CD/DVD replication, T-shirt/apparel, and other music promotional needs. Serving the regional and national independent and major label music industry for over 35 years, Crystal Clear has grown to become one of the largest, most experienced and respected replication and music promotional products companies anywhere in the country. Visit them on the web at www.crystalclearcds.com, or contact the head of Crystal Clear, Jim Cocke directly at 800-880-0073, ext 114 or jim@crystalclearcds.com. Be sure to let Jim know you were referred by Madalyn Sklar for great discounts and special offers!

Friday, June 27, 2008 

Do I Need These Social Network Sites?



The other day I talked about Facebook and how I work "smarter not harder" by utilizing applications to import this blog, my Flickr photos, my Twitter posts and my YouTube vidoes. With very little effort I have a great Facebook presence.

Many people I talk to don't get Facebook. They don't understand Twitter and most haven't heard of Flickr. That's okay. I'm here to pass along information so it makes sense.

You can learn more about all these sites at www.socialnetworksformusicians.com. I have a bunch of articles there that are helpful. And also on the homepage I have available the teleseminar I hosted the other night so you can listen and feel like you were there with us. It was very informative.

So people are always asking me, "do I need these social network sites?" I say "yes" and here's why...

The Internet has evolved tremendously in the last few years. As indie artists, social networks allow us to form a bond with people within a community. That community is a web site whether it's Myspace, Facebook or what have you. Interaction is done more often through your computer screen and even on your mobile device than in person it seems. With these networks you can form relationships with potential fans. Just by reaching out on your computer you can develop an army of not only fans and music buyers but true advocates. Who are advocates? Devoted fans who will turn on their friends to your music. Devoted fans who occupy their Myspace music player with your songs.

Of course you need to find a balance between your online time and your real world interaction.

Robin Brantley of the band Ruby Red says it best...

"I love MySpace as it gives us a chance to do the one-on-one thing with people as well as make new connects that I can then go out and meet that person and form a real working relationship. I fear though that a lot of people are not taking it that far, especially bands- they think the computer is enough. I know sooo many musicians here that are constantly asking me, 'So how did you get a meeting with them?' or 'How'd you get THAT gig?' But they never GO anywhere! Not to see other bands, to take anyone out for a nice lunch or whatever. They just stay home with their computer, typing their fingers off and not really supporting anyone else's deal or showing interest in anything other than what they are doing. Life really is a two way street like you said! So many people don't seem to get that one. It's changing so fast, too- you never know what the wind will bring tomorrow. But, I know I have built quite a following by balancing computer and face-to-face networking so I am going to keep working on it."


I know, there are TONS of music sites, social networks, yadda, yadda, yadda. So what do you do... give up on it? No! Check out sites. See what looks like a good fit for you, your music and your goals. I recommend that indie musicians use Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Blogger.

That's my two cents. Tell me what you think. Leave a comment.

Copyright © 2008 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach, consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out http://www.indiemusiccoach.com for more info.

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Thursday, June 26, 2008 

Check out 'NetteRadio

'NetteRadio is a weekly 2-hour internet radio show that is dedicated to promoting unsigned women musicians. Hosted by Annette Conlon (from band Eden Automatic) the show broadcasts live each Wednesday night from our studios in Los Angeles, CA.


From piano to punk - it's great music by Indie Women Artists, as well as discussion of current events and upcoming showcases around the globe.


Many of our artists are members of GoGirlsMusic.com and Indiegrrl.com, SongsAlive.com, Femmuse, MusicSubmit and our artist and listener base is GLOBAL (Scotland, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Germany, Holland, UK, and of course all over the US!)


If you are a female musician or in a female fronted band and would like to be played on Nette Radio please SUBMIT YOUR MUSIC.

Check it out at http://www.netteradio.com

Wednesday, June 25, 2008 

Have A Facebook Presence With Little Effort



Last night I hosted a really great teleseminar on Social Networks for Musicians. We spent 80+ minutes talking about Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Blogger.

Facebook is one of those social networks that people either love, hate or just don't get. For awhile I didn't like it because I didn't get it. It's so different from Myspace. Over time it made sense. I researched it. I read blogs on it. I started understanding it better. But what I really like most about it is that I have a good presence there and I hardly work it.

How you ask?

I have it set to import info from my other social network sites. With no effort my blog and Twitter posts show up automatically. So do my Flickr photos and YouTube videos. I can be at a show, take a picture with my iPhone and easily send it to my Facebook mobile photo album. It only took a few minutes to set each of these up. One time. Done. So yes, I have a Facebook presence with little effort.

Check out my Facebook profile. I would love to be your friend there.

I know, like most musicians your time is precious. You are out there creating and performing your music. That is where I come in. I'm a techie in the music business. Need help? Get in touch. My staff and I can take care of setting up your social network to benefit you!

Copyright © 2008 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach, consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out http://www.indiemusiccoach.com for more info.

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Tuesday, June 24, 2008 

FREE Teleseminar Tonight - Social Networks for Musicians

GoGirlsMusic.com & IndieMusicCoach presents...

“Social Networks for Musicians”
How to get beyond the confusion of web 2.0






Madalyn Sklar

Tracie Maloy

Tish Meeks

Carol Plunk


Join us tonight, June 24th, for this free 60-minute "teleseminar" and listen to Madalyn Sklar, founder of GoGirlsMusic.com and IndieMusicCoach discuss the various social networks such as Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Blogger and more. Madalyn and her web 2.0 team - Tracie, Tish and Carol - will talk about how to make the best use these networks.

TONIGHT: Tuesday, June 24 at 8pm EST/5pm PST

Sign up at http://www.indiemusicseminars.com/

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Monday, June 23, 2008 

8th Annual Independent Music Awards



Submit to the Independent Music Awards (IMAs) to reach more than 15 million music fans and key industry decision makers.

IMA PROGRAM BENEFITS INCLUDE:

  • 5,000 copies of the IMA Winners CD compilation are distributed to music fans & industry insiders at international music conferences, festivals, and more.
  • The IMA sampler is promoted at 650+ US & Canadian college & public stations by The Planetary Group and routinely places in the Top 1-25 CMJ charts.
  • The CD is promoted to more than 2 Million eMusic subscribers.
  • The CD is promoted to more than 1.8 Million Pure Volume members.
  • The CD is featured on listening stations at all CIMS Independent Music stores throughout the month of July.
  • IMA Winners’ releases will be available for sale and featured in a special IMA display at all CIMS stores.
  • Select IMA Winners are invited to tape live performances at the ManiaTV studios in Los Angeles for broadcast on the ManiaTV site, the ManiaTV “All Access” indie music channel, the Independent Music Awards site, and on the artists’ own sites.
  • Winners will be promoted on WorldSpace digital satellite radio heard by Millions in Africa, Asia, Middle East & Europe.
  • Music & Music video category Winners & Finalists are promoted to more than 12 Million on cable & digital broadcast sites including ManiaTV.com & HavocTV.com.
  • Winners & Finalists promoted to MySpace, Trig.com & other social networking communities.

This year’s judging panel includes: Peter Gabriel, country legend George Jones, Suzanne Vega, Buddy Guy, Roger Daltrey (The Who), Keith Urban, James “Blood” Ulmer, Paquito D’Rivera, Steve Vai, Clint Black, Rob Wasserman, Butch Walker, Zakk Wylde, John Patitucci, Lee Ritenour, DJ Skribble, Daryl Palumbo and Tim Lambesis. Click here for a full list of judges!

Sign up today! Deadline is August 1st!

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Friday, June 20, 2008 

You Get Out What You Put In

by Madalyn Sklar

This is reposted from my 9-13-07 blog post. Yes, it's so good I wanted to share it again...

Have you ever wondered why sometimes things just don't work out. You are not selling enough CDs or getting people out to your show. Sometimes you should think about what you are putting out there... what are you doing for others. We all know, people like to help people they like. Are you getting yourself out there? Are you making the most of your connections.

I've met many indie musicians who exhibit a "gimme" attitude. They think they deserve so much when they are not doing anything for others.
Why not set up a benefit show? Or offer a % of CD sales to your favorite charity?

You Get Out What You Put In.

I feel strongly that when you are a giver, great things will come back to you. It may not be right away. It could take months, even years. But it's a nice feeling when others return what you put out.

Here's an example:

Veronica is a hard working indie artist in Houston. She supports many local bands. Even though she has a family at home - husband and kids, she makes it a point to get out and support the local music scene. She gives up a lot but in return she gets so much! Every year she produces an amazing benefit show. You should see the support she gets! It's because she devotes a great deal of time with no expectations. She is a giver and in the process gets so much in return.

Another example:

I'm in Atlanta right now. Last night something amazing happened. A benefit show for ME! Because of my giving, someone wanted to give back. Her name is Ronnda. She is an indie artist and a huge giver. When she found out that I was going into the hospital back in January and would be racking up large medical bills, she wanted to do something about it. She has been planning this benefit all year. She secured a great headliner and asked other supporters of mine to participate. It was truly a memorable night. It wasn't about the money for me. Yes, it helps. But it was about the true nature of giving. It's a warm, fuzzy feeling knowing that people care and want to support you.

Are you a giver or a taker?

I'm a giver. I give so much of my time to help indie musicians. It's become a way of life for me. I wouldn't have it any other way. In the early years when I had more time, I offered to help bands with their web sites. Some would ask what I wanted in return. I was boggled by this. I would say that I simply wanted to help. There are so many people who don't know what to do with that. I say accept help from all sources and then give back.

Pay It Forward.

Do something nice for someone with no strings attached. You've heard the stories. Someone stops at the toll booth and decides to not only pay for themselves, but they pay for several cars after them. Paying it forward.

You Get Out What You Put In.

Give me your two cents on this. I would love your comments!

Copyright © 2007 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach, consultant and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world - U.S., Canada, Ireland and Japan thus far. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out http://www.indiemusiccoach.com for more info.

Madalyn Recommends:

Artist Development
Learn key elements of the music business!
available in the GoGirls Music Store


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Friday, June 13, 2008 

AMP - Artists Musicians Players Network



AMP is a brand new division of Music Connection that caters strictly to Artists, Musicians and Players (Not fans). AMP is a private network that offers the same networking tools and features found on Facebook, Myspace, Friendster, etc. However, AMP also offers a professional environment, safe and secure interactions with members and complete access to all of the products and services that Music Connection has to offer, including CD Reviews, New Music Critiques, Club Reviews, and of course Free Classifieds.

Membership in AMP also includes a FREE 3-month subscription to Music Connection magazine!

Check it out at http://musicconnection.com/amp

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~
http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 

How To Get Labels Knocking At Your Door!



Last week I had the opportunity to chat with Rosie Lopez, Vice President at Tommy Boy Entertainment in New York City. She gave me some great insight that I would like to share with you today.

But before I get to that, here is Tommy Boy's company profile according to Yahoo! Finance:

Hip hop is all grown up, and Tommy Boy is now a man. Pioneering record label Tommy Boy has produced gold singles from historically significant rap artists such as Afrika Bambatta, De La Soul, and Digital Underground. Other current and former artists include Queen Latifah, Biz Markie, and Handsome Boy Modeling School. Tom Silverman founded the company in his New York City apartment in 1981. In 1986 Time Warner purchased 50% of Tommy Boy; it bought the remaining half in 1989. Tommy Boy operated as part of Warner Music until 2002 when Silverman bought back his label, making it independent again.

When I asked Rosie what is the number one thing she looks for in a band that she's interested in, her response was, "I want to know how many people they are pulling in at their live shows."

Her second question to bands is how many CDs have you sold.

I think these are both no-brainers for any indie artist. Whether you want to get signed to a major, indie or do your own thing you should always strive to consistently draw people in to each show and sell lots of CDs and digital downloads.

My next question to her was the age factor. We know major labels are interested in signing very young musicians. Rosie said age does not matter to her. But she said if you ask the men it's their number one question. They want to know how old you are. Sad isn't it?

The thing to keep in mind when it comes to labels, they are a business. It's about making money. You need to be able to draw a crowd to your shows. You need to make sales. But also remember, these things are just as important if you go the DIY (do-it-yourself) route. If you are serious about your music you should be treating it as a business. Your number one question to yourself should be how many people are coming out to your shows. Your next question should be how many CDs are you selling. If you expect to earn your living in the music business you have to re-think what you are doing, what your goals are and how to get yourself from point A to point B.

Give me your two cents on this. I would love your comments!

Copyright © 2008 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach, consultant and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world - U.S., Canada, Ireland and Japan thus far. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/ for more info.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008 

Give Away Your Songs For Free?



Major label artists... maybe. Indie artists... hell no!

So I was reading a very interesting blog post recently on giving away your music for free and relying on sponsors or other promotional efforts to foot your bill. Huh??

Okay this is not the first time we've been hearing about this interesting yet touchy subject. The Internet allows you, the indie artist, to compete alongside the big names via Myspace and other social network sites by allowing you to create a larger-than-life image. The smart indie artists are working hard to brand themselves. That is the name of the game now.


In Kevin Maney's post, Free for All (that I reference above), he says:

This flurry of experiments is painful but probably necessary, like a teenager's goth phase. The endgame is clear, however. Sometime in the next decade, Pittman's model will win. Artists will give away recorded music and consider it promotional, just like music videos. All of the revenue in music will be generated in other ways.

I just don't see indie artists giving away their music in hopes of recouping and actually making a living off their live shows, merch and licensing. What about those who don't or can't gig? What if you can't afford to buy t-shirts in bulk to sell at your shows? And if your recording is mediocre how will you get a licensing deal?

Indie artists already rely on generating revenue in other ways as it is. But to stop selling your music and give it away? Well it just doesn't make sense.

Am I wrong? Maybe so. I would LOVE to hear what you have to say. Post a comment and give me your thoughts.

Copyright © 2008 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach, consultant and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world - U.S., Canada, Ireland and Japan thus far. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/ for more info.

Monday, June 09, 2008 

Grabbing Opportunity on Myspace

by Madalyn Sklar

Most of you know I spend a great deal of time helping indie musicians and music businesses with their Myspace presence at Social Networks for Musicians. Yes, Myspace is filled with over 235 million profiles. Yes, it's full of bands doing exactly what you are doing. But there is still GREAT opportunity that awaits you. If you don't grab it someone else will.

And it can be done with little effort!

What does it take? I've said it before and I will keep saying it... consistency! You will not get results if you log in whenever you can make time. You have to make time. Or maybe you are working it but not seeing results. Many people spin their wheels on Myspace thinking they are working it smart only to get frustrated. All they need is some guidance. I can show you how to grab opportunities by spending only one hour a day on your Myspace page. Whether I work it for you or consult with you by phone on how to best do it, there are ways to get results and opportunities.

Chuck Woo said it best in his recent blog post, Is Myspace Marketing Still Relevant?:

"Although the initial upswing fever may have subsided, Myspace is still a source of great opportunity! Like all opportunities though, You have to be prepared for them. You have to recognize the gold mine opportunities and know how to extract them. Millions of people still use Myspace every day! For millions of people worldwide, their Myspace profile is their contribution and they take their space seriously!"

Get your share of the Myspace goldmine. It's there waiting for you.

I regularly post Myspace Marketing Tips for Musicians so be sure to subscribe to my feed at the top of this page.

Keep on rockin',
Madalyn Sklar

Copyright © 2008 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach, consultant and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world - U.S., Canada, Ireland and Japan thus far. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/ for more info.

Thursday, June 05, 2008 

The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings

Here's a book worth checking out.



Professional harpist Anne Roos draws upon her years of experience working with wedding planners and brides to guide the reader every step of the way to becoming a successful wedding musician. Readers will also get insider advice from internationally recognized wedding planning professionals, comprehensive worksheets, and checklists that provide all they need to know to plan their business and performances, and even sheet music arrangements of traditional wedding music. This is a must-have book for musicians and bands who want to keep their calendar full with high-paying wedding ceremonies and receptions.

This book is published by Hal Leonard Books and can be bought at any book, music, or online store. To find out where to purchase it, go to www.HalLeonard.com or click here for more info!

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~
http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/

Monday, June 02, 2008 

Myspace is NOT Dead!

So I have to vent today. David Hooper’s opinion that “Myspace Is Dead” is one that I don’t agree with. He blogged about it last week. Well actually he didn't really blog about it, he posted a teaser in his blog to get you to his sales page so you'll buy his new eBook on Twitter for Musicians.

I love Twitter. It's a great tool to help you stay in touch with your fans (if you can convince them to sign up for yet another free site!) as well as work it to gain new friends and fans. Can you do this all in seconds as David claims in his sales pitch? No. You have to work this social network like any other. It's not nearly as time consuming as Myspace but it's also something so completely different. You cannot even compare!

And be advised... Twitter is having its issues at the moment. It's been down a lot. I love using Twitter and am a big advocate for it, but it's been quite frustrating.

So Dave's sales pitch goes like this... yes I'm quoting it. See for yourself here if you dare. And yes Dave, you can thank me later for bringing additional traffic to your site and fueling your intentional buzz. ;-)



I'm going to clarify the "seconds" part here. Yes, in seconds you can type up to 140 characters in Twitter. What exactly is Twitter you ask? It's micro-blogging. Plain and simple. It's the same thing as text messaging your fans using Mozes or other related services. Some people jumped on that in the last few years. But Twitter is hot right now because it's a community too, like Myspace and Facebook. Everyone is buzzing about. Well really techies are buzzing about it. I should know, I'm one of them... a techie in the music business.



Yes, you will hear more about how bands can benefit from this service. I've been talking it up in this blog quite a bit lately. I have used it at live shows and recent events such as the Kerrville Folk Festival, ASCAP Expo and various GoGirls showcases. I will be Twittering from several events in NYC and LA this week and weekend. Head over to the GoGirls Twitter page to see this in action: http://twitter.com/gogirlsmusic. You can read my mini-blogs with photos! Again, I'm a techie. If you need help learning about this and setting it up, please get it touch with me.

And check out my article, "What is Twittering? You're always Twittering. Should I be Twittering?"

So let's go back to Myspace NOT being dead. I know, so many of you get frustrated with it. At times it's slow, there's a ton of spam (and stupid sales pitches!) all while you wish you sold more CDs and were able to get more people to your shows. Well I'm here to tell you that Myspace doesn't work unless you know how to use it properly. You cannot simply work it sporadically and get results. You must (ideally) spend time everyday. You must become active and participate. That is the general rule with any social network.

It doesn't work unless you work it.

If you want to learn more about how I help indie artists and music companies take advantage of the social network revolution, visit http://www.socialnetworksformusicians.com/. You won't find long winded sales pitches, just information and lots of articles and blog posts that will help you.

I'll be hosting a really great FREE Teleseminar on June 24th.

“Social Networks for Musicians”
How to get beyond the confusion of web 2.0

Sign up at http://www.indiemusicseminars.com/

Until next time...

Copyright © 2008 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach, consultant and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world - U.S., Canada, Ireland and Japan thus far. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/ for more info.

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Sunday, June 01, 2008 

GoGirls Elite Interview with Elke Robitaille

by Annette Warner


Editor's Note:

There are a few musicians I can name that turn me on with good attitudes, hard and honest work ethics, and organic efforts at maintaining their independent careers. Elke Robitaille does those things for herself..and in turn sets a great example for others. I appreciated the time she spent with me during this interview, especially with her hectic touring schedule and limited computer access. Her music is without mercy in a music lovers ears, and you just need to go hear for yourself. She’ll be coming to my town soon..and I’ll be front row Juggling Gypsy Hookah Bar to catch her. Hmmph. You should be so lucky :-) Enjoy! Annette Warner - Editor

You have a really wide range of musical style. I'm impressed! Where are you most comfortable style-wise?

I am influenced by many different artists and various styles of music. My most comfortable styles for writing/playing are Acoustic, and Folk-Rock. I like to play music that tells a story that listeners can relate to and I love acoustic guitar.

Self-management as an artist is very challenging with all that needs to be done. How do you juggle these responsibilities efficiently? Any advice for the masses?

It's true... there is a lot to juggle when you have the career of a DIY musician. There is so much to be done from booking shows, getting press, maintaining websites, and that is just the business end of things. That doesn't even include the creative side like writing. Basically, I just like to stay organized by writing everything down. I create "To Do Lists" and "Short/Long Term Goals" as well. I find that when things are written down, it's easier to see the big picture and get items accomplished off the list. It can be as simple as writing things in a note book, or in excel.

Who are you listening to these days?

Lately I have been listening to a lot of Beck, DMB, Ani, The Weepies, and Rufus, to name a few. Driving in the van we have our ipod on shuffle... so we listen to everything that comes up.

Who are your inspirations and why?

There are a lot of different people I could mention here, but I will just name my main one. I am greatly inspired by Ani Difranco. It's hard not to admire her career as a fearless DIY artist. It's inspiring to see how much she has accomplished on her own, and through her own record label. To me, she's a perfect example of great musical talent combined with hard work, ambition and drive.

Describe your best gig ever!

Well, I play out a lot, so I've definitely had my share of good and 'not so good' gigs. The one that stands out to me though is a show we played a few years back at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. My husband and I perform together (we've always played together since the first day we met) and it happened to be our Anniversary so we wanted to play a big show to celebrate. We asked some of our friends bands to play on the bill with us, and we made a great night out of it. I remember it was such a great show because the energy in the room was amazing, everyone played great sets, and it was a full house.

Tell us about your first performance in public?

I started out my musical career at a very young age. I began with voice lessons and choir around the age of 5, so I did a lot of recitals and choir concerts. However, I didn't pick up the guitar until I was 16, and then started writing my own songs shortly thereafter. So, my experience with choir and voice lessons really helped to prepare me for performing on stage. But, it's a completely different experience to get up on stage by yourself with only a guitar and playing an original composition. I remember being very nervous, despite my training, but the show was great and people responded very well to my original music. Since that show, I've barely ever played without my guitar!

How do you attempt to stay healthy and energetic on tour?

That is such a great question. And somewhat funny to me right now because I'm just getting over a 24 hour Flu. Staying healthy on the road is so important for a traveling musician. It can be hard when you are on the go all the time and diet and exercise can be tough to balance. Basically, there are a few things I never leave without: Multi Vitamins, Airborne, Emergen-C and lots of Water. These are great items to boost your body with the vitamins and minerals that are easy to lack on the road. Also, it's a great idea to try and skip Fast Food. I know this can be hard for a lot of musicians because it is fast and easy, they are everywhere, and it's in a traveling musician’s budget. But trust me... it's no good. It will just make you feel gross and bogged down. I like to pick up groceries along the way. We have a cooler and a small propane camping stove. This makes things cheaper and healthier too. It's great to pick up fresh fruit like apples, oranges, and bananas at the grocery store. And then of course there is the exercise part. After driving in the van for 4-8 hours, your body can feel stiff and tired. I like to go for long walks (which are great because there is so much to explore in a new town or city) and I have a yoga mat for doing daily stretches. And of course, try to stay rested and get a full night of sleep.

Do you have any pet peeves?

I suppose I have a few. Most of them would apply to live shows. It bothers me when bands perform and leave right when their set is done. I think it's important to support the other bands that are sharing a bill with you. It just looks tacky to leave without supporting your fellow musicians. Also, running over time or taking way too long to set up or break down is something I see people do a lot. That cuts into all the other performers set times and causes things to run late. Finally, (although I'm sure I could think of a few more) one of my biggest pet peeves is out of tune guitars. Be professional. Tune before you play and have a tuner on stage throughout the set.

How do you feel about today's independent music arena?

I personally think it's great. There are so many things like Myspace, iTunes, CD Baby, GoGirls, and all the other countless websites and organizations that focus on helping independent artists. If you are willing to put in the time and energy to focus on furthering your career... there are many resources out there that can help. I'm not sure how independent artists did things 10-15 years ago without the help of the Internet (unless they were on a major label.) I think this is a great time for DIY musicians.

Want to plug a couple websites that are useful to you?

Sure! Well of course there is GoGirls. But I'll talk about that more in the next question. Then there are the obvious that are helpful to all musicians: Myspace, Facebook, ReverbNation, CD Baby, and YouTube. I personally really like OpenMikes.org, Coffeehousetour.com, and onlinegigs.com too.

On GoGirlsMusic.com

I have been a GoGirls Elite member for quite a few years now. When I first joined, I had my recent CD reviewed which was a great feature. The emails that Madalyn sends out with helpful tips, news, and advice are great. These emails can be packed with so much info, so I always save them in a folder to keep on hand. Madalyn/GoGirls offers many great opportunities from networking, show promo, reviews, contests, festivals, personal support and motivation, and so much more. I remember reading something that Madalyn once sent out in an email. Basically, she said that GoGirls is here to help those willing to help themselves. The resources are there... but nothing can magically happen. You have to utilize the things that GoGirls has to offer. I've been doing this a lot lately, and I must say, the benefits have been tremendous. I have booked shows in different cities/states through networking with fellow GoGirls. It's very exciting.

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Elke Robitaille - Musician
http://www.elkemusic.com/
www.myspace.com/elkemusic

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WHO IS MADALYN SKLAR?


    Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 15 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

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    contact: madalynsklar(at)gmail.com

         

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