Madalyn's Blog

by Madalyn Sklar

So after a long day of driving we finally arrive in Kerrville, TX to attend the 39th annual Kerrville Folk Festival. I'm so excited to get there and see my friend and fellow GoGirls member, Sara Hickman, who by the way is this year's Texas State Musician. By the time we check in our hotel (yeah I don't camp) and get to the campgrounds, we are only minutes away from Sara's main stage performance. I brought Colorado singer/songwriter Kelly Feeley as my assistant and photographer. We made our way through the crowd and over to the back stage area so I can get a few cool shots of Sara. I ran into festival director, Dalis Allen, and got a quick minute to thank her for having us cover the event for GoGirls. (see photo)

The festival is huge. It's a massive sea of people enjoying the warm summer breeze along with great music coming from the stage. I ran into friends from Folk Alliance while walking around. It's always nice seeing familiar faces at these events. Eventually we made our way to the New Folk Tent and hung out for a bit. We visited with Kim Richardson and Rj Cowdery and watch them sing songs. It was a great way to end our first day in Kerrville. I'm looking forward to more great music in the next few days. Stay tuned...

Copyright © 2010 Madalyn Sklar

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 14 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success in the biz. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

You can reach Madalyn at MadalynSklar.com or madalynsklar AT gmail.com

by Madalyn Sklar



1. Myspace
Yes, we know many of you think Myspace is dead but it’s not. It is still the #1 music site. Most music industry professionals tell me they still go to Myspace first to check out an artist or band. At minimum you should keep your content current however I also advise artists and bands to continue using it to build and maintain relationships with fans. You can still attract people to your shows and get them to listen to your music through this site. I talk more about this topic on my blog at http://bit.ly/cxOlPy.

2. Facebook
You should have a strong Facebook presence by developing a fan page (also known as Pages). Although it was not designed as a music site like Myspace, your fans are here. Yes, with over 400 million active users I guarantee you your audience is here conversing with friends, colleagues and family. Why not you? Be advised a fan page is separate from your personal profile. It is a public page promoting your music, business, brand or whatever. If you have a fan page in place, be sure to maximize your presence with a “welcome” and “buy music” page. You can do this using Facebook’s FBML application. I have found this to be extremely underutilized. So if you’re looking to set yourself apart from many others, this is the way to do it. See examples of customized fan pages I’ve done at http://bit.ly/2uU8vN.

3. Twitter
When it comes to Twitter I find that people either really love it or just don’t get it. Again, this is simply another place where your fans gather so you do not want to dismiss it. If you find Twittering is not for you, you can have your Facebook posts automatically go to Twitter. I think it’s very important to maintain a presence here even if it’s minimal. The key is to put out good, useful content for your friends and fans. What I love about Twitter are the many third-party applications that make it easy to use. I use HootSuite on my desktop computer and Tweetie on my iPhone.

4. ReverbNation
What I like best about ReverbNation is their incredibly useful viral marketing tools (most are free) to help you generate your buzz online. They also provide a massive amount of statistics that will help you analyze your progress. Many in the industry say it’s all about the analytics. I wrote about this recently on my blog at http://bit.ly/dcJY8A. If you’re on Facebook you definitely want to use the ReverbNation “MyBand” application to promote your music. It automatically imports and updates all the content to your Facebook page.

5. FanBridge
Many musicians I talk to do not actively collect email addresses or they have them collected but do nothing with it. Sending out emails to your fans consistently is key in being a successful indie artist. I have used just about every email program out there and I have found FanBridge to be the best one. It’s very easy to use and extremely affordable. You can import your old list in and if you like, FanBridge will do it for you. It’s free to set up and try out. Pricing depends on the size of your list and frequency of your blasts. I have arranged for you can take advantage of a one month free upgrade to their “arena” plan by using this link, http://bit.ly/aoj6u7.

6. Ping.fm
This is a cool free site that allows you to quickly and easily send an update that gets dispersed to all your social networks in one shot. So if you’d like to put out an update to your Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, LinkedIn, Ning, Gtalk status, AIM status (and well the list goes on and on!), this will do it in one click. When I travel to music conferences and events all over the country I use the Pingle iPhone app so I can take a picture on-the-go, type in a caption and in one click (and literally seconds later) it shows up on my personal Facebook as well as my business Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and Flickr. This is very much in line with my motto, “working smarter not harder”.

7. foursquare
The big buzz right now is foursquare which is a location-based social network. It along with Brightkite and Whrrl have been around for awhile but foursquare really took off this year at SXSWi, which is the interactive (techie) part of South by Southwest in Austin, TX. It’s a really great way to stay extremely connected to your friends and fans by updating your location on your mobile device. I really enjoyed it during the SXSW music conference as it allowed me to easily see where my musician and industry friends were at, which then allowed me to easily find them.

7.5 The bottom line!
Social networks don’t work unless you work it. You cannot set up these sites and do nothing else. Social network success involves you and your team spending time and energy developing relationships with your fans which will lead to increasing your fan base, getting people out to your shows and generating sales.

REFERENCE

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/
Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/
FanBridge: http://www.fanbridge.com/
Ping.fm: http://www.ping.fm/
foursquare: http://foursquare.com/
HootSuite: http://hootsuite.com/
Tweetie: http://www.atebits.com/tweetie-iphone

Copyright © 2010 Madalyn Sklar

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 14 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success in the biz. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

You can reach Madalyn at MadalynSklar.com or madalynsklar AT gmail.com

Labels: social networks myspace facebook twitter

by Madalyn Sklar

What drives your music? When did you first know you had to do this thing called music or bust?

The heart and soul of life itself drives my music.

When I was a little girl, I used to grab anything that looked like a microphone and sing and sing and sing. I would make up songs - anything to entertain. I would hand out tickets to come to my shows in our living room with the theatre drapes. My brother says I would rake leaves for 3 minutes and go play the piano and sing for 10 minutes. Hey, I had another concept for a song!

Describe your music style and name three musicians you have been inspired by and why.

My current music style is Jazz, however, my musical taste buds travel the gamut.

It is hard to pick three musicians. I grew up listening to the Standards and watching Lawrence Welk on Saturday Nights, but would sneak in and watch Soul Train on the TV. My Barbies knew all the moves while I sang.

What's your ideal venue atmosphere?

You know, I loved watching “I Love Lucy,” growing up. Not sure if I would say that that is the “ideal” venue atmosphere, but I would love to perform at Ricky Ricardo’s Club. Add Bing Crosby’s “Holiday Inn” atmosphere and a TV variety show with Michael Bublé and I can retire .

Describe how your music career has evolved since you first started performing.

I think my music career has evolved in the same way as my life. The more I learn, the more I realize there is to learn. The more I give, the more I realize that I have to give. The more talent I find in myself, the more talent I find in others.

How would you describe the music scene in your area?

Diversified. This is a wonderful place to live. There are so many different styles and musical tastes. One’s palette never tires of the diversification.

What was the inspiration for your latest release?

Listening to Ella Fitzgerald. She exudes the emotion of whichever song she is singing at that time. Even if she forgets the words, she draws the listener in and never fails to please the ear, and leave one wanting more.

What do you think is number one for a musician to think about before preparing for a CD project and do you have any tips on saving time in the studio?Remember WHY you are doing what you are doing. If you think it is only for money, think again. If you think it is only for fame, think again. If you desire to share this thing called music welling up inside of you – Go for it!

We saved some time in the studio by recording demo versions of the songs on our own studio. Then, we listened to the demo versions, especially via the iPod in the car, over and over and over. We went back into the studio, recording another demo version, implementing changes from the feedback from the first demo and so on and so on. This saved us days in the studio because we had the opportunity to hear different theories on how to approach the songs. That, and of course, playing the songs at live gigs.

What makes or breaks a musician just starting out in your opinion?

Attitude. If you think too highly of yourself, look around and think again. If you think too lowly of yourself, take a deep breath, pull yourself up, and think again.

Describe your toughest moments in your quest for a music career and tell us how you overcame them.

Listening to a couple “naysayers” was probably the hardest obstacle to overcome.

Years ago, my guy told me that he would leave me if I ever made it big in music. I decided that he was more important to me than music (I was young!) and I hung up the music dream for good. Years later, I dumped him, but was so used to leaving music on the hook, that I left music there, until my new guy, wonderful husband, Michael, bought me a Yamaha S90ES.

I told him I didn’t need another keyboard and besides, keyboards do not replace real pianos, but… there was just something about this keyboard. I felt like Rip Van Winkle coming alive after decades of slumber. The music stirred and came alive. Now, there is no putting in on the hook again. It is what flows through my veins.

It is my legacy to my children, my gift to those I love.

What advice would you offer up and coming artists that get discouraged other than don't give up?

It sounds cliché, but don’t give up! No matter what people say, do not give up.

Remember why you are doing this. Like I’ve said before, if you do it for the money, money will eventually disappoint you. If you do it for fame or power, fame will fleet away when you are no longer the flavor of the day.

If you do it for the music and the love of music, you will love what you do and that will see you through, even those dark moments. Pick up your art, feel it reverberate through your being and enjoy. Don’t forgot that joy that leads you to the music!
Tell us something you want the music world to know about you.

Ahhhh. If you see me on stage, you would not think me shy. Well, for that matter, those that know me, know I am not shy. I am a red personality, outgoing, grabbing life by the horns, but, at times, rather private. Sometimes I forget that others may want to care as much as I care for them. It is easy to reach out and help others. It is also easy to be a Prima Donna at times, too. What is a little tricky is being understood when you are a bit complicated, mixture of science and art.

What have you gotten out of being a member of the GoGirls community?

GoGirls is so supportive. This is my first year and I am so looking forward to getting more involved as time goes on. I love that there are different musicians coming together from different regions, from different musical genres, and different perspectives, making a difference, and like Madalyn says, ‘Cuz Chicks Rock!

Web Sites:
Artist Web Site: http://www.deborah.info/
Blog: http://www.scatnstyle.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deborahinfo
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/deborahinfo
ReverbNation http://www.reverbnation.com/deborahe
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/deborahinfo
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/deborahinfo
Jango Internet Radio http://www.jango.com/music/Deborah+E?l=0
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahinfo
TJNW http://www.thejazznetworkworldwide.com/profile/DeborahE
All About Jazz http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=19138

Copyright © 2010 GoGirlsMusic.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 14 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success in the biz. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

You can reach Madalyn at MadalynSklar.com or madalynsklar AT gmail.com