The performer’s 10
Essential Web Resources

By Adam Olenn

With a wealth of talent, tools, and technology, today’s performer is in a fortunate position to take advantage of many online resources. While not always free, these resources can be an extremely helpful way for performers to promote themselves, learn the business and take their performance to the next level. Here are ten of the best.

CraigsList.org

Craigslist.org began as a way for people to find apartments in San Francisco, and has grown to be one of the largest classified services online. Pick the nearest city from the menu, and all of the listings will be filtered for your region. Buy and sell instruments and equipment, fish for gigs, and search for a new bassist in your area. Craigslist.org can be a great tool for your band to find resources in town that you will be visiting.

 

MySpace.com

Myspace.com began as a personals website, and like most choice locations, musicians began squatting there. Now it is a free service which allows you to have a website, post gigs, photos, and sound files. You can keep a blog, a calendar, and make friends. Really there’s no catch, it’s free, go set yours up. Even if you already have a website, a MySpace can be useful for promotion.

 

StarPolish.com

Need some advice? StarPolish.com answers questions ranging from basic music business to maximum exposure. Take advantage of some of these articles; learn about the business you’re involved with. Dedicated to educating and empowering artists, StarPolish.com places strong emphasis on truly helping and educating the DIY musician.

 

CDBaby.net

CDBaby is the site where everyone is an online retailer. You can sell CDs to a global audience through this artist-friendly site. CD baby is one of the easiest methods of getting your music on iTunes and most of the other major digital download sites. As a bonus service for any CD that is placed on CD baby, this company will convert the songs on your CD to the appropriate formats for over 30 digital sites including: iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster and MusicConnect. This is at no additional cost. They do all of the accounting and record keeping, taking 9% from the royalties paid for each sale — and pay you the rest!

 

SoundExchange.com

This site was created by the government with the help of the RIAA. SoundExchange is a non-profit organization that is assigned the task of tracking and paying mechanical royalties that are due to songwriters and publishers for digital broadcasts. Signing up with SoundExchange is free and can improve your chances of being paid if your music is webcast. All Performers that are recording their music need to sign up for this free service in addition to joining a Performance Rights Organization (ASCAP, BMI or SESAC). Go to SoundExchange.com and sign up NOW so that you collect all royalties that are due to you.

 

SongWriter101.com

Confused about the business aspect of being in a band and making your own music? Songwriter101.com can help you with the business side of a songwriter’s profession. Read articles dealing with real music business issues, partake in forum discussion, and learn the lingo so you at least can pretend to know what you’re talking about. After you sign up, Songwriter101.com becomes a great resource to answer your legal, publishing, business, and copyright oriented questions.

 

ProSoundWeb.com

Prospering as a web community for all aspects of the professional sound industry, Prosoundweb.com discusses live sound, installed sound, recorded sound, lighting, and industry business trends. Got a question about phantom power? Wanna get some good feedback from engineers about a mic you’re thinking about buying? Get the answers you need now with industry news, articles, and interactive community forums. The forum search option allows you to find discussions on whatever sound-related questions you may have.

 

MusicRegistry.com

Get valuable music industry directories, insider listings, and information about the newest companies signing new talent. It might call for your wallet to make an appearance, but these directories are like gold. And well-researched info and knowledge aren’t cheap. MusicRegistry.com provides valuable resources and in depth information on the people and companies that can help you get ahead.

 

FutureofMusic.org

Sworn to educate musicians and the public, FutureOfMusic.org deals with critical issues that shape the policy debate in the music/technology industry. FutureOfMusic.org works to identify and promote innovative business models that will help musicians to benefit from new technologies. Sign up for free and receive their newsletter to keep up with news, events, and activities that will affect your music.

 

Noiseboard.com

Noiseboard is a learning website for acoustiheads of all types - musicians, engineers, researchers. There are discussion areas, recommended books, and useful downloads. This is a great place to research how to dampen (or enhance) certain frequencies in your home studio, brush up on EQ pointers, and get most of your pro audio questions answered.