Sound Bits: Page 5

Here is a good exercise: take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On one side, write down all the ways you earn income now (you can even do this if you are a student). On the other side, write down all the ways you COULD be earning income. Sure, some […]

Those of us with long winters (Upstate NY anyone??) know that this time of year you start to get cabin fever – you feel the need to get outside and break free from the hold of winter. By this time in the year we also tend to feel a bit worn out, needing something to […]

If you peruse lists of books for artists and freelancers, “The Freelancer’s Bible“ by Sara Horowitz pops up frequently, and for good reason. It’s a solid 474 pages of useful tips and perspectives for individuals (and groups) in all artistic sectors who are pursuing some amount of freelance work. There are many practical sections and […]

Many musicians struggle with varying degrees of performance anxiety. If you do, you are not alone. Much has been written on the topic, and fortunately there are a lot of resources out there to help. It takes time to explore the information and strategies that are out there, but if it helps you become a […]

Thinking about writing some songs or compositions? Considering trying to generate a new source of revenue by putting music on streaming services like Spotify, or uploading videos to YouTube? Check out a series of informative webinars: The World of Music Publishing Royalties, by SongTrust. In addition to the webinar recordings, you can also download and […]

I know, we are oversaturated with marketing these days. Social media ads, robo-calls, TV commercials, YouTube ads, junk mail…it goes on and on. But I think it’s important to periodically evaluate how we are marketing our work – as a freelance musician, an ensemble, a presenting organization, a community music school, or something else! These […]

It’s that time of year again – tax season! I know, it’s not actually that exciting. But even though taxes can be complicated and frustrating, you can save yourself some money if you do them well. A new tax law went into effect for 2018, so things will be a little different this year. We’ve […]

The advent of technologies like Skype and FaceTime have allowed musicians to connect with (and work with) other musicians around the world, at a moment’s notice! Certainly other industries are using video conferencing for work meetings, presentations, and more. In music, we can do the same. We can use these tools to hold board meetings, […]

Karl Paulnack, currently the Dean of the Ithaca College School of Music, was previously the Director of the Music Division at Boston Conservatory.  In a welcome address he gave to the parents of an incoming Freshman class at BC (and in an address to the students as well) he said: “If we were a medical […]

In a concise, 20-minute video presentation, Joseph Van der Stel walks us through 3 key principles of web design. These principles will help you develop a critical eye for website design, and will also provide a valuable perspective if you are embarking on a new website or redesign.