This article was written by Chris Scheidies at Sweetwater.  Over the next few months, we’re publishing an entire series of articles in the Lounge from Sweetwater. Keep your eyes peeled and check back often!

As a creative person this may be a hard article to read. The ideas presented within took many years of denial, blood, sweat, and tears before I accepted them. But when I did, I found my music career and income rose considerably. As creative folks, we want the art to speak for itself. The truth is: if you are a musician or trying to make money with your art, then you are a business and must think and position yourself as such.

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Exerted from his book “Indie Marketing Power: The Guide for Maximizing Your Music Marketing”. Check out the special 2-for-1 book deal for Sonicbids members by clicking the book cover below).

While some artists may be “naturals” at creating strong, positive images for themselves through the media, many others must be coached by publicists and put through a “media school” where they are taught the basic skills of effective interviews, including how to answer awkward or touchy questions, how to always present their best side to the media and make the necessary points regardless of what the interviewer asks.

Once you’ve got the media’s attention, you’re going to want to make sure your message comes across effectively. You need to make sure you get your main points across loud and clear, whether you’re being interviewed in a local newspaper or on the internet, TV or radio.

Here are some pointers for making sure that interview accomplishes your purpose:

• Prepare. Write out the key points or message you want to convey to the audience.

• Keep the audience in mind. Find out as much as you can about who will be reading, watching, or listening to your interview.

• Don’t try to sell yourself or your business. Guest appearances and other interviews are NOT commercials, and the media is very sensitive to this distinction. Your job in an interview is to be informative and to do so in an entertaining way.

• Arrange in advance for the audience to be able to contact you. If appropriate, ask before the interview whether the interviewer would be willing to let people know how they can contact you for more information. Such a plug will be far more valuable to you than self-promotion.

• Restate the question in beginning your answer. For example:

Q: “Which song is most requested when you play out?”

A: “The most requested song when I play out is…”

This helps the audience stay with you and gives you a chance to focus your thoughts.

• Keep your answers brief and to the point. Radio and television interviews are a conversation, not a monologue, so if your response to a question lasts longer than 30 to 60 seconds you are probably over-answering. Print allows a bit more room for stretching out on answers.

• Talk personally, concretely, and colorfully. Avoid academic, theoretical, abstract, and clinical language.

• Be positive and speak with enthusiasm and conviction. Don’t dwell on the negative aspects of your message. Provide info that inspires hope, encouragement, and confidence, and end each segment on an upbeat note.

One last tip: Breathe. Drink in that O2 liberally. Deep breathing clears your head and calms your nerves. Good luck!

Peter Spellman is Director of Career Development at Berklee College of Music, and author of numerous music career guides. Find him at mbsolutions.com

A couple months ago I wrote an article announcing my foray into Twitter.  I’ve been tweeting about once a day since then with some intriguing results.  By itself Twitter isn’t all that exciting, but it’s simplicity makes it easy for other services to plug themselves into it.  For example you can link your Facebook account to Twitter and set it to update your Facebook status whenever you post a tweet. (more…)

This article was written by Nick Schenkel at Sweetwater.  Over the next few months, we’re publishing an entire series of articles in the Lounge from Sweetwater. Keep your eyes peeled and check back often!

Over the years, I have played in many bands. I have labored to get band members to show up to practice. I have gone home exhausted after load out with a paltry couple bucks in my pocket. I have dealt with the drama that can erupt between two band members that are at odds with each other. I have been through it all, and I quit.

When I first realized that I no longer wanted to be part of a band, I had tough decisions to make. Was I going to just do the singer/songwriter, guitar and vocal approach? Was I going to do the “band in a box” thing? How was I going to do justice to the songs I had written while keeping the act solo?

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If you’re regional band/soloist and you play a lot in your home area, then this will be up your alley.

Do you find you have the same friends that come to your show every time you play? While that can be awesome, at the same time deep-down you know that after a while they are going to get tired of hearing your same songs. What’s more, you might be only slowly growing your fan base so it’s hard to make up the difference in draw if your friends decide not to show.

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