Making a Scene Reviews the Indie Bible 20th Anniversary Issue
Making A Scene Presents a Review of the 20th Anniversary Issue of THE INDIE BIBLE!
It has been 20 years since Dave Wimble put out the first issue of The Indie Bible! Since that first issue, he has made it his mission to provide the Indie artist with a valuable resource to help them promote and market themselves. In addition to the resource guide itself, The Indie Bible bundle contains a couple of E-books to help educate the indie artist in how to use the guides to properly promote their music and career.
The Indie Bible (E-Book)
The main publication of the bundle is the actual Indie Bible. This is a resource directory that contains 1751 pages and a wealth of information for the indie artists. Within these 1751 pages, you have over 800 magazines you can submit your music to for reviews, 4800 radio stations, 1150 music blogs, 900 labels and distributors, 1000 promotion, marketing, management, PR and publicity services and over 400 sites where you can UPLOAD your band’s MP3s or videos and more! The PDF Guide itself is searchable with Adobe Reader, which makes it easy to find exactly what you are looking for within the E-book.
The Guide itself is structured into a series of Chapters. Each of the chapters are segmented by Genre and Region (North America, Europe, etc), To help narrow your research down to the contacts that would best serve your needs. The Information for each of the contacts gives you the resources name, Address, Email, Website and some information about that resource that helps you decide if this is a right fit for your marketing plan. For Example Below is the listing for This publication and my radio show:
Making a Scene
5765 Lake Windsor Pkwy. Buford, GA 30518
Richard L’Hommedieu publisher@makingascene.org
makingascene. org
Independent musicians guide to the music business, CD reviews artist interviews, recording techniques, music business articles, interviews with music business professionals, show reviews and much more.
Genres we feature are Hip Hop/Rap, Dance/Electronic, Soul/R&B/Funk, Acoustic, Folk, Roots, Singer/Songwriter, Country/Bluegrass, Americana/Alt-Country, Blues, World Music, Jamband, Jazz, Latin, Reggae/Ska, Pop, Rock/Indie, Alternative, Industrial/Goth, Prog Rock, Experimental, Cajun/Zydeco, Hard Rock, Metal and Punk.LIVE from the Midnight Circus
5765 Lake Windsor Pkwy. Buford, GA 30518
Richard L’Hommedieu radio@mid-nightcircus.com
https://www.facebook.com/LiveAtTheMidnightCircus
Supporting touring Blues artists with interviews and features. Interviews are podcast on
www.makingascene.org as featured artist interviews. The genres we feature are Blues, Bluesrock and Soul. Reports to RMR for charting. @midnitecircusThe Chapters are:
- REVIEWERS OF INDEPENDENT MUSIC
- MUSIC BLOGS
- “REGIONAL” PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES
- RADIO PROMOTERS
- RADIO STATIONS AND SHOWS
- PROMOTION AND MARKETING SERVICES
- PUBLICISTS
- PUBLIC RELATIONS (PR) SERVICES
- MANAGEMENT SERVICES
- RECORD LABELS
- PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTORS
- ONLINE MUSIC VENDORS
- MUSIC SUPERVISORS & LICENSING SERVICES
- DIGITAL MUSIC DISTRIBUTORS AND SERVICES
- WEBSITES THAT WILL HOST YOUR AUDIO AND VIDEO FILES
- SOCIAL NETWORKS AND ONLINE COMMUNITIES
- HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR MUSICIANS AND SONGWRITERS
The Ultimate Guide to Promoting Your Music
The Ultimate Guide to Promoting your Music is the companion Guide to the Indie Bible and is designed to give you real world advice from industry professionals. The Guide contains 95 articles written by professionals in each segment of the industry to help you make the most of your promotion and marketing plan. The best way to give you the scope of what is in this valuable additional guide is to give you a listing of it’s table of contents.
i n t r o
TO ATTACH OR NOT TO ATTACH: A PRIMER FOR SUBMITTING YOUR MUSIC TO RADIO, MUSIC BLOGS, PRESS AND LABELS
r a d i o a i r p l a y
GETTING AIRPLAY
COLLEGE RADIO STRATEGIES: AN INSIDE LOOK
RADIO AIRPLAY 101 – COMMERCIAL AIRPLAY MYTHS
INDEPENDENT RADIO PROMOTER CHECKLIST
HOW TO SELECT A RADIO PROMOTER
HOW TO USE RADIO PROMOTION TO BOOST AIRPLAY AND BUILD NEW AUDIENCES
THE COLLEGE GIG AND COLLEGE RADIO CONNECTION
PUBLISHING ROYALTIES FROM RADIO
PODCASTS AS A PROMOTIONAL TOOL
g e t t i n g y o u r m u s i c r e v i e w e d
HOW TO SUBMIT MUSIC FOR REVIEW
10 THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU’RE SUBMITTING AN ALBUM FOR REVIEW
I CARE IF YOU LISTEN
HOW DO I GET MY MUSIC ON BLOGS?
DO’S AND DON’TS TO GETTING YOUR MUSIC POSTED ON BLOGS
5 TIPS FOR APPROACHING MUSIC BLOGS, WRITERS, AND OTHER MUSIC PRESS
INSIDE THE HEAD OF A MUSIC REVIEWER
5 TYPES OF PITCH EMAILS ALL MUSIC JOURNALISTS HATE GETTING FROM INDIE BANDS
HOW TO GET MUSIC BLOGGERS TO REPLY TO YOUR E-MAIL
SO YOU GOT A BAD REVIEW – WELCOME TO THE CLUB!
t h e d i g i t a l m u s i c w o r l d
A MUSICIAN’S GUIDE TO STREAMING: THE PROS & CONS OF SPOTIFY, BANDCAMP, SOUNDCLOUD & MORE
APPLE MUSIC FAQ: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
4 KINDS OF ROYALTIES YOU CAN EARN FROM APPLE MUSIC
THE EMERGING ARTIST’S GUIDE TO SPOTIFY PLAYLISTS
HOW IT’S EASIER THAN EVER TO END UP ON A SPOTIFY PLAYLIST
HOW TO SELL YOUR MUSIC ON ITUNES – THE IMPORTANT FACTS SOME LEAVE OUT
HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC ON YOUTUBE AND VEVO
HOW ARTISTS MAKE MONEY ON YOUTUBE
SOUNDCLOUD: SHARE AUDIO RECORDINGS
HOW TO USE THE SOUNDCLOUD DROPBOX FOR DEMO SUBMISSIONS
SIMPLE WAYS TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC ON SOUNDCLOUD
WHAT ARE PERFORMANCE RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS?
UPC & BARCODES FOR PENNIES AND SENSE
BAND AND PRESS KIT ESSENTIALS
SO, WHAT’S THE SCOOP WITH ELECTRONIC PRESS KITS?
WRITING A BAND BIO
THE “T” IN TOUR MERCHANDISE STANDS FOR T-SHIRT
5 TIPS FOR SELLING MORE AT THE MERCH TABLE
UNTANGLING THE MAZE OF MUSIC CONFERENCES
BUILDING A MUSIC SITE THAT SELLS: PROMOTE YOUR CD, NOT YOURSELF
m u s i c l i c e n s i n g
DIY MUSIC LICENSING SONGS IN FILM, TELEVISION, ADVERTISING, GAMES AND NEW MEDIA
INTERVIEW: 7 QUESTIONS FOR A REAL LIVE MUSIC SUPERVISOR SARAH GAVIGAN
OF GET YOUR MUSIC LICENSED
FIVE WAYS TO MAKE MORE SYNC MONEY FROM YOUR MUSIC
l e g a l
HOW TO COPYRIGHT YOUR MUSIC
HOW TO TRADEMARK YOUR BAND NAME
TRADEMARKING YOUR LOGO
ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY LAWYERS: WHO, WHERE AND HOW MUCH?!
ROYALTIES IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS
ARTIST-MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS
THE WRITTEN AGREEMENT AMONGST BAND MEMBERS
HOW TO LEGALLY SELL DOWNLOADS OF COVER SONGS
m a r k e t i n g a n d p r o m o t i o n
HOW TO BE YOUR OWN PUBLICIST
IS YOUR BAND READY TO HIRE A PUBLICIST?
TOP 10 MUSIC PR TIPS
MUSIC MARKETING STRATEGIES
7 EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO GET YOUR MUSIC NOTICED
s o c i a l n e t w o r k i n g
EFFECTIVE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE MARKETING
SOCIALIZE YOUR WEBSITE: ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR USING SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUR WEBSITE
THE 3 MISTAKES EVERY MUSICIAN MAKES WHILE USING SOCIAL MEDIA
THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO FACEBOOK FOR MUSICIANS
FACEBOOK 101: HOW TO MAKE A BAND PAGE ON FACEBOOK
8 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR BAND’S PRESENCE ON FACEBOOK
20 TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR FACEBOOK ARTIST PAGE
MUSICIANS TWITTER ROADMAP
TWITTER VS. FACEBOOK: WHICH IS BETTER FOR MUSICIANS?
REVERBNATION PROFILE
THE MUSICIAN’S GUIDE TO INSTAGRAM
INSTAGRAM FOR BANDS: 10 QUICK TIPS TO PROMOTING YOUR MUSIC WITH HIP IMAGES
THE MUSICIAN’S GUIDE TO INSTAGRAM’S IGTV
WHAT PINTEREST’S SKYROCKETING SOCIAL NETWORK MEANS FOR ARTIST MARKETING
TOP PINTEREST TOOLS & TIPS FOR MUSIC MARKETING
ONE MAN’S ODE TO THE BEAUTY OF BANDCAMP
5 WAYS MUSICIANS SHOULD BE USING PERISCOPE
MUSICIANS, DO YOU NEED TO BE ON SNAPCHAT?
THE TOP 7 SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC (AND HOW TO BEST USE THEM)
20 STEPS TO CREATING A SUCCESSFUL BLOG FOR YOUR BAND
c r o w d f u n d i n g
THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL CROWDFUNDING
4 SITES TO CROWDFUND YOUR NEXT TOUR
l a b e l s a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n
LABEL REPS SOUND OFF … WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST SIGNABLE … OR NOT
25 THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT RECORD DISTRIBUTION
t h e m u s i c b u s i n e s s
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT TODAY’S MUSIC INDUSTRY
13 THINGS EVERY DIY MUSICIAN SHOULD KNOW HOW TO DO
10 KEY BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
6 MUSIC NETWORKING TIPS NOBODY TELLS YOU
STOP BURNING BRIDGES…OR YOUR CAREER MIGHT GO UP IN FLAMES!
WHERE AM I GOING WRONG?
TOP 5 MUSIC BUSINESS MISTAKES
FINDING A SPONSOR
m o t i v a t i o n a l a r t i c l e s
MAKING A LIVING AS A MUSICIAN
HOW TO CONQUER YOUR SELF-PROMOTION PHOBIA
BE COMMITTED!…YOU’LL NEVER BE FAMOUS IF YOU DON’T SHOW UP!
LEAVE YOUR DRAMA AT HOME: MORE ROCKIN’ AND LESS SQUAWKIN’!
MUSIC CAREER KILLERS: SURE WAYS TO RUIN YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESS!
15 REALITY CHECKS YOUNG ARTISTS NEED TO HEAR (FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT)
DEALING WITH REJECTION IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS
BABY STEPS AND THE ROAD TO SUCCESS
SO HOW DO WE MAKE OUR DREAM BECOME REALITY?
The Indie Bible Venue Guide
One of the additional guides in the Indie Bible Bundle is the “Venue Guide”. This series of books lists venues that hire independent artists. Each Region has their own E-book, US NorthEast, US NorthWest, US North Central, US Southeast, US Southeast, US South Central and Canada. Each of these are then broken up by State and City with color coded tags on each listing that represent Genres of music that they book. In addition to the venue’s Name you also get their website so you can research their submission and booking policy.
The Ultimate Guide to Booking Gigs
Once again, you are not left with a list of resources with no idea of what to do with them. The Indie Bible bundle includes 115 article E-Book that guides you through the process of creating an effect plan to get your band or yourself booked. This is invaluable collection of information that will give you jumpstart on one of the most difficult aspects of being a musician. Let’s Face it, in this new reality of the music industry, getting out on the road and creating a tour circuit is essential if you are looking to make music your career. Armed with the resource guides and these instructional articles you will have a great start to getting on the right path. Here is a listing of the articles that are contained in this guide.
INTRODUCTION
A GLOSSARY OF LIVE PERFORMANCE AND BOOKING TERMS
A TALENT REPRESENTATION PRIMER (a brief rundown of some terms in the business)
VENUE OPERATOR AND MUSICIAN: A GOOD RELATIONSHIP DEPENDS ON BOTH OF YOU
WHY PLAYING LIVE IS SO IMPORTANT
PREPARATION
TO TOUR OR NOT TO TOUR…THAT IS THE QUESTION!
EXPAND YOUR DEFINITION OF A LIVE PERFORMANCE
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT VENUE FOR YOUR LIVE SHOW
DYNAMICS FOR SUCCESS
HOW A POSITIVE INDIE ATTITUDE WILL ADVANCE YOUR CAREER
VITAL GIG BOOKING TOOLS: THE PRESS KIT
PLANNING YOUR OWN TOUR
SETTING UP A SUCCESSFUL TOUR
BOOKING AGENTS
LOOKING FOR AN AGENT
BOOKING AGENTS AND NATIONAL TOURING
How to Approach Booking Agents
MANAGERS: CAN’T LIVE WITH THEM…BUT CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT THEM?
BOOKING GIGS
BOOKING LOCAL / CLUB SHOWS
THE BASICS OF BOOKING YOUR OWN TOURS
5 NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES TO BUILD BOOKING KNOW-HOW
BOOKING YOUR ACT
HOW CAN I GET BETTER GIGS?
GET PAID WHAT YOU’RE WORTH!
HOW TO COMMAND A HIGHER FEE FOR YOUR LIVE SHOW
HOW PERFORMERS CAN FLUB THE INTERVIEW… BUT DON’T LAUGH
AUDITION AND INTERVIEW COMPLETE BUT NO REPLY… WHAT DO I DO NOW?
HOW TO USE THE RIGHT “FOLLOW-UP” TO BOOK THE GIG OF YOUR DREAMS
HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY BOOK FOLLOW-UP GIGS WITH CLUB OWNERS AND BOOKERS
ATTENDING BOOKING CONFERENCES
CONTRACTS
PREPARING A PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT CONTRACT
THE RIGHT DOCUMENTS FOR BOOKING GIGS
COLLEGE GIGS
WHAT IS NACA?
NACA AND THE COLLEGE GIG: HOW TO NAVIGATE THE EDUCATIONAL MARKET
A MUSICIAN’S ADVICE ABOUT THE COLLEGE MARKET
BOOKING COLLEGE SHOWS
HOW YOUR BAND CAN BREAK INTO THE (LUCRATIVE) COLLEGE MARKET
HOW TO GET INTO THE COLLEGE MARKET IN 4 STEPS
BOOKING COLLEGE SHOWS WITHOUT USING NACA
TOURING TIPS
STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL TOUR
TOURING STRATEGIES: RENTING TOUR VEHICLES
BAND SAFETY TIPS – NIGHT CLUB FIRES AND STAMPEDES
GIG CHECKLIST: PREPARING FOR A GIG OR SHOW
PROMOTION
PERFORMANCE MARKETING / TOUR SUPPORT
HOW TO TURN YOUR GIGS INTO MAJOR MEDIA EVENTS
UNDERSTANDING “DRAW”
HARNESSING YOUR FAN POWER WITH STREET TEAMS
DOING YOUR OWN PUBLICITY
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS THE KEY TO NEW ARTIST SUCCESS TODAY
USING RADIO TO BUILD YOUR FAN BASE
HOW TOURING AND RADIO WORK TOGETHER
TOUR DISTRIBUTION USING RADIO
HOW TO USE RADIO PROMOTION TO BOOST AIRPLAY AND BUILD NEW AUDIENCES
COMPARING STATIONS TO TOURING
RADIO STATION VISITS
SPONSORSHIP
FINDING A SPONSOR
HOW TO GET TOUR SUPPORT FOR YOUR MUSICAL ACT
HOW TO GET BIG SPONSORSHIP MONEY FOR YOUR BAND, TOUR, EVENT OR PRODUCTION
THE PERFECT MARRIAGE OF ARTIST AND CORPORATE PARTNER
WHY YOU SHOULD SELL OUT: HOW RICH HARDESTY GOT FREE CDs AND A TRIP TO JAMAICA
PLAYING NON TRADITIONAL VENUES
BOOKING NON-TRADITIONAL SHOWS AND EVENTS
BOOKING FESTIVALS, FAIRS AND EVENTS
TIPS ON GETTING MORE FAIR DATES AND CORPORATE GIGS
THE SOLO RESTAURANT GIG – GUITAR A LA CARTE
DEFINITION OF GUERRILLA GIG
DEFINITION OF A BASEMENT SHOW
ARE HOUSE CONCERTS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU?
HOUSE CONCERTS: A NEW WAY TO REACH OUT TO NEW FANS
HOUSE CONCERT BOOKING TIPS FOR ARTISTS
SETTING UP A HOUSE CONCERT
FOLK CLUB AUDIENCE GUIDE
CREATING YOUR OWN LOCAL GIGS
CAN’T FIND A GIG? GET OUT ON THE STREET!
THE ART OF SHOWCASING
ATTENDING OPEN MICS AND JAMS
OPEN MIC PERFORMER’S GUIDE
LIVE PERFORMANCE: YOUR FIRST OPEN MIC (interview with Open Mic Host, Spook Handy)
TIPS TO HOSTING A SUCCESSFUL OPEN STAGE
JAM ETIQUETTE
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF JAMMING
PERFORMING
GIG MANNERS: HOW TO BOOST YOUR APPEARANCES AT VENUES
THE ART OF PERFORMING
HOW TO REALLY GRAB YOUR AUDIENCE
14 Ways Musicians Can Increase their Tips
FINDING TRUTH THROUGH STAGE PERSONAS
IMPROVISATION & SURPRISES: THE KEY TO A GREAT COVER BAND
GET MOVING!: SINGING BETTER WHEN YOU MOVE YOUR BODY
PERFORMANCE POWER
A2Z SINGING TIPS
THE IMPORTANCE OF VOCAL HEALTH
BREATHING 101 FOR SINGERS & VOCALISTS
WICKED COLD AND A BIG GIG? TIPS FOR SINGERS – WHAT WORKS!
DRUNKEN MELODIES
DEALING WITH STAGE FRIGHT
HOW TO BEAT STAGE FRIGHT
7 SURE FIRE WAYS TO OVERCOME STAGE FRIGHT WHEN SPEAKING OR PERFORMING
CONQUERING STAGE FRIGHT
STAGE FRIGHT
GETTING PAST THE FIRST THIRTY SECONDS
STAGE FRIGHT? ME?
LIVE PERFORMANCE: CALMING YOUR NERVES
HOW TO TURN SHAKING KNEES INTO A NICE VIBRATO
BETTER PLAYING THROUGH CHEMISTRY (BETA BLOCKERS)
GENERATING CD SALES AT YOUR SHOWS
SELLING MORE CDs AT GIGS (A Case Study: The Rogues)
CONFESSIONS OF A MASTER CD SALES WOMAN
TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR CD AT GIGS
HOW TO SELL 60,000 CDs
SELLING MERCH AT YOUR SHOWS
HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR GIG REVENUES BY SELLING MERCH
HOW TO MAKE MONEY: WYLIE GUSTAFSON ON MERCHANDISING
THE “T” IN TOUR MERCHANDISE STANDS FOR T-SHIRT
WHY SHOULD YOU ORDER SHIRTS TO SELL AT YOUR EVENT?
SELL YOURSELF AT GIGS (NOBODY’S GONNA DO IT FOR YA)
LIVE CONCERT RECORDINGS ON USB STICKS
The Indie Bible ONLINE Database
Anyone who is in the music industry will tell you how quickly things change. The Indie Bible is produced once a year, but a year is a lifetime in the music industry. People move from radio station to radio station, they retire, Blogs and Magazines crop up and just as fast disappear. So you have to be able to keep up with your contacts. Meteor Publishing has recognizes this and as part of the Indie Bundle, you get a years worth of access to their online database.
This database has all the information that is in the main E-Book resource guides but with one huge advantage. You can search the database using a wide collection of parameters and then you can export the results of that search as an .xls spreadsheet file. What does that mean for you? Well if you search for radio stations to send your release to, you can export the information into a spreadsheet format, move a few columns around and then you can save it out in a format that can be imported directly into “Stamps.com” and save money on your postage! You can have access to virtually thousands of names and emails if you are sending to stations and blogs digitally! This is invaluable if you are looking to do an extensive marketing plan.
In addition they keep the database up to date throughout the year deleting old contact and adding new ones as they come in. This alone is worth the price of the Indie Bible Bundle.
Conclusion
Ok, so we have given you a good idea as to what is in The Indie Bible Bundle. I will be honest I am a born skeptic when it comes to claims by companies that sell you information for the indie artist. Meteor Publishing has been producing The Indie Bible for 20 years now. This is a track record that is very rare in this industry and it is a testament to their commitment to producing the best resources for the indie artist they can.
The Indie Bible has been, since 1999, a respected resource for the indie artist.
We have reviewed the Indie Bible a few years ago, and you can tell there are some definitive improvements and additions to this 20th Anniversary release. The Articles are extremely informative and I highly recommend you read them all if you are serious about creating an effect marketing and touring plan. Even if you think you know the subject, you may be surprised with a tidbit of information that just might make all the difference.
I do recommend The Indie Bible And their Indie Spotify Bible to any indie artist who is serious about their career and wants to not only have the valuable resources needed for their career, but also the information needed on how to effectively use those resources.
With 20 years of publication, it is rare to find a reputable resource for the indie artist that actually delivers on what they promise let alone do it for two decades!
