Music Business Registry

Getting your music out there and into the hands of the right people can be very difficult. It's hard to know where to start. What contacts are legitimate? Who is interested in the type of music you create? How can you reach the right people?

The Music Business Registry publishes directories with contact information for:

• A&R Personnel
• Film/TV Music Placement
• Music Publishers
• Music Attorneys
• Producers

I've been using the A&R Registry and Film & Television Music Guide to find contact info for labels and music supervisors. Both directories have been invaluable resources and have helped me connect with some excellent contacts.

The A&R Registry is organized by company with a list of contacts ranging from Label Presidents to A&R Scouts. Most of the entries provide email addresses, phone numbers and mailing addresses for each individual and assistants names if applicable. This registry is updated every eight weeks, so the version that you order should be current. Ocassionally, an email that I send will bounce back or I'll get a message that the person no longer works there. Overall, though, I've had great success with email addresses working.

The Film & Television Music Guide has a plethora of information. It's divided into sections including Music Departments for TV/Film Networks, Record Company Film/TV Departments, Music Supervisors, Film Composers, Music Clearance Companies, Music Libraries, Music Editors and more. Within each of these sections, the entries are organized in the same manner as the A&R Registry.

I would highly recommend either of these books to any artist or band looking to find their place in the music world.

If you would like more information on the Music Business Registry, please visit http://www.musicregistry.com/. Hope this helps!

Creating a Demo On a Budget

Concerning creating a demo on a budget, here are a few suggestions:

• Where I live (Cary, NC) there used to be a performance venue called Six String Cafe that had an open mic night every week. They had a great sound setup and offered to record your performance for $10. Unfortunately, the venue is no longer around, but there might be something like that near you. You might want to check it out at least. You wouldn't have any production, but at least you could get some very inexpensive quality recordings.
• Another option is to check around at different studios and see if they have any deals on recording demos. Just make sure that you and any other musicians have the material perfected before going into the studio. You are usually charged on an hourly rate (usually between $50 and $75) and it can get very expensive if you don't have it together.
• Sometimes studios have workshops where they teach people how to use the equipment. When they do this, they usually need a band to record. The quality won't be as professional since it is more of a learning process, but you will still be recording through the studio equipment.
• If you are comfortable with computers and know how to play the keyboard, you can consider a home studio setup. That's getting a little more expensive, but if you're planning on recording a lot of songs, it's the way to go. At my house I have a digital studio setup (Kurzweil PC2X keyboard, Digital Performer recording software, an Apple computer and a microphone), which I've used to record all of the songs on my second album.
• Check around at some local colleges that have music recording programs. Sometimes the students there need bands to record.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? Please comment if you do!

Marketing Your Music: The Tools You Need and How To Connect

So, I 've been involved in music for a while now, and I've learned a lot of things about the industry. I'm no expert by any means, but I would like to share some of what I've learned with other aspiring musicians. In addition to news that I post on this blog, I'm going to start adding some articles about music promotion, tips, etc. This first article is one that I contributed to Songstuff.com with a few updates to reflect more current information . . .

Creating Your Press Kit

First you need a press kit that you can use to market yourself to people in the industry, different performing venues, etc. A press kit consists of the following:

• Several promotional photos.
• A bio/fact sheet.
• A three song demo of your music.
• Your contact information, including your website address.
• Any press you've received from news papers, websites, etc.

Next, I would recommend setting up a website with pictures, some samples of your music, and a bio (basically an online press kit). You can easily do this by creating a profile on some of the websites listed below. Then you can link to it from other music websites. These are just a few websites that you can check out:

• SonicBids - the ultimate online press kit; is used by many venues, competitions, and media outlets as a source for music submissions
• SoundClick - free music community with artist profile pages and genre charts
• OurStage - free music community in partnership with AOL; features an online competition
• BeSonic - another free music community with artist profile pages and genre charts

Making Connections

While you're getting some attention online, start making connections with others involved in the industry. It really is all about who you know in this business. You might want to purchase a copy of Songwriter's Market. It is a directory of the contact information for managers, producers, labels, contests, agents, and more. Also get out and start performing some at coffeehouses, clubs, bars, colleges and other venues in order to build your fanbase. At your performances, you can also promote your website and sell CD's once they are finished.

Enter some songwriting competitons. These will get you direct exposure with the industry who often are contest judges. You will also be able to get press more easily if you do well in these contests. ASCAP and BMI are two national songwriting / performing organizations. They have showcases which are highly attended by the industry.

If you do all of this, it should give you the opportunity to get lots of exposure and meet people who could help you further your career. These ideas are by no means the only way of going about advancing your career. This is just the basic plan that I've followed. Just use this for some ideas.

To get further feedback, advice, and to make more connections, consider joining your local or state songwriter's organization (if you have one).

If anyone else has any ideas, please share! - Jessi

Featured In The Cary News

This past Wednesday, the Cary News featured my music in its "The Scene" section! "Her Talent Is No Secret," an article written by Valerie Marino is available for viewing on the Cary News website. The paper photographer, Michael McLoone, recorded and produced a video of "You'll Rise Above," which is also available on the website.

I did an interview with the Sanford Herald earlier this week, which should hit stands on Tuesday, June 24th. Will keep you posted . . .

Carolina Music Award Nomination

Hi Everyone, I found out last week that I was nominated for a Carolina Music Award. Awards and the ceremony will be presented on Saturday, June 28, 2008 at the Progress Energy Center in Downtown Raleigh, NC. Awards are based on votes from fans. There are two ways to vote:

• Online at http://www.carolinamusicawards.com/ (Free)
• Text vote ($0.99 – more information on http://www.carolinamusicawards.com/)

Voting begins on Friday, May 30th! For more info and to vote for me, please check out http://www.carolinamusicawards.com/ and www.myspace.com/cmacountry. Thank you for your support! - Jessi

First Post

Hi All, this is my first real attempt at blogging. I'm planning on making this my "official music blog" and hope to update it on a regular basis. Once I figure out how the whole blogging thing works, I'd like to post news, music, videos, etc. In the meantime, I have some songs and information on my new website at www.jessihamiltonmusic.com. Hope to see you around! ~ Jessi