music business · music industry · This & That · Tips

Creative Ways for Musicians to Earn More

Articel by Courtney Rosenfeld

Courtney started Gig Spark to be a resource and the first step for people who are looking to join the gig economy, either to supplement their income or as a way to fulfill their dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.”

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In the symphony of life, musicians often grapple with the discordant note of financial unpredictability. This song of struggle necessitates an exploration of diverse revenue streams to ensure a harmonious career in music. If you’re a musician looking for ways to earn more money, this guide shared below by The Music2Deal Blog can help.

The Digital Stage

The internet has truly evolved into a global stage, providing musicians with unprecedented opportunities to perform and earn. Platforms like Twitch, Instagram Live, and Facebook Live have revolutionized the way artists monetize their craft. Through methods such as donations, subscriptions, and virtual tip jars, musicians can connect with their audience and cultivate a sustainable income stream. With the power of technology, the possibilities for musicians to thrive in the digital realm are endless.

Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve

Merchandise is not just about branding; it’s an opportunity to generate an additional revenue stream. From t-shirts to posters, selling merchandise can amplify your brand presence and boost your income. Moreover, it allows you to connect with your audience on a deeper level and foster a sense of community. By offering quality and unique merchandise, you can cultivate loyal fans who proudly represent your brand. So, don’t miss out on the potential of merchandising and explore the endless possibilities it brings to your business.

Be the Video Virtuoso

YouTube is more than just a platform for video sharing; it’s a goldmine of income opportunities. By consistently sharing diverse content, such as covers and original music, you can captivate your audience and unlock various ways to monetize your channel. Whether it’s through brand partnerships, merchandise sales, or ad revenue, YouTube offers a plethora of avenues to turn your passion into profit. So, start creating, engaging, and reaping the rewards of this thriving online community.

Share the Gift of Music

If you have musical skills, why not share your passion and knowledge with others? Teaching online music lessons not only provides a supplementary income but also allows you to connect with students from all around the world. By expanding your reach beyond geographical boundaries, you can inspire and empower aspiring musicians to pursue their dreams. So, why wait? Start spreading the joy of music today!

The Event Maestro

Performing at events like weddings or corporate functions can often be more lucrative than traditional venues. It’s all about networking and showcasing your talent. Additionally, these events provide a unique opportunity to connect with potential clients and build long-lasting relationships. Moreover, the diverse audience at such events allows performers to broaden their fan base and gain exposure to new demographics. Lastly, the positive word-of-mouth generated from successful performances can lead to further bookings.

The Note Weaver

There is a growing demand for distinctive musical arrangements across different genres. If you possess composition skills and can effectively promote your abilities, you can connect with potential clients and generate additional income. By leveraging your creativity and networking with industry professionals, you can establish a strong presence in the music market and seize lucrative opportunities. Embrace the power of technology and online platforms to showcase your unique talent and reach a wider audience.

Entrepreneurial Encore

As a musician, you may possess related skills that could be translated into a profitable side business. From instrument repair and sound engineering to music tutoring, identifying these abilities can pave the way for a successful venture. Additionally, exploring opportunities in music production, event management, or even composing original scores can further expand your potential for success. Don’t underestimate the power of your musical talent and the possibilities it can bring to your entrepreneurial journey.

The Visual Harmony

A strong visual identity can help you stand out in the crowded music industry. Create a consistent and professional brand across all your platforms to enhance your visibility and appeal. Be deliberate in choosing colors, fonts, imagery, and a memorable image that align with your music and resonate with your target audience. Invest in high-quality design assets that reflect your unique style and story. And remember, a cohesive visual identity will not only attract fans but also leave a lasting impression on industry professionals.

Make Sure You Have a Plan

Lastly, having a business plan when starting side gigs as a musician is crucial for establishing a clear vision and roadmap for your musical career. It outlines your goals, target audience, and revenue streams, helping you allocate resources and time effectively. A well-structured plan also enables you to identify potential challenges, such as competition and financial constraints, allowing you to develop contingency plans ahead of time. Moreover, if you decide to seek external funding, partners, or collaborators, a comprehensive business plan can serve as a persuasive tool to show your project’s viability and potential for success.
The modern music industry offers a medley of innovative income streams. By exploring these unique avenues, musicians can orchestrate a sustainable and fulfilling career. However, remember that the keynotes to success are passion, perseverance, and adaptability. Striking the right balance, both musically and financially, can lead to a harmonious career.

Best,

Courtney Rosenfeld

music industry · Tips

Digitizing analogue tapes: why and how

There are vast amounts of recordings out there that in some cases are musical or historical treasure troves. Labels that go back beyond 30 years or so might have material that is just begging to be either re-mastered for streaming or fully remixed for commercial release. As Ben Schwag, a producer that is currently digitizing work performed by Johnny Guitar Watson, Sly Stone and George Clinton says, “Is the time right for a 90s revival? If so, the recordings are most likely packed away on tape somewhere in a storage room.”

Schwag notes a number of reasons that people ask to digitize and/or restore magnetic tapes:

  • To make your music assets available in a digital format (Spotify, advertising etc)
  • The need to be able to mix or otherwise re-use them (if a revival happens, it’s important to be able to act quickly)
  • The need to properly archive them
  • The need to preserve the recordings in a format that is less fragile than magnetic tape.

But before starting, here are some important steps you need to plan.

Digitizing magnetic tapes: the quick guide for better results

Loading a tape on a 3M 24-track recorder
Loading tapes on a 24-track recorder

1. Assess the Tape Condition: Before starting the digitization process, take a good look at each tape. Look for physical damage. Mould, dirt, or sticky residues can affect playback and sound quality. Additionally, check for any signs of degradation, such as oxide shedding.

2. Clean the Tapes: Use a specialized cleaning solution and a lint-free cloth to gently wipe the tape surface. Ensure that you don’t damage the tape or erase any data when you do this.

3. Prepare the tapes: Older tapes more often than not suffer from some degree of “sticky shed syndrome”, when the recorded surface risks being scraped off the tape when you play it. “Baking” is a technique used to address this. The tapes are placed in a temperature-controlled oven, the heat stabilizes the tape’s binder, temporarily allowing proper playback and transfer of the data on the tape surface.

4. Digital Transfer: To fully restore magnetic tapes, we recommend that you transfer the audio content to a digital format. Connect the tape deck to a high-quality audio interface or converter and use professional-grade software to capture the audio in a lossless format such as WAV or FLAC. Ensure proper calibration and adjustment to achieve accurate reproduction. Proceed with care, as some tapes can only be played once.

5. Noise Reduction: One common issue with older magnetic tapes is the presence of background noise, hiss, or hum. Use noise reduction tools, such as spectral editing or adaptive filtering, to minimize unwanted noise while preserving the original audio quality.

6. Equalization and Dynamic Range Control: During digitization, equalization can help correct any frequency imbalances or tonal inconsistencies in the source audio. Use parametric equalizers to adjust frequencies selectively and enhance the overall tonal balance.

7. Deal with Dropouts and Errors: Magnetic tapes sometimes suffer from dropouts or errors that result in gaps or glitches in the audio. Use specialized software to repair these through interpolation or error concealment.

8. Metadata and Documentation: As part of the digitization, don’t forget to document all the relevant metadata associated with the tapes. This includes information about the recording, such as artist, date, and location, as well as details about any restoration techniques applied.

9. Storage and Preservation: Once the restoration is complete, make sure that the tapes go back into proper storage and preservation. You might also want to make backups of the restored audio files to prevent loss due to hardware failure or accidental damage.

Producer Ben Schwag addressing a conference audience.
Producer Ben Schwag

3 Hats Music runs a studio based in Brussels that features an extensive range of language formats and equipment. The team includes people that have worked with artists as varied as Curtis Mayfield, Johnny Guitar Watson and 2 Unlimited.

Full details about tape digitization can be found on the digitization page of 3 Hats. For more information call Ben Schwag directly on +32 488 41 7272

music industry · This & That

Direct to FanDirect to Fan: How QJAM is Pioneering the D2C Music RevolutionDirect to Fan

Introduction

Amidst the rapidly changing music industry, where Direct-to-Fan (D2F) or Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) connections are increasingly vital, QJAM stands out as a groundbreaking platform. This article explores QJAM’s transformative impact on the D2C approach, offering artists unique ways to connect with their fans during festive seasons, tours, album launches, and downtimes to create new revenue channels and better monetize superfans.

The Power of D2F/D2C in Today’s Music Industry

The shift towards D2C models in the music industry is profound, driven by digitization and the desire for personalized fan experiences. The Luminatedata Midyear Music Industry Report highlights a substantial rise in artists seeking direct audience engagement. QJAM capitalizes on this trend, enabling artists to forge deeper connections with their fans, thus cultivating a more engaged and active community.

Meet QJAM

QJAM: A New Revenue Stream for Artists

More than just an interaction platform, QJAM offers artists a new revenue stream. It allows artists to directly connect with SuperFans and helps transform the bottom 50% of their audience into engaged, middle-tier fans, leading to a more monetizable fan base. 

Leveraging Special Moments: Beyond Just the Holiday Season

While the Christmas season presents a prime opportunity for artists to engage with fans, QJAM’s versatility extends to tours, album launches, and other downtimes. The platform enables artists to offer unique, personalized experiences and merchandise, opening additional revenue channels beyond the festive period. See how it works:

QJAM in ACTION

QJAM’s Unique Experience

QJAM digitally reimagines real-world meet-and-greets. Fans experience live, intimate video chats with their favorite celebrities, creating a sense of excitement and anticipation. This innovative approach ensures every interaction is personal and memorable, transforming how fans and stars connect.

Special Offer and Commission for Music2Deal Community

In partnership with Music2Deal, QJAM is excited to offer an exclusive discount and a generous commission for events driven by Music2Deal members. This initiative encourages the exploration of QJAM’s unique fan engagement opportunities.

Conclusion

As the music industry evolves, platforms like QJAM become crucial for artists seeking deeper fan connections and new revenue streams. We thank Music2Deal for this collaboration and invite their community to experience QJAM’s transformative potential.

Call to Action

Learn more about QJAM and our special offer by contacting on his Music2Deal Profile https://music2deal.com/gb/Josh-Qjam

Join us in embracing the future of artist-fan engagement, where extraordinary moments happen every day with QJAM.