Future-proof strategies for Independent Artist Growth
How It works
Step 1) JOIN: Join the TABTF community by submitting your details HERE.
Step 2) LEARN: Digest the thought-provoking ideas that are delivered to you each week via email
Step 3) IMPLEMENT: Select one new idea from each edition that resonates with you. Find a way to implement the principles of that idea into your career as an artist the following week.
Step 4) TEACH: Relay the idea you learned to a fellow independent artist by forwarding them the email and explaining how you’ve begun to apply it to your project.
Step 5) REPORT: Send me a note at Casey@teachabandtofish.com detailing a current challenge you’re facing in building your music career. Each week, I’ll respond to 1 submission with a personal analysis of the issue, potential ways of reframing the problem, and other ways of finding solutions. All questions and feedback submitted by our members will be used to further refine the specific content we select for future editions of Teach A Band To Fish. In this way, the time and energy you put into uncovering answers for yourself will ultimately drive the knowledge of the group forward exponentially over time.
And once you’ve signed up, keep scrolling for more articles to help jumpstart your career growth journey as an independent artist. This page is where I’ll showcase some of my favorite strategies, expert insights, and helpful tools from the Teach A Band How To Fish community.
AI-Powered Tools For The Creative Process In The Music Industry
With the rise of AI seeping its way into our everyday lives, the music industry is facing a significant transformation. Musicians now have access to a plethora of AI tools that can help with everything from music creation to marketing and promotion. But should AI have a place within the music industry? In this blog, we’ll address concerns around the use of this technology, share best practices for artists, and suggest some helpful AI-powered music production tools.
How to Get More Streams as an Independent Artist: A Guide to Making Music Streaming Platforms Work for you
Are you tirelessly promoting your music online, only to see your streams and engagement hit a wall? As an independent artist, it can be challenging to break through the noise and actually build a loyal following. So I’m going to share some practical tips and strategies to help you navigate various streaming platforms and use them better to build a sustainable career. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting out, let's take your music career to the next level with these 10 tips to get more streams as an independent artist.
Top 21 DIY Tools to Grow Your Music Career
In this blog, I cover how independent artists today can tackle challenges like playlist culture and the rise of streaming services to create an authentic and effective music release plan, all without compromising artistic integrity. I know it can feel overwhelming - but it’s manageable if you break it down into a linear approach. So let's dive in…
How to Create an Authentic Music Release Plan Without Compromising Your Artistic Integrity
In this blog, I cover how independent artists today can tackle challenges like playlist culture and the rise of streaming services to create an authentic and effective music release plan, all without compromising artistic integrity. I know it can feel overwhelming - but it’s manageable if you break it down into a linear approach. So let's dive in…
How to Build an Effective Music Marketing Budget
The moment has arrived. You’ve finished your latest musical creation and you’re ready to unleash it onto the world. But recording the album is only half of the work. Once your music is ready and you’ve prepared a release strategy, the next step is promotion.
You can’t wait around for people to discover your band. A strategic marketing plan allows you to place your music in front of the people most likely to be interested and gain new listeners.
An effective marketing strategy not only takes time and thoughtful planning, but money. Let’s talk about how you can build an effective music marketing budget to promote your release.
8 Ways to Help Independent Artists Overcome Self-Doubt and Build Confidence
Suffering from negative thought loops, self-doubt, or uncertainty is inevitable as a musician or creator. No matter how long you’re in the business, you can never fully shake it. That’s right, even professionals who have been performing for decades experience moments of uncertainty. There will always be that small voice in your head that undermines your accomplishments. Author Steven Pressfield famously refers to this voice as “Resistance” in his 2012 book The War Of Art (which you can grab below). The trick is learning how to handle it so that nothing holds you back from pursuing your artistic goals. Let’s dive into some tools and techniques to help independent artists overcome doubt, build confidence, and maintain consistency in their work.
A Musician’s Guide To Navigating The Artist / Producer Relationship In The Studio
One of the most crucial parts of the recording and creation process is working with the right music producer. Finding the right music producer has a major impact on the quality and potential of your songs and the overall growth of your music career. It’s about more than just finding someone credible and talented, but someone you vibe with and that will be excited to take your music to the next level. Each collaboration is going to have its own dynamic, flow, and expectations. There’s nothing worse than constantly butting heads or dealing with tension in the studio. To avoid that, we’ll share some tips on choosing the right producer for your band and how to best navigate that artist / producer relationship.
How to Build a Financially Stable Music Career That Enables You to Stay Inspired
For most independent artists, the road to success isn’t always paved with red carpets and spotlights. There are a lot of struggles that are unique to creatives and challenges that you’ll have to learn to overcome on your journey. From lack of financing or time to experiencing creative burnout and losing inspiration, we’ll touch on how to tackle these common roadblocks. Consider this your guide to building a financially stable music career that enables you to stay inspired.
Is Your Band Missing These Five Opportunities To Strengthen Your Brand?
Your band is your business—are you treating it like one? An important aspect of running your business is having a strong brand identity. No, it doesn’t make you a sellout or seem inauthentic. Branding is the process of creating a distinct identity that will guide the marketing and promotion of your band.
Artist branding is made up of all the materials AND communications you use to connect with your audience. Your band’s website, logo, press kit, social profiles, merch design, copywriting, graphic design, and photography make up a large part of this. However, a brand is MUCH MORE than just artwork assets. It even extends into how you interact with fans, your style onstage, and the subjects, values, and principles you embrace through interviews. The goal of solid branding for musicians is to create a consistent aesthetic across all channels, which in turn establishes audience loyalty.
How Can You Achieve A Healthy Work-Life Balance As A Musician?
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance as a professional musician is important for your health and wellbeing, and your overall success as an artist. It keeps you sane, focused, and happy. Without it, you risk relationships falling apart or burning yourself out. Here are some tips to help you work towards a more balanced lifestyle.
How To Get People To Care When Promoting Your New Song
When you write a new song, you pour your heart and soul into it. Putting it out there for the world to hear can be a vulnerable moment, and it’s disappointing when the only reaction you get is radio silence. Here are a few ways to find the people most likely to resonate with your song, and how to generate a deeper connection between that audience and your music in general.
The Top 5 Mistakes To Avoid When Promoting Your Music
Creating a great song is only step one of your artist journey. Once you have that locked in, the real creative journey begins - the journey of getting your music into the ears of receptive listeners. And as the way people find and consume music changes, independent musicians have to be more strategic than ever when promoting their music. I see far too many artists falling into common traps and pitfalls. And while there are magic shortcuts to building a career the RIGHT WAY, there are certainly a few things you can try to avoid… Save yourself time, money, and frustration by avoiding these top five mistakes when promoting your music.