INDUSTRY TALK: Need to Make a Hit Record? Read This

CAN'T FIND BEATS ONLINE? MAKE THEM YOURSELF....WITH A LITTLE HELP

Are you a true independent music artist? Do you search online to buy the right beats or even seek out local producers to no avail? If you're like me then you fancy yourself a true "do-it-yourself-er" when it comes to music. These days, the indie artist is not just an artist. He or she is also the recording engineer/producer/beatmaker/mix engineer/chief cook and bottle washer. It seems as though this is an evolution which came hand in hand with the advent of new and more affordable software and hardware for making music. Additionally, rates at large commercial studios and prices charged by big name producers are usually too hot for the average indie artist.

In steps producers like me. Guys who are familiar with the situation simply because well...we are artists too and we face the same problems. I started making rap beats and learning how to record and mix because I was in a rap group and we need access to those things but could not afford the professionals. Because I am in such a position to empathize, I am able to do two important things:

• Provide industry standard rap beats/hip hop instrumentals for artists to buy (lease) online at very affordable rates.
• Create and offer loops and sample packs in most major urban/pop genres.

While the latter may be more suitable for producers, recall that we just established that many indie artists are also the producers of their own material. Thus, loop pack such as the dubstep samples in the player above are perfect for artists as well as dedicated producers. Sometimes this may even be a better option than buying beats online, for the following reasons:

• The high quality (WAV, ACID, APPLE) loops can be mixed and matched, added to other instruments or manipulated in many ways and therefore are more flexible than just beat in mp3 format.
• The loops are sold royalty free so it is very similar to leasing a beat
• The price is very affordable and the value is great because a loop pack will contain 5 or more beat kits.

DON'T JUST BUY BEATS, BUY TOOLS FOR YOUR CREATIVITY

Just to sum it all up, I must say that there is NOTHING wrong with buying beats online. Many artists are simply just vocalists and prefer to keep things simple. However, for those who like to get hands on and show a different level of creativity, loops and sample packs are a viable option. You get a substantial number of royalty free loops in each pack that can be combined and manipulated in countless ways or simply looped up and used as is! Take a listen to the demo above and check out others like it here.

INDUSTRY TALK: How to Start Off Your Music Career with a BANG!

 [/caption] I've produced and helped alot of independent artists for the past few years. Some of them have received critical acclaim, radio play and even financial success while others remained in obscurity. The reasons for this disparity are varied, however, there is one thing which we all know for sure: marketing methods for artists in 2012 are way different to what they were 5 years ago. In order to have a successful impact with your first single release, there are a few things I believe that you need to do. I won't go into the conventional, outdated methods because, let's face it, times are changing than a Usain Bolt sprint these days. These are some of the tings I suggest for artists releasing music in this present era:

• Choosing the right beats. Understand what type of artist you want to be and thus the market you want to capture. Choose beats that not only suit you as an artist, but also embody the prevailing trends of a "hit" in your chosen genre. Personally, I would suggest using a beat that is a bit on the cutting edge of the popular style, since people these days are always looking for something familiar, yet fresh and new. Buying beats online is the best option for shopping around, as there are plenty of websites to suit most styles.

• Give your single away for free download. If you don't already have an established and paying fan base, then upload your song (we're assuming it's blazing hot and people will want to have it) to sites like Mediafire or Hulkshare and start tweeting and plus-one-ing and facebooking your download link like crazy. Don't spam people though, make it tasteful and not excessive. Giving away something for free is a sure way to garner interest, build your fan base and give people an incentive to actually buy when you do have something for sale.

• Go viral. Get an affordable HD camera (if you are a do-it-yourself-er) and shoot and edit a simple but clean and impressive video for your single, otherwise find an affordable video guy and get him to do it. Upload that thing to youtube and get to sharing. Signing up to active communities such as ThisIs50 can help you as you share your video and try to get its views up. People like to listen but in this era, connecting with your fans visually is priceless!

• Spend money to make money. It's an old adage but it's still relevant. Shell out a little cash for some hosting and a domain name and put up a simple Wordpress site to showcase or even sell your music. Or simply sign up on Bandcamp. Then the next thing to do would be to buy some banner advertising and place it in high traffic areas, such as online forums where your target market would congregate. Make sure your videos contain your web links as well. This rule also applies to beats. Don't just seek out free beats, spend the extra couple dollars to buy the tagless beat lease or even the exclusive rights. This speaks to how serious you take yourself and in turn, the universe and the people in it will take you just as seriously.

Ok that was a mouthful but I thought it was needed. The key here is to take yourself and your music career seriously. Turn a hobby into an income generator. I did and so can you.