D.I.Y!

Everyone knows that DIY stands for do it your self. In the music business, it should be, do everything your self. Which at this stage of the game is alright with me. The DIY movement is giving artist like myself an opportunity like never before. Of course, doing everything your self can mean wearing a lot of hats. Not only do you have to write the music, but you also have to arrange it, perform it, engineer it, record it, edit it, and produce it. Then, you have to mix it and master it. When all of that is done, you've got to promote and market it. Luckily when it's time to distribute it, a DIY artist has a lot of options. With the advent of the computer and the internet, an artist can now have their music placed in emusic stores all over the planet. Distributors like Tunecore, The Orchard, CD Baby, and Amazon.com, now make it all possible for a reasonably small fee. So, how about promotion? I've been looking very closely at a few ideas that deal with video. Many DIY artist are posting their performances on YouTube. And, in a case where the artist or band doesn't tour, a single show can be seen all over the world. Also, singer/songwriters are going to Vloging, using video blogs to keep their fans and music enthusiasts current and up to date on all the latest happenings. Tuncore and CD Baby offer CD replication, merchandising, and an opportunity to get air play on internet radio. All of this, plus a chance to have your music sold along side all of your musical heroes and music legends makes it an opportunity that's too good to pass up. And, you get to sound like you want to sound. Fans and music lovers get greater variety from a wider selection. Behold, a new business model is being born.