Google is constantly developing nifty applications and technologies to enhance the way we communicate and work online.  Because Google survives on advertising revenues these products are all offered at the amazingly low low price of FREE.  As a musician in a rather competitive market, it’s important to know and use tools that increase the efficiency of your marketing, managing, and networking efforts.  The goal is less time pulling your hair out in front of the computer screen and more time making beautiful music!

1. Google Docs
Google Docs is similar to Microsoft’s Office suite only simpler and completely online.  This allows you access to your important lyrics, schedules, and accounting docs from any computer anywhere on the internet.  Use Google Docs to share your lyrics with your band mates and even upload and share mp3s.  Use a spreadsheet doc to manage band expenses and income.  Use the form maker doc to create a booking form.  Use the word processor doc to create a set list or the drawing pad to sketch your  stage set up.  You can then share your documents and allow multiple users to update information.  You can also choose who does or doesn’t have access to these documents. The possibilities are endless.

http://docs.google.com/

2. Gmail
Besides being a reliable and easy to use email provider, you can also use Gmail to manage your band email addresses @your-domain-name.  Learn how to set that up here.

Gmail also features handy filters and labels to organize your email and almost unlimited storage.  So you can easily archive email as well as separate your fanmail from your family mail etc.

Gmail also has a built in IM and video chat feature right in your inbox–which can be useful when you need feedback from an absent bandmate when you’re in the studio. This chat tool can only be used with other Gmail users, however.

http://mail.google.com

3. Google Analytics
Google Analytics will show you dizzying details about how your fans interact with your website.  Find out which of your songs is the most popular, how many people visit your site on a given day, or which search terms people use to find your site in the first place. You can find thousands of additional down and dirty details and statistics about how people use your website.

http://google.com/analytics

4. Goog411
Ever find yourself late for a show and you just can’t find the venue or you don’t have the phone number?  Google offers a nifty voice activated Google Search.  Just call  1-800-goog-411.  Google will not only find the business your looking for–it will connect you to them for no charge.

http://google.com/goog411

5. Google Calendar
Use Google calendar to manage your tour, practices, and concert dates.  You can give all your band members admin access so they can add their own schedule at their leisure.  Set up email reminders to remind you about your next show, radio interview, or practice.  Best of all, you can integrate multiple calendars (work, home, band, etc) using color coding.  Keep some calendars private while making others public.

http://google.com/calendar

6. Google Reader
Google Reader is a great way to have all your industry news in one place.  Subscribe to the online magazines, news sources, and music blogs that cover your genre.  So when you open Google Reader each morning (coffee in hand) you’ll you’ll see all the most recent articles from all these sources in one place.  It’s like a personalized digital newspaper.

http://www.google.com/reader

7. Google Alerts
This one is a must.  Ever wonder what people are saying about your online?  Create a Google Alert and get an email every day or every week with a synopsis of who’s been talking about you or your band online.  Google Alerts will provide you with a list of links where you or your band is mentioned.  This way you can reach out to people giving you props and defend yourself against internet slander.

http://google.com/alerts

8. Picasa
This is a great photo editing suite with lots of features.  It also allows you to publish photos and share them online.  Edit, crop, enhance, and clean up your band photos and share them with your fans.  Picasa has a new face recognition feature built in and can automatically tag photos with the names pf people featured in them (pretty cool).

http://google.com/alerts

9. Google Blogsearch
One of the best ways to find success online is to be promoted and talked about on popular music blogs by the taste-makers in your genre or style.  What are the blogs to be reckoned with in your field of expertise?  Use Google Blog Search by searching for terms relative to your niche.   Once you find a good blog site, subscribe to it in Google Reader so you can keep up to date on the newest posts.

http://blogsearch.google.com/

10. Google Voice (in Beta as of this writing):
Google Voice is great way to manage your voicemail and text messages.  Currently it is invitation only, so ask one of your Geeky friends if they have any invites left.  Everybody gets 3 invites (sorry I already used mine).

With Google Voice you can access your voicemails and texts via the internet in text format.  You can even set up a unique Google phone number that is specifically for your band and rings to multiple cell phones.  Google Voice also turns voicemail into email that you can read or listen to from your computer.  You can even send a text message via email and make specific outgoing messages for people on your contact list.  Pretty cool!

http://google.com/voice

Share your favorite Google tool in the comments!

“A web browser is a software application  for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web” (from Wikipedia). Examples of web browsers include (but are not limited to (in no particular order): Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (aka “IE”), Mozilla’s FireFox, Apple’s Safari, and Google’s Chrome. PDAs and internet-ready smart phones have their own mini-browsers as well.

Search Engine Definition

“A web search engine is designed to search for information on the World Wide Web. The search results are usually presented in a list of results and are commonly called hits. The information may consist of web pages, images, information and other types of files” (from Wikipedia). Examples of popular search engines include but are not limited to: Google, Yahoo, Microsoft Bing, Ask.com, etc.

Most web browsers now have search engines built into them for fast, easy searches. Because of this, many people mistakenly think their browser is “yahoo”, “google”, etc. Furthermore, people are so used to typing information into the search engine window that they completely ignore the very important Address window (aka Address bar or URL window).

Here are pictures of popular browsers showing both the address window and the search engine window:

Firefox:

Safari:

Internet Explorer:

Note that in each of these browsers, there is an address window at the top/left and a search window in the top/right.

Chrome is unique in that it doesn’t have separate windows for web addresses or search items:

When to use the Address Window

Notice that the content in the address bar typically begins with http://

This is the unique address of the web page currently being displayed. This is also known as the URL (short for “Uniform Record Locator“). If you know the precise address for a web address, you should enter it into the Address Window. You don’t have to type in the http:// as most web browsers will enter that in for you. You probably don’t even have to type in the www. that often precedes most web domain names. So you may save yourself some time by no longer typing http://www. when entering in an address.

Often we hear of people typing in a web address either into the search window, or into a search engine web page directly. If you know the address, simply type it into the Address Window and save yourself several steps and clicks.

When to use the Search Window

If you do not know the correct web address or if the one you have doesn’t seem to work, use the Search Window. Type in words that would distinguish the website you seek from other sites. If you get too many results or do not see the site you seek quickly, you may try narrowing your search using some search engine shortcuts.

Google search shortcuts
Google and Yahoo search shortcuts compared
Search Engine Math

Additional Notes on Browsers and Search Engines

Most search windows built-into browsers will also let you select which search engine site to use. Try each one out and see which one works best for you. You should be able to make that one the default.

Sometimes when installing new software you will be asked whether it is okay to install a new search engine bar into your browser. Since most browsers already have a search engine window, it makes little sense to add another one as it will take up space on your screen and may adversely affect the speed of your browser.

If you own a website, it is a good idea to install multiple web browsers. Here is an article explaining why.

If you would like to learn more about how to increase the score and ranking of your web site with search engine, check out this article.

Selling music online can be tough without first developing a loyal fan base.  How does one go about developing and engaging people online you ask?  Well,  lets start with the basics.

If you use your social networking tools properly, you can easily keep your fans up to date on your new albums, performances, and promotions.  Getting your fans involved with your music career is a great way to get even more fans.  Take this scenario for example:

Joe Schmo follows you on Twitter and learned about your upcoming  show Friday night.   He attended and loved your show.  When he’s at the show he tweets to his friends about how great the show is.  A few of Joe’s buddies, in turn, follow you on Twitter, and decide to check out your website.  They tell more friends about you, THOSE friends follow you as well — you see where this leads.

So, let’s talk about a the two most popular social Networks of the day and provide some examples of how to use them to generate more followers (Twitter) and likes (Facebook).

Facebook

Facebook is currently THE largest social networks in use today.  Who uses Facebook?  The better question would be, who DOESN’T use Facebook?  Tapping into such an enormous population of potential fans is a n0-brainer.  The challenge you’ll face is using Facebook properly.

If you haven’t already, it’s a good idea to create a personal Facebook profile page.  It’s free, and easy to set up.  This will allow you to make a presence on Facebook, and start building a collection “friends”.  These could be your band mates, family and friends, or fans you already know.  This is great place for you to make personal updates about your musical life, or to let your family/friends know what makes you tick in general.  Making a personal connection to your fans is always smiled upon.

The only problem with making a Facebook Profile is that you’re only reachable by other Facebook users, and can only be searched within Facebook… unless you make a Facebook page.  These can be accessed without a Facebook profile, but can also be found within Facebook’s search engine as well.  Facebook pages are used to promote artists, businesses, causes and and many other things.  You can use both your Facebook profile and your band page to diversify your updates.  You can make personal updates on your profile page, and you can announce new shows/events on your Facebook page.  This can help keep your fans interested, and can help keep them informed on your upcoming projects.

Here’s 5 Facebook tips

1. Try to post at least 3 times a week.  (We don’t recommend posting more than 3 times a day)
2. Engage people who comment or ‘like’ your posts.  Start a conversation.
3. Upload pictures from your concerts
4. Post a free song on your website and post about it with a link
5. Hold a contest on Facebook and give away a prize like a free album or T-shirt.

Twitter

Tweeting (making twitter updates) is also a really powerful and quick way of keeping your fans involved with your musical career.  For those that don’t know, Twitter is a social network that does a couple of things pretty uniquely:

1. Open communications: Tweets are not necessarily restricted to who you’re following, or who’s following you.  Your audience may be much larger than you realize.  Larger audience, larger potential fan base.
2. Short and sweet: each update has a 140 character limit.  This makes your updates easy to read through on-the-go.
3. Open forum: Tweets are, literally, open conversations.  Fans can make comments, share your updates with friends, or even reply to you directly with questions–this helps break down the artist-fan barrier which is a big plus.
4. Easy access: Twitter can be accessed from just about any device with an internet connection.  Twitter apps for smart phones are really common, and regularly used; so you can even holler at your fans while they’re away from home.

With such a limited space for your updates, you’ll want to be creative on what you tweet.  You can announce the progress of your next album, “Heading to the studio again for another recording session”, or share something that really interested you, “Man, Jay-Z’s latest album is the BOMB!”, or even look for feedback, “Hey guys, check this out [link to song in progress]. Like what you hear so far?”.  Fans love to be involved with their artists, and communicating directly with them is a great way of winning awesome-points with your fans.  Active Twitter users with a lot of fans often get almost immediate feedback, so this is a very powerful method of reaching your fans.

Finally, you can use twitter to keep up with local bookers, venues, promoters and other people that can help your career–as well as, companies you think are super cool.  It works both ways; check up on artists that influence you to get tips, look up record labels to see their new artists; most companies with a web presence (or even without a web presence) have a twitter profile these days.  If you’re curious about how to get started, and how to tweet like a pro, check out their 101 guide.

Twitter Tips:

1. Use a twitter client to manage your twitter account.  There’s a million.  We like Tweetdeck and Hootsuite.
2. Use Twitter Search to discover who’s been chatting about your music
3. Retweet other peoples Tweets.  It’s a good way to be engaged and start a conversation
4. Use Lists.  When you follow a lot of people, it can be overwhelming amount of data.  You can use Twitter’s list feature to create specific content streams.
5. Don’t just Tweet about what you’re doing.  Ask questions and share links too.

Final Tips

• Remember to keep updating!  There’s no point in making a Twitter/Facebook profile if you don’t use them.
• Keep involved.  Follow people that interest you, announce events you want people to go to, reply to questions people posit.  Making updates is one thing; diving into the community is something else entirely.
• Find a system that works for you.  Updating multiple social networks can be cumbersome, especially with a busy schedule.  Fortunately, there are some pretty cool pieces of software that make using these tools more easily, like Tweetdeck for example.
• Advertise your involvement.  If you have a website, be sure to announce your Twitter or Facebook profile to get connected!  There are some cool widgets you can use to connect your social networks with your site as well.
• Maintain your artistic persona.  Updating these social networks shouldn’t be a chore; so post what you like.  Have fun with it and let your fans know who you are.
• Put Twitter and Facebook Buttons on your site.  Check out Niftybuttons.com
• You can read more great tips and tricks for free!  Just download our handy-dandy eBook HERE.

The results are in – the music you’re listening to is creating your mood, helping you to lift your spirits or wallow in despair. Most of you probably already knew this, but now the science backs this age-old idea that “Sad Songs Say So Much”! The folks at How Stuff Works put together a great article explaining how music impacts our moods, how we process music, and why certain songs stay with us forever.   In studies music has even proven to increase health benefits.

” . . .music has been found to boost the immune systems of patients after surgeries, lower stress in pregnant women and decrease the blood pressure and heart rate in cardiac patients . . .” (Is there a link between Music and Happiness by Molly Edmonds)

So the next time you’re writing a tune for your band, or plucking strings on stage, keep in mind that you have influence over your audiences’ emotions! Isn’t that cool?! ^_^

References:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/11/music.heart/index.html
http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/human-nature/happiness/music-and-happiness.htm
http://generallythinking.com/blog/happiness-music/

Musicians are often skeptical of synth sounds and are wary of creating music that sounds artificial–and rightfully so.  Luckily today’s midi sounds are not your Dad’s midi sounds.  Infact, some must  be heard to be believed.

Whether you are a composer, songwriter, recording artist, or all of the above, a midi keyboard and a good sound library can help you reach new levels in music production.

While sampled piano is not 100% realistic, nowadays it’s quite close. Many sample developers have been increasing the standard of virtual instrument libraries in the last few years.

Piano is one of those instruments that has taken decades to perfect.

When some of the first high quality sampled piano libraries came out, they weren’t cheap. But thankfully today there are a few options out there, some more expensive than others.

We’ve listened to some of the more popular piano libraries on the market to come up with these options. But Make sure to do your own research! It’s not just the sound, but the playability, the expression, the feel. Check out all the features and reviews, and then you can make your decision! For any assistance or advice you can check out the various music production forums on the web, such as VI-Control.net

NOTE: These are not listed in any particular order. There is no “best” piano library out there, as each user will have a different needs. This really applies to all sampled libraries.

Emotional Piano (www.tonehammer.com) – $149.00
Platform:  Mac/PC
Format: Kontakt (compatible with Free Kontakt Player)

“We’ve spent years searching for just the right one to capture. With ears pressed to wood and eyes hovering scant inches above strings, we tested literally hundreds of them before finding this one special piano. The sound of a piano is defined by a thousand things, from the lacquer on the wood to the hardness of the felt in the hammers. Our goal was purely sound: a soft, deeply resonant, rich, warm and soulful sound. We had no concern for brand, model, design or pedigree. We’re not even going to mention the model and brand of the piano we chose for this library. Not because it is important, but because it is truly irrelevant. With all preconceived notions and expectations aside, this piano will either speak to you or it won’t.” – Tonehammer

Alicia’s Keys (www.native-instruments.com) – $119.00
Platform: Mac/PC
Format: Kontakt (compatible with Free Kontakt Player)

“Together with Danish sample specialist Thomas Skarbye (better known by his company name Scarbee) and impulse response expert Ernest Cholakis, Alicia Keys has created a virtual piano that meets her professional standards and embodies the soulful sound that has become her trademark as a superstar. This is the piano sound that has helped Miss Keys win multiple Grammys and reach the top of the charts.” – Native Instruments

Quantum Leap Pianos (www.soundsonline.com) – $349.00
Platform: Mac/PC
Format: Play (sample player included with package)

“This collection includes four of the world’s finest grand pianos: a Bechstein D-280, Steinway D, Bösendorfer 290, and Yamaha C7. The PLAY interface includes impulses from the same hall the producers used to record Symphonic Orchestra and Symphonic Choirs so the pianos can blend with those collections.”

Seven Seas Grand Piano (www.sampletekk.com) – $199.00
Platform: Mac/PC
Format: Kontakt/EXS24/Halion/Gigasampler (choice of format upon purchase)

“Super detailed multisampled Grand Piano No less then 93 unique samples per recorded note. Over 4400 samples! Incredible sound and response Super realistic playing behaviour Probably the most refined sampled piano on the market today The most dynamic sampled piano – period. Recorded at OAL Studios in Stockholm Sweden Instrument used: Yamaha C7 Grand © System Requirements • PC P4 3GHz with 2 Gb of RAM or similar Mac • DVD reader • One of the following samplers: Gigastudio 3, Kontakt 1.5/2, HALion 2/3, EXS24 MkII v.6″

Galaxy Vintage D (www.galaxypianos.com) – $155.00
Platform: Mac/PC
Format: Kontakt (included with package)

“Galaxy Instruments’ ‚Vintage D’ virtual grand piano is based on samples of a vintage Steinway D, a true legend of its class. This Steinway D was built in 1920 in Hamburg in the German factory of Steinway & Sons. It is located at Bauer Studios in Germany, where some of the world’s greatest pianists have recorded legendary albums, among them”

Ivory Grand Pianos (www.synthogy.com) – $349.00
Platform: Mac/PC
Format: Custom (sample library has it’s own dedicated plugin that’s included)

“Ivory Grand Pianos is a multi-platform plug-in that recreates the sound and playing experience of 3 of the world’s great concert grand pianos: the Bösendorfer Imperial 290 Concert Grand, the Steinway D Concert Grand, and the Yamaha C7 Grand. Recorded in the finest concert halls and studios with state of the art equipment, each piano is sampled with extreme attention to detail by award winning sound designer, Joe Ierardi.”

Pianoteq (www.pianoteq.com) $99.00
Platform: Mac/PC
Format: Custom (sample library has it’s own dedicated plugin that’s included)

“Pianoteq is a high-class virtual piano software offering superb dynamics, natural resonances and unique physical parameters. The powerful innovative features of Pianoteq, based on physical modelling and real time sound generation, make it the natural choice for demanding musicians including composers, producers and keyboardists. Pianoteq features also other instruments such as harpsichords, electric pianos, vibraphones, historical instruments, etc.”

In a perfect world, everything would just work correctly all the time. But sometimes they don’t and you will want to contact us for a little help. Here are some tips to help us help you faster.

1. Always provide us with your domain name

The quickest way for us to look up your account and start work on your problem is if you provide us with the domain name. The domain name is whatever comes after the “www.” of your website address. Please provide this in any emails you send to us. When you call us, please tell us the domain name and spell for us it since so many websites can be spelled many different ways. The quicker we can locate your account, the faster we can start solving your problem.

2. Be the authorized contact and write us from the email we have on file

If you send us email using the address we have on file for you, we’ll know for sure it’s OK it’s really you and okay to work on your problem. If you email from some other address, then we can’t be sure if it’s you or your evil nemesis (or a rogue ex-bandmate trying to mess with you). If you call us, be sure you are an authorized contact for the account (see below). Be prepared to answer some standard security questions we may need to ask.

If you need to update the email address on file with us you can do that by browsing to hostbaby.com, clicking on Members, logging in and updating it there. If you have been a HostBaby customer for over a year it is good to log in there anyway to make sure we have the most current contact information for you anyway.

If you have a designer or helper that you’d like to authorize on the account, please send us their name, email address, and phone number and we’ll make a note of it in your account.

3.  When You Call: Be Ready to Work on Your Site

If possible, be at your computer and logged in to your site (or ready to login at the least) with your list of questions handy. You might want pencil and paper nearby to take notes too.

For example, if you call from your car and tell us you forgot your password, about the only thing we can do is email it to you. If you instead call when you are at your computer, we can tell you the info you need, wait while you try it, and complete the call knowing you are successfully logged in.

4. When You Email a problem: Be Very Specific

Bad: Subject line: Email broken (and then no body message, no details at all)

OK: I can’t login to my email, it worked yesterday

Best: I tried to login to the webmail for me@domain.com today, and it came up with the following error: (error message copied and pasted)

If you ever get an error message please copy it and send it in! The more details, error messages, etc. that you can provide, the easier it will be for us to solve your problem on the first try. It’s okay if you don’t understand what the error messages mean – that’s our job – just send them to us so we can see exactly what’s happened. Here’s how to do a screen capture on a Mac and on a Windows PC.

We can help solve the problem faster if you also provide details such as:

1. Did it ever work before? If so, when?
2. What, if anything changed since it last worked?
3. Are you on a Mac or a Windows PC?
4. Do you get an error message (if so, copy it, type it down, or screen print it)
5. Can you make the problem happen consistently? If so, how? If not, how often does it happen (once an hour, once a day, etc.)?
6. What Browser or Email program are you using (if applicable)?
7. Have you tried this on any other computer?

Of course, take the time to be accurate when you describe your problem to ensure we have a clear picture of what needs to be solved.

5. If you have many questions, send them in email

If you have a long list of questions or requests, it is very helpful if you list them in an email and send the list to us. That way you can be sure all your questions are asked and we can be sure we answer them all. Again, be sure to be specific and provide

I hope these tips help you have a better experience when you call or email us for help. As always, let us know if you have any questions or suggestions for us!

Now before you get out your credit card, it’s important to know what elements to consider when building your home studio. Certain aspects are often overlooked.  Many people will end up buying the cheaper gear, thinking it’s all the same quality unless they spend thousands of dollars. However, this is not the case! Many renowned equipment manufacturers have altered their product line to focus towards low budget studios.

So let’s get started with the key elements!

Note: These elements do not cover MIDI recording/editing capability. If you use MIDI instruments some additional equipment will be needed. We may cover this in detail in a later article.

#1: Space

Seems obvious doesn’t it? You need space for your studio. However, many people don’t take a few things into consideration like:

1. How does the room reflect sound? You can test this by simply clapping in the room. If it’s a fairly loud room, you may have some difficulties mixing and recording low level sources like vocals. You can fix this by treating the room.  However, that alone is an undertaking, and possibly another article!
2. Are you in an apartment? Is your studio adjoining someone’s bedroom? Often times this can be overlooked. Someone banging on your wall for you to turn the music down isn’t a good thing; especially when you’re on a deadline!
3. Do you even have room? Often times a home recording studio setup can take up much more room than expected. How big is your desk? Do you have amplifiers to store? What about drums, amps, and other musical instruments? Make sure to take all your placement and storage needs into consideration when choosing a room.
4. And finally, is it possible to use two rooms? This obviously can be a benefit, as you can separate your control room from your recording booth. Of course that leads to more expenses down the road.

#2: A Computer

Unless your computer is a dinosaur, you probably have a sufficient setup for a recording studio depending on your needs. If you are recording a few audio tracks, you should be fine with a Dual Core Processor system with about 2GB of RAM. However, there are some programs that will require a lot more resources. For example, if you plan on using virtual instruments with a midi controller,  you will likely require a high amount of computer resources such as CPU, RAM, and hard drive space. If this is the case, you’d want a Quad or 8 core system with 8+GB of RAM.

You will also want a computer with a healthy amount of hard drive space if you plan to record and store your music. Luckily, external hard drives are a-dime-a-dozen now! Check out Sweetwater.com or your favorite online dealer for deals on external harddrives that are made especially for audio production.

There also is the choice between Macintosh or PC.  Nowadays, both platforms are suitable for music production. It really comes down to what you are used to, and what DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) you choose.

#3: Audio Interface

You need a device that allows you to record sound to your computer with a various input types and amounts. These used to cost thousands of dollars, but thankfully that’s changed!

An audio interlace is simply a device that plugs into your computer (via USB and/or Firewire) which will allow you to record from various sources; in some cases, multiple sources at once. When choosing an interface, make sure you get enough physical inputs to suit your needs! More inputs means recording more instruments at a time, such as drums.

It’s also important to note that most audio interfaces come with their own DAW software.  For instance you can get the Mbox Mini with Pro Tools for only 295.00

Here are some affordable audio interfaces to look at:

• Presonus Audiobox USB
• Art Tube MP USB
• Digidesign M-Box
• RME Fireface 400

#4: Your DAW

What is a DAW you say? DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation. Basically, it’s a program specifically created for audio projects. The generic features a DAW would include are audio recording, mixing, and mastering tools. Some DAWs are also equipped with MIDI recording and editing features.

Here are a number of popular DAWs to choose from:

• FL Studio (PC)
• Studio One Pro (PC/Mac)
• Cubase (PC/Mac)
• Logic Studio (Mac)
• Nuendo (PC)
• Pro-Tools (PC/Mac)
• Sonar (PC)
• Digital Performer (Mac)

#5: Microphone

There are many mics out there that are built for specific situations. Everything from shows, recording sessions, and field recording for sound design.  Since there are so many types of mics available, we invite you to read this article for information on choosing a mic setup for your home studio.

Note: Please make sure to get proper mic stands and pop-screens with your mic setup!

#7: Studio Monitors

If you have low quality speakers, you will probably get low quality mixes. So investing in a decent pair of near-field studio monitors is ideal. Luckily there’s quite a few out there that are affordable!

Take a look at these models. But if you have the chance, listen to them! Getting the right “fit” for you requires a bit of research. Some monitors work well with various genres of music.

• KRK RP5G2
• Alesis M1
• Mackie HR824mkII
• Dynaudio BM6A mkII

#9: Furniture

This is another obvious element that you will need, but most people overlook this and regret it later. Most people use a standard office desk and add to it, which is fine. Whatever you decide upon, make sure it accommodates all your needs. Do you need rack space? It is high enough? Can it support enough weight? Is it long enough to support all the equipment and counter space you need?  Think carefully about what you will need!

Here are some studio desks to look at:

• On-Stage WS7500
• On-Stage WS8700
• KK Audio A1 Edit Desk

And one last thing–get yourself a comfortable chair. Chairs are overlooked more than anything. Having a cheap uncomfortable office chair in your studio will make you hate working in it.

Remember: the studio is your kingdom, and that chair is your throne!

Years ago a student burst into my office brandishing a floppy disk and blurting out, “I lost my whole thesis off this disk and it is due this Monday!!!” I asked, “did you make a backup?” and he answered, “uh…no…I’ve never needed one until now!” I could only imagine someone with a flat tire on the interstate saying, “well, I’ve never needed a spare tire until now!”

Regardless of the cause, data loss is inevitable. The best protection is to make backups of any data you would prefer not to lose. This article explains how to back up your web site content, your email, and contacts.

Backing up your website

It’s a good idea to back up your website once a year or before you are about to make any significant changes to your content or design. It is also critical to back up your site if you are transitioning from one hosting company to another.

If you host your site with HostBaby, daily backups are made of your site. However, if you want more control over when and what is backed up and how long that backup is saved, you can make and save your own backups.

If you have a HostBaby full website, backing it up is very simple. Just use FTP to download the entire contents to your local Mac or PC. Once there, you can opt to copy it to a CD or some removable media (e.g. USB Thumb Drive, etc.). Be sure to label it with the current date.

If you have a HostBaby Wizard account, there are a couple of manual backup/restore techniques you can use. They are outlined here.

Backing Up your Webmail Addressbook

If you access your HostBaby email through a local client (e.g. Mac Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.), you can back up your address book within your program. Refer to your help files or use your favorite search engine for instructions how to do this.

If, however, you access your email strictly through Webmail, you will want to back up your email addresses for safe-keeping. It’s pretty easy to do. Here is a help file explaining how.

Backing up your Webmail messages

Again, if you access your HostBaby email through a local client (e.g. Mac Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.), you can back up your email messages within your program. Refer to your help files or use your favorite search engine for instructions how to do this.

If you only access your email through webmail, you can easily back up your messages either by setting up an email client which will download copies of your messages to your Mac or PC. If you want to back up individual messages, you can use the webmail Archive feature. Both methods are described here.

Read more at the DIY Musician Blog

With emerging technologies like smart phones, portable MP3 players, and WiFi hot-spots sprouting up everywhere, it’s no surprise that digital music sales are on the rise.  In fact, the extremely popular iTunes store  now sells 28% of all music in the US, and holds 80% of the download market.  So if you’re not selling on iTunes your missing out on potential sales.

How much money can an artist make from selling downloads?  An interesting study compares the sales a musician would need to make in order to reach a minimum wage income: check it out HERE.  CD Baby revenue structure compares favorably with many other companies.

As a reminder, HostBaby is offering a great deal for our customers.  CD Baby, as you well know, is a great company for selling and distributing your CDs and Mp3s.  As a HostBaby customer, you’re allowed 5 free album submissions to CD Baby per year (account must be in good standing).  This includes singles.  Check out the details HERE. Getting your music online for sale is easier than ever!