Episode #69 - More Social Media Tips

We're back with some more social media tips for independent artists! Check out Episode #66 for the first part of this discussion and follow along here to learn how you can take more simple, yet effective steps to jump start or improve your online presence and reach. 

We've all been there. We have a brand-new song or album ready for release and we can't wait to share it with the whole wide world. But then, once it's out there, suddenly we get hit with a sinking feeling. Maybe it's fear. Maybe it's depression. Maybe it's a combination of things. But the feelings are real and seem to hit every one of us at some point in our careers. What causes these "post-production blues"? What can we learn from them? And how can we turn them around in our favor? Tune in to this episode of the Artist Impact Podcast. 

While the quantity and types of songs you choose to perform may vary from venue to venue, spending just a little bit of time beforehand to select just the right songs and the appropriate order can go a long way towards ensuring your success as an independent Christian musician. In today's competitive music landscape, taking the time to think through your set first can elevate your live performances and up your professional game. Everything from preventing vocal burnout to increasing your chances of attracting and maintaining new audiences can be helped by this one, simple step. Let's dive in and talk about how to create a successful set list! 

We all know social media is an important tool for promoting ourselves as musicians these days. But how do we make the most of these digital platforms and what can we do right now to improve our artistic brands online? Explore that subject with us on this episode of the Artist Impact podcast. 

It's a new year. 2024! And along with it comes the opportunity for massive potential growth for us as musicians and artists. But successful growth doesn't happen by accident. It takes serious and intentional dedication to our craft and ourselves. Let's talk about some real, concrete strategies to help you set smart and achievable goals this calendar year. It's a worthwhile journey. Let's dive in! 

On this episode host Paul Gibbs talks about Christmas songs, public domain, choosing songs to put on your next project, and some fun facts and trivia about some of the wonderful songs that are such a huge part of our Christmas season!

For many of us it's a constant struggle and source of frustration. Trying to balance and make time for two probably very different, but very important things in our lives. Music and The Day Job. Both are "have to's", but maybe for different reasons. We have to work to pay the bills. We have to make music because, well, we just have to. We can't not do it. 

In this episode we explore some ways to try and make both "have to's" coexist in a peaceful manner, and minimize that frustration that often takes over and drains what energy we have left. We'll discuss things like being intentional about our goals, setting priorities, and finding those little slots of time that we all have, but may be not using in the best way.

Everyone's a critic. And if you've been at this business for any length of time, you know this firsthand. Anytime you put yourself out there, or your art, you open yourself up to the real potential for criticism, whether it's constructive or not. But this shouldn't stop us from expressing ourselves or sharing the important things we've been inspired to create. So, how do we handle real criticism and keep moving forward as an artist today? Tune in and find out! 

Memorizing your music can free you up from being tied to a chart or score, encourage fluidity in your playing and performance, lead to greater and more natural improvisation, and give you a general boost in confidence. So, why don't we all do it? And how can we get better at memorizing our music? Let's discuss this interesting subject on this episode of the Artist Impact podcast. 

To Cover Or Not To Cover - That Is The Question! Or, do both? There's no wrong answer to the question of whether to include other people's songs in your repertoire, but whatever you choose, there are things to consider. 

Cover songs can really help you connect with a larger, wider audience. And there have been cover songs that have "out shined" the originals, like "Twist And Shout" (Beatles, '63, original by The Top Notes, '61) and "I Will Always Love You" (Whitney Houston, '92, original by Dolly Parton '74). The familiarity of a cover song, combined with your own personal touch can be a winning combination. 

But there some things that cover songs will not do for you as well. And in this podcast we explore some of the advantage, and disadvantages, of making cover songs a part of your musical career!