Bandhive

It can be tough to know where to start with your songs. Once you’ve started, there may still be parts you get stuck on. Many people think that they need to have a special talent or be born with natural ability in order to write songs… But that's just not the case! Songwriting is a skill that can be learned, and Connor Frost is here to show you how. In this episode of the Bandhive Podcast, Connor d...

Choosing a band name is no walk in the park. You want something that's going to make you stand out, easy to find when fans search your name online, and above all yours and yours alone . There are so many names already taken on the internet that it can feel impossible to find one that isn't in use by another band or company. We have seven steps we follow when choosing a band name, and they've worke...

You’ve probably submitted to Spotify playlisters to promote your band, and with good reason: it’s one of the most effective ways to grow your fanbase. But have you considered running a Spotify playlist to grow your band as well as others in the scene? Not only does this give you an outlet for your music, it lets you grow an amazing network within your musical circle and boosts those around you. Re...

Intellectual property is a large, complicated topic. Many attorneys spend years studying patent, trademark, and copyright law to fully understand the laws and their implications. The good news is that musicians don’t need to understand every aspect of the law to protect their own works. Listen now to learn the basics of trademark and copyright and how they apply to musicians and bands, so you know...

Touring is a ton of work. You have to book the shows, figure out lodging and transportation, prepare for travel, etc... And that's just scratching the surface! If you want to have a good time on tour , you need to be stress free . If you want to be stress-free , you need to be organized . A project management tool is the solution you need : It'll help with every aspect of planning a successful tou...

The DIY music scene has evolved a lot on this side of the millennium. Social media has changed how bands promote themselves, and starting a band today is very different from how it was in the 90s or early 2000s. Standing out from the crowd takes three things: Good music Effective branding A passion for what you do Emilio Menze has all three of those things – and with the experience Emilio has as b...

You have a band and you want to grow your following. But, you don't know how. Maybe you've tried Instagram or Facebook but haven't gotten the results you wanted . TikTok is an emerging social media platform that's perfect for musicians because it allows for short videos with music in them. It's super visual and easy to use, so anyone can create great content quickly! Brandon Cunningham from Kawaii...

Sponsorship deals are one of the most sought-after parts of being in a band. Unfortunately, in most cases, it doesn't mean unlimited free gear... But it can mean discounts, cash towards promoting a show, or more. Ty Christian, aka Fang VonWrathenstein, has been performing with his band Lords of the Trident for almost 15 years and has had experience with sponsorships at every level - from local to...

Tour managers are often overlooked and under-appreciated. They make a massive impact on the success of a tour, by keeping everything on track and preventing the tour from crumbling under pressure. If you want to go to the next level and play larger shows, turn a profit (or at least break even), you need to learn how to tour manage yourself properly. Jack McCutcheon is an experienced tour manager w...

Facebook Ads are a great way to reach your fans, but they can be incredibly challenging to get right. There's so much information out there about how to use Facebook Ads that it’s difficult to know where to start or who you should listen to .  Matt Bacon joins us this week to share his top tips for artists new to Facebook Ads. This isn't just theory – Matt has worked with many labels from small DI...

Touring is a huge part of the music industry, but it's also notoriously difficult to make money. Most DIY bands lose their shirts when they go on their first tou r. The Writhers were able to do something most DIY artists dream of: go on a profitable tour . They were able to not only cover all of their costs, but actually turn a profit by being smart with their money. This week they joined us on th...

As a musician, it's important to network with other musicians and build genuine connections with them. But how do you go about “networking” without coming across as slimy, rude finance bro? Get ready to navigate the tricky waters of networking with other musicians and come out looking like a pro so you can find the right band members, book more shows, and become respected in your community. Listen...

Runescape and life may seem entirely disparate, but at a base level they are one and the same. We have a finite amount of time to do what we need to do if we want to have a successful music career. In music, this means honing the skills you’re best at and leaving other skills to people who have more practice and experience in. It’s the same in Runescape, where it’s incredibly difficult to max out...

Do you release a new song every month, all year long? Probably not. We’ve all heard that’s what an artist has to do to become “successful” these days, but so few end up following through and actually releasing music that frequently. But some artists take it to the next level – Todd Barriage of Theatria, who we spoke with on episode 81, has been releasing songs weekly for the past four months. List...

The unfortunate truth about being a DIY artist is that most band members need to have a day job. This can create scheduling tensions and drama within the band... But, not all day jobs are created equal . British prog rock band Giant Walker have harnessed their creative power to build successful careers : each of the band's four members teach their instruments and make a full-time living from it. N...

Usually I’d write something about challenges and solutions, blah blah blah, here… But today I just want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who has listened to the Bandhive Podcast, shared it with their friends, or been a guest on the show. You all rock! Join us for this special episode where Matt and I talk about our favorite music – we hope you’ll find some new favorites of your own. We also...

Songwriters are often confused about how they can make money from their music – thankfully selling your own CDs or getting streamed are not the only way to earn money from writing! There are five different income streams for songs, and it’s up to you and your publisher to decide which of these streams to pursue – one, two, or all of them. Listen now to learn more about the five income streams song...

Touring is a huge part of the music industry, but it can be one of the most expensive aspects of your career. If you're not careful with your money and don’t have a budget in place, you could find yourself losing thousands on a tour that could have been profitable .  You've probably seen someone lose their shirt on an unprofitable tour before. It's sad to see people who are passionate about music...

Most bands are missing out on money. A lot of money . How? Too many artists make arbitrary decisions based on gut impulse or what they see other artists doing and don’t take the time to test their methods and collect data to see what works best for your specific project . Everything in your band is sales, and that means you need to test everything . Not all at once – in fact, never more than one e...

Learning a new skill can be difficult, frustrating, and sometimes even painful… We all know that. But it doesn't have to be. You've probably heard that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something ... What does that really mean? Well, we know it doesn’t mean you need 10,000 hours to become good at your new skill. Listen now to hear us discuss the 20 hour rule showing that you can learn j...

Whether you're hitting the road for a weekend or going on-two month tour, packing the right things is important. Especially if it’s your first tour, you might not know what to bring. That’s why on this week’s episode of the podcast we go through our tour essentials, as well as tips shared by our listeners. Don’t go into your next tour blind: listen now to find out what you should pack so you have...

Keeping track of your gear isn’t easy. Even with checklists to make sure you don’t forget anything, you need to know the difference between potentially identical cases, so you don’t mix up your gear with someone else’s. It happens more often than you think , luggage gets switched at the airport or your guitar case gets swapped with someone else’s at the gig. No harm meant, but a frustrating experi...

Most musicians are perfectionists – it’s unavoidable. When we expose our souls via songwriting, we want every single aspect to be impeccable. But if perfection is your goal, you’ll never get there… Perfection is virtually impossible. Don’t get stuck on tiny details, instead focus on the big picture. Just remember, the artist who creates a song a month and gets those songs 95% of the way there will...

Keys, wallet, phone. Do you have a mental checklist when you leave the house? Probably… But once you have more than a few items to remember, it can be tough to keep track of everything you need to check. That’s where checklists come in. Checklists make sure that you never forget an item that’s part of a repeatable task. They’re part of the Standard Operating Procedures for most major companies, in...

Many bands want to be appealing to a record label, but don’t know how to get their foot in the door with the right gatekeepers. The answer is simple, the execution is not: take your business seriously. By really putting in the effort to take your business to new heights, you will naturally catch the attention of label execs and other music industry insiders. In this episode, Adam Fiasco of The Fia...