Bandhive

As a DIY artist, at some point you'll want to release a music video. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as hiring a videographer and showing up on the day of the shoot... A lot of prep work goes into shooting a music video. If you don’t have a plan, nothing will go in your favor. Your entire crew will be frustrated if they don't know what shots are coming next or where they need to be standing when...

For some people, going into the studio is all they dream about – other people dread the thought of stepping foot into a studio due to anxiety or fear. Whether you’re in the first group, the second, or somewhere in between, going into the studio with the right mindset and ideas is make or break for your music. Listen now to hear how you can increase your productivity, keep bandmates happy, and leav...

People often think that being a musician is a great way to get rich. The truth is, it's hard work and most musicians fail at making money from their music. Most musicians dream of the big time when they should be focusing on smaller things like getting gigs in front of small audiences and perfecting their live show and branding so they can stand out. Listen now to hear Jon from Memorist describe h...

Many musicians want to make a living from their music, but are falling short of that goal. For lots of artists, having a full time income from their own music is not achievable in the short term – but in the long term it could be. In the meantime, an often overlooked income stream is being a musician who plays with other artists, both live or in the studio… This helps build your name, and can give...

The music industry is a mess right now, and it's hard to know what the right way to go about things is. The last 18 months have wreaked havoc on artists worldwide. David Ryan Olson joins us on this episode of the Bandhive Podcast as we talk through six important takeaways from the last 18 months. Listen now to learn how you can shore up your band so you’re able to keep the lights on during unprece...

You want to get back on the road, but you're not sure if it's a good time. The music industry is changing and there are more opportunities than ever before for musicians to make money from their art… But each slice of the pie seems to get smaller and smaller. In this episode of the Bandhive Podcast, Adam Loellke of Pickwick Commons and Dynamic Talent International shares his thoughts on the return...

Being a full time artist can be exhausting, demoralizing, and detrimental to your health. It’s something that no one ever wants to face , but most artists do at one point or another. Andy Wilson-Taylor made it through a dark time in his life and came out stronger, wiser, and with a brand new goal: turning an abandoned farmhouse in Southern France into a fully functional destination studio for arti...

Being a one-man-show can be difficult. Now throw in a band where you’re the only one running the business, and things get even more complicated. But, it’s not impossible – that’s exactly what Troy Millette is doing with his band, The Fire Below. Not only did the band play almost 200 shows in 2019, they played 50 live streams and socially distanced shows in the past year… More shows than many DIY a...

A lot of artists aren’t convinced that using Patreon is the right way to go. They think their fans won’t be willing to support them financially. But Patreon isn’t just a platform to earn money. It’s also a platform that lets you build a closer relationship with your fans and followers – it’s a mutually beneficial relationship. Lords of the Trident has been using Patreon for four years and now has...

Self-producing is a tricky minefield to navigate – if you don’t do it just right, your end result won’t be great. But, self-producing is also an avenue to becoming a full-time producer and making a living from creativity, which is exactly what Todd Barriage of Theatria is on the show to talk about. Not only does Todd self-produce Theatria’s music, he also works with artists from all over Canada (a...

How do you know if your music career is going in the right direction? Do you have a plan of action that outlines what you want to accomplish over the next few years? Are you constantly refining and tweaking that plan as time goes on? If not, then it's possible that your goals for your music career are either too vague or non-existent . Connor Frost of Dizzy Bats joins us this week to talk about ov...

For artists who want a more organic, raw sound for their commercial releases it can be difficult to find the right producer. Sometimes, that means self-producing is the right choice – though it all depends on the experience you have with self-recording and producing. Many incredibly famous albums by artists like Billie Eilish, Bruce Springsteen, and more were recorded at home… But they all had one...

Many artists who play in a band think that being in a band is the way to make a name for themselves – and while that’s definitely one route you can take, it’s not the only way. Of course there’s the solo singer/songwriter path… But that isn’t what we’re talking about today. Today, Chad Kowal joins us to talk about his path from playing in a rock band to writing and performing vocals for well-known...

You’re a DIY musician who's tired of the major label system… We feel your pain. Or maybe you do want to get signed – in which case you should pay close attention. Brian Mazzaferri and his band I Fight Dragons have been on both sides of the major label fence, and they've seen firsthand how hard it is for artists to get their work out there without being tied down by a label. But, there’s good news...

Getting your music onto blogs isn’t as simple as writing an email that says “here’s my song, please review it.” Ultimately, that’s what your email will say… But that’s not what the words will be. To stand out from the crowd of all the desperate artists, mixed with professional publicists, you need to write an email that doesn’t waste time but does catch the attention of anyone you send it to. The...

Going into the studio can be expensive and time consuming, but ultimately if you want the best release you can get it’s absolutely the best option. After all, you get what you pay for. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t save tons of time and money by being properly prepared for your studio time. How exactly can you do that, you ask? Simple: record good demos, so your songs are finished and all the p...

Copywriting is incredibly important to every business – yet it’s one of the most overlooked aspects for many small businesses, including bands. It’s possible that many people haven’t even heard the term “copy” before. Copy is just marketing text! You probably read some every day. This episode description is copy . Not all copy is created equal – good copy is engaging, and gives the readers somethi...

Imagine you’re playing the biggest show of the year in your hometown – you feel great and the crowd is really into your set. Then, all of a sudden, the guitar drops out entirely. You rush to find the problem, but everything you do seems to be pointless. After a while, you realize that it was the simplest issue possible… But it’s too late, the vibe is gone and the audience is ready for your set to...

As a business owner, issuing refunds is never fun – it hurts the wallet, and can sting your ego as well. But offering a generous refund policy and great customer service is not only a good idea, it’s necessary for a successful business. Put yourself in your fans’ shoes: who would you rather buy from, a store with amazing customer service, or the store with non-existent customer service? We bet the...

The music industry is full of people with varied backgrounds and experiences, and our guest this week is no exception.  With 20 years of experience under his belt as an artist in a touring band, as the tour manager for an artist opening for KISS, and as a mixing engineer and educator, Mike Indovina has tons of knowledge to share. If you want to learn how to sell more merch at shows or how to make...

I was having a conversation with my friend Matt Bacon the other day, and it made me realize something: bands should not only be setting goals, but also telling their fans about some of those goals . Why? Because if fans are part of reaching your goal, they are part of your crew . Essentially that is how Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Patreon, etc. all work – fans help you, and in return they become a mem...

Spotify is demonized by artists and fans alike for their low per-stream payouts… Rightfully so, some would argue. We’ll be the first to admit that Spotify should pay more, but for that to happen there need to be a few strategic moves that the public has to accept before royalties can be increased. Additionally, Spotify’s numbers aren’t as bad as many make them seem – especially when compared to ce...

When you’re working on new music, you face a lot of choices that can vastly affect the popularity of your release. It all starts with your production team – the producer, engineers, and musicians who you’ll work with. The importance of picking the right team for your music cannot be understated. After all, if you’re playing hardcore punk, it probably wouldn’t make sense to work with a country prod...

If I asked you what you think the #1 mistake artists make when working on a new release, what would you say? I have the feeling that you wouldn’t say what I’m thinking of – and you might have done this very thing at one point. It can be truly make or break for a successful release, so listen now to find out how you can avoid this common mistake! What you’ll learn : How much of your budget you set...

A few weeks ago, Steve Martin of Ascending Everest shared his insights as an artist using SubmitHub to get his songs shared by curators around the world… This week, SubmitHub founder Jason Grishkoff dives into how and why he launched SubmitHub back in 2015 – and the reason may surprise you. Over the years, Jason has turned a one-man operation into a business that’s used by thousands of artists, pu...