The Music Survival Guide Podcast

Goals are a really key thing for bands and artists to get right. They bring focus and give a clear vision for the way ahead. This week Phil discusses SMART goals, what they are, how they work and how they can be applied to your band.   The artist featured this week is Land Captains .   Come and follow us on Instagram! We are at: Music Survival Guide Podcast Joe's Page Phil's Page   Joe can be foun...

Pre-Production! So you're in a rehearsal room, maybe with a producer, you're in the fabled pre-production phase, but what are you actually meant to do? The songs are written, so you just need to go into the studio, right? Well you can, but those songs may need refining to their intended purpose, and that's what pre-production is for! This week Phil and Joe discuss remote and in-person pre-producti...

Songwriting is a funny old thing, everyone has a unique approach to their success. There are certain things you have to bear in mind when songwriting, and that's what we're discussing today. This week Phil and Joe discuss recording voice notes, getting to the chorus quickly and jamming ideas as a band. Rick Astley covering songs. The artist featured this week is Alpha Signal . Come and follow us o...

This week, Joe chats with Alex from The Taboos. They discuss moving to London, organic growth  and considerations for hiring a remote mixing engineer. The band featured are The Taboos . Come and follow us on Instagram! We are at: Music Survival Guide Podcast Joe's Page Phil's Page Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudio.com Joe can be emailed at:  Joe@nevisaudio.com Phil can be found at:  www.vortiss...

Livesteaming nowadays is becoming very common for reaching your audience (especially when you cannot gig!), but there's a lot to work out BEFORE you hit the 'go live' button. What kind of livestream are you going to do? What do people expect? This week Phil and Joe discuss livestream gigs,  The software mentioned is OBS Studio . The artist featured this week is Tilly Louise . Come and follow us on...

Singing in the studio is probably the most personal and nerve-wracking thing you can do. However, it doesn't have to be that way! With careful planning you can go in knowing what you hope to achieve and can create some fantastic vocals for your song. This week Phil and Joe discuss proper vocal warm-ups, planning your harmony lines and why you are not like David Bowie, or Lemmy! The band featured t...

Playing guitar and bass in the studio can be great fun, finding and creating the best tones for the music, but there's many things to consider. Do you know your parts well, do you have your instruments set up properly? This week Phil and Joe discuss demoing songs for guitarists, broadening your mind to new tones in the studio and why your favourite guitar part might not be what the song needs! The...

Drumming in the studio requires a very particular skillset, but how is it different to drumming live? What pre-production work might you need? And what are the best equipment choices for the studio? This week Phil and Joe discuss the importance of planning out your drum parts carefully, intentional drumming and working out the size of drum kit you actually need. The band featured this week are Tro...

So you want to get new fans? But what's the best way? Is it possible to take someone you who doesn't know of your band into a fan? It certainly is! However, there's a middle step that many bands miss when it comes to drawing in new fans. This week Phil & Joe discuss how to make a successful brand campaign, how to draw in people on social media and how a mailing list might just be what you need. Th...

Instagram is fast becoming the band social media platform of choice, but with all gigs and rehearsals currently gone, what can you post? How can you make the most of your audience? And how can you hold onto your audience during lockdown? This week Phil and Joe discuss creating interesting stories, making use of past content and why stopping posting regularly could be the worst thing to do right no...

This week another interview comes to the podcast. Phil chats with Andy Moore of She Burns Red about songwriting, using Kickstarter and what a producer can bring to the table. This episode is a great exploration of how the band came about and where Andy wants it to go in the future.   You can find the band's page here: She Burns Red Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudio.com Joe can be emailed at:  J...

You have a single to release, and you have money to promote it! But what do you do? Where do you spend your money for the biggest return? This week Phil and Joe discuss add creatives, split testing and why building an ideal fan avatar may be what you need to do. The band featured this week are Cascade. Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudio.com Joe can be emailed at:  Joe@nevisaudio.com Phil can be...

So the music is recording, it's mixed and mastered, ready for the world to hear. But what now? Do you just throw it out, or do you approach your release with a clear strategy? This week Phil and Joe discuss pre-saves, not sending out spam-like messages and why treating Spotify as a form of social media might be the breakthrough you need.   The band featured this week are 12 Hour Avenue. Submithub...

So here you are, stuck indoors, plenty of time but nothing to do. But you have the band to think about, what should you do? Making the most of your time by recording may be the very thing you need to push forward on social media. This week Phil and Joe discuss recording all elements of the band, capturing clean vocals and why you may not even need to record real drums at all. The band featured thi...

This week marks something a little different - an interview! Joe chats with Marc Ainley of Let Man Loose, on first gigs, getting the right mindset and the best way to use social media. This episode is a great exploration of where the band came from, and where Marc envisions it going into the future.  You can find the band's page here: Let Man Loose Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudio.com Joe can...

You're thinking about your next record, working out the best way to get it made. Then the question arises 'Should we hire a producer?'. This question may well be followed by 'What are the benefits?' and 'What does a producer even do?'. All these questions and more are discussed ! This week Phil and Joe discuss finding the right producer for your music, what to expect and how to make the most of yo...

So, you want to start a band! Great, but what do you do? Where to you start. That's what we're discussing this week, how to start a band, what to do and what to avoid. Phil and Joe discuss answering hard questions as a band, first rehearsals and how if you're lucky you might get free beers at your first gig. The band featured this week are Urban Architects . Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudio.co...

Aah the thorny world of Facebook ads, a waste of cash, or a good investment to grow your band following and make the most of your release? It can be good, but only when used right. This week Phil and Joe discuss clear goals, proper targeting and if you should even be advertising at all. The band featured this week are Solar Strides . Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudio.com Joe can be emailed at: ...

So you're planning your next release, you've worked out which songs you're doing, and how you're recording them, but who will mix it? With so many mixing engineers out there, who should you trust? This week Phil and Joe discuss test mixes, important conversations and red flags when looking for a mix engineer. The band featured this week are The Southbank Crows . Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudi...

Everything has gone a bit crazy in the world right now. Bands and Artists are having gigs cancelled left right and centre, and even if they go on the numbers attending are lower. However, a lack of gigs doesn't have to mean a lack of action. There are positive things you can do to progress your band. This week, Phil and Joe discuss ideas for bands in a period of isolation. Joe can be found at:  ww...

It's the big day! The gig is here! But which songs are you going to play? And you're panicking as your rig takes a full 15 minutes to setup. You want to be invited back for another gig, but a good impression is vital. This week Phil and Joe discuss planning ahead for gigs, getting your rig in order, and why it pays to be prepared The band featured this week are Red Yeti Joe can be found at:  www.n...

Do you have a proper and planned out release strategy for your music? Planning ahead of time can set up your music for success and is so important! This week Phil and Joe discuss the best time to upload your music, Spotify playlists and making each release better than the one before. The band featured this week are SYFTA. Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudio.com Joe can be emailed at:  Joe@nevisau...

When was the last time you listened to something new? A type of music you'd never heard before (or not paid much attention to)? This week on the podcast, Phil discusses the benefits of listening to music outside of your normal genres, expanding your musical horizons and increasing your creativity. Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudio.com Joe can be emailed at:  Joe@nevisaudio.com Phil can be found...

This week on the podcast it's all about room acoustics and acoustic control. Great recordings rely on well-treated rooms, stopping unwanted reflections and controlling the sound. But how to go about it? This week Phil discusses the options available to the Home Studio owner. Discussed in the episode: Anechoic Chambers Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudio.com Joe can be emailed at:  Joe@nevisaudio....

This week on the podcast it's all about Music PR! What's the best way to go? In this solo episode Joe discusses the merits of investing in PR and developing a proper release strategy. Discussed in the episode: Submit Hub Joe can be found at:  www.nevisaudio.com Joe can be emailed at:  Joe@nevisaudio.com Phil can be found at:  www.vortissoundstudios.com Phil can be emailed at:  Phil@vortisoundstudi...