Stage It

Well over the last month I have been trying out a new to me kind of setup. I have been doing a few live webcast shows. basically I used a site that lets you stream live and text chat in real time. It was very exciting at first and the thoughts we endless on how it could go and be a big help to artists and bands that can not get to all the place fans would like them to come to.

I used a web site called www.stageit.com they have a great set up to get you going quickly. A very easy layout lets you see upcoming shows, artist information, who's been online and the likes. There are tips and tricks for the artists and bands to read through if you need some help and ideas. You can set show prices, get tips, offer rewards for tips.
Lots of easy to use features through out the artist side, like quick links to promote your shows directly to Twitter and Facebook. They also provide a page of reports for each show that you play.
They run each show based on tokens. These tokens are credits you buy so that you can get a ticket to a show and use for leaving tips. Each token is worth $0.10, so 10 tokens would be a whole Dollar. The artists and bands can set ticket prices for each show they do. You can have as low as pay what you want to say 100 tokens for a ticket. This is where the site helps the artist and themselves going.

There is a split on the tokens/ credits at the end of each show with the artist getting the bigger share. They use part of what they make from your show to pay for the credit card fees and the paypal fees they incur for transaction on the site.

They help you get rolling in about 5 to 10 minutes. You build you band profile, add a photo or 2, store links, web site links, they even ask you for your YouTube link. And the great idea to use your YouTube for a quick promo video to help push your shows.

This could be a very powerful tool in between your regular shows to help keep connected to fans.

I had a great time trying it out. All I needed was a webcam hooked up to my computer. No fancy anything. I did put up a background to help the overall look while I was playing.

Over all I think it is a very good site and tool for any performing act.

The only thing i had problems with was getting people to come and watch. That is not the fault of www.stageit.com , more me not being pushy enough through my online networks.

Give it a shot. Let me know what you think and how it has worked for you.

Or have you tried a similar site to www.stageit.com?

Song Up on CD Baby

So I've been thinking about this idea for a while.
I want to help out a local charity of some sort.
Trying hard to think of many ways to go about this, from playing shows, to part of merchandise sales and a tone of other things. One idea I had is in the works, we'll see if it pans out. I went and drafted up a letter and sent it off to a few bigger named artist inviting them out my way to play a show. I have a place that holds 300 and is a ticket master location, So who knows it might happen.

Another thing I had thought about is putting one of my songs out on iTunes and all the other places and have a part of the sales go to the place I have picked.

So here is the idea.
$0.50 of each down load sale of my song "I Want A Change" will be going to YESS from now till the end of 2013.
I want to run this for at least a year and see how it works out.

Now you can get the song right now on CD baby, iTunes, amazon and the others will be coming on line soon I am hoping. But to get things rolling you can hit up the link here http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kevinfrey2

A bit about the song. I wrote the song in 2006 and did a home recording on an old 4 track tape recorder. From there with the very basic tools and toys I moved it onto my computer and did all that fun stuff that I could. I do plan on one day getting it done in studio and with a full band. But for now the idea is to help out YESS in the first and simplest way I can think of.

So I now ask for your help. Pop in there get the song and spread the word. Let me know here that you got the song and I will do a Random Draw each month for a CD with a bunch of my songs on it, Totally custom for you! I may even throw in a bonus personalized thank you ... maybe a song maybe a video ... lets see if we can make this roll!

Cheers!
And Keep on Rockin!
Kevin

My Music

I nearly forgot to say something about this.

In July I signed up on CD baby and set out for digital distribution of my first single.
I have up for sale the song "My Way To You"

So far the sales have been slow, I can't lie. But I have not been pushing it to hard yet. Just a little bit on my personal facebook page to friends and family.

So here it is This song is up on CD Baby, iTunes, Amazonmp3 and a bunch of others that CD Baby deals with for you.

By The way this is the store widget that you can get from CD Baby. You can tinker with it some to make it look the way you want it to.

Twittad

Want to advertise your new album?
You looking for a different way to get the word out?


Why not try an ad on Twitter. You can go to the twittad web site and set up a ad for your music in very little time and get it seen By a lot of people. You can do many things like how long you want to run the ad, how much you want to pay for the ad and get it out in the the world of twitter.

You can click on the banner on the side bar of this blog and soon be on your way to a new area of marketing and advertising your music.

You will be hitting a fast growing social network. Why not give it a try its only a matter of time before every one is doing it. Why not be the First?

CD Baby

Cd baby is a great place to sell your music. They have been around for a good amount of time now and have a large catalogue of music too choose from. If you can think of a type of music they have it and ship right to you or your fans.

The basics of the site is very easy to navigate. For artists or bands looking to sell and track you music they have a package to fit your needs. You pay a small fee to set up a sales page that has all your information and gives you a place to sell you music around the world. They also have a host of other products and services that a band or artist can use.

once you have a page and are up and running they ask for a minimum amount of your CD and hold them to ship out for you. The nice thing is they never get rid of you even if you only sell 1 CD a year.

You can opt into news letters and other great things that they cover.

CD Baby is a well established place for music and I think one of the best places to start selling your music world wide.

I will dig deeper into all the things and benefits of CD Baby a little later.

What do you think of CD Baby? The pros and cons of what they can offer you as a band or artist?