Finally, A Visual Thesaurus For Visual People
By Nick Daugherty | January 18, 2008
I always liked the idea of a thesaurus but when I’m actually trying to write something, somehow I don’t find most of them the least bit helpful. But here’s an online tool I just love:
Visual Thesaurus by Thinkmap, Inc. generates visual trees of related keywords, sort of like a mind map. You type in a term and rich word trees spring up. Then you can click on the next word and the next word and the tree continues to morph.
I just finished a new song and I think I used it six or seven times to find just the perfect word.
There’s a free demo and a yearly membership is a paltry $20. Give it a whirl.
Use This to Make a Living With Your Music
By Bob Baker | January 7, 2008
Reprinted from Bob Baker’s Indie Music Promotion Blog
Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Go directly to the blog entry Seth Godin posted today: Music lessons. He lists 15 “things you can learn from the music business (as it falls apart).”
If you’ve been feeling confused or off balance by all the shifts taking place in the music industry, read ALL of this for a fresh perspective.
Here’s one of my favorite parts, #4 (see my comments below):
Permission is the asset of the future
For generations, businesses had no idea who their end users were. No ability to reach through the record store and figure out who was buying that Rolling Stones album, no way to know who bought this book or that vase.
How to Present Your Demo: 10 Biggest Mistakes Artists Make and How to Avoid Them
By John Braheny | October 29, 2007
Your demo will introduce you to the eyes and ears of many music industry professionals. Take this introduction very seriously — it’s your job interview.
Here is a short checklist that summarizes the biggest mistakes I see new artists make all the time. Avoiding these will maximize your chances of getting heard and respect the demo listener’s time.
A&R 101 - Getting a record Deal
By John Braheny | October 26, 2007
I often get asked about “how to get a record deal,” and while my answer has changed substantially in the past two years, it’s still crucial to understand the basics — starting with A&R.
