Go Produce

“Do as much as you can to make the jobs of your team easier and they are going to do the same thing.” - Neal“80% of your time should be spent on solving problems and 20% of them should be allocated towards identifying problems.” - NealWelcome to SZN 5 of Go Produce! I’m your Show Host, Big Lou! Our mission is to be the go-to community for Indie Artists looking to kick off or level up their careers and to empower the creative entrepreneur providing them with all the resources they require to reach and exceed their goals. We seek to have all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion. SmArtist ShoutoutMartin Vish - Singer-songwriter, Cover ArtistShow NotesSmArtists, Neal Ludevig is a producer, curator, environmentalist, artist, and entrepreneur based in Harlem, focused on amplifying socially conscious artist voices. His work has been covered internationally in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, CBS, ABC, TimeOut New York, NPR, and the list goes on. He was named an Emerging Leader by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and he received a Congressional Proclamation for his non-profit work via Harlem Arts Festival.Key Questions I Asked1. What are promoters looking for when booking artists? How would you recommend getting some experience performing if promoters won’t book you? How can artists grab the promoter’s attention?2. What are some self-management tools artists can use?3. What types of red flags should upcoming artists be aware of?Hot Topics1. From STEM to STEAM.2. Selling yourself as an artist.3. The importance of maintaining relationships.4. Negotiating your first gig.My Favourite Quote“We all have the power to move our careers forward.” - NealWe all have decisions to make. The life that we live is a result of the decisions that we’ve made in the past. It will take time to bring forth significant change. It typically takes consistent effort. This effort is something we all have to put in if we want to continue to move forward. Even maintaining your position requires effort. Know that you’ve got the power to put in the effort.Connect with Neal Ludevig:Snarky Elephant ProductionsNeal Ludevig InstagramSupport the show

“When a musician comes on stage they have to give everything, they give their entire soul.” - ‘Sacco’“What we are trying to build is a community for people who play an instrument regardless of whether they want to make it their career or their hobby!” - ‘Sacco’Welcome to SZN 5 of Go Produce! I’m your Show Host, Big Lou! Our mission is to be the go-to community for Indie Artists looking to kick off or level up their careers and to empower the creative entrepreneur providing them with all the resources they require to reach and exceed their goals. We seek to have all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion.SmArtist ShoutoutKevin Chew - Music Enthusiast & Festival GoerShow NotesSmArtists, Emmanuel Saccoccini is from France and has been living in California since 2011. He has co-founded two creative digital studios, one in France and one in Japan and the US. He’s co-created and co-produced many interactive ad campaigns, with awards including an Emmy Award with Arcade Fire with their album "Reflektor" for Google Creative Labs, over 10 Cannes Lions, over 20 FWAs, 9 Webby Awards, and the list goes on. In 2020 he co-founded FUZZ a mobile app to help young musicians discover and match with like-minded peers to start a band.Key Questions I Asked1. What is the background behind Fuzz? How much does it cost? Who is your ideal user?2. What makes a performance memorable?Hot Topics1. Connecting musicians solely to make music.2. Why are so many artists falling through the cracks?3. Options for artists that aren’t often considered.My Favourite Quote“The danger of direct fan monetization is that you may stretch yourself into becoming a brand and lose the focus on the art.” - ‘Sacco’I understand where Sacco is coming from but perhaps that is part of the goal which makes danger the incorrect word. If you are in this to build a business, as I am, then you have to apply branding techniques to your business if you want to be relevant. If your goal is to create art simply to create art then please spend no time on branding because it is a lot of work. It is part of what makes this a business. Connect with Emmanuel Saccoccini:Join FuzzInstagramFacebookSupport the show

“There is only one reason that you should choose the music industry and that’s because you love it.” - Barry Coffing“A better term for organic reach is your artificial limiting is set to 5%.” - Barry CoffingWelcome to SZN 5 of Go Produce! I’m your Show Host, Big Lou! Our mission is to be the go-to community for Indie Artists looking to kick off or level up their careers and to empower the creative entrepreneur providing them with all the resources they require to reach and exceed their goals. We seek to have all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion. Featured SmArtist ShoutoutL. Marquee - Musician, Artist, & EngineerShow NotesSmArtists, Barry Coffing started musicsupervisor.com with his musician and filmmaker friends in a basement bedroom. They used their song catalogues and short movies that needed music. When they needed outside songs, they decided to build a better mousetrap. After asking the right questions they figured out the easiest way to execute this process. 10 years later they’ve grown to 10,000 indie labels, 200,000 tracks, and thousands of placements. With their Springboard Festivals and music conferences, they’re finding the best indie music in the world and they’re bringing it into the marketplace. Key Questions I Asked1. Is the Music Biz in a Great Depression & is a Big Boom Coming?2. Biggest lessons learned from having major publishing, distribution, and record deals?3. What makes a song great?4. What techniques can you use to get your song onto the radio?Hot Topics1. What it’s really like being on the road as a massive artist.2. First steps to take towards building a brand as a new artist.3. What it’s really like being Emmy nominated.4. What numbers does YouTube do?My Favourite Quote“You’d be shocked by how much money you’d save by hiring a professional...you think a pro is expensive? Hire an amateur.” - Barry CoffingThis can be as much of a learning curve as you like. Once you’ve refined your process then consider spending your hard-earned money on a professional. The point here is that for a little extra money, you will have a much smoother experience and you will likely learn a lot more from the experience. At the end of the day, you were more productive with your time, money, and energy. Connect with Barry Coffing:Music SupervisorSupport the show

“If I want to do it, it comes from me. It’s not just going to happen.” - Darryl Hurs“Even when you become big in Canada it doesn’t translate to anywhere else.” - Darryl HursWelcome to SZN 5 of Go Produce! I’m your Show Host, Big Lou! Our mission is to be the go-to community for Indie Artists looking to kick off or level up their careers and to empower the creative entrepreneur providing them with all the resources they require to reach and exceed their goals. We seek to have all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion. SmArtist ShoutoutBrad Beard - Photographer & Music Video DirectorShow NotesSmArtists, Darryl Hurs has a 25+ year history in the music business including launching and running one of Canada’s largest indie music festivals and conferences. He was recently hired as the Director of Market Development for CD Baby CA. Past positions include design and branding/marketing for Live Nation as a freelancer where his projects included a corporate rebrand and logo design, launching VIPNATION.com, work for U2, Nickelback, Madonna, Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Dave Matthews, and was a booker for one of Toronto’s top live music venues known as The Rivoli. Key Questions I Asked1. How would you describe your experience with the various partnerships you’ve had over the years?2. Who were some of the first people on your team? What did you offer them?3. Expand on Indie Week in November, 101 Music Conference in April, Screen x Screen in February, and Music Pro Summit in September. 4. What were some major obstacles that you’ve overcome with your diverse experience?Hot Topics1. What upcoming artists are guilty of and how to fix it.2. Framework for upcoming artists to follow.3. The Best Theory.4. Overcoming self-sabotage for upcoming artists.5. 18-Month Release Plan.6. Sneaky promotional tricks.My Favourite Quote“If you overdeliver then they will come back and continue the relationship.” - Darryl HursI’m not sure how many times I’ve heard how important it is to provide value to others. Give more than you receive. It’s not like this is a hidden secret that only successful people have access to. There are people out there who take advantage of those who give more than they receive. By giving you will learn how to deal with these people. Connect with Darryl Hurs:Indie WeekCD BabySupport the show

“If it was easy everyone would be doing it.” - Kade“The more you prepare the higher your probability of getting hired is.” - KadeWelcome to SZN 5 of Go Produce! I’m your Show Host, Big Lou! Our mission is to be the go-to community for Indie Artists looking to kick off or level up their careers and to empower the creative entrepreneur providing them with all the resources they require to reach and exceed their goals. We seek to have all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion.SmArtist ShoutoutCooper Hughes - A Music Enthusiast!Show NotesSmArtists, Alex Kade is a Musical Artist-Entrepreneur and Electronic Music Producer, currently developing his EDM group "Alex Kade". As a producer, he has remixed and co-written with a plethora of artists. KADE also educates musical artists on how to better market their music, their brand, and themselves using organic social media methods, as well as paid advertising. He's accrued over 51K followers on TikTok and over 3K on IG for his EDM project.Key Questions I Asked1. What have you learned from doing so many collaborations and from playing drums for so many different groups? Did you learn any tough lessons because of your collaborations?2. How can you legally create covers and remixes? Why should upcoming artists and music producers include covers and remixes in their arsenal?3. How did you make $10,000 off a single release? What steps did you take to set yourself up for success?Hot Topics1. What all artists need to know to have a solid foundation for career success.2. Tips on what to do with your merch.3. Pros to being active on Discord.4. Important questions to ask about your branding.5. A VERY creative launch strategy.My Favourite Quote“There are a lot of free things that you can do before investing money.” - KadePlease don’t rush to spend your money. There are so many people out here providing real value to you for FREE. Invest your time find the community that works for you and dive in. Find another and do the same thing. The more time that you can put into this the faster you will grow through your own and shared experiences. Be patient. Do the work. Are you interested or committed to doing this? Let me know here!Connect with Alex Kade:InstagramSupport the show

“A good composer borrows a great composer steals.” - Tom Westin“If you don’t try, nothing will happen.” - Tom WestinWelcome to SZN 5 of Go Produce! I’m your Show Host, Big Lou! Our mission is to be the go-to community for Indie Artists looking to kick off or level up their careers and to empower the creative entrepreneur providing them with all the resources they require to reach and exceed their goals. We seek to have all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion.SmArtist ShoutoutAnastasia - Music Enthusiast and Event Organizer!Show NotesSmArtists, Tom Westin is a co-founding partner, composer, producer, and creative director of the Grayson Music Group. It has become one of the premier music production companies in North America, growing to a staff of 40 in its studio facility in Toronto, with an office in Nashville. Grayson MG handles music and sound for over 400 brand projects a year, has composed and supervised hundreds of series and feature films, plus has countless co-writes with artists. Tom was also a finalist for best score at MASA 2019 and has been part of hundreds of award-winning advertising campaigns from Cannes, The One Show, and LIA. Key Questions I Asked1. How would you summarize your early career in 90 seconds? What would have been beneficial to learn earlier in your career?2. What is the best way to start composing original music?3. How do you record your song ideas? How do you organize them?4. What are common types of song structure and how do you know when to apply each?Hot Topics1. Qualities that successful artists have.2. Getting out of your way as an artist.3. Various layers to brand structure.4. What to do before spending money as an artist.5. Songwriting/production drills.My Favourite Quote“Everyone experiences that ‘flip of the switch’ differently.” - Tom WestinHave you had this moment in your life? Maybe you had a couple of ‘switches’. For some people, it can be a near-death experience. For others, it can be meeting a person that helps them change their lives. I had a series of events that happened back to back that contributed to ‘flipping my switch.’ It’s different for everyone.  Connect with Tom Westin:Grayson Music GroupSupport the show

“If you’re getting into music to earn a quick buck you’re going to learn very quickly that you’re not going to do that.” - Drives“Having a good song is only 10% of this game.” - DrivesWelcome to SZN 5 of Go Produce! I’m your Show Host, Big Lou! Our mission is to be the go-to community for Indie Artists looking to kick off or level up their careers and to empower the creative entrepreneur providing them with all the resources they require to reach and exceed their goals. We seek to have all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion. SmArtist ShoutoutEmilie Scott - One of the most loving and loyal fans a local artist can have!Show NotesSmArtists, Drives The Common Man is a Mi’kmaq (Mig-maw) First Nation singer/songwriter out of Southern Ontario, Canada. One of his most recent releases is called ‘Logged Off’ which I had on repeat for about a week so make sure to check that out. He has experienced virality on social media specifically with his covers and mashups on TikTok. Drives has a long history with music and in this episode, he geared up to share his experience.Key Questions I Asked1. What was the biggest obstacle that you've overcome in your career?2. How often do you work on your craft? 3. How has your experience been as an Indigenous artist? 4. What was it like performing at your most challenging show? What did you learn from it?Hot Topics1. The School of Rock effect.2. Will rock music die?3. What to do when no one cares about your music.4. Finding ways to recharge as an upcoming artist.5. The importance of music industry knowledge.My Favourite Quote“Cuz I don’t want to go out and get a real job.” - DrivesI understand and agree that ‘following your dreams’ isn’t the most typically taken path. Just because following your dreams isn’t what most people do doesn’t mean that it isn’t real. This is very real. I like to tell the people around me that I am no longer following my dreams but I am creating my reality. Connect with Drives The Common Man: Instagram‘Logged Off” Music VideoSupport the show

This episode will cover preparing and crushing your first performance. Before you sign up for your first open mic or before you get on your first bill there are some steps you’re going to want to take. Keep in mind that you don’t have to do any of these. You can just get in front of people and rap over your song but that isn’t a pleasant experience for the crowd. Let’s take the proper steps to make sure you are entertaining.Make sure to like, follow, and share with your artist friends! We want to help you and your artist friends turn your passion into profit. Let us help you. Subscribe now to not miss the next episodes!Prepare a performance track and explain what it is. You don’t want your vocals competing with the track. If your pitch doesn’t match or if your flow is a little off it creates dissonance and the listeners get turned off without even knowing why. This will happen even if your song is good!Design your songs and set them to be optimal for a performance instead of just having a listening experience. This can involve taking out the verses, lowering the volume of your hook, and including ad-libs. Rehearse multiple times before your first performance. Use a mirror or record yourself and then study your moves. Do you like how the hook sounds? Do you need more elements for the performance track? Remember that while performing you will have a greater challenge breathing compared to being in the studio. Practice what you are going to say in between songs. Be intentional. Don’t rap to the ground. Make eye contact. What are you going to wear?Get a lot of rest the night before and make sure that you have eaten and are hydrated. Don’t eat anything an hour before and don’t eat anything too heavy at all beforehand. Chugging water an hour before won’t do the trick. Start 24 hours before. Give your voice a rest if you can. This is your instrument and it needs to be taken care of. There are various exercises that you can do to warm up your vocals in anticipation of a performance.Get there early for any sort of preparations and to introduce yourself to other artists and people at the event beforehand. Do not forget the Sound Person! Befriend people, grow your community, be interesting, be interested, and have fun. This will help build your confidence. Do not leave immediately after your performance. Stay to watch the other artists. Study what they do. Socialize with the guests at the venue and tell them where they can find more of your work. Be enthusiastic about the event. With your first show in the books, it is now time to reflect on the experience and prepare for the next one. With focused effort, you will only continue to improve! Artists, I see a world where all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion. Thank you for being here and contributing to that vision!Support the show

This episode specifically will cover marketing your first release. This can take as much time as you give it. Try and give it as much time as you possibly can because there is typically a positive return on investment. We’ve already created our single and we’ve properly registered and distributed it. If you don’t know how to do that then make sure to check out those videos first. Make sure to like, follow, and share with your artist friends! We want to help you and your artist friends turn your passion into profit. Let us help you. Subscribe now to not miss the next episodes!Show NotesThis episode specifically will cover marketing your first release. This can take as much time as you give it. Try and give it as much time as you possibly can because there is typically a positive return on investment. We’ve already created our single and we’ve properly registered and distributed it. If you don’t know how to do that then make sure to check out those videos first. Revisit your goals. Keep them in mind. Refine them. Make sure it is a challenge.Preparing your artwork. Talk to designers to come up with artwork for your single. I took it a step further and also created a logo. You can pay for these items or you can trade services. Be creative with this always but especially on a low budget. You want your artwork to capture your essence. Communicate subliminally. Figure out a plan around how you are going to achieve the goal you set. Questions that you can ask when building your plan are what does your network look like? What can you do to nurture those relationships? What can you do to grow your network? What or who are you going to reference? Where are my potential listeners hanging out? There are so many more.If you want even more information on music marketing then check out Adam Ivy! He is an absolute wealth of knowledge and is one of the leaders in this space.Once you see the plan you may get overwhelmed. I did. Face yourself. Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you are interested in doing this or if you’re committed. If you’re committed you’re going to do it even when you don’t feel like it. This requires a strong mindset. A strong mindset comes from working on yourself consistently. This is why it is important to know if this is a hobby for you or if you are taking your business to the next level. I have 3 main takeaways I’ve gathered from researching music marketing. They are to be aware of the power of 1, To focus on 1 or 2 social platforms at a time, and to be your genuine self. You haven’t escaped all of the marketing after this but for now, we can begin discussing getting ready for your first show which we will do in the next episode. Artists, I see a world where all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion. Thank you for being here and contributing to that vision!Support the show

The first step is to determine the purpose and goal of this song. This will help you remember why you are doing this work that can be more tedious than creating. If you are not sure how to do this then reach out to me and I can help you! Make sure to like, follow, and share with your artist friends! We want to help you and your artist friends turn your passion into profit. Let us help you. Subscribe now to not miss the next episodes!Show NotesThe first step is to determine the purpose and goal of this song. This will help you remember why you are doing this work that can be more tedious than creating. If you are not sure how to do this then reach out to me and I can help you! We artists, or composers, for that matter, have several options when it comes to working with PROs (performance rights organizations) and we do so that we as writers and publishers can get paid. We have even more options around distribution so let’s dive into it just enough for you to do it properly. Do not rush this. Start 8 weeks early. You’re going to need to wait for the approval. Register for SOCAN as soon as you have your first song ready to go to get it out of the way. One key piece of information that you are going to need here is your IPI# which is pretty much your bank account number for your music.  This is key for collecting money around the world from people playing your music but also for sync licensing. Check out Craig Dodge for more information on that! Determine which distributor you want to go with (DistroKid, CDBaby, etc.). There are so many out there and it deserves a whole video to itself but what you need to know is that you need this if you are serious about your work. You can make an impact with YouTube or Soundcloud or even TikTok but this is the inevitable next step so take it as soon as your first song is ready. I went with DistroKid as I believed that it fit what I needed most. Once you’ve registered your song you can promote it within your communities. If you want your music on YouTube you have to upload it there separately. If you want your music on Spotify then make sure to register for Spotify For Artists as soon as you’ve selected a distributor so that you can build your profile and submit your song for editorial playlists. One critical piece of information that you’re going to need here is your URI code. Without this, you won’t be able to claim your artist profile or submit your music to editorial playlists. With your music now ready to be shared with the world you have to figure out how you are going to present it to them. This is the marketing aspect of this business which we’ll get into in the next episode. Artists, I see a world where all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion. Thank you for being here and contributing to that vision!Support the show

This episode specifically will cover starting the creative process.There are so many ways that artists will find inspiration. I’ve seen various ways in use and neither is better than the next. Make sure to like, follow, and share with your artist friends! We want to help you and your artist friends turn your passion into profit. Let us help you. Subscribe now to not miss the next episodes!Show NotesSome start with an instrument/beat/lyrics. A lot of artists look for beats and one of the most effective places I’ve found is TheCharts.com. Finding a beat before or after the lyrics are written is all part of the creative process. For beginners, I’d recommend writing to a beat. This will help with matching the lyrics to the beat instead of trying to fit lyrics onto something that it shouldn’tI began by finding a beat and writing out what comes to mind and I’ve written out an outline and then found a beat to match. Make sure to get stems and record with a competent engineer. The most fun is jumping into the studio with a crew to do work. Make the beat your own, make adjustments, and make room for your melody and your hook. Be creative.Recording takes time. Don’t worry if you don’t get it on your first attempts. You are going to want to take several takes and then put together what sounds best to you. You must be patient with this. Don’t strive for perfection because that doesn’t exist but make sure that you are happy with the product. I’d recommend recording when you are high energy so that you can bring your everything to the mic. I like to be with the engineer while they mix but I understand that sometimes they prefer to work alone. Remember that you hired them for a reason. I believe that artists should at least have a basic understanding of what the engineer is doing. This will allow you to communicate better what you would like.The creative process doesn’t end once the song is finished. You’re going to have to come up with creative marketing strategies for this, you’re going to have to come up with a performance, and you’re going to have to do some administrative work which we’ll get into in the next episode. Artists, I see a world where all committed Indie Music Artists - and their communities -  profit off of their passion. Thank you for being here and contributing to that vision!Support the show

With another season in the books, it is time to take the next steps. The first is a couple of episodes highlighting some of the best moments from Season 4. After that, we are going to release a 4-part Series called 'Start Your Indie Artist Career' which will help upcoming artists develop themselves by providing them with tips from experienced music industry professionals. Make sure to like, follow, and share with your artist friends! We want to help you and your artist friends turn your passion into profit. Let us help you. Subscribe now to not miss the next episodes!Support the show

With another season in the books, it is time to take the next steps. The first is a couple of episodes highlighting some of the best moments from Season 4. After that, we are going to release a 4-part Series called 'Start Your Indie Artist Career' which will help upcoming artists develop themselves by providing them with tips from experienced music industry professionals. Make sure to like, follow, and share with your artist friends! We want to help you and your artist friends turn your passion into profit. Let us help you. Subscribe now to not miss the next episodes!Support the show

This is Debbie Egel! An attorney with over a decade of experience working with independent labels. She owns and operates a small indie label called E Music Entertainment for indie artists. Debbie has managed legendary and upcoming artists, is knowledgeable of the Economics of Music & the DIY process, has experience finding music, negotiating the purchase of music, writing producer contracts, registering music with the PRO’s, producing music videos, registering copyrights & trademarks, and soliciting radio play. She has also developed marketing and promotion strategies that include social media, merchandising, and PR. She’s even been on the road. Debbie has written an instruction manual called “For the Record” teaching independents working in the industry the basics from beginning a career to putting out music.Episode theme: What’s an Entertainment Lawyer’s OPINION on the best way to protect yourself as an Artist in the Music Industry? We got into topics that every upcoming artist will have as their paths unfold. Contrary to popular belief, Debbie, thinks that it is still smart to get signed by a Major Record Label. She is an attorney with over a decade of experience working with independent labels who owns and operates a small indie label called E Music Entertainment for indie artists. If you are debating whether or not you want to get signed to a label then this episode is for you. Watch HERE.This episode is brought to you by TheCharts.com! If you're a producer or beatmaker looking to build your beat-commerce business in less time, TheCharts.com can help. With an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly interface and built-in marketing tools, TheCharts.com will help you grow your brand, build your fanbase, and scale your income. Sign up for free and start selling your beats and instrumentals today at TheCharts.com.Support the show

These are The Vybe Kingz! Vybe Kingz Entertainment is a Canadian-based, urban-cultural entertainment company founded in 2015 by Delany Odanga and Chad Wickham. Vybe Kingz consists of DELO (DJ/Producer), DJ Wickham (DJ/Producer) & DJ Kul (DJ/Business Advisor). After meeting earlier in 2015, they quickly embarked on several collaborations as DJs, creating a buzz within London, ON. Subsequently, Vybe Kingz was formed as a true testament to their style and vision. Vybe Kingz's mission is to become a leader in urban-cultural entertainment worldwide.Episode theme: How do you maintain the front lines of this turbulent Music Industry as DJs? It is quite obvious to all of us in the Music Industry that it is constantly changing. Hopefully, it continues to change for the better but that has been a grueling process. This pair of DJs share with us their story. Vybe Kingz Entertainment is a Canadian-based, urban-cultural entertainment company founded in 2015 by Delany Odanga and Chad Wickham. They quickly embarked on several collaborations as DJs, creating a buzz within London, ON. If you are looking to grow your DJing business then this episode is for you. Watch HERE.This episode is brought to you by TheCharts.com! If you're a producer or beatmaker looking to build your beat-commerce business in less time, TheCharts.com can help. With an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly interface and built-in marketing tools, TheCharts.com will help you grow your brand, build your fanbase, and scale your income. Sign up for free and start selling your beats and instrumentals today at TheCharts.com.Support the show