How To Maintain Your Piano Properly

20-Jun-2020 By Leave a Comment

(Via Alex Frank) If you enjoy playing music or listening to others play, owning a piano can be a great privilege. Proper maintenance will help make the instrument last and keep it sounding good for years. On the other hand, neglect could considerably shorten the lifespan of the instrument. How can you keep your piano looking and sounding great? Here are some piano maintenance tips for artists. Let’s explore now!

Choose an ideal location

Pianos are sensitive to extreme temperatures and high humidity. Since it is mainly made from wood, the instrument is highly susceptible to humidity changes. The wood expands and shrinks with fluctuations in humidity. This, in turn, changes the tension on the strings and could make the device go out of tune. In extreme cases of humidity changes, the soundboard can warp. This makes the entire instrument collapse calling for a major rebuilding or even replacement. Keeping the instrument in a controlled environment is necessary. Ensure that you maintain consistent levels of temperature and humidity in the room where you store the device. Humidity can be controlled using a humidifier during winter and a dehumidifier during summer. The ideal temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and the ideal humidity is 42%. Avoid placing the instrument next to high traffic doors, fireplaces, heaters and air conditioning units. Such areas tend to have inconsistent temperature and humidity levels.

Proper storage

When not in use, it is advisable to keep the piano covered. Covering the instrument prevents accumulation of dirt on the keys. Some pianos come complete with a cover. However, if you don’t have a ready-made cover, you can always source one from a local store or online. It is advisable to uncover the piano at times to enhance air circulation. This will help prevent the growth of mold, as this could have detrimental effects. Pianos with ivory keys need some exposure to light to prevent the keys from turning yellow. Ensure that you keep liquids very far from the instrument. Spillages are a leading cause of piano damages. Damages resulting from liquid spillages tend to be irreversible. Abstain from drinking while playing music. You may accidentally spill your drink and ruin your treasured music box!

Proper handling

While in use, a piano should be properly handled. Avoid leaning too heavily on it; this could exert undue pressure on the keys. Do not use the instrument as a shelf by placing too many items on it. Avoid putting books and other stationery on the piano. Don’t allow your pets to climb on the instrument. This could leave some unpleasant claw marks ruining the natural appeal of the device. Pet hair and fur could also adversely affect the device’s sensors and other components. Always ensure that the piano is properly plugged into a power source. Often, many electronics malfunction due to improper plugging and faulty electrical outlets. Musical instruments are no exception. Avoid plugging the device into an overloaded power outlet alongside other gadgets. This could interfere with the overall performance of the piano and also result in its destruction.

Regular cleaning

You may not be able to completely prevent dust from accumulating on the piano. It is, therefore, necessary to clean the instrument regularly. Instead of using water, use a clean, dry cloth. If you happen to use a damp cloth, ensure that the piano is dried immediately. Aerosol cleaners and other cleaners that contain silicone and solvents should not be used. Check the manufacturer’s notes to learn about the acceptable cleaning methods. Always wash and dry your hands before touching the piano. This helps curb transfer of dirt from your hands to the instrument.

Frequent tuning

A piano’s international pitch standard is A-440 cycles per second. The instrument gets out of tune especially when it is not in use. This makes it unpleasant to play and listen to. Regular tuning will help you reap the best sound from the piano. It is recommended to have domestic pianos tuned at least once every six months. Tuning is also recommended right before the instrument is played. Avoid do-it-yourself tuning; instead, get a professional technician to tune the instrument. It takes skill and expertise to restore the device to its proper pitch. Technicians may either use electronic tuning devices or aural techniques.

Identify the right technician

A piano is a lifetime investment. Your objective should be to make it last as long as possible. Regular maintenance by a qualified technician will enhance the life of the instrument. Besides tuning, other necessary maintenance procedures include voicing and regulation. In the case of significant damages, you will need restoration and rebuilding services. A good technician will walk with you all the way.

Conclusion

Above all, as an independent musician, keep playing your piano! This will help keep all the moving parts in good condition. It will also help you identify any problem that may arise at an earlier stage.

Author Bio

I’m Alex Frank who has worked sound technology industry for ten years now. Today, I am an affiliate blogger who likes to educate my audience more about audio technology. Visit Music Instruments Center to find all information about music that you need.

Maintaining some control of your own booking and touring can be made easy for those who choose to hire a manager and those who fly solo through youbloomConnect and/ or sign up here: https://www.youbloom.com/artist-apply/ where you can get partnered to perform with other local artists, build a steady fan-base, and even get your band on the road.

2025 Music Marketing Guide for Indie Artists: From Branding to Bookings

15-Jun-2020 By Leave a Comment

(Post Via SARA HARRISON) You may come up with the best marketing strategy that is fit for your band, but the most important thing is to come up with a brand and something you can do consistently. All efforts you’ve done for your marketing campaign will fail if you don’t follow through with your plans. If you’re in a band and you want to be popular in the music scene, you have to face countless others who want to be just as famous as their stars. Your best bet is to have a good marketing strategy.

Awareness: Who Is Aware of Your Brand Of Music ?

Music isn’t your only tool to be known by your fans. You can also invite people to attend your gigs and review you as a band, so they can spread the word.You can reach out to local bloggers and influencers with free tickets to your gig, or a free EP to give access to your music. Snapchat becoming a widely used service even by popular news sites, which means a lot of users are going to look for you here as well if they are your fans. Facebook is your friend, but you shouldn’t stick to groups and pages. You can use the power of live streaming, sharing commentary and creating the atmosphere of being engaging by always staying up to date with Facebook’s latest trends and using them to engage your fans.

Responsiveness: Are You Communicating With Fans?

Of course, you can’t exactly form a fan base if you’re not appealing to your prospective fans. It’s not always about your music, but how you convey it. You should be a group that people want to follow and check out. You should convey a personality of sorts when you interact with your fans, even in social media. Artists and bands may want to consider how large is their fan base first before releasing their tracks. If you want to make a partnership with labels, your social media numbers maybe your version of credibility for partners and sponsors. One way to do this is by making design contests. You can challenge artists to create
posters or shirt designs for your brand, and print the winner. If you’re reaching out to potential sponsors to support your shows or merchandise, preparing a professional sponsorship letter sample in advance can greatly improve your chances of getting funding or partnerships.

Exposure: Where Do You Bring Your Music?

So you have a band, and you want to be known. You have tracks ready, and you may have been doing gigs of your own as well. However, this shouldn’t count as your overall exposure, as you may need to do something more to fully expose your fans to your music. For instance, you can do unique song covers such as acoustic versions of your favorite non-acoustic songs, or slow versions of fast music. Spotify has grown to be the best alternative option to the radio. It’s one of the only bonafide music platforms to share your playlists to your fans inside and outside Spotify. You can team up with popular podcasters to have your music featured in their episodes, or you and your band can make a podcast as well. This is a handy way to have something to engage your audiences with that is not always your music. Additionally, aiming to play even a small set at one of the biggest music festivals in America can supercharge your visibility. Being listed on major festival lineups not only attracts new fans, but also signals credibility to promoters, sponsors, and the media.

Online Is Not Always the Best

This may seem counterintuitive, but this is something everyone should always remember, your offline presence should be just as strong as your online presence. Help your fans know that you are available in the real world to interact with. You should try establishing a home base where you’re always expected to appear, so fans can go and see you. Discmaker suggests you can go to local fests, events, venues, and bars to do gigs so people can discover your music. This is of course in venues outside your “home base.” Even niche festivals like Seabreeze Jazz Festival 2025 can be a great place to meet a highly engaged audience—especially if your sound aligns with their genre. Don’t overlook these genre-specific opportunities that help you stand out from generic lineups.

You can also try out geo-targeting your audience in emails, newsletters, and Facebook events. This means, with the right guidance, you can attract and focus on potential fans in areas closer to the place you will have events in. If you’re selling tickets for local gigs or small tours, be sure to explore youbloom, one of the cheapest ways to sell tickets online, so you don’t lose profits to high platform fees while keeping access easy for your fans.

If you’re looking for a simpler way to join these networks, check out youbloom Connect and/ or sign up here: https://www.youbloom.com/artist-apply/ where you can get partnered to perform with other local artists, build a steady fan-base, and even get your band on the road.

The AuthorSARA HARRISON
Sara is a music enthusiast who loves to play guitar and the piano. She has alarge selection of music CDs with Rock and Blues being her favourite. In her spare time, she’s studying to be a music teacher and enjoys visiting music festivals. She currently writes for Undercover.net.au and enjoys life.

Looking Ahead: 5 Tips For Playing Successful Shows

15-Jun-2020 By Leave a Comment

While we look ahead in optimism and hope that playing live shows is going to a possibility soon ( really soon), here’s us with a friendly reminder: when you’re trying to establish yourself as an artist in the local scene, your goal should not simply be to put a show together, but to put together a successful show. The difference is enormous.Imagine you just moved to a new town. No friends or musician pals, let alone connections with the local music scene. What do you do? The easy answer would be: get a band together and start playing successful shows , but that is not always the fastest track to local success.

Post Via Luca

Back To The Ocean Performing at Youbloom Festival

Here’s a few tips of how to make that happen.

1. Know your Target

As an artist, you should be crystal clear about what your skill set, goal and target is. An emerging artist should not count booking a show an end goal in itself. The details are what matters the most: who is coming to catch your band play? Are you going to be performing for a near-empty room, with only your roommate and parents there to watch? If you’re a rock ‘n’ roller, on the other hand, your natural habitat should be the DIY scene. Do your research. Who are the best local bands that gravitate towards your sound? Where do they usually play? Are they playing successful shows? Where do they go for a pint?

2. Be a Fan

Once you’ve gathered your data, take action. Go see their shows, follow them on social media, see what they’re up to and what their strategy is. Artists should learn from each others’ success as well as mistakes.

Back To The Ocean Playing successful shows at youbloom festival — If you’re a songwriter and producer you may wanna play acoustic rounds and hang out where the local songwriters are, rather than at a dive bar populated by rock bands.

3. Don’t be a Stranger

Most importantly, befriend these fellow rockers. Approach them after their show, buy them a beer and make friends. If you’re the shy type who likes to stand in the back and just enjoy the show, get another member of your band to be the social one. Or, fight yourself and make an effort to exchange a few words and perhaps a little booze with them. Whether you’re a hit writer or an indie rocker, you never know where meeting new people may lead you. You might end up co-writing a number 1 hit on a chill afternoon session with a writer you met randomly at a show. Or, you might end up headlining a national tour with a small-time band that broke through – and all because you had the guts to go talk to them after a set at your local dive.

Don’t be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone, because that is what’s going to change your perspective on things and ultimately lead you to a more efficient strategy for your career.

4. Offer Up your Skills

Take time out of your own life to make friends with those acts that already establish themselves in the local scene. Ask if they would like you to open for them. That way you will most likely play to a room full of people who are probably into music or musicians themselves.

5. Schmooze

Back To The Ocean and Anna Christie perform at the youbloom Festival

By opening for your new-found friends, you’ll be making a name for yourself as a new band around town, and you’ll be gaining their fans in the process. Throw a nice after-party after the show where you can properly hang out with your new fans and you’ll have a recipe for success.

Networking and making friends is crucial and takes a lot of work and dedication. If you’re looking for a simpler way to join these networks, check out youbloom Connect and/ or sign up here: https://www.youbloom.com/artist-apply/ where you can get partnered to perform with other local artists, build a steady fan-base, and even get your band on the road. Whether you reach out, or decide to do it alone, do yourself a favor: get out more and meet like-minded people. Many of them might not be your next musical partner in crime, but the worst that’ll happen is you’ll have more friends.

If you liked reading this blog, here’ a similar one on digital marketing tips for musicians and bands.

About the author:

Luca a freelance writer, blogger, musician and songwriter. Born andraised in Italy, his passion for Rock n Roll made him move to London where he lived for one year and gained a certificate in Songwriting from ICMP.Luca relocated in NYC in 2014 to pursue jazz music and liberal arts at theThe New School from which he graduated in December 2017. Luca currently reside in Nashville, TN

Making Money Online From Your Music

11-Jun-2020 By Leave a Comment

Zac Green shares with you some practical tips for making money online from your music. The stereotype of ordinary musicians being constantly broke is still floating around. This by itself is bad enough, but what’s worse is how much it discourages young musicians from fully pursuing their creative dreams.The truth is that not only is it possible to make money from music, but the technology we have now means that making money online from your music is so much easier than it ever has been in the past.

Licensing

Creating music for use in soundtracks is a great way to turn instrumentals and music that doesn’t fit your usual genre into an extra source of income. Indie music licensing is growing more and more as film, tv and commercial producers are looking further afield.

Tutorials

If you’ve been spending years or even decades mastering your instrument, why not show others how to get to where you are now? All you need is a good quality camera and a microphone, which you may already have. Both are relatively inexpensive. Plus, with ad revenue from sites such as Youtube.com they can quickly pay for themselves.

Ghostwriting

Much like being in a supermarket, music can be a ‘cash or credit’ situation. You can either take credit for your work, or take cash. Once you’ve developed a bit of a following you can take both, but it’s nice to know you can start getting paid very quickly by writing music for others to perform. This is incredibly common in the music industry, and many of the biggest music stars actively use ghostwriters.

Mastering

Finding somebody who can master a track or even an entire album is easier than ever thanks to websites such as Fiverr and other platforms that allow people with different skill sets to collaborate. By mastering music for a fee, you can make a very healthy income and build a formidable skill set at the same time.

Digital Sales

This can either be through your own website, or through a third-party such as iTunes. Be aware that third party retailers will take a commission of the total price, which can be quite high.To get the most exposure, make sure you gather a few favourable reviews from friends, family and anybody else you can persuade. This will dramatically increase your chances of selling online to people who may have never heard of you before.

High quality artwork

I know, I know. You’re a musician so why should you care about how the album looks? However, you’re missing a great opportunity to show off your band’s aesthetic with a visual representation as well as having a bit of fun. High quality, interesting artwork is also much more likely to catch somebody’s eye as they flick through all of the music available to them – so it translates to more sales and downloads too.

Crowdfunding

You don’t have to work 8 hours a day at a job you don’t want just to fund your music, nor do you have to persuade a record company. Instead, take your music public from day one and encourage others to chip in to help take it from a concept to a polished album or single. Online crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter or Gofundme are excellent for this.

Podcasting

Doing guest appearances on internet radio shows and podcasts is a great way to boost your profile. Just like a normal radio show, being part of an interview or doing a live performance is a great way to reach a massive audience without having the hassle of building one from scratch. Be sure to let the listeners know where they can find your music online for download or streaming.

Micro-producing

Instead of creating whole tracks, create tiny snippets of music. This can be in the form of loops, sound effects and samples. Developing new content for other music producers is much more exciting now thanks to user-to-user online marketplaces being supported by DAW developers. You can get in on the action in tons of different ways. Everything from programming brand new VSTs to making presets.

By now you should be feeling much more confident about having a career in the music industry. Whoever told you that you can’t make money online from your music was wrong.

youbloom is a platform that helps you as an artist to grow, sign up here and find out more: https://www.youbloom.com/artist-apply/

If you enjoy this blog about music and want to know more about youbloomConnect be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Zac Green is chief editor of popular music blog ZingInstruments.com. He believes that music isn’t just a thing you do – it’s a mindset, an attitude, a way of life.

Beginner Drummer? First, Choose The Right Drums

08-Jun-2020 By Leave a Comment

As a beginner drummer, not only do you give the lesson provider a problem but also the drum set you will be working with. The former is not really something which should bother you because availing drum lessons in anywhere in the world is not that difficult given that a lot of establishments offer this service within the area. As for the latter, buying the right drums could indeed be both a confusing and exciting moment for a newbie drummer. Darren Perkins is a drummer and the owner of Red Drum Music Studio. A studio that teaches drum lessons to the people of Melbourne, Australia. He shares his knowledge and expertise through teaching and writing articles.

Although drum teachers or tutors usually provide a drum set within their facilities wherein they teach newbies, many still prefer buying their own drum set so that they can practice at home. If you prefer to have a set of your own, it is highly suggested that you invest time and effort in researching various drums that can satisfy the needs of a beginner while taking into consideration the price, features, and suggestions of your drum lesson provider. Drum teachers can help you in choosing the right drum set because they can basically give pointers on what a beginner should look for when buying your first drum set.

Before getting into detail as to which to choose, it would be best to be knowledgeable of the basic components of a drum set. It is composed of the bass drum, snare drum, and toms. For more sophisticated ones, it may include cymbals and hardware. Since there are a lot of possible configurations for a drum set, you should narrow it down to the configuration which fits a beginner. For newbies, the basic 4-piece drum set, if recommended. It includes a snare drum, a bass drum, a floor tom, and a mounted tom. These four components can provide for all the basic sounds needed. Aside from this, a 4-piece set only requires minimal space, portable, and highly affordable. All of these without compromising the sound produced for this basic set works well with either jazz or rock styles.

The tricky part in choosing the right drums for you is when you assemble seemingly different pieces into your own set. This includes the hardware like the stand and pedals making the drum set more complicated and more sophisticated. However, the hardware should not be confused with mere holders for toms. Choosing your drum hardware can be challenging but is made less complicated by the fact that it can come in “shell packs.” This pack is composed of a hi-hat stand, a bass drum pedal and stand for the snare drum. Some packs include two cymbal stands. Buyers should be wary on whether or not the drum set being bought includes a hardware pack already so there will be no need for additional expense for a shell pack. It might be hard to believe but most of the drum sets do not include the sticks. You generally separately buy it.

There is a wide range of drum sets you can choose from but you can narrow it down based on either the components or the needs you have to meet (the genre of songs you need to cover or play). However, you should not be discouraged. Shops or drum lesson teachers can be of great help in choosing the perfect drum kits which not only give off a good sound but also match your current capability as a drummer and of course your budget.

youbloom is a platform that helps you as an artist to grow, sign up here and find out more: https://www.youbloom.com/artist-apply/

If you enjoy this blog about music and want to know more about youbloomConnect be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.