House Of Style Productions

marc grant, david hamilton, and holly starr
presents

Intro to Chapter 2

Promoting the YOU
"Making It"
Knowledge, Wisdom, and Guidance 
by
David Hamilton

" From The Top" cont. with Mary Smedes Pike of www.SDmusicmatters.com
________________________________________________________________

So there you are thinking of how you can stir up some achievement in San Diego, meet Mary Smedes Pike of www.SDMusicMatters.com   ! Here is what she offers with her company.....

1. Can you tell people what you do for local musicians and people trying to get into the Entertainment Industry ?

SDMusicMatters.com is a San Diego-based website and magazine that  promotes local music and culture in the SD area.  The website offers free promotion to local bands by listing the bands along with bios, mp3's, live and studio photos, live footage, and video interviews.  The website also promotes local culture including artists, shops and vendors, designers,  surf & skate, local events, and alternative culture.  The website was designed as a resource for the San Diego community as well as others to learn about what's going on in our local music scene and beyond. SDMusicMatters Magazine is a free bi-monthly, full color, glossy mag that continues the theme of promoting local music and culture, but goes into more depth in full-length articles and features.

1. Can you give some advice to local musicians, bands, and up and coming artists ?

My advice to up and coming artists:

1. Before your band even calls itself a band, make sure all its members
have a common goal and are as committed to it as you are.  Bands that
only have one member who is serious about the band's future never stay
together.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice.  Don't start booking dates and playing
shows until you're truly ready.  Although you may be anxious to dive
into the music scene the minute you form a band, it's worth it to hold
off and get prepared.  This will make getting your name out much easier
once you start playing, because you won't have to work as hard to
convince fans with your live performance.

3. Indulge in shameless self-promotion. 
The more people hear or see your name, the better. Many times,
 music fans will feel the hypothetical "buzz" surrounding an up and
coming artist even if they've never heard their music, and this will
 spark their interest and get the word spreading.  And if you act
confident that your band is the greatest thing since sliced bread,
chances are others will believe you.

4. Get to know and get involved with your local scene.  Meet as many
people as you can in the music scene, these may include other band
members, the staff at music venues, radio and TV personalities, and the
staff of local publications, and don't discriminate.  Just because
another band plays a type of music that's unappealing to you doesn't
mean you shouldn't associate with them.  By not being open to all types
of music and people, you isolate and corner yourself and therefore
limit your opportunities.  Most importantly, form positive and lasting
relationships with these people, and don't burn your bridges.

5.  Finally, don't be a band with an attitude problem.  Be humble, and
accept your criticisms as well as your compliments.  Treat others with
respect and you will be treated with respect.  If you have a bad
attitude or are difficult, word will get around that your band is hard
to work with, and people in turn will not want to work with you.  Doors
will be shut and opportunities lost.

Mary Smedes Pike
mary@sdmusicmatters.com
4901 Morena Blvd, Ste 211
San Diego, CA 92117
858.490.1620

So there you have it from the TOP in San Diego. If you are not from San Diego and you are a musician in a band, you may want to search on line for a service someone in your city offers. More information in this book will follow as to a few ways you can find them. Now you are starting to get a better picture of where the next chapter will take you. Remember, keeping the doors open and the opportunities alive all starts with you, how you build your artistic ability, and how you promote that ability in positive growth. As you can see, it only gets better in the next chapter !
 

Chapter 2..... Promoting YOU ------ >
 
 

Special thanks to SDMusicMatters.com for helping us educate the up and coming artists