Your Weekly Guide to Artist and Business Development

One Music Production Tool...

Ever wanted to play your voice like an instrument? Vocoders make it easy. Whether you use presets or create your own chords by MIDI-mapping your voice to a keyboard, there are endless sounds and effects you can generate to embellish your music.

Try it out: Try a demo of Wave’s OVox Vocal ReSynthesis plugin by following the instructions here. Experiment with different settings and have fun! If you like what it can do, it's currently on sale for $34.99 (originally $149).

One Business Idea...

Making records is expensive, even if you’re doing everything yourself. If you’re looking for funding, consider creating a Kickstarter campaign where you offer supporters exclusive merch or vinyl in exchange for funding your next project! By positioning it as a community-driven alternative to pre-saves or pre-orders, you invite fans to help bring your music to life in exchange for something meaningful.

Try it out:

• Film a story-based campaign video that shares your journey, past work, and artistic vision.
• Set a realistic funding goal and plan rewards like handwritten lyrics, signed CDs, and personalized voice memos.
• Research successful campaigns in your niche and reach out to other creators for advice.
• Build hype before launch on socials, and post updates and reminders throughout the campaign.

Pro-tip: Kickstarter works best for larger projects like an EP or album. The goal is not just to raise funds, but to build a community that is engaged and invested in your art. Rewards should feel meaningful and personal, but also realistic, so you can deliver them successfully.

One Performance Quote...

“I think it's healthy for a person to be nervous. It means you care — that you work hard and want to give a great performance. You just have to channel that nervous energy into the show.” — Beyoncé

Try it out: Instead of fighting nerves, treat them like fuel. Let the energy of caring push you to give everything you have. Don't leave any crumbs. Channel every bit of that nervous energy into raw excitement, intensity, and connection. Your audience will feel it!

One Marketing Idea...

Building a community isn’t just about posting frequently. It’s about forming real connections and bridging divides. That can feel intimidating, but the secret is to have fun and invite your listeners into your creative process. Sharing behind-the-scenes content and explaining the stories behind your songs is helpful, but if you want to truly stand out and build a loyal following, you need to think outside the box. One way to do this is by creating new ways for your audience to engage with you.

Try it out: Make a TikTok or Reel telling your audience you want to write a song using only their comments. Ask them to be funny, clever, or heartfelt, and encourage them to interact with each other's suggestions. Let them know you’ll tag all of the contributors and share the creation process. The goal is to showcase your personality and create something together with your audience, even if it's a little silly.

One Songwriting Quote...

“There are some concerns that are universal. Everyone wants to be loved, and everyone wants to feel like they belong somewhere in the world. Everyone wants to do something and feel like they have a sense of purpose. These are just the things that I think about and the things that make their way into my songwriting.” — Tracy Chapman

Try it out: Take a universal feeling like love, belonging, or purpose and spend 10 minutes free-writing about it. Try to leave it as unchanged as possible while adapting it to chords and a melody. The goal is to transform an emotion into something relatable and concrete that listeners can see, hear, and feel.

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