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6 Qualities That All Successful Musicians Have

By localbandz, 2015-12-29

The music industry has always been competitive and cutthroat at heart, and these days, income is becoming harder and harder to find. Making a little money playing music on the side isn’t so hard, but in order to turn a passion into a career, you have to want it more than anything else. Though there is a ton of luck involved, many factors can be influenced to put you in a position to launch a musical career. However, it’s important not to have unrealistic standards about how things will be once you're able to quit your “day job.” Here are six qualities that successful musicians possess.

1. They have no other choice

Some professional musicians got where they are today due to the fact that they struggled to get other work, or just weren’t capable of doing anything else. When you have no Plan B to fall back on, Plan A will have to be what works out for you. In an interview I did with violinist Jenny Scheinman earlier this year, she described moving out of the house at age 16 and busking around Santa Cruz to make ends meet. Though this alone will not guarantee you a successful music career, it sure is a good motivator to get started.

The bottom line: Successful musicians are confident and adventurous enough to dive into their music careers headfirst.

2. They're willing to work hard and educate themselves

A professional musician must fill many hats these days. Often within a band, members will split the roles of manager , promoter and booking agent between the group. There are also many solo artists who take on all of these roles or more by themselves. Thus, it’s important to be able to educate yourself on the many different aspects of professional music-making, and to enjoy this process.

Of course, filling these roles results in a lot of work. John Roderick, who acts as the frontman, songwriter and manager for his band The Long Winters , once told me about the 18-20 hour days he would put in while in the process of releasing and promoting a new record. Of course, the payoff is that there is one less person to pay, and he is thus able to make a sustainable income.

The bottom line: If you think that going into music will be an escape from doing “real” work, think again.

3. They don’t mind living modestly

Depending on the path you take in the wide world of music, it’s possible that you may never have a stable income. Even if it is stable, it might take years or even decades before it's large enough for you to have certain luxuries. This doesn’t have to be a source of fear or anxiety as long as you know how to live within your means. Try to create some kind of stable cash flow in order to cover certain expenses such as gas, food or utilities. Teaching lessons or workshops is a great way to do this, if you feel comfortable educating others. That way, you can take a few things off your mind while doing your budgeting and focus more on making rent. In the end, it comes down to the question of living an easy life versus a fulfilling life.

The bottom line: It's okay to dream big, but if the only reason you want to be a musician is because you think it'll get you a large house with a yacht, you'll quickly get weeded out of this business.

4. They have a patient, persistent attitude

This might be the most important out of the entire list. A career does not appear overnight, and especially not one in the arts. Even artists such as Lorde , who seemed to appear in an instant and blow up the charts out of nowhere, had been planning and preparing for that time for years.

Of course, very few people have the good fortune to be signed and developed by Universal at the age of 13. Whatever your musical craft may be, as long as you are making steps to improve every day, you will eventually be one of the best out there . However, it could take years before you're capable of competing against other professional musicians. If you seek out new opportunities persistently, it’s completely possible to find the gig or job that sets you up into a more stable position, especially once more and more of your competition gives up and looks for other work.

The bottom line: Instead of becoming preoccupied with trying to get a "big break," the most successful musicians nowadays focus on growing their careers gradually .

5. They're willing to (and enjoy) working on their craft every day

No matter which aspect of music or the arts you're passionate about, it’s essential to practice your craft every day. By doing this, you will continue to improve while others stagnate, eventually being better than most others at what you do. In a first-year entrance speech that Derek Sivers (founder of CD Baby ) gave to Berklee College of Music’s class of 2010, he recalled the old martial arts saying, "When you are not practicing, someone else is. When you meet them, they will win." In order to not only compete, but succeed in this hyper-competitive musical world, it’s absolutely vital to be on top of your game at all times, and be consistently raising the bar for yourself. And in order to make the most out of it, you have learn to really enjoy the process of improving and practicing as well.

The bottom line: If you don’t want to put in time to practice, you might be better suited as a hobbyist.

6. They're creative at generating income

One of the best things you can do when trying to stay afloat with your music is to find multiple streams of income. A great way to do this is by licensing out your music to be used in television shows, ads and movies. Even beyond that, taking on the management of a more established artist in your area or teaching private lessons/workshops can provide a “day job” alternative that will still grow you as an artist and a person, while also providing you with some really great networking opportunities.

Depending on your location or time of year, it may be very difficult to keep multiple income streams flowing your way. That’s where the creativity comes in. If there aren’t any opportunities to showcase your talent, you have to create the opportunities yourself. Activities such as busking, if done consistently and in a good location, can generate a good amount of money over time. Another alternative would be to try and find a restaurant that you think would sound great with live music, and go to them with the offer to perform weekly, bi-weekly or even monthly. It all adds up in the end, and sooner or later, a little bit of cash here and there can evolve into something spontaneous and beautiful.

The bottom line: Successful musicians don't wait for opportunities to come to them – they seek them out or create them themselves.

Dylan Welsh is a freelance musician and music journalist, based in Seattle, WA. He currently plays in multiple Seattle bands, interns at Mirror Sound Studio, and writes for the Sonicbids blog. Visit his website for more information.

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LocalBandz Updates

By localbandz, 2015-11-25

Server and feature updates!

1. LocalBandz has moved to a new server which should be much faster and more reliable.

2. Flickr support has been added, add your images to your profile from your flickr account.

3. Audio and SoundCloud has been combined to one page instead of seperate pages. To add a new Audio or SoundCloud track, visit your profile Audio page and click the small "+" button, you will then be able to choose to upload a new track or add a SoundCloud track.

4. Video, Vimeo and YouTube has been combined to one page instead of seperate pages. Top add a new Video, Vimeo or YouTube video, visit your profile Video page and click the small "+" button, you will then be able to choose to upload a new Video, Vimeo or YouTube Video.

5. A new feature, Photo Album, has been added to all profile pages. This allows you to create a Photo Album much like a playlist. Just visit a Gallery and hover over the image, then click the small camera button to create/add the photo to a Photo Album.

Thanks!

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Alternative Rock for a New Generation

By localbandz, 2015-11-23

There’s an old saying that goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” and this is especially true for Bypass To Nowhere, Dinosaur Eyelids’ new album. The front cover shows a black-and-white burning dystopia, highlighted by a man in makeshift riot gear. His shield sports the album’s title in graffiti. If you didn’t know them, you’d probably think they were either a hardcore rap group or a Rage Against The Machine tribute band. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, though, as Bypass To Nowhere sounds more like a mix between The Offspring and The Replacements, with a hint of Led Zeppelin and R.E.M. Vocalist Evan Staats brings the twang of Michael Stipe, the grungy rasp of Dexter Holland, and the breathiness of Paul Westerberg. Patrick McKnight’s guitar shredding is reminiscent of Jimmy Page, with some classic blues and Americana thrown in to boot.

Dinosaur Eyelids’ release can rightly be described as rock and roll, as they incorporate almost all types of the landmark genre into their music, from grunge to indie and even some punk. One of their defining traits is making the best use of bassist Scott Staats; while many rock bands relegate the bassist to playing the low end of chord structures, Staats is given free reign as he invents melodies, grooves, and brings a sound that does nothing but add value to the music. “Talkin’ To Me,” the album’s opening track, is a fast-paced assault led by Evan Staats’ melodic vocals and Scott Staats’ crunchy bass soloing. At a little under two minutes long, it introduces Bypass To Nowhere in a whirlwind of punk-influenced noise that leaves you wanting more.

“Vernal Equinox” is one of the band’s stronger songs, mixing Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter” with The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” It combines a visceral, almost tribal drumming, heavily distorted guitar textures, and breaks of overwhelming heaviness juxtaposed by low key bluesy verses. When you think of rock and roll, this track definitely exemplifies it. “Hate And Love” is greatly influenced by grunge, or more specifically, Soundgarden, starting off as a quiet, acoustic song, but quickly building up to a loud, heavy wail punctuated by chaotic guitar solos.

Many groups have claimed to be rock and roll, and while they undoubtedly were, very few can exemplify the scene’s various monumental sounds successfully in one album. This New Brunswick, New Jersey-based band has set the bar high for themselves, but with a raw talent like theirs, blowing away expectations seems like something they’re used to.

In A Word: Rocking

—by Dean Scordilis, May 6, 2015

http://www.theaquarian.com/2015/05/06/dinosaur-eyelids-bypass-to-nowhere/

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Dinosaur Eyelids - LocalBandz Featured Artist

By localbandz, 2015-11-23

Maximum rock and roll for a new generation...we may never be rich but we will always be loud. 100% DIY music from the basements of New Brunswick, NJ.

Dinosaur Eyelids is alternative rock and roll for a new generation. Based in New Brunswick, NJ the 100% DIY band has earned a reputation for incendiary live performances. Their highly-anticipated fourth album "Bypass to Nowhere" was released to critical acclaim and debuted at #1 at WRSU Rutgers Radio. Their third album "Conflagration" was released in 2012 to airplay on 200 radio stations across North America.

They have played over 90 shows throughout the Northeast and are house favorites at The Court Tavern in New Brunswick and John & Peter's in New Hope, PA. Other frequent shows include The Stone Pony (Asbury Park, NJ), North Star (Philadelphia), Fontana's (NYC) and Arlene's Grocery (NYC).

" The LIDS " have opened for Parlor Mob and shared the stage with Dean Ween of Ween. Their debut album "Winter Solstice" was released in 2009. Their second album "Down a River" was released in 2011 to nationwide airplay and critical enthusiasm.

Musical influences range from Soundgarden to Wilco, Ween and The Replacements.

Evan Staats-vocals Scott Staats-bass Patrick McKnight-guitar Mark Leone-drums

Their music is available through Amazon, iTunes and CDBaby. They are on Pandora, Spotify, Bandcamp and Soundcloud.

FAQ: What does your name mean? A: If you close your eyes to reality you hasten your own extinction.

Tracks:

1. https://www.localbandz.com/dinosaur-eyelids/audio/322/world

2. https://www.localbandz.com/dinosaur-eyelids/audio/321/vernal

3. https://www.localbandz.com/dinosaur-eyelids/audio/320/nowhere

4. https://www.localbandz.com/dinosaur-eyelids/audio/319/talkin

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Dinosaur Eyelids - LocalBandz Featured Artist

By localbandz, 2015-11-22