What can I do with CD backlog?The record label that I run has an overstock of our previous releases from when we were more naive about what potential sales could be. I'm finding myself lugging hundreds of CDs from home/"label headquarters" to the next home/HQ. Distributors/press only seem to want newer product thus rendering...
The Future of Music CoalitionArtists have always had a unique relationship with money. On one hand, the lack of it can be what holds them back from realizing their full creative potential. If art doesn't pay the rent, a part-time job becomes a necessity. Before you know it, the part-time job becomes a full-time job, leaving...
Gordon LightfootWhen Gordon Lightfoot sang at Massey Hall in 1952 at age 13, earning a Kiwanis Festival first prize as a result, little did he know that it would be the first of 150 appearances ― and counting. Massey Hall has figured prominently in the careers of many renowned artists, from jazz legend...
How do I go about selling my songs?Over the last few years I've written a number of songs. I don't have the talent to be a performer, but I think that some of my tunes are pretty good. I was wondering how to go about getting my songs to other artists to record, and what sort of compensation would be reasonable to expect ―...
The Evolution of FACTORBeing a musician of any kind is a pretty cool gig. After all, your profession involves being admired, applauded, meeting fans, traveling, and more. No question, there are some fairly great perks of the job, on top of the pure joy of creating. The reality of what happens behind the scenes, however,...
The Rooster"Dove, is this the first time you've ever seen me play the cello?" Don Kerr asks his eldest son, who's sprawled on the floor of his dad's home studio, the Rooster. Engrossed in colouring a cardboard box, the six-year-old nods gently without taking his eyes off his work. In a sense, Dove's the...
Slakah The BeatchildNeatly tucked away in a small, nondescript Scarborough strip mall, Slakah the Beatchild (aka Byram Joseph) is busy making music that is anything but. "I'm a huge believer in making your creative space really connect with you. The vibe is really important to me," says the Juno award-winning producer...
How to Survive Festival SeasonGrowing up as one of two sons, both over 6 feet tall, March meant only one thing: The NCAA basketball tournament, better known as March Madness. Brackets were hung on the fridge, rivalries were proclaimed, and our TVs got quite the workout. Those of us in the music industry in Canada, of course,...
Can I bring a U.S. purchase into Canada without paying duty?I'm going to be playing in the U.S. for a couple of weeks. Can I buy a guitar and bring it into Canada without paying duty? It would probably cost over $1,000. Does it matter if it's new or used, or where it was made? If there is duty, what is the rate? Thanks, Rob Hey Rob,...
How To Spread the WordToday's independent musician can sometimes feel, I'm sure, like they've got to take everything on all by themselves. But as any successful act will tell you, nobody does it on his or her own, and eventually, you need to build a team around you. At a recent industry conference, a young musician...
Breakglass Studios"A lot of people say they really feel comfortable when they're working at Breakglass and that's something we strived to achieve," Jace Lasek explains. "Just to make sure that people are happy and get our full attention. If they need help with arrangements in their songs then yes, I can totally help...
Should bands be printing CDs anymore?Last week, my label got an email saying that our distribution contract is being terminated immediately. When I called, the distributor said that other than a couple of artists, almost every label had been dropped. He told me that there wasn't much need for CDs anymore because most artists sell them...
Brand ManagementEvery musician remembers their first love. Whether it was a sleek and shiny Les Paul, an 88-key weighted Yamaha, or a seven-piece Pearl with a double kick pedal, that first instrument will always be your most memorable. After all, you probably saved up your pennies for months, maybe got a second...
Moka OnlyTo call Moka Only a hard worker would be a serious understatement. Starting with his 1995 debut Upcoast Relix, the former Swollen Member has recorded over 60 albums, including solo efforts, collaborative albums and beat tapes. It all happens in Moka's cramped Vancouver, BC home studio, where...
Trea Jah IsleRecording studios don't have to be sanctuaries of sterile gear, playrooms full of vintage toys or the desk of a bedroom workspace. Toronto's Trea Jah Isle is a throwback to the days of reggae and R&B where records for sale occupied the storefront with a studio in the back, a state of affairs that...
How do I set up a small provincial tour?I was wondering, for those of us in small bands just starting out, what do you think would be the best way for us to go about setting up a small provincial tour? Eric You can book a tour yourself, as long as you understand that booking is a sales job. Venue owners need to know that they can...
Big Picture How To Get In "Sync"These days, the name of the game for artists at all levels is diversification. To stay afloat, musicians, and the people that represent them, need to find sources of revenue from more areas of the industry to help counteract the decrease in album sales. Touring more, a larger focus on merch sales,...
Are there any alternatives to plastic packaging for CDs?I was talking with a fellow recording artist who is now only releasing his music via download to reduce the use of plastic, mostly because there was a large sections of the ocean that are contaminated with plastics. He saw this first hand in Australia and the locals told him shrink-wrapping from...
Legalize It Rdio Streaming Service Breaks ThroughConsumers of music seem to be in two distinct camps: those who want to own the music they listen to, and those who feel like access to music they love would be enough, as long as they can listen to any song, any time, anywhere. For those on the "access" side, finding the right platform is...
Jim CuddyBlue Rodeo's music has always been the perfect marriage of rural romanticism and urban grit, so it's only natural that those feelings are also imbued in the band's recording studio, the Woodshed. Located in the heart of Toronto's bustling Greek enclave, the Danforth, the building that also houses...
HIP-HOP: El-P - Cancer For Cure
The record label that I run has an overstock of our previous releases from when we were more naive about what potential sales could be. I'm finding myself lugging hundreds of CDs from home/"label headquarters" to the next home/HQ. Distributors/press only seem to want newer product thus rendering...
Artists have always had a unique relationship with money. On one hand, the lack of it can be what holds them back from realizing their full creative potential. If art doesn't pay the rent, a part-time job becomes a necessity. Before you know it, the part-time job becomes a full-time job, leaving...
When Gordon Lightfoot sang at Massey Hall in 1952 at age 13, earning a Kiwanis Festival first prize as a result, little did he know that it would be the first of 150 appearances ― and counting. Massey Hall has figured prominently in the careers of many renowned artists, from jazz legend...
Being a musician of any kind is a pretty cool gig. After all, your profession involves being admired, applauded, meeting fans, traveling, and more. No question, there are some fairly great perks of the job, on top of the pure joy of creating. The reality of what happens behind the scenes, however,...
"Dove, is this the first time you've ever seen me play the cello?" Don Kerr asks his eldest son, who's sprawled on the floor of his dad's home studio, the Rooster. Engrossed in colouring a cardboard box, the six-year-old nods gently without taking his eyes off his work. In a sense, Dove's the...
Neatly tucked away in a small, nondescript Scarborough strip mall, Slakah the Beatchild (aka Byram Joseph) is busy making music that is anything but. "I'm a huge believer in making your creative space really connect with you. The vibe is really important to me," says the Juno award-winning producer...
Growing up as one of two sons, both over 6 feet tall, March meant only one thing: The NCAA basketball tournament, better known as March Madness. Brackets were hung on the fridge, rivalries were proclaimed, and our TVs got quite the workout. Those of us in the music industry in Canada, of course,...
Today's independent musician can sometimes feel, I'm sure, like they've got to take everything on all by themselves. But as any successful act will tell you, nobody does it on his or her own, and eventually, you need to build a team around you. At a recent industry conference, a young musician...
"A lot of people say they really feel comfortable when they're working at Breakglass and that's something we strived to achieve," Jace Lasek explains. "Just to make sure that people are happy and get our full attention. If they need help with arrangements in their songs then yes, I can totally help...
Every musician remembers their first love. Whether it was a sleek and shiny Les Paul, an 88-key weighted Yamaha, or a seven-piece Pearl with a double kick pedal, that first instrument will always be your most memorable. After all, you probably saved up your pennies for months, maybe got a second...
To call Moka Only a hard worker would be a serious understatement. Starting with his 1995 debut Upcoast Relix, the former Swollen Member has recorded over 60 albums, including solo efforts, collaborative albums and beat tapes. It all happens in Moka's cramped Vancouver, BC home studio, where...
Recording studios don't have to be sanctuaries of sterile gear, playrooms full of vintage toys or the desk of a bedroom workspace. Toronto's Trea Jah Isle is a throwback to the days of reggae and R&B where records for sale occupied the storefront with a studio in the back, a state of affairs that...
These days, the name of the game for artists at all levels is diversification. To stay afloat, musicians, and the people that represent them, need to find sources of revenue from more areas of the industry to help counteract the decrease in album sales. Touring more, a larger focus on merch sales,...
Consumers of music seem to be in two distinct camps: those who want to own the music they listen to, and those who feel like access to music they love would be enough, as long as they can listen to any song, any time, anywhere. For those on the "access" side, finding the right platform is...
Blue Rodeo's music has always been the perfect marriage of rural romanticism and urban grit, so it's only natural that those feelings are also imbued in the band's recording studio, the Woodshed. Located in the heart of Toronto's bustling Greek enclave, the Danforth, the building that also houses...
