FiV Music Business Services is founded and run by me, Hubert Sawyers III. I am a Digital Media Enthusiast, who after many forays into Music Making, Music Production and Music Marketing found a need for an objective long-term Music Industry Marketing resource. Whether you are a new artist, an up-and-coming producer or you've been around for years and are adjusting to the new ways that music-heads find artists, I would like to help you manage your music business affairs better.
When taking the plunge into the sinkhole that is Internet, it will get overwhelming if you are not properly equipped. You need a map, a flashlight and possibly a hard hat.
This does not mean there is not an easier way to deal with the inevitable evil that is marketing your music online. You just need to learn how to simplify things, so without further ado, let’s get to the advice you came to get.
If you plan to have a music career, then you need to consider this simple content strategy for musicians when approaching your craft. Now depending on where you are in your creative process, you may be able to skip a few stages.
Note: this is more of a plan than an actual strategy. Going through these stages though will help you plot a proper strategy when it comes time to marketing the music and supplementary content that you make because of it. Read the rest of this entry »
The 2010 Movement festival has come and gone. For most of us, it was a whirlwind of a weekend. I am still recovering from the two days I went downtown to partake. There were highs (Martinez Brothers (thanks K!) and Kraak & Smaak) and there were lows (Hudson Mohawke’s no-show and not being able to see Plastikman). All in all, it was a solid job by the event production crew that is Paxahau. I tip my hat to them.
As some of you may have read my open letter to Paxahau, you may find the last sentence a bit interesting. Since posting the letter, I have had some compelling discussions and received a lot of constructive feedback from many in Detroit’s electronic community at home and abroad. It has always been my position that Paxahau is the preeminent leader in the community from whence they emerged. With that leadership, I feel they have a certain responsibility to its community. As an admitted outsider, it would seem that Paxahau has not been very active as community leaders, but after talking to some insiders, I am of the understanding that they do plenty. Problem is, it is not helping them if only a few people are aware of their positive work beyond the festival.
I have some ideas on how they can patch this hole. Imagine, if you will, as if I were responsible for handling Paxahau’s communication efforts. For the moment, consider me the Chief Communications Officer, CCO or Director of Communications at Paxahau. My initiatives as CCO are going to address the following issues:
Misinformed / misdirected troll fire
Lack of genuine local community support
An under-educated community on the Paxahau brand
By acknowledging these issues, as CCO, it is clear that we need to take control of the Paxahau brand message, as well as build up stronger organic word-of-mouth for future Paxahau events.
Before I lay out my tactics, check out this video:
The world may make fun of Vanilla Ice, but he was ahead of his time with the epic first line of his biggest hit “Ice Ice Baby.” In true academic fashion though, a deeper analysis of this statement may show that the phrasing is arranged in the wrong order, at least it may not be the most effective method to getting things accomplished. Before one can really collaborate, you must be open to listening first. How else could one really produce a collaborative work otherwise? The likelihood that the work will be anything of merit is not very high.
One of the goals for Detroit CYDI (the hip hop group that I manage) this year is to do get involved in more collaborative projects. While for the average music artist, collaboration would just mean working another musician or vocalist. As their manager, I will be looking to help them with that, along with seeking opportunities with visual artists, lifestyle brands and other parties that would prove to be mutually beneficial.
It is always best to listen first before going to work.
The lovely backdrop on this site was provided by graphic designer Andrea Williams of &rea Designs of Detroit, MI. She is accepting inquiries, including music-related work.
The world may make fun of 
