Must-Know Digital Music Resources: Become the Next Generation Musician

Everyone is abuzz about how the future lies in the Internet and new technology, but you have yet to master these powers.  You can barely work your TV remote while your 2-year-old daughter has become a tech-savvy genius with her iPad.  The music industry has also been moving in this direction, keeping up with the rest of the world with a myriad of digital services.  Don’t be stuck in the era of CDs and MP3 players!  We believe in the power of advancing technology to enhance and supplement your music education and aspirations.  Just as you are always eager to improve your bowing skills or sound clarity, in this day and age, being a good musician also means improving your digital prowess.  Below is a list of digital music resources that we have compiled, some of which are pretty popular and some of which you might not have heard of.  Either way, we think you should check them out!

Gobbler

There are so many different ways to store, backup, and transfer your media files.  But that means so many different ways of losing these files too.  Before you know it, you have multiple files on multiple hard drives and multiple computers.  But with Gobbler, all your problems with media file storing and transferring are solved.  It is a way for you to keep all your media files in one secure space that allows you to easily access them wherever there is Internet.  Which is pretty much everywhere.  It can back up projects from any connected device, whether it’s an external drive or thumb drive, share projects of any size to your collaborators, and organizes all your projects no matter where they are stored.  Now you’ll virtually never have to worry about how you’re going to work on your next track, whether you’re on a cruise or at your grandma’s house in North Dakota millions of miles away from your home computer. https://www.gobbler.com/

StageIt

Are you an emerging artist who dreams of one day performing at your own concert?  These wishes come true with StageIt, which is an online venue where you can perform straight from your home or studio to fans everywhere.  All you need is a laptop, a camera, and some fans who are willing to pay $10 or $20 for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a show right on their computers while interacting with you at the same time.  Fans can ask you questions, request songs, or chat with other fans right then and there during the show.  The best part?  You get paid for this with the support of your fans.  With StageIt, it doesn’t take a million dollars to put on a show. http://www.stageit.com/

Bandcamp

As a musician or performer, you can sell your music and merchandise to your fans without giving up any ownership on Bandcamp.  Even though Bandcamp shares in your revenue (15% for music and 10% for merchandise), it gives you priceless features in return, such as audio file conversion, flexible pricing, up-to-date statistics of your music tracks, Facebook promotion, discount codes, and mailing lists.  It’s the one resource you need to distribute and manage your music without any hassle or stress. http://bandcamp.com/

SoundCloud

Maybe you’re in a high school garage band.  Maybe you just like to create mixes to wind down after a long day at the office.  Or maybe you’re really trying to actually make it in the music industry and you don’t even know where to start with getting your music out there.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re an amateur or professional with SoundCloud.  You can post your audio creations on SoundCloud and share them with friends, family, and fans everywhere. https://soundcloud.com/

Sponsr

When we hear the word “sponsorship,” we often think of celebrities or football stars who have sponsors supporting and funding them.  But you’re an emerging artist or you’re the owner of a local venue, and you don’t think there’s any way you can get sponsorship too.  But if you can’t get sponsors, you can’t afford to put on a show, and then you won’t be able to build your fan base.  Sponsr can help you by finding sponsors for you with this easy-to-use online marketplace.  Don’t let your lack of sponsorship stop you from becoming the rock star that you’ve always wanted to be. http://sponsr.com/

ReverbNation

You’ve put your all into making your music, and now you’re ready to sell it.  ReverbNation is an online music distributor that will help you sell your music online by getting your music on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Rhapsody, and Google, just to name a few.  For a minor annual fee, you can distribute your music with major retailers while receiving a variety of services, such as sending an email newsletter to your fans, promoting your music on Facebook, and providing real-time stats. http://www.reverbnation.com/