When you discover your passion there is nothing that can stop you. You have the music inside and we want to show you how to release an album independently using Placeit’s album cover maker and how to engage with your community to succeed.
“Music is the universal language of mankind.” – HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW
3 Ways to Raise Money to Create an Album
So you have the lyrics ready and the beats, but no money. We get it! The good thing about technology is that you can reach people that believe in new projects or join forces with other talents in your same situation and not only create emerging projects but also promote your music while raising money. In order to receive you have to give as well.
Use Crowdfunding Platforms
Pledge Music
Pledge Music is a marketplace and a community for artists. They want you to stay connected with your fans letting them follow the process of your projects. You can use this platform to deliver exclusive content, like new albums or other items. They have more than 50,000 artists using their platform and take a flat 15% fee for items sold which covers the costs of hosting and support. They only get paid if you reach your goal.
Indiegogo!
You can use the platform for crowdfunding or as a marketplace. They want their community to discover innovative products before they are even on sale, so they can support the idea and then receive the final product. They have a music category. What I like about this platform is that it makes it very easy to understand the project and make the donation. Consider making a video explaining why you are doing this project and the rewards you’ll give according to the number of people’s donations.
Patreon
This platform bases their funding model on a “patron style” where your fans acquire a monthly paid membership. Basically, they are paying you to work on what you love but you must give them exclusive content in exchange.
With the Social Media Image Maker create your graphics to spread the word through your social media networks.
Grants and Sponsorships You Can Apply To
There are some brands that like to sponsor music projects, here are some you could contact and pitch your project.
Red Bull loves to give wings to creative people, so you must take into consideration they’ll be part of your event in case of an approval.
NewMusicUSA has awards that can range between $250 and $15,000. Their online system will close at 5 pm Eastern Time on January 30, 2020. So start working on the information they need from you. Check out the guideline to apply and make sure you write down your project properly.
If you don’t know how to create a proper project proposal here is a guideline.
Team up with Other Bands on Gigs
You can team up with other similar bands to throw a gig and raise money. The good news is that both will win a new group of fans and you’ll be able to split expenses. So you will definitely need a poster and some flyers to pass them around. Look at these examples, you’ll love them!
We Have a Great Album Cover Maker for You!
Hiring a designer may sometimes be complicated, but we have the perfect tool for you. Why not design your album cover yourself? Placeit has many templates with different styles like:
– Romantic
– Progressive Rock
– Heavy Metal
– New Wave
– Hip Hop and many others
Choose the perfect cover according to your concept. If you’re asking yourself how can you translate your idea into graphics, well, keep in mind that this is a very subjective matter since it’s your own proposal. Stay true to your own feeling, emotion or statement, you’re very likely to find an image that will match your style.
How to Get Your Music out There
Try Music Aggregators
You may want to print your CD or Vinyl, but until you get a bigger budget, consider the best digital music aggregators. If you decide to upload your music on your own you may avoid extra fees, but think about the time invested in understanding the different platforms. You should focus more on creating and leaving the material ready for uploading or staying in touch with your fans. Here are our top picks:
Tunecore
Is a digital music aggregator that sends your music to stores and then you get paid. They charge $9.99 per single and $29.99 per album, but you can keep 100% of your sales revenue and copyright.
Altafonte
Here you can find digital or physical options to distribute your music. On digital, they create marketing strategies to improve your positioning and increase your visibility. They can also create strategies for your social networks such as sponsored ads. They have 10 offices in América, one of them is international.
Make Your Own Website
You don’t have to start from scratch, you can try out e-Commerce platforms or design your own website. We have 2 options for you and the perfect tool to share the news of your launching page on your social networks.
Shopify
Shopify is an e-Commerce platform where you can select free themes or buy a specialized one according to your industry. You’ll have to do a monthly payment but will get 14 days of trial. They have 3 different plans, you could start with the 1st one and see how things work out.
Themeforest
Themeforest specialises in different themes for websites. This way you don’t start from zero. You can hire a web designer and buy a theme. You will need updates and technical support. Check out this template as an example. Consider buying a hosting plan and a domain name.
“Music has infinite power to reach the gap between the heart and the soul to create infinite and ineffable joy.” – DEBASISH MRIDHA
How to Build a Supportive Community
The best way to succeed is through united fans that will create a faithful community devoted to your band. They will stay with you through important moments and probably be evangelists of your music. It would be wise to share with them the impact your music has had on your life, but also get to know how your music impacts them. This will help you connect with them in a more profound way.
Communicate a Clear Message of Your Project
The music industry, like any other one, is business. So you must not forget this and be able to represent your band in these matters as well. You need to come up with a clear speech about your project, or an elevator pitch. This way, you’ll be ready and confident to present it to anyone interested in supporting you.
Be in Touch Through Your Social Networks
The best way to keep in touch with your fans is through your social networks. These offer endless possibilities, think about live streaming a gig, hosting a live Q&A session, or presenting your newest single. You can also create merchandising with Placeit’s Design Templates so your fan community can show off their love by buying your merch, you can create great mockups using models or images that speak more directly to your fans, and you can even get ideas from them to create cool merch. Here is an idea of what you can do with your graphics posts:
Let Music Lead the Way
Any project takes time, developing it is the longest stage before success. So make sure to have the right people around you and the correct tools to succeed, but most importantly, enjoy the moment and … break a leg!
