Many of you musicians have probably been to Sonicbids.com.  It is a site where you can create an Electronic Press Kit (EPK), including audio and video clips of your music, a bio with press clippings, your band’s stage setup needs, and your calendar of upcoming gig dates.  The site has different levels and payment options, but the best deal comes to about $100/year.

On the flip side, for no cost at all, venues and contests and radio stations (in other words, talent buyers) can list their needs for hiring bands and acts.  As a musician, you check back on the site every now and then to see what new talent buyers have listed new opportunities.

My experience with the Sonicbids Corporation itself has always been just and fair.  They seem to be a good bunch of people.  If you are going to use this site, however, the one person you have to watch out for is yourself - it is very easy to spend money unwisely.

First, you have to decide what your goals are as a musician and take steps accordingly.  There are a lot of types of gigs on which to bid, and focusing closely on your goals will help. 

If your goal is to be a touring band, then of course you will want to send your EPK to clubs, festivals, and other venues.  Make sure that at least one of the audio samples you provide in your EPK is the best recording of a live performance that you have. Also, make sure it is exactly what your current band sounds like, not a live performance of some other band you used to be in.  If you already have an anchor gig in some other part of the county, use Sonicbids to find other gigs in that same part of the country to pad your tour.

If your goal is to get radio play, don’t send tracks directly to radio stations.  Send your songs to labels that already have tracks being played on the radio.  Do what you can to make your songs stand out. Make sure the songs you submit are your most formulaic and catchy tunes that are less than 3:30 in length.  Radio stations are not in the business of promoting you - they are in the business of selling ads.  If they hear a 5-minute long song, that is 1:30 of ad space that they are losing money on.

There are exceptions to this too, as when submitting your music to a public radio station that does not have to sell ads and where the DJ’s have more creative control of the playlist.  A lot of you already know what I’m talking about.

One thing you will have to get used to is rejection.  It is called the “Music Business” because it is a business.  Successful talent buyers are not the type of people who usually take chances, and most of them do not even know what a ii-V-I progression is.  If you get rejected, it has nothing to do with your artistic merit - It only has to do with the commerciability of your music.

Since you have to pay to get your music in front of the talent buyers, make sure that the monetary payoff of the bid is worth it.  You can spend $50 on a contest for just a prestigious award, or you can spend $15 for a gig that is going to pay you $500.  Make the right decisions for your own situation.  The prestigious award might help you get other gigs, but there are no guarantees.

Keep your EPK filled with your best stuff.  Your press is important, but it really comes down to your music.  Your look and your photos will be weighted heavily too. If you have won the genetic lottery and are good-looking, then flaunt it, even if just subtly with your eyes. Also, get a good stylist and photographer to help you with your image.  It is “show” business after all, and the talent buyers who hire you know it is easier to sell an attractive or interesting-looking musician.

If you have decided that your music career is your life’s plan, we at Y’HEARD! say that Sonicbids is absolutely worth the cost.