| The music and recording industry is overcrowded. | | | | find your sound. Upload your songs and create a play |
| Hundreds of demos make their way into the mail | | | | list to showcase your bands skill. Make this the default |
| rooms of the big recording studios every day. Very | | | | play list and include the media player on your profile |
| few of these demos will ever lead to profitable | | | | page. Everyone who visits your profile page will get |
| recording contracts because the big record company | | | | the opportunity to listen to your latest song and even |
| executives know that they have recording artists over | | | | add it to their own music player play list. You never |
| the barrel. With such a huge surplus of talented | | | | know who will happen across your profile and have |
| musicians yearning for their big break, the big record | | | | the connections to create your door into the music |
| executives are free to pick and choose who they sign | | | | world. |
| and they don't always offer a fair deal to unknown | | | | Rule 4 - Be unique |
| artists. It can quickly turn into a vicious cycle of | | | | MySpace offers a default profile background but why |
| submission and rejection. Luckily, the unknown | | | | would you want to use that? Your band has a unique |
| recording artists does have an edge in getting their | | | | sound. Why would you want the same profile |
| name and music into the public eye. That edge is | | | | background as everyone else? MySpace |
| MySpace. To properly make use of the music | | | | backgrounds are easily altered and changed so |
| promotion abilities of MySpace, there are a few simple | | | | experiment a little. Use tiled pictures of your band in the |
| rules to follow. | | | | background or create an artistic background image |
| Rule 1 - Be social | | | | that is eye catching and conveys a sense of your |
| People love to share their lives. If you are willing to | | | | music. |
| take the time to comment on other peoples profiles | | | | Rule 5 - Be informative |
| and share something besides your music with your | | | | Have you ever talked to someone who seemed to |
| network, you will quickly find that people are more | | | | talk for days without saying anything meaningful? |
| willing to follow your climb up the ladder of successful | | | | Many MySpace profile read in the same way because |
| recording. It is great to promote your next | | | | people forget that this is their face to the online world. |
| performance or offer your CD for sale but don't make | | | | In your MySpace page, don't fall into this trap. Include |
| this the only thing you ever talk about. Be human. Let | | | | information in your profile and status messages about |
| your network become your friends and they will | | | | what your band is doing professionally, upcoming |
| become your fans too. | | | | concerts and CD releases. Use the blog to keep fans |
| Rule 2 - Use lots of pictures | | | | updated on your bands progress and current news |
| A picture is worth a thousand words so make sure | | | | about your band. Don't post status messages about |
| yours tell the story of your recording career in the right | | | | what you had for breakfast, unless, of course, you just |
| light. Do you have pictures of your latest recording | | | | had a breakfast meeting with the president of RCA |
| session or live performance? Make sure to upload | | | | records. |
| them to your profile as soon as possible so your fans | | | | In summary, MySpace is an excellent way to build a |
| see that you are working and haven't went the way | | | | large fan base very quickly, taking you from being an |
| of the dinosaurs. | | | | unknown artist to a beloved musical institution. Using |
| Rule 3 - Use the music player | | | | the abilities of MySpace can help you gain the upper |
| MySpace offers a built in music player with | | | | edge when dealing with recording companies. |
| customizable play lists. Use this feature to help people | | | | |