Podcast Episodes
The entire list of podcast episodes of The Internet Musician Podcast can be downloaded here. iTunes does not enable us to keep all of the episodes, so this section of our website is the best place to go to get a past episode. To get a new podcast every time it is released, subscribe to our Podcast.
The Internet Musician Podcast Episodes
- 01 – Podcast Launch and Describing Your Music
- 02 – Music Tools for the Indie Artist/Songwriter
- 03 – Five Things You Must Believe To Go Indie
- 04 – 8 Steps To Create a Music Website
- 05 – How to Choose a Band Name that is Best for Google
- 06 – Music Licensing for Indie Artists
05 - How to Choose the Best Band Name for Google
Show notes:
In Episode 5 of The Internet Musician Podcast, we talk through the first two stages in my 8-step process to create a music website–including how to choose a band name and how to buy a domain name for your band’s website. Towards the end of the episode, we also examine several band names to see how they rank in Google.
The goal of choosing the best band name for Google is to minimize the work you’ll have to do to get your site ranked “above the fold” in the natural search results. Ideally, you want to pick a band name that you can get to the top of google in less than 1 month with minimal effort (i.e. by writing a press release and submitting it to all the free press release sites).
Tools discussed during this episode:
- Firefox SEO Quake plugin (to evaluate competing sites)
- Market Samurai (ultimate keyword research tool)
- Google Adwords Keyword Tool (free keyword research tool)
Yahoo Site Explorer(back link checker)–TAKEN DOWN…now merged with Bing Webmaster Tools- Majestic SEO (back link checker, monthly fee if you are doing competitive research), if you buy Market Samurai, you get g0od backlink checkingfrom Majestic SEO built-in.
- Go Daddy (to buy a domain)
- How to submit press releases to free press release sites/list of sites
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06 - The Internet Musician - Music Licensing for Indie Artists
Show Notes for Episode 6:
Following my recent appearance on the Film and TV Music Licensing Panel at the MidAtlantic Music Conference here in Charlotte, NC, I definitely have music licensing on my mind. It’s always been a passion of mind…one of those areas of music marketing that I’ve researched exhaustively for years. It’s also an area I’ve had some success with–having licensed my funk and roll tracks to shows on MTV, Noggin, Comedy Central, indie films, local short films, and commercials.
As I’m sure you know, music licensing can be a great revenue stream for indie artists…but did you also realize that it’s a great way to get your music heard by a large audience? In fact, it’s one of the only avenues to a mass audience that is still open to indie artists. If you haven’t investigated music licensing, you should definitely check out this episode (6) of the Internet Musician Podcast.
In this episode, I talk about my experience on the Film and TV licensing panel, and I answer some of the most common questions I received from songwriters about getting your music licensed in tv, film, commercials, web video, etc. Things like:
- Does music licensing involve a patent, a copywrite or a legal contract through a lawer, etc.?
- I’ve got some good material which is now recorded, what are the next steps towards monetizing my work with music licensing?
- What are common mistakes that are made by those new to music licensing?
- When pitching mp3′s, do you recommend that they be mastered first?
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Do you know how to get your music in tv shows? Do you know how to build a list of credits? I’m actually developing a class in which I’ll tell you how to do this…and more.
To find out about my music licensing class,
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04 - The Internet Musician - 8 Steps to Create a Music Website
Show Notes for Episode 4:
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As a musician, you need a good website. You know that.
But you really don’t need to spend years trying to understand the technology. You also don’t want to spend tons of time working on your site without knowing if you’re doing things the right way. It can get confusing quickly, and there’s always more to know.
I feel ya. I do. So–I decided to dedicate a podcast episode to give you a crash course on what you need to know about creating a music website.
Check out my blog post on how to create a music website!
Specifically, I provide a description of the 8 stage process you need to complete to create a music website–from choosing (and researching) a band name, through creating a squeeze page, choosing a content channel, and tracking and testing your site’s performance. Basically, this episode describes the entire process of creating a website, and mentions that more detailed information (and tools) are described here on my blog at http://www.theinternetmusician.com/tutorials/create-a-music-website/. Hopefully, you’ll check that out too:
Click here for the complete process on how to create a music website!
Also, I start off the episode with a brief history of the Internet–from it’s beginnings in the defense department through Web 2.0. I describe what you’re paying for with an ISP, and how the web works. Take a listen and let me know which of the stages of the website creation process you’re struggling most with.
Also, make sure you visit my How To Create a Music Website page, where I provide more detailed information.
Find out which tools I use to create a music website!
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03 - The Internet Musician - Five Things You Must Believe To Go Indie
Show notes for Episode #3:
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Also in this episode, I discuss the five things you must believe cultivate your DIY music attitude, including:
1. The business has been lying to you. Major label artists are not getting rich off of record sales. Radio is fake. Don’t belive the lies they’re propogating!
2. Giving up all your musical rights for a bad business deal is the worst thing you can do as a music business person. I walk through Steve Albini’s article where he shows how you can sell tons of records and be broke.
3. You do not need corporate sponsorship (or permission) to secure musical freedom. Ready, fire, aim!
4. The direct-to-fan model is the primary path to success. Work to find your own audience. Connect with them. Find out where they are, what they want…give it to them.
5. You can do more than you think is possible. Don’t fear the massive task list. Learn to delegate to your bandmates, friends, and fans.
Resources discussed in this episode:
- Before the Music Dies (the movie)
- The problem with music by Steve Albini (the article)
- Brian Hartzog’s Indie Artist Manifesto (my manifesto)
- Bob Baker
- Ariel Hyatt
- Tim Sweeney: Guide to Releasing Independent Records
- What is indie? by Dave Cool–Get the movie free here
- Jonathan Coulton
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02 - The Internet Musician - Music Tools for the Indie Artist/Songwriter
Show notes for Episode #2:
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In this episode, I present “Music Tools for the Indie Artist”, a topic that I recently presented to a local songwriting group. Specifically, I present the tools and process I use to capture and preserve those moments of musical inspiration–no matter whether they strike while I’m in the car, working out, or sleeping. I breakdown the process I use to capture both lyric and music inspired ideas. You can’t choose when your muse delivers a moment of inspiration, and you need to be ready when it strikes. I show you how I make sure never to lose a great idea.
In addition, I provide an overview of my controlled environments–that is, places where I can consciously sit down to create, develop, or record a song idea (for example, a writing space, a practice space, a recording space, etc.). I provide an overview of the tools I find helpful and a description of how they all fit together in my songwriting process.
Note: Make sure to check out the slides from this episode–several of them provide graphic descriptions of my process which makes it easier to understand. You can download the slides here:
Slides for Music Tools for the Indie Artist (Right-click and choose Save target as… to download.)
Resources discussed in this episode:
The following tools were mentioned in this episode.
- Microsoft Office (including Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
- Microsoft Access (sold separately)
- Notebook with pen attached–5 subject notebooks or Small notebooks with pen and/or placeholder
- Masterwriter Songwriting Software Use my discount code #6095 for $20 off!!
- Hand-held recorder: Sony ICD-UX512RED Digital Flash Voice Recorder
- GoogleDocs
- Looping program: Acid
- Multitrack program: SONAR or Pro Tools or Logic
- Sound Forge (best when purchased with Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 Production Suite)
- Groove Monkee midi drum beats
- Drums on Demand
- Morning pages tool: 750words.com
- Rhyming Dictionary (Rhymesaurus or Rhymezone.com)
- Mind Mapping: Freemind or Mind Meister
- Figures of Speech: http://rhetoric.byu.edu/
- Character worksheets Example #1, Example #2
- Google wonder wheel
- Google “define” (www.google.com then enter define keyword in the search box where keyword is the phrase you want to define.)
- Chord progressions: http://www.songtrellis.com
- Notation: Finale
- Guitar Tablature: GuitarPro
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01 - The Internet Musician - Podcast Launch and Describing Your Music
Welcome to the first episode of the Internet Musician Podcast!
Show notes for Episode #1:
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The first episode of The Internet Musician Podcast, hosted by indie artist and internet music marketing junkie Brian Hartzog (http://www.brianhartzog.net). In this introductory episode, Brian introduces himself, his indie music credentials and online properties, his passion for internet music promotion, his rampant geekdom, and how he came to launch the podcast.
Also in this episode, Brian states out his main reasons for launching The Internet Musician Podcast, including:
1. Helping indie artists use the power of the internet to reach their music goals.
2. Helping change the music business by giving the indie artist revolution legs.
3. Conducting a social experiment with his own music.
4. Creating my own personal therapy by givinb me an outlet to talk about my internet music marketing obsession.
He also discusses the first step in music marketing (online or off): describing your music. Specifically, Brian discusses the important parts of your unique selling proposition/music description and gives several ways to come up with one that will work for your music.
How you can help:
- Let me know about what issues you’re facing: brian@theinternetmusician.com
- Subscribe to the podcast:

- Share the podcast with your friends and bandmates
- Add your comments in iTunes
Resources discussed in this episode:
- How to subscribe to the podcast: www.theinternetmusician.com/subscribe
- 15secondpitch.com – A site to help you create your USP.
- Brian’s recommendation for a great form-filling tool: Roboform. (A must-have for musicians.) Check out Brian’s Roboform review.