Gig Boss
Learn how to develop a thriving career in music. Host Adam Meckler talks with artists about how they've built their careers, and music industry professionals about strategies for navigating a music career in the digital age. Streaming, social platforms, sync licensing, art music, functional music, touring, freelancing...Meckler draws on his extensive career as a bandleader and freelancer to bring you tips for growing your fan base, prepping for the gig, booking a tour, and lots more.
Episodes
A new social media trend has created a war. The recent popularity of the Lensa app, an app that uses artificial intelligence to create badass images of you, has caused quite the stir in the music and art communities. By embracing this new technology, are we beginning a slide down a slippery slope? Could A.I. take the jobs of musicians and artists in the near future?
In this episode, Adam discusses the good and bad of A.I., focusing ...
Mike Malone tells host Adam Meckler how he went from zero to more than 5,000 subscribers on Youtube. He details his workflow, and zeroes in on how to create a routine for content creation that is sustainable and repeatable.
Mike's work as a gigging drummer and bandleader is extensive. Adam and Mike discuss when to take a booking percentage, potential consequences for not contracting your next gig, charging the right amount and a...
How badly has Spotify Wrapped warped your perspective of where you are as an artist? Adam talks the good, bad, and ugly of streaming services (focusing on Spotify), how he interprets and uses his Spotify Wrapped numbers, and whether or not A.I. will be the death of artists being able to build something on streaming.
Stuff I Talked About:
New Supercell album: https://ffm.to/supercell
Chart Metric: https://chartmetric.com
LA Buckner is a drummer and producer from North Minneapolis. His band Big Homie went #1 on iTunes, and LA is one of the faces of the hit YouTube series PBS Sound Field, which just renewed for another six episodes. LA discusses how chooses what gigs to play and why, what he's working on in his home studio, his philosophy on music making and a bunch more.
Listen to Big Homie: https://open.spotify.com/album/6zu5JFRl9YgXZ9eYew7IN5?s...
Imagine getting the chance to play with Ray Charles, and then the first thing he says about your playing is "3rd trombone too Godamn loud!" -- Despite Mike's "confident" bone playing on his first gig with Ray, his time in Ray's band lasted two years, and included playing trombone AND bass. Mike then spent more than 20 years in NYC playing on Broadway and playing for legendary Jazz artists like Fred Hirsch, M...
Host Adam Meckler discusses the 9 characteristics generally embodied by a successful side musician. You wondering why you're not getting more calls to go on tours? Why you're not getting called back after you're in the circle? These 9 tips will help!
Download Gig Boss app: https://linktr.ee/gigboss
Join the Gig Boss Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gigboss
Bumper Music: Sunshine is Out by Adam Meckler https:...
Use the material you already have to make more art, and make more money! Adam discusses 10 ways to repurpose your music, most of which he has done himself. Repurposing music can help keep you productive, help keep you motivated, make you more money, and open up opportunities for collaboration!
Download Gig Boss app: https://linktr.ee/gigboss
Join the Gig Boss Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gigboss
Erik Jacobson has kept is band Mama Digdown's Brass Band together for 30 years. 30 years! Adam talks with Erik about how he formed the band, his experiences playing in New Orleans, and strategies for keeping his band together for decades. Erik is also the "King of the Side-Hustle" with an ebay businesses selling clothes he finds at thrift stores, and a BBQ business catering for parties around the Twin Cities. Erik discu...
Adam talks with keyboard p[ayer and arranger Adi Yeshaya about working with Whitney Houston. Prince, and arranging for The Voice. They discuss how Adi established himself on the scene, and his long journey from starting his own big band and teaching private lessons, to arranging for, and touring with Whitney Houston, and teaching at Berklee College of Music.
Adi's Website (find his seminar course there): https://www.adiyeshaya.c...
From host Adam Meckler:
"As BB King once sang, "the thrill is gone" - I know the feeling. In this episode, I discuss 6 things I do to keep the fire lit. Each career in music is as unique as each person in the field, but we will all experience highs and lows. The key is to stay in the game. I find myself saying this to students frequently: "Whoever stays in the game the longest wins." Like a kid harping "nah n...
Adam talks with Brooklyn-based trumpeter/singer/songwriter Wayne Tucker (Taylor Swift, Brass Against, Eric Hutchinson) about how he has changed his approach to music making from a "me to you" experience into an "us" experience. His band started playing in Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn during the Covid pandemic. With no permit and no plan, the band played regularly there, making enough money to sustain themselves duri...
Adam talks with award-winning saxophonist, vocalist, and composer Caroline Davis about how she approaches preparing to record new music, how she funds her albums, her history growing up in Singapore, gender in music, and more.
Caroline's Website: http://www.carolinedavis.org/
Caroline on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinedavismusic/?hl=en
Portals, Volume 1 on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2F3rueu7368euUhk7...
Adam and Paul Taylor talk about Paul's upbringing in Memphis, the impact of the Memphis scene and sound on his own playing and music, his unique beginnings in music, the influence of his father and step father, both of whom were storied songwriters and recording engineers in Memphis, and ultimately playing with heroes like Kirk Whalum, Chuck Prophet, Eric Gales, and Ann Peebles.
Paul's Website: http://www.paulsnowflaketaylor...
Host Adam Meckler talks with comic book artist and musician Dave Chisholm about combing his passions for comics and music in the form of the graphic novels Chasin' the Bird: Charlie Parker in California, and Enter the Blue, a fictional story of a young woman coming up as a jazz trumpeter in New York City that includes a wild conspiracy about Blue Notes Records. Dave highlights his interactions with Blue Note in the creation of ...
No two music careers look alike. From day-jobbers to full-time pros, there are loads ways to make a meaningful career in music. Host Adam Meckler discusses 9 ways to make a career in music, and includes how each model works, and ways to succeed within each model.
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Download Gig Boss app: https://linktr.ee/gigboss
Join the Gig Boss Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gigboss
In the wake of Biden's announcement to forgive student debt, Host Adam Meckler's 130k in student loans, and his two music degrees have him wondering: is it irresponsible for institutions to be giving out music degrees? Adam asks Smooth Jazz sax master Steve Cole about his breakout late 90s album "Stay Awhile", his first record deal, how the major label game has changed, CDs vs Streaming and more. While being a world...
In all of the potential avenues for monetizing our music, why aren't more of us exploring sync? Adam talks with the founder of Sync Beast, Graham Barton, about how Graham conceptualizes music for sync. Graham reveals his "Setup, Build, Arrival" formula, and breaks down each piece of the formula using examples from his own experiences. Get started on your sync journey. Sitting on some tracks? Releasing songs as an artist...
Host Adam Meckler talks with band mates Brian Courage (bass) and Andrew Green (drums), from his new trio Supercell, on the final day of their Midwest tour. They sit in Brian's Chicago home and talk about how to book tours effectively, particularly how to afford touring when you're getting started building an audience in new areas. Brian and Andrew discuss their side-gigs, and Brian gives his "best day and time to email ...
Adam recalls his experiences releasing albums on indie record labels. He lays out what will likely be expected of you, the artist, and what you should expect from the label. Adam gives his pros and cons list for releasing with an indie label, and addresses questions like: "Why would I release on an indie label if all they do is digital distribution?", and "Do I need to cover the cost of recording/mastering/printing?"...
You know the feeling. You've done the work. You've prepared for the gig. You can't shake that nagging feeling that you don't belong there. That you don't deserve to be there. Or that you're not good enough. Musicians deal with self-doubt and imposter syndrome as much as any profession. Why does it happen? And what can you do to get out of your own way in order to focus on making great music? Host Adam Meckle...
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