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Music For A Living

When I speak at events around the world, one of the questions I usually ask is “how many of you want to play music for a few years and then quit?” Not one person ever raises their hand. Part of my Live Music Method is my Live Music Business Principles: investing in your music career […]

Going from Good to Great

Going from bad to good is easy.  Going from good to great is not. It’s not that going from good to great is so hard, but it’s definitely time-consuming, tedious, and often a little inconvenient.  However, as my friend Robert D. Smith says, “success is built on inconvenience!” I have a favorite analogy, and you […]

To Do and To Don’t

I am frequently asked to write a list of things an artist can do to make a great live show. The trouble is, I often think that might look a little over-simplified… like learning how to perform onstage consists of “5 easy steps.” When you learned how to play your instrument, did your teacher give […]

How About a Great Rehearsal?

We all know what a great show looks like. But what does a great rehearsal look like? It isn’t just running through all the songs, putting them in some kind of order, and then going out to do your show! The rehearsal is the best place for spontaneity to happen, believe it or not. Most […]

Don’t Make THIS Music Publicity Blunder

Bob Baker, author of Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, will speak at our 2013 Tom Jackson Bootcamp in Nashville! Check out this article adapted from Chapter 12 of his book: Okay, you have a new album coming out or an important gig to promote. You’ve identified your ideal media sources. Now it’s time to get busy […]

It’s What I Want for You

I’ve taught & worked in Virginia Beach at the Army School of Music, worked with the band at United States Military Academy West Point, and even gone overseas to work with an Army Band stationed in Germany. U.S. military bands have a lot of talented musicians – even Grammy winners like Staff Sgt. Brandie Lane […]

Majoring in the Minors

Ever feel like you have so many details demanding your time in your life & career you can’t keep up? Sometimes those details scream for my attention! But they aren’t necessarily the “important” things. When you’re trying to build a music career, it’s easy to get caught up in things that won’t make a difference. […]

What Are You in This For?

I’ve met them. I’ve worked with them. And I’ve seen them disappear. I’m talking about the singers (they don’t yet deserve the title ‘artist’) who have some talent, and pretty much only want one thing: fame. They appear to have things going for them… management, a stylist, professional photos, an A-list hired band, great songs […]

Bob Baker on the Fan Engagement Triangle

CD Baby president Brian Felsen recently interviewed me at the TAXI Road Rally. In this short segment we discuss old and new models of engaging with fans, along with my Fan Engagement Triangle framework. Watch the video: Bob BakerBob Baker helps musicians, writers, visual artists, & other creative entrepreneurs use their talents and know-how to […]

Songwriting: A Career Cornerstone

I’m guessing you want to be able to make a living doing music. Am I right?  I’ve had the privilege of working with 100s of artists on their shows over the years, and after a while I noticed certain patterns in the way people thought that seemed to lead to success and longevity. On the […]