You’ve spent the last few months polishing off your album. You’ve got an album launch date in mind, and your social media strategy finely honed. You might even have organised a launch party. Now it’s time to get your music some press.
This might be a rather daunting prospect for some artists, but sitting down to start your piece is arguably the largest hurdle. If done well, a good description of your album can net you a brilliant increase in traffic, and the recognition that your hard work deserves. We’ve compiled a list of things to think about when approaching the all-important description of your freshly-finished music.
1. Who inspired you?
It’s often a good idea to start at the very beginning; who were the artists that made you think to yourself, “I’d love to sound like that”? Listing these will provide an excellent bridge between your music and that of your idols’ – one that fans can follow both figuratively and literally. Not only do you provide a point of musical reference for your readers, you may also find articles about your music benefiting from search traffic regarding the names you’ve dropped. If you’ve closely matched or mixed the sound of several artists, then you’d do well to describe your music as being “for fans of” your influences. However, make sure that you’re merely mentioning them as inspirations, and not insinuating that you believe you are on their level – or worse, better. If your readers get a whiff of ego, their expectations will rise meteorically, often to unrealistic levels.
2. What was your compositional process like?
Once you’ve jotted down your inspirations, it’s wise to provide some decently in-depth examples of the processes you used when writing (as well as mixing/mastering) your music. Not only will this help your reader base establish a more vivid mental image of your music, but also be of interest to those who are more musically/technically minded. Avoid getting too heavy with the meaty details, as this won’t necessarily interest everyone. However, if you’re proud of a particular compositional or production-related point, then highlighting it to your readers (as well as the logic behind it) will ensure that your crowning achievements are recognised and considered by both your audience and your critics.
3. Were there any environmental factors?
Music and emotion have always been intrinsically linked. Thousands upon thousands of songs have been rooted in the murky mire of heartbreak or the unmatched joy of reciprocated affection, and thousands more based on memorable personal experiences both good and bad. Others choose to convey a political message. Detailing the situations and experiences linked to the composition of your material will help your audience better understand your music, and may unlock extra meaning in your lyrical (and sometimes compositional) content for them. An audience that understands your motivation will be more receptive to the messages you are trying to convey.
4. How would you categorise your music?
One quick look at a popular SoundCloud tag will teach you how important the proper classification of your music can be. Terms such as “fusion” or “alternative” are rather meaningless on their own, but they can be effective when paired with other, more surgical terms. If you’re not sure where your music falls, try looking at the terms the artists you’ve drawn inspiration from use to describe their own music during interviews, or on a music database such as Rate Your Music (www.rateyourmusic.com). Selecting the correct tags and genres for your music is paramount; categorising your music properly is a simple way of ensuring that your material ends up in the right place on stores, and that your potential fans can stumble upon you more easily.
Ultimately, you are aiming to make sure that you and your music are understood. By providing your reasoning, inspirations and details of your compositional process, you are affording your fans a deeper insight into your music, which will help promote interest and loyalty. Providing a candid picture of yourself as an artist will prove that you’re more than just a name on an album.
Read Full Article Here: http://www.helpforbands.co.uk/describing-your-music-for-the-media/
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