Many radio stations and local cable channels air programs that showcase local musical talent. Some artist's will perform live in the studio, while others simply play their demo's over the air-waves. This type of program usually consists of an interview with the artist and a live or recorded performance of their music. The listeners or viewers are usually given an opportunity to interact with the music guests.

College radio stations often run programming of this type, and many will include your demo on their play list!

In order to appear on this type of program you don't need a recording contract of any kind!

Typically, the only requirements to appear on this type of a show are...

• A good quality demo tape/CD - some radio stations may ask for your master DAT. (Most won't play cassettes!)
• A biography or fact sheet listing information about your act.
• A song-list and lyric sheets. (List the running times of each song included on your demo.)
• Your personal contact information.

Frequent guest appearances on these shows can give your career a tremendous boost! They're also a GREAT way to "plug" (promote) upcoming performances!

To be considered for this type of show, simply call the station that airs this type of program and ask to speak with the shows' producer. This producer will let you know exactly what you have to do to be a guest on their program.

Copyright?

Many musicians are under the assumption that they must register their copyright with the Library of Congress in order to protect their creative works. Although this practice is highly recommended, it's not absolutely necessary!

Registering your copyright is just an added safeguard to protect your "original works" from any "would-be song sharks."

Technically, as soon as you write or record a song, it's automatically protected by copyright! This means that once you create an original work, you own the exclusive rights to it!

Your "original works" must be written, recorded, or in some 'tangible' (physical) form to be protected by copyright. This simply means that you cannot have a copyright on a song that hasn't yet been "physically" written down on paper or recorded in some way.

The duration of a copyright is seventy years after the death of the author! Once the copyright is no longer protected by law, the "original work" then becomes "public domain," meaning anyone can use this work without being penalized in any way.

To get the proper forms to copyright songs, contact the Copyright Office at:

Library of Congress
U.S. Copyright Office
101 Independence Ave. S.E.
Washington, DC 20559-6000
(202) 707-3000

You can also download copyright forms and instructions to copyright songs at the address below:

www.loc.gov/copyright

Five Mistakes Bands Make

Before going through the time consuming and somewhat expensive process of submitting demos to record companies and publishers, stop and take a good look at your submission package! Make sure you haven't made any of the following mistakes yourself.

These are extremely common mistakes which account for a large number of demo's getting rejected and ending up in the trash!

Mistake #1

• No Contact Information. You must include your personal contact information on every item included in your promo-pack! (Especially On Your Demo!!!) You may have the "greatest demo known to man," but without any contact info, there's very little that a record company can do for you!

Mistake #2

• The Demo-Tape Isn't Cued Up. Now that we're in the age of CD's this has become less of a problem. However, if you're still submitting cassette tapes, "be sure to cue-up the tape before you submit it!" Your cassette should be unwrapped, clearly labeled, and the first song should begin to play within one or two seconds after pressing the play button on the cassette player!

Mistake #3

• Sending Out Unsolicited Material. Never make a submission unless you're asked to - or, unless you know for sure that the recipient accepts "cold" submissions! Most record labels and publishing companies prefer to be contacted via phone or e-mail before they'll even consider listening to your demo!

Mistake #4

• Submitting Video Rather Than Audio. Unless you're specifically asked to send a video tape, don't. (Unless your act is extremely visual.)

Mistake #5

• Submitting To The Wrong Companies. Research the companies prior to submitting your demo material. Make sure they handle your style of music. This will save you time, money, and a lot of headaches.

Make More Money

Whether you're new to the business, or you've been playing for years, you're still faced with the ever present challenge of turning your music into "cold hard cash!" It's extremely hard to generate a profit in an industry where the supply is thousands of times greater than the demand! So, your challenge as a musician is not only to create and perform original works of art, but to continuously explore new ways of marketing these "works" to generate an income!

Below is a list of things you can do to increase your earnings at your shows...

Create, Maintain, And Use A Mailing List!

Keep a record of the names and addresses of all your fans. This is typically accomplished by encouraging people to get on your list at your shows. Have them fill out a little form that has spaces provided for their name, address, phone number, and E-mail address. Once they're on the list, you can mail them flyer's promoting any upcoming performances. This helps increase the size of your crowd which inevitably increases the amount of your earnings!

Sell "Band Merchandise" At Your Shows!

Demo's, T-shirts, hats, key chains, stickers, pins, pictures, posters, matchbooks, lighters, Frisbee's, iron-on's, patches, fake tattoos, personalized guitar picks and drum sticks, etc., etc., etc! You'll find plenty companies on the internet that will imprint your logo onto these items. These companies usually require you to purchase these items in bulk, so be prepared to spend a few hundred dollars! Don't worry though, you can make your initial investment back in sales dollars! (Look for "imprinted merchandise" companies.)

Here's a company that manufactures each of your items as they are ordered so you don't have to buy in bulk. You can also set up your own FREE store to sell your merchandise online! Go to:

www.cafepress.com/cp/info/sell/

Play At Clubs That Have Their Own P.A.!

Some bands rent, some own, and many just go without a sound system. It's very common to find clubs that come equipped with their own sound system and a competent sound engineer. These clubs usually don't charge you to use their equipment, but you might consider tipping the engineer for a job well done. This is a great way to keep your overhead expenses to a minimum, allowing you to "pocket" the majority of your earnings!

Trademark your Band Name

Under trademark law, your band name is automatically protected in the areas where you use the name, as long as you’re the first to use it in public. In other words, if you’ve been openly performing within a certain area using this name, you can legally stop others from using it there. However, if another band shares your name and is known in an area you haven’t performed in, they can prevent you from using the name in that area.

A trademark is the name or symbol (brand name, slogan, or logo) that a company uses to identify or distinguish their product from those of competitors. It can be in the form of a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs.

A service mark is basically the same as a trademark except that it identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product. As a musical group, you’re considered an entertainment service, not a product. This means a service mark is used to protect your band name rather than a trademark.

By registering your service mark, you’re announcing to the public your claim on that particular name. Before you register though, you must do a search to make sure no one else is using the same name. Check the Internet for websites that offer free trademark searches. This is a great way to get started. You can also check your local library for a copy of Billboard International Talent and Touring Directory.

You’ll find thousands of listings including the names of bands currently touring. They’re in alphabetical order so you can quickly find out if someone else is already using your name.

You can also check the BMI website. This is a performing rights organization with thousands of members. You can do an artist search directly from their website. Enter the name of your band to see if any registered BMI artists share your band name. The address is:

www.bmi.com.

Once you’re confident that no one else is using your band name you should file a registration of your service mark. If you only perform in one state, you can only register in that state. If you’re performing in multiple states you can register for a federal trademark.

There is a fee for registering. The state trademark application fee varies from state to state. The federal application fee is currently $325.00.

For more information regarding trademarks and service marks, you can check out the United States Patent and Trademark Office website at:

www.uspto.gov/

For additional trademark information click here.