Today's guest is Amy Peters, who is a pop singer / songwriter and producer based out of Nashville.

I was in a songwriting bootcamp with her and was blown away but her tracks, so I wanted to bring her on. This conversation is a great look into the mind of someone who is extremely talented, and pretty early in her career. I think it will be really helpful to many of you.

We cover topics like...

• the benefits of mastering one piece of gear at a time instead of trying to learn everything at once

• how she got her music video funded as an indie artist

• the benefits of doing a studio based training program over a college degree in music

• the exiting growth of female representation in the music industry

• how she broke into nashville without college as a buffer

• how growing up with a dad who was a music professional changed her life

• her side hustle of doing voice overs for commercials

• what it's like listening to music with synesthesia

• why she stopped producing (and why she eventually came back)

• the difficulty of separating her art from herself

 

and much more!

 

Find Amy Online:

@amypetersmusic on socials

https://www.amypetersmusic.com/

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This episode is sponsored by DistroKid - the best way for artists their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, etc. Get 30% off your yearly membership when you use our link to sign up: http://distrokid.com/vip/mcm

Figuring out a direction for your music career can be tricky. Unlike many "traditional" jobs, you don't always know what a clear path to success looks like in music.

That's why Seth Mosley (and the rest of the crew at Full Circle Music) created a roadmap for artists, broken into "baby steps". We wanted to have Seth on the podcast to talk about his journey in music and to share his advice for artists looking to make a career of their passion.

Topics we hit on in the conversation:

• the dangers of jumping full time into music before you're ready

• why most artists search out record deals at the wrong point in their career

• how to use altruism to create better music

• why he decided to come off the road and dive fully into the production and business side of music

• why he cofounded Full Circle Music

• why you shouldn't try to do it all at the same time (how to harness the power of "baby steps" instead)

 

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Get access to a free resource from Seth:

fullcirclemusic.com/pro

 

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This episode is sponsored by DistroKid - the best way for artists their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, etc. Get 30% off your yearly membership when you use our link to sign up: http://distrokid.com/vip/mcm

 

Have you ever tried to play music in real time with others over a zoom call? 

If so, you probably quickly found that latency (the delay between the time you play a note and they hear you and vice versa) made that task all but impossible. 

Today's guest, Mike Dickey, solved this problem and we wanted to get him on the podcast to share the amazing implications this has for the future of online collaboration. 

We talk about: 

• How and why Mike created a device that allows you to play music with others with no noticeable latency
• What really is latency? And what causes it?
• How latency happens even when you're "in person"
• Why the question of latency is more complicated than just internet speeds
• How Mike sees this tool and technology being used in the future music industry
• how to get started using this new tool / technology 

Find Mike Online: 

https://www.jacktrip.org/

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This episode is sponsored by DistroKid - the best way for artists their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, etc. Get 30% off your yearly membership when you use our link to sign up: http://distrokid.com/vip/mcm

When Webster Tileston first heard about Dolby Atmos (also known as "Immersive Audio") he was fascinated as an audio engineer... but ultimately he assumed it would soon pass along like many other audio trends. But when word that Apple Music, TIDAL and many others were interested in adding Dolby Atmos streaming to their platforms, he took a second look. 

Now Webster and his business partner run a Dolby Atmos Enabled Mixing and Mastering Group in Nashville and he took the time to sit down with us and explain what you need to know about this new exciting technology. 

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Find Webster Online: 
https://axis.audio/

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This episode is sponsored by DistroKid - the best way for artists their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, etc. Get 30% off your yearly membership when you use our link to sign up: http://distrokid.com/vip/mcm

Many have said that finding the right songwriting partner is very similar to the process of finding a romantic partner.

So what if we could use an app to find fellow songwriters simply by swiping? That's what Richard Casper and Kevin McCarty bet on when they created We Should Write Sometime - an app referred to as "tinder" for songwriters.

On today's episode, I chat with them about this game-changing app and the many implications for songwriters and artists all across the globe. 

 

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Download the app: https://weshouldwritesometime.com/

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This episode is sponsored by DistroKid - the best way for artists their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, etc. Get 30% off your yearly membership when you use our link to sign up: http://distrokid.com/vip/mcm

 

This episode we sit down to talk with Stephen Day about his new album, "The Shapes I'm In".

Our conversation covers: 

• the scattered nature of our digital lives affecting the art we create
• the differences in self producing verses the traditional studio workflow
• how Covid led him to find the "why" behind being an artist
• why he thinks it is important to put yourself fully into the work you create
• how to explore multiple genres while keeping an album cohesive

Listen to "The Shapes I'm In": https://stephenday.lnk.to/theshapesimin

Check out Stephen on tour this fall:

http://stephenday.org/tour

@heystephenday

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This episode is sponsored by DistroKid - the best way for artists their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, etc. Get 30% off your yearly membership when you use our link to sign up: http://distrokid.com/vip/mcm

 

These days, terms like “hustle culture” and “the grind” are being thrown all the time. But are these concepts helping or hurting your creative output? 

Host Andrew Galucki and this week’s guest Ryan Waczek explore the dark side of “hustling” and how it may be hurting your creative process. 

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Recording music? Get professional remote music services at discounted rates: https://www.nashvilleforhire.com/pro

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Find Ryan Online: 

Ryan's Music

Indie Music Academy

Youtube

How do you stay creative during super stressful times? 

Vian Izak did just that and created an album in one of the most stressful years... well, ever. 

Our conversation covers:

• collaboration vs working alone
• the art of creating a purpose for an album
• the importance of holding your vision loosely to allow the project to find its own voice
• how to take advantage of remote collaboration to take your music to new levels 
• how to stay creative during stressful times 
• and a LOT more (seriously, it's a great conversation)

 

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Hire professional music services remotely for less: nashvilleforhire.com/pro

 

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Listen to Flight of the Aeronaut

Find Vian online: 

vianizak.com 

vohnicmusic.com 

Itheairecords.com

Covid got you thinking about new ways to cowrite songs?

Today we dive deep into the process of cowriting a song when you're not in the same room as your cowriter. Here to share his experiences with us is longtime friend of the show, Bryce Cain.

We cover: 

• We cover topics like the necessity of vision for a cowrite
• Must have tech tools going into a cowrite 
• The importance of creative constraints 
• The pros and cons of remote vs being in the same room 
• The inherent vulnerability of cowriting 
• Why setting the “vibe” for a cowrite matters
• What you should come to a cowrite with (creatively speaking) 
• And a lot more. 

Start cowriting new songs today by booking Songwriting Sessions with your PRO Membership: www.nashvilleforhire.com/pro

 

Find Bryce on the interwebs: 

brycecain.com

@kid.elliot 

 

Have you ever put a music project on hold because of the cost of hiring music services? 

Then this announcement is for you. 

Learn more: www.nashvilleforhire.com/pro

This week's guest: Kyle May. 

Kyle is a drummer and producer who has worked with artists like Kelsea Ballerini, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lynyrd Skynyrd and appeared on shows like Good Morning America, CMT and the Today Show.

We cover:

• how he's adapted to COVID as a musician who relied heavily on touring income
• how to get the most of hiring a drummer remotely
• the importance of serving the song and not your own ego
• how to stay excited about songs that you play night after night
• the importance of knowing your limits
• how Play Along Tracks can improve your playing and enhance your practice routine
• the future of "live only" drummers and much more. 

 

Check out Kyle's Play Along Tracks: 

http://kylewmay.com/play-along-tracks

 

Where to find Kyle: 

http://kylewmay.com/

@kylewmay 

youtube.com/user/kylemay13

 

Learn how to leverage Music Licensing as an artist: http://nashvilleforhire.com/licensing

 

This week's guest: Josh Blaylock 

Josh is an extremely talented musician, composer, producer and member of the musically delicious group known as Dynamo. He has also performed with many other artists, including Sinclair in 2019 as they opened up for Kacey Musgraves on her Oh What a World Tour.

We talk about how Nashville growth looks to someone who grew up here, how to book shows with workshops, how to deal with freelance anxiety around “when is the next gig”, finding balance as a musician, that time he got sleep paralysis in class while he was in music school due to overworking himself and a lot more.

 

Find Josh on the interwebs: 

@jbjoshblaylock

@dynamomusic

@_fm_music

 

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Get Free Access to the Reverse Songwriting Workshop and learn how to get started in music licensing: http://nashvilleforhire.com/licensing

This is not a normal episode. Because these are not normal times. 

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Watch 13th on Youtube For Free Here

I want to know what your questions are as a musician living through this pandemic. 

Submit here: www.nashvilleforhire.com/covid

We are all in this together. Let's start a conversation. 

2019 was a rough year for me (Andrew). Professionally and personally.

In this solo episode, I get more vulnerable than I have before and explain what went wrong this year and how I'm working to make sure 2020 looks different. 

P.S. If you're worried because of the title that this will just be 54 minutes of me complaining - don't worry. If you also had a tough year or the best of your life, my hope is that this episode helps you go into 2020 the right way. 

In our first ever DEEP DIVE episode, Graham Cochrane (founder of Recording Revolution) walks you through turning your music into an online business. 

This episode covers: 

• The 3 step process to start creating and monetizing a fanbase
• how to see yourself as a brand 
• the power of email in the age of social media
• what do you sell when no one buys music anymore? 
• the importance of creating content that is searchable as an artist looking to grow a fanbase 
• the future of the “content market” 

and much more!

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Next Steps if you're interested in learning more about online business: 

https://www.grahamcochrane.com

 

Graham's Recording Coaching: 

https://www.recordingrevolution.com

Graham's Online Coaching: 

https://www.grahamcochrane.com

Graham's Podcast: 

https://apple.co/35PPh2u

Music Licensing (aka getting your music onto TV / Films / Trailers / Ads) can seem intimidating to jump into as an artist or songwriter.

This week I break down the specific approach I use an an artist that has helped music licensing become my primary source of income for the last few years. 

Get access to my free course on Artist Centric Music Licensing: 

https://nashvilleforhire.com/licensing

This is a fun one. I got to sit down with the Nashville-based duo SAWYER (Emma Harvey and Kel Taylor) and chat about things like: 

- how they infuse hooks into every part of their songs (aka the "hookie monster")

- staying healthy on the road 

- how they create culture around their music 

- the benefits of being blunt in co-writing 

- how a $20 bill helped them to start being a duo 

- why they decided to start co-writing with people outside the duo

- the release strategy for their next EP 

- the vulnerability of being joyful as a performer 

- why they are sticking in Nashville even thought they are going "pop" 

- who drives slower 

and MUCH more. 

 

FIND SAWYER ON THE INTERWEBS: 

Instagram: @thebandsawyer 

Website: http://www.thebandsawyer.com

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Here is Part 2 of my conversation with Seth Alley. If you haven't already, be sure to go back and listen to Part 1 first.

When we left off, Seth had just left his record deal.

So he did the obvious next thing... changed his name and became a rapper. 

 

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Find Seth online: 

www.sethalley.com 

Socials: 

@sethalleymusic 

What happens when everything goes according to plan: 

• you get a huge record deal 
• build a world class team around your music 
• Nashville is buzzing with hype about you

But then... it all turns on you?

That's exactly what we cover in my conversation with recording artist and songwriter Seth Alley. 

Get an inside look into getting the record deal of your dreams...

and then walking away from it.

A story more common than you'd think - that gets a lot less airtime. 

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Learn the artist focused approach to getting your songs on TV / Film / Ads: 

www.nashvilleforhire.com/licensing

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Find Seth online: 

https://www.sethalley.com

Socials:

@sethalleymusic

 

Our first ever repeat guest! 

We were so excited to catch up with Holley Maher (from episode 1) about what she's been up to for the last 5 years. 

We cover: 

• Her journey of creating a pop side project 
• Her process to authentically stay relevant in the sync world as music tastes change over time 
• How pain and heartbreak can at times lead to high levels of creativity - and at other times do the opposite 
• How she uses free writing to create great songs "on demand" in cowriting sessions 
• The differences between an LA cowrite and a Nashville cowrite 
• why the idea of a “tortured artist” is not a helpful construct 
• how to manage multiple income streams at once 

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Learn the artist focused approach to getting your songs on TV / Film / Ads: 

www.nashvilleforhire.com/licensing

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Learn more about Holley: 

holleymaher.com 

theothernashvillesociety.com

winkwinkpaperco.com

 

Follow on socials: 

@holleymaher

@winkwinkpaperco 

@officialzoa

@we.are.vala 

@theothernashvillesociety

Have you ever wondered what its like to be a country artist outside the U.S.? To have a career around a genre that has its roots so firmly in American culture? 

 

We talk all about that this week with Canadian Country artist Justin LaBrash. 

 

Out discussion covered: 

• How Canada is creating it’s own form of “country music”   
• Why he’s not trying to move to Nashville 
• How he gets his singles on radio as an indie artist (and why he does it himself) 
• Why he would design a country cover set differently in Canada than he would in America 
• The difference between booking shows in Canada vs. America 
• How he broke 100 gigs in 2018 and was able to make his artist project bring in a full time living 
• Why he’s glad he took online berklee classes (and which classes he’s glad he didn’t take)   
• What the heck “French country music” is 

 

Find Justin on the interwebs: 

www.labrash.net 

@justinlabrash 

Kicking off season two with a GREAT conversation with Vian Izak - producer and founder of Vohnic Music. 

-- We cover topics like --

• understanding the "why" behind your own music 
• how to get on Spotify playlists 
• the role "community" plays in your creative process 
• balancing your art with your business 
• how to create systems that allow you to grow your business (whether your business IS your music or otherwise) 
• the confusing response that Vian used to get from labels when submitting his own music (and why he now uses it himself) 
• how to differentiate yourself as an independent artist or indie label 

 

---Learn the artist focused approach to getting your songs on TV / Film / Ads: 

www.nashvilleforhire.com/licensing

 

Learn more about Vian:

vianizak.com

Check out his label: 

vohnicmusic.com 

Great chat this week that I think will be really inspiring to any songwriter and / or indie artist.

This conversation covers: 

• why Jordy's debut album is actually his 5th album
• why taking control of your own music career is so important (especially if you're independent or just starting out)
• how playing live helped guide the production of his album “Dark in the City”
• how he gets booked for colleges around the country
• his philosophy of finding fans over finding venues
• the crucial difference between “Fan Gigs” vs. “Money Gigs” (and how both are important)
• his driving force that inspires him to keep creating music

and a LOT more!

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Learn the artist focused approach to getting your songs on TV / Film / Ads: 

www.nashvilleforhire.com/licensing

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Learn more about Jordy at Jordysearcymusic.com and follow him @jordysearcymusic on the socials. 

Trying to figure out the best way to leverage social media as a musician? 

This one is for you. 

In this week’s chat with drummer and educator Tim Buell, we cover:

• Creating passive income as a musician
• setting yourself up for a future in the music industry
• how to treat social media as a musician
• exploring different paths throughout your career
• the true cost of traveling as a musician
• selling online courses
• strategies to get through the slow months as a freelancer
• why he’d lose to me in Madden and much more! 

Follow @timbuell on all the things. 

Free Stuff from Tim:

timbuellmusic.com/gift 

timbuellmusic.com/howtotranscribe

MORE TIM: 

timbuellmusic.com