Author archives: Vakseen

Larabee Studios Features Vakseen Art

2013 is off to a great start start! One of the top recording studios in Los Angeles, Larabee Studios, contacted me a couple weeks ago about featuring my art work. From Michael Jackson to Prince, all of the top recording artists have worked at Larabee. As of last week, not only are they featuring 7 of my paintings, but they’ve extended an open ended opportunity to showcase my art there. […]

How to Book SXSW and Is It Worth It?

So is it worth playing one of the most talked about industry festivals in the world? How do you get your band in? Let’s go over some tips in the most artist friendly way: straight up without all of the bull. Should My Band Play SXSW? The answer really depends on what you’re going there for and if it makes sense for the overall strategy of the band. No matter […]

10 Tips For Your Music Business Career

No matter where you are in your career, it’s important to look back at the basics. It allows you to think like a beginner again; back to when you could visualize the most possibilities. The following ten tips, taken from a NARIP event in San Francisco, will help move forward your career in the music business – however far along you may be. 1. Have a Plan Write it down – on a piece […]

How to Get Your Music Reviewed: Targeting Media Outlets

I don’t know about you, but when I was first starting trying to get my music reviewed, I thought I knew all the right media outlets. But as time has gone on, the places I look to get those reviews have changed — immensely.  I’m going to give you some ideas on what you can do to look for reviews of your music on the internet, and how to get more […]

10 Ways to Unclutter Your Band Website

When doing website reviews, a common issue we come across are bands trying to put too much content and too many features on their websites. Because there are so many tools, features, and widgets available to musicians, some feel like they should use all of them. But when it comes to your website, simple really can be better. Long gone are the days of Geocities, blinking text, dancing babies and […]

The Fat City Review Features "Dizzy" Painting

Much love to Colorado-based, literary magazine, The Fat City Review for featuring my Dizzy painting in their newest issue. This painting continues to be a lot of fan’s favorite amongst my Jazz collection. Let me know your favorite in the comments below. Check out the screenshot below and enjoy the full issue here.

5 Ways To Get On The Billboard Charts

Did you know you only have to sell about 450 albums in one week to make the Billboard HeatSeeker Chart? Believe it or not, there have been many unsigned artists hitting the Billboard Charts in the last year. There are many ways for unsigned artists to sell their music online and even in retail stores. But is that all it takes to get you on the charts? No. Here are the 5 Secrets To […]

How to Dominate a Market in 12 Weeks

Everyone says that flyering is dead and a useless waste of money. I’m here to tell you that it isn’t. It’s not that the people still hanging up flyers are mindless drones simply repeating the “promotion” techniques they’ve seen on TV that they think might work, it’s that they DO WORK. Flyering has to be done strategically though. There’s no use hanging up flyers without a plan in place. Over the next 12 weeks, […]

3 Tips for a Better Converting Music Website

Today we’re going to talk about increasing your music website’s conversion rates. By this I mean making on-site changes that will give you more results, even if the same number of people visit your site. We’ll also be looking at an example of how conversion rates work, and why increasing them can mean a much more profitable music career for you. So without dragging out the intro, let’s get to […]

The Importance Of The Artist Brand

Without doubt, the biggest challenge any new band or artist faces is getting their music heard.  So it’s important you give yourself the very best chance of cutting through. Sadly, just having great music is not enough. Bands frequently spend months writing and recording new material and then rush it out before considering the importance of presentation or brand. You might not think of yourself as a brand, but the moment […]