Wendy King - Five Ways a Budding Guitarist Can Get Noticed

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Helping the next generation of talent to build a global fanbase

Wendy King - Five Ways a Budding Guitarist Can Get Noticed

The music industry is on a roll. A report by the World Economic Forum highlights how global music revenues have risen by 20% since 2021, largely due to a surge in streaming which accounts for 65% of the industry's revenues. Over the previous year, streaming revenues rose by 24.3% and reached £14.1 billion, showcasing the impact of digitalisation.

Despite the significant growth of the music industry, the sector remains notoriously difficult to enter. Our previous post on "The Hardships of Getting a Job in the Music Industry" visits how it can be tricky to get noticed in the music industry, especially with its unfair demand for work experience. While internship and work placement can be a great way to gain valuable experience, it's essential that young talent makes an effort to get recognised and recruited for these opportunities. In this article, we visit how budding musicians— specifically guitarists— can get noticed.

Establish an online presence

We all know that streaming and digitalisation have become a key part of the music industry— making it a great opportunity for budding guitarists to perform and showcase their talent. There are many ways to establish an online process, primarily through social media. To ease some self-marketing processes, consider signing up for a service connecting you and a global audience. Our platform Jeeni is a multi-channel service that allows artists and performers to showcase their talent, keep 100% of earnings, and have full creative rights. Through online opportunities, you can expand your reach and visibility as a guitarist.

Add in guitar effects

While you don't need special gear to get started, investing in a guitar rig and effects allows you to not only practice with equipment important in your career later on but enables you to change up your songs and how you present them. Many guitarists rely on Electro-Harmonix analogue delays, which have helped produce modern music's most sought-after and oft-imitated sounds. The Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy is suitable for those just developing their rig, as it's a simple board with three knobs but still provides clean tones. This device allows you to add subtle delay effects that still elevate your tunes.

Try busking or street performing

Many famous guitarists like Glen Hansard and Passenger (Michael Rosenberg) started as buskers before making it big. If you want to try your hand at busking, having an amp is necessary to get your tunes heard by people. Roland amps are well-known for their portable PA systems, making them convenient for playing on the go. The Roland Cube Street II is suited for street performances as it's battery-powered, as well as having an angled back for floor placement. This amp enables electric and acoustic players to amplify their music, allowing you to build confidence and showcase your talent to the public.

Collaborate with other indie musicians

For those looking to reach more music fans, it's essential to collaborate with other musicians. However, it's important to be mindful of their music style— you're more likely to retain an audience if your music aligns with theirs. If you've followed our earlier tips and already established yourself to a small audience, you can bring bigger value to others, opening the opportunity to work with more prominent artists. Check out the Jeeni channels to spot potential collaborators.

Keep making and performing music

Although it may seem straightforward to keep making and performing music, many tend to ignore the need to simply put yourself out there to help you get noticed by someone who likes your approach. Aside from exposure, being able to perform constantly can help you practice and identify areas of improvement— allowing you to master your talent fully.

There are plenty of opportunities to learn and expand your reach as a guitarist. For more guitar-related insights and songs, make sure to visit our Guitar channel to inspire your work.

Written by Wendy King for jeeni.com

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03
Sep

The People's Lounge - Meet My Ancestors

Meet My Ancestors is Championing Zimbabwean Arts: Performance and Workshop Established in 2020. A theatrical production and album telling stories from Zimbabwean culture. Through ancient mbira music fused with contemporary sounds. The multidisciplinary performance piece aims to challenge the concept of UK mainstream theatre. Additionally, exploring the imposition of western music structures on music from cultures around the globe. They will be performing at the Global Bandstand Weekender 2021. Also, they will be performing at Victorious Festival 2021. Where you can see them perform and host a drum workshop - Presented by The People's Lounge. Meet My Ancestors is composed and arranged by London-based actor, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist John Falsetto. John is set to star as Mr Snow in Carousel at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre this summer. And has composed music for theatre, including the award-winning The Jungle by Good Chance Theatre and Ben Johnson’s Volpone for Tangle Theatre Company. Since announcing Meet My Mancestors, the project has received funding from the Genesis Foundation. The Mbira music endeavour features one of Zimbabwe's artists of the moment in Probeatz. Although only establishing in 2020 the group are already making a name for themselves performing and running workshops. Including residency at Battersea Arts Centre and Hawkwood CFT. Meet My Ancestors is a perfect example of the independent talent that Team Jeeni can support, by having a showcase on Jeeni.com. JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience. • We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make.• We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way.• We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect. Check out their showcase here on Jeeni:   Meet My Ancestors | Showcase | JEENI. Along with other showcases to add to your playlist. jeeni.com. The People's Lounge Meet My Ancestors will be performing at the Global Bandstand Weekender - Presented by The People's LoungeGBW is bringing some of the Freshest Tropical Sounds from around the World to Portsmouth for a Free Weekend Festival at Southsea Bandstand from Sat 31st July – Sun 1st August 2021 | 12.30-6pm | @ Southsea Bandstand | Portsmouth | FREE PUBLIC EVENT! And at the Victorious Festival, World Music Village 2021.

11
Jun

Inside Story with Keithian

Kethian is a Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Actor and Producer based in the US and who performed his song ‘Communicate’ in the JAM Festival collaboration in April. Kethian is relaxing in his Californian back yard as the interview with Kate takes place. “You recorded your track ‘Communicate’ live from your home studio for the JAM Festival, we have all faced the technical difficulties of working from home over the last year, but did you face any whilst recording?” she asks. He says that there were not any technical issues as such but recording at home always presents some issues, for example the neighbour had the lawnmower on but luckily, he didn’t think we could hear. His song ‘Communicate’ is beautiful and very emotive. When asked about his inspiration for writing it, he said that it came from his friend, who so sadly committed suicide, and so the song was an open letter to this friend, as well as anyone else that is struggling and needs to communicate as it is one of those things that “you actually have to do to feel better or to get your thoughts out, so that’s exactly what that song was about.” Kethian was born in New Orleans into a “showbizzy family.” Kate asks about what influence their work had on him as a child growing up and how it inspired his music and career. He grew up in Louisiana and Texas, “New Orleans is just full of music, everywhere you go”, his parents were in music as well as his grandparents so making music for him was something that “just happened, I’ve never known any different.” Kethian was previously signed to a major record label, but has ended up going independent, Kate asks why he made this decision “It wasn’t really the best experience. I figured if I went independent, I could give myself the better experience, and control creativity and stuff like that, and now that I’m my own everything, I’m able to understand myself more as an artist, what I need, what I want, how I want to promote, or what songs I want to choose” he shouts excitedly. In 2018 Kethian was working on music for Rhianna, he said “it was one of those things that just happened, although she hasn’t actually released the music yet and I wish I had some insider knowledge as to when she will, but I don’t! Basically, after I left the label, I was a writer and producer...I was writing for various artists and one of them said ‘this is gonna be for Rhianna’ and I was like ‘what?!’ and that’s how it happened. I met the [person] that I work with now and produce most of my music with currently and it has just been cohesive since then.” Kethian is currently raising investment for his next project: “It makes me feel really good as an artist when someone invests in me because it means that they believe in me as an artist, and as an art, a lot of our motivation and motivators are to make people happy and just to feel something or have an outlet, so to be supported in this way makes me feel so much more confident.” In response to this comment, Kate explains what Jeeni is: a platform for new and upcoming artists which seeks to support them in the best way possible and asks Kethian what his advice would be for aspiring artists that are just starting out. “Simply be the best artist that you can be and be the most you can be in life for you. It’s one of those things…being an artist is so giving, you walk around with your art, you are your art, and so when someone says something a little different or a little insane, it touches you more…just be confident, stay close to your art and stay close to you as a person and just love every bit of it.” What can we expect from him in the future? He expresses his excitement in regard to doing more shows with Jeeni and is hopeful for the future of live shows and touring as the world returns to normality after the Covid-19 pandemic. He says that he ultimately wants to “put out as much music as my fans want me to and as much as I want.” Through AmplifyX, one of our collaborators from the JAM festival, Kethian is working on his new EP called Green Clouds which is due at the end of May and you can invest now. To find out more about Kethian, listen to his music and invest, please visit https://jeeni.com/showcase/keithian/

03
Dec

Weekly Round-Up # 5

The latest news on all things Jeeni, music and entertainment. BRITs announce the shortlist for the ‘2022 Rising Star Award’ Last year, the shortlist saw a vibrant and colourful shortlist consisting of Coventry rapper Pa Salieu, experimental electropop sensation, Rina Sawayama and finally the victor, Griff, a master in emotive pop songwriting. This year, a trio of female powerhouses makes up the shortlist, each with a distinct and remarkable display of strengths; Lola Young tends to leave space in her compositions for the raw power and emotional impact of her voice to shine first and foremost, whereas, Bree Runway takes a more bombastic, loud-and-proud approach with her floor-filling hip-hop bangers. Holly Humberstone, perhaps the most known here, seems to combine parts of both Lola’s vocal precedence and Bree’s grandiose and full instrumentals to make well-rounded pop hits. An exciting and promising collection of British artists, one of which are destined to join the ranks of previous prestigious winners including Adele, Florence + The Machine and Sam Smith. 64th Grammy Nominees Announced Speaking of nominees, the Grammy 2022 nominations were announced last week, featuring both safe and some daring inclusions. Jon Batise featured all over this year’s nominations list for his uplifting and soulful RnB sound. From record and album of the year to Best Contemporary Classical Composition, Batiste was in total nominated 11 times. At Jeeni, Keithian features a similar sense of joy and jubilation in his RnB style. Check out Keithian’s page on Jeeni: https://jeeni.com/?s=keithian Billie Eilish and her producer brother, Finneas also featured across many of the categories this year for their album ‘Happier Than Ever’. Other pop album nominees include Justin Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande and Brandi Charlie. Finneas also found himself on the ‘Best New Artist’ category along-side Mercury Award winner, Arlo Parks and cousin of Kendrick Lamar, Baby Keem. If Jeeni were included on the decision-making process, Ariana May, Marley Blandford and Olivia King would certainly be up for some of the year’s best pop performances and releases. Check out Jeeni’s pop channel: https://jeeni.com/channel/all-channels/pop/ Jazz legend, Tony Bennett features several times for his and Lady Gaga’s moving and nostalgic swing album, ‘Love For Sale’ as a respectable nod from The Recording Academy. Record, album and music video of the year are just a few of Bennett and Lady Gaga’s acknowledgments in the 64th Grammys. Check out Jeeni’s jazz channel: https://jeeni.com/channel/all-channels/jazz/ Licensing Leaders PPl and PRS Make Promising Action to Improve Progress on Diversity and Recruitment in The Music Industry Tomi Oyewumi has been enlisted as PPL’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) partner as a step in the right direction to influence the industry towards a more diverse and inclusive future. Tomi explains the meaning of true diversity and the impact PPL could potentially make. “That’s not just for race and gender, but looking at other areas such as social mobility. It’s about how that has an impact on what we do at PPL, but also how we can then use that to influence the wider music industry as well.” PRS hired Colin Campbell-Austin as head of inclusion and employee experience in October. This position is responsible for recruitment, engagement and talent development in PRS. On the PRS website they had this to say about Campbell-Austin, “Throughout his career, Colin has ensured recruitment of diverse talent from all social backgrounds, created first-class inclusive recruitment processes, talent development strategies and leadership and development programmes, with a focus on people, diversity, and inclusion.” More diversity means more representation and experiences expressed in the industry from all corners, resulting in a more colourful and expressive world of music. An exciting development for the industry indeed. Splendour in the Grass, Truck and Download; Just a Few of the Recently Announced Summer Festival Lineups Although governments worldwide are currently assessing the risks of COVID-19 making a much un-welcomed potential come-back, it’s hard not to get excited for the potential wave of epic festivals that we could enjoy in the coming Summer of 2022. Australian festival giant, ‘Splendour in the Grass’ cautiously released their lineup after many reschedules and cancellations due to COVID. ‘Splendour in the Park’ typically showcases homegrown Aussie talent with UK and USA headliners. For 2022, the UK corner, features the previously mentioned Holly Humberstone, Liam Gallagher, Tom Misch and headlining the first evening of the weekend is the all-genre virtual sensation, Gorillaz. The American talent includes SITP veterans, ‘Yeah Yeah Yeahs’, New York rock icons, The Strokes and Tyler, The Creator. Australia’s representatives include the new and promising Genesis Owusu, Tim Minchin and Alice Ivy. Oxfordshire’s ‘Truck Festival’ also announced a star-studded (albeit slightly less varied) lineup for their big weekend in July 2022. Typically featuring an exhibit of the biggest current indie acts with varying levels of something a little harder for those that want it and next year will be no different. The festival promises the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club, Blossoms and Sam Fender alongside the heavier Kasabian, Shame and Dinosaur Pile Up not to mention indie legends, The Kooks. Continuing the increase in heaviness, another massive festival lineup announcement comes from the legendary Donington Park ‘Download Festival’. Headliners, Kiss, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro are joined by heavy rock and metal peers such as Korn, Deftones, Megadeth and Black Label Society in a collaboration to deafen the entirety of Leicestershire next June 10th weekend. Jeeni News: Kissing The Flint’s New ‘100 Or Less’ Music Video Success On the weekend, folk-rock act, Kissing The Flint released a dynamic and spirited music video for their equally feisty and powerful new single, ‘100 Or Less’. The video matches the emotional and hopeful message the single holds regarding covid and the arts not getting enough funding. Check out the video now, on Jeeni: https://jeeni.com/100-or-less-kissing-the-flint-official-music-video/ And check out the review of ‘100 Or Less’ here: https://jeeni.com/blog/kissing-the-flint-single-review/ Brand New DarkStarGraver Single Out today, ‘Gohan’ is the newest single from rising Portsmouth rapper, singer and poet, DarkStarGraver. Catchy and bouncy, DSG's newest track is textbook melodic hip-hop. Check it out now. Find out more about DarkStarGraver with our Artist Focus here: https://jeeni.com/blog/darkstargraver-rapper-singer-poet/ Jeeni PCs Still Available after Black Friday Sale! Jeeni has partnered with Chillblast to bring customers exclusive branded PCs designed for musicians and creatives. Chillblast is the UK’s Most Awarded PC Manufacturer. Find out more about Chillblast here, and discover why Jeeni has partnered with Chillblast to bring Special Edition music PCs with exclusive Jeeni branding. As well as a year’s subscription to the Jeeni Platform with each order worth £85. Chillblast Jeeni PCs are perfect for all musicians and creatives, whether you’re an independent bedroom pop artist or a music producer working on the next number 1 one single. Get the best deal on music PCs with our black Friday 2021 offer. Buy your Jeeni Music PC built and warrantied by the UK’s most awarded PC manufacturer here: https://www.chillblast.com/celebrity-pcs/jeeni-pcs. Jeeni Is Looking for You to Join Our Team! We are currently offering the roles of Sales Executive and Senior Developer as a part of the governmental Kickstart scheme and these roles are for ages 16-24 and on Universal Credit. We are also offering a sales internship for university students trying to get experience during their education. For more information, visit: https://uk.indeed.com/jobs?q=jeeni&l&vjk=a9b44f31a3321877 We look forward to hearing from you!

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