Online Music Tools to Help New Musicians

Some might call it cheating, but even the best and most seasoned musicians get the help of technology, apps, and other tools to make, promote, and collaborate on their music. In this day and age, if you’re not taking advantage of the high-tech features at your fingertips, you’re not enlisting everything you can to make yourself the best musician possible. So, if you’re just getting started in the music business, it’s all the more important to use all the tools in your toolbox. It’s a dog-eat-dog world but armed with the right stuff, you’ve got this. Read on for some of the best online music tools to help new musicians.

Social Media

First and foremost, everyone needs social media to promote themselves these days.And if you’re not promoting yourself on there, your company surely is. It’s the easiest and most cost-effective way to reach your target audience. As a musician, you need great music but you also need a fleshed-out brand. Figure out who you are and then promote this as well as photos and your music on sites like YouTube, SoundCloud, Instagram, Facebook, and more.

DAWS

Digital Audio Workstations – or DAWS – are a part of any musician’s life. While some might say that a drum machine or hardware synth are needed for electronic music-making, what’s amazing about DAWS is that you can literally record, arrange, edit, mix, and master your music right there on your computer. Needless to say, you want to make sure you choose the right one for you, so make sure to do your due diligence when shopping for your DAWS.

Online Music Visualizers

Once again, the music is the key to success but there is a lot to be said for creating a persona and stage presence that reels the listener or concertgoer in. One thing you can do when performing live is to use online music visualizers. With 3D geometric patterns that move with the beats, it’s any DJ and/or musician’s best friend. You can even download these presentations to share with others later using sites like Vimeo and YouTube.

A Website

Much like social media, this is a must for any musician – yes, even when just getting started. Use it to sample your music, share contact and booking info, and to keep web visitors aware of any live performances. You can hire a developer to create one for you or use a site like Wix.com to craft one for yourself. If you want your website to get consistent hits, you might even consider creating a music blog. In fact, many people use blogs to launch their careers. As musician and owner of Pigeons and Planes music blog Jacob Moore told Mashable:

“I would tell everybody to start a blog, and even if you’re not doing it to make money or get tons of views. It’s good to have something to show people. Even now, I get people who really want to write for my site and it makes such a difference if I can get a feel for their taste. Then when you start applying for jobs at labels or marketing agencies, you’ll have something you can show them – you’re not just another person who loves music, you’re willing to put in the work every day.”

Whether you cover music news, song reviews, or even take on some interviews, your blog could very well take off before you know it.

Pro Collabs

When it comes to creating and sharing music, there are so-oo-oo many apps for that these days, but you’d be hard put to find one that’s more helpful for musicians who are just getting started than ProCollabs. A digital music collaboration service, it gives you access to veteran songwriters, musicians, music producers, and audio engineers from all over the globe. Enjoy the creature comforts of your home studio while collaborating on original music with other talented folks in various parts of the world.

Touring Promotion Apps

This isn’t for those just out of the gates, per se, but once you’re opening for bands or headlining any sort of legitimate tour, you’ll want to use promotion apps like Bandsintown and Songkick to make your tour announcements. If you use these, social media, and secure yourself a good PR rep, you’re setting yourself up for sold out shows and hopefully ultimate success.
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Getting started in the music business is all about hustling. If you do that and enlist the tools we mentioned in this article, your star will surely be on the rise.