Advice - Backstage Circle (Page 9)

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Advice

A collection of 210 posts

5 Things To Always Pack for a Tour

5 Things To Always Pack for a Tour

Real-life touring essentials that support your body, mind, gear, and sanity on the road. As a young, touring musician, I have learned a lot about what is essential for touring, especially when being away from home for long periods of time. Revisiting past tours and moments when simple objects/

Are Lyrics Still Important?

Are Lyrics Still Important?

Short answer? Yes. Long answer? Also yes — but with nuance. Before we get philosophical, let’s define the thing we’re talking about. Lyrics are the words that make up a song — the verses, the choruses, the lines we sing in the shower and shout in arenas. The person who

Filling The Gap

Filling The Gap

(A chapter from Lorraine’s Ebook Speak Like a Star) Is your cup half full or half empty? The better question to ask yourself is, How can you fill up your own cup? For many people there is a gap between where you are and where you want to be

What Guitars Do You Really Need?

What Guitars Do You Really Need?

Every guitar player knows that you can only BUY guitars, they are not to be sold. This is why so many of us have growing collections of guitars. With jaws dropped, we saw Randy Bachman, recently relinquishing his treasured collection of hundreds of guitars he's amassed over the

Turn On A Dime

Why Quick Decisions Win in Business and Life In the fast-paced world of entertainment—whether you're a musician chasing that breakthrough moment, an audio professional building a studio, or a lighting designer advancing your career—the ability to make swift, confident decisions can mean the difference between

Advice From Jim Norris

Advice From Jim Norris

After 47 years in entertainment media, I'm starting something new: a monthly Linkedin newsletter where I share what I've actually learned — about marketing, the industry, and the mistakes I see most often. Essential marketing insights and opportunities for musicians and music industry professionals New editions published

Songwriting Inspiration

Songwriting Inspiration

I'm writing this piece from the perspective of a guitarist, singer-songwriter. Over the years of writing songs I've found that once something comes to you, document it! Go old school with pen and paper or use a note taking app or the recording feature on

How to Build a Music Website That Works

How to Build a Music Website That Works

Here's the situation every artist faces in 2026: your fans are scattered across platforms you don't control, fed by algorithms that can bury you overnight. Your website is the one place that's entirely yours. It's your digital home base, where fans discover

How to Write a Tour Rider (Without Looking Like a Diva or a Pushover)

How to Write a Tour Rider (Without Looking Like a Diva or a Pushover)

If you've ever heard the story about Van Halen demanding a bowl of M&Ms with all the brown ones removed, you already know what a rider is, even if you didn't know it had a name. But here's the thing: that request

How to Make Money on YouTube as a Musician

How to Make Money on YouTube as a Musician

YouTube is the largest music platform in the world by total listening hours, and most musicians are leaving serious money on the table by treating it purely as a promotional afterthought. Upload a video, hope for streams, move on. That's not a strategy. That's busking with