How to promote yourself and social media etc :)

**pamosmusic** · 04-13-2025, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by Heybopper

Hi
Thanks so much for the latest advice it's really appreciated. I will take the advice and look into options for better quality videos. Thanks Ukena for the suggestion. I did look into mics for iPhones and im using one at the moment. I believe sure do an iPhone mic. I think that's what I'll loo into.
I really appreciate all the comments and advice. I was just wondering about other platforms im not using. The musicians union suggest tik Tok but im not sure.
I think im just going to have to be patient. Well done Dawgbone, it sounds like you understand my situation and know what it means to create your own scene and deal with the many obstacles in order to play the music you love with people that are supportive and in venues that want you to be there. I hope it works out for you and that your efforts pay off. Thanks

Whats your goal?

What do you want out of the social media you’re planning on engaging with?

I guess my question is Why TikTok? Why other platforms at all?

I don’t think it’s clear to me from these posts what you think the social media stuff is going to help with

**RJVB** · 04-13-2025, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by Heybopper

I did look into mics for iPhones and im using one at the moment. I believe sure do an iPhone mic. I think that's what I'll loo into.

I *think* Rob MacKillop uses a (stereo) mic connected to his phone for making his videos. They're no-frills but he gets a more than decent sound on them. The setting is very different of course.

I have a Zoom H2n field recorder myself that I use nowadays for audio-only recordings. I haven't yet tried to record the ensemble I'm part of but with its 4 mics and different stereo modes it should be able to give a pretty good "in the room" impression. It can be used as a USB mic and should this work with an iPhone using the propre USB/Lightning adapter (not sure if that gives all the stereo modes though).
Either way, it's definitely not more expensive than some of the better external iPhone mics, the sound quality is very good if a bit "clinical" and it gives you the option to record audio and video from different positions (using a long USB cable or "post-prod").

**DawgBone** · 04-13-2025, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Heybopper

Hi
Thanks so much for the latest advice it's really appreciated. I will take the advice and look into options for better quality videos. Thanks Ukena for the suggestion. I did look into mics for iPhones and im using one at the moment. I believe sure do an iPhone mic. I think that's what I'll loo into.
I really appreciate all the comments and advice. I was just wondering about other platforms im not using. The musicians union suggest tik Tok but im not sure.
I think im just going to have to be patient. Well done Dawgbone, it sounds like you understand my situation and know what it means to create your own scene and deal with the many obstacles in order to play the music you love with people that are supportive and in venues that want you to be there. I hope it works out for you and that your efforts pay off. Thanks

Thank you and you are welcome heybopper. I was hoping I didn't come across to strong, those are just realities I have dealt with. It can really test your patience and fortitude many nights.

Figure out what you really want to be doing and then work towards those goals be they small or grandiose. Short of having record company connections you need to develop a long term attitude towards doing it. There are many hares who run quickly for a minute then fade when things don't go right. It takes a lot of fortitude to see it through especially when so many people, most people, will tell you it's not worth it or not possible. Few will share your dream so look for kindred spirits to work with. Good luck brother, you are doing something worthwhile but it's only worthwhile if YOU feel it is. So it really boils down to how badly you want to achieve it and that is mostly a solo endeavor on your part. Few will share your vision until the pounds sterling are there at which point many naysayers come running to you for work.

**digger** · 04-13-2025, 02:41 PM

As Peter said, what is your goal? I think this is important to clarify. Clearly you don't want to be £70, or more, out of pocket every time you play a gig, but breaking even aside, what's the goal?

I think the rural UK is very different to the USA. Reading this forum it becomes abundantly clear that making a living playing jazz is very hard for even the best players in NYC or Chicago or Kansas City or Philadelphia or wherever, let alone rural Norfolk. Making a name and a reputation is harder still.

There may be a market for jazz in the UK but it's so small, and such a tough nut to crack or become part of, that I wonder what your target is? I have a good friend who plays the blues, often gets reviewed / interviewed in the UK blues magazines and is very well regarded. But he still has to work a regular job full time, and ends up driving back and forth to London a fair bit to play loss-making gigs that will keep his profile up. And I think blues is a lot easier to gig in the UK than jazz.

So what's the vision? Once you have that, I think you could start putting plans in place accordingly.

Derek

**Stringswinger** · 04-13-2025, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by DawgBone

If you're not a person who doesn't mind being lower on the scale of importance than the dishwasher or if you are above hanging out back by the dumpsters this life isn't really for you IME. Maybe I'm crapping on someone's dream. But getting dream crapped-on is also part of embracing that chosen occupation that you need to become ok with. There are just harsh realities involved. Most people can't do it.

Anyone reading this thread should read the above quote a few times. It is the reality. I traded a six figure Attorney career to play music full time and Dawbone's harsh reality was my own as well. Playing music for a living is tough in a world where the demand for live music is low and the supply of musicians who want to perform is high.

But if you have the calling, go for it. The highs can exceed the lows. They have for me. This will be my last year and after doing about 5000 paid gigs, I have no regrets.

**Heybopper** · 04-13-2025, 03:21 PM

Hi
Thanks for the comments and advice. I do appreciate it and agree with most of what's been said. My goal is really to just keep going for this year. It's not all bad news. I wouldn't do it if there were no audience or if we were doing the same tunes each time. It has taught me a great deal.
A year ago I was a different player. Very little confidence. Used to play sat down for all the Jazz gigs. Very quiet and relied heavily on effects. I knew lots of tunes and heads but I was really just getting by.
For some reason I have become more confident. It took me a while to get used to standing up. Ive gone through lots of gear. There has been a change from the sit down quiet gigs with bass and sax to standing up, loud gigs with drums and a noisy audience.
The bassist and drummer are good guys, well experienced and have imparted lots of knowledge and tips and we push each other. My set has grown from 25 tunes to over 70, plus original tunes and original arrangements of pop tunes. And it's a laugh.
The big thing is talking to the audience. Thanking them for their support, introducing the band, talking about the tunes. I don't know why ive become ok with that as a year ago I wouldn't have been able to do it.
So my realistic goal is really to make sure im doing what needs to be done in terms of social media. That's it. The thing I find hard is you have to be very clued up on all aspects of this practice. The music, the technique, the theory, the gear, public relations, the business, the promo, your car, your laptop, your pedals, your tubes, your strings. Everything has to be researched and learnt about and tried. That leaves little time to keep up with the social media for me.
The hashtags, the podcasts, the blog, the vlog, that's stuff I really don't know much about.
Of course I will continue to write and send music to labels but I think if I can keep going till the end of the year. I will have given it my best shot and ill have a lot of videos ( now of much better quality thanks to ukena's recommendation of the Tula mic) I will keep you all updated as things carry along and thanks again for the input cheers

**pamosmusic** · 04-13-2025, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by Heybopper

Hi
Thanks for the comments and advice. I do appreciate it and agree with most of what's been said. My goal is really to just keep going for this year. It's not all bad news. I wouldn't do it if there were no audience or if we were doing the same tunes each time. It has taught me a great deal.
A year ago I was a different player. Very little confidence. Used to play sat down for all the Jazz gigs. Very quiet and relied heavily on effects. I knew lots of tunes and heads but I was really just getting by.
For some reason I have become more confident. It took me a while to get used to standing up. Ive gone through lots of gear. There has been a change from the sit down quiet gigs with bass and sax to standing up, loud gigs with drums and a noisy audience.
The bassist and drummer are good guys, well experienced and have imparted lots of knowledge and tips and we push each other. My set has grown from 25 tunes to over 70, plus original tunes and original arrangements of pop tunes. And it's a laugh.
The big thing is talking to the audience. Thanking them for their support, introducing the band, talking about the tunes. I don't know why ive become ok with that as a year ago I wouldn't have been able to do it.
So my realistic goal is really to make sure im doing what needs to be done in terms of social media. That's it. The thing I find hard is you have to be very clued up on all aspects of this practice. The music, the technique, the theory, the gear, public relations, the business, the promo, your car, your laptop, your pedals, your tubes, your strings. Everything has to be researched and learnt about and tried. That leaves little time to keep up with the social media for me.
The hashtags, the podcasts, the blog, the vlog, that's stuff I really don't know much about.
Of course I will continue to write and send music to labels but I think if I can keep going till the end of the year. I will have given it my best shot and ill have a lot of videos ( now of much better quality thanks to ukena's recommendation of the Tula mic) I will keep you all updated as things carry along and thanks again for the input cheers

I don’t mean to be dismissive here, but the goals you outline in the first half of this post have nothing to do w social media.

You want to “make sure you’re doing what needs to be done in terms of social media.” To what end? What do you expect to accomplish with social media?

As an aside — not to be dismissive again, but I have a hard time seeing cold calls to labels as a productive use of time. I doubt many look at un-agented solicitations at all.

**DawgBone** · 04-13-2025, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

Anyone reading this thread should read the above quote a few times. It is the reality. I traded a six figure Attorney career to play music full time and Dawbone's harsh reality was my own as well. Playing music for a living is tough in a world where the demand for live music is low and the supply of musicians who want to perform is high.

But if you have the calling, go for it. The highs can exceed the lows. They have for me. This will be my last year and after doing about 5000 paid gigs, I have no regrets.

5000 gigs is an amazing milestone. I'd love to hit that number some day, another couple hundred thousand miles on the bluesmobile should do it. I'm in it for the music, the adventure, and the players and people. Someone told me once; just remember, it's not an adventure until you wish you were home.

Truthfully I've been a little light on quality venues lately but they all come in bunches so we'll see. I don't really do many dirt gigs anymore though if it's close to home I'm still in. I'm hoping to branch out more this year so the hustle continues. Probably try and make it out to Houston with some dudes I know and/or MS one of these months for some network and vacation combo. I know a great harp player and frontman who runs a jam over in Biloxi..

**benhatchins** · 04-15-2025, 05:34 PM

I was never able to promote myself—neither on social media nor in real life. It’s just not in my nature to put myself out there or try to impress others. But hey, I’m also not an upside gift card, so not everyone needs to like me, right? I’ve come to realize that staying true to myself is way more valuable than chasing approval. The right people will appreciate me for who I am, not for how loud I am online

**jazzloverfat** · 04-22-2025, 02:46 AM

Originally Posted by Heybopper

So my realistic goal is really to make sure im doing what needs to be done in terms of social media.

I will point out the issues I see with your online image and offer some advice on what to improve. My style is very direct so please do not take this the wrong way. The things I say are only about the online image I see and not you (or the band) personally.

Like it or not, a lot of today's artists - especially those who are not established - need social media to survive. If you are not active on at least one current social media platform you simply do not exist. My recommendation would be to work on improving your Insta and YT profile. FB, as you correctly intuited, is just not cool anymore so I wouldn't invest too much effort into it (as an aside, these days social media advertising budgets usually go to Insta, TikTok followed by a cornucopia of IM services with FB falling behind even Twitch, at least in my neck of the woods).

Looking at your YT I see nothing to help create an image for the band and there is little there to drive the audience. The hashtag spam on YT doesn't work the way it used to in the early 2000s and all it really does these days is to make your uploads look unprofessional; furthermore AI is driving the algorithm which, other than the basic metrics and user engagement, looks at the actual content rather than how you describe it when it is making recommendations.

Looking at the videos, they look quite amateurish. The framing is terrible, I see too much ceiling instead of the band and in most videos at least 1 of the band members is either cut out of the frame or covered up by another player. The video quality is not the best but it is serviceable, however the audio picks up too much of the background chatter.
All this is an easy fix: plop the camera on a tripod and center it on the stage making sure everything is aligned properly. Then, like many have suggested, look at improving your audio: if you mic your instruments and send the signal to a PA try to record from the mixer, otherwise, 1 or 2 strategically positioned handheld recorders will do wonders. Music is what you are selling so make sure you have the best quality possible here.

I would also look at improving the titles of your videos, and make sure they all follow the same template, for example:
[Band name - Song title] or [Song title - Band name - Live (insert date)].
This will make your content easy to read and it will look more consistent and professional. You do not need keywords in your title, they are superfluous, instead add any extra info in the video description. Again, formatting matters as you want people to be able to quickly read the when/where/who info (please also check your spelling and capitalization!). Who the players are is a pretty crucial info that is missing from your YT vids. If you have a regular schedule, this needs to be front and center on your YT page as a banner at the top clearly showing when and where, don't use it as a channel icon because no one can read the info there. Have a look at other artists and see how they present this info for ideas.
Finally, why is there a video of a bird eating worms on the band's YT channel? This is another thing which makes you look amateurish.

Moving on to your Instagram, things get even worse. There is no content for people to engage with.
Use the stories to promote your shows. Make reels of highlights from your shows. Post snippets from practice. Post photos of your gear. Do anything to engage with the audience.

When it comes to social media, the most important aspect is to create a schedule and keep posting regular updates. You need to be consistent with this because the audience will expect it. For example, don't drop 1 entire gig as a vod, instead split it up into songs and upload it over a period of 7-10 days; or stretch it longer to fill the time until you have new content to post.

Your website also needs work. The information is all over the place, the formatting hurts readability (the way the band members are listed for example makes no sense) and I can't easily find when and where you play. The fonts should be consistent (same font, same color unless changing this would serve a purpose), the line/section separators, if u must have them, should be of the same style and then the visuals should have a purpose, don't randomly throw in pictures. Then, like others have said, you have dead links or non-existent pages - this needs to get fixed asap. And just like with YT, you don't need "Finest Jazz musicians Norwich Norfolk Guitar trio Jazz guitar Live Music" as your header because just like the hashtags, it looks dated and unprofessional. Let your audiences say that about you, or let the venue or organizers say that about you.

Lastly, look at Patreon and the likes, especially if your local gigging opportunities are lacking. Basically once you figured out your social media presence, start promoting a way for your fans/followers to support you if they so desire. Patreon is like a monthly subscription service for your fans and in return you offer exclusive content for them. Heck, you could do a monthly live-gig for your Patreon subscribers or release exclusive tracks for them.
It will take time, and at least at first you will have to treat this as a second job but in the long run it will pay off if you manage to get into a groove with your social media engagement.

Just remember, you need clear, focused and professional looking messages/content/etc. that would make would-be audience members want to engage with you and support you as a creator.

**Heybopper** · 04-22-2025, 10:36 AM

Hi
That's really appreciated I think you have raised some good points and I will try to address all of them over the coming week . Thankyou for pointing out the hashtag thing and issues with the website.
There is a second page on the website but it's obviously not very easy to find so I will spend some time on that. Editing the site takes ages but I'll have to do it.
I will spend some time looking at other peoples YouTube channel and Ill do more work on mine. I did get a new mic a Shure mv something but the phone couldn't power it so im back to my rode video mic for now.
Im going to try a different placement of the phone and mic this week and see how it goes but I want to get good quality and im happy to invest in that.
I do appreciate all this, I really do. It's a new world to me, the self promotion thing but I have some time over the next two weeks so I'll get deeper into it.
Thanks for the instagram tips very helpful thanks

I'll post an update once I have made improvements. Cheers for the help

**omphalopsychos** · 05-07-2025, 04:20 PM

AI says:

Here’s a practical 2-year visibility and promotion plan for you—a working jazz guitarist in a rural UK area—designed to get you from where you are now (talented, gigging locally, limited digital presence) to a place where you have a professional online image, a small but loyal following, and recurring opportunities for paid gigs, recordings, and even passive income.

This isn’t about chasing virality. It’s about building something sustainable, with no BS.

? PHASE 1 (Months 1–3):

Stabilize and Simplify

Goal: Make it easy for people to find and support you.

1.

Fix Your Digital Foundation

Website:
- Get rid of fluff and “SEO-style” headers.
- Make these three things super easy to find:
  - Upcoming shows (with dates/venues).
  - How to follow you (Instagram, YouTube).
  - Booking/contact info.
- Remove broken links and random videos (like the bird one).
- Use consistent fonts, colors, and spacing .
Instagram:
- Post a story every gig day (before, during, and after).
- Post 1 photo or video clip from rehearsal or a gig each week.
- Follow 20 other musicians, venues, and music lovers locally—like and comment on their posts. This helps build community, not just content.
YouTube:
- Clean up the channel:
  - Consistent titles: [Triaura – Song Name – Live in Norwich, April 2025].
  - Use thumbnails with band name and date.
  - Trim long videos down to 1-song clips.
- Delete or hide anything irrelevant.

2.

Upgrade Your Audio and Video Setup

Use a decent mic (like Tula or Zoom H2n).
Frame your videos so the whole band is visible. Use a tripod.
If possible, record audio separately and sync it later—it makes a huge difference.

3.

Talk to Your Audience

At gigs: Say “Find us on Instagram and YouTube—just search Triaura. We post new stuff every week.”
Put a QR code on a business card or poster that links to your Linktree or website.

? PHASE 2 (Months 4–6):

Grow Smart, Not Loud

Goal: Start building momentum with consistency.

1.

Establish a Rhythm

Instagram:
- 2–3 posts per week. Think: gear pics, gig posters, short clips.
- Reels = visibility. Start cutting 15–30 sec highlights from shows.
YouTube:
- 1 new video every 2 weeks—just one tune, well-shot.
Newsletter (optional):
- Ask for emails at shows. Send a short email once a month with gig dates and a link to your latest video.

2.

Set Up a Patreon (optional)

Once you’ve got a bit of a following, even 10–20 people can bring in a little monthly cash.

Offer:
- Exclusive monthly rehearsal videos.
- Early access to new tunes.
- A “Patron-only” livestream once a month.

3.

Run Your First Paid Instagram Ad (Optional)

Choose your best 15–30 sec clip.
Target people 20–70 years old within 30 miles of Norwich who like jazz, blues, or live music.
Budget £20–£40.
Make sure your Instagram and website are ready for visitors.

? PHASE 3 (Months 7–12):

Repeat, Refine, Record

Goal: Build local reputation and polish content for a release.

1.

Keep Your Posting Routine

Instagram: Stories + Reels.
YouTube: Short concert clips and maybe one “studio session” video.
Keep engaging with local venues and followers online.

2.

Record a DIY EP

Book a local studio, or record in a quiet room with your improved gear.
3–4 original or well-arranged jazz tracks.
Publish on Bandcamp and YouTube. Promote it via Patreon and Instagram.

3.

Play a Homegrown Mini-Showcase

Rent a small space, charge £5–£10, record it with pro gear.
Sell merch: CDs, t-shirts, QR codes on postcards.
Invite local press, photographers, bloggers—anyone who might write about music.

? PHASE 4 (Year 2):

Monetize & Expand

Goal: Grow your presence beyond your town, while generating income.

1.

Start Booking Regionally

Email jazz clubs, restaurants, and festivals within 2–3 hours of you.
Include:
- 2–3 YouTube links.
- A short paragraph bio.
- High-quality photo.
- One-sheet PDF with past gigs, notable press quotes, and contact info.

2.

Release One “Real” Project

Album or EP—professional or semi-pro quality.
Submit it to Bandcamp, Spotify, and a few niche jazz blogs or playlists.
Launch a small promo push: email your mailing list, do a YouTube premiere, post snippets on social.

3.

Scale Your Patreon/YouTube

Offer more value: Q&A sessions, mini-lessons, behind-the-scenes stories.
Apply for small arts grants or local cultural funding now that you have a solid portfolio of content and a proven audience.

? Final Notes

Stay grounded. You don’t need to “make it”—you just need to be findable, reliable, and good.
Skip TikTok unless it feels natural to you—it’s a full-time job on its own and not as relevant for your likely audience.
Track your time. Even 3 hours a week on social media and admin tasks is plenty if you’re focused.

**Heybopper** · 05-08-2025, 03:18 AM

This bis great. Thankyou so much. I changed my site. It was so hard to edit the site at wix.com so I just had to create a new one with square space . Trouble is I cant transfer the domain but they are looking into it.
Here is our new site
Triaura
Ive been uploading short videos on instagram every 4 days but I still have to sort out the YouTube channel. I really appreciate you all taking the time to comment and offer advice, It is really appreciated.
I found there is an app for the rode video mic so I'll try it tonight and if not I will invest in a decent mic. That will be next on the list.
I will read through all the advice over the next few days and address everything you have all pointed out. I am really grateful and thank you all so much

**ragman1** · 05-08-2025, 04:55 AM

Heybopper -

Ah, that's better. Your Triaura site is pretty good. The photos and script are excellent. But you really must do something about the videos. All you can hear is people chatting, for god's sake!

We have to hear the music - that's what this is all about! - and you've got to find a way to do that. If you can reverse the noise and music levels with each other that would do it. Now you've got lots of chat with some musical sounds. But you primarily want the music with some background activity so the thing's not dead. It might be as simple as the person with the camera getting closer, just while they film a tune for the site.

By the way, your Facebook, YouTube and Instagram links aren't links, they're just addresses. See if you can get them clickable so we don't have to copy, paste and fiddle with it ourselves.

Looking good. And the addition of the lady player is a real boost. Always works :-)

**jazzloverfat** · 05-08-2025, 05:52 AM

Good start, looks miles better!

What I'll add is with regards to your contact details, see about making that a button that would open a form where people can message you or get the phone number from, because this way spam bots will be all over your contact details. Or just use the FB messenger / Instagram link for contact, I think that would be acceptable - lots of businesses do this.

**Alter** · 05-08-2025, 06:11 AM

New site looks great! But the links don't open, you have to insert them as links and not as simple text.

**Heybopper** · 05-08-2025, 08:47 AM

Hi thanks for the tips. I'll look into it tomorrow and try and make the adjustments. Thanks for taking the time to check it out and let me know.
Im going to try my video mic with a lower gain setting and different position. If that doesn't work then I'll get the zoom recorder and try that.
Thanks so much for all the help and comments. I really appreciate it, cheers

**rpjazzguitar** · 05-08-2025, 08:13 PM

A fairly frequent Facebook occurrence is that I find out about a gig I would have liked to attend, but only after it has happened.

Perhaps someone knows how to avoid that when you post your own gigs.

Also, it's hard to know how many people are actually seeing the gig announcements. After a while, your audience may not bother clicking on the like button.

My point is that, no matter how good you are, people still need to see the gig announcement and not have it swallowed up by FB or something.

**Heybopper** · 05-09-2025, 10:06 AM

Hi here is a video from last night. I put the phone in a different spot but it's still picking up people talking. Im not sure if a different mic will improve this as there are people less than three feet from the stage but if you think of anything that might work im happy to try it

Thanks so much im now going to post full videos on you tube and Facebook but just short clips on instagram. I do appreciate the comments and help

**AllanAllen** · 05-09-2025, 12:09 PM

I use a Tascam DR-40x to record most gigs, then I split up the wav and make videos like this. 99% of them stay unlisted on youtube, just to share with the band. The one below was pretty good so I made it public. I don't want to release everything and flood my page with 100s of clips.

**ragman1** · 05-10-2025, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Heybopper

Hi here is a video from last night. I put the phone in a different spot but it's still picking up people talking. Im not sure if a different mic will improve this as there are people less than three feet from the stage but if you think of anything that might work im happy to try it

Thanks so much im now going to post full videos on you tube and Facebook but just short clips on instagram. I do appreciate the comments and help

Yes, but you're next to the drums! Move nearer wherever the sound's coming out, which is probably you. I still think getting a friend to hold it would be better. They can experiment by moving around. There's got to be an optimal point somewhere.

I'm sure the audience will accommodate you if you explain what you're doing. It's pretty well a one-off occurrence.

**Heybopper** · 05-10-2025, 11:07 AM

Hi
Thanks for the comment. I think I will invest in an iPhone stand for next time and then if it doesn't work ill go for the mic that AllanAllan suggested. His recording sounded very good. Thanks for the advice cheers

**ragman1** · 05-10-2025, 02:32 PM

I'm not being possessive of my idea, it's up to you, but Allan's video is quite different from yours.

First, there's no background chatter at all. The room is quite different, lots of space. Second, it's not a moving picture. He's just playing music over still photos.

His music is recorded on a Tascam DR-40x, rather different from a cell phone. It may not even been recorded at a gig because there's no background.

Consider before buying expensive stuff. You need to know exactly what you want, or rather need, for your site.

Personally, I think the in-house atmosphere is better for you because I suspect what has primary importance is the customers' experience of the place as a whole, which includes the music. It all adds to the atmosphere and, from what you've said, is a happy arrangement.