“I came from classical guitar,” says Resa. “The first few times I put that pick in my hand, I dropped it. It was so hard to do! It sounds silly, but don’t give up. Go to a festival, immerse yourself in the music. You can’t play bluegrass music if you don’t have it in your ear.”

Get that bluegrass sound in your ear and attend FreshGrass this year – on us!

1. Expand Your Content on YouTube
I daresay all new artists are aware of​ ​YouTube​ and the ways that the video sharing website can help promote their music, or simply share their talent with the internet through cover songs. YouTube is a great tool for posting your footage, but it’s necessary to think outside the box. Try creating multiple channels, and sharing your behind the scenes footage through video diaries. These can include what goes on backstage when gigging, or the process of recording music for instance. This is a way to connect with your audience and tell the story of who you are. Your channels might include one “official” channel, one for video diaries, and one for cover songs. The more exposure you or your band get, the better. Check out​ ​James TW​’s tour diary below for some creative inspiration.

2. Clean Up Your Instagram, and Start Interacting!
Most artists have an Instagram account, but there are ones who utilize the app’s potential, and ones who just use it to share pictures and announce gigs. According to a Nielsen music study done by​ ​cuepoint.com​, “P​eople who use Instagram to follow artists and bands spend twice as much on music each year, as compared to the general population and music fans who use other social media apps.​” So, we know it’s an important promotional tool, but how do you separate from the rest? It’s great to inform your followers on what your playing schedule looks like, and when you’ll be posting new music, but being too repetitive gets boring after awhile. You want to keep your content varied, and interesting. Try not to post too often or too little, either one may result in some unfollows. Remember to keep it interesting! Make your posts more personal, and welcome your followers into your life beyond your gigs. You also want to try to interact with users as much as possible. Try sending a direct message thanking new followers, and linking them to your new music. You could try using​ ​Instagram’s live video feature​, or simply respond to user’s comments on your pictures. It also helps to push followers to comment by saying in your caption things like, “Tag a friend down below who loves acoustic guitar​!”

3. Distribute Your Music Online, and Utilize Top Streaming Services
This is an important one for sharing your music with the world, and there are so many different streaming services today, it may get confusing. Spotify accounts for​ ​36%​ ​of music streaming services worldwide, so it’s a good place to start. If you’re signed to a record label, your music is probably already on Spotify. If not​, you can find instructions on the Spotify website for how to get your music on Spotify without a label or an aggregator. If this is the case you can use companies like​ ​AWAL​. Simon Trask from​ ​Sound on Sound magazine​ writes, ​“One highly evolved organisation whose very name calls the need for record labels into question is AWAL, or Artists Without A Label. Like CD Baby, AWAL enables independent artists and labels to get onto iTunes and its ilk.”

4. Merch It Up
Who doesn’t love stuff? Make a logo, or find a designer who can make one for you, and use a website like CustomInk​ to make all sorts of fun merch. Of course it’s profitable to sell T-shirts, but it’s great to give away low cost freebies like stickers to get your name, and logo out there. You can also use your merch for giveaways. For example, create a contest via social media stating that those who follow your Instagram, and subscribe to your YouTube channel may have the opportunity to win a sweatshirt with your logo printed on it. Not only are you increasing your online following, but you’re getting that extra exposure from the person wearing your sweatshirt around! “Stickers, pins, and patches are also a great promotional tool – the low price you can sell them at makes them much more impulse-buy friendly,” Carlyn Hill from​ ​Threadless​ tells us.

5. Reach Out to Bloggers
Email blasts to your followers are great for sharing updates on your music and your schedule, but try reaching out to bloggers, too. Here at​ ​Your Heaven Audio​, we’re always excited to hear and support new artists! We’re more than happy to check out and review your EP, and we’re probably not the only ones. Plenty of other music blogs will likely want to hear your best work and spread the word. So next time you’re about to send out some emails, write up a quick message with a link to your music, and send it over to your favorite guitar blogs asking for a review. A good review is a fantastic way to get discovered, and increase your following.

Steve Sorensen of California loves to embrace the fact that he crafts his mandolins differently than the traditional  Gibson and Lloyd Loar models. He’s not interested in the cookie-cutter method of building instruments, rather he looks at it the way he looks at making wine, another trade of his. Making wine is a long process, and one that requires patience. To Steve, building mandolins is quite similar. He believes that each mandolin’s sound develops over time, and he feels that his instruments “scream beautifully.”

Themandolinplayer.net tells us “Picking up one of Sorensen’s mandolins, you are struck by the fine workmanship, but once you strike your first note, the quality of the sound really hits you.” Sorenson also has a background in design, and this is shown through his detail-orientation and his articulate craftsmanship. Overall, Sorenson knows what serious mandolin players are looking for, and he’s making instruments which fit their ideals. For an in-depth review of one of Sorenson’s A-model mandolins called The Sprite, check out this article  from JazzMando.com.

1) Make a budget, and try to stay within it.

Start off by making a comfortable budget for yourself. If you’re working with one that is relatively low, make sure to do plenty of research on the instrument you have your eye on to ensure that it meets up with your ideal quality. GuitarPlayer.com mentions that, if this is the case, you need to pay more attention to small details such as how well the woods were conditioned.

2) Be aware of the sound that you’re looking for.

Guitars are manufactured in a variety of different materials, shapes, and sizes. These are all important factors that affect the sound of the instrument. If you’re inspired by a certain artist’s sound, try doing some research on their instrument. Guitar Salon mentions some specific tone options to keep in mind, such as “bright versus dark” and “clear versus full.”

3) Bring a friend along.

Consider bringing along a trusted friend who may be musically inclined. It never hurts to have a second opinion, especially with important investments. MusicRadar.com mentions that, by doing this, you can have your friend play the instrument before you purchase it, so that you can hear what it sounds like from an audience perspective.

4) Look to lower your price any way you can.

Keep in mind that you can always trade in your old guitar for a discount on the new one. MusicRadar.com also notes that some dealers will match a lower price from a different dealer or add accessories to your purchase in order to match the difference.

5) Make sure the guitar feels comfortable.

When buying your guitar, you want to make sure that the instrument is in good condition and the strings are not too far from the fretboard. GuitarWorld suggests that you try playing single notes and chords at different spots on the neck to check for fret buzz. They also recommend looking for light strings and a low action if you’re a beginner.

6) Trust your musician’s intuition!

You are the artist behind the instrument, so trust what feels right!

If you’re looking for somewhere to start, some of our favorite guitar blogs have great recommendations, such as the ones below.

For more options for buying the perfect guitar on a budget check out the GuitarPlayer.com article here. If you’re looking to learn more about higher end guitar options, scroll through GuitarAficionados Reviews for plenty of reliable insight.