Press Kits

Mark Guest

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Apr 8, 2003, 1:25:54 PM4/8/03

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Greg D's description of his marketing efforts have made me think that I
should put a press kit together. I found what appears to be a good resource
published by New Orleans' mayor's office here:
http://new-orleans.la.us/home/departmentsAndAgencies/econDev/press_kit.pdf

How many of you use press kits as a tool to obtain gigs? Do you use a
full-blown version as described in the NO article? Anyone care to post or
send me links to your online press kit? I've never used a press kit and any
suggestions/inspirations would be welcomed. The purpose of the kit will be
to generate a few more gigs to subsidize my playing habit, and maybe help
sell a few CD's (if I ever get one out).

In my limited time playing out, I relied on calls other players (sideman
gigs), face to face pitches to restaurant owners (often after a good
dinner), calls generated by word of mouth or as a result of being heard at a
gig, strategically-placed posters advertising gigs. I'm perfectly happy to
play out once or twice a week. And I'll never be good at pushing the drink
specials from the bandstand ;-).

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Mark Guest
Ma...@MarkGuest.net
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Ted Vieira

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Apr 9, 2003, 10:55:51 AM4/9/03

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Thanks for the link Mark. Nice press kit resource. I've set up my website to
pretty much serve as an online press kit (as well as an online guitarist
resource) and it's worked out well for me. It's got a short bio, photos,
sound clips, etc... I just got a call yesterday from someone in Washington
DC who's planning an event in Tahoe and they want me to play there because
of what they heard and saw on the website, so it actually works!

Thanks again,

Ted Vieira

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TedVieira.com
Free Online Guitar Instruction & Online Sight Reading Course,
Instructional Books, hear my CDs and more...
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Mark Guest

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Apr 9, 2003, 3:23:47 PM4/9/03

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Hi Ted,

Nice to know that the site is working for you. I suspect the nice audio
samples have a lot to do with your internet-booked gig.

I have been asked to put up samples for a local JazzFest web site. I have no
clue how to do this. Any tips, or suggested sites dealing with this? My
search led me to sites with info on setting up my own server, but I'm just
using a cheap-o hosting service.

Best,

Mark Guest
Mark at MarkGuest.net
www.MarkGuest.net
"Ted Vieira" <con...@tedvieira.com> wrote in message
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Virtual Vin

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Apr 10, 2003, 1:30:58 AM4/10/03

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"Ted Vieira"

> I just got a call yesterday from someone in Washington
> DC who's planning an event in Tahoe and they want me to play there because
> of what they heard and saw on the website, so it actually works!

By the way Ted,
Your website really looks fantastic! Great job! No wonder it works. Very
classy, highly professional look that projects a first class-image. WTG!

I like it!
;o)
v!

Greg D

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Apr 10, 2003, 6:47:02 AM4/10/03

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"Mark Guest" <jazzerw...@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:b6v0ha$98362$1...@ID-100641.news.dfncis.de:

> Greg D's description of his marketing efforts have made me think that
> I should put a press kit together. I found what appears to be a good
> resource published by New Orleans' mayor's office here:
> http://new-orleans.la.us/home/departmentsAndAgencies/econDev/press_kit.
> pdf

Great resource! It's going out to all mems of my band today. Great thread,
too. Just wish you had started it 2 months ago :)
Greg

Ted Vieira

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Apr 11, 2003, 2:15:17 AM4/11/03

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Hi Mark,

Thanks for the compliments! I don't use my own server, so you don't need to
do that to host your own sound files online. All you need to do is convert
your music into a format that will work on the net. I put up RealAudio and
mp3 versions on my site because it seemed like everyone could listen to at
least one of those formats.

There are other ways of doing it, but the way I converted my music into mp3
files is by importing the music off of my CDs with my iTunes program (Mac).
I used ProTools to create RealAudio versions of the tunes. Then I just
uploaded the files and created the links for them.

If you have trouble hosting your audio files on your own site, you could
always just set up a page on a site like soundclick or mp3.com and then just
link to those from your personal site.

Keep us posted as to when you've uploaded your music,

Ted

Ted Vieira

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Apr 11, 2003, 2:17:02 AM4/11/03

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> From: "Virtual Vin" <NoS...@nopam.com>
> Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.jazz
> Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2003 05:30:58 GMT
> Subject: Re: Press Kits

Thanks very much. I'm getting more and more into web design. It's another
nice creative outlet.

Mark Guest

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Apr 11, 2003, 9:47:58 AM4/11/03

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Thanks, Ted. I'll (nervously) inform this ng when I have some tunes on my
site. I recorded several gigs but the quality was terrible, background noise
was overwhelming, and the guitar player sucked ;-)

Playing for (or recording for) guitarists is more stressful for me than
other environments. I have enjoyed playing (comfortably) with some great
players whose vitea includes much touring with legendary players, but
guitarists can scare the #$%^ out of me. I recently sat in with my teacher
(Hank Mackie) at one of his gigs, and I played pretty stiffly due to nerves.
Hank was gracious enough to invite me back, and I'll do it so that I can
overcome this stupid nerve issue.

Best,

Mark Guest
Mark at MarkGuest.net
www.MarkGuest.net
"Ted Vieira" <con...@tedvieira.com> wrote in message

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Greg D

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Apr 11, 2003, 1:49:19 PM4/11/03

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"Mark Guest" <jazzerw...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<b76gsk$bla0e$1...@ID-100641.news.dfncis.de>...

> Thanks, Ted. I'll (nervously) inform this ng when I have some tunes on my
> site. I recorded several gigs but the quality was terrible, background noise
> was overwhelming, and the guitar player sucked ;-)
>
> Playing for (or recording for) guitarists is more stressful for me than
> other environments. I have enjoyed playing (comfortably) with some great
> players whose vitea includes much touring with legendary players, but
> guitarists can scare the #$%^ out of me. I recently sat in with my teacher
> (Hank Mackie) at one of his gigs, and I played pretty stiffly due to nerves.
> Hank was gracious enough to invite me back, and I'll do it so that I can
> overcome this stupid nerve issue.

So do you think incompetence is an excuse? Well, Mark it hasn't
stopped me!!! (though on occassion it probably should have :)

I've gotta feeling that you'd kick my butt musically speaking from
Hoboken and back. I know the I-man does.

Greg

Max Leggett

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Apr 11, 2003, 2:05:41 PM4/11/03

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On 11 Apr 2003 10:49:19 -0700, oas...@cox.net (Greg D) wrote:

>So do you think incompetence is an excuse?

Mysticism implies a mystery and there are many mysteries, but
incompetence is not one of them.
Ernest Hemingway, Death In The Afternoon

This quote isn't really apropos of anything, but the thread gave me an
excuse to post it. How about that Ernie, huh? Whatta guy!

Mark Guest

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Apr 11, 2003, 2:40:25 PM4/11/03

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Max, you've left me mystified. I may not be competent to follow...

Oh yeah, almost forgot... ;-)

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Mark Guest
Mark at MarkGuest.net
www.MarkGuest.net

"Max Leggett" <mleg...@nospam.ca> wrote in message
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Mark Guest

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Apr 11, 2003, 2:41:37 PM4/11/03

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LOL! I'm not into butt-kicking even if I were able to fit the shoes.

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Mark Guest
Mark at MarkGuest.net
www.MarkGuest.net

"Greg D" <oas...@cox.net> wrote in message
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