Already got the talent to be a successful artist, musician or music producer, and are now looking for ways to take your art to legendary heights?
We’ve curated a roundup of useful online tools that’ll help you master and promote your unique sound – and get paid for it. Take a look at them, in no particular order, below.
1. eMastered
eMastered is a cutting-edge, AI-powered mastering tool that will bring your music to life and give you a professional sound in seconds. You simply upload your track to eMastered in MP3, AIFF or WAV format and then the application analyses the audio and makes your music louder and crisper than your original recording. Master and preview tracks for free and pay only if you want to download the mastered versions. There are three pricing plans available starting at $13 per month (billed annually in advance at $156).
2. Soundtrap
A digital audio workstation (DAW), Soundtrap can be accessed via any browser and on any device. This Spotify-owned platform provides music-making capabilities to anyone with a passion for music, whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned musician. You can capture sounds when you’re out and about and invite other creators to collaborate on a track through the mobile app. Then use the Soundtrap Studio to re-record, edit and mix your track. Pricing starts at $6.49 per month (billed yearly).
3. Splice
Splice is a music creation and collaboration platform. It includes a high-quality, royalty-free sample library, a collection of presets to help you shape your sound, and a catalogue of expert tutorials, ranging from production fundamentals to advanced techniques. You can also build your own digital studio through industry-leading plugins and fund it with rent-to-own financing. Pricing plans start at $7.99 per month.
4. Mandolin
Built as a way to bring live music back to the stage in the face of Covid-19, Mandolin helps artists connect with their fans through live, virtual shows. Through the platform, you can book a show (or an entire virtual tour), perform live and grow your fan base. There are several options for monetising your creative work, such as ticket sales and merchandise. Mandolin assists with the show logistics and provides concert-quality audio and visual production. Pricing is subscription-based and varies depending on the number of shows you do and the size of your audience.
5. Kobalt
Kobalt is an independent music publisher that aims to simplify the complex world of music to make it more rewarding and transparent for artists, creators and musicians. Kobalt offers a royalty collection platform to help artists track royalties and get paid fairly and quickly. The company also provides label services through AWAL, including global distribution, marketing and release management.
6. Sellfy
Want to sell your music independently, online? Sellfy is a platform that supports the selling of digital products and merchandise and attracts all types of creative people, including musicians and music producers. If you want to bypass the label route and sell your creative work on your own terms, Sellfy is one option. This case study explains how a guitarist uses Sellfy to sell music albums, lessons, guitar tabs and more.
7. Patreon
Patreon helps you get paid directly by your fans for your creative works. The platform is based on memberships, where fans of your music pay through a recurring subscription to access exclusive content. For example, unreleased music, audio and visual content, behind the scenes footage, etc. We’ve written an article previously all about Patreon, which was inspired by one of our Zoom Dives; read it here.
8. Carrd
If you’re a new artist or musician, it makes sense to create a website to give you an online presence. However, at such an early stage, you might not have much cash to play around with. Carrd enables you to create a one-page, fully responsive website for free. Use it to design a personal profile or a landing page where you can promote your music.
9. SoundCloud
SoundCloud allows you to upload, stream, promote and share your music online. It has a commenting feature, so your listeners can leave feedback for you. The free account lets you upload three hours of audio content and see statistics. SoundCloud Pro Unlimited is the next level up and includes unlimited audio uploads, ways to monetise your tracks and more detailed listener statistics. The Pro package costs £7.50 per month (billed annually).
10. indify
indify has been around since 2015, originally built to help the music industry recognise up and coming artists. Today, indify is working to create a new marketplace to help promising artists connect with early-stage supporting players, such as funding, management and marketing partners. indify is currently invite-only, with access to the platform available for a limited number of artists and partners.
When you’ve finished reading this roundup, there are a couple more articles we think you’ll find helpful. Firstly, check out How to market your music – a guide to finding your groove. It’s packed full of insights on creating your personal brand.
Our member spotlight on J.Muller also makes for essential reading. J.Muller is an independent singer, DJ, poet and music maker, and this feature explains all about her creative business. You’ll need to be a member to access this particular piece of content – learn more about the many perks of a Creative Entrepreneurs membership.