Live music is an experience that cannot be replicated. The feeling of being in a room with other people who are sharing in the same experience is electric. There is nothing like it.
For musicians, creative hotspots are places where they can go to be inspired, to create new music, learn new skills and to collaborate with other artists. Additionally, creative hotspots provide an opportunity to network and build relationships with other creative people.
In this blog post, we will identify 5 creative hotspots for musicians and describe each one in detail. Whether you are a musician yourself or just interested in the music scene, you will want to read on!
So, where are these creative hotspots for musicians?

New York City

The first creative hotspot on our list is New York City. NYC is home to some of the most iconic music venues in the world, such as Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden.
It is also a hotbed for up-and-coming artists, with many smaller venues and open mic nights giving musicians a chance to showcase their talents. Additionally, NYC is also where several music festivals are found, specifically the Newport Jazz Festival and Governors Ball. You will surely never be short on creative inspiration if you find yourself in New York City!

Popular Music Venues in New York City

Los Angeles

LA is another city with a rich music history, having given birth to many different genres of music over the years.
Like NYC, LA has its fair share of iconic music venues, like the Greek Theatre and Hollywood Bowl. In addition to being a great place to see live music, LA is also a great place for musicians to create new music. There are many studios and producers located in LA, giving musicians access to the resources they need to create new tracks.

Popular Music Venues in Los Angeles

Austin, Texas

If you are looking for a creative hotspot with a more relaxed vibe, Austin, Texas may be the place for you. Austin is known as the “live music capital of the world” and it definitely lives up to its name.
With over 250 live music venues, there is always a show to see. Austin is also where number of music festivals that are worth checking out. In addition to that, the city has a number of creative co-working spaces and meetups for musicians. In Austin, you will find a creative community that is supportive and welcoming.

Popular Music Venues in Austin

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville is a fantastic hotspot for musicians. It is where the Grand Ole Opry is located, the world’s longest-running live radio show.
Nashville is also known for its songwriting community and many aspiring musicians move to the city in hopes of making it big in the music industry. Moreover, Nashville is host to a number of music festivals and events where musicians can perform and network. Therefore, if you are looking to pursue a career in music, Nashville is definitely a city worth considering.

Popular Music Venues in Nashville

Atlanta, Georgia

Last but not least, Atlanta is a creative hotspot that is often overlooked. However, the city has a lot to offer musicians.
There are many different music venues, from small clubs to large arenas. Aside from that, the city has a thriving hip hop scene and is a place where many well-known producers and rappers reside. It is also the birthplace of many different genres of music, namely hip hop and R&B.

Popular Music Venues in Atlanta

Creative hotspots are important for musicians as they can help to give musicians a chance to showcase their talents. Having the chance to perform at iconic venues, collaborate with other creative people and attend music festivals is a great way for musicians to further their careers.
As a musician, keep in mind that being creative doesn’t always mean coming up with new ideas. Sometimes, it can simply mean taking advantage of the creative hotspots that are right in front of you!
If you’re a musician, then you know that it’s important to be professional. professionalism is key when it comes to the music business. There are many different things musicians can do to make sure they are seen as professionals in the industry. In this blog post, we will discuss several different business professionalism tips for musicians!

7 Business Professionalism Tips For Musicians

Be On Time

One of the most important business professionalism tips for musicians is to always be on time. This means showing up to gigs, rehearsals, and meetings on time. Being punctual shows that you are reliable and that you respect other people’s time. It’s also important to dress appropriately for gigs and meetings. You want to make sure you look presentable and that you’re not wearing anything that would be considered offensive.

Have A Professional Attitude

Another business professionalism tip for musicians is to have a professional attitude. This means being respectful to those you work with, being positive, and having a can-do attitude. It’s important to always be professional, even if you’re having a bad day.

Come Prepared

Being prepared is another business professionalism tip for musicians. This means having all of your materials ready before a gig or meeting. This includes things like music, lyrics, setlists, business cards, and more. Having everything prepared shows that you are organized and that you’re taking the time to be professional.

Communicate Effectively

Communicating effectively is another business professionalism tip for musicians. This means being clear and concise when communicating with others. It’s important to use proper grammar and to avoid using slang. You want to make sure that you’re conveying your message in a way that can be understood by everyone.

Follow Up

The last business professionalism tip for musicians is to follow up. This means sending thank you notes after gigs, meetings, or rehearsals. You also want to make sure you keep in touch with those you work with. Following up shows that you appreciate the opportunity to work with others and that you’re interested in continuing a business relationship.

Invest In Career Development

If you want others to invest in you then you need to invest in yourself. This can include things like taking music lessons, attending workshops, and networking with other professionals. By investing in your career development, you’re showing that you’re serious about your music and that you’re willing to put in the work to be successful.

Network

Make sure you are connecting with other professionals in your field. Attend industry events, create business cards, and connect on social media. By networking, you’re increasing your chances of being seen by those in the industry and of getting opportunities to work with others.
By following these business professionalism tips for musicians, you can be sure that you’re putting your best foot forward in the music business. Remember to always be on time, dress appropriately, come prepared, communicate effectively, and follow up after gigs and meetings. By doing these things, you’ll show that you’re a professional musician who is serious about their career.

Here is an exclusive interview with Dorian Perron! Hope you enjoy.

Of course! I started as an indie music blogger in 2013, sharing music that I liked and thought didn’t receive the attention it deserved. I also organized live acoustic sessions at my place and live shows in Paris with indie rock musicians such as Ryley Walker, Plants and Animals etc. It was more passion than a job, but the virus caught me (not the one you’re all thinking about ;)). I met with my co-founders Romain & Rafaël in California in 2018, they had music projects and had struggled with getting their new tracks heard from blogs, radios, record labels etc. On my side, even knowing my blog Indeflagration was small, I was receiving over 100 requests per day from artists and their representatives wanting to get their music featured!

When we met in California, we wanted to help independent artists, that was for sure. We knew they had problems and wanted to do everything at once. But instead of going right into it, we started by taking phone calls with more than 200 musicians and music industry professionals for a full month, and we understood very quickly that the most major issue they were facing was related to the nightmare they were experiencing to promote their music and try to get heard. That’s why we created Groover.

Exclusive Interview with Dorian Perron. The goal of Groover is to help artists emerge through influential channels like blogs, radios, playlists curators

Through those calls and meetings, it was not hard to realize that artists needed help in order to stand out from the crowd when supposedly 80,000 new tracks are released each day on Spotify. We realized that the biggest bottleneck exists after the track is created, recorded, mixed/mastered. The barriers to production and distribution are already brought down thanks to production software, streaming platforms and digital distributors. 

That’s why we created Groover when we came back to France from California. Our goal from the start has been to help artists emerge through influential channels such as blogs, radios, playlists curators, starting with guaranteeing that their music would be listened to and that they’d receive feedback. To help them break this wall of the first listening that could change things, and sometimes change everything.

To say it short – be ready for the sales pitch 😉 – Groover is the web platform that helps artists get their music heard. Groover connects artists who want to promote their music with the best curators, radios and labels seeking emerging talents. 

To get started, it’s easy! You can add a Youtube or Soundcloud link to the track you’d like to promote, and send your music directly to a selection of blogs, radios, playlist curators, record labels and pros of your choice, get feedback guaranteed, build your network and increase your visibility. Feel free to have a look at this short guide to get started easily on Groover

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Groover is for all independent artists who want to get more people to listen to their music, to build their network and progress. We’ve been amazed by the kinds of artists who have used Groover to increase their coverage through blogs, radios and playlist curators so far, from amazing projects such and labels as Nico & Vinz, Tchamy, La Femme, to complete discoveries and artists releasing their very first track. You can even use Groover to get detailed feedback on your unfinished track from mentors and sound experts, and also get in touch with record labels, publishers & managers.

Let’s also note that Groover is also a great tool for artists representatives such as managers, record label owners, publishers. They can capitalize on their recurring use of the platform to target even better the right contacts for all the artists they work with.

What Groover guarantees is that artists will get their tracks listened to and feedback from the curators and pros they’ve reached out to. If some don’t answer after 7 days, the artists get Grooviz – the name of our credits on the website – back. The current answer rate on Groover is around 90%. This means that if you send a campaign to 40 contacts, you’ll get in average 36 answers and get Grooviz back to send your track – or another one! – to 4 more music curators & pros of your choice.

You must wonder what kind of feedback you can expect. All the curators & pros have to agree to a charter before they’re approved on Groover, and to several principles. The most important ones are: be informative and constructive, explanatory and sincere, benevolent and encouraging. We want artists to get value out of the feedback they receive, be pushed forward, either understand how their music is perceived or find ways to improve.

The content of the feedback depends a lot on the types of curators you’re reaching out to. Mentors, sound specialists, record labels, managers will naturally tend to be more detailed and comment. On the contrary, radio stations and playlist curators sometimes have trouble judging a track on top of saying it’s a fit for their list or not.

More interesting of course is the fact that curators and pros can share the tracks they receive or get in touch with the artists. It happens on average in 20-25% of the cases, with huge variations based on the quality of the music and the accuracy of the targeting. Since Groover started, there have been more than 1 million pieces of feedback given, 250k shares and more than 500 signatures with record labels… That we know about!

The artist dashboard gathers all the replies obtained by artists from the curators & pros which they have chosen to get in touch with on Groover

The artist dashboard gathers all the replies obtained by artists from the curators & pros which they have chosen to get in touch with on Groover

I’ll say it shorter on this one haha 😉 First, they get the tracks in an optimized dashboard which is as easy to use as a playlist, they can make their decision and share the tracks they like through it and save a lot of time. Second, they get high quality music much more in their editorial line since we guide artists to choose the most relevant curators and pros for them. Music curators & pros on Groover tend to receive really amazing music on the platform! Third and last, they get paid for each reply they give, whatever their decision is. So they keep their complete editorial independence while discovering new music gems at the same time.

So many… I mean, so many things I wouldn’t have imagined would happen! Starting with how the team evolved, with now more than 35 people working for Groover who amaze me and my co-founders Romain and Rafaël every day. 

And also of course there’s nothing more satisfying than witnessing artists who’ve been using Groover from the start getting amazing results, making life changing encounters, building their team through the platform… And killing it on stage! Our artist accelerator Groover Obsessions is also particularly dear to me as it was a dream to be able to help artists boost their careers even further. The 30 artists who are part of it are family now, and we have a team of 5 working every day on pushing them to where they deserve to be.

Oh, I know! People are extremely creative in the music space, it’s extraordinary. But on the contrary, you won’t find as many people being very… let’s say… organized. When I was doing my studies, I started a small music blog and I was able to obtain so many free festival passes, vinyl discs, CDs just by sending professional emails detailing exactly what I was going to do in return. More generally, this also has to do with the fact that the music industry can be much more open to newcomers than other industries, especially on the “pro” side. 

So the first piece of advice would be: always try, you’ll never regret it. You can try to get in touch with whoever you want in the music space, nothing can stop you if you’re nice, professional and if you know what you want!

The second piece of advice, especially if you want to start a service/platform would be to talk to the people you’re trying to address. Before starting Groover, we interviewed more than 200 artists and music professionals, long and detailed interviews that led us to understand how much promoting your music as an artist was painful and how game changing it would be to solve that issue.

We hope you liked our exclusive interview with Dorian Perron!

Want to try Groover out? Pirate users can now enjoy a 10% discount. Sign up on Groover and use the code VAMPRGROOVERVIP [more explanations on how to apply the special discount here]

Follow Groover on Instagram and Spotify

Exclusive Interview with Dorian Perron. The goal of Groover is to help artists emerge through influential channels like blogs, radios, playlists curators

Ever had that dream where you’re late for school, it’s time for final exams and you haven’t studied at all? It’s a common nightmare, but next time it happens try imagining this instead: You’ve just come home but your house is different somehow, finer, more inviting than you remembered it being. You know it’s OK though, because in this dream you have already completed your music education. 

You’re in your front hallway, looking at the framed photos on the walls. You’re in all of them, different versions of you. You’re playing music, you’re performing to crowds, you are completely absorbed in front of a bank of lighted control panels in a studio. You are behind a mixing board, you are laying tracks inside a maze of soundproof panels, looking very satisfied surrounded by a group of people who are all smiling with you fondly. 

Learn How To Track Your Progress! VAMPR Academy is the future of music education and is crucial if you want to make it in the industry! Get started today! Piano teacher giving a music lesson to her student, explaining notes, home studying By Artranq

Music Education

Want to make your dream come true? You have some work to do first. Here’s where some real music education comes in. It’s not in some alternate universe where you were born to famous and wealthy producer parents. It’s not in some intimidating and expensive professional music school. It’s a dimension of practical industry education that you can access anywhere: Welcome to Vampr Academy. 

Module 1

Let’s look at the evolution of this new world and see what resonates with you. In the first module, Thinking About the Business of Music you’ll be introduced to your coursework, and the teaching philosophy that you’ll be interacting with while using the Vampr system of themed dynamic lessons. 

This first group of classes is a great place to start to gain a deeper understanding of music business roles and the unique fit and function of artists within it. You’ll gain insight into a rich range of options and learn to work your own magic with the guidance of solidly experienced professionals you deserve. This is where you learn about the music consumer, how to get inside the listener’s head and propel your sound to a wider audience.

Module 2

Legal Basis of the Music Business leads you with sure and steady steps through the complicated realm of intellectual property and copyright issues in music. You’ll learn how to think critically about copyright both domestic and international and spot the myths that throw many artists off. Knowledge is the surest defense against copyright infringement to protect your original work. You will also grasp an invaluable understanding of mechanical royalties, trademark, branding, domain names, social media and image rights. Assignment and licensing will be covered as well as the role of PROs.

Learn How To Track Your Progress! VAMPR Academy is the future of music education and is crucial if you want to make it in the industry! Get started today! Woman judge is currently advising clients on their requests for legal proceedings and legal advice. By wutzkoh
Module 3

The third module Understanding Music Publishing tackles the development and fundamental business side of current music publishing including synchronization, working with publishers and sync agents and how you can turn your songwriting into a steady stream of income.

Module 4 

Recordings and Record Companies will explore the four pillars of the recording industry and measure the impact of the digital revolution. You’ll be guided on a deep dive of lessons covering the functions of the record music industry, record music income, digital distribution, label services and much more. This module spans across 7 lessons and is the perfect stepping stone to help you along your path of truly understanding the inner workings of the recording world.  You will be fully up to date on the recordings industry’s functions and terms. Also, one more little thing—collecting the money. 

Digital mixer in a recording Studio , with a computer for recording music. The concept of creativity and show business. By puhimec

Module 5

Contracts and the recorded Music Industry uncovers all the secrets to getting that elusive and lucrative deal as well as clear understanding of various types of recording and publishing agreements. You’ll gain insight on bargaining position and how to fine tune your internal compass for negotiation. You’ll be taught to reliably consider when you should “sign your life away” (or simply run away screaming), and you will know all you need to about the reversion of copyright and catalogs. We’ll show you why longer contracts or bigger money isn’t always better. We’ll cover advances, contracts for services and key clauses in recording and publishing agreements. You’ll learn the subtle martial art of defending yourself against any irrational or unjust behavior that you might confront on your journey.

Module 6

Here comes another jungle to conquer in Module 6, with our Overview of the Live Music Industry. This will bring you into the arena of economics within the live music industry and to contemplate the concept of music as a perishable good. You’ll also study the main players in the live game, such as venues, venue bookers, agents, promoters. You’ll consider the truth about promoters and music as its own reward. The goal here is to give you the tools to establish your own live team.

Live music By twenty20photos


Module 7

Representation and Management is the core of Module 7, its legal basis and everything an artist looking for a manager needs to know. You’ll look at management business models, learn the role of a manager as well as the types of managers. Contracts of term, territory, commission and termination will be covered, as well as how to evaluate a management’s fee for service.

Module 8

Here we are at long last with the final module of this series, Bringing Together Your Music Business, and you should feel proud of all your hard work as you approach your moment of groundbreaking. You’ll be ready to consider what it is you actually want to market, your artistic brand, your plan and publicity. You will refine your design for sustainable success, learn financial planning, how to build a solid business team, as well as what to do when as they say the honeymoon is over. Don’t worry too much, though. By now you’ll be prepared. For anything.

VAMPR Academy is the future of music education. Are you ready to get started?

As one half of the songwriting and production duo Saltwives, David Phelan boasts an impressive catalog with his partner Alex Oriet. The two have worked with some of the biggest names in popular music. Their most recognized singles include: Zayn and Sia’s single, “Dusk Till Dawn,” to Bebe Rexha’s single, “No Broken Hearts” ft. Nicki Minaj. The songs written and produced by Saltwives have garnered over 5 billion streams worldwide and the duo earned a BMI Award for the US Top 10 “Remind Me To Forget”performed by Kygo and Miguel. 

London-based world-renowned music producer Phelan joined Vampr for a live Q&A session last month and shared his tips on making it in the music business. “Create, network and then create and network some more,” he advised listeners during the session. Here are a few more helpful tips he shared that can help you move your career forward.

Sound engineer working in recording studio - Music band recording cd - professional, technician, recording concept By peus80

Perfect Advice From David Phelan

Write songs that are catchy or elicit emotion. “I think the main things have to be emotion and catchiness. Either the song is so catchy it does not have to have strong emotion or communicates so much emotion it doesn’t even have to be that catchy! Normally somewhere in the middle of that is great. If you don’t have either, write something else.”

Use constructive criticism when collaborating. “I’m very grateful to have had an excellent working relationship with Alex for many years now. We have no set way of working, we just follow each other’s enthusiasm and have healthy arguments about who’s right. The best way to prove that is by coming up with something else rather than trashing what is there. That tends to mean you can stay friends.”

Closeup of woman guitarist sitting composing music in the park By Rawpixel
Be dedicated to songwriting & you will hit upon success. “Every now and then the stars align and I get shivers from the song, that’s when something has turned a corner and become very special. It’s a very rare occasion, but when it does, I have full faith in the song and won’t give up on it, no matter how long it takes to figure it out. That can mean changing the production 10 times or more, finding a different singer, tweaking the song, whatever makes it better.

Most career advancements come from a mix of luck with constant grind. “I think it’s a bit of both for sure. You can definitely control how much you grind and to a smaller extent you can create your own luck also. By trying to put your grind in the right situations, by contacting people, grinding in isolation is hoping only to get by with luck and that might not always play out.”

Stick with it. “I think the number one thing I notice when I work with new people is that the biggest determining factor in whether we continue to work with them can be their enthusiasm and stick-to-it-ive-ness. Cultivating those skills is so important. So many people starting I’ve thought were musically talented, but then after we worked together they never send me more ideas or follow up. They expect maybe I don’t want to hear from them or whatever, but the truth is I really value people who communicate ideas. Even if the ideas are not great, as long as they are improving then I’m interested.”

Portrait of attractive smiling singer man happily creating music in sound recording studio. Music production By garetsworkshop

Take responsibility for the work: “I appreciate collaborators who have complementary skill sets, creative honesty, and people I enjoy hanging out with people who take personal responsibility for what we are making. Also sometimes when I’m working with new writers and artists, they can lean back a little and expect the more experienced people to take care of making sure the song is great. You should always aim to take responsibility for the song you are working on, even if you are a first time songwriter with the world’s biggest hitmaker people really appreciate that effort.”

If you didn’t know who David Phelan and Alex Oriet were, you do now.  You should definitely take their advice when it comes to music and the industry because they certainly know a thing or two!

Criticism can make or break the way a musician feels about their own music. Letting music you’ve worked so hard on out into the world can be exhilarating but also give rise to uncertainty. Some people will love your sound, but others will have complaints and suggestions. You can rely on members of either camp being eager to share their thoughts. Take these constructive criticism examples and learn from them to adapt without getting upset!

Exposing your work to judgment as well as to praise is essential for creative growth but isn’t always painless. Hearing what other people think is good or bad about your sound, having your strength or weakness as an artist openly evaluated can be a dizzying process. The message of positive feedback is that no changes are necessary, that your song, your performance, is perfect as is. Feedback suggesting improvements could feel more negative, even discouraging. Recognizing an opportunity to use challenging feedback to make changes in your music can transform your career.

Letterboard With Words That Spell Donut Judge Me ,with a fresh donut, in golden letters, on a white background, horizontal By lizzykomen


Any feedback is ultimately good because it means people are listening, but an uninformed critique isn’t always useful for a creative. Enthusiastic praise for a painting in an art show coming from the artist’s mother isn’t likely to be taken seriously, nor is a more scathing opinion of the same art offered by the painter’s angry ex. It’s criticism from an objective impersonal listener that can play a huge role in helping the artist improve. 

Compliments and praise can fuel your drive to keep recording or performing, but it’s impossible to open the door for positive attention without also letting in your less adoring fan base of potential critics. It doesn’t take a degree in music theory for someone to express their opinion of a live show but absorbing feedback merely as good or bad does little to fertilize new growth. For bands without much experience playing live, or bands that mainly record without the immediate reaction of a live audience, constructive criticism examples can be extremely helpful. 

hand of an experienced pianist, music teacher helping young students By Artranq

It’s been said it takes 10,000 hours of practice in order to master a skill. Any musician can put in 10,000 hours of practicing their instrument, but it would be nearly impossible to spend that number of hours performing on stage. Learning to implement changes to your on-stage performance based on criticism can be a clever way to become more professional without touring as frequently as the Rolling Stones.

For any aspiring professional in the music business, learning how to accept criticism, to think of it as a gift rather than a judgment, is a vital ability if you want to succeed. To thrive in such a competitive field, you need to be able to turn an awful lot of people into fans. A painter doesn’t need 500 thousand avid fans trying to buy every sketch they make, or to follow them from city to city to watch them paint. A sculptor doesn’t necessarily need to cultivate a sizable audience in order to achieve acclaim. These artists only need a small group of wealthy art fans or a community that values their work enough to turn an empty space into an art gallery where people can come and take in their creation. To have a career recording and performing music, you need to appeal not only to followers of your music genre but also make converts out of those that would least identify as fans of the type of music you play. A jazz saxophone player would want not only jazz devotees to appreciate their sound but hope to be able to turn all sorts of music lovers from rock to hip hop into fans. 

Band performs on stage, rock music concert in a nightclub. Authentic shooting with high iso in challenging lighting conditions. A little bit grain and blurred motion effects By cookelma

Successful artists will tell you that every new achievement builds on the last. The satisfaction they get from their work is equal to the amount of effort and passion they pour into it, using every tool at their disposal and all the help and inspiration they can possibly muster. The ability to improve your music through thoughtful consideration of the constructive criticism examples you receive can be almost like having a cheat code on a video game, a life hack from an unexpected source. Learning to gracefully process criticism and putting that information to good use is a skill that we could all learn to apply better in our lives.