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	<title>Ari's Take</title>
	<subtitle>The Biz Behind Full-Time Independent Music</subtitle>
	<link href='http://aristake.com/feed/feed.xml' type='application/atom+xml' rel='self'/>
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	<id>http://aristake.com/feed/</id>
	<updated>2013-05-16T06:40:05-05:00</updated>
	<icon>http://aristake.com/images/Ari_Logo.png</icon>
	<logo>http://aristake.com/images/Ari_Logo.png</logo>
	<entry>
		<title>CD Baby Pro vs. TuneCore Publishing (The Full Report)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=76'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=76</id>
		<updated>2013-05-16T04:14:03-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Income' />
		<category term='Management' />
		<summary><![CDATA[If you are anywhere near a CD Baby newsletter or have ever used their service you have heard that they just launched their new Publishing division CD Baby Pro this month (yeah they've been pushing it HARD!). Tunecore has had a similar service, Tunecore Publishing, around for about a year and a half. So far Tunecore has racked up 12,000 songwriters to their s...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/cdbabyprovtuncore_thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Don't Try Out For A Singing Show...</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=75'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=75</id>
		<updated>2013-05-04T16:47:02-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Image' />
		<category term='Management' />
		<summary><![CDATA[...unless you know how to leverage it. I got a few questions this past week about my take on singing contest shows (from Request a Topic form below). I touched on it in You Should Try Out For American Idol, but I'm going to go a bit deeper.+You Should Try Out For American IdolLet me start off by saying I have friends who have been on The Voice and American I...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpeg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/donttryoutforasingingshow_thumb.jpeg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>It Is About Who You Know</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=74'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=74</id>
		<updated>2013-04-24T23:55:34-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<summary><![CDATA[The most popular 'myth' to debunk these days by talking heads in the biz is that it's not about who you know. Everyone will say 'just be great - you don't need connections!' Bull. It IS about who you know. I can't tell you how many opportunities I've gotten just because this friend worked at this TV station or that friend wrote for that newspaper or that fri...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/itisaboutwhoyouknow_thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Don't Tell People You Are Broke</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=73'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=73</id>
		<updated>2013-04-10T17:18:25-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Image' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Musicians who know musicians know that most of them are always broke. Like Ramen broke. PB&J broke. Rice and beans BROKE.You know who doesn't know that musicians are broke? Non-musicians. And let's keep it that way.+Who Is Ari?Music lovers (your fans) don't want to hear how you are a 'struggling/starving musician.' It's not romantic. The 'starving artist' th...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpeg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/brokemusician2thumb.jpeg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>How To Kill a 30 Year Career in 5 Minutes</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=72'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=72</id>
		<updated>2013-03-25T15:26:14-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Performing' />
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<summary><![CDATA[The simple answer is: alienate your audience. This is exactly what Michelle Shocked did last Sunday at Yoshi's in San Francisco.Shocked had built a career over 30 years of activist folk music that targeted a progressive, LGBT friendly crowd.Then, in a moment, she did the equivalent of white Michael Jackson dropping a hateful N-word bomb at a black Baptist ch...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/michelleshocked_thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>The Art of Asking </title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=71'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=71</id>
		<updated>2013-03-08T13:55:25-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Community' />
		<category term='Management' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Everyone watch Amanda Palmer's brilliant Ted talk. I'll wait the 13 minutes.Ok, now that you're in tears and are just as inspired as I am, let's take something away from this.No musician in the world is a better asker, connector, motivator or promoter, in my opinion, than Amanda Fucking Palmer (AFP). But that doesn't mean that we can't learn to become better...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/amandapalmer.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Skip The Party Tonight, Become a Rockstar Tomorrow</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=70'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=70</id>
		<updated>2013-03-06T16:02:59-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Management' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Darren Campbell wrote in (via the Request a Topic below) and asked I write on this... so here it is!'The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what you want most for what you want right now' - Zig ZiglarSome people claim that college is about the party. College isn't necessarily about what you learn (how many of you grads can recall what you lear...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpeg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/skipthepartytonight_thumb.jpeg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Pimp Out Your CD Release Show</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=69'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=69</id>
		<updated>2013-02-27T02:13:35-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Performing' />
		<category term='Image' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<summary><![CDATA[The night of your album release show should be the biggest night of your career to date. If you've done your job right, the show will be packed if not sold out. The reason more people typically come to album release concerts than your Wednesday night 4 band bill show is because it's an event - and should be hyped up as one.+Shows Sell, Events SelloutHow I go...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/cdrelease_thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>You Should Try Out for American Idol (The Relatives)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=68'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=68</id>
		<updated>2013-02-12T22:43:53-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Holidays are especially stressful for musicians. This is the time that uncle Joe always asks with a condescending smirk 'so how's the music thing going?' Aunt Jane then chimes in 'you should try out for American Idol! You'd be great.' This is either the point where you smile, nod and say 'maybe next year' and b-line for the potatoes or (the route I stupidly...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpeg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/youshouldtryout_thumb.jpeg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Free Bird! (Covers vs. Originals)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=67'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=67</id>
		<updated>2013-02-06T13:35:39-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Performing' />
		<category term='Income' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Scott Palahniuk wrote in (via the Request a Topic below) and asked about cover songs and how an opener should order their set. And Ian J wrote in asking: 'they ask you to play for three hours, but having that much original material is hard. Is it singer/songwriter suicide to sing covers? If so is there a limit to how many?' Here's my take on playing covers a...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpeg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/freebirdcovers_thumb.jpeg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>What's a Publicist and Should I Get One?</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=66'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=66</id>
		<updated>2013-02-01T19:04:07-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Promo' />
		<category term='Media' />
		<category term='Management' />
		<summary><![CDATA[I was going to write an entire post about the world of music PR and discuss when it's time to get a publicist and what you should expect to pay and WHAT THEY DO (most musicians have no idea), but I figured why not just interview a successful music publicist (and one who I have worked with in the past). Amy Draheim is the founder of Shatter PR, a Los Angeles...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/png' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/shatterpr_thumb.png' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Copyright Your Song or GLEE Will Steal It</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=65'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=65</id>
		<updated>2013-02-01T17:23:47-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Income' />
		<category term='Management' />
		<summary><![CDATA[I know basic US music copyright law. I mean, I'm no lawyer, but I studied it in college and just spent a couple hours on the US Copyright website to brush up. Technically as soon as you put your song in a fixed form (paper, cd, digital counts - performing it does not) then it's copyrighted. The reason people pay $35 a song to register it in Washington is to...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpeg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/copyright_thumb.jpeg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Headlining </title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=64'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=64</id>
		<updated>2013-01-23T14:58:03-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Performing' />
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<summary><![CDATA[I've played countless 'local' gigs with a 4 band bill where everyone had an equal draw, many 'opening' gigs where the headliner clearly brought the majority of the room and I've headlined (both locally and on tour) where I clearly brought the majority of the room.When you're just getting started in your local market most gigs won't be technically 'headlining...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpeg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/headlining_thumb.jpeg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>The Sound Guy</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=63'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=63</id>
		<updated>2013-01-21T14:40:15-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Performing' />
		<category term='Venues' />
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<summary><![CDATA[As much time as you spend in your rehearsal space perfecting your sound, it won't mean anything if it's botched coming out of the PA. All the money you spent on new pedals, amps, guitars and strings doesn't matter if the mix is off in the club.The sound guy (or gal) is the most important component of your show that most bands don't really think about. He (go...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/soundguy_thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Interview with founder of Indie On The Move</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=62'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=62</id>
		<updated>2013-01-14T18:12:24-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Booking' />
		<summary><![CDATA[I (digitally) sat down with Kyle Weber, one half of the brother-Weber founders of Indie On The Move, to discuss their excellent booking resource for DIY musicians. As I wrote in Booking Your Own Tour: A How-To Guide, I used their site when booking recent tours and found it to be extremely valuable in gaining venue contacts and first-hand musician reviews.Ari...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/indieonthemove_thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Your Music Doesn't Matter</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=61'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=61</id>
		<updated>2013-01-04T20:05:15-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Image' />
		<summary><![CDATA[The hardest thing for musicians to hear and the reason so many are held back for so long lies in a simple, nauseating realization: your music doesn't matter.Of course I think the music matters. All musicians are passionately, desperately and hopelessly in love with music. It's why we chose such a difficult career path. But, most people who are music fans and...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/eg ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/musicdoesntmatter_thumb.jpeg ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Booking Your Own Tour: A How-To Guide</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=60'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=60</id>
		<updated>2013-04-30T12:05:57-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Venues' />
		<category term='Booking' />
		<summary><![CDATA[This piece I wrote originally for ASCAP.Last year I went on two national tours covering 40 states and played over 100 shows. I booked nearly every show. It was my first time visiting about 30 of the cities and many of the other cities' venues I had never played before.   Both tours were financially successful. Let me say that again. Both tours, after expense...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/pg ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/bookingyourowntour_thumb.jpg ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Fuck Facebook... In the Face</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=59'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=59</id>
		<updated>2013-04-30T12:57:35-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Promo' />
		<category term='Web' />
		<summary><![CDATA[I hope you have heard by now that Facebook has changed the way that users see Page posts in their newsfeed. Before this move, Facebook's algorithm to display Page posts in users' newsfeed was mostly based on how many users initially interacted with the post organically (liked, commented or shared), then it would be shown in more newsfeeds. As of a month or s...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/ng ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/fuckfacebook-thumb.png ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Technical Difficulties ARE Your Fault</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=58'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=58</id>
		<updated>2013-01-19T00:27:38-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Performing' />
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Anyone who has seen my solo live show knows that I have a lot going on on stage. I run multiple instruments and microphones through a mixer into my loop station and out to the house. I have quite a bit of gear setup on stage for a solo artist. I've played over 500 shows and just about everything that could possibly go wrong technically has. Even as I write t...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/technicaldifficulties_thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>50 Is The Magic Number (Book a Headlining Tour)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=56'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=56</id>
		<updated>2013-01-23T15:08:14-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Booking' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Building a fan base is a daunting task. Just reading that sentence your blood pressure probably rose a couple points. Everyone talks about how it's so important to 'build a fan base,' but no one really gives a simple way how or what that even really means.You should not look at the ambiguous 'fan base' as something magical and detached that will only take ge...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/50isthemagicnumber_thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Always unwrap Your CD</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=57'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=57</id>
		<updated>2012-10-08T15:29:11-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Contact' />
		<category term='Media' />
		<summary><![CDATA[It's 2012. CDs are nearly extinct. I, for one, still enjoy getting a physical disc, browsing the liner notes, reading the credits of the string players on track 8 (who aren't credited on iTunes downloads) and using one more of my senses (well two if you count the smell of paper and plastic) during my album listening experience.I'm in the minority. Hell, that...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/pg ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/unwrapyourcd_thumb.jpg ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>How I Made $13,544 In A Month (on Kickstarter)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=54'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=54</id>
		<updated>2012-08-05T02:39:35-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Income' />
		<summary><![CDATA[You may have heard the Amanda Palmer story on how she made $19,000 in 10 hours (3 years before her $1.2 million Kickstarter) on Twitter. Or maybe you haven't, but it's quite impressive. But the thing that always bugs me about these stories - especially when they're titled 'Indie musician Amanda Palmer...' - is that even though she's TECHNICALLY 'indie' she u...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/ng ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/howimade_thumb.png ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Smash Your Shitty Guitar</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=48'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=48</id>
		<updated>2013-02-12T17:32:44-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Performing' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<summary><![CDATA[When I was 14 and wanted to learn guitar my mom took me to a pawn shop to get my first guitar. I knew absolutely nothing about guitars and picked the one in our price range that looked cool. It was an electric so we also got a small practice amp. I couldn't tell you what the guitar was, but I do know that it wasn't very good. I practiced with it and wrote so...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/pg ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/smashyourshittyguitar-thumb.jpg ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>The Hardest Part About Being Your Own Manager</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=51'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=51</id>
		<updated>2013-01-07T14:33:38-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Management' />
		<summary><![CDATA[I once organized a show with a manager of a band in a city where I had a sizable draw. The show was pitched to me by the manager as a great opportunity for me to get in front of many new fans and make a good amount of money. He told me his band brought 550 to their CD release. I was bringing about 100-150 out to my shows in this town so I thought this wasn't...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/pg ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/hardest_part_manager_thumb.jpg ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>City Of Dreams</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=50'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=50</id>
		<updated>2012-09-15T15:58:21-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Image' />
		<category term='Community' />
		<summary><![CDATA[I lived in Minneapolis for 7 years. Other than making great friends, becoming a supportive member of the music community and my overall love for the city itself, it wasn't the right music scene for my style of music. Meaning, there were very few other artists making music within the same or similar genre to what I was doing and the city's music newspaper edi...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/pg ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/cityofdreams-thumb.jpg ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Buy My Music Dammit (Spotify vs iTunes) </title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=52'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=52</id>
		<updated>2013-01-18T22:51:09-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Income' />
		<category term='Web' />
		<summary><![CDATA[**The biggest news story in the music world last week was David Lowery's response letter to the NPR intern Emily White about the moral implications to not purchase music. This has been a massive debate ever since Napster hit over a decade ago. My post below was written before Lowery's letter, but I'm releasing this now because it fits in the discussion and h...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/pg ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/buymydammusic_thumb.jpg ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>The Opener</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=46'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=46</id>
		<updated>2013-01-23T15:08:45-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Performing' />
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<category term='Community' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Being the opener for a more established act can be one of the best ways to make new fans. I can pinpoint specific opening gigs where I gained a large amount of fans who are still incredibly supportive to this day. I love opening slots for more established acts because I get to win new audiences over - my specialty. I sometimes prefer playing in front of a ro...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/pg ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/theopener_thumb.jpg ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Rock Stars Are People Too (Song placements)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=49'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=49</id>
		<updated>2013-01-18T14:24:20-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Contact' />
		<summary><![CDATA[I desperately wanted to get my song 'Last Day' on Grey's Anatomy because I thought it was just perfect for the show. So I researched who the music supervision company for the show was and discovered they had a blog. I read up on the blog and found that one of the music supervisors in the office wanted some Samoas Girl Scout cookies and couldn't find any. I q...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/pg ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/rockstars-thumb.jpg ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>What Do You Mean We Don't Get Paid? (The Confirmation Email)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=32'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=32</id>
		<updated>2013-01-01T13:06:51-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Venues' />
		<category term='Booking' />
		<category term='Contact' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Once you have a show confirmed you should send one final email that includes all of the necessary details. This acts like a contract. Most venues with capacities under 600 don't typically work with contracts - especially when booking directly with the artist. Even if they do work with contracts, it takes way too long to send one over, have them sign it, send...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/whatdoyoumeanwedontgetpaid-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Musicians Are Lazy (The Day Of)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=47'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=47</id>
		<updated>2013-02-27T02:16:05-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Venues' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Musicians are traditionally lazy. That's where all the statistics that you'll never 'make it' come from. It's all the lazy musicians who say they want it but will never put in the work necessary to make it, so they won't. You will absolutely make it (at least as successful as making a living on your music) if you put the work in and don't give up. Don't be l...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/pg ' src='http://aristake.com/http://aristake.com/posts/images/musiciansarelazy_thumb.jpg ' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Don't Forget Your Lyrics (performing)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=36'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=36</id>
		<updated>2013-01-17T17:37:20-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Performing' />
		<category term='Image' />
		<summary><![CDATA[There's nothing more uncomfortable then going to a show and feeling bad for the artist on stage. It's the feeling you get when you are watching a 13-year-old's piano recital, holding your breath as he clunks out the wrong notes on the brink of tears, while you hope he can just get through the song without any more mistakes and can somehow redeem himself in h...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/Dontforgetyourlyrics-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>It Doesn't Take a Web Genius</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=2'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=2</id>
		<updated>2012-07-19T17:27:07-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Promo' />
		<category term='Web' />
		<category term='Media' />
		<category term='Management' />
		<summary><![CDATA[To me, the most frustrating thing is when my friends' bands, who are incredibly talented, either don't know how the web works, don't care to learn the intricacies or just don't put the time in to understand what's important when interacting and posting on the web. People are lazy. If they need to work to find your music online they will just give up and move...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/gif' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/itdoesnttakeawebgenius-thumb.gif' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Just Say Yes</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=43'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=43</id>
		<updated>2013-01-18T11:28:38-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Community' />
		<summary><![CDATA[The idea that you will work at a coffee shop until your band gets their big break and then you're a rock star is laughably false. I wouldn't even mention this if so many young musicians didn't believe this. I know I did.The days of the 'big break' are over. A music career is now a slow, progressive upward slope. If you persevere you will eventually be able t...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/png' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/justsayyes-thumb.png' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Does This Mustache Make My Ass Look Fat?</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=33'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=33</id>
		<updated>2013-01-26T16:43:16-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Performing' />
		<category term='Image' />
		<summary><![CDATA[It's not cool to your dude friends to fret over your image but it is almost as important as your sound. If you look like an idiot on stage half of your audience will think that you sound like one (and the other half may not care, but you just lost half your audience before your first note).They say that 80% of what the audience remembers is visual. So even i...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/doesthismustachebigger-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Our Tour Page Is Totally Full (of empty shows)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=45'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=45</id>
		<updated>2013-02-12T12:41:08-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Venues' />
		<category term='Booking' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Don't ever book a show and just expect people will show up. They won't. Additionally, if you book a tour of cities you've never been to and there's no buzz about you in these cities and you aren't playing these shows with established acts from each city, the tour will be a bust. No one will show up and your band will most likely break up.So how do you get pe...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/ourshowisfull-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Don't Be Afraid Of The Phone</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=35'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=35</id>
		<updated>2013-01-14T15:27:00-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Venues' />
		<category term='Booking' />
		<category term='Contact' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<summary><![CDATA[I've played over 500 shows and I booked the majority of these. I set up a 60 date tour around the entire country from scratch - starting without contacts for the majority of the cities. I've spent the better part of 4 years living on the road, making nearly all of my income from live shows. +Double Your Income.. No ReallyIt all started, though, with the firs...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/dontbeafraidofphone-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>I Think You're An Asshole, So I'm Going To Tell You, Asshole</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=41'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=41</id>
		<updated>2013-02-28T00:24:27-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Contact' />
		<summary><![CDATA[One of my friends, let's call him Tom, is in a fairly successful band (especially in his local city). Tom couldn't get the radio DJ of the local show to reply to his emails or play his band on the radio show and Tom felt he deserved to get played. After about 5 emails, instead of calling the DJ or getting a mutual friend to put in a good word, Tom wrote a sc...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/png' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/ithinkyoureanasshole-thumb.png' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Don't Be A Dick</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=34'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=34</id>
		<updated>2013-01-23T15:11:03-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Community' />
		<summary><![CDATA[When I was a freshman in college an uncle of a friend of mine was the caterer for John Mayer's tour. This was around the Heavier Things time so he was touring arenas, but not a superstar celebrity by any means. The uncle hooked me up with two 'meet and greet' passes. I was a huge fan at this time; I could play half of his catalog on guitar and I covered a co...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/dontbeadick-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>How I Got 250 To My Debut CD Release (Getting Started)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=40'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=40</id>
		<updated>2013-02-27T02:15:33-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Promo' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<category term='Community' />
		<summary><![CDATA[The biggest question I get asked is 'how do I get started.' The easiest answer is 'with your friends.' Even rock stars started by playing shows in front of their friends at their local club. At your earliest shows you're not going to have 'fans,' you're going to have friends coming out to your show. If you're good enough, some of your friends, or friends bro...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/howigot250-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Can I Open For You? Maybe. But Probably Not</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=1'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=1</id>
		<updated>2013-04-10T15:42:35-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Booking' />
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Contact' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<category term='Community' />
		<summary><![CDATA[When I was first getting started in Minneapolis I took note of other local bands who were somewhat successful locally. I was not yet. I sent these bands emails to the extent of 'Saw your show last night. Love your sound. If you ever need an opener hit me up.' As you may expect I never got a reply. Not one. These bands weren't rockstars. On the contrary, they...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/caniopenyourshow-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Be a Supportive Member of Your Music Community</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=4'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=4</id>
		<updated>2012-06-15T13:58:13-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Community' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Right when my name was starting to become known around the University of Minnesota, a Facebook Group popped up entitled 'I Hate Ari Herstand.' With notoriety and marginal fame come the haters. The group happened to be started by a guy who dated a girl I wrote a song about, but moving on. One of the (five) members of the group was in a Minneapolis band. At th...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/png' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/beasupportivemember-thumb.png' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Double Your Income... No Really</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=44'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=44</id>
		<updated>2013-02-27T02:14:32-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Income' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<summary><![CDATA[When you're on tour, merch is your #1 income generator. This can't be stressed enough. Believe it. Bands stress over their guarantees and door splits and turnouts. If you want to survive financially with your music you must understand the importance of merch sales and approach it as such. I've played shows where 10 people showed up, but they had such an amaz...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/doubleyourincome-thumb2.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Beauty School Drop Out (The Backup Plan)</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=3'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=3</id>
		<updated>2013-03-01T13:57:00-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Income' />
		<summary><![CDATA[I never had a backup plan. The moment you create a backup plan is the moment you accept that failure is an option.  Convincing your parents that everything is going to be ok is still probably the most difficult thing a musician has to do - next to finding the right hair product. For years my mother called me asking when I was going back to school to take the...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/beautyschooldropout-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Shows Sell, Events Sell Out</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=37'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=37</id>
		<updated>2013-04-18T00:16:20-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Promo' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<summary><![CDATA[You can't expect everyone to come out to every show. Even if your favorite artist played multiple times a month in your city you wouldn't make it out to every show. People need a reason to devote an evening to your band. Being your friend may work for a little while, but a buzzed about event will push them over the edge.+Friend Fatigue+How I Got 250 out to m...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/eventssellout-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>I'm A Tool and I Have Accepted That</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=42'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=42</id>
		<updated>2012-07-19T13:38:27-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Image' />
		<summary><![CDATA[The music industry is one of the harshest, most demanding, unsupportive, emotionally exhaustive and flat out difficult fields you could enter. But the payoff is... well you know.You have to have thick skin to survive in this industry. People say this pretty much for any creative field because you put your heart on the line and it gets mangled, squashed and v...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/imatool-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Allocating the Duties</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=5'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=5</id>
		<updated>2012-09-08T18:12:46-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Management' />
		<summary><![CDATA[If you're the leader of your band (I imagine you are because you're reading this), you can't force your members to do business duties they really don't want to do. Evaluate everyone's strengths and get them to do the jobs that they enjoy doing. Yes, everyone needs to contribute to the project more than musically, but don't put the guy who flunked algebra and...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/allocatingtheduties-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Friend Fatigue</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=38'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=38</id>
		<updated>2013-01-17T17:39:48-06:00</updated>
		<category term='Promo' />
		<category term='Shows' />
		<summary><![CDATA[You won't have fans at your earliest shows; you'll have friends supporting you. This is crucial for your early shows. You need to show the clubs that you can get a crowd out. The clubs don't care if the 50 people you bring out all live on your dorm floor or if they're long time fans and own your entire discography. 50 tickets is 50 tickets. +50 Is The Magic...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpeg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/friendfatigue.jpeg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<title>Gatekeepers</title>
		<link rel='alternate' href='http://aristake.com/?post=39'/>
		<id>http://aristake.com/?post=39</id>
		<updated>2012-08-08T12:52:47-05:00</updated>
		<category term='Attitude' />
		<category term='Contact' />
		<category term='Management' />
		<summary><![CDATA[Once you get to know your scene better you'll notice that the gatekeepers at the top are friends with each other and they talk. If the top promoter in the city likes you and respects you then he'll tell the venue he works most with and also the music editor of the newspaper as well as the radio DJ. Bands in your scene will start to take notice too.You only n...]]></summary>
		<content type='image/jpg' src='http://aristake.com/posts/images/gatekeeper-thumb.jpg' />
		<author>
			<name>Ari Herstand</name>
			<email>ari@aristake.com</email>
		</author>
	</entry>
	</feed>