Last week we put the final touches on a contract to release 13 albums from a women’s workout/fitness group called First Place/Body & Soul, with a member reach of over 1/2 million women.  The albums are all based on Bible verses and are used weekly in over 12,000 churches across America.  We are excited to partner with First Place/Body & Soul and look forward to providing them an outlet in early 2009!

Tom is currently putting the finishing touches on a new EP we are hoping to see early 2009.  The tracks on the EP sound amazing and we wanted to give you a bit of his previous release to get you ready!

You can listen to and buy this album here or on iTunes.

Tone Box Digital is an indie label and distribution service for the arts. We currently distribute and market over 25 artists and are working on digital distribution for independent films and shorts. Unlike the other competitors, Tone Box Digital is funded by one individual. No backers. No investors. No deep pockets. Just one individual, me. That’s not me complaining, I am 100% proud that Tone Box has survived this long and has been making a profit (small as is) since it was launched in late 2003. What’s the coolest thing about Tone Box? The best part is that the artists make more money than anyone in the chain. This gives them the opportunity to make a living at what they do best.

I’d like to ask you to take a minute or two and go vote for Tone Box and all that I am trying to accomplish.

It’s real simple. Go to this Link. Check out the video… have a giggle or two at my chattering and then vote!

To vote hit the red button with the arrow above it. It’s right beside my video to the left.

Thanks for all the support and help over the years. I couldn’t have done any of this without my friends, family and most importantly the artists that have let me be a part of their music.

The other finalists are really cool and have some super great ideas! I’m in great company and am honored to be among them. No matter who wins this thing we are all going to benefit from the exposure. Here are the other finalists and their websites, great stuff and great minds behind them all!

• Scryve: a collaborative web resource and browser tool combination that provides a resource for environmentally and socially aware Internet browsing. (check out the firefox plugin!)
• CrowdSPRING : was started to help people from around the world access creative talent, and to help creatives from across the globe find new customers
• Greenlines: Classic boardshorts made from 100% recycled polyester fabric.
  Every purchase supports your local beach.
• Livespeakr: The LiveSpeakR™ is a boombox in your pocket! Designed for use with the iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed by a customer, for the customer.
• and me. Tone Box Digital- You can check us out to!

Tone Box was one of five companies chosen out of hundreds…  I’m very excited and am hoping to push through this- no matter who wins, the exposure will be huge.  Wired.com is flying me to New York this morning to shoot a short video piece about Tone Box and how we use technology and why we would benefit from some additional help in building this model.

The video will be posted on Wired.com starting December 1 and the public will be voting on the winner.  I’ll be keeping you guys up to date and letting you know when and how to vote as the time gets closer.

Thanks for supporting indie artists and music!

You can buy the track on iTunes, Amazon
or your favorite digital music service.

Check out the Oversold trailer…

LaLa.com is a new music revolution and Tone Box is proud to be a part of it.  You can listen to artists online and then buy the track as a websong for just .10, yes, ten cents.  If you want to download the track and have it ready to roam you can do that for .99-

Visit Tone Box artists on LaLa.com

Remember the treadmill song?  It was a band called OK GO and the video they used for their song “Here It Goes Again” is a perfect example of viral marketing.  How many times did someone ask you “Have you seen that video with the dudes on the treadmill?” and then how many times did you ask your friends, better yet share it with them?  The idea behind viral marketing is that we trust our friends and we know what our friends like so we share with them our likes and dislikes and so on and so on.

As for the social networks like Myspace, Facebook, Shoutlife and others, they have grown because the member have invited or told a friend about them.  Of course now they are so big some may have joined because of a story they saw on tv or read online.  In the beginning though these sites were all built on viral marketing.

Using social networking sites can be tricky now that they are so crowded and everyone wants to get maximum exposure so much that it’s hard for bands to ask for friends and not get hit with complaints of spam.  Here are a few of the do’s and don’t when marketing through these sites.

• Offer your friends or fans something for joining your page.. a free ringtone, a free mp3, a free wallpaper… something. I know you’re thinking you won’t make any money giving stuff away. Then I say: “If no one knows who you are, you won’t make any money either”. Building a fan base is much more than building a friends list.

• Don’t use a program or script to load up on fans. I know artists who have done this and have 30,000+ friends. The people who are using those and gaining friends are in it for the numbers. If you have 30,000 friends and you send out a bulletin about your music and you only sell $6 worth of music over 6 months that should tell you that friends don’t equal fans or sales.

• Don’t spam your friends. Your friend list is just that. Would you call your other friends every 10 minutes and ask them to please check you out or buy your stuff? At some point they won’t take your call or will delete you from their list. Save your bulletins and emails for true announcements, your friends will trust you and know you just aren’t saying “hey, help me buy dinner tonight.. please buy my music”.

• Create a page for your fan club or street team and let them go after friends for you.  Like I said before, it’s better when it comes from a trusted source or friend.

• Create press releases to generate some buzz about your band.  Signing with an indie label, announcing your music is available online for purchase, you just finished some new songs and want some feedback, tour dates, or a band contest are all great starts to use as a press release.  Again, don’t “bug” your friends with lame announcements and bulletins.

• The following is last but it is a must.  You must correspond with your fans.  I mean really talk to them, don’t use a bot to post those “thanks for being my friend” pictures.  Actually take the time to thank them and start a conversation.  If they email you, respond.  I realize this can get crazy and you will need to use your own judgment for some of the more “aggressive” fans that write how much they love you 5 times a day.  A simple hello and thanks will go a long way to building a true fan.

It’s hard to gauge the social networking phenomenon.  They are definitely here to stay but one has to ask “what’s next?”.  As they continue to grow, the marketing strategy for one band will be completely different than another.  Keeping with some basic etiquette and rules like the ones above will put you on the right track to building a truly interactive artist community.

09-12-08–NASHVILLE, TN– Indieheaven.com the leading Christian independent musician resource is excited to announce their 6th annual CIA Summit conference to be held March 25-28, 2009 at “The Foundry” in downtown Nashville, TN. The CIA Summit has established itself as an event that focuses on the independent musician, encouraging attendees to create momentum, and to pursue passion and excellence in their music mission. Click Here for a recap of CIA Summit 2008.

CIA Summit founder Keith Mohr states, “In a time of rapid change in the Christian music industry, independent artists not only must be talented, they must also be educated on how to succeed as an independent, since 99% will remain indie. The CIA Summit equips, empowers, encourages, and delivers the truth about serving Christ through the medium of music.”

At CIA Summit 2009, there will be plenty of performance opportunities for attendees, including an all day showcase on Thursday, March 26, 2009, plus concerts with top indie bands and singer songwriters each evening. To wrap up the conference, on Saturday evening, March 28, 2009, the 4th Annual MOMENTUM AWARDS will be held, which recognizes the pursuit of excellence in the independent Christian music mission. “We’re going to have a great time and celebrate our independence, together,” states Mohr.

The CIA Summit is open to musicians who create any style of music, for those just starting on their music mission, or seasoned veterans and former signed artists. Attendees will be encouraged to share their experiences and their missions through open discussions and networking.

Mentors include: Indieheaven President and CIA Summit founder, Keith Mohr, Sue Ross of The Inner Vizion, Tom Jackson, Eric Copeland of Creative Soul, Wally Nason, Scott MacLeod, Byron Spradlin of ACT, with many more to come!

For more information on the CIA Summit, visit the Summit website at: www.ciasummit.com

We are excited to annouce that the long awaited albums that put the Altar Boys on the map  have hit iTunes and multiple other outlets.  Albums like Gut Level Music and Against The Grain have been major influences in the alt rock and punk rock genre for years.  Also released are demos and solo projects of band leader Mike Stand.

Visit iTunes to purchase these releases or purchase hi-resolution DRM free tracks from the Tone Box Digital store.