Are you a musician that writes and records your own music? Do you want people to buy it? If so, you may or may not be familiar with TuneCore–the leading online music distributor. With TuneCore the average no-name musician can now make money from their music. Below is a short explanation of how it works.
1. Create an Account. Making an account with TuneCore is very simple. Simply visit tunecore.com and click “Get Started” (or just click here). You will then fill out the basic information on the sign up form provided, and presto! You’ve got an account!
2. Upload Album Art. Once your account has been created, just click “Add Album” to begin the process. The key to getting people to buy your album is to create an interesting, attention-grabbing album cover. Since people will generally see the album before they actually listen to it, you want to make sure it represents the music on the album and shows off your creativity.
3. Upload Your Music. Once your songs are recorded and mixed, create a .WAV file that is a 16-bit sample size and a 44.1 kHz sample rate. They must be in this format to be uploaded to TuneCore.
4. Choose Online Stores. TuneCore can distribute your music to all of the major online music stores such as: iTunes, Rhapsody, Spotify, I Heart Radio, Zune Music, Myspace Music, and more. Simply select the stores you would like to send your music to.
5. Pay. To upload an album you (the artist) must pay a $50 fee to TuneCore. That $50 will keep the album online for one year, and will have to be renewed annually. TuneCore only collects on the distribution and maintenance fee of $50/year. All music sales go directly to the online music store you have chosen, and to you. For example: an artist uploads an album onto TuneCore, and pays the $50 for distribution. In one month they make $100 from music sales. The online music store will take their cut (usually around %30) and the rest goes to the artist (about $70).
6. Market. With social media being so prevalent in our lives, no-name artists have the chance to get their music out to the public faster, easier, and cheaper than ever before. You have the ability to share online via Facebook, Twitter, Myspace Music, and YouTube, which takes very little effort on your part. If you have talent and an audience, it should get shared.
With TuneCore and a little social media interaction, it is now faster and easier to profit from your work than ever before. So rock on!