I am a violinist/fiddler/mandolin player....
with a lot of experience, diversity and education...but, not being a singer, or songwriter besides my own multi-instrumental 4-track recordings, how do I market myself... as an availbable musician willing to travel or a studio musician? What do I need to do to get noticed? I have played with several bands and have CDs from that...but who do I need to send them to? Should I make my own CD of just myself? Just curious how instrumentalists should market their music.

I am an Instrumentalist allso. I used to hope to have a great band so I could star marketing myself. But not no more, just go for it market yourself at least until somthing better comes. I would try a small run of CDs first and see how it does. If it works out good talk to some other instrumentalist who would be willing to play your materials and set a small tour in your area. And from there keep expanding. Don't let the fact that your just instrumental hold you back. Good Luck! feal free to e-mail me malevolencemusic@yahoo.com

I am an instrumentalist who performs my own brand of smooth jazz, exclusively for a nightclub chain in New England. (multi keyboards and some light vocals)

The first thing you need to do is to identify a market. If you can't do that, then you might create your own market ( as I have done)
This involves a stretch of the imagination, but is done all the time. An example would be Staples ( the store ) Staples was a concept created by a consulting firm who was hired to re engineer ( big term for save) a going out of business office supply firm. The consulting firm created the market by tapping into the needs of small business owners who were purchasing items from mom and pop stores ( at very high prices ).

I would think that your market would be clubs and restaurants that have an audience who would appreciate your instrumental performances as an acomplished soloist.

That being said, You should have background tracks for your solo performance, offer to do auditions, and walk into the places knowing the type of audience ahead of time. A good press kit can be created on a MAC ( or if you must, WINDOWS ) and your pricing should start out in a way that will make it worth the manager's while to try you for a few nights
( to see if you catch on ).

Finally, go with your instinct, and change your direction when your lack of results tell you to.....don't tell anyone ( especially relatives ) what you are up to because by nature people will discourage you from your goal.

When I suggested to family and friends that I was persuing smooth jazz performances rather than top-40, they all told me I was crazy. At this moment I am booked 6 nights a week and sunday afternoons, performing my own brand of smooth jazz improvisations. Of course, everyone who discouraged me is jumping on the band wagon now. Best of luck !

well i completely compose arrange and record all my music with my home equipment and i think the unfortunate downside is living in a part of my state where not much of anything happens. i think marketing onesself depends on the right environment where the prospects of finding the right person or people to support you will be located.
Having shown and sold CDs of some of my best work ive managed to talk to recording executives from Nashville and a brand new station is opening up north of where i life and ive made actual friends of the people who own the new studio through my Piano instructor of all people. some more proof that it helps to just know someone. But again, you have to look at whats right for you. Since my Career is chosen in the music field ive blocked out any other aspects such as the mass media money making aspect of pop/radio music, which i do not pay attention to most of the time. People can offer you things that sound sweet but the fine print offers a very bad outcome on contracts. Since i take pride in my work and wish it to remain under my name i more than likely will refuse to licence and give companies the right to market and make money out the yin yang while i catch what doesnt fall into their hands and pockets.
good luck to you

Hi! I'm a saxophonist, composer and instructor.
The key is mass promotion. You have a CD? Give it away to as many music contacts as possible. Fellow musicians, industry people, friends, your repairman, everybody who you think could benefit you somehow. What I also do is that I run a email newsletter featuring tips on saxophone playing. I've contacted university professors to contribute articles to it, and I've contacted famous saxophonists for interviews. This is all not only to provide real quality to the newsletter, but this way you also make contact to these other professionals. The subscribers get to read my name every week, in connection with my articles, the articles of others and the interviews. I am also compiling some promotion info into an ebook and selling that on the web.
The key here is to be involved with as many activities as you can handle, just to get your name around. It's hard work and it'll take a while before some other fruits bear, but you have to stick to it. If you are doing anything newsworthy, send out press releases to your local papers.
Continue to hand out business cards - give everybody 2 - one for them and another to pass on for you.
Collect business cards and stay in regular contact with those people. Make your own personal newsletter to inform all of your contacts of what you're doing, and do it regularly.
Producing music? Make some tracks to download from the web for free. Don't set up any barriers for people to get to hear your stuff. Got charts of music you already recorded on a CD? Offer the charts or leadsheets as a free download. On every chart, make sure all of your contact info is on it.
Do whatever you can and do it massively!

Hi Natalie.It's you again! I answered you on your question about Minneapolis.
In my opinion,you are kinda dummed as being an "orchestral"musician here in the States unless you're in the big cities, where there are plenty of professional orchestras ,darling!
(This is concerning your violin,and you'd better be playing the Beethoven Violin Concerto and be a friend of the Principal Violin of the L.A. Phil ,for example ,so one day you may be lucky to be a sub for one of the sick or unavailable professional violinists in the orchestra(s).
Otherwise,I suggest you move to Ireland for you fiddle and mandolin playing or any bluegrass country in the U.S.
If you are in the big city,you should join a musicians union,because 90% of the orchestral jobs are UNION.But again,you need to become a friend of an alreary established violinist whom you may be subbing eventually,which will help you lend a permanent position in an orchestra!
The other advice is,start learning to compose and feature that precious violin or bandjo or mandolin of yours ,as the solo instrument and sell it.
3) Try to re-arrange PUBLIC DOMAIN music( such as Christmas songs and others and feature again the mandolin or violin or fiddle as a solo instrument ,since this is your strenght.
(Don't forget to pose on the CD cover in a "scimpy" outfit if you're handsome lady..SERIOUSLY!!That'll help the cause!!)
By the way, you can re-arrange and claim Public Domain material as 50% yours if you add enough original material to it!
Good luck,
Phil Manos