Promote yourself on Twitter, broadcast live shows on Ustream, use Creative Commons licensing to encourage folks to make new content, like music videos, with your music. Send out a million pieces of yourself to interact with potential fans. If they’re out there, they’ll find you — and hopefully sometime after that, give you money. Above all else, keep it simple and honest. Leave the 24-piece orchestra out of it (unless you’re a 24-piece orchestra). Extra credit: Hire a camera crew to film one of your shows and release it as a combination DVD/live CD called “Best. Concert. Ever.” on February 10 for only $20. Actually, hold off on this one. I’ll let you know if it works for me. PopSci contributing troubadour Jonathan Coulton quit his programming job in 2005 to become a full-time musician. Find him at jonathancoulton.com.
