Ok, so this post is looking at the less glamorous side of being a freelance musician: the business side of things. And I don't mean dealing with managers and set up crews and what not. I mean the do-it-yourself grunt work of things like sending dozens of emails every day, checking Craigslist ads, calling clubs, etc. And don't get me wrong. I knew this was all a part of being a full-time musician (especially if your name is not Taylor Swift).
However, what I did not know was how hard it would be to print off some simple-ish business cards. And its probably not for most people, just musicians like me who don't know what DPI stands for. So without making you relive all the steps I went through over the last 3 days, here are all of the steps I went through (wait, what did I just do there?). Please skim, if you'd like.
1. Tried using a website to create and edit my own, but it was really hard to add a decent photo.
2. Created my own using Powerpoint, as I don't have any specific publishing program.
3. Emailed it to a local printing store.
4. Was told that although the ratio was roughly correct, it needed to be 3.5x2 inches with bleed.
5. Remade the cards now with a 3.5x2 inch page setup.
6. Emailed to store.
7. Reminded that it needed bleed. Technically needs to be 3.625x2.125 inches.
8. Remade cards 3.625x2.125 inches.
9. Emailed to store, though for some reason I emailed the original incorrect file.
10. Told I sent the wrong file.
11. Emailed the correct file.
12. Filled out form to have 200 printed. Hooray! Are we almost done!
13. Told the DPI was too small for printing. Can't use Powerpoint (!!!)
14. Go to Microsoft Office website to try and download Publisher. End up setting up a full account just for the 1 month free trial.
15. My own laptop doesn't have enough hard drive space for huge download, so I switch to Rachel's computer and transfer files over.
16. Office downloads but can't find Publisher.
17. After much searching, find that Publisher only downloads with PC Office version (!!!)
18. Cancel subscription to Microsoft Office
19. Do research to find open source publishing software.
20. Find out about and download Scribus.
21. Learn how to use Scribus (not very easy!)
22. Recreate business card on business card template with Scribus.
23. Email to store.
24. Told again to include bleed.
25. Remade card with bleed.
26. Email to store. Pray hard.
27. Success!!!!!
Congratulations (or Sorry!) if you made it this far in the post. Maybe I should make a manual on "How to make simple business cards in only 27 steps!" Well anyways, they should be printing as we speak, though at the rate things were going there, don't be surprised if there's a part 2 to this blog. (Please no!!).
So without further ado, I present to you my finished business card:
Wait! Is the top of my head cut off! No!!!!!!!!!!!!!
However, what I did not know was how hard it would be to print off some simple-ish business cards. And its probably not for most people, just musicians like me who don't know what DPI stands for. So without making you relive all the steps I went through over the last 3 days, here are all of the steps I went through (wait, what did I just do there?). Please skim, if you'd like.
1. Tried using a website to create and edit my own, but it was really hard to add a decent photo.
2. Created my own using Powerpoint, as I don't have any specific publishing program.
3. Emailed it to a local printing store.
4. Was told that although the ratio was roughly correct, it needed to be 3.5x2 inches with bleed.
5. Remade the cards now with a 3.5x2 inch page setup.
6. Emailed to store.
7. Reminded that it needed bleed. Technically needs to be 3.625x2.125 inches.
8. Remade cards 3.625x2.125 inches.
9. Emailed to store, though for some reason I emailed the original incorrect file.
10. Told I sent the wrong file.
11. Emailed the correct file.
12. Filled out form to have 200 printed. Hooray! Are we almost done!
13. Told the DPI was too small for printing. Can't use Powerpoint (!!!)
14. Go to Microsoft Office website to try and download Publisher. End up setting up a full account just for the 1 month free trial.
15. My own laptop doesn't have enough hard drive space for huge download, so I switch to Rachel's computer and transfer files over.
16. Office downloads but can't find Publisher.
17. After much searching, find that Publisher only downloads with PC Office version (!!!)
18. Cancel subscription to Microsoft Office
19. Do research to find open source publishing software.
20. Find out about and download Scribus.
21. Learn how to use Scribus (not very easy!)
22. Recreate business card on business card template with Scribus.
23. Email to store.
24. Told again to include bleed.
25. Remade card with bleed.
26. Email to store. Pray hard.
27. Success!!!!!
Congratulations (or Sorry!) if you made it this far in the post. Maybe I should make a manual on "How to make simple business cards in only 27 steps!" Well anyways, they should be printing as we speak, though at the rate things were going there, don't be surprised if there's a part 2 to this blog. (Please no!!).
So without further ado, I present to you my finished business card:
Wait! Is the top of my head cut off! No!!!!!!!!!!!!!