So you’re a badass musician. You’ve got an awesome catalog, a great band, and boy can you write a damn good song. One problem - you’re in need of some quality design that reflects your quality music. In the age of DIY music careers, some of your marketing materials you can absolutely make yourself. With the help of these few tips (and a little Googling), you can easily learn how to let your songwriting instincts inform your design.

1.) Concept is King!

When you start writing a song, you know that a solid concept is crucial. Your concept is the message of your work. A good concept can grab your listener’s attention, keep it, make them laugh, make they cry, make them press repeat and keep on coming back to hear more of your music in the future. If your concept is communicated clearly and thoughtfully, your listeners will catch it all in the first listen. The same can be said for anything visual: A solid concept makes for highly effective design. You want your viewers to be able to know exactly what your website, album art, poster, or logo is about from the very first glance.

Try this:
The next time you set out to write a song or design an awesome poster for your to promote your next gig, ask yourself the following questions before getting started. Let the answers guide your process:

• Who am I making this for?
• What do I want to tell my audience?
• What do I want my audience to know and feel when they experience this song or piece?

2.) Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

The key to a clearly communicated concept is simple: It’s simplicity! In a typical song, you have a limited number of lines and about 3 minutes to get your point across. So you know that you can’t waste a single line with flowery speech and divergences into abstract thought! You’ll lose your listener very quickly. Design is experienced in a similar way, usually in passing - the billboard on the interstate as you cruise by at 80mph, the images and logos on seemingly miles of CD’s at Best Buy. Design needs to be clear, concise, and simple, not cluttered by excess detail.

Try this:
Compare your project to other, successful projects out there in the world. What does an established logo have that yours doesn’t? What does an effective website look like? How does it function? As you are building your website or working on your logo, ask yourself along the way, “Does every detail I have in here add to my original intent, or take away from it?” Remove the elements that distract.

3.) Get Feedback

We very rarely get it right on the first go, no matter what we’re making. Songs often need to be re-thought and rewritten. Getting feedback from a fellow songwriter can be incredibly helpful. Sometimes, what can be even more helpful, is feedback from a casual listener. This is your mom, your bestie, your co-workers, anyone who could represent your audience. After all, your audience is who you’re talking to, right? When you’re working on a design for anything, pass it along to friends and family to get their input. Then, hit the drawing board again!

Try this:
Take criticism to heart, but never take it personally. When designing a website or marketing material, it’s very important to keep in mind that you are not making art. Marketing materials are meant to reach people within your market, not to be a creative expression of your craft. Let your songs be your artwork, while your designs lead people to it.

Sarah Spencer, 12South Music