I’m excited that this is my first ever guest written blog post to share with you guys.
I got an email a few weeks back from Sarah at a company called Fat Llama.
I’ve always thought Llamas were adorable, and I once had a bandmate who we all called The Llama.
But I had never heard of this website where you can rent gear from other musicians. It’s kinda like calling an Uber, only they’ll fill up your truck with what you need for a gig!
It’s also a way to make a little side money on the gear that you have on the nights that it’s just taking up space in the closet… I think it’s a cool idea!
This is a special Fat Llama link for The Hot Violinist readers that gives you $25 credit to get started. They also give a small commission to me if you sign up and arrange your first rental.
They seem really on top of things! And I guess they’ve put a lot of thought into creative ways for musicians to make money.
My methods were always so low tech compares to this. Like put on an elf hat and burn diesel fuel all around the United States to play on dirt paths for anyone who will listen…. totally analogue!
So without further adieu, here is the guest post written by Sarah at Fat Llama!
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Over the last few years tech has changed the music industry beyond recognition, but the musicians’ main concern remains the same as ever. How to make a buck?
There seems to be an unending stream of stories about the ways tech is taking money away from musicians. But on the flip side there are some platforms out there to help us out!
Here are 5 of the best:

Qrates

Vinyl doesn’t seem the most likely money-making avenue for the modern musician to explore. But, by using tech to bring it to music lovers on demand, Tokyo-based Qrates are reinventing vinyl for the 21st century.
The site can be used by artists to either take pledges for a crowdfunding project or preorders on a record that’s about to drop; all you have to do is upload your audio, design a label, and then Qrates will press and deliver the disc on your behalf. The site is designed to empower musicians, by giving them direct access to their backers, customers and Qrates support team.

Encore and Fat Llama

Peer rental was brought to transport by Uber, and to travel by Airbnb; now it’s being brought to the music industry by Encore and Fat Llama. Fat Llama is an online marketplace for lending and renting (almost) anything, which includes musical instruments and equipment of all kinds — from keyboards to omnichords, double basses to didgeridoos; Encore, on the other hand, connects musicians and event organisers (who can compare quotes, reviews and videos, and then book an act through the site);
Nuno Oliveira, who is a session drummer and member of bands Canoe Duo and RESET, uses both platforms. He says: “I use Encore because it’s a great way to get booked for gigs, speak directly with the customer and have all of the fees and gig details at the ready and organised. I use Fat Llama because it’s a fantastic way of getting stuff done, without having to buy certain products that would otherwise be a big investment.”
And if you’ve already made that investment in expensive music gear, which is now doing nothing other than gathering dust? List it for rental on Fat Llama, and you could earn the money back.

Artisound

Using Artisound to source royalty-free music for a media project means you can rest assured that the artist will be paid a fair 50% — regardless of the processes and costs involved. Musician and entrepreneur Yann Ireland created the site, hoping to bring a more human touch to a marketplace increasingly driven by algorithms. Yann continues to personally curate the Artisound catalogue, and he handpicks each of the tracks that go into it; submit your music for him to review here — although be warned that not everything makes it past his well-trained ears!

Musicoin

If you thought being a musician meant that you could avoid ever having to learn what the blockchain is, you were sadly mistaken. Musicoin is both:

a) a streaming platform that uses the transparency of the blockchain ledger system to streamline the process of musical revenue generation and distribution and

b) a currency designed for paying artists directly and instantly.

None the wiser? Put simply, the company promises “100% free streaming for listeners, industry best compensation for musicians” by eliminating the intermediaries between artists and their fans.
The finer details of exactly how this works aside, you don’t need to be a cryptocurrency expert to use the platform. Just get yourself verified as a professional musician on the site, upload your music and design your licensing agreement. And then, hopefully, the streams will follow.
-Sarah at Fat Llama

Jenny back again. I think this an important topic because the world is a happier place when artists don’t starve.
I’m a big fan of author Jeff Goins who says the whole “starving artist” thing is an unnecessary myth, but I have to admit it’s been a struggle at times along my journey of being a professional folk fiddler.
Please share in the comments below if you have any thoughts to share about your own struggles or successes in the land where art and money meet.