Last updated on August 3rd, 2023
The Muze platform is ascending to new heights at an ever-increasing velocity, and we’re so happy to have you as part of the family! If you haven’t signed up yet, follow this link and make it official.
On that note, I wanted to go over a few things that will definitely make your endeavors on Muze all worthwhile, because as starving artists, none of us want to invest our precious time or energy into anything that isn’t going to prove prosperous. All in all, it’s a simple notion of preparation and presentation that we’re going to discuss this week — more specifically, what you should be decking your Muze profile out with in order to distinguish it and, in effect, get your most out of your time on the platform.
For the sake of my point, we’ll move forward using the term “portfolio,” because really, your Muze profile is functionally your overall music portfolio. We’ve talked some about EPK’s in the past (check out Gerard Longo’s piece on the subject here), and while they’re certainly important, building an effective Muze portfolio is something you can do yourself. It’’s also super simple.
The site allows you to upload various forms of media (PDF’s, YouTube links, personal reviews, etc.) that, if properly curated, will accurately and appealingly display your vast array of talents and up your chances of making useful professional connections. It’s worth noting that it’s also important to have an effective music portfolio in order to get your profile properly vetted by site admins.
So now, let’s dive into the four essential things you should include in your music portfolio on Muze.
1. An effective bio
When you go to set up your portfolio on the site, a bio section is one of the first things you’ll see. Whether you’re a musician, an engineer, a manager, or a social media specialist, prospective collaborators are going to want to get a quick explanation of your background and credentials. Something around 45 – 70 words should suffice. Be sure to include what it is you do, some notable accomplishments, and what exactly you’re on Muze for.
If you struggle with writing, don’t be afraid to ask for help!
2. YouTube links to songs/performances
Obviously, this one’s maneuverable depending on what you’re building a portfolio for. If you’re a musician, you should must include links to you performing, whether it’s live before a crowd, alone in your room, or an example of a professionally recorded song. Likewise, if you’re an audio engineer, you should include links to projects you’ve worked on.
*While you currently cannot directly upload audio, the ability to include YouTube links proves more engaging.
3. "Ask for Reviews"
This little detail is actually pretty cool. When you make a listing for a job or if you’re just compiling your portfolio, you can directly request review from a previous client/collaborator that will be displayed on your page. This looks attractive and displays credibility to prospective partnerships, and if you can land a solid endorsement from someone you trust.
4. Examples of songs
I’d say that it’s definitely worth uploading samples/excerpts from songs you’ve written, but when you do, make sure you’re adding some sort of documentation of when it was written and by whom. It’s sort of an impromptu way to thwart plagiarism. Regardless, you’ll be sharing your creative feats with the world eventually anyway, but you should still take protective measures. Showing that you can write a song – and a decent one at that – is important if you’re looking for cowriters or want to illustrate your understanding of song structure. Currently, Muze allows you to upload photos (JPG, JPEG, PNG, or HEIF files), videos (via YouTube), and PDF files for things like this.
