Finding the right tools and companies to work with can be a time-consuming and difficult process. The idea of Music Fibre is to make this task as simple as possible. MusicFibre.com went live this week, this is the first time I have publicly spoken / written about it.

So what’s the big idea?

MusicFibre is a hand-picked directory of tools, companies and resources displayed in an easy to navigate format. Users can quickly find the services they need to work more efficiently. They can also review their experience with each company and read other visitors reviews (A bit like a Tripadvisor for music products / companies).

What does it look like and how does it work?

The idea and design has been inspired by Bram Kanstein’s Startup Stash (for start-ups), Sergiu Firez & Stelian Firez’ Resource Cards (for designers) and our own graphic design style at Soundplate. I’ve decided to use the same WordPress theme as Startup Stash so it looks fairly similar to that with a few key changes..

Check out a few screenshots of the design below:

The directory launched today with over 200 resources. Visitors are able to submit their own suggestions of companies to be added and review the resources already featured.

Other additional features I am considering adding at a later date include a marketplace for fixed-cost music services, a job board for music start-ups and/or some kind of forum for industry discussion.

Why have you built this?

Having started my own music business I understand that the industry can sometimes feel quite closed and finding your way within it can be difficult. Finding companies to work with or the right resources to learn how to get things done can be tiresome and stressful (particularly in the very early stages). I’ve looked for resources like this myself and never found something that suited my needs so I hope that by solving my own problem, I can also help many others.

I’m often asked which companies I use for various tasks, so creating a list of resources I have used, or been recommended was a no brainer. I was originally going to make it a blog post on Soundplate.com but the more I thought about it the bigger the topic became. I’m also a big music industry geek so have really enjoyed the process of putting this all together.

I reached out to a few friends who work in various parts of the music industry who kindly offered their suggestions and input. A couple of weeks later the bare-bones of MusicFibre has been created and now we are here, ready to launch it to the world!

Whats Next?

If the initial response to the website is positive and people find it useful, I may continue to add some other features; all with the same goal, to help music companies and artists work more efficiently. Whatever happens, I hope to keep it online as a free and useful resource for artists and music start-ups to use.

Please get involved..

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the idea, feedback on the website etc so please leave a comment here or Email me with your thoughts, suggestions and feedback.

It would also be amazing if you could do any / all of the following:

1. Click the heart button below to help the article get seen by more people.
2. Share the link ( MusicFibre.com ) with your friends on social media.Here’s an example tweet you can use if you like:
   “Check out MusicFibre.com — A new directory of over 200 useful resources for artists and music companies. #MusicFibre”
3. Suggest a great company or resource that I have missed to be added to the site or leave a helpful review on one that has already been listed.

Matt Benn is the founder of the Soundplate Record Label & Music Blog and freelance digital marketing consultant.