Music Producer Pro – Music Production

It used to be that you had to go to college or a music production school to find a decent music production course. Now nearly every music school offers one. This should be no surprise due to the amount of time and money that people are now spending on entertainment.

So, the question is: Where can I find a great music production school?

And, who is going to provide me with the music skills, knowledge and experience that will really make a difference, without charging an enormous fee?

Music production schools are offering basic music production programs and even Community Colleges have jumped on the bandwagon. Does this mean that they are all good? NO!

Firstly, I doubt that you can get even minimal training at a music production school without paying at least hundreds of dollars in fees. And is that a risk worth taking? For some, maybe, but for most of us, probably not!

If you’re like most people looking for an advantage with music production learning, you are not going to be able to afford a major fee at a music production school.

Maybe you are one of the smart ones and have looked to the internet for a better solution. Online music production lessons and courses are now becoming popular as they are much cheaper and more convenient; while at the same time still provide a solid foundation for learning the latest music production techniques.

An excellent example of an online music production course is http://www.MusicProducerPro.com

Check out this site and see the kind of music production skills you can start learning in the next hour.

Music Producer Pro offers courses that consist of a series of online music production lessons delivered via downloadable videos in an easy step-by-step style. You gain access to dozens of lessons for a single once off joining fee and are guided through a series of activities designed to enhance your learning experience.

And… it offers you unlimited access 7 days a week.

With every production video you learn something new and different that’s designed to open your mind to interesting and cool music techniques. It is one of the most happening interactive online music production schools in the world.

The flexibility of an online course allows you to focus on the skills you want to master, rather than being tied to a rigid, out-of-date curriculum. And the teaching at http://www.musicproducerpro.com is very professional. If you are a beginner, they will help you formalize your knowledge and get the terms explained. If you are advanced, Jay’s techniques will get you producing music at a much higher level.

But let’s keep this very simple…. If you want to produce music, Music Producer Pro will show you how.

They offer a full range of video lessons to suit everyone from the beginner to those looking to refine and broaden their skills, whether you want to play for your own enjoyment or to make a career as a DJ or producer. With Music Producer Pro you will experience a broad range of practical based lessons prepared by experienced and highly skilled masters of beats.

Whether it’s studio recording, concert sound, movie sound, radio or television broadcasting, or working with a record label or artist management, it’s all about music! If you want to work as a music producer, or any other audio career, you will need a cost effective education.

If you have ever asked or tried to learn how to produce music from the traditional music production schools then you will know that it is not cheap. A lot of people interested in music production don’t think about the cost of six months of college lessons. But it adds up to hundreds of dollars. I know a lot of people have joined this site because it offers access to a whole lot of learning material online for a small once-off fee.

I've posted this link www.musicproducerpro.com for every musician/DJ interested in finding out more about online music production tuition, whether you are beginning to learn or simply wanting to expand your musical production skills.

Online music production lessons are very worthwhile, so if you are looking for a music production course then this is definitely worth joining, so check it out here:

http://www.musicproducerpro.com

Enjoy!

Author:
Zack Hager
Article Source: Article-Hut.com- Article Submission Service

How To Boost Your Chances of Getting Signed With Music Mastering!

Getting signed to an established label isn’t easy. There are thousands of talented acts out there, all fighting for a few open slots.

This means if you want to be chosen, you can’t hold back. You’ve got to do everything to make the right impression and stand-out from the crowd.

One of the most vital (yet often overlooked) parts of doing this is professional mastering.

You can think of mastering as the “Polish” that makes your music sparkle. It’s what gives your music the professional, “Big label” sound by bringing-out the best in it.

And this is vital. Because when the A & R manager has a big stack of demos to go through, he or she is going to give very few of them a serious listen.

Some are going to get dumped on the spot based on first impressions. While, others are going to fail to grab his or her full attention.

Moreover, even if you are the most talented artist on the managers’ desk, that does NOT mean he or she is going to realize it… because your demo just did not stand-out enough when stacked-up against those of better quality.

You see, mastering communicates that you’re a serious act… and, as a result, encourages those listening to give your music the deep look it deserves.

It does this by:
• Making all the sounds cohesive,
• Increasing the loudness to grab attention,
• Bringing-out the right instruments or vocals in the best amounts,
• Helping to eliminate or reduce errors (that can occurr during the recording and mixing),
• Plus, much more depending on what you and the mastering engineer feel the songs need.

In other words, mastering gives your music that little extra edge you need to get signed… because it allows you to be pictured as a successful act.

And this is what the key to getting signed is all about. The label must see you as an investment that is going to pay-off quickly and easily without a lot of effort.

Mastering paints this picture and helps get you a deal so as many people as possible get to experience your music long into the future.

With that said, you should also keep in mind that there is a world of difference between a professional mastering engineer and an amateur.

A professional knows what to listen for, the exact adjustments that need to be made (as the wrong ones can ruin the music), and has the equipment to do a serious job.

You should not expect a “Big label” sound by doing it yourself on a home computer or by hiring an amateur who doesn’t fully understand the aspects of “real” mastering.

About Author:
To get more information about what mastering can do for you and what you should look for in a mastering studio, visit: www.MasteringCentral.com right now! Inside you'll get hot tips on how to get the best possible sound out of your music and avoid getting ripped off by the wrong mastering studio!

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

From The Garage To The Stage – The Rookie Bands Guide To Getting On The Live Music Circuit

As an up and coming local band it can be very frustrating trying to get your first live gig, luckily there is help and advice out there.

After countless hours spent in your friend’s garage or in a rehearsal studio perfecting your songs and tweaking your style you are, at some point, going to want to unleash your sound on to the general public.

A good place to start organising your first gig is deciding how far you are willing to travel, sit down with your band mates and on a map decide on the areas that you could possibly travel to. Then contact every pub, club or venue in that area asking if you can play there.

The must have item for any band wanting to organise gigs is a demo. Don’t worry if your demo is a little rough around the edges, it doesn’t matter, the main point is that it conveys the sound of your band. There’s no point wasting hundreds of pounds on recording studio time producing a highly polished demo suitable for sending to prospective record labels when a simple 3 track recording will suffice. Try to make sure that the demo represents your sound well, if you have a varied sound reflect this in the song choices for the demo. The promoter or venue manager will use your demo to see if your band is suitable to play at the venue (heavy metal bands do not go down well on acoustic nights!) Along with your demo you should always include contact information, include email address, telephone numbers and your website if you have one. You can also write a small paragraph describing and promoting yourselves but remember to keep things concise, the more professional looking and sounding the better. Remember that promoters and venues get sent demos through everyday so be prepared to wait a while for a response. It’s always a good idea to chase the promoter or venue after a few days, just to make sure they listen to your demo, but do not hound them as this could put them off.

As well as contacting venues directly you can also contact promoters in your area. Promoters are always happy to receive demos from bands and they may have contacts with many different venues in the area. Also if you know anyone else in a band that gig in your area you could ask them if you could support them one night.

Another way of getting the opportunity to play live is to cut out the promoter and organise a gig night for yourself. Contact other bands in your area and ask if they would be willing to play (most of them will be more than happy), then contact possible venues. Any venue will be suitable if it holds enough people and has an area to set up the band. The venue doesn’t even need to have its own sound equipment or engineer as there are companies that specialise in hiring out PA equipment and sound engineers. A quick search on the web provides a list of companies that can deliver across the country, set up full size PA systems and engineer an event. Companies such as audiorent.co.uk specialise in hiring out PA systems to bands and even offer advice on the best type of PA set up for the event your holding.

Once you have got a venue don’t worry about filling it, the main thing is to make sure you put on a good show. Many bands bring a lot of friends along to see them play, which is good, but sometimes they can get caught up in talking and joking with their friends rather than playing at their best. This can alienate possible new fans in the crowd, annoy promoters and lead to you not getting booked again at that venue.

Once you’ve got your first gig booked in the main thing to be aware of is the sound equipment at the venue. Make sure you know what they have and haven’t got, if you have any special needs with regards to sound make sure you inform the sound engineer as early as possible. Its no good informing the engineer that you need 5 DI boxes and microphones for a 4 piece brass section 30 minutes before you are about to go on. Most venues will have the equipment you need but always check before hand.

With regards to payment it is always worth asking but do not demand payment or be to pushy, this is your first gig and you don’t want it to be your last. Remember to always be nice to staff and promoters, it may be fine to have a rock and roll attitude on stage but if you start to annoy or alienate promoters and venues you will start to find it harder to organise gigs in your area.

The final point is to have fun, the more you play live the more your name will get known and the easier it will be to organise gigs in the future.

About Author:
Audiorent.co.uk

Article Source: http://www.article-hangout.com

Overnight = 7-10 Years

We, the music industry, make things look really easy. That's our job. We want the public to think that somebody was just plucked out of their job at the local fried chicken place when a record executive heard her singing and two weeks later, she's on MTV, getting ready to headline an arena tour, and making millions of dollars with record sales and endorsements.

This isn't true though. Being successful in the music business takes a lot of work.

Had a lady come to me a few months ago who was in really poor financial shape. She was so broke that she was about to lose her house and she needed money badly.

I told her to get a job.

I really believe that anybody who truly wants music business success can have it, but it takes an investment of both time and money on your part. You've got to put in the phone calls, go out and meet the people, and acquire the knowledge necessary to succeed, but you've also got to back that up with the finances required to get in the studio and make a great product, buy equipment so that you can perform live, and take care of whatever other expenses that you'll have in finding new fans and staying in touch with old.

And here is a reality check for you guys... If you're not going to spend your own money, don't expect somebody else to come in and spend any of their money.

You've got to show a commitment to this business.

Which is why there really is no such thing as an overnight sensation.

Look, that 7-10 years that it's going to take for you to make things happen is time that is going to pass regardless of whether you are working or not. So why not get off your ass and make things happen?

I realize that 7-10 years may seem like a long time, but it will pass quickly when you're enjoying the process. And if you're not enjoying where you are now, don't think that you'll enjoy it any more when you "make it" because the process is never ends and nobody ever really gets to their destination like they think they will.

About the Author:
David Hooper is the founder of Kathode Ray Music, an artist development organization specializing in promotion and marketing of independent musicians and bands. Visit http://WWW.GET-A-BAR-CODE.COM for more tips and hints for musicians, bands, and songwriters.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Top 10 things to watch for when replicating your CD or DVD

You hear about it all the time. You are throwing your first ever CD release party, at which you’re planning on selling the first available copies of your debut album. You’ve worked for years for this night – your dream is finally coming true. Everything is all set: the venue is booked, the invites have been sent, the dj is ready to go, and the drinks and décor are all exactly how you imagined.

But there’s one problem. Your replicator hasn’t delivered on time, and you’ve just been told that your CD’s won’t arrive until the day after the party.

Believe it or not, this happens more often than you might think! Here are the top ten surefire ways to avoid this and other similar nightmares:

1) Provide the replicator with clean artwork. All replicators’ turn times depend on receiving flawless files. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to call on customer support for help;

2) Plan ahead of time. Plan for your delivery date to be at least a week before your absolute deadline; this gives you and the replicator enough time to make sure everything goes smoothly;

3) Dealing directly with the manufacturer can reduce the lag time (and often also the price!), versus dealing with a broker;

4) Choose a replicator who is accessible. Are they always there when you need them? Can you trust your project in their hands? Do they care about your project?

5) Test and re-test your master for errors. There’s nothing more time-consuming and frustrating than sending a replicator a faulty master. Always supply a back-up disc;

6) Make sure you own the rights to the content. Replicators are legally obligated to ensure that you are the rightful owner of what’s being replicated;

7) Know exactly what it is that you are paying for before you choose your supplier. Understand the costs and the jargon behind your quotation;

8) Choose a replicator that has a team in place to deal with problems and frustrations as they occur;

9) Choose a replication partner who has interest in growing with you as you grow;

10) Is there a hidden agenda? Is the sales rep more interested in his or her quota than working as your partner?

Choosing the right replicator can make all the difference. Choose smart and let the journey to your success be a whole lot easier!

About Author:
Rashi Singh is with Duplium Corporation, a CD Duplication company based in Dallas and Toronto. Duplium provides top quality CD and DVD Replication, customized printing and packaging, and full-scale fulfillment solutions. Visit www.duplium.com for more information or to receive a quote.

Article Source: http://www.a1-articledirectory.com

Creating The Perfect Structure For Your Song

You know what they say about rules? Actually they say lots of things about rules but here's two - rules were made to be broken, and you have to know what the rules are before you can break them. While Judge Dredd may not agree with the first, the second is certainly true and nevermore so than in writing a song.

The song structure may not be the first thing you think about when you start writing. You probably work on the verse or chorus, or maybe you have a good riff that you want to expand into a song. So you get that down and then you start to think about the other parts - the intro, how many verses, middle eight, do you want an instrumental, the ending...

Some song genres have a fairly rigid format, others are more flexible, and you need to know where you can bend the rules and why you may not want to do so in order to make your song stand out from the others. Let's look at the sections you'll find in most songs and the part they play in song construction.

Song parts

Intro. Yes, this leads you into the song. It may be two, four or eight bars long or longer. Some songs don't have any intro at all. A pop song intro will often be reminiscent of the chorus or the hook. In a club song, it's often a good idea to have eight bars of rhythm to help the DJ to mix match your song. They say that music publishers typically only listen to the first 20 seconds of a song before deciding whether to reject it so if you're sending material to a publisher, keep the intro short and get into the song as quickly as possible. Save the 5 minute intros for the CD version.

Verse. This is the preamble to the chorus. It sets the scene, certainly lyrically, and as the verses progress they often tell a story or recount episodes from a situation although that's by no means essential. They are typically eight or sixteen bars long and melodically not usually as strong as the chorus although, again, that's by no means essential. However, it often seems as if the songwriter ran out of ideas when writing the verse. One of the strengths of The Beatles' songs is that verses and choruses are equally strong and most people could hum or sing their way through most Beatles hits. Not so with many songs where the verses are little more than fillers to get you to the chorus.

Chorus. This the bit everyone remembers, whistles and sings along to. It should be the strongest part of the song and generally is or contains the hook. It's usually eight or sixteen bars long.

Middle eight. As a song progresses, there's a danger of boredom setting for the listener. The middle eight offers them a break and typically comes after a couple of verses and choruses. Some people think of it as an alternative verse and that's one way to look at it. It often modulates to a different key or introduces a new chord progression and it usually doesn't include the song title. However, all too often it's simply an excuse for waffling on for a few bars. Although it's called the middle eight it could be four or sixteen bars long.

Bridge. Many people use the terms 'middle eight' and 'bridge' synonymously and so popular is this usage that it would be churlish to disagree. However, among those who prefer to note the difference, a bridge is a short section used to bridge the gap between verse and chorus. It may only be two or four bars long and it's often used when the verse and chorus are so different from each other that a 'joining' phrase helps bring them together.

Instrumental. This is part of the song without any vocals. Yeah, okay. It's often an instrumental version of the verse or chorus, it may be an improvised variation on one of these, or it may be an entirely different tune and set of chords altogether. Sometimes it fits into a song where a vocal middle eight would otherwise go.

Breakdown/Break. This term has been high jacked from songs from the early 1900s when it was common to either to reduce the instrumentation or stop it altogether while a tap dancer would strut his stuff. The term 'break' is still sometimes used to indicate an instrumental section. 'Breakdown' is now most commonly used in dance music for the section where the percussion breaks down or is reduced, and it may be the dance equivalent of the middle eight.

Outro/Ending. Once upon a time, songs had definite endings but the mid 1950s heralded in the era of the fade-out and songwriters thought they would never have to write an ending again. However, fade-outs became such clichés to the extent that fade out meant cop out so songwriters started writing endings again. With that in mind, you can do as you wish, and considering that the endings of most songs get talked over or cut short by radio DJs and mixed over by club DJs, you have only your artistic integrity and your CD listeners to answer to. Some songs work extremely well with fade outs but listen to songs in your chosen genre to see how other writers approach endings. But whatever you do, avoid like the plague the three time tag ending.

Hook. The hook is not a song part as such; rather it's the term used to describe the part of the song that people remember and sing. It's what they buy the record for. It's usually the chorus although it need not be the entire chorus, but simply a two- or four-bar phrase. It could be an instrumental riff as in Whiter Shade of Pale or Smoke on the Water, or a processed vocal as in Cher's Believe.

All together now

Having described the parts of a song, let's see how they are commonly arranged. The most popular arrangement by far is simply verse-chorus and repeat. Here are two variations on the theme:

Intro
Verse 1
Chorus
Verse 2
Chorus
Chorus
Outro

Intro
Verse 1
Verse 2
Chorus
Verse 3
Middle eight
Chorus
Chorus
Outro

You get the picture. However, these are conventions rather than rules so you can adapt, change or ignore them as you see fit. But they have developed for a reason and that is simply to make the song as immediately appealing to the listener as possible.

Listen to some of the Stock, Aitken and Waterman hits of the 80s (it's not compulsory if you really can't bear to) and you'll see that most follow the simplest format, guaranteed to brainwash the listener with as many repeats of the hook as possible. They tend to be:

Intro (similar to the chorus)
Verse 1
Chorus
Verse 2
Middle eight
Chorus
Chorus
Outro

Notice that the hook's there straight away in the intro, there's only one verse before the chorus so you get to it quicker, and the chorus tends to repeat at the end, just to imprint the hook firmly in your mind.

There are obvious exceptions to these formats. Ambient, trance, chill-out music and the like, are obvious candidates. With these you can start at the beginning and work through to the end creating an evolving music form without any clear verse/chorus structure. Genres such as trance tend to build to a series of crescendos several times throughout the song. However, even these types of song often have a hook or two on which listeners can hang their hat.

Build ups and downs

Bearing in mind that the purpose of a song is to keep the listeners listening and not allow them to get bored, you need variety within the song. Simply strumming a guitar and singing verse/chorus/verse/chorus won't cut the mustard unless you're in a folk club. The usual method is to start with a simple arrangement and add to it as the song progresses.

So, the first verse might consist of light drums, bass and rhythm guitar. As you move into the second verse you could add strings or a synth pad. A drum fill takes you into the chorus which would include busier drums, maybe some additional percussion, a fuller string arrangement and perhaps a lead line. When you dip back to the verse, you revert to the simpler arrangement.

The middle eight is usually a lighter arrangement than the chorus and gives you the opportunity to use different instrumentation if you want to. When you hit the second chorus, add backing vocals and a lead riff. The final chorus is the culmination the song and you can add more backing vocals, more percussion and additional lead lines.

Listen to songs in the style you are writing and analyse their formats to see how far other exponents have stuck to or departed from the traditional formats. when you're familiar with the rules or conventions that they use, then you can experiment by breaking them.

There’s lots more about making music plus a free book to download at www.making-music.com.

About Author:
Ian Waugh is one of the UK's leading hi tech music writers and creator of www.making-music.com. He has written for most of the major - and not so major - hi tech music magazines in the UK and many general computing titles both offline and online.

His output numbers over 2,000 articles, features and reviews and he has written several books and albums. He is author of the "Quick Guide to..." series which includes the Quick Guide to Dance Music, Digital Audio Recording, MP3 and Digital Music, and Analogue Synthesis.

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

How To Promote A Concert: A Few Simple Tips

If you are about to publicize a concert then you need to work hard! But on the other hand it can be really rewarding, So.. have fun while doing it! Please accept the information as a guide offering suggestions for publicizing a concert and encourage maximum attendance and success! Some of the recommendations may not be appropriate for your type of concert. While some of the concepts may be obvious, others may be new but worthy of a try.

I will cover the aspects of flyer/poster concert promotion and a few tips for media promotion..

Firstly, the single most important thing when you want to promote a concert is to start delegating duties and make sure helpers know what's expected of them.

So let's start!

Flyers and Posters
it's important to have a well designed, eye-catching flyer or poster. It will show people that the concert deserves their anticipation, time and money. The artist's management may provide you with some flyers or posters to start with.

If you prefer to create your own flyer or poster, you should find a graphics professional or printing company willing to donate services in exchange for advertising. If it's the first time the artist is coming to your town or city be sure to include a testimonial on the flyer or poster. A flyer that simple advertises an artist or a band will mean nothing to someone who has never heard of them!

Assign volunteers to post the flyers in places likely to attract the most attention. Try grocery stores, local chamber of Commerce offices, Art Councils or other communities, malls, shopping plazas, music stores, book stores, galleries and other popular gathering spots where flyers are displayed routinely but be sure to ask for permission before posting.

Do not forget to post the flyers or posters to the concert location itself! Try to hang posters as close to the average eye level as possible.

Media and other sources of publicity
List the concert in community calendars, Newspaper, Magazines or radio and TV stations if possible. Radio and TV stations may be willing to announce events for free.

Be sure to notice them many weeks in advance. In the listing include the date of the concert, time, location, ticket price, ticket outlets, sponsors of course and phone numbers for information.

Ask promotional material from the artist's managements like interviews, video clips, song samples, photographs etc. Try to deliver the material to the media along with the news release announcing the concert.

Make sure you follow up by phone. Ask from the management to arrange an interview with the artist(s) if possible. Discuss other possibilities. Provide artist's promo material (if available) to radio stations likely to air it. Encourage them to play it often especially a week or two before the concert. Have volunteers and friends telephone the stations and request more!

If you are using an answering machine make a recording using sound clips from the artist. Advertise the phone numbers available to call in newspaper or on the radio. Include a short message in the recordings detailing concert info.

When you are on-line, subscribe to any music-related newsgroups or bulletin boards. Post messages about your anticipation, plans and later, show specific information! Of course if you own a website, consider creating a special area to advertise the concert with a hot-link to the artist's home page (if any).

Ask from the media to co-sponsor (sharing in work or revenues) or to endorse the concert for publicity purposes. If they say 'YES' then make sure you include a '..co-sponsored by..' message in the flyers and other promotional material.

About Author:
Maria Markella
Everyday Concert Promoters are making huge sums of money booking shows. So how they do it?. Here's An Easy To Follow, "How To Promote a Concert" Step-by-Step Guide. - Showing You Exactly How To Promote A Concert & How Concert Promoters Book Shows And Avoid Losing Thousands Of Dollars From Costly Mistakes.

Article Source: http://www.a1-articledirectory.com

How the Music Industry Works

Many people go into the music industry head first and heels up. They have no idea who to buddy up with, or what to do to get their name out there. Think about your career. Your biggest dream is probably to go to a recording studio and make your CD. However, who is going to buy it? Is it really professional enough to sell? How will anyone know who you are when they see your CD?

You have to get exposure. In truth, there is no promise in this industry. You just have to hope that you are heard by the right person. However, how are you going to be heard? Are you organized enough to impress those who hear? If you want to be in the music world, then you have to get a basic idea of how the industry works.

Before we go on, I would also suggest that you begin to read the many fine books on the music business. The more you know the more you will be prepared when success comes knocking at your door.

Many people believe that when they go to a local recording studio and create their record, they are ready to become famous. We all wish it were that simple, but it's not. In truth, no matter how good your demo sounds, its never good enough until it has a professional label on it. This is where many people fall in the industry. How do you get a record company to sponsor you? It all starts with your demo.

The local recording studio is the first step to success.

Once you have recorded your music to the utmost professional quality, you may send it in to various record companies. What can you hope to achieve by doing this? Obviously you want a record deal, but do you really know what a record deal is? If a record company likes your music they will offer to give you time in their studio. They will do one of two things when they do this. If you show promise, and they believe that you have what it takes, they will loan you the money for the studio time. When you make money off of your record, you must pay them back with interest. Or they will offer you time in their studio that you may pay for yourself. Not just anybody can record in their studio so if you get the offer consider yourself lucky.

Advertising, Who Pays?

Once this has been completed, they will advertise your record through radio time, television, posters etc. This is important because most radio stations refuse to play any material that has not been solicited by a record company with good status. However, this service isn't free. You must pay the record company back with interest for this as well. So where does the money come in?

Your first album is going to mainly be about getting exposed. You won't make much money off of this project, but it will give buyers a reason to purchase your later records. This is how you make your money.

The biggest thing to remember is that if this were easy, every one would do it. If every one were noticed artists, there would be no money in the industry. Thus the reason many worthy musicians never get publicity. Just persevere, don't give up, and you won't have the burden of never obtaining your chance to fame and success.

The music business, it is a fascinating world and if you learn all you can you will be ready.

About Author:
Bill Kernodle
The Music Business- How to choose your first musical instrument. Articles, tips and lessons on how to sing, play guitar, piano or band. Overcome stage fright. Write your own songs! Learn to play and read music www.simplemusicsecrets.com

Article Source: http://www.victortunggal.com

The Key To Rockstar Riches Isn't The Music Or The Look

If you're in a band and you're struggling for recognition, it might not mean that you play terrible songs or are completely talentless. It might simply mean that you aren't focussed enough as a group.

Picture this: four people surrounding a ball. All four of the people are connected to the ball with ropes and a harness that allows the ball to move with the people.

Now picture all four people pulling in different directions. Picture one pulling forward, one pulling in the opposite direction, one pulling to the left and one pulling to the right. Which way's that ball going to move? If all people are equally strong, nowhere. But if one's a little stronger than the others, it's going to go his way.

But now picture the strong person is pulling the ball in whatever direction. And the other three are sitting on the ground. That's a TON of dead weight that Mr StrongGuy has to drag behind him. And he's bound to get tired.

Let's get more optimistic: picture one person gets up off the ground and goes in the same direction. Now Mr StrongGuy can pull with the same force, but Mr LazyGuy is helping, so they're pulling the ball and the other two lazy bastards a lot faster.

And what happens now? Everyone gets up and moves in the same direction. No matter how heavy that ball is, these four people will be able to move it as long as they're moving in the same direction. And once it's moving, it will be easier and easier to keep moving. Unless someone falls to the ground.

It will be a bit difficult to get it over bumps in the road, but once it's moving and they get to a point where they can coast down hill, it's going to feel pretty damned good.

If you haven't figured it out yet, the ball is your career, the momentum of your stardom. And the people pulling the ball are you and your bandmates. You can be Mr StrongGuy, Mr LazyGuy or anyone else you wish to be. But if you're all pulling toward different goals, like if Johnny wants to get a song on a TV commercial but Billy wants to give away all of your music and doesn't want to make money at all, you might have serious issues with the directions that your band is going to go.

Get focussed immediately with goal setting and other techniques so you don't waste your lives chasing separate dreams.

About Author:
Michael Gulbin is the author of I Need to Be Famous.com, a free band promotion website catering to indie rock bands who need DIY promotion advice.

Article Source: http://www.article-exposure.com

Music Contracts the Easy Way

Were you aware that you don't have to be a lawyer to write or create your own music business contracts? As a musician, it is understandable that you may not fully understand the business side of the music industry and that is all right. Even if you are starting your own record label, this is not at all uncommon. Luckily, there are solutions for those people who cannot afford hundreds, even thousands of dollars, just to have lawyers write all of their recording contracts. This is in addition to solutions for people who have no idea how to write music contracts.

Whether you own a record label or are working on getting signed to one, you have come to the right place. Legal fees are entirely too expensive, especially if you are just starting out. I mean, you can always write your lawyer an I.O.U. or have your lawyer recover their fees when you start generating profits. But who wants to do this? It is like giving away your money! And giving it away just to have some music contracts written for hundreds of dollars, when you could go about this using a much cheaper method. It doesn't make sense.

Using the services of a lawyer when handling music business contracts could amount to thousands of dollars. Do you have the money to deal with that? Most people starting out in the music business do not. You now have the option of purchasing hundreds of pre-written music contracts and recording contracts online. This is a fantastic route to take because it will save you a ton of money in the long run.

The types of music contracts that you may need are for your Record Company, Management Team, Recording Artist, Agents, Producers, Songwriters and Publishers, just to name a few. Purchasing iron-clad, industry standard pre-written music contracts and recording contracts is the best way to go if you want to save money but protect your company or your career at the same time.

You are in complete control of your career or business in the music industry. Stay that way! Don't throw away thousands of dollars on lawyer's fees for something that you can take care of yourself. By purchasing a wide variety of standard music business contracts, you will be on your way to saving money on legal fees and handling your business the way you want it handled. Don't pass up the opportunity to save hard-earned money and put it to better use.

About Author:
Renae C Pratt
Former owner of an independent label, owner of Platinum Millennium Pub. & music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Also the author & creator of 40 + best-selling "How to" resources, that have helped 1000s find their way in the music biz. Visit www.order-yours-now.com for more info on online music promotion, music promotion resources and independent music promotion.

Article Source: http://www.article-exposure.com

Self-Care For Musicians

Summary:
It is important that we all take care of ourselves. It is our individual responsibility to make sure that we are nourished inside and out, healthy and content. This is especially true for the creative person, such as a musician.

It is important that we all take care of ourselves. It is our individual responsibility to make sure that we are nourished inside and out, healthy and content. This is especially true for the creative person, such as a musician. The demands on those in a creative line of work are different then those in a nine to five office job. Both have demands, and both require you to be healthy in order to do properly, but they are different demands none the less.

I want to start with telling you that there are two very important beliefs that factor into self care. You need to believe them, even if at the moment you don't. They are necessary for you to be nourished, healthy and content. The first fundamental belief is: it really doesn't matter what other people think about you. I know that is a hard one to swallow for a lot of people. We live in a very judgmental society. Part of that is because we feed into, and promote the negativity and unhealthy behavior.

If you live your life to please those around you, you are not living life. You are missing life. Other people's point of view can be nice input if you want, but do not live your life to make them happy, because then you will never be happy.

The second fundamental belief, which I imagine is even harder for most people, is that you deserve and have the right to be healthy, nourished and happy. You must believe that. If you walk around thinking that you deserve to be beaten down, or sick all the time then that is what you will be. I want you to realize the power of your thoughts. Our thoughts are the most powerful weapon in the world. Thoughts alone can change a life. Your thoughts can and will change your life.

I believe that self care is nourishment for our soul. It includes positive belief patterns, a positive attitude and gratitude. Three components that supplement the above mentioned beliefs. We are what we make our selves. As within so without, in other words if we are nourished on the inside our lives will be nourished on the out side.

So what are you suppose to be doing then for self care. Making sure that you have a proper diet, which means balanced food intake such as fruits and vegetables, water, protein.

Self care also requires that you have time to relax and reconnect with the world around you. It isn't healthy to live inside our own little shell. Especially for a musician, you need to be in touch with what is going on around you.

Self care is important so that you are able to grow and flourish as an artist. It will become increasingly difficult to maintain your lifestyle if you are fatigued and undernourished.

Caring for your creative self has many benefits. You will be more comfortable during performances. We all have performance anxiety whether we like to admit it or not, but we can minimize it. Keeping your stress at a manageable level and keeping your negative thoughts at a minimum will help eliminate some of that performance anxiety that you may have.

As I stated earlier, connecting with the people and the world around you will provide inspiration, understanding and support to you. Do not stay locked away in a "creative cocoon" you will find that after some time you may run out of ideas.

Making sure that you care for yourself properly will make sure that you have energy for all the things in your life, not just your music. I know the music is important, but so is the rest of your life. You need the support system from friends and/or fellow artists; you need to draw from their inspiration. Plus the environment gives a wonderful canvas for you to play with.

Increase your self awareness and allow yourself to grow. These two factors will give your creative outlet depth and meaning. You are more likely to be less self sabotaging if you are self aware. Let's face it, we are our own worst critic. It is time to turn that critic off, for he/she is not always right. It is better to let him/her provide warning, but not dictate our life.

Taking time to relax is also a very important part self care. We need to have time in each day when we do nothing but relax. Take a walk in the park. Go for a drive through the country. Take time away from what you are doing, even if it is for only ten minutes.

Ask for help. There is no greater sign of strength then asking for help. Yes I said strength. I learned a long time ago, that I was not super human and I couldn't do it all by myself. It is okay to ask for help when you need it.

Be grateful for what you have. You will be surprised at the amount of stress that disappears once you are thankful for what you have instead of focusing on what you do not have.

Daydream for awhile. Yes, I said day dream. This is a great stress reliever as well and important to self care.

The key to a long career, regardless of what your career is, is that you never stop enjoying what you are doing. The moment the joy is gone, you have two options, figure out why and fix it or change careers. Chances are if you are not taking care of yourself properly, you could be losing the joy you had for music.

If are stressed and your music becomes a chore, then you need to step back and relax. You need to start taking care of yourself to make sure that you have a long and successful career.

About the Author
Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of MusicianHome.com, a site that provides information and articles for musicians at all stages of their development. http://www.musicianhome.com

Article Source: http://www.articlechain.com

Musicians: How To Find Band Members

Looking for band members is never an easy task. You may first want to ask yourself what exactly you're looking for whether it is to join an existing band or find individual members to start your own band. Obviously, both have their differences and this should be answered first before you start your grueling search.

Join an existing band.

This is a great way for enthusiastic musicians to gain some playing experience right away, although it is sometimes harder to find these kinds of opportunities. These are established bands that are looking for single or multiple members for various reasons (their guitarist overdosed on cocaine, bass player got fired for drinking problems, etc). This might go without saying, but make sure you really do like the type of music a band plays before deciding to join their group! There are many musicians I know that play in a band where they don't even like the music they play, all just to gain experience to get their foot in the door and hopefully move on to greener pastures. It cant be stressed enough that if you don't like the music you play, you're going to do a half-assed job at it, so why bother?

Also, know your playing experience and limits. For example, if you've only started playing guitar learning all Green Day songs for a few months, don't expect to join a thrash metal band that requires you to do sweep-picking, fast arpeggios, or any other insane guitar techniques. Make sure you choose a band where the technicality of the music they play is comfortable with your own skill level as a musician.

A huge advantage for joining an established band (maybe) is that most of the back-end stuff is already taken care of. This includes tasks such as finding an agent/manager to book your gigs, song development, contracts with music labels, etc. All you have to do is show up for rehearsals and play shows as scheduled.

A good resource to start finding these bands in need is going to your local rehearsal studios where most of them lurk. These are places where any musician can pay for a room to rehearse. Best of all, all the musicians you find there are often in your local area. Check out the bulletin boards where frequent bands post up classified ads that may go something like:

Looking to join a band that rocks?! We are in need of a guitar player with lots of experience! Our influences include: Megadeth, In Flames, Black Sabbath, and many more! If interested, please contact Todd at xxxxxxxxxx.

Or even better yet, post up your own classified ad on the bulletin board so bands can contact you instead. Local, independent music stores often have a bulletin board for classified ads as well. These are some of the best free ways to find band members in your area.

Disadvantages of joining an existing band

First and foremost, you have to learn all their songs usually in a limited period of time. The band might have a show coming up and you have to be able to play all their songs flawlessly note-for-note. Needless to say, this might be stressful for some musicians (except if their music is very straight forward and easy with pure 3 note power chords).

Another disadvantage is often your own music creativity is limited. Most bands prefer their original tunes to be played and carried on without any radical change. For example, if you just joined a band and replaced their old guitarist, the way the former guitarist played a particular solo, is the way the band wants it to be played by you. Often you must follow the same note structure of a music piece composed by another musician.

Organizing your own band

This is where you try to find individual musicians to start a new band, usually with similar music skills and backgrounds. Thinking of starting a band is the easy part, but the actual process of searching for the right people is harder than most people think. There are tons of musicians out there in the world but only a small percentage of those you may be compatible with. In addition, ask yourself: are you going to play in a band just for fun, or are you trying to make a living out of it? This will influence where you are going to start looking.

The internet is becoming a popular method for musicians to find other musicians. If you search looking for musicians in Google, you will easily find over 12,400,000 results - so how do you find what you're looking for? Many ads posted in classifieds sections and on popular music forums will vaguely have descriptions such as this:

Guitar player looking to form a band.

Well, thats just great.

Try refining your search to keywords such as the area you are in, what position you are looking for, etc. Example: Looking for bass players in Toronto. The first search result is an ad posted on www.craigslist.org, which by the way is an excellent place to get started. Try to only focus your attention on well-written ads that describe the musician, which includes how much playing experience he/she has, the types of music they are willing to play, and the intention of playing in a band. Or you may also want to post your own ad in music community forums and add a link to your audio/video samples that will likely interest more candidates. Audio/video samples that show off your best work are often the most influential factor of candidates contacting you back.

Be consistent with this. Chances are you wont find someone right away on your first few posts, so try to refresh your ads on a weekly basis (but don't spam!).

The internet is a large resource but don't just rely solely on it. You may find you have better luck looking in local magazines classifieds ads section where its more direct. Also, because musicians have to pay to get their ads published in magazines, it shows that they are more serious about organizing a band.

Don't limit yourself in a location

If you are serious about starting a career as a musician, you don't just search for bands or members only in your local area. Living in smaller towns and cities wont give you very many options in choosing the right band or member for you. Expand yourself to larger urban cities where the potential to find band members is greater.

Finding band members is like finding a good job. Know exactly what you want before searching, always have a good portfolio ready, and be consistent in your pursue. Good luck!

Author:
Kenny Auyoung

Article Source: http://www.theirarticles.com

Turning a Band Into Songwriters 10 Songs In One Hour

While most bands have good or even very good drummers, guitar players, and bassists (notice I didn't say singers), most bands don't have good songwriters. In fact, songwriting is usually an afterthought with most bands. That's why I came up with the 10 songs in one hour challenge.

That's right, if you did the math, you quickly figured out that the band must write a song every 6 minutes to stay on target and THEY MUST STAY ON TARGET. That's the challenge. You must enforce that they have to get 10 songs done in one hour.

Here's how I do it:

I divide the band in groups of two. If they are a three piece, I'll jump in and play along. Each group gets a guitar, a small amp, and small PA system. I put a wall of gobos (sound deadening device) in between them and I hit go while recording both the guitar amp and vocal mic from each room. One person is expected to sing, the other is expected to play guitar. After each song is written, they must switch.

While this method might seam a little off the wall, it's the best way to get a band to work creatively together. It breaks down a lot of barriers and it's common for about 10% of the songs to be very good. I like this method because it solves a lot of problems. It forces the band to be a band.

One problem the 10 songs in one hour challenge fixes is the notion that the singer has to come up with all the melodies. Why? Okay, a singer should be able to sing, but the melody is the entire song in my opinion. The only thing separating a great song from a crappy song is vocal melody, in my world. So, let's get the entire band in on writing the melodies. You'd be surprised how good your drummer might be at creative vocal melodies.

A lot of guys are shy in front of the mic. I've never recorded any Kansas type bands where the entire band can sing. I'm lucky to find a band where one guy can sing. So the guy with absolutely no clue about singing must get on the mic and do it. Even when a terrible singer gets on the mic, the intent is usually clear. A real singer would have no problem making your drummer's melody sound great. So when you force a guy to sing, he usually adapts to his situation.

It forces everyone to play guitar or similar instrument. This is great. It makes the drummer pick up an instrument that he's not used to. If he can't play it, he must deal with it. That's part of the process. He can play one note lines if he has to. I just want a song. Seldom does proficiency at the instrument effect the quality of the song.

While there are certainly exceptions, a band that is not used to writing a lot of songs, simply won't write a lot of songs. By adapting to this lighting fast method, the band will understand that not ever song has to be great. In fact, you need to write a few terrible songs on purpose just so your brain will be creative enough to do something interesting. Bands play it safe all the time. They feel like each song has to be great. In fact, it's the opposite. I noticed it more with 80s pop groups who weren't going to be dropped after the first record like they are now. They would come up with the most screwed up, stupid songs sometimes. Listen to a bunch of Human League. They had at least 3 top 10 hits, but then listen to Black Hit of Space or Empire State Human. You can tell they just messed around. When you are actually being creative and experimenting is when you will come up with your hits and your crap.

I'm not saying that the 10 songs in one hour method is the best method for all bands. I think it's a great method for bands who need to come together as a group. It's a great songwriting tool for any band that just expects the singer to write songs. There is no finger pointing. Every band member is responsible for writing great tunes in this situation.

Author:
Brandon Drury
Owner of Echo Echo Studios, Brandon Drury, has recorded and mixed over 600 songs in his very busy home recording studio.

Article Source: http://www.theirarticles.com/

How To Get Your Music Professionally Recorded For Free

Generally, the first thing that springs to mind when you need to record a song, is to make inquiries with local recording studios. However, studio charges are generally based on an hourly rate that is often more than your day job pays you.

Once you've saved enough money for this excursion, there are then further worries. Unless you are a regular visitor to recording studios, you may not quite know what to expect. You may not be able to communicate your ideas for your sound clearly to the engineer, who really only understands technical jargon.

As the hours tick by, you will be under the stress of wondering if you'll be able to complete your project before your money runs out. Artists under stress don't generally perform well, but you won't hear this because you'll be out there performing, instead of listening to the performance.

If you have also hired musicians in for the session, you'd also better be a good personnel manager. The longer they have to sit around waiting to be told what to play and how to play it, the more it is going to cost you!

It is in your best interest to use a studio that is the best you can afford. But have you taken the above problems into consideration? Have you planned out your time in the studio in the fullest detail? Do you know enough about the multi-track recording process to know exactly what tracks your song needs? Are you, or your band rehearsed enough to play every track on its own, and in perfect time with all the others in the arrangement? Can your drummer play to a click track? Or do you have detailed drum parts already programmed for your songs? Have you written detailed score sheets for all the session musicians? Do you know what kind of sound they need, and what style to play in? Have you already tried out various mix ideas and sound effects at home, and know how to explain these ideas to the engineer?

If not, you will most likely end up with a recording that isn't quite what you expected. And it will have cost you a small fortune! At best, you will get a good recording that sounds something like you thought it would. But does it sound original to you? Has it captured your unique sound, and conveyed the essence of what you are as an original artist? Does it convey the emotion of the song correctly to the listener?

There is another way to approach the recording process that will solve all the above problems, and could even get you a professional recording for FREE!

All the above jobs are part of the work that is generally done by a PRODUCER.

A producer is someone who has the experience to hear, not just the music, but the essence of what you are as an original artist.

A producer will know instinctively when you have made the perfect take, and will get you onto the next stage of the process without having to waste studio time playing back every take first.

A producer will have your whole sound in glorious 3D in their head before a single note is played.

A producer will have the technical knowledge to know how to translate every part of the process to something the engineer can understand.

A producer has a long list of business contacts who he can call upon at short notice to add whatever is necessary to make the sound you need ... session musicians, arrangers, writers, synth programmers, track editors, equipment rental companies.

Sounds expensive, doesn't it?

Not necessarily!

Although some producers will charge a flat rate for the job of perhaps several thousand pounds (or dollars!). Many work from their own studios, with their own "in-house" session musicians for a royalty plus expenses. Therefore, they become somewhat like a "record company". They will produce a recording for any artist they see potential in, in the hope that their recording will eventually be signed to a major label and make money. Of course, in these instances, you will still have to pay the studio and session musician costs.

Sometimes they will even do the whole job for FREE, or for a minimal flat rate to cover expenses. How can they do this? Well instead of taking a royalty from your advance or sales, they take ownership of the copyright in the sound recording they make. This is fair, because, after all, they put a lot of their own money and special skills into the making of it. So what do you get in return? Of course, you get full use of the recording for your promotional needs!

Furthermore, many producers with their own studios, now also have their own record label. Wobbly Music is one such producer. Whilst you are looking for a recording or publishing deal elsewhere, or whilst promoting your record as an independent artist, your producer will have the right to sell the recording (from which you, as the artist or composer, will be paid royalties) in order to try and recoup their losses or even profit from this mutual deal.

There are now a great number of producers doing deals similar to this. It means you can have a demo made, or release your own recordings for little or no money up front, whilst still retaining the freedom to sign with whoever you wish, or remain as an independent artist. So in effect, you will have a record deal working for you to earn extra royalties in the background, whilst you concentrate on doing what you do best, which is writing and/or performing great songs!

Since this kind of arrangement may not be costing you anything, it is worthwhile trying a few different producers to see whose ideas and style of production gel best with your own view of yourself and your sound.

All producers have their own unique style, just as you, as an original artist, have yours. This "sound" can be heard throughout all their productions with various artists. Look for a style that seems complimentary to your own. In other words, don't use a Hip-hop producer to make your records if you are a Country artist!

Many good producers have a wide range of musical skills, and may also be able to write lyrics, compose melodies, write arrangements, or even play various instruments, such as guitar, piano or drums. All these extra skills could be utilized to give your recordings an extra edge at minimal, or no extra cost.

Finally, now that you are off to find your own producer, here are some things to avoid...

Don't rely on pictures of their studio, and lists of top quality recording equipment to tell you how good they are as a producer. Any piece of specialist equipment can be hired if necessary. A good producer can produce radio-ready recordings on even the most basic equipment, whereas a poor producer, will not achieve such good results on even the best and most expensive equipment.

Don't sign with a producer who doesn't make samples of their previous work available to you. You need to know what experience they have, and get an idea of the audio quality and styles that they can produce.

Don't sign with a producer who comes solely from a DJ background. These producers specialize in remixes of existing records, or "beats". Not in the creation of a new artist's unique sound, or a recording from scratch.

Don't sign with a producer who specializes in a genre of music that is totally different to yours ... Unless you want to change your style to that new genre!

Don't sign with a producer who has no creativity or commercial flair of their own. You don't want a producer who is just going to record everything exactly as you already have it, just to please you. A good producer will see things that you have missed, and will add hooks and sounds to your songs that will attract new listeners, and interest from music industry professionals.

Don't sign with a producer who is asking you to assign publishing rights to your songs. You want to be free to sign your songs to record companies or publishers who may be able to do more for you in the marketing or promotion of them. Once you assign the copyright of your songs to someone, they have exclusive rights to them for the duration of your contract, or even for perpetuity! All a producer needs from you, is your written permission to record your songs, and perhaps sell their recordings or release them on their own label. If so, make sure you get at least the statutory mechanical royalties (currently 6.5%) from these sales!

Don't sign with a producer who only works with one set of musicians. Although many have their own preferred set of "in-house" session musicians, there will be times when your music wont be suited to the way these musicians play. Make sure that your producer has a wide range of musical contacts to draw from.

Don't sign to a producer who promises to make your song into a hit record. Even if the producer has already produced several hits, there is no guarantee that your song will be a hit. Marketing gurus and sales teams make hit records, not artists and producers!

Finally, some producers may ask you to sign an exclusive contract for a certain time period (perhaps 1-5 years). These producers must also be "song-pluggers" or "promoters" who need to protect their interest in you whilst they are working to get you a deal with a major label, using the recordings they have produced. Before signing any exclusive deal, always have the contracts looked over by a lawyer specializing in the music business. Make sure, by examining the production company's track record, that their promise of a major deal looks likely to happen within that time period. You don't want to be wasting five years of your life whilst your best songs are sitting on someone else's shelf, doing nothing!

If you are a Country music writer, you can go to a Nashville demo studio and get amazing sounding recordings using top Country music session musicians. If you are only pitching songs to that specific market, that is great, but every recording they produce sounds like the last.

If, on the other hand, you think your music has wider appeal, or you are a performing artist yourself, you will want to be noticed in the crowd across a wider marketplace. You need to accentuate the part of your sound that is unique to YOU. A good producer will be able to recognize that which is unique to you, and will make sure that your recordings take advantage of that.

About Author:
Lynn Monk has experienced over 30 years in the music business as a musician, concert sound & lighting engineer, DJ and record producer; and is now the proprietor of Wobbly Music. An indie record company dedicated to supporting the "Mature Independent Artist". Lynn can be contacted at lynn at wobblymusic dot net

Find out more about our artist services & recording contracts, at http://www.WobblyMusic.net

Learn all the Internet marketing techniques that will help you to be successful as a recording artist, at http://www.DoThisToWin.com

Learn how to achieve a residual income as an affiliate to support you whilst you are building your music business, at http://www.Music45.com

10 Actions To Take NOW To Triple CD Sales Overnight

If you are like most independent recording artists, one thing that you can always use is more CD sales. Below, are ten alternative unique actions that you can take now to begin tripling your CD sales overnight.

A. CD Gig Sale Co-Op

I've mentioned this one in a previous issue, but it bears reiterating. Basically it works this way:

Arrange a cooperative agreement between your band and similar bands, say 2-3, whereby you each agree to promote and sell each other's CDs at each other's respective gigs. You also stipulate a sales price and an agreed upon number of units.

B. Distribute Samples At Genre Nightclubs

Here, you will contact club managers in your area whose deejays either play your genre of music or host live bands in your genre. This works best in clubs that specifically have deejays and do not have live bands. You ask the club manager for permission to distribute your samplers to club patrons. Even better, is if you agree to pay the club a small fee for allowing you to do so.

On the sampler, simply include approximately 2 minutes of each song. Naturally, these sampler discs are CDs that you will "burn" in your computer or you may choose to have your samplers manufactured. You also want to be sure to leave your website address on the sampler's cover, as a file within the compact disc, and on the sampler's label itself.

C. Distribute Samples At Football Games

What a perfect opportunity to get some free exposure than by distributing your sampler at football games. However, be sure to obtain permission from the school prior to doing so. If this feat works, you can also distribute at other school sports as well.

D. Distribute Samplers at Colleges and their Dances

Not only are colleges great territories to distribute your free samplers, but they have several opportunities to do so that include; games, dances and other school and social functions, as well as by simply walking around the campus and handing samplers out to students. Again, be sure to obtain permission from the college administration or student activities office beforehand.

E. Tee Shirts

If your budget will allow, you could make an investment in an order of tee shirts that promote your band name, logo and website address.

F. College Radio Interviews

Contact area colleges and offer to interview with them as a part of their content. If agreed, be sure to provide the host or producer a copy of your complete CD in advance.

G. College Television Interviews

Same as above. Contact college television stations and offer to be an interview subject. If you also have a video, this is a perfect time to have it aired during your interview. In fact, if you have a professional video, this may be the only calling card you need to get the interview.

H. Interview with College Newspapers

College newspapers are a boon for exposure because they can feature both interviews and music reviews. Hence, you should strongly consider them as an interview possibility as well as consider them for low-cost advertising of your new music release.

I. Flea Markets

There are some incredibly large flea markets that are open to the general public on weekends. And, there is the likely chance that, at least, one exists in your area. Contact the management and offer to play for free as entertainment in exchange for management allowing you to sell your CDs. I have been to many large flea markets but I cannot recall ever seeing a band performing. This could be a great start in exposure and sales for you and fellow bands.

J. Customized ID Checks

Offer radio stations a free customized station ID check for them to air. If you have a fairly good area following, this will work even better. Station ID checks sound something to the effect of

"Hi, this is John Thomas from The Stinging Lizards. Whenever I awake in the morning, my alarm clock is always set to KTAV 103 FM."

With these ten steps, you can easily see how implementing only several of them regularly and consistently, could, indeed, quickly and easily triple your CD sales.

About Author:
Kenny Love is a veteran Music industry executive, is publisher of the B# Newsletter for musicians, and is president of MuBiz.com, a music business firm providing promotion, publicity and additional administrative services for independent and unsigned musicians and recording artists. Get more details at yahoogroups.com/group/bsharpnews and www.MuBiz.com

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

The Importance of a Professional Attitude

Let's face it, being or becoming a good musician is tough. Theory, harmony, arranging, ear training, composing, history, sight-reading, instrument related technical skills, embouchure, stylistics, improvisation, ensemble playing... the list seems endless. One can spend several lifetimes and still not perfect all aspects of music. And I don't believe that it is necessary to be perfect. Most, if not all of us, have weaknesses in some areas, and thus we practice and continually strive to get better.

However, I believe that there is one important aspect that a lot of us neglect, even though it may very well be a deciding factor in determining the success of your career. I'm talking about a professional attitude.

With a small amount of effort, the right attitude can potentially give a huge boost to a musician's career. You may be hired for a gig over a better player simply because you're a pleasure to work with. On the other hand, an excellent player may not get the gig because no one can stand him/her. Musical excellence is not a substitute for a professional attitude.

I believe this is especially true for musicians that have realized that music is not about proving something, but about enjoying the music you make and the people you play with.

Here are some qualities that I believe make up a professional attitude. Feel free to let me know what I’ve missed.

• Respect - It pretty much goes without saying that one should show respect for others. We all have a right to play music, even those that aren't as good yet. So if you encounter a musician that's not as good as you, help them out instead of being hard on them. A weaker member in your band can make your performances sound worse, so helping them out and giving them confidence in what they do is ultimately going to improve the overall performance, from which you will benefit.

• Accepting criticism - Remember that other musicians may have learned a lesson or two that you have not yet learned, even if you're a better musician overall.

• Integrity - If there's something you can't do, admit it, have someone else do it, or ask for help so you can get the problem fixed quickly. I've seen people accept job offers that they simply weren't qualified for. You may argue that if a company asks you to fill a certain position, they must believe that you can do the job. I say, however, that the one person that knows you the best, the one person that is best positioned to decide whether you are qualified for a given job, is none other than you. So, although you may be flattered and your ego may love the attention it would be getting in this new position, pause for a while, figure out what this job entails, ask yourself if you're capable of handling every single aspect of the job and answer these questions honestly. Then have the guts to say no. Imagine how much it's going to hurt your reputation if you're in a position you can't handle. It's wiser to say no, learn and observe and slip into the position when you are ready.

• Honesty - Be honest about what you can do and what you can't do. A good example are all those people that talk up their resume only to fail miserably when they face the music. You're actually doing yourself a disservice this way. How nice would it be to over-deliver during the gig! This is a lot easier when you keep quiet about your resume. Besides, if you've really played with Chick Corea, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane and boast about it, chances are that you're just intimidating your band-mates, ultimately leading to an inferior performance, which also affects you.

• Be prepared - A big part of having a professional attitude is to show up, do the gig well, and go home. This is only possible if you're prepared. Some guys may want to show up for a gig and 'wing' it. If you wing it, and you're able to do the gig, imagine how much better you could've done it if you'd prepared. In most cases, however, it's a stupid stunt that ends up in a train wreck or two. Also, consider the confidence people will have in you if they can see that you're prepared - and confidence leads to better performances.

• Apply proper inter-personal communication skills - This is really important. Tensions arise often on the bandstand. When this is the case, it is imperative for people to communicate in a way that leads to an effective resolution of the problems so that the show can go on without a hitch. Furthermore, with proper communication you'll be able to come out of a tricky situation without offending anyone.

• Proper appearance - Look the part

• Punctuality

• No drugs - Now, that seems pretty self-explanatory. Yet time and time again some of our guys get fired (and mess up their future careers with their employers) for smoking weed. I'm not suggesting to anyone to give up their drug habits but I believe there is a time and a place for it. Cruise ship gigs and drugs simply don't go together.

• Consistency – When your gigs become repetitive, the challenge wears off and you feel your motivation and concentration slip, your performance may suffer. Coming up with extra motivation and setting personal challenges may help you to keep up your performance level, which will once again lead to better performances by the group.

As you can see, there are a number of ways we can improve our personal performance dramatically, outside of the many different music-related skills I mentioned in the introduction. Some may find that they’re naturally applying some of the qualities I’ve talked about, while others may struggle a bit more with their attitude. I’m absolutely convinced that working on these points will make your career more enjoyable for yourself and those you play with.

I've found that there is one sentence that has helped me stay on the right track:

"Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem"

About the Author:
Marco Kasel is a musician and business owner. He lives near Montreal, Canada.
Visit: www.oceanbound.ca
contact: info@oceanbound.ca

Get Up, Get On And Get Off: The Early Bird Catches The Record Deal!

Imagine this…you’re in the local hospital’s pre-op ward waiting for the removal of your pesky rupturing appendix. You wait and wait in side splitting agony while your doctor chats it up with the nurses, gathering phone numbers from the hot ones. After what seems forever, he gets you prepped and begins the surgery. What should have been a 20-minute procedure turns into two hours. He cracks jokes and talks about his cherry red Ferrari, while you’re lying unconscious with your abdomen split open. Finally, you’re sewn up and ready for recovery but super surgeon and his crack anesthesiologist are having a heated discussion about the science of their golf games and have seeming forgotten you’re passed out underneath them with tubes stuck in every orifice. If this were your surgery experience, you’d freak out, sue the hospital and your hot-shot doc would wind up cleaning bedpans at the state convalescent hospital.

Sadly, like our skirt-chasing doc, many musicians think that the consequences of their actions are immaterial and treat their audience with the same lackadaisical disregard that the before-mentioned doctor treated his poor patient with. These selfish creative types show up to gigs late, set up at their own leisure (roughly the same pace that a 100 year-old tortoise would run the Boston marathon), play as long of a set as they please (regardless of their designated set time) and break down/clear the stage at their own whim with little or no regard to the club’s schedule.

However, if you asked any of these artists, they would say that they consider music to be their career…and shouldn’t a career be treated with the same importance and professionalism whether you’re a budding rockstar or an established surgeon? It should, but often it’s not and bands then find their reputations are tarnished with labels like: slow, lazy, and irresponsible simply because they seem unable to get their show on (and off) in a timely manner. Get branded as a slovenly flake and watch the music industry folks jump ship faster than the rich ladies on the Titanic.

The following are a few tips that will help you to get up, get on and get off in a timely, professional manner that will impress the powers-that-be and leave you fans wanting more:

1.) Have Everything Set Up Before You Set Up---It’s not like you just found out you were playing five minutes before. Gigs are booked days, weeks or months in advance so there’s no reason not to be well informed and well equipped prior to your arrival and set up. Guitars and drums should be tuned, drum kits and guitar pedals set up and dialed in, and song lists printed and distributed so that set up time is minimal. Once the stage is free, a professional band will simply haul their gear onstage, plug it in, and do a few last minute tweaks before they’re ready to rock and roll. The ancient tortoise rockers, however, will plunk the road cases down on the stage and then force friends, fans and industry alike twiddle their musical thumbs in anticipation while each piece of gear is pulled out, unwrapped, wiped off, place into position and screwed in slowly but surely. Truthfully, it’s about as interesting as watching paint dry without the guilty pleasure of getting high off the fumes.

2.) Sound Check/Line Check Is Not A Mini Concert---You may view your sound check as the concert before the concert but you’re not making any friends dragging out your sound check to an hour and a half while bands are lined up out the door waiting to set up their own gear and check their sound. Same goes for the line check. You may be surprised to know that audiences aren’t all that excited to sit and listen to you work out your live sound in front of their eyes and on their time. Save the lengthy tune-up and checking for the Making Of The Band video. Get your levels quick and get to rockin’!

3.) Plan Out Your Set Time Well Before Your Set---The key to a tight set is the prep work that goes on before the night of the gig. Many artists believe that the longer they’re onstage the more the audience gets revved up, but there is something to be said about “too much of a good thing.” Plan out your set, time it and then time it again and make sure that it comes in a few minutes under your designated set list time. Little passive aggressive tricks like cramming in two or three extra songs at the end of the set or coaxing your friends into screaming for an encore only serves to enrage your sound man and confuse your crowd and extensive tuning and chatting amongst yourselves and audience members in between songs is just plain tedious. The tighter your set is the more professional it sounds to the ears of your audience and the happier you’ll make your bookers, promoters and club owners.

4.) Tear Down Should Be The Quickest Of All---If you thought your set up was quick, your band’s tear down should be lightning fast in comparison. So much time is wasted every night at a music venue as musicians dawdle after their sets, drinking and chatting with friends, while their gear lies piled up onstage, preventing the next artists from getting set up. Pick up your instruments, haul them of stage, and take them outside or into the green room. There you can wrap your gear up, clean it off, and pack it away into cases and into your cars. Then, it’s time to toss back a few beers and gab with the masses until closing time, without interrupting the flow of the evening.

Imagine this…you’re in a local club waiting to check out an act your label has sent you to scout. You wait and wait in growing more bored and more drunk while the band you’ve been sent to see chats it up with the women in the room, giving t-shirts and CDs to the really hot ones. After what seems like forever, the bands takes the stage and begins their set. What should have been a 30-minute showcase turns into an hour or more as the band plays a loose set, stopping often to tune, complain about the sound, yell to the bartender for drinks and crack jokes with select audience members; while you sit unimpressed trying to get a feel for the band’s style. Finally, their set ends and you wait to approach the band on behalf of your label but these super rockstars are still onstage wrapping up endless cords and wiping down each piece of gear while they chat with each other about how much their set rocked. If this were you’re A&R experience, you’d give up waiting to speak with these lazy musicians, go back to your label and tell them to forget about this particular band and these hot-shot rockstars will wind up working at Starbuck’s until they go on Social Security. This doesn’t have to happen to you. Learn to get up, get on and get off. You’ll soon have the reputation as an easy-to-work-with, professional, reliable band. After all, you never know who might be in the audience to see you on any given night.

About Author:
Sheena Metal is a radio host, producer, promoter, music supervisor, consultant, columnist, journalist and musician. Her syndicated radio program, Music Highway Radio, airs on o