7 Steps For Screwing Up A Band - The Ultimate Guide

Screwing up isn't for everyone, especially all the patient and determined musicians out there. If you're one of those stubborn bastards, then this article is not for you.

There are several things to keep in mind if you want to screw up your band.

1. Play concerts. Immediately.
The number one thing you should do, long before you ever learn to master an instrument, is to start playing concerts.

The following guidelines apply:

Don't bother to have a bass player.
Avoid good timing. You want to keep the front man bouncing back and forth like a Chaplin look alike.
Everyone loves surprises, so leave the tuner at home.
Invest all your money in a ginormous coffee grinder to bring on stage. Now how's that for image!

2. Always - always - play what others think you should play.
Especially the songs that make you feel like a sad clown with no hopes for the future.

Listen to your mother when she says you should have chosen the piccolo flute instead of the electric guitar.

3. Understand that rehearsals are inconsequential.
If you are truly serious about screwing up your band, it is essential to do drugs and drink beer rather than rehearse. You're the king, man. Should you for some reason consider going to a rehearsal, and you are neither stoned nor drunk, you must immediately proceed to plan B: Visit grandma.

The above is even more important if the room is already paid for.

4. Be late.
Everybody loves to wait for a screw-up. But you already knew this, didn't you?

5. Invest in your image.
You are not truly on the path to screwdom until you've created a sophisticated financial expense sheet where you keep track of what you've spent on hair gel and flashy clothing. Heaven forfend that you accidentally blow that money on inspirational CDs.

6. Call yourself an artist at all times.
That really sounds special, almost as if you're the only one.

7. Fraternize only with other screw-ups.
This last point is crucial.

Don't bother to answer any emails from that awesome drummer who volunteered as a band member. Plenty of more where that came from. Besides, with him on board, you risk sabotaging your true calling as a screw-up.

It is imperative that you find the person you trust the least, preferably your worst enemy. Ask him to produce an album for you. Make sure that he never picks up the phone or shows up as agreed.

Actually, you should generally avoid agreeing on anything.

If you accidentally bump into good people in the music industry it's vital to:

Always owe them money.
Make them run around and fix a whole lot of unnecessary stuff for you.
Talk their brains out.
Show them what you're made of by walking around with a guitar case on your back at all times.

Concluding remarks
Follow all the recommended steps in this article and you'll achieve your goal, which is to be able to say to your grandchildren "So, you want to play the guitar, eh? When I was young, I practiced ten hours per day. I was a real go-getter."

You do not - under any circumstances - want to retire rich and famous.

About Author:
Sander Owen joined his first band at the age of five, was playing weekly at local clubs by the time he was sixteen, and he started landing lucrative tours and gigs about a year later. Although he is a drummer by profession, he has also done his share of composing for documentaries, television shows, and commercials, and has spent countless hours in studios both as a performer and a technician.

Sander now lives in Los Angeles where he plays with the Hollywood based band, The Gravity Guild. www.successfulbands.com

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It’s All Good: There Is No Such Thing As Bad Press!

It’s one of the oldest riddles in the history of music: If a band rocks hard in the forest and there’s no one there to hear it…did it ever really happen? It’s a fact: you may be the most talented musician in the galaxy, but if no knows about you, you’ll probably never advance past playing to your one and only fan in the mirror in your mom’s garage.

Writing, recording and performing terrific music is half the battle, but the other half may be even tougher than the challenge of creating a #1 hit…the task of publicizing it. Without publicity, your great opus might very well sit, gathering dust on your closet floor with the other 999 copies you had printed, cased and shrink-wrapped. Getting your name/your band’s name out there is quintessentially the most crucial step to: gigs, management, fans, radio, label exposure and rock ‘n’ roll stardom.

But what if your new found press is not-so-positive? Should you turn away a chance to pimp your band to the masses if the article is entitled, “Worst Bands In The History Of Sound” or “CDs You Wouldn’t Listen To If They Washed Up Next To You On A Desert Island”? Is all press “good press”? Is it always a positive move for your band if the average music lover reads your name in print; even if the article’s content is not exactly what you’d frame for your dad on his birthday? In a word, “Hell Yeah!”...Well, that was two words.

The following are a few tips that may help you to utilize both the positive and the negative press that may come your way:

1.) Never Turn Down Press---If people are talking about you, you’re doing something right. Don’t throw away free exposure by becoming your own publicist and deciding who can say what about you. Brittney Spears can afford to hire a PR genius to nix an upcoming article on “Overweight Pop Stars Looking For A Comeback After Two Kids.” You, however, should tell your vocalist to pooch out her gut, grab her babies and smile for the camera. The only thing more important in the music business than who you know is who knows you. So, remember, “bad press" is good and “good press” is outstanding.

2.) Make Sure They Print Your Name---The single most important key to success in entertainment is the recognition of your name. A magazine may print, “The John Smith Band sounds like a toilet flushing.” Weeks later, most people will only remember that they have heard the band name. This is the beauty of press. Plus, even if rabid music listeners now associate your band with potties, they will probably check you out just to see if you’re really that terrible. How many songs/bands do you think are horrific yet, when they come on the radio, you listen anyway? Name recognition is essential to the success of your band. Whether they’re praising or dissing, everybody needs to be talking about you.

3.) Turn Bad Press Into Good---There’s no way around it…bad press happens. Even the hottest band in the world has just as many hate sites as fan sites. But what reads to you as bad press doesn’t always have to translate as bad press in your press package and mailers and on your web site. There are two easy ways, to turn bad press into good. First, edit it. It’s your press after all and not every word can be bad. Simply omit the parts that make you want to run screaming and leave the rest to make up at least a decent review. Second, interpret the negative as positive. No matter what’s in the article, act like you think it’s a great thing. Turn criticism into irony, insults into humor, and bad ratings into humility. Make it seem as if the reviewer was on your side and don’t let on that it upset you at all. Again, in the long run, it will only matter that you got the publicity nod in the first place.

4.) Complaining Only Makes Bad Press Worse---Bad press will come and go, but your making an issue out of it will surely last longer than the review itself. Press is only as current as its latest issue and soon enough, what feels like the ruin of your band will be replaced by the ruin of someone else’s. But, repeat mentions of it on your websites, My Space pages, etc. will keep the negativity alive as long as you refuse to let it go. I realize that your art is precious to you and that you’re easily hurt by bad press but continuing to ruminate on it, only serves to keep the wound open way past the original issue date. The energy you put into bad press should be focused onto getting newer, better press for the band. You will remember the bad press long after everyone else has forgotten about it so let it go and move onto more positive things.

No one every said that the music business was going to be all sugar and spice and everything nice, so it should come as no surprise that you’ll probably garner as much bad press as good. Foster the positive publicity as much as you can and chalk up the negativity to a small pothole on your road to success. It’s true that it doesn’t matter what they say as long as they’re talking about you so be thankful for the free PR, take the high road, and let the bad reviews roll by your band and into oblivion where they belong. It’s unrealistic to think that you can get everyone to like your music, so make it your goal to get everyone to remember your name.

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 over 700 affiliates to more than 126 million listeners. Her musicians’ assistance program, Music Highway, boasts over 10,000 members. She currently promotes numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles Area, where she resides. For more info: http://www.sheena-metal.com.

Improving Your Improvisation Skills

Music is undoubtedly a form of communication and/or expression. Coincidently, the skills of improvisation are certainly related to the dexterity and formalities that are imperative to accomplishing your role as a communicator. Therefore, as you are preparing to become a musician, improvising will firmly assists with your development of the overall perception and understanding of musicianship.

Improvisation often focuses on the recognition of one's personal awareness, into the present moment. The skill also enables the development of a profound understanding of the action that one is currently displaying. Once you are aware and understand the concept, you will be provided as the practitioner with a sense of belief and accomplishment.

As a practitioner you will display pure confidence in which you are able to execute with a range of options that best conforms to the current situation regardless of previous successes or failures. Quite frankly, the practice of improvisation symbolizes acting and reacting, making and creating of "in the moment" response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment.

In music, specifically, improvisation is spontaneous composition. The performer is challenged by performing music that is composed at the spur-of-the-moment. This is usually achieved through solo or cadenza. Improvisation has actually dominated in Jazz musicals. The challenge of improvisation is not to be confused or compared with technique. The two concepts are different in that improvisation is described as a creative performance art.

On the other hand, technique or sight reading is a reconstructive process. It is noted, however, that as both technique and improvisation require that you react immediately to any changes needed to the music in response to stimuli, they do demonstrate primary differences. Namely, the process is executed externally for successful sight- reading and internally to execute improvisation. Furthermore, they both are greatly enhanced by a strong musical knowledge base.

As a musician, you will be able to identify how your audience is responding to you. You can use specific musical "cues" to communicate with the audience during a performance. Furthermore, during the performance, the initial musical piece may be altered to establish an emotional connection. Subsequently, you will have succeeded in the art of improvisation. Improvisation can take place as a solo performance or interdependently with an ensemble with other players. When done well, improvisation often elicits gratifying emotional response from the audience.

Musical improvisers often understand the language of one or more musical styles such as blues, rock, folk or jazz. In order to be successful, you must realize that practicing this art is intense and requires great focus. The musicians are expressive in that they have the ability to precisely illuminate creativity and originality. To successfully explore different methods of creating your own music, you should experiment in low- risk situations. You must listen carefully for your feedback to discover what does and does not work well. This will assist you in gaining valuable experience. Making your own music requires you to focus through relaxation, listening and ultimately learning.

To get started you must simply experiment with a variety of melodies, rhythms and moods. Of course, melody is the variation of the basic theme of music. To use improvisation to alter the melody you must attempt to change some of the original notes of the main theme. You will also be able to improvise the harmony as well as the rhythm. The rhythm, for example, simply requires you to experiment with the notes by making them longer or shorter or adjusting the tempo by making it slower or faster. Incidentally, very few musicians have ever risked presenting fully improvised concerts. However, there was one successful attempt by Keith Jarrat.

Techniques of improvisation are widely trained in the entertainment arts, such as music, theatre and dance. It can be expressed across all artistic, scientific, cognitive, physical, academic and non- academic disciplines. Musical improvisations require active listening and perseverance.

Basically, it is the creation of music in the real time. "Real time" is developed by listening carefully while enjoying and inevitably discovering the skills and techniques of improvisation. It usually involves focus and advanced preparation especially when there is more than one performer. Subsequently, improvisation results in a composition, a creative discovery.

More so, as the composition is reiterated over time in the same form, it becomes quality and pleasant music to its listeners. Therefore, with the establishment of a composition, all skilled composers are skilled improvisers. Perhaps, to study the skills and techniques of improvisation will encourage and enhance your pursuit for musicianship. Thus, the idea of executing an improvisation in a fixed musical form has always held attraction.

About 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.

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Prepare for the Master (CD Mastering)

Many artists are still confused as to what goes on during a mastering session. This article will try to shed some light on the last step before fame and riches (well, at least the last step before duplication), and help you with preparing your music before sending to a mastering studio.

Mastering is the last stage of production, right before the master CD is sent for duplication. It is extremely important for your product and can dramatically improve the quality and consistency of your recordings. Since many musicians have home studios, it is more important than ever to get your final CD mastered properly. It will bring your home-recordings closer to a "radio ready" professional level.

Some of the work done at the mastering stage include:

- Equalization and harmonic balancing for consistent sound throughout your entire album.

- Adjusting micro/macro-dynamics (volume changes) of your songs for consistency and loudness.

- Checking inter-channel phase and polarity for mono compatibility.

- Final CD layout with proper song spaces, segues, fades and crossfades snapped to CD frame boundaries.

- Sample and bit rate conversion with dither to Red Book CD Standard.

It's amazing how a good mastering job can bring out the width, depth and dimension of a song. You'll hear sounds that used to be buried in the mix, the vocals will shine through, the reverb and effects will be heard, and the whole CD will be more enjoyable over a varying range of playback systems. At Digital Sound Magic Studios, we have a one-free song policy. Send us a song (usually through www.yousendit.com) and we master it for free. No catch, no obligation.

But don't assume all the work lies on our shoulders! You have to do some legwork too by giving us the best source audio and as much information as possible. This will make the final mastering process run more smoothly and ensure that you get the absolute best master.

Here is a list of things for you to check before you send out your songs for mastering:

- If your final product is an audio CD, most mastering engineers prefer to receive 44.1 kHz (24bit) data files on CD-ROM (wav, aiff). This gives us the best source material to work with.

- Include all ISRC codes along with your songs, we need these before we burn the final master disc.

- DO NOT add any processing to your main mix bus (ie: compression etc). Keep it natural and clean.

- Do not clip your files, keep your peaks somewhere around -6dB and you'll be safe. It's nearly impossible to remove distortion.

- Leave space before and after your music (ie: 2-3 sec at head and tail of each song)

- If you have one, include the UPC number of the disc.

- Make sure ALL your song names are in full. No abbreviations please! We need full names to add as CD-TEXT (which some CD players use to show your band name and song name).

- Include your CD album title.

- Give us a track list of the order you would like your songs to appear on the final CD.

- Include your FULL contact information (Band Name, Album Name, Contact Person, address, tel, fax, web, email etc). We use this information to print onto your duplication master disc.

- Send along a few of your favorite songs as reference. Rip a couple of songs from your favorite CD and add these in with your original files. This can do wonders in helping the mastering engineer understand the 'sound' you are striving for. It's always easier to 'hear' an example than it is for you to explain it!

The absolute bottom-line in mastering is COMMUNICATION. Speak up if you have a concern. It's important that you get what you are paying for, and at Digital Sound Magic, we don't mind taking a little longer for a better product.

About Author:
Richard Dolmat is owner, engineer and producer for the Vancouver based recording and mastering studio Digital Sound Magic. Visit his site at: http://www.digitalsoundmagic.com ©2005 Richard Dolmat (Digital Sound Magic)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

How to Make Your Music Website a Click Magnet

How to Make Your Music Website a Click Magnet

by Julie Blake,

Wouldn't it be amazing if you poured all your passion and creativity into your website and fans flocked to it and spent lots of money? It can be done, but only if you know the magic spell that transforms an ordinary website into an irresistible click magnet.

The secret is that you get paid for the difference that your music makes in your fans lives. People buy music because of how it makes them feel. Think of your music as part of your fans identity and lifestyle, like driving a VW Bug or being addicted to Starbucks. Fans want to feel like they "belong" and are part of something really cool. This is why Dead Heads will never die and Jimmy Buffett's Parrot Heads will never stop drinking margaritas attempting to escape reality.

Start by getting into your fans heads, find out what motivates them to invite your music into their life. Fans want to live the dream along with you. That's why they thrive on insider info. Get to know your fans and why they connect with your music. Focus on your passion for your music and continually work to improve and the fans will follow.

Ask yourself - How does my music make others feel? What does my music add to my fans lives?

Think "astonish!" Have you received a link to something that was so amusing you passed it on to everyone you know? The OK GO treadmill video on YouTube spread fast because it astonished people enough to stop their busy lives, enjoy a good laugh and pass it on to friends. Their website is jam packed with entertainment and even includes fun and games. When you create an entertaining, funny or unique site, it will take on a life of its own.

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You do not need a flashy site to astonish your fans. In fact, an all-flash site cannot be viewed by all and does not always translate into more sales. The best way to astonish your fans is with your creativity, passion and talent!

Ask yourself - How can I astonish my fans?

Instead of focusing on how you can increase sales, get insanely creative and find ways to increase the value of your music by entertaining instead of doing a hard sell. A delicious example is from the Cold Stone Creamery. Whenever someone puts money in the tip jar, the whole crew sings little jingles like "tip tip hooray!" and "hi ho, hi ho, thank you for the dough." The next customer in line is excited to leave a tip just to hear the next jingle.

You can also give fans what they crave the most: insider info! Fans eat it up when they get access to back stage photos, unreleased live recordings or a peek at a recording session. You can increase the value of your music by including exclusive insider info with a purchase.

Cutting prices does not increase sales; it decreases the value of your music. Fans look for something that adds value to their life that they can identify with and feel good about. Build trust and a deeper connection with your fans by giving access to free videos, song downloads and an entertaining newsletter.

Ask yourself - How can I increase the perceived value of my music?

How can I spend creativity instead of dollars to promote my music?

Give your fans something to discover! You can connect with fans online in ways that you can't at a live performance. Tell them the story behind the song, why you write music, what it's like for you to follow your dreams. Talk about challenges and gigs that went completely wrong. Share your greatest moments so they can enjoy them too. Post a short video of a songwriting session or give them a glimpse of what it's like to be on your tour.

Ask yourself - How can I make a deeper connection with my fans?

The most important part of your website is your music. It doesn't matter how cool your website is if your music is not polished and ready for debut. Make sure that your website or MySpace doesn't take away too much time from creating great music.

When it comes to music websites, it really is all about the fans! When someone visits your website, all they really care about is what is in it for them. So, the real question is, how can you make your fans website a click magnet? Give fans a great reason to hang around and return for more! Make your website every bit as creative and entertaining as your music.

Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2007 - Republished with Permission

Improve Your Computer Performance For Audio Recording

Audio is hard on your computer taxing its resources. Although this is not as big a problem as it was when we were recording on a Pentium 400 it still makes sense to practice good habits when it comes to your computer hard drive. Here are some tips to speed your audio up.

Separate Audio Hard Drive: If you can afford it a drive reserved just for audio will make things much easier on you. Only audio files are to be stored on this second drive.

Keep Your Drives Clean: Keep the junk off of your hard drive. Any excess programs will slow your system resources that could be used for things like plug ins and more tracks. Check your task bar and see what programs are running in the background such as your anti-virus or messenger service.

Minimize: Turn off as many things as you can although make sure you are not connected to the Internet when disabling your anti-virus.

Back Up: Always back your computer up on a regular basis. Make this a habit like clockwork or else your hard drive will crash at the worst time possible. Don't ask me how I know this.

Defrag: Defragging your computer once a week will speed everything up. Your files tend to get jumbled up when stored on your hard drive and defragging tends to sort things out for you.

Format: I like to format my hard drives a least once a year although I probably do so a couple times a year. Things slow down as time goes by and formatting is on e of the best speed recovers I have found. A new clean drive always seems to speed up a lot.

Number Of Plugins: Plugins are one of the most taxing things you can do to your computer. When you are recording always use as few as possible turning off anything that is not vital. Add them back in during playback if you need them.

Number Of Tracks: Likewise watch the number of tracks you are using. The more tracks you use the harder your computer has to work. Only use as many as you have to have. You probably do not need 17 back up harmony parts.

Recording your own audio on your personal computer is one of the most rewarding things I have ever used my personal computer for. It is an exciting time when for a few hundred dollars you can rival the sound of the major studios of old. If you follow these tips and use your head you will be recording audio better than ever before.

About The Author
Ripsaw
Download your free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips.

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Fan Etiquette: Are The People Who Love Your Music Ruining Your Band’s Reputation?

They’re generous, they’re consistent, they’re giving…and most of all...they love your music. They’re your fans and they come to every one of your live shows, fork out money for cover charges, CDs and t-shirts, bring your band gifts, throw you house parties, and spread the word of your music on the internet and beyond. Your fans are the single most important ingredient to the success of your band. Without them, you’d be rocking out in your Aunt’s basement to an audience of none…well, maybe her cat.

But there can be a dark side to the hoards of happy humans drunk on your future #1 hits. Sometimes the folks barreling in to see you play, or flooding your websites with their online presence are causing more harm than good to the reputation of your band. Rude behavior, message board flaming, compulsive sticker-ing and flyer-ing, may all seem like helping to your flock of followers but to club owners, industry and those newly interested in your music, they may seem like trouble-makers, belligerents and vandals.

It may be simply a case of over-exuberant fan zeal. Your fans think they’re preaching the gospel of your band to anyone with eyes and ears: by dropping your postcards all over town like a bird with irritable bowel syndrome, by filling up strangers email in-boxes with bulky MP3s and HTML photo-heavy notices about how much you rock, and by yelling your band’s name at the top of their lungs during another band’s set like a parrot with Turret’s Syndrome. These unsolicited over-promotions…albeit well-intentioned…are hard for the average person to separate from your band’s own promotional efforts and may not be appreciated in the way they were intended. On the other hand, it may be that your fans are so revved up by the love of your music that they’ve become arrogant, aggressive and just plain out of control in any arena (or cyber place) your band inhabits. At any rate, you may find that you need to dial these folks back a bit to create a environment that is fan-friendly without comprising your band’s opportunities.

The following are a few tips that will help you to guide your supporters in their quest to be adamant fans without allowing them to turn into an obnoxious, rowdy, gang of rabid baboons.

1.) Communicate With Your Fans---A lot of problems can be eliminated by simply setting up a line of communication between your band members and your fans. For instance, if you know that a particular club forbids setting around flyers, postcards or other promo materials, post it on your website with the upcoming show info-blast. Set guidelines for your band and for each individual show and let your fans know that they need to follow these simple rules or they’re no longer permitted to attend live gigs and to post on your cyber message boards. A little information can go a long way and your fans will be happy that you let them know what they can and can’t do at any particular show.

2.) Learn From Experience---Sad but true, often the best way to learn what’s not appropriate at shows is for inappropriate things to happen. When fans begin their overblown behaviors, benign-intentioned or not, you will learn by the reaction of the clubs, the industry and your other fans what’s okay and what’s not going to fly. A good example is this…placing bumper stickers on club walls may be encouraged at some places but forbidden at others. The first time you get a call from a red-faced bar owner screeching through clenched teeth that his men’s room walls have to be repainted, you’ll know that it’s time to email your fan base and let them know to leave their reserve of band stickers at home when the band plays that club again. In another example, it may not occur to your band that certain fans are behaving rudely to club personnel or to your other fans, at your shows, until someone makes you aware of it. At that time, you may need to email your naughty fans and let them know that certain bad attitudes are unacceptable at shows, and on your message boards, and that fans who can’t be pleasant will not be invited back.

3.) Friends And Family Are No Exception---As awful as it sounds, often times a band’s family and friends are the most out of control and obnoxious at shows…and on the web. Maybe it’s because they’re more emotionally invested in the band and its members, or maybe because the musicians forget to remind their loved one about fan etiquette. You and your bandmates may think it’s a given, but some of the biggest jerks, idiots, and rebel rousers at gigs are your loved ones. It doesn’t matter it’s the bass player’s ten year-old brother to the drummer’s 60 year-old dad, you don’t want to be banned from your favorite showcase venue because granny kicked the bouncer in the shin. Don’t be afraid to sit your friends/family down and spell out the live show/internet rules for your band. Sometimes you can’t control the fans you don’t know, which makes it all the more important than ever to control the fans you do.

4.) Lay Down The Law---Once you become aware of the “problem” fans, it’s time to explain to them what they can and cannot do at your gigs and on your website. Before banning anyone from visiting the band’s shows and sites, try sending out a polite, but firm, email with some specific guidelines and a serious warning that the next step will be cutting these bad elements out of the band’s loop. It’s important to try not to make the email too harsh, as it may insight further acting up. So, just deliver the message in a casual way, explaining that their actions are hurting and not helping the band…a fact that they honestly may not realize. Honestly, you may need to give it some backbone so that your jerky fans really understand that their jig is up. If you’re having trouble with someone you know well…a particular friend or family member…a phone call or face-to-face meeting might better do the trick. No matter how the message is executed, it’s important to let your fans know that certain behaviors will not be tolerated by the band under any circumstance. Most fans would rather shape up that be cut out of all of the fun, and the band’s reputation will be safe from troublesome followers for the time being.

It’s true that fans are a band’s biggest asset. But left uncontrolled they can also be the biggest liability as your band takes on the responsibility and reputation for the antics that its fans pull at live shows and on websites. Like crazed leprechauns, full of mischief, each fan’s silly stunts and nasty attitude problems will eat away at your band’s good name with tiny bites…like a school of piranha in a stream eating a full sized goat down to the bone in seconds…until your band is left, a former shell of itself, wandering your town trying to figure out why you can’t get booked and no one visits your website. It’s not a good sign when you see a tumbleweed blow through your music career. Nip it in the bud now. Control your fans behavior. Trust me; you’ll be glad you did.

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 over 2,400 affiliates to more than 126 million listeners. Her musicians’ assistance program, Music Highway, boasts over 10,000 members. She currently promotes numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles Area, where she resides. For more info: http://www.sheena-metal.com.

Guide To Radio Promotion - Radio Promotion Basics

Guide To Radio Promotion - Radio Promotion Basics

by The Music Connect,
Radio is becoming more and more important in an artists career, but steady radio play is becoming harder and harder to obtain. The best way for an artist to get radio play that people are listening to is satellite radio via XM or Sirius. This form of radio is more supportive and accepting of independent and unsigned artists.

When starting your radio campaign most artists should start at a local level by contacting there local stations and see if they have a show for local artists, which many stations do. Make sure you post the station's request information on your website and have all of your fans request this song. This will get the stations attention. Even if they were not going to play your music, they may now take a second look after they see you have a fan base in the area.

The new step in your promotion of your song towards radio is pressing up copies of the single. There are many places that will thermal print your CDs and put them in jewel cases. You should not pay more then 55 cents a unit for this.

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The next step is sending this song to your local radio stations again, all of the stations pertaining to your genre in your region, XM and Sirius, as well as any internet radio stations.

Radio promotion can be very time consuming and frustrating, and for many artists, a waste of time. You have to know when it is right to take your band to the next level by pursuing radio plays. This should come at a time when you have a fan base and have done a consistent amount of shows in your region. The radio play should accompany an album release. If it doesn't, many stations will not even think about playing your song unless you have a release coming out that has distribution where the radio station's signals reach.

Once you do start receiving some radio play contact the stations to see if you can do a "phoner" (an interview on their station via phone). Many of these phoner interviews are recorded and played on air at a later date, while a few are actually live.

Many artists wonder whom to contact at the radio station. The person you should be directing all of your music and information to is the program director. You should also give your music to popular DJs at the station you are targeting as they do have a very small bit of input on what is added to rotation, and some might help by giving your album a mention during their show.

You can employ a radio promotions company, but this will not be cheap. I do not recommend hiring a radio promotions company for an unsigned artist or an independent artist with a small budget because the failure rate of these campaigns is very high and many singles. And, artists are broken on radio with little or no money invested at all. Wait until you get a substantial budget to use a company that promotes to radio.

Before you start your radio campaign you should have the following checklist with all of the boxes checked:

* A budget of at least $1,000 USD for printing of CDs, mailing, mailing supplies, and other costs you may incur.

* A fan base of many people who check your website and buy your CDs regularly. If no one at all is buying your CDs, then what makes you think they want to hear you on the radio?

* A song of yours that many people have listened to and they all feel it has the potential to become a hit. Even run it by your local radio station to get their feedback.

* Make sure you have a release, tour, or many shows coming up so the promotion on radio is worth it. So many artists attack radio with everything they have trying to get a major deal, and it doesn't work out and the money they spent is not recouped. Don't always shoot for a record deal. Work on selling your albums and growing a fan base and the fame and money will come.

Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2007 - Republished with Permission

The Music Industry - How To Lose Money And Ruin Your Career With A Number One Hit Song?

Any career development person worth his salt, wants you to have a career that is constantly rising. Hence, that is why you should have three CDs worth of material already written when you approach your career development person or music industry executive. (For those of you who don't know what I am talking about, see my last article entitled "The Music Industry- Here is what a young artist needs to know to be a star.")

A good career development person will survey your material, ask you to throw away the songs that didn't survey well, then ask you to write some more songs, survey again, etc. until he can finally place your songs in an order that results in your first CD being good, your second CD better, and your third CD best of the three. He will do all of this by surveying your material. Some survey techniques are so accurate that they can even tell you where your song will place in the top 40-number 15 or number 35.

Why does your career development person do this? Because you can actually lose money and ruin your career with a poorly planned number one hit.

Now remember, rankings in the top 40 are determined by air play, not sales. So, here is how it works.

If you are an unknown artist, and you release your best song first, and your agents and managers and executives at the music companies are good salesmen, you might start getting airplay. If you get enough airplay you might break into the charts at say number 35. Music stores and major download services, however, probably won't carry it right away, because 1) there are lots of people vying for "shelf" space, so to speak and the music stores are going to wait and see how this new artist does before they commit to giving you any space. (After all you might break in at number 35 and be gone from the charts the very next week.) So let us just say there is not necessarily a mad dash to get your number 35 hit into the stores and onto the shelves; and 2) even if there is a huge demand (maybe you broke into the charts at number 15 your very first week, it is still going to take awhile for the music company to press the CDs and ship them to the stores. (often weeks).

It has happened numerous times in the past that a song will zoom from say the number 35 to the top number 1 spot BEFORE any CDs can be shipped to the music stores. By the time the stores do get the CDs, the song has fallen down the charts and is no longer getting the airplay on its way out (at say number 38) that it got on its way up to number 1. Let 's say the music executives representing you zealously pressed 500,000 CDs when your song was number one, but now that it has finally arrived at the stores it is not getting airplay anymore. People start forgetting about it and the actual sales only amount to say 50,000 units.

The music company loses money on this scenario because the cost to manufacture and ship the 500,000 CDs exceeds what they made on the 50,000 actual unit sales. Now, internet distribution and sales have made it a lot easier to counter this kind of scenario, but it still can happen with inexperienced, and inept music executive making the wrong decisions.

Now here is what an experience career development executive would do. Again he would survey your material and your first release would be a song that he knows will break into the top 40 at about 39, rise to number 30 than fizzle out after that. No one worries very much about getting CDs into stores or anything like that. What this accomplishes, however, is everyone becomes aware of you. The stores are aware of you, the internet downloading services are aware of you, and fans in general are aware of you. After all, a number 30 hit on your first release is not too shabby.

Now your second release is going to be a surveyed song that your career development person knows will place in the low 20s or high teens on the charts. So now all the people that were made aware of you by your first release realize that this is even a better song, that there really is something to you, and the mad dash to get you on the shelf DOES begin. Everyone knows you are not a one hit wonder and that this second release is going to make every one money.

Now imagine what happens when your third release does even better and makes it to number 10 on the charts. Then imagine what happens when your second album comes out. Well the people are lined up to buy it sight unseen, and when they hear it and it is even a better album, when you have three top ten and one number one hits off of it, you career is well on its way to being established forever.

When your third album comes out with your three number one hits. You are pretty much guaranteed to be in the music business as long as you want.

Now imagine the opposite. Suppose you released your best song first and every thing got progressively worse from there. Does a "one hit wonder" ring a bell. Does anyone even remember the names of the numerous groups who have done just that? NO.

So a word to the wise: Use experienced career development people. Survey your material. Do it smart. Do it right. Be successful.

About the Author:
Stan Medley is the CEO of Viscount Productions, Inc. which specializes in career development. Additional information on this topic is at http://www.viscountproductions.com (c) 2007 Stan Medley

Source: http://www.content4reprint.com

The Power of Personality

When you promote yourself via e-mail or with the words you use on your web site, you have a choice. You can be straight-forward and matter-of-fact (also known as bland and boring). Or you can communicate with pizzazz.

Case in point: My friend Gregg Hopkins plays in a band called The Melroys. He could have sent a run-of-the-mill e-mail to promote a recent show, including the rudimentary club name, address, phone number, etc. Instead, he sent this:

Git yerself down to the Broadway Oyster Bar tonight where The MELROYS will present our little Rock and Roll fandango. The food is delicious, the adult beverages are cool and refreshing, the music will be swinging, and you'll fit right in with the other beautiful people there. Showtime is 9-1. See ya there!

Gregg Hopkins
TheMelroys.com

P.S. Any person peeved by perpetual pestering such as this posting will be promptly purged from this list upon proper petition.

Ya gotta admit, this short message is a fun read -- which leads one to assume that a Melroys live show will be a fun event. And that's smart marketing. (The only thing I might add is an address and phone number of the venue for those fans who might not know where it is.)

So don't be afraid to show your personality. In fact, go out of your way to do something fun or different or creative any time you communicate with the public about your music. Got it? Good.

Use Hypnotic Descriptions

Here's another example from a longtime musical pal, Michael Schaerer. In this recent e-mail, he does a great job of painting word pictures of the venues he plays and describing what it means to him:

We'll be at Felix's starting around 9:30 Saturday night ... if it's anything like last week was, it'll be a full-fledged rock concert ... and it'll sound better than most of them too! It's really like seeing your favorite band in your living room. So intimate and powerful at the same time.

Come early for a fine dinner, or eat late ... the kitchen is open 'till close, baby. You really need to come out to Felix's and see why it's so popular! Call 'em at 314-645-6565. Felix's rules. Period.

On Sunday, Amy Miller and I close out my work week at the Tin Can Tavern on the south side. We play 9:00 to 11:30 or so and we like playing together so much that we usually have to be told to quit! Great new songs, and Amy just sounds like an angel ... amazing. Please attend. www.TinCanTavern.com or 314-865-3003.

Last week was a great week for me. So many people came and enjoyed my music that I was overwhelmed. Thank you, really. It means everything to me.

Michael
www.msgstl.com

This example is so powerful for many reasons. The way Michael describes the places he plays, you can't help but want to go and experience the vibe yourself. And you know the venue owners have got to love the ringing endorsements, too.

Finally, as Michael illustrates in his last sentence, always remember to thank your fans. They're the reason you're doing more than just playing music in an empty room. Without people to listen, enjoy and support you, your creative process would be a lot less satisfying. So be sure to regularly express your gratitude.

Your Comfy, Cozy Computer

The challenge when promoting yourself online is this: There's only so much human warmth you can get from a computer. Anything you can do to make your online communication more warm and fuzzy will make you stand out and be more appreciated.

No one does this better than Derek Sivers and CD Baby. If you've ever purchased music from cdbaby.com, you've probably received this shipping confirmation e-mail -- one of the classic "power of personality" messages you're likely to see:

Your CD has been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow.

A team of 50 employees inspected your CD and polished it to make sure it was in the best possible condition before mailing.

Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CD into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy.

We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of Portland waved 'Bon Voyage!' to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day (date inserted here).

I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did. Your picture is on our wall as 'Customer of the Year'. We're all exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!!

Thank you once again,

Derek Sivers, president, CD Baby
the little CD store with the best new independent music

Now that's powerful .. and effective! Think twice before sending your fans another e-mail message. And always remember the power of personality!

About Author:
Bob Baker is the author of "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "Unleash the Artist Within" and "Branding Yourself Online." He also publishes TheBuzzFactor.com, a web site and e-zine that deliver marketing tips, self-promotion ideas and other empowering messages to music people of all kinds. Get your FREE subscription to Bob's e-zine by visiting http://TheBuzzFactor.com today.

Musicians guide to band agreements

If you write songs within a band, you need to plan for the day when you will be earning royalties from your songs, and be clear what will happen if a member of the band leaves or if the band splits up.

The best way to deal with this is to all agree what is fair, and then put this in writing as a formal agreement which you all sign. This way there is little chance of any comeback if the band splits for less than amicable reasons.

Here are a few specific points you should consider:

If a member of the band leaves, do they forfeit all rights to the songs, and the songs remain the sole property of the band?

Are the songs written by one person, or a few principal writers, who wish to retain all rights?

If a band member leaves would both he and the band both retain a claim to the song, (this is probably the most likely option).

How do you determine each persons share? Do you base it on a song by song basis ranking each members input, or use the same formula for every song.

Do you simply divide everything up equally, (i.e. 5 members each own 20% of all the songs and therefore receives 20% of the proceeds/royalties), or do you rank each individuals input?

If a member leaves, can he/she perform or profit from the music outside of the band.

Sample band contracts can be viewed and downloaded from the following sites: http://undercurrents.com/agreements/agreement-bandmember.html, http://www.blues101.org/articles/promotion1.htm and http://www.musicianassist.com/archive/contract/files/member.htm

The advice from the UK Copyright service on this subject is:
“Where music is written as a group effort, we recommend that you draw up an agreement to clarify issues, such as which rights belong to which member, and how royalties would be distributed in the event that members of your group leave.
For successful commercial bands, incorporation is also an option. As with a normal incorporated company, the band members would own shares in the band/company. In this situation, a band member would typically sell his shares to the other members if he decided to leave.” (source: http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/protect/agreement)

About the author:
Andy Whitehead
http://undercurrents.com/agreements/agreement-bandmember.html
http://www.musicianassist.com/archive/contract/files/member.htm
Music Copyright Factsheet

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

How To Write A Song

Did you ever wish that it was your song playing on the radio? It could be. It is not that hard once you know the formula. With a little creativity, a little knowledge, a little luck and a good formula to follow, your song could be one of the next biggest hits.

Songwriting comes easy for some, and is very difficult for others. I have actually written songs in my sleep, and immediately upon awaking, written it as quickly as I could get the words on down on paper.

What I want to discuss here is popular songwriting, like the songs you hear on the radio. A good pop song, whether rock, country, middle of the road, is composed of two things: a catchy tune and some good lyrics.

There is a formula that most great songwriters use to write great songs. It regards the structure used to write a song. Granted, it is music and it is art, so the rules are not hard and fast. But if you want to increase your chances of getting your song on the radio, it is a good starting point.

Here is the formula. Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus.

Write that down on paper leaving plenty of space between each word and this will be your script.

Verse

The verse is the part of the song that tells the story, the part that leads to the chorus. Each verse is usually different, telling a different part of, or adding to, the story. It usually explains how you got to the things you are singing about in the chorus.

Chorus

The chorus is the part of the song that is repeated after each verse. The lyrics are usually the same each time the chorus comes around. The verse usually leads to the chorus, and the chorus is usually the pay off for listening to the verse. Does that make sense?

Here is a lame example (you did not think I would give you my best work, did you?):

(verse)
My dog is sick, he's got a tick
He's my best friend, don't let it end

(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free

(verse)
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again

(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free

Now, if you would kindly stop laughing at my lame song for a minute, I want you to think about whether or not you understand my point. Songwriting is story telling. The verse tells the problems, the chorus expresses the results or the emotions.

All right, now that you have that mastered, let's tackle the bridge. Ah, yeah, there is more to the song than the pain and the release. We need the diversion. That is what the bridge is; it is the diversion from the verse and the chorus.

The bridge may have a slightly different melody to it, or it could even have a different rhythm or a different tempo (Elvis' "Suspicious Minds" did a great job on this technique).

Let's go back to the lame song and add a bridge:

(verse)
My dog is sick, he's got a tick
He's my best friend, don't let it end

(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free

(verse)
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again

(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free

(bridge)
Tomorrow is a better day, I've got a new truck on the way
My dog just had a flea it seems, so once again I'll live my dreams

(chorus)
Oh, woe was me, can't you see
Woe was me, but now I'm free

The bridge offers a solution to the problems I was having. You don't want to leave your listener on the edge of suicide, you want to give them hope.

Notice, I also changed up the wording of the chorus. This was done to reflect my new found joy.

One more thing on formula. It can be anyway you want, but most verses and chorus come in lines of 4. So, instead of this:

(verse)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free

(verse)
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again

it would be:

Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again

The same goes for the chorus. Again, if you are creative, do it however you want. But for a new songwriter, this gives you some guidelines to scratch out and start carving out your new creation.

One more thing, do not make the notes to the melody so high that your fans cannot sing along. We are certainly all not Stevie Wonder.

About Author:
Michael Russell
MgrCentral.com
Established 2001
Home Business Training and Information Guides

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

My Monday Mustard: I Tattooed Google On My Forehead

One person’s opinion on what cuts the music mustard

I like the reference that Google is like an online tattoo. It’s a very good correlation. Let’s say you are all up in love with your girlfriend (or boyfriend) and want to spend the rest of your life basking in each other’s glow. You get their name tattooed on your person and a month later the love of your life cheats on you. You now have that friendly reminder faux pas’d on your body.

Tattoos once implemented, are difficult to remove. The same can be said of a comment, picture, or video placed online. I’m sure you have heard the warnings recently to Google your name and see what results come back in your web search. The warning involves who else may eventually Google your name to find out more about you. When you go to get a job later, a comment, picture or video you posted out of anger, frustration, humor - whatever, might just still be tattooed on the Internet, harming your character.

It’s definitely something to keep in mind no matter who you are: whether a musician, singer, songwriter, band member OR a teenager/young adult making a forum, Blog post or putting up a video.

This past week, after all the chatter about last weekend’s MTV, VMA awards, on Britney and Kanye West, etc., there was a particular video on Youtube created by a ‘male’ Britney fan. You know the one, it has had a few million hits already (Leave Britney Alone!). I’m picturing that video to not only be this guys “five minutes of fame” but to potentially come back and haunt him years from now.

The point is this, think before you type or upload. Like the spaghetti sauce, once it’s in there, it’s potentially there on the Internet for a very long time. Sometimes an edit or delete can not fix it.

Vanessa
Artistopia Guest Author
Artistopia’s guest authors opinions are their own and may or may not reflect the opinion of the web site owners and are provided as commentary to what may or may not be relevant on subjects pertaining to music, the music industry and the Internet.

10 Reasons to Buy Music from Independent Artists

Musicians develop their own labels for many different reasons. My reason is partly because of a challenge I took on at a young age, to take what I was told was an unmarketable instrument, the violin, and create music that expressed emotions, touched hearts, and ultimately, sold. Whatever the reason for creating their own labels, musicians sometimes forget the advantages they hold and focus instead on the multitude of challenges.

As a gentle reminder to artists as well as their potential customers, I'm sharing my personal favorite reasons why I enjoy having my own label, and why music lovers should consciously choose to buy music from independent labels.

1. Independent musicians can freely express their passion and unique talent. They can express their own personal stories, follow their own instincts, and not have to follow orders from major label executives as to what they must create. From the customer's perspective, by exploring radio stations and other sources of independent music, they too are now free to make their own decisions as to what is hot and what is not.

2. Many of the common music distributors only offer music from major labels, and rarely do they give anything for free, no matter how many albums you download or cds you buy. An independent artist is free to be unique and generous in his sales methods. For the consumer, this can mean getting bulk discounts, coupon offers and appreciation for their repeat purchases.

3. The independent musician can communicate directly with the customer, so online sales doesn't have to feel like an isolating experience for the artist. Many times the thrill of receiving an email directly from the musician can turn an independent label music purchaser into a devout fan.

4. Niche marketing is all the buzz these days, and nowhere is it more successful than in independent music. As an independent musician, you are free to create your own unique niche and, in the process, reach more ideal fans. As someone who buys music from an independent label, you can find it easier to discover the music that defines and expresses YOU as well.

5. By buying from independent labels, customers and musicians can share the love. Think of it this way, here's one scenario. A music lover makes a purchase. The independent musician has total control over what is communicated in the thank-you message. The customer can write back. The musician can quote the customer in his blog, the customer basks in the glory of the personal mention and shares it with all his friends on his Facebook page. Backlinks abound. Try that when you purchase from a major label.

6. Everyone feels more authentic. A MySpace page is more authentic than a billboard. A blog is more authentic than a press release. As an independent musician you can replace corporate communications with the real you, and your fans can comment on your webpage and get a direct response from you with their name on it.

7. At a time when many music retailers are closing their doors, customers can find their favorite independent musician's music by buying it directly from the artist. Musicians with a well defined niche and loyal, avid fans can remain untouched by the ups and downs of the retail music industry.

8. An independent musician can develop his own website presence based on his own unique personality and style. Fans can hang out in a place where they can listen to new music clips, socialize, watch video performances, buy music, and share and build upon each other's excitement. Everything is in one place, and they can discover a new musician or song, leave their comments, bookmark the site, make a purchase, and make new friends, all at the same time.

9. Musicians get a bigger cut from the sale of their music. This may seem obvious, but if customers could see the portions their favorite musicians receive from major labels, they would make more effort to support independent musicians, and buy from independent labels.

10.Indie musicians can band together to support each other and further their own causes, in organizations such as Association of Independent Musicians, or Rock the Net, only two examples. Major record labels often limit what their artists can do or not do. Consumers can not only support the music they love, they can affiliate themselves with causes they believe in.

There are of course other reasons to buy music from independent artists, but this is a great list to get you started thinking in that direction.

About Author:
Daniel Kobialka played Principal Second Violin with the San Francisco Symphony for decades, and has his own record label, LiSem Enterprises Inc. He has recorded and produced 16 albums, including three children's albums and four guest albums with artists such as soprano Silvia McNair, David Grisman, Norton Buffalo, Enrique Coria, Jerry Garcia, and many others. Find out more about Daniel's independent music at DanielKobialka.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Band Merchandise - Promote and Support your Music

The rewards of creating music range from the deep satisfaction of writing a new song to the glowing pride of a successful performance. These feelings bolster our confidence, but do little to compensate for the financial investment often tied to making music. While selling your music via CDs and downloads is a good start, you should also consider investing in band merchandise to promote your band and cover the cost of instruments, rehearsal spaces, recording equipment and more.

In a Rolling Stone article (7/04), Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba spoke about the importance of merchandise: "Merch sales are what kept us going. Even now, we're still not making our living from playing the shows. Merch is where we make our profit." In that same story, John Mayer commented on merchandise sales and the current state of the recording industry: "You're not making that much money off records anymore, so until people can figure out how to make a re-writable Hanes Beefy-T, merch is one of the last bastions of individuality, commerce and style that an artist has left."

Echoing those sentiments, Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls told NPR (1/17/07): "We make almost no money off our recordings themselves." To earn a steady income, NPR interviewer Chris Arnold noted that "The Dresden Dolls can take in more than $1,000 a night selling merchandise, which makes the 'merch table' a major source of income why they're on the road."

While generating money is the most obvious benefit of band merchandise, the valuable impressions made from exposure to potential fans is just as important. Arming your current fan base with a fashionable marketing tool will only help to promote your band and raise your profile. To this end, musicians should take great care in creating logos and images that accurately reflects their sound and image while appealing to consumers. For inspiration, turn to Threadless.com for a wide range of arresting designs. If you don't have the skills to create the design, try cutting costs by recruiting a graphic arts student to handle the project for you.

Once the perfect design is approved, identify the medium that will give you the greatest return. A quick Google search found a wealth of companies dedicated to meeting the merchandise needs of independent artists. Here are just a few of the deals out there: 100 printed t shirts for $405 at WeNeedMerch.com, 500 1" buttons for $100 at BusyBeaver.net, 250 5.5" x 1.42" stickers for $25 at StickerGuy.com and 100 posters for $175 at BandWear.com.

Selling your band merchandise can be done at live shows or online via your web site. Create links at social music sites like Echoboost.com to draw more traffic and use secure payment services, such as PayPal, to handle the monetary transactions. Email fan club members when new products become available and try offering special packages, bundling your CDs or downloads with t shirts, buttons and/or stickers to drive sales and spread the word about your music.

You shouldn't let expenses drain your passion for music. Put your music to work for you with your own merchandise and keep making the music you love.

About Author:
Lathum N
To read more music-related articles and hear the best of unsigned artists across the country, visit Echoboost.com and the Echoboost Blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Shooting Your Own Music Video

Music videos can be expensive items. It hurts spending thirty, fifty or even a hundred grand of your hard-earned money on something you - basically - give away for free!

So, it can be very tempting to save some money by shooting your own music video. I mean, video cameras come on cell phones nowadays, and HDTV is becoming less expensive. Cameras are everywhere. They're ubiquitous. And, deep down, everyone really fancies themselves a director - sorry, an actor, don't they?...

So, should you consider going it alone and shooting your own music video?

The short answer: NO.

Directors, producers, cinematographers and production designers are all artisans. It takes years of study and work experience to become a decent film-maker. You wouldn't leave your CD layout to some guy you passed on the street, would you? So why even consider doing something as important as your first music video all by yourself? It may look like simple work, but believe me, producing and directing ain't easy!

Can you tell the difference between a lower budget independent movie and a Hollywood summer blockbuster? Of course you can! That's exactly the difference between shooting the video yourself and hiring a professional. You don't know how to make the movie look that glossy and perfect - but the professionals do! The best you could hope for is a decent indie flick. Sure, every once in a while a home-made music video comes along and does well. But, can you even think of one (and, no, Fatboy Slim's "Praise You" was NOT an indie video, the budget was actually massive). So, stick with the professionals. Let them do it all for you.

However, the single biggest reason I would dissuade you from shooting your own music video is probably not one you would have guessed:

Insurance!

Film crews often contain twenty, thirty, or even hundreds of people. There's typically massive amounts of power being run through thick cables (often submerged in puddles) up to precariously hung lights with a virtual windmill of large, exposed, sharp metal edges (and all this at about 600 degrees Celsius). A film set is literally an accident waiting to happen.

Plus, adding to the inherent dangers of a film set, music video shoots tend to be even more dangerous (music video productions don't tend to have very much money for things like safety experts and safety harnesses). Maverick directors love to put their subjects into harm's way. And, on low-budget shoots, you can often hear things like: "We don't need an expensive car-mount - let's just throw the cameraman on the hood! Don't worry, we'll tie him down..."

So, if you do decide to shoot your video yourself, just make sure no one trips over a light stand! It could cost you your life savings.

Legitimate production companies will have production insurance that covers the workplace (this insurance would cost you around one or two thousand dollars - just for the one music video).

Professional producers and production managers will have access to much better crew members than you will. If you only have a thousand dollars to hire a director of photography (cinematographer), I guarantee you I'll be able to hire a MUCH better DOP than you will! So, unless you have contacts in the industry, you should probably consider hiring a production company to do all the producing for you. You'll get a much higher quality crew that way.

And, one final note...

If you're shooting on 35mm film (which I strongly recommend - unless there's a VERY good reason not to), you'll need to rent a camera that's worth around half a million bucks! And, that camera doesn't come with any lenses (or tripods, or dollies, or film magazines, etc...). You'll have to rent all that separately. So, unless you have a VERY high limit on your credit card, the camera house might not even be willing to rent to you. You might even have to mortgage your house to cover the deposit!

Established production companies rent camera packages all the time (a decent music video package will be at least one or two thousand dollars a day), and often receive significant discounts from the rental house that you wouldn't be able to get. So, by going with an established production company, you'll actually be getting a considerably better equipment package than if you had done it yourself (producers also know how to get film at about a quarter the price you'd be able to).

So, overall, you'll get a much better bang-for-your-buck by hiring a professional producer or production company to shoot your music video for you. It will also save you an unbelievable amount of time and effort. And, in the end, isn't that what you want for your first video: The absolute best music video possible?

About the author:
Robert D. Brooks is a professional music video director from Vancouver, BC, Canada. He is webmaster of http://www.damnthe.com and is represented by music video production company Triton Films Inc.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Musicians and Performance Anxiety

Have you ever faced your time to shine, and felt overcome with an intense hesitation or worry about an upcoming performance? As the time nears for you to address your audience, do you suffer from sweaty palms? Is there a lump in your throat? Do you experience tremors, tension, stuttering, upset stomach or loss of focus? All of these symptoms are a sign that you may suffer from performance anxiety, which is a common problem that requires a little mental rewiring to get you on the right track.

Music performance anxiety develops from the thoughts, feelings and habits of a musician. The level of anxiety that one has will affect a musician’s desire to perform, as well as their ability. In order to deliver a high-quality performance, a musician must overcome the mental obstacles that create a barrier between wanting to perform and actually completing the act. When you feel anxious, pressure begins to build up that makes it impossible to pick up an instrument or sing a song.

Main Types of Performance Anxiety

There are three main kinds of performance anxiety that musicians encounter. The first occurs before a performance date is even mentioned. Fear of rejection or self-doubt regarding their abilities may hinder a musicians attempt to arrange a showing of their talents. The anxiety sometimes mounts to the point where a musician never feels they are truly ready to perform in front of others.

The second type of anxiety occurs during an actual performance. Gripped by fear of what the audience thinks of them, a musician’s body might tremble. Sweat may form on their forehead, nose, neck or hands. These bodily reactions may also impact the way an instrument is played. Voices become tight or locked, emitting cracked, flat or quivering notes. The anxiety of a musician might be so high that they may actually self-sabotage their performance without even knowing it.

Anxious musicians often become quite distracted by the slightest movement or noise during a performance. They might take this opportunity to blame their inability to complete their set because of outside interruptions. This is just an excuse. Within themselves, they do not feel completely adequate to continue their performance. Musicians with performance anxiety often exhibit poor concentration, as well as loss of focus.

After a performance, the anxiety madness continues, which is seen through a harsh, unforgiving critique of their presentation. The musician will nit-pick every aspect of their set and despite positive encouragement and comments, they will continue to downplay and dismantle their ability.

Tips On Managing Performance Anxiety

When it comes to getting over the hump of performance anxiety, there are numerous ways to combat the fears and doubt that come with presentation. Below are five aspects of performing that a musician suffering from anxiety should take into consideration:

1) Self-Assessment

When you get to know the ins and outs of yourself as an individual, as well as a musician, you are inching your way towards overcoming performance anxiety. Knowing what makes you tick both inside and outside musical circles will help you to better deal with the problems you face before, during and after a performance. A musician should analyze their performance goals, personal capabilities and limitations.

Musicians should also know that everyone has to start somewhere with infinite room for improvement. It is quite important for a musician to perform to the best of their abilities, as well as learn from mistakes and peer criticism.

2) Exposure: Baby Steps

Musicians should take the opportunity to gradually expose themselves to varying levels of performing. One moment a full-length mirror becomes a suitable audience, while the next could be a crowd of five friends. Testing low, medium and high levels of stressful performance situations will help musicians slowly overcome the issues faced in regards to performing. Additional suggestions include practice performances in an empty theater, dress rehearsals with friends and taping acts, then viewing them with family and friends.

3) Preparation

In anything that we do, preparation is an important component for achieving success. A good performance is one that has been thought out, thoroughly visualized and played over and over again in the mind. Once the mental preparation is complete, the physical part of the process involves sufficient practice and specific rehearsing for the particular venue you may perform at. Before a performance, a musician should enter this moment with a clear head. Meditation, yoga and other muscle relaxation techniques can create the right state of mind.

4) During a Performance

Every musician at some point in their lives will feel the flutter of butterflies before, during or after a performance. This is a normal occurrence that just takes some longer to get over. When it comes to the audience, you shouldn’t focus on blocking them out, but instead embrace them as support. If you go into a performance thinking that no one likes you or during a presentation focus on scowling faces, you will surely surrender to your flight or fight performance anxiety tactics.

Try to put anxiety in the backseat and attempt to stay calm. If you make a mistake, such as tickle the wrong piano keys, simply move on and do not dwell on small imperfections that pale in comparison to the overall scheme of things. Sometimes, if you don’t wear your disappointment or errors on your face, the audience is less apt to remember or care about mistakes. Breathing techniques will also come in handy once you get into the thick of performing and feel a touch of anxiety.

5) After the Performance

After each performance, take the time to assess yourself before relying on the approval or criticism of others. No one but you truly knows all of the hard work and preparation that went into your performance. Take the time to give yourself a mental pat on the back. Next, combine outside comments with your gut feeling to decide on what you can do next time. Regardless if you had the performance of your life or tanked on your first break, there are always aspects of your musical craft that you can still shape and mold for the future.

About Author:
Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of http://musicianhome.com. Visit here for more tips on learning to sing.

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Finding Management for You and Your Band

A very important person on your successful team is your manager. Finding a good, responsible and reputable manager is not an easy task. If you don't already have a manager, you may not need one. Experience proves, however, that you can only go so far without one. But how do you obtain a manager if you don’t already have one?

That’s a tricky one. While I have a huge list of managers in my book, The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money, you also need to get references about anybody you do business with. Once you obtain a list of managers you want to talk to, that are also interested in having a meeting with you, and here is a partial list of questions you should ask a manager to find out if they will be a good fit for your musical career.

What style of music do you represent?
How big do you think for your clients?
Do you consider and pursue corporate sponsorships, etc.?
What territory do you cover?
How are you paid - what is your percentage rate?

Before you can even question a manager, you’ll probably have to send them a press kit in order to get your first appointment. As always, be sure to contact them prior to sending out packets. Most unsolicited press kits either end up coming back unopened or are simply thrown awa