How To Know If You Have The Traits Of A Successful Singing Professional

In order to become a successful professional singer, you need to have the ability to go well beyond the ability of singing and having the looks of a superstar. You also need to have the correct traits and characteristics in order to make it to the top and be successful.

Listed below are some of the ways in which to find out if you have the qualities to be a successful singer.

A successful professional singer is a hard worker

You may have heard of a variety of success stories about singing superstars. How they have earned their celebrity status, along with their record deals and awards. However, in order for the singing superstars to have received this success, they have been hard working for many years, practicing day after day and also performing in small, unknown venues and clubs which hold an even smaller audience before getting that dreamed of record deal.

Professional singers still need to work hard in order to promote their current albums as well as creating new material for their up and coming albums. They also need to stay in shape to ensure that they look good, even after they have achieved success.

A successful professional singer remains true to their craft

A professional singer will always remain true to their first love, which is music, no matter how much fame and fortune has come their way. Their appearance may change, along with their outlook on life, but the passion for music will always remain with them. A successful singer will always remember that, the reason that they have success is because of their love and passion for music, and without this they would not have fame and fortune.

A successful professional singer loves their job

A professional singer must love their job, otherwise they would not be any good at it. A professional singing career is not to be looked at as just a job, it is something in which you must be highly committed to. A large part of a professional singers life has been dedicated to music, and will continue to be dedicated.

A successful professional singer is other-centered

True success lies in how a person shares their blessings. It is essential to a professional singer in how they help others, either through their music or their generosity. Inspiring fans with their music, along with helping those who are less fortunate than them, through charities or anonymous donations is something of great importance to a professional singer. A professional successful singer really does realize how blessed they are with their fame and fortune, and also know that it is their duty to share their good fortune with others.

So, do you think you have what it takes to be as professional singer? Do not be deterred if you do not hold these traits, as with success itself, you are not born with them, but you can certainly earn them.

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.

Article Source: http://www.my-articles.com

Are You Unique!?

Have you ever asked yourself or been asked by other people questions like these: "What does my music have that really makes it different and unique from anyone else's?" or "What sets you apart from every other musician out there trying to make a name for themselves?" Well, if you are like me, then you have not only had these questions come up, but put much time and thought into them while trying to prove and understand what really separates you from everyone else.

However, to truly understand what we wish to learn, we must define its true meaning. In this case, Unique is the word we shall try to understand.
The dictionary defines 'unique' as: "being the only one of its kind: without an equal or equivalent; unparalleled."

This article will go into depth on how to answer and approach these questions, as well as, how someone can help themselves find their own "uniqueness."

First of all, let it be known that I am not one of those instructors who will downsize the importance of actual technical practice and tell you that all someone ever needs to learn is how to hold the guitar and have a good time. I am a strong believer that the more you learn and know, the greater your playing skills, composition abilities, and distinctiveness are going to be.

1. "How do I know if I am Unique or have my own sound?"
A brilliant musician, and mentor, Tom Hess, once told me that he first found out that he had his unique style when his other guitarist turned to him one day at practice and said, "Wow, you really have something special bro, no one sounds like you."

Needless to say, when another musician notices that you have your own sound, then that is a definite sign of uniqueness. However, what about all the people who have never had anyone tell them that their sound is "different"? To this question, I say don't worry.

First off, every single decision you make, or lick you play in life will write a completely unique chapter in the story of your life. No one else can copy that word for word. The hardships you had to go through or the decisions you have made not only form you as a person, but as an expressive musician and will further your creative abilities uniquely.

Next, if one truly worries about how unique or "different" they sound from another musician, then their head is in the wrong place! One must always remember that the true meaning of music is for self-expression. Worrying about somebody else's' playing will only hinder your own. I must point out though, that there is a big difference between wanting to learn and evolve as a musician and getting upset at sounding like a certain musician and then changing for that reason. Changing because some of your licks sound like another person's is what will waste your time and only hinder your growth. Tom Hess, never worried about sounding different from everybody else, he just kept practicing, learning, and playing what he liked until the one day he was told that he had something "special."

2. "What can I do to help develop my own sound?" Now that you have learned to not worry if you currently sound cliche' or not, I have some advice for you that I have learned and use in my own musical experience.

First of all, it is perfectly fine to reach outside of what you would normally play or hear in search of something new and exciting. It is called musical exploration and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to expand their musical mind. Go through many different genres of music, ranging from Hip Hop and Bluegrass to Classical and Metal, and listen to them all closely. Some of these musical genres you may be disgusted with and that is ok, because you have just eliminated a genre that you do not wish to add to your own personal style and have come that much closer to completing your goal of self realization and self-expression.

However, there will also be genres or parts of genres, that you wish to play and learn more about. Studying these elements would be highly beneficial to the development of your unique style. Remember, some of the greatest musicians have listened to and been influenced by music that is much different than their own compositions. Steve Vai was first influenced to start playing music by the musical "West Side Story," and anyone that listens to Vai's music knows that they both sound completely different. I have found that improvisation within rhythms, progressions, and keys that are not that well known to you, can help develop that 'unique' sound for you .

For example, if you are used to and comfortable improvising in a 4/4 blues progression of :
A7 - I7, E7 - V7, A7 - I7, then try something completely different than that. Perhaps try a 6/8 Classical progression of :
A - I, Bm - ii, D - IV6, E - V, G#dim - vii*6, A - I. (Suggesting you have the technique and theory knowledge to play in this new progression.)

In conclusion, I want you all to remember two things from this article, that will be highly beneficial throughout your musical career. Don't worry about sounding different from someone else, but if you are on the path of self-expression, I advise you to open your mind and listen to music that you would normally never think about.

Copyright 2006 Kole (Kyle Hicks). All rights reserved.

About Author:
Kole Hicks is a guitarist/composer/instructor who is a music major at Indiana University, is the guitarist/vocalist for two different bands (www.enigmatheband.com), and is composing his debut album. He has also been mentored by guitar virtuoso, Tom Hess (www.tomhess.net). You can visit Kole's site at www.KoleMusician.com and reach him by e-mail at Kole@KoleMusician.com

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When Does Copyright Expire On My Music?

The expiration date on your copyrighted music isn't something you have to worry about, at least not in your lifetime. The music that you've written is copyrighted the moment you've put it onto paper or recorded it. The reason you don't have to worry about expiration is because the music is protected until 70 years after the death of the author. In the case of your music, that author would be you.

This rule about copyright music expiration was first put into place so that the families and heirs of an author could still earn royalties even after his or her death. Ultimately this means that if you've taken the steps to copyright your music and have registered the copyright, then your music will be protected throughout your lifetime until 70 years after you or the last surviving author (assuming a collaboration) is deceased.

Copyright music expiration is not something you should make a primary concern unless you are having issues of someone respecting and/or honoring your copyright at the moment. You should take comfort in the fact that as long as you are alive you are the only one who can assign your copyright to another person; and as long as you haven't given up your ownership of the music it still belongs to you.

This is different, however, if your copyrighted music was work “made for hire.” If that is the case then you cannot have ownership of the music, as it never legally belonged to you, but the person or entity who hired you to produce the music. Works made for hire have different copyright music expiration than those owned by the creator. With works made for hire, the copyrights are in effect for 95 years from the original publication date or for 120 years from the creation of the work, whichever of the two is shorter.

About Author:
Richard Cunningham is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for www.ResearchCopyright.com.

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Singers - Protect Your Voice!

If you are a singer, you are concerned about protecting your voice. It goes with the territory. Your vocal cords are your instrument and not only must you exercise them, you must take care of them. However, there will be times when you notice your voice becoming a bit 'husky'. Most of us notice our voice getting a little raspy after a night of cheering our favorite ball team or meeting a friend for dinner at a smoky restaurant or nightclub.

But no need to despair! You are not condemned to a life of never knowing when your voice will give out or give you less than perfect pitch. There will be times when circumstances are out of your control and your voice fails you, but you can also have many more times when you are able to sing beautifully because you put a few tips into practice. If you take the following list to heart, your voice will maintain its strength and reliability much more often.

1. Rest your voice. Now this seems obvious, but that doesn't make it any less true. If you are coming down with a cold or notice a bit of a raspy voice, rest your vocal cords. Don't feel embarrassed to communicate through notes and email. If you have a singing engagement, saving your voice is paramount.

2. Don't clear your throat. Throat clearing is a big no-no. When you clear your throat it causes your vocal cords to hit each other. All this does is cause irritation and damage. If you feel yourself wanting to clear your throat try taking a deep breath and yawn. The breath pushes air over the vocal cords and yawning can break up tension within the cords. If the need to clear does not completely disappear, it will at least lessen until you are able to take a drink of water.

3. Avoid oily foods and dairy products. If you have a speaking or singing engagement after a meal, avoid any type of mayonnaise at that meal. These foods are known to increase the tendency to clear your throat, which, as we just discussed, causes vocal cord damage.

4. Treat acid reflux. If you suspect that you have acid reflux disease, by all means treat it. You will relieve yourself of constant discomfort and prevent potential larynx damage. The esophagus is near the larynx and the excess acid in the esophagus due to acid reflux, is bound to damage your larynx. Take the time to visit your physician, mention all your concerns and that you are a singer and then follow their advice. You will be much better off than if you let the acid reflux go untreated.

5. Avoid smoky and dusty places. Breathing in toxins of any kind are damaging to a singer's vocal cords. Sometimes it is unavoidable and you find yourself in the middle of a smoky bar or dusty construction site. If you are worried about your voice after a temporary visit to one of these places, use a steam inhaler once you get home. These devices are relatively inexpensive and may just save your voice!

6. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I'm sure you've heard of this tip, but a reminder never hurt anyone. Include 'wet foods' in your daily diet. Wet foods include soup, fruit and, of course, decaffeinated beverages. Keep a bottle of water nearby at all times. The one time you don't have a drink handy, you will go into a coughing fit - it's Murphy's Law. If your profession involves speaking all day, make sure that you drink water continually throughout the day. It will keep your vocal cords hydrated along with the rest of your body!

7. Don't eat 3-4 hours before bed time. Avoid the potential for heartburn by not eating before bed. During digestion and due to the position of the body in sleep, acid can creep up into the esophagus and damage the larynx. If you have been ill or feel a cold coming on, sleep is wonderful medicine. This allows the vocal cords the time they need to heal.

It really doesn't take much extra work to protect your vocal cords. Drinking more water and avoiding smoky places are somewhat common sense, but when combined with a few other pointers, they help to protect your singing instrument. Tired and sore vocal cords are more easily damaged and once they are damaged, the only remedy is rest. By taking a proactive approach and protecting your voice, you will feel more confident in your instrument and your abilities.

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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Article Series - The Music Business: How to Become a Successful Independent Artist or Songwriter

By far the most important skill to have if you wish to become successful with anything, is ATTITUDE. An old Chinese proverb once said, "90% of the journey towards success is over once you have stepped outside your front door". The reason many people fail, is because they'd rather stay in and watch the TV.

Of course, that first step outside is a philosophical one. As a musician or songwriter, you spend the vast majority of your time being creative. If you thought that writing a great song, or playing an instrument well, was the hardest part of being a successful artist, you are wrong.

Despite all the skills you need to know and perfect in order to make your music shine, this pales into insignificance compared with the hard work and other skills you need to learn in order to record, market and sell your art successfully.

Fortunately, most creative people also seem to excel at other things. The term "Jack of all trades" could quite easily apply to most musicians or artists. After all, the first thing most artists have to learn, is how to find time for their art whilst running a home AND holding down a Day Job in order to pay the bills! It is therefore not unusual to find musicians who are also Physicists, Engineers, IT Professionals or Teachers, to name but a few.

Most of these people are quite content to keep music as a hobby, at least whilst bringing up a family. However, we all get to a stage in our lives (usually once the kids have grown up and left home), where we want to cease working for a "Living", and instead, work for our own "Satisfaction".

There are few things in life more satisfying than being admired for something we created. If our creations also manage to influence others, then it is even more rewarding.

This "first step outside your front door" is taken when you decide to pause from the creative aspect (the ideas), and take a positive step towards learning new skills, or employing others who can do those things for you.

There has never been a better time in the history of mankind, to take those steps, either by yourself, or with others who would help you.

Where you used to have to pay for tutoring, or buy books, in order to learn the techniques of songwriting, or playing an instrument, you can now find scores of articles on the Internet (like this one!) that will help you for free.

Where you used to have to save up a considerable amount of money to pay studio costs and hire session musicians to make a decent demo recording, you can now find all the necessary tools, and even the musicians, on the Internet who would help you for little or no cost at all.

Where you needed to sign a record deal in order to be able to afford a producer and a master quality studio, you can now buy your own PC and some music software, and collaborate with a producer online, who will give you the capability to make radio-ready recordings.

Where you needed a record company with a huge advertising budget to market and sell your recordings, you can now (with some hard work), market and sell your CDs to the Whole World for next to nothing.

The Music Industry doesn't like the changes that the Internet has brought to the business. Digital media can be freely copied by anyone with a PC, anywhere in the World. No longer do the record companies just have to worry about the CD pirates who manufacture illegal copies to sell on the black market; they also have to now worry about every PC-literate man, woman and child, making their own copies too! This has led the music industry into a perpetual fight against file sharers (making enemies of many consumers in the process), instead of embracing the business advantages that the Internet brings to us.

The Music Industry still believes that 8-16 year-olds buy most of the records, so they are still catering primarily for that market. Recent industry figures are telling a different story, and the secret is the "Baby Boomers".

Yes...The same people who created the above market perception in the 70's by buying the largest proportion of records ever, whilst they were teenagers, have now grown up! The largest age group to buy CDs TODAY, at 26% of the population, are over 45. Not only that, but they still like the same kinds of music as they did then. So there is no need to change your art to fit today's teenybopper market if you aren't that way inclined.

Now that we know the secret, we also know that the next big thing in music, isn't going to be another form of Hip-hop, Techno, or R&B; but a return to real music, such as was made during the 60's and 70's. However, we'll be creating it with modern tools on a Home computer DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) system, instead of in a multi-million pound studio complex!

So, whilst the Music Industry is still hesitating by trying to shun the new digital era in favor of antiquated business models, hardware in the form of CDs, and markets that still only cover limited territories; we can now jump ahead of them onto a more level playing field, find our own markets, and sell to the Whole World with only a simple website!

Sounds easy, doesn't it? Well, that is the first hurdle you will face. So many musicians think it is easy, that there are millions already doing it! So to be successful you will need, like any other business, a proper business plan.

CONCLUSION:

The road to being a successful independent musician, begins with ATTITUDE

You need to find enough time in your schedule to drop the guitar & score sheet and use your creative energies towards developing a proper BUSINESS PLAN. This means taking a step back and listening to your music through Joe Public's ears. You need to think up a business name, logo, and short slogan that encompasses what you are, and what your music is trying to say to people.

Register your business "name" by buying a domain name that suits you as soon as possible

Pages on free MP3 sites and Free domains do not give you a professional image. You MUST have your own site, or at least something that offers you a unique look and features of your own. If you want people to find your music unique & special, then you also need an image that is unique and special. That goes for your email address too. Genuine business people don't use their Hotmail, AOL, or Yahoo addresses for formal communications.

Make sure all your paperwork is in order

If you are planning on making an eventual living from your art, you will need to be registered as a business or as a self-employed sole trader. You need to make sure your tax and income are all accounted for, so you may have to buy yourself an accounting package, or learn to use Excel Spreadsheets, or employ an accountant. There is also a lot to learn about how copyright systems work and whether you feel you need to form your own publishing company, record company, or register your copyrights with an agency. Much of this will depend on the laws of your home country. Alternatively, you can sign a non-exclusive deal with a small independent label or publisher to handle all the music-related paperwork for you.

You need to either take the time to develop some basic web design skills, buy ready-made templates, or employ someone to design a site for you

Make sure your logo and color scheme is fluent throughout your site, your stationery, your CD artwork, and any other communications device, such as email. Make sure your site includes some way of gathering a mailing list, such as a response form or a "double opt-in" form of registration.

Plan a marketing strategy

Marketing is all about finding the right market for your product. This may involve a certain amount of consumer research. This can be expensive, so use the Internet as much as possible to find groups of people who like similar music to yours. Try to find out other things about these people so that you can get a clearer picture of who would be interested in your music.

Plan a promotional strategy

Gather contact lists of magazines, local newspapers, TV and radio stations. Plan an 8-week promotional strategy leading up to the release of your CD. Use any press, or airplay you get as a news item on your website. If you have some money to invest, plan a set of concert dates in local venues for dates close to any publication dates. Plan a poster or postcard campaign. Contact local charities, hospitals, schools and shops, in fact anyone who might be prepared to play your CD in a public place. If you want local record stores to stock your CD, you will also need barcodes and counter display boxes. Use the mailing list you have been gathering from your site to promote any news to your fans with a regular newsletter. Offer free tickets to gigs, or run competitions for free CDs. Use your fans as extra leverage to increase the momentum of your promotional campaigns.

Don't under-sell yourself

Make sure that any music you decide to give away as a promotional MP3 is different in some way to the music you are selling. E.G. It will either be an early un-mastered mix (demo), or a different mix, or a song you are never going to release for sale. Otherwise, make sure all samples you make of your records, are either short clips, or low-fi mono samples. The price you set for your releases should never be too far below that of major record company releases. Your price tells your customer what "stage" you are at in the business. Price yourself too cheap and you are more likely to lose customers because they will automatically assume you are an "amateur".

Make yourself and your CD easily accessible to your fans

Always answer any emails promptly. Check your emails at least once a day and reply to any new inquiries immediately. The average time expected by most people for a response by email is 12-24 hours. Do not SPAM. Make sure you only send bulk emails to people who have opted into your mailing list, and if anyone wants to opt out, make sure you delete them straight away (not several weeks and 10 disgruntled emails later!). To contact businesses, you will need to write individually and personally to each of them. Always use a business "signature" with your artistic or business name, slogan, web site address, and possibly your telephone number, on every email you send. If you have released a CD, make sure you add the link to that too! If you have had your CDs duplicated professionally and are barcoded, you can also expand from selling them in internet stores such as iTunes, Amazon, and CDBaby, to high street stores. You must also sell them from your own site or at least provide links to the stores where they are available.

Never stop "Networking"

Carry your business cards with you at all times. At every conversational opportunity, if someone happens to mention music, or gigs, make sure you advertise yourself as an independent artist. If you have a modern mobile phone or MP3 player, make sure your latest CD is on it! You never know who you'll bump into in the supermarket. The first thing someone will ask when you mention you are a recording artist is "What kind of music do you play?" If you have your MP3 player with you, you won't even have to answer! (This is always a difficult question for an artist). You can just play it to them! Also make sure you frequent all the music-related newsgroups, forums, bulletin boards, MP3 sites, chat rooms etc. at every opportunity.

Finally, my "Promotional Tip of the Week"

Familiarize yourself with all the P2P file sharing systems that the music business hates so much. You can use them to your advantage. Make ads or lo-fi samples of your music or CD and label them like this...
"John_Mckeon_Friends_SoundsLike_Simon_&_Garfunkel.mp3"
Make copies labeled with every well-known artist you think you sound like, and keep all the files in your shared folder. Then, whenever you are logged onto the service and someone searches for music by these well-known artists, your music will be on their list of results!

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 and recording contracts at http://www.WobblyMusic.net

Learn all the Internet marketing techniques that will help you 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

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Article Series - The Music Business: Are You Ready to Get A Record Deal?

Getting is a Record Deal can be a real challenge but it's not impossible. If you really want a Record Deal you must be able to answer these questions first.

Are You Talented?

You don't need any talent to get a Record Deal, but not having talent will guarantee that you won't sell many records. Talent comes in many forms and you don't need to be able to sing, rap, or play an instrument like a virtuoso, but you do need some form of talent.

Talent Defined (Key Term):

We define talent as "the ability to get people to pay you for what you do". Many people are critical of popular artists like Brittney Spears, Madonna and a lot of today's rapper's. Some wonder how these so called talent-less individuals ever received a record deal. One thing all artists with record deals have is talent. The artists who have record deals have some form of talent. You must be talented to get a record deal.

Can You Entertain?

In today's music biz, the ability to entertain beats the ability to sing. If you want a record deal you have to be good at entertaining. Record Companies are looking for people who can compel fans to buy the artists music, attend shows, and conduct compelling interviews in the media.

Definition of Entertainment:

We define entertainment as "the ability to provide value to those who pay attention to you". There are a many comedians who can't sing, but they fill venues that seat thousands of people because they can entertain. As an artist, if you can entertain you can get a record deal.

Value is anything that produces positive a result. What is your value? What positive results does your music or brand provide? To get a record deal, you'll need to have proven results. The days of record companies signing talent on the hunch of an A&R rep are over. Today, getting signed is about the value (in dollars) that your music brings to the record label.

Talent isn't a value unless it produces a positive result. I've seen many people talk about having talent and I almost believe them - until I see or hear them perform. More importantly, talent isn't talent unless someone will pay for it.

Can you make your fans feel your emotion? Do your fans get excited when you are around? Do your fans get turned on when they see a photo of you? Can you look good on T.V.? Can you relate to a specific market? Do your fans ?bob' their heads when they hear your music? Do your fans find your lyrics cleaver or inspirational? These are all values, because they present a positive result for your fans.

What is Your Fan Conversion Rate?

Do you have a huge fan base? How many of your fans have purchased your music?

In [music] business numbers and ?conversions' (the amount of consumers that actually pay for your product) are the new name of the game. In the music business your fans are your potential consumers. You have to convert your fans into paying consumers. More importantly, you have to have proof of your fan to consumer conversions.

Once you have a high fan conversion - or sales rate, you'll in be ready to get a record deal.

Keep records off all of your sales to fans. Keeping a record of your sales will help to keep your music business career honest. You may be able to inflate your sales numbers, but it can also ruin your credibility. Know how many people are listening to your music and then buying your music. For a record label the ability to ?forecast' how well your music or band will sell in the marketplace is based on prior results. Business always looks backward to plan the way forward. In the music business, your past success is a prediction of your future success. Assure the record labels that their investment in music or brand will be successful and you will get a record deal.

About Author:
Jerome C. Ford is a 20 year Radio and Records Veteran, Music Marketing expert and Vice President of Succeed In the Music Biz! To learn more, log onto www.simbiz.info.

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Article Series - The Music Business: What’s The Reason Artists Like Madonna, Radiohead And Bruce Springsteen Have Chosen To Drop Their Labels?

There is a reason why these and scores of other legendary artists in just the past few weeks have chosen to drop their labels. Being successful for this long do you think they’ve learned a few things along the way?

There comes a point when every band or artist has to think about taking the next step in their music career, the business of marketing their music. Don’t be fooled there is a “Business” side to the “Music Business”.

Often bands and artists are more concerned with their music than the business of marketing and management. A solid understanding of the business of music is necessary for you to be successful. Where can musicians learn the business side of the music industry and I don’t mean “The School of Hard Knocks”!

How do you begin planning for a serious career in the music business? What are the steps you need to take to 'make it?' You may not want to hear it but I’m gonna say it… education! You've worked hard on your music, now learn the "business" side of the music industry.

Where do you find the information and the tools to take your music "business" to the next level. One source I found is a free tele-seminar series from Zoomoozik where you can ask questions and get answers!

What have you got to lose? Free Seminars from Industry Leaders, information that may help in taking your career to the next level? Find out exactly which direction the New Music Industry is going and help direct that path.

These calls are scheduled for one hour.. but I’ve seen them stay on the line later to answer questions.

There is no cost or obligation for attending this special training, there are however a limited number of spaces available. Sign up for more information NOW!

Their latest Seminar Schedule:

Seminar #1 - "How to Sell Your Music Online" - So you're ready to take your music into online sales? Or... are your music sales just not what you'd like them to be? What are your options? How much should I expect to get for my music? What formats are acceptable? Participate in our seminar and get your answers!

Seminar #2 - "Building a Fan Base that is a Promotion Machine" - You've got your music were you want it, now how do you get those hoards of rabid fans that buy everything you produce and market your music to everyone that they know? Participate in our seminar and get valuable tips!

Seminar #3: - "Getting into the Elusive International Markets" So now you're selling your music, the "business" of music is starting to come together for you. It's time to start looking to the next step - getting international exposure, those other deals. Participate in our seminar and get your plan set!

Seminar #4: - "Getting that Recording Contract" So you want that Record Deal? You've prepared, your music is dead on, your fan base supports you getting that elusive recording contract. Do you sign? What is going on in the industry today, in the near future? Is there a reason many of the biggest names in the business are choosing to move away from the traditional labels? Participate in our seminar and find out!

Take action in advancing your career in the “music biz” now!

About Author:
Roberto Bell
Steve is one of the founders of the free tele-seminar series at Zoomoozik Seminars. You can find more information at the main site Zoomoozik.

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Article Series - The Music Business: Fairness in Your Music Contracts

Music contracts are constantly on the mind of everyone in the industry. Whether they are looking to sign one or they have one they need signed they are simply all around us in the industry. Lately you have been hearing horror stories of people signing bad contracts or getting basically screwed out of what is morally there's. But what can you do?

Well, there is nothing you can do to save those people from their signing or horrible music business contracts, but you can learn from their mistakes. You can also get a lawyer but not many struggling or up and coming musicians can afford that. So, the best thing to do is educate yourself a little on recording contracts and music contracts.

Your best hope is for your music contracts to be artist-friendly. Fairness is above all the most important quality and they shouldn't contain a bunch of mumbo-jumbo language that only a person with a 10 year degree in music business contracts could understand.

The top few things they should contain are as follows:

1. Profit sharing is pretty understandable. You want to split all proceeds fro the recording, manufacturing and marketing straight down the middle, 50/50.

2. Royalties. If you are an artist this is not an unfamiliar term. Your royalties as an artist or if you are naming royalties for an artist, royalties should be clearly stated and proportionate. For instance, if your album retails at $10.00, and your royalty is 20%, then you should receive $2.00 for every CD sold. Also make sure royalties are defined for each category, cd sales, merchandising etc...

3. Check for deductions of royalties, namely for packaging. This is not as common as it used to be because there is only a small cost associated with packaging and distributing your records. Be on the look out for Downloading clauses. There should be no deductions for sales derived from downloads and don't accept it if there is.

4. Find out where your music business contracts cover you, this is known as the territory. Is it the continental U.S. or is the world? You should find this out!

5. Check for the clause referring to tour support. If you are signing with an independent label then be extra careful in this area. But keep in mind that it is normal for a label to recoup their cost in aiding the artist on tour.

6. Lastly, you have your merchandising. Unless your label is actively creating, advertising for and promoting your merchandise then they should have no right to your profits. On the other hand, if they are truly aiding in promoting this stuff then by all means they are entitled to some profit share.

I'll tell you what, music contracts and recording contracts can be tricky to the untrained eye. The bottom line is though that you have to be trained. You need to know what to look for and you definitely need to brush up on your terms. Let's face it, an entertainment lawyer is out of a lot of people's reach so sometimes you have to do it yourself. Just make sure you are thorough and careful before signing anything in writing!

About Author:
Ty Cohen is the owner of Platinum Millennium publishing, former record label owner & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Author/creator of best-selling music biz books, courses, audio products & "How to" resources that helped 1000s. Go to http://www.musiccontracts101.com for more info on music contacts, recording contracts & music business contracts.

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Article Series - The Music Business: What's A Quick Breakdown Of Jobs In The Music Industry?

There's a lot more to the music industry than standing up on stage and singing your heart out. A love of music is a key ingredient in all jobs in the music industry - but we all show our love in different ways. Not all jobs in the music industry are about performing. If you're interested in making music a part of your working life, there are interesting jobs in the music industry that make use of the skills that you have.

What sort of jobs can you find in the music industry? Everyone knows about musicians and performers, or course, but there's an entire industry devoted to supporting, producing, teaching, publicizing and supporting performers. If you're looking for jobs in the music industry, here are just some of the careers you might consider.

Music Teacher

A music teacher may work in a public or private school, have a job with a social agency that offers enrichment, or give private lessons. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 3 in 10 music teachers are self-employed, and many music teachers only teach part time. There were about 253,000 music teacher jobs in 2004, but that number is expected to grow faster than jobs in other industries as baby boomers continue to embrace lifelong learning. The median salary for a music teacher is $14.85 per hour.

Music Ministry

A music minister is far more than the Church organist. Under the direction of a senior clergyman, a music minister may organize the choir, participate in planning of musical events for a church, encourage attendance in church and help parishioners develop and present their own musical worship and praise. The American Guild of Organists offers salary guidelines for Music Ministers that range from $31,000 for a minister with a Service Playing Certificate to $67,000 for a music minister with a Doctorate in Sacred Organ Music.

A&R Scouts, Coordinators and Administrators

If you have a good ear for music and a good grasp of what people like to hear, you could find a career in the A&R (Artists & Repertoire) area. Among the most fun jobs in the music industry, A&R scouts and other professionals actively seek out talent for record labels and production companies. A&R scouts visit clubs and concerts, listen to demo tapes and watch videos to find new talent, and are often responsible for finding songs for existing talent to perform.

Music Therapist

Do you believe in the healing power of music? Music therapists work either independently or in nursing homes, schools and other institutions to use music as an aid to healing, bring enjoyment to patients at varying stages of recovery, relieve pain and provide emotional comfort to patients with various physical and emotional illnesses. For a musician who wants to feel good about his or her work, it could be among the most rewarding of jobs in the music industry.

Songwriter

From freelance to staff songwriting positions, there are many jobs in the music industry for songwriters. You may work alone to write and produce your own songs, work as a staff writer for a record or publishing company, write jingles and ads for the radio or television advertisements, perform your own work in front of an audience or never sing a note. You may write just the words, please, concentrate on the composition of instrumental pieces or write both.

These are just a small sampling of the kinds of jobs you might find in the music industry. For more information, you can take a look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. A career in the music industry can offer far more than a weekly salary. If you enjoy music, can write, play or perform music, or just know music inside out, then you may find your career niche in one of the many jobs in the music industry.

About Author:
Rita Henry is a contributing editor for Jobs In Music, the leading job and resource site for the Music Industry. Interested in receiving only the hottest Music job listings weekly for free? To learn more visit Jobs In Music.

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Article Series - The Music Business: Abc's Of The Music Industry

Music Is An Art, However, When It Comes To The Music Industry Music Is About Money!

If anyone or any company feels that your music will not make them money, there will be absolutely no interest in your music. That’s it in the nut shell. Remember, to always remember this. The Music Industry is about Money!

There are a few sources of money to be made in the music industry. They include but are not limited to:

· Record sales

· Songs played on the radio

· In movies and television

· Concerts

· Song writing

· Producing

· Merchandising

· Advertising

· CD-ROMs/DVDs

If you are an artist and want to get into the music business, you need 3 very important very good people in your corner batting for you on a daily basis. They include:

· Personal Manager – The most of important of the three. They should have contacts in the music industry, keep on eye on all your affairs, advise you on things to do, help promote your music, producers to hire, who to sign with when to go on tour, etc. The personal manager will receive 15% and 20% of an artists gross earnings and have good contacts with record companies A&R, Marketing / Sales, and Promotion departments.

· Music Attorney – A good attorney specializing in the music will know how to properly negotiate and structure the deals an artist makes. They should have good contacts and be trust worthy. Expect to pay between 100 and 200 per hour for a good music attorney. If an attorney thinks you will get signed, they forego a set fee and charge a percentage of artist’s earnings. In bigger cities, you’ll pay more than in smaller cities.

· Music Agent – Book concerts and special appearances. A Personal Manager will help the artist with selecting a good agent.

If you blow up and start generating the big money, then a good Manager / Accountant will be needed to handle your tax situation, review royalty statements, financing tours, offer invest advice and how to manage your money.

Getting recognized by mailing your demo to record labels isn’t impossible, however, 99.9% of the time your material will not get listened to. Even if you have the best song on the planet, it will not be listened to. Record labels want to limit their liability, so they do not listen to unsolicited music. Record labels don’t want to listen to numerous songs and then be held liable if someone claims their material was copied.

If you do decide to mail your CD to record label, send the “solicited” material. First get a contact, preferably an individual in the Artists & Repertoire (A&R) department. Call and first speak to someone. After sending your CD follow up to determine if the targeted individual received your material and another follow up call to determine if it was listened to. Submit 3 to 6 songs and send a bio and picture of yourself. Again this isn’t the preferred way to submit your material to major record labels.

Until you have music business advisors in your corner trying to promote you and there is a “buzz” going around about you, your demo will not reach the decision makers at the record labels. Record companies on a daily basis receive thousands of unsolicited CDs. Most likely your CD will be tossed into a bin located in a remote room filled with overflowing bins of CDs.

Record labels like to deal with artists who have a history of record sales. These are artist that may have produced and sold their own CDs locally or regionally. Record labels like to deal with artists who have performed their material and there is this “buzz” going on about them. MC Hammer, before he became famous, performed his own materials and sold his own records until a major record label signed him. MC Hammer had a lot of leverage in negotiating a good contract because he already proved on a local basis he could sell records.

Record companies want to limit their liability. If you are signed, you are considered an investment that will require some money and they want to see a premium return on their money invested in you. The more you can prove that you can sell record, the better chance you can get signed.

If you get signed to a record company, you the artist will go into the studio and record songs for the record company. The record company makes copies of the master recording and ships it to a distributor. The distributor is a wholesaler who then sells the CDs to retail outlets like Best Buy, Sam Goody and Tower Records. The record company then pumps money into marketing by advertising and promoting your music with hopes of selling records, thus making you a superstar and becoming rich!

It is not as easy as it sounds. It takes a lot of hard work by a talented group of people. Everyone has to work together to make this happen. There are usually many people behind the scenes working to make an artist a superstar.

Record companies often categorized into 4 groups: · Major label record companies - have the recording and operating resources to complete all function to sell records. Major label record companies are integrated in that they can handle the promotion, sales, marketing, and distribution to sell music. Major label record companies are Arista, Atlantic, Capital, and Sony.

· Major label affiliate labels – have special agreements with the major label record companies, where the major label may fund the smaller labels recording and operating expenses in exchange for a portion of the smaller label profits.

· Independent labels - distributes records through major labels. Independent labels have few employees. They tend to find talent, sign the talent, sees to it the music is recorded and contracts with major record labels to perform the promotion, marketing, and other functions.

· True independent labels – Has no association with a major label and distribute their music through independent distributors.

The A&R (Artists & Repertoire) Department

The A&R department is the talent scout. They are in charge of finding new talents. They are the eyes and ears of the record company. However, not because you get signed to a record label because an A&R representative likes you it doesn’t mean your CD will ever get produced and released. Executives higher in the company could cancel your deal if they feel your CD will not sell. A record company will have to invest several hundred thousands of dollars to release your CD, so they will be extremely cautious on whom they release.

The Marketing and Sales Department

This department is responsible for getting the public excited about your music and first selling to retail stores the idea of carrying your CD. They are responsible for promotional merchandise, advertising your CD, in store displays, publicity, your CD cover, etc.

The Promotions Department

This department is responsible for getting your music played on the radio. The individuals in this department will visit the various radio stations to convince them to play your material. If your material doesn’t get played, no one will now how you are. People will look at your CD in the retail store and wonder who you are. There is also a direct correlation with CD sales vs. how many times a song for that CD gets played on the radio. More air time on the radio equals more CD sales for the record companies.

Remember music is art, but to the record companies, it’s about money. Keep in mind that it’s a business. Keep in mind everyone is out to make money. The minute people believe that you will not make money for them, you will be dropped and these same people will turn to seek other new artists that they believe will make them money. Unfortunately, the record business doesn’t believe in grooming people. If your first CD isn’t a success, you are out. There are rarely second chances. There are always other talented people behind you who what their shot at fame.

Distribution

Most major retailers such as Tower records will not carry a CD unless the record has a distributor. A strong distributor ensures that your CD will be available in enough places so your CD will sell to ultimately make money. Major labels use large distributors who are better able to get record stores stocked. After years of consolidation, there are only 5 major national wholesale distributors in the US [2007: Big Four (no WEA)] who are owned by conglomerates who also own major record labels. They are:

· BMG (distributes Arista, BMG and RCA)

· EMI (distributes Capital and Virg.)

· Sony Music (distributes Columbia, Epic and Sony)

· Universal Music Group (distributes Interscope, Island/Def Jam, and MCA)

· WEA (distributes Atlantic, Elektra and Warner Bros.)

Distribution via the Internet Record labels and artists are increasingly using the web to distribute their music. Unknown artists can also use sites like this mZeus.com, http://www.mZeus.com, to generate buzz about their music. However, unknown artists will still have to work hard to get the buzz going about their music. Ultimately, signing a contract with a major record label is the way to go. The major record labels have the financial muscle and people to give you a good shot at becoming famous.

Let’s face it. It’s all about money! Yes, the entertainment industry seems fun and exciting, but people are in it to make money. As an artist the most important contract in the music industry is the record contract. The royalty is a portion of money from record sales paid to the artist for his/her music. The record contract which is a negotiated legal agreement between the record label and artist will state how much royalty an artist is entitled to among other things.

An artist should have a good understanding of how royalties are calculated. A good music attorney will help with this process by making sure the artist is paid what he/she deserves. A 13% royalty for one artist may be a lot of money, however a 13% royalty for another maybe “chump change”.

So this is how the numbers work. An artist successfully signs a record contract. The artist goes to the studio and work diligently to create a CD that the record company fully supports. The record company via its distributor sells the CD with a suggested retail list price (SRLP) of $17.99 to a retailer for about $10.99. The distributor will take 10% - 14% of the $10.99. Therefore the record company will get about ½ the SRLP of $17.99. Independent record companies may receive less than ½ the SRLP. Major record companies will pay artist royalty as a percentage of SRLP.

Rates will vary of each artist depending on how successful their record sells. For a new artist who never had a record deal or has sold less than 100,000 albums will get a typical royalty rate of 12% to 14% of the SRLP. For an independent record label it maybe 10% to 14% of the SRLP. For established artists who have a track record of selling 200,000 to 500,000 albums the royalty rate maybe 14% to 16%. For artists who have sold over 750,000 albums the royalty rates maybe 16% to 18%. As you can see, the more successful the artist is, the higher the royalty. Additionally, royalty maybe based on how well the record sells. For instance, the record contract may state that an artist will get 12% for the first 100,000 units sold, 14% for 100,001 to 300,000 units sold, and 16% for over 300,000 units sold.

But hold your horses. If you sell 500,000 albums and have a royalty rate of 12% doesn’t mean you will get 12% of 500,000 at a SRLP of $17.98 which would equal $1,078,800. This is because as specified in the record contract, there are deductions (expenses) that have to be deducted.

To start off the bat, the record company will deduct a “packaging charge” from the SRLP which is typically 20% for cassettes and 25% for CDs.

Second, more often the artist is responsible for paying the record producer a portion of his/her royalties. Typically a producer will receive 3% to 4% of the SRLP.

Third, in the record business, the contract may state that the artist’s only generates royalties on 85% of the unit sales. For every 100 albums sold, 15 albums sold, the artist gets no royalty.

Forth, the record company will hold a portion of the royalty money because the distributor typically has an agreement with the retail outlets to take back and credit the retail stores money from unsold units. This is very important, because a good portion of your album could be returned to the record company if the album doesn’t sell! The money that’s held back is called a reserve. Reserves maybe held for 2 years before it’s paid to the artist. Typically a major record label will hold a reserve of 25% to 40% of the royalties.

Fifth, advances paid from the record company to the artist are deducted from the artist’s royalty. Advances include but are not limited to the:

· Recording studio expenses (new artists to an independent my get an advancement of $0 to $80,000, new artist to a major record label $150,000 to $400,000

· Hiring independent promoters to help sell the albums

· Cost of making a music video (promotions and an inexpensive music video can cost $150,000 to $200,000.

When money is made for the record sales, these costs are deducted from the artist’s royalties. This is called re-coupment. Therefore, if the artist’s record isn’t successful, the artist may never see a dime. If the royalties are less than the deductions, they artists may well owe the record company money by being in the red! This negative cost maybe carried over to the next album release. A good record contract will not allow a negative cost from one album to be carried over to another album (cross collateralization). If there isn’t another album the record company generally eats the loss.

There are many other costs that the record company will not charge the artists. This includes marketing and in-house promotions (free CD give away, etc.).

So how much does an artist make for a gold album (500,000 albums sold).

Check out the math:

CD (suggested retail list price SRLP) = $ 17.99 Less CD Packaging of 20% = $ -4.50 NET = $ 13.49 Times: Net artist royalty rate (12% - 3% to producer) = X 9% Gross royalty per CD (9% of $13.48) = $ 1.21 Times 500,000 albums = $ 500,000 SUB TOTAL = $ 605,00 Times: Royalty bearing % (15% o = no royalty) = X 85% Gross Royalty = $ 514,250 Less advances: Recording, promo, music video, tour = $ -350,000 TOTAL ROYALTY TO ARTIST = $ 164,250 - Reserves (35%) returned by retailer) = $ -57,487.50 (1) ACTUAL ROYALTY PAID TO ARTIST = $ 106,762.50

(1)Reserves will be paid to artist in 2 years if no CDs returned by retailer

Remember the artist still has to pay TAXES! Don’t forget Uncle Sam has to get his cut! Also, don’t forget the Personal Manger, the Attorney, the Accountant, the Agent and other numerous expenses.

However, there are many other royalties that an artist can acquire. They include, Record Clubs, Compilation CDs, Samplers (low-priced albums in which a few artists are featured), Premiums (albums sold with other products, such as cereal), Film Soundtrack Album, Music Video Sales, Greatest Hit’s Album, Foreign Royalties (song played in some foreign country radio stations pay royalties, unlike the US), Master Use License (music used in a movie, television, commercial, the Internet, CD-ROM and DVD), etc.

Of course because of the Internet, the rules royalties are changing. Many people now buy their music via the Internet. Just think, no packaging required and no distribution to traditional retail stores needed. Some websites allow customers to buy individual songs as oppose to an album. Changes are currently taking place on how royalties are calculated because of the Internet. Many attorneys are pushing to have royalties be based on each song sold as oppose to each album sold. So stay tuned!

About Author:
Patrick Birmingham Mechanical Engineer, MBA, Six-Sigma Green Belt, Web Master (The General) www.insuranceforeverything.com, www.mzeus.com and www.cellphonedigest.net

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Get Ya' Money Right: The Truth About Publishing

What up Playa? By now you should be getting the big picture. There ain't no business like show business. But here's the problem, you keep putting on the show, but you ain't handling the business. If you are like many of the young artist coming-up in the game, you probably don't have a strong grasp on the Music Industries many rules and regulations. You might have read an article here or there, or even picked up a book or two about the music business, but chances are that unless you're a lawyer you probably didn't understand it. Relax, I got your back. Look at me as sort of your music business guardian angel, here to help you add a little business to your show.

Let's face it, the music business is a well-oiled machine designed to do one thing, and that is make money. Throughout your career you will notice that at every corner you turn there is someone who is waiting to benefit from your talent and success. Regardless to how large you may become, you will never be able to completely eliminate the middleman. Go ahead and screw up your face if you want, but if you think you can cross out the middleman then you need to close your eyes and go back to La-La-Land, 'cause homie your still dreaming. Even when you become a Hip Hop mogul like Russell Simmons or P-Diddy, you still have to answer to someone else, and they are usually making more money then you are. Alright, here is where I will stop myself because I am known for going off on a tangent about the many, many economic inequalities of the music business. So with no further delay, let's talk about getting paid.

Get Your Money Right

Now that we have established other people are going to be making money off of your talents, lets focus on how you can begin to get your beak wet too. During the week I get a million and one emails with questions about the music business. The one question that comes up the most is, "what is Publishing and what does it have to do with me?" Publishing is quite a difficult topic; so I will explain it as simple as humanly possible. Sit down class and pay attention.

Publishing is money earned from the songs that you have written. This money comes from two separates sources.

Source #1: Mechanical Royalties - This is the money that record companies pay to the publisher for songs that have been mechanically recorded (pressed-up) on record or CD.

Source #2: Public Performance Income - Better known as performing rights, this allows others to use your music in different mediums such as; radio, t.v., movies, etc.

Pump the brakes, Playa! Your not entitled to all of the money, just a portion of it. Let me explain. All money made from music publishing is simple known as Publishing Royalties. Publishing royalties are broken down into two separate shares; publishers share and writers share. Think of the shares as a pie with two halves; the publishers side represents 50% of the pie and the writers share represents 50% of the pie, and together they represent 100% of Music Publishing Income.

The publisher is the party that collects both shares and then pays the writer's share to the writer or writers of the song. The Publisher is the one who owns or controls the copyright of the song. This means that they have the rights to do with it as they please, such as licensing(renting) it out for movies, or sheet music. Also, granting permission to other singers to re-record it. At some point, you as a songwriter are going to have to deal with a Publisher on some level, whether you decide to self-publish or not. The main advantage to self-publishing is that your are the sole controller of your copyrights, but unless you have the time, energy, and resources to do what a publisher does, you better learn to play "Let's Make A Deal."

What a Publisher can do for you the Songwriter:

• Copyright your songs so your butt is covered around the world.


• Make sure your songs are used in every imaginable medium, such as: radio, video games, downloadable ring-tones, movies, etc.
  
• Hook up manufacturing and distribution deals for music books and sheet music of your songs.


• Register your songs with collections agencies like BMI, ASCAP, SEASAC, and the Harry Fox Agency.


• Protect you from copyright infringers trying to steal your material by sampling, file-sharing, and bootlegging.


• Develop and promote you as a writer.


• Negotiating licensing deals on your behalf

Your best bet is to set-up a co-publishing agreement with a large publisher; this way you will ensure that things will be done correctly, without you losing your mind in the process. There are far too many types of publishing agreements to get into detail, but you have to always agree to the deal you can live with. Think long-term and your money will grow, think short-term and the next song you write may be one for Food Stamps.

About Author:
Sahpreem A. King is a Multi-Platinum record producer, and book author of Gotta Get Signed: How to Become a Hip Hop Producer", available on Schirmer Trade Books.

sahpreemking@yahoo.com

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2 For 1 Article: Manna Music Careers

If you think your destiny is a music career miraculously falling from the sky and landing in your golden lap, you don't need to read the following two articles:

The Main Reasons Why You Probably Don’t Have A Record Deal, Yet!

1. Skills: You can get mad and storm off. You can get pissed and start to cry. You can get angry enough to toss a pitcher of water in the faces of the audition panelist. But no matter how heated you may get, nothing will change that fact that you might not be as talented as you think. All your life your family and friends have said, "Wow! You’re really talented," and it has started to go to your head. You could very well be the next J-Lo or Nelly, at least according to your peeps, but if no one outside of your support network has ever heard of you, you might be in for a rude awakening. The best way to test your talent is to let other people critique it for you. Believe me, a perfect stranger will tell you exactly what others have been afraid to tell you all your life, you suck! On the other hand, the opposite may apply. If you got the got skills, strangers will let you know with enthusiasm. Exposure, exposure, and more exposure is the key to measuring your talent. Whether it’s rapping or singing, or a little of both, you gotta get out there and be seen and heard. Take every opportunity to perform, big or small, and show the musical world what you have to offer. In addition, I suggest you obtain a written evaluation of your talent from a reputable music industry professional, and leave the rest up to luck.

2. Game Plan: Just like a football team has to practice in order to win, so do you. At the beginning of training camp, as the players arrive to the first practice, each player is handed a playbook. This play book is a detailed plan of action to guide the team to its ultimate goal, success. Your play book doesn't have to be quite as elaborate as the NFL's, just a simple pencil and pad will do. The entire concept of a game plan is to map out where it is you want to be, and how you’re gonna get there. Start with the end product (the goal) and then work your way backwards. List all of the steps it may take to reach your goal, then right them down in reverse order. Now, you have created a map of your game plan, review it and make changes if necessary. Then fold it up and tuck into your wallet, for easy access, this way you can constantly remind yourself of were your going and cross off where you've been.

3. Product: Face it, you wouldn't be too impressive of a plumber if you didn't own an adjustable wrench, and you certainly wouldn't be much of a clown without the funny make-up. So what makes you think you'd even have a snowball's chance in hell of succeeding in the music business, if didn't have a demo. Very few people have ever gotten a record deal by bum rushing a record executive at a night club or mall; even less have gotten a deal via telepathy. Being that fate is not on your side, get off the couch, put down the PlayStation and head out to the nearest recording studio and record a demo. You can usually find a good recording studio listed in the Yellow Pages, trade magazines, or on the Internet. Most if not all recording studios have staff producers that can help you develop your sound. Once the recording process has been completed, its time to put together a press kit. Start off by putting three of your best songs on a CD; make sure that the label has your name, the song titles, and contact number in plan view. Next, you'll need a recent photo of yourself, or group, with your contact information written on the bottom. Lastly, you'll need an artist biography (resume) that highlights any detailed information about yourself, including who you are, where you’re from, and where you want to go. Also include any press write-ups or articles that may showcase your achievements. Once you have gathered all of these items, stick them into a nice little package. Make sure your package is professional and unique enough to set you apart from everyone else.

About Author:
Sahpreem A. King, Multi Platinum Record Producer, DJ, Music Consultant, and Author of the book Gotta Get Signed How to Become a Hip Hop Producer on Schirmer Trade Books. www.becomeahiphopproducer.com and www.gottagetsigned.com

Article Source: Articledashboard

What Do Musicians And Businesses Have In Common?

"We are a local band that is trying to get a wider audience. We have been around for two years playing local clubs and we have a small following. After listening to several of your shows we have gotten some great ideas; but we were wondering if you have any fast ways we can get our band more exposure?" - The Lightning Bugs

Fred: You are not alone. According to Myspace there are nearly one million Indie bands in the world and I am sure there are a lot more. The reality is that not all will make it big. Aside from having good music, it takes marketing and promotion to get the buzz going.

Lyna: Musicians. Artists, Trades people- in fact even our radio show is really no different than any business in that regard. Fred and I are constantly brainstorming on new ways to keep our listenership growing.

Fred: What we find time and time again is that the most important thing in any business is the client. Or in this case, your fans, Word of mouth is so powerful. If your friend tells you about a new music group that they love, what is your reaction?

Lyna: Mine would be, I've gotta check them out And when I did, I'd already be thinking that I'd like them because they came by a recommendation.

Fred: So if your fans are the strongest and quickest way to get more exposure; perhaps it would be wise to show them your gratitude. This is where you can really have fun.

Lyna: As with any business, you should already have a web site. This could have action shots of the band, a bio page, tour listings and newspaper reviews. In fact- if you have CD's of your music, offer an audio of a minute of a few songs you've recorded. Why not dedicate a page to members only for your fans? If you put a message board up they can touch base with other fans and you can hear all the good things they tell each other about you.

Fred: You can even offer your fans incentives. I know a group that gives free t-shirts, CD's and even tickets to gigs to the fans that bring 10 or more people to the bands mailing list. They send out a monthly newsletter to keep their fans updated and even profiles their #1 fan of the month.

Lyna: Wow-That's an incentive! How about asking them to bring your band to their town? Your fans can set up the gigs, get friends to be their street team to locally promote you and you'll have an instant crowd to perform to.

Fred: Another way to grow your exposure could be to network with other bands. Promote each other by introducing your fans to them and they can tell their fans about you.

Lyna: They can also be your ticket into playing at a venue that is tough to get. My friend JB tried for months to get booked in one of Atlanta's hot spots. This venue had a regular group of bands that played there and they had no reason to change this. Fortunately, JB met a singer who is one of these regulars. One night she brought him on as her opening act and the crowd loved him. So now he can play there pretty much whenever he goes to Atlanta.

Fred: Networking, building alliances, catering to your clients- sound familiar? These are all concepts we share with any business that wants to get more exposure. The way you do this just depends on what your stage looks like.

About Author:
Fred and Lyna host the weekly radio show Growing Your Business which can be heard on Alltalkradio.net or on archives at http://www.growingyourbusiness.net For more information on our show go to Radio show

Article Source: Article Friendly

Music Online Glossary – When Music, Music Careers and PCs Collide

The Internet has proven to be where music can be discovered, reviewed, discussed, shared, and purchased. Musicians know this and get online to upload their music and become a part of the world wide music machine process. They come on the Web at every age, at every experience level – musically and computer savvy. From youngsters starting out to seasoned musicians just learning where the computer on switch is, the workings of being on a computer can be overwhelming with everything else they have going on in their lives.

The Web also allows musicians access to music knowledge. Artists will come across difficult terminology and phrases that they do not understand. Compiled in the following mini glossary are music business, digital, organizations, record biz lingo, computer terms and basic need-to-know info. Hopefully, something listed here will help you navigate music online a bit easier, and so you know, this glossary is an excerpt of an extensive list found on Artistopia.

A&R – Artist and Repertoire, aka talent scouts: a record company liaison whose duties may include to find, select and develop the music artist, band and/or songwriter.
Affiliate Program – a way to earn income by linking your Web site to another site, depending on the action taken by the visitor. See Artistopia's Affiliate Program
ASCAP – American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers which licenses and distributes royalties to it’s members’ copyrighted works.
Bandwidth – has nothing to do with the size of a band but is a measure of the amount of information (data) that can be sent over a network connection in a given period of time. Bandwidth is usually measured in bits per second.
Bitrate - The number of kilobits per second of data in your audio file. The bitrate you choose when creating an MP3 file determines the size and quality of the resulting MP3. The highest commonly available bitrate is 320 kbps and the higher the bitrate, the closer the encoding is to the original source of music.
Blanket License – allows the user to perform any or all, in part or all, of the songs in the ASCAP repertory. What a warm and cozy license.
Business Manager – an artist or band manager that specializes in the financial matters, including planning, investing, income, taxes, decisions and contracts.
Buzz – to get people talking about a new artist, band, song or album, creating intense excitement and/or rumors.
Clause - a chubby fellow in a red suit is Claus: in a record contract, there might be certain limitations, specifications, or modifications that stipulate the final outcome of that contract.
Concert Promoter – with duties including ticketing, PR, marketing, and booking, this agency or agent responsibilities are for concert event promotion.
Content – to make the Search Engines happy and have pages rank well in a search result, a good quantity of well written text aligning with the site’s keywords and theme updated regularly is a Webmaster’s steak and potatoes.
Cookie – no, not chocolate chip, but a piece of software that records info about your visit to a Web site, then holds the info until the server requests it.
Copyright - a set of exclusive rights regulating the use of a particular expression of an idea or information, in our case artistic properties, the songs and sound recordings.
Derivative Work – a new work based on or resulting from one or more preceding works.
Digital Licensing – the use of copyrighted music compositions including downloads, on demand streaming, limited use downloads and CD burning.
Distributor – the agency or agent that handles the sales and shipment of the music (records, CDs) to the marketplace or basically, gets the product to the consumers.
Domain Name – a sign post on the Internet, it is a unique name that identifies an Internet site.
DRM – Digital Rights Management is a technology that protects a piece of intellectual digital property such as a music, video, or text file.
Encoding - the process of converting audio to or from a compressed format like MP3 or WMA.
Exclusive Rights – under copyright law, the privileges that only a copyright owner has with respect to the copyrighted work.
Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) - a file format for audio data compression that does not remove information from the audio stream, as MP3, AAC, and Vorbis do.
Grammy Awards – an award ceremony for all genres presented by the Recording Academy for outstanding achievements in the recording industry: a gold megaphone for your mantel.
Groupie – what’s the point of being an act without groupies? Overly enthusiastic fans with much love to offer.
HTML - HyperText Markup Language, programming language for the world wide web. A web browser interprets the code written and displays it for a web page and web sites. Some very basic knowledge of HTML may help on some sites.
Hook – a pirate: a music phrase, a passage, an idea – something (catchy and/or repetitive) that makes the song stand out and be more appealing and remembered.
Hype – sensational and extreme promotion of a person, idea or product.
Indie – an independent artist or band that desires to do-it-all-themselves and/or not affiliated with a larger record label.
Intern – usually a college student job at a record label in a no or low paying position, more of an apprenticeship learning the ropes and gaining business experience.
Internet Service Provider (ISP) – how and who connects your computer or network to the Internet, whether dialup, DSL, Cable, T1 or T3.
Master Recording License – pertains to the recording of a performance itself, which are usually controlled by the record label.
Mastering – the final stage and preparation in a recording before weapons of mass duplication, includes the consistency of audio levels and quality perfecting.
Mechanical License – the use of copyrighted musical compositions for use on CDs, cassettes, record albums.
Music Contracts – all the various bits of paperwork used in the music business, always read the “fine print” to the many contracts – recording, management, finders fee, general release contracts. When the contracts come in – time to get an Entertainment Attorney.
Music Industry – all things pertaining and related to the business of music, dominated by the Big Four major labels: Sony BMG, Warner, Universal and EMI.
Music Publisher – provides services such as marketing, pitching and promoting works written by songwriters. Deals with the commercial exploitation of music catalogs and songs.
Press Kit – aka media kit, a prepackaged set of promotional materials for a music artist or band for distribution including song samples, bio, historical info, photos and contact information.
Producer – duties include: controlling the recording session, guidance of the artist(s), coaching, organizing, scheduling of production resources and budgets, as well as supervising the process of recording, mixing and mastering.
Publishing Royalties – income paid to the writer of a song.
RIAA – Recording Industry Association of America, the organization that represents the interests of record labels and producers in the USA.
Ripping – means to take an audio CD and record it to a computer in an uncompressed file format (wav). Digital audio extraction from one media form to a hard disk.
Roadie – the road crew that travels with a band on tour. These hard working individuals do everything but the performance, are technicians, do the set up and take down, security, bodyguards, pyrotechnics, and lighting.
Sampling Rate - the number of samples taken per second when digitizing sound. The higher the number, the better the quality of the digital reproduction.
SoundExchange – an independent, nonprofit performance rights organization that collects and distributes digital performance royalties for recording artists and record labels when their sound recordings are performed on digital cable, satellite TV music, internet and satellite radio.
Sound Recording – the copyright of the recording itself (what you hear, the entire production) as distinguished from the copyright of the song (words and music owned by the songwriter or publisher).
Synchronization License – aka “synch” license, allows the user to reproduce a musical composition "in connection with" or "in timed relation with" a visual image, motion picture, video, advertising commercial - from the copyright owner of the music.
Talent Agent – or booking agent, the representative of the music artist(s) that sets up the live performances.
Vanity Label – a celebrity recording artist is given a label within a label and runs under the umbrella of the parent label.

Author Bio:

Artistopia - The Ultimate Artist Development Resource http://www.artistopia.com is an artist development and community on the web providing music artists, songwriters and bands all the tools needed for displaying their talent, music business collaboration, marketing and networking. Online since 2003, Artistopia develops advanced technology solutions that leverage the Internet to both the music artist and music companies respective advantage. Full list at Music Glossary Online

The Music Industry- Here Is What A Young Artist Needs To Know To Be A Star

There are career development people and then there are agents, producers, music company executives and the rest that just do their job.

The career development people are the ones who make stars. The others just play out their various roles in the scheme of things.

Remember music may be an art, but the music industry is a business. What any business ultimately wants is a reasonable profit for its time. Believe me, no one wants to put money into a band, no matter how talented they are, to only have them get into a personality spat and break up six months later, or to have them refuse to listen to seasoned advice because they are arrogant and know it all. So, there are a number of things that career development people and most others in the music industry are looking for besides talent.

When you present yourself you want to have all of these things in place - not just talent.

1) But, yes, you do need talent. And, your talent must be developed to professional levels. But, it is a given, an understood. Everyone knows you need talent. But talent doesn't have to be the best thing ever, but it does have to achieve professionalism. Talent is unfortunately only about 1/10 of the formula.

2) Longevity. The longer your act can last, the more money everyone will make. This is obvious and can happen is several ways: Youth--you are young (this is why you see so many young kids developed into stars) and you have a potentially long career ahead of you. So you see a talented 15 year old has an advantage over a talented 50 year old. But don't despair, if you are not 15 any more. Longevity, can be presented in other ways. A 30 year old Rocker may have a longer potential career ahead of him than a 15 year old rapper, because if the difference in the sub-industries. So, whatever your age (even if you are 50) don't give up on longevity, just figure out how you can present a case for it. Show them how you will potentially have a long and prosperous career.

3) Built in audience. This guarantees sales, and sales means everyone will potentially make a profit. The bigger the existing audience the better. Use to be you had to go on the road a couple of years to develop a national audience. Now My Space can do it for you.Groups who have never been on the road are signing record contracts solely because of their MySpace following. Shows there is more than one way to skin a cat.

4) Staying power. Having lots of material means you are not a one song wonder. Three CDs worth of material is good. It means you will be around awhile (Longevity again.) Most career development people feel it takes three CDs to make a star. Have this in place when you start meeting people and it will go better.

5) You haven't given the whole pie away. No one in the industry wants to work for free, or less than they feel they should. Probably one of the biggest deal killers is the bands who have sold half their publishing rights to this guy, half their movie rights to this other guy, and they are locked into an obnoxious contract with an manager, etc. Career development people are going to have to work with you for years. They won't do it if you have given half the pie to other people. Approach them with the whole pie in place.

6) Cooperative nature. No one wants to work with a snarly, crazy, egotistical, arrogant, fool of an artist. So don't be one. People working with you would rather work with the guy who has a pleasant easy to get along with personality. So be him, not the other guy.

7) Crossover potential. If you music can cross over into other genres, there will be more sales. If you as an artist can also, act and dance, there is a potential for movie deals and good concert sales. The more income streams you can tap into, the more attractive you will be. Know your strengths and abilities present your ability to tap into multiple income streams.

8) Do you have surveyed material or are you guessing? All successful career development people survey. It isn't how good you think your material is. It is how good others think it is. So start now. Survey your own material. Ask your fans to rate your songs on MySpace and after a performance mingle and ask people what they liked the best. Play your songs for school children and teenagers, get them to rate what songs they like best. Be willing as writers to throw away half of your material and develop fully surveyed CDs of your best material. Music is a communication. If it doesn't communicate to anyone but you, it is pointless. If you have surveyed show those record company people the