Make A Serious Six Figure Internet Income

As songwriters, when inspiration strikes, we need some way to snare our latest germ of an idea. We reach for the nearest piece of paper , or Dictaphone to capture our moment of brilliance. Sometimes I have been gifted with an idea while walking down the street and have resorted to ringing myself up and humming my idea onto my voice mail! [Yes you can have that one]

So how do we ensure we can capture and record our musical ideas at home quickly and without fuss?

The easiest thing to do is to have a permanent plug and play set up. This could be as simple as a good old cassette recorder [does anybody still use these? $10 from the opportunity shop. Other choices are an mp3 player with recording facility [around $200] or a more complex Flash card recorder [$500+].

If you have a dedicated digital recorder or computer based recording set-up at home, then a couple of mics plugged in and ready to go in the time it takes to boot-up the system is all that is required. Bear in mind that if you use a flash card recorder you have the capacity to transfer your ideas across to your computer workstation at a later time for further work.

In the past I have used recording gear from Fostex, always reliable and as simple as turning on the machine waiting about 45 seconds for the boot up procedure then selecting a folder to record to and go!

For computer based recording I use a program called Ableton Live to do most of my current projects. Within the boot template set-up I can save certain sets of parameters - in my case a vocal microphone and two acoustic guitar microphones which go to 2 tracks. Track one is for the stereo guitar and track two for the vocal microphone.I also have some compressors and equalization set-up on the replay channels, giving my initial idea some extra sparkle.

I know that within a couple of minutes of hitting the on switch of the computer I can be capturing my latest idea for later reworking. I also run Steinberg's Cubase and it is just as easy to have a dedicated template to make this happen. The same holds true for other Multi-track programs such as Pro Tools, Sonar and Logic Audio.

Another thing I have been doing lately is using an omnidirectional microphone. As a guitarist/vocalist I can sit this between the guitar and my mouth to get a reasonable voice/guitar balance for my rough idea without having to balance any sound levels. For this I use a Rode NT2 microphone, similar microphones from Neumann, Akg can do the same job.

The advantage of having your template and recording system 'Ready to Go' is that you should be able to stay on the right side of your brain! What do I mean by that?

You don't want to be doing left brain (Logical, Sequential, Rational, Analytical) activities in your creative moment. When we are in our creative space we are generally using the right side of our brain (Random, Intuitive, Subjective), which leads me to an interesting idea; As computer musicians we are often impeded from fulfilling our potential by the technology, I think it's because left brain and right brain activities are not mutually compatible! When you're trying to work out how to route a microphone through your sound card and onto a track you are using, well that's a left brain activity.

When you're connecting into the 'universal consciousness now moment inspiration flow' then your in the right hemisphere of your brain. The last thing you want when you're in your creative space is to be lumped with a left brain task- inspiration and the muse fades like the sun dipping into the pacific ocean for the night if you don't have a fool-proof method for capturing your ideas.

Glug, glug, glug.

So, get yourself 'ready to roll' at a moments notice to capture the latest passing idea from the muse.

About Author:
For more information on recording and songwriting visit Paul Warren's website MyHomeRecordingStudio.com and find other articles by Paul Warren at mymillionairebuddy.com

Articel Source: http://www.freearticlemaster.com

Marketing Mistakes Musicians Make

This is the first in a five-part series entitled, "The 5 Biggest Marketing Mistakes Musicians Make (And How You Can Fix Them To Recession Proof Your Business!)

As we go through this week, check to see how many of these mistakes you are making in your marketing and then see what you can do to fix them. Doing this will bring you better paying gigs.

Recession Buster #1: You don't focus your marketing on the needs the people that hire you: Club Owners, Agents and Event Planners.

Kind of stating the obvious, isn't it?

But you would be surprised at how many musicians don't look at it from another point of view. The Artist mentality tells us we're so good people should just want to hire us, right?

But the Music Business mentality tells us we will work as much as we want when we focus in on what someone else's needs are.

Look through the yellow pages.

95% of the ads are totally focused on the business and not on what the business can do for YOU, the prospect!

Institutional advertising produces, at best, deferred results. You know it's institutional advertising when it tells you how great the company is, or how long they've been in business, or some other namby-pamby goofy selfishness.

Selfishness is Mistake #1 for most of your marketing. Promo Packs, one offs, web sites frequently tell the prospect all the places we've played and who we've played with and how famous we think we are.

That's what we want. When you stop and think about what your prospect wants, TELL THEM WHAT THEY WANT!

Anything about us should always come last. Your clients, customers, fans, ...whatever you choose to call them, should always come first.

All the marketing materials you create should focus on what the prospects want and need. Every sentence should show that you understand their wants and needs.

Until your marketing efforts focus on the prospects first, your marketing is handicapped.

In the Meantime, Stay In Time, On Time, All the Time!

About Author:
Dan Gillogly - Real World Marketing for Musicians music business

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Music Business Success: Increasing Creativity

As you ponder your goal and determine the best course to achieve it, you will need some creative ways of thinking and facing challenges that will arise. The most creative-thinkers out there will encourage you to think outside your box and to consider even the wildest of ideas.

One way to do this is to “Wild Mind Brainstorm.” Wild-Mind is done by having a piece of paper and writing down EVERY idea that occurs to you about the situation you’re facing. Do NOT evaluate your ideas—just write them down. Do NOT consider something “ too silly” or “too dumb” to write down—just write it down!

Evaluate your ideas in a few days, but not when you’re writing them down. Consider these ideas much like a newborn baby. You must cradle that baby and hold it lovingly and help it grow to a responsible adult. The same goes for your new ideas. You might find that one idea you would consider to be the “silliest” turns out to be your key for unlocking the door you’re facing.

Remember the guy who came up with the idea for Post-It Notes? The adhesive was discovered long before they found a use for it—and the person who said, “Let’s make some note pads that are small and can be easily removed,” was laughed at. But now—do you even see ONE office without Post-Its around? I have at least 6 pads of Post-Its in my desk drawer alone. There’s one in the kitchen, and one in the car.

Another way to increase your creativity is to be around others who are creative. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so people can improve each other.” If you hobnob with those who are known for creativity, it will wear off on you. And you will find new ways of looking at things and thinking about situations, as well.

You can find audio-books and speeches that will stir up your creative juices as well. Professional speakers and those who have “been there, done that” often hit the speaking-circuit and can pump fresh ideas and life in your goal and the ways you attain those goals.

I prefer removing myself from the goal-achieving mode and moving to a truly creative outlet—the arts. You may not consider yourself artsy or think you have any ability in this realm, but it’s worth taking a lump of clay (or Play-Doh) and working with it.

You may find, as I do, that when I’m working on a hobby that I truly love, I free up a portion of my brain that was engaged in my problem-solving. When that happens, I typically find a potential solution to my dilemma. Artistic creativity often sparks other forms of creative-thinking, as it engages a different area of the brain than what we’re used to using. Pick up a paintbrush, a pencil, arrange some flowers, or begin a needlework project. You may find in color and artistry you have a new lease on what you’re doing!

About Author:
David Hooper is the founder of Kathode Ray Music, an artist development organization specializing in promotion and marketing of independent musicians and bands. Visit http://www.indiemusician.com/ for daily music business news and marketing advice.

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

Outrageous Music Marketing Ideas

I'm not sure exactly what triggered it, but recently my mind started popping with creative, off-the-wall ways to promote your music. So I jotted down some notes and am sharing them with you in this article.

I'll let you determine whether these are truly "outrageous" ideas. But one thing is for sure: They certainly aren't the traditional things that most musicians think about when they do marketing.

Ready? Here we go ...

Outrageous Music Marketing Idea #1
Turn Yourself Into a Happy Meal

I definitely advocate that indie musicians *not* try to emulate the same tactics as the major labels. However, there are times when you can take one of their ideas (or an idea from a related entertainment industry) and give it a small-scale spin.

You know how the major film studios promote their new animated features by tying into fast food chain kid meals, such as the McDonald's Happy Meal. Most likely, you won't be able to land a nationwide Happy Meal deal. But you might be able to do something cool with a local deli or restaurant.

I know a couple of radio disc jockeys in my town who have sandwiches or special meals named after them at certain eateries. Why couldn't you do that? Especially if you perform regularly at a particular coffee shop, bar or restaurant.

For example, if your band is called Sweet Potato Sunrise, approach a manager with the idea of offering a Sweet Potato Sunrise omelet, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise latte, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise daiquiri?

You get the idea. The special name would get you exposure at the establishment whenever it's open (hopefully, you're item will be listed on the menu). Plus, you can use the unique promotional angle to get mentions in the local press.

Outrageous Music Marketing Idea #2
Become an Instant Cult Classic

The success of the quirky film Napoleon Dynamite has me thinking. The movie itself is still growing on me, but I'm fascinated by the buzz it has among people who really connect with it. Most of my friends who rave about it have seen it numerous times and claim that the more they see it, the more they appreciate and enjoy it.

What a nice position for a filmmaker to be in. Admittedly, a lot of people don't like the movie and its flat characters at all. But those who do appreciate the film like it a lot -- and preach about it to their friends, memorize lines, encourage theatres to have midnight showings, etc.

How can you tap into that? It's hard to manufacture cult status, but here's an idea: What if your music CD came with an accompanying trivia game? And what if the game tied directly into the theme, style and lyrics of your music? The game instructions could be included in the CD sleeve or delivered separately to everyone who bought one. Or, to make a greater impact with the trivia game idea, you could package the CD in a DVD case or even a small retail box.

To make this work, you'd have to come up with a cool, interactive game idea and have a CD filled with interesting, funny or insightful lyrics and music. But if you can get people examining the nuances of your material and sharing notes with other people who are memorizing your stuff, you might have some powerful buzz going for you.

Check out my blog at MusicPromotionBlog.com for more outrageous ideas. But hopefully, these will get your wheels turning in the meantime.

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.



The latest news about Trent Reznor, Saul Williams, Radiohead, and the "choose your own price" music sales experiment. Plus Bob's advice on how to handle the changing music landscape.

The Ten Most Common Mistakes Of Unsigned Artists

Beware...here are 10 common mistakes I have seen new artists make over and over again.

The Ten Most Common Mistakes A New Artist Makes

1) They Don't Know Who They Are And Who The Audience Is That They Are Trying To Reach. Can you identify your target market? Do you know their age group? Are they primarily male or female? What artists do they listen to and support? What image should you project to reach this audience?

2) They Miss Their "Only" Chance To Make A Great "First Impression". You only get one chance to make a first impression so the one you do make has got it make it count! It will hurt you in the long run if you are impulsive about sending your recordings in for evaluation or posting them on the web before they're ready to be heard.

3) They Are Not Able To "Pull It Off" Live. You need to play out live as much as possible - but only when you are truly ready to do so. Nothing will hurt you more than to create excitement in your recordings and then fall on your face in front of expectant fans live.

4) They Rely To Heavily On The Opinions Those Around Them. I can't tell you the number of times I have been in preproduction with a band or artist who was trying to make a case for a song to be included on a CD because their aunt, uncle or next door neighbor thought it was a hit. Be especially careful not to make critical decisions based only on comments from adoring friends and family. Undoubtedly they are biased and will have a vested stake in your success.

5) They Try To Launch With To Many Songs. Even thought it's tempting, never give away all of your material at one time. You will be doing extremely well if you perfect three or four songs first. Always lead with your best material but make sure that your direction is cohesive.

6) They Try To Be Cool And Write Obscure Lyrics Or Wander To Far Away From Accepted Song Structure. It used to be very hip to write lyrics that people had to try and figure out by debating them amongst each other but unless you are a "druggie" band or writer re-incarnated from the 70's, it is much better to write you songs in the first person and try as much as possible to pack them with emotion and experiences others have felt and can relate to as well. Also, don't think it's cool to wait forever to get to the chorus or try a one-minute intro or guitar solo. Study pop structure and learn it. You can learn more about this issue at www.musicproshollywood.com.

7) They Jump In To Self-Recording Their Music Without Any Recording Experience. Obviously, the best option if you can afford it is to use an experienced recording engineer to record and mix your music. This may not be possible and today it is so tempting to make tracks on computers and bang them into a sequencer or hard drive system, put on a vocal, do a quick mix and call it a master. In order for your recordings to be competitive against the big artists that do have the great sounding tracks.

8) They Release Videos Of Themselves Before They Are Ready. Again, because the net offers such quick access to social sites, you may be tempted to start posting videos of rehearsals and performances before they are ready to be seen. You must make certain that what you are putting up is doing you justice. Remember, every time you post something or send it to someone you are inviting yourself to be judged.

9) They Are To Anxious To Sign "Any" Contract. If you sign an agreement too early with a local manager, agent or your bass player's father, you will pay dearly for it later when you need to get out of it in order to sign with real professionals who have the experience, contacts and leverage to make it happen for you. This is not to say that someone with little experience cannot work hard and get you to the top, but to make it as a world-class artist, it will happen faster with a professional team behind you.

10) They Are In A Hurry To Sign With A Major. The decision to submit your material to a major is a tempting one and the tendency of many artists is to care more about chasing and getting the "deal" than the financial ramifications of what the deal means in the future after they've signed it. Most artists don't realize the facts until too late, Be smart and polish your "diamond" first, it might be priceless!

About Author:
Producer David Kershenbaum is internationally known as a music entrepreneur. He is a multi - Grammy winner with over 75 international gold and platinum albums to his credit. It is said that he is one of the top producers in the world as well as being one of the most respected. Kershenbaum is referred to as being a true artist development executive. He supervised or produced Janet Jackson, Duran, Duran, Tori Amos, Joe Jackson, Bryan Adams and more www.musicproshollywood.com www.davidkershenbaum.com email; david@musicproshollywood.com

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

Audio Recording Tips!

Hello my name is Johnny C! I started recording about 9 years ago and it has been one of the greatest Journey's of my life. I have recorded right at 40 people and have recorded for NPR and a few other various programs also. I wish I would have written all the people down along the way! It is crazy how time flies! Read my tips below and it will save you a lot of trouble. It took me about 4 moves and many years of matching gear.

It all started back in 1999 when I started investing my ex-tra cash into recording gear. I got started using a friend's computer back in the days where you had to go into bios and optimize your PC for recording. I spent much of my time researching how to build the perfect recording machine. After a few artists I decided to sink some cash into a faster and more specked out machine. So I drove to Atlanta and found a really cool computer shop. I got an Asus Tech motherboard with 512 of Kingston and 1.74 p4 processor. Remember this was about 6 years ago and that is a slow computer now. Let me tell you. I have been nothing but happy with the performance of the Asus machine!

For the most part I really never had any problems until one day it just shut down right in the middle of a session. Come to find I smoked the power supply and had to update it. So I moved from that smoked 250 to a constant power 500-watt power supply. I will tell you what; it has run like a dream through 25 artists with 4 full CDs.

For many years I ran my buddy Josh's Gadget Labs Pres with windows 98 and had to optimize it. I loved the output features and it sounded great! But a few years after Gadget labs went under XP came out and they didn't have drivers for it. I hear that someone wrote the drivers for xp. I am sure it will be used for years to com. So I had to get a new sound card and decided to get a Tascam 1804.

I was a little hesitant about the size of 1804 and things don't always perform by their looks. I went out and bought Xp and installed it. Then I loaded the drivers for the Tascam tweaked a few settings opened up Cubase and hit record! Oh yeah I forget to mention that the Tascam is a Fire wire device. Then I decided to move from 8 pres to 16. So I ordered the Focusrite 8 and I connected them via optical. The Tascam is the main card with the Focusright set up in the Tascam on the Adat channels 9-16. I have recorded several full bands and it has proved to be a workhorse DAW.

A few years ago I read an article about Ray Charles recording with Sonar. Well I had to check it out! So I grabbed me a copy of Sonar 7 and I totally loved the features and workflow. The verbs and effects were way more adjustable than Cubase. Then I noticed that Cubase was a lot faster and easier for tracking so I went back to it. Then I decided to change my whole game plan.

I ordered a Mac Duo 2ghz with a 1000 ram running logic Express 7. This is where it is. The days of windows are over for me! Well for audio recording, I do like the Mac book a great deal. You can really add some crazy tripped effects as well as lay some really groovy loops. It is a win win. I have been thinking about updating my ram and put windows on here for some web work, maybe one day. IT really only takes me about 10 minutes to set-up the project folder and set the tempo and then find the right loop.

Once I find a cool loop I will loop it out and record my tracks to it. Then I will go back and start adding and tweaking tracks. It really is a cool program! I am waiting to get some more apple loops so I can build a nice library. In good time.

I have owned many mics throughout the years and have found a liking to AKG c-2000's as well 57's. I have owned an Re-20, several MXL"S, Beyer Dynamics (killer mics by the way), AKG c-1000's, 58's, and Marshall's. The proper mic really depends on the style and the voicing and dynamic of what you want to record. For example, if you have a wispy voice then you would want a condenser and if you have more aggressive loud voice you may want to use a 57 or 58 or even a larger diaphragm mic like a 421.

Here are some great tips I have thrown together that will get you started in the right path! Just remember that recording is a craft an it takes many years to tweak out your style! It does take awhile to learn so be patient! I have been mixing live for 12 years and had worked for some of greats! I really do believe that you can use live technique in the studio vice versa!

1. Be prepared! Pre-production can be a very powerful in the whole process! I like to lay my drum tracks and then rehearse with them for a few days! It is a really good way to tweak and work out all the tweaks!

2. Once you have found the sound and feel that you are looking for it, it is time to lay some tracks! What I do in Logic! I set up 16 tracks and I will keep the first 8 for drum tracks and I will arm 9 and 10! I usually will put my vocal on 9 and acoustic on 10! Be sure set you're in and out points! If you are recording many tracks you will want to increase the amount of ram that your program uses! This really comes in handy later if you add loops and instruments to the mix! IF you don't enough ram to run your program then it may crash while recording!

3. How to find that perfect sound! I love to mic my acoustic and run direct also! This is where I used to mess up all the time! I would always get strange pops on my acoustic track and realized what was causing it! Every time the acoustic and plug would lose a little connection it be recorded! Guess what I found that works great! Use some WD-40 on your tips! All I can figure is that the corrosion cause a break in connected! Smoke will cause a film on electronics also!

4. Check your batteries and make sure they are good! Don't use those cheap they really don't work well! I love the Pro cells for the reliability and they last forever!

5. Make sure your power source is grounded properly! I recommend a battery back up also! I would also make sure you have a good quite power supply on you PC!

6. Always restart your PC or Mac before you so any recording. It reboots your system and frees up the resources that are needed to process all the information. It is always a good idea to not run any other programs while you record. Never, I repeat never have another audio program running unless you are using it for your recording purposes. I use word to read lyrics and haven't had any problems! It is not as a big of an issue as it used to be though. Back in earlier windows it was a big issue! Just remember a lot of computers (or macs) don't like to share audio drivers with different programs at the same time.

7. Updating isn't as important as you think. I ran the same 98 and Cubase happily together for 4 years. That is success! I attribute it to not ever putting it on-line; I bought a laptop just for that purpose.

8. File Handling. I have found that moved files could give you a headache. I have found out the hard way! Always save your audio folder in the file folder as your project. Always make a folder per new project. That way when you move your files they will all be nice in tidy all in one place. Other wise you may waist a few days of your life trying to figure out where those new audio tracks went, plus it makes you look like a chump.

9. Always!! Save Save Save your song. Be sure before you checking out that new verb plug-in that you save your track. I have had Logic crash while mixing before a save. Logic is a cool back-up feature that will save your butt in this situation. But be aware that if you delete a track, it is gone! I wish they had a step-back feature like a lot of other programs.

10. Mac or PC? It really depends what you want to do. I love them both and have had great success with each one, using all the tips listed up above. I do think Mac has caught me for now. I do think the learning curve in tougher with a Mac. After you get the hang of it. You will be recording like a Pro Engineer.

11. Keep your levels clean! If you peg into the red you are just square waving the recording. Use a compressor to catch vocal peaks. Always use a pop filter on a vocal! Unless you are using a dynamic or the mic has a built in Pop filter. The Filter will catch the air before it hits the diaphragm. Sometimes causing a popping sound.

12. I like to set my recording at 44 and 24bit. I do dither down to 16 bit for CD. It always sounds great. Find what works for you! It really depends on how much disk space that you want to you use.

13. Monitors? Use what sounds great to you! For a few years I used some decent passive near fields that were hot that year. Gear changes so fast and there really are some great sounding speakers out there. I have used all kinds of monitors! I love headphones, cause you can use them anywhere and have your privacy. I suggest the Sony MDR-7506 they have awesome response and a nice full range. There are a great deal of powered monitors out there and do some research and find out what you need for your purpose! Don't forget that Shielded ones are the way to go!.

Now start you have some great tips to help you get started! Pick out that hit tune and lay it down and start tweaking away. There are many ways to mix and many styles! Go find your own thing! Before you know it you will highly demanded audio engineer.

There are many new site that are popping up all over the web that are making a lot of Banks and people happy. So cash in on the web while it is open and enjoy the liberty that you have. You are the worst person that a Record Company Hates, you know the one; that keeps all the money in his own account! Go for it!

About Author:
Hey I am Johnny C! I am new to the net and have been building some really cool sites that will keep you busy for awhile! Alabama Rock Company has rocks, geodes, gold prospecting gear and outdoor gear. Plus I have a list of Alabama sites and outdoor Info. I have mountain Dream Rentals. It has a list of cabin rentals around the United state. It is getting bigger check it out!

Thanks Johnny C

http://mountaindreamrentals.com
http://alabamarockcompany.com
Alabama Rock Company

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Write Songs Like The Pros With This Powerful And Proven Technique

For many years, professional/top writers (writers in general...and not just songwriters) have been using a powerful and proven technique that separates them from beginners.

And now, I'd like to share this secret technique with you.

If you consistently apply the following 3 steps, you'll notice a big improvement in your songwriting:

1. Gather as much information about your song idea as possible.

Once you've come up with an idea for your song, write down (or type) all related information.

For example:

* Song Type (ex. love song, inspirational song, up-tempo, etc.)
* Song's Title
* Your objective (what you wish to accomplish with the song)
* The message you are trying to bring across to your listeners
* Emotion you are trying to evoke in your listeners
* ...and so on

2. Command your "subconscious mind" to help you with your objective.

With the information you have in front of you, give your subconscious mind a direct command.

For example:
If you're a lyricist, just before you start reading what's in front of you, say something like:
"Subconscious mind, create powerful lyrics
with the information I'm about to read.
Work on it 24 hours a day...even as I sleep."
(If you're given a melody to write lyrics to, say the following just before listening to the melody: "Subconscious mind, create powerful lyrics for the melody I'm about to listen to. Work on it 24 hours a day...even as I sleep.")

If you're a lyricist/composer, just before you start reading what's before you, say something like:
"Subconscious mind, create a powerful song
with the information I'm about to read.
Work on it 24 hours a day...even as I sleep."
(With that last command, you're basically instructing your subconscious mind to come up with both the lyrics and melody...the "perfect marriage" of both.)

Now, if you happen to be a composer, you could also benefit from this technique.

Just place the finished lyrics in front of you and say something like:
"Subconscious mind, create a powerful melody
for the lyrics I'm about to read. Work
on it 24 hours a day...even as I sleep."
(If you simply want to create a beautiful melody from scratch, just apply Steps 1 to 3. Of course, in Step 1, some of the information mentioned...ex. song's title or message you are trying to bring across...are not completely necessary. However, as a rule, the more information you have, the better. What's important is that your subconscious mind has enough information to work with...and it knows exactly what you are trying to accomplish.)

(Note: You're free to create your own version of the above commands. Also, you can give the commands either aloud or silently in your head.)

It's even a good idea to apply this step before going to sleep, whenever possible.

3. Let it go. Think or do something else...anything else.
In other words, "trust" your subconscious mind to deliver...by getting out of its way.

This is a crucial step. In fact, this is the key to this technique's effectiveness. Without honestly applying this step, you will not get the positive results you're after.

What you do is you simply "allow" your subconscious mind to carry out your instructions... without questioning it... without interfering in any way.

In other words, you take your mind off the song by taking a short break...or even a nap. Or you sleep on it...and work on it the next day (the truth is, some writers take days or weeks off before actually writing). Basically, you want to give your subconscious mind enough time to work on what you've instructed it to do. (Many creative people call this the "incubation" phase of the creative process.)

When you do this, you'll notice that when you sit down to actually start writing, thoughts or ideas come to you more naturally...and in a more organized way. You'll notice a better flow to your writing overall. (This is because your subconscious mind has done a lot of the work for you...in the background...while you were busy doing other things...or while you were sleeping.)

(If you're a composer, melodic or musical ideas will naturally come to you...and sometimes it will happen when you least expect it. That's why it's a good idea to always have a tape recorder or digital voice recorder handy...so you can sing the melody and record it.)

And what's the end result of applying the above 3 steps (after all the editing)?

A powerfully moving song.

About Author:
Ron Balagot is a songwriter/musician/writer. Through articles like this, he hopes to help aspiring songwriters attain their songwriting goals. He can be reached at balagot.ron@gmail.com.

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

Recording Vocals in the Recording Studio - 10 Tips to Success

1 Get into the right mind-set.
Sounds obvious right? If you’re going to rap the biggest club banger the west coast has ever heard, make sure you’re amped up and ready - not five minutes outta bed. Singing an R&B love song? I’m not suggesting you be “ready for action” but at least be relaxed.

2 Know your lyrics.
If you know your lyrics well, then your song delivery will be far more confident. If you’re not sure what words are coming up, it affects every other part of your performance. You’ll also annoy the engineer when he/she has to cue up the 10th take because you forgot the next line, and then has to edit out your page turn..

3 Sing cool, not correct.
This one deserves a little more explanation. Modern studio technology can re-tune your voice if you sing out of key, and tighten your timing up. So instead of trying to sing or rap technically perfect, try to convey the right emotions and “feel” in your performance. No matter how good the studio is, no technology can compensate for an unemotional vocal delivery.

4 Get a good headphone mix.
This point is more obvious. Before you start singing, take some time with the engineer to get a good headphone mix. You should concentrate on the balance between your voice and the backing music, and the overall volume. Every artist has different requirements. Find out what works for you. The engineer will expect to work with you on this, and can help you get the mix you need. If you find you’re singing too quietly, turn the headphone volume up. Too loud? Turn it down.

5 Be decisive: Let the engineer and producer know what you want.
From a producers viewpoint, nothing is worse than working with an artist who seems to be under performing, and on closer investigation is trying to use a headphone mix with one ear working, but is too polite to complain. If something is wrong, say so. But be polite. Don’t do the following..

6 Don’t be a Diva (or male equivalent)
Ok, so you’re paying for the studio time, so you get to call the shots. That’s only fair. But be nice! After all, you want the producer and engineer on your side. If you annoy them, they may not be inclined to make the effort on your behalf. They certainly won’t go the extra distance to make you sound better, and who knows what they’re saying about you behind the sound-proof glass..

7 The Crew/Friends stay at home.
Maybe a little controversial? Unless you can honestly say members of your crew contribute to the creative process, I wouldn’t advise having any more people than necessary in the studio. They will prove a distraction - even if it’s a good distraction. After all, you’re there to work, and they’ll be plenty of time later to enjoy your new track..in your car system whilst taking in a cruise perhaps.

8 Need a break? Take it.
You’ve been laying down takes for the last hour, and your voice is beginning to strain. Take a break. There’s no point in carrying on, only to find out later your voice “sounds like a sand grinder on those takes..” Trust me, you’ll be doing the producer and engineer a favour. Also, be aware of “tired ears.” After listening to the same bit of music for so long, your ears will begin to play tricks on you, and you’ll “hear” things which aren’t there. So take a break!

9 Drink plenty of fluids.
Again, sounds obvious. Your voice is an instrument, and needs TLC. Take plenty of liquid into the studio - but no dairy (milkshakes etc) It’s not good for your vocal chords. Try water..not beer.

10 Don’t be nervous.
Ok, this one’s pretty lame as far as points go, but it’s all too easy to walk into the studio, see that single microphone all alone in the big live room behind the glass, with all those people looking at you…. you get the picture. Remember, everyone is on your side and wants the best from the recording.

Above all..enjoy!

About Author:
Al Fraser is the producer and manger for SmoothBeatsOnly.com, a website supplying R&B Beats and Instrumentals to up-and-coming artists and record labels. Al also runs the SmoothBeatsOnly Blog, which features recording and promotion advice for R&B singers and artists looking to move forward in the music industry.

To listen to beats and instrumentals, go to http://www.smoothbeatsonly.com

Visit the SmoothBeats Blog here: http://www.smoothbeatsonly.com/blog

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