Singers, Bands & the Artist Management Team

As singers and bands compete for the ears of music industry pro’s, hoping to become the next greatest pop icon, mangers and the relationships with their acts have become increasingly important. With the evolution of technology, the internet and fledgling record labels, trying to compete for the next money making act, you can be sure that artist managers have their plates full sifting through myriads of press kits and demos trying to pick the needle out of the haystack.

With each demo that is sent out, artists wait in anticipation of what might become their next step in their artist career pathway. Most of the time, however, the group or singer is met with the, “Thanks for your submission, but no thanks,” letter at the door. What can singers and bands do to increase their odds of developing a relationship with an artist manager? Good question – Let’s look at some ideas and concepts that you can put to work as you try to move your career forward.

As a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and as the owner of www.reelmusician.com, I can tell you that one of the biggest walls that is built between artist managers and acts is a singer or group that is not prepared. They want the representation, but not the responsibility and financial demands that are placed upon them in the initial phase of their careers. They want someone to hold their hand and make it happen for them before they have sunk initial investments whether time, money or emotional investments that being maturity and basic music business knowledge and understanding. With this wall up you can forget it. There’s too much competition out there for a manager to waste their time – Would you? - Of course not and neither will they. Therefore, you make it your first priority to be prepared.

How do you prepare yourself or your band you ask? - Great question. Start with your music. Is your music the same run of the mill sound that’s already out there at countless levels? Does your music or style lend itself to marketing, or can if be differentiated from scores of others already signed to the majors? Be honest here. Quite honestly many individuals or acts have copied the sound of some other act and have not fully matured into developing their own sound. There’s nothing wrong with having musical influences, every act out there will tell you who has captured their musical hearts, but your sound has got to sound like you.

What does your press kit look like that you are sending out? Is it self-produced with fairly good looking pictures, bios, etc, or is it even a step below that? Your press kit has to shine and grab the attention of your music industry pros or you can forget it. Consider having your press kits reviewed and re-worked where necessary. You’re really missing the ball if you don’t have not only a professional looking press kit, but one that is specifically designed to get your act through the obscure doors of the music industry.

What are you doing now that is worthy of representation? Is it a dream or a real concrete musical idea that will grab the hearts of your listeners? Your listeners have to fall in love with your music. All it takes is one individual with a little clout at a record label to fall in love with your music for them to start talking you up in the halls. And with a little clout, nobody wants to be on the wrong side of the aisle on any given project, so therefore, the ball starts to roll. That’s how it usually works and good managers know this.

When you start out looking for a good manager you want to find out as best you can how authentic, honest and obviously go-getters they are. When you start to approach managers, understand that they only have so much time and resources. Da you say. Well put that information into practice. As you approach managers, what can you do to not only make their lives and jobs easier, but to let them know that you are not a “taker.” Do you know how many individuals, on a regular basis, who approach us wanting to be stars, who want us to invest all of our time and resources without offering anything in return? – Countless. Don’t do that. Offer something to your manager. Offer to help pay for the phones, press kits, postage, etc on behalf of your act. Now you’ve got the attention of the manager. He or she now knows that you are not a taker and are a serious contender in the music industry campaign. Never thought about that did you?

When you start to approach managers, your press kits, as previously detailed, need to exude professionalism. You will want to include a logo that has been specifically designed for you or your act. This logo should be remember able and characteristic of the emotional tone you want the act to initially portray and look like. Put this logo on all of your material including websites, pictures, bios, CD’s, etc. Don’t send out press kits without a logo. There is a lot of software out there to help you with logo creation, but if you need further help you may contact us tgauger@reelmusician.com or 615-300-5030 and we can help you with it.

In closing your approaching artist managers with the “We’ve got a great attitude and would like to do our part,” mentality will go along ways. Make sure that the demos you are sending out, are worthy to roll down the halls of the record labels with artist press kits that shine and show detailed experience and marketing knowledge sure to grab the attention of A&R directors. Do your part and hopefully one day an artist manager will do theirs on your behalf.

About Author:
Mr Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and jingle singer singing on many commercials including FOX TV, UPN TV Station ID’s, O’Charley’s and many other jingles and records. Mr Gauger is the owner of http://www.ReelMusician.com and can be contacted at tgauger@reelmusician.com or 615-300-5030.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

The Main Reasons You Are Not Getting A Record Deal

For mostly stupid reasons, a lot of unsigned artist might feel that getting a record deal with a major or independent label is easy to do, and with a contract success will be guaranteed. And to do this, they feel that all they have to do is send out a few demos and BAM there it is like magic, but thats not the case cause over a million artist send in demos every year and over a million are rejected. So I will give you the major reasons why.

Reason Number 1 - Sending unsolicited recordings

Sending unsolicited recordings before you send out any demo packages you must always call, email, mail or fax the record label and ask permission to send in your demo package, cause most record companies do not accept demos just sent out of no where, just for the simple fact that you can send them your demo, and then a month later an artist comes out with a song similar to yours, and then you would be able to sue cause you could say that they got the idea from the demo that you send in, so for the record companies protection they keep track of whos demo CDs that they listen to, just to protect them from a lawsuit (note that all unsolicited demos will be returned without being opened) so dont waste your money on mailing the CD.

Reason Number 2 - The packaging

The next reason has to do with demo packaging cause 50% of all the demos sent out to record labels, look cheap with tape all over the envelope, or some messy hand writing with graffiti of their Rap group on the front and back, and the envelope without a return address are some of the main symptoms of poor packaging, but an overall poor quality in the packaging of the demo and the package will not be opened regardless of the music, cause they feel that if the package is of poor quality then the music and the artist are also of that same type of quality.

Reason Number 3 - Your press kit is weak

This one has to do with the contents of the package, as far the press kit it self cause this is what they look at first, before playing your demo. The press kit must include a biography, an 8x10 photo of the artist or group, and a demo CD, the first parts of the press kit are the most crucial to getting your song played, and the first of the two which is the picture and this needs to be of a good quality as far as the look of the picture and the quality of the paper.

(Please do not use a picture printed from your computer, Which may cause automatic rejection)

And the other part is the bio and after glancing at your picture and only if the picture is acceptable they will then begin to look at your bio and this should be a good look into the people behind the music, including where they came from, how they started in music, what they have done, in music and where they plan on going with their music.

(Please do not hand write your bio, For which may cause automatic rejection)

A failure to make a quality press kit will definitely hurt your chances of getting your CD played, and that is only half the battle, so it would be advised that you duplicate a good cd with printed labels.
(Please no handwriting on the CD)

Reason Number 4 - No contact information

No Contact Information on any thing. All material sent out must include the same contact information as far as your name, address, email, and phone number on the bottom of your bio, place this information on the bottom of the picture and on the demo CD, plus try to include a business card as well. Basically saying that, if the record labels do not know how to reach you, then they wont reach you. So it would just be a waste to even listen to the CD if they cant call you back.

Reason Number 5 - Your demo is wack

Now that we have gotten the A&Rs attention it now boils down to the demo CD, and first of all if your demo is wack then thats just it you are totally wack don't get mad or complain just accept it and move on to a new career, but if you are not wack and just misunderstood then the next few reasons should help you out of a slump.

Reason Number 6 - Poorly recorded material

Number 6 is a reason that sometimes is beyond an artists control, and it has to do with the quality of the recording of the CD, and its due to the fact that the recording industry is like the car industry, where the more you pay for a car then the better the car functions, but all cars not matter how much you pay do the same thing, Drive! And thats the same in music with studios where the expensive ones function better than the garage studios, but they basically do the same job.

So the main ways to record good music no matter where you record, is to first remember sound levels, please do not record your vocals or the beat to loud into your computer and do not burn the CD with the songs very loud, cause it would be better to turn up the volume on a low volume song than it is to turn down a song where the sound is to distorted from being burn on the CD to loud, and another sure fire way get a good sound is to find a good engineer to mix down your music. Plus it is always a plus to consider some digital mastering which would in turn make your CD ready for radio or video play.

Next in this section I want to talk about the format of the songs and how the vocals were recorded. Like 3-4 double and ad-lib tracks covering the main vocals of the song so the listener can barely understand, another bad thing is to have to long of an intro into the song where the beat is just playing or the artist is just talking for more than 8 bars. Then you need to cut that out of all your songs (demo wise) and get straight to the point weather you put a hook first or you start with a verse, do not let the intro go on for more than 4 bars.

Reason Number 7 - Picking the wrong type of songs

Reason number 7 has to do with you picking the Wrong type of songs to put on your demo CD, and the worst type of song off the top is a slow song. Unless you are vocalist and your main focus is to sing slow songs or ballads for the market that your are trying to sell records in, then it is best to be avoided especially if you plan on entering the mainstream market of record sales, cause in this business of music a majority of the time, it is accustomed to record singles for radio play, cause lots of radio play equals a high number of record sales for that album, and if an A&R cannot envision your music on the radio or playing in the club.

They would not be able to see you as an artist that can sell records. Now just try to think about how many slow songs are big on the radio right now. Not to many huh? Another thing to consider when choosing the songs for your demo is to eliminate to explicit lyrics from the music cause it kills all chances of it being played on the radio. I even remember an instance where a certain well know A&R took a demo he received to a club the same night he got it and had the Dj play the song to watch the crowd react to the music, and the response was so good that he signed the artist to a major label deal two days later. So you need to be ready.

Reason Number 8 - To many songs

Now we are at number 8, and it is to have too much material, just remember that a demo CD is not an album, so you do not need to put any skits on your demo or long shot outs to your crew and then do not put To much material on your demo, just because you and your friends think that all the songs are equally good, please dont fool your self, cause when you put to many songs, you start to test the patience of the A&R and it first shows a lack of professionalism and more of a desire to have your music heard than it is a desire to sell records.

Believe me that there is a big difference between the two. So try to understand that record companies are working hard to sell records and they are not here to share the art of music with the world. So just try to limit it to 3 or 4 songs and nothing over 5 minutes long.

Reason Number 9 - Sending the wrong music to the wrong label

Now we have reason number 9 and this one happens quite a lot and its when an artist sends their demo to any record labels and it has to do with reason number 1 where you need to call the labels and find out if they produce your type of music. Cause wouldn't it be a waste of time for a country singer to send her demo to def jam records. Where there will be a very high chance that she will be rejected due to the fact that this certain record company might not produce or even know how to market and sell that certain type of music. But then again the major labels can handle pretty much anything.

Still it is advised that you do your research by going on the companies websites and check the rosters of artist that have already signed to the labels and see if your style of music fits in or if there is any room for you being a new artist. Where you might see 7 rappers out of 8 artists on a certain label, then that company may not be looking to sign any rappers at the moment until they can release the artist they already have. But then again if you are that good then other artist will not stand in your way, where the label might release your album first. You can never tell.

Reason Number 10 - You are just not what they want

You must remember that this industry is ran by people and not a machine that always makes the right choice, and you can actually have a all the bases covered and came with a damn near perfect demo package and still the A&R wasn't feeling it. Then don't be discouraged cause the person you gave your demo to could have been having problems at home, or about to be fired from that company or thinking about leaving, and they just couldn't hear that good marketable music, or they had already signed enough artist for the year.

And a few major reasons is a lack of development in the image, sound, and star quality of the artist, no experience in live performances or ever selling records as well as a lack of team players like a manager, agent and entertainment lawyer, cause it is always a major plus for a record company to see other professionals believing in your project as much as you do, to where it helps the record company believe in you as much.

About Author:
Keishon Martin is the founder of KeyWorldWide Inc. which owns and operates www.GetRichinMusic.com, www.AllVidCity.com, and www.GetMoneyMoney.com - visit their websites

Singers and Bands - The Artist Showcase

After attending countless artist showcases through the years as a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency, I’ve decided to touch on some practical ideas that will help promote your artist career and give you an increased chance at a possible record deal. After exploring much of the information available online, I determined to stay with easily grasped concepts and ideas that would help artists avoid some of the common mistakes.

First let’s make it clear that not every act deserves an artist showcase, at least not in the light of pandering to record labels in an ongoing campaign to secure a record deal. If you’ve read any of my articles, you know I try to tell it like it is and so once again, I will not shy away from the truth that not every artist deserves an outlet to showcase their “talent.” The reason is not simply because the band is no good, but because maybe there is not a maturity or serious quality from the members or a definitive goal in place that everyone is rallying around. Other reasons may include lack of a unique playing quality or an act that is simply playing cover tunes. Let’s talk about cover tunes for a minute.

Don’t play cover tunes unless they are specifically asked for, or unless you are a cover band playing wedding gigs, etc. If you are truly looking to get a record deal, then showcase your own music. This notion that your audience can relate to you and your band simply because you are playing music that everyone knows is false and misguided logic. Would you have cared, the first time you heard one of your favorite groups, that you knew any of the material – I bet not. You were so into the music and groove you wanted to hear more and buy the record. You think of big groups today that at one point were nobody, and just imagine hearing them for the first time, would it have mattered? – I bet I’m right again. Moral of the story, play your own music.

Before you begin to look at the possibility of a showcase, look at your objectives. Each showcase doesn’t necessarily have to be about the record deal, but that should certainly be your ultimate objective and therefore, everything that you bring to the table ought to encompass and revolve around that goal. For example, you might showcase a particular groove and set of songs, which you would like to take out on the track and test. Is the audience really digging it or is it not you. Likewise, you can showcase for a lesser goal, but yet an important stepping stone to a record deal signing like pushing upcoming events or visibility to obtain additional bookings, etc.

As you start planning a showcase, who will attend? – Friends or will music industry personnel be present? Each artist showcase ought to be driven by a marketing approach. Do you have an artist logo, professional bios, pictures and press kits made? These can not be a “friend of the group did it for us,” looking press kits. They have to shine and look pro like music industry individuals are already in play and are looking at your act. Don’t overlook these elements. You might check out artist press kits, bios and press blurb writing at ReelMusician.com.

How will you go about promoting your showcase? You have to look beyond stapling flyers to telephone polls, etc. Have you thought about creating a jingle or station ID or local radio personality piece for free in hopes that you will get some radio and TV exposure? You ought to look at local radio stations and write a mix according to the style of the station and your band – see if you can’t get some promotion that way. Cable TV advertising is fairly inexpensive. You might consider going in with everyone in the band and buying some advertising from cable or local TV stations.

If you don’t already have it, and I’m sure most do, get your web site up and going and make sure that you have a page for upcoming events along with pictures, bio, contact page. Websites do not have to be expensive. You can get your website hosted for $5 - $10 a month. You most likely won’t get a lot of traffic, but you will get credibility with the public and within the music industry crowd – This will prove to be invaluable later on down the road.

What will your showcase consist of and what can you do to stand out from the crowd? Your act needs to look like they’ve been at this for years with a comfort level exuding from who the band is. How long is the showcase? You’ve heard the old expression, always leave the crowd wanting to hear more. Far better to do a rather short showcase with knock out tunes then a lengthy, drawn out, can’t wait to get out of there, gig. Work with your song lineup and tweak the number and length of your set at rehearsal until it feels right. Have everything figured right up front. Who’s going to speak when and try to hit all of the “what ifs,” as much as you can. You want this showcase to “wow” the listeners and create some momentum and energy.

Re-think your image and make sure that it matches who you are. People are not that stupid and can almost immediately recognize when an image is forced and manipulated and not natural to the group. Better to have a natural image, true to who you are, than an image that you think just has to go with your style of music.

In closing, make each and every showcase count, with calculated marketing and a thought through line-up so when the music industry execs start showing up, they have something to go back to the office with!

About Author:
Mr Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and is the founder of http://www.ReelMusician.com You may contact the author at tgauger@reelmusician.com or 615-300-5030. In addition, Free e-books "The Jingle Singer’s Guide," and “Secrets To Great Song Demos,” may be downloaded at http://www.ReelMusician.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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

Article Author Series: Kevin Sinclair - Steps To Find Singing Gigs

For a singer to survive there will need to be a booking for several gigs, you need an audience to offer your heartfelt songs too. To survive in the field of music, you must have successful gigs. Every singer lives and breathes gigs; it is an essential aspect of following the path that leads to stardom.

So how do you find singing gigs? You need to simply follow these steps and let your imagination run free.

- Find an agent. Once you prove your talent you will taken in. Agents find gigs for you. Then you simply practice your singing and live life, while managing your schedule.

- Look through the advertisements in such places as newspapers, magazines and newsletters that relate to music. You should find listing for such places like a music lounge or bar. You will also be able to find television and radio announcements online. If you do the research, you will find opportunities to make the most of your talents.

- Advertise yourself. There is nothing wrong with singing your own song, so to speak. Singing skills are sell able. Remember to include your contact information on all your promotional material, since there is no telling who may be interested in hiring you.

- To be successful in the entertainment field, you must be active. Affiliate yourself with others, by joining music and singing associations and groups. There you will have the opportunity to meet others who can help you now as well as in the future.

- Package yourself and your talent. Build an official you website, to sell yourself and your talent and other comparable means of advertising your talent. For instance, you could record a sample song to provide to a variety of recording companies, as audition material.

- Bring together all your potential contacts. When you have the option to change from one music label to another, take the chance if it sounds good, while putting those companies that hold auditions on a regularly. Be sure to check out any entertainment establishment such as hotels, since they also employ singers.

If you have the talent, you only need one regular big gig to uphold you. Before you know it, people will be searching to find you, rather than you finding them. Practice your singing and relax - the best singing gig for you may soon be found in one of these steps to finding a singing gig.

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.articlesbase.com/

Getting Real About Going Independent

Once upon a time, not too long ago, most music artists wanted a record deal. Being an independent artist was more of an ambition than a phenomenon. While Ani DiFranco, a non-commercial music artist and the poster child of independence, garnered attention and respect from her peers, she didn't exactly serve as a catalyst to the independent movement.

Then a highly publicized feud between Prince and Warner Bros. erupted in which he likened his contractual obligations and restrictions to that of a "slave," caught the media's attention and truly galvanized the movement.

More recently acts such as Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, and Madonna have left the homes of major labels and taken-up residency in the independent hotel. Will it be a permanent one? That remains to be seen, but one things for certain: rooms are filling up fast.

It's apparent that being independent has become a right of passage; a badge of honor and valor that's proudly displayed for other music artists to identify with and applaud...a blueprint for greater autonomy, creativity, and financial dividends. But what does being an independent artist really mean?

In short, it means being a business person and an entrepreneur. That's the one little (and often overlooked) aspect of "going independent" that I never hear artists discuss, and it's the one major issue I have with industry professionals who promote being independent as more of a lifestyle, than a career choice.

Most artists are creative, emotional, right-brained people. Those are the intrinsic qualities that make them what they are. Those are also the qualities that make it difficult for them to function and thrive as business people who are required to engage in left-brained activities. But at every conference I attend, and every panel discussion that I witness, there is no mention of the necessity to think and behave like an entrepreneur while being an independent artist. It never comes up.

Why is that?

It's because for artists, the choice to "go independent" is often an emotional decision, not a business decision. It's not really a choice that they make, but rather one that is made for them when they are unsuccessful in landing the elusive and rarely obtained record deal. They are not responding to the scarcity of recording contracts, they are reacting to the frustrations that stem from not getting one. This frustration either becomes the fire that fuels their motivation to prove their worth, or the wet blanket that extinguishes their dreams, and validates someone else's opinion about their lack of commercial value.

They also don't mention that the most successful independent artists either came from, or have affiliation with, a major label.

By overemphasizing the creative freedoms and bigger paydays that await independent artists, focus is diverted from the monumental task of marketing and promoting music as a business person and entrepreneur. It's tantamount to telling people that they should just leave their jobs and work for themselves. That's unrealistic and downright ridiculous - especially without having the fundamental knowledge of what being self-employed entails. How many self-employed people do you know? Cut that number in half and that's how many successful independent artists there are.

Make no mistake about it; being an independent artist is the equivalent to being self-employed.

While everyone can recognize the fringe benefits such as freedom and flexibility that the self-employed enjoy, there are a myriad of challenges that they are constantly faced with in order to survive and succeed. Funding, legalities, taxes, overhead expenses, operational costs, accounting procedures, and attending to endless administrative details are functions of their everyday life. They also have marketing costs, but unlike music artists, they don't sell products that can be obtained for free.

So what does it take to succeed independently?

Ironically, operating like a major label. Go figure. The independent movement reminds me of teenagers who don't know what running a household requires, involves, or entails because their parents handle that responsibility. It's not until they have to run their own households that they are forced to learn how to do it own their own. The same holds true of the independent artist who attempt to run their own labels: they discover how expensive it is, and how much work it takes.

If you are going to get real about going independent and being successful at it (i.e. profitable), be aware that it can't be something that you just do on the weekends; it's a huge business decision that impacts your world both professionally and personally. It requires the same level of preparation, organization and commitment that being a prosperous business person entails. Establishing your success and maintaining it will be one of the hardest things you can do in your life, and one of the most rewarding.

About Author:
Gian Fiero is an Independent A&R Specialist who facilitates the commercial use of music and talent in the media, entertainment, and music industries. He currently represents Grammy nominated music producer Cori Jacobs (Beyonce, Pussycat Dolls, Lauryn Hill, Teedra Moses, Brooke Valentine, George Clinton, Hope) and Chris Carter (Backstreet Boys, Jasmine Trias), in addition to being an adjunct professor of music industry studies at San Francisco State University.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

What Is Producing?

I deal with a lot of bands who simply aren't sure what producing is. Some have no idea what it can do to their songs. Some are under the impression that some guy (who also owns a strip club) who has a limo and pony tail is going to call them "baby" and turn them into New Kids on the Block with guitars.

While this sort of thing might exist, I don't think these sort of producers stick around very long. I could be wrong. The way I see it, a producer is just regular music dude who is working with you to make your songs the best they can be. I'm guessing that everyone has a different idea of what a producer is and I think that stems from the idea that a producer does different things in each situation. One band may have songs that are good but lack an extra push. Another band may just need to be excited in the recording process.

I'm convinced of 2 things.

A Producer does not necessarily have to be a great musician

A Producer does not necessarily have to be a great songwriter.

To me, all a producer has to do is help people who are good at the two things above do those two things better. This could be everything from playing blindfolded, to intentionally ruining a song just to see how the band puts it back together.

I think a producer's job is to challenge the song. Take the song, tear it apart, push it, pull it, twist, it and see what happens. What happens if we do the most obviously wrong thing to this bridge? Try it. See. Record it live and see. Did it work? Does it sound like crap? Maybe it does sound like crap, but listen to how the chorus sounds now. Hmm. Now the chorus is bigger. Let's play something less crapty on the bridge but with the same feel. Ahh.

I get excited just pretending that I'm producing a record right now. I find it so exciting to get all the creative juices going with a whole band with the band and I all working together democratically and pushing them to make their songs better. If the band doesn't like a direction, no problem. We go a different direction.

About Author:
Brandon Drury has run www.echoechostudios.com for years and is developing a large recording site at http://www.recordingreview.com.

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

Getting On the Music Industry Radar Screen

How to Get Noticed By Those
Who Can REALLY Help Your Music Career!

As you or your band performs, be it from club to club around town or nationally, there is usually one thing lingering in the back of your mind...

How do you go about getting that one big break that will push you ahead toward greater recognition and success artistically?

You know it happens to artist and bands all the time. That time could come soon for your group to break out of the local scene and land that recording contract or national tour that will get you on your way to greater success.

You know there are tried and true methods. Having a great demo or being interviewed on the local radio shows at once seemed like a good idea. But times have changed in the music industry. In this article, we will discuss some up-to-date information and inside tips on how to get noticed in this tough business, in short I'll give you some info that will literally place on the music industry radar screen. The knowledge that I'm about to share with you will work for any and everyone: Songwriters, Singers, Musicians, Rappers and for all genres of music: Pop, Rock, Rap, Gospel, R&B, Jazz, Grunge, Country and everything in between!

Where are the Scouts?

You have had the thought run through your mind as you perform for an enthusiastic crowd in a club or bar. Are there music industry scouts in this crowd? Maybe you just laugh it off but you have heard that they are out there watching bands like yours and signing the talented ones to develop into stars.

What you have heard is true. Industry insiders tell us that now more than ever, scouts are everywhere. You may worry that you are not living in one of the big "music industry towns" like New York, Chicago, L.A. and Nashville but that isn't important. Remember, Seattle wasn't on the map before grunge hit and they found Sir Mix A-Lot and for you Rock Heads, Kurt and Eddie.

But what if you don't always have the biggest audience in town. Well, some of the biggest acts in the music business were "discovered" playing to a small and intimate crowd. If your performance is strong and you are getting good word of mouth, the music industry scouts will find you and check you out. So perform every night like they are out there because there is no reason to believe that they are not.

Go Get Them

But you don't have to sit around and wait for them to come to you. The new "hunting grounds" for bands and talent are well known to the insiders. Once you know who it is that is feeding the information to music industry scouts and agents, you can learn the tricks of the trade to feed information about you or your band into that system. Here are a few of the newest methods and venues you can use to get yourself noticed:

* Perform, Perform, Perform. These days the local club scene is the most important way to get noticed. Don't wear yourself out chasing agents or scouts. If your performances are strong, that will create a buzz and the word of mouth will get you noticed. Then the scouts will come to see you rather than you having to go and chase them.

* Build your relationship with your audience. Insiders tell us that scouts will come to a show for a musical venue they don't even understand. If you are doing something bold and new that they are not able to evaluate musically, they will go by the crowd. If your audience responds with excitement and enthusiasm, that is what gets the eyes and ears of music executives. So pour yourself into the people for whom you are performing. That's what you love to do anyway so it's an easy way to get noticed and the right way too.

* Build your local network. Industry agents know club owners and booking agents for local events very well. If you have a strong reputation with them, they will pass that information along to the scouts who are looking for new talent.

* Indie (independent) labels are also a rich source of information for the larger recording houses to find out about up and coming bands. You may have indie labels near by so get to know them and get them to your shows so when they have a chance to connect you to a scout, your band is on their list of hot new acts.

* Never miss a chance to network but look for innovative ways to advertise yourself as well. The internet has lots of new and interesting sites that scouts are starting to watch for new talent. If you have the resources, get a web page up and get some MP3 samples of your performances out there. You can easily set up a website using a service like http://www.MyWebSiteMyMusic.com and you can also easily put your music on your site or anywhere else online, even in emails in MP3 format using a service like the one offered at http://www.ListenToMyMusicOnline.com.

The services offered by these two websites are extremely inexpensive and so simple to use, a 5 year old could do it, yet they will have you looking like a music industry professional in no time at all.

Is the Demo Dead?

From what we have learned so far, you would think the demo is ready to go into the hall of fame as an out-of-date tool. But the demo tape still has some real value to you. The best demo is one that showcases not only your musical skill but the personality and the performance skill of you or your band. If you can have someone put a demo together from one of your performances, that gives an agent or scout a bit of a feel for what to expect from you when he comes to see you.

So treat the demo as part of your bag of tricks but it isn't the thing that is going to seal the deal. If a scout likes what he hears or at least his curiosity is peaked, he will then seek out ways to see you live. Then we are back to the club atmosphere, your relationship with your crowd and your performance. Those are the things that will get you noticed in a way that will lead to bigger breaks. Look at the demo as just the hook with a little bit of bait on it. You can also use your demo on your web page along with some video footage of your live performance to showcase the excitement of your shows. Remember both http://www.ListenToMyMusicOnline.com and http://www.MyWebSiteMyMusic.com offer some of the best services in the industry for doing this.

Video Didn't Kill the Radio Star

Radio used to be the primary medium for distributing information about new acts and for getting your music played and noticed. But changes in ownership of radio stations and in how they are programmed have changed that too. The radio station is no longer a significant communication channel for you to use to get on the music industry radar screen.

A lot of factors have dropped radio off the radar screen for getting noticed. Airplay is not as much of a factor as it used to be when there was a lot of diversity in radio. Radio is nearly a monopoly with all of the play list decisions made by one central national firm. So if you think that any one individual at your area radio stations makes airplay decisions, you should revise that opinion because they do not. This little insider tip alone can save you huge amounts of wasted energy and frustration when trying to get noticed.

But don't worry, scouts and music industry agents know they will not find the new, the innovative and the creative music on radio. They have turned from it to use local networking and club performances as their radar screen for new talent.

You do the same. Do not concern yourself a great deal with local radio coverage. Even college radio is virtually a dead venue for getting noticed in this new market. Focus on where the real contacts are being made today, through local contacts, word of mouth and above all club and local festival performances. Other good habits include using music industry contact directories like the one found at http://www.MusicBizPhoneBook.com which list contact information to over 20,000 important people in the music industry.

It's all in your network and what is happening on the street that will make the difference between you getting noticed or not. In a way, that's the way it always should have been, having the focus placed on your band talent, performance skill and live shows. That is where your strength is anyway. Be a savvy marketer and use this knowledge to raise the awareness of your band, your talent, your songs and your performances.

About Author:
This article was written by Ty Cohen, the music industry's most recognizable voice! Ty is the C.E.O of Platinum Millennium Publishing and Platinum Millennium Records as well as owner of: http://www.MusicContractsOnline.com and http://www.MusicBusinesSuccess.com

To find out more about Ty Cohen, his services, products and how he may be able to help you succeed in the music industry go to: http://www.MusicBusinesSuccess.comand sign up for his free limited edition music industry success 10-part "Mini-Course", it will work wonders for you and best of all, it's FREE, but EXTREMELY VALUABLE!

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

Musicians guide to band agreements

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

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

Here are a few specific points you should consider:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Monday Mustard: I Tattooed Google On My Forehead

One person’s opinion on what cuts the music mustard

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

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

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

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

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

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

Starting A Band

So you are an excellent musician, you love your music and the notion of performing excites you. From the time you first discovered that music was your life, there has been some hollow feeling deep down inside, this feeling like a part of you has not been born yet, something is incomplete perhaps. It is very likely that this very real feeling exists because there is something incomplete after all, the rest of your band!

Ok, maybe your desire to form a band is not as romantically fantastic as this. The truth is that it doesn't have to be. In fact, your goal of forming a band may even be a very logical and calculating move with the intention of making a living. The truth is that many people make quite good livings from their hobbies. Some may continue to be content financially making ends meet while doing something they enjoy. For others, the whole concept snowballs and with seemingly little effort they go from playing at parties and weddings to the big game where they become the hottest thing in music this side of the sun.

It's important to remember that starting a band is not very different to launching any other business. You will need market branding, and an intended consumer, a marketing plan, advertising and even financial planning. The fun part of starting a band is that you have all the artistic details to tend to also, and certainly the rewards are endless.

So, like any other business we need a plan. We need musicians for a start. Perhaps you already have a bunch of friends in mind for the part. Often this can be successful, but the truth is most of us don't have the perfect people on our right hand and we do have to search for them. Once you have established your brand of music and what positions you will need to fill to establish your band you can start looking.

Now art is a very personal thing, I cannot possibly tell you what you should be looking for, but I can offer my advice and direct you to some great advertising ideas. You must know in your heart what "flavor" your music is and find the right ingredients. You are a musician, an artist, only you know what this is. I do suggest that the people you eventually select to be members of your band although must be trustworthy and dependable, passionate and talented of course. You should be looking for someone with whom you find a certain dynamics with. This does not mean that this person should be just like you; on the contrary, very often a character quite unlike you may be just the one to compliment and complete your band.

Advertising and auditioning serious musicians is not a small task but certainly this may be one of the most enjoyable experiences of your life. This is an opportunity to meet so many different characters and connect with folk you may never otherwise have met. Just like any other business you must advertise in all the right places where there folk are that you want to attract. There is no reason a general advertisement in the local newspaper won't attract the musicians you are looking for wont work, but be clear in your advertisement of what you are looking for. A simple add that reads "wanted drummer" is likely to bring all sorts out of the closest. Explain your genre, is it rock, pop, indie, or swing. You should direct your advertisement towards the popular magazines and websites that people interested in your genre of music are likely to read and visit.

The auditions are another game again. You really should not have to audition everyone that applies for the position; if someone does not sound suitable in their application, you don't have to listen to them perform. Although you might miss out on a rare gem, you're the artist use your creative instinct here and go with that "gut" feeling.

Certainly the music is important, that perfect person making the application might just make your flesh crawl when you hear them audition for you. Stay strong and say "no" when you really want to say no. Sure you will disappoint a few, but you should rather disappoint them now than yourself latter.

Once you have the people together it's time to plan your musical repertoire. Generally new bands will begin with established cover numbers, but you really should build your own songs. If you are not a writer you might consider looking for a writer to work with you. Cover songs are great, but do yourselves a favor and bring your own style to the stage. This is a part of you market branding.

Once you have your people together you become a team. You should now spend many hours together brainstorming ideas and suggestions and discussing your future together. Most importantly make sure that everyone is on the same page. There is a long interesting road ahead of you.

Finally I would just like to be the first to say congratulations, where ever you and your band end up, no matter what you have dared to live a life and follow your heart. The funny thing is, once you got moving it really wasn't that scary was it! Just know what you are doing, and look to where you are going, and one day you will find yourself there.

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 Directory: http://www.freearticlemaster.com

Musicians: How To Find Band Members

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

Join an existing band.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Disadvantages of joining an existing band

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

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

Organizing your own band

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

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

Guitar player looking to form a band.

Well, thats just great.

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

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

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

Don't limit yourself in a location

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

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

Author:
Kenny Auyoung

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

The Art Of Practicing

I have always believed that success, in practically any subject you can think of, is a direct result of "clear thinking". That is, the ability to understand very clearly what needs to be achieved and the action to set about surmounting very necessary hurdles in order to reach those goals. Less than successful people are either not clear in their goals or for one reason or another give up along the way. It's leveling that rough terrain, along with a clearly defined end result in mind that will get you there in the end. The success roadmap might go something like this:

Visualize goal => Surmount problems => Score

Sounds simple doesn't it? However, this clear thinking is all very well but it's usually the thought required before step 1 (visualization) that causes problems. Very often the goal does not manifest in mind because the process is so overwhelming.

And so it is with practicing the guitar, or any instrument for that matter. In more laymen's terms it's more like "What the hell should I be practicing?".

Practice is a constant struggle for many people. There is so much to learn and often so little time to allocate to it. For the jazz musician, clear thinking can be as simple as "I really like that Charlie Parker 2, 5 - how does he do that?". Then transcribing the line, practicing it in all keys and working the phrase into your own vocabulary. The 'score' as I like to call it is the ability to work it in to your own playing. I want to talk a little about that in a minute.

First, I think the most important thing to talk about is how to make best use of your practice time. There was a time when I started playing where I used to sit in my room and allocate 15 minutes to practicing scales and arpeggios, 10 minutes on technique exercises, 20 minutes on sight reading and 1/2 an hour on practicing my classical guitar repertoire. Why? because my teacher told me I had to. Years later once I started to study jazz guitar on my own I didn't feel the need to be practicing this way. It wasn't really benefiting me fully. I started to have my own goals in mind that I wanted to reach. I wanted to learn to play like one or two of my heroes, but more importantly because I liked what they played. Even more under the microscope were certain melodic lines and licks that tweaked my ear and fueled me to transcribe or simply copy the way they phrased or 'felt' a phrase. Once I clearly had in mind what I wanted to achieve I could go about achieving it - I knew what I had to do.

It's important to sit down to practice and be really clear about what you are going to do during that practice time. Now, one thing that helped me tremendously was when I made a huge commitment to scheduled practicing. In other words, deciding that every single day, no matter what, I would sit down and dedicate exactly one hour to working at this instrument. The amazing thing I found is that my regularly scheduled practice literally fueled my regularly scheduled practice! Does this make sense? What this means is that, the more I practiced, the more I wanted to practice. What started out as a committed hour turned into committed six hour sessions. Once I got into music college in London I remember waking up in the morning and practicing until I went to bed at night, remembering to eat on occasion. I was so fueled by the commitment to practice that the drive to play took over completely.

Regular practice clearly keeps your guitar technique on tip top form. There's nothing like picking up the guitar and playing a few short runs and being on top of your game, simply because you are playing regularly.

The other wonderful thing about committing to regular practice is that it actually helps you to think much more clearly, because you start to see results. Once you start to see results the concept of learning is much less overwhelming and you are able to make decisions about what you want to work on much more easily.

So do yourself a huge favor, first, make the decision to want to get much better at your guitar playing. Then once you have decided that, make a clear commitment right now and allocate a certain time of day to your guitar practice. If you only have limited time then give yourself what you know you can afford. Once you get your teeth into this system, if you don't have more time, trust me you will want to find more time. You might just want to wake up earlier. The drive to learn will take over.

Quality practice is key. I find now I am older that, if I let myself, I can get more and more distracted because there are so many other facets to my life. When I make the decision to focus 100% on my guitar problems and how I can surmount them, I find I can get completely absorbed for hours once I get going. Sometimes it helps to avoid those distractions from the outset. Maybe turn the phone off!

There is a huge difference between playing the guitar and practicing the guitar. I can play for days quite happily but am I learning anything new? Not unless I stop myself and work on my weaknesses. And there are plenty of those trust me! Many years ago I wanted to learn licks from my favorite players. I would hear a line and transcribe it. Many times I found that those musical phrases would not come out in my playing and I asked myself why. It dawned on me that there were three possible reasons:

1) I found the phrase too technically difficult to pull off.
2) It just didn't feel like it belonged in my vocabulary.
3) I hadn't fully explored the idea enough - perhaps I didn't fully understand how to use it in a practical sense.

Let's talk about these briefly.

Sometimes a horn line does not necessarily fit under the fingers on the guitar. The line might sound just terrific on a sax but if I can't play it on my guitar it's not going to have the same effect. In fact quite the opposite! Everyone is somewhat limited technically (although there are a few players that keep my head scratching I must admit!), every player has a ceiling in their own mind and I think it's perfectly OK to let some things go because they are just two gymnastic on the guitar. It's of course relative to each player's ability and comfort zone.

Occasionally I'll try and work something into my music vocabulary and it just doesn't feel like me. Some players sound great playing certain things and when I play them them they either sound too much like that other great player or I just don't feel it. Music has to be personal, it's OK to weed out stuff that you don't want to use, even when those 'weeds' are a rose garden to others.

The last idea is something very important I think. That is the idea that when you work on some new vocabulary or a new harmonic idea, that you fully understand how to use it and just as importantly, how to work it into your playing so it comes out naturally. Let's assume you are transcribing a lick on a CD you like. The first thing to do is to make sure you get the notes right. You might slow it down (there is plenty of software on the market that enables you to do this now). Whatever it takes, make sure the notes you are transcribing are correct. Then it is a matter of practicing that phrase so it feels good when you play it.

Now most folks stop right there and wonder why the phrase never shows up in their playing. The secret is to figure out exactly what chord (or group of chords) is being played underneath that line. After that, figure out what other chords could also be played underneath that phrase. Next, learn how to play that phrase everywhere on the fretboard, in different positions and keys. Finally and the most important, work the phrase into your own playing. To do this, start by improvising in any way that you normally might and focus on ways to connect that new phrase you want to play. The new phrase starts on a certain note and you will need to focus on that starting note in order to make a connection to it. Practice improvising freely and connecting to that new phrase, focusing on its starting note. Do this in all keys. Pretty soon you will know if the phrase is going to come out into your playing or not.

The art of practice is a huge subject and musicians have written complete books on it. But I do believe the real success starts with clear thinking. Make a decision to focus on something specific. Here is a more detailed roadmap to take on board:

1) Visualize. What do you want to work on - what do you want to achieve?
2) Plan. What exactly do you have to do in order to achieve that goal?
3) Action. Explore the subject in enough detail.
4) Surmount. Expect problems along the way - this is normal - don't give up! Just level the terrain.
5) Score - making sure that the subject is fully absorbed and part of your new musical make up, unless you decide otherwise.

Great players really got to grips with practicing in the early stages. It became fascinating to them and the results they saw fueled more practice. It's a self perpetuating phenomenon. By simply not practicing, the incentive to pick up your instrument diminishes over time. Then the excuses start to pour out in torrents. Then regrets. Then a very dusty guitar possibly in a dark attic somewhere.

Get practicing. Quality practice. Ask yourself questions. Look for the answers. Insist on results. This is the key to improving.

About Author:
Chris Standring is a recording artist and the owner of Guitar Made Simple.com. Visit this website for free guitar lessons and a truly ground breaking home study guitar course.
Article Source: http://www.articles4free.com

My Monday Mustard: Don’t Waste Your Chance!

- One person’s opinion on what cuts the music mustard

I use the Internet daily for research, marketing, news, new music, and for fun much the same as you do - and much like other people in the business of music. On Friday, I came upon this article:

Lesser-known artists get exposure with tunes for TV commercials

Which got me to thinking, you do not know who, when, or why a person might be looking at your Artistopia pages and music for potential use in media, background music, for the “next big hit” or that much anticipated “record deal”. And then I thought, why do so many music artists join a site like Artistopia, that is there for them to promote themselves – and they don’t use it to the fullest?

Worse yet, they give miniscule information, don’t upload their best music and try to post a link that wants me to go check them out elsewhere? You have that potential business person ON YOUR PAGE RIGHT NOW. This is your 30 second elevator pitch. You might possibly have someone that could change your future right in the palm of your hands, and have on your profile, “To find out more about this artist, see blahblahblah.com”. Excuse me, but why redirect someone (who is usually very busy) to go somewhere else? You might just have lost your golden ticket.

They might get distracted, get a call, only have a few minutes of surf time, who knows…but you have their attention this minute.

New music by new bands, singers and songwriters are found by surfing online now, that’s obvious, making your presence on the Internet a necessity. Quick and easy exposure to fans and music industry is the ultimate goal for the indies and unsigned artists to be discovered on Artistopia. Your Artistopia pages have ample space for you to let the world know what you and your music are about.

If you’ve noticed, Artistopia member’s profile pages load quickly because of certain built-in factors. The easy navigation with artist information sorted into specific tabs, allows the viewer to find information in a logical manner. Well ranked artists rise to the top. I can not tell you how many artists and bands pages have lost me on sites like Myspace because they took so long to load. I do not have the time to sit and wait for this, and who does? You had me at hello, took too long to say.

Artistopia is surfed by some majors and known names in the music industry, we know this. Some members have been contacted for various projects and “deals”. Maybe your profile was viewed, maybe your song was listened to. Did you put your best presentation forward that you possibly could with updated, current and correct facts? Are you doing all you can to rise to the top of Artistopia? Get busy and get noticed!

Artistopia’s Help Center is found at http://www.artistopia.com/FAQs/Index.asp and includes plenty of information on how to write a great profile and other information up and coming musicians need to know.

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

What's In A Name?

What's In A Name?

How Choosing The Wrong Band Name Could Be The MOST Expensive Decision Of Your Career

by Nick Nanton,
Ok, so you and all of your buddies sit down one day and decide to form a band. You sit down at your first impromptu "business meeting" over a case of cold coke (insert other favorite band beverage here) and you start your checklist:

1. Instruments: Check

2. Rehearsal Space (Your Friend's Garage): Check

3. Molly Hatchet Songbook: Check

4. Band Name: ...............

... a blank stare stretches across everyone's face, and thus your band has hit its first of many roadblocks on the road to becoming "The Next Big Thing." So, you do what every other band does, you think back to your favorite band names in movies, your favorite one liners in Monty Python skits as well as "Saturday Night Live," and all of your other favorite shows and FINALLY someone comes up with a name that everyone loves (or more likely everyone can somewhat live with) and The Band is born.

For the purpose of this illustration, let's suppose that your band picks the name "Blind Cheetah." While you're positive that a record deal, scantily-clad members of the opposite sex and suitcases full of money are just inches away, there are a couple of things that you may not be aware of, important things like -- Is there another band called Blind Cheetah anywhere on earth? Before you start printing up t-shirts, buying BlindCheetah.com and building your MySpace page, this is a serious question that has to be answered.

"Why does it matter?" you may ask. Well, there is a large body of law in the United States, as well as in almost every other nation in the world, that prevents competitors from using the same name.

MusicDish Network Sponsor

If there is another Blind Cheetah performing anywhere in the good old U.S. of A. (we'll leave the rest of the world out of this for now) and if you were to start performing in area night clubs and selling t-shirts with "Blind Cheetah" emblazed on them in hot pink, then the other (undoubtedly horrible sounding) Blind Cheetah "impostors" could have a Trademark Infringement Claim against you.

If they were to pursue it, it could be very costly because if you are served with a lawsuit, you are REQUIRED to respond to it, no matter how ridiculous it may sound. And, as you might have guessed, at this point you will need to hire a lawyer to handle this situation. I can tell you that this call is much more expensive than the option I'm about to tell you about.

The truth is that this is a very common issue that sometimes goes unnoticed, but often ends up in a costly visit to the courtroom. So, you have two choices. You can wing it or you can opt for the safer route: do a little homework for yourself and then call an attorney who specializes in trademarks.

I know that the mere mention of the word "attorney" conjures up many feelings in all of us, but I can assure you there are some very cool attorneys out there... I can think of at least one right now! And the trademark process is really not that expensive. Certainly it's not nearly as expensive as defending yourself against a multi-million dollar record label or disgruntled band. Trust me, or you can learn the hard way for yourself.

I do, however, advise you to do a little homework first because there are so many bands in the world that the likelihood of your band being the first one ever to come up with a particular name, as ingenious and innovative as you are, is about as good as the likelihood of coming up with a reality show that is productive to society... In other words, don't count on it.

Here are a few things you can do to avoid spending money before you have to:

a. Search Google, Yahoo, MySpace, YouTube, purevolume and every other portal you can think of to see if any other band, musician or entertainment company is using the same name or a name very similar to yours (the names don't even have to be identical to get you in trouble, a similar name is all it takes)

b. Search the Worldwide Band Name Registry at www.bandname.com. This registry is "the most comprehensive list of bands in the world." You can search for a band name here, and you can register your band name if no one else is already using it.

c. Check to see if anyone owns any of the domain names with your proposed band name in it, after all you are going to need one anyway. Try these first: BandName.com, BandNameMusic.com, BandNameOnline.com, BandNameRocks.com and anything else you can think of that might lead you to an answer.

If, after checking the above resources, you are still confident that your band name is available, then it's time to make the decision to spend a little money now or a lot of money later. If you're at that crossroad, and you'd like to discuss that further, feel free to give me a call.

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

My Monday Mustard: A Myspace/Anyplace Email Don’t

- One person's opinion on what cuts the music mustard

I see it every single day from musicians and artists the world over. They land in our Artistopia and Myspace inbox:

Check this link:
http://www.myspace.com/NameOfSomeMusicianOrBand

OR slightly better:

Hey there, My name is (name removed) and I would like you to take a minute and check out myspace.com/nameremoved or my website at www.nameremoved.com. Thank you for your time!!

Name Removed

That’s it, that’s all, maybe no hello, nothing personal, no info. Sorry musicians, bands, and artists, you are very lucky indeed, if you get a visit out of this. Why should someone take time out of their day to check you out?

The first sample above may even be seen as Spam, ignored and deleted. The second one did not make it easy for the r