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http://www.jasonbienia.com/

In my life I've met many a person, many an artist. Unfortunately most never reach their goals. I asked myself why? Over the years I have been watching, studying, and analyzing how it is that some people make it and others don't.

One of the reasons I believe some achieve their goals is their inner self.

The people I've been privileged to watch succeed have an intensity about them. They demand everything from themselves. They show up everyday, in fact every moment, and they are accountable to themselves. Everything they do has a hard statement, and they know when to stop. Very impressive.

I asked an artist recently why he wasn't where he wanted to be. His replied was, "It seems I want to learn, maybe you might say that learning was what I really wanted to do, more than achieve."

We have to stop telling people what we are going to do, what we have not yet accomplished, and tell them instead what we have accomplished. Only in this way can we be accountable for our actions. I am not accountable for achievements I have not yet reached, but I am what I have accomplished.

What steps are you going to take today to achieve?

Widely recognized, Founder and C.E.O. of 5 Star Productions Miles P. Yohnke brings over 25 years experience in the music industry, including many awards in sales and marketing. If you are looking at developing your career, I now offer consulting in person, or by phone or via email. Please call me direct at 306.227.6379 or email me at miles@5-starproductions.com for more details.

But I get to thinking that this so-called alternative station maybe isn't really so alternative in the sense that I'm hearing a lot of so-called new cool music bands like "Interpol" and "The Strokes", for example. Now these group's do have their own similiar sound, vocal phasing, instrumentation, and tonal quality so shouldn't we criticize them also? Are they not "trendy" bands also?

Gets me to thinking that there is a another story going on, it's our culture today. We have so much media (tv, radio, magazines) these days telling us how to think, what to like and not like. I find this very, very scary. Art and music has simply become in the most part fast food, garbage in garbage out, not much weight to it. It's market driven.

How do we change this? First people, artists, need to find themselves, find their own voice, their own sound. Try to create timeless art in the example of music. People like Nick Cave, Lucinda Williams, Johnny Cash to name a few that have created music that is timeless. The instrumentation for example isn't dated, it always sounds like today.

Be careful not to recycle music, art. It is about fresh thinking. If I played "The Chameleons" "Don't Fall" from 1983 and said to you it was new, cool music you would most likely believe me, because it sounds very much like this new "Interpol". The point is a lot of the music made in the last 10 years isn't really that new.

If one's art doesn't sell or doesn't get reviewed in the hip magazines does this make it unpopular, not important?? Our culture tells us so. So if this is the case would a film like "Buffalo '66" be not as good as say..."Speed", I mean, it made 300 million so it must be a good important film, right? In a 100 years people like Vincent Gallo will have a legacy, will Keanu Reeves??

One band that comes to mind when I think of a lasting legacy is Samuel the Black Shaman. Theirs is a new, fresh sound. Their live show is dynamic and played purely from the soul. I would best describe their stage show as artistically aggressive. I'm sure once you see them you will agree with me that they're a band you'll never forget. Is that success? Is that a legacy?

Here's the websites of a few artists that are not part of the latest trend, are not being hyped by the latest mag, and yet have a legacy all their own. Bambi Lee Savage, Meghan Mickelson, Vincent Gallo.

For artists questioning their importance in the market always remember Vincent Van Gogh. In his life he sold one painting, he couldn't give them away. Do we remember him?? Does he have a legacy??

As Dr Suess said "We can, we got to do better then this".

So next time you like something, ask yourself why?

Constantly ask, "What do they really want?" (with "they" being anyone you are trying to reach)

Think hard, and don't take this one lightly.

Thinking of everything from the other person's point of view is a seeeerious Jedi mind trick. If done right, it will elevate you into the clouds along with a few select immortal beings.

Every time you lift up the phone. Every time you write an Email. Every time you send out a presskit.

Think why people in the music industry are REALLY working this job. Try to imagine them as just a well-meaning human being who is probably overworked, looking for a little happiness in the world, and likes music (or the music world itself) enough to do what they do, even though they could be doing something else.

Think what their Email "IN" box must look like, and how it would be unwise for you to send them an email with the subject of "hey" followed by a 7-page Email detailing your wishes for success.

Think what people are REALLY looking for when they go out to a club to hear music. For some people, it's just a way to be seem to increase their popularity. For some, they're searching for some music that does something completely original and mind-blowing. Some are looking for total visual entertainment.

Nobody owes you their attention. Not your audience. Not a person you happened to call or Email. Not even the music industry.

Let go of your ego entirely. Think of everything from their point of view. Be their dream come true. Do what they really want.

(This even goes down to the smallest levels: what kind of phone message you leave, what kind of cover letter you write in a package, what kind of subject header you put in your email.)

And maybe, just maybe, they'll be or do exactly what you want.

Derek Sivers is the President of the highly successful online Independent music store, CD Baby - http://www.cdbaby.com. CD Baby's success is a direct result of Derek's determination to help Indie artists. One way in which he helps is by making sure that most of the money made from each CD sold goes directly to the artist.

Derek has also created cdbaby.net - http://www.cdbaby.net, which is a site full of free resources, tips, articles, advice, links, and "anything else we can possibly do to put the power in the hands of the independent musicans". Host Baby is a new project which makes websites available to artists at a low cost. You can reach Derek as well by email at: derek@cdbaby.com

Now once again it is time for me to remind artists such as yourself, not to focus on equipment or music related companies but on "consumer product based companies." It should be obvious that these companies are more valuable because their "audience" per se or customer base is basically everyone. So they have more money and are worth 10 times more money than a music product company whose audience is limited to only musicians.

Whenever I talk about this subject the inevitable first question is, "why would a company like that want to work with me?" Primarily because the television, radio and print advertising they are doing in specific markets is not yielding the results they want. Your audience consists of the demographics they are going after for a specific product and you can generate something more effective than their advertising campaigns. Personal interaction and the "word of mouth."

Let me give you an example. A clothing company can sell thousands or millions of items nationwide but have poor or limited sales in your home market. Since the advertising is not working the way they want, they need to build the "word of mouth" regarding the product. Your sales are based on "word of mouth" so you have the "control" over the potential customers they want! That's what they are looking for! To use your influence to get your fans to buy their product.

More products are sold by the word of mouth than advertising. Think about the last things you bought. Was it only based upon the advertising or a friend's recommendation. Especially when it comes to movies, books and music.

Companies become interested in you based upon their "perception" of you. This what we talked about in the January workshop and article. How to use the media to build your "perception".

So where do you start?

* Research. What products do you and your audience identify with? What do you know about the products and companies that make them? Who is your audience? How would you define and describe them?

* Once you have answered those questions, start small. Research what local companies or merchants you can connect with. Focus on the areas where you play and your audience lives.

* After you have researched the local opportunities then review the potential of national companies. Start by thinking about what products people talk about that are big somewhere else but not yet in your home market.

These are just a few ideas to get you started.

So what do I send these companies?

* Identify the key person at each company that will be your main contact. Usually start with the head of marketing and let them direct you. Then once you have identified which person is the right one, send them a modified version of your Artist Profile. Never send them a press kit! Remember, you always want to best represent yourself. Why send them a press kit when it symbolizes a "non-priority" artist. Is that how you want others to see you?

In your modified Artist Profile include a cover letter that defines your music, your audience, the product you associate with and your area of influence. Your objective is to set up a meeting where you can meet to discuss your specific marketing ideas and how it will benefit them. Never define or state how much money you are looking for up front. Do that in the meeting. The reason why is because you can sell yourself short. You wanted one amount when they would have been willing to give you twice as much. So they gave you the smaller amount because that is what you wanted.

The point of this article to is to get you thinking about not limiting your potential sponsorship search down to only the music related companies everyone starts with. Think past the back of your hand. Push yourself and your music to new levels.

Right now you are probably paying for stuff that you may not have to.

Don’t pay for future recording, CDs or CD samplers, T-shirts, equipment or even new cars or vans until you talk with sponsors. Take the money and spend it on something else that will be beneficial to you.

My various books and audio books will help you build the fan base, promotional materials, web site and attract the attention you want to get the kind of sponsorship deals you want. If need help mapping out your plan, putting together your modified Artist Profile or you want to attend one of my workshops in person or over the phone, visit my web site and email me. http://www.tsamusic.com

**If you are serious about your music and you want to do your music full time, plan of joining me at http://www.musicstrategies.com

** Bristol Voice Method specializes in teaching the Pop/R&B/Rock method. If you are curious and want to learn more about how they can help you sound like a pro and develop your own sound, just call Samantha for a FREE Voice Consultation. 617-247-8689 or email to. voice@bristolstudios.com

This is the important stuff; the dollars and cents for your future. The most frequently asked question, "How can I copyright the name of the band?" You can't. The band that uses the name the most has it. So, get busy.

COPYRIGHT OF A SONG

You've just written a song and you're excited, so excited that you want to protect your ownership, so you file a copyright. Call the Library of Congress: (202) 479-0700 to order the proper forms to fill out. Upon receipt of the forms, make copies for future use. Fill out the forms. Make sure you either type or print. It costs $20.00 for each song, or a compilation of your "works". Keep in mind when you file a compilation, it will be filed as a body of your works, not individual titles. Not very difficult, is it? Now, send your form along with a tape (something simple, just so the words and music are clear) to Washington, D.C. Make a copy of the form for your file. The form will be returned with a copyright number and date stamped on it. This is your ownership claim.

What's next? You've heard a lot of talk about ASCAP, BMI, SOCAN (Canada), PRS (England and other parts of the U.K.) without knowing their function. Well, they are referred to as Societies. They are set up to monitor radio/club/wherever your song may be performed. When your song shows up on their survey - zap! Royalties! How do you affiliate with them and which one should you affiliate with? Contact them and they will be more than glad to send you application forms with everything you want to know. Here are the telephone numbers for their membership offices: (Be sure to ask for the Membership Office).

Membership Offices:

ASCAP
(212) 595-3050 (New York)
http://www.ascap.com/

BMI
(212) 586-2000 (New York)
http://www.bmi.com/home.asp

SOCAN
(416) 445-8700, (Toronto)
Toll Free 1-800-557-6226
http://www.socan.ca

There are district offices throughout the United States & Canada however, the above numbers are the direct offices (headquarters) and with the best people who will help you get started.

You work and slave over a hot console, you tell your significant other that you'll be home by midnight, it's 2 am, and you proudly head out to the car with your cassette or cd, and then, POOF! Where'd the guitars go? How come it sounds dull? Why is the vocal thin? You go back in the studio, you plug in two more sets of speakers, and on each system, it sounds different. You are stressed out in the Twilight Zone experiencing Studio Monitor Madness....

You put a Kleenex over the tweeter of the white-coned ones, the big ones mounted in the walls make your ears bleed, the cool powered-ones have great low end if you're sitting back in the corner of the control room...it just goes on...

Let's start with the basics. In a mixdown, the sound travels down two paths. (1) is the electronic path to the mixdown machine. The other (2) is the acoustic path to your ears. The treatment you apply to the mixdown path is determined by what you hear via the acoustic path. The mistake is when we think the two paths are one-in-the-same. They're not.

The speakers are in a tonal enclosure, the mixdown machine gets a direct signal. The speakers are in a second enclosure, namely the control room. The control room enclosure has numerous surfaces around them (console, rental gear, couches, walls, windows, engineer's head, etc.) With a high-sound pressure level (spl) mix, your ears may start to lose high end after a while, but the mixdown machine continues to get direct sound down the wires. No reflections. No Kleenex. No bleeding.

The studio environment is vastly different from the home environment. But shouldn't those cool wall-mounted speakers be great? First of all, how many people do you know with home systems where the speakers are mounted in the wall? But the monitors I bought have "flat" specs! Yes but they are tested "flat" in anechoic chambers. How many people do you know listen to music in an anechoic chamber? But the studio hired Ed Gearmax to "tune" the room! And how many people have bass trapping, rpg panels, compression ceilings and such in their homes? No wonder it's such a common practice to take mixes out on a cassette and listen in the CAR! Everyone has a car (well, almost everyone)!

Bottom line: If your mixes sound bottom-heavy in the real world, your monitors don't have enough bottom. If your mixes are dull at home or in the car, your monitors are too bright. The monitors are adding highs to the sound which then are not added in the mixdown path.

If your mixes are lacking punch, you're mixing on overly-punchy monitors (like the ones in the walls - which are no longer "flat" because they're mounted in non-factory designed enclosures). If the vocals or middle instruments sound thin in the car, there's probably a "bump" in the lower midrange in your speakers. If the panning seems different or you're just having a hard time "seeing" your exact sound field, there's probably some reflections off the board or other gear that's blurring your monitor imaging. But there's more.

Power amplifiers, speaker cable and monitor preamplifiers are significant in accurate monitor sound. "But my power amp is flat from 20 to 20K." You have to use your ears when judging a power amp. They're all "flat", but some are dull sounding, some are harsh sounding, some are mushy sounding, some collapse the image, etc. I generally do not recommend typical studio power amps. I prefer audiophile gear from one of those expensive home-theatre audio-fanatic stores. Stereophile Magazine is a good place to start getting info.

Monitor preamplifiers (usually chips located inside your console) are another critical point. When I got my Inward Connection Discrete Switching Matrix, I about flipped when I heard the difference compared to my Hafler pre-amp. Hafler is no sleazy company, folks, but the difference between chips and discrete circuitry is astounding. One of the primary things I heard was that the image was wider,and the front-to-back depth increased dramatically. This is caused by the phase of each channel being very very in sync compared to before.

Think about it. If the mid to high frequencies positioned in the center of your mix (like on vocals, kic drum, etc.) are not perfectly in phase, what happens? The image is smeared or rendered less precise. The subtle stuff like real room sound loses the exactness of the locations of the room reflections, and the image collapses slightly. And chips can sound anywhere from dull to harsh.

Some chips are pretty good, but nothing compares to discrete (individual) components for smooth, even, revealing sound. To change this in your board will require a tech getting in there to do a mod, or patching out of your stereo buss into an outboard monitor pre-amp matrix. What kind of pre-amp should you get? Again, a stereophile store, or your favorite gear mart that sells discrete pre's.

What to do about it.

Aside from getting all new gear, there are things you can do now with what you have:

€ Separate your speakers from whatever platform they are now sitting on. Whether on floor stands or sitting on your console, go to your local fish store or craft store and buy a $5.00 bag of those flattened out glass marbles that are made to put in fish tanks (or made to add weight to flower vases). Any color.... Set 3 of them flat-side-up where your speakers normally sit, then put your speakers back on top of the marbles. This will raise them up about a half inch, and it will help isolate them from transferring vibration into the surface they were just sitting on.

When your speaker cabinets are sitting on something, part of their energy is dissipated into whatever they are coupled (or connected) to. The energy that is vibrating that surface takes away from the potential energy and coherence of the speaker. When the speaker is de-coupled from the surface, all of its energy is focused into the projection of the waveform you're sending it. It's actually closer to the way it was originally designed and tested in the first place.

Better vibration isolators include actual stands that have concrete, granite and rubber sandwiched into a heavy platform that provides even better de-coupling. It's like focusing the audio "lens" you're listening through.

€ Next, get the best speaker wire and line wire (from your console to the power amp) that you can afford. It makes a huge difference in the accuracy of your system. I use both wire and vibration isolators from a company in L.A. called Exakte (310-536-6732) and you just tell them what length you need and they quote you a price (it's affordable and better sounding compared to some other high-end wire). I recommend their speaker stands and studio wire (especially their digital cables and audio cables... like from your console to your mixdown machine) - or you can get the MIT stuff at $1,500 a cable. (I'm not kidding, folks.... well... ok... the power chords are only $170 apiece.)

€ Now, set your console back from your monitors so the low end has a chance to develop. Low frequencies consist of longer waves, and at 3 feet from the speaker you are mostly hearing low bottom that is reflected back to you from the room. You will find that the bottom end changes in your room from place to place, so you'll need to do some CD listening tests as you move your mixing position.

Key: You will get a better sense of what's really happening in the bottom if you are in a place where the full spectrum of sound gets directly to you. Plus, people often listen to their home systems with more distance between them and the speakers. Adding distance will enhance your objectivity.

€ Listen to lots of cds in your control room. You want to really really like the sound of the hot-sounding commercial cds you're listening to so you can compare their sound with your sound. Years ago it was rare to see a turntable in a control room, and that was a mistake. Now days, people have cd players in their control rooms because of the convenience, and because cdrs are commonly the "cassette copy" of today. At the same volume level, compare your mixes to the 1/4 million-dollar productions. Do this even when your clients are there. I know. At first it might sound like the commercial cds sound better. But keep listening, and let your client chime in with ideas about what they hear. It takes guts to compare your studio with the biggies. Guess what? Your clients will respect your willingness to stand next to the giants. Your clients will respect your commitment to achieving a great standard for them.

Key: It's important that you notice that cds all sound quite different. Your system should reveal how different cds sound. Otherwise, what's happening is that there is a common element to your system that is masking the differences. This masking problem greatly contributes to studio monitor madness. Room reverberation (in all frequencies) adds to this masking.

€ Do some acoustic treatment to your control room. Here's a can of worms for ya. For starters, do not just put up a lot of carpet and foam on the walls. In the real world, there are a certain amount of reflections coming from walls and tables and stuff. People don't live in rooms with carpeted walls... usually.

What you don't want is high end slap-back in the room. Diffuse the high end either with some pro-gear-store diffusers or something simple like 1"-wide wood protruding from the walls at varying distances. One person I knew had his fireplace behind his speakers system, and the solid, yet diffused sound was fantastic. Also, use some soft materials like carpet around the room too - just don't get things too dead sounding. (Here's a peek at my old control room.)

Fuzzy stuff only attenuates highs, and does nothing to treat the low end build up (and it does nothing to keep the low end from visiting your next door neighbor, either). Parallel walls reflect the sound back and forth like mirrors reflect light. Face two mirrors toward each other with a light bulb in the middle, and look how many light bulbs you'll see! The same things happens with low-mid to low frequencies between parallel walls. The sound reflects and builds up creating sound that arrives at your ears that doesn't exist on tape (...er, on your hard drives...)

€ Low frequencies must be changed into heat. Since low end has so much more energy to it, you must actually give it something to vibrate in order to "trap" or "absorb" it. Mounting 4-foot-by-8-foot (or 2' X 4') open-ended panels of 1/4" or 1/2" plywood in corners at an angle can help control the lows. Put lots of fiberglass or other fuzzy stuff (like used carpet padding) behind the wood. Hopefully somebody's dog didn't relieve itself on the carpet (and padding) you're about to put back there...

Low frequencies cause the wood to move when it vibrates. The motion causes the molecules in the wood to get hotter (think physics.com), and so the sound energy is converted into heat energy. Thus the lows don't continue to reflect, and this tightens up the sound in your room. You can use anything that vibrates - cardboard boxes (like the ones your rack gear comes in); 12" diameter pressed Quick-Tube building forms are available in those big home improvement warehouse stores (stuffed with insulation or carpet padding); all the way to expensive trap systems.

As far as isolating one room from another, the only thing that keeps lows from bleeding into places you don't want... is density - like drywall, plywood, backer board. Low end goes right through carpet or foam rubber. Isoloation is only as good as how dense and how air tight a wall is made - a crack or separation in the wall lets in as much sound as the entire wall does. Putting fuzzy stuff on a door does nothing to keep the low end from going into the next room. Solid core doors that seal around the edges is more like it. Air tight is sound tight.

The way to gauge your room is to listen to a lot of cds, and get the system so that you hear lows, highs, mids... all differently on different cds. My list of commercial cds givers you an idea of the range of music I listen to when tuning my room.

€ Spend some time at an audiophile store listening to high-end full-range speakers. Then go to your favorite pro-sound gear store and listen to what they have. Then... go back to the audiophile store. Get a sense of the clarity, definition, realism, warmth, smoothness and presence in a fine home speaker system. Take your mixes along on cdr and compare. You'll find it very eye-opening. It's important to audition lots of systems, so you can gauge their differences.

If you just want to stick to the basics, make sure you have a subwoofer. Once I did a mixdown at a semipro studio, and I immediately found that there was no low end. The studio owner had nothing to offer other than some old JBL 4311's and some funky close-up speakers. I postponed the session till I could bring in some mid-sized audiophile speakers. He didn't have access to subwoofers, so what I did was to take his 4311's and set them on the ground face down on the floor (plugged in along with the audiophile speakers).

I listened to my favorite cds (as well as some in the same category of the music I was mixing) and I gradually... inch by inch... lowered the 4311's till the bottom coming out of them balanced the other speakers. How far were the 4311's off the ground? The distance of the thin side of a cassette box... placed under one edge of each 4311! This may seem funky, but it worked, and in mastering, it was one of the client's favorite mixes needing very little in the way of eq.

Your product can sound great. It takes time and effort and a willingness to try, try, and try again. When you cut tracks, listen to commercial cds. When you mix, listen to cds. When you book your mastering session, bring along cds that you feel sound the best, so that you can convey what your preferences are. Ask questions - find out what's possible - get the best you can afford. Even if your monitors aren't the best money can buy, expert mastering is a powerful tool to bring out the best in your mixes.

The greatest problem with the music business today is not with the inability of record company executives to have creative thoughts when it comes to marketing and developing a new artist (most never have any), its the artists who lack the basic knowledge of how to direct and develop their own careers. To make matters worse, when some artists figure out that their future success has to be developed starting with them, they seek help from people who are "flash in the pan gurus" who lead them back to the same philosophies they are trying escape from. Despite the fact of knowing that what they where just doing didn¹t work, some artists seek out these new "authorities" on the industry. To make matters worse, most of these new "experts" which have little to no real experience in fully developing an artist, (or have spent the last 5 years as a radio-only promo guy, "actually a college radio tracking rep" for a major label) preach to them that they helped build the career of some currently "hot" major label artist by doing the same old strategy, but with a new ³twist². While the new super-star artists they seemed to work with at the major quietly disappear over the next 3 years (due to a lack of material and proper marketing foundation), this great guy attaches himself to almost any artist with any remote talent.

Unfortunately, this is what is dragging our industry backwards at a great pace. Even though the media is often paid off to write great stories about how we are making more money then even before (because the CD prices are higher), artists claiming to have tremendous results from the internet (I still haven¹t seen an independent artist prove to me they have sold 10,000 copies through internet marketing only), and radio¹s great impact on record buyers (sure for the 10 artists whose songs are being played every stinking hour), it still comes down to the artist lack of knowledge about what they are doing in the music business and how to market their product.

One simple fact remains, without a proper marketing plan, designed in 3 month segments, with the correct structure and foundation design, your music career isn¹t going to last 10 years like you want it to. If you don¹t know how to design a proper marketing plan, contact me and I will teach you how. If you do know how to put together a proper one, then go do it! After all, it's only your career you're dealing with. Or better yet, let me leave you with this thought from an artist in Detroit who came to my workshop, and after learning that he has to spend time developing a plan of action and not just play shows, his famous quote, "If my music career doesn¹t work out, the Post Office is always hiring."

*** Extra note from Tim Sweeney. Tim Sweeney & Associates.
Did You Know...That the average major label artist only makes 54 cents per CD sold after they have sold over 175,000 CDs. Unfortunately the average major label artist doesn’t even sell 1,000 CDs nationwide (even after radio, press and touring). The average independent artist makes $8.50 on every CD sold.

At Music Strategies we are going to teach you how to sell your first 10,000 CDs without leaving your home market!
For more information, click here http://www.musicstrategies.com

You can learn more about Tim Sweeney, TSA and his International Best Selling books, Tim Sweeney's Guide To Releasing Independent Records, Tim Sweeney's Guide To Successfully Playing Live and Tim Sweeney's Guide To Succeeding At Music Conventions by visiting his website at: http://www.tsamusic.com

I can start by saying it's not for everyone. If you can't hold your own, don't bother playing. You have to be able to literally play with the boys, but still be accessible to your female audience. Bottom line, you have to be attractive for the guys, approachable for the girls. Now, also being the front women, you are the focus for criticism, praise and even stalkers if you're popular enough. When playing gigs, the funniest thing you will come upon is introducing yourself. When you meet the sound guy (99% of the time a man) he will look somewhat confused when you say you're in’ the band, not with’ the band. When you meet the other bands they will look even more astonished. They will have that Oh, I thought you were one of the girlfriends?’ look in their eyes. But pay no attention. When doing sound check, you could possibly be termed difficult or a bitch because you want a little bit more vocals in your monitor. But, your guitarist will be deemed a perfectionist because he can't hear enough bass in his. You will have to get dressed in dirty bathrooms, and put your make-up on in change rooms that a hobo wouldn't even sleep in. While your male band mates, will just throw a shirt and pants on before they jump on stage. Don't think of meeting a possible boyfriend at any of your shows because after you have played, guys are usually too intimidated to approach you anyway. You won't be able to pull the car/tour bus over for you to go to the bathroom, as it is so easily done for the boys. And you won't be able to mingle in the crowd before the show as your male band mates do, because everyone is suppose to wait to see you. Oh yes, It is a very different rock & roll world for a girl.

Now, after saying that, it most definitely has its good qualities. All the guys in your band treat you like a sister; therefore they are very protective of you. Which is sometimes nice, but other times very difficult when introducing a prospective boyfriend. You do get to call the shots, because lets face it, guys hate confrontations, and girls aren't afraid of them. It can feel nice once in a while being the only women in a room full of men. Other girls tend to look up to you because they think, Wow, she's the only chick in a rock band. You tend to swear a lot more then you are used too, and are a little cruder when you're hanging out with the boys. Which is not necessarily a good thing, but sometimes really fun.

There are many ups and downs in the music business and being a woman just makes it even more interesting.

Jennifer Strype is the lead singer for the band Ariels Worm, for more information on the band, click here http://www.arielsworm.com

Sometimes I have to pinch myself and remind myself it isn't Kansas anymore-or wherever I came from way, way back, when I formed the belief that everyone shot straight from the hip, or at least straight.

Last week, one of my Advanced Class students said something which has bothered me ever since. It's not that I haven't heard it before-in fact, I've heard it much too often-but usually from business executives, and jaded ones at that.

The whole thing started when I commented that a number of songs on the radio recently have sounded quite a lot like another song called, "Old Time Rock & Roll." The student defended them with the statement that they were making money from these clones. I suggested that integrity might enter the picture somewhere (he was a new student, so I was more tactful than I might have been on his 4th week). To this he responded with the line in question, "Integrity doesn't pay the bills."

First of all, I can understand the attention a person might have on paying the bills, especially in this economy. But I feel it's such an incredibly dangerous viewpoint for an artist to have, I wanted to address it-or undress it-publicly. The student who said it is talented and bright, and I don't think he actually embraces this as a heartfelt philosophy. I think it was an offhanded remark. But since he said it, here goes.

Check out the definition of "integrity." It's not just honesty or incorruptibility. It's also "wholeness," "soundness." It's in the writer's nature to put things together to form a whole-and that's the main meaning of "integrate." I've observed many writers-colleagues, mentors, students-some hugely successful, some total unknowns. But one thing I've noticed is that the ones who are doing it because they love it and have something to express are generally the ones being successful at it. The ones who got into it to make money usually never did. It's sort of like a guy who takes a girl out just to go to bed with her and can't figure out why he never gets to.

It's not that you're getting punished for being mercenary, or anything else so linearly Puritan. It's simply that you're coming from the wrong place and that's where your attention will be-on the money, not on the music. You'll make decisions based on that; your passion will be centered somewhere away from the song. It's like trying to get turned on by the person you married for money. You've created your own prison.

Now somewhere, some songwriter is reading this who has made a lot of money with his/her art and he/you may be smiling. But think back to when you first started writing. Weren't you doing it for the love of the process, the heat of the communication, the thrill of the music? And when your attention is on writing "something that will sell," do you like what you come up with as well as you do when you write because you really want to say something or get that musical idea on tape?

I have heard my producer, Nik Venet, say that even though McDonald's may be the biggest restaurant chain, one would not ask to meet and compliment the chef there. Similarly, Citizen Kane never made its investment back, whereas Love Story made millions. But which one do we remember?

In my own experience, songs I wrote from that burning desire to communicate were always my most successful copyrights. And here I'm talking about songwriting-not assignment writing for films or records, because that's a whole different subject. They are commissioned anyway. I'm referring to those songs that are an extension of who you are as an artist-that you would perform yourself, proudly, if you sing.

"Integrity doesn't pay the bills" may be true. But neither does chasing trends, writing at the radio, ripping off other songs, and focusing on writing something that will make a lot of money. To make a lot of money, it has to sell a lot or be played a lot or both. That means lots of people have to hear it and buy it. That means it has to move people when they hear it. Now, if you think you're good enough to write something that's going to move all those people, while you've got your attention and your passion over there on your bank statement, be my guest. Give it a try. But your craft had better be unbelievably good to pull that one off. And between the time you start and the time your craft is THAT good, there's a lot of dues paying and songwriting you'll have to do. So you might just as well do it for the love of it. Maybe you'll even discover in the process that integrity has fewer bills to pay.

Harriet Schock is a multi-platinum songwriter/recording artist whose songs have been recorded my numerous artists, nominated for a Grammy and used in films. Her fourth, fifth and sixth CDs, "American Romance," "Rosebud" and "Harriet Schock Live" are in current release, as well as her book, BECOMING REMARKABLE, published by Blue Dolphin, from which this chapter was excerpted. As well as performing worldwide, she speaks, teaches and consults in person and via the internet. For further information about her book, cds, concerts or consultation, go to http://harrietschock.com/ or call (323)934-5691.

With that glassy look in their eyes, most artists respond, "because I want to get my CDs in all the stores across the country." Then I frustrate them by saying, "what if I could do that for you, what are you going to do to make them sell?"

Again inevitably the response is, "I'm going to play shows and tell my mailing list and then probably mail out to college radio across the country." I respond, "so if you are only going to do that, why do you need your CDs in various record stores across the country ?" The usual response is, "because once they are in the store, people will buy them."

Guess what, as much as you would like him to, God doesn't watch over people shopping for CDs and spiritually guide them or smack them on the head, to your CD in the rack out of thousands of choices. People buy CDs they have heard of. Most importantly, they are more likely to buy them on impulse.

What does this have to do with you? Everything! Especially the fourth quarter of the year. The quarter when most CDs are sold and the stores have no credit available with distributors. Why is this important? Because when the stores have little or no credit available, they only want to order what will sell fast. Not CDs that will hopefully sell 2 or 3 copies per month.

So with the stores coming into the time of the year when they ignore independent CDs, what do you do? Consignment!

The simplest, oldest and fastest way to get paid, form of distribution in our industry. How does it work? Simple. A store takes 5 of your CDs and places them on the shelves. When they sell, they pay you your percentage. If they don't sell, the store doesn't have to pay you. In a distribution relationship, the store has to pay the distributor in 60 days for the CD they have ordered. In most cases, they are paying for the CD before it sells!

With consignment, there's no waiting for 6 months for your distributor to send you a check for 20% of what they owe you. You stop by the store, check how many they have in the bins and most stores will pay you cash right then and there for what you have sold.

In a time when the stores are betting their money or credit on already successful "boy bands" and not on you, use consignment to yours (and the store's) advantage.

By the way. You don't need your CDs in all stores across the country. Live shows and the word of mouth generated by the promotion of the shows are 75% of all your sales (and aren't you going to sell your CDs at your shows?). Commercial radio airplay for an independent artist is only 9% and college radio airplay is less than 1% of your sales.

The big question is, are you really going to tour the country every month to play shows for 20 people in clubs 3,000 miles away, just because a college station in a corn field is playing it? Especially for no money?

Then use consignment first and become successful in your home market, home state and the neighboring markets you can reach on a monthly basis. After you have sold 10,000 copies in each market, consider expanding outward.

You can learn more about Tim Sweeney, TSA and his International Best Selling books, Tim Sweeney's Guide To Releasing Independent Records, Tim Sweeney's Guide To Successfully Playing Live and Tim Sweeney's Guide To Succeeding At Music Conventions by visiting his website at: http://www.tsamusic.com

And, as such, ask yourself this question..."Why should any prospective buyer of any product need to be informed, or worse, need to *inquire* as to what type of product it is that they are considering purchasing?

Then, closer to home, so to speak, as a musician, music performer and/or recording artist, ask yourself why a potential music fan or buyer of *YOUR* music should be required to ask what type of music *YOUR* CD is?

To answer the above question, "Who can judge a book by its cover," (though I am also a Fiction writer and have a novel to my credit) I am not sure that readers actually judge books by covers. I believe that readers, alternatively, tend to judge a book by the pages of content within a book.

Judgment of a book's cover is fairly much held in reserve specifically by people *inside* the book industry, i.e., book review editors, book distributors, book wholesalers, book store retailers, librarians, etc.

I *do* know, however, that music buyers who have not yet had their psyche pre-empted by songs on radio, and are casually shopping for new music, for the most part, judge CD covers initially by the visual presentation that the artist makes on the cover, in relation to the type of music likely to be on the CD inside.

Actually books, music, and most other products are, indeed, "judged by their covers" most of the time. And, speaking of "judgment," this goes double for "people-judging."

Veering off track for a moment here, if you don't believe so, on how many occasions have you looked at an individual only briefly, and knowing nothing about them, instantly formed an opinion about that person based on his or her appearance, particularly, the length of their hair, the clothes they wore, how they spoke, the type of vehicle they drove, the neighborhood they lived in, and so on, and so on...?

If everyone will be honest with himself or herself, we will all admit that we have all done this on, at least, one occasion (I readily recall during the 1960's and 1970's when most young people who, either sported mile-high Afros, or hip-length hairdos, were surely destined for Hell, according to some of the older adults).

But, concurrently, how shocked were you during some occasions after having prejudged someone, to discover or realize that the appearance of that individual had absolutely nothing to do with your presuppositions? Remember that weird sensation you got upon discovering how wrongful and ill-gotten your perception was?

Notwithstanding, we can attribute all of these judgment calls to our perception being based on physical and/or visual "imagery," with our expectations being based on past experience.

And, so it is with music...

In music stores, while casually shopping, the general process is that potential customers first [see] a CD that catches their eyes before they [hear] a CD that catches their ears. If it, visually, appears to be something they might be interested in, they then approach the counter person and request to hear what the music sounds like.

Now, how do you think that individual feels when, upon hearing this music, realizes their perceptions are wrong? You're right......they probably feel misled. And, where did this misleading originate? Well, it originated at the point where you, erroneously, paid very little, if any, attention to your product's [visual] appeal.

I recall an example of gross mis-marketing occurring several years ago when an independent producer, who decided to self-release his first artist (a 3-man RnB vocal group), mis-marketed the group by having the group dress for the CD cover shoot in attire that visually misrepresented the group as a Rap act.

This could not have been farther from the truth, for the act had great singers. However, one member was even dressed in a tank top, and all members wore combat boots, with yet another member having his boots untied! In fact, if this CD cover could speak, the first words from its mouth might be..."Drop down and give me 50, soldier! Do it now, before you're older!"

Since people, who are connoisseurs of music, generally, tend to assume that the type of music an artist performs is represented by the way the artist appears on the cover of the CD, based on this particular group's CD cover, most prospective buyers viewed this group as a Rap act, based on historical imagery. This was without ever hearing the music. Needless to say, the project failed miserably.

My advice to all prospective recording artists with upcoming releases is, once you have completed the mastering phase of your recording process, take a week or so to strongly consider the title of your CD before rushing to do anything else. Use this time to come up with a really good concept...a combination of your title and matching background imagery.

Then, attempt to present that final result visually so that a connection can immediately be made with your music by virtually anyone, whether that person is a music buyer, music editor, radio music director or programmer, distributor or club booker.

When I was working as an independent record promoter and press publicist, I would receive CDs for representation in one form or the other, with many of the covers depicting an artist who usually simply posed for a photographer with a guitar in hand.

At one point, there were so many guitar covers, that I wondered if this was either some new fad, or the silent boycott of all other instruments. On one cover, an artist was even kissing the neck of his guitar! (don't ask...I didn't).

Must I say it? Certainly, I must...(((((BORING)))))

So, unless you want to be perceived as visually boring and unappealing, purposely, before manufacturing your cover, again, reexamine the complete concept of your recording, starting with your title. Then, attempt to present your title "visually."

For example...

1: If your CD title is, "Rainbows and Waterfalls," then, by gosh, stick a picture of a rainbow suspended over a waterfall on as the cover.

2: If your CD title is "Deliverance," how about a mail truck and a mailbox in the photograph? Corny? Yeah, I thought so too, well......let's try this one instead...

3. How about a postman leaving the scene in the background of the shot, while the artist in the foreground is, obviously, emotionally distraught after having read a letter that he is blankly staring at? Still corny, but a little better and more acceptable?

Yeah, I even felt a teardrop form in my left eye after coming up with this one. With a good night's rest, I can probably come up with some award winners.

But, you get the picture (no pun intended), right? Then, after you have successfully arrived at a great matching visual result, duplicate this effort with each subsequent release.

Kenny Love...a not-so-tall Tequila-drinking Texan who has, obviously, spent far too much time brain-baking in the Texas sun without a hat, is also an internationally syndicated Writer/Author, as well as the Director of Marketing for Houston - based MoJamz Records http://www.mojamzrecords.com - kenlove@txucom.net

Now add in all of the sexiest women in your town. Long heels, short skirts, and booty for days. Some of the ladies are even walking around with no shirts on! Sounds like a tight video doesn't it! Can you believe that brotha's get paid to do stuff like this?

Only one problem! Can you believe that after all this the first thing a brotha would do is thank GOD! What does God have to do with it. I don't see anything honoring God! Wait a minute, a lot of the brotha's are wearing crosses on their chains. They are wearing crosses, but they are smoking weed and calling women out of their names. I'm confused! Some of these guys talk about killing people in their songs, and still have the nerve to thank GOD! Am I the only one who can see something is wrong here. Maybe I'm just crazy!

Are we really thanking GOD, or is it just cool to say it!
-TonyWHOA!

For more information on Tony WHOA! please visit his website at:
http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/whoatony

1. Barbie's full name is Barbara Milicent Roberts.
2. It is impossible to lick your elbow.
3. A crocodile can't stick its tongue out
4. A shrimp's heart is in their head.
5. People say "Bless you" when you sneeze because when you sneeze, you're heart stops for a mili-second.
6. In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years,no one reported a single case where an ostrich buried its head in the sand (or attempted to do so).
7. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.
8. A pregnant goldfish is called a twit
9. Between 1937 and 1945 Heinz produced a version of Alphabetti Spaghetti specially for the German market that consisted solely of little pasta swastikas.
10. By law, every child in Belgium must take harmonica lessons at Primary school.
11. On average, a human being will have sex more than 3,000 times and spend two weeks kissing in their lifetime.
12. More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.
13. Rats and horses can't vomit.
14. The "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.
15. If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die. If you keep your eyes open by force, they will pop out.
16. Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over million descendants.
17. Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
18. If the government has no knowledge of aliens, then why does Title14, Section 1211 of the Code of Federal Regulations,implemented on July 16,1969, make it illegal for U.S. citizens to have any contact with extraterrestrials or their vehicles?
19. In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.
20. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.
21. Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.
22. A duck's quack doesn't echo anywhere, and no one knows why.
23. 23% of all photocopier faults worldwide are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their buttocks.
24. In the course of an average lifetime you will, while sleeping, eat 70 assorted insects and 10 spiders.
25. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
26. Cat's urine glows under a black light.
27. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.

SO WHAT DID YA THINK?? DID YA TRY TO LICK YOUR ELBOW??

HOW TO BE YOUR OWN PUBLICIST - PART THREE
by Ariel Hyatt, Ariel Publicity
© 2001 All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission
http://www.arielpubicity.com

Getting Your Press Materials Out There

So, you have a press kit together, now what? Try to start planning PR for any tour 6-8 weeks before you hit the road. As soon as a gig is booked, ask the promoter for the club's press list (most clubs have one). This is a list of all of the publications in the area that write about music. Promoters are dependent on this local press to help sell tickets. Have the list faxed or e-mailed to you. Don't be shy -- you are working with the promoter to make the show happen and promoters love it when the show is well publicized. Also be sure to ask the promoter who his or her favorite writers are and which ones will like your style of music. Then, when you call those writers, don't be afraid to say which promoter recommended them and invite them to the show.

I was the the PR director for The Fox Theatre in Boulder, Colorado for five years and the bands who get the biggest push from me were the ones who cared about their PR and who kept in touch with me before they were coming to town.

If the local promoter has a publicist, let that publicist do his job. This person lives where you only visit a few times a year. He will pay for the postage and send the press kits.

Pack everything up and mail it to the promoters. Make sure you ask the promoters how many posters they would like and send them along with the press kits. After a few days, call to verify that the materials were received.

If you can't afford to send kits to everyone, ask the promoters in each area which three or four writers would most likely cover a band that plays your style of music. Also, ask the promoters where the clubs run strip ads -- these ads will be in the papers that cover music and inform people in the area about club happenings.

If you are servicing press yourself, and the club does not have a press list, pick up these invaluable guides: The Musician's Atlas, $19.95, (Tel: 973.509.9898) or The Musician's Guide To Touring, $10.95, (Tel: 800.407.6874). Both of these guides are packed with a wealth of information on publicity outlets across the country as well as venues, record stores, labels, etc. I have spotted both guides in music stores, Barnes & Noble, and at record shops.

I recommend sending materials 4-6 weeks prior to the gig. Beware of monthly publications -- if you are not at least six weeks out, don't bother sending to them.

CALL THE WRITERS

Most of the time you will be leaving messages on voice mail. Be polite, get right to the point, and be brief!! 9 times out of 10 writers will not call you back.

PERSEVERE

If you are a totally new band and you are worried because a paper did not cover you the first time around, keep sending that paper information every time you play in the area. I have never met a writer that ignores several press kits from the same band sent over and over again. It may take a few passes through in each market, but the more a writer sees over time, the more likely he will be to write about you.

DON'T LET ALL THAT VOICEMAIL DISCOURAGE YOU

I have placed hundreds of articles, mentions, and photos without ever speaking to the writer. Writers usually respond much better to e-mail -- it's free for them and does not take too long to respond to. If you are sending e-mail follow-ups, put a link to your site, or the club's site if you don't have one. You can also send a sound clip if you have the capability.

Important Note: Don't bother sending out materials a few days before the gig. Writers are usually way past their deadlines by then and they won't be able to place your band.

POSTERS

Posters are a great form of PR and they don't have to cost you a fortune. The most cost-effective way to make posters is to buy 11x17 colored paper from your local paper store (approx. $7 per ream of 500) and run off copies at the copy shop (approx. 7 cents each). Make several white copies and include these with your colored posters -- this way the promoter can make extras, if needed. For higher quality posters, I recommend a copy process called docutech. These cost a penny or so more apiece, but they are computer-generated and look better than regular copies. Have whomever designed your poster also design small lay-ups to send out as fliers and ad-mats. Make sure your logo is included on them so the promoter can use them for strip or display advertising.

HAVE PATIENCE

The first few times you play a market, you may not get any press. PR is a slow moving vehicle that can take time to get results. I have worked with some bands that have needed to go through a market 3-4 times before any results started showing up in the press.

When sending materials on repeated occasions, include a refresher blurb to remind the writer of your style. ALWAYS include the following information: date, show time, ages, ticket price, club name and address, time, and who is on the bill. Don't make writers hunt around for the event info. Make their job as easy as possible by providing as much information as possible.

Also keep in mind that some writers will probably not write about you over and over again. If you hit the same markets continually, try to lay off the press who have already written about you -- a great tactic is to change your photo every few months and write "New Band Photo" on the outside of the envelope so writers know they have something new to work with.

FIELD STAFF

Try to enroll a fan to be on your field staff in each market you visit. In exchange for a few tickets to your show, have this person put up posters, hand out fliers, and talk to the college newspaper about writing a feature or the local radio station about spinning your CD.

To get a field staff started, include a sign up column on your mailing list and on your web site. If they sign up, they are the people for you! With a bit of planning and focus, you can spin your own publicity wheel. All it takes is foresight and organization. A band who plans well is a band that receives the most PR.

YOUR WEBSITE

If you don't already have one -- get on it!! Websites can be easy and inexpensive to design -- you can buy software that can take you through it step by step. Better yet, have a friend or a fan help you design a site. Your site should include your upcoming tour dates, as most people will visit it to find out when you are coming through town. Another great place to post all of your dates is tourdates.com -- it is FREE and you can also put your bio and photo up as well. More advanced sites include merch as well as CD sales. This is a great idea if you are at the point where you're selling a lot of merch. If you are not there yet, at least link your site to a place where fans can order your CD.

Happy Publicizing and Good Luck!!

(if you are playing in New York City, please let us know).

Ariel Hyatt is the President of Ariel Publicity, Artist Relations, and Cyber Promotions, in NYC. For the past five years she has worked closely publicizing a diverse family of touring and developing indie bands including Sally Taylor, Leftover Salmon, K-Floor, The Stone Coyotes, Soulhat, Fathead, and devon. http://www.arielpublicity.com

Try some of these antidotes:

1. Use only one A/C "breaker" line for your workspace no shared appliances (ie: refrigerator, washer/dryer, dishwasher).

2. Do not "daisy-chain" power strips, one after another. Use only one power strip per A/C wall outlet.

3. Positively NO flourescent lights in your workspace.

4. Separate A/C chords at least 8 inches from audio chords. At the very least, run them at (criss-cross) 90-degree angles.

5. Move power amps as far away as possible; into the next room if you can.

6. Be prepared to use "ground lifters" (3-into-2 A/C adapters). If you have buzz when you power-up and plug-in any piece of gear, then lift the ground on that one!

7. Lastly, unplug everything except your monitor system. Plug in each piece of equipment one-by-one, while listening carefully for hum/buzz/noise. If you hear it, then consider moving that piece of gear away from the others.

Happy hunting . . .

Reprinted with permission from Recording Connection: an established music industry school where students train for careers as professional recording engineers. 2001 Career Connection Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.recordingconnection.com

The CD artwork, like the press kit, must be well thought out. You should customize your press kits so that they look in sync with your CD. This way when a writer opens up a package the press kit and the CD look like they go together. Also, put your phone number and contact info in the CD so if it gets separated from the press kit, the writer knows how to contact you.

I asked Eric Rosen, the VP of Radical Records, how he oversees the development of product. He had a few things to say about stickering CD's (placing an extra sticker on the cover to spark the interest of a writer).

"If you are going to sticker your product, be unique in the way you present it -- try to be clever about it -- plain white stickers are boring." He went on to say that "Recommended Tracks" stickers are great for the press (suggesting no more than two or three selections).

Eric does not think that stickers are too advantageous in CD stores, because then "You are just covering up your artwork."

Don't waste precious CD's! Keep in mind that 500 new CD's come out every week in the United States. Unless you are sure a writer actually writes CD reviews (many are not given the space to run them) don't waste your hard-earned dollars sending that writer a CD. Again, ask the promoter which writers like to receive CD's for review and which ones don't need them.

Q. What do writers like ?
A. Silke Tudor: "When people personalize things and use casual words. If an envelope is hand-addressed, I will notice it right away and I always open things that people put together themselves. Hand-written stuff gets read first. . .The bands that do PR for themselves are the ones that stand out for me"

A. Mike Roberts: "Include the name, show date, time, ticket price, place, and who you are playing with. . .If I don't see the contact number I have 69 other kits to get to."

Q. What do writers hate ?
A. Jae Kim: "I hate those padded envelopes that get gray flaky stuff all over you -- I feel like it's asbestos." She also dislikes "When I get a package with glitter or confetti in it -- it gets all over my desk." "I [also] don't like Q & A sheets" -- She prefers to come up with questions herself rather than receive answers prefabricated for her and spoon-fed.

A. Silke Tudor similarly reports: "I never open anything over my computer."

A. Mike Roberts: "I don't have much interest in gimmicks like hard candy. If I tried to eat it, it might kill me. Also you can't expect a writer to shove something in the paper at the last minute. Please give as much lead time as possible."

Q. What do writers throw in the garbage immediately?
A. Mike Roberts: "Anything past deadline."

A. Jae Kim: "Pictures of women's butts or profanity that is degrading to women."

A. Silke Tudor: "If I already know the band and I know that I don't like it."

Ariel Hyatt is the President of Ariel Publicity, Artist Relations, and Cyber Promotions, in NYC. For the past five years she has worked closely publicizing a diverse family of touring and developing indie bands including Sally Taylor, Leftover Salmon, K-Floor, The Stone Coyotes, Soulhat, Fathead, and devon. http://www.arielpublicity.com

* "Always put your mind in gear before you put your mouth in motion."

* "It's not what you say as much as how you say it."

* "If you say nothing, people will think you don't know anything; but as soon as you open your mouth, they will know it!"

The point is that there is a time and a place for bringing up most any topic. Try to be sensitive to that! As engineers, we need to recognize the difference in the job descriptions between us and producers. Try not to have too many opinions that are at odds with the producer. Things will go more smoothly.

Reprinted with permission from Recording Connection: an established music industry school where students train for careers as professional recording engineers. 2001 Career Connection Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.recordingconnection.com

Answer:
This is always an interesting question. It really comes down to how well the performance communicates. That can be in the feeling the recording produces in the listener, the quality of the performance, the lyrical content. Obviously the better the recording the more an excellent performance will be captured in all its nuances. However, some bands have been signed with just a boombox recording of a kick-ass show! Additionally what labels consider important changes through time. Nowadays many want to see local following and independent sales.

SO HOW DO WE MAKE OUR DREAM BECOME REALITY?
by Janet Fisher, Goodnight Kiss Music
© 2001, All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission

DEFINE THE DREAM
What is it you are actually trying to do? Be the world's best writer? Become a megastar performer? Lead the church choir? Own a record label that records other acts?

You would not believe how many writer/artists come to me, saying they just want to do "something" in the Music Industry. Sorry, you have to specialize a bit more than that!

Sit down with paper and pen. Define EXACTLY what it is in your heart that you dream of. (Hint, the bigger the dream, the harder to achieve...but as long as you are prepared to give what it takes, you'll find a place in the scheme of things.)

By the way, I have to do this, because I get sidetracked by wanting to do too many things. I constantly have to reassess projects and schedules... just part of business in a busy, busy world.

RESEARCH THE DREAM
Let's say you decided that you want to be a great writer, who is successfully cut on the charts, and makes a lot of money. Do you know what the real charts are? Who's on them currently? What labels are consistently charted? The styles of the top ten successes in the last two years?

Do you know what the actual elements of a great standard song are? Can you name the top sellers of all time in your genre? The top sellers of the current year? And do you know why they attained success? Do you hone your skills and knowledge whenever you have a chance?

Can you make the presentation of your art a commercial reality? Not just WILL you, CAN you?

PRACTICE THE DREAM
Go do 150 sit ups without practice. Go write a great song without practice. You have to practice (i.e., actually write) everyday, just like you would with any improvement program. If the newest song you are showing is old, you are not competing as a writer.

REWRITE THE DREAM
If something doesn't go the exact direction you thought it should have, rewrite the situation. If it's the song that has flaws, rewrite it until they are gone. If it's the voice, get some training.

If it's the gig, create one that works for you. (When I was playing gigs in KCMO, I went to the Plaza, to nice places that DIDN'T have entertainment. I'd offer the owner a free evening of music, if he liked it, I'd work X amount of weekends for X amount per night. I almost always got the gig, partly because I was prepared, partly because few can resist something for nothing and not sense some obligatory return. (Most wanted entertainment, but had no idea they could afford it. For me, it was a way to go.)

If you find that you thought you wanted the big dream, but then you realize that your dream didn't include all the nonsense that goes along with one of those in exchange for your "other dream(s)", (perhaps your family or job?), it is TOTALLY alright to adapt your dreams to accommodate each other. Unfortunately, some dreams require 24 hour dedication to maintain. (Ask any professional who is a megastar in their field.)

PURSUE THE DREAM
Don't give up. That's the first thing ANYONE successful who is giving advice says, so it MUST be true.

(Ok, it's pretty logical that if you DO give up, your odds will go way down...) What I'm really saying is leave no stone unturned. Take advantage of all opportunities, work, work, work at it.

LIVE THE DREAM
Remember that each time you sing, play, write, perform, discuss, pitch, etc., you are creating a reality that supports your dream. Don't forget to applaud the little steps, as well as the big. You write a birthday song for your sister-in-law, and it makes her cry with your kindness. Your song is used in a campaign for adoption, and though it didn't earn a dime, it was perfect, and said so much to so many. A peer complemented your writing at a recent song pitch. You were the hit of the community musical. GOOD FOR YOU! It all matters.

All these things make us more professional, and give us the reasons for doing the work. They are as important as the royalties, and enrich our life of music. Don't overlook them.

APPRECIATE YOUR DREAM
Did you know that most of your little steps are someone else's big dream? Some people would give a great deal to have the opportunity to perform ONE kareaoke song in front of an audience... or have anyone use a song for any reason .... or play a great guitar lick... or own a computer... or you name it. Appreciate the skills and opportunities God has blessed you with that you might even have a dream.

Just my opinion.

RECORDING TIPS - THE DANGER OF EQ
by Lynn Allread
Berry Music Group
Kansas City, KS

Roger Nichols, famous for his work with Steely Dan, has a philosophy about recording tracks with EQ: "Don't." Here are some guidelines for controlling the use of EQ in the studio:

* Equalizers can be wonderful tools for the shaping and toning of sound. They can also be weapons of mass destruction. A little goes a long way!
* When you mike an acoustic instrument such as guitar, drums, or saxophone, listen to the instrument being played. Put your head in different places and where it sounds the best, put the mic. If you must apply some EQ, do it sparingly.
* The secret to using EQ is to take away what you have too much of, not add what you have too little of.

Hope this helps!

Reprinted with permission from Recording Connection: an established music industry school where students train for careers as professional recording engineers. 2001 Career Connection Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.recordingconnection.com

HOW TO BE YOUR OWN PUBLICIST - PART ONE
by Ariel Hyatt, Ariel Publicity
© 2001 All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission.
http://www.arielpublicity.com

For this article, I interviewed several entertainment writers from across the country. Their comments and advice are included throughout. Writers who will come up throughout are: Mike Roberts (The Denver Westword), Jae Kim (The Chicago Sun Times), Silke Tudor (The SF Weekly).

MYTH: A Big Fat Press Kit Will Impress a Writer
TRUTH: Writers will only become exasperated by a press kit that is not succinct and to the point. A bio, a photo and 6-8 articles double-sided on white paper is a good sized kit. If a writer wants to read more than that he will contact you for further information. If you don't have any articles, don't worry, this will soon change.

The first step in your journey is to create a press kit, which consists of four parts -- the Bio, the Photo, the Articles and the CD.

Jae Kim: "The ultimate press kit is a very basic press kit which includes: a CD, a photo with band members' names labelled on it -- not a fuzzy, arty photo -- a clear black and white, a bio, and press clips -- 10 at most, one or two at least. 40 is way too much."

PART 1: The Bio
Write a one page band bio that is succinct and interesting to read. I strongly advise avoiding vague cliches such as: melodic, brilliant harmonies, masterful guitar playing, tight rhythm section, etc. These are terms that can be used to describe any type of music. Try to make your description stand out. Create an introduction that sums up the your sound, style and attitude in a few brief sentences. This way if a writer is pressed for time she can simply take a sentence or two from your bio and place it directly in the newspaper. If you try to make a writer dig deeply for the gist, that writer will most likely put your press kit aside and look to one of the other 30 press kits that arrived that week. TIP: Try to create a bio with the assumption that a vast majority of music writers may never get around to listening to your CD (500 new releases come out in the United States each week). Also, writers are usually under tight deadlines to produce copy -- so many CD's fall by the wayside.

Q. Whose press materials stand out in your head ?
A. Jae Kim: "Action shots of bands. Blur has had a few great photos, and Mariah's are always very pretty. Also, Mary Cutrufello on Mercury has a great photo -- enigmatic with a mysterious quality. Her picture was honest and intelligent, just like her music."

A. Silke Tudor: "The Slow Poisoners -- a local SF band who are very devoted to their presentation. They have a distinct style and everything leads in to something else. Photos are dangerous. If the band looks young and they're mugging you have a pretty safe idea of what they're gonna sound like."

PART 2: The Photo
It is very tough to create a great band photo. In the thousands that I have encountered only a few have had creativity and depth. I know it can seem cheesy to arrange a photo shoot but if you take this part seriously you will deeply benefit from it in the long run.

Create a photo that is clear, light, and attention grabbing. Five musicians sitting on a couch is not interesting. If you have a friend who knows how to use PhotoShop, I highly recommend you enroll him or her to help you do some funky editing. Mike Roberts tends to gravitate towards: "Any photos that are not four guys standing against a wall. Also, a jazz musician doesn't always have to be holding a horn."

MYTH: Photos Cost a Fortune to Process in 8 x10 Format
TRUTH: Photos do not have to be expensive. There a few places to have photos printed for a great price. My personal favourite is ABC Pictures in Springfield, MO. They will print 500 photos (with layout and all shipping) for $80. Click the link to check out their web site or telephone 888.526.5336. Another great resource is a company called 1-800-POSTCARD, which will print 5000 full-color, double-sided postcards for $250. Extra postcards not used in press kits can be sent to people on your mailing list, or you can sell them or give them away at gigs

PART 3: The Articles
Getting that first article written about you can be quite a challenge. Two great places to start are your local town papers (barring you don't live in Manhattan or Los Angeles) and any local fanzine (available at your favourite indie record store). In addition, a few hours of net surfing will reveal the hundreds of sites that review CD's. Look for reviews of music that is similar to your band's type of music and then send your CD's to those reviewers. As your touring and effort swell, so will the amount of articles written about your band.

Ariel Hyatt is the President of Ariel Publicity, Artist Relations, and Cyber Promotions, in NYC. For the past five years she has worked closely publicizing a diverse family of touring and developing indie bands including Sally Taylor, Leftover Salmon, K-Floor, The Stone Coyotes, Soulhat, Fathead, and devon. http://www.arielpublicity.com

E-MAILING TIP OF THE MONTH
by David Wimble, The Indie Bible
http://www.indiebible.com
(c)2001 All Rights Reserved.

E-mail is obviously here to stay as one of the key marketing tools of the 21st Century. You can now communicate in seconds with anyone, anywhere, and often receive a response within minutes, rather than within weeks (as was the case, and still is with snail mail). Best of all - it's free!

Here is this month's tip to help you to better utilize this powerful tool...

TIP: USE BLIND CARBON COPY FOR YOUR LIST MAILINGS (bcc:)

Blind Carbon Copy (or bcc:) is a way to send an email to MANY people at once, without anyone being able to see the email address of others that the message has being sent to. If bcc: is not used, and the list IS visible to others, you can be sure that many people will scoop the addresses and add them their own mailing list - meaning more SPAM coming to you, and all those on your list (SPAM is unsolicited email).

As you know, when you receive an email that simply uses a regular cc:, the addresses of all of the other recipients are visible. This can also create chaos when one of the recipients decides to use this as an opportunity to "Reply to All" and send out a message of their own to your list. This usually is followed by a number of angry aimless from list members, demanding to be removed from your mailing list.

All email programs that I know of have the bcc: option. Sometimes the bcc: is not visible when you first set up your email software, and must be made active by choosing a menu option that allows the bcc: to become active.

You use the bcc: as you would use the regular cc: when copying someone on a message you send out.

1. Prepare the message you want to send out, just as you would any other email.
2. Once the message is ready to be sent out, highlight the list from your address book (or the names) that you want to send your message to.
3. Once the names are highlighted, click the bcc: button.
4. You should now see the list name, or the individual names in the bcc: field of your email.

It might be a good idea to send out a practice email before you send out your true message. You can send a message to yourself, and use a friend's address in the bcc: field. When you get the message, and open it up - if you don't see any other recipients, then you know you have done it right!

Good luck, and happy mailing!

David Wimble is the editor and publisher of The Indie Bible, a directory that helps musicians and songwriters to gain exposure for their music. Gig Magazine (August 2001) calls the Indie Bible "a huge resource" for the Independent musician. http://www.indiebible.com - bigmeteor@home.com

RECORDING ADVICE
ANALOG VS DIGITAL
By Lynn Alread
Berry Music Group
Kansas City, KS

Plagued by the agony of deciding whether to record on digital or analog machines? Remember this. What you are recording is more important than how you record it. Don't assign too much value to the technology. But, you still have to make choices. So keep this in mind. We, as human beings, are analog devices. We are also the market. Dogs don't buy records! Just because you can print a 28k tone to hard disc doesn't mean it will be heard or even sound good for that matter. It only matters if it harmonically affects sounds in the range that you can hear. DAW's (Digital Audio Workstations) give you the ability to perform some amazing feats of editing, but you have to decide what ultimately sounds better. There's a good analogy in the film world. Everyone agrees that video tape looks more "live" than film, but it just doesn't have the same charisma.

Remember, it's all about the music.

Reprinted with permission from Recording Connection: an established music industry school where students train for careers as professional recording engineers. 2001 Career Connection Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.recordingconnection.com