Chapter 28

Preparing for Business

 Showmanship Showmanship is the skill of performing in such a manner that will appeal to an audience or aid in conveying the performance's essential theme or message. As you prepare for the stage, you need to start asking questions like “How do I improve my stage presence? What do I do?”

If you want your audience to watch you, you have to do something VISUAL. I've seen too many otherwise good bands that just play to each other or stare at their guitar necks. It's probably the same way they play at rehearsal and they don't even realize it. I believe the goal of the show is to get the attention of an entire room focused on one thing. The song. More accurately, each and every movement of the song, as it unfolds. It's almost like mass hypnotism. It's very powerful and equally hard to pull off, but people will remember the show because they were in it, not just at it. They may not even be aware of why they enjoyed your band so much but they'll come back. To work the room or hold the crowd is an art, but there are some simple things you can do to get better response quickly. The rest can be considered ongoing experimentation.

Below, I‟ve compiled a list of ideas to make you a master of the stage. Musical talent and looks aside, here are ten things the best performers do onstage that make them great front men. [

1. Cover the stage. Large or small, that whole stage is yours: use it! Downstage. Take a stroll Stage Right. Back to center. Upstage. Are people in the forgotten seats? Play to them. Downstage–maybe head Stage Left. Hang out there for a few. Back to your mark at center. If there‘s a loft or balcony, look up. Is there Industry in the loft? Surprise the hell out of ‗em by acknowledging them like any other audience members. They may not respond, but that‘s OK, it‘s your stage not theirs. Go back and see the people Stage Right. Mix it up. Adjust your pace with the tempo of the music. If you play guitar and venture too far from your mic, give yourself time to get back for your next vocal part.

2. Claim your space and fill it. Gesture broadly; don‘t be half-assed about it. (This is vital for large stages, or when venue capacity is 10,000 or more, or when there‘s a wide distance between you and the audience.) For a smaller stage or more intimate venue, gesture less broadly but use your body language to claim your space. Think ―Tall‖. This is what American Idol judges mean when they say ―own it.‖ 3. Feel the lyrics. …and make the audience feel them too. Often the best concert moments are during a sad song when the singer hits the zone so deep, he finishes with wet eyes. When American Idol‘s Simon Cowell says ―it‘s about ‗creating a moment‘‖ this is part of what he‘s talking about.

4. Don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself. If the song calls for a fun mood, have fun!

5. Connect with people. Look them in the eye. Touch people‘s hands. If you‘re a male artist who attracts a mainly female fanbase and you see a guy in the audience, show your appreciation by shaking his hand or giving him a high five. (We still talk about the time one enthusiastic rock icon made a beeline for my ex, high-fived him, and said ―How ya doin‘?‖ before running off to another part of the stage.)

6. Sing to someone. Hell, dance with someone, if there‘s good crowd control and security. (Dancing with one person onstage is good. Accidentally bringing the whole audience up onstage with you is not.)

7. Work it on out. Think of the venue as a football field. The goal post is the back of the house, and the energy in the room is your football. As singer/quarterback, your objective during the set is to keep advancing that energy toward the back of the room.

8. Keep the energy up. Audiences are fickle. You snooze, and you lose ‗em.

9. Play to the back of the house. And the front. And all sides. Resolve to leave no one in the house unrocked.

10. “Thank you and goodnight!” Tell them who you are, thank ‗em warmly for coming out to the show, and get off the stage.

 Musicianship

Musicianship is a musician‘s knowledge, skill, and artistic sensitivity in performing music. This wisdom and professionalism comes with experience in the field, coupled with the passion for excellence in the musician.

It can also be called artistic mindfulness. How does mindfulness apply to music making? When we‘re mindful, we notice. We attend to our sound, emotions, execution, and co- performers. We perceive accurately, without judging ourselves. We bring fascination to every note we play or sing.

Even the best musicians, if they are not used to playing with others, can struggle when faced with playing in a band. Really the best way to deal with these problems is to just keep practicing playing with others as much as possible, but there are a few things to help you along your way.

Be Prepared

Although many musicians may look like they‘re ‗winging it‘, (because they make it look so easy), there is no doubt that most of them will come to a practice (or gig) prepared. Know what songs you are going to be playing, and if you are a singer, learn the words. If you know the basics already, you can concentrate on the other parts of musicianship that you cannot practice alone. Of course, if you are playing originals this is not quite so simple, but try to badger the songwriter for some form of recording or song notation before you meet so you know what‘s expected of you as a musician before you play.

Learn to count

It‘s not just the drummer that needs to be confident in counting beats and bars. This is essential practice for all members of the band as it helps keep the musicians all playing at the same time (which is pretty much essential…). Again, if this is not your forte, this is an easy exercise to do at home. Turn on your music, get out a pen and paper, and write down:

 The Time signature – is it in 3/4, 4/4, 6/8 etc.?  The structure in bars – how long is the intro, chorus, guitar solo etc.  Any stops or changes in timing

Once you‘ve understood this principal, you can apply it to any song, and it will help you to not start singing over the guitar solo, or to carry on playing when everyone else has stopped! Although this may not seem particularly fun, if you want to be a serious musician and you have to learn a lot of music very quickly, these types of details are the difference between mediocrity and excellence, and can give your music that extra push.

Stay in tune

You may think that you sound fine, but unless you are all completely in tune, it will really affect the sound of the music. Even if you are playing at a small open mic night, you don‘t know who might be listening to you, and if it is someone who knows a bit about music, they will not be at all impressed if you are out of tune with each other.There are many times I have seen a band, and after successfully alternatively retuning one guitar for a specific song, they fail to spend the time making the other instruments in tune with it, creating a really disappointing, muddy sound.

Use your ears

It is also important not to keep an audience waiting too long, and fumbling around with guitar tuners can often cause people to lose interest making the general atmosphere drop. Don‘t get me wrong, a guitar tuner is a great tool, but being able to check using your own ears is invaluable when it doesn‘t seem to be working, or you just don‘t have adequate time.

Help yourself

Practice at home by playing or singing along to a short, simple section of a song. It‘s all about training your ears to recognize a note that is flat (slightly under the desired note), or sharp (slightly above the desired note). If you are a singer, think about joining a choir. It‘s amazing how quickly you will start to realize the slight differences in tuning when you are singing the same thing. Similarly with instrumentalists, if you can find another person who plays the same instrument to play with, you will learn to fight against any dissonance (unstable sounds) created by being out of tune with each other.

Listen to each other

The best bands are those that work well together. If everyone is fighting to play over each other, nobody will be heard. Enjoy listening to the parts that the other band members are playing, and start to interweave your parts with theirs. Two instruments mirroring each other in harmony, or any form of continuity of ideas between instruments can result in some interesting textures, creating one sound instead of just a few separate instruments playing at the same time. If this doesn‘t come naturally to you or the band, start by setting a structure of where you think the music needs more excitement and therefore more involvement (a chorus or instrumental perhaps), and when it needs less (maybe a verse or breakdown of some kind).

Give it a go!

Whether you are new to playing in a band, or you are a complete pro, these are skills that are needed daily by musicians of all genres and backgrounds. Much like needing to practice your instrument or voice regularly, the skills acquired from working with others needs constantly honing too. Isn‘t playing music together what it‘s all about anyway? Unless you want to play on your own in a dark room forever…

IMPORTANT TIPS for Aspiring Professional Musicians.

If you want a career playing music, here are ten ―must know‖ tips to help you achieve and maintain that goal:

1. Practice Makes Perfect: There is no substitute for hard work and getting to know your instrument inside out. Hit the ―woodshed.‖ You want to be able to play easily and smoothly, whatever an artist or producer asks of you.

2. Always Be On Time: This is one of the most important marks of a true professional. Music is a business and runs like any other business or profession. Time is money! Too many musicians think because they‘re talented, they can show up whenever they want. Big mistake!!! I remember when I worked with Michael Jackson. He was a real stickler for being on time. If you showed up late, you simply disappeared and your services were no longer required. What a shame if you lost a great gig like that because you couldn‘t be on time!

3. Be Well Prepared: I can‘t tell you how many times I‘ve seen excellent players show up to a session or rehearsal completely unprepared for the day‘s work. If someone gives me a tape or CD of material to learn, by God when you see me again, I will know that material better than you, inside out!

4. Have Good Gear: Invest in yourself! Have the very best gear, whether its guitars, amps, effects, etc. Be sure it‘s always in reliable working order. A good musician can make crap gear sound great. Imagine what that same musician can do with ―great‖ gear. Good gear can be an expensive, but worthwhile investment. Nothing can replace a great sound! 5. Be Nice: Why do so many people have the misguided notion that being difficult or unpleasant makes you a better artist? Being a jerk doesn‘t make you ―edgy‖ . . . it just makes you a jerk! Trust me; nobody wants to work with a jerk!

6. Communications: There was a time when musicians waited for gigs by the phone. This is clearly no longer the case. I‘m talking especially to you older players! Today‘s working musician needs to have his or her communications universe in complete working order. A laptop, business cards, cell phone, web presence, social media, etc. If you don‘t have these tools at your disposal, many of which are free you are completely out of the loop. You literally don‘t exist!

7. Have Reliable Wheels: Very hard to be successful if you cannot get from point A to point B on time, with all your gear, ready to rock.

8. Get A Passport: Kind of hard to do those international festivals without a passport. Proper documentation for everything is paramount. Get it done!

9. Show up Sober: Save the party favors for after the gig or session. Nobody wants to pay their hard earned money to watch you stagger around the stage and miss notes because you have double vision and can‘t see your instrument clearly!

10. Be Realistic: In many ways, this is the hardest, because there are so many falsehoods and false notions in show business. My personal philosophy for keeping it real is simple; the world was perfectly fine before I was here and will be perfectly fine after I‘m here. It doesn‘t need me, you or anyone else. It‘s up to each of us to contribute something positive and uplifting while we are here. The world owes us nothing! The true mission of the musician is to uplift, heal and bring people together. Humble yourself! Serve the music and your audience faithfully, and wonderful things will happen.

Chapter 29

Professional Advice

 Rehearsal Tips There are many ways that bands rehearse, and how you are rehearsing may vary, depending on your goals—both long and short term. Clarity on your rehearsal goals will help clarify your band‘s collective sense of direction, and help you all get on the same page. Bad rehearsal practices will likely lead some members to feeling that this time is unproductive and that the band is going in the wrong direction. Good rehearsal practices will bring your band to its highest level, and everyone will have a clear sense of what you‘re working towards.

Planning is the key to productive rehearsals. Everyone in your band should arrive ready to contribute. Every tune needs an advocate, and if that‘s your role, you should distribute charts or recordings in advance, so that everyone has time beforehand to work out a part that‘s appropriate for their instrument

Communicate your rehearsal goals in advance by circulating a list describing what you want to accomplish. To help you create a realistic plan, figure that after about three hours, it‘s time to stop rehearsing, and in a three-hour session, you can expect to be able to work up two or possibly three new tunes. If you must get through more material than that, take at least a half hour break between three-hour sessions. Everyone should break at least for a few minutes every hour or so. Singers and wind players require more frequent breaks. Overplaying can lead them to injury, which can takes weeks or longer to heal. Let them sit out or mark (play quietly, leaving out notes), if the rest of the band wants to press on, specify two different times for the rehearsal: the time when the space will become available for setup and the ―downbeat‖ or start time, when the band should be ready to begin playing. Anyone who needs extra time up front should arrive early. Drummers need extra time to set up, as will whoever is recording the session. Ornery acoustic string instruments (guitars, banjos, mandolins, acoustic basses) need time to adjust to the room conditions so that their tuning stabilizes. Brass players need some time to warm up their lips. Everyone should be aware of how much time they need before the rehearsal begins, and should plan accordingly, so that they are not intruding on other band members‘ time.

Some bands like to begin rehearsals by jamming on an easy groove over a blues or other simple form, or by playing a tune you all know well. Warm up your ax and your fingers. Musically, say hello to your bandmates. Do this for fifteen minutes or so, and then get down to business. This is fun, so beware of jamming for too long at the expense of accomplishing more critical business.

Plan on about two or three hours for your regular rehearsals. Take a short break halfway through, and be sure to have some drinks and snacks on hand, to keep people from wandering away from the premises and taking too much time in getting back. No alcohol, please, unless having fun making noise is more important to your band than doing focused, productive, and thoughtful work.

Record your sessions. Some bands like to record the whole session, and others prefer to record just the ―final performances‖ of each tune. You don‘t have to get too fancy. Just a general room mic or two and a tape recorder or laptop is fine. You just want a record of your arrangement and groove decisions, and give everyone something to practice with afterwards. Ideally, you should distribute these recordings to everyone in the band shortly after the rehearsal. Recording to a computer and converting to MP3 makes distributing files easy. If recording is your responsibility, set up the recording gear before the band shows up. The goal is to make productive use of everyone‘s time, so don‘t let the recording process get in the way of this.

Let‘s look at some types of rehearsals and when they are appropriate. Many rehearsals contain elements from several of these paradigms, but considering each of these types and where they lead can help you make sure you‘re working towards your big-picture goals.

1. The Jam Session

Jam sessions involve playing through a lot of music, and generally, not reworking anything very much. They sometimes have the feel of informal performances. Though on the surface, they might seem like playing ―just for fun,‖ jam sessions actually serve many functions. They can be opportunities to invent new grooves, to work on your band‘s overall sound, to practice communicating with each other, to audition a lot of new material, or to just have fun playing music. They can be good opportunities to stretch your musical imagination, to build some calluses on your fingers, and to finally test out that crazy idea that probably won‘t work but might actually turn out great. It‘s fast-paced, and mistakes don‘t really matter. It‘s about vibe and birds-eye views. Having a barbeque? Invite your band over to jam.

For jam sessions to be most productive, all participants need to be able to follow the music. This means that the tunes must be known or easily picked up on the spot by everyone. You might want to pass out some music in advance, unless the session‘s purpose is to run through tunes that everyone knows really well, just to brush up on them before a performance. Otherwise, you may find yourselves just playing campfire songs, rather than tunes you really should be learning.

If you are planning to host a jam session and you want it to be more than just a social occasion, distribute lead sheets or recordings at least a few days beforehand. Have extra copies at the session. If you are going to play at a jam session, do what you can to make sure you know the tunes. Always have some solo ideas and background licks in your back pocket, playable in any key and in any style. This should be a goal of your private practice. Whatever your instrument, try to be ready to play the melody, comp chords or play backgrounds, and play a bass line. Jam sessions aren‘t so much about practice as reinforcement or experimentation, so do your homework before you begin. Some jams include some sight- reading, particularly if a resident songwriter wants to test out some new ideas. Really, anything goes. They are usually friendly and forgiving, but sometimes can take on a competitive edge too.

Some bands only jam. Jamming is all of the fun of music and none of the hard work. This is fine, unless you are trying to evolve your skills to where you can play gigs. Jamming isn‘t about addressing the details or making polished performances. When that‘s what you need to do, it‘s time to woodshed.

2. Woodshedding

Woodshedding or ―working out‖ is the opposite of jamming; it means practicing and working up songs, creating interpretations, polishing parts, and getting ready to perform or record. It is a focused and structured form of rehearsal.

Again, everyone should have their parts before the session, and arrive ready to play. If you‘re covering a tune by another band, everyone should have a recording of the original in advance of the rehearsal, and should have worked out their part, copying the original as precisely as how you want. Avoid lengthy working out of individual parts when the whole band is together, as it wastes everyone else‘s time. A little bit of this is often critical, when fine- tuning a groove or an arrangement, but try to minimize it. Individual preparation beforehand will make your rehearsals more productive.

If you‘re working up an original tune or arrangement, the songwriter/arranger might distribute a ―scratch‖ recording beforehand, giving the band an idea about tempos, grooves, and so on. Ironing this out prior to the rehearsal will make better use of everyone‘s time.

Here are a few ways to approach learning a new tune.

a. Begin with the chorus. Choruses are often easier to perform than verses, and since they keep coming back, while you‘re rehearsing the rest of the tune, you can always ―come home,‖ after you get lost.

b. Find the hardest part. Slow down the tempo, rehearse it over and over until you can play it correctly, and only then, speed it up. Then, find the next hardest part.

It often helps to have just a couple instruments rehearse a section in isolation, such as just guitar/keyboard or bass/drums, without the distractions of the rest of the band. Sometimes, hearing someone else‘s part can help you clarify what you should be doing yourself. And sometimes, solo practice is necessary.

Don‘t get too bogged down by a particularly difficult part, though. Sometimes, you need to say ―Gotta work this out at home,‖ and move on. If the part is still too difficult, then it might need to be simplified. That‘s better than having it break apart during a performance.

If you are sitting out while others are working out a part, follow along silently, hearing your own part in your head and feeling it in your hands. Silently finger the keys or strings, mouth the lyrics, or play air drums. Stay present.

c. Run through a section, and then stop. Were there any train wrecks? Focus on fixing them. Why did the wreck occur? Is there a confusing rhythm? Is someone else lost and confusing you by playing the wrong thing? Is the arrangement too repetitive, so that people are losing their place? It might be appropriate for the drummer to add a fill (even if it‘s just a quick hit or two) to help clarify the form. Try to pinpoint the problem‘s source and address it.

d. Once the band can make it all the way through the complete song form, discuss the arrangement. How many choruses will you play? Is there an intro? An ending? A bridge? Will someone solo? If you‘re running a rehearsal, bring some extra pens and paper, to make sure that everyone can write down the arrangement decisions. If there are lyrics, make sure that everyone has a copy, even if they are not singing. Lyrics help people remember the arrangement and keep their place.

e. Work up the tune so that you can play it through without any major mistakes. Practice it slower, if you need to. Speed it back up when you can all play it perfectly at a slower tempo. Work towards ending the rehearsal by playing a performance-ready version of it, start to finish. Don‘t spend too long woodshedding a single tune. After an hour or so, record it and move on to the next tune. That will keep your rehearsal from becoming stale and frustrating.

3. The Dress Rehearsal

Before the first performance of new material, hold a dress rehearsal to run through all the tunes and do any last-minute housecleaning.

Organize your sets. Then play the tunes as if you‘re performing. Don‘t stop, whatever happens. Debrief after the tune. How did it go? Were there any train wrecks? If so, why did it happen? Was it just a fluke, or is there a fixable source of confusion?

Is someone going to speak to the audience, introducing a tune, or telling an anecdote? Have them practice, at the dress rehearsal. Who will introduce the band? Who will say, ―Thanks everyone, good night, and don‘t forget to pick up our CD on your way out!‖ It‘s time to settle these questions.

You want this rehearsal to be just like the actual performance. It‘s a time for refreshing your memories and looking for any lingering imperfections, but not for learning anything new. That‘s what your earlier rehearsals are for.

The cliché ―a bad dress rehearsal means a great performance‖ often holds true, but try to have a great dress rehearsal anyway.

4. The Backstage Brush-Up

Ideally, the dress rehearsal will be on a different day than the performance. It might be necessary, though, to brush up on the day of the performance—even a short time before you go on stage.

Brush-up rehearsals serve to refresh your memory and ensure clarity/consensus about form and such, not to learn anything new. It‘s about song order, remembering arrangements, warming up, and discussing any last-minute changes.

If a backstage brush-up is necessary, avoid playing through the entire tunes. Play the intro, maybe once through the form, and then the ending. Review the arrangement. Take it easy. Conserve your energy.

 Preparing for Gigs The very best way to get more people to repeatedly come out and see your band play live is word of mouth. When your live shows are great, people will like it and talk about you to their friends both online and offline. Besides the obvious point of playing good music that people like, there are 5 main areas of preparing for your gigs.

1. Your individual playing

The most important thing you can do (individually) to prepare for your gigs is to focus on playing your songs ‗consistently well‘. To improve this, practice your songs in a wider variety of environments and situations. Play your songs standing, walking, in the dark, under a strobe light (if you have one), while talking, without looking at your guitar, while friends are listening, etc. The key point is to practice playing consistently well in all those different scenarios. This will help your individual performances on the stage.

2. Your band’s performance

When your band rehearses, you should NOT be focused on playing the songs correctly. If your band mates cannot play the songs flawlessly BEFORE the band rehearses, send him/her home to learn the songs. Once he/she has truly done that, then bring that person back to band rehearsals. Band practice is not about ‗holding people‘s hand through the process of learning the songs which should have been learned at home. If you have a band mate who needs your help learning the songs, you can do this by meeting alone with that person to help. However, if this is a consistent problem, then you may need to replace that band member for someone who is better (or less lazy if that is the case).

Band rehearsals should be about the band playing the songs TIGHT rhythmically, matching dynamic levels in various parts of the songs and developing great stage presence (more on this later).

Because it can be very difficult to really know how good your band is in any of these areas as you are practicing, I strongly suggest to record your band rehearsals in 2 ways:

A. Video record your rehearsals. When you watch the video, turn the volume OFF and simply pay attention to how the band looks visually. This will help you to really focus on the stage presence and visual impact your band may (or may not) have on your next audience.

B. Audio record your rehearsals. Do this with computer based recording software and make sure each instrument is recorded onto its own track (multi track record). [Do NOT listen to the audio from the video recording!]. The first thing to do is LOOK at the recording on the computer screen. You want to notice patterns of rhythmic flaws. Is your bass player always playing slightly before the beat? Is your guitar player playing slightly behind (late) the beat? For many people it is much easier to ‗see it on the screen‘ than it is to hear it. Once you see it, then you will be able to hear it afterwards much more easily. Doing this exercise will really help your band to play much tighter rhythmically (which is absolutely critical for any band). Also listen to how the dynamic levels of the band are changing? Does everyone get louder and softer at the same time? Or is everyone doing their own thing randomly? It almost always sounds best when the band does this together. 3. Your stage presence

When you play live, your music is only 50% of what most people in your audience care about. The other 50% is what they see. Remember, they came to ‗see and hear‘ your gig. Great ‗sounding‘ bands often lack bigger success because their live shows suffer from lame stage presence. If you want more people to consistently come out to your gigs, you must develop great stage presence.

As mentioned above band rehearsals aren‘t about ‗learning to play the songs‘. Schedule at least 50% of your band‘s rehearsal time to analyze your stage presence skills (watch the video as described above and take notes on what you notice), then begin to implement improvements to this part of your live playing. You can make a lot of improvement on your own simply by some self analysis. I

4. Eliminate (or at least reduce) stage fright If you have cool music, a cool band and have prepared well to give your audience an awesome show, that can all be quickly destroyed if stage fright gets in your way. Many musicians simply don‘t perform well on stage due to anxiety. Don‘t let this happen to you and your band. You have worked too hard to let fear cripple you. Your audience deserves better, and more importantly, YOU deserve better! You are on stage to have fun, not to be nervous every moment of the gig.

5. Performance logistics

In addition to stage fright, there are other things that may happen during your gig that can hurt it. The main two issues are not being able to hear and not being able to see. If you‘ve already played gigs, then you know that every gig sounds different on the stage. One night you can‘t hear the bass, the next night you can‘t hear yourself, etc. When you are the opening band, you typically don‘t get a sound check before you play, so you have no idea what you will be able to hear (or not hear) on stage until you start playing the first song. While there are many different ways to deal with this problem, I‘m going to focus only on one of them here. One of the best ways to prepare for not being able to hear all the instruments is to practice your songs with you and only ONE other instrument. So for example, practice playing only with the bass player. Next, practice the song only with the drummer. This will prepare you for live situations when you can only hear the bass or only hear the drums etc.

The next common logistical problem is not being able to see. Often live stages are dark in some moments and then extremely bright in other moments, making it very hard to see your instrument. My eyes are very sensitive to light, so I always play with dark sunglasses on (since the bright lights often blind me on stage without them). For dark situations you can add white out (or even glow in the dark markers) on the side of your fingerboard, so even in very low light you can clearly see your fingerboard. Of course practice playing the entire song without ever looking at your guitar is also a great way to prepare for unexpected lighting problems on the stage.

Events Preparation Checklist

The Venue –

 Venue Information: Find out what other bands have played there and the type of venue it is.  Location and Directions: Know exactly where to go and how to get there. You should be able to tell people how to get there when you are promoting the show.  Date and Time: Also, find out when you can get your equipment in and out.

What to Bring –

 Equipment and Extras

Who to Talk to Before the Show –

 Promoters, club owners: Get as much information as you can about the venue and the audience.  Sound technicians: Sometimes the venue supplies their own sound people, often at a cost.  Light technicians: Find out what kind of lighting is available, see if the venue charges to use their equipment.  Transportation rental agents: If you need to rent a van or truck, make sure you reserve it ahead of time.  PA/Sound Rental Company: If the venue does not have what you need you can hire a professional company.  Press: Get the buzz out to newspapers, radio etc, ask a local paper to review your CD and add your upcoming gig to area calendars.  Your 'fans': If you have them, use them to get the word out and fill your audience.

Promotional Material –

 Business cards: Include band logo and all contact information.  Demo CD's: Record a few quality sample songs, attach contact info.  Press Kit  Promotional give-aways: Freebies that display band logo.

Show Killers –

Bad Sound Mixing: This kills a show every time. Have some experienced people in the audience so they can let you know how it sounds in the crowd. Get to know your "sound guy" as soon as possible.

Wrong Venue: Audience doesn't like your style? Pick a receptive audience if possible and bring your own 'fans'.

Equipment Problems: Be prepared to change out instruments, microphones or amps anytime. Bring extras and be familiar with what the venue offers. Intoxication: Treat performing like a job and don't drink until quitting time, keep alert.

Equipment Theft: Keep a close eye on your equipment; keep a detailed list of what you have and put things safely away as soon as you can. Try not to leave your stuff overnight at the venue if possible.

Often it's difficult to promote a new band. Unprofessional behavior and lack of preparation can soon give your band a reputation that club owners and promoters don't trust. With a professional attitude, promotion and good performances you should be able to secure future work and a good reputation.  Studio Recording Tips

Recording studio time is expensive, and even if you're recording in a home studio, whoever's doing the work behind the computer is putting in valuable time. Making the most of the time you've got in the studio is really, really important.

Here's 5 tips to really keep in mind as you get ready to enter the studio, especially if you're a first-timer. Keep in mind, these all come from experience -- I've been there as a musician, and as an engineer, and everything I'm telling you comes from seeing it happen!

1. Have Your Songs Prepared. This one goes without saying, but you'd be surprised. You and your band should be able to play through every song you plan on recording, and play through it well. Time spent working out arrangements in the studio is valuable time you can be using to add overdubs and other little things to make your songs shine!

Also, keep in mind this: if you're using any sequenced parts or electronic instruments, make sure you've got those parts arranged and pre-recorded before you enter the studio. The last thing the engineer has time to do is wait for you to remember how your electronic arrangement goes.

2. Hangovers Are Bad.

Sure, getting into the studio is a great time, and it's definitely cause for celebration, especially if it's your first album. But trust me on this one: lay off the alcohol, drugs, and late-night partying before getting into the studio. A lot of younger bands are more into the "scene" than they are making the actual record, and that's unfortunate. And remember, always respect studio house rules on booze; drugs, whatever your preference, should always stay at home -- remember, most studios are places of business.

Come to the studio well-rested and ready to work. If you're a singer, rest your voice, drink plenty of water (including room-temperature water when you're in the studio -- ice is bad for vocal cords!). 3. Always Use New Strings & Heads. Guitarists & bassists, listen up. Bring new strings to the session, and don't cheap out, either -- go with good quality strings. Your recording quality will suffer with old strings, and no, I don't care if that's the sound you're going for. You'll thank me later.

Drummers, bring new heads -- and make sure they're tuned right on your kit -- and new sticks. And for everybody? BRING SPARES! You don't want to be holding up the session because you needed to send your girlfriend out to Guitar Center for you.

4. Know Your Sound, But Be Realistic.

Make sure your producer and engineer understands what sound you want, but keep in mind, they can't exactly reproduce another album's recording conditions for you. Just because your favorite band's drum tracks sound a certain way doesn't mean yours can -- that is, unless you use the same drummer, same kit, same room, same mics, same everything. Bring some examples of styles you'd like to see reflected in your work to your producer/engineer ahead of time, and let them explain to you how they can split the difference to help your project come out as close to what you want, and remember: individuality IS a good thing!

5. Know When To Quit. Adrenaline runs high in a situation like a recording studio, especially when you're racing to beat the clock to save money. But knowing when to quit can be really helpful, too.

The longer you push your ears, and longer you physically continue to perform, you'll get tired and thus your performance will suffer. It's better to know when to walk away for the day, and come back the next day refreshed and ready to go. It's not failure, it's making the best of your time. Your producer and engineer are susceptible to fatigue, too; keep them in mind when trying to fit in a marathon recording session with your band.

6. Figure out who is going to be involved in the recording process.

If you don’t want to risk them possibly owning a part of the copyright in your song or sound recording, you should have a work for hire agreement in place with them.

Are you hiring a sound engineer or producer to work on the album? Is your sound engineer suddenly calling himself a producer, when you thought you were producing the album? Did you hire a string quartet, or other instruments not normally in your group, just to enhance the recording? Who is mastering the project?

Each of these people contributes some creative element, however large or small, to your music in the recording studio; and depending on the nature of that contribution, they could argue down the line that they are a joint owner of the work.

Although the general rule is that a person who creates a work is the author of that work, U.S. copyright law creates an exception for ―works made for hire,‖ in which the employer or person commissioning certain works for use is considered the author of that work. Sometimes things get a little sticky in the studio; egos take over. An instrumentalist creates a riff that becomes an integral part of the song; a sound engineer starts taking on more of a producer role; maybe your cowbell player thinks his stellar bell placement entitles him to 50% of the royalties. A work for hire agreement makes ownership of the copyright clear from the outset. If someone isn‘t okay with it, at least you‘ll know that up front, and you can make an empowered decision whether to use that person, or whether to go with another person who is willing to sign a work for hire agreement.

Keep in mind that consideration is required for a contract to be valid. This is a legal concept meaning something of value that is given in exchange for a performance or promise to perform. In some states, credit may suffice as adequate compensation. In other states, there may be a minimum amount of monetary compensation required.

7. If you plan on filming any behind-the-scenes footage or videos, get permission first.

The recording process is a fun, creative environment, and with the advent of new technology, fans like to be a part of it. As artists, most of us can‘t live 15 minutes without uploading photos and video footage to our social media channels to justify our existence by posting to the web; after all, we all know if you don‘t post it to the web, it never really happened (kind of like the sound of that one-armed man clapping in the forest).

It‘s great to utilize technology as a way to keep fans in the loop. However, in most states, did you know that you can be sued for using someone else‘s name, voice, image, or likeness without their permission for an exploitative purpose?

If you are going to be filming any music videos or behind-the-scenes footage, or shooting photographs featuring people outside of your band, make sure to get permission first. Get a talent release from them before you start filming if possible. Otherwise, you may spend a ton of money in post blurring out faces, only to have your awesome new music video look like an episode of COPS.

8. Find the right studio

Virtually any fully equipped recording studio will be able to get the job done, but each studio has its own unique characteristics. Some studios are filled with the newest gear and are designed for digital recording. Others have vintage gear and unique acoustics that add a certain color to your sound. You might know what is best for you until you‘ve visited several studios.

9. Expect the Unexpected

No matter how prepared you are for a studio recording session, unexpected things are bound to come up. From broken strings and computer crashes to a vocalist catching a cold, unforeseen events can always crop up. However, if you follow the tips above you will be giving yourself the best possible chance at coming out of your recording session with a great sounding product.

10. Relax! Recording is fun and there‘s no really no pressure. Just be prepared and you‘ll have a smooth, and enjoyable session with a great product at the end!

 Touring

It's a widespread misconception that only major bands tour; with the growth of the Internet, nearly any band with a decent half hour set and a sense of self promotion can successfully tour a few states. If you're in a band, you're eventually going to want to tour. This can be a complicated endeavor, so you'll want to plan in advance. Here's how.

Know The Parts

Most touring musicians are hired to re create parts that were recorded by studio musicians. Your job is to know those parts inside and out. My advice is to play those parts every night, note for note with purpose, perfection, and passion. This is THE most important part of being a road musician. You have to play your parts and the show perfectly every night! Your lead singer, and band mates will appreciate the consistency! The management team and the fans will notice this as well. Secure your spot in the overcrowded and competitive music world by playing flawlessly day after day.

Be Consistent.

Be reliable. Show up on time (or be early). Show Up Sober. Show Up Happy. Show Up ready to work. Ask yourself these questions: Can people rely on you? Do you have a great attitude and demeanor? The people that can answer ―yes‖ to these questions hold on to gigs and keep getting recommended for other great gigs. Please don‘t forget to be open, giving, and flexible. Take direction well and have a great attitude. People will notice that you exhibit these fantastic qualities and will spread the word. Now you have the world as your no cost marketing team.

Be Kind

Kindness goes a LONG way in any field and in any business. Be always kind to baggage handlers, hotel personnel, bus drivers, stewardesses, road crew members, techs, stage hands, caterers…everyone. All of these people‘s efforts factors into the overall success of your organization. Everyone has individual skill sets and life paths. Who‘s to say that your job is more important than theirs? Don‘t be arrogant. Be kind, be helpful, be approachable, and be friendly. Spread joy and love. People will always remember this about you over any kind of musical talent. It‘s a fact.

Dress The Part

Every band and every style of music seems to have a corresponding fashion style. A big band jazz group usually requires a tuxedo or tucked in shirt, tie and jacket combo. Hard rock may call for a dash of leather, studded belts and jean vests. Don‘t be afraid to coordinate with your band. In our group, one guy may do the leather jacket, one guy does the vest open, one closed, one does the long sleeves, while another does short sleeves…mix it up to create that LOOK for your band. It‘s important and you are kidding yourself if you think it‘s not.

Prepare for Problems

Have at least two of everything. Have backups of backups (especially anything electronic like drum machines, samplers, trigger pads or computers). Have a great relationship with all of your endorsing companies. You (or your tech) need to be able to pick up the phone and have a spare or replacement part shipped out to you immediately. For drummers, try having backups of these items:

Cymbals Snare Drums Sticks Heads Hardware Cymbal felts Duct tape Lug locks Tools

Can’t We All Get Along?

Be a team player. There is no ―I‖ in team. The band behind Jason Aldean knows each other inside and out. We are aware what makes each of us ―tick‖ musically and personally. We get along. Sure, we may fight like brothers sometimes, but we are committed to one thing… making the show kick ass night after night! Get along with your band mates and everyone on your tour from the road manager to the stage manager to the head chef. GO TEAM!

Get Off The Bus

The road can make you pretty weary. Get off the bus, take a walk, and see the local surroundings (museums, art galleries, record shops, clothing stores, gyms). You could to go for runs and stop at the local Starbucks to make phone calls. Take fun pictures of your surroundings and send them home. Get some fresh air! Smell the roses.

Make Friends

The most appealing part of travel is making friends all over the world. Imagine having friends in almost every major city. Do yourself a favor and make some friends in your travels. Your life will be richer!

Don’t Over Do It

Musicians are always surrounded by a limitless supply of booze and drugs. DON‘T DO DRUGS! Opening that box can take you down a dark path that you may never find your way out of. Please realize that it can get out of hand quickly. Know when to say NO. Save Some Cash:

The music business is like a roller coaster… Lots of ups AND downs and very unpredictable. Tours come and go. Artists like to take time off or even cancel tours. Make sure you set aside a bit of cash to get you through these unavoidable moments. You just need a bit to get you through to the next tour or project. Save some cash!

Stay Healthy Staying healthy by both eating well and exercising on the road is one of the most important tips to keep in mind. Eating fast food and sleeping all day may be easy, but putting on a show that night won‘t be. It‘s almost too easy to party all night, eat in the middle of the night, but this will ultimately wear you down and result in illness.

“Redmond’s Rules Of The Road”

1.Always warm up and stretch before a show 2.Always take bottled water from the back stage area for your hotel and bunk. 3.Always have protein bars, nuts and any healthy snacks for future use. Dump them in your backpack and go! 4.ALWAYS know where your luggage is and always have it with you. 5.Have tags and your contact information on every piece of your luggage. I use plastic tags, strips of bright colored tape (neon pink or green), AND the airline tag. 6.Always be kind to everyone. Especially the runner. The ―runner‖ is the person the venue hires to drive people back and forth from airports and hotels, pickup food, make gym runs and take band members on personal errands (post office, anniversary present shopping, and of course this one…‖Can you take me to buy a couple of pairs of underwear? All of mine are dirty and we have another week on this tour!‖) 7.Don‘t eat too heavy before a gig. Save it for after. You don‘t want to look or feel bloated when you are trying to put on a sexy performance. Ha! 8.Use text messages, email, Skype and Apple‘s ―Facetime‖ app to keep in touch with loved ones, family, friends and other musical colleagues. These are an indispensable and mostly FREE ways of keeping in touch and nurturing those precious relationships. 9.Have a ‗system‘ for storing your most important items in your backpack. I have everything ‗compartmentalized‘, so when I go thru airport security, I know where everything has to end up after I take it all out and put it in those annoying plastic bins. Constantly perform an inventory: Keys, drivers license, passport, phone, wallet, watch, computer, Ipad, passport, flight itinerary, house keys, Ilock for Pro Tools, chargers…all of it. Know where it is at all times. It‘s very easy for things to get misplaced and left behind fast. Have a system. 10.Always write down the name of your hotel or take a hotel business card from the front desk. If you are jetlagged or get turned around in a foreign city, at least you have the name and address of the hotel. 11. Always have a little cash on you. It‘s such a cashless society now. I find myself without cash most of the time. When you want to tip that baggage handler or cabbie, it‘s way easier to have cash. 12. Take pictures! Life is short! You will all look back at these experiential snapshots and laugh. Pictures are the proof that it happened! Don‘t miss your opportunity to archive the times of your life. It‘s even better when you share it with the world. 13. Shoot Video! You will look back and smile at all of it. 14. Share your journey with your fans via social media. Facebook and Twitter are very effective and FREE ways to promote your band or YOU as a creative brand. Coca Cola and Pepsi are brands. YOU are a brand. You just have to not be afraid of letting people know you exist. There is only ONE you! Share your experiences. Be transparent. Be friendly. Be YOU. Build your brand. Post photos, videos and insights into your life. It‘s powerful! Be Yourself. Everyone else is already taken.

Chapter 30

Stagemanship

 Overcoming Stage Fright

Stage fright is inevitable; it is a normal thing for a performer. It gives you a push to the top. There are two types of fright: The Performer‘s anxiety is where the singer is in doubt of how good the performance will be while the other type is where the performer has a phobia for the crowd, does not want to be in limelight (for this type of fright the person has no business with being in the forefront of entertainment).

Stage fright is the entire collection of stories you tell yourself in your brain, whether it be 1 or 1,000 – that culminate into ONE final thought; ―What I‘m about to do is dangerous.‖

Those stories in your brain can be many variations of things like this:

 I am not confident with my voice  What if I blow chunks and people make fun of me?  What if I forget the lyrics?  What if I can‘t hit that high note section in that song?

 What if my voice cracks or I sound terrible?  What if they hate me and want to boo me off the stage?  What if I make a fool of myself?  What if nobody shows up?

I could list many more reasons for stage fright but it is extremely important to understand that phobias are IN OUR MINDS. Some people are afraid of heights, others are afraid of drowning and so on. Though there may be good reason to be afraid of jumping out of an airplane, performing in front of people is not dangerous.

How does stage fright manifest itself?

What actually ―happens‖ to you when you experience stage fright is different for everyone. With your fear of performing, you may experience things like this:  Sweaty palms  Dry mouth  Unable to speak  Increased heart rate  Tingling sensation in various parts of your body

 Stomach ache  The shakes  Brain race – your brain is processing too much information  Feelings of nausea and wanting to throw up  Overwhelming desire to sleep

Your brain is EXTREMELY powerful and the more worked up your brain gets, the more it will affect you physically.

How to get over stage fright

Preparation

The first thing we can do to overcome stage fright is start with something easy. And to be prepared to the point where you are so ―ready‖ you don‘t have to ―think about it‖ with an easy song. OVER prepare for what you are actually doing, so when it comes time, it will be UNDER your capabilities. For example; if your goal is to sing Queen‘s ―Bohemian Rhapsody‖ in front of the American Idol judges, start by practicing nursery rhymes or party songs. Sing those with all the range that you have and stretch yourself so sing them BEYOND the range necessary to sing ―Bohemian Rhapsody.‖ Then move on to mid level material. After a while, you WILL get to a point where you are over prepared and will be able to sing with confidence.

Repetition

Repeat your song over and over, embedding it so deep in your mind that it becomes second nature. Repeat your song while multi-tasking other things, like shopping or doing math.

Exposure

Increasing your exposure is vital to overcoming stage fright. Ask friends and family if you can sing for them, even if it drives them crazy. Let them know that practicing in front of them will help you.

Then take it to the next level, go to a Karaoke Bar or Open Mic Night, or sing a solo at your church, a campfire or street promenade. Performing as much as possible in a relatively safe environment where it doesn‘t matter that much is an excellent way to build confidence.

I want you to remember something very important. The audience, your friends and family etc., are not standing there with their arms crossed waiting for you to make a mistake so they can humiliate you. They are in your corner. They are on your team. They are rooting for you. They want you to get over your anxiety. I want you to look at your audience as your friends who WANT to see you succeed. In fact the reason they are there at all is because they are excited to see you succeed. This is an excellent place to start. It may seem almost too simple, but it is the truth. This mental exercise will help you begin overcoming stage fright so you will no longer be afraid to sing. Your fear of performing will start to diminish.

Fun

Be light hearted and don‘t take it too seriously. Be loose. Don‘t care too much. remember: EVERYONE makes mistakes. Even the most seasoned performers.

The ―fun part‖ of performing will kick in automatically once you start to master your technique and your brain is no longer nervous about whether you can or cannot technically sing. You will just do it… and then you‘ll have fun because you‘ve learned to conquer stage fright!

Tips on how to deal with stage fright

 OVER prepare for what you are singing  Repeat your song(s) over and over  Sing to your pets first, if people are too scary  Sing for your family and friends  Ask your friends and family for feedback  Remember the audience is on your side  Make sure the first 2 or 3 songs of your set are easy songs

 Save your more difficult material for later  Stay hydrated with filtered room temperature water  Eat healthy  Eat something at least 1 hour before showtime  Exercise  Expect the unexpected  Turn the fear of performing into the thrill of performing

 How to Pass any Singing Audition

Have you ever wondered why very talented singers fail during singing auditions? Perhaps you‘ve had the experience; a situation where people you can sing far better than scale through an audition while you can‘t even make it through the first stage. What is the problem, what could be wrong? Could it be that the judges are biased or they just didn‘t like you? More often than not, these are not the reasons you were asked to use the door. There are basic understandings you must have when preparing for an audition. These skills are grouped into the three secrets I‘m about to share with you below. If you adhere to these pieces of advice, I can assure, you will never be turned down from any singing auditions.

Choose the Song that Fits

This is probably the greatest reason most singers fail at auditions. The fact that a song sounds good does not mean it will be good enough for you. Every song is like a pair of dress. Dresses come in different sizes, different colours, and different fabrics to meet different tastes of different people. As a singer, you need to study your voice and discover your most comfortable style. You must consider your vocal range, your singing strengths and weaknesses before choosing an auditioning song. You should choose a song that appeals to your emotions, a song you feel very comfortable and excited singing, as song that will not expose your weaknesses. In essence, I am saying choose a song that best suits your personality.

Use the K.I.S.S Formula

K.I.S.S in the world of performance stands for Keep It Short & Simple. Every song is a story; the audition version of it is the story summarized. A good summary must be believable, concise and intriguing. An auditioning song must be brief, straight to the hook, simple and beautiful. No need for choosing a technical song with ambiguous arrangements. Don‘t plan doing the three verses in a song. Rather, choose the verse that best connects to the chorus and don‘t border stretching to the bridge. Avoid ornaments like modulation and excessive adlibs. Don‘t choose a song that will sound incomplete without back-up singers. Solo works are usually better. Remember to always keep your performance short and simple!

Sing to the Judges, Appeal to their Emotion

Have you really thought of it that the man who sits on that panel to judge at the audition is a human being like you; he feels, he smiles, he cries, blood flows through his veins?! Your target should be to appeal to him to the extent that he forgets he is sitting as a judge, but completely carried away by the message your song is passing across to him. To achieve this, I will advice you choose a song that talks directly to him or her. Choose a song that has more of ―YOU‖ (third person pronoun- e.g I love you, You are great, You‟re my world, I will always love you, You‟re my sunshine, You‟re gonna love me, etc) as the subject. Communicate to the judges directly and one after the other. Smile at them, if need be, go close to them and look right into their eyes while pouring out your heart sincerely. Imagine them being your audience in a concert, think less of yourself as going through an audition but as a performer.

Chapter 31

The Media and You

 Writing a Great Band or Artist Biography

A bio is the cement that holds your presentation together, creates your identity, brands your style and leads the reader directly to the music. Ideally, your bio should be applicable for multiple purposes: a key ingredient in your press kit, an essential element on the homepage of your website and as an easy introduction to bookers, journalists, fans and the music business at large. Music people are intuitive about press and publicity materials, and if a bio is non- existent, shoddy, poorly written, off-putting or amateurish, odds are the music it represents will share these same adverse qualities. Keep in mind that if you are using your bio to generate press, oft-times overworked and underpaid journalists with lift the exact phrases and words in your bio for articles and reviews.

Recording artists, songwriters, musicians, composers, performers and producers all benefit from having well tailored, professional bios. In this article MC advises your how to create an effective bio in reverse, by advising you what not to do.

1. Don’t tell, show. Beware the hackneyed cliché, the imprecise metaphor, and the goofy, strained adjective. ―Joe Jones is a brilliant artist,‖ or ―Sue Smith is destined for stardom,‖ are lame and off-putting. The bio must lead the reader to his own conclusions. Telling a reader what to feel or think may lead to the exact opposite impression.

2. Avoid the time machine. ―She began playing piano at the tender age of four, and by age five….‖ Instant naptime. Begin your bio in the present, and then go back in time, but only so far as the story is fascinating. Beware dating yourself: if you‘ve had an extensive career, you may want to be non-specific about years and simply summarize the main points and experiences.

3. ―After a successful career in the marketing business, he decided to return to his first love, music.‖ Career choices that have nothing to do with music are needless distractions in a written bio. They may also illustrate a meandering, indecisive path. Music professionals don‘t want to know how about your straight job. Do not include facts that don‘t impact the music. For instance, it may be pertinent to say you ride horses if you have songs about horses, or have written songs while riding horses or can draw some correlation between horses and music. Otherwise, leave those horses in the pasture. Information about your educational background, work experience, broken marriage, prison term or dysfunctional childhood should be referenced only as it relates to your music.

4. Beware of grandiose comparisons. ―Susie Stiletto combines the sensitivity of Joni Mitchell fused to the aggressive lyricism of Alanis Morissette, combined with the melodicism of Sheryl Crow.‖ This tells us nothing about the subject and she‘d certainly need to be a mind-blowing, powerhouse artist to rank comparison to this triumvirate. Using others as reference points projects a ―wannabe‖ status.

5. Be aware that certain tired phrases that will trigger the hype meter. ―Eagerly anticipated,‖ ―critically-acclaimed,‖ and ―best kept secret‖ are three such onerous offenders. Other overused terms include ―unique‖ (who isn‘t?) and ―passionate.‖

6. Check all spellings and grammatical uses, especially if you‘re planning on using your bio to solicit reviews or features in the press. Bad copy is galling to those whose livelihood is the written word. Keep your words in the ―active tense‖ i.e. ―John Smith incites his audience,‖ as opposed to the passive: ―the audience is incited by John Smith.‖

7. Exaggerating or outright lying. Being on the preliminary Grammy ballot does not deem you ―Grammy-nominated.‖ Likewise, charts no one has ever heard of and awards with questionable luster will make you appear suspect and marginal.

8. Being generic and safe. Name and claim your musical style, and let the bio reflect the category. A seething, pierced, neo-punk aggregation and a soothing, cerebral instrumental artist can‘t possibly share the same metaphors. Your bio must speak to the reader in the exact same voice as your music. Speaking of voices, interjecting direct quotes is a device that established artists have in their bios to lend immediacy and fire to the piece. Consider having your own words describe your music.

9. Too much verbiage is a turn-off. A one-page bio is standard length; a longer bio is fine only if your story warrants the additional pages. Otherwise, less is more.

10. Not keeping it current. Your bio, just like your pictures and the other elements in your press kit and website, need to be kept up to date. 11. Not keeping it to a standard format. Although you may be tempted to let your creativity run wild with stylized, fictionalized prose, it may be off-putting or confusing to your readers.

12. Don’t puff up your credits. For a new artist without significant history, it is preferable to emphasize elements of your personality, creative process, or an interesting fact about your upbringing or inspiration, but again, only if it relates to and is reflected in your music.

It you‘re not comfortable as a writer, penning your own bio may be as frustrating and fruitless as trying to take your own pictures. Hiring a pro that understands the marketplace and your music is a worthwhile investment. Although you may be tempted to ask a friend with journalism experience to assist you, make sure that he or she can capture your music, and your individuality, in sparkling prose specific to music. Don‘t be intimidated, and make sure the writer will be amenable to making changes, corrections and rewrites until you‘re satisfied; it‘s your bio.

A Practical Guide

1st Paragraph:

Start with an introductory sentence that clearly defines the essential band/artist name, your specific genre of music, where you are from, and perhaps a positive quote about your music from a contact you have made in the music business.

2nd Paragraph:

This section should address the immediate purpose of the Bio. What are you doing at this time? Mention a current activity you are involved with. If a new CD or digital release is coming out, that should be the main topic of the first sentence of the second paragraph. In other word, a reason why the Bio has been written should be clearly stated early on. Hints about any promotional activities that will be occurring to support the CD or digital release is also useful in this paragraph.

3rd and 4th Paragraph:

At this point, information on any other band members can be introduced, and background information on the forming of the group, past experience, accomplishments, and recognition issues can be addressed. If you have developed a plan for your career path, additional paragraphs elaborating on this type of can be written, that demonstrate how your current project is part of a larger career development plan. Quotes from a couple of your songs can be useful to highlight your new release.

Ending:

Remember, the bio should not waste words. For a new artist 1 page is sufficient to get the job done. For more experienced artists, a page and a half to two pages should be the maximum length. So, ending the Bio in a efficient way should be the aim; use another quote from a gatekeeper who supports the artist, or summarize the 2nd paragraph information, reminding the reader of current activities.

Sample Biography (Artist – ADELE)

“As soon as I got a microphone in my hand, when I was about 14, I realised I wanted to do this,” she says. “Most people don‟t like the way their voice sounds when it‟s recorded. I was just so excited by the whole thing that I wasn‟t bothered what it sounded like.”

A fan of such diverse artists as Jill Scott, Etta James, Billy Bragg, Peggy Lee, Jeff Buckley and The Cure, Adele‟s soul-tinged songs of love‟s lost and memories made are set to resonate with all who hear them.

“I‟ve got no problem explaining what my lyrics are about,” ADELE says. “I really like poetry: I‟m not very good at reading it, but I love writing it. Singers like Jill Scott and Karen Dalton are amazing; proper poets.”

“My debut album is about being between 18 and 19; about love,” she continues. “„Daydreamer‟ is about this boy I was in love with, like proper in love with. He was bi and I couldn‟t deal with that. All the things I wanted from my boyfriend, he was never going to be. I get really jealous anyway, so I couldn‟t fight with girls and boys. It‟s quite a sad album, [with songs about] being cheated on and not getting what you want”.

Anchoring it all together is ADELE‟s incredible voice. As immediate as it is undeniable, its power is matched only by her Force 10 personality. “I‟ve always liked being the centre of attention, yes,” she laughs.

ADELE is from a resolutely un-musical family. “It all comes from impersonating The Spice Girls and Gabrielle,” she cheerfully explains. “I did little concerts in my room for my mum and her friends. My mum‟s quite arty; she‟d get all these lamps and shine them up to make one big spotlight. They‟d all sit on the bed.” Later, when her dad‟s best friend, a dance producer, rightly declared ADELE‟s voice „wicked‟, he invited her to record a cover of „Heart Of Glass‟. The first time she got a microphone in her hand, she realised her calling.

Secondary school proved instructive in as much as it gave ADELE an outlet to “meet all the R&B kids” and “sit around the playground singing.” But it was a pretty rough place and pursuing music there was something of a challenge, on account of the fact that ADELE wanted to sing and perform her songs but “the teacher was a bit rubbish. They gave me a really hard time, trying to bribe me, saying that if I wanted to sing I had to play clarinet to sing in the choir. So I left.”

So ADELE upped sticks, signing up to The Brit School, the Selhurst college whose alumni number Amy Winehouse, members of The Feeling and Kate Nash. However she had her misgivings…

“If I hear someone‟s from stage school I‟d think they were a dickhead, and I know it might make me sound like that. But it had free rehearsal rooms and free equipment and I was listing to music all day, every day for years. The music course was really wicked. There was no dancing or anything like that. No jazz hands.” During her second year, ADELE‟s resolve to be a singer was given a little extra boost – Shingai Shoniwa, the turbo-lunged vocalist with The Noisettes moved in next door. “She‟s an amazing singer. I used to hear her through the walls. I‟d go round and we‟d jam and stuff like that. Just hearing her and her music really made me want to be a writer and not just sing Destiny‟s Child songs. ”

Despite being quick off the mark on MySpace – her friend set up a page for ADELE‟s music on the last day of 2004 – it wasn‟t until 2006 that labels started noticing her talent. “I‟d hate people to think that I was a „MySpace singer‟,” she says. “I‟ve got no right to be that. I‟ve got, like, 10,000 „friends‟, whereas Jack Peñate‟s got about one million…”

When XL called her in for a meeting, ADELE was nervous enough to take a chum with her. “I never, ever thought I‟d get signed. The A&R guy emailed me and I was ignoring it… I didn‟t realise they [XL] did all these amazing names…”

Despite interest from plenty of other labels, the independent regarded for its one-off, defining acts (for rock band, see The White Stripes; for rapper, see Dizzee Rascal) proved the perfect match for her one-off talent, and XL will put out ADELE‟s stunning debut album “19” early next year. A single, the beautiful heartbreaker, „Chasing Pavements‟ will precede it.

Before that comes ADELE‟s debut release on Jamie T‟s Pacemaker Recordings label, „Hometown Glory‟ – a stunningly evocative picture of “all my fondest memories of London”. „Daydreamer‟, a remarkable ballad notable for lyrics like „feeling up his girl like he‟d never felt her figure before‟ and „he could change the world with his hands behind his back‟ has already floored the audience on the prestigious „Later With Jools Holland‟.

“I don‟t know what‟s going to happen if my music career goes wrong,” she laughs. “I haven‟t had a proper job yet.”

Consider that one unlikely turn of events.

 Shooting a Commercial Music Video

Choose Your Song

Having a music video can help promote your band, through video sites such as YouTube and MySpace. As well as by getting exposure on national television. If you're a film maker making a music video is a good way of getting exposure and experience and bands are often happy to give you a creative free reign. A video doesn't need to cost a fortune what's important is having a good idea and working within your budget. Production companies charge a fortune for even the simplest promo video, but you can easily do it yourself. First things first, however. You have to choose your song.

While it might make sense to make a video for your upcoming single there are a few other factors to consider:

 It can take a lot longer than you think to make a video, so by the time it's finished your single might have come out. It might be an idea to think about making the video for a subsequent single.  Having said that, in these days of internet downloads, any track can be seen as a single, so there might be a track on the album that you have a great idea for a video for, even if that track wasn't originally planned as a single.  Remember that it can take a long time to shoot and edit each second of video so while you might have a good idea for a video for that 10 min epic that closes the album it might be more practical to shoot a video for the 3 min pop song.

Get a Team and Equipment Together

However complicated (or simple) your shoot is, you'll need a team of people. As well as the actors/performers you'll need:

 Camera person – At least one, and maybe more.  Lighting Person – If you're filming inside you'll need lighting, and someone to look after it.  Director/dogsbody – You need someone in charge of the shoot, making sure everything is running smoothly, and who can go buy batteries when you need them.

It's a good idea supply some kind of refreshments for your crew – that will not only keep them happy but also stop them popping off to the shops to get their own supplies, just when you need them for the shoot.

Ideally you'll be able to recruit a team who have their own equipment. If you have to get equipment, then you'll want to get the best your budget allows. While prices are coming down, buying a camera, lights and other gear will still set you back a small fortune. You'll be able to get more equipment for your money by renting gear; many places have community arts programs where you can hire equipment cheaply. You can also check out the local colleges in your area to see if they can help. If you are looking to buy gear, then do your research. For example you're probably better of buying a higher spec Standard Definition camera, than a bottom of the range High Definition camera.

Plan Your Shoot

The more planning you can do before hand the quicker you'll be able to shoot. If you're renting gear, the quicker you can shoot the less it will cost you, and if you're relying on favors, people will be more willing to help again if you keep the hanging around to a minimum. To plan, you should:

 Draw story boards showing each scene and shot  List the crew, performers and props you'll need for each shot  Try and brief the camera and lighting people beforehand so they know what you want from the shot.

Filming

On the day of the shoot be prepared and organised. Keep a record of shots you've made; it'll make editing much easier. Always allow plenty of time for shooting - the finished shot may only last 10 seconds, but could easily take several hours to set up and shoot. When you're happy with a shot, if you have time, shoot it again. You can never have too much footage, and the retake may capture something that you hadn't noticed first time round. You'll have your plan and storyboard to follow, but remember that some of the best moments in a video can be unplanned. Keep the camera rolling – these days tape is cheap.

Capture Live Footage

Filming the band playing live can provide you with great footage for a video. Filming the band at a gig will mean you'll be able to capture the bands live energy and their interaction with the audience. They are some difficulties, however:

 They'll only play the song you've making the video for once so you'll only have one chance of capturing the right footage  The live version may differ considerable from the recorded version so syncing the footage with the track could be problematic  The band's, and particularly the audience's, movements won't be choreographed, so you, or your camera person, won't know where to be to capture the right shots  The lighting and effects may look great to the audience but may not look great to the camera  Your filming may interrupt the bands performance.

t of a video, but if you want live footage to synch to a video, your best bet is to "stage" a live performance. Get the band to play along (or mime) to the track in front of an audience of mates or invited fans. You can then control the lighting, people's movements and get the track played as many times as you need (or at least until the band decamp to the bar!)

Use Stock Footage

You can spice up your video by adding stock footage but you need to be aware that, like music, almost all video footage is subject to strict copyright law. Making use of footage without the copyright holders express permission is illegal. (That shot from Top Gun may look great in your video but you'll need permission from Paramount Pictures to use it).

However, there are source of footage that you can legally use. Royalty free footage is footage you can re-use in any setting, without asking permission or paying the copyright holder a fee each time you use it - but you may have to pay a fee to obtain it in the first place! Fear not: there is free royalty free footage – footage that's in the public domain. Some sites where you can download public domain footage for free from are:

 The British Film Institute  Google's collection of National Archives  For black holes and other treats from outer space try the European Space Agency.

There is more and more footage being made available under creative commons licences - original material that the the copyright owner has entered into the public domain with certain conditions attached (usually that the original author is credited). More details from Creative Commons.org.

Editing

Your footage might be great, but it'll only become a great video through editing. To do a good job you'll need patience, time and more patience. You'll need to decide the 'feel' and pace of the video. Will it be made up of long sweeping shots, or quick sharp edits? Do you want to follow the mood of the song and edit to the music or do you want the video to contrast with the track?

The judicious use of the right effect can really set your video apart. As well as your software standard effects, there are usually many plug-ins that you can download (some free, most for a fee) so feel free to experiment (most plug-ins have a trial version you can play with for free before you buy). See tip 3 in the last step for more about the proper use of effects.

A word of warning: if you're making a video as a band it's usually best to delegating the editing process to one person. After they've done a rough edit you can discuss how it should be finished, but if 4 people sit round all trying to edit a video together a long process will become torturous and, almost inevitable, will end in falling outs.

Get the Right Software and Hardware

These days cheap, or even free, software can do a professional job of editing. The basic video software for Macs is iMovie and for the PC, Adobe's Première Elements is a good place to start. The more complex software available may give you more freedom and choice, but for the beginner these package can be overwhelming and very pricey.

Any new computer should be capable of editing film footage, and even a ten year old PC should be able to handle basic video editing software. Video editing takes up a lot of hard drive space, so keep your hard drive clear and get rid of footage your not using (but be careful not to delete footage you ARE using!). Investing in a new hard drive to store you video footage on is probably a good idea.

The output format will depend on it's destination. Highly compressed formats are best for streaming over the internet (Quicktime is the most universal), DVDs are great for send out to press and media, and a DigiBeta tape is need for TV broadcasts (something you'll need to get made up at a professional production company).

Be Creative

How many videos have you seen on MTV that consist of the band playing in a club, with the lights flashing whilst the audience jump up and down? Exactly. Try and think of something different when you make your video. One of the most interesting videos I've seen recently was of the band playing in the back of a transit van while it went through a car wash – the only cost was the car wash fee. From this simple idea they made a interesting and quirky video that was premiered on MTV Europe.

Other Tips for Making a Good Music Video

Beware of Using Excessive Zoom:

It may look cool while you're shooting it, but in the final edit zooming often looks clichéd, and unless done with a very steady hand can often look amateurish.

And Excessive Special Effects:

Even the most basic video editing software has a myriad of of special effects for you to use; color changing, rolling edits, split screens.....it's advisable to use them sparingly. A good video isn't a showcase for how many effects you've mastered. It's usually better to use a couple of effects throughout the video to create a certain feel rather than use as many effects as you can to make a video exciting (if you need to do this, then maybe it's time to rethink your idea. or add some more .

But Think about Adding Sound Effects:

A dramatic music video may be enhanced with some addition sound effects. If your video begins with someone walking down the street, you could add the sound of footsteps or ambient street noise over the intro. If you're making a video for someone else make sure they won't mind you adding sound effects to their perfectly crafted tune!

Don't Be Over Ambitious:

A simple idea well executed is often more effective than a complex idea done badly. The most interesting videos are made when the rules of convention are bent, buckled and broken, so keep experimenting and above all else, make something interesting.