When You Get a Partner - Your Songwriting Success Becomes Easier

When You Get a Partner - Your Songwriting Success Becomes Easier
By Obafemi S Tunbosun

Even the song writing figures have never missed the importance of partnership as a means to get more done with a less - less effort. Taking the time necessary to locate the perfect match is far more crucial and can be sometimes breathe taking, especially if you're new in the industry. Nonetheless, it does worth the effort. We all need a partner for, at least, the mutual benefit.

Every determined prolific songwriter needs a helping hand to remain fresh and I think that's an art of being strategic in your progress plan. Christine Storm and the British powerhouse music producer are a good example to underscore the need for a good partnership that guaranteed uniqueness and dynamism.

Although, the collaboration quietly shows both parties are in for the mutual benefits on both ends and that is why you should locate another person of the same mindset, but of a complementary skills to your own - Not both of you in a box. What am saying is that - songwriter collaborating song producer; it's a mutual benefit.

Of course, two will always be better than one. Combining your talents with others safe you a lot of useful energy and could lead to opportunity that beyond your thinkable reach. The collaboration of Christine Storm with the European producer is an impressive partnership in both mental and physical impact that will definitely results in multiple creativity.

Whenever you're considering a 'collab', be ready to share and contribute your effort. It's important to discuss your goal, vision and objectives with the other person in the business. Your partnership will cost you both - a shared inspiration, personal techniques, experiences and challenges.

With the present development in technology, you do not need to be in the same continent to fulfill your partnership obligations. You can be in different continent apart and yet share your work - beat, lyrics, progress report and communications.

You can get good partners that will really complement your skill on the internet. Nevertheless, it is important to know whom you spend your time with. Avoid time wasters. It will be good to have a well prepared beginning... before you both conclude to work together; make sure you asked her (your chosen partner) the 5 - formula questions that guaranteed a perfect start.The question goes thus:

1. How long have you been involved in music?

2. Can I see a sample of your work?

3. What's your value and stand in the partnership?

4. What and how do we implement the assignment?

5. Moreover, what is our finished line?

The heart of these questions is to be sure you're not collaborating with a wrong person. Mostly, if not all, her responses should agree with your expectations, and if not - quite immediately...

Combining talents in achieving a single objective goes a long way to shortcut your proficiency in the market and capable of positioning you on the fast track to becoming famous and to profit. It's a common say that "No man is an island." You can't get all the skills in one box, but you can always reach out for assistance anytime. It's, however, smart to discover the 7 Wonder Tools for Song Writers

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Make It Your Own - Tips on Covering a Popular Song

Make It Your Own - Tips on Covering a Popular Song
By Christopher Bright

Performing a cover song can be a great thing for you and your career as a musician. It can help you get more exposure, both live and over the internet. In a live setting, people love to hear songs they are familiar with, and if the song you are covering is well known, it'll be sure to turn some heads and grab their attention. People are constantly doing internet searches for popular songs, and covering one of them can make it possible for you to be included during their searches. And while covering a hit song can be a big boost to your career, it's essential that you avoid the one big mistake that countless musicians fall into. Solve this problem and you'll be able to maximize your results.

The biggest mistake people make when choosing to cover a song isn't the song choice (although you'll probably want to avoid choosing an obscure song that people won't easily recognize). The problem you'll face is that most covered songs are considered classics, and on of a scale of 1 to 10, most are arguably 9's or 10's and were recorded in top-notch studios. If you simply copy it, it's more likely than not that your "copy" won't reach the same level as the original. Many people have very strong feelings and associations with songs that they love, and they would much rather listen to the original than a near "carbon-copy." Fortunately, with some thought and effort, this problem can be solved. The answer is that you need to "make it your own" by giving it something unique.

The natural question that comes out of saying "make it unique" is simply, how? Here are a few different ways to differentiate your cover from others. Change the mood of the song in a drastic way. Take a slow ballad and change it into a fast rock song, or vice versa. Change the key in which the song is performed. Change the tempo of the song or the song arrangement. Change the dynamics. The key is to take your time and be intentional as you think all this through.

One example of a great cover song that might inspire you is Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails "Hurt." "Sweet Child 'O Mine" by Guns 'N Roses has been softened in a cover by Sheryl Crow. Eric Clapton put a unique spin on Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff." Many more can be found with a few quick internet searches. Additionally, if you have a niche musical project, such as Camille and Kennerly (sisters who have found great success covering popular songs on the harp), or the Vitamin String Quartet (a string quartet that creates classical interpretations of various popular songs and artists), you might find that performing covers can even turn into a viable business model.

Covering songs can be a great way of getting exposure, and if you take the time to make your cover unique, you'll maximize that exposure and give yourself a much better chance to stand above the rest of the crowd.

Christopher Bright is a musician and educator in the greater Los Angeles area. For more information, please visit: http://www.christopherbright.com.

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5 Ways to Customize Your Finger Picks for Better Resonator Guitar Playing

5 Ways to Customize Your Finger Picks for Better Resonator Guitar Playing
By Kevin B Clinton

Finger picks and thumb picks are a bit of a necessary evil. Many players struggle with them, but if you want speed, volume and attack, they are are essential. Most new finger picks feel bulky, awkward and uncomfortable. Ill-fitting picks are painful and distracting, cutting off circulation while constantly catching on each other and the strings. The best players will spend hours tweaking and "breaking in" a set of finger and thumb picks until they feel like a second skin. Once you've achieved the "perfect pick", however, it can drastically improve your playing.

Below are 5 ways to customize and shape your finger picks to create a more natural experience that works with you instead of against you.

1. Smooth surface jewelry pliers

Metal finger picks need to be shaped to ensure the meatiest part of the pick blade is making contact with the string. We all position our hand differently when playing guitar and rarely does the natural stroke of your finger align perpendicularly with the string. Without shaping the pick, you end up catching just a portion of the pick surface which can weaken your tone and cause your picks to catch on the string. The best thing to do is to manually shape both the blade of the pick as well as the bands so that the pick conforms to your fingertip and your stroke.

Start with two pairs of smooth surface needle nose pliers. Do not use standard grooved needle nose pliers, as they will leave indents and burrs that will cause irritation. You can find a range of smooth surface pliers at a jewelry supply stores or online. If you absolutely cannot find smooth pliers, you can wrap stand needle nose pliers in a few wraps of masking tape.

First work on the side bands of the pick, gently straightening and re-bending to fit the diameter of your finger. Position the pick so it is rotated in a way that allows the most area of the blade to come in contact with the string. Once you have the bands wrapped fairly comfortably around your finger, use your hand to pinch it tighter, taking care not to kink the side wraps. You want it to feel tight and secure on your finger

Next work on angling and shaping the blade so it contours around the circumference of your finger pad. Most people like between an 1/8 and a � of an inch of the pick tip to extend beyond your finger, but it is really a personal preference. The key is to be gentle, go slow and make small bends until you've got the shape exactly how you want it.

2. Nose Pads

One of my favorite tricks is using stick-on foam nose piece pads made for eyeglasses. You can pick these up at most drug stores. Just peel off a pad and stick it to the inside of the finger pick band. It creates a soft cushion that will make your finger picks a pleasure to wear for hours on end. If they get gunky with sweat and dirt, just peel them out and replace.

3. Heat Shrink Tubing

The metal bands of a finger pick can be brutal, cutting off circulation and digging into your cuticles. Besides properly shaping your pick, one trick is to use heat shrink tubing around the bands to create a more comfortable surface with better grip. Heat shrink tubing is sold at any hardware store and is used to provide installation over electrical wiring. The �" tubing works fine.

Place the tubing over the metal bands and snip off the ends. Instead of placing the shrink wrapping over an open flame, which can warp and damage the pick, place them in a small pan of water and bring to a boil. The water will heat the shrink wrap without damaging the pick. Within a few minutes the tube wrap will shrink to form a perfect fit around the band. If you want to get really clever, use two colors of shrink tubing (my store had black and white) so you always know which pick is for your index finger and which is for the middle finger.

4. Use Plasti-Dip to Coat the Bands

Heat shrink tubing works great, but for some picks, particularly the split band ProPiks, shrink tubing is not an option. Not to fear, there is another way to rubberize the bands for better comfort and control: Plasti-Dip. Plasti-Dip is a liquid plastic meant for coating tool handles like pliers or screwdrivers, but works great as a coating for metal fingerpicks. You simply dip into the liquid plastic and it forms a permanent coating around the band. Plasti-Dip can be picked up at the hardware store for around $5. I recommend the can rather than the spray on version, but either will work. The whole process can be a little tricky. Here's how to do it.

-First, take some painters tape and tape off the pick blade and other areas you don't want to coat.
- Wrap some wire around the tip of the pick so you have a way to handle and hang it.
-Next, take some sandpaper and rough up the surface to be coated.
-Then spray the pick with 1 or 2 light coats of metal primer this will give the Plasti-Dip a better surface to stick to. Once the primer is dry you're ready to dip.
- Add a small amount of thinner (follow supplied instructions) and stir up the can of Plasti-Dip, also find a deep cup or bucket and keep it nearby to shake off excess material
- Dip the pick slowly into and out of the Plasti-Dip and give it a light shake over the bucket
- Hang the pick over a piece of cardboard or newspaper and allow to dry
- After around 30 minutes, dip again for a second coat and hang to dry, this time for around 4 hours
- After the coating is fully dry, apply a light coat of MinWax Water-Based Polyurethane, this will keep the plastic coating from wearing over time
- Once the poly is dry, remove the tape. You may need to trim off some of the coating with a razorblade if any made it onto an area you don't want covered

And that's it. It's not the easiest solution, but in the end you'll have some of the nicest picks on the planet.

5. Lick Them

Finally, one of the simplest and easiest ways to get a tighter non-slip grip is simply to lick your finger before putting them on. Lick your finger,, place the pick on, take it back off, wipe your finger on your shirt and then slip the pick back on. For whatever reason this creates one of the tightest grips around and is one of the best methods I've found. Couldn't be faster or easier!

And there you have it, 5 tips and tricks to customize your finger picks for better playing. I strongly encourage you to mix and match. Personally, I'll spend some time shaping my picks, then apply shrink wrap tubing, then stick on some nose pads. Since following this method, I can play for hours on end with no issues whatsoever.

These tips are particularly useful for those that play a resonator guitar, if you're interested in the resonator guitar, check out www.resonatorguitarguide.com.

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Music Promotion Vs Marketing

Music Promotion Vs Marketing
By Harrison Welshimer

There tends to be a good deal of confusion between promotion and marketing among musicians. This article is designed to clear the waters.

I think of promotion as the what. This what is often associated with a product or show/event. The message is quite simple. It explains the what, when, where and price with a call for action at the end.

For example, let's say you're on Facebook and you want to let your fans know about an upcoming CD release show. Your message will sound something like this, "Hey guys, it's been a whirlwind 3 months, but we are stoked to announce the new album is ready. We want you to celebrate with us at the Bluebird Theater on August 30th! Buy your tickets here" (hyperlink "Buy Your Tickets Here"). Simple, short, and it has a call to action.

Marketing, on the other hand is more like messaging. It's not the "shout out" that promotion is. Think of marketing as your why. Marketing explains your reason for doing what you do, saying the things you say, playing the style of music you play.

Now, I'm not saying you're going to get on Facebook and explain why you play music every single day - that message is for your bio, press release kit, etc. But in your daily interaction with your fans, the message you send should always be in character with the band's beliefs, ideals - it should match the brand and image you've created.

An example is the band I manage, Petals of Spain. They have a very holistic view of life and their messaging reflects that. A post from them sounds like, "What positive experience did the universe give you today? We felt incredible synergy during our rehearsal today. Please, share your experience."

The best uses of promotion and marketing are when you use them together. When you have something worthy of promotion, combine the message and the "shout out." Using our two examples above, it could sound something like, "What positive experience did the universe give you today? We felt incredible synergy during our rehearsal today. The vibes are strong for a great show at the Bluebird Theater on August 30th. We want to share this energy with you. RSVP by clicking here."

In summary, think of music promotion as your what. It revolves around a selling point and asks for action. Music marketing is your messaging. It's your why and gives people a reason to care.

For more information on effective social media marketing, I encourage you to read "Online Music Marketing Tips" on my blog, MusicMunch. If you have any questions, please visit my website MusicMunch.com for band and artist management help.

Alright, see ya' at the next jam!

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The Various Forms Of Guitars

Author: Dianne Grover

To help you decide, below are the guitar's different forms and their definitions.

Acoustic Guitars

These are guitars that generate their own sound without the use of other devices. The fact that you are able to produce a sound right away, with nothing that is coming in between you and your instrument is somewhat a magical experience brought by acoustic instruments. The acoustic guitar has a large and hollow sound-box that is in a form similar to that of a female torso and acts as a resonating chamber, and can be played about anywhere you are. It also has two types, the classical and the steel stringed guitars.

1.) Classical or Spanish Guitar

- This type originally came from Spain. They have wider necks and nylon strings. In the 1800s, the three treble strings were made from animal intestines or ‘gut' and the other three bass strings were made from silk cores wrapped in gut. It was only after the 1940s when nylon was used for strings. They proved to be more dependable and cheaper than gut strings. Today, classical guitars use three nylon treble strings and nylon-core wrapped in metal for bass chords which provides gentle yet slightly muted sounds.

2.) Folk or Steel-Stringed Guitar

- They were first established in the late 1900s. Their main difference with the classical type is that their necks are narrower and their sound-box may sometimes be extra large, and use steel strings. The two treble strings are made from plain metal wires and the four lower strings have a core of metal wire wrapped with brass or bronze metal windings. These metal chords can be a little hard for beginners but the sound they make come out very resonant.

Electric Guitars

The first genuine electric guitar was developed in 1931 by George Beauchamp because he implemented electromagnetic pickups with it. These are magnets that capture the vibrations of the chords and transform them into electrical signals that can be amplified. Hence, the sound of this type is generated by an amplifier and not by itself. They have no sound-holes, they have solid-wood bodies, three plain metal treble chords and three wounded-metal bass chords.

Electric Bass Guitar

Shortly after the electric guitar was developed, electric bass was created. They have two major distinctions from the electric guitar type. This type has only four chords, and they are thicker and lower-pitched than a regular guitar. However, you can now find 5 stringed bass guitars, and sometimes even 6.

Flamenco Guitar

It is very much alike with the classical type's design, although it is lighter and smaller. Its sound tends to be more percussive and less beautiful than a regular one.

Bass Guitars

They come four or sometimes five strings, often with fretless necks. The chords are heavier and thicker since their tuning is one octave lower than regular types. They are commonly used for a bass line or for the rhythm.

Twelve-String Guitars

As its name implies, instead of the regular six strings, this guitar has twelve which offers a sound with more volume. The added strings help produce unique and different sounds, giving a fuller tone that guitars with only 6 strings. Anyone who can play a regular type will not have a hard time playing this guitar since its strings are very close to one another and you end up pressing 2 strings where you normally only have one.

These various forms of guitars are played depending on what kind of music the owner wants to play it with. If you plan to get yourself one, you probably already know which one will suit you, but if you do not know much about guitars and you just want to learn how to play one for starters, then a regular acoustic guitar will be just right.

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About the Author

The writer of this article is a music professor in a local university. He specializes on stringed instruments and percussions. Being a member of a popular band, his students often refer to him as the coolest music lessons Houston professor. His method of teaching his students is not based on books, instead he base it from his experiences and on what he learned from his mentors. According to him, the best moment of him being an instructor is when his apprentices are able to surpass him in the music level.

Becoming a Music Entrepreneur

Becoming a Music Entrepreneur
By David Andrew Wiebe
Although the world at large has continued to make the shift from the Industrial Age to the Data Age, the music sector has lagged behind. When the book industry started moving online, Amazon.com was prepared with their user-friendly Kindle platform. Thanks to that, they see very few instances of piracy and illegal downloading.
When music went digital, everybody's initial exposure to it was Napster, which could basically be equated with piracy. Several legal-and-honest online stores have emerged since (like iTunes), but it took quite a bit of time for anyone to develop an application or program that matched the ease and convenience of file-sharing.
That is the reality we still find ourselves in nowadays. Surely, music continues to get bought, but the demographic that grew familiar with free music continues to prowl the online world for a handout. Many other people have also been drawn in by the allure of instant gratification.
The Big Break
Record labels are not in a position to consider taking big risks on artists. There was virtually never a time when each and every garage band was getting signed, but alas even development deals have become a thing of the past, unless we're talking about some of the labor-of-love independent or upstart labels. Major labels will not look your way unless they feel you could be immediately marketable.
Even so, you'll find independent musicians creating six-figures from their:

• YouTube channels
• Live performances
• Licenses and Placements

There are some undeniable possibilities in these sectors, but many musicians will find these prospects questionable too.
Going viral on YouTube requires hard work and perseverance, and most likely a little luck (cute kittens might help too). Achievement on stage entails coordination, a solid work ethic and recognition. You will find an increasing number of placement possibilities showing up day-to-day, but not only is competition fierce, reps are often only looking for a single genre of music at any given time, and you may not have any concept of what they're going to be searching for next.
Nonetheless, this does not mean that these are the only opportunities accessible to musicians determined to make a living within their passion. A lot of the good results we see these days come from one of the three areas already described, but a growing number of new ideas and alternatives are coming out from the woodwork. If you consider yourself ambitious and you have a burning desire to have full control over the music you create, you could consider music entrepreneurship.
A Possible Alternative
Most musicians depend on their music careers to provide them with the results they are trying to find; monetary or otherwise. They work a job by day to pay their bills, and take what's left over and put it towards their music career, praying and dreaming about the huge break.
What if, rather than working a job, a musician constructed an asset (or multiple assets) that created a substantial passive income stream on the side that not merely covered the bills, but allowed for the total funding of their music career?
After all, what would be the two things that hold most musicians back? Money and time. The problem of time can generally be solved with enough money. The problem of cash could be solved by putting time towards a vehicle that has the potential to continue to pay out over the long-haul.
Embracing Entrepreneurship
Is music entrepreneurship idealism? Well, becoming an entrepreneur calls for a new mindset, and it isn't usually effortless. However, you can find examples of individuals who've constructed businesses as a way to pay for his or her passions. If they can do it, then what's to say an artist can't?
The big query, needless to say, is what to do. A musician has to take an inventory of their capabilities, talents and knowledge and carefully consider what type of organization or asset they might construct.
It may be worthwhile to think about possibilities within the industry, like starting an agency, a label, a marketing firm or possibly a printing and design service. Nonetheless, it is essential to take note of the fact that services and firms of this nature are a dime a dozen, and unless your offering is specifically special and valuable, you could end up spinning your wheels instead of creating an asset.
If you find that you have abilities and know-how that could be applied to enterprise outside of the music sector, then you may consider giving these a try. If you are a solid writer, you could write, buy and flip blogs. Maybe you could obtain real estate and rent out properties. Perhaps network marketing would be a viable option to make residual revenue. You could grow your self-image and entrepreneurial skills in the process.
What it takes
The journey of enterprise is not for the faint of heart. Developing an effective company is but a choice away, but to think that it will not call for patience, perseverance, hard work and sacrifice is merely na�ve. Music might have to take a backseat to your business for a while, while you realize your financial goals.
Becoming an entrepreneur implies becoming a problem-solver and solution-seeker. An entrepreneur always searches for ways to overcome problems, and difficulties will inevitably arise. This really is where just a little bit of resourcefulness and also the openness to learn from the examples of other entrepreneurs is incredibly beneficial.
Deciding to grow to be an entrepreneur implies growing as an individual. If you're not a reader, it's time to start reading. If you don't listen to podcasts, start subscribing to a few relevant ones. If you don't go to seminars and workshops, make the decision to get to as many as humanly possible.
Time And Money
If you are sick and tired of not having control over time and money and the ability to make the music you really want to make, then music entrepreneurship may be just the ticket you've been searching for. If you are ambitious and prepared to make some big changes in your mindset, that would be a strong indicator that you are ready.
The journey doesn't end here. This is only the beginning. If you're serious about entrepreneurship, you'll have to seek out advice, coaching and mentorship. You'll have to make a commitment to consistency and daily action. You'll have to get good at setting goals and actually reaching them.You'll have to leave your comfort bubble from time to time.
Nevertheless, when freedom and control of time and money is yours, it is possible to make music on your own terms. You would be free to realize all of your musical dreams.
David Andrew Wiebe spent the better part of 10 years pursuing a career in music. Through that process, he discovered the value in business principles and entrepreneurship. Go to http://www.DAWCast.com for more mindset tips, business ideas and music marketing advice.
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