Recording Artist Advocate: Music and Drugs...

Music has the same effect on your brain as drugs. It’s much more subtle, but just as real.

You can convey emotion or excitement and in turn produce those feelings in the minds of your listeners. It’s more than feelings though. Real brain changes take place.

Now that we can “see into” the brain and know more about what’s going on in there, we can know when someone is feeling dissatisfaction, frustration, and even anger before they are outwardly exhibiting these emotions. Likewise we can see when the brain is satisfied and happy.

You have so much influence on your listeners. More than you may realize.  

We all know people who “self-medicate” with music just like someone would have a drink or use drugs. You don’t think about it, but if you pay attention you will see it all around you.

Music doesn’t just mirror our moods; it can drive our moods!

You get to be the creator, distributor, and dealer.

But a brick of CD’s won’t get you in trouble.  

Recording Artist Advocate: Melody is most important...

You want your song to be remembered? It turns out melody is more important than lyrical cleverness, a unique sound, or studio technique. This makes sense because when someone is remembering and singing your song in their head the melody is all they have.

Recorded music is relatively new in our human experience. If you sang a song with someone and they wanted to share it with others later, all they could do was sing it. Songs could go around the world this way and not change much. So melody was the bedrock of repeatability.

It still is.

Even rap and hip hop have been adding melodious elements into their offerings. It turns out that’s something we crave deep down.

For most of you this isn’t even an issue. Your songs are naturally melodious. But if you want them to be truly memorable, turn that up a notch. And don’t forget to surprise that part of your listener’s brain that looks for patterns. Take your melody into an unexpected place. You will surprise and delight the brocha and you will stand apart from all the other music out there.

Oh, and they’ll remember you when they’ve forgotten everyone else.

When you’re ready to record your memorable music, book some time at Rough Wood Recording Studio.

Recording Artist Advocate: Discouragement and Writer's Block...

Creative people are more likely to live on the highs and lows of their emotions. It’s just part of the package. You experience things and write about them so that others feel it too. Your colors will be a little more vivid; the highs and the lows too.

Someone I know was recently going through a writer’s block. I would send encouraging e-mails or texts as what seemed like good advice would come my way. Later we laughed about how when you are going through a bad situation like that, all advice just grates on you, even though it’s good advice.

He said he had to get out of his head and stop trying to write. He was so focused on “writing” that he wasn’t experiencing life.

 I’ve done the same thing. I’ve been so focused on a problem that even though I’m with my family, I’m not really there. My mind is mulling over a solution and I miss out on living.

How many times have you been falling asleep when the solution to a problem springs into your head? When you finally relax and quit trying to figure it out – there it is!

So, if you are becoming discouraged with your music or are going through a creative rough patch, take a step back. Think about what was appealing about this work. What first attracted you to music? You may just need to get back in touch with those things for a while. The nuts and bolts, the heavy lifting part of the business will be there when you come back.

Get out of your head and quit thinking about “work”. You have stories to tell and people need to hear them.  Take some time to let yourself fall in love again, so to speak.

Recording Artist Advocate: Sell Something...

When we were young we thought people saw a need and came up with solutions. The best solutions, or the easiest to use, or the best marketed solutions would be successful.

OK, it happens sometimes. But something else happens more often.

Instead of a need bringing about a solution or product, a product is marketed to create a need. 

Seasonal allergies, Social anxiety... I'll bet you can think of several "problems" that people just dealt with in the past. Now there's a pill for that. 

Music is put together this way too. Someone at a label thinks a certain kind of music is getting hot and they search out a band that fills that niche.  Marketers will even choose the members of the band based on the "look" they're going for. They're inundated with music and songs. That parts easy. It's about what they can sell.  

Bands do it too; chasing after the latest thing. How many grew out their beards... wore their little sister's jeans, or copied any fad that came along.I

If you chase trends you'll always be running after something you can't reach.

How bout' this! Be aware of what is trending in and out of style, but not so you can chase after it. Do what you do. Plant your flag and be willing to say, "This is what I am."

Be authentic and attract an audience of people who appreciate that.

Yes you will change some as you get older or just gain more experience. You can bring your fans along for the ride.

You don't have to fake it or reinvent yourself. The only "Selling out" will be your shows and merch!

Recording Artist Advocate: What you Love...

Whoever said, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day” was a liar.

If you find the work you love and want to be successful l at it you’ll have to work just as hard as if you’re doing something you don’t love. The advantage is that you probably won’t mind as much. At least you can have a better attitude about it most of the time.

I can work 8 hours at my job during the day and work another 8 in the studio. I often do. I enjoy the work in the studio, but it’s still work and I still get tired. The hours go faster, but come on! That’s 16 hours.

If it was easy, everyone would do it. Successful people do what others can’t.

It’s supply and demand. If your job can be done by anyone, it won’t pay as much. The more skill or aptitude required; the smaller the pool of talent there is and the more those people make.

I don’t buy the argument that athletes make too much and teachers don’t make enough.

You try to do what they do. They’re so good at it people pay to watch. It’s “butts in the seats” and it adds up to millions. (People and Dollars!) On the other hand, almost anyone can get a teaching certificate.

If you can get those same “butts in seats” you can make money too! Lots of it!

Yes you’re doing what you love, but it’s still work.