Recording Artist Advocate: Scary Santa will be televised...

OK. That reference is a little convoluted. The original quote was, "The revolution will not be televised." My idea is to do a funny video about the scary Santa my Wife's family puts up every year. 

The idea is to promote Rough Wood Studio but in an entertaining way that doesn't feel like I'm promoting my business. Because you can do both.

I saw a funny video where a woman is going through her life and all the problems she faces. Through the video she uses an app on her phone to solve the problems as they come up.

By the end of the surprisingly long video you know how to get the app and how to use it's various features. You would never sit through the video if you weren't being entertained the whole time.

So what does that mean for you?

You can promote your band or next CD or download release. Just make sure you entertain them first. Tell your story in an entertaining way and do everything you can to get out of your own head and into the minds of the people watching. They probably don't care about half of the stuff you think is important. But the things they do care about will resonate. You can have fun, be ironic, take risks... whatever it takes to keep em' watching and sharing with friends.

Make them laugh and cry. Both are just as important.  

Recording Artist Advocate: Theatre geeks and musicians...

Theatre people write plays and singer songwriters write songs. But what do you call it when the musician writes a play? Usually that is the "concept album" or recording where the songs tell a bigger story. Tommy was the first concept album I was aware of. But a little searching and I found they have been around a long time. 

If you are ever experiencing writers block, you can try to tell a big story in several small parts. 

You could think of it as a bunch of snapshots poured out on a table. You pick one up and that is a song. Pick up another and there's another. Just like the stories tell the overarching story together, your individual songs tell a bigger story as well. 

Instead of getting blocked, just tell your story. Write a play and turn the acts into songs... or the chapters into songs. 

Whatever it takes to step back from the situation and get past your writers block... do it.

Here is one more way. Hope it works for you.

Recording Artist Advocate: Opportunities are all around you.

As a musician or a singer/songwriter, you have opportunities to play and make money. What are some that come to mind? Live music venues like bars and coffee houses? Can you think of anymore?

Anyone?  (Echoes)

Bueller?

Yea, me too.

I want the artist I work with to make money and further their craft, and recording with me… but how can they make more money if they don’t get out and preform?

Smart artist find places to play, and there are more places to play than you might think.

Here’s one:

A friend told me his band was asked to play at a school for anti-drug, or was it anti-bullying. Well, anyway, it turns out there is money set aside for different school programs to teach kids about things the administrators think are important. They have to check off the boxes and you might just be able to help them with a program. Or just to be a part of a show. Find where you can fit in, grow your audience, and get paid too.

You know how awful these programs can be from when you were in school, so make yours better. You probably already explore some of those same themes. Explain how your music fits in with their program.

You have had experiences you wish you could warn your younger self about. So tell those stories.

Now comes the most important part. Say these words exactly:

“What do you have budgeted for this?”

Don’t say anything else. Wait for the answer. You may be surprised.

Oh, yes. It was anti-drug. He told me he was pretty drunk when he showed up but got through the show without anyone realizing.

Recording Artist Advocate: Go along with what people already believe... and still change the world.

You can’t change someone’s mind if they aren’t listening to you. But if you get them really listening, you can even get them to accept a new idea at odds with their beliefs.

Here is how it went in one study: people were asked to read news stories that went against their beliefs. Immediately after they were asked about the stories and sure enough they rejected them. But, weeks later they were reporting back the content as fact. So, getting in someone’s memory is the important part.

No researcher is making someone listen to your music, so that part is up to you. Tell a story that your listener wants to hear. Use the themes they expect and then turn the tables on em’.

Plus, your brain likes to be surprised. “I see dead people” meant so much more when you realized, along with the main character, that he was a dead people too.

Now you know what to do. Go and change the world… but use your new power for good, please.

Recording Artist Advocate: Under pressure or getting in the flow?

Some engineers want the artist to feel a little pressure to get the best out of them. Others want a relaxing atmosphere where the artist can be their most creative. Which one is best?

I start by trying to make things relaxed and loose, and then turn up the pressure if needed.

 I definitely don’t want artist to feel like they are having to slog through just to get something good recorded, so we start off pretty easy. Where a little pressure can make a difference is usually self-imposed by the artist when they feel they need a better take or get a part done.

For tracking, a little self-imposed pressure can be good to get the band together and get the best takes. But, I never want a singer doing final vocal tracks to feel pressured. One time I had a singer just sit quietly and focus on breathing. It saved the session and allowed him to get quite a lot of work done in the time we had scheduled. He also wore a brain stimulator (Alpha-Stim) to help get to the perfect relaxed but focused state. We did in 3 hours what would have taken 5 or 6 any other time.

 So, “Your both right”… but I prefer the flow.