DANCE MUSIC











What is Dance Music? The definition of dance music is quite simply- Music composed/ played specifically for dancing to. Dance music includes a whole variety of music from waltz to tango, disco to rock.

From the dawn of mankind humans possessed the desire to dance. In accient times, the first purpose of dance was ritual – to the gods of nature. Dancing is proven to make us feel good. Dancing is used in celebrations. In ancient Greece, after harvesting grapes, the occasion was celebrated in honor of the God of wine, Dionysus, where people danced all night long. Although dance and music can be traced back to prehistoric times, it is unclear which came first. As rhythm and sound go hand in hand and inspire movement.The relationship between the two has always been symbiotic. Our ears have the fewest sensory cells of any sensory organ--3,500 inner hair cells occupy our ears versus 100 million photoreceptors in our eyes. Yet our mental response to music is amazingly adaptable; even a little study can "retune" the way the brain handles musical inputs.

It’s a well known fact that music is good for you, as it builds neuropathways and stimulates the mind. Recently scientists discovered what makes a tune catchy, after locating the brain area where a song's "hook" gets caught. Its in the auditory cortex,which handles information from ears.

Dance Music in particular stimulates our brains, as studies found, thus the popular demand for night clubs. An uplifting melody with an uptembo rhythm increases our stimulation in the auditory complex.

In recent times the term “dance music” is more familiarly known as club music, electronic music…techno, trance, house, eurodance, breakbeat and trance,drum and bass,hip hop, and raga. Electronic dance music evolved in the 1970s. Kraftwerk, Georgio Moroder, Donna Summer and Sylvester are just a few of the artists who started the dance music phenomenon.

From 1988, many terms of dance music evolved From Acid House to Tekkno to ambient wave to trance. Nowadays we have all sorts of dance music from all over the world. We hear it on our radios, Tvs, in our night clubs. A recent survey found dance music is the most popular genre among music tastes, and is growing in popularity even more each day.








Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:



Three Doors Down, Love Me When I'm Gone
Joe Cocker, The Letter
Bob Seger, Night Moves
Disturbed, Down With The Sickness
Cat Stevens, Wild World





Local Artist Of The Day:


Reflections In Blood

The Big Picture









In this wonderfully diverse world of ours, there are essentially two kinds of songwriters. Not good ones and bad ones, not big ones and little ones, not even successful ones and unsuccessful ones. The line that most clearly separates writers is defined by those who write without regard for the requirements of the marketplace, and those who attempt to write for public consumption.

If you write songs because it brings you joy, and have no interest in being compensated financially for doing so, then by all means continue to bring beauty into the world and take no advice from folks like me! People who feel this way are fortunate indeed. These lucky people have found an activity that is rewarding to them and those around them. Their success will be judged only by how much joy this activity brings to themselves and others.

If however your goal is to have your music presented in the highly competitive public marketplace to the widest possible audience, and generate substantial compensation, you must be prepared to do the following things:

1. Learn all you can about the craft of writing commercially. (Many fine books are available)
2. Learn and understand the makings of a successful commercial song. (Study hit songs)
3. Learn all you can about the Marketplace. (Read trade publications)
4. Gain an understanding of quality demo making. (Be involved in your demo’s)
5. Seek the advice of music industry pros. (Attend workshops)
6. Seek the advice of successful writers. (Attend workshops)
7. Keep a positive attitude. (Keep writing)
8. Plot a course for improvement. (Challenge yourself, work your writing muscles)
9. Network with other writers. (Join local writers groups)
10. Stay current, know what’s popular.(Listen to the radio)

If success as a commercial songwriter is your goal, What you should not do is present your work to music business professionals unless and until you understand the above listed items. Most publishers and artists are looking for songs they consider “hits.” While there is no exact formula for what a hit is, there are certainly aspects common to most songs that become hits. If you are pursuing publishing agreements as a writer your only goal should be to write well-written, hit songs!

Some writers view writing commercially as “selling out.” I am by no means suggesting that you stop loving what you are doing in exchange for profit. I have been writing for the music marketplace for many years and have loved every moment. This is simply a career choice. If you take your shot, you should be prepared to do it as best you can, and with a reliable road map for success.

Keep Writing!







Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:



Zakk Wylde, In This River
Tool, Sober
The Monkeys, Daydream Believer
The Who, Pinball Wizard
Foghat, Fool For The City




Local Artist Of The Day:


Calveris

Eric Clapton












Eric Clapton, thought by many to be the preeminent guitar authority in the world, is returning to the stage in the summer of 2006. His story is one that relates directly to the decades of timeless music he has produced, and Clapton is revered by fans of several generations. His life is one of struggle and sadness, and his music is seen by many of his fans as his personal triumph over his circumstances.


Early Life

Clapton was born in 1945 in England, although he didn’t really know who his parents were until later in childhood. His father was a Canadian service man who went back to Canada after World War II, and his natural mother left soon thereafter to join him. Eric was left to be raised by his grandparents, who he thought were his real parents until he was nine years old. Clapton knew his real mother as his sister, as his grandparents wanted to shield him from the stigma that came with being an “illegitimate” child.

Clapton was first inspired by music as a young teenager when he watched Jerry Lee Lewis perform on television, and his life-long love of the blues was born that day. He attended school with the intent on becoming a stained glass designer was derailed when he was expelled at 17 for playing his guitar in class. Despite what was seen as a setback at the time, the incident propelled Clapton into music full time.

Early Career

Clapton proceeded to work a series of low-end jobs while continuing to learn and play the blues with his guitar. In 1963, he joined a band called the Yardbirds, which just happened to boast of three enormously popular guitarists - Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. The band was an instant smash hit, and they were known for their bluesy style and riveting guitar melodies. However, Clapton became disillusioned with the band’s progression towards mainstream rock and roll, and left the band in 1965.

Clapton spent the next year making the band the Bluesbreakers extremely popular, but in 1966, he decided to form his own band, naming it Cream.

Reaching Potential

Cream was one of the most recognizable and loved bands in the world, and every one of their albums was a huge hit. Cream was mentioned in the same breath as the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, and the trio recorded three albums before deciding to put together a farewell cut entitled Goodbye in 1969. There were many reasons for the band’s break up, but drug abuse and clashing egos were seen as the primary reasons.Later that year, Clapton became a member of rock’s first “super group” when he teamed with Steve Winwood, Ric Grech and Ginger Baker. Although the band released only one album which was named after the band, Blind Faith climbed to number one on the North American Billboard album charts, and the work is still selling well to this day.

Going Solo

After all of his experience in highly successful bands, Clapton decided to strike out on his own, and this would prove to be an extremely wise decision. However, Clapton first had to get past his drug addiction, which was no small task. Once he had, however, he got right back into what he loved most, and released an album entitled 461 Ocean Boulevard in 1974. The album included a cover of Bob Marley’s I Shot the Sheriff, which not only experienced chart success, but brought exposure to the world of reggae that was seen as “the” boost to the genre in general.In the past 30 years, Clapton has released 15 studio albums which have contained songs that are considered by many to be anthems more than singles, including such mega-hits as "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," "Lay Down Sally," "Cocaine" and "Wonderful Tonight."

Bringing It All Together

The result of Clapton’s work goes beyond millions of records sold and tens of millions of loyal fans. He is the only artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times, has won several Grammy Awards and is known for his guitar skill in every country in the world. He has never lost his love for the blues, and continues to thrill crowds with his heart-felt renditions of his and other songs that were written over the decades, and everyone who has a chance to see him live considers it a privilege and an honor.









Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:



Eric Clapton, Cocaine
Hamell On Trial, Pretty Colors
Calveris, Walk Away
Peter Townshend, Let My Love Open The Door
Finger Eleven, One Thing






Local Artist Of The Day:


Calveris

TROUBLE PERFORMING?












Performance anxiety is not something that only happens to musicians, singers, actors and dancers. It happens any time we feel pressure to "perform" in a specific situation or over a period of time. Writing a book or creating a painting or sculpture may evoke symptoms as well.

Symptoms of performance anxiety include "butterflies" in the stomach, quickened heart rate or more severe symptoms such as hyperventilation, dizziness or intense fear.The 5 main reasons for performance anxiety are:

1. We're not present in the moment, inside our body.

When we're focused on our (negative) thoughts and on what we *think* about what's happening, as opposed to just taking in the sensory information from around us without analyzing it, we miss out on what's happening.

2. Perfectionism.

Unrealistic expectations can warp our perceptions of how great we actually are!

3. Lack of training in performance-specific skills.

Sometimes our training is focused more on the execution of our art form, and not specifically focused on helping us become comfortable and confident performers. Performing is not natural for everyone and needs to be learned.

4. Past trauma.

People who have suffered abuse or trauma have a much harder time being "exposed" in a performance setting. Sometimes, also, we have had traumatic experiences to do with our art form – such as critical teachers or harsh performance experiences.

5. Difficulty connecting with other people.

Gifted performers have sometimes grown up very isolated because of time spent with their art form instead of "playing" with their peers. When you generally think of yourself as different or an outsider, or in terms of "me" and "them", being in front of an audience just magnifies that and it becomes more difficult to think of the audience as lovingly receiving your talents and gifts. Instead you may see them as judgmental or unkind.








Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:




Rush, Tom Sawyer
Eric Clapton, Layla
Papa Roach, Scars
The Allman Brothers Band, Whipping Post
Seether, Truth






Local Artist Of The Day:


The B-Sides

Press Kit Strategies











The main goal in creating a press kit is to generate interest in an artist and the music they play. A press kit includes background information, photos, samples of music, a listing of past and future gigs you have scheduled, and any other pertinent information.

A press kit is used as a way of introducing and artist to newspapers, the media, promoters, and music industry leaders. You can create a press kit that is mailed to the appropriate recipients and it is a good idea to have an electronic form of your press kit that can be emailed and posted on web sites.

Things to include in your press kit:

Offer a limited a mount of information about yourself, your band, and your style of music. Don't give the reader more information than they want. If your introduction is too lengthy, you will lose the interest of your intended audience.Talk about your music, the way in which you perform your songs, your sound, and who your influences are. You will want to give a good idea of what you may sound like in these descriptions. Do not be afraid to interject a little humor into your descriptions. You will get someone's attention during the very first minute they open your press kit. If you do not captivate them immediately, they will lose interest.

Describe the things that make you special in comparison to everyone else. What are your skills and experience level? Why would a record promoter or executive gain by giving you a chance to record and market your music? Record companies spend a great deal of money in promoting new artists. You will want to make it clear why you would be a good investment.

Include press clippings and quotes as they become available. A remark made about you by a reputable person will go a long way in making your press kit credible. This will let the reader know that you have been recognized as a talent to be reckoned with and could possibly create extra momentum for you while you are trying to launch your career. Whether you are in need of a singer, musician, or actor press kit, recognition from others is a great tool in promoting yourself.

You really only need one page of your press kit to be devoted to a biography and one page that includes quotes and press clippings. This rule stands even in an online portfolio. By keeping each topic on a simple page, you are much more likely to hold the interest of the person who receives your press kit. Make sure the tone of your band press kit is in line with who you are as a person and the type of music you perform.

A sample of your music in the form of a high quality CD or clips that can be heard in an electronic press kit are critical. Make certain you label the CD with your name and contact information. If someone loves your music but has misplaced the rest of your press kit, you will want this information to readily available to them.

Be careful not to overdo the self-promotion. You should be positive and state your ambitions, but shameless self-promotion will make you look unprofessional and less than credible. Also avoid including too much personal information. No one cares (yet) about your first pet, your grades in elementary school, or your personal phobias. Keep the focus on your music and your accomplishments. You want to be sure you do not look desperate for work, even if you really are.

Include a personal cover letter to whomever you send your press kit to, and try to avoid sending your musician press kit unsolicited. It is always better to have a referral from a friend or associate of the person you wish to see your material.









Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:



Peter Townshend, Let My Love Open The Door
AC/DC, Son Of A Bitch
Bob Seger, Drift Away
Nickelback, Feeling Way Too Damn Good
Disturbed, Stricken





Local Artist Of The Day:


Christine LeDoux

LOOKING FOR A MANAGER???








I receive hundreds of demos each year of bands looking for representation. Here are some helpful tips on what to do (and what not to do) when looking for a manager:

DO:

Be professional - image is everything. Send out a professional looking package - type the address label and letter. Make your first impression count (I often will decide how quickly I listen to a package based on the package's presentation). If your package doesn't look professional, it's hard to get someone's attention to even listen to your music. Put your strongest song first on the CD. And just send your best 3 songs. If you have a full album you can send it, but note the strongest 3 songs. Record the best quality demo you can. Follow up. Be persistent but not annoying. Call or email 2-4 weeks after sending your package to make sure it was received. With hundreds of packages, even the most diligent manager will probably take a while to get to you -- so a friendly reminder is fine but don't become a pest. Always put your contact phone number, email address and your name on the CD itself - CDs often get separated from jewel cases.

DON'T:

Send a package blindly. Always email or call first to see what type of artists the management company represents. There is no point in sending a rock manager a package if you are a country artist. Some managers represent a diverse roster but usually we have some type of specialty - for example, I mainly represent alternative rock bands and singer/songwriters, yet I get a lot of hip hop CDs. Go figure. Send a huge envelope full of press clippings, bios, photos, etc. A one page bio and maybe a photo are helpful -- but the music is what matters. Huge packages are just a waste of paper (and money!) Waste money to send packages express mail or priority mail - a big envelope may get opened faster to get it off my desk and out of my office but in general, all submissions sent to me go in the same pile, so save your money and don't send packages express mail to managers. At the end of the day, if you have good songs, you will find a manager. So, good luck!







Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:



Brother, The Crow
Megadeth, Family Tree
Louis XIV, Illegal Tender
Ted Nugent, Free For All
The Knack, My Sharona





Local Artist Of The Day:


Calveris

LAUGH IT OFF












Taking life too seriously is probably one of the major causes of illness, actually. If you are a songwriter, especially with it being such a high-risk business, having a sense of humor about it all is probably your best bet. A song that makes people smile seems to be a better moneymaker that those that make people unhappy, so this can be a good direction for your lyric writing as well. Here are a few ways you can put a little more sunshine into your songwriting and your songwriting life.

LAUGH AT YOUR CRITICS

Yes, it hurts when you hear someone really slam your music, but sometimes we can be our own worst critics. If you catch yourself badmouthing your playing, calling yourself stupid and getting angry when no matter what you try, a part just sounds bad to you, don’t get mad, and just laugh. The same goes when you get a bad review—laugh. Even if you laugh in disgust, just the exercise of laughing helps heal your body of stress, and may even get some extra oxygen into your brain so it can think of a way to fix your bad bit. Laugh at the fact that the critic probably missed something really obvious. You’ve got to laugh. If you get audience members who heckle you, laugh then, too—they probably forgot their meds, broke up with a significant other, or wish they had a significant other but no one wants them because they are so obnoxious, and are probably wishing they could get the attention you are getting. See it as an indication that you must be doing a good job, because the heckler feels threatened enough to act out at you, and just smile—it’s the worst thing you can do to them.

LAUGH AT YOUR MISFORTUNES

Try to take everyday life with a chuckle. When you get stuck in traffic, sit back and sing along with the radio, no matter how bad you sound if you are alone, and laugh at your goofs. Not only will this help pass the time, but you may come up with some good melody lines, lyrics or arrangement ideas, and be far happier when you arrive than the person that sits there obsessing over the fact that five people have nearly caused him to wreck and that he may now be late for an appointment because he now needs to stop for gas. Rethink delays as reasons to do crosswords or catch up on some reading that you hope will inspire your next batch of songs, and you will not only further your work, but be happy when you get where you are headed which will always help your career. If you get sick, think of it as an excuse to write more and play less, and catch up on that sleep you promised you would last month, and be happy for the vacation, even if it is just an hour more a night and you are struggling through the day. A positive attitude seems to help people heal faster, too, studies have shown, so get out those comedy videos, watch comedy shows or rent a funny movie and laugh to yourself that it’s research for another song. Even money woes can be laughed at, if you sit and notice that you have a place to sleep, songs you can pitch, and a computer to get in touch with people and learn things from—you are ahead of many, so smile at your good fortune.

LAUGH WITH OTHERS

Some of the best bonding experiences are those where you had a good laugh with pals. If you are in a band or have a co-writer, try to find fun, non-musical things you can enjoy together to blow off steam so you can center in on your music when you are writing. Find excuses to vent, especially ones where you can yell or scream together—roller coasters are fun, and often laughingly scary, but so can be a round of disc golf. Go see a good movie, or sit and laugh at a funny show after practice when everyone is winding down—earlier taped shows of “Family Guy” or “The Simpsons” are my family's favorites , but try to let these be after practice fun, not be the reason practice is late, or doesn’t go off at all. This way, you end practice on a high note, even if things didn’t go well, and can go home with a smile and have something positive to write more music about, if nothing else.So try to take a lighter view of songwriting. Sure, you may feel like a fake forcing yourself to laugh at first, but after a while, just like learning guitar, you will feel more natural doing it the more you practice. With a positive attitude, too, and the ability to look at things from a funny viewpoint, you may find you suddenly can do things you before talked yourself into thinking were impossible. Whining may make for good blues, but a lot of folks don’t like to listen to a whiner. The life of the party is usually a welcome sight, trust me, I know!!!






Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:



Elton John, Your Song
Pantera, I'm Broken
Green Day, Jesus Of Suburbia
Jim Croche, Cat's In The Cradle
Todd Rundgren, Hello It's Me





Local Artsit Of The Day:


Matt O'Brien

Music Promotion












The ongoing sad shame of the music business is that, even as more recording artists become wiser in the business aspect and learn to maintain controlling interests through the establishment of their own music enterprises, there still seems to be an ever-increasing number of new artists who are ready to throw caution to the wind at a moment's notice by signing with the first company that shows interest.

Needless to say, for the most part, they often live to regret it lifelong. On the other hand, doing it yourself, is quite admirable, but you had better know everything the majors already know...and more.

Back in 1990, a band I know of released a single that achieved national radio airplay and press coverage, but had absolutely no distribution. It was a dumb gambling idea, that since they could not afford distribution on a national level (they had no financial backing or a P&D deal), they could gamble on this recording being quickly picked up by one of the major labels. Talk about a 'pie-in-the-sky' plan. This was a perfect example of not having all the bases covered.

They even sent copies of the national press coverage and had managed to get to the majors, but didn't include the recording in an effort to further play "the baiting game." The crazy thing is, all of the majors called and requested a copy.

Well, by this time the record was "dying" on the air because there had not been, and there was still no distribution to support it. And, it would have been useless, from a business perspective at this point, for the majors to even get involved.

The point that I am trying to make is that they had, indeed, put "the cart before the horse." While they had the desire, and a little knowledge of how things generally worked, they were not prepared for or aware of the vital business details that they needed to know in order to make it not only be competitive, but keep the entire process working.

Back then, if you were fortunate in getting your recording played, you had about 2-6 weeks before it was "killed" for lack of distribution activity. Well, they were completely unknowledgeable on how long it would actually take to review, negotiate, and sign contracts, even if they could be fortunate enough to get a deal and have the production end thoroughly covered.

In their naivete, they believed this would be, basically, an overnight thing. If they liked it, boom, we had a deal. Ultimately, through my own lack of thorough preparation, they ran out of time and lost the record. Let their experience be a lesson well learned. Do your homework! Thoroughly!

Do NOT make assumptions or under-estimate the importance of any area of your marketing campaign. Do NOT slack at any phase. Before you submit your CD to the radio music directors, program jocks, club jocks, or even the press, you had better have enough coverage in the distribution area in regard to anticipated sales.

Now, this article has assumed that you have already established your business from a legal standpoint such as obtaining a business license, getting a post office box, a separate business telephone line, business cards, and any other necessities.

The absolute worst thing you can do is appear unprofessional in any phase, or have a "runaway" hit that you can't deliver to your fans. And, isn't that what you want? Isn't that what this is all about? Sure, it is! So, don't skimp! Do it right...the first time!







Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:



The Police, Message In A Bottle
Cream, Sunshine Of Your Love
Sean Paul, Temperature
Neil Young, Keep On Rockin' In The Free World
Three Doors Down, Love Me When I'm Gone




Local Artist Of The Day:


Waylon Crase

Say Something







The music of Rush influences and inspires, at least that's what it's done for me over the past 25 years. Now, the question is, is the music that powerful, or am I just too easy to inspire? Both I guess.

When something really hits me I tend to pay attention to it, like a smack in the face. It's tough to ignore something that's truly eye-opening. I pay attention to things that open my eyes, things that make me think and feel, like music. When I listen to Rush sometimes I laugh because of their comical aspects, sometimes I cry because of the impact of certain phrases or melodies, or indeed the combination thereof. I'm also often floored by the power of the music, and the sheer talent that created it.

The music of Rush can be incredibly gentle, and touching, stuff I would play for mom, unlike my old AC/DC or Ozzy Ozbourne (there's a story for another day), though I'm sure she has heard them vibrating the walls of my room one time or another. Rush also makes great wall-rattling tunes that you just have to crank up, songs with drive and power that make you want to play dashboard drums while you cruising along the highway. I'm a frequent dashboard drummer, though I can scarcely keep up with Neil Peart's double bass thumping -- my gas pedal gets in the way.Sorry about that, back to my initial thought...I feel many emotions when I listen to music, whether it's Rush, Peter Gabriel, James Taylor, Coldplay or a host of other great musicians and bands. The fact is, music inspires. A great song puts on its gloves and gives you a good one two punch.

Okay, some great songs just have a good grove, or catchy chorus, but when you're listening to not-top-40 music like Rush, stuff that's not at all heard on mainstream commercial radio, you're listening to a band that's made it as far as they have because of their influence and talent. Their fans love them because of what they say, what they play, and how they play and say it. Don't trip there.

I can't imagine what my life would be like without some of these great musicians and writers. And while their music inspires greatly, we must understand that they're still human, and humans make mistakes. Do as I say, not as I do. :)

When something hits me, I look to see what it was. How often do you feel an impact? I guess that's why I write and record music as well, because I'd like to influence people the way I've been influenced, positively. I have stuff to say, do you? Say it. If we say enough good things, we won't have to worry about what the papers say when we make a mistake, the people we've influenced won't dwell on it.I was hit by the Bob Marley song "Could you be loved" that ends with the repeated phrase "Say something... say something...say something.."Great song. Great idea.







Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:





Bryan Adams, Summer Of 69
Huey Lewis And The News, Heart Of Rock N' Roll
Nickelback, How You Remind Me
Brother, 2 Chairs And One Tree
Bread, The Guitar Man




Local Artist Of The Day:


Robin Overall

The Sneaky Way To Make Yourself Practice Guitar (Or Anything Else)











People generally have one of two reasons for taking up the guitar: some just want to learn to play a few chords so they can accompany themselves while singing their favourite songs. Or maybe they want the social life and perks that come with playing in a band. For them, practising is a pain.

The second type is the person who from day one knows they want to be as good as the best in their chosen field, whether it's rock, funk, jazz, or classical. In other words, they want to emulate their heroes. And practice is the pain that leads to the gain.

If we're honest, most guitarists will admit to starting off with approach one and ending up on the road to approach two, simply because no matter how good you get, you have a nagging doubt that you could do better. You also feel that anyone listening to you knows this too, and they're wondering why exactly you don't sound like a professional. (Although that's just paranoia--they aren't thinking that at all.)

Fortunately, the guitar is an instrument that will cater for both approaches. Someone once said it's the easiest instrument to play sloppily and the hardest to play well.

Personally, I'm not so sure: a church organ, with all those pedals, and the bagpipes have got to be at least contenders for the title.

No matter, there is some truth in the statement.

But who cares? If your intention is to be able to pick up an instrument and make your singing of your favourite hit of the moment sound fuller, does it really matter what standard you are? Of course it doesn't. (As long as you aren't really really terrible and inflict it on other people, that is.)

And besides, every time you pick up the guitar (or anything else), you improve. You build up muscle memory, for one thing. Practice really does make perfect.

And that's the important thing: it is necessary to practice.

Only ever playing while you sing those faves of yours does count as practice, if that's all you want to accomplish. And the good news is you can get to play pretty decent pretty quickly, just by learning the necessary chords, persevering, then learning how to play rhythm with a little variety.

If you want to be more versatile, though, practice will probably mean learning moves before being able to apply them to something meaningful--a bit like the wax-on-wax-off sequence in the movie The Karate Kid. And just like Daniel-san, you're going to get to the point sometimes where you wonder what the point of it all is, and whether you can take it without losing your sanity.

Or maybe you'll start to feel it's taking up too much of your life, that you could be doing something more useful or enjoyable (because, let's face it, practice is always dry and unenjoyable, isn't it?)

But should you ever get into the position where you feel you just can't face those exercises, there's a sneaky trick you can play to fool yourself into doing it.

(It works for other things, too, like exercise, and research).

It's this: tell yourself that you're only going to practise for two minutes. One hundred and twenty seconds, maximum. After that, no matter whether you're enjoying it or not, you absolutely have to stop. No carrying on. No excuses. And make yourself put the guitar down.
Try it. See what happens. You'll be a better guitarist in no time.








Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:



Breaking Benjamin, So Cold
Sean Paul, Temperature
Billy Joel, My Life
Pearl Jam, Daughter
Traffic, Dear Mr Fantasy




Local Artist Of The Day:


High Tied

How Can You Trust a Manager?









Let's face it. Managers as a group just don't have a high level of trust from musicians. There has been a whole lot of negative publicity about unscrupulous Managers. It seems that music managers have this in common with used car sales persons. There must be some ounce of truth in this stereotype or it would not exist. There is the pound to consider.

Meaning: the percentage of Managers that fit the stereotype is a small one, yet the bad apples have defined the barrel. All right, let us go with the flow.Most Managers have clients. Who are these clients? Are these clients successful? Do they have good things to say about the Manager? Who does the Manger have contacts with? Do these contacts have great things to say about the Manager? What has the Manger accomplished? Has the Manager been involved in law suits, been sued by present or former clients? If so, what were the outcomes of these suits? Some of these questions can be easily answered.

Others may take a bit more research. Credibility and track record are important concepts.There are different varieties of trust and varying digress within these varieties. Trusting someone not to cheat you, lie to you, misrepresent themselves or you is the most common type.. Then there is trusting someone to be competent, reliable and or astute. A person may be trustworthy in the most common thought of trust factor but fall short on other varieties.

One can really never be totally sure of these factors because people and situations can change at any given moment. Being cautious but optimistic is the only way to proceed.

In most cases, a Manager would not be soliciting for new clients unless he/she is starting out. Everyone must start somewhere, so this should not be a disqualifier. Everyone has a background, a history. A resume' and references should be available. Does a band expect a top Manager with major labels clients to be running after them?Most artists or bands that are starting out, the first year or so, do not really need a Manager because there is not much a manager can do that the group or artist cannot do for themselves. There are mid level Managers that take on fledgling artists and or bands. In quite a few cases, mid level or beginning Mangers lose their clients to upper level management once the major level has been achieved. In some cases it is justified that this should happen because the beginning or mid-level Manager does not have the necessary experience to deal at national and/or International level. Trust usually is a process and time is the only gauge.








Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:



Zakk Wylde, In This River
Cat Stevens, Wild World
Nickelback, Photograph
Disturbed, Down With The Sickness
Journey, Open Arms



Local Artist Of The Day:


Them One Guys

To Tour Or Not To Tour...That Is The Question!









It’s every musician’s fantasy. The tour bus rolls up to the arena (full of groupies, beer and pizza). Fans are crowded out front hoping to catch a glimpse of America’s hottest band. The group is escorted to their dressing room (full of more groupies, beer and pizza). They enjoy the various pleasures of stardom while roadies set up the stage. It’s show time. The artists take the stage. The crowd is screaming. The lights are glaring. The amps are humming. The drummer clicks off the first song and…

You wake up in the back of your PT Cruiser. Your bass player’s elbow is in your ear and the drummer’s asleep on your foot. You’ve eaten nothing for the last week but corn dogs and frozen burritos. This is not the tour you imagined. This is not your Lilith Faire. This is not your Lollapalooza. This is not your Warped Tour. This...sucks.

Every musician dreams of touring. Getting out of their same boring town. Trying their tunes out on new crowds, in new areas, for fresh faces. Bonding on road, writing new tunes in the motel room, free food, free drinks, getting paid, getting laid…living the life.

But the music biz is full of touring horror stories. Bands stuck on the road with no money to come home. Musicians not eating for days. Clubs canceling gigs the night of with no warning. Negative reactions from bar patrons and local bands. The list goes on.

So, how do you make sure that your touring experience is a positive one? What can you, as musicians do, to eliminate potentially negative experiences and create positive ones.
The following are a few tips that add success to your touring experience:

1.) Don’t Plan A Tour Because You’re Unhappy At Home---Just as an affair will not fix the problems in a marriage, a tour is not the cure for: problems within the band, problems in the band members’ lives, or a general malaise for your local scene. A tour is strain and stress and loads of work. You should be excited, and enthusiastic and positive when planning.

2.) Over Prepare Before You Leave---You can never plan too much or take too many precautions. At home is the time to rethink ever scenario and arrange accordingly. Get the van tuned up. Pack extra emergency money. Bring a list of additional clubs in the area in case your gigs fall through. Pack extra strings and sticks. Bring a backup guitar. Pack extra merchandise. Bring emergency food/water. Pack extra batteries and power cords. Bring cell phones.

3.) Be Humble And Thankful---You’re in a strange town and a new club, act like a guest. Nothing ticks off a club owner/promoter who’s taken a chance on an unknown band more than out-of-towners swaggering into a club like Paris Hilton in an episode of “The Simple Life.” No matter how cool you are in your own town, this is unproven ground and your first impression is important. Ask, don’t demand. Set up quickly. Play at an appropriate volume. Clean up after yourselves. Be friendly and courteous. Say “please” and “thank you”. Unless you’re booking in Jerkville USA, this positive attitude could set you well on your way to a repeat booking with better perks and more local support.

4.) Seize Every Opportunity---If you’re going to take the time away from work, family, and the buzz you’ve built in your own music community to head out into the great beyond and conquer unknown lands…you might as well come back with something other than lovely memories and an out-of-state parking ticket. You’re in a new place and the possibilities are endless. Sell CDs. Sell T-shirts. Get new names on your mailing list. Solicit local reviews, interviews, and radio. Introduce yourself to other club owners for future bookings. Find out who books local festivals. Play an impromptu house party after your gig. Make new friends that can street team for you next time. Think of something I haven’t even written here and do it!

Don’t Expect To Conquer The World In One Tour---Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your touring empire be. Have fun. Enjoy each trip and using it as a building block to make each tour to that particular place better and more elaborate. Play your cards right, and after a few trips you may be making terrific money, have secured lodging (either new friends let you crash or a club pays for a motel), get food and drinks comped, and guaranteed press and radio coverage.

In short, touring can be the best thing that ever happened to your band if you work hard, play it smart, and follow through correctly. But no matter how much you love to tour, always remember to keep your foot in the door locally. It’s the great work that you do at home that makes other clubs excited about you bringing your show to their town.







Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:



Led Zepplin, Immigrant Song
Papa Roach, Scars
The Cars, Let's Go
The Doobie Brothers, Drift Away
Tool, Sober



Local Artist Of The Day:


The Drama Summer

MUSIC











Music has been an inevitable part of our day to day life. Be it the chirping of birds, babbling of babies or the rhythm of nature you will find music everywhere. When you listen and hear sweet music tunes you are left behind with the weaving magic of one of its kind. It is around 50,000 years back that music has evolved and now it seems to be an integral part of our body and soul.

Music plays a great role in our lives:

1. It has been found in a research that children listening to music are more likely to become engineers, doctors and computer professionals because of the fact that music learning develops certain important areas of the brain responsible for reasoning and language. Therefore, it is also known for sharpening memory of an individual.

2. A child who has taken birth from the womb of a mother who had listened music is much intelligent than others.

3. Music is used widely in many therapeutic purposes so as to heal mental problems and other learning disabilities in a person. It also heals diseases such as hypertension, brain trauma and provides relaxation during stress.

4. It teaches a person how to coordinate, self express himself, work in a team, and follow discipline.

5. Even plants are known to thrive towards music as they too respond to sound in the same way as a human does.

6. Music brings a devotee closer to his god and this is the reason why religious hymns lifts up heaviness of the mind and frees the soul.

7. It is also used for meditative properties used for training, healing, exercising and releasing tensions.

8. People perform better when music is played because it erases the mental tension and introduces lightness in the body.

9. Music and songs have always captured feelings, passions, agony, and distress more efficiently during love and romance.

10. It is also used by scientists to map behavior and functions of the human mind.

Classical music is known to soothe and open the channels of the mind whereas rock music sets your pulses to racing and chants can send you to trace. The future of music business has also taken manifolds in the recent times due to these advantages. Music has different effects upon various human beings depending upon the use.







Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:


Humble Pie, 30 Days In The Hole
Green Day, American Idiot
James Taylor, Sweet Baby James
Rush, Tom Sawyer
Bryan Adams, Summer Of 69




Local Artist Of The Day:


Tony Jones

CD PROMOTION










Promoting you cd at shows you play is easy enough, but you want to get heard by more that 100 people that might buy your cd. Think of all the people that will hear you if your cd is for sale at other peoples gigs. You could even do this in places other than your area.

This is called cross promotion. Remember you gotta give a little to get a little. Make deals with other bands to promote their cd’s if they will promote yours at their gigs. You can do this with other bands that you know personally or even search for bands on the internet.

Come up with an agreement for the bands to be contracted to so that no one is hurting the other band. This is about commitments and responsibilities.

Here are some tips for cross promotion.

You want the band to be within your genre. People that listen to your band should want to listen to theirs as well.

You want your cd to be current. No one wants to listen to old music from a band that is not on a major label.

Create a sample cd so that the band you are in cross promotion with can hand it out at shows, or even play it during their breaks.

Be sure that when they are announcing their cd is for sale that they also give you a mention. Make sure you do this for them as well.

Free giveaways are awesome and can get peoples attention. Hand out shirts or don’t charge for your sample. This cross promotion can work for everyone if you stick to an agreement that benefits everyone.







Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:


50 Cent, Lil Bit
Bob Marley, Knocking On Heaven's Door
Boston, Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore
Ted Nugent, Free For All
Nickelback, How You Remind Me




Local Artist Of The Day:


Calveris