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
Judas Priest, Electric Eye
Seether, Truth
B.B. King, Lucille



Local Artist Of The Day:


Calveris

An Outstanding Publicity Pack Equals a Record Deal









If you are searching for tips on how to get a record deal, there is a great one you ought to know! There are many ways to promote yourself and your music, especially to A&R people but have you considered making a publicity pack? Putting together a powerful publicity pack is a crucial step in the right direction towards getting a record deal.

Your pack needs to be professional and appealing in order to impress the record company. I am going to give you some tips on just how to do this. You can either perform these tasks on your own or you can dish out a little cash and have someone do it for you. I suggest if you are on a budget to do it on your own, it is not hard.

First, let’s make a list of what to include in your kit. You will need the following: a recent photo, a demo, a bio with contact information, a business card, posters, flyers and a performance schedule. You can send this kit out to all kinds of people, for example, A&R, bookers, publishers, managers, promoters, venues, agents, any record company…the possibilities are endless.

You can create a lot of these things on your own. Get a friend to snap some striking, style filled photos or you or the band. You can have these printed just about anywhere for a tiny price. Your bio can be created using any word processing program, just make sure it looks great. Put your logo on it to make it stand out. The same goes for flyers and your performance schedule. Business cards, on the other hand, can be created and purchased online, sometimes for free! As for your demo, this may be the hardest task of all. You want your demo to be appealing and with fantastic sound quality. If at all possible, try to get professionally recorded. This may cost a few bucks but it will all be worth it if you end up getting that record deal, won’t it?

Another rule of thumb, in relation to your demo, is no more than three of your best songs. Get honest advice on which songs sound the best from friends, fans and family. Creativity and hard work are key in working on how to get a record deal. If you are serious about a record deal then you will be more than happy to go the extra mile to impress the man. Remember, it is vital that you make your publicity kit appear as prominent and professional as possible. The music industry is rough and tough so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get noticed right away, you must continue to persevere. After all, doesn’t the squeaky wheel always get the grease?!





Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:


Tool, Sober
Zakk Wylde, In This River
Rascal Flatts, What Hurts The Most
The Cars, Let's Go
Three Doors Down, Love Me When I'm Gone



Local Artist Of The Day:


Helpwanted

Gift Ideas for Music Lovers

by: Jane Karwoski








Do you know someone who loves music? Well, there are some fantastic items on the market right now for the avid music fan.

Mp3 players make great gifts for everyone. This fun and trendy technological invention allows the user the freedom to make and store his or her personal choice of songs for listening whenever or wherever they go. Also on the market are docking stations for Mp3 players for listening in the area of your choice. These items are very popular with the young set; but would certainly be appreciated by anyone who listens to music on a regular basis.

CD players always make great gifts for anyone. Portable, stand-alone, and mini versions of this item are available. Easy to operate and affordable, you can have one in every room of the house. Most players have the capability of playing CD's in all formats, but make sure you purchase one that plays mostly all the formats available especially if the recipient likes to record music from the computer to blank CD'R's. I personally love to create compilation CD'R's of my favorite tunes.

When it comes to stereo headphones, it is important not to scrimp on this item. The best stereo headphones to buy for the music lover are closed-end headphones. This type of headphone prevents outside noise from distracting the music listener and works best when recording music. A good pair of headphones can be pricey, but are well worth the investment. (This item is on my Christmas wish list).

Children, as well as teenagers can value tremendously from learning a musical instrument. How about an electronic keyboard for the budding musician? Electronic keyboards run anywhere from a $100.00 to thousands of dollars. Depending on your budget and the musical ability of the person, music keyboards are incredibly versatile, functional and a lot of fun. Even older adults that never got a chance to learn an instrument when they were young would appreciate a keyboard. Easy to play, especially for the beginner, some keyboards are interactive and provide built-in learning tools. Many electronic keyboards also include a stand, microphone, built-in recording capability, lighted keyboards, and touch-sensitivity. Many also include DVD's for instruction on playing the keyboard. "Key" based instruments such as electronic keyboards, piano, synthesizers etc. are best for the beginning musician.

With so many choices for the music lover at our disposal, what better gift to give than something one can appreciate and enjoy for many years to come.





Deb's Top 5 Songs Of The Day:


The Who, My Generation
Dio, Rainbow In The Dark
Bob Segar, Night Moves
Finger Eleven, One Thing
Pantera, Domination



Local Artist Of The Day


Calveris