I will always hate Sundays so writing this blog is therapeutic for me and hopefully of help to a few folks trying to advance their entertainment career.
Independent record labels will be the focus today. Why and how? Why because maybe you've grown tired of waiting for someone else to make a decision on your future. I feel sorry for most of the A&R rep's at major companies. It's hard for them to take a chance on an artist when their job and reputation is on the line. For those of you who may not know A&R=Artist and Repertoire.
Lets lean into the HOW. Indie labels run with the same concept as majors. The team is smaller the over head much smaller and the concentration on a per artist basis greater. I have put two indie labels together since the mid 90's. Both times my M.O.and formula was the same. The first thing to consider are the artists you sign. What do they bring to the table? Do they have past success to run with. Better have hit songs (at least in your opinion), better have a great image, drive, determination and focused like a Mo Fo.You're about to invest money, time and lots of B.S.and T. After your roster is formed the product delivery system better known as distribution is next!! There are several ways of going about this task. In the digital world there are lots of ways to get your product out there without a record label, however if you don't really work it, it becomes very difficult to really see success. When I digitally release product sometimes I just give the first song away (great promotion tool) for any one to down load for free in hopes they will love the artist, see them in concert, and buy the full CD.
This is not necessary with every digital release, no two snow flakes are alike and no two releases are alike.
Finding distribution is hard. You can find several distributor's, each covering different regions as I did with T.N.T. Records or a major that covers the world for both digital and physical product. Next you must be able to promote the artist, that means retail promotion, radio promotion, on line promotion and concert promotion. If that seems like a long and expensive pain in the butt, it is!!! Lets not forget public relations. A "P.R." firm acts as the liaison between the media and the artist. A good P.R. company will design and launch an awareness campaign, handle tour press and supervise an artists all important image. In my next blog we will discuss making the above mentioned work. I will talk about the voyage from the signing to the success.
Help me make Sundays better!!!!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Music career talk 4
So this week we're going to talk about picking the right recording studio for your project.
There are several kinds of studios to talk about. Lots of people have home studios which can work, but having a pro tool rig at home is not the answer. The few home studios I've worked in had more then pro tools i.e. great pre's, mic's, monitors so the recording chain was there. These studios are great for overdubs, guitars, keys etc.
Recording vocals, drums and mixing is a different world. I'm a pretty loyal client and when I find a studio I like and works for me I tend to nest, sometimes for years. You can either engineer yourself (if you can), bring an engineer with you or use the person who comes with the room a.k.a the house guy (or girl). The house person knows everything about the room so there is no wasted time in learning the in's and out's of that studio.
Here's how I have picked out studios for what seems like the last 100 years.
Lets start with the control room. How well is it tuned? How about the outboard gear and mic's? Most pro tool engineers like to mix everything in the box using all the plug in's which I must admit sound better and better, however I like to use some of the great vintage gear that makes tracks sound even better. How are the monitors, how are they placed, how many sets of monitors are there so I can here a mix in different systems.
I hate to say it, but size does count in control rooms. When I produce a band I put the drummer in the studio and the rest of the band stays in the control room with me so we can easily communicate. The glass allows the drummer to see the band for Q's if necessary (read my blog on rehearsal) or if he (or she) is insecure!
The control room has to be big enough for a few visitors like management or A&R peep's.
The studio must be a tuned room as well. The greatest mic's, pre's and performance's will still sound like crap (didn't want to say shit) if the room doesn't sound good .
Location plays a big part in my choice for finding the right studio. Do I like the area, parking is a BIG deal as well, food because when you have been working for hours and your energy is gone you must fuel up so I can work you for many more hours.
Finally the cost. Most studios like to block out time by the day, if you go to an hourly rate you might end up recording and looking at the clock all day. The more days you book should effect the rate, sometimes it doesn't. How a studio looks on the surface in most cases reflex's the condition of the gear. Most of the owner/operator's I work with are incredibly anal about their work and room, that works for me!!
In the recording world you tend to get what you pay for. Hope this helps.
There are several kinds of studios to talk about. Lots of people have home studios which can work, but having a pro tool rig at home is not the answer. The few home studios I've worked in had more then pro tools i.e. great pre's, mic's, monitors so the recording chain was there. These studios are great for overdubs, guitars, keys etc.
Recording vocals, drums and mixing is a different world. I'm a pretty loyal client and when I find a studio I like and works for me I tend to nest, sometimes for years. You can either engineer yourself (if you can), bring an engineer with you or use the person who comes with the room a.k.a the house guy (or girl). The house person knows everything about the room so there is no wasted time in learning the in's and out's of that studio.
Here's how I have picked out studios for what seems like the last 100 years.
Lets start with the control room. How well is it tuned? How about the outboard gear and mic's? Most pro tool engineers like to mix everything in the box using all the plug in's which I must admit sound better and better, however I like to use some of the great vintage gear that makes tracks sound even better. How are the monitors, how are they placed, how many sets of monitors are there so I can here a mix in different systems.
I hate to say it, but size does count in control rooms. When I produce a band I put the drummer in the studio and the rest of the band stays in the control room with me so we can easily communicate. The glass allows the drummer to see the band for Q's if necessary (read my blog on rehearsal) or if he (or she) is insecure!
The control room has to be big enough for a few visitors like management or A&R peep's.
The studio must be a tuned room as well. The greatest mic's, pre's and performance's will still sound like crap (didn't want to say shit) if the room doesn't sound good .
Location plays a big part in my choice for finding the right studio. Do I like the area, parking is a BIG deal as well, food because when you have been working for hours and your energy is gone you must fuel up so I can work you for many more hours.
Finally the cost. Most studios like to block out time by the day, if you go to an hourly rate you might end up recording and looking at the clock all day. The more days you book should effect the rate, sometimes it doesn't. How a studio looks on the surface in most cases reflex's the condition of the gear. Most of the owner/operator's I work with are incredibly anal about their work and room, that works for me!!
In the recording world you tend to get what you pay for. Hope this helps.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Music career talk 3
Well we've covered time management and the art of rehearsal, lets talk about management. There are two kinds of management, personal and business. Today we will focus on personal management. First of all most artists think they need a manager when they don't. A few things to remember: It's better to be pursued then to solicit management. In the state of Calif. a manager's duties are to advise and guide their client. So much of what artists want from a manager they can do themselves without commissioning a percentage of their gross earnings.
Independent success (which you will read in many of my forth coming blogs) is the key to success itself.
The right manager can open amazing doors, give you opportunities that are career making and assemble a team of industry experts who can make it all happen.
With that said the wrong manager can kill a career quickly, I've seen it happen, but I won't mention any names.
What does a manager look for?? An artist who is touring (performing on a constant basis) selling product has a large following you know the same thing record companies look for. In most cases managers work on a commission basis taking 10, 15, 20% (or more in some cases) of your entire income within the entertainment industry. If there are contacts you need to make, people you need to speak to (and no one will take your call) there are other industry people you can hire to help (music attorneys, P.R. firms, guys like me etc.). This industry runs on relationships.and track records. The music business is a small industry and everybody knows each other. Sometimes it's better to have a young, new aggressive management company behind you where you don't get lost in large stable of artists. Of course sometimes it's great to have a major management company behind you who can make the seemingly impossible happen. Choose wisely and may the force be with you.
Independent success (which you will read in many of my forth coming blogs) is the key to success itself.
The right manager can open amazing doors, give you opportunities that are career making and assemble a team of industry experts who can make it all happen.
With that said the wrong manager can kill a career quickly, I've seen it happen, but I won't mention any names.
What does a manager look for?? An artist who is touring (performing on a constant basis) selling product has a large following you know the same thing record companies look for. In most cases managers work on a commission basis taking 10, 15, 20% (or more in some cases) of your entire income within the entertainment industry. If there are contacts you need to make, people you need to speak to (and no one will take your call) there are other industry people you can hire to help (music attorneys, P.R. firms, guys like me etc.). This industry runs on relationships.and track records. The music business is a small industry and everybody knows each other. Sometimes it's better to have a young, new aggressive management company behind you where you don't get lost in large stable of artists. Of course sometimes it's great to have a major management company behind you who can make the seemingly impossible happen. Choose wisely and may the force be with you.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Music career talk ll
I hope my last blog was of some help to you. A quick review, please manage your time because in the entertainment business you have to hurry up and wait!
OK with that said on to the next subject; the art of rehearsal. Yes it is an art of sorts because the time you put in equals what you get out of it. If you practice and practice and nothing sounds better, it's time to examine your technique. It can be a vocal part, a guitar lick, a set (of songs) for a performance, or pre-production for the studio. When I start to work with a band in preparation for a recording project I start with a few easy ways to help the band understand and hear their own material. I have the band turn down the volume. Most singers have to scream to be heard at rehearsal. Guitar player is too loud so the bass turns up, the drummer is already pounding as hard as possible so where does that leave the singer let alone any attempt at background vocals.
With the band volume down I mic the kick drum so the bass player and drummer get tight. The key to any great sounding band is a tight rhythm section hopefully we all know that!! When the band is turned down the players can hear each other and most importantly the singer, what a concept!! Most bands like to rehearse standing as they would on stage and that's cool once the music is tight, but before that I put the players in a circle so they have easy eye contact and can communicate their ideas quickly. Try to keep (mostly guitar players) the noodling down while people are trying to speak, you'll get more done and if your paying for rehearsal time save money. Try to make sure everyone knows the lyrics, but can also play the songs without any vocals at all. Have section rehearsals i.e. drums and bass only, guitar and drums only, keep mixing it up so everyone is aware of everyone's parts. When all the above has been completed then stand there like you would on stage, in front of mirrors so you can check yourselves out (dump the bad moves and keep the good ones) and always record your rehearsals so all of you can review your progress. These simple suggestions work. I have worked with bands for many years prepping for major concerts, industry show cases and recording. It's how successful artists do it. Hope this helps, see you next Sunday.
OK with that said on to the next subject; the art of rehearsal. Yes it is an art of sorts because the time you put in equals what you get out of it. If you practice and practice and nothing sounds better, it's time to examine your technique. It can be a vocal part, a guitar lick, a set (of songs) for a performance, or pre-production for the studio. When I start to work with a band in preparation for a recording project I start with a few easy ways to help the band understand and hear their own material. I have the band turn down the volume. Most singers have to scream to be heard at rehearsal. Guitar player is too loud so the bass turns up, the drummer is already pounding as hard as possible so where does that leave the singer let alone any attempt at background vocals.
With the band volume down I mic the kick drum so the bass player and drummer get tight. The key to any great sounding band is a tight rhythm section hopefully we all know that!! When the band is turned down the players can hear each other and most importantly the singer, what a concept!! Most bands like to rehearse standing as they would on stage and that's cool once the music is tight, but before that I put the players in a circle so they have easy eye contact and can communicate their ideas quickly. Try to keep (mostly guitar players) the noodling down while people are trying to speak, you'll get more done and if your paying for rehearsal time save money. Try to make sure everyone knows the lyrics, but can also play the songs without any vocals at all. Have section rehearsals i.e. drums and bass only, guitar and drums only, keep mixing it up so everyone is aware of everyone's parts. When all the above has been completed then stand there like you would on stage, in front of mirrors so you can check yourselves out (dump the bad moves and keep the good ones) and always record your rehearsals so all of you can review your progress. These simple suggestions work. I have worked with bands for many years prepping for major concerts, industry show cases and recording. It's how successful artists do it. Hope this helps, see you next Sunday.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Music career talk.
Just a short introduction, my name is Dito Godwin I'm an independent multi platinum award winning record producer, songwriter, musician and life time survivor of the music industry. I have toured all over the world in various bands, worked as an agent, years of being a personal manager (don't ever work on a commission basis unless your client makes enough to commission), successfully created two indie labels (currently with Universal),
taught related subjects at several universities, lectured at numerous music industry conferences and now with all of that I'm looking for a book deal. I mention all of this because if I have accomplished a few good things in my life among a sea of no's and rejections you can too!! I will try to pass on some ideas and handy hints to help you get to any level higher then where you are now.
My hot tip for this blog is about our bitter enemy, "The Calender". This of course means "Time". How we use it and abuse it. One of the most important things I've learned over the years is how to manage my professional time. Example: Being in a band till the end of time. If something is going to happen it will, if not move on to something that will happen. Musicians tend to stay put because of the brotherhood and friendships that form when you play in a band (get a puppy) then move on. If you send your music to a label for signing consideration and you don't hear back they don't want you, they didn't forget to call and offer you a deal!
Research, find labels that are signing your type of music and go after them. In case no one told you record companies don't do development any more! They want you to show up with finished product, a big fan base and sounding like a national act! Set your goals realistically, look at the calender pick a date that you feel comfortable with and if you have not accomplished what you wanted to in that "TIME" period change your course a little and try it in a new way, reinvent yourself every once in a while, it's a great way to get a fresh start and still be focused on your main goal. I'm here to help and "I'll be back", thanks for reading this.
taught related subjects at several universities, lectured at numerous music industry conferences and now with all of that I'm looking for a book deal. I mention all of this because if I have accomplished a few good things in my life among a sea of no's and rejections you can too!! I will try to pass on some ideas and handy hints to help you get to any level higher then where you are now.
My hot tip for this blog is about our bitter enemy, "The Calender". This of course means "Time". How we use it and abuse it. One of the most important things I've learned over the years is how to manage my professional time. Example: Being in a band till the end of time. If something is going to happen it will, if not move on to something that will happen. Musicians tend to stay put because of the brotherhood and friendships that form when you play in a band (get a puppy) then move on. If you send your music to a label for signing consideration and you don't hear back they don't want you, they didn't forget to call and offer you a deal!
Research, find labels that are signing your type of music and go after them. In case no one told you record companies don't do development any more! They want you to show up with finished product, a big fan base and sounding like a national act! Set your goals realistically, look at the calender pick a date that you feel comfortable with and if you have not accomplished what you wanted to in that "TIME" period change your course a little and try it in a new way, reinvent yourself every once in a while, it's a great way to get a fresh start and still be focused on your main goal. I'm here to help and "I'll be back", thanks for reading this.
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