A lot of what you have been told about creating your image is false. This article is meant to be a simple list of things that might surprise you as a musician. Some of you have had ?managers? misguide you. You know the drill. Your guitar player?s girlfriend has a connection at some local club so now she thinks she is fit to orchestrate your entire career. Maybe you have a know-it-all singer who spent 5 minutes glossing over some music industry website and now he is writing your bio chalk full of transparent lies and over-exagerated descriptions of your rock fury. No matter what the case may be, I can guarantee you that you have at least a few misconceptions about how to properly present your image. This article will briefly outline some of the major issues on writing better bios, press kits, and press releases.

YOU HAVE MORE CONTROL THAN YOU THINK

The most important thing I can tell you is you have more control than you think. If you really get the hang of image presentation and playing this game we call the music biz you can virtually create any image you want of yourself or your band. First and foremost I want to talk about the press. Ever surf the net doing some research of some new band your friend told you about? Ever notice how multiple music sites will have the exact same description of the band? Of course, you aren?t an idiot, you realize these sites simply rip what the band wrote in their bio on the band homepage. But do you realize the POWER of this? Basically, you have the power to syndicate your image in a way. These websites simply don?t have the time, nor intimate knowledge of your band, to create some pseudo-bio for you. They rely on you, and what you have to say about yourself. This is power. Use it wisely.

But you already knew that. What I?m about to tell you is something you may not know, but could drastically affect your bands promotional campaign. PRINT MAGAZINES DO THIS TOO. Yep, a lot of those long write-ups you see in your favorite magazines about your favorite band, have content ripped straight from the bands? bio. The trick is that this only applies to well written bios. If you do in fact have such a bio, this can be the most powerful weapon in your promotional arsenal.

THE SECRET BIO SAUCE RECIPE

Ok. So let?s recap real quickly. You know that your bio can help control your image on the net. And now you know you can even control how the print media presents you. But how do you write such a bio? First, let?s go over what NOT to do.

INFLATE: Do not inflate your image beyond the reality of your band. Don?t be all flash and no smash. In other words, don?t talk about what you can?t back up. This is the most common mistake in bio writing. I call it ?inflation?. This is pretty much adjective abuse. Avoid phrases like ?intense live show? or ?super sonic blast from the future?. This is stock. This is not creative. If you aren?t the biggest drawing band in your own market, don?t say ?this band is taking the nation by storm?. The press and online community have been reading bios with such inflations since the beginning, they see past this very well.

QUOTE FANS: If you can?t get someone credible to say something nice about your band DO NOT resort to using a fan comment. Ever?for any reason.

LIST SONG DESCRIPTIONS: If you are already an ?inflator? then talking about your own songs will only cause pain and tragedy.

SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME ON PREVIOUS BANDS: If your last band didn?t have a record deal or tour, don?t bother. If you have some leverage with your ?former member of?? status use it tastefully and only in brief.

Now that we have got those cardinal sins out of the way you are probably thinking ?jeeze, what else is there to write about?. This is where we start digging. Time to put on your thinking cap. You have to think like a reporter looking for a refreshing angle. You have to find the one thing that can create an image that will stick. You have to find THE STORY.

By this time I have lost some of you. You either don?t know what I mean by ?the story? or you have a bio that breaks every rule I just outlined and you can?t admit it. The best bios read like a good music rag write-up. If your bio is written correctly it should make a staff writer?s job easy. It should be easy for him to ?rip? or ?cop?. It?s no co-incidence that many pro bands use these kinds of writers to pen their own bios!

Perhaps you have an interesting story about how you came together. Perhaps you have some gimmick, like Siamese twins or 3 bearded lady bassists. But hopefully you have something that connects your band to something going on in the world of music. You need something that will get people?s attention. Maybe your band is the only Death Metal band for 100 miles in the Bible belt. You get the picture.

I am going to list some things that can make great stories (and double as press releases).

-Being produced by someone reputable

-Being managed by someone reputable

-Breaking some mark in online CD sales or downloads

-Getting a supporting slot on a festival or tour

-Having a reputable person as a quoted fan

A PHOTO SPEAKS 1,000 FLAWS

I want to get one thing out of the way: I?m not going to tell you how to dress. But I am going to tell you that it may be your biggest problem. I am not a stylist. I can not solve this problem. I can tell you this though: The camera will expose every flaw you have in your style. With that said, let?s get on with at least getting a quality photo.

I am not a professional photographer. I am not going to tell you how to take a photo of yourself. I am going to tell you where to get one. Your best bet is to find a local photographer that you see at local shows. More often than not, they are either legitimate press, legitimate artist, or a legitimate student. Browse their catalog of band photography and if you think it stands up, there ya go. This may all seem like common sense, but I want to stress that this is abandoned and somehow your guitar player?s girlfriend is your ?photographer? because her mom has a camera. Do not let this happen to you. Find people with pro gear. Get a professional or at least a digital arts student. These are always your best bets.

If you are going for sheer impact with your 8 x 10 one good tip is to at least look like you are in the same band. I?m not saying get a gimmick or wear make-up. I?m saying that even if you think your personal look is ?plain?, your band as a whole can benefit from at least being on the same page.

LOGO

The miracle of Adobe Photoshop has given birth to some of the most breathtaking digital art we have seen. It has also, to the misfortune of bands mostly, created total rubbish. If your logo sucks it says many things about you.

It shows you have high tolerance for bad art.

It shows you yourself might be a bad artist and were not smart enough to hire a professional.

It shows you have a very distorted view about the genre of your band.

It shows some of you are totally unprofessional and don?t care about your image.

You might be surprised how many ways there are to find good digital artists to create your logo. In my personal opinion, even paying up to $100 is worth it for a good logo. Bottom line, the sites below are the best place to find killer artists.

DeviantArt.com
Mylkhead.com
AngryBlue.com
PlayWithKnives.com
EyeSuckInk.com

PRESS KIT SECRETS

One very strong tip I can offer is to try to think of your image as ?dynamic?. It has to be all things to all people. You might have to add something extra to that envelope before you send it off.

If you are sending your kit out to an artist rep at a prospective endorsee you ALWAYS want it to contain tour dates. This is the most important thing in your attempt to get gear for cheap and say those lovely words to all your loser musician friends playing crappy guitars? ?I got an endorsement deal?.

A great add-in is a DVD. There are a lot of affordable ways to make a DVD these days. Again, this is one of those things that will expose your flaws. You don?t want to put your life story on there. Live footage is great if its done right. Fake smoke and that cheesy ?page turn effect? are not. Don?t make a wedding video. This will be valuable in your arsenal when try to book gigs.

Ask First. Send. Follow Up. This is your best way to make some impact and get a solid contact in the biz. Your press kit will always have more impact if the person is expecting it (send it promptly).

Make sure you are to the point when calling someone you?d like to send a press kit to. You are Jon Doe from The Doetones. You are going to be in town around this time. You want to send a press kit for a possible gig. If you are sending an email and have an EPK (Electronic Press Kit) NEVER send the press kit in first. Always try to get a response before sending the press kit. If you are sending to a possible endorsee put your upcoming dates in the initial email.

Following up is crucial. Many of the people you will be dealing with in this business are either busy or forgetful?mostly both. You must initiate contact. Be tactful and patient. Do not hound people, but make sure you give yourself a chance to make some opportunities and pick up the phone yourself.

Remember, you are in essence, trying to self yourself to a company or consumer. You have to be a salesman. Try to connect to people and have them want to talk to you. If you can do this they will always want to help you or get you involved in something that will. Or best of all, spend money on you and your product.

Bruce Prokopets, aka Bishop Dolarhyde, is co-founder and editor of music news blog http://www.scenejumper.com Bruce had his first live gig at 15 and has had various jobs in the industry since. He spent years as a guitar tech, tour manager, endorsement liaison, bassist in a national act, and promoter in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

As a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency, I?ve had the unusual opportunity to listen and critique many a demo reel from up and coming artists. One thing is for sure, the vast majority of reels are in the fair to pretty good, but not the ?Knock your socks off,? category. There are a multiple of reasons for this, but for the sake of time, I will highlight what makes up for an incredible singing reel, whether you?re singing jingles, general session work or working towards an artist deal.

Singer reels encompass somewhat of a large category in general, but I believe the following concepts can cross over multitudes of styles and hopefully bridge the gap in your attempt to have a demo that not only sounds great, but turns the ears of your listeners as well. Did you ever wonder beyond the actual music what makes for a great session or recording in general? Have you ever noticed how some individuals just naturally crank out demo reels that might as well be the master tracks for a major artist recording and how some just continually struggle to cut the grade?

To begin with, nothing short changes your demo reel more then a lack of focus. Lots of energy has been expended over a failure to provide the end goal. If you are going for an artist record deal, then don?t be playing around with ?demos.? Your artist record demo has to sound like you?ve already got the record deal. Unfortunately many individuals out there feel like they can piece together their artist demos on their friend?s computer ? Probably not going to happen. Your demo has to sound top 40 no questions asked, and on top of that, has to incorporate more unique musical elements not found with popular current recording artists – Why should the label add another act that sounds just like another act currently on the charts?

If you are a jingle singer, you will want to focus on a smorgasbord of sounds. It?s funny that most of the commercials airing tend to be fairly moderate, but to break in to the market; you?ll probably want to include some off the wall sounding jingles to grab the attention of your listeners. You might want to visit ReelMusician.com for further ideas on jingles and what makes up for a good jingle reel. If you want to get into general session work then try figuring out who you are as a singer, what your particular role will be in the session and then develop your reel based upon those findings. You?d be surprised at how many singers don?t sit down over a cup of coffee and figure out their singing goals starting with today, this week, this month, year and five year goals and then elaborate on a career game plan based upon that information.

Once you?ve established your goals and game plan to get there, you can start to look at your demo reel. Some time ago a prominent artist manager told me that he felt that if money was an issue when recording a demo, then it was better to keep the demo simple while using the best players possible. In other words, it?s better to record a guitar/vocal or piano/vocal with the best guitar or piano player around and have the ?reel musician? play on your demo then to have all of the rhythm section elements in play, but not the quality to back it up. I found that statement interesting and find it as truth even today. It is far better to keep your artwork, music, bio, press kits, etc simple but utilizing the best possible writers, designers, musicians, then to have a run of the mill artist package that looks and sounds like the rest of them. You?ll feel good about thinking you?re in the ?in? crowd saying all of the buzz words, but you will most likely go no where. You?re not in the game to sound like the rest of them, you?re in the game to get a record deal, obtain jingle singing work or general session work. Utilize this principle and it will go along ways in your career.

We?ve touched on developing your focus, creating a game plan with goals, obtaining the best musicians or the ?reel musician,? and now let?s look at some ancillary ideas to wrap up this topic and will hopefully give you an edge in your career path. Attitude is king as everyone knows. Great attitudes often make up for pretty good demos and helps pave the way to real success ? People like working with down to earth, nice individuals and not the ?artsy fartsy.? Maintaining and setting your goals is key. Always be looking at and creating new goals and ways to get there. Always be authentic in your personal dealings. Music professionals may not always be transparent, but believe me, with all of the insecurity out there in the halls of the music industry and outside, it?s always refreshing to work with singers and acts that are real and transparent and not in a put on way.

Learn to develop creative ways to develop relationships with individuals already in your field. For session singers and jingle singers, you will want to form authentic relationships with singers already in the field involved in session work. Your relationship might entail vocal coaching or just a plain friendship ? keeping in mind, that while you want to succeed in becoming a mainstream session singer, that the individual you have developed a friendship with is worth more than your goal. In other words, it?s not what you can do for me, but I want to be your friend with or without the session work help. Inclosing, develop a general game plan, set your goals, make all creative material including your demo center around those goals, utilize the best possible players, with only one or two players where budget is slim and develop authentic relationships with individuals already in the field.

Mr Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and founder of http://www.ReelMusician.com You may contact the author at tgauger@reelmusician.com. Free e-books ?The Jingle Singer?s Guide,? and ?Secrets To Great Song Demos,? may be downloaded at http://www.ReelMusician.com

As a performing artist, you want to come across to your audience and other music business professionals as being reliable, and professional in your work.

To do this, it is important to maintain a business ATTITUDE throughout all your stage shows, and when communicating with venue owners and staff.

1. Where possible, issue written contracts or letters of agreement in advance. Check with your employer or agent the week before the show, to make sure no details have changed.

2. If you are booked to play at a venue that you’ve not been to before, try and visit on another band night before your gig. This will enable you to check access for the equipment; where the stage or playing area is located; where to position your mixing desk and speakers; whether your cables need to be flown over fire exits; what volume levels are tolerated, and what kinds of music the regulars enjoy most.

3. Always arrive at the venue in plenty of time to complete a full soundcheck BEFORE the public arrive.

4. Always carry spares of things like fuses, cables, backing tracks, strings, or any other small item that could mean the difference between doing the gig or not.

5. Always take along an extra long mains cable in case the nearest socket is broken.

6. Safety first! – Buy yourself a mains power polarity checker (such as a Martindale Ring main tester) and a set of circuit breakers for all your backline amps. No matter how badly your guitarist played tonight, he didn’t deserve to die!

7. Always create a set list for every show. This can be tailored to the type of audience that you now know frequent this venue (See tip no. 2). If you have rehearsed well, you will know exactly how long your set will last. Don’t go on stage late and overrun your contracted time. The venue owner’s license will depend on all music ceasing at a certain time. You don’t want to be the one who gets the venue closed down!

8. Play your set without long gaps between songs. Only communicate to the audience what REALLY needs to be said. A slick presentation and tight performance shows how well rehearsed you are, and keeps your audience on the dance floor.

9. Rehearse a polished entrance and exit. There is nothing more unprofessional than a bunch of musicians meandering onto a stage carrying the remains of a sandwich or pint, then spending several minutes chatting to each other, tuning up, playing along with the record on the disco, jamming, smoking, adjusting their clothing, answering a call on their mobile…. The list goes on! Believe me, I’ve seen it all!
Use the dressing room to apply your stage clothes and make-up. Wait for your performance to be announced, then march briskly onto the stage and launch straight into your first number. At the end of your performance, the reverse should be observed. Don’t hang around trying to encourage the audience to shout for an encore. Leave the stage as quickly as possible and wait in your dressing room to hear whether the audience want more.

10. Never be seen on stage in the same clothes as you were wearing in the soundcheck, or whilst mingling with the crowd.

11. If you are hiring a PA system, take your own can of telephone cleaner/sanitizer. Rented microphones are rarely cleaned!

12. Rehearse in your own time, not in the soundcheck!

13. Practice, the show thoroughly, but always leave a breathing space of a few days between the last rehearsal and the gig. Over-familiarity can make you complacent.

14. Always be pleasant and business-like when dealing with staff at the venue. Especially with the person who is paying you! Don’t automatically expect gratuities such as free food and drink. These are bonuses unless stipulated in your contract, where they then become part of your fee.

15. Respect the venue’s fixtures and fittings. Don’t damage their furniture or wall coverings with your speakers and gaffa tape. Ask permission first! They will often be glad to fetch you some beer crates to stack your speakers on, rather than using their tables.

16. Don’t get drunk, or high on illegal substances before, or during, the show.

17. Don’t hang around the venue for longer than is necessary after the show.

18. Don’t stop playing a number whenever a small problem occurs. Never re-start a number if someone in your band makes a mistake. You should be sufficiently well rehearsed for these mistakes to go unnoticed by your audience.

19. Don’t play any louder than you absolutely need to. Not everyone in an average venue will be there to listen to you. Don’t try to fill the whole venue with loud music. Just the area or dancefloor immediately in front of the stage will do! People will want to be able to hold a conversation in other areas, such as at the bar.

20. If you know you have a good mix and a member of the audience wants you to turn down. Pretend to turn a knob in order to please. The chances are, he just doesn’t like that particular song. On the other hand, if the venue owner or bar staff tell you to turn down … DO IT!! They know when it is too loud, after all, they are there every night!

Finally… Your bonus tip No. 21. If you have released CDs. Make sure they are on sale at every gig you do. Employ a friend, or one of your fans to set up a table with your merchandise. It is also a good excuse to get new people to sign up to your mailing list. After the show, you can even go out front and sign a few autographs!

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Lynn Monk has experienced over 30 years in the music business as a musician, concert sound & lighting engineer, DJ and record producer; and is now the proprietor of Wobbly Music. An indie record company dedicated to supporting the Mature Independent Artist. Find out more about our artist services and recording contracts at http://www.WobblyMusic.net

For optimum amp tone onstage, plug your amp into your own AC outlet.. – Eric Johnson

DOING GIGS

In my opinion, there are two kinds of performers:

1 – Concert performers — who do well in front of a sit-down audience

2 – Club performers — who do well in a noisy atmosphere

Knowing which kind of performer you tend to be can help you a lot in deciding where to play. For a lot of people, it’s easy to be both types of performers but some people truly prefer playing in one atmosphere over another. If you want to be at your best, it’s smart to be comfortable. So if this is an issue for you, take the time to think about it.

Next you have to consider if you are going to be performing your own material or covers or both. If you decide to do covers, here are some good tips:

1) The song should really move you.

2) Make the song your own, otherwise after awhile you’ll just feel like parrot for someone else’s material (and to me there’s far less creativity in that – just my opinion mind you).

3) Cover Songs are great ice-breakers and shouldn’t be overlooked as great tools for any songwriter to use. Do covers, from artists who lend to your style in one way or another. Opening with a recognizable cover song really helps an audience relate to you and get an idea of where you’re coming from as an artist … and also helps them relate more to your originals, too.

Of course, to play at most venues, you’ve got to be prepared to sell yourself. Here are some tips on this subject:

Get your Bio / Demo ready for the Concert Promoters & Club Owners.

I’ve read a bunch of stuff about preparing demo submissions for venues, with bio’s and clippings and stuff like that – but I’m sure there’s more to it than that?

You don’t need much. No club owner or manager is going to want a twenty-page book on you, nor will he/she be impressed with elaborate artwork and/or printing. Just a single sheet of paper that briefly and concisely states what type of artist you are, what kind of songs you play, how you interact with an audience and where you’ve played or are playing … and a CD with either three or four whole songs, or six to eight songs that each fade after a minute. That, along with a congenial introduction and follow-up calls will be enough.

Performance anxiety can be an issue. Fortunately, most musicians overcome this in a short period of time – I’ve found that going to open mics, just getting up there and doing it has helped immensely. Find a supportive group of people in your genres’ scene.

Here are some more tips to help you…

1 – Know your material and your performances upside down and backwards. You have to be able to play your songs and not mess up under any situation, and the way to do that is to KNOW them well … memorization … playing a song and working out each and every measure of it until you know it blind-folded. Then, if something bizarre happens while you’re in the middle of a performance, muscle-memory and instinct will take over and you won’t be thrown.

2 – Know your strengths … know which songs are yours and which songs aren’t. In effect, build a really strong set list. When someone like Bruce Springsteen cuts a new album, he’ll record 50 songs … 12 of those wind up on the album we hear and the other 38 go to other artists to do.

3 – LOOK unique . Dress yourself in a way that makes a statement. You know from my previous posts that I believe in dressing the way you always dress; to not be pretentious or something you’re not … but that doesn’t mean that you want to look like the guy next door. You want to create an image … just make it an honest one. So you usually wear jeans and a t-shirt? Fine. Just add some accents that make it all yours. A unique pair of glasses (if you wear them), a very special vest, a wardrobe of scarves, purple boots or hand painted sneakers … whatever separates you from the average guy walking down the street and doesn’t make you look like you’re trying to be someone who lacks sincerity or who has lost all sense of reality.

With the above going on, you’re going to FEEL confident, because you ARE … and THAT sells.

Performance and Gigs by Scott Thomas

Scott Thomas

Managing Editor

Guitarz Forever.com

Guitarz Forever.com

If your band would rather concentrate on making music instead of spending precious time booking gigs, perhaps you should consider employing a booking agent. A booking agent (commonly referred to as a talent agent) shares similar duties to that of a band manager.

Booking agents are the official representative of bands, ensembles, orchestras and other musicians. Their primary function is to arrange live performances for musicians, acting as a liaison between the artists and the producers.

Like any promotional representative, a booking agent actively promotes recording artists and other entertainers for live performances, and earns a commission on his marketing efforts. For example, a booking agent will help set up work for artists on commercials, film, television, stage and other types of performances.

In addition to setting up gigs for bands, a booking agent can also help to arrange publicity opportunities for recording artists, and assists with logistics as well. A booking agent has the professional expertise to get steady work for musicians, and to keep the name of their client foremost in the minds of producers and the public.

If you would like to share an article on booking agents and how they can be of benefit to professional Musicians, or if you would like to share a booking agent story, feel free to do so at Media Positive Radio today.

Copyright 2006 – All Rights Reserved Michael O. Brickell, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for MediaPositiveRadio.com

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

Michael O. Brickell is the General Manager for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with MediaPositiveRadio.com. Find Booking Agent information at MediaPositiverRadio.com; meeting your needs as your music resource to locate music related services.

As a former William Morris agent, booking some of the biggest stars in country music, and as a session singer singing many commercials like Fox TV, UPN ID spots, O?Charleys and many others, I am well acquainted with the jingle market, the ups and downs, and the difficulty of entering the commercial singing world. For those of you new and those vaguely familiar with this market with a keen interest in this segment of the industry, let me assure you that (1) with the right talent you can succeed, and (2) in order to succeed you will need some pre-determined areas of strengths including, but not limited to a unique voice, a go get it drive, and a great attitude that says I can work with virtually anyone, with an easy going temperament, without copping an ?attitude.? I will give you a brief overview and some helpful starting tips, hopefully steering you in a direction for greatest success.

To begin with, a great voice is described in many ways, but let there be no mistake about it – Your voice must be credible and unique and/or be an incredible blender voice that melts in with any group of singers on any given session. Vocal coaching for jingle singers is somewhat different than with traditional vocal coaches. Mainly because the end product has to not only catch the vibe of the given spot, but each and every word counts ? Funny how those advertising executives like to hear each word of their products. Those trying to enter the country or pop fields as an artist, usually have a harder time with singing commercials, because the slightly lazy diction in a song demo, while possibly viewed as the greatest thing since sliced bread to a record or production company, doesn?t fly in a commercial. A professional vocal coach working with singers interested in singing jingles also must teach a singer to sing wrong, right – You read correctly. To sing a commercial with incredible intensity and with a gritty voice, is hard on the vocal cords. In a sense you are singing on the top of your vocal cords and one can burn out and do damage to their vocal cords if proper instruction is not obtained. Unfortunately, many vocal instructors out there have either a traditional vocal background teaching methods that really aren?t up to par with the dynamics of the jingle singer?s needs, or don?t fully understand jingle singing in general, in order to truly coach a singer effectively in this market. Find a qualified vocal coach!

Attitude is everything you?ve probably heard. This holds true for the singer entering the jingle singing market as well. Jingle houses, other singers, and advertising agencies alike don?t put up with the ?artsy fartsy? know it alls. You have to get in there with a great attitude and get the job done. This amongst other things will maintain a full singing calendar when you get rolling. A great attitude often times will cover a session where vocally you might not have been totally up to par, but you?re well liked, easy to deal with and deliver the singing goods. Don?t under estimate a great attitude. Individuals who are not your direct competition usually don?t mind, and in fact like to help individuals succeed who they know won?t embarrass them and who have the talent with a great attitude.

The next item a jingle singer, entering the market, must have is a great sounding jingle demo reel. A jingle demo reel, for those just entering the market, should contain 5 ? 7 jingles with varying styles showing a mastery and unique vocal compilation. While most commercials bend towards a pop contemporary feel, your demo reel needs to be designed and produced in such a way that your voice stands out and is unique, even if you never sing these styles again. It?s the work you?re after, not necessarily if your styles are ever used on your demo. You will want to include styles that stretch who you are while maintaining musical integrity. Some include a song demo that emphasizes a particular style that they want to capitalize on. Don?t be afraid to go for ?off the wall? vocal styles. You will want to practice in your car, in the shower, wherever practical, before you put down your final vocal tracks. A closet with your vocal bouncing off the wall back is a great place to practice. If you can record your voice, with a vocal coach or on your own onto a cassette, into the computer, or any recording device for playback evaluation is great. Oftentimes, you will hear that you sound too ?ricky ticky? or don?t have enough energy with adequate pronunciation ? Better to learn this now before going into the studio and spending hard earned dollars practicing there while you?re actually trying to lay down your master vocal track.

After producing your jingle demo reel you will have to start pitching this to jingle houses, other jingle singers, and any other potential individuals or companies who might take a liking to your reel. Look at production companies who write production music for corporations, book publishers who maintain a roster of authors needing vocals on their children?s books, etc, and various music production houses. It?s generally frowned upon to send your reel to advertising agencies directly, but if you have an in with one, why not drop off a reel. In today?s information age, you might email an MP3 or .WAV file, but obviously, dropping off the reel in person is always the best route to take. Include an insert or CD label with names of jingles, length and styles of each jingle and of course a telephone number and email address. You will want to keep a database as to who, when, where, and misc contact info when pitching your jingle reel. Keep a detailed record with subsequent conversations and comments. Some will consider a second jingle reel to pitch and move across the desk in an effort to rekindle any interest and include styles they have developed further. Don?t be afraid to email or send another jingle reel, even if it?s the same one to a producer who initially showed interest. Let them know that you can and will deliver the singing goods on time and always get along with everyone.

Mr. Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and has been heard on numerous TV and radio spots including Fox TV, UPN Station ID, O?Charley?s and many others. In addition, he co-wrote ?Who To Love? slotted for upcoming telecast on the soap The Guiding Light. Mr. Gauger is the founder of http://www.reelmusician.com and can be contacted through this organization at tgauger@reelmusician.com or 615-300-5030.

Singers that truly deliver in the studio are a breed apart. Let?s face it, not everyone can do it, and if they could, I wouldn?t be wasting time writing this article. And as a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and professional singer, singing on many name brand spots like FOX TV, UPN Station ID?s, O?Charley?s and a host of others, I can tell you that singer?s who deliver in the studio, really can make the big bucks and create a real niche in the market for themselves.

Singing talent is a commodity just like any other line of work, but like a few select fields, the talent pool for individuals who can really deliver is somewhat limited. Starting with that premise knowing that many of you reading this article are most likely interested in studio work and singing in commercials, I will try and promote a few concepts that have helped me through the years and hopefully will help you as well.

Always remember the old adage that those who try hard are usually the luckier ones in life ? not always, but because they are out there trying in whatever line of work it is and because they have a multitude of fishing reels in the water, they usually end up with the bigger catch. Your fishing reel is going to obviously be your singing reel. What does your singing reel sound like that is your business card and aimed at trying to get you established as a session singer? It better be good ? not the ?I just cranked this out with a few riffs off a keyboard into a computer? good, but one that really facilitates the strengths of your voice and minimizes your weaknesses. Let?s face it, we all have some singing weaknesses to a certain degree or other. And you will find that you are usually called on for studio work where you shine and where your strengths prevail. At ReelMusician.com, we strive to always look at each singer and create custom jingle singer reels based upon the singers own unique set of singing characteristics ? If you have any questions at all on your jingle reel, don?t hesitate to contact ReelMusician .com for an honest evaluation. But just remember to have an incredible sounding reel that truly sets your voice and vocal accomplishments out from the rest.

Let?s look at some various factors involved in your career. How much time are you currently putting into practice, vocal coaching, etc? I will suggest to you that you ought to be putting in at least 30 – 45 min?s a day minimum and this can be done in the shower, car, or in a vacant room free of distractions. You want to maximize your strengths and figure out where your weaknesses are. This is critical. I will also tell you that finding a good vocal coach, at least one that truly understands commercial singing and not just the theory they?ve been taught and continue to teach, will be hard. Most vocal coaches stress breathing exercises, posture and so forth, and that?s great, but I will tell you that many of the best singers that I have come across, break all of the golden singing rules and make a great living. I?m not suggesting that there are not better breathing patterns than others, nor will I negate a well postured singer, but coaches who truly teach the nuts and bolts of studio and session singing and not from a textbook, are extremely rare. Make sure you have a well informed and current vocal coach. For any questions regarding vocal coaching or obtaining a good vocal coach, you may contact the author.

Your next step in you journey to becoming a successful jingle and commercial singer is going to be your relational connection with folks already established in the industry and your ability to put your incredible sounding demo in the hands of producers. You are going to want to start out by figuring out who the main players are in your area in terms of studio singers and contact those that look like you are not going to be in direct competition. You wouldn?t want to be helping someone who might be taking your studio work away and neither will they. I will tell you that singers in general, like to help up and coming singers in the field and investing time in relationships with key session singers will be rewarding with your singing success.

Following up with jingle houses, industrial music houses and studio engineers and producers will take a little investigation, but the conversations you have with session singers will undoubtedly have already given you more than enough names and companies to send your demo reel off to. Your reel ought to have your name, telephone number, year and season of the creation of your demo on virtually any thing that is sent out to producers. Your CD better have this in bright bold colorful letters on the front, the inside jacket and the actual CD. I?ve mentioned it before, but you are really better off sending a a hard copy CD rather than mp3, even though there is no cost associated with email, because 1) you don?t have permission to send via email and 2) it helps to actually see your name and reel, which by the way, can go into their car for review on their way home from work and an mp3 can not without burning a CD of it. If you are tired and extremely busy, are you really going to waste your time on someone you don?t know has clue or not about delivering the singing goods ? probably not and neither will they most likely. Don?t email your demo as of yet. I would wait until you have established a relationship with the producer and submit follow up pieces if they ask for it.

I?ve mentioned this before, but having a second follow up reel can be a great boost for singing work and re-establishing your name by once again having your CD cross their desk one more time. This is great for a producer who almost called you for a singing session, but for whatever reason didn?t, and for the producer who somehow lost your CD and never really gave it a listen ? In either case, it?s a great idea. I wish you all the best of luck and look forward to hearing about your singing success!

Mr. Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and founder of http://www.ReelMusician.com You may contact the author at tgauger@reelmusician.com Free e-books ?The Jingle Singer?s Guide,? and ?Secrets To Great Song Demos,? may be downloaded at http://www.ReelMusician.com

As a singer, one of the biggest allies in your singing career will be your ability to perform well and do it with consistency in the studio. As a professional singer myself singing on FOX TV, UPN Station IDs, OCharleys and many others, as well as a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency, I can tell you that one of the biggest downfalls to most singers is their inability to be consistent with a broad range of singing styles while singing in the studio. Its one thing to sit behind the piano with friends, and an entirely different thing to sing behind the mic in the studio where every nuance and tonal inflection is heard.

So how do studio singers whove been doing this professionally for years, get to that point of consistency, and how do they get the paying gigs and get called on in the first place? Those are great questions, and I will take the remaining time in this article to capitalize on concepts that most singers would likely embrace as the truth and realistic in answering them.

To begin with, singing in the studio and singing live in front of a crowd are two totally separate singing techniques and usually unequaled levels of singing expertise. Its one thing to sing in front of a crowd where audibility of your vocals is not the main concern, but the overall groove and image is. Understanding the words on stage may or may not be a concern, but to the studio and session singer, its everything. You see there are marked differences in the ways that each of these singers takes their singing ability to the stage. You will find that many if not most singers dont do both well. The singer who is great on stage in front of a large audience is usually not that convincing or lyrics that easily understood in the studio. Thats why jingle singers are paid such good money. Its not easy to sing a commercial full throttle and not sound ricky ticky doing it with words that are easily understood. And as a side note, if you are interested in singing commercials, you might consider visiting ReelMusician.com for more information and download a free e-book on jingle singing.

So how do session singers get that consistency in the studio? Well, years of experience are one answer, but the other part of the answer is in how they practice. How serious are you in your dream of becoming a studio singer? In your desires to becoming a studio singer, you must commit to consistency, be easy to work with, and available. You might already have availability and easy to work with in the bag, but youre still having problems with the consistency part. Lets look at a few ideas that might help.

Finding a good vocal coach, that truly understands studio and jingle singing, is hard to find. Most, have preconceived notions and teaching ideas and attribute everything to a breathing technique of some kind. Ill tell you the truth. Ive met fantastic singers who breathe in a number of different styles, yet they are consistent as the day is long. Now Im not suggesting that there arent better or proper breathing techniques out there, I am suggesting that many if not most vocal teachers, teach from a textbook style and not from a Im going to figure out your strengths and abilities and zero in on a workable and credible game plan that outlines a singing technique career pathway for longevity, style. Theres a big difference. The teacher who teaches out of a textbook and the teacher who is already been out there with success under their belt, no matter what business or job, has my attention and certainly should have yours. Find a credible and reputable singing coach.

You will want to practice your singing in the shower, the car and even in a closet or close up to a wall where you can hear what youre singing. Ultimately, being able to record your voice, even onto a cheap cassette or into the computer to hear your progress or areas that you immediately recognize needing improvement, is the best way to go. This alone, if you take time out on a regular basis, will improve your singing far beyond what most vocal coaches can or claim they can do. Because of your vested interest and now your ability to hear and figure out what needs to be changed and corrected, will be the igniting factor in your singing career and goals of consistency. Certainly dont ignore or reject the notion of finding a qualified vocal coach, but understand that America was founded on entreprenualism and not the textbook way of doing things and this includes your singing career as well. A good vocal coach will recognize and ultimately push you in the right direction as well by hearing and giving you exercises to correct singing deficiencies.

Get connected with session singers, and perhaps even try to take vocal coaching lessons from one of them. You will have to flexible as their session work will not always be easy to predict, but well worth any inconvenience. This will increase your odds of obtaining session work, and now you will be working with an individual, like we just mentioned, who is actively in the business and so pure textbook teaching will most likely not be in their philosophy and thinking.

Lastly, and I apologize and wish we had more time in this article, maintain a good attitude and an easy to deal with personality. Singers and producers like individuals who are not only fun, but theyre easy to deal with and who always come to the session with an uplifting spirit. You may visit ReelMusician.com for more articles and advice on this and other topics.

Mr Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and jingle singer singing on FOX TV, UPN Station IDs, OCharleys and many others. In addition, Mr Gauger is a TV and radio writer and can be contacted at http://www.reelmusician.com or tgauger@reelmusician.com or 615-300-5030.

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As artist demos pile up on the floors of A&R directors offices and on the tables and window ledges of music industry pros offices alike, one thing you can be sure of, the vast majority will never be heard, will be overlooked because of unprofessional marketing and packaging and likely not have the It factor that so many managers, booking agents and music execs everywhere wish to discover. Youve heard the phrase, Man that band has It. The It is what sells and finding It for many groups or singers is not always easy.

Where are you looking to go in your singing career? Are you serious, just starting to think about it, or are you weary from the never endless promises with little to show in return. In the next few minutes, lets take a look at some key factors that you might try to incorporate into your singing career and maybe, just maybe you can take it one step closer to your singing goals, artist record deal or wherever your dreams are wanting to take you.

As we get started here, just know that many will try to convince you or try to sell you on some idea or book that they want you to buy that will herald all of the inside secrets to the music business I will not. I learned a number of years ago as a talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency that you can plan, plan and plan again and then still not get the deal even with considerable backing and influence. What I can do is offer some workable game plans and advice that you can incorporate into your career.

In your desired singing career path always start with attitude. I know a very prominent artist manager whose motto is Attitude is everything. If youve got a great attitude everything else will fall into place. You know how many singers and session singers Ive met through the years who have a lack luster attitude and then wonder why theyre not called in for studio work even though they have an incredible wealth of singing experience and talent? Too many to mention. Take an attitude inventory and ask yourself, Do I come across as a know-it-all, or am I edgy or do I exude confidence with a flexible singing style? You get the picture.

Next, take an honest look at your talent and abilities. Is your desire to sing springing forth from only a dream, or do you have credible talent to back it up. Be honest now – Mom and dad telling you how wonderful you are isnt going to get it if you arent in fact talented. This is often the most difficult step for most singers and musicians. Do I have the ability, determination and talent to drive this dream of mine, or am I living in a fantasy world? Do some soul searching, but dont confuse the nos of the industry to whether you have talent or not. Oftentimes, singers with incredible gifts and abilities get the cold shoulder from industry insiders, so be careful in your evaluation.

Another thing to consider is your singing style. Are you singing the style of the real you, or a forced style because you like the style, but you either cant pull it off, or its just plain not you. You can almost immediately tell when an individual or band is playing a style that is not in the musical scope of who they are And the truth is, most everyone else can tell it to. Dont be afraid to broaden your musical horizons, just be true to who you are.

What are you currently doing to further your career? Are you thinking inside the box or out when you are looking at promoting your singing skills or band? Although for a band or solo act the artist showcase, with hopefully a room filled with eager industry pros, is your ultimate goal when looking to get signed, but getting there doesnt have to be? Dont get bogged down with the This is how everyone does it approach. Instead, look at ideas and concepts that are creative that can get you to your goal. Have you thought of writing spots or commercials for DJs or radio personalities in your local area that might take a liking to your music that you created for their show just for them for free? There are a number of ideas like this that can go a long ways to further your career. Besides that, its great exposure and bio info.

As a session singer or background vocal singer, what are you doing to break in? Are you submitting CDs or mp3s that are pretty good, or are you sending out incredible, Ive already arrived on the scene sounding demos? Send out only what would be considered a great sounding demo one that makes your socks roll up and down. What ever you do, that demo ought to produce the word wow!

What does your marketing look like? Are your pictures, bios and press kits looking top notch or do they look like someone from the band half hazardly put something together? Image is everything in this business. Do you have a website? You ought to and it ought to include a number of pages including bio, pictures, sample mp3s for broadband and 56K connections, as well as contact and booking info along with your calendar of events. You will want to consider a logo to be used on absolutely everything. A logo sets the tone for who you are and should be rememberable. More of this type of information can be found at ReelMusician.com. For that matter there are a multitude of articles on booking, management, etc that can be found as well at ReelMusician.com along with free downloadable e-books. Many of these articles go a lot further in depth in those specific areas and so many of you who are reading, being significantly further in your career and knowledge can really benefit from the information.

Dont bother going to find a manager, booking agent or any other music industry pro until you have your act together. Make sure that you know yourself, your music, your press kits and logos and are comfortable with the whole package, because thats what you are ultimately selling. Be certain of your stage image. Again, dont let everyone else who has gone before you and is currently on the top 40 charts dictate your image. The image ought to fit who you are and both you and the audience better be comfortable with it and consider it authentically you.

In short, take the time, investigate who you are, where you want to go, make a career blueprint and follow your dreams.

Mr. Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and has been heard on numerous TV and radio spots including Fox TV, UPN Station ID, OCharleys and many others. In addition, he co-wrote Who To Love slotted for upcoming telecast on the soap The Guiding Light. Mr. Gauger is the founder of http://www.reelmusician.com and can be contacted through this organization at tgauger@reelmusician.com or 615-300-5030.

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When the day of the gig arrives, youll need to pack some essentials. You will want to take a bottle of water with you, and some money, (although I mostly avoid, the array of merchandise) and you will also need some music, for the way there and back. An mp3 player is good, or some CDs if youre going by car. If its a rave, dont forget your glow-sticks. Finally, when you have your tickets in hand, youre ready to go. Set off early, as its a lot better than being late.

On the way there, my friends and I always play the music of the band we are going to see. It gets us pumped up for the gig, and also if its the kind of band, where you can learn some of the lyrics, then its always good to sing-along with the band at the gig.

When we get there, we find the venue first, and if weve got time, we go for something to eat or drink. Inside the venue, I like to get as close to the front as possible and most people also want the same, but I usually manage to get within the first eight rows of people.

Its important to throw yourself into the performance of the main band as much as possible, and you can only have a break from the one footed, swaying, moshing experience, if you literally going to be sick, or faint, within the next five seconds. Until that point, you must carry on, regardless.

Remember what clothes your friends are wearing, and then between songs, you can find your friends again, if you have been separated (and if you want to find them again). Failing that, take a flag with you and wave that about.

When the gig is over, wait around incase there is an encore, and if so, go even crazier than the last song you just heard. If not, be happy with your ringing ears, and aching limbs, and feel sorry for whoever has to drive home like that. Drink your water, if you took some, or find a twenty-four hour supermarket, and stack up on bottles of water and sugary snacks. Another great idea, is to phone all your friends and tell what an awesome gig they missed. They might be asleep, but it doesnt matter, they need to hear about it now.

On the journey back, I do not listen to the band Ive just seen as the music on CD always seems a bit flat, after hearing it live. I avoid that CD for a few days, but instead listen to similar music, or if I have another gig coming up, I listen to that CD on the way home.

To read the full version of this gig guide, you will need to sign up at www.musicismymiddle.com

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