Life's a Song Workshop

Wilory Records Team

2010-03-10T09:53:00.000-08:00

We pull good reads from the web and post them in here. Every source is credited. If you find an error with who wrote what, please let us know. We'd rather not have it up in here at all, if the author is not credited appropriately. We have no time to research it either. This is a free tool for a small community of us. We operate here like this, "If in doubt, do without." There's plenty of good material online for us to post in here that you can find of use. For sure, authors need to be credited. Period.
Thanks! WR Team

7 Ways to Sell Your Music on iTunes (By Mike from DIY Marketing CD Baby)

2010-03-09T13:24:00.001-08:00

7 Ways to Sell Your Music on iTunes

Any musician seriously considering digital distribution is thinking about getting their music on iTunes.
iTunes controls between 60-80% of digital music sales, depending on who you ask. Fortunately, the once impossible task is now possible through several services catering to bands and songwriters. However, the different pricing models make the decision less than obvious.
With my own first EP release approaching (at a crawl), I scouted out the various options currently available, and am posting them here for your convenience. Check ‘em out, see what you think. (If I’m missing an option/service, let me know.)
Before Uploading Your Music to iTunes
Just a couple things to think about:
Have your Music Mastered. Mastering is the process of optimizing the dynamics, EQ, and volume of a recording. Whether you do it yourself, or have it done professionally, it’s the last tweak step to make sure your stuff is as close to commercial standards as possible.
Obtain a UPC Code. To sell your music, you will need a UPC code assigned to your release. All of the services listed below can do this for you if you haven’t already; some charge a fee, some don’t. (I include that info below.) You will also need an ISRC, but that’s even easier — all the services below will create one for you for free.
Choose a pricing model. Different combinations of setup fees, flat fees, and commission fees are offered. If your music is less widely recognized, a commission fee structure may make more sense; if you expect to sell a lot, a flat fee structure with 0% commission may make more sense for you.
Choose a service that meets your needs. Some of the services below may offer other tools and perks you’re looking for. For the sake of convenience, pick a service that gives you the most for your money.
7 Music Services That Can Get Your Music on iTunes
Here are 7 music services, in alphabetical order (lest you think I have a favorite), that offer bands a way to get their music on iTunes. The pricing models and packages are all different, as are the variety of core and ancillary services that each company offers. In this post, I am only comparing pricing options; you’ll want to do deeper research on your own (and I may write a follow-up post with a deeper dive). Hopefully, this list will help you make your decision.

CD Baby
Pricing:
Setup fee: $35 to process a CD for CD Baby’s services
Digital distribution setup is included
Commission Fee: 9% royalties
UPC & ISRC Codes:
UPC is $20
ISRC is free
Digital Distribution Included:
iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic, Amazon MP3, Napster, Verizon V-Cast, Liquid Digital Media, PayPlay, AudioLunchbox, GroupieTunes, Ruckus

Musicadium
Pricing:
For each “release” (single, EP or album):
Distribution fee to one outlet $39 AUD (~$25 US)
Distribution fee to two outlets $69 AUD (~$44 US)
Distribution fee to three outlets $79 AUD (~$51 US)
Annual renewal fee $20 AUD (~$13 US)
Commission fee: None, artist gets 100% royalties
UPC & ISRC Codes:
UPC is $39 AUD (~$25 US)
ISRC is free
Digital Distribution Included:
iTunes, eMusic, Amazon

Nimbit
Pricing:
For NimbitFree (Nimbit’s free service):
$15/album setup fee
20% commission fee
For Paid Nimbit Members ($9.95/month):
No commission fees; artist gets 100% royalties.
UPC & ISRC Codes:
UPC and ISRC are both free
Digital Distribution:
iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, eMusic, CDFreedom, LiveWire, Groupie Tunes

ReverbNation
Pricing:
Setup fee: $34.95
No commission fees; artist gets 100% royalties
UPC & ISRC Codes:
UPC and ISRC are both free
Digital Distribution:
iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Napster, Rhapsody

Songcast
Pricing:
Setup Fee: $19.99 per album; $9.99 per single
Monthly Subscription Fee: $5.99 per month
No commission fees; artist gets 100% royalties
UPC & ISRC Codes:
UPC and ISRC are both free
Digital Distribution Included:
iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, Emusic, Napster

TuneCore
Pricing:
Single Track:
$9.99 for ONE song (one time charge)
$9.99 per single maintenance and storage (per year)
Whole Album:
$0.99 per song (one time charge)
$0.99 per store per album (one time charge)
$19.98 per album maintenance and storage (per year)
UPC & ISRC Codes:
UPC and ISRC are both free
Digital Distribution:
iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, MusicNet, eMusic, Sony Connect, GroupieTunes, Amazon, Lala, ShockHound, Amie Street

The Orchard
Pricing information not included on website. Service geared towards labels, and not DIY musicians/bands. I’d stick with one of the services above, unless you’re a label-ite.
Other Ways to Distribute Music Digitally?
This post focused on iTunes distribution and pricing only. There’s also the matter of other retailers, merchandise, selling music from your own site, etc. What music service(s) or widget(s) do you use to distribute your music digitally? What do you think is important in a digital music distribution service?

CD Baby Advice (By Derek Sivers)

2010-03-09T13:05:00.001-08:00

#1 : THE INDIE BIBLE (AND VENUE BIBLE)
Imagine how much you could do with an up-to-date directory that has organized, categorized contact info for:
* 4200 publications that review indie music
* 3600 radio stations that play indie music
* 600 labels and distributors
* 500 websites where you can upload your music
Go to http://www.indiebible.com/cdbaby/intro.shtml and click the staggered color links on the left-hand side ("how it can help you", "features", etc.) - to find out more.
CD Baby members get a 30% discount automatically from that link, so if you click the red "purchase a copy" link there, it's just $24.95 (instead of the usual $34.95).

Now they've also got a separate brand new directory for touring musicians! This one has:
* 26,000 venues in the US and Canada
* 2000 booking agents(!)
* 1000 colleges
Go to http://www.indievenuebible.com/cdbaby/ to read more. CD Baby members automatically get a 30% discount from that link.
It's broken up into regions or you can get the combo package if you tour all North America.

#2 : ANDREW DUBBER'S "20 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT MUSIC ONLINE"
http://newmusicstrategies.com/ebook/ - click "Download the free e-book".
I read this one a few months ago and absolutely loved it. Highly recommended.
Check out his related site : http://newmusicideas.com/ for more tips.

#3 : ARIEL PUBLICITY'S "HOW TO BE YOUR OWN PUBLICIST"
My friend Ariel is one of the best publicists for independent artists.
Check out all the free resources on her site: http://www.arielpublicity.com/
Go there to sign up for her free "Sound Advice" email full of helpful tips.
Her new "Cyber PR" service is amazing, see:
http://www.arielpublicity.com/cyber_pr/demo.html and
http://www.arielpublicity.com/cyber_pr/cyber_pr_services.html
Her new version of "How To Be Your Own Publicist: A Step-By-Step Guide To Garnering Maximum Attention" was just updated last week. It's not even on her site yet, so I'm copying the entire contents here for you, below.

How's THAT for helpful?!

Happy reading!

--
Derek Sivers, CD Baby, HostBaby
http://cdbaby.net/tips <--- my tips
http://hostbaby.com <-- new a new website?

11 Ways to Increase Your Sales on CD Baby (By Chris Robley and Andre Calilhanna)

2010-03-09T12:45:00.001-08:00

11 Ways to Increase Your Sales on CD Baby
by CHRIS ROBLEY AND ANDRE CALILHANNA on FEBRUARY 25, 2010 · 1 COMMENT
in FEATURED, PROMOTION
There are conflicting fundamental truths when it comes to success in the indie music universe.

It’s true, of course, that tools and opportunities exist now that did not in the past. Legitimate worldwide distribution is available through the web, shattering the barriers that existed a scant 10 years ago. Independent artists are empowered in ways that were inconceivable before, and that has shifted the balance of power in the music industry, giving music lovers and artists the ability to connect, interact, and transact without the need of a record label – or anyone else, for that matter.

But if it were only THAT easy. With this ease of fulfillment comes a lot of noise. Noise in the sense that you are competing against thousands (and thousands) of other indie and label artists who are empowered by the same technology. If you build a website, people will not necessarily visit you there. And if you simply set up a page on CD Baby, the same is true. Having the means to sell your music via CD and downloads online is the necessary first step. The next steps involve finding your market, broadcasting the news, creating a buzz, and driving sales. THEN it starts being easy.

CD Baby is the world’s largest online distributor of independent music. On top of that, CD Baby gives you numerous tools – and the control and flexibility – to sell your music YOUR way. Ready to increase your CD Baby sales? Here are a few proven methods.

1. Use CD Baby’s Linkmaker
You’ve got a website, right? (If not, you’d better get one NOW! Check out www.Hostbaby.com). Make it easy for your fans and newcomers to your site to purchase your music by adding a customized graphic HTML link on your website, blog, AND social networking profiles. You just type in the album name. CD Baby generates the graphic link. You copy the HTML code and paste it wherever you want fans to see that your music is for sale. (Check it out at www.cdbaby.com/link).

2. Analyze and understand your web traffic
From your account page in CD Baby, you can easily assess the effectiveness of your promotional campaigns, make adjustments based on real-time data, and focus your energy on the places that are bringing in the most sales with CD Baby’s “hits tracker.” Maybe there is a blog or website out there that you’ve never even heard of that is generating significant web traffic for you. If so, you’ll see it in the hits tracker and be able to establish an online strategy to engage those fans directly.

3. Set a quantity discount
Your music makes for an excellent gift! Sell more by encouraging your fans to buy multiple copies of an album for a percentage off the selling price. Choose and change the discount at any time.

4. Offer a free track
Allow fans and prospective fans the chance to download a song for free as an enticement to purchase the whole album. If they like what they hear, they’ll come back for more. Try giving away a few different tracks and see which one is “the hit.”

5. Run a limited-time sale
Since you can change your music’s selling price at ANY time, it is easy to run sales and special offers you can announce to your fan list. Once the offer expires, simply go back into your account and raise the selling price again.

6. Remember, words matter
It’s important to describe your music in an enticing way that makes strangers want to hear it. People see the words before they hear the music. Make sure your write up isn’t too cryptic or aloof, but rather is descriptive enough that it might change a semi-interested browser into someone who will click the “preview” button.

7. Tell us who you sound like
Choose three well-known artists that you sound like. When CD Baby customers search for one of those artists, your album might appear in the results! Be realistic, though. Just because you love Radiohead and the Beatles doesn’t necessarily mean you SOUND like them. It is usually valuable to get a friend or fan’s slightly more objective opinion before deciding.

8. Offer physical CDs AND downloads
Offering choices is always a good idea, and plenty of folks might be interested in buying a few songs or your entire album via digital download. So why not offer it to them? This opens up a whole new world of opportunities as well, since you can also opt to have your music available on places like iTunes and Amazon MP3.

9. Use download cards
Never be caught empty-handed. These convenient little cards can fit in your wallet and come customized with your album artwork. Sell them at shows and give them away to industry contacts. The recipient can redeem the card at CD Baby for a hi-quality download. You keep all the money!

10. Get your fans involved
Not only can your fans use social media to spread the word about your music by re-tweeting, sharing blog posts, etc., but now they can make money doing it! By joining CD Baby’s affiliate program, your fans can earn $1 from every referred sale. And that comes out of CD Baby’s cut, so you make the same amount no matter what.

11. 15 more reasons
Need more encouragement? Check out our Top 15 Reasons to release your music with the CD Baby network.

Convinced?
Sign up for a CD Baby account right now.
Learn more about how CD Baby works.

Questions & Answers By Brett Manning (Singercity.com - Google him he's a wealth of info)

2010-03-08T10:03:00.000-08:00

Singing Is Easy!
You Can Sing with Impact!
Affordable Singing Lessons
FREE SINGING TIPS
Questions & Answers with
Vocal Guru Brett Manning
Q: Is it OK for me to sing when I have a sore throat?

A: Depending on what's causing it, singing with a sore throat can be catastrophic. I tell my clients, "if it hurts to swallow, don't sing!" Conversely, if it's a mildly soar throat, consult your doctor (it's a good idea to find a good ear, nose, throat specialist in your area and build a relationship with him) and then use your best judgment. Dry air, singing abusively, and viral/bacterial infection are some of the more common causes of a sore throat. Some people just wake up with a sore throat every day of their life. I've found that the majority of those people have acid-reflux, which means they are burping up stomach acids while they are sleeping or sometimes even while they are awake. For most, however, this happens in the night, so they may be completely unaware of the problem. They then wake up with a scratchy, raspy voice and a sore throat. There are numerous web sites directed to the problem of reflux. Let me recommend a couple:

www.texasvoicecenter.com
www1.wfubmc.edu/voice/reflux/

Because a dry throat is often a sore throat, consume two to three quarts of water every day. I actually drink up to a gallon or more a day. If you live in an arid climate, sleep with a humidifier next to your bed and try to warm up your voice in the shower. The moisture is an incredible help for your voice. Also, learn to breathe in through your nose as much as possible. This will help moisten the air before it reaches your cords.

The next concern is vocal abuse. Some of the causes are singing too high and too loud for too long, screaming, yelling at a football game or concert, talking at the top of your voice in a noisy crowd, breathing cigarette smoke (first- for second-hand), doing voice impersonations that are extreme or that cause strain and talking or singing with a raspy, manufactured sound.Whenever my throat is sore from vocal abuse I try to get some vocal rest, drink plenty of liquids, and then rehabilitate my voice with gentle exercises like humming, lip bubbles, and tongue trills.
If you get laryngitis and your tone starts to 'skip' or 'cut out' in the middle of a sustained note, you really want to get serious vocal rest. Most of all, ALWAYS consult your physician if things don't clear up rapidly. By this, I mean, if you get a sore throat in the morning and it clears up by noon and doesn't come back (this occasionally happens to me) then there's usually nothing to worry about. Otherwise, call the doctor, because if this condition is medical and you don't get help, no amount of vocal rest will help. I personally prefer herbal immune system remedies, but do what works best for you.

MORE FREE SINGING TIPS
Q&A with Brett Manning

Q: Aren't voice lessons like pulling teeth? Every lesson I've had was a miserable experience where I was criticized for every little "wrong" thing I did.

A: You are so right. Unfortunately, most voice teachers are still training their students to look and sound like classical singers, using techniques that have nothing to do with developing a contemporary sound. That's why students who don't enjoy older styles of music often find voice lessons frustrating and fruitless. Brett Manning will never stifle your unique sound and style. In fact, the Singing Success Program provides tools and techniques that will allow you to sing with more style. Besides, who wants to listen to someone who sounds like every other "proper" singer?

Q: My voice cracks as I sing higher. Is there any way to get rid of that little break in my voice?

A: What you are experiencing is a "disconnect" between your chest voice and your head, or falsetto, voice. The way to connect these two voices is to develop an ability to blend these two in what is known as the "mixed" voice. This is taught in detail in the Singing Success Program, but there is an exercise that you can try right now.

First, sing up to where your 'break' occurs. Now drop down a couple of notes and sing in a whimpering voice with the word "nay" and gently climb up in you range. If you keep a slight crying sound you'll notice the tone climbing behind your soft palate and settling more into your head voice. All this should happen without breaking. Obviously, it is very difficult to teach this without your ears being employed in the process, but you may still want to give it a try.

LIKE WHAT YOU ARE READING?

Study with Brett Manning by purchasing his program or studying with him in person.

Hard Copy Products:
SingerCity.com
Singing Success

Online Downloads &
Private Training
Singing Success

Q: Can I improve my tone quality?

A: Tone quality improves when the correct musculature is engaged in the singing process. Feel underneath your chin with your forefinger and slide it inwards to the point where your neck meets the muscles under your chin. Now swallow. Notice how your larynx (Adam's apple) raises up and the muscles under your chin tighten up as you swallow? These muscles that are engaged in the swallowing process are opposed to those engaged in the singing process. The use of these muscles while singing creates a myriad of problems that can take years to correct if left unchecked. For good tone quality, you must learn to sing without the outer muscles of the larynx. Doing so will set free your natural voice, drastically improving tone quality and ease of use. Naturally, the Singing Success Program contains techniques that will help you do this.

MORE FREE SINGING TIPS
Q&A with Brett Manning

Q: Is it really possible to teach style?

A: Until now, there really has not been a comprehensive system of teaching vocal style. There have been scales played to reflect certain genres, such as the Blues Scale, but that's really not enough. Brett Manning worked with hundreds of brilliant vocal stylists to co-develop training techniques based on their various skills. Using these techniques you can develop style skills so prolific that you'll be able to reinterpret any song you wish into a unique masterpiece. Think of it this way: As a singer, you are the artist and the final "painting" is up to you. Brett Manning's style training just gives you more colors to work with.

Mastering Vibrato
by Brett Manning

Also available in SPANISH!
Available at:
SingerCity.com | SingingSuccess.com

Learn more about Brett Manning by clicking the links above or Brett's dedicated website: SingingSuccess

The Beginning - By Terri Hendrix (Life's a Song 09)

2009-11-21T20:13:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time working with you! I made this so you would have a keepsake of our time together. I hope you like it! Warm Regards, Terri

Life's a Song 2009

2009-11-17T14:50:00.000-08:00

What a blast that was! I'll be posting more information in here shortly. Take care and have a great day!
Terri

Music Lessons - By Seth Grodin - Seth's Blog

2009-09-15T19:41:00.001-07:00

Music Lessons
Seth Grodin - Seth's Blog
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/01/music-lessons.html
Things you can learn from the music business (as it falls apart)
The first rule is so important, it’s rule 0:

0. The new thing is never as good as the old thing, at least right now.
Soon, the new thing will be better than the old thing will be. But if you wait until then, it’s going to be too late. Feel free to wax nostalgic about the old thing, but don’t fool yourself into believing it’s going to be here forever. It won’t.

1. Past performance is no guarantee of future success
Every single industry changes and, eventually, fades. Just because you made money doing something a certain way yesterday, there’s no reason to believe you’ll succeed at it tomorrow.

The music business had a spectacular run alongside the baby boomers. Starting with the Beatles and Dylan, they just kept minting money. The co-incidence of expanding purchasing power of teens along with the birth of rock, the invention of the transistor and changing social mores meant a long, long growth curve.

As a result, the music business built huge systems. They created top-heavy organizations, dedicated superstores, a loss-leader touring industry, extraordinarily high profit margins, MTV and more. It was a well-greased system, but the key question: why did it deserve to last forever?

It didn’t. Yours doesn’t either.

2. Copy protection in a digital age is a pipe dream
If the product you make becomes digital, expect that the product you make will be copied.

There’s a paradox in the music business that is mirrored in many industries: you want ubiquity, not obscurity, yet digital distribution devalues your core product.

Remember, the music business is the one that got in trouble for bribing disk jockeys to play their music on the radio. They are the ones that spent millions to make (free) videos for MTV. And yet once the transmission became digital, they understood that there’s not a lot of reason to buy a digital version (via a cumbersome expensive process) when the digital version is free (and easier).

Most items of value derive that value from scarcity. Digital changes that, and you can derive value from ubiquity now.

The solution isn’t to somehow try to become obscure, to get your song off the (digital) radio. The solution is to change your business.

You used to sell plastic and vinyl. Now, you can sell interactivity and souvenirs.

3. Interactivity can’t be copied
Products that are digital and also include interaction thrive on centralization and do better and better as the market grows in size (consider Facebook or Basecamp).

Music is social. Music is current and everchanging. And most of all, music requires musicians. The winners in the music business of tomorrow are individuals and organizations that create communities, connect people, spread ideas and act as the hub of the wheel... indispensable and well-compensated.

4. Permission is the asset of the future
For generations, businesses had no idea who their end users were. No ability to reach through the record store and figure out who was buying that Rolling Stones album, no way to know who bought this book or that vase.

Today, of course, permission is an asset to be earned. The ability (not the right, but the privilege) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who want to get them. For ten years, the music business has been steadfastly avoiding this opportunity.

It’s interesting though, because many musicians have NOT been avoiding it. Many musicians have understood that all they need to make a (very good) living is to have 10,000 fans. 10,000 people who look forward to the next record, who are willing to trek out to the next concert. Add 7 fans a day and you’re done in 5 years. Set for life. A life making music for your fans, not finding fans for your music.

The opportunity of digital distribution is this:

When you can distribute something digitally, for free, it will spread (if it’s good). If it spreads, you can use it as a vehicle to allow people to come back to you and register, to sign up, to give you permission to interact and to keep them in the loop.

Many authors (I’m on that list) have managed to build an entire career around this idea. So have management consultants and yes, insurance salespeople. Not by viewing the spread of digital artifacts as an inconvenient tactic, but as the core of their new businesses.

5. A frightened consumer is not a happy consumer.
I shouldn’t have to say this, but here goes: suing people is like going to war. If you’re going to go to war with tens of thousands of your customers every year, don’t be surprised if they start treating you like the enemy.

6. This is a big one: The best time to change your business model is while you still have momentum.
It’s not so easy for an unknown artist to start from scratch and build a career self-publishing. Not so easy for her to find fans, one at a time, and build an audience. Very, very easy for a record label or a top artist to do so. So, the time to jump was yesterday. Too late. Okay, how about today?

The sooner you do it, the more assets and momentum you have to put to work.

7. Remember the Bob Dylan rule: it’s not just a record, it’s a movement.
Bob and his handlers have a long track record of finding movements. Anti-war movements, sure, but also rock movies, the Grateful Dead, SACDs, Christian rock and Apple fanboys. What Bob has done (and I think he’s done it sincerely, not as a calculated maneuver) is seek out groups that want to be connected and he works to become the connecting the point.

By being open to choices of format, to points of view, to moments in time, Bob Dylan never said, “I make vinyl records that cost money to listen to.” He understands at some level that music is often the soundtrack for something else.

I think the same thing can be true for chefs and churches and charities and politicians and makers of medical devices. People pay a premium for a story, every time.

8. Don’t panic when the new business model isn’t as ‘clean’ as the old one
It’s not easy to give up the idea of manufacturing CDs with a 90% gross margin and switching to a blended model of concerts and souvenirs, of communities and greeting cards and special events and what feels like gimmicks. I know.

Get over it. It’s the only option if you want to stay in this business. You’re just not going to sell a lot of CDs in five years, are you?

If there’s a business here, first few in will find it, the rest lose everything.

9. Read the writing on the wall.
Hey, guys, I’m not in the music business and even I’ve been writing about this for years. I even started a record label five years ago to make the point. Industries don’t die by surprise. It’s not like you didn’t know it was coming. It's not like you didn't know who to call (or hire).

This isn’t about having a great idea (it almost never is). The great ideas are out there, for free, on your neighborhood blog. Nope, this is about taking initiative and making things happen.

The last person to leave the current record business won’t be the smartest and he won’t be the most successful, either. Getting out first and staking out the new territory almost always pays off.

10. Don’t abandon the Long Tail
Everyone in the hit business thinks they understand the secret: just make hits. After all, if you do the math, it shows that if you just made hits, you’d be in fat city.

Of course, the harder you try to just make hits, the less likely you are to make any hits at all. Movies, records, books... the blockbusters always seem to be surprises. Surprise hit cookbooks, even.

Instead, in an age when it’s cheaper than ever to design something, to make something, to bring something to market, the smart strategy is to have a dumb strategy. Keep your costs low and go with your instincts, even when everyone says you’re wrong. Do a great job, not a perfect one. Bring things to market, the right market, and let them find their audience.

Stick to the knitting has never been more wrong. Instead, find products your customers want. Don’t underestimate them. They’re more catholic in their tastes than you give them credit for.

11. Understand the power of digital
Try to imagine something like this happening ten years ago: An eleven-year-old kid wakes up on a Saturday morning, gets his allowance, then, standing in his pajamas, buys a Bon Jovi song for a buck.

Compare this to hassling for a ride, driving to the mall, finding the album in question, finding the $14 to pay for it and then driving home.

You may believe that your business doesn’t lend itself to digital transactions. Many do. If you’ve got a business that doesn’t thrive on digital, it might not grow as fast as you like... Maybe you need to find a business that does thrive on digital.

12. Celebrity is underrated
The music business has always created celebrities. And each celebrity has profited for decades from that fame. Frank Sinatra is dead and he's still profiting. Elvis is still alive and he's certainly still profiting.

The music business has done a poor job of leveraging that celebrity and catching the value it creates. Many businesses now have the power to create their own micro-celebrities. These individuals capture attention and generate trust, two critical elements in growing profits.

13. Value is created when you go from many to few, and vice versa
The music business has thousands of labels and tens of thousands of copyright holders. It's a mess.

And there's just one iTunes music store. Consolidation pays.

At the same time, there are other industries where there are just a few major players and the way to profit is to create splinters and niches.

13. Whenever possible, sell subscriptions
Few businesses can successfully sell subscriptions (magazines being the very best example), but when you can, the whole world changes. HBO, for example, is able to spend its money making shows for its viewers rather than working to find viewers for every show.

The biggest opportunity for the music business is to combine permission with subscription. The possibilities are endless. And I know it's hard to believe, but the good old days are yet to happen.

How to Deal with Stage Fright by Suzann Kale

2009-09-04T14:09:00.001-07:00

How to Deal with Stage Fright
by Suzann Kale

Notice I say "deal with" rather than "eliminate"? That gastric upheaval is familiar to almost anyone who sings, regardless of training and experience. Aside from being physically and emotionally uncomfortable, stage fright creates physical tension which affects the voice. We've all heard our voices sound rich and commanding during rehearsals, and then thin and pinched when the gig starts. Stage fright can also totally wipe lyrics out of our memories, which is okay if you sing jazz and can scat, but a disaster in any other musical genre!

The immediate good news is that, as you probably have experienced, the fear starts to dissolve as the gig goes on. By perhaps the third song, you're getting back to your normal-sounding self, and by the fourth number you might even be having fun on stage.

So the first technique for dealing with stage fright is making sure that the first few songs on your first set list are no-brainers - songs you've sung a million times over a million years.

Another idea: If you have back-up singers or other musicians singing harmony, you can open your first set with songs involving them. That way you've got company in your misery, and often that helps ease tension.

But let's back up. Here's what to do regardless of how busy your gig schedule is:

1. Daily vocalizing and breathing exercises. Even if singing is secondary to your songwriting craft, it's still a huge part of getting your music out there. Few songwriters get far in their careers without vocal discipline. Some do, of course, but why risk it? Even if you only sing for agents and producers rather than the public, why not be the best "salesperson" you can be, for your compositions? There's no reason to leave anything to chance in this competitive field.

Vocalizing can be as easy as singing the syllable "oo" as you go up and down the scales within your range. Breathing exercises need be no more complicated than standing in front of a mirror and watching yourself breath from your abdominal area, making sure your upper chest doesn't rise when you inhale. The key is doing it daily, and letting it become as much a part of your life as your songwriting is.

2. Over-learn, over-practice, and over-rehearse. Repetition is king. Go over each song until you can sing it "backwards and in your sleep" as my voice teacher used to tell me. When you get bored repeating lyrics to yourself, repeat them ten times more.

This trains you to know your music without having to think about it when you're performing. If frees you up so that when you are singing for an audience, you can concentrate on the emotional dynamics of your song, rather than trying to pry stubborn lyrics out of a brain that is paralyzed with fear.

3. Before starting a new gig, or singing in an unfamiliar venue, visit the place the day before. If that's not possible, get to the venue an hour before you need to be there. Familiarize yourself with the atmosphere of the place. Make it your own. Go back into the kitchen and say hello, or wander about the halls. Find the bathroom. Sit in the control room, the studio, or on the stage and have a cup of coffee, or jot down musings in your journal. If the place is empty, sing something to get a feel for the acoustics. In working with stage fright, surprises are bad; familiarity is good.

4. The more you sing in front of people, the less stage fright you will feel. Fear lessens enormously as the gigs come in more frequently.

Now let's get to the gig.

1. Just before going on stage or sitting down with your guitar in front of an agent, take a slow, deep inhale and a smooth, easy exhale. On the exhale, feel tension leave your body. I know you've heard this one before, but at that moment "just before," most of us forget to do it.

2. Another "moment before" idea: do 3 slow neck rolls and 6 slow shoulder rolls (3 in each direction).

3. On stage, many singers loosen up, if it's appropriate to the venue, by smiling and asking the audience how they're doing. As the audience responds, ride that positive energy while you count out the first song.

If you're auditioning or singing for a producer, you can still begin with a few seconds of patter, perhaps saying you're glad to be there, or telling a brief (like, 5 to 10 seconds) tale relating to the writing of your first song. This warms everyone up and loosens the overall mood.

4. I've found that avoiding eye contact helps lessen stage fright. But that doesn't mean look down or close your eyes, both of which turn listeners off completely. It means looking out at the audience, but just a little above their heads. Or looking out toward the lone producer, but just a fraction to her left or right rather than directly at her face.

I'm not saying to disregard the audience's energy or mood. Certainly you want your performance to be part of that special listener-performer interaction. I'm just saying don't look anyone in the eye if you're working through stage fright issues.

Finally, what can you do when you're on the stage and you're singing, and the stage fright is still pinching your voice or knocking your knees together?

Don't panic. Instead, fall back on the technical aspects of performance - breathing from the diaphragm, working the microphone, all the familiar things you practice every day. This will ground you.

Next, remember that your purpose is to bring art into people's lives. This isn't about you, really. It's about the music. You are merely the conduit through which your songs travel. Wrapping your mind around why you're really there will help take the pressure off.

From Singspot.com - By Vocal Coach Yvonne DeBandi

2009-08-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

A = ARTICULATE. Using your articulators (lips, teeth, tip of the tongue) more specifically to create your words will help you sing better and more easily. So many of us swallow our articulation (meaning farther back in our mouth) and that habit gets in the way of resonance, tone placement and other important singing mechanics. To improve your skill, quickly say the articulator tongue twister five times in a row: “lips, teeth, tip of the tongue. Lips, teeth, etc.” Be sure to really concentrate on exaggerating the movements with the articulators. See where all the action is? That is where you feel the action of articulation when you sing. Keep in mind that you will probably feel like you are moving them in a ridiculous fashion if you are not used to using them actively. Check a mirror, you’ll probably be surprised. Free Singing Tip A

B = BUILD YOUR SONG PERFORMANCE. Think about how a well-constructed roller coaster builds in intensity and suspense throughout the ride. Your song should have the same sort of ups and downs. For the best results, plan the dynamics (volume and intensity) of your singing. Don’t just sing as powerfully as you can from the get go. Figure out the emotional and natural build of the music and sing accordingly. As an example using a basic song form, you would do your initial build from Verse 1 through Chorus 1, bring them back a bit for Verse 2 only to get a slightly bigger build (than the peak of Chorus 1) on Chorus 2 before exploding into the bridge. Remember, singing is as much an art form as a skill. Free Singing Tip B

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C = COPE WITH UNEXPECTED SINGING EVENTS and challenges the smart way. Figure out which part of your vocal instrument is out of balance and make an instant adjustment. If you are not sure what actually makes up your “vocal instrument” you would definitely benefit from learning vocal mechanics. Free Singing Tip C

D = DARE TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. So many singers practice the same song, the same way, over and over and over again. If it didn’t work the first twenty times, why is it going to work the twenty-first? Try altering different aspects of your singing and attempt to find an easier way to accomplish your best sound. For example, increase/decrease articulation, increase/decrease the amount of airflow, increase/decrease diaphragm support, alter tone placement, alter resonance…get the picture? Free Singing Tip D

E = ENERGY NOT EFFORT. This is one of the most confusing concepts in singing. Energy in the tone is what we want and Effort is something we want to desperately to avoid. Energy is created naturally when our vocal instrument is in balance and our body is involved in the singing process. It feels good. It feels easy. Sometimes it occurs naturally and other times we may have to make adjustments. Effort usually occurs when singers use their throat muscles/membranes and vocal cords improperly to create volume. We should actually feel and see very little happening in our throat area. Free Singing Tip E

F = FEATHERS. When learning to sing your full range and accomplish the desired one voice (same power with similar tone throughout the whole range) singers often experience cracks and breaks. One way to test this is to practice a siren. Slide on the syllable “he” from the bottom of your range to the top. If you do not experience cracks or breaks, try it on all syllables at all volumes. When you find yourself faced with this challenge, it is the common response to “try harder” or “give more effort” on those notes. This is not the way to solve this issue. What you want to do is to lighten up just a bit on these notes, let them float like a feather instead of trying harder and stomping on them. Understand that most often this is caused because muscles and membranes not having the memory they need to make the transition you require, as quickly as you want it made. Repetition will give them memory, so keep practicing. Lighten up just a bit on those notes and sing through the break. Don’t develop the habit of stopping when you “crack” or it will come back to bite you later. Free Singing Tip F

G = GET OVER IT and GO FOR IT. So many talented young singers come into my studio with a good voice and with work, really shine on their vocal skills…but when it comes to performance they suffer the “I’m afraid I’ll look stupid” syndrome. Why do we do that? We see music videos and concerts every day when artists give us their all, and yet we feel less stupid singing like a statue than we do really going for it? Makes no sense, but this is not a random occurrence. And unfortunately, when you don’t really “perform” the song, you will never be able to give your absolute best performance. Why? Performance involves some sort of emotional connection with the song, when you put the emotion on your face and in your body, you will sing completely differently than the statue, no matter how knowledgeable. Free Singing Tip G

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H = HUMMING. Humming should be easy and sound alive. If you cannot hum well, you are not singing up to your potential. Humming is a good way to determine which part of your vocal instrument is not warmed up or pulling its weight. When you hum you should be able to feel the resonant vibration on the front of your face. Free Singing Tip H

I = INCREASE YOUR AIR SPEED for high notes and decrease your air speed for lower notes. Each frequency requires a specific air speed to create the absolute best tone. Many singers push too much air, too quickly, while singing low notes in an attempt to make the note louder. All this does is add stress and tension to the tone. Use your ears to tell you when the proper balance is reached. The tone should sound clear and pure before adding stylistic nuances. Free Singing Tip I

J = JAW TENSION. Most people don’t realize how tense their jaw is…because it feels perfectly natural to them. Be sure to stretch out your face and jaw muscles and even make a specific point to monitor your jaw when singing to be sure it truly is relaxed. If your jaw is tense, you will not receive your best tone and perhaps even have trouble hitting some of the higher tones. Free Singing Tip J

K = KEEP IT CLEAN. When practicing your vocal skills focus on creating a pure and clear tone first, free of airiness, rasp and other tonal changes added for stylistic purposes. If you cannot create a clear tone full of life and energy, you are not singing up to your potential. Free Singing Tip K

L = LIFT YOUR DIAPHRAGM. So many singers learn to “belly breath” (breathe into the belly) and therefore tend to think that lifting their diaphragm feels similar to holding in their stomach. You can sing like this, but you are only using half your resources and not making full use of the power provided by the muscles in the back. To get your best breath for singing, you want to fill up your abdomen like an inner tube, you should feel expansion all the way around your body…yes, even in your back. Then to compress the air and support the vocal tone release, you lift the diaphragm muscle straight up from the center of your body. If you are used to the other way, it takes some practice to get the new diaphragm muscle memory, but well worth the effort! Free Singing Tip L

M = MONEY NOTES MATTER. Let’s face it. If you are singing a song with a big money note, let’s be real. You can knock the rest of the song out of the park, but if you miss the money note that’s all your audience will remember. A lot of times singers miss money notes because they are worried about it and if you even think for a moment that it “might not happen” you just increased your odds of it not happening by a great deal. Usually it is only one or two notes of a phrase that reach that “money” potential. When you focus specifically on the note, you compartmentalize it and tell your subconscious to watch out for it. Instead, in practice try concentrating on the phrase. Figure out how to use the phrase to your advantage. Sometimes changing your placement on the note(s) just before your money note can make a huge difference. And of course, during performance…see yourself hitting that note like a pro. If you can see it and you believe it, you’ll hit it almost every time. Free Singing Tip M

N = NEVER LET THEM SEE YOU SWEAT. The perception of the audience is the reality. Say that out loud, “the perception of the audience is the reality.” What they think is true, is true. So if you sing with confidence and handle that “creative” phrase you accidentally added like a professional, most of your audience will be convinced that you meant to sing it that way. Professionals sing creative nuances, amateurs make mistakes. Free Singing Tip N

O = ONE VOICE. If you have been around organized singing groups or perhaps even studied training you have probably heard these terms: chest voice, middle voice, head voice and belt voice. Some singers have even had the misfortune of studying under these kinds of principles…unfortunately that usually means they can’t sing very many songs and still sound like one person. When they go up for that higher note in the phrase they end up switching to some hooty, covered, “head voice” sound. We won’t go into the foundation of these terms here, but know that your goal as a singer is to manage the balance of resonance in all cavities so you can sing from low to high with a consistent tone. Free Singing Tip O

P = PLACEMENT OF YOUR TONE refers to where the tone is centered. Mastering tone placement will make your singing incredibly easy and consistent. Some people are born with the skill of good tone placement and others have to really work at it. To get technical, there is both a horizontal and vertical placement. For example: horizontal placement, the tone can be centered at the front of your mouth, the middle or the back (back never preferred). For example: vertical placement, draw a line from the middle of your chin to the top middle of your head. The higher the note, the higher the placement. Free Singing Tip P

Q = QUIT SINGING THROUGH YOUR NOSE. Nasal tone qualities occur when there is too much resonance in your nasal cavity and not enough sympathetic resonance or overtones being created in other cavities. One quick fix is to simply open your mouth taller. Free Singing Tip Q

R = RESONANCE. Resonance is commonly defined as the “key to your signature voice.” As singers, we are far more interested on how we manipulate it that it’s textbook definition. Resonance is created by the sound wave/frequency you are creating is shaped and amplified by dancing in a resonating cavity (chest, mouth, nasal, sinus). The resonating cavity we have the most control over is the size and shape of our mouth. So play around with the size and shape of the mouth to hear changes in your resonance. With regard to mouth shape, taller is preferred over wider. Free Singing Tip R

S = SING THE STORY. Singing is acting through song. Why sing the song and not convey the message? Get emotionally involved with the lyrics. Figure out what would make you spontaneously speak the words and sing them conviction. Free Singing Tip S

T = THINK SING. The most efficient way to learn a song is actually to NOT sing it right away. By listening to a song you can learn what you are supposed to do a lot faster, without creating any bad habits you are only going to have to break later. If you can think sing a song from beginning to end, anticipating every breath and melody nuance, then you are ready to sing. It’s like a playbook for football. Study the play first before jumping in the game. Not successfully “think singing” the song before you actually sing it is like a ball player running around the field with no idea of the play. Free Singing Tip T

U = UNIFY YOUR VOWELS. You know how you can sing one word on a specific note easily, but another word seems much harder? You could probably use some practice and training on unifying your vowels. The ability to unify your vowels and make them sound as if they come from one instrument, having about the same high and low frequencies and blended with no cracks or breaks is one skill that separates the accomplished singer from an amateur. Free Singing Tip U

V = VOLUME AND POWER. Volume and power should be gained by using the muscles in the back and abdomen. If you are losing your voice after 4-6 songs or if you hear a lot of “effort” in your tone (it doesn’t float in a pure fashion), then you are probably using your throat. Free Singing Tip V

W = WISHING. Wishing your voice was pro quality won’t get it there. You’d be surprised what one hour of specific vocal practice five days a week can do. Sorry, this doesn’t usually apply to singing your favorite songs during commute time or singing the same song over and over again in your bedroom. While you may make some improvement this way, making a productive practice vocal plan would be much more efficient and of course, help you make much faster progress. Free Singing Tip W

X = (E)XERCISE YOUR VOICE REGULARLY. So many singers shy away from actually doing exercises, claiming they can train and warm up by singing their favorite songs. While some professionals will do this in a pinch, most of them train using exercises and warm up their voice prior to performance the same way. Pros know that warm ups will take you through muscle movements that a song never could. Not only will warm ups tell you where you voice is “not awake”, but using them during training can help you develop necessary muscle memory for difficult passages you encounter later. Today it is easy to accomplish these tasks as there are many vocal exercise CDs available and even karaoke style vocal warm ups now available at http://VocalWarmups.com. Here is another quick tip…when you go to sing your song, you should be singing it like you sing the vocal exercises. Most of us will exercise with good placement, support, resonance, etc., but when we add words and our favorite melody all that goes out the window. Work at being consistent. If we were a football quarterback, would we practice throwing the ball one way and then throw it completely differently during a game? I don’t think so. Free Singing Tip X

Y = YOUR STYLE. So many students avoid improving certain mechanical skills because they claim that it is their style. While it is true that certain things a singer does, shape of their mouth, how they pronounce words, etc., contributes to their signature voice… improving how you create your tone will only make your signature voice better. Don’t back away from understanding your voice; learn all you can about your instrument in order to create your best sound. Free Singing Tip Y

Z = ZEN. The show must go on! Sometimes we can’t help but let our emotions and personal life circumstances affect our performances. We are human, after all. However, with practice and meditation you can learn to clear you head and totally focus on connecting with your song and the appropriate emotions of your selection, instead of whatever else was distracting you. Your body language and expression communicate your focus…but it’s your eyes that communicate your thoughts most of all.

Visit the dedicated website for the Sing Smart, Not Hard™ vocal technique at SingSmart.com.

The free singing tips above were written by Vocal Coach Yvonne DeBandi, creator of the revolutionary vocal training method, Sing Smart, Not Hard™ and author of the highly acclaimed vocal training programs:

Royalty Rates - Terri Hendrix did not write this - Wilory Team pulled this from Internet

2009-08-28T18:23:00.001-07:00

Copyright Royalty Board — NSAI was one of the industry participants in the lengthy CRB proceedings over mechanical royalty rates, ringtones and subscription music royalties that wound through 2008 into 2009. Songwriters and music publishers will be paid a rate of 9.1 cents for digital downloads. The CRB judges also ruled that the rate for physical products will remain at 9.1 cents. Each will be subject to an overtime rate. The CRB judges also established for the first time a rate of 24 cents for each ringtone subject to the Section 115 mechanical license. Furthermore, music publishers will have the right to seek a 1.5 percent late fee, calculated monthly.

This marks the first time the Board has established mechanical royalty rates for songs distributed digitally. The Board also adopted the terms of an historic industry settlement on rates for two other types of services – interactive streaming (such as some Napster services) and limited downloads (such as Rhapsody To Go). Details of that agreement between NMPA, the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the Songwriters Guild of America (SGA), The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Digital Media Association (DIMA) were announced last week. (10.5 % of subscription revenue as a royalty)

read more here - http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i98078f6e2a02095d872b962ae228d8cd

Download Rates - What you pay if you cover a song and put it up for sale

2009-08-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

October 2, 2008 1:02 PM PDT
Royalty rate doesn't change for Apple, music retailers
by Greg Sandoval

The Copyright Royalty Board on Thursday froze the rate that digital-music stores such as iTunes and RealNetworks' Rhapsody must pay music publishers.
The three-member board that sets statutory copyright licenses e-mailed the Digital Media Association (DiMA), the National Music Publishers' Association, Apple, and other download stores with its decision to keep the royalty rate at 9.1 cents a song. The board also set the same rate for CDs and established a 24-cent rate for ringtones. The decision is the first time the board has established royalty rates for digital downloads. The rates are set for the next five years.

What all this means of course is that Apple will not be shuttering iTunes--as if there was ever much of a chance of that--and appears to remain very much in control over the economics of digital music.
Alarm bells were set off on Tuesday when Fortune magazine reported that Apple had told the CRB that "it most likely" would shut down iTunes if forced to pay too high a royalty rate. Eddy Cue, Apple's iTunes manager, had told the royalty board in April 2007 that the company "would not continue to operate (iTunes), if it were no longer possible to do so profitably."
The group representing music publishers had sought a per-song rate boost from 9.1 cents to 15 cents, a 66 percent increase. The rate is paid to music publishers by the record companies, which deduct it from the 70 cents Apple pays them for every song it sells. Certainly, nobody can predict what Apple will do, but at this point, it looks as if the company got what it wanted. In short, Apple won.
"We're pleased with the CRB's decision to keep royalty rates stable," said an Apple spokesman.
" What DiMA had asked for was a reduction to 4.5 cents (or 55 percent). When you look at 9.1 it's only a disaster but 4.5 is Armageddon."
--Rick Carnes, president of the Songwriters Guild of America
A music industry source said that Cue's statement to the CRB may have gone a long way in persuading the CRB not to boost rates. "Sure it was posturing," said the source. "That's what you do in court. I don't think Apple would have gone out of business but a statement like that from the biggest music retailer is going to carry some weight."
Mark Litvack, an entertainment and copyright attorney and a former legal counsel for the Motion Picture Association of America, said rates have traditionally gone up during these kinds of negotiations. But Apple has "effectively set the economics of the music industry, which now appear to be frozen."
Music industry sings the blues
The group representing music publishers applauded the CRB's decision publicly but not everybody on that side of the debate was happy. One music industry source familiar with the negotiations said the publishers would probably have liked more money but should be happy that the CRB didn't attach the rate to a percentage of a music store's revenue.
That would have created huge accounting headaches, according to the source. The decision also prevents DiMA from going to Congress in the same way that the Webcasters did last week, according to the source.
Pandora, an online radio service was part of a movement to negotiate a new rate for streaming music (as opposed to downloads) with the music industry. That movement lobbied hard in Washington and won congressional OK to reach a settlement with the music industry on a compulsory license.
But in my dealings with music publishers, I've heard them complain for a long time about the 9-cent royalty rate. In some corners, the lack of any increase will not be received well. Nobody has been a more vocal proponent of raising rates than Rick Carnes, president of the Songwriters Guild of America. On Thursday, Carnes acknowledged he had hoped for an increase. Still, he insisted there was still plenty to be happy about.
"What DiMA had asked for was a reduction to 4.5 cents (or 55 percent)," said Carnes, who has written songs for Alabama, Reba McEntire, and Dean Martin. "When you look at 9.1 it's only a disaster, but 4.5 is Armageddon...If you look at record sales, they've just been a disaster. It's hard to go to the judges and ask for money at this point of time... Everybody is hurting, frankly, and until we get a solution to the massive looting on the Internet we're not going to be able to move this thing much."
Mike McGuire, a music industry analyst for Gartner, said that the royalty board made a wise decision for consumers, musicians, and download stores by not raising rates. The download stores are competing against piracy, and obtaining illegal downloads is simple and they're hard to compete with on price: they're free.
"This was a smart move by the CRB," McGuire said. "This is still a new and struggling industry and now isn't the time for a drastic rate increase that will have an effect on pricing."

From Spencer Williams

2009-08-25T11:43:00.001-07:00

Hi Terri! I'll kick off the comments.

What I'm wanting this year is to work on establishing meaningful melodies. I have written a lot more this past year than the year before, and one thing I worry about is when my lyrics are not accompanied by a strong melody that is memorable.

Various 8/25/09

2009-08-25T10:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Life's a Song 2009! For those of you joining us in November, expect for things to get started on Friday at around 3:00 PM (we will meet at Third Coast Theater) which is the same location where your rooms are at Seashell Village.

We will wrap things up at Sunday by 5:00 PM. Sometimes folks have to fly out earlier and we will address any lingering questions so you make your flight in time. Remember that we provide transportation from and back to the Corpus Christi airport. Also, we provide guitars if you do not wish to fly your own.

More information will be coming.

I'm hoping we can use this blog to get to know one another and you could perhaps jot notes for me of what you wish us to address ...

Thanks so much!

Terri