Archive for the ‘Music Resources’ Category

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Help Your Child Choose the Right Instrument

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

Country singer Dierks Bentley released his newest album this week, but be warned: country fan or not, his song “Thinking Of You” is sure to pull on your heartstrings.  Written for and featuring a section sung by Bentley’s 3-year-old daughter, Evie, the song shows a much softer side of the singer, who is better known for light-hearted lyrics like in “Am I The Only One” and his ode to Friday nights, “Tip It On Back.” (Check out a video of Evie performing alongside her dad in Nashville here.)

With a father like that, we’re guessing Evie will be picking up a guitar in no time.  But if you’re a parent with no musical background, it may feel overwhelming when your child shows interest in learning an instrument.

There are so many instruments to pick from, and so many reasons to select one or the other.  You’ll want to consider things like your child’s physical form, commitment level and portability of the instrument of choice.  Of course, keep in mind that many musicians start out on one instrument, and continue on to try out several different instruments as they progress.  So if your child comes home dreaming of piccolos and baritone saxophones, encourage him or her to start with something easier.  The most common choices are guitar and piano, but here are 6 more great instruments for beginners:

- Recorder – Simple, cheap and sturdy. Great for the youngest music students.

- Clarinet – Similar qualities as the recorder, and a great step up once the child “graduates” from the recorder. The clarinet is bigger and somewhat heavier, but fairly easy to get a sound on and operate. From the clarinet, many students switch to other instruments, such as bass clarinet, oboe or bassoon.

- Flute – Another common instrument in concert bands, the flute can be fairly easy to learn. Keep in mind, however, it can be pretty hard to get the first tone out of a flute, and your child may be discouraged if it takes days or weeks to get it right. Advanced, dedicated flute players may have the opportunity to move up to the piccolo someday, usually after four or five years.

- Alto Saxophone – When most people say “saxophone,” they’re referring to the alto sax. It’s the most common saxophone, and is of a size that can be handled by many different ages of people. From the alto sax, students often switch to other sizes of saxophone, such as the soprano (smaller), the tenor (somewhat larger), and the baritone (even bigger than that).

- Trumpet/Cornet - The trumpet is a common brass instrument, and the cornet is a smaller instrument that is very similar. Both are popular with beginners and experienced players alike.

- Violin – The violin is the smallest instrument in the violin family, a popular instrument among younger children who wish to be in an orchestra program.

Thoughts, questions, comments?  Leave a note on our Facebook page and chat with the community!

 

 

You might also like…

- Supporting Your Child In Music: A Parent’s Guide
- How to Tune Into the Perfect Music Teacher for You
- 5 Stages for Introducing Music to Children

 

Photo by LenDog64.

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Posted in Music for Children, Music Resources | 2 Comments »

Discover 5 New Places to Find Music

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Remember a time when the only way to discover new music was listening to the radio or asking your friends?  With the growing list of ways to find music online, that sure seems like ancient history now!

We were in awe when Spotify was released, a perfect equation of one-part Pandora and one-part iTunes, with practically every song you think of available for free and instant streaming.  Unfortunately, for those who downloaded the service when its first US release came out in July 2011, your streaming access will soon be capped to just 10 hours per month.

Still, you don’t have to worry – there are many other options for finding music.  Facebook, for example, has been rolling out its “Listen With Friends” feature, allowing friends to listen to songs simultaneously.

Still need more options?  Here are 5 more ideas for finding music online:

MOG
MOG’s music streaming service is very similar to Spotify’s, with roughly 14 million songs available on demand and three pricing levels, but unlike Spotify there is no time limit for the free streaming plan. Instead, users can earn more free plays by sharing music choices with friends on MOG.

Google Music
Google Music may not have as much free music as either Spotify or MOG, but every day it offers new songs and albums from big-name artists that users can download to their computers for free. Moreover, users can upload up to 20,000 of their own songs to Google Music for free to stream from any computer or mobile device. This way, you don’t have to waste any of your allotted time on services such as Spotify listening to music you already have.

RCRD LBL
Like Google Music, RCRD Label lets you stream and download new tracks from established and lesser-known artists for free every day. There’s no membership fee or subscription; all you have to do is create a free account and you can download the tracks, no strings attached. The site’s selection is much smaller than the others on the list, but then again, the point of it is to discover new artists whose catalogs you can listen to elsewhere.

Turntable.fm
Calling Turntable a music streaming service misses the point somewhat. In reality, Turntable is a virtual hangout space that just happens to be built around music. Users create avatars for themselves and can join or create music rooms of their choice, each centered around a different genre, where users take turn playing the role of DJ and chatting with other users. It’s probably not the right service for someone who just wants to passively listen to a few songs while at work, but the site does offer the potential to discover artists and new friends, all for no cost.

YouTube
When all else fails, there’s always YouTube. If there’s an artist or song you want to listen to, chances are YouTube has it — it just may not always be studio quality.

Will you be paying for a Spotify membership once they start capping the free music, or will you turn to other services?  What other ways do you find music online?  Sound off on our Facebook page and join the discussion!

 


 

Photo by cdharrison, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic.

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Posted in Music And The World, Music Resources | 3 Comments »

Find Out the Secrets of the Top Music Bloggers

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

The 2012 Grammy nominations were released yesterday- and with all of the music magazines, blogs and forums out there, everyone has their chance to put their two cents in about who should win and who was snubbed.

If you have your own music blog, there’s a good chance you’ve already made your own predictions and published them for the world to see.  But who’s really reading your posts?  Whether you’re hoping to get into music journalism or if you simply want to publish concert & album reviews for your friends, blogging is a great way to sound off on all things music.

But if you want to become the next hot music blogger, you’ll need to get ahead of the pack.  Just being a music fan isn’t enough these days, so check out these industry secrets (courtesy of Mashable.com) to get you on your way…

1. “Hot For Teacher”

Yes, it seems like a rather obvious tip, but to write about music, you need to know about music –- and not just the vinyl in your own record collection. Andrew Phillips, editor in chief of MOG, advises: “Listen to an inconceivable amount of music, especially if you don’t like it. There’s a huge difference between being a music fan and a music advocate…. The most effective bloggers (and writers) are the ones drawing from a genuinely deep well of knowledge.”

And don’t limit the fact-finding mission to sitting in your room like a tragically hip, headphoned Boo Radley –- go to shows. Go to “good” shows, bad shows, basement shows, loft shows, shows where the only people in the audience are you and the bartender. You never know who’s going to be the next big thing; as Nicole Wasilewicz, senior music editor of FREEwilliamsburg.com, says, “As knowledgeable as you may feel about music, there’s always someone out there that’s smarter than you and has more time on their hands. It’s a constant game of catch-up. Also, pay special attention to opening bands.”

2. “Can’t Buy Me Love”

So you’re all studied up and ready to write. The only question is: To what illustrious publication should you lend your vast and impressive skills? Well, if you’re skint on experience, chances are that unless you’re that kid from Almost Famous, it’s going to be a while before pubs are going to be beating down your door.

And with that, we bring you perhaps the most disdainful piece of advice out there: Write for free.  You can’t get ahead without clips, and sometimes the payment you receive for said clips is experience and a foothold in the industry.  Jason Diamond, editor in chief of Jewcy.com and founding editor of Vol. 1 Brooklyn, says: “If you’re offered to write a low or non-paying piece by a website that is influential, has a lot of traffic, or you just totally respect, take it.”

Now, that’s not to say you should keep writing, sans cash, indefinitely. But doing some writing for a website you really dig can get you exposure and, subsequently, the momentum you need to launch yourself toward a legit gig.

3. “Here I Go Again (On My Own)”

Still, if you don’t want to submit to the wily ways of “the man” (i.e. someone else’s blog), might we suggest you start your own? Really, there’s no excuse in this day and age for an aspiring blogger to not be in possession of his or her very own URL.

Furthermore, once you have your own blog in place, you can either try to leverage it into its own, money-making entity by selling ads, etc., or you use it as a kind of portfolio. You can also form link exchanges with other blogs –- just shoot the editor an e-mail –- which will help you build connections in the space, or join a blog aggregator, like MOG.  However you use it, it’s as essential for any up-and-coming music blogger to have a domain as it is for him or her to have ears.

Whatever your goals may be with your music blog, make sure to have fun with it!  Write about what you love and let your personality shine.  What’s your favorite music blog to read?  Do any of you own there have your own blog?  If so, what other advice can you share with the TakeLessons community?  Join the conversation over on our Facebook page!

 

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Do You Have What it Takes to be a Successful Musician?

Friday, November 18th, 2011

Before Lady Gaga was making headlines with her off-beat music videos and selling millions of albums, she was just Stefani Germanotta, performing in school musicals and open mic nights around New York City.  The whirlwind of success she attained between then and now has made her one of the most well-known artists of this decade.  She has continued to stay a media favorite, with her head-turning wardrobe, die-hard fan following, and numerous award nominations.  Wondering the secret to her success?

Musicians who have catapulted themselves into stardom often have many personality traits in common – from strong networking skills to get them in the door to a commitment to working hard at their art.

Here, Suzanne Glass at indie-music.com describes the essential personality traits for today’s successful musician – and we couldn’t agree more!

1. Patient – From the studio to traveling to rehearsing to making business calls, being a musician requires attention to detail. It takes a lot of practice to get it down perfectly. Being patient and relaxed about the inevitable delays is necessary.

2. Thick-Skinned – From the time you first perform in public, some people are going to judge your music harshly. This might come from a label rep or a departing band member or a publisher, but you can’t let it get you down. Keep believing in yourself, and move on to the next thing.

3. Persistent – You have to have drive to succeed in the music business, and that has to carry you through times when things aren’t going very well.  If you can’t get up and try again, you’ll be out of the game early.

4. Optimistic – Remember that you got into music first and foremost because it was inspiring and FUN. Look on the bright side of things, take criticism constructively, and enjoy the process of “getting there”.

5. Extroverted – If you naturally love going out and meeting new people, that will be a tremendous asset in this networking-heavy business.

6. Self-directed – You need to know what your dreams and goals are, and you need to keep yourself focused on them.  You have to have internal drive, and you have to depend on you own instincts.

(View the full article here.)

If you’ve honed these skills already, you’re already one step ahead.  Continue to follow your passions and you’ll reach your goals in no time.  Sometimes, all it takes is perseverance!

And now it’s your turn – what’s the best advice you’ve gotten about being a successful musician?  Click on over to our Facebook page and leave us own your words of wisdom!

 

 

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How to Break into the Music Biz Without Even Playing a Note

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

This week, power pop princess Kelly Clarkson released her fifth album, Stronger – and the industry has given her rave reviews.

Clarkson has been celebrated by many music critics for her raw emotion, powerhouse voice, and vocal range, which won over fans and led to her earning the title of the first ever American Idol.

If you dream of working in the music industry, but you don’t have Clarkson’s chops, don’t worry – you can still follow your passion!  Today, we’re taking a look at a few behind-the-scenes career paths that might be right up your alley.  For example…

Booking Agent (or Talent Agent)
Booking agents work to secure performance engagements for musical artists and groups. They work to find talent to book and may be involved with developing the talent toward a goal. They must possess good communication skills to sell talent and develop contacts in the music industry. They often work closely with an act’s manager and may be involved in setting the fee and negotiating with promoters or clubs. A booking agent is paid a percentage of the negotiated fee for an act’s performance.

Entertainment Attorney
An entertainment attorney handles any contractual matters conceivable within the entertainment industry. Entertainment attorneys can be freelance, hired on retainer, or an employee of a company or business within the entertainment industry. Entertainment attorneys generally specialize in one of three separate fields within the entertainment industry: sports, film and television, and music. An attorney that specializes in the music industry usually has a solid depth of understanding with regard to copyright laws and artist/band agreements with managers, publishers, record labels, booking agents, etc. Successful completion of law school and a state bar exam are requisites for being an entertainment attorney, as well.

Publicist (or Staff Publicist, Press Agent)
A publicist handles the publicity and press needs of acts signed to a label. Publicity helps the label sell records and produce income. A publicist must be able to get an artist’s name in the news (magazines, music trades, TV, radio, etc.) as often as possible. This is accomplished by writing press releases, sending them to the correct media, talking to media about acts, and arranging interviews. The publicist often arranges a series of print interviews, radio interviews, and TV appearances in conjunction with the release of a new record. Staff publicists spend a lot of time on the telephone and are usually the first to send out promotional copies of new records and other important materials to the media. After a new record is released, a publicist may work with the A&R or promotional departments on a showcase booking of the group, and make arrangements for a press party.

Music Publisher
Music publishers are responsible for acquiring the copyrights to songs and publishing them. They may work for a very large music publishing company and perform one or two specific duties as a music publisher. They may work for a relatively small firm and fulfill a variety of functions. Many individuals in music publishing or songwriting become independent music publishers, running their own music publishing firm. The goal of the music publisher is to find and acquire potential hit songs (copyrights) and songwriters, promote them for financial gain, and serve as copyright administrator whereby tracking, licensing, and payment collection can be done efficiently. A good music publisher has knowledge of all facets of the music business, an understanding of music industry dynamics, an ability to hear hit tunes, knowledge of copyrights laws, and contacts in the music business.

Tour Coordinator
The tour coordinator is responsible for coordinating the many facets of an act’s tour, including travel, lodging, arranging for services, and budgeting for expenses.

Sound Technician
Sound technicians are responsible for high-quality sound during the live performance. They usually arrive at the concert site before the performers and are involved in unloading and setting up the equipment and instruments along with the road crew. The sound technician supervises the placement of equipment and works with the talent during the sound check to achieve the best sound. They may even work a soundboard during the actual performance.

The list goes on and on: music supervisor for TV and movies, music journalist or critic, music therapist, and of course, radio DJ.  The NAfME Career Center page and the Careers page for Berklee’s College of Music are great resources to check out if you need some guidance.  So if you’re in college now – or ready for a career change – consider these options if you can’t carry a tune!

Do any of our readers have advice for breaking into the business?  How many of you are currently working in these kinds of positions?   We want to hear about it – click on the link and share your story on our Facebook page!

 

 

 

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