Jump Into Fame

Sobaca

Description

The ultimate guide for breaking into the music industry. You've heard the songs, you went to the gigs, you bought the t-shirts and you read the biographies, but now it's your turn, right? The music industry is seen by many as a direct path to the ultimate party lifestyle of the rich and famous. But there is more to being a successful recording artist than just standing up in front of a crowd and singing, or spending your cash in the glamorous nightspots of London, New York and LA. As an industry that employs thousands of people in producing, marketing, publishing, and promoting musicians, there's a lot of hard work that goes into making recording artists a success. Take a look inside the world of the music business, see how it works and plot YOUR PATH TO FAME! Break down the barriers by knowing how the business works. Knowledge is power and 'Jump into Fame' will help you prepare. In each of these titles you will find advice on the key aspects of the music industry from an artist's perspective, including song writing, rehearsing and choreography to copyright, royalties and merchandising. This eBook covers a series of topics you will need to understand and address within the music industry. Save yourself a lot of time by preparing professionally and with a clear understanding of what's involved. Learn what to expect from others and also, importantly, what the music industry expects from you. Beyond the traditional image of sex, drugs and rock n' roll there is a whole industry generating tens of billions of dollars worldwide, so what does it take to become a part of it? Read advice from professional musicians and choreographers, and get to grips with the basics of the business side of the music industry. Learn about the mysterious rules of music copyright and find out where exactly your riches will come flooding in from with our section on royalties. Get yourself noticed by making your own music video, and protect your assets by retaining ownership of your material, seeking advice from the Musician's Union on the way. Learn how to put together the professional support team you will need. Many of the decisions you make now will be crucial to your chances of success in the future. With so many pitfalls you need to be aware of how the industry works, what to look out for and how to make yourself stand out from the crowd. If you're serious about making a career from your talent, then jump in and take the first step on the road to fame!

Sujets

• Music

Informations

• Publié par: Andrews UK
• Date de parution: 05 août 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781907290282
• Langue: English

Extrait

Title Page
JUMP INTO FAME
A Book By
Sobaca Limited
Publisher Information
Jump Into Fame published in 2010 by
Sobaca Limited
5 Fleet Place
EC4M 7RD
www.sobaca.com
Digital Edition converted and distributed by
Andrews UK Limited
www.andrewsuk.com
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Copyright © Sobaca Limited
Introduction
You’ve heard the songs, you went to the gigs, you bought the t-shirts and you read the biographies, but now it’s your turn, right? The music industry is seen by many as a direct path to the ultimate party lifestyle of the rich and famous. But there is more to being a successful recording artist than just standing up in front of people and singing, or spending your cash in the glamorous nightspots of London, New York and LA. As an industry that employs thousands of people in producing, marketing, publishing, and promoting musicians, there’s a lot of hard work that goes into making recording artists a success.
In this guide you will find an overview of the key aspects of the music industry from a musician’s perspective, from songwriting, rehearsing and choreography to copyright, royalties and merchandising. Beyond the traditional image of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll there is a whole industry generating tens of billions of dollars worldwide, so what does it take to become a part of it? Find inspiration in this guide to learn about the art of songwriting, hear some insider advice from professional musicians and choreographers, and get to grips with the basics of the business side of the music industry. Learn about the mysterious rules of music copyright and find out where exactly your riches will come flooding from with the section on royalties. Get yourself noticed by making your own music video, and protect your assets by retaining ownership of your material, seeking advice from the Musician’s Union on the way.



Chapter 1
Band or solo artist?
You’ve seen The X Factor , you’re hungry for fame and fortune, and you love performing, but what can and should you be doing to make your mark on the music industry? One of the first decisions you will make is whether to plump for a solo act or to start a band, although this decision is often made for you. For example, you may be far more comfortable performing with others or you may already know the kind of sound that you want to create, perhaps with a group of friends who share your musical vision. In that case you already know what direction you are going to take but if you are still undecided, think about what you want to achieve and whether that is more likely to happen in a group or as a solo artist. More importantly, think about where your strengths lie. This is a cut-throat industry so if you’re a skilled musician but a less confident singer, consider putting someone else in front of the microphone.
A truly successful solo artist is typically a confident and talented singer, whose drive and ambition is strong enough to cope with the intense pressure of being in the spotlight. From a business perspective, solo artists who pen their own songs take 100 per cent of the royalties but must also deal with the pressure and responsibility of writing and performing the songs. Very few people make it to the very top in the music industry but being thick-skinned and resilient is a definite advantage to any aspiring recording artist, especially a solo artist. It is also important to remember that the music industry is a business, and whether you are a solo artist or a group, a professional attitude to the business is essential.
Unless you happen to be born into a ready-made musical family like the Kings of Leon, the Jacksons or the Jonas Brothers, finding like-minded band mates can take some effort. Lots of bands start up in schools and colleges, when friends find musical bonds by liking the same music. U2 started like this, way back in 1976, with some members having virtually no musical talent whatsoever in the beginning. Over thirty years and 145,000,000 record sales later, the band is still going!
Shops that sell musical instruments are a superb resource for finding musical talent and will often have noticeboards where people post adverts to start bands. If you choose to post an ad, check with the shop owner first and put up a short message describing what you’re looking for. Keep it simple, such as ‘Rock singer seeks band’, and list a few of the artists that influence you, particularly those that you think reflect your own style. Leave your first name, a contact number and possibly an email address where musicians can get in touch. The Internet is also a superb resource, with a number of websites specifically aimed at bringing together like-minded singers and musicians.
Chapter 2
How much talent do you really need?
The question of how much talent you need is one that has no simple and straightforward answer, except to say that ‘more is better’. Although most people have sung in the shower at one time or another, performing songs professionally for an audience is as different as running for the bus is to running a marathon. While you may think that you have a great voice (your best friend and your mum might even agree!) the only true test of your talent is to sing for people that will offer an honest and valid opinion, such as a school or college music department. Better still, try to showcase your talent in front of people that are already involved in music professionally or have seen and heard other musicians that have forged a career in the business; they will have much more experience of spotting talent.
Matt, a professional singer from Leeds, says: “Use websites such as Myspace to show people what you can do and to get yourself heard by a wider audience. Listen to what people say but try not to take negative comments too personally. Send a link to your Myspace page to club promoters and gig venues to try to get bookings – they know what people want to hear. If you are getting a lot of negative responses, don’t be afraid to push them for a reason; you might learn something that helps you improve.” To find gig venues that might be interested in his band, Matt looked for other bands that have a similar sound and approached the venues they were playing. He says: “Seeing where other bands were playing got us our best early gigs, and we scored a few decent support slots. Doing live stuff regularly also helped us get better at playing together and created a buzz around us.”
If you have ever watched The X Factor , or something similar, then you will have witnessed the enormous gulf in talent between the very best and the very worst on the show. But what is more difficult to spot is that eponymous ‘X’ factor that separates the good from the great. Sometimes the drive to succeed gives a person that extra spark that can push them from an average talent to superstar status. However, what is certain is that practice makes perfect and that continuing to hone your talent will only improve your chances of success. Beyonce wasn’t born with a superb voice and eye-popping dance moves but years of practice and dedication have helped her build on the natural talent that she was born with.
Unless you are supremely lucky to achieve overnight success through a TV talent show, it can take years of hard work to make a living in the music business. Although your natural musical talent will take you so far, making it work for you in the long term means having a talent for organisation, a talent for business and a talent for staying committed to your cause. But most importantly, keep practising!
Chapter 3
Choosing a name
Choosing a name is important because it is one of the most fundamental aspects of your image and says a lot about who you will appeal to. Merchandising is playing an increasingly large part in the commercial success of recording artists and that success is deeply tied to your image. When it comes to naming your band, there’s a lot to be said for keeping it simple. Think about the artists you like and try to remember whether you liked the sound of the name before you heard them, or after you’d listened to their music. People are very fickle creatures and can take an instant dislike to something just because of the name.
Although solo artists often record under their own name, there have been plenty of examples of people changing their name to adopt a ‘stage name’. It’s not just the ageing singers like Cliff Richard (Harry Webb) or Elton John (Reginald Dwight) that have changed their names either; rap artists like Marshall Mathers and Cordazar Calvin Broadus have built huge success upon the images they created for their respective alter egos: Eminem and Snoop Dogg. No doubt Busta Rhymes would have found it a little more difficult to stand out from the crowd as Trevor Smith. Adopting a stage name as a solo artist is really a matter of personal choice but if your name is very common, like John Smith, or if it’s hard to pronounce or doesn’t suit the image you want to portray, then why not try one out for size!
One of the most important things about choosing a name is of course whether it has already been taken by someone else. While you might start off playing in your local pub to a few dozen people, as you reach the bigger stage your name will become known nationally and maybe even internationally. In the 1980s, a Leeds band known as The Mission achieved the holy grail of chart success in the United States but were forced to call themselves The Mission UK in America because of a clash of names with a