Thursday, December 30, 2010

Raise Your Travel IQ

I've been traveling all over the world for the last sixteen years and in that time I've learned so much about so many different things. As musicians and artists' it is a must that we raise our travel IQ. I travel with so many musicians who are content with letting the agent or manager check their flight in or handle their boarding passes, baggage and tickets. The truth is that most managers and agents don't respect us as adults. They treat us like children because most of the time that's how we act. Each of us should know how to book a flight whether national or international. We should know how to apply for visas and work permits. We should be familiar with flight routing and know how to trouble shoot different flight delay scenarios. This way we will always be knowledgeable about what is going on, even when we are traveling with a group of people. It is also important to understand that when traveling it is always best to be way early. Arrive at least two hours before your flight and three if it is an international flight. This may sound extreme but you need this time just in case you have to make adjustments in your schedule or if there are delays. The worst thing that can happen is that you are just there really early and you will wait a bit but that's better than being late and missing your flight because you didn't allow enough time to handle your business. So always be a responsible adult when traveling and don't pass the buck. Know what you need to know so that you can handle YOUR business the way you should. Safe travels and much success.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Mixing Business and Pleasure

One thing about the music business is that it is full of delusions. We always start out being naive and believing that we can mix our emotions, art and business. Well I know you've heard it before and let me tell you again..."Never mix business and pleasure". Now this is simply saying not to confuse personal and business relationships. In order to be in business requires a certain type of posture that is in direct contradiction with the posture needed in a successful personal relationship. When we allow ourselves to confuse the two, we end up making business decisions based on emotion and not facts as well as making improper personal decisions. My advice is when building your company and career, keep your business as separate from your personal life as possible. Now, I know that we need support and most of the time the people we love dearly end up being our biggest helpers and even become our business associates. You should always establish boundaries so that all of your relationships stay solid. If you happen to work with someone of the opposite sex then you have to always recognize boundaries and don't let the good feelings of business success cause you to think that you could have a personal relationship with the person. Just keep it business. If you are married and you are considering a business relationship with your spouse, you must be clear on expectations and responsibilities. Not every marriage can withstand a business relationship. It is best to just be careful and maintain your autonomy in business at all times because it never fails that when a personal issue arises in a business atmosphere, it is NEVER good for business or pleasure so just don't mix the two. Play where you choose to play and work elsewhere. This is just real music business talk. As artists', most of us are controlled by our emotions but sometimes emotions and money don't make good bedfellows. Stay focused and strong. Put everything in it's proper place and success is already yours.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Think Like A Corporation

As the year draws to a close, this is a great time to assess your progress from this year before moving forward. You have to run your career like a REAL business. You have to think like a corporation. Take stock of the successes for the year. Now some people will say successes and failures but I don't believe in failures because the only way you fail is by doing nothing. By the mere fact that you did something, then you are a success. Just take a moment to measure the degrees. Some things may have fared better than others. Going into the new year, you know what things you want to continue to do and what things you want to modify. I spoke in an earlier blog about setting your three primary goals. This is another part of that process but make your assessment purely based on fact and business not emotion. Take true stock in what you have that is working for you. We all have many different things we are good at but we usually have one or two that we display exceptional aptitude for. Don't become a victim of your own ego. Think like a corporation and use the concept of supply and demand. What did you learn in 2010 that consumers really wanted from you? Was it your singing, musicianship, administrative ability, management skills...etc? Once you answer the question, use the answer to plot your course for 2011. Make financial projections and a timeline of completion. Just make sure to move forward. Don't stand still. Stay creative and be sure to keep yourself in a national and international loop. You can do so by making sure you are a member of ASCAP or BMI and the Recording Academy, as well as any other organizations that will improve your network. Don't just join but be sure to participate in the conferences and seminars. Get as much face time as you can with people at the other level. Remember, this is a business first and to be a success requires you to think like a corporation. 2010 was a great year and 2011 will be even better. Now go get it!

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Monday, December 27, 2010

Staying Ahead Of The Curve

One of the most important things in this industry is timing. No matter who you are and what you do, it really helps when your ideas and creative energy line up with what's hot at that time. Now what most of us do is that we try to follow trends instead of leading or creating them. The best way to achieve success is by staying ahead of the curve. Think about it, if all you do is follow trends, you are always a day late and a dollar short. Staying out front of the tide gives you power and control of not only your destiny but you may very well be the deciding factor in a lot of other people's dreams and goals. Look at it this way... we all know that it can take quite some time to record and promote a record. Most of the music you hear now is already two or three years old. So if all you do is follow, you will always be slightly behind the trend playing catch up. The goal should be to always understand that this is a business and whatever art we create must be palatable for the commercial audience you are targeting but you can still push the limits by staying ahead. There are tons of examples of people who were told they weren't ready or that people would not understand their music. I mean before Timbaland hit the scene, no one was doing beats and production quite like him but once he hit he became one of the signature cats. You can also look at The Neptunes, they were making beats for years and people didn't feel what they were doing but they stayed true to themselves and half of the hits you've heard were based on things they did back when people didn't feel them. It's all about staying ahead of the curve. That's where all of the NEW ideas come from. You will always have more followers than leaders but we need leaders to keep pushing the creative envelope. So just stay ahead and keep reinventing yourself. Success IS your destiny.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Friday, December 24, 2010

Trust Your Ears

I've been mixing records for the past 14 years and in all that time I still hold on to the best advice I've ever gotten...." Trust your ears." With the advent of computer based recording software such as pro tools, logic, nuendo, sonar...etc, recording has become less expensive and more accessible to the masses. It used to be that only record companies or people with access to big budgets could afford to make records because the studio time would cost so much. Those days are gone but the only thing I see that is suffering in some cases is recording and mixing technique. We have developed a generation that puts more trust in technology than they do in developing sound recording and mixing fundamentals. Most people get so caught up in having unlimited tracks, processing speed and a million plug ins that they miss the purpose. Brace yourself but all of this gear and software is only there as a means to an end. No matter how much gear you buy or how many plug ins you have, it doesn't teach you how to write a good song. The key to making and mixing a great record is to understand that less is STILL more. It is best to start out with a basic set up to get an understanding of clean tracking and how to use leveling, EQ and compression to achieve a great mix. When I started recording, I was using a tape based 4 track recorder. Now anyone whose ever used this medium knows that you have to develop your skills and your ears to get a good mix on a 4 track. We used to ping pong and stack tracks like crazy and we actually got really good at getting a quality sound. By the time we got a chance to work on a Trident or SSL, we were so excited. I had an engineer named Randy Everett tell me to not get intimidated by all of the bells and whistles. He said just approach it like a BIG 4 track. Each module had EQ, compression, aux sends and returns, just like a 4 track. So from years of analog recording, I learned how to get a great sound out of the most simple pieces of gear and the cheapest speakers. If you can make a mix sound good in cheap speakers that is the key. I still have a set of $75 technic speakers I've owned for twenty years. I've listened to music on those speakers most my life so I know them very well and when I'm testing my mixes in them, I know exactly where things should hit. The same principle applies to any reference monitor. No matter how expensive or flat, you still have to get use to the sound of the speaker. We mixed a record with Prince Charles Alexander who has worked with Sean Combs, Prince and many others. He gave us the same advice, just trust your ears. So I'm telling you the same thing. Don't get too caught up in having the latest this or that. Start simple and develop your ears. It's OK to invest in great drum and keyboard sounds but you still need to know how to record live drums, bass, guitar and a great vocal. Don't put plug ins, effects and technology in front of developing your fundamental recording and mixing skills. One way to do so is by listening to records that sound great. I highly recommend any Steely Dan record and any of the Quincy Jones produced Michael Jackson records in particular, Off The Wall. Every piece of that record from the engineering, the writing, the arranging, the musicianship, the mixing and mastering are all perfect examples of what a great commercial recording should sound like. Just continue to listen and study. Develop and trust your ears. Now go make another well mixed hit.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Be Careful Who You Trust

One of the hardest things to face in this industry is the fact that you can hardly trust anyone. Now I'm not saying this to be pessimistic. What I mean is that we fall prey to those we think have our best interest at heart. As you move forward in your career, I advise you to keep all matters of personal and business concerns private or specific to only those involved in a particular situation. As much as we like to promote, we must be aware of what and who we are promoting to. My experience has been that people around you pretend to support you while deep within they are jealous or envious of your life and your success. This is true even if you have helped them with their career or business. I've learned to only discuss things with people that directly concern them. Anything else is off limits. I also advise you to curtail the number of people who have unlimited access to you via phone or email because most people are just trying to infiltrate your circle to make sure you are not successful. This is truly one of the not so attractive things about our industry but I think this is just a fact of life. So be sure to reassess every relationship and affiliation. Remember to keep it all business. Find your friends else where. You may have like minded people you want to communicate with but again only communicate about the things you are working on. Not everyone has your best interest at heart. As we rise in our careers our circles get smaller and smaller. Just be careful who you trust. Now continue wisely toward your success.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Monday, December 20, 2010

Narrowing Your Focus

As the year draws to a close and we prepare to step into a new year of great experiences and renewed focus, it is important that we take time to write down our goals for next year. One of the keys to success in this industry is planning. As you plan, it's best to start by narrowing your focus. We can all get overwhelmed by trying to do too much and by trying to be all things to all people. It's important to know exactly what you really want going into 2011. The first step is to make a list of the top three goals you want to accomplish for the whole year. After listing your goals, make a check list and timeline to keep yourself focused. A timeline will also help you measure your progress. One of the things we suffer from as creative people is being too scattered at times. It can be hard to stay focused on one thing for a long period of time so when end up having a lot of half finished goals and projects. And this will only serve to frustrate us and cloud our judgement and decision making as it relates to the big picture. This why I strongly recommend writing your goals down. It is also important to only have a few things that you know you can effectively achieve. I mean if your goal is getting more airplay or booking more gigs nationally or just increasing your financial bottom line, all you need to do is lay out a plan that will dictate your day to day, week to week and month to month actions to help you get to your goal. Once you've written your goal list, print it out and place it in a place where you can see it everyday as a reminder of your focus. Remember, the future is what we make it so let's make it great by planning and not complaining. 2010 was great and 2011 will be even better. Now go write your goals!

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Getting To The Next Level

One of the most important things in this business is growth. A lot of us talk a lot about what we want and where we want to be but what are we REALLY doing to get to the next level? Now, this next level is always relative because it's not the same for everyone being that we are all in different places in our careers. Most of us truly have a fear of change, progress and success. Yes I did say a fear of success. We all know, for the most part, what we should be doing to push our careers to the next level but, due to comfort, we simply make excuses for why this just isn't the time or if I only had this or that. The bottom line is deciding what you want and never allowing yourself to become too comfortable at any stage. Once you've achieved what you want at one level, move on to the next goal. For instance, I've been touring with Little Richard for sixteen years. This has afforded me the opportunity to perform all over the world via T.V. shows and concerts. I've made connections and built relationships at many levels. There was a time when we were so busy with Richard that I didn't have time for much else but I was always aware that the day would come when his work would slow down and I would have to be prepared for the next stage of my career. So I've always been working on developing and branding myself. I mean I didn't want to end up being a guy that says I used to play with such and such but now I'm just gigging around this small town sharing stories of the glory days. LOL! Don't get me wrong, I still do my share of local and regional shows but I will only work with people who's vision lines up with mine. I am constantly looking for opportunities that will keep me in the thick of the industry via production as well as national and international touring. And believe me, it is a grind but I can't allow myself to be too comfortable. The key to moving to the next level is not being stagnant. You have to keep reinventing yourself and providing new challenges and don't try to measure up against anyone else. Just set your path and run YOUR race. Remember moving to the next level has to be a constant mind set so that daily you are manifesting your move by your thoughts and actions. Don't just talk about it....DO IT! YOUR next level awaits you so go get it.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Branding

Today's music industry is more of a business than it ever has been and as artists' and musicians we have to change our creative view to fit and be successful in this model. The key to winning in today's climate is branding. We can no longer look at ourselves from a one dimensional view. We have to see ourselves as a brand or commodity. This means always being aware of our image and placing value on it. We have to approach branding just like Nike or Coke. Whenever we perform or step into the public, there is an opportunity to brand. One of the things that I've began to use is name recognition. I've had every drum kit I own embossed with my name and logo so that no matter where I am or who I'm playing with, people are sitting there reading D'MAR on the front of the drum kit. It's also useful to have a strong web presence from YouTube, blogs, social sites, EPK's and a website. All of us should also own a digital camera and video camera to contribute to the brand by keeping footage of what we do. This is one way to boost your brand by pulling people into your world. Remember, branding is not something you have to wait on, start from where you are and promote, promote, promote. The way you dress, your hair style, your swag, the microphone you use, your logo, the type of instrument you play, the way you move on stage or do what you do...etc. These are all a part of branding. And as creative people, we have to commit some time everyday to sitting at the computer and building our brand via the Internet. All this costs us is time. So let's remember to stay inspired, focused and no longer look at ourselves as just musicians or artists' but as a brand to be marketed on many levels. Success is all ready yours.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Investing In Yourself

I'm just back from recording a great project in New York with some rather famous and influential people. The session came about after months of discussion but even though we discussed it for months it all came together rather fast. It ended up being a great deal but we all agreed to foot the bill to make the record ourselves and just split ownership and all proceeds equally. Now, none of us were paid to go make this record, there was no travel or lodging budget. This was a living example of investing in yourself. The few people that knew what I was doing thought I should be getting this and that but the thing I want to share with you is that there is no way to get to your goals without constant self investment. Opportunities hardly ever come at a convenient time or in a convenient manner. They often times always require risk and sacrifice. And that, at the core, is what success in this business is all about. Never be afraid to take risks or invest in yourself. The project we recorded is phenomenal and we are looking forward to building the brand as a unit and as individuals. By making this investment in myself, I stand to reap rewards far beyond a certain amount of money. I stand to be a part of something that will create a steady income stream and, if nothing else, raise my professional circle and personal profile. So remember, never stop investing in yourself and everything is not measured by the nickels and dimes in front of you but sometimes you have to take risks and invest to get to the dollars and larger opportunies that await you on the other side of success. Stay strong and believe.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Thursday, December 2, 2010

What does a producer really do?

One of the most misused and misunderstood terms in the music business is producer. Most people equate making beats to producing. Now, don't get me wrong, making beats IS a form of producing but it doesn't truly describe the position. A producer is basically a musical or creative CEO. Being a producer doesn't mean that you play all the instruments or write the songs. A producer is like an overseer. His/Her job is to get the best out of whatever artist or project he/she is working on. For instance when a producer is hired to work with an artist he/she has to first find out who the artist is as a person and what their goals are. The producer will also research the artist's previous music to get an idea of their strengths and weaknesses. Once he/she has an idea of who he/she is working with, the next step is pulling together the right team to complete the mission and this team is not always the same. The producer will hire the right musicians, engineer, songwriters & arrangers to help get the best possible end product. The good producer is also a type of psychologist and motivator. You have to possess these skills to know how to get the best out of your clients. Now, in today's business, most producers or beat makers tend to specialize in one genre but a well rounded producer, such as a Quincy Jones or David Foster, is not bound by genre. These guys can take whatever situation and style of music and make it happen. This is what true producing is about. Some producers have a signature sound meaning you can always tell their work when you hear because no matter who the artist is, the producer's signature shines through. This is not always good because the production becomes the star and not the artist. Producers like the two mentioned earlier and guys like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are known for making great records that sound specifically unique to whatever artist they are working with. The tie that binds all of their work is quality. Then you have a producer like Sean Combs who is not a musician but still an outstanding producer because he understands what the public wants to hear and he allocates authority really well. Quincy Jones once said " A producer is only as good as his rolodex" and I agree. You've got to have access to all the right pieces to pull the best puzzle together. So if you are considering production or if you already consider yourself a producer, I advise you to continue to improve your musical skill and intellect so that you can be as multidimensional as possible. This will only insure that you can always work no matter what the trend is. OK let's go make some more hits!

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Be Independent

I had a conversation with an associate yesterday about an artist who had a bad deal with a record company. I had a litany of questions and I guess the biggest question was why did he even sign a record deal? In this day and age it pays to be independent. A record deal is nothing but a high interest loan. With all the access the Internet now offers, an independent artist or company can do just as much as a major. The only thing the majors have is access to large amounts of funding but even with that access they still have to pay to have certain things done. Most artists feel like getting a record deal means they've made it and they can just relax and be a star. That couldn't be farther from the truth. The artist has to always be the driving force behind their career. Record companies have divisions or departments that all specialize in different things. They can consist of A&R, marketing, graphics, radio, publicity...etc. Now as an independent you can do or outsource these same responsibilities without signing your life away. Actually in today's climate, record company's prefer doing partnership's with artists' that have already established a working infrastructure and a fan base. This means that the record company can focus on product and distribution. These kind of deals are called P & D's (Pressing & Distribution). In these situations the record company will cover the cost of pressing copies and getting it into retail chains and nowadays on the Internet. But again this is all stuff you can actually do yourself. My advice is to just stay independent as long as you can. You will know when it is time to go the major route. Most of the time the majors will find YOU when they see that you are selling units and you have a substantial following. This gives you more bargaining and negotiation power so that you won't be one of those people sitting around talking about how they got screwed by a record deal. ALWAYS THINK INDEPENDENTLY. EVEN IF YOU HAVE A DEAL, YOU SHOULD STILL OPERATE AS IF YOU ARE INDEPENDENT. NEVER TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. Now go and continue to build your fan base and infrastructure. You are on your way.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Stop The BS

The truth about this industry and life in general is that you can't get something for nothing. So many of us are so used to handouts and hustling through situations. Today I challenge you to stop the B.S. This industry, like any other business, requires consistent commitment. I've been involved in so many situations that had the greatest potential but because everyone involved was not seriously on the up and up the opportunity passed us by. Most people think that fast talking and hype game will get you through but it doesn't. You have to get out of your own way by studying and perfecting your craft. I know that we have to make ends meet but if you are going to do this, you have to be willing to make a sacrifice and jump in with both feet. Don't waste time with crap and trying to hustle people. Always know your limitations. You have to know what you bring to the party and what you don't. Also understand that you can't do it all and no one expects you to. You have to be honest with yourself at all times without the B.S. This is the only way to insure success. If music is what you want to do then do it but if you are a part timer then be honest about that and understand that it is unfair to attempt to serve two masters. I have been a full time music business entrepreneur for over eighteen years and I find it hard to truly have a shared vision with someone who doesn't do it ALL the time. I mean someone who doesn't wake up with this as a main focus because it really doesn't take much to make ANYTHING happen but you have to be committed on a daily basis. Now if you have to do something else that is not a problem but just be honest with yourself about who you are and what you want. Nothing in life is without sacrifice. There are tons of stories about musicians and artists giving up things to achieve their goals and it hasn't changed. So let's stop the B.S. and be real about reaching our visions. Stay motivated and focused. You WILL make it.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Monday, November 29, 2010

AGE

The music industry is a youth driven industry. It seems that in the U.S. particularly you are discarded after twenty five and just plain old at thirty. Even though youth sells, wisdom will rule the day. Your age is what YOU say it is. Now it never hurts to have success at an early age so that it becomes easier to have a long career largely because you will have a fan base that grows with you. But success comes in different facets. The youth factor is mostly only attached to main stream popular music. In most cases more traditional genres such as jazz, blues, soul and folk music are more palatable to those who have a little age, wisdom and experience. It is never too late. As long as you are willing to work hard and sacrifice, you can have what ever level of success you desire. Don't let anyone tell you that you are too old for anything. Even when they say "Be realistic" understand that even reality is relative. Also understand that there are also careers in the industry behind the scenes that lend themselves to wisdom and experience. YOU define your own reality and the outcome rest solely on you. Age is truly a state of mind and then the condition and the position of.... well if you are a P-Funk fan you know the rest. Stay focused and remember to continue to pursue your craft until there is no more breath in you. Age is no limitation. Stay healthy and go get it.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Get Your Paperwork In Order

I've just returned from a tour in Japan which was a great experience. I actually spend about 60% of my time working abroad. A lot of musicians and artists express the desire to work in Europe or Asia but seem to think that it is hard to do. All you have to do is to begin to look at the entire world as a potential market and get your paperwork in order. Before you can leave the country you must have a passport. You can go to the post office to fill out the application. In this area you will more than likely deal with the New Orleans Passport Authority. The process is very simple and the people at the post office will walk you through it step by step. You can have your passport pictures made at Walgreens, Fed Ex or Kinkos. The passport fee is about $120.00 and about $200.00 to have it expedited. Those prices may vary, just check with the post office. Once you have a passport, you may have to have a visa or work permit depending on the country you are planning to work in. My advice to you is to always get the proper paperwork for each situation. Don't go into a country as a visitor knowing that you are going there to work. You leave yourself open for too many bad things to happen. Having your passport also shows that you are serious about pursuing your career world wide. Having a passport should be as important as having a driver's licence or social security card. The international market is booming and the opportunities are vast in terms of marketing your own music and playing the various festivals and concerts that go on year round. The European musical taste is usually a bit more diverse and their appreciation for individuality makes for a great chance to build a larger worldwide fan base. Remember this is the music business and there is business to do all over the world so make sure you have your paperwork in order. Go get your process started right now!

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Follow Your Heart

Do you remember being a child all wide eyed and full of promise? Some of us do but most of us don't. As a child we are told that the sky is the limit and whatever you want to do you can. In order to reach your goals in this industry you must always maintain that childlike spirit. You will always have people telling you what you can't do mostly because they didn't achieve their dream or personal legend so they try to convince you to give up. You have to follow your heart even when everyone around you doesn't see your vision. Never allow someone to put their limitations on your life. As artists' we operate from a place that is inspired by our dreams. I knew at age twelve what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and I started that very moment to pursue it in spite of the school counselor telling me to have a fall back plan and others telling me how my goals were unrealistic. The only thing that stops you from reaching your goal or dream is giving up. Once you know what you want, follow your heart and never let anyone try to talk you down. Life and your dreams are what YOU make them.

The Truth
All Right Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

At What Price?

I was having a conversation with some fellow musicians the other day about the state of performances and what we get paid. We know that you have to bend a bit but at what price do we do so. I've been a professional musician since I was eighteen years old and I've played in a variety of situations for different fees. I've played gigs for free and I've gotten paid really well but the issue is how to get what you are worth consistently. Now we play a lot of clubs and the truth is most club owners couldn't care less about our music. They just want to have live music as a draw to get people in to drink and/or eat. They will pay a small fee to the band no matter who you are and what you've done. Ironically we in the south, Mississippi in particular, make more in clubs than anywhere in the country. I mean you can pull $100 to $125 a man pretty easy in the south. That's actually about a standard but we can't get wealthy off of that. The club owner will pay the band $500 or $600 and they make $3000 to $5000 on the bar if not more. Now this is a great breakdown for the club owner because he gets class entertainment at a bargain price, which brings me to the real issue. What are we truly worth? What I started doing a few years ago was just promoting my own shows and partnering with the clubs and venues. I take the door and they take food and drinks. I started doing this because the club owner would say that he/she couldn't guarantee me a certain fee because he wasn't sure of my drawing potential and I refused to give him a $20,000 show for $600 so I put my money where my mouth is and partnered with him. This way there was no ceiling on what I could earn. I've never gone in the whole and it has helped my brand because people know that when you come to a D'MAR show it's going to be a real concert and not just another gig. This in turn helps raise my value and the perception of my brand in the market place. I've also formed a coalition of sorts with like minded musicians but the issue we are faced with now is how to set your worth. I had a mentor of mine tell me that your worth is what ever someone is willing to pay to see you at any given time and that worth may change depending on where you are. I mean in Paris you may be worth $10,000 a show but in Greenwood,MS you may only be worth $5,000. There are a lot of different factors that play into this scenario. As musicians taking charge of our own branding, we must be aware not to under sell or over sell our market. If you are playing a club that has a regular cover of $10, then when you do your show, you should at least try to stay within the price parameter of the club. If people are used to paying $10 and you do a show for $25, then you have over priced your show for the market. We have to think like business men/women all the time. When people come to see us, they are going to by a ticket, have dinner/drinks and if they have a date that doubles so we don't want to charge so much that they can't afford to add us to their plans. On the contrary, we also can't give ourselves away for free either. I believe strongly in branding ALL the time. If I'm trying to raise my worth, then I have to make the buying public value it buy placing a price on it. Now that price could be $5 but it's not FREE. When we play clubs that don't charge a cover the people are not forced to truly value our art. I'll bet you that the club owner is not giving away food and drinks for free so why should we be any different. Don't get me wrong, we all have to do what we have to do, it just depends on your goals. If you are really trying to build a brand, you have to make people value it and you can't do that by giving it away. It is up to us as musicians to stick together. Let's set a fair price point and if it is not met then we don't play. That's one of the things a musician's union is for. Remember if you get a reputation for working for pennies you will never make dollars. Also be sure to always give a performance worthy of people's time and money. No BS should ever be allowed. That to makes it harder for those of us that are giving our best every time out.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Thursday, November 11, 2010

You Get What You Negotiate

One of the most talked about things in the music business is the bad deal. Everybody has heard a story about someone getting ripped off or out right stolen from. Now even though most of these stories are true, there is no need to demonize the industry. You must simply understand that you get what you negotiate. I've worked for Little Richard for 15 years and I've heard all of the stories about Specialty Records first hand. Richard's deal was a straight rip off. He was only receiving a half a cent royalty. Now how do you break a penny in half? The thing that got Richard and thousands of other artists and I dare say still gets artists today is that they are more concerned about being famous than they are about being paid and having ownership. When you sit down at the negotiation, table don't talk about fame. The deal should be structured so that you GET PAID. I mean these people(The Record Company) are simply going to exploit your talent to make a profit so you should profit from that exploitation as well. Fame doesn't pay bills or build wealth for your family. You have to be educated on the business and the people you are doing business with. But don't play the blame game. I mean people are quick to tell you not to trust someone because they did them wrong. Well that person forgot to tell you that they got taken advantage of because they didn't do their do diligence to get the best deal. Now don't get me wrong, it is good to have an idea of the playing field but just understand you are not negotiating to be friends. You have to negotiate as if your very life is on the line because it is. Signing the wrong agreement can change the course of your career and your life. Don't be sold on hype and be sure to seek legal advice BUT PLEASE DO NOT GET REPRESENTATION OR ADVICE FROM SOMEONE WHO IS AFFILIATED OR ASSOCIATED WITH THE PEOPLE YOU ARE NEGOTIATING WITH! This is called a conflict of interest but they won't tell you, it is up to you to do the research to be sure that your attorney is truly on YOUR side and not just there to help the other people take advantage of you. Before you start a negotiation or seek representation, you must first know what you want. You can not waiver. You must know what you are willing to do and give up and always be prepared to say no and walk away. Never be afraid to say no. If the deal is not working for you, regardless of how bad you want it, just say no. Another deal will come along. Stay focused and read, read, read everything you can about this industry so that you can be a savvy artist/negotiator because you truly only get what you negotiate.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Don't Take It Personal

One of the most important lessons you will learn in this business is to have a thick skin. Always understand that this is a business first and when things happen just keep your judgement clear and don't take it personal. This can be easier said than done being that as creative people we are, at the core, an emotional lot. That being said, we have to develop the ability to detach our emotions from business decisions. I believe that you get what you ask for or what you go looking for and most artists are usually looking for drama. The best way to stay on top of your game is to always have a clear cut agenda in every situation and understand that any negotiation is a form of warfare, no matter WHO you are dealing with. Friends in this business are few and far between and you should NEVER make a career decision based on friendship or an empty promise. I've had experiences where I trusted people because of what I thought was a good relationship. Well that relationship was only good because I had never needed anything from them. I was always on the giving end but when I needed something they had no problem telling me no and even followed their no up with "Hey man it's just business. Don't take it personal." In this business contracts are signed daily and when you are sitting across the table from someone to sign an agreement you have to remember that they are not looking out for your interest. They are looking out for their own interest and they will do whatever it takes to get what they want. So if you don't do the same and you end up in a bad deal, it's your fault. Even as a musician, you have to be able to just do what the job is asking with as little emotion as possible. I've worked with bandleaders that will yell at you and fine you even if they were wrong. Now I've also seen a lot of guys get fired or quit because they took things personal that didn't have anything to do with the job. My motto when working for a client is "He/She may not always be right but he/she is never wrong." In other words, what you think doesn't matter just shut up and do the job you were hired to do. In most cases people will test you and put you under intentional pressure just to see if they can break you. This is a way to see how strong you are and to see if you can always be professional even when put under emotional distress. This is also a negotiation tactic. If I can get you all emotional about something, you will make an emotional decision about your business and emotion and business don't mix well. You get taken every time. So meditate and always keep a good center. Understand that you are in control of you, your emotions and the decisions you make. Don't get upset about anything. Just take care of your business and don't take anything personal.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Management

One of the most misunderstood concepts in this business is music management. Most of us don't know what a manager does and when you need one. First of all it is key to remember that management only exists to serve the purpose of the artist. A good manager or management team is responsible for advancing your career. Now I like the concept of the management team because that's just what it is. The artist is the head of the team followed by the manager and any co-managers. The duty of a manager is to first understand and believe in his/her client. Your manager should be a living breathing extension of you. This person should always be serving and fighting for your best interest. A good manager knows that it is not enough to just handle what an artist has on hand but he/she must expand the artists career by seeking opportunities in various areas such as T.V., movies, commercials, modeling...etc. The manager only gets paid from a percentage of the money they make for the artist. The highest percentage in the business is 20%. Managers that get 20% are the supermen/women like Benny Medina because they have proven their worth and ability to produce for their clients. A good starting point for a manager is 10% with an agreement for a year. This gives you a chance to test the relationship and see if it is truly beneficial. Remember to only give managers a percentage of what they manage. For instance, I've seen management contracts that ask for 15 to 20% of everything the artist does such as live shows and all. I don't like this concept because the manager is not a booking agent so if your booking agent gets 20% and your manager wants 20% well you get the picture. This is just not fair in my opinion and beware because there are a lot of so called managers out there that prey on artists just to take advantage of them. All that being said, when do you need a manager? You need a manger when your career has become too much for you to handle yourself. It is impossible to be the artist, producer, publicist, booking agent, visionary and manager. You need the RIGHT help. My advice is to focus on building your career first all the while keeping your eyes open to managerial prospects. Most of the time the right manager will approach you. Let's face it, when you really have something that can make money, you will attract people who want in. You just have to be savvy enough to determine who is right for you. They MUST believe in you and your goals without reservation. I mean how can you sell something you don't believe in? This doesn't mean they have to be a yes man/woman but they must simply believe. Understand that the manager will only be a reflection of the client he/she represents. If the artist is driven and has an unrelenting work ethic then so will the manager be or if the artist is lazy and just wants to be told what to do then your manager will not respect you because instead of managing he/she becomes a babysitter. I've seen and had to babysit a lot of grown artists and musicians. This is not a pleasant job. So just continue to focus on your career by being the best self manager you can and remember what we've talked about and keep these things in mind when you interview or consider someone for a manager. Keep up the good work and I'll see you at the top!

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Monday, November 8, 2010

Where To Start

A lot of us want success in the music industry but don't really know where to start. It can be very complex but I will keep it as simple as possible. There are various directions you can go in this industry. The first thing you need to do is decide exactly what you want to do. Do you want to produce, perform, write, manage... etc? Once you've picked your focus, develop it through practice and execution. Now that is actually simple but here is the part that eludes most of us. From the very start you need to see yourself as a business. You should incorporate as a business such as D'MAR Productions Inc. The process is simple and inexpensive. Now most people think you have to be so far along or have made money or connections before this process and that is where a lot of artists get confused. It's all about foundation. We all focus on our artistic foundation but not our business foundation. When starting out, be sure to couple these principles. Once you incorporate, run your life like a business. Write a business plan that consists of your goals including financial goals. Make a timeline on reaching these points and write a marketing plan discussing how you want to sell your brand or product and who you are going to sell it to. At the start this can be very informal just so you can see what you look like on paper. If you are a producer and your goal is to produce major acts or if you are a musician looking to play with major artists or make your band into an international franchise, you will still have to get paid and pay taxes so having your business in order will only help you in the long run. So remember to start by setting yourself up as a legal business. Go to the Secretary Of State to file and the minimum yearly fee is $25 to $50 depending on where you are and what type of company you choose."S corps" are usually good for musicians. Once you've gotten incorporated you have to get an EIN(Employer ID Number) or federal tax ID and this will be your tax ID for the company. You will need that number to open a bank account and all money generated by and for your company should go into this account. This will position you in the BUSINESS to be best prepared to build your career no matter what your focus is and even if you decide to alter your focus you are still a legal business entity. Trust me it makes a difference. Remember you are what you do and if you want industry success, you have to operate as such on a daily basis. Starting by setting up as a legal company is the best way to do so. Later blogs will discuss the next steps but this is truly the foundation so that when you make money you can KEEP IT. Now go set up your company.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Tell The Truth

I know you've heard the phrase "Fake it 'till you make it" and this is sometimes the case in the music industry but don't take it to far. This only means that you know that you have the ability to do something that you haven't done yet and sometimes the faking may get you in the door but your ability to produce will keep you there. Now, that being said, the best way to stay above water in this and any industry is to always TELL THE TRUTH. The worse thing you can do is to misrepresent who you are and what you do. This business is a web of connections and one lie can bring down a lot of people and cost a lot of money. Know your limitations. Not everyone is good at everything and the first step is being honest with yourself about what your strengths and weaknesses are and simply play to your strengths. Don't ever pretend to be someone or something you are not because the truth always comes out eventually and it could mean the end of your career. Even though people say that this is a cut throat industry, no one really likes a dishonest person. This goes further than just your craft as well. For instance, I have owned a company for over 20 years and I have had different associates throughout that time. Only a few of them have always been on the up and up. Being that I was always in the studio or behind the scenes developing, administrating or creating, my face to face time with people was limited. Therefore certain individuals that only had an association with me would go out and just flat foot lie to people saying they owned my company or that they were the face and brains behind the company. Now you know that eventually these people had to meet me because no deal could be done without coming to me first and you can only imagine my surprise to hear that someone I trusted was out taking my knowledge and misrepresenting my company all in the name of ego and ego can be a terrible thing. Now by this person lying, it not only did damage to our relationship but also damaged my company's image and reputation. I was then put in damage control mode which cost me time and money. The truth is the best way to go because people can and do research everything you say. With basic computer knowledge someone can check you out so it's just better to be up front. And if you are an artist be sure to be honest about your image and craft. Don't become someone just because you think it will sale. The only thing that really sales and reaches people is authenticity. I mean if you are not a thug then don't pretend to be because the real thugs will find you out and the public will see through a lie eventually. It's always best to be honest about who you are. The thing you may not know about this industry is that most people will know that you are not being honest from the first few words you say and they will play right along with you. I've done it myself so you basically end up being a joke. I have even taken it a step further. When I know someone is lying to me, I file it away mentally and when I have a chance to recommend them for something legitimate I either won't do it or call them to let them know that the jig is up. Now most people would say that is mean but had that person just been honest, they could have had a great opportunity. So the best thing to do is just be for real. I know we want to achieve our goals by any means necessary but don't let dishonesty be one of those means. It will always catch up with you in the end. Just be you and tell the truth.


The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Common Sense

During my career, I've been approached by so many people from attorneys, managers, investors and promoters all telling me what they can do and how they can make me a star. After I would ask certain questions, these people were either insulted or just didn't want to deal with me simply because I have "common sense". In the music industry, as sad as it may seem, the artist/musician is not really respected, especially at the corporate level. These people figure that we are just the talent and we are too emotional or should only be concerned about creating and leave the finances and business to them. Again I simply say use common sense. All of these people work for US. Without us what do they have to manage or represent, so WE call the shots. Anyone wanting to work with you has to prove their worth via resume and interview just like applying for any other job. But as artists we are always jumping through hoops to prove everything to everyone else without realizing that we are really in charge. When you assert your knowledge with these people they become afraid because they can't hustle you. When someone is making you promises of fame and glory just ask a few questions: have they gotten anyone else to the top, what is there track record and experience and are they willing to invest in helping to build your career? Just these questions alone will reveal who you are really dealing with. I mean just because you are an attorney or manager in a nice office and an expensive suit doesn't mean a thing. You must show me why I need to allow you to work for me in building my career. And remember... THEY WORK FOR YOU! If one of these characters start out by asking for money...RUN! I've seen people ask for money and I've even spent money with people just to see what they would do only to find that their only concern was hustling money. I could have invested the money directly in myself via Internet marketing or some other avenue and reaped a larger benefit. At the core of it all is laziness on our behalf and these people capitalize on the fact that as artists we don't want to have to do certain things. We want to be pampered and catered to. When starting your career, all the things you need to know are available through study and research. Now if someone has a proven career in managing artists and building their career then this is the person to work for you. Notice I said BUILDING careers. Just because someone represents an artist after they are already successful doesn't mean they can help you because building an artist from the ground up is a totally different animal. The bottom line is always use common sense when dealing with any of these people and make sure that you invest in yourself vs. fattening their pockets or building their firm.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Time Management

I know we've all heard the saying "Time is money". This is so true especially in the music industry. The most important skill one can learn is time management. The music industry is all about timing and those that waste time usually end up settling for a day job talking about what they coulda, woulda, shoulda, done. You have to start investing your time as if it were money. Every minute is valuable. Take a second and truly asess how you spend your time. In this business hype rules the day but I can't tell you how many wasted conversations I've had with people trying to sell me hype. This was and still is a colossal waste of time because these people are usually not telling the truth and they don't mean you any good at all. It's all about the hustle or carrot chasing. I mean people will dangle dreams in front of you like a carrot and have you chasing them to no avail. Once you know what you want, you have to be sure that every conversation, meeting and association contributes to YOUR goals. Don't fall prey to trying to save the world. You know "I've got to help my crew or my boys". Use your time helping yourself first and once you've achieved a certain amount of status and monetary placement then you can help but until then DON'T LET PEOPLE WASTE YOUR TIME! Meetings should never be more than an hour and phone calls should be even less. Talk is truly cheap but time is a valuable commodity that once you waste it you can't get it back. So from this moment forward, take stock of your schedule and be sure that you are investing your time to best serve your goals and always make sure to have down time. This will give you a chance to rebuild your energy and see clearly. I know people in the biz will say "Man I will rest or sleep when I'm dead". That too is hype. The body, mind and soul need to rest to sustain. Yes we have to work hard well let's say we have to work smart. The first step to doing so is trimming the fat by managing your time wisely. Also, always include time to study something new. This is one of the best investments you can make because it keeps you sharp and on your game. Remember time IS money.


The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Monday, November 1, 2010

Paying Your Dues

The music industry, like everything else in life, grows in stages and you have to be prepared to do the work. Even though the industry in morphing, some things still remain the same and paying your dues is one of those things. I really don't hear people speaking of paying dues as much as I did when I was coming up as a younger musician/producer/entrepreneur. All of the conversation today seems to be focused ONLY on making money. Now don't get me wrong, we want to make money after all, as I've stated before, this is a business. The way to insure that you make money is to build your worth and the only way to do so is by paying dues and working in the trenches. As a musician, artist, producer, manager, graphic artist...etc... you have to get as much experience as possible. Any chance to play or perform should be taken no matter the pay. Now I'm not saying let people take advantage of you but the main payment you need is experience. I talk to so many young musicians that have these inflated egos because they have all these chops and CAN play but they don't have any REAL experience or repertoire to speak of so their earning potential is limited because they don't know any tunes. Even if you are not wanting to pursue a career in a cover band, you can still gain a lot from learning standards. I mean standards in R&B, jazz, rock & roll, folk & country. This will teach you playing discipline and give you an idea of what it takes to write, arrange and produce great material. I've done a lot of shows with musicians who complain that playing Motown songs are boring and they want add all of THEIR chords and arrangements to make it more hip. Well I always ask these guys..."How many hit songs have you written?" The only way you learn to be the best is by studying the best. Before you can create you have to imitate. All of those old songs were masterfully crafted. Each song is a lesson in songwriting, arranging, production and musicianship. The same holds true for producers. I said PRODUCERS NOT BEAT MAKERS! One of the reasons we have more beat makers than producers is that guys are not paying those dues. They are only concerned with selling BEATS instead of becoming great well rounded producers of music. Now I am not knocking anything. I love a dope beat just as much as the next guy and there is genius in a lot of tracks I hear everyday but that genius is stunted by the lack of respect and appreciation for what music REALLY IS. I mean we are still listening to Motown, Stax and Philly International stuff today because the music is timeless. It's not based on a fade or a particular keyboard sound or beat. Michael Jackson along with Quincy Jones and a host of great musicians, writers and engineers made Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad during the height of the hip hop emergence and those records are classic to this day. Thriller broke all sales records and if you study those records you will see that they did not rely on any slick production tricks or hip drum machine sounds. It was just great music, arranging, production and execution by all involved. Go back and check those credits and see what other work those musicians have participated in. It will blow your mind and they have and continue to pay their dues. Don't always focus on JUST money. Focus on being great at your craft and the money WILL come. Also understand that mastering your craft is a life long pursuit. There is always something new to learn. It is even key to remember this as a new artist. We have to get out and put our own music in front of people by any means necessary so that they can know who WE are. That too is paying those dues. So if you are afraid of a little work, YOU ARE IN THE WRONG INDUSTRY. There are NO short cuts. Pay your dues and go get the greatness that awaits you.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Be Careful What You Ask For

The one thing I've realized about the music industry is that it is largely a dream driven industry. People have dreams, goals or visions of success that are sometimes manifested just the way the saw them but most people dream not really expecting their dreams to come true. When planning your career you should be very cautious and be careful what you ask for because you just might get it and if you are not prepared to deal with it you will be the worse for it. Most people TALK a good game about what they want but if someone dropped out of the sky and gave them everything they wanted they would be to afraid to take it. Let's face it, most artists have dreams that they never really believe will happen so they fall in love with dreaming and not manifesting or realizing. I read a book called The Alchemist and in the book the author referred to your dreams, passions or goals as your personal legend. Now we all have a personal legend but less than half of us ever really pursue our passion to the end. He gave a lot of reasons but the one that stuck with me was the fact that some of us just don't really live our life planning to achieve our goals. A dream, goal, passion or personal legend is a living breathing thing that we have to nurture daily. What we have to do is the moment you know what your dreams are, start planning at that very moment. You should make your daily decisions based on how they contribute to you achieving your goals. This is why most people get caught by surprise when success drops in their lap because they know that they were not really expecting it. You have to practice achieving and being successful at even the smallest things so that your dreams become tangible and attainable. Like the Nike slogan "Just Do It" The moment you think it, do it. Don't question it just move. I have only worked one "REAL JOB" in my life. I worked for six months at a record shop all the while saying I wanted to do music full time. I met a gentlemen that is still one of my mentors today and he told me to just do it so I did. Now it is a lot of work but that was me pursing my personal legend and making my dream a living thing. After I jumped in with both feet, my dreams got bigger and more doors were opened to me because I was living my personal legend. I am still doing so and enjoying every moment because the sky is not the limit. There is no limit. So start TODAY making your dreams breathe and come to life because what ever you want can and WILL happen just expect it too. Work today as if you already know what is coming so that you won't be surprised. Don't ever give up pursuit of your personal legend.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Understanding The Landscape

One of the keys to success in this business and any business is being able to understand the changes in the market. It is as simple as Economics 101... supply and demand. Most of us understand this concept but only on the surface. In the music business we have to look beneath the surface to see that success is about understanding the landscape. We all want to make Cd's to get airplay, make videos and sell millions of copies but we are not seeing the entire landscape of opportunity. Selling music via a packaged CD is only one small piece of this landscape. There are so many ways to make money with your music and they all revolve around PUBLISHING. I mean look at T.V. commercials, movies, sitcoms, infomercials and reality shows. THEY ALL NEED MUSIC and getting a song placed in any of these areas will often times bring you more money over a longer period of time. And if you are able to place a song on a show that goes into syndication, that's a check for life. We just have to learn to see the opportunity around us everyday. I'm sure you listen to the radio and notice all the advertising that you hear and every ad has a musical jingle to help sell it. So as business men/women in this industry we have to learn to see the entire landscape beyond FAME. I mean you can be very wealthy as a movie composer or writing music for T.V. shows and no one will really know who you are but your music will be making you a lot of money and a great living. I challenge you to look around and see what other things are available to you and pursue them. The industry is literally changing daily and we are the people that are in the best position to help define where it all goes from here.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Taking Ownership

It's always interesting to me how many artists and musicians complain about being ripped off, exploited or mistreated but won't do anything to be proactive about changing their perceived situation. I submit to you today that the way to change this situation is by taking ownership of your career. Years ago I heard a quote from Dave Clark who is known as the father of modern record/street promotion and he said "If you don't have a record then you are not in the record business." Now as simple as this may sound many of us still don't get it. Most of us want something for nothing. We want to record Cd's but we don't want to pay for the studio, graphics, photos or packaging and we are content to try and take advantage of someone else to get these things paid for. I know you've heard stories about how record companies for years have stolen royalties from artists and how the company got rich while the artist became broke. A lot of these stories are true but in most cases no one forces you to sign anything. You have a choice and it is up to you to take ownership of your decisions. It's really common sense. If I am a record company and I pay for an artist to produce a Cd and I cover all the cost involved with marketing and building their career then the record belongs to me as does the lion's share of the profit. I would have to make all of my investment money back first and because I took the risk I will also have a healthy percentage of whatever other earnings are made. Don't get me wrong, the artist will make money too. I will just make more per my investment. I mean without me you wouldn't have a record. I know you've seen the name "Executive Producer" on Cd's. This simply means who paid for the project. As an artist, if you are not willing to invest your own money, time and energy in your career you should just quit today. I understand that it is costly but you can at least pay half and partner with someone to help you but just know if you don't invest in you then you are telling the world that you don't really value who you are and what you have. You are simply setting yourself up to be ripped off. As a label owner and publisher I have garnered ownership of so many pieces of intellectual property because of artists trying to take the easy way out and get something for nothing. When they sign the agreement saying that for my investment I will own part or in most cases all of the publishing rights they think they are taking advantage of me. Now I do everything I can to try to get them to come out of pocket with SOMETHING so that we can share the executive producer role but they want something for nothing so I don't have a problem with it because it costs our company quite a bit of money and time to produce and place these projects. We produced a show a few years ago and the concept was to get a group of talented artists that each had a basic fan base of one to two hundred people. We proposed a partnership between our company and them to produce the event by all of us equally splitting the cost to produce the event. Each artist was to get video and audio footage of their performance to further help them. Now all of them wanted to do the show but do you know that not one of them would give a dime not even $100 to invest in themselves? We did the show and it was very successful but since we took the chance we made the money. Yes some of the artist started saying we were ripping them off because we didn't pay them this or that but from the moment they refused to invest in themselves they relinquished any right to complain. It's all about taking ownership and responsibility for your career. As a record executive/musician/producer/performer I have had to invest in ME all my life so I have zero tolerance for artists who don't want to do the same for themselves. I simply believe they will get what they deserve or what they put in and in most cases that is nothing. So I challenge all artists to take ownership right now.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Swagger Jacking

I know you've heard that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well there may be some truth to that but there is a line between imitation and out right thievery. Borrowing concepts, themes, melodies, grooves...etc has been common place for years in the music industry. When someone had a hit song, look or style everyone would jump on it with there version of the original idea. That is still true today. Let's face it you have trendsetters and then you have trend followers. Now it's cool if people are presenting a variation on your idea but plagiarism is still a crime in every since of the word and concept. Today we simply call it Swagger Jacking. When some artist cannot be not creative enough to come up with his/her own ideas or style they steal or jack someone else's ideas. Now I have seen people jack photo poses, CD concepts, style and I've even seen someone lift direct passages from someone's website or bio and attempt to pass them off as their own. Now for the first part there is not much you can do about some uncreative simple minded thieving artist jacking intangible concepts but I advise every artist to not only copyright your creative works but to also trademark your name, concepts, photos...etc. Now this is a rather costly investment but well worth it in the long run. We spend a lot of time branding in this industry and for someone to usurp the benefits of our work is just like them taking money out of our pockets. We have to think just like a major corporation I mean Coke does not play around with Pepsi or any other company when it comes to their brand. If you have a slogan, theme or catch phrase, be sure to trademark it before you start your branding so that if someone decides to steal it you have legal recourse. Keep it fresh and beware of the Swagger Jacking.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Membership

If I were to ask any number of artists what they wanted to do with their career they would all say something to the affect of being famous, rich or known worldwide. All of these goals are fine but if I ask these same artists what they are doing on a day to day basis to accomplish these goals then you start to hear crickets because I think a lot of us are in love with the idea of dreaming more than we are with actualizing our dreams or visions. If we want to be number one, we have to do what the people who are already on top are doing and we have to be in the same or similar circles and yes we can do it. One of the things you have to understand is that in every industry their are networking organizations that give you a chance to rub shoulders and get to know people in your industry that can help you get where you want to be. The entire music industry is like a huge fraternity and MEMBERSHIP has it's privileges. We all watch the Grammys, American Music Awards, BET Awards, MTV Awards & Academy Awards. Now most of us sit back and dream saying "One day I'm gonna be on that stage". Well before you can be on the stage you have to be in the building and in the mix with those people. Not many artists even realize that they can just buy tickets to most of these events and just go but in most cases you have to be a member of a particular organization. For instance, the only way to attend or even buy a ticket to the Grammys is if you are a member of the Recording Academy. All you have to do to join is pay your MEMBERSHIP dues which are $100 a year and to qualify for membership you just to show that you have been credited on a certain number of recordings that have been published. Yes it's that simple. Also every artist that is making music for public consumption should be a member of ASCAP or BMI as both a writer and a publisher. You can only belong to one or the other. They both have annual fees and this MEMBERSHIP puts you in the mix with the entire music industry. Each one of these organizations has FREE networking events almost monthly. By attending these events you are then able to meet people that are working in the industry on all levels in all facets. This is how MEMBERSHIP can help you realize your vision. There are also hundreds of industry and genre specific music conferences that go on each year that can give you a chance to network and expose people in the industry to who you are and what you do. I advise every artist to budget to attend at least one awards show and after party and at least one major industry music conference a year as a part your regular career building strategy. Remember you can't win the fight if you don't put yourself in the ring.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Use Logic

I have met so many artists that are just starting out that have great passion but are very naive about what they need in their career. I've seen a lot of artists come to me and say..."You have to talk to my manager" and my thoughts are what the hell do you have to manage?! Most of the time these people have managers that don't know anything about the music industry. It seems that all forms of LOGIC are just non existent. This one is very simple. You don't need a manager if you are not manageable. This simply means that as an artist you must first understand that the manager works for YOU and YOU are the driving force of your career. Use logic to choose when you need a manager. When you have created something that is in demand and is too much for you to MANAGE then you need help. Now again be logical when choosing a manager. If you are a full time artist or musician then how can you have a part time manager?I've seen so many people claiming to be managers but they work eight hour jobs for someone else. My question is how are you managing ANYTHING if you are on someone else's clock for eight hours. You should choose a manager CAREFULLY and for God's sake if a person comes to you asking you to pay them to manage you you...RUN... If a person is serious about helping you build your career, that is just what they will do...HELP! A manager only makes a percentage of what they make you and your percentage should always be higher. For a manager starting out with you ten to fifteen percent is usually a good start. You should develop a relationship without paper work first. Now most people will tell you that they can't work for you without a contract but I disagree. If they only make money by making you money then it shouldn't matter. This gives you and the manager a chance to test the waters. You can do a trial run for six months to see how the relationship works and if after that time you are satisfied you can entertain an exclusive contract but even then I would only do the first contract for a year. Check the person's history as well. Have they managed other artists before? Do they know the music business? Do they have or can they help you find resources to advance your career? And I repeat, IF YOU ARE A FULL TIME MUSICIAN OR ARTIST YOU DON'T NEED A PART TIME MANAGER!!!! Your manager has to be as all in as you are. This is not a game this is your life and career so don't let people play with your business. Forget all the hype and use logic and common sense.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Raising Your Value

Our industry is full of intangibles. I mean in every other field there is a very tangible barometer of skill measurement and competency which makes it easier to place definite value on those skills. For example, you don't go to the doctor, dentist or your attorney and try to haggle with them over the price of their service, you immediately figure they are worth it because they are certified regardless to experience. Now what I have seen in our industry is that people figure that musicians or artists are just having fun and we are there strictly for their entertainment so they don't really place a high monetary value on what we do. They also don't respect all of the knowledge we have acquired by doing what we do and that knowledge is worth something. A lot of times we are devalued simply because of our presentation and the fact that we simply allow it to happen. Now I submit to you that we have to practice raising our value. The first step in doing so is to define what your skill sets are and do research on the market value of those skill sets. For instance, I've been operating an independent production company and label for over fifteen years. Now my partners and I started this company after working with major labels and realizing that we could do the same thing for ourselves. In the company I was a producer, musician, arranger, writer, visionary, performer, head of artist development and stage presentation, I wrote contracts for shows, licensing deals, worked records at radio, dealt with product placement, proper packaging, marketing and....well I'll stop there but I think you get the picture. So when people hire me, they don't realize that the price I charge is based on my experience and expertise. Once you've defined your skill sets, you must package yourself. Remember perception is reality. You can't charge $10,000 and you look like $10. You should have your company letter heads, bios, resume, proper photos, press kits(both digital and hard copy), company contracts for dealing with whatever facet of entertainment you deal with and of course a business email address and a very clean website with samples of your work. Having these things will enable you to justify and prove your worth to potential clients. And beware of the ear hustlers. These are people that will pick your brain for knowledge and make money off of your information but not pay YOU. Everything you know is of some value and you have to start dealing with it in that manner. Only then can we raise our value. Also understand that value is not always assessed in dollars and cents. You may sometimes make a decision to do something for a relationship or advancement but you will know when those things are required. For the most part, anyone who wants your service should be made to value it and what it has taken for you to obtain the knowledge you possess. As my business partner says " We are not on sale!"

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Monday, October 18, 2010

Be Careful

I was having a conversation recently with a new artist about laying a plan for his career and how I could help him. I found it amusing that he could not make any plans that didn't include his CREW or HIS BOYS. Now out all of the guys in his CREW he is the only one with any REAL talent and focus. My advice to him is the same I will submit to you today and that is BE CAREFUL who you allow in your circle creatively and otherwise. Loyalty has it's place but you should always be loyal to yourself first. To have a successful career an artist has to be able to identify when something or someone is no longer an asset to them or their career. There are thousands of stories of artists that could have done great things had it not been for there misdirected loyalty to the wrong people. Don't get me wrong we need help but what we really need is the RIGHT help. Don't get caught up in thinking that you have to be a savior or carry your hood, state, homeboys, family...etc because until you do it for yourself you can't do anything for anyone else. Their is one simple way to assess this. As an artist you should have a plan for your life/career. ANYONE THAT DOES NOT FULLY SUPPORT THAT PLAN BY CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR ADVANCEMENT AND WELL BEING SHOULD BE CUT OFF IMMEDIATELY. Now this doesn't mean you want a bunch of yes men but have to know that you can't run as fast with rocks in your pocket. Drop all dead weight.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Thursday, October 14, 2010

The Winning Team

The music industry as we used to know it is gone forever. With the advent of itunes, youtube and all of the other social sites, the marketing and promotions landscape has completely changed. The old recording studio model has even changed with protools, logic, nuendo, etc... people are able to make high quality records in their living rooms. Now even though the old model of the music industry has changed the one thing that we can maintain from it is the infrastructure. The only way to truly be a success is to have a good TEAM. Back in the day and even now I guess a record deal is just a loan that you have to back pack with severe interest. Out of this loan a company will build a team to help make your project a success and this is what we can learn from. There are certain things every artist needs to have a WINNING TEAM. This can be very detailed but for this forum I will summarize. The team is comprised of you the artist, a producer, A&R rep, graphic designer, stylist, photographer, manager, publicist, radio consultant, attorney, accountant, booking agent and at least three people for Internet work such as social sites, web sites and web placement. This list may seem a bit extreme but it is true. I've learned this from doing record after record and having to wear several hats only to realize that I needed help. A great team is all about specialty. You need people doing what they specialize in and have a passion for so that their tasks don't seem like work at all because they truly love what they do. This will allow your project and business to grow and be worked consistently on a daily basis. This is the secret to the old industry model. You must work, promote and market every day to build a successful brand. By the way, never forsake having a great image staff on the team such as your graphic designer, stylist and photographer. This is an image driven industry and your image is usually seen before the music is heard. Build your team wisely and success is YOURS.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2010

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Do For Self!

The music industry is a complex puzzle with many many pieces that all are built on the what's in the center of it all....the talent or artist. For an artist to truly have a successful career there are a lot of factors and players needed to comprise a good team. You need a manager, attorney, publicist and accountant to help you advance you career. Notice I said HELP you. The most important piece of the puzzle is YOU. All of the people on the team work for you and if you/the artist are not focused or self motivated, how can you expect results? A lot a of artists' think that managers or record companies are supposed to do ALL of the work while they sit back and WAIT to be famous. Read this carefully..... NO ONE SHOULD EVER WORK HARDER FOR YOU THAN YOU! You/the artist should be the designer of the vision and the driving force to hold his/her team accountable. So many people in the industry have horror stories about being taken advantage of and blaming some manager or attorney. This is some cases is true but in most cases I submit that the only reason they got taken advantage of was that they were lazy and only wanted to be famous or rich and didn't want to participate or have knowledge of the mundane things it takes to insure that you make your money like filing copyrights and publishing papers with the correct information or making sure that your licensing profits are in order. Now don't get me wrong, an artist needs to be able to focus on being a great artist but everything that goes on in YOUR business needs to come to, by, or through you and YOU have to make time to pay attention to it so that no one can take advantage of you by saying "Let us handle this. You don't need to know about all this little stuff". You should know EVERYTHING that has to do with your career and your money. For that matter, no REAL manager wants a lazy artist because that will adversely affect their bottom line. This industry is about WORK and if you want an easy way out, DO SOMETHING ELSE! but if you want a music business career jump in with both feet and go to work.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Relationships

I know that you have heard the saying "It's not WHAT you know but WHO you know" a million times. Guess what? It is true! Especially in the music industry. Forging good relationships is one of the main keys to success. Now where most people make a mistake is thinking that the only relationships that matter are the ones you have with people you perceive to be at a higher level in the game such as record execs, radio programmers, attorneys... etc but the truth is these people don't really have time for you and the only way to get to them is usually by having a sincere relationship with someone they trust. You should practice building good relationships in every situation you are in because you never know who knows who and most of the time people won't tell you who they know just so they can check you out to see who you REALLY are. For example: I have been in the industry for over 20 years producing, writing, administrating and performing at many different levels so it would stand to reason that I would have amassed quite a few CONNECTIONS and I have. Now one of the things I do is I don't sale people on what I've done or what I can do. It is always better for me to work with people that are in it for the long haul and are willing to sacrifice and be loyal or at least exhibit good character. I have been in situations as a bandleader or head producer and had people undercut me for bids or gigs. I've even had musicians go behind my back and underbid me on a gig but go to the show and play my arrangements. Now these people had no idea that they were basically destroying a major relationship over a few dollars when I only had THEIR best interest at heart. Now I have since had all of them request things from me and I have been and I still am in a position to recommend them for things that will help them but do you think I will? Well I think you know the answer. This is never personal it's ALWAYS business. In order to form good relationships you must maintain good relationships and always be honest and forthcoming. For me to recommend people that I know did unscrupulous things to me would be a bad reflection on me because if they did it to me, they will just do it to someone else and that would adversely affect my relationship with that person. It is a never ending web. Practice forging great relationships at ALL times and you will see your career move much faster.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions(c) 2010

Monday, October 11, 2010

What It Takes

As a musician I have played and continue to play in a number of different situations from the local club show to T.V. shows such as the Tonite Show and everything in between. I often have musicians ask me WHAT IT TAKES to play at the other level or how do I get certain calls for this gig or that gig. Now, the biggest misconception is that all you have to do is be able to play or perform well to get these jobs and that is not at all true. The truth is that ability is a forgone conclusion most of the time and most musicians lack the character and life skills to be successful at the next level. Getting a certain gig is more about your attitude, dependability and ego. No one cares how many hot licks you can play or how fast or how many fills you can put into one song. When someone is hiring for a position, they are looking for someone that is going do only what is asked of them for the music and the job. Your opinion doesn't matter. The more user friendly you are the better and the top two criteria are BEING ON TIME AND A MAN /WOMAN OF YOUR WORD. Jobs at the next level often require you to have a passport and experience with airline travel. Being a responsible person is more valuable than ANYTHING. I can't tell you how many time I have recommended musicians for a job and they show up late, miss a flight, don't have proper paper work, fail to follow through on communicating, don't have the proper attire or fail to exhibit the proper attitude. These things keep more musicians from advancing than anything. Your word is your bond. People like to hire musicians that make their jobs easier. NO ONE LIKES TO BABYSIT! So if you really want to do better then you have to exhibit certain life skills at all levels. You should approach every situation with the same respect and preparedness. It doesn't matter if the show is for ten people or ten thousand. It doesn't matter if the job pays $100 or $10,000. You should give the same level of professionalism on and off the stage at ALL times. This is how you make it to the next level. Your job is to make whatever situation you are a part of BETTER. Remember when preparation meets opportunity then you have success. Get your act together and you will see doors fly open for you.

The Truth

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