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