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The Muse's News |
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Issue 13.3 - June
2010
ISSN 1480-6975 This
issue sponsored by: 
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I n T h i s I s s u e :
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@-- Editor's Musings
@-- Music Reviews - Cyrus Rhodes & Dan Cohen
@-- New Artist Spotlight Additions
@-- Songwriting Book Review - by Ed Teja
@-- Musical Notes - Songwriting Contests & Market Info.
@-- Muse's Clues - Songwriting Web sites that inspire - brought
to you by singer/songwriter & teacher, Irene Jackson.
@-- Featured Article - 5 Steps to Becoming a Number 1 Artist
- by Randy Young
@-- On Site Featured Article - An article already online for your
viewing pleasure.
@-- Classifieds & Useful Services
@-- Contact information
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ISSN 1480-6975. Copyright 1998-2009 - Jodi Krangle.
For more contact information, see end of issue.
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FIND THE PERFECT GIFT FOR THE SONGWRITING IN YOUR LIFE!
All sorts of products and services especially for songwriters,
negotiated so that you get the best price possible. You'll find
means of promotion and distribution, songwriting aids,
educational products, musical instruments and their accessories,
and lots more. Find the perfect gift for the songwriter in your
life - even if it's you!
http://www.musesmuse.com/songwriting-store.html
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LAST CHANCE TO ENTER THIS YEAR - USA SONGWRITING COMPETITION
Win $50,000 Grand Prize worth of cash, cool music gear from Sony,
Ibanez Guitars, Mackie, PreSonus, D'Addario Strings,
Audio-Techica, Ik Multimedia and more! Not to mention radio
ariplay for winning songs. Judges include A&R from Universal,
SONY/BMG, Capitol Records and Warner.
Hurry, this is the last month to enter! Get entry from here:
http://www.songwriting.net/muse-songwriting-3
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E d i t o r ' s M u s i n g s :
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Welcome to another issue, folks! As is my usual habit, I will
begin by speaking of the weather - which is lovely and
summer-like. :) We in Canada have just had our "May 24" weekend
(Victoria day for those of you who are unfamiliar) and it was
truly glorious weather for it, too. Makes me wish I had a
cottage (which I don't). I hope those of you who also had a long
weekend, enjoyed it! And those of you with your long weekend
coming *up*, I hope you have a wonderful one too! Don't blow
yourself up with fireworks, ok? ;)
In Muse's Muse news, we have another columnist! Yay! :) Her name
is Jennifer Haase (rhymes with "classy") and her column is called
"SONG is a Four-Letter Word". It's about the inspired,
challenging and sometimes hilarious ride of a 40-something chick
singer/songwriter trying to embrace the fact that the thing she
does best - writing songs - will send her either straight into
the poor house or the lion's den or quite probably both. It
celebrates all her creative life pursuit will become - and she
invites you along for the ride. You can visit it at
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-song.html .
Beyond that, there's the usual assortment of useful and
entertaining "stuff" in this issue - so let's get right to it!
Here are the raffle winners for this month:
* Corinne Curcio from Brooklyn, NY, has won a beautiful (and
highly useful!) notebook from The Jotted Line
(http://www.thejottedline.com).
* Kelly Mays, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, has won a copy of
Virtual Studio Systems' Lyricist software
(http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html).
* Leslie Sinclair, from Brentwood, TN, has won a free 3
month membership to SongU (http://www.SongU.com), an
Internet-based learning environment providing online coaching,
co-writing and pitching opportunities, in addition to over 70
multi-level courses developed by award-winning songwriters.
* Jim McShane, from Cleveland, OH has won a downloadable version
of Rhyme Genie (http://www.rhymegenie.com/), a dynamic rhyming
dictionary featuring over 300,000 entries and 30 different rhyme
types.
If you're interested in one of the raffle prizes listed at the
top of http://www.musesmuse.com/musenews.html - or in the books,
software or services reviewed in these issues, please write to me
with your first and second choice, and your mailing address so I
know where to send the prize. :) For the products reviewed, I
may or may not have another copy to raffle - or it might have
already been given out - but it's always worth a try! The
quicker you write to me about a product that was just recently
reviewed, the better your chances are. :)
Have a wonderfully inspired June!
All the best,
--Jodi
Back to Menu
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WRITE BETTER SONGS WITH MASTERWRITER 2.0 - NEW PRICE!
(And Muse's News readers *still* get a special discount!)
Looking for something really special for that songwriter in your
life? (Maybe it's you!) MasterWriter 2.0 is the most powerful
suite of songwriting tools ever assembled in one program.
MasterWriter is endorsed by ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, NSAI and is used
by some of the world's leading songwriters including Gwen
Stefani, Rob Thomas, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Jimmy Webb,
Kenny Loggins, Trent Reznor, Clint Black, and many more.
In addition to giving you Rhymes, Close Rhymes, Phrases,
Pop-Culture, Synonyms, and the Definition, new features include
Word Families and Parts Of Speech, two unique and revolutionary
reference dictionaries that will open up a new world of
possibilities for descriptive words and ideas. There have been
updates and improvements to the existing features, including
greatly expanded Sound-Alikes (close rhymes), and a completely
redesigned Interface. These are serious tools for the serious
songwriter.
MasterWriter's NEW price is now only $199 - but you'll still get
a *$20* discount (your price is just $179!) by ordering through
The Muse's Muse! Take the Tour, Download a Free Trial, and get a
$20 discount by visiting http://masterwriter.com/musesmuse. Note
that the auto-inserted discount number 3004 will apply the $20
discount when ordering online. Windows and Mac compatible.
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M u s i c R e v i e w s : Cyrus Rhodes & Dan Cohen
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NEW MUSIC REVIEWS SINCE LAST MONTH INCLUDE:
Cyrus Rhodes:
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* James May
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-jamesmay-shiningpieces.html
* Dan Drewis
http://www.musesmuse.com/index.php?cmd=show_review&review_id=1737
* Slow Burning Car
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-slowburningcar-vol2.html
Dan Cohen:
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* Gaby Velazquez
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-gabyvelazquez-letmein.html
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******
For bios on each of the reviewers, see
http://www.musesmuse.com/musicreviews.html . If you're
considering sending in your own CD for review, you can also view
that page to find out which reviewer reviews your genre. Thanks!
Back to Menu
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N e w A r t i s t S p o t l i g h t A d d i t i o n s :
Great music is only a click away!
Here are just some of the great CDs highlighted in the
Artist Spotlight section of The Muse's Muse at
http://www.musesmuse.com/artistspotlights.html
----------------------------------------------------------------- Allister Bradley - Genre: SINGER/SONGWRITER
A collection of stories from inside the soul of a Canadian
singer/songwriter/pianist, delivering on the promise of heartfelt
emotion, social commentary, and a shy sense of humour, lifted by
melodies that stick in your head and satisfy like warm soup on a
cold day…
http://www.allisterbradley.com/
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Kori Linae Carothers - Genre: NEW AGE
Kori's music is an eclectic blend of Tangerine Dream, a pinch
Shadowfax with a splash of Mannheim Steamroller that will spirit
you away in ElectrAcoustic Fusion Instrumental Bliss....
http://www.koritunes.com/
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S o n g w r i t i n g B o o k R e v i e w : by Ed Teja
THE RISE & FALL OF EMI RECORDS
by Brian Southall
Omnibus Press, www.omnibuspress.com
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The story of the music business, especially the meteoric rise and
fall of record companies in the post rock and roll era, can't be
better illustrated than by the story of EMI Records. It isn't a
story that is over yet. In fact, many of the current headlines
about EMI's troubles in the business pages could be additional
chapter titles in this book.
This book is about the ability (or lack of it) to respond to
changes in music, changes in technology, and even in attitudes
about music. EMI has been the recording home to some of the
biggest musical financial successes ever, such as The Beatles,
The Spice Girls, and Coldplay, and yet struggled to get a toehold
on the US market. (Did you ever wonder how a company could have
acts like that and manage to lose money?)The company tried being
intimately associated with music and musical personalities, and
it tried being a rock solid marketing company. An independent
label (not always by choice), EMI never had the marketing clout
of some of its rivals and had to go with its unique strengths -
except when it squandered them. And during much of that time it
was one of the most successful music publishing companies ever,
owning the catalogs to die for.
To a degree the successes and failures at EMI clearly illustrate
the lack of something that can be clearly labeled "the music
business." There are several music businesses, even if you
restrict the discussion to pop music. Recording is different
than publishing. Touring is different than selling CDs or
records, for acts that are touring with great success are not
necessarily selling massive amounts of CDs worldwide. A
superstar in Europe, like Robbie Williams, did not and does not
necessarily do as well in the US.
What Southall, who once worked for EMI, adds to this analysis is
the personalities and situations specific to the EMI story. He
tells of the roles played by CEOs and executives, such as Guy
Hands, Colin Southgate, Ken Berry, and many others. Some of the
leaders at EMI reveled in the challenges. Others struggled with
them. There were turf wars, and internal debates about the right
paths to follow. As with every record company, finding a way to
deal with the digital revolution, especially the internet and
downloading (both legal and illegal) brought its own changes,
some of which produced cultural shifts in the company. Was
embracing digital the same as abandoning the CD?
To be honest, the internal struggles, the attempt at reinvention
of several wheels, grows tedious by the end of the book. But
then, executives were leaving, and new ones hadn't necessarily
learned the old lessons. And, as I mentioned, the story continues
today. And reading this book can help you understand how the
record companies used to work, back in the days when they worked
so well, and what the current struggles are, not just for EMI but
for anyone trying to mass market recordings. It's a tough world
out there, and this book shows how complex it can get.
******
ABOUT THE REVIEWER:
Ed Teja writes a broad range of music. His songs and
instrumentals have appeared in television shows (Court TV and
Discover Channel) and in a variety of videos. He has had two CDs
released by Morrhythm Records (www.outstandingmusic.com) and is
currently cowriting songs with an exciting singer who is working
on her second CD. As a performer, Ed has appeared at strange
venues in Hong Kong, Canada, St. Martin, Bequia, Venezuela,
Grenada and Trinidad, as well as the Silver City (New Mexico)
Blues festival, Pickamania, and the Tucson (Arizona) Folk
Festival.
You can hear some of Ed's music at: http://www.myspace.com/edteja
If you'd like *your* book reviewed (as long as it has something
to do with songwriting, of course!), please do email us and let
us know!
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BRETT MANNING'S SINGING SUCCESS SYSTEMATIC VOCAL TRAINING SYSTEM:
It's the "secret weapon" used by some of the winners of the
world's most prestigious vocal awards, including the Doves, the
CMA Awards, and yes, the Grammies.
Learn the one mistake even professional singers make, that drains
away 3 times more vocal energy and yields only half the needed
vocal power. Find out about the 3 simple exercises that allow
even a "beginner" to make rapid increases in range (this also
eliminates vocal strain). Learn Brett's secret for "dissolving"
your break, so you'll never have to flip into falsetto again, but
you'll still sing as high as you want--in full voice - and LOTS
more.
The package includes 12 audio CDs (packed with 17 repeatable
lessons, including both technique--the simple, yet powerful
exercises, and style lessons for building vocal licks and
trills); a workbook for illustration; and a DVD for visual
reference and demonstration. It's a complete course - and it has
a money-back guarantee!
Visit http://tinyurl.com/35t3lz for more details and start
yourself on the road to improving your vocal chops today!
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M u s i c a l N o t e s : Songwriting Contests & Market Info.
In the interest of conserving space, I will only be including
changes to this listing in this newsletter. All other contests
and market information that have already been listed here, are
displayed at http://www.musesmuse.com/contests.html &
http://www.musesmuse.com/markets.html . Please check there
regularly for updates!
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SONGWRITING COMPETITION TO RAISE MONEY FOR NASHVILLE FLOOD
VICTIMS
Song Pitchers Publishing, ASCAP and Nashville Benefits have
teamed up for a songwriting competition to help victims of the
floods in Nashville. Entries will be taken until July 15th, 2010.
The winner will be chosen August 15th, 2010 and will be notified
by email or phone call. The winner of this competition will
receive a single song publishing contract with Song Pitchers,
ASCAP, a Gibson Acoustic guitar, recording equipment, as well as
some other great prizes that will be announced shortly. Judging
this competition will be some of Nashville’s top music
professionals, including publishers, fellow songwriters, A&R
reps, and others. All genres welcome. Competition is open to
everyone.
For more information or to enter this Songwriting Competition
please visit: http://songpitchers.com or
http://nashvillebenefits.com
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HOW TO GET YOUR SONGS ON TV & FILM
The music licensing business is the most lucrative and accessible
business for independent artists. Songwriters make more money by
licensing their songs than performing live, signing a record deal
and getting commercial radio airplay combined. When you enter a
We Are Listening song contest, you're getting your words and
music in front of decision makers at EMI, Universal, Sony/BMG,
Live Nation, The Agency Group, Paramount, Nettwerk, CBS, Yahoo
and more. And as a winner, you can be sure that we will place
your songs on prime time shows on MTV, E!, Lifetime, Oxygen and
more. Learn more about what a We Are Listening contest can do
for your career at http://www.wearelistening.org
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LOOKING FOR SONGWRITERS!! WIN CASH & PRIZES - SMASHTUNE.COM
Smashtune.com is hosting a $1000 songwriting competition until
July 31st. We are looking for songwriters with original music to
upload their music video to our site http://www.smashtune.com The
winner will be decided by viewers that come to the site and vote
for their favorite videos. Songs are graded on three criteria:
Lyrics, Melody, and Performance.
Songwriters can also create profile pages where they can connect
with fans, songwriters, and receive feedback on their music. The
score of your video also depends on the amount of votes it gets,
so make sure to tell your friends to vote for your video. It's
time to upload and be discovered!
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THE POPULAR SONGWRITER'S WORKBOOK, "YOUR FIRST CUT" IS NOW
AVAILABLE AS A DOWNLOADABLE PDF
Whether you’ve written your very first song or you’re a seasoned
songwriter pounding the streets, “Your First Cut, a Step-by-Step
Guide to Getting You There” will help you set your goals, keep
you focused, and help you track your own progress toward
realizing your dream of someone recording your song. Authored by
Jerry Vandiver ("For a Little While" Tim McGraw) and Gracie
Hollombe Vandiver (2-time PRISM Award winner), this 224-page
workbook is designed to guide, encourage and enable the aspiring,
serious songwriter toward achieving the goal of acquiring his or
her first cut.
For more info or to read a sample chapter, visit
http://www.yourfirstcut.com.
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GMIA.ORG ~ NON-PROFIT NETWORK CREATING WORLD CLASS MUSIC SCENE
Georgia Music Industry Association, GMIA.org, is a non-profit
network of and for all music industry personnel, especially
songwriters, helping each other reach our goals and creating a
self-sustaining world-class music scene along with community and
business development in Georgia. GMIA holds monthly workshops,
showcases, and the first GMIA Compilation CD Release June 2010!
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MUSIKPITCH: NEW ONLINE MARKETPLACE FOR SONGWRITING OPPORTUNITIES
MusikPitch is a brand new website where songwriters can find the
latest opportunities from companies, studios, and individuals
looking for custom songs. It's a straightforward marketplace,
where you can get your music heard and win contracts, regardless
of your experience and location. New projects are posted daily —
from big name movie studios and company brands to non-profits and
schools. Start browsing for great new opportunities today!
www.musikpitch.com
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SONGWRITER-SIGNUP.COM - NEW SONGWRITING WEBSITE UNLIKE ANY OTHER
COMING SOON - FUN, EXCITEMENT, OPPORTUNITY
Every songwriter is looking for REAL opportunities to have your
songs heard and REAL opportunities to further your career. You
have a lot of great choices to choose from. Unfortunately, some
of the choices you have aren't run by reputable people and prey
on sincere songwriters just like yourself. And though the
websites run by reputable people do offer opportunity, they
aren't always a FUN and EXCITING place to be a part of.
If you're interested in a website run by reputable people in the
Nashville music community, as well as a place that's FUN and
EXCITING to be a part of, Songwriter-Signup.com is the place to
sign up to find out when our new songwriting website launches.
If getting published, having your song pitched to artists,
winning great prizes like guitars, studio time, and even cash -
and having FUN in the process, appeals to you, visit
Songwriter-Signup.com and fill out the simple form. We'll let you
know just as soon as we go live! That's
http://songwriter-signup.com
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SONGWRITING CONSULTATION SPECIAL OFFER:
Pete and Pat Luboff are offering a special rate to Muse's Muse
readers on a single song consultation:
http://www.writesongs.com/consults.html MM readers get a $5
discount by sending $15 via PayPal to peteandpat@comcast.net
instead of using the $20 single-song button on the site. Please
email the songs to the same address (mp3 attachment with the
lyrics in the body of the email - lyrics only are fine).
Response will be by email. Offer is good until 12/1/09.
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THE BANDIT A&R NEWSLETTER - FREE SAMPLE COPY
ARE YOU an unsigned act, songwriter or producer?? Looking for a
Record, Publishing, Management and Licensing deal worldwide,
especially in the UK and USA? Each month the BANDIT A&R
NEWSLETTER publishes features on Labels, Publishers, Managements
etc looking to sign acts, songs or masters. Get yourself a FREE
SAMPLE COPY from: bandit.366@aweber.com
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TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS: FANS SUPPORT ARTISTS DIRECTLY WITH FEED
THE MUSE..ONE DOLLAR AT A TIME
Feed The Muse presents a simple model for creators and audiences
to join together and keep the arts flourishing and is a simple
yet effective vehicle for musicians to fund their creative
projects and connect to their audience in a meaningful way. It
provides a means for artists to ask their fans, families and
friends to contribute financially in the artists’ evolution.
If an artist has 5,000 MySpace "friends" and each contribute
even $2 that totes up to $10,000 for the next tour or recording
project. This process allows fans who are passionate about their
artists and want to see them continue creating, the opportunity
to do so without having to make a large contribution. Feed The
Muse runs on the concept of microdonations. Every dollar, every
donation no matter how small is a statement of faith in the
project and moves it closer to completion.
Visit www.feedthemuse.net to see how easy it can be to get the
support you need.
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AFFORDABLE PRESS RELEASE DISTRIBUTION
My PR Music Wire offers press release writing and direct email
distribution to thousands of music journalists, radio stations,
and managers. You can also post your music press release for free
on our website by emailing it to freewire@myprmusicwire.com.
Receive 10% off your entire order when you enter the coupon code
muse10 at checkout!
http://www.myprmusicwire.com/
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STUDIOTRAXX.COM: BREAKING NEW GROUND - FOR YOU!
StudioTraxx.com provides an e-commerce platform that allows
artists/bands to purchase and book time with musicians,
engineers, producers, and other music professionals for online
studio collaboration purposes. They facilitate the entire music
production process from beginning to end — from finding and
booking the right talent to managing all resulting collaboration
activities.
StudioTraxx is actively building its talent network and is
encouraging both those who offer services and those who need
services to sign up and register. There are no costs to join the
site. Creating an account is FREE.
http://www.studiotraxx.com/?partner=837
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THE INDIE VENUE BIBLE - A GROUNDBREAKING VENUE DIRECTORY FOR ANY
ARTIST PLANNING TO TOUR IN THE US OR CANADA!
32,000 live music venues of all sizes are featured including
clubs, bars, restaurants, lounges, coffee shops, theaters, halls,
churches, book stores, community centers, house concerts and open
mics. There are also 1,500 festivals listed as well as over
1,000 colleges for any artist that wants to plan a college tour.
Jumpstart your tour today!
Visit https://nt4.magma.ca/bigmeteor/ivbmuse_order.cfm
for more information!
Back to Menu
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M u s e ' s C l u e s : by Irene Jackson
©1998-2010 Moonstone Productions All Rights Reserved.
Used By Permission
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This month's website was suggested to me by none other than our
lovely Jodi Krangle, and what a treat it turned out to be!
It's called Music Starts Here (http://www.musicstartshere.org)
and it is essentially a website for songwriters and artists who
are in, or who are headed to Nashville to start their careers.
The website is still being built but already it has a wealth of
information, including lots of facts about Nashville like
songwriter venues, complete with maps and directions. The website
also provides free publications pertaining to the music scene in
Nashville, information about events, and even a page telling you
about upcoming updates to the website.
There is a section on "Getting Started" for those who might be
visiting or moving to Nashville; where to find songwriter
nights, organizations that you can join that teach you about the
business and connect you with others.
But the real pot of gold on this website is the collection of
videos on each of these pages. They feature songwriters and
people in the industry talking about all aspects of the business
and songwriting and getting your career in gear. You don't even
have to be planning a trip to Nashville to benefit from a lot of
what they have to say, nor do you have to specifically be a
country songwriter. There's information about co-writing, about
what to look for in a vocal coach, how to build your song
catalogue and what to expect from song critiques. And that’s
just scratching the surface!
The website is still growing, with new areas on personal
mentoring and something called "Ask A Pro" still to be developed.
You can become a member of the website to receive updates and
keep in touch with what they are adding and developing. I think
it would be a very worthwhile membership for those of you who are
looking at a songwriting career.
And just a note to all of you out there perusing the web for
information, if you ever come across a website that you think
would be worth mentioning here, get in touch with me and I'll be
sure to take a look!
******
Irene Jackson is a performing songwriter from Victoria, BC in
Canada. Aside from writing, recording and performing, she also
maintains a website for songwriters that includes tips, articles
and a songwriter's messageboard.
Songwriting Tips: http://www.irenejackson.com/tips.html
Homepage: http://www.irenejackson.com
Songs: http://www.soundclick.com/irenejackson
Back to Menu
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F e a t u r e d A r t i c l e : by Randy Young
5 Steps to Becoming a Number 1 Artist
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Why settle for good when you can be great?
The world of music has changed. Everyone used to compete for the
same positions on the same charts. To get your music to the
people, you made a record, promoted it to radio, radio played it,
and people bought it. Getting to number #1 on the Billboard Hot
100 or Album Chart, or maybe having the top-grossing tour on
Pollstar was the goal. Mainstream was the only stream.
Unfortunately, one side effect of this system was the eventual
stifling of creativity and risk taking. A sea of lowest common
denominator music was churned out because every album had too
large of a budget requiring too large of a return. It had become
a "hit driven" industry. Marketing and distribution was too
expensive and inefficient – if your album failed, you were
dropped as an Artist.
Then the Internet came along and the music industry as we knew it
was shattered. The mainstream is no longer the only stream; it is
one among thousands. The market for music has gone from being one
giant market on a mass, national scale to thousands of tiny
"micro-markets" on many different scales. Now anyone with access
to a net connection can distribute music. The ability to
distribute music has been given directly to the Artist. Although
it's easier to get your music "out there," the amount of music
available has made it much more difficult for people to discover
new music that appeals to them.
But just because something is old doesn't mean it is no longer
useful. I believe the hitdriven model can and should still be
applied, but instead of just a few #1 spots (rock, country,
hip-hop, Latin, etc.), we have thousands upon thousands of
smaller markets, all with their own best of the best slot.
Number 1s do better
When a market meets certain conditions, you end up with what's
called a powerlaw. In his book "The Long Tail," Chris Anderson
lists three specific conditions for a powerlaw. They are:
1. Variety (many different things)
2. Inequality (some things are higher quality than others)
3. Network effects (word of mouth and reputation which tend to
amplify differences inquality)
** The rest of this article can be found at
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-randyyoung-becomingnumber1.html **
*****
Randy Young is an award nominated and multi- platinum certified
producer, music publisher, songwriter and performer. With over 20
years of professional experience and more than 1500 live
performances, he has made a living making music for most of his
adult life. His background includes a Diploma in Composing and
Arranging from the Dick Grove School of Music. He is an Artist
Coach and creator of ArtistDevelopmentStrategies.com. He also
currently tours and records with the pop/rock band Cherry Suede
(http://cherrysuede.com/).
Back to Menu
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" O N S I T E " F E A T U R E D A R T I C L E :
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The Day I Stopped Being a Songwriter (For 16 Hours Straight)
- by Jennifer Haase
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-song-thedayistopped.html
The very big decision and very small word that collided to make a
full-day fool out of me.
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3 Uncommon Practicing Ideas - by Kole (Kyle Hicks)
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-kole-3uncommonpractice.html
Do you ever get bored with practicing the same exercises over and
over again without getting significant results? In this article,
Kole tries to solve the issues of boredom and practicing
"inefficiency" with 3 Uncommon Practicing Ideas
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GIGS & BEYOND - Booking Letters - by Cyrus Rhodes
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-biztalk-bookingletters.html
An example of booking letters for you to check out.
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Too Much Happening - Too Little Time! - by Trevor Krueger
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-trevorkrueger-toolittletime.html
Sometimes, even though you have the very best intentions to
fulfill all your obligations, you just don't seem to get the
time. But, if you can look back amidst the chaos and discover
that you have still managed to do some real good - you can sort
of forgive yourself. This is what I've been up to recently...
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How To Make The Right Contacts In The Music Industry
- by Tom Hess
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-tomhess-makingcontacts.html
In this article you will learn the best ways of attracting the
attention of the most powerful music industry contacts that can
help you to further your professional music career as a
songwriter or performer.
-----
GIGS & BEYOND - Tough Night? Piece of Cake - by Cyrus Rhodes
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-biztalk-toughnight.html
Ask anyone who has been touring for an extensive period of time,
or played in a live circuit regularly - having a tough crowd, off
night, belligerent hecklers, whatever is just a reality of the
music business. Here are some things that will minimize the
impact they will have on you as a performer.
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GIGS & BEYOND - Be A Responsible Performer - by Cyrus Rhodes
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-biztalk-responsibleperformer.html
Don't want to get blacklisted by club owners, bookers and other
agents? Remember and pay attention to your responsibilities
towards the venue, the people in the crowd and even the opening
acts. Here's how.
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Blue Collar's D.I.Y. Effects Pedal Primer! - by Mick Polich
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-mickpolich-effectspedals.html
It seems there are more handmade effects pedals,mods, and kits
out in the market than ever. Half the fun is just seeing what
people invent! Mick gives a short primer on d.i.y. pedals, with
some big help from musician/engineer Tim Tiernan.....
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GIGS & BEYOND - Right Before the Gig - by Cyrus Rhodes
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-biztalk-rightbeforethegig.html
So you've arrived at the set, set up and performed a blinding gig
to a lively and appreciative crowd. All that remains is packing
up equipment and collecting your fee right? Guess again.
-----
Young Bucks, And Old Rockers - More Blue Collar Reviews!
- by Mick Polich
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-mickpolich-morereviews.html
Oops! Mick found a few more items in the ol' closet that needed
some reviews - a crushing new industrial metal disc from a young
Dallas,Texas based band, and a couple of 'old chesnuts'. Thanks,
and enjoy!
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C l a s s i f i e d s & U s e f u l S e r v i c e s :
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THE 11th EDITION OF THE INDIE BIBLE IS NOW AVAILABLE!
The Indie Bible shows you where to get your music reviewed, your
songs played, and your CDs sold. Now in its Seventh Edition, The
Indie Bible has 330 pages of valuable contacts and music-related
articles.
The 11th Edition of the Indie Bible contains:
4200 publications around the world that will REVIEW your CD!
3400 radio stations around the world that will PLAY your songs!
500 vendors and services that will help you to SELL your music!
200 sites where you can UPLOAD your band's MP3 files!
500 helpful resources and sites where you can PROMOTE your band!
52 articles that will help your career to MOVE forward rapidly!
Listings include web, e-mail and physical address, as well as
phone and fax numbers.
For details and to order online visit:
http://www.bigmeteor.com/muse
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LYRICIST VERSION 3: THE SONGWRITER'S BEST FRIEND
Lyricist is the first-of-its-kind word processor designed
specifically for musicians, songwriters, and poets. The software
includes a Rhyming Dictionary, Thesaurus, Album Categorization,
Chord Charting, Chord Generator, Song Arrangement, and On-Line
Copyright Link.
The new version 3 release adds support for "Piano Style" chord
symbols, Nashville Number System, and Transposition features -
all in one easy-to-use package - and all for only $44.95! (That's
$5.00 off to all Muse's News readers who purchase from the review
link at www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html!)
This tool will revolutionize the way you write and organize your
writing. Be the best songwriter you can be and purchase Lyricist
today! http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html
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LEARN HOW TO PLAY GUITAR - QUICKLY AND EASILY! & FOR LESS!
You Can Play Guitar author and publisher Scott Morris now offers
7 Free email guitar lessons that include easy to learn guitar
tablature, a sound file and free guitar lesson videos of his easy
to learn Billboard top rated guitar method that includes learning
guitar scales and theory used by professional songwriters. The
Free Guitar Lesson Videos - teach samples of learning the names
of the notes, sharps and flats, easy to play guitar chords and
more great information for beginner to professional level
guitarist.
But not only that - his lessons are currently $60 off their
regular price - AND he's offering free shipping within the US!
There's never been a better time than now to improve your guitar
playing (and there's a bass guitar course there too!).
Want to know more? Visit http://tinyurl.com/6o27j7
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THE SUCCESSFUL SONGWRITER MOTIVATION & MEDITATION AUDIO
Inspired by the songwriter's journey, and through understanding
the principles talked about in "THE SECRET", this audio program
is specifically created for the songwriter based on those
findings. Through Power of Thought and Understanding the Law of
Attraction, you will have the tools, knowledge & ability to
create the thoughts, experiences, and circumstances to be a
phenomenally Successful Songwriter. Included is a guided
meditation that is as passionate as it is empowering!
Muse's Muse Visitors - Enter Promo Code: 42567 for Discount.
http://www.songwritermeditation.com/
Limited Introductory Offer of $12.95 for Digital Download
Discounts for CD, and CD/Digital Download Combo shown on ordering
page.
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INDIE-MUSIC.COM - WHERE SERIOUS MUSICIANS SURF
One of the most respected and imitated indie music sites on the
web, Indie-Music.com has been serving the Independent Music
Community since 1996 with streaming audio, monthly CD Reviews,
huge industry search directory, success-building resources,
classifieds, and much-needed recognition. The site offers a
wealth of information to artists trying to survive & thrive in
today's competitive music industry.
http://www.indie-music.com/
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ADVERTISING RATES: For Classifieds: US$50 Max. 8 lines, where
a line = 65 characters including spaces and punctuation. All
contracts must be prepaid. Write to: editor@musesmuse.com
For Newsletter Sponsorship rates and other advertising
opportunities, please see http://www.musesmuse.com/media.html .
Back to Menu
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C o n t a c t I n f o & C r e d i t s :
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Jodi Krangle ............................................. EDITOR
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The Muse's News is a free monthly newsletter for and about
songwriters. Subscribers are welcome to recirculate or reprint
The Muse's News for nonprofit use as long as the appropriate
credit is given and the ENTIRE text of the newsletter is
included (including credits and information at the end of each
issue). Others should contact me at editor@musesmuse.com.
All articles copyrighted by their authors.
Back issues and other information (how to subscribe and
unsubscribe, etc.) will be available at:
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The Muse's News is part of The Muse's Muse, a web resource for
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For further information, send your e-mail to:
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adinfo@musesmuse.com - How to place a classified ad, pass
on market information or sponsor
The Muse's News.
editor@musesmuse.com - To submit articles,reviews,ideas,etc.
SNAILMAIL: Please contact me first at editor@musesmuse.com
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Back issues of the newsletter can be read at the National
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