-ADVICE TO ASPIRING SINGERS & MUSICIANS-
E-MAIL: shinecat@hotmail.com WEBSITE: www.angelfire.com/co/shinecatFirst of all, ask your self WHY you want to be a singer or musician. Is it to stroke your ego? Impress others? Or just because you simply LOVE to play, whether you get paid or not? Because believe me, it'll take a while until you can quit your day job. But remember, anything can happen if you have talent & perseverance...
- PRACTICE EVERY DAY: But NEVER strain yourself, if you're singing properly you should feel REFRESHED. Get some books on vocal technique (there's a good one called, 'The Tao Of Singing'). If you pay for lessons (for now, you shouldn't pay much more than $20 per hour), make it with someone you want to sound like, there's no point in learning classical voice techniques if you don't sing classical, right? If you're female, take lessons with a female instructor. Only practice with GREAT singers & songs. There's too many half assed singers out there, aspire to greatness & you WILL be great.
- CHALLENGE YOURSELF: PRACTICE with stuff you CAN'T sing regularly, but PLAY songs (live) you CAN sing. Practice you do at home, SINGING you do on stage. Only play songs you REALLY LOVE, if a song doesn't touch you then you won't be able to touch anyone with it. BUT... keep an open mind to other styles & influences, there's more out there than just your favorite style of music.
- PLAY AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN: Play anywhere & everywhere. The more stage experience you have, the better a performer you'll be. Look the audience in the eye, make them think you're singing to each & every one of them.
- DON'T PLAY THE SAME PLACE MORE THAN ONCE WITHOUT GETTING PAID (unless it's a jam-night): The first time is an audition, the second time should be a PAYING gig.
- ONLY WORK WITH THE BEST MUSICIANS YOU CAN FIND: This is a business, if they're your buddies but they can't cut it musically, then change them, other wise they'll drag you down to their level. If they're REALLY your friends, then they'll understand. If musicians aren't doing their job, replace them as soon as possible. Don't get dragged down in other peoples personal problems, a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.
- DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME/ENERGY TRYING TO CONVINCE SOMEONE OF YOUR POINT OF VIEW. If someone else isn't into the musical style of what you're doing, express yourself once (& only once) & then move on. Finding someone else who's more into what you're doing will lead to a better band.
- TRY NOT TO GET ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED WITH PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH: Always ask yourself before getting involved with ANYBODY "Can I see myself with this person for the rest of my life?". Because when it's over, you'll still have to spend time with each other. Wait 6 months before getting involved with anybody, you'll be surprised at how people's personalities change over time, ESPECIALY under pressure situations. HOWEVER: There's nothing better than making music for the rest of your life with the RIGHT person.
- BE CONFIDENT, BUT DON'T BE A BITCH: There are plenty of other singers who've already cornered that market... You're going to meet the same people on the way up as you do on the way down. ALL People have to like you, ESPECIALLY the people involved in the media. Piss them off & your career is toast.
- A melody is the most important part of a song, so try not to butcher it with vocal acrobatics (woah-oh-yah-ooh-ooh-oh-ya-ah-baby-woah-oh-oh-yeah...) the way Christina Aguilera & Mariah Carey do live. A simple melody is the most memorable one. Try not to sing through your nose, people are more impressed with a pleasant sounding tone, not how high you can screetch...
- Learn to play an instrument & practice every day. Learn how to play covers, this will let you understand how a good song is constructed. Experience is the best teacher in regards to songwriting. Try to avoid clichéd song patterns/structures. BUT: you have to KNOW them to avoid them. That's going to take you quite some time. So in the meantime, look for someone with songs that are ready to record...
- LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE TECHNICAL END OF THINGS: Talk to sound men & learn all you can about monitors, PA systems, effects, recording etc. Read musician & sound recording magazines. This way you'll never be at the mercy of anyone else & won't be taken advantage of. Most engineering schools are WAY too over priced. INSTEAD: Spend that money on getting your own gear, paying a pro sound man, or getting good books, are a better value for your money.
- GET A MANAGER THAT YOU TRUST COMPLETELY: Never take a manager who takes more than 10% (of the gross profits). Never take a booking agent who takes more than 10%. NEVER sign a contract with them, a handshake is all you need with someone who's on the level. If your parents or a friend want to manage you, do they have the experience & connections that a professional manager have? Always keep your word, never give your word to anyone unless you intend to keep it. NEVER give someone a second chance who breaks their word to you. NEVER be pressured into doing something you don't want to do, don't feel comfortable doing or that you aren't allowed a few weeks to think over. ALWAYS keep your class & dignity. Anybody can draw attention with a skimpy outfit, are you anyone? Or do you want to be someone? Celine Dionne sold over 200,000,000 records WITHOUT having to flash her boobs...
- NEVER SMOKE or DO DRUGS: Not even to: "just to try it". Seriously, how stupid do you need to be to start smoking? Smoking is a slow form of suicide. The voice is the most pure spiritual instrument there is. It reflects your state of being. Smoking, drugs & promiscuity are the greatest insult you can bring upon yourself. The body is the temple of the Soul, sound corny? People who do these things don't care about themselves any more. Look CLOSELY at the people in the bars where you'll be playing, ask yourself if you want to end up being like them, or INSPIRE them... Now I sound like your parents don't I?
However: you'll find that once you hit your 30's, that your parents were right about a lot of things...
- DON'T GIVE UP: Keep in mind, not everyone will like you, no matter how good you are. It's a long & hard road, if you don't believe in yourself then how do you expect any one else to believe in you? However: be realistic about yourself & your abilities, the LAST thing this world needs is another performer with a swollen ego. Don't tell anyone that you're great, when you REALLY are great, everyone else will tell you.
- USE YOUR INTUITION: If something just doesn't feel right, no matter what anyone else tells you about what you SHOULD or SHOULDN'T be doing, TRUST your FIRST IMPRESSION.
- HELP OTHER MUSICIANS. Never be jealous of, or put down other performers. Any one can have a bad night. How great did you sound the first few times you were on stage?
- USE A SPELL CHECK IN ALL IMPORTANT CORRESPONDENCES.
- READ THIS LIST ONCE A MONTH UNTIL YOU GET A RECORD DEAL:
Pass this list along the way to other aspiring musicians.
THE 3 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:
A man visiting New York wasn't sure in which way to go to find an address. So he stopped a
passer by for directions, not knowing that he was the famous conductor Leonard Bernstein.
"Can you tell me how to get to Carnagie Hall?", asked the tourist. "Oh, that's easy!" Bernstein replied...- "PRACTICE"
- "PRACTICE"
- "PRACTICE"
