It was really never a conscious choice to become a musician. I started playing the piano when I was 8 years old. When I turned 18 I got a guitar and started writing songs to learn how to play it. After a while I just had a bunch of songs and started recording them with some basic recording equipment and put them out on a website for people to download. Then I recorded a demo and sent it to a radio show that picked up my song ‘Ghosts’ and then all of the sudden people started to email me wanting to hear more. So I kind of just went from there.

What surprises have you encountered in pursuing your music career?

The regular ones I guess. Record labels that want to turn you into something you are not etc. But I still think it’s a great surprise every time someone contacts me from another country having heard my music. It’s what keeps me going.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Not giving up. There are so many times you just feel like quitting. But I haven’t felt that in a while though. I think you have a lot of hopes and ideas about how stuff is going to be and sometimes when it turns out differently it strikes you down. But I think that I’ve actually passed that now. I know now that my music career is only what I make of it and that I have to do it for me and not for anybody else or any other reasons than that I like what I do.

Tell us about your band.

I’m a solo artist but back home in Sweden I have a backing band of four guys that I absolutely love. They are super talented and they know my music as well as I do – even if I present a brand new song for them. I’m on a two year solo tour right now and sometimes I really miss the companionship you have when you’re in a band. But at the same time it’s exciting to be up there on stage aloe. You’re totally left out to what you do and have nothing to hide behind. It’s scary and wonderful at the same time.

What’s your process for writing lyrics and where do you get the inspiration for your songs?

I think that it usually starts with a melody for me, but sometimes I can get inspired by a phrase or something someone says. In the end I think all my songs have their roots in my feelings and personal experiences, even though the lyrics can be twisted into something else.

Tell us about your most memorable performances.

I think it’s a tie between the first time I got to perform at a festival (years before I actually released an album) and when I played at the Lollapalooza festival in 2008. I think the feeling of those two concerts were the same. I was overwhelmed by being invited to perform and it doesn’t really matter what size the concert was. The Lollapalooza was amazing because it was so big and you got to hang out at this huge backstage area where all sorts of famous artists walked around. But at that first festival I played in Sweden, my husband (then boyfriend) and I drove down there and we slept in the car and that was just amazing too, especially since it was my third gig ever.

Have you shared the stage with anyone we would know?

I’ve shared the stage with some awesome Swedish artists like Christian Kjellvander for example. Here in the US I was one of the opening acts for Suzanne Vega at SxSW one year and that was pretty cool too even though we weren’t on stage at the same time.

Anything else you want to share?

Keep your eyes open for my tour if you’re in the US. I’m here for two years going around the country in an old RV that I bought in Florida.

Check out Sofia Talvik at http://www.talentwatch.net/sofiatalvik

Alex- watching MTV “live” videos such as Bon Jovi, Motley Crue when I was a kid… “money for Nothing, and chicks for free”!

What surprises have you encountered in pursuing your music career?

Meeting all of the talented musicians and music “legends” such as Brian Wilson (Beach Boys), John Paul Jones (Led Zepelin), Terri Nunn (Berlin), James Hetfield (Metallica), Perry Ferrell (Jane’s Addiction) and so many more. You never know who you’ll meet.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Our biggest challenge to date has been getting our album “Dream Another Day” (Midnight Records) to the listener’s ears AND developing a “true” fanbase.

Tell us about your band.

Tuesday’s Rain is a culmination of many genres of music, but primarily a blend of “old & new”, with influences ranging from established greats such as “Pink Floyd” & “Led Zeppelin” to more contemporary artists such as “Duran, Duran” & “Type-O-Negative”. Alex’s beats are rich with his personal faves such as hiphop moguls Borgore, Timbaland, & Kanye West as well as Dr. Dre. Originally conceived as a solo project by Bob Hargrove, when Bob’s son Alex moved in to his apartment and gave a listen to the rough tracks, he began offering his drumming talents to make it a “Father/Son” collaboration. “Tuesday’s Rain” is a firm believer in charitable causes, and has performed at many charitable events ranging from Breast Cancer Awareness to Food Drives for the homeless. Their live shows deliver a message of inspiration and compassion, while the lyrics portray “true-to-life” experiences that they both have endured throughout their lifetimes.

What’s your process for writing lyrics and where do you get the inspiration for your songs?

Bob- Sometimes I wake up with a melody in my head, and I grab my 12-string guitar and find the chords that match what’s going on in my mind. Other times my inspiration is found as we are warming up at practice and music runs through me like the emotion I’m feeling at any given moment. As far as lyrics are concerned, most of the time I listen to the tracks and images start to form in my mind, like a painting inspired by the chords in the songs, minor chords lead me in a dark direction (not always) and major chords move me to write about moments in my life that inspired me to believe and keep going.

Tell us about your most memorable performances.

I would have to say Las Vegas tops the list. Performing at “Rock for Freedom”, a send-off for the troops, “Rock the Economy” at Henderson Pavillion, and most recently the “Indie Music Fest” are the most memorable, but playing in Hollywood at such venues as the Roxy, The Whiskey, The Troubador, and Knitting Factory were all dreams come true.

Have you shared the stage with anyone we would know?

We’ve opened for many notable acts such as “Love/Hate”, “DILANA” (Rockstar Supernova), In Memory, Theory of Flight, L.A. Guns, and many more…

Anything else you want to share?

We would just like to say that it’s been a hard road, and we’ve learned that life is a journey, not a destination, and looking back we realize how little we knew about what it takes to succeed in this business. It’s a huge mountain to climb, but worth the effort. We’ve challenged ourselves and grew as artists, lost a few battles but won a few as well. The most rewarding things that come to mind are the people who embraced our music and how it changed their lives in some way, and the folks who were less fortunate that benefited from our participation in local charities. We’ve come a long way, but realize now how much further we have to go. We have each other, father-and-son, and that is really what makes it all worth it. We rocked this journey together, and the memories we have will last a lifetime! Rock On…

Check out Tuesday’s Rain at http://www.talentwatch.net/tuesdaysrain

What inspired you to become a musician?

I grew up with total silence in my house.  We didn’t have a music player or music of any kind when I was growing up Weird, huh?   So I’ve been having music in my head and singing since before I learned to talk (according to my mom)   I have no idea what inspired me in the first place – it was probably meant to be.

What surprises have you encountered in pursuing your music career?

How it’s more about business and connections that it is about the actual music.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Dealing with people who promise you something, but never come through.  In addition, trying to stay positive and to have faith in people.

Tell us about your band.

I have incredible band members.  They’re my friends and it’s amazing being onstage with my friends.  Really, truly incredible!!

What’s your process for writing lyrics and where do you get the inspiration for your songs?

Inspiration is a funny thing – it comes out of nowhere sometimes. I may be driving or taking a shower and I get this little melody and a lyric in my head…  The process of writing lyrics is a different thing.  I usually have an idea or a line and then call in my co-writer/lyricist Nick and we write together.

Tell us about your most memorable performances.

I’ve had so many… memorable in different ways.  One of them is a recent house concert I did in Seattle.. Playing for an all-Russian audience, I got to speak Russian and play all of my Russian songs… It felt amazing… I can’t even explain why… but it was magical.  And then there was Kodak Theatre… opening for Howard Jones…
many wonderful memories.  I hope I’ll have thousands more in the future!

Have you shared the stage with anyone we would know?

How about Wang Chung?

Anything else you want to share?

Thank you to everyone for reading this and for supporting musicians!

Check out Marina and her music at http://www.talentwatch.net/marinav ]]> http://www.talentwatch.net/blog/?feed=rss2&p=178 0 http://www.talentwatch.net/blog/?p=169 http://www.talentwatch.net/blog/?p=169#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:35:58 +0000 admin http://www.talentwatch.net/blog/?p=169 Continue reading →]]> What inspired you to become a musician?

My parents who are both great singers (my dad is a church music pastor) and the movie Annie. ‘Tomorrow’ was the first song I ever performed- I was two!

What surprises have you encountered in pursuing your music career?

First and most importantly that it’s really hard work! Who knew? As in you have to have the work ethic of a farmer. I don’t have a rich uncle (I thought EVERYONE had a rich uncle! Lol.) and I’m not with a major label. So, if I want to do anything in music I have to figure out how to do it myself. It’s been challenging, but definitely worth it.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Definitely the lack of funds. Doesn’t make things impossible, but I do have to get creative & figure out how to get things done in new/different ways.

Tell us about your band

My band freaks me out! (In a good way, of course.) They’re an amazingly talented group of musicians who are not just sick players, but they are hilarious, hard working, & go above & beyond to help me out. I don’t know how I got so lucky!

What’s your process for writing lyrics and where do you get the inspiration for your songs?

It’s different for every song. Sometimes I meet with a producer, we talk about the direction, he starts making the music, & I start working on melody/lyrics on the spot. Then other times a producer will send me a track to write to. Occasionally I have written the melody/lyrics to a song acapella & I email it to a producer who then creates the music. My inspiration comes from all over the place: real life experiences, things my close friends have been through, movies I’ve seen, other songs and artists I listen to, etc. 

Tell us about your most memorable performances.

I did a show about a month ago at Cafe Was in Hollywood. I was a featured vocalist while Blockbuster actor Jeff Goldblum was on piano. He’s actually a great piano player! I had no idea. He was so very friendly. It seemed like we’d known each other for years. That’s been one of my favorite LA experiences so far.

Anything else you want to share?

Just a shout out to all the amazing people on my team who help me work so hard to make everything happen. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next year!

Check out Alyssa and her music at http://www.talentwatch.net/alyssabentley

What inspired you to become a musician?

I remember reading an interview with Billy Joel years ago where he said that he got into music as a teenager in order to impress girls…and then by the time he grew up a few years and his hormones stabilized a bit, he realized that he was hooked on making music. I must admit that my experience wasn’t much different from his.

What surprises have you encountered in pursuing your music career?

I think anyone who is trying to have a career in the arts, entertainment, or media right now is surprised every morning when they wake up and find that some new Internet- or smartphone-based technology has changed everything all over again, pretty much overnight. It’s an exciting time, but also a frustrating one because the speed of technological developments means that things are in constant flux.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

I’d refer back to the last question. It’s hard to know how to succeed in an industry where the rules and expectations are constantly changing.

Tell us about your band

I often play solo shows, just me and my piano. But I’ve also been playing with my world-beat rock band, The Aaron English Band, for many years now. In fact, we’ve toured the U.S. four times. It starts to feel a lot like a marriage: everybody gets to know each other so well that, musically, we function as a unit. That’s really exciting: you can’t fake that kind of collective intuition.

What’s your process for writing lyrics and where do you get the inspiration for your songs?

I find ways to invite chaos into my creative process. It may be as simple as rolling dice, or flipping through a thesaurus, or channel-surfing – whatever it takes to get some completely new, random input while I’m working on a song. I’m quite convinced that what we call ‘inspiration’ is just our brains’ attempt to make order out of chaos – that is, the brain takes incoming information and tries to make sense of it, fit it into our reality. That’s when we have our “eureka!” moments.

Tell us about your most memorable performances.

Every performance is different – there’s always a story to tell. I find that the most memorable ones are stories of triumph over adversity. We played a music festival Haida Gwaii, an island chain off the coast of British Columbia, several years back. Thanks to unhelpful customs agents on both sides of the US/Canada border, our drummer couldn’t get to the islands to play the gig. We found this out a few hours before we were to play an hour-and-a-half set on the festival’s mainstage. We ended recruiting several hand percussionists from the local islanders and a funk drummer who was playing with another band at the festival. We didn’t really have a chance to rehearse – we just talked those guys through the songs and then got onstage with them….just before a massive rainstorm swooped in off the ocean and started drenching the festival crowd. The gig turned out great. My songs scarcely sounded recognizeable, they all morphed into these ten-minute hippie funk jams. But we had a blast, and the crowd loved it: they were all dancing in the rain and covered in mud.

Have you shared the stage with anyone we would know?

Hmm. We’ve opened for well-known acts, Dropkick Murphys and Buckwheat Zydeco, but we’ve never actually shared the stage with any.

So what are your plans for touring with the Band?

After the bus crash in 2008, our tour bus and all our instruments were destroyed. We had to cancel the rest of the tour. I’d love to get the band back on the road, but it is going need that bit of good fortune if it is to happen in the immediate future – being picked up to play support to another band on tour, or bumping in to that promoter who can see the potential. In the mean time we’ll keep looking for opportunities and I’ll keep the momentum going playing solo.

Check out Aaron and his music at http://www.talentwatch.net/aaronenglish

What inspired you to become a musician?

When I was 13,  Wesley Brothwell, a friend of mine was learning guitar at the time and showed me some really cool stuff that he could play, most notably the snooker theme – ‘Drag Racer.’  He taught me one little tune (the theme to Heartbeat – Buddy Holly I think) and I gave it a go, but then kind of gave it up for 3 years until I began my A levels…  I suddenly had a real desire to learn as many songs as I could get my hands on.  I wrote tons of little guitar tunes and penned some very rudimentary lyrics.   

I started a music technology course at Weston College in 2004 and really got into songwriting and performing. With the help of my friend Lorna Thomas, I managed to finish some songs I had started.  She gave me the confidence I needed to perform them. By that time, I was making a living from teaching guitar and hosting a weekly open mic night.  I couldn’t imagine my life without my guitar now.  I guess it’s really the only thing I’ve ever known I wanted to pursue 100%

What surprises have you encountered in pursuing your music career?

Surprises? Well… I am genuinely surprised that people have been enjoying my songs as much as they have.  I have been very lucky, I think, with the amount of positive feedback I receive.  Having come top of the pile on various music websites, most notably Slicethepie and of course TalentWatch.  I really appreciate the support I get from my fans.  I am now at a stage where I am being contacted for gigs, interviews and even advice from other musicians in my local area.  It feels great to know I chose the right path and that my life has some meaning.  I am constantly reminded of how grateful I am to be in the position I am in.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

I am currently going through my biggest challenge;  I am unsigned and self managed which is both great in respects to having complete control of my career and the wealth of knowledge I am attaining, yet very stressful at times.  I am aiming possibly higher than I should but I am currently looking to enter the top 40 by selling as many downloads (over 2,500) of my forthcoming single ‘Secret’ due for release on August 15th.  A music video is in the editing stage and the track itself took many man hours to write/arrange/record/mix/master and promote.  Keeping on top of all the work that needs to be done along with gigging 4/5 times a week and just sorting through the day to day stuff can get on top of me, but where I used to hide from my ‘to do’ lists I now embrace them, work through them and make fresh ones regularly.  I get a real sense of self worth by regularly achieving small goals.  If I have a day of achieving nothing at all I get depressed, but you have to allow yourself some ‘me’ time once in a while.

Tell us about your band

My band are the best group of people I could hope to work with right now; Adam Chetland (Lead Guitar) has been with me for about 5 years and he is a grade 8 player and teacher.  I know he can play anything I throw at him. He comes out with some lovely hooks and ripping solos when required to.  Steve Hatton (Bass Guitar) has been playing live for years and has real ‘in the pocket’ groove as well as a play for the song attitude.  He actually requested to be in the band as he was already a fan of the music.  Knowing someone you work with has that passion makes everything so much more fun and easy to do.  Sam Evans (Drums) has been working with Steve for years so they work together incredibly well.  Sam is a drum teacher and has the dynamic abilities that are so sorely needed to achieve what I want in the recordings and when played live; he’s just as happy shaking an egg as he is knocking out some gospel inspired rhythms.  They are both very attentive to the needs of the song and are a great rhythm section to have behind it all.  Hannah Johns (Violin) is the latest member to join.  Once I was awarded the fan funding from Slicethepie, I knew I had to get the band I really wanted; violin was something I always knew I wanted in the mix and Hannah is professional through and through.  I can sing a melody line I have in my head and she can play it right back to me without hesitation.  She also works with other singer/songwriters in the Bristol area as well as Muse!  It’s very rare to have a band that can realise what you hear in your head and agree with you at the same time.  I cannot thank them enough for all they have done so far and how much belief they have in my, well, our music.  Karl G (Samples) is a dance/trance producer from Weston who remixed a couple of my tracks (How Things Change and Secret).  He’s an amazing talent and I wanted his input on the tracks at the assistant production stage.  I wanted more than just ‘some band’ so with the inclusion of Karl’s samples things moved from beyond the standard.

What’s your process for writing lyrics and where do you get the inspiration for your songs?

These days, writing lyrics tend to follow the same pattern each time. It usually starts with a line or two that I really like.  Then I think what I want the song to ‘say,’ what the message will be and then I do my homework on the topic; I read up about it and learn things I might not have known before to end up with a song that contains all the pertinent information I think it requires, as well as my own thoughts and experiences on the matter of course.  I like my songs to be complete little packages that contain both sides of an argument and that ends up with a conclusion.  I could go into much more detail but each song is usually put together in a multitude of different ways.

When I first started it used to be guitar first, then melody, then fit the lyrics to it but I have also worked with lyrics first.  The last song I wrote is called ‘Real’ which is a song about friendship.  I love performing ‘You’ve Got A Friend’ – James Taylor/Carole King and wanted to write something with the same sensibilities.  It started with chords and melodies.  I will sometimes write 2 or more songs at the same time to keep my interest up; if I get a bit stuck with one I can change over to another that has a differing feel or message.  I have also written lyrics in the past using a random word generator online; I work a way to join the words together to make sense, which in turn can lead to a spark of a complete idea.  I deliberately wrote each song in a different key from the others and used varying guitar techniques to achieve different sounds.  I like to think all my songs are very different and I try very hard not to fall into clichés or add something I think I heard before.  I could write an essay on how I write songs but there is no formula as such… you just have to stick at it until you are happy with what you have done.

Tell us about your most memorable performances.

One of the most memorable was supporting The Automatic in Cardiff (Hard Rock Café) in 2007 – there were a lot of people there supporting me and my music and I could hear the room singing my words back at me.  I just remember experiencing an overwhelming joyous feeling rise inside me.  I play around 170 gigs a year mostly in small pubs to small crowds.  Every now and then a large crowd gets behind you and things feel amazing, but I get the same feeling knowing just one person is enjoying what I am doing.  I have been lucky enough to support some real idols of mine; Erik Mongrain played at a venue in Taunton (Perfect 5^th) and the owners arranged for me to support after I sent an email highlighting my desire to share a stage with him. I remember him coming out of the green room to listen to me play an instrumental piece that he had actually inspired, which I later found out from his manager was very rare.  It felt good to know I had stirred an interest in him and he said some very kind things to me at the end of the gig.  Watching him play was just spellbinding and blew my mind with what he is capable of.

Have you shared the stage with anyone we would know?

To date I have supported Stringer/Bessant (Ex Reef) Colin Macintyre, Erik Mongrain, Chesney Hawkes and The Automatic.  I would love to support Newton Faulkner despite feeling massively inadequate compared to him and John Mayer above all just because I am constantly in awe of his songwriting and acoustic technique.  I would literally play before any act that performs acoustically due to feeling completely at home as a solo act.

Anything else you want to share?

To whoever is reading this, thank you so much for taking an interest.  I couldn’t achieve anything without the support of people like you and I hope I can keep writing and performing until I take my last breath.  If you are a musician who is struggling to find your way, just keep going.  As long as you give it everything you’ve got, you will succeed.

Check out Ryan and his music at http://www.talentwatch.net/ryanaoinglis

Being successful in music today requires a different approach.  You now have to be in the business of being a music artist, not just merely a group of musicians playing in a band and writing cool music.  Record companies are no longer selling records – they are selling artists. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to just put out great music.

Okay, before every songwriter’s blood starts to boil, I realize the music business still depends on great songs, however the focus of selling records as a primary source of a major labels revenue is gone.  “We’re not just a record company,” explains founder and head of Tommy Boy Entertainment, Tom Silverman. “Our business was always building brands.  In the past we made money just by selling records…but this is no longer the case…it’s more than music, we have to work with the artists positioning.”

So it’s not about just performing or writing music.  Today’s music artists must move beyond the scope of their music and connect with their fans in a variety of creative (and meaningful) ways.  You must define who you are as an artist in regard to your image and position yourself to cut through the noise.  Most acts lack congruency with their marketing and as a result, their message becomes confusing. When fans don’t get it, they go elsewhere.

So, what is it that you need to do?

1)      Step away from the “all I want to do is focus on my music” paradigm. Gone are the days where labels sign you solely on your demo. Donald Trump is not in the real estate business. He is in the Donald Trump business. The latter has proven to be much more successful for him. Build your brand.

2)     You must establish a connection between the artist and their music!  The majority of total album releases don’t sell.  Most albums rarely sell over 100 copies. The reason?  Narrow focus on marketing the music instead of the artist.

3)     Build and reinforce your fan connections through social media. A great way to do this is through TalentWatch’s personal video. It bridges the gap between the artist and the fan, drawing them to your music!

4)      Make your live show the best it can be.  This is where careers are made. Many musicians place emphasis on the recordings first, then the live show.  It’s the other way around.  Building a solid fan base involves live interaction.  The fans coming to your shows visit your site, to get new music.  Keep them satisified!

5)      Present to impress.  Your songs, video recordings, logos, website continuity , promo shots,  design of merchandise and even how you carry yourself on stage must be the very best.  Give both fans and potential fans anything less and you risk looking amateur.

6)      Exude confidence. As an artist, confidence is your best friend.  Your level of confidence will affect the way others view you.

7)      Hire a GOOD publicist. Yes, it is an expense, but one that can make a difference.  A decent publicist gets you reviews, interviews and potential big write-ups in major online blogs and news websites, like Huffington Post.  This leads to licensing opportunities, such as television.  Remember The Fray?  They were discovered through Denver Colorado’s Westword.  Though they scored big with their hit “(Over My Head) Cable Car,” it wasn’t until their song “How to Save a Life” was aired on an episode of the hit TV series Grays Anatomy that catapulted them into global fame.   

Hugh Hession is a leading music industry expert, artist mentor and coach with over 25 years experience as a composer, performer, producer and artist manager. He develops talented, up and coming singers and transforms them into stand-out recording artists. Hugh’s website, Making it in Music (http://www.makingitinmusic.net) provides strategies and resources to help music artists move their career to the next level

You’re in good company. Like countless other musicians who watch these auditions, the sentiment is often the same, but deep down, one question secretly persists: “Could I have a shot at something like this?” Mr. kill-your-ears obviously felt he did, why not you?

Don”t underestimate the power of a major singing competition. The media exposure alone has the potential to create tremendous opportunities for a talent that might otherwise, lie dormant. Many artists have seen their lives turn completely around through singing competitions. Chris Daughtry was working as a service advisor for a car dealership in Greensboro, NC when he auditioned for Idol’s fifth season. Daughtry went on to sell over 4 million copies of his debut album to date, an extraordinary feat in today’s music business. Seven years before Casey James auditioned for Idol, he almost lost his life in a motorcycle accident. His doctor told him at the time, that he’d never play guitar again. James reached the final three in season nine, with his guitar in hand. Hope can take you places.

Now, a new generation of singing competitions is hitting the airwaves, creating even more opportunities for music artists. One show we are pretty excited about is NBC’s “The Voice,” set to debut this spring. Produced by Survivor’s Mark Burnett and Big Brother’s John De Mol, NBC is positioning “The Voice” to be the singing competition of choice with American viewers. Here’s how it works… The judges are comprised of four celebrity artists who form teams of the singers they select through auditions, who they mentor throughout the competition. There are three phases of competition: the blind audition, the battle phase and the live performances. During the blind auditions, the contestants perform to the backs of the celebrity artists who judge each contestant solely on their vocal performance without the influence of image. If the celebrity artist likes what they hear, they press a button to choose, while their chair swings around to face the contestant. The best news about “The Voice?” There is no age ceiling (although you must be at least 18). In addition, contestants can represent any genre! Finally, there is hope for the middle-aged musician!

Singing competitions like “The Voice” help open the door for music artists. In addition to open auditions scheduled for January and February, “The Voice” will check out US based singers from TalentWatch.net, effectively extending their reach throughout the United States. Talentwatch has alliances with key players in the music and entertainment fields to help their artists get more exposure. It’s already being recognized as the site where undiscovered artists go to launch their career.

Hugh Hession is a music industry coach and mentor with over 20 years experience as a performer, composer, producer and artist manager. Hugh is the owner of Making It In Music; dedicated to giving todays music artist the strategies and resources needed to advance their careers. You can contact him at hugh@makingitinmusic.net

How important is the personal video? It’s more critical than you may think. In order to appear on TalentWatch each artist must upload a personal video AND a music video. Why do we require both videos? The reality is there’s no shortcut to success. Like your music video, your personal video provides an important element to help you attract more fans. In addition, we want every fan to have an engaging and entertaining experience whenever they check out an artist at TalentWatch. By the way, fans are viewing the personal videos even more than the music videos!

Keep in mind both the personal video and music video(s) will be rated by member fans. That means both videos can increase your exposure. When creating your personal video, consider the following elements:

1) Be genuine
2) Keep it personal
3) Share your struggles/dreams
4) Don’t try to sell your audience

Before you shoot your video, organize your thoughts by creating an outline (so you don’t ramble). What do you think your future fans would want to know about you? Let them take a peak into your life. What else do you do besides your music? Do you have children? When you talk about your music, try to express it in the context of why you became an artist or what the music means to you.

When you record your video, imagine that you are talking to close friends. Yes, you can joke around and have fun with this. On the other hand, it is okay to share your struggles. People admire music artists who are able to share difficult times. Feel free to be creative and by all means show some personality. The more personal and genuine you are, the better. Try not to use the personal video as a way to sell your music or promote your website. This is not the right approach. Keep in mind we provide itunes and amazon links on your page for fans to buy your music.

One last thought…..Have fun with this! Try to keep it at about 90 seconds. Your audience tends to have a short attention span

Consider the following four areas before creating your video:

1. The Meaning of Your Song

2. The Quality of Your Audio

3. The Visual Format

4. The Editing Process

1. The Meaning of Your Song
Before we get technical, consider the song itself. What message do you want to deliver? What do the lyrics mean? What’s the best way to represent the music? How do you think you should portray yourself? You must answer these questions before shooting your video.

2. The Quality of Your Audio
Do you want your audience to be able to immerse themselves in the feeling of the song? You better make sure you have high quality audio! If they can’t hear the lyrics and track properly, or if it is distorted, you’ve got a problem. Don’t use your mobile phone to record your music or personal video. There’s so much audio equipment at your disposal, ready for hire. You can use a marantz, a directional boom mic to record the live set, or you can ask an audio technician to send you the audio straight from the sound desk if applicable.

3. The Visual Format
Once you determine the meaning of your song, decide what format you would like the video to be. For example, you can have a simple performance video, cut together from various angles to give it a ‘multi camera’ look. You can add cut a ways, to generate a simple narrative within the video. If you don’t have access to a camera, you can even use a slideshow of pictures, which represent either the lyrics, or emotion throughout the song. If you are aiming for a more stylistic video, consider the right location. If the song is about love, and happiness, you wouldn’t want the artist to be in a derelict building, with bleak colors surrounding them. You must create the right atmosphere and mood within your video. An important area to consider is the lighting. A simple technique used is ‘3 point lighting’. This is a way to bring your artist or focal point to the center of attention. This simple technique can be achieved with any lights. Place two lights in front of your subject, one slightly to the left, and one slightly to the right. These are called your key and fill lights. The key is to illuminate the subject, and the fill is to erase any unwanted shadows. The third and final light is the backlight, which helps the character or object stand out from the background. Once you have your lighting correct, you need to decide on the angles you would like to use in your music video. If you shoot from a lower angle, your character will look much more dominant on screen, whereas if the camera is situated higher, the artist will look more vulnerable. If you don’t want to show the location that the artist is situated in, stick to close up’s. This can also help bring out the emotion in the video, and help an audience understand how your character is feeling. Are you filming hand held, or using a tripod to involve fluid movement? Both techniques have pro’s and cons. If you are attempting a performance and narrative video, make sure your cut a ways are relevant to the song or subject matter.

4. The Editing Process
Remember, it is always best to capture too much footage than not enough. This way, when you edit the video, you have more options available to you. Before you edit, consider the pace of the video. Would you like the cuts to be fast, creating a hectic and ‘busy’ video; or nice and slow, maybe with some transitions in between to calm the audience. Once again you must consider the subject of the song, as well as the lyrics and beat. Cutting to the beat is always advantageous. It helps hide the cuts and makes the video flow much more coherently.

Follow the four steps outlined above to create a successful video. For those of you interested in more advanced techniques and personalized attention, feel free to contact Chris Curtiss, music video director, at chriscurtiss@live.com. Chris is located in the United Kingdom.