Music Industry Tips and Advice Print E-mail

We here at Skyelab think it's important to support artists who are just starting out. So, we've put together this collection of helpful advice.  We hope you find it useful!

On Singing-Vocal Tips:

 TRUE VOICE NYCtruevoice_pict

 

1. The Importance of Daily Vocal Warm-up

A ten minute daily vocal warm-up is the ideal way to keep "in shape", especially if that is all you can fit into the day. Of course working your daily exercises for endurace and growth and to increase vocal abilities is part of the "job", the daily 10 minute warm-up will keep your vocals activated and remind you to breathe like a vocalist for the day!

2. Nervous? Breathe!

 

If you're performing live or in the studio, nerves can often get the best of us. The best way to take control of your performance is to breathe more!  The problem arises, when the body's natural reaction to stress is to start quick, short intakes of breath.  This, in turn, increases blood pressure and creates dehydration throughout the body, but mostly in the mouth!. 

 

To take control, start by slowly taking a very deep breath into your lower abdomen. Begin breathing through your nose and mentally count to 15. Once you've reached a 15 count, hold the breath for 3 seconds and then slowly release the breath through your mouth for another slow count of 15.  

 

This will help to calm the glands in your body that release stress hormones and will decrease blood pressure.  After a few more slow deep breaths, the body's muscles (especially those in the neck) will loosen from the increase in oxygen.  Soon, your anxiety level will begin to diminish and you'll be singing confidently again.

 
3.  Spring time recommendations.

 

The arrival of Spring brings with it allergies and dryness.  for the Vocalist this can mean the difference between a successful or a frustrating recording session.  Many vocalists don't even realize what is happening to them and they may experience an increase in Phlemb or a raspiness that wasn't there before.  They may also discover an annoying little tickle that continues throughout the day.  Well singers,  welcome to spring. 

 

The average person may not find this quite as disturbing as the singer because they don't rely on their voice or depend upon it to perform at its absolute best at all times.   Besides allergies becoming heightened at this time, dehydration is almost an absolute and therefore must be attended to.  To cut back on mild allergies, keeping your home as dust free as possible and perhaps purchasing allergy free pillows, you should also consider a Neti pot.  A Neti pot is a small porcelain pot to help cleans the sinus passages.  Used daily (sometimes both morning and night if allergies worsen) it can alleviate some of the congestion and actually minimize discomfort and also support clear passages in order to avoid the common cold or sinus infection which is almost always a risk especially during spring when our immune systems are compromised.  

 

The other factor, hydration is also at risk at this time.  The constant fluctuation of the temperature and heating units in our home make it almost impossible to keep hydrated.  Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of room temperature water (room temperature water is absorbed into your body much more easily than cold water), coupled with a diet of water rich foods can substantially enhance water absorption in the body therefore assuring rehydration.  Water rich vegetables such as mixed green salads with fresh veggies with an Olive Oil and lemon juice dressing (stay away from Vinegars - they are fermented and drying), as well as water rich fruits; watermelon, cantalope, grapes, papaya, Asian pears, pears will not only increase your water intake but will allow the room temperature water to be absorbed more completely because water needs natural sugar molecules to be absorbed more fully. 

 

Of course if allergies are impossible to handle you may need to take medications, remember these can be incredibly drying so it is up to you to protect and care for your instrument.

 

4. Snooze so you don’t lose!

  REST for the vocalist -

Rest is incredibly important for vocal health.  In many cases, Laryngitis is directly related to fatigue.  It is easily avoided by simply getting more sleep as well as finding a way to relax. If you are having trouble sleeping, you might need to look at your daily stress level as well as your eating habits.  If stress is keeping you awake, try mediation, yoga or even getting a minimum of 30 minutes exercise a day. 

 

 Utilize your body during the day and it will look to regenerate at night.  In addition, try not to eat after 7pm in the evening, or consider that you will need about 4 hours to digest before going to sleep.  Stay away from spicy and heavy sauces, try to eat “clean” by having a salad prior to your cooked food and stay with light sauce. Keep in mind, that meat takes a considerable amount of time to digest (in some cases 2 or more days).  Stay with easily digestible food like whole grains and steamed vegetables, fish and poultry.

 

Included in the discussion of getting more rest, stay away from large quantities of alcohol. A glass of wine is fine with dinner, but large quantities will cause your body to go into dehydration mode as well as keep you from restful sleep.  Make sure before you have a session for recording scheduled you get rest, hydrate and stay away from alcohol. Optimize your recording session by being as physically prepared as possible.

 

5. Working The “Song”. 


After your warm up - work your current songs by going through the Map of the song; marking your breath, hearing difficult intervals in the melody and figuring out where to go vocally to achieve success. 

Get a hold of the lead sheet for the song and begin to dissect the music. Understand what key the song is in and what key you need to sing it in. Understand what the melody is doing, and consider how you might want to change the melody to make it more “yours”.

 

Integrate some exercises to support any areas of your song that are challenging. If the songs melody takes you into the lower end of your vocal range, focus working on depth vocal exercises within that range.  For melodies that are jumping into other registers or are simply jumping around, try incorporating some wide interval exercises in your vocal practice.

 

Having your exercises work along with your song study can be an incredibly helpful tool in excelling vocally, and significantly reduce the time it takes for you to master your song.


 

 

Truevoice was kind enough to offer all SkyeLab Clients a FREE, 30 minute lesson. You'd be crazy not to take them up on this free offer.  But it's for a limited time only, and only for the first 20 who sign up.  So if you're serious about improving your voice, NOW is the best time!!!!!  Contact them directly to set up your Free lesson. Check them out here: TRUE VOICE NYC

 

 

 

  Pilar Cragan is founder and principle teacher of the New York Vocal Intensive. 

pilar_sm

 

Vocal TIP #1

A Vocal Tip about "Pushing" and Singing "Sensation"
 Many times during a live performance it is difficult to hear your voice, and a singer will "push" the voice resulting in rapid fatigue.  In situations where it's hard to hear your voice due to acoustics, you can also rely on the sensation of breathing and singing.  The understanding of physical sensation during singing is developed and memorized over time by learning about your individual voice and doing proper exercises.  Studying how your unique voice "feels" will give you the endurance you need to thrive.  When you have mastered the sensations of singing, you will be even more prepared to deliver a successful, energetic performance!

 Vocal TIP #2 

When you vocalize during a practice session make sure you are in a comfortable environment. Practice in a place where you have the freedom to sing out and release, and know that exploring your range will result in the occasional crack or squeak. Vocal exercises must be assigned to improve your specific vocal weaknesses. As an aspiring singer it is your job to make practice part of your everyday lifestyle; vocalizing properly for just 30 minutes a day will provide positive results! Vocal practice will give you the freedom to be confident and creative in your recording sessions.

Vocal TIP #3

Warming up the Voice: 

It is very important to warm-up the voice before a recording or a performance.  When a singer shocks the voice into producing sound by launching into a song without effectively warming the voice, it will only result in vocal fatigue.  Vocal warm-up should be slow and gradual. Humming, lip trills and breathing exercises are useful techniques to relax the jaw and neck muscles and to engage the breathing mechanism.  It is also essential to get the blood flowing through your body and to your vocal cords with some light physical exercise.  Warm-up time is individual and varies from person to person. Your voice teacher will advise you regarding useful warm-up exercises to ensure vocal health and longevity. 


Vocal TIP #4
About Holiday Stress:

The voice is directly affected when our body is stressed. During the winter months we are fighting to stay healthy due to holiday angst, fluctuating temperatures, tiredness and germs.   If you notice that your voice is feeling sluggish, hoarse, or you are coughing, allow for a few days of vocal rest.  Stay strong by keeping physically fit, eating well and getting enough rest. This holiday season be kind to your voice and don't overindulge in alcohol, food or cigarettes.  Since you only have one voice, give yourself a gift this season by nurturing it. Happy Holidays!   

 

Vocal TIP #5

Being “in the moment.”


During a performance or a recording session it is important to stay both focused and “in the moment” of the song.  A student recently prepared a piece she had written for a live performance, using a background track prepared by the recording studio.  The student was having difficulty with the timing of the song which translated to nervousness and a weak performance.  She was not “in the moment,” and was struggling with  feeling and emotion during the performance.  Through repetition of the passage in a light voice, combined with focus on these elements, she was able to trust herself and be “in the moment” of her piece.  The end result was an incredible performance and a stellar recording!

 

 Vocal TIP #5

Springtime Singing

Spring time recommendations. 
The arrival of Spring brings with it allergies and dryness.  For the Vocalist this can mean the difference between a successful and a frustrating recording session.  Many vocalists don't even realize what is happening to them and they may experience an increase in phlegm or a raspiness that wasn't there before.  They may also discover an annoying little tickle that continues throughout the day.  Well singers, welcome to spring.  The average person may not find this quite as disturbing as the singer because they don't rely on their voice or depend upon it to perform at its absolute best at all times.   Besides allergies becoming heightened at this time, dehydration is almost an absolute risk and therefore must be attended to.  To cut back on mild allergies, keeping your home as dust free as possible and perhaps purchasing allergy free pillows, you should also consider a Neti pot.  A Neti pot is a small porcelain pot to help clean the sinus passages.  Used daily, (sometimes both morning and night if allergies worsen) it can alleviate some of the congestion and actually minimize discomfort.  It also supports clear passages in order to avoid the common cold or sinus infection which is almost always a risk especially during spring when our immune systems are compromised.  The other factor, hydration is also at risk at this time.  The constant fluctuation of the temperature and heating units in our home make it almost impossible to keep hydrated.  Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of room temperature water (room temperature water is absorbed into your body much more easily than cold water), coupled with a diet of water rich foods can substantially enhance water absorption in the body therefore assuring re-hydration.  Water rich vegetables such as mixed green salads with fresh veggies with an Olive Oil and lemon juice dressing (stay away from Vinegars - they are fermented and drying), as well as water rich fruits; watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, papaya, asian pears, pears will not only increase your water intake but will allow the room temperature water to be absorbed more completely because water needs natural sugar molecules to be absorbed more fully.  Of course if allergies are impossible to handle you may need to take medications, remember these can be incredibly drying so it is up to you to protect and care for your instrument.
 

 

 

 

The upcoming Intensive will be in April in New York. 

Space is limited.  Email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or call 845-641-7301 for more information!

Mention Skyelab and receive 10% off the cost of the Intensive.

 

 

On needing a demo: 

Like it or not, the days of being discovered singing in the local lounge, or getting a recording contract from a simple piano-voice demo, must be relegated to the archives of rock history.

The demo is the vehicle for your hopes and dreams of becoming a recording artist, and it will be the first connection between you and the record company. On the basis of your demo, you will be asking the record company to spend tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars to record you as an artist. Therefore, your demo must meet certain standards and be an accurate reflection of your artistic and commercial potential.

Just as the quality of recorded music has progressed very rapidly, so has the record company’s expectation of demo quality. The aspiring artist must be ready to meet the challenge because you need more than a good voice in today’s music scene to get a record deal.

Remember, your demo is your calling card and the representation of the product that you're trying to sell, mainly you! 

The first point to consider is how many songs are enough to show your style as an artist. It is better to have four strong songs than eight songs when you want only two songs to truly stand out. Keep in mind that it is quality, not quantity, that is going to impress your A&R listener and make them want to seriously pursue you as an artist and/or songwriter.

It is crucial to show a consistent musical direction on your CD. If you mix too many different types of music, i.e., hard rock, pop and R&B, it becomes difficult for your A&R person to know who you are as an artist. Make sure all the songs on your demo reflect the musical direction in which you want to go. Always put what you believe to be your strongest song first on the tape. If A&R likes the first tune, it is more likely that they will give a careful listen to the remaining selections. You must have potential hit songs using original material. There is occasional success doing a cover version of an old hit, but you are much more likely to be signed as an artist based on the strength of the original material on your CD, and your interpretation of it.

On Making Your Press Kit:

-Spend some money. Buy laser-printer compatible labels and research who you will be sending the package to.  It's also a good idea to actually call that person and get permission first to send your press-kit. Go to an office supply store and stock up on insulated large envelopes, spend some money on a nice 8"x10" glossy, have someone at your local college's art department design a computer-generated logo for you (crisp black & white line-art is recommended).  And here's a BIG TIP: create a logo for your make-believe management company (obviously this one's only for those without formal management representation) and put this on the letterhead of the typewritten note you'll enclose with your press kit. Your cred-factor has just scored major points and you just might get that foot in the door.

    -Stacy LeFevre


-Prioritize who gets what. If you want to reach a lot of media sources and simply can’t afford to send everyone CDs, do this: Send your CDs to the high-priority contacts and places most likely to respond. Send lower-priority contacts your bio and a photo. In the cover letter that goes with them, ask the recipient to contact you if they want a free review copy. That way, you’re only sending your CDs to the people who really want


-Make sure complete contact info is on both the CD and the case it came in. Sending out your press kit and then expecting people to go to work figuring out how to get in touch with you is pure idiocy. Cover letters get separated from bios. Photos get removed from press releases. Put your contact info on everything! Think of your music marketing tools as frisky puppies that love to break from the leash and run away. They need identification tags so the people who find them know who they belong to.

    -Bob Baker

-Many artists and bands writing their own Bio, just throw together a bunch of stuff about how “good” their music is, and infer that the music will speak for itself. There is no doubt about it, the music is the centerpiece, it is the axis upon which the potential success of an artist’s career rotates. However, that “good” music may never reach the ears of many gatekeepers, if the artist doesn’t pay close attention to all aspects of the business, and the “instruments” of that business must be carefully considered and prepared. In many cases the Bio will be the first introduction a gatekeeper receives from the artist. It should speak clearly and directly to the needs of the reader.

It can be quite useful to “take an inventory” of an artist or band’s talents, skills, lyric content, stage presence, attitude toward life, and the business of music. Many useful facts can emerge as this inventory is taken. Bands should really take some time to sit down and talk about the music they make, what they feel their image is, and how they can best preserve an honest image throughout their career. Being clear about who you are, even recognizing who your influences have been, and what you want to say with your music, can make writing the Bio an enlightening, and useful experience.

    -Christopher Knab


"Okay, everyone, it's really important that when you're sending your picture out through email or posting it online, make sure the file is not too big.  When taking a picture, full resolution can be a few meg large, but when posting it online, it should not be more than 100k. Otherwise it will take too long to load and people may lose patience. [I do :)] To solve this problem, try bringing the file into Microsoft Publisher or another program where you can resave the picture at a smaller resolution"

    -Kieth

On Sending Your Demo:

-Don’t be gimmicky on your envelope. A hot-pink envelope may catch the eye, but it will not reflect a professional presentation.

-Don’t oversell yourself in any introductory letter. Be positive and confident in your presentation of the facts, but if you sound arrogant or obnoxious, it will hurt your cause rather than help it.

-Don’t telephone your A&R person 20 times in one week, waiting for a response. Diligence is appreciated, but remember they have hundreds of CDs and demos to screen. One follow-up call after several weeks will suffice. Please don’t say how bad current music is today and that your tape is the salvation of the music scene.

On Finding a Manager:
-Any manager you become involved with should be compatible with you musically, as well as on a personal level. You should check to see what other artists the manager handles, and what success the manager has had in the past. If you cannot get an established manager, it might be worthwhile finding a manager who is new to the game, who has a lot of enthusiasm and initiative, and also believes in you as an artist.
 
 
 4 Reasons You Don't Need A Record Deal

(reprinted from our Fall Newsletter)

Madonna Dumps Record Industry
Madonna Dumps Record Industry

We put this list together to help our clients. If you want to delve deeper into it, click on the link above Madonna and it will take you to a very interesting article.

Times have changed and the music industry no longer operates the way it used to. But the old mentality of "I NEED A RECORD DEAL" is still whirling around many artists heads and causing them to look in an area they may not be ready for...yet.

You don't need a record deal to:

1. Get yourself & your music professionally produced
With the advances in technology, it's now possible to produce a professional, world class recording for a small fraction of what it would cost only 10 years ago. It's no longer necessary or desirable to have a big record company budget, which has to be paid back to the record company from the artists tiny share anyway. (5-10% typically)

2. Artist development
This stopped being done by the major record labels many years ago. They expect artists to come to them already developed, with a sound, an image, songs, fans, etc.  The artist development must now be done by a qualified team at the music production company, like SkyeLab.

3. Manufacturing
For an artist, it's no longer necessary to have the record label manufacture hundreds of thousands of records to service all the record stores across the country (and the world). This enormous expense was again, charged to the artist, whether the record sold or not. You don't need it anymore.

4. Distribution
To get your music out there for the world to listen to and buy, you know longer need the major distributors. Online distribution via the internet has completely revolutionized the music industry.  Speak to us about the various options available now to all our SkyeLab Artists.

You don't need a record deal to take the first step on the road to your dreams. So give us a call and start now!!!

 
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