Deliberate practice helps you become a better musician
Growth as a musician requires a practical approach, which can include the use of programs and apps to help organize and incentivize deliberate practice sessions. Read the post.
music career goals
Strategy and tactics in your music career
To achieve success in your music career, you have to employ strategy and tactics. Trouble is, many music artists don’t really understand the distinction. This post helps clear things up. Read the post.
Finding the balance between creativity and business
Balancing creativity and business can seem like a tall order, but it’s not only possible, it’s actually very advantageous to approach business from a creative perspective. Read the post.
Songwriting tips to help you stay creative
Not all these songwriting tips deal with the minutes and hours you’ll spend with your instrument in your hand, but that’s partly the point… your life outside your music studio should be rich and inspiring so that the music you create is too. Read the post.
Ready to launch a music project? Do these four things first!
Whatever your next music project is — be it an album, tour, video, single, or anything else — the first step is always planning. These four steps will get you off on the right foot. Read the post.
You need to work at being creative (creativity is NOT a talent)
Being creative is not an innate ability that you either have or you don’t. Creativity is not, in and of itself, a talent. Creativity is not related to IQ. Creativity is a way of operating. Read More.
Regrets of a wanna-be rock star
Trying to be everything to everyone, or changing your style to fit the mood du jour, is not a recipe for long-time success. You have to focus on being the best you that you can be (or be a wanna-be). Read More.
Writing lyrics with depth
If you are interested in writing lyrics with depth, you need a deep artistic well to draw from. All output requires input, and as a lyricist, I recommend you begin with words. Read the post.
How to make the most of Facebook songwriting groups (or, stop ruining Facebook!)
Brent Baxter and Johnny Dwinell discuss strategies on how to behave as a member of Facebook songwriting groups. Excerpted from The CLIMB podcast, “STOP Ruining Facebook and Your Career.” Read More.
Crafting the right song demo can maximize the chances of having your music cut by major artists
Your song has to be great for you to have a chance at landing a cut with a major artist, and your song demo has to hit the right notes, too. Read More.
Five things to do before pitching your music to Spotify playlists
Getting your music on Spotify playlists can be difficult. Let’s start at the beginning and focus on the things you should have in place before you even start pitching your tracks. Read More.
Are you writing for an audience of one, or one million? Mailbox Money, Part 4
If you’re hoping to land a cut, there’s one listener who definitely must connect with your song: the artist you’re pitching to. That’s your first listener, the one who will hear it before the masses. Read More.
The song pitch: 9 tips for getting your songs heard by major artists
We spoke to a music industry veteran to get 10 tips on how to perfect your song pitch and maximize your chances of major artists hearing – and possibly recording – one of your original songs. Read More.
Landing a cut can jump-start your music career: Mailbox money, Part III
Being a performing artist isn’t the only way to make a living in the music business. Landing a cut can be a way to kick off your solo career, or it could be a way to long-term success as a songwriter. Read More.
Hear More “Yes” in 2018
A new year always brings new potential and new opportunities, but the first step is knowing exactly what you’re aiming for. Here are a few things you can do to start hearing a lot more “yes” in 2018. Read More.