Mantofa Articles Directory

It will never be the same, the ball is now in the court of the artist instead of the major record label. It used to be that huge record labels controlled the music industry but today, that is not so. As an artist, you have the power to decide and control your future in the music biz. You dont have to rely on large labels to sign you. You just need to record, release and explore all music promotional ideas on how to promote your CD.

Record labels no longer can control the image, airplay, profits, success and everything in between of every artist that wants to succeed. In the past, record companies would finance an artist’s project up front with an advance or basically a loan. The artist has to of course pay back this loan and ends up being charged more and in turn ends up with barely anything. Who wants to be controlled by a force such as this? I know I wouldn’t and you shouldn’t either.

In steps the age of Do-It-Yourself digital technology. Now the power is in the artist’s hands. Now you can start your own label, use your own musician resources, record an album from your personal computer or record an album in a prearranged studio. It is up to you and boy is that nice.

Ideas on how to promote your CD are not few and far between. You can not only record your own music but distribute without the control of any label. You can easily promote and sell MP3’s and CD’s online on hundreds, if not thousands of sites. No one is telling you how to do it and certainly no one will be controlling your profits. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Imagine this, if you sold 5,000 CDs online for $8 a pop, then you would have made $40,000. Normally you would have to account for many expenses but if you are doing it all on your own, then the expenses are minimal. The opportunities are truly amazing and the numbers keep going up and up. If you only sold that many for a label you would be in serious trouble and in serious debt.

You control your fate because you control everything you do and every music promotional idea you use. You record, distribute, sell, market and in turn you control what you make in profits. I can’t imagine an independent artist that would have it any other way!

Owner of Platinum Millennium publishing, former record label owner & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Author & creator of best-selling music biz books, courses, audio products & “How to” resources that helped 1000s. Go to http://www.musiccontracts101.com/docs/products/002/ for more.

As for beginning drummers, the whole concept of drumming is coordination. It’s learning to do more than one thing at a time. As a child, do you remember trying to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time? That was pretty difficult at first, but then we eventually got the hang of it.

Just like patting your head and rubbing your tummy, once you get the hang of doing multiple things at once on your drum set, it then only becomes a matter of practicing to develop your skills.

Once new drummers begin to get the hang of it they begin to favor one hand over the other. This is okay to an extent, but ideally, they should try to develop both hands to their max.

If you have been playing drums for any length of time you may have already developed one hand or foot way beyond the other, leaving you some weak spots that you can improve on. For example, if you’re right handed, which most of us are, our left hand and foot are obviously less inclined to do as much. Therefore, leaving them underdeveloped.

These underdeveloped hands and feet are a real menace to your skills as a great drummer more so than you may think. The fact is, once you feel free to use any hand or any foot the coordination to do something new becomes much less of a challenge.

One way for a drummer to develop his or her weak hand or foot is to make a special, concentrated effort to specifically practice and develop these.

What I do is put on a tape of my favorite songs and simply play with my left foot on my left bass drum. In the same way, I’ll use my left hand to play the hi-hat instead of my right. Also, many drummers only use their dominant hand to crash cymbals, but in practice, you should use both hands.

Practicing this way can be frustrating, a little boring, and not much fun, but well worth the investment of your time. When you develop the drumming skills with your weak hand and foot to the point where they are almost as loose as your dominant hand and foot you will really excel at being a great drummer.

The whole idea is to develop your drumming skills completely. This way, you’re ready for anything… and you will have more fun. So, where there’s a weak spot… fix it. Don’t run from frustration, embrace it! Frustration is your friend. It is showing you where you need work.

Just a quick note, it’s not realistic to expect your weaker hand and foot to ever be as developed as your dominat hand and foot for obvious reasons, but developing your weaker parts will make a huge impact on your overall drumming skills and abilities.

Dan Brown has been drumming since 1976. Get his FREE Report, “Mind Your Drumming: 10 Attitudes That Will Make You a Star” when you subscribe to his FREE Weekly Drum Smart Newsletter…
http://www.dbdrumtips.com/freenewsletter.html

It is really very easy to play melodies on your ukulele. If you know how! After reading this ukulele lesson you will be able to play a melodi without knowing sheet music. Let’s start!

In this ukulele lesson we will learn the melody to the song Home On The Range. I have written the lyrics of the first verse here:

Oh, give me a home, where the buffalo roam
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

Let’s start with the first line of lyrics and corresponding ukulele melody:

Oh, give me a home, where the buffalo roam

0/3 0/3 1/2 3/2 0/1 1/2 0/2 2/3 1/1 1/1 1/1

What does this notation mean?

In this ukulele lesson we will use an ukulele tab notation that shows you by numbers on which fret and on which string to press down your fingers.

For example, 3/2 means press down the third fret on the second string.

let’s continue with the next line:

Where the deer and the antelope play

0/1 1/1 3/1 1/2 1/2 1/2 0/2 1/2 3/2

Which left hand fingers should you use?

Many beginners only use their left hand index finger to play all notes. They are fully concentrated on finding the right notes and don’t want to think about the fingering bit too.

If you want to take your ukulele playing up to a more professional level I suggest that you play all notes on the first fret with your index finger, the notes on the second fret with your middle finger and the notes on the third fret with your, that’s right!, ring finger.

We will continue this ukulele lesson by playing the next line:

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

0/3 0/3 1/2 3/2 0/1 1/2 0/2 2/3 1/1 1/1 1/1

As you already have observed this melody is the same as the first line.

Now you might ask:

My left hand ring finger is too weak to play notes!

Well, that’s a problem for a beginning ukulele player. What to do?

Actually, the strength is often not a problem. The problem is that many players avoid using this finger as they don’t think it is of any use. Therefore this finger will not receive proper training.

If you take a step in faith and try to use it believing that it will work better with some training you will soon find that it will be of great use in your playing.

Here is the last line of the verse:

And the skies are not cloudy all day

1/1 1/1 0/1 3/2 1/2 0/2 1/2 3/2 1/2

I guess you have learned tu use the tab notation in this ukulele lesson by now so I will give you the rest of the song right away:

Home, home on the range

3/1 1/1 0/1 3/2 0/1

Where the deer and the antelope play

0/3 0/3 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 0/2 1/2 3/2

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

0/3 0/3 1/2 3/2 0/1 1/2 0/2 2/3 1/1 1/1 1/1

And the skies are not cloudy all day

1/1 1/1 0/1 3/2 1/2 0/2 1/2 3/2 1/2

I will end this ukulele lesson by suggesting that you learn this melody by heart one line at a time. Then you can pick up an ukulele and have a fun time with this melody wherever you are!

Peter Edvinsson at Capotasto Music invites you to download your free sheet music, ukulele tabs, ebooks, music lessons and read his music blog at http://www.capotastomusic.com

Artists often wonder how their royalties are going to be computed when they sign music contracts. This is truly an important question because basically determines how much money is going to end up in their pockets. Recording contracts are meticulous and somewhat confusing so I will try to explain royalties to you as simple as possible.

A band or artist’s royalties are totaled as a percentage of the suggested retail list price for the total number of records sold. A general percentage that most artists will find in their music business contracts is anywhere from 7% to 16%. This will obviously depend on who you are and what the expectations are for your record sales.

Remember, royalties are the only place you are going to make your money but it is an important part of your contract. Royalty is expressed either as a percentage, a point or in escalations. Escalations suggest that you get a flat rate for up to a certain amount sold. Then your rate would go up if you sell over and above the first amount.

Depending on the company you have the music contract with, you may find that your royalties could include a packaging deduction or not include one. If it does not include one then you may find that the royalty price is reduced and then your royalties will be calculated. This is why it is vital that you read and re-read your music business contract before you sign so you completely understand.

Keep in mind that there may be a producer’s royalty that you are entitled to take care of from your own royalties. So, let’s say you had a royalty of 13% and the producer’s royalty was 2%, you would only receive 11%.

Other than these industry standard deductions, you may see deductions for free goods that might go to wholesalers meaning your wouldn’t receive royalities for these records. Also, promotional records such as those sent to radio stations are not included as well.

Keep in mind your royalty account can be charged for any item that is included in signed recording contracts. This is why it can’t be stressed enough that you need to understand every detail of what you sign because it may not be a dream come true after all. So, be careful, don’t be afraid to ask questions and don’t be afraid to seek the help of a professional.

Owner of Platinum Millennium publishing, former record label owner & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Author & creator of best-selling music biz books, courses, audio products & “How to” resources that helped 1000s. Go to http://www.order-yours-now.com/ for more.

Some artists and musicians are dying for recording contracts but do they really know how the music industry works? Before signing any music contracts, you need to educate yourself on the industry itself. The music industry is fast-paced and ever-changing so you have to keep up!

First, read as many books on how the music industry works as possible. Learn the ins and outs and everything in between, especially music business contracts. Take some continuing education courses at the local college about the music biz. They should be relatively inexpensive and you might just learn something about recording contracts and such.

Ask questions and learn about the roles people play in the industry. There are managers and top executives that you may have to deal with in the future if you are looking for music contracts. Know who to ask what. For example, you may ask a manager about what type of commission he expects from your net earnings, or something along that line.

You want to look educated so you don’t look like prey. The music business is all about business and you can get taken advantage of. Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions. You will have to deal with managers, booking agents, publishers, promoters and many others so you have to know your stuff. If people avoid your questions or try not to answer them at all, then go the other way. Obviously they are not the type of people you would want to do business with anyway.

Never sign any type of music business contracts without thoroughly reviewing them first. You may even want to solicit some legal advice. If someone seems like they are in a hurry for you to sign then you definitely want to read and re-read those music business contracts before you make ANY move.

Lastly, get out and hear some live music on your own. Even if you are experienced in performing live, you always have something to learn. Talk to the band or artist. Musicians are the best people to learn from hands down. They even may offer you some advice about the music industry and particularly recording contracts. Maybe you can even book a gig at that venue, you never know.

The music industry is a wonderfully complex industry to be a part of. Before you hop into it, you definitely need to get to know it a little better. Recording contracts and music contracts can be hard to come by so when they do come by you, you want to be prepared!

Owner of Platinum Millennium publishing, former record label owner & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Author & creator of best-selling music biz books, courses, audio products & “How to” resources that helped 1000s. Go to http://www.order-yours-now.com/ for more.

What can you do to stay motivated as you practice on your guitar? How can you increase and maintain the joy of playing? Here are some tips on how to keep that joy that made you start playing the guitar in the first place!

What can you do before setting goals?

The reason why we don’t keep our guitar playing goals might be that we haven’t been honest with ourselves before the goal setting process.

Before actually setting goals you have to decide why you want to play guitar or want to be a better player. Make an honest survey of your assets and wishes in the area of guitar playing.

Your inner wishes will probably conquer your goals if they are not the same.

How to set goals

In order to set goals that you will actually work towards you might ask yourself:

Do I really want to accomplish these goals?

Will I really feel good when I reach my goals?

I guess you will agree with me that the only goals that are really meaningful are the ones that will take you in that direction that leads to a place you want to be at!

I think that a part of your guitar playing goals should be focused practicing melodies you want to play in front of other people.

One common reason for starting to play the guitar is to be able to play the pieces of music you like.

This means that as you learn to play guitar, a goal might be to learn a number of songs or melodies by heart so you can play them in any setting.

These songs or melodies are to be learned so well that you don’t have to worry if you are asked to play.

One reason for having a repertoire with guitar pieces thoroughly rehearsed is that you can feel that you perform at the top of your ability when asked to play.

Remember, it should be guitar pieces you like to play.

If you do not like what you play you run the risk of memorizing these feelings together with the material you play.

When you practice a guitar piece you will memorize much more than the melody. At least these things will be memorized:

1. Hopefully the melody

2. Your attitude

3. Your level of body tension as you play

4. Your posture

5. The pressure you apply when pressing down the strings or holding your pick

If you like what you practice this joy will probably be transmitted to the audience when you perform.

In order to keep your motivation to practice on top and be able to stick with your guitar playing goals I suggest that you consider the following tips:

1. Ask yourself these questions to evaluate your future ability to stick with your goals:

Why do I want to be a better guitar player?

Is it because I like to play guitar?

Is it because I am “forced to”?

Is it because I want to impress my friends?

What things do I like to play on the guitar?

2. Set goals that take into consideration what motivated you to play in the first place. If you like strumming chords and sing your favorite songs your goals should probably be in that area.

3. Learn pieces that you feel good about and let other people listen to them and feel good too.

Peter Edvinsson at Capotasto Music invites you to download your free sheet music, guitar tabs, ebooks, music lessons and read his music blog at http://www.capotastomusic.com

Just how do I go about getting my demo heard? This is a famous question among aspiring musicians looking for a recording contract. Honestly, the bigger the label, the lesser your chances become of them listening to the demo you send them.

To solve this problem, call the company and ask if they even accept unsolicited demos. If by chance they do, get exact instructions on how, where and to whom it should be sent. Then all you can do is hope they hear you, love you and offer you a music business contract.

You can also take another approach. You can try to gain the attention of an A&R Rep. Take a look at the company and who they have signed recording contracts with. Then ask yourself what the A&R rep may be looking for.

You are going to have to in some way or another demonstrate your ability to be marketable enough to offer a music contract. Do you know any club owners that will give you a solid recommendation? Do you have a fan club of 1,000 or more? Have you created a powerful promotional pack? You should try to answer yes to all these questions, if not, you have some work to do.

You need to get noticed and can do so through local media outlets. Showing that there is a positive buzz about your band or music can help you get one step closer to a music business contract.

Be persistent but keep in mind that there is a fine line between a persistent person and a stalker. Remain professional at all times but let them know that you are interested in contacting them for personal success and success for their label.

Make a list of solid researched companies that you believe you would fit in well with. Make these particular companies top on your list of prospective recording contracts. While you are on the road, network. Meet as many people you can when performing because you may get lucky and run into someone of importance.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to talk to independent labels. These days, Indie labels offer recording contracts and music contracts and the profits can be nice. If you want to succeed you should explore every option out there. And don’t worry, if you don’t find success then you always have the option of starting your own independent label and releasing your music on your own.

Owner of Platinum Millennium publishing, former record label owner & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Author & creator of best-selling music biz books, courses, audio products & “How to” resources that helped 1000s. Go to http://www.order-yours-now.com/ for more.

If you are a musician then you are a business yourself. You are in the business of marketing yourself or figuring out how to promote your CD. This requires a lot of work and sometimes it may seem endless. You are constantly trying to solicit new “customers” for your business, your fans. Not only do you want your fans to enjoy your music but you also would love to turn some profits in the process. Marketing is going to be your best musician’s resource out there and you should take full advantage of.

You marketing ideas need to go beyond just a t-shirt and a CD because that is unoriginal. You want something that is distinctive and fresh. Don’t get me wrong, some of the best music promotional ideas are CD’s and t-shirts but you can do so much more now-a-days.

1. Have you considered an email address list? Each visitor to your website and your shows should have their email address collected. This will allow you to send them information like when your next show is going to be or when you new album will be released.

2. MP3 ringtones are hot music promotional ideas and you should definitely have some recorded. They are an awesome way for people to advertise your music every single time their phone rings. You also have the possibility of bringing in some profits from the sale of these.

3. Another hot music promotional idea has to do with the new mini DVD’s called pocketreels. Not only would you look technologically up to date when handing these out, but people are going to be super impressed. Look no further for ideas on how to promote your CD because these little mini DVDs are it. You can put your bands music video on there or anything else you think of. Be creative!

4. Sure, everyone has pictures of their band but have you ever thought of using a professional photographer. The price range varies immensely depending on what you are looking for. But, there is good news. You can try hiring a student photographer for relatively cheap. This way you will have a plethora of photos or videos to use for all types of marketing.

5. An awesome musician’s resource is a publicist. Of course, there prices can be a bit expensive but honestly, there services are worth it. They really know how to promote your CD and your band. A great publicist can get your band in magazines and newspapers all over the place.

If you have the opportunity to use any of the above marketing tools then you are guaranteed some results. The trick to all any music promotional idea is that you have to be persistent, consistent and creative. Constantly be searching for how to promote your CD in innovative ways. Technology is the key and will give you ideas you are looking for. Don’t get lost in the dust!

Owner of Platinum Millennium publishing, former record label owner & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Author & creator of best-selling music biz books, courses, audio products & “How to” resources that helped 1000s. Go to http://www.musiccontracts101.com/docs/products/002/ for more.

One great way to create motivation to practice on your guitar is to perform in front of other people in different ways. Do you like to perform in front of others? Let’s see how to enjoy performing and also give other people enjoyment!

Performing really doesn’t need to be so formal!

A way to create momentum to practise your guitar repertoire is to set up an informal concert with a couple of pieces in the setting of your own home.

The members of your own family could be the public.

There are many occasions when you can perform and play your music in the home and maybe you will also encourage others in your family or among your friends to play on their instruments in such a setting.

Of course you have to plan ahead in order to suggest a performance and in order to prepare yourself.

But if you don’t like to perform?

You can actually practice the art of performing on your guitar without people present. One way is to use your imagination and pretend that you perform in front of others.

If you want to help your imagination a bit you can put empty chairs in front of you representing the audience. One step further is to put your children’s teddies on the chairs.

On such an occasion you have to exercise self discipline and play those pieces in your actual program from beginning to end. If you would make a mistake in front of a public, what would you do?

Probably you would want to minimize the effect of this mistake and just play on. This is what you have to practice even in this relaxed setting.

What will happen is that you create self confidence in your ability to handle mistakes and you will also find weaknesses you can improve upon in your guitar playing.

This is also an excellent time to record your performance for later evaluation.

Don’t make this recording thing to complicated. In these days with cell phones and mp3 players it’s an easy task to accomplish.

The act of recording is like having a critic in the public.

Listening to other artists recordings will also be of great benefit.

You have to look upwards in order to climb to a higher level in your guitar playing and this will be accomplished by listening to guitar players on a higher artistic level than yourself.

When you practice and memorize your guitar pieces or songs remember to always play your music at the same artistic level as when you perform.

As you memorize your music you will also memorize your attitude, posture and your tension level.

The joy you feel when you practice will probably be present when you perform the piece of music in front of public and will also reach your audience.

Peter Edvinsson at Capotasto Music invites you to download your free sheet music, guitar tabs, ebooks, music lessons and read his music blog at http://www.capotastomusic.com

Pianos, for beginning musicians, are one of the essential, first instruments to learn. Just about every type and style of music can be played on a piano. This gives a student a wide variety to choose from and learn from when starting out.

For many students, however, purchasing a traditional piano can be a little out of their budget and they can be quite large. This makes it difficult for someone in a small living space to find room for them. There are other alternatives, such as a digital piano. This is one space saving option. A digital piano comes with the feel of a regular piano but takes up considerably less space. There are also smaller versions for those just beginning.

Types of Pianos

There are a wide variety of digital pianos. Digital pianos range from small keyboards with minimal options like volume and on/off and nothing else to larger digital pianos that can handle remixes and allow synthesized playing, as well as everything in between. There are plenty of different makes, models and variety so that a student can get exactly that he or she needs.

The Advantages of a digital piano

There are a number of advantages of a digital piano that you won’t find with traditional ones. First, of course, is the fact that a digital piano can be a real space saver. It also has the features of volume control and usually comes with a place to put a set of ear phones in. This is great with small apartments or if you want to play without any background noises. It also keeps the piano from being a distraction.

Digital pianos also come with the added benefit, in some models, of allowing you to save your music directly from the machine, either to its internal memory or an external data storage media. Digital pianos often come with additional instrument sounds. This allows you to experiment with different sounds without having to get the different instruments. Another useful feature is that digital pianos, because of their smaller size, are easily transportable.

Disadvantages of a digital piano

There are some disadvantages of having a digital piano. The first and major one is that the sound will always be electronic and never sound as good as the real thing. The value decreases rapidly because every few years a new model comes out. Compared to a real piano, a digital piano’s keys have a lighter touch and a different balance, sometimes making transitioning from digital to real and vice versa, more difficult.

The case for a digital piano can be easily damaged and expensive to repair. So extra care has to be given when moving it around. A digital piano is an electronic device. Like all electronic devices, if something breaks, it can be impossible or very costly to repair.

What to look for when buying a digital piano

When looking to purchase a digital piano there are a few things that need to be considered. First, take a look realistically at what you are going to need and what features you are going to use. There is no reason to spend extra money on a set of features you’ll never touch. So it’s a good idea to figure out what features you are really going to use.

Depending on the type of student you are, you may want to consider features that offer you a full keyboard range or offer a variety of instrument types in order to allow for experimentation. Also, you might want to consider music saving features, so that you can record the music you make for classes. It’s also a good idea to check out the warranty of the digital piano. Most come with limited warranties and only for a short time. If you know you might be hard on your digital piano, getting a digital piano with a longer and more extensive warranty might be something to look into.

Conclusion

Digital pianos are a great way to bring the music of a piano into your home at less expense. They are also great for students to be able to learn on especially with their space saving options and easy transportability. Make sure you know the features you need from your digital piano before you purchase. This is to make sure you get the digital piano that is just right for you.

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of MusicianHome.com, a site that provides information and articles for musicians at all stages of their development. http://www.musicianhome.com