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"You are gifted with the art of communication that focuses individuals attention to goals they can achieve with the right advice, and you provide that advice "no punches pulled" that people welcome. Without your inspiration I would never have gone this far" [Harry Sykes - The Association of Songwriters and Music]
But how do you get your act together and catch the eye of
the movers and shakers in the music biz ?
Do you dream of being the next big thing ? Could you be
next year's Spice Girls [R.I.P.], SCLub [R.I.P.] or All
Saints [R.I.P.]? OK, let's say Blue, Atomic Kitten, Westlife? Do you fancy being on 'Top of the Pops' and
hanging out with the stars at the Brit Awards ? Well,
every pop star has to start somewhere, whether it's Britney,
Blur or Boyzone.
Here's a few tips on setting out on the road to super
stardom. But beware the road to pop success is littered
with casualties. Not every starry-eyed teenager goes on
to hit the top of the charts or even to get to the lower
reaches of the top 40 ! For every Robbie Williams,
there's a hundred Bobby Smiths or Jenny Joneses who never
quite made it beyond singing a few karaoke tunes in his
or her bedroom !
The pop business can be exciting, glamorous and great
fun, but it can also be pure hard work, blood, sweat and
tears. Get real, don't go in with false expectations and
take the occasional reality check. And don't forget to
look out for the sharks along the way. Not every manager
or label has your best interests at heart. There's plenty
of unscrupulous music biz types out there who are out to
earn a fast buck. Check out the credentials of whoever
you are working with, and don't sign on the dotted line
unless you're 100% happy with the small print.
Good luck - you'll certainly need it ! Once you've got
off the starting blocks, the hard work really starts. So
read on at your own risk !! Your future career starts
here......
First
Steps
School's Out
One of the easiest ways to get involved in music is
through school. Most schools have a choir, band or after
school clubs where you can fine-tune your musical skills.
Ask your music teacher how they can help you. There's
likely to be links between your school music department
and drama and dance. If you fancy being B*witched,
you'll need to be able to dance yourself dizzy as well as
belting out a good tune! Enrol for any dance classes if
they do modern dance. And drama can be a good way of
building your confidence in front of an audience, even if
you're just third witch in 'Macbeth' or you take on a
small supporting role in the school production of
'Godspell'.
Stage Struck
Another idea is to enrol in a
If you're in your final years at school, you might be
thinking about going on to college. There's loads of
excellent music and performing arts courses in every College in the World.
The 'up's are:
You'll also need to think about what you want out of your
pop career. What sort of music do you want to make ? Do
you want to write your own songs ? Are you hoping to play
other people's songs [cover versions of big hits] ? There
are several paths you could follow:
the pop route -
writing your own songs is useful but not essential. If
you don't do your own songwriting, you'll need a team of
writers behind you OR you'll need to team up with someone
who writes. Another option is to answer ads in the press.
the indie / rock route
- writing your own songs is important. You'll need to
recruit other band members [try school / college or
notice boards in music shops] and rehearse your own
material. Please remember that this route is becoming
increasingly difficult because most major record labels
are signing up very few new indie bands.
the dance route -
if you fancy yourself as Fatboy Slim you could try
your hand at dance music. The great thing about this is
that you can make music in your own bedroom, using
samples and the latest in hi-tech wizardry! Or perhaps
mixing, scratching and DJ-ing is your thing?
So how do you make the leap from singing in your front
room to performing in front of an audience? Here's a few
ideas...
You may find that your music department is putting on a
musical or event - put your name down and get stuck in.
Even the Spice Girls used to perform in school
shows...OK, they are well gone now...but they certainly were trail-blazers.
Pop on Campus - College as an option
Some courses focus on music and vocal skills whilst
others concentrate on music technology or the business
side of the music industry.
College may not be everyone's idea of fun. For those
interested in this route, it does have some advantages. You will always meet 'like minded' people.
-
you'll get instrumental and vocal lessons
Bear in mind:
- you'll get a chance to try out a studio
- you may get free use of a studio [useful
for making a demo tape]
- you'll meet loads of like-minded students
-
your studies will probably touch on music theory, history
and composition;
Music Tuition
- you may have to complete written
assignments and projects;
- you may have to study musical styles you're
not keen on, but this can be useful if you're going to
become a really good musician.
If school isn't keen on helping you with your music
and you don't fancy going to College, you could try
private tuition. Musicians and singers are often
surprised how quickly their talents can develop with
private lessons. Tutors are listed in the Yellow
Pages or Generator can help recommend
teachers who can give vocal, guitar, keyboards or drum
tuition. Libraries also often have lists of tutors.
Private lessons can cost between £10 and £20. Some
tutors will allow a session with a friend which could
reduce the costs by half.
Choose your tutor carefully. It's no use going to an
opera tutor if you want to sing pop!
Singing teachers in the UK tend to train singers for Broadway or the West End stage...you have been warned. Teachers in the USA mainly come from the Gospel background, so they are much more 'pop' orientated.
The Bedroom
One of the biggest musical revolutions of the last
decade has been music made in the bedroom. Dance music
can be made quite easily in your own room, thanks to new
technology. Armed with a computer and a few gadgets, you
can make tunes to your heart's content in the comfort of
your own bedroom ! You'll need to save up to buy some
fancy kit if you have designs on being the next Fatboy
Slim or Venga Boys !
Daniel Beddingfield has started a whole new revelution in home produced Number One songs. But are they really made in his bedroom?
'Cover Me' - Cover versions
If you perform Madonna's 'Ray of Light' or Whitney
Houston's 'I Will Always Love You', you're singing a
'cover' version of a hit song. This can be a good way of
developing your skills but it can be a dead end in the
long run, unless you fancy your chances as a club singer.
Club singers play 'standards' [or hit songs] from the
last few decades of pop, but their careers tend to be
restricted to playing live gigs in social clubs, cruise
ships and hotels. There is good money to be made by top
club singers but they're unlikely to find themselves on
'Top of the Pops' or in 'Smash Hits'. They mainly play
live rather than recording their songs, and they tend to
appeal to an older audience.
Bands that do succeed with cover versions like Steps,
911 and Boyzone are usually put together by
management companies. These are usually termed
'manufactured' bands. Occasionally artists like Madonna
[e.g. listen to her version of Don Maclean's 'American
Pie'] or George Michael may do a cover song, but
they have generally gained a
reputation as song writers in their own right first. They
may perform a cover version for novelty value, as a
homage to a classic artist, or to breathe new life into
an old song.
Always be aware that a 'cover' song must have your own stamp of originality on it before it can be a Hit in it's own right [And I should know...Dec]
Record companies tend to want to hear original songs on a demo. One A & R person was recently quoted as saying:
'Why do I want to hear another version of a current pop hit, more than usually sung badly ? It may be easier than writing your own material but it can damage a record company's perception of you as an artist. So many people send in karaoke-style demos of 'Never Ever'' or 'I Will Always Love You'. I already know what Whitney sounds like and you'll have to be pretty good to even be compared to her, Mariah and the other divas'.
Top Tips
Remember, don't rush things. Take it step by step.
Becoming a pop star, takes more than a few weeks work!
Ambition is important, but be realistic.
Overnight success is rare in the music business. Have a
goal and work towards it, bit by bit. But remember, even Celine
Dion took a long time to fine tune her vocal skills
before she hit the big time. Don't push yourself until
you're ready. Develop your vocal or instrumental skills,
your songwriting and your image. Even your dance routine
may need careful choreographing if you fancy yourself as
a pop act. Get your act together before you look for a
manager or launch yourself on a unsuspecting world.
Get your friends and family to listen to
your music. Ask them for their honest opinions!
Always be self critical. Look at how you
can improve your songs and performance all the time. If
you've got a camcorder at home, video yourself and look
at how you can make your act or set even better. Compare
what you see to how 'superstars' look;
If you're keen to develop your
instrumental skills, music magazines like Guitarist
and DJ mags can sometimes provide useful tips. There's
also some very good 'teach yourself' audio books which
you'll find in your local bookshop.
Start reading music magazines. It's good
to know what's happening in the music biz even if you
just skim through 'Smash Hits' or 'Top of the Pops'
magazine.
As your music develops, it's worth
reading music biz magazines like Music Week [the
music industry's magazine], the Stage [good for
checking out auditions nationally] and Making Music
[free in music shops and good for info on equipment]. Future Music and Sound on Sound
offer good advice and information on the latest
technological equipment - ideal for DJ's and dance music
wannabees.
Think about your image - hair, clothes,
style and presentation are all important !
Don't send out demo's to record
companies too soon. Don't go anywhere near a label until
you're absolutely ready. It's a common mistake to start
contacting record labels too early. It can often take
several years to get to the right point to be sending out
material. It's also best to send out via a well
respected manager. Record labels have A & R [Artist
and Repertoire] reps who check out new talent. They are
looking for the next big thing but they want talent that
is well developed. They're likely to sling your demo in
the waste bin if you send them a cassette made in your
bedroom on a dodgy karaoke machine or if it features
off-key, out of tune vocals, badly played guitars and
drums, or a weak sounding version of a popular chart hit
by Madonna, Emminem or Christina.
Never send a demo to a record company or
music industry person unless you have phoned them first
and they say it's OK to send a CD. Even then, you may
not get a reply.
Since 9/11 and the Iraq conflict no Industry folk will even touch a jiffy bag...let alone open it...would you?
Develop industry links. It's good to
have a friendly journalists on your side to give you
decent write-ups and reviews.
So you've
got the songs, you've impressed your mates, and you may
have even played a few gigs. You're itching to get into
the studio and make your first proper demo tape. It's a
scary prospect ! Scarier than Scary Spice in fact !
What's the best time to go into a studio?
Before you even think about a trip to a studio, make sure that you're 100% happy with your songs. It's tempting to go into the studio far too early, before you're ready. Better to wait and get the songs, and your vocal and instrumental skills 'spot-on'.
Where should you go?
There are studios across any country and they
vary in what they can offer you. For instance, in the UK, Generator has a list of
studios and a guide to prices. Some community studios
offer cheaper rates and some like Northern Recording in
Consett and The Studio in Hartlepool offer training
courses for young people.
How much will they charge?
Making a studio demo can be an expensive business !
You'll have to start saving up your pocket money or pay
from your weekend job OR get your parents to help.
Studios charge anything from £70 to £250 a day. The huge Hit making studios are way beyond your dreams...so don't even think about the cost. You'll
probably need at least a couple of days to lay down 2 or
3 songs [less if you're doing 'cover versions' to backing
tapes].
What will you need to know about the technical side of the studio?
The studio engineer should be able to work with you to
make the most of your songs and your sound. Get them to
listen to a rough tape of your songs before you go into
the studio so they can hear your style and your material.
Talk about what you want to get out of your trip to the
studio.
Make sure
that the studio has the right equipment for your music.
You write your own lyrics but what if you don't have any music ?
So, you and your mates sing, dance and write your own
lyrics but where do you get the music to complete the
perfect pop song ? Local recording studios may be able to
supply music and musicians [they'll know good 'session'
players]. But beware - this could be expensive? A lot of studio owners just see the size your cheque book [or your parents' cheque book]
Another
option is to find a programmer who you can pay to come up
with some music for your outfit. Before you agree to work
with them, ask to hear a selection of their music.
Why not hook
up with your local college ? A student[s] could make a
project out of making music for you. There would be
minimal cost to you and you may even be able to get free
recording time in the studio.
Some studios
also make use of their less busy times ['downtime'] by
offering projects. Singers and bands can get the use of
studio facilities at little or no cost, if the studio can
see the potential of a commercial success. You need to be
very wary about signing contracts in this respect because, if you hit the
big time, this studio may want some kind of financial
'pay off'.
Demos
Put your best track first.
Catch the listeners attention within the
first 20 seconds. Make them want to listen to more.
Use only 2 to 3 songs on a demo.
Keep songs fairly short and punchy.
Make sure that the sound quality is OK and
not too fuzzy or quiet / loud.
Always put your name and phone number and every conceivable contact detail on the
CD.
Don't send out lyric sheets. [Hmmmmmmm! Can't say i agree with that...Dec]
First
Gigs
Keeping it Live - Next Gigs
Don't gig before you're ready. Better to
practice until you're confident you can perform in front
of an audience.
Try for small gigs at school, college or in
your local church or community hall.
Use your first gigs to try out various
songs, sets and running orders. Perfect your performance
and decide on a set that you're comfortable with.
Make sure that you're well rehearsed.
Make every gig a special event. Create a
buzz. Think about sound, lighting, presentation and the
order of the songs in your set. Look and sound
professional even if there's only ten people watching,
Always do your best - you never know who might be in the
audience !
Play a couple of try-out gigs before
launching yourselves at a bigger venue.
Turn up early and be well prepared.
[If you are young] Get your family or an adult to help with
transport and equipment. Make sure the stage set up is
safe and the electrics have been checked by an expert.
Get the audience involved. Talk to them, [but only if you have something of relevance to say...rehearse the talking!]
'work them', get them excited! If you're a pop act, you
might use choreographed dance routines. If you're an
indie or rock band, build up the excitement. Save the
best till last and go out with a bang!
Keep your set short and sweet. Don't bore
the audience by playing too long. Make them want more. A
20-30 minute show is ideal.
Be prepared for a few failures. Not everyone
gets it right every time. Learn from things that go
wrong.
Once you've started playing gigs, don't
forget to tell your friends and fans. Posters, leaflets
and fliers are good ways of publicising your gigs, and
these can be produced cheaply and run off on a
photocopier.
Don't do too many gigs in one area.
Band Biogs
Once you've built up a good crowd at your
gigs, think about playing in larger venues. Build things
up over time.
Start thinking about doing gigs outside your
immediate town or city. Build up useful contacts in other
areas.
If you're at school, think about putting a
schools tour together. You'll need to get your music
teacher or head to speak with other schools.
Once you've built up a following, think
about starting a fan club, fanzine or mailing list. [Perhaps the most important part...database/fanbase...your Email list has to be 30,000+...Dec]
You can
start your own mailing list by collecting the names and
addresses of fans who come to your gigs. Then you can
send them information about future gigs, merchandise and
band gossip. But remember keeping a mailing list going
costs money [in stamps and envelopes / notepaper]. [But Emailing costs practically nothing...except your time...Dec]
Producing a
fanzine can be a cheap and easy way of publicising your
band. If you have access to a photocopier and word
processor, it couldn't be easier. [Again - a weekly or monthly Ezine with audience pics. in costs nothing!...Dec]
If you are planning on getting gigs, you
may be asked for a band biography. A band biog is a one
page description of who you are, what sort of music you
make and any highpoints in your musical career so far.
Your artist / band biog should be typed and
not hand written. Make it look attractive to the reader.
Keep the biog short and simple - no more
than one page.
Include any good quotes from reviews in the
press if you have these.
Try to give the reader an idea of what sort
of music you make.
Biogs are also useful for sending to
journalists and record labels if you are mailing out
demos.
Hot Shots
Include photos with your biog if you have
good ones.
Photographs should be simple and eye
catching. No dodgy snaps.
Make yourself look striking and interesting.
Simple but striking is best.
Always put your name and phone number on the
back of a photo. [Write ALL your contact details - plus the title of the pic. on a label and then stick it on the back of the picture...work out for yourself why...Dec]
