#musiccareertips

[gibsonmusicart]

What's Fair In A Record Deal

By Chris Standring

I recently re-read Courtney Love's famous "rant on the major label cartel", a fascinating and inciteful criticism of the major record company contract system from a signed artist's perspective. If you haven't yet read this you can read this here in the A&R online reading room. For those of you who are not up on this drama, Courtney Love sometime ago expressed her dissatisfaction with her own record deal and artist deals in general, deeming them to be corrupt, an "act of piracy" and exploitative. She goes on to say that it would take millions of record sales for an artist to recoup promotional money spent in order to see any money at all from record sales. It is a very long, yet thoughtful essay on the music business seen through the eyes of a successful artist. I would like to offer my take on this subject if I may indulge myself, and offer a personal opinion on what changes might be made in order to exercise a more fair record contract situation. Courtney is absolutely right when she talks about artists not making money from record sales. I think that first I should quickly point out (for the benefit of lesser experienced artists) that there are two royalty sources that an artist is technically able to benefit from. The first (and Courtney's main concern) is "artist" royalties. These are royalties due to an artist from record sales. Usually, an artist can be offered anywhere between 10 to 20 royalty points depending on his/her credibility, etc. The second royalty source is "mechanical" royalties. These are royalties payable to the songwriters. Last time I checked the statutory rate was around 7 cents per song (possibly changed again by now). A songwriter who writes 100% of an album's worth of let's say 10 songs will, therefore, make 70 cents per album sold. This is payable from record one. It is therefore extremely beneficial for artists to write the music they record! Anyway, the only real drama with mechanicals is that labels somehow get away with paying artists only 75% of the statutory rate, which means labels are effectively withholding 25% of the copyright income. There is absolutely no reason for them to do this apart from the fact that they have always got away with it! This is one thing I would like to see changed. Very successful artists can usually negotiate 100% of the stat. New artists, very very rarely. Let's go back to our "artist" royalties because this is where ALL the problems really lie. Let me explain what the problem is really all about. Let's say a major label has just signed your band "The Ahmesh Conspiracy" and offered you an exorbitant amount of money. Your attorney has negotiated an artist royalty of 15 points. Traditionally not bad for a new artist. Here's the way it works... Every single promotional penny spent on promoting your record, be it video costs, indie radio promotion or retail programs, etc, is recoupable from your royalty points in some way, depending on how your contract is set up. Some things are charged to the artist at 100%, some 50%. What this means is that in order for you to recoup let's say $100,000 in promotion, the record company will have to receive income almost 10 times that amount before you clear that recoupment. (Don't forget, you the artist won't see a penny until your recoupment is clear). How is this so? When $100,000 of income goes to the record label, only 15% of that goes towards your recoupment. You are recouping at a snail's pace because you are recouping at 15% of the pie! That means that realistically, you can never really make money because if records are selling well, the label will continue to spend X amount of promotional dollars which in turn gets recouped at the 15% snail's pace. It's a complete joke! While you are going more and more in debt, the label may be making millions! It takes an Elton John or Mick Jagger to make artist royalties. Pretty frightening huh? So how have artists been existing up until now and what is there to hope for? Firstly, smarter artists become hip to the fact that they HAVE to write their own material. Secondly, once they have a hit record, if they are really smart they will have their attorney attempt to re-negotiate certain things in order to keep everyone pacified. (Let's face it there is nothing more counter-productive than a reluctant artist!) One of those things may be to "clean slate", which essentially means to have the label wipe their recoupment bill from a previous record. This is only possible from an artist with a very successful CD, however. There has to be a tremendous amount of positioning to pull this off. Aside from living off publishing income (mechanical royalties), a successful artist can always tour. The more successful an artist is the more the band can be "guaranteed" high-performance fees. A successful artist touring can command thousands of dollars per show which record companies do not take a hand in. This is an important revenue for artists. So this is the way it has been up until now. I say "up until now" as nothing has changed yet, but with people like Courtney Love going to court over this, things may indeed take a turn, whether it be now or later. I would personally like to see two important things changed in standard recording contracts: Firstly, regarding artist royalties, artists should be able to recoup at (at least) 50% (50 artist royalty points) until their debt is paid. Once their debt is paid, then a lower artist royalty rate might then be acceptable. The sheer fact that labels recoup from artists at such a pathetically low rate means that there is no hope for artists to make money this way. There has to be a new higher percentage to recoup at. Secondly, regarding mechanicals, as I mentioned before, I would like to see it made illegal that labels can even offer 75% stat. It HAS to be 100%, non-negotiable. Finally, and something I want to say that Courtney will probably disagree with, is that labels should make the lion's share. Why? because I believe that anyone who stumps up the money in the first place should make a larger percentage. Otherwise, artists should do it on their own (and of course are doing that now, but usually with complications as there is little money to play with). I am more than happy to see artists sign a record deal where a record label makes more money than them, especially if an artist is new, undiscovered and needs a huge promotional break. That takes a ton of money. Money artists don't have on their own. That's why we have record deals. HOWEVER, this aside, I want to know I too can not only eat but make good money if I am signed to a label that has me signed to a contract for 7 frickin' albums!! That's a long long time to be tied up let me tell you. Especially if CD's are selling and you ain’t collecting! So, sure, I want to see big changes, it's high time! I think it has to be in perspective that's all.

Source: Music-Articles.com

[positivelymusic]

#Repost @livemusictutor1 with @repostapp ・・・ Music Career Tip 6: Give With Caution with Leena Sowambur from #PositivelyMusic and #LiveMusicTutor Positively Music​ #MusicCareerTips #MusicIndustry #MusicEducation #LMT

[gibsonmusicart]

The real truth behind pay to play!

By Chris Standring

Few things get my goat. "Pay To Play" has always been one of them, as long as I can remember. Until recently. For those of you who are not familiar with this concept, I will briefly explain. I should preface this article by saying that there are indeed many other band-booking scenarios. This article is specific to one and one only. Also, the concept of pay to play is rife in big US cities such as Los Angeles and New York. It may not exist in certain countries. It's not a perfect world, just the one that we live in. Ok, with that little disclaimer aside, I will continue.... An unknown (and unproven) band will approach a club booker and try to get their act booked on a certain date. The booker listens to the band's CD and decides that they are worthy of public attention and agrees to give the band a date. There are two ways this will pan out. First, about 300 tickets will be printed up and sold to the band by the club. The band then sell these tickets to their fans and do their promotional job enticing people to come to see their show. It is in the band's interest to sell all the tickets otherwise they are out of pocket and end up "paying to play". The second way is where a contract is issued to the band explaining that they need to have a certain amount of people in the club for them to make a profit, let us say 100. If 100 people do not show up and pay 5 bucks to get in, the remaining amount is due to the club. So if a band only fill that club with 50 people, then 50 people (that haven't paid $5) is due to the club. The band end up paying the club $250.00 Ok so now we have that understood let's try to get a new perspective on this. Although I have always abhorred this behavior from club bookers I have a new attitude to it, something that changed once I started touring as a recording artist, promoting my own records. What all bands want is a nice guarantee to perform at venues and start making a profit. However, as a new unproven artist, one has absolutely no market share. This is an essential "ticket value". If a promoter wants to book The Eagles to play live then he knows that this band has an enormous fanbase and can guarantee an audience. He then does a deal with the bands' agent who later accepts. The promoter is initially out of pocket but with low risk as he has done the numbers and knows that he will turn a profit with this proven act. The new artist has no market price as this band is unknown. Therefore a club booker cannot offer a guarantee because he is at risk with this band. It is, therefore, the band's responsibility to take the risk. Usually, the band does take a hit because it cannot draw a crowd and ends up out of pocket. Now the band has an attitude about giving away free entertainment! But this is business. A product needs to be proven to work before other business people decide to get involved and give away money. Here is something that opened my eyes once I got in the record game. A manager friend of mine said to me as I signed my first record deal, "Welcome Chris, now you're off to the races let's see how much money you lose in the first year!" Now there's the encouragement I thought. Wise words however and I took heed... As my first radio single took off on the airwaves I started to get invitations to perform at radio station events and promotional functions. Most radio stations like to have annual events they call "listener parties" where they invite thousands of listeners to an event they put on and invite let us say 3 bands to perform. The first two artists will be proven stars, the third (little old me in this example) what they call a "new rising star". The first two bands may be offered a guarantee to perform, but quite possibly not. Usually, if money is offered for radio events it will be minimal as they expect record label tour support. Sponsors sometimes jump on board and offer free hotel and air so ostensibly the radio station ends upcoming just a little out of pocket to promote their event. So, I am invited to perform at one of these listener parties but the radio station only wants to pay $1500.00 assuming that my label will kick in the rest. I go back to my label and ask for a further $2000.00. The event is on the east coast and I have to fly 4 other guys as there is no air sponsor. Air tickets are costing $595 each as it's peak summertime. That's $2975.00 before I have even paid my sidemen! My label agrees to kick in $1500 and that's it! So now I have a guaranteed budget of $3000 and my airfares for the band have tapped that! I absolutely have to pay my band as they should not have to take a hit, it's my career after all! I decided to try and do the show without a sax player. That will save me airfare and show fees. Now my airfare is down to $2380.00. I'll pay my band $250.00 each to do this show. Now I am up to $3130.00 I am down $130.00 and I haven't paid myself a penny!!! Do I do the show? You're damn right I do, this listener party has 7000 people coming in checking me out, possibly buying my CD and becoming new fans. Now 3 years later and another hit record to my name I am being offered more healthy guarantees from promoters in the USA and Europe. Why? because I was smart in the beginning and made sure I got things to work when I needed them to. Now I even have musicians I call to do shows that live in New York, Los Angeles and London to make an even healthier profit. This is obviously not such a good idea if you are a 4 piece band but as a solo artist, you can do this very effectively. By hiring musicians in London for a UK show I can save myself around $2400.00 That's a big slice if you do this on a regular basis! To understand one thing. You have to start small and build your fan base. Once you have a legitimate fan base, you can do good deals with promoters. In order to do this, you need to localize. Build-in one area and expand. It's a "baby step" program. Watch for the con artists, they do exist as I'm sure you know. Be smart. I love contracts, you should grow to love them too. Prove yourself. Build your market share and understand that "pay to play" does exist but it's nothing more than smart business. Once you have market worth, trust me promoters will be calling you offering healthy guarantees!

Source: Music-Articles.com

[gibsonmusicart]

Online Branding for Musicians How to - Why Branding Your Band Is Essential

By Ken Cavalier

Before I begin writing this article, I'd like to say that most artists and musicians are sometimes intimidated by the word BRAND. A lot, or even most, have no idea what it means or what it is, and most importantly how crucial it can be to set themself apart from all of the thousands of other acts out there; and being the band that ultimately achieves success.

First, let me point out that building your digital brand is not as complicated as you might think. As a matter of fact, it's probably one of the easiest and least expensive forms of marketing your music and your band. As I indicated, I am going to lay this out - step-by-step so that it is very easy to follow and implement. So, let's get into it a little:

First, let me point out that building your digital brand is not as complicated as you might think. As a matter of fact, it's probably one of the easiest and least expensive forms of marketing your music and your band. As I indicated, I am going to lay this out - step-by-step so that it is very easy to follow and implement. So, let's get into it a little:

YOUR LOGO:

This is probably the simplest form of your brand. Every act should have a logo that in some way or another represents who you are. It should be simple and easy to understand. But you must have one. Don't rush it - do many different ideas and samples until you pick the final version. Collaborate with band-members, fans, and friends for different ideas. Six heads are better than one.

YOUR STORY:

Remember, you essentially want your digital brand to tell the story of who you are. Focus on details that describe your image and likeness, your on-stage consistent look, and a consistent look and feel for your websites and social media. Once you devise your branded image, exploit it everywhere. When fans move from website to website or see you perform, your brand must be consistent. Everywhere people look for you, they must be able to absolutely know it's you - simply by seeing your consistent logo, brand, and image. It must be memorable!!

CONSTRUCT A COMMUNITY OF FOLLOWERS:

Personalize your fan engagement experiences. Build trust and affection in your close personal community. Engage as often as possible. Possibly use brand-infused giveaways as a way to increase your follower's cooperation.

Use Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to constantly spread your brand and expose it to as many followers as possible. By all means, shoot professional videos. Video will enhance your brand and give your fans a closer look at what you're all about and become closer to you.

OVERSHADOW YOUR COMPETITION:

Dominate your particular music market by being distinctive in every aspect of your digital and traditional marketing efforts. Some examples are your official website, your social media sites, and posts, new CD releases and especially in your merchandise. Your merch must be distinctive and express your image and brand in its designs. Along with your logo, merch designs should also reflect your band's character and its overall story. The designs should be original and trendy. If they're truly cool designs, people will buy them even if it had nothing to do with your band; hence, more collateral exposure for your brand.

PUBLICITY & MUSIC MEDIA RELATIONS:

Exploit your brand in the news media, interviews, radio, and in music review blogs. Getting coverage in any of the media outlets will create serious attention and awareness for your brand, and further, enhance it. This type of outreach is better handled by a seasoned music publicist. It takes a great deal of time, expertise, and an accumulation of high profile media contacts. It's extremely difficult for the average artist to be taken seriously by media outlets. A professional music publicist, who is trusted by the media, may cost you a few bucks, but it's worth every penny.

SO, IN SUMMARY:

Remember, don't get too intense or complicated. And most importantly, don't get frustrated. Take your time - do it right and keep it simple. Don't forget to work with all of your band-members, fans, friends, and followers when it comes to establishing your logo, story, image, and designs. Six heads are better than one. Take a look at the extremely popular acts that you admire - see how they approach branding. You may want to consider emulating some of their ideas.

Branding is a serious business. It's not something to be ignored. It's the visual representation of you as an artist. Just have fun, and do it!

Source: EzineArticles .com

[gibsonmusicart]

Seven Things Musicians Do In The Wrong Order

By T. Hess

A lot of musicians do the correct things, but at the wrong time (and in the wrong order). They try to build their music careers while basing many of their decisions on fear, incorrect assumptions, and tips from amateur musicians rather than proven professionals.

The following music career mistakes make achieving success in this industry very difficult:

Mistake #1: Contacting Music Companies Too Soon To Try To Get A Record Deal

A lot of musicians want a recording contract, but only a small percentage of them really know what music companies are looking for. These companies invest tons of money into musicians similar to how people put their money into stock on the market.

You have to give these companies 100% proof that their investment will pay off for many years to come. When you can do this, music companies feel comfortable investing in your career because they believe it will help them earn money. When you contact them too soon, before you can provide proof of your potential to help them succeed, you are simply wasting your time.

You don't have to have massive accomplishments before you can contact them, but you do need to make sure that a company can completely trust in:

*Your desire to achieve big things

*Your ability to work hard on a consistent basis

*Your ability to persevere

*Your mindset for business

*How well you can sell music to your existing fans

Mistake #2: Only Focusing On Mastering Your Instrument And Neglecting Your Career

Tons of musicians are afraid of growing their careers because they don't think their musical skills are good enough. They feel like they need to master their instrument completely before they can even think about getting into the music industry.

1. It takes a lot more than musical talent to grow a career in this industry. When you spend all your spare time practicing your instrument, you lose time you could be spending to work on growing other areas of your career.

2. There's no such thing as completely mastering a musical instrument because you will always find new things to improve.

You need to get started growing your career when your musical skills are around an intermediate level or above. Continue getting better musically while developing your music career at the same time.

Mistake #3: Waiting Too Long To Find A Music Career Mentor

The majority of musicians do not have any training for how to achieve success in the music business, because:

1. They don't know that music career mentoring exists.

2. They don't have enough ambition to pursue success in this business.

When you work with a music career mentor, you are investing in your future (not merely spending money). Mentoring helps you make tons more money than what you invest in it. This is how:

*You no longer have to guess when it comes to how you should grow your career. You save tons of time and money working with an experienced mentor than you would simply be guessing about what to do next.

*You find out the best way to promote yourself and your music. This gives you a massive advantage when working with/without a music company.

*You discover how to create opportunities in your music career without any outside help. This makes your career very stable and secure while giving you complete control over how much success you want to have.

Disclaimer: You might be aware that I have a music career mentoring program to help musicians become successful. So maybe you believe everything above was written just so you will join it. This is only partially correct. Of course, I want to help musicians like you to succeed. However, the benefits of working with a mentor can't be denied whether you work with me or not.

Mistake #4: Not Training Yourself To Have The Right Mindset At The Start Of Your Music Career

The way you think determines how far you get in the music industry. Have a poor mindset, and you will never achieve great success.

Fact: your mindset consists of much more than simply thinking with a positive attitude. When you train yourself with a success-oriented mindset, you train yourself to:

*Push through in the face of challenges where others would give up.

*Turn problems into massive opportunities for success.

*Do the hard work other musicians don't do, so you can achieve the big results most musicians never get it.

To do these things you have to train your mindset from the very beginning of your career and build a solid foundation from which to expand.

Mistake #5: Not Building Up A Local Following Of Fans

Music companies are way more interested in musicians who have a huge local following than those who have a moderate internet following. It's harder to grow a loyal fanbase in your local town than to attract thousands of people all over the world to check out your online videos/channel/etc. Plus, it's very difficult to fake a local following versus having a lot of likes on Facebook (for example).

Mistake #6: Waiting Too Long To Get Freedom Of Time And Money

Let's face it: you need to have the freedom to be able to accept certain opportunities in your music career as they present themselves. This means you need both time and money.

Too many musicians don't consider this until it is much too late. They spend the majority of their time working at normal day jobs while keeping their music career as a side hobby.

The majority of day jobs require you to spend full-time hours working every week. This makes it nearly impossible to grow a music career and make money at it. Many musicians get stuck at their jobs and never end up going into music.

Get back control over your time and money as soon as you can (by starting early in your music career).

Mistake #7: Planning Your Music Career From The Start Instead Of The End

You need to plan your music career by thinking from the end and working your way backward. Think about what your highest goal is and the final step you must take before you achieve it, then work backward from there. This gives you the precise path you need to take to get there.

The majority of musicians don't do this. The try to plan out the steps they have to take from where they are. This is a good way to get stuck and not achieve the things you want.

An experienced music career mentor shows you how to design a strategy to reach your musical goals as fast as possible.

Get the music business training necessary to become successful.

Source: EzineArticles.com

[gibsonmusicart]

Music Licensing - What, How and Why It's Important for Your Business

By Mark Malekpour

Music licensing commonly refers to 'royalty free music' or 'production music'. This is music that has been written and produced with the sole purpose of being used in another project. Anyone can then license this music for a fee, to use in their project.

What about commercial music?

Commercial music, written and performed by artists like Adele, M83 and U2 for example, cannot be used for any purpose other than personal/private performance. When you buy a CD or download an MP3, it is specifically stated that you cannot do anything with that song or music track except listen to it yourself. Any business use is prohibited, even playing it on the radio to customers at a hair salon.

To play commercial music to the public, a public performance licensed is required by the appropriate performing rights organization of that country. In the UK it may be PRS or PPL. In the US/Canada, it may be BMI or ASCAP. These organizations arrange a fee to the proprietor of the business, based on the size of their business/location. This can be expensive, and time-consuming just to play the radio to your customers on your premises, but does permit the business to play the radio to its customers without legal issues.

This is not a suitable solution for video production and filmmaking, as the usage and purpose of music are not the same. As many video production companies produce content for clients, they need background music for their video/film that is cleared for its intended purpose. When licensing commercial music, arranging such a license for online, public performance, in-store and mass distribution quickly becomes expensive and convoluted.

Royalty-free music licensing offers a simple and cost-effective solution to acquiring well-produced music with all necessary rights for the client, within an affordable, transparent license.

Who needs to license music?

Anyone creating digital content with the intention of publishing it online or publicly. It's really that simple. You cannot legally use music you have not written yourself, or licensed from a music library.

What about 'home movies' and 'personal projects'?

The same rules apply to home movies and personal projects, but because these are produced not-for-profit, nor professionally on behalf of a client it is possible to use commercial music in this type of content. However, when this content is published on social platforms like Facebook and YouTube, you may find your video is blocked in certain countries or deleted entirely. This is because commercial artists and record labels have an agreement in place that monitors the use of their content on these platforms, and can enforce accordingly. There is, however, many commercial artists and record labels who permit the use of their music in exchange for advertising. An ad will be attached to your content as a pre-roll, overlay or half-time break during the video in exchange for permission to use their music track. If you're producing something personal, 'for fun' then this shouldn't be an issue.

The risks of using commercial music in professional video

A client may want the latest chart hit in their video because it resonates with their target audience, or they feel it represents their brand. However, as outlined previously this could end up immediately being blocked or deleted with further implications like account suspension. If the video is not blocked or deleted, then it will be served with ads.

This is the last thing you want for your client. You've produced a video promoting their new product, and before the video has even started, viewers are being shown ads for competing brands and products. It degrades the potential of the video and the brand.

Why license ROYALTY FREE MUSIC?

There are THREE key reasons why licensing music correctly is hugely important.

1. You're using music that will NOT be subject to copyright claims, blocks or deletion when it is published online. This means you can deliver your end-product to your client without fear of any music-related issues.

2. You can MONETISE the content you produce. If you're producing the content for your own online channel on YouTube, you'll no doubt be entered into the partner program, to earn money from ads displayed on your videos. You cannot earn money from these ads if the music is not licensed, as it will go straight to the artist/producer of the music. Pay for the music license, earn money from that music license. Simple.

3. Create an identity for your video. Whether you're producing something on behalf of a client, or yourself. If you use a hugely popular, well known commercial music track, chances are that song will resonate with the viewer more than your content. However, if you create really good video content AND license the perfect music track nobody has heard before, you're offering a completely unique audio/visual package that is new and fresh.

What about free music?

If you look for it, you will find music that is available to use for free. But ask yourself, why is it free?

Free in exchange for ads and revenue.

The creator could be giving you permission to use their music in exchange for ad-revenue online via YouTube and Facebook, and you won't know this until you publish it and get informed ads will be displayed alongside your video, with all revenue going to the artist.

A poor quality sample

The free music track you're using could be a low-quality sample of something an artist is trying to sell. This could be a low 128kbs MP3 that appears suitable, but when played back against high-quality content, will sound quiet, muted and generally not as good. When music is licensed from a library, it should be available in broadcast quality WAV or 320kbps MP3 as standard.

Who else is using it?

You won't be the only one looking for free music. People creating content purely for personal projects don't have a budget for music licensing so they need something free. If you're producing a project for a client who is paying you, would they be happy with you using the same free music track as everyone else? If it's free, chances are a lot of people will make use of it.

Clearance and Assurance

Anyone can upload a music track online. There is no vetting, no quality control or legal assurance. Any Blog or digital content platform can host a music track for others to share. So, when you're downloading a 'free music track' how do you know the provider actually has the right to provide it to you? When you license a music track from a professional curated library, you have the assurance that every single music track has been reviewed, contracted and published legally for you to license and use.

Why pay for music?

There are thousands of music tracks online. What difference is there between 'Track A' and 'Track B'? As a video producer/filmmaker, ask yourself this question: "There are thousands of video cameras available. iPhones can shoot 4K video and you can plug a microphone into them. Why should a company hire me to shoot their video"?

When you license music from a reputable library, you're paying for the expertise in writing and composing the music track. From the start, middle and end. The quality of instruments used. The production of dynamic audio, the builds, and crescendos. The post-production mastering and edits so that a 3-minute piece can be condensed into a short 30-second edit without losing any of the magic of the music track.

The difference you get when someone films a corporate video on their iPhone compared to someone filming the same video with a professional camera, lighting, and staging is painfully obvious. It is no different when it comes to music or photography. There is technology, the knowledge of the skill and the ability to combine them to achieve the highest quality result.

What can I do with licensed music?

Whatever you want. Music can be licensed for limited use or global distribution, mass production, and broadcast. You can license music for a specific purpose and tailor it to accommodate any additional requirements at any time.

Licensing royalty free music is intended to be the most cost-effective and practical solution for using music in your professional projects. General online distribution is commonly a one-time license fee per track for lifetime usage.

Source: EzineArticles.com

[gibsonmusicart]

First Impressions Are Everything

By Laura Blair

As a freelance journalist, there’s not a bigger turn-off than a CD that lands on my desk with a bio or press release that looks like it’s been written by the drummer’s 14-year old brother. Given the stacks of CDs most journalists regularly receive, packages such as this are likely to go to the bottom of the pile. As an assistant publicist I’ve learned that it’s all about perception; framing a project with the right vocabulary to make it appeal to the right people. First impressions are important whether you are sending your CD to a journalist, in the hopes a CD or live show review, a manager if you’re seeking a management deal, an A&R rep in the hopes of a record deal…or any number of the players in the industry who can help or hinder your career. Chances are, the first (and sometimes only) contact you will have with such people is via a package mailed to them. If you are an indie musician, the last thing you want to appear is unprofessional, by way of a sloppy submission package. A well thought out press kit (don’t worry, it’s not as complex as it sounds) can give you the appearance of a band with its act together. And that might actually sparks someone’s interest enough to actually listen to your music. Such a kit can be as simple as a glossy black and white photo and a bio or history of the band. Even is there is no photo, a bio, or at least a one-sheet on the band is essential. If you are going to write the material yourself, here are some brief tips: Keep it short and to the point. In my experience, unless you are already a well-known band, any bio or press release that runs beyond one side of a page, is a waste of time. Most people don’t have either the time or concentration span to read all the way through to the end. So compress all your thoughts into one side of a page. Write from a 3rd person perspective i.e. don’t use “we” or “I”. Focus on “industry-friendly” details: What style of music you play – many bands don’t want to categorize themselves, but A&R reps etc. want to know what market you could potentially reach. Any achievements thus far – local press, airplay etc. Any other interesting details about the band that could make for a good story. What makes you different than all the other bands looking for a break? Since there are so many nuances to be considered, many of which may vary according to who exactly you are approaching, it is my recommendation that you invest a small amount of money in a freelance writer who can write your bio or press release for you. A couple of reasons: they will give the impression of an objective 3rd party and it is easier for them to highlight the points of interest that a band member (or their best friend/brother etc) may not consider. It is far easier to have someone else write about you and have it sound credible than for you to do it yourself. Also, a writer, whether they are used to doing PR writing or journalistic work can lend your bio an air of professionalism. This can be the difference between someone listening to your CD because you seem serious, or it being tossed aside with the thought of ‘another amateur indie band.’ There are other things a good writer can help you out with, such as incorporating any local press that a band may have already received, or writing compelling content for your website or MP3.com site. Sometimes there are some things best left to others. Just because you can write a great lyric, doesn’t mean you can express the spirit of your band in a professional, industry-friendly manner. It’s true that PR companies will also provide you these services, but usually at a cost that is out of reach of many bands and musicians who still have day jobs. Using an individual writer will furnish you with the professional air you need at a fraction of the cost. Each writer’s fees are going to vary, but you can expect to pay half upfront and the rest on completion of the project. 

Source: http://www.music-articles.com

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5 Tips for Improving Your Song’s Melodic Hooks

Melodic hooks can be the heart of a song. These tasty bits of ear candy can make the difference between an “almost” – and a life-changing hit. They can be instrumental or sung and can occur in any section of a song – the intro, verse, chorus, pre-chorus, post-chorus, bridge, or outro. Catchy musical phrases hook in your listeners and keep them on the proverbial line. They can occur in multiple sections of a given song (i.e., a verse, a pre-chorus, and chorus) and although it is not typical, there can be more than one musical and/or vocal hook per section. But they are most frequently found in choruses and post-choruses. Ideally, unforgettable hooks pop into our heads–or pour out of our keyboards or guitars–spontaneously. But when they don’t, we can apply craft to create these extra-memorable melodic moments and add additional hooks to maximize our songs’ chances for success. Let’s look at five ways to embellish our melodies and help them burn into listeners’ brains. 1. Use a Stutter A stutter in a song occurs when melody is crafted so that part of a word—typically the first syllable—is repeated one or more times by the vocalist. A perfect example of a song with a st-st-st-stutter is Carrie Underwood’s smash hit, “Undo It” (written by Underwood with Kara DioGuardi, Marti Fredericksen, and Luke Laird). The title is sung “Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Undo It,” turning the stutter into the primary hook in the chorus. For another example, listen to Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” (written by Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin). It’s hard to imagine that #1 song without its signature stutter, the “Buh-Buh-Buh” that precedes the name “Bennie.” 2. Repeat a Rhythm Write a melody that includes a unique, instantly memorable rhythm in the vocal melody of a given section of your song (i.e., verse, chorus …). Then repeat this rhythm multiple times within the same part of the song. In order to accomplish this, each line that has the same rhythm needs to have the same—or approximately the same—number of syllables in the lyric that accompanies it. This technique resulted in a powerhouse hook in GRAMMY winning Best Rock Song, “When I’m Gone” (recorded by 3 Doors Down and written by band members Brad Arnold, Todd Harrell, Matt Roberts, and Chris Henderson). Note how the last note of each line of the chorus is emphasized, and that every line of the chorus melody repeats almost the same rhythm, creating a melody that delivered it to the top of Billboard’s Top 40 Mainstream and Hot Mainstream Rock charts. To hear another great example of the power of this technique, listen to the quirky rhythms in the melodic phrases that repeat in the verses of Old Dominion’s “No Such Thing as a Broken Heart” (written by Jesse Frasure, BMI’s reigning Country Songwriter of the Year, with Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, and Brad Tursi). Also note the musical phrase that repeats in the choruses. 3. Include a “Nonsense Syllable” In this context, a nonsense syllable refers to a sound that is sung but has no meaning. These include: “Ooh,” Oh,” Yo,” “Ay,” “Ahh,” “Ooh,” and “I.” These (and other sounds) can be joined together to create vocal hooks that combine melodies with sounds such as, “Oh-I, Oh-I, Oh,” “Ooh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh,” and “Ay-Ay-Ay-Ay-Oh-Ay-Oh.” Camila Cabello’s breakthrough smash, “Havana” (featuring Young Thug, and written by Cabello with Jeffrey Williams, Frank Dukes, Brittany Hazzard, Ali Tamposi, Brian Lee, Andrew Watt, Pharrell Williams, Kaan Gunesberk, and Louis Bell) added the sound “ooh-na-na (ay, ay)” to the title to create an unforgettable hook. Similarly, Sugarland used “Whoa-oh, whoa-oh” to take their song, “Stuck Like Glue” (written by Jennifer Nettles, Kristian Bush, Kevin Griffin, and Shy Carter) to the #1 slot on Billboard’s Country Digital Songs Chart, racking up more than 2.6 millions digital sales along the way. 4. Add a catchy post-chorus A post-chorus can be defined as a part of a song that occurs after the chorus, providing an additional hook that typically includes vocals. It introduces melody that is not heard in the chorus or elsewhere in the song, and in many instances, it has few lyrics that have not previously been heard in the song. It often reiterates the title and incorporates nonsense syllables. Examples of strong post-choruses include Keith Urban’s “Wasted Time” (written by Urban with James Abrahart and William Wells). For more information about post-chorus references, check out “The Power of Post-Choruses.” 5. Include a Catchy Instrumental Lick A musical motif, sometimes referred to as a signature lick, is a melodic phrase that is typically introduced in a song’s intro and recurs throughout the song. Some hit songs, such as Vanessa Carlton’s “Thousand Miles” and Jason Derulo's "Talk Dirty" have multiple instrumental phrases that serve as hooks. Carlton’s #1 hit includes a motif that is played on piano during the intro and in the verses, as well as the instrumental hook played by the strings in the second half of the verses. One of my favorite instrumental hooks is the guitar lick that introduces Rascal Flatts’ recording of “What Hurts the Most” (written by Jeffrey Steele and Steve Robson). This version of the song reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs and Adult Contemporary charts and received a Country Song of the Year GRAMMY nomination. The same lick can be heard (with slight variations) played on a synthesizer in Cascada’s pop/dance recording of the same song. At a recent songwriting workshop, I led my students through an exercise during which they applied each of these techniques to one of their songs. They explored including a stutter, repeating hooky rhythms, adding nonsense syllables, writing a post-chorus, and incorporating a catchy musical lick. One unforgettable hook can be your song’s ticket to the top of the charts. But why stop at one, when multiple hooks can maximize your chances of success? Try these tools in your own songs. Not every song will be benefit from each of these techniques; the decision needs to be made on a song-by-song basis. But you won’t know whether one or more of these melodic tools might take your song to the next level unless you try.

https://www.songwriting.net/blog/5-tips-for-improving-your-songs-melodic-hooks

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Songwriters and Performers - Three Tips For Effectively Marketing Your Music

By Anthony Ceseri

In my opinion, there are five subjects a performing songwriter should have at least a working knowledge in. They include: songwriting, stage performance, recording, theory (including knowing how to play your instrument) and marketing. The first four may seem fairly obvious, however music marketing is a topic often completely ignored by songwriters. In fact, it may be the most important piece of the puzzle. If you want to get anywhere as a songwriter or a performer, you have to learn how to market yourself and your music.

The problem is, occasionally a songwriter will get a "lucky break" with their music and score a lot of money and fame without having put in much effort. Then every other songwriter on the planet thinks that's the way to make it happen. You just have to be lucky. I want to give you a few pointers on how you can be much more likely to achieve your songwriting goals, based on how you market yourself and your music.

1. Speak to One Person

Of course as a songwriter, you want to appeal to the masses. You want a ton of people hearing, sharing and loving your music. I get that. But one thing you have to realize when you're marketing yourself is it's best to address one person, to increase the odds of getting their attention.

For example, let's say you signed up for a band's email list at one of their shows. Which of the following opening lines would be more likely to grab your attention as a reader?

A. "Hey Guys - We wanted to thank you all for coming out to our last show. We appreciated you guys being there and hope you can make it out to our next show at..."

or

B. "Hey Bob - We wanted to thank you for coming out to our last show. We appreciated you being there and hope you can make it out to our next show at..."

Doesn't the second one feel much more like it's directed at you, specifically (well, assuming your name's Bob)? The second one's much more likely to get your reader's attention. There's a subconscious detachment that happens when we read phrases like "hey all you guys." It makes us feel like just a face in a crowd, and we zone out. But when we're spoken to directly, we're much more likely to respond.

To get good at this technique, a great marketing approach is to create an avatar of your typical fan. Write out the name, age, gender, occupation, etc, of one of your fans. It can be someone made-up, who you feel represents your fan base appropriately, or it can be an actual fan of yours. Every time you write an email, tweet, or Facebook post, keep that person in mind. Pretend you're writing to him only and not to everyone on the internet. It'll help you keep your writings engaging for everyone who reads them, because while saying things like "Hello Cleveland" is kick-ass on-stage, it just doesn't apply when you're marketing yourself.

2. Give Value

Another big mistake a lot of songwriters make is they don't make their promotions about their fans. They make them about themselves. They say things like "We would really appreciate it if you came out to our show. It would mean so much to us." That's inwardly focused. It may work on their mom and siblings, but it just won't appeal to someone who's a casual observer of the band. In fact, it'll probably turn that casual observer off, because it's such a self-serving statement.

Another phrase I see a lot of songwriter's write when promoting their stuff is "hey check out my songs, and let me know what you think." There are two reasons this phrase is a bad idea: 1. Again, it's self-serving. It's all about the artist who posted it, which means other people aren't likely to care. And, 2. It's disingenuous. They probably don't really want to know what you think, UNLESS you love it. If you hate their music, they're not going to want you posting that on their page. I recommend staying away from that phrase altogether in online postings. It does the exact opposite of giving value.

Instead, talk about the benefits they'll have by coming out to a show or buying one of your albums. Let them know why it'll be a positive experience for THEM. People respond to what makes them feel good, so make them feel good. Don't just talk about yourself.

Everyone's favorite topic is themselves. Not someone else. Use that piece of information to your advantage when you're inviting someone to a show or to buy your music.

3. Build Relationships

One of the best ways to market your music is to build relationships. This applies not only to people who can help advance your career, like club owners and bigger bands, but with your fans as well.

As far as building relationships with your fans, if you were in the crowd for a band's show, wouldn't you be much more likely to come to another show if the band members engaged you in some pleasant conversation afterwards? If you get your fans on your email list, you can continue the relationship, by offering them cool stuff in your emails.

And as far promoters, bigger bands, etc, who can help your career along, building relationships with them is key as well. You've heard the phrase "it's all who you know." Well start knowing people. But again, it's about them. Don't try to build relationships with people by seeing what they can do for you. No one will want to deal with you. Just be cool and get to know people. Later on down the line, you might able to ask for things, and it'll be okay because you'll have that relationship. But start out by just by getting to know them, and even see if there's anything you can do for them. If people like you and get to know you, they'll be much more likely to want to help you succeed.

The opposite of building relationships would be to spam people online. This includes sending emails to people who didn't ask to receive them and posting your music on sites that weren't looking for it to be posted there. Things like that will only aggravate people, and possibly even get you blocked from the sites you want to be on. You're doing the opposite of building relationships.

The problem is, most songwriters think in numbers. They think "that Facebook page has 20,000 fans. If I post my music there, SOMEONE will hear it, and I'll get famous." What's much more likely to happen, is you're just going to annoy the owner of the page. Think about how you feel when random people you don't know post their stuff to your page. Instead, try to develop a relationship with the owner of the page. Maybe he'll eventually promote your music to his page, if it's good. And if not, that's fine too.

Marketing your music and yourself as an artist is crucial to your success as a songwriter. It's just as important as understating songwriting, stage performance, recording and theory. Actually, it's probably more important, if you want songwriting to be more than just your hobby.

Hopefully you got some good ideas here for promoting your music. Building a fan base can be a long and difficult process. Maybe this information will help you to avoid some unnecessary mistakes throughout your journey to success. Good luck.

Source: EzineArticles .com

[gibsonmusicart]

The Many Benefits of the Songwriting Process

By Del Boland

I think we've all heard that we should enjoy the journey. This may be applied to many things including life itself. However, this adage is particularly true in the process of songwriting.

Songwriting has been an enjoyable avocation for me. Of course, there are ultimate goals that I would like to achieve, but there is also the everyday enjoyment that comes from learning and creating something new. Besides, we all have a choice. We can rush through the songwriting process to make millions of dollars, or we can enjoy every step along the way with better probabilities for retaining what we learn. Taking the process one step at a time allows us to truly appreciate songwriting as an art and it teaches us the more important reasons for writing songs in the first place. That is, we can find fulfillment from songwriting even when the songs do not produce income. It is a wonderful form of expression, but there are many examples of great songs that never received the attention they deserved so there are no guarantees. It makes a lot of sense to me that we, as songwriters, should sit back and enjoy the process and build on the elements of songwriting. In the process of learning, you can build musical collateral for the future.

In my foray into songwriting, I developed a better understanding of the music business environment. I think it is very important to understand the roles of publishers, A&R professionals, labels, producers, agents, managers, song-pluggers, and recording engineers. In addition, I continue to learn about the various types of songwriting contracts as well as better understand the various organizations that support songwriters such as ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and The Harry Fox Agency.

I believe success is part inspiration, preparation, perspiration, and opportunity, but it is also somewhat dependent on the order. We sometimes take our preparation for granted when it is in the context of growing up, but, as kids, we are in preparation for our respective careers from the day that we are born. In essence, a true opportunity cannot exist unless we are ready, willing, and able to take full advantage of it. For example, an executive interview with a Fortune 500 company would provide no particular value to a toddler. Additionally, some events can be characterized by our state of readiness at the time that it occurs. If I had met Paul Simon when I was 10 years old, for instance, it would most likely fall into the inspiration category. If I met Paul Simon today, I would like to think it might fall into the opportunity category.

This leads very nicely into the element of developing relationships. We should learn the importance of developing relationships along the way. You never know when you might be talking to someone that can help you get your big break, so it makes a lot of sense to treat everyone you meet with respect. It is difficult to see clearly through the haze of uncertainty during these times, but it pays to give consideration to every aspect of the music business and not develop harsh opinions too quickly. Unfortunately, there are a lot of negative opinions about recording labels today. While there is greed and excess found in all industries, the recording labels are taking a beating as some artists have found success outside the influence and control of the labels. It still makes sense to maintain all options and to consider any opportunities that might be presented without harboring ill feelings or preconceived notions. While the labels are certainly struggling, they still have strong relationships in the areas of mass media, marketing, and distribution.

Some folks believe that the new music paradigm is a road to success for ALL independents, and it is simply not true. This problem has not changed over the past 50 years. The problem is getting mass media exposure. The Internet is great, but it is vast and still somewhat random in nature. Stated differently, if everyone knew your name or the name of one of your songs, they would be able to find you. However, if everyone knew your name or the name of one of your songs, you would have already achieved your goal. It remains necessary for independent artists to be discovered and then promoted in a mass media setting. Word of mouth is certainly a viable alternative, but you must have a product that grabs the attention of a large audience which is not so different than the more traditional forms of media exposure when you think about it.

So far, I have concentrated on the surrounding elements, but it is also possible to experience more direct personal gains. For example, as a self taught musician, I find myself frequently searching for new techniques and opportunities for development. I was surprised to find songwriting as an opportunity for improving as a guitarist.

In short, I have learned a lot from the necessity for producing the very same sounds with my guitar that I can sometimes hear in my mind. It has proven beneficial beyond any other traditional forms of learning such as guitar lessons, articles, methods, video tapes, or techniques. For me it was a wonderful discovery to find this particular benefit as an extra bonus while continuing to learn about songwriting. Learning more about the guitar is only one example of my particular songwriting journey. Obviously, each learning opportunity will be different for each individual.

Songwriting has opened doors for me in other areas as well. Before I began my journey into songwriting, I found it very difficult to express myself lyrically and musically. It was like a barrier existed between me and the ability to write songs. The songs were very fuzzy to me and not particularly well defined during that time. I knew the songs were there, but I did not know how to tap into this creative yet seemingly elusive resource. After reading books and taking some courses, I managed to find some valuable resources and I am now in the process of "finding my voice". In the meantime, I am finding new doors to open and new areas to explore.

One of the benefits I discovered in this process of learning was building confidence in my ability to write songs. After writing a few songs, I found it easier to write even more songs. The more I write, the more I write. I am now taking a little more time to address specific elements, so I haven't been quite as prolific, but I know what I am able to accomplish.

Perhaps the greatest single benefit that I've discovered is the ability to express myself without fear. Yes, it does get me in trouble from time to time, but it is also important to know when NOT to express our innermost thoughts. For an aspiring songwriter, this ability to express oneself is a desirable trait. That is, a songwriter must be comfortable enough to express many thoughts and emotions that we as humans have learned to suppress. However, an additional word of caution may be necessary. Similar to our relationships with people, our songwriting success is dependent on our ability to provide a point of view with which many others may be able to relate. Alternatively, as a form of art, we may be at liberty to create points of view that are difficult to understand but we are also at risk of not finding an audience when we fail to appeal to the general public. Such songs exist, but many of these songs may be categorized as "lost art", as it is unlikely that a lot of people will hear songs that do not speak universally to their unique sets of circumstances. For the pure songwriter, it is almost impossible to get an "artsy" song published or recorded.

Of course, singer songwriters have the distinct advantage of playing their own songs, which allows them to jump over the barriers that exist for pure songwriters. That is, performing artists and producers, set apart from singer-songwriters, are very selective in the songs (written by others) they include as part of their CD or compilation. This brings up yet another possible benefit of the songwriting process. That is, folks who feel very strongly about their art might be less likely to adjust to the rather narrow market for songs. This creates the necessity to develop as a singer songwriter. It makes sense for the singer-songwriter to also find opportunities to perform in front of an audience. Of course, becoming a singer songwriter may satisfy one condition for this particular group, but it also makes it twice as unlikely to breakout. In particular, the artist must now write songs that connect with a significant portion of the listening public and have a sound, as an artist, that is appealing as well. Playing in front of an audience provides feedback that can be very useful for "developing a voice" for this group of songwriters.

I have learned the importance of communicating thoughts very efficiently. Songwriting generally gives us about 3.5 minutes to convey a thought or an idea. This is the reason why you don't hear songs that explain how to build the space shuttle. It is not possible to convey thoughts that are too complex in a limited amount of time, so decisions must be made. This process involves organizing my thoughts and making the best use of the time available, which requires me to select my words carefully.

I have learned how to work together with others in a creative environment. Collaborating can be very rewarding for songwriters as it provides an opportunity to learn from others. It also provides the opportunity to lend a particular strength to a collaborative effort that may have a greater chance for success. For example, a great lyricist can sometimes find a great composer. Perhaps the lyricist and composer may also find someone with a great voice to help capture the attention of an A&R professional. With the availability of inexpensive recording equipment and the ease with which files are transferred, this can now be done long distance via the Internet.

Finally, like the adage "a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step", it is important to begin the process. I'm not an expert on psychology and building momentum, but it seems likely to me that the moment we commit ourselves to accomplish a goal, then the burden of the initial decision making process is usually set behind us. It also seems reasonable that our own acceptance of a desired goal is key to success. Taking the first step requires that we accept the task or project in which we have selected. This act alone can provide sufficient motivation to begin the process because we have convinced ourselves of the potential value for starting such a journey.

Source: EzineArticles .com

[gibsonmusicart]

Understanding where and how you fit into the marketplace

By Chris Standring

Let's take an interesting scenario... Let's suppose I gave you one million dollars. I heard your band, really liked it and believed that you could be successful. Let's also suppose I have plenty of money to throw away. Here's the deal though. I'm not a record company, just an interested investor. I give you one million dollars to promote your group, to get on the radio and to sell records and get in the big music industry game. In exactly two years I want my money back. It's kind of a loan. If I get my money back after two years, I will give you a bigger deal to promote your next record, one and a half million dollars. If I don't get my money back we never speak again. Deal over, along with your career. Think about it. This could be your big chance. One million dollars to put your music career on the map. Better yet, another million and a half for your next record. No strings attached. Just a chance to get you in the door and compete with the big boys. Here's my question. What do you do with this money? Where do you begin? How do you entertain the idea of marketing yourself successfully? It's a good question isn't it? Think about it. What the hell do you do?? I would be interested to get some answers right around now because I guarantee that 90% of you wouldn't know exactly where to begin. I don't say this disdainfully, after all most of you are creative people, not business heads, but the world has changed, and is changing rapidly. The days of being discovered are over. The days of signing a major record deal are diminishing rapidly. Of course there will always be deals to sign but right now it is about self marketing to get the attention of big industry folks. So give this scenario some thought because it may not be unreal. Whether you have $5000 or $1,000,000 to invest in your career, the thought process should be the same. "What can I do to get myself to the next level, minimizing all risk?" Let me delve further... The painful truth is that one million dollars is a pitiful amount of money to play with in the major league music business. So, unless you are extremely careful, and I mean EXTREMELY careful, it will be unbelievably easy to literally throw this money away unless you know exactly what you are doing. With this in mind, I would suggest you learn 'exactly' what you are doing. The next question becomes, "What do I need to learn?" Well, you will need to learn about radio because you now have money to promote your record to it. You do want to compete with the big boys right? Already, we might have stepped one rung of the ladder too far. If we are going to go to radio, what do we promote to radio? Surely a single that will lessen the odds of disaster. Now you will need to be aware of your competition, you will need to know what is hot at radio, indeed what is hot at YOUR radio format. But what is YOUR radio format? Is it CHR, Urban, Urban AC, AC, NAC, Alternative, Country? Any ideas? (Clue: go to www.rronline.com and peruse the radio charts, get familiar with where you fit in). Now, let's not forget that in order to promote to commercial radio it costs literally thousands upon thousands of dollars, out of the box. You shouldn't even begin to consider spending your money until you know that you will have some success in your format. It's a complete waste of time and money otherwise. You will need to test market, do a ton of research before you even spend a dime. Don't forget, I want my money back in two years and I will give you a bigger deal if you get me my money back. There is every incentive for you to get this right. So already you are now thinking about lessening the odds of disaster because you want a succcessful career right? Ok, We have the radio thing down. Let's talk about Retail. You will need to get this wired. Here's a little info you might not know about. We all know how difficult it is to get distribution, right? They seem to want to deal with established relationships. Let's assume you have an 'in' and have a good distributor working with you. That distribution company has to sell your product to each retail store they are assigned to. Why will a Tower records or Warehouse stock your record? Because you have good distribution? Hell no!! A distributor is only as good as the record company promoting your record. You, the label, will need to convince retail to stock your record. How do you do that? One way might be to deliver them hot faxes on a weekly basis telling them of all the promotion you are giving your record, namely; radio action, gigs, special marketing programs, paying retail exorbitant amounts of money to get 'end caps' (those cool stands at the front of the store, displaying 50 copies of your record at sale price). And so on. And this is just the beginning.... How much of this did you know? Be honest. To promote a record effectively, you have a small window of time where you can buy listening stations, promote to radio via an independent radio promoter and market you record effectively. And don't forget, I want my money back or you don't get the next million and a half. Once you put yourself in the competetive world of music business promotion something interesting happens. The artist seperates himself/herself from the art and sees things from a purely marketing standpoint. But not just marketing, marketing TODAY. And the point of this little scenario? It is important to look at your product and ask yourself, "Do I have what it takes, and if not, how can I get to that neccessary place in order to compete?" We have to exist in a professional playground, like it or not. How do we fit into this playground? Well, It's become a highly competetive world which means we have to try to keep one step ahead, and really know the business. Try to think above who you are as an artist and understand how you might fit into the marketplace. Because, frankly, I would really like my money back!

Source: Music-Articles.com