Spotlight Society

Major Record Labels vs the Indie Market

2011-05-20T01:35:00.000-07:00

Yeah Dessa! @Chasers in Scottsdale, AZ

A lot of good talent goes unappreciated and under-the-radar to a majority of radio listeners. It's sad to hear that just because you haven't signed with one of the Big Four, you are not making it / going to make it in music. There are a number of record labels and sub-labels now, that in my opinion, are mute. Unless you were specifically called upon or chaperoned to sign with a major label, I don't see the point. Getting a record out there is all well and good but pointless (as an investment) if people don't know you. Extreme example: Kelly Osborne. With the exception that we know her as Ozzy Osborne's daughter. No offense Kelly.

As for another example, the "true story" of Katy Perry. Tonight I watched a "biography" at the neighbors (I know two things wrong here: cable TV and Katy Perry). Carefully selected phrases and cut scenes were piled together to create the common "rags to riches" story...all within 30 minutes. From what I gathered as her tale of finally making it, stemmed from signing with Capitol Records. Though her first album was a fail, her second lead to her very first hit ("I Kissed a Girl") that skyrocketed her to fame. How she landed a such a contract with a major record company, I can't help but be a little skeptical. Connections? Money? If not due to the constant comments of her financial woes and stories of how many cars of hers were repossessed. Additionally instant success was immediately countered with "hard work" and "persistence". She concluded that we must all "just follow our dreams". As if it is not already a cliché thing to say.

Given the few bands in my area and those that I spoke with, they do fairly well by focusing solely within their community. If they [want and do] expand, it is only once they feel they have a strong enough following at home. Once that happens, they can leverage their hometown fame and create opportunities to penetrate other markets.

The music market is oversaturated but that can be a good thing. From downloading and sharing, to free concerts and radio, just about anyone has access to music. It's not just for record-label "models" that are "successful". Honestly I think the unrealistic amounts of wealth and imagine of glamour (i.e. Katy Perry) only deters people entirely from getting involved in anything musically. It deters everything that has to do with raw expression and creativity.

Personally I am glad there are more than a few ways to market yourself. There's a lot of media out there. Today having a major label is no where near as important as it was 10 years ago. I have my favorite artists and most are not Billboard's Hot 100.
If you play an instrument, sing, write, draw... you are by my definition, an artist. Perhaps not well-known or famous but practice your craft like it is a fraction of your soul; and people will start to notice.

I also want to throw in a photo from one of my favorite artists, Dessa Darling. Went to her concert with Doomtree on May 10th. Fabulously talented. Check her out!

Finding a Quality Voice Teacher (or any music lesson teacher for that matter)

2011-03-07T01:23:00.000-07:00

Sadly, I noticed that there are few people who know how to find a good lesson teacher. It depends whether or not you are truly serious about improving your skill. You do not find anything of quality on Craigslist...or other random ads (statistically-speaking). I am talking about people with a reputation. The best way is through word of mouth and other reputable sources.

A few notable places:

-NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing)
-ISM (Incorporated Society of Musicians)
-MTNA (Music Teachers National Association)

This site has a pretty good set of steps to find an applicable voice teacher (or any other music teacher).

I found my teacher through NATS.org. Her name is Lisa-Ann Hackett. Through more research, I noticed she is continually active in local theatre and IT IS HER JOB (besides private teaching). I can't express this requisite enough. I've had some intro lessons with "teachers" that lacked a solid background. Please do a background check! Ask questions, request referrals if you have to, etc. To my surprise, one piano teacher I had was a full-time sales rep at Target and had only been playing for a year! As you can imagine, the lessons I had with her were dull and emphasized practice via book ONLY. Nice but in my humble opinion, technique is what matters the most. It is most difficult to learn proper technique via book only. A good teacher knows this. Unless of course your main idea is theory. Then by all means, get a good theory book!

About technique: For voice lessons, be sure you don't leave with your throat feeling like you just threw up a handful of shattered glass. On the other hand, you want to feel as if your voice has been warmed up enough. In general a music teacher knows when you've had enough! A teacher should easily be able to identify your range as to avoid straining your voice. Before the lesson, warms-up are essential (as for any kind of musician). Notice how much emphasis the lesson is put into warm-ups and the certain types that are conducted.

I will likely add more later, but this is pretty much how it goes initially.

Networking with Musicians

2011-01-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

If you developed a business background, you may already know the importance of networking. Networking is also very useful for musicians, though not always for the same reasons a business professional would find it useful. Online forums can give advice and reviews about anything from instruments to audio tracks. Being familiar with a few fellow musicians can come in handy when a gig comes up or you find yourself in need of a stand-in. Likewise, a musician can become familiar with your experience and offer you a position whenever they need a stand-in.

Sail Inn's Rockaroke

Joining forums such as Harmony Central (as I mentioned earlier) and other online music communities are good resources, for receiving feedback on equipment or music as well. Create a profile and you're on your way to becoming more well-known among the community. Immersing yourself in the right environment is comparable to learning a craft by yourself. In my experience, being in the right environment gives a greater chance of development than being in the wrong environment, no matter how much is learned.

Besides networking online, try attending local concerts or gigs around town. You can start by searching online via your city's name for places (coffee shops, bars, shopping centers) to visit. Ideally, the best way to locate gigs would be through friends and community recommendations. Open mics are another option and may give you an idea of how a show is run. Different places have different ways of conducting open mic events. Rockaroke at Sail Inn in Tempe, Arizona combines the spontaneity of karaoke with the creativity of open mic. I have never been to a Rockarocke event, but I look forward to writing a review of it soon.

Yucca Tap Room in Tempe, AZ

While most places like Sail Inn, seem to be lax about who plays on open mic, the other majority are not so flexible. Some may require you to have a sort of set reputation or previous experience. Others want to hear you audition before you use their stage. In that case, it might be a good idea to attend one of the open mics and be part of the audience first. Either way, I believe this (networking) is the biggest and most critical step to breaking into the music scene...or any field. Seriously.

My Review of Apple's Garageband

2010-12-30T02:07:00.002-07:00

I won't go over specs or into lengths about equipment. I also lack experience with other music software, like Cubase or Logic. However perhaps this review may help you with your decision on a particular program.

My first reaction when I first opened Garageband was the look of the interface -- pretty plain. In comparison to Logic (or their screen shots), the program was not as nearly as complicated. This fact turned out to be a good thing. I could easily navigate the menus and find what application I was searching for. However, what that baffled me for a second was how Garageband saves and records a "project history". When you're done working on a project, it automatically saves it to a main folder. The problem is ALL projects are moved to this folder, whether or not you intend to save them. And oh my god, I could not figure out how to erase the ones I didn't want. Until, oh yeah...I noticed the 'clear the entire menu' from Apple's top menu bar. Duh? Perhaps it was because I'm still a novice Apple user but otherwise, little unordinary processes like this irk me.

I really want to talk about the music lessons that Garageband comes with. They have basic guitar and piano lessons, with a bonus of additional lessons that are free to download. Personally I was interested in piano, so I tried the basic lesson and few later lessons. The lesson videos are about 20-30 minutes long (and for the piano, there was 9 total lessons). The videos are complete with a good and cheesy teacher, and also many tools to play with as the clip proceeds. When you come across a challenging point in the video, you can slow down the speed (however when you do this, the lesson will have to be muted). A metronome and a display of the keys are also used to help you progress.

Besides traditional lessons (with Mr. Joe Shmoe), they also provide samples of well-known artists that teach a particular song of theirs. I wonder how in depth the lesson would be for $4.99. I need to try one out sometime --like Sarah McLachlan and her song, Angel!

A few points I thought I should make concerning equipment setup:
Hooking my keyboard to my Mac using a midi cable was easy as pie and it sounded great through it. However if you are interested in a mic setup, be prepared in that the audio plug-in might not work. Mac does not have a proper mic input, so it may be best to find a mic with an usb connection. I took this as a sign for greater things....USB diaphragm mic, here I come!

Ready to Audition are You...?

2010-11-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a singing gig you can search on Craigslist, or even type in "singing auditions in (name of city/location)". You may be able to find some casting calls in your area. Sad to say there are scams out there, so please keep an eye out --especially ones claiming to be "talent/scouting agencies". A real agency or audition will request a demo upfront.

So before you start auditioning for gigs, consider recording a demo first.

From a previous post about recording your first song, I failed to realize the importance of quality. Although free, recording from Audicity is not the highest quality software--hence, it being open-source (and free). In sum, keep highest [possible] quality in mind if you plan to go pro.

There are two places to choose from when you decide to record a demo. Both have their PROS and CONS. The ones I have listed were on the top of my head:

-At home.using your own equipment
PROS: cheaper, faster turn-around, more control over what you want to hear/do
CONS: only one "pair of ears" (sound bias), limited experience, limited equipment

-In a recording studio using their equipment
PROS: expert equipment, often includes both tech manager and sound engineer, more "ears" so less sound bias
CONS: can get very expensive, finding a good studio involves networking/research

Here are some clips I found browsing YouTube. Experts are Frederick Burchell and Jerimae Yoder:

Both give advice about demos to how to prepare yourself before recording in the studio.

I also found some useful inforation on how to distribute and market your demo. Creating demo CDs to hand out after gigs is useful to expanding your market and reputation.

I personally decided that the time and money necessary to find a good recording studio, far outweigh the possible benefits of working from home studio. Speaking of time, it may be helpful to ask others who they worked with. I have a lot of networking to do. If you're a little shy, google search some online music forums like Harmony Central. You can even try MySpace, which has become a massive webspace for musicians. Ultimately it's up to you, whether you want to do the research and save the money needed to hire a studio. If you do not have the money, consider Logic Pro or Garage Band. They are extremely well-designed programs. However when I had a chance to tinker with a friends', learning the immediate use of Logic was not easy [for me]. The time to create a demo using your own software depends upon your own experience.

Hope that helps. Good luck to you all!

Talent. Fame. Money.

2010-11-17T00:28:00.003-07:00

Here's the sequence: I feel victimized, I get frustrated, then some fuse lights under my ass and I become super productive. I am birthing ideas. Who knows why this happens...
Perhaps you felt the same one time or another.

I think about what drives us to be productive. It seems obvious that we must be productive at our day-to-day job in order to earn a decent living; but what about the time we spend not working? During our pastime, what drives us to extend our talents? The stronger the drive, the more accomplished one feels and as a result, the closer to one's goal...

Narrowed down to two things: fame and money. Fame could be additional knowledge, or recognition. Money is the exchange of one's effort, or achievement. Both symbolize power. No wonder a lot of people seek their time with one or the other (fame or fortune). Sometimes the belief is that with one (fame or fortune), the other will follow.

Therefore the question is: does fame equal money? Just ask VictorHansEmanuel, who had a dream to be a famous director. Instead, he became disillusioned by fame and bowed out of it. His very drive for fame caused his passion of playwright to dwindle, as fame became more important.
In my own words, doing something merely to seek fame would be short of selling your soul...

This is similar to an experience in choir, where constant practice and competition are routine -especially before seasonal performances. Students can't help but compare and second-guess each other. Competitive behavior distracts students from enjoying the music and leaves little room for creativity.

In short, it may be best to follow Your Gut / Your Talents / Your Passions. And don't worry about the end result. Ask questions later.

Marketing an Independent Music Career

2010-09-26T22:24:00.001-07:00

You're in the initial stages of a career in music. The experience, talent and discipline is there but you need more than that working within the music industry. If you expect to work as an independent musician, event singer, songwriter, etc., it may be beneficial to create a marketing plan. This is part of what a good booking manager does...but I honestly believe you can begin establishing yourself without having to seek a manager. Instead, become your own manager...set bookings and create your own publicity!

So what do you do to create publicity?
Create a demand for your music. First, have people HEAR you. People will not BOOK YOU or BUY anything from you, if they cannot HEAR you. So create a way for the audience to hear you. There are two ways of doing this: online or offline.

Online:
-YouTube: especially effective as the audience not only can see you but HEAR you as well!
-Website: with a sample audio-list of your music **
-Myspace: profile: again, with a sample audio-list of your music
-Facebook fan page: with features for a sample audio-list of your music

**Best option is to have a website linking to all social media outlets with samples of your music.

Offline:
-Offer free concerts
-Guest in a renowned local band in your area
-Open mic at locals bars/coffee shops

**After these "events" [if you have the funds at the time] be sure to hand out samples of your music...even if they're just simple single CD recordings.

Again, here is a general scope of how to begin marketing yourself as an independent musician. In no specific order:

1. Get a website. It doesn't need to be glossed-up and extraordinary. The important thing is to emphasize your talent and experience. There were many sites I came across that I was honestly confused about ---are they more interested in singing or graphic design? Please focus on the main idea of your site...(music)! Here is my site so far, as an example (it has a bit of updating to do still!).

2. Gather references. If you haven't made any gigs yet, this may not be possible. However, consider listing past history relating to anything you've done in music. Examples such as your school choir or band, church, even parts you've had in other bands...etc.

3. Monetize your resources. Who do you know already in the business? Someone in the recording business would be sure-as-hell useful.
A band member or leader of a local band...
A manager...
Even an instructor...
All of these individuals are good leads and may help you make bigger breaks into the music business. The key idea is to start networking...and networking with the right people.

4. Advertise. Starting a site may be the first step to advertising your music. Networking is another way to advertise. However both of these methods are passive ways of advertising (the website anyway). Networking within the business is great to get you out to the right audience. If you want to put to forth your own effort though, you can do the advertising yourself. Depending on your budget, you can make a few singles and distribute them by selling them on streets, stores or online. Probably the most effective method would be during or after one of your concerts.

******* ****** ****** ******* ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** *******

I, on the other hand am on my way to starting up my own personal site and singing gigs. This is much of a test for me as it is for all you starting musicians out there. I'm starting from scratch, purely on my own accord, with no family or friends who have privileges within the business. I'm here however to post updates on my experiences and progress in hopes that it is useful to other fellow musicians. I wish you luck on your journeys!

Finding a Band vs. Going Solo

2010-08-31T20:19:00.000-07:00

What is better? They're are pros and cons to starting up your own band versus joining an already well-established one. You may even decide to thwart the whole band thing altogether and go solo musician.

Previously I have looked for a band. I started the search on craigslist, which I recommend as a good starting point. The band was a Christian rock band though from the lyrics, I could hardly make out religious undertones. I went to their first practice in a home studio and made the cut. Everything worked out alright, at first. One con about working with an already-established band was that I found I had to adapt to the band's "style". I think this applies to anyone who has just joined a band --there needs to be some sort of "adjustment period". Whether or not it works out is whether the new member can (and is willing) to successfully adapt to the bands style. Same theory goes if you are percussion, guitar-lead, etc. In my case, the percussion was always loud no matter how many times I suggested him to be softer during um...non-screaming parts. Yeah, and the screaming just wasn't my thing (in order to hear myself over the rest of the band). Sometimes it does work out however, and I am open to finding a band that is more in-sync with my style of singing. Pros are that (for most already-established/reputable bands) you don't have to worry about setting a studio, equipment or even gigs. Just audition. You control what bands you would like to join depending upon the above factors.

Another route is to start a band yourself. In this scenario, you are the one advertising and scheduling auditions. It's essential to know exactly what you want in a particular band member. I cannot give you tips as to what to look for (topic for later post -maybe), but perhaps someone with a similar work ethic or practice schedule. The cons are that since you run your own auditions, you may be expected to have your own studio along with your own equipment. Band members may also expect you to have a lot of musical experience; and you may be looked to as the one responsible for putting together gigs...or have some already lined up. The pros are that you have complete control over the development of the band.

The last possibility is to go completely solo --perhaps as an event or wedding singer. The first step is to investment in equipment. The second or main goal should be to gain clients. The best suggestions are to pitch and place gigs to friends or family; who can then pass your information to others as referrals. Cons are similar to starting your own band as you need to invest in your own equipment. However equipment may be minimal and a studio isn't necessary. You are responsible for your own advertising and scheduling. Pros are that you are your own manager and thus have the flexibility to work with your schedule as it suits you (or the client). There is no division in compensation. You reap all the rewards.

********************* ******************************* *******************

I have given up a great portion of my time to business and the future. Yes, I love marketing but I also love music. For now music is just the hobby but hopefully in later days, it will be a paid one.

I made a song a few days ago --called "Contained". The song represents chaos as a result of "contained" or suppressed emotion within an orderly ("self-contained") society. As such, I didn't expect it to be a "pretty" song or one that is pleasant in tune, to the ear. Originally that's how it was...unpleasant --the first few recordings anyway. The first recording was the full-version with an "odd" attempt at a background accompaniment. The second recording was without any background. Finally, I gave up on the full-version and demoed a short version. Finally...it sounds good!

So are you starting a band or going solo? Comments, complaints, emoticons below!!!

Music Business

2010-08-23T23:29:00.000-07:00

Yes I am behind on this post...
The other blog I have for my business is on hold for the moment. Yet I do not intend on stopping this blog (so don't worry...if you are).

Business has been turning around and has forced me to give up whatever free time I used to have. I also have had recent opportunities pop up...and with these new opportunities, I realize some amount of options I'll have. I was having a discussion with a friend over dinner last week which made me rethink some of my self-learned efforts --am I utilizing my talents to their fullest extent? Erk. I still have a few songs written and parts recorded but without backgrounds arranged. I would eventually like to post them all on MySpace as sort of mock demo. Then step, after step, after step... I would love, love to have a career as an event singer! However...I am still working as a contractor and will probably not give up the business until I either 1) have gained enough capital to retire completely or 2) become financially comfortable enough to only have to continue part-time.

Personal matters aside, if you find an opportunity where you have the money (or time) to do what you really want to do...start moving toward that goal. Seriously! Even if you have to sacrifice a few weekends or items of luxury. I foresee a great opportunity to save up for something I know will make me happy doing what I love to do...and that is singing! I would love to start a second (and preferred) event singing business, but I imagine it will cost me more time than money...and I can't afford that quite yet.

//Random notes//
Some of my most (some recent) admired artists: Check them out!

Pedro the Lion a.k.a. David Bazan -very simple tunes but oh so talented! Plays the piano and metronome is heard in "I Never Wanted You". This guy is soul.
Damien Rice -Closer's soundtrack "The Blower's Daughter" and "Hallelujah"
Tarja Turunen -does she even need an introduction? Idol material. 'Nough said.

Authors That Inspire

2010-08-13T20:44:00.001-07:00

Regarding last week's post -- I was inspired when I found old poem from a few years ago. I did some online research and found that the name of the author is indeed ---"William Wonderful" (I could not find his real name). It seems quite a few people know about him.

This past week I wrote a song using his poem for the verses while incorporating my own chorus. I hope he doesn't mind. When the final product is achieved I'm going to try sending him an email. Hopefully he likes it. If not, I'm fine with taking it down.

"The Shores Line" (originated from "Alive"... - Amber Marchetti's MySpace Blog

That said, I better get on it! In my experience it's easier to have a tune in your head first, and then place the lyrics. Creating a melody from a poem takes a little more time. Anyhoo's, I will let you know once I'm finished and the song is posted.

Random experiences:
Club turnoffs --- someone pukes near the bathrooms, DJ blasts the bass, foreigners ask you to "be other girl", unknown "chick drama going down"

I didn't know pole dancing could count as an extreme sport.

So what inspires your creative endeavors? ...whatever that is. Life. People. The inexplicable? Comment! Comment! Comment!

Songs That Are Personal

2010-08-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

I remember several years ago when I walked past a homeless man on the street. He was handing out poems that he had wrote and next to him was a donation box. I assumed the writings were personal. This interested me, so I kindly offered him a donation and took one. The note seemed to be about a woman and his experiences living without her (though I'm not sure). It was from the heart. In fact, I still have it and plan to incorporate it into a song soon as I find his story very compelling.

Stories or issues make up most songs. However some issues people seem to be unsure or uncomfortable with. An article I noticed yesterday about the music video to Eminem's (feat. Rihanna) song "I Love the Way You Lie" seemed to alarm and confuse publishers. Critics claimed the video didn't seem to give a clear-sided moral message about domestic violence --was it portrayed as a beautiful act or an ugly one? Clearly Rihanna and Eminem (if you know both of their histories) have personal experiences of violence. However they continue to create music that relates to their personal lives...sometimes being praised for it. Sometimes not.

In regards to free speech, to what extent is act of an artist's expression "harmful" to others?

I'd looove to hear your comments!

Music Videos That Shock Us!

2010-08-02T20:53:00.001-07:00

It's funny to see fans of YouTube carry on with their comments. Actually it's interesting --a brief taste of what the general public thinks of the current media. I imagine the demographics of a typical YouTube commenter are different from those that don't comment or use YouTube, however I still find the comments fascinating. The media releases something out of the ordinary, and dedicated YouTubers are on the comment box like flies. To my understanding production companies are aware of this and I question whether footage is merely made to follow the reactions of viewers. After all it's good business to give people what they want and if shock value is what draws people in (however that may be)...so be it! An honorable example is Lady Gaga, commonly referred as the current Madonna:

Contrary to popular belief, I do not believe Lady Gaga's videos were all of a sudden bizarre. Rather I feel her videos slowly evolved to a shock value status. As an earlier video "Just Dance" appeared to have symbolic meaning only after referencing later ones --like "Alejandro". I dare not get into Masonic symbolism but I think it may have been planted into a sector of the public's thinking. If not then the production companies, amongst the government, must have planned this all along and we are in a heap of trouble to be brainwashed (note added sarcasm). Referring back to the time of Madonna, it was the extreme sex appeal that drove her fame. Now that sexual prowess (including things like cussing, vulgarity, etc.) is only mildly surprising and at times expected, I think there needed to be a search for something new...introducing: symbolism [or artistry...however you prefer] and additionally odd behavior. I could be ignorant but I'd rather enjoy music and artistic expression for what it is. Analyzing [it to death] about what I may be a victim of kills the experience. Yes, any idiot should know that everything the media dishes to us has some effect to how we as society act --there's no doubt about that. BUT just how much of an influence does the media have on our psyche? We're not monkeys... (most of us).

Is it artistic expression, planted symbolism or mere marketing? I could be wrong and we are merely subjects to some power-hungry government...wait that already happened. What do you think? Enter your crazy comments below!

**By the way sorry if you a dedicated reader, sorry for the late post. I took a sick weekend off. Hope you forgive and forget!

Creating a first song

2010-07-23T22:15:00.009-07:00

I just recorded my first song last weekend! I am quite proud of the lyrics and how my voice sounds. The only thing that seems to be missing is an adequate amount of instrumental. Have you ever wanted to record your own track? It's simpler than I thought.

-Lyrics. Make sure every word in the song relates to the overall message you wish to achieve. For instance if every word or lyric sounds the same, and you want to avoid repetition --change them! Same as deciding how many words there will be versus the amount of [instrumental] intermissions. If you write a lot, such as poetry, consider how one of your works can be turned into a song. Sometimes telling a story is all that is needed to create something good.

-Composition. Define a music style, set the tempo and organize the lyrical structure of the song. For some artists, this comes before any lyrics are written. It depends how your creativity is spurred. I find that listening to other songs that are similar to the style of music I want to create is helpful. When it comes down to choosing a lyrical or structure, there are usually two or three most common variations. This site explains some of the most popular song formats. However as I have read and listened from other artists (and similar to the concept of most visual art), rules are not set in stone. This means there is room to deviate from the norm and fabricate your own musical structure. In fact, it may well make the song most memorable.

-Background music. This may be important when you make a complete track. Though not necessary in my experience if the purpose is to show off your voice. You don't necessarily need a band or instrumental talent either. There are many ways to create a decent instrumental background. My suggestion is to get comfortable with applications such as Apple's Garage Band, Window's Mixcraft or Cakewalk if you want to experiment with music mixing. If you want to avoid spending money or vie for simpler mixing, Musicshake is easy as pie. It's an online program you can download to your computer. The only downside of it's simplicity is that most managerial controls are handled from the site. Therefore songs can't be downloaded or saved onto the computer. A complete subscription is needed if you plan to turn a song into a MP3. Even if simple mixing even gives you somewhat of a headache, that's okay. I'm still an amateur in this area too. Instead, try a simpler application accustom to simple recordings like Audacity. If voice is your main focus, Audacity should be perfect.

-Record. You don't have to go into a recording studio in order to create a decent track. A good music mixing application like any of the ones mentioned above, should suffice. Once you recorded your tune on one of the programs, be sure to save one file as MP3. Most sites on the internet ask that the file be an MP3 --that is, if you want to post it on MySpace as I did.

Yay, you're done! And I'm done with this post!

Beginning the Art of Rap Music

2010-07-16T20:53:00.013-07:00

Rap is a great outlet for emotion. Eminem is a good example. He has been through a lot of grief in his life and I often find fans [morbidly] urging him to go through more of it just to hear more hate records. Gee, I guess the more emotionally-attached you are behind your music, the more emotionally-attached your audience will be. Perhaps this is just rap music and it's entirety...the way the lyrics can tell a complete story by the unique way in which so many words can be compacted into one song. I never thought I would be able to have a deeper appreciation for this genre until I learned more about its history. Now I understand the reasoning behind some of the subject matter that's thrown around and what it is for what it is.

Okay enough background. I could go on forever. My appreciation for rap led to my interest in listening to it, which led to writing a rap verse or two; to eventually garnering my attention to singing it. Yes, I am white. Not only that, I am female. And I could get a lot of shit for this but whatever, so far I'm just blogging about it.

Here is what I suggest (given my experience thus far) if you would like to start learning the art of rap music:

-Listen to rap. Expose yourself to different styles of rap music. This may seem self-explanatory but the important thing here is to not limit yourself. There are many artists out there each with there own personal narratives and backgrounds --this is why I find Eminem to be especially fascinating; as I'm sure many other fans would agree. He progressively changed from one style to the next but never strayed away from his originality --which was to continue verbalizing the trials and tribulations of his life.

-Writing lyrics. Rap is beautifully designed for words. Lots of words! Rap is unlike other styles of music, in which lyrics play in a slower progressive rhythm. Instead of the rhythm moving the song, the lyrics are what steers the song's rhythm or momentum. Thus, words are prime in rap music. Often rap is used as an outlet for emotion --what is it you want to vent about or tell a story about?

-Practice rhyming. If you're having trouble thinking of a subject to rap about, think about whatever is presently occurring or your surrounding circumstances. Whenever and wherever you get a chance, bust out a rap verse or two in your head. Then write it down. You'll find rhyming easier as you begin to do it more often. For example, you'll know you're good when you can do a 8-verse freestyle out loud without any preparation or hesitation. That's my evaluation bar anyway.

This is just one genre I am experimenting. My favorite type of music to sing is classical with lots of female-like vibrato. However lately, I've been aching for something different and rap seems like a perfect challenge. One karaoke night, I would like to have practiced enough to bust out a rap song!

How to Start Up in the Startup Business

2010-07-10T16:40:00.030-07:00

Have you ever had an idea you thought would be a great business venture? Though it seemed too impossible or just plain stupid. No one would find interest in it --I say SPAT! I've read articles and heard advice varying from 'Why it's Dumb to Work a 9-5 Job' to 'How to Make $500 in a day' to 'To Make it in Business You Have to Be Comfortable with Failure'. Before you write me off as just another head in the clouds, ask yourself if you know anyone who owns their own business. I'm sure you can name at least one person you know personally well. Have you ever chatted with them and asked them how they got to where they are now? I'm sure it started with a dream. Some sort of motivation had to be there...a passion if you will.

Anyway I'm not here to sell you the idea that it's easy as bones to start a business, make money, become successful, or quit your day job. I really want to show you that you don't have to live in a box. And you don't have to live a life ruled by fear (that's for another topic). BUT I also believe in rationalization. There needs to be a system to relinquish your dreams --hint: ask your business friend--- otherwise, you do have your head in the clouds. Here is one kind of system:

1. Find your passions and talents. Use them.

What is your passion? Is it music? Art? Hell, it may be sci-fi movies. How could you leverage your passion to something that adds value? Regarding the sci-fi enthusiast...how about starting a blog that critiques classic or upcoming sci-fi movies? Also, talents. Talents can be skills. Skills can be honed --which is a good thing. If you're skilled at making music, consider selling sheet music or accompaniment. Or perhaps you're more of a techie. In that case, fine tune your talents and formulate your own software and/or customization services.

2. Experiment. Start out small.

Begin a small project with little investment. If it fails, the lesser the loss you will suffer. A friend of mine once started an online retail business. He imported cheaper inventory overseas and sold it locally (in the US) some percentage higher. Of course there's overhead costs to consider, but the idea in general is simple. Ebay is perhaps more accustom to an amateur (mass online) retailer. They may take away a percentage of your profits but it eliminates a majority of the responsibilities associated with owning your own online store. Another example is selling your own creative work or software. However, there are some costs involved if you want a work to be copyrighted.

3. Create, create, create.

Small projects...many of them! Come up with as many ideas as you can and try recreating them. While you have a blogging business going, consider publishing a book or series about the subject (that's if you love writing). If the site starts gaining a lot of traffic, network with other businesses and suggest selling their products/services on your site for a majority of their profits. You can have many business ideas linking together or ones you manage separately that are completely unrelated.

4. Trial and error...until you find your golden egg(s).

Some of your startups will fail. This should not come as a surprise to you. If it does, the entrepreneur thing was probably a trend. It's good to be optimistic but as I said before, it may be wise to be realistic. Maybe a business wasn't generating enough profit to make the ongoing effort worthwhile...or simply not generating enough income in the long run versus your other investments (i.e. selling T-shirts online may not generate as much return as selling hardware). Know when it's time to close shop and begin another. Likewise, know when you've found the idea that sells! That is, the business or businesses that generate the most income for you after a period of time and investment.

I definitely thought one business was enough. My first business would be so awesomely great that I wouldn't have to start over. I didn't even think of starting out small to slowly ease into the experience of generating my own income. I am however, currently opening to the idea of creating other startups that I'm passionate about while I continue growing my current one. For now, I hope some of my own insights were useful. Good luck with your current and future business endeavors!

Dinosaur Media

2010-07-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

It is still around. What I mean by "dinosaur" is any sort of material form of advertising: newspaper, magazine, flier and banner. Print was one of the first forms of advertising and while it gets the message across, I question it's effectiveness. What about radio or television as forms of advertising? Agencies are still buying the media, so it must be O.K. I wouldn't bet all my budget on it though. These types of media aren't as 'direct' as they used to be. There are simply to many other forms of media out there now, increasing the risk of your message never being heard. The internet itself is an infinitely saturated vehicle. Sadly and to my surprise, a lot of businesses do not recognize this. As a business decides whether to migrate one of their promotions to a twitter page, one of their competitors has already set up a complete PPC advertising campaign. Companies lacking a team of programming or graphic designers may also lose to competitors ahead of the game in design and content. Not to overwhelm anyone, but simply heading warning to those who still have their heads in the sand. Sorry but you have to move to where the audience is and keep up with the times.

Consequent frustration goes back to what they are teaching in business school. Emphasis is not on the mechanics of marketing but rather on the philosophical aspects.
It's wonderful to learn about needs and wants and formulas...
When to launch type A model product after modified type B product, set prices, locations, etc...
But when it comes down to it, are you prepared deal with the technical knowledge needed leverage yourself as an innovative marketer? I think you need some continued education. Marketing is becoming more than a soft-skill these days.

The Social Media Campaign --First things first.

2010-06-24T19:55:00.003-07:00

Social media is exciting but without a clear understanding of what it is and how it works, it's like a shiny glass ornament with one purpose: to come out at Christmas time. Yes just about every company that has heard about it, wants to steer their marketing efforts towards the web market. Cool. However part of my experience has been that most companies don't know much about social media. That is they don't understand what it entails, what sort of return to expect or how much effort to put in.

Before you decide to start a social media campaign, there are some things you should have in mind:

1. Tactics need to be measurable.
I cannot stress this enough. There can be a lot wasted effort in my opinion, if there is no way to relate it to profit. For instance a company has a opened a new twitter account and started a new blog. There are many ways to measure these platforms. Besides the obvious observation regarding the amount of twitter followers one has, the company can compare that number to how many have retweeted or replied to their tweets. The same concept applies to the blog, where the number of visitors can be tracked but compare that to how many have responded to a specific entry. Relate this to other ways visitors have found the site or have linked to it. All in all, what is measurable is how much the platform has generated interest. Here is a site I found to be the most precise when it comes to measuring social media ROI.
Interested in how far your tweets have been noticed? -They also point out a useful Twitter measurement website called TweetReach. I recommend you to check it out!

2. You get what you pay for.
Yes, surprise! I don't understand people who say social media is great because it is the cheapest, most effective marketing alternative. There is some truth to that, yes. However I still believe you get what you pay for. Twitter's free, this blog is free...and you can measure the effectiveness of each vehicle (as I mentioned above), but you may find that this eventually costs money. Of course, it depends on how accurate you want your feedback but I can assure you that more effort, equals more time, equals more money. Do you want to incorporate Google Adwords or Yahoo's Analytics as part of your tracking system? Would you elect one of your employees to run the company twitter or a full-time marketing professional that can cover all the bases?

3. Research, Research, Research.
You must know your customers before you market to them. Duh! It shouldn't be any different when it comes to web marketing and social media. Even if it seems like the black hole. Some companies just dive into any platform just because "everyone else is doing it" and not really thinking about their market (customer base). Is it the best time/money investment to spend on a Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blog, etc...? Think about it. Research your customers preferences, behaviors and lifestyles before deciding on a campaign. Research the many types of social media and networking platforms. This can reduce both time and money later on by targeting the right set of customers and associated media.

4. Good effort takes time.
In this case anyway. People are fickle. If you want to create something people will be excited about it is going to take time. It's about spreading the word and people need to start trusting your word. Social media is not about a direct sale. As I mentioned earlier, it's about building interest or at the very least, awareness. In order to convert customer awareness to customer interest, to eventually consumer sales...(given that you considered all the steps above) you will need to wait! Again, the very least that comes out of social media is awareness and that is a good thing! Even at the very least, customers consider your company over another merely because they are aware of it. This results in sales. What seems insignificant at the time are really significant in the long run yet take time to build the awareness and interest that eventually result in increasing profit.

Grab a domain before it's taken!

2010-04-20T16:58:00.003-07:00

I ran into a problem last week. I was so excited to start on a site for my newly said business that I forgot to recheck if the domain name I wanted was still unoccupied. The name I wanted was taken and so I kept my domain to marquettemarketing.com. Therefore disregard my last post -at least I avoided the added paperwork, etc. etc. yeah?

I thought about kinds of clever domain names but in summary I just wanted to keep it simple, easy to remember, and one that was a .com. I found some tips to be a little excessive. Consider the tips you feel to be the most important to you regarding your particular type of business. The only tip I would consider however, once you finalize your domain name is...please register it before registering your business name!--from my own personal experience anyway.

Changing your business name

2010-04-14T21:27:00.002-07:00

I decided to rename my business from Marquette Marketing to Marquette Solutions®. I never thought such a simple task as this could be so tedious (not to mention the added fee/s involved) --in my opinion. First you fill out an Articles of Amendments form, wait until it's authorized, and then send the document to the IRS to change your EIN (employee identification number). It's always: notify the state first then the IRS. This is just one explanation of the many activities you come across in the process of setting up/running a business. All the legal stuff can be a pain at first but worth the time it takes to learn it yourself than going through an intermediary [to do it for you! $$].

Regarding the Articles of Amendment in my state -the form is a tad confusing. Actually it's too simple and I wonder if I'm filling it out right, so I set an appointment with an attorney. Also I'm planning to file a 8832 with the IRS so next year I can file as an corporation [instead of 'disregarded as a separate entity']. It depends how your LLC (limited liability corporation) is or how you want it structured. Most importantly though, how you prefer your income taxed. Personally, I'd rather be taxed as a corporation. I find there's often more benefits being taxed as a corporation if you have the resources -which hopefully in the upcoming year, I will have. When you're taxed as a sole proprietor a.k.a. single-member LLC, the IRS automatically taxes you as 'disregarded as a separate entity'. This isn't bad -as you benefit from many tax breaks (not to mention less a lot less paperwork). However you are subject to a self-employment tax. Again, it comes down to what you're comfortable with. For me, I'm looking for knowledge and growth -so I'm comfortable with the hard parts that may come with being taxed as a corporation. My two cents however: get a good attorney!

Anyways if you're thinking of setting up you're own business, they're are many types: sole-proprietorship, partnership and corporation. Then there are C-corporations and S-corporations. I decided on a limited liability corporation (LLC), though each structure has it's own pros and cons. If you decide on a LLC, here's a site that explains the steps of how to start one. Fairly simple yes, but you need a [patient] brain!

Bag of Sweetness

2010-01-23T12:44:00.001-07:00

Yums, I LOVE globe grapes! If you never heard of them, they're these slightly (hence 'globe') larger than normal-sized grapes. Downside is sometimes they have seeds in them.
Anyway I got some at Frye's and took a second look at this bag. I'm absolutely sure people such as me have commented on misplaced/awkward/badly-worded advertising but who cares. I got me some "Personally Selected" grapes! Sweet!

They may not be "certified-organic", "hand-picked" or "home-grown", but they're certainly not 'genetically-modified'! Wow, what would we do without labels to govern what we eat?

Uhh...

OM NOM NOM. What?

I'm back!

2010-01-13T00:32:00.057-07:00

Wow, has it been a year already ...since I blogged? My apologizes to myself.

Anyway enough regrets, here's something interesting I came across yesterday by this youtube dude *Ray Johnson:
*(Yeah he's pretty cool. Check out his videos. Funny stuff)

Seriously, who does the electric slide to Black-Eyed Peas?!
...or the electric slide FOR ANY MATTER. The only few things interesting here are:
Was someone really shoplifting?
And the noted enthusiasm of the customers.
Hm, I wonder how long they rehearsed for this..

Yep, this is viral marketing at it's not so finest. Sadly none of this spontaneous dance acting is new. I'd give an example but I'll leave that up to your research. Although, I'd say take a look at the Gorilla Girls for instance ...as none of their acts are fueled by corporate profits. Perhaps that's one reason for this failing. Or the fact that it is Microsoft --where is Steve when you need him?

Marketing during the downtimes...?

2009-01-19T23:40:00.002-07:00

I admire companies that continue to execute marketing plans during slow economic times. I was recently hired by Certapro, who full-heartedly believes in marketing. Oh and I'm not just saying so because my career's in marketing but because I best believe it myself. Ok so I may be a little biased but I promise reasons are good.

A post by AIR Marketing, a local Phoenix ad agency, cites these reasons as ultimately coming down to clearing the competition. If you want to stay ahead, be persistent; even if that means being flexible. Cutting back marketing efforts will weaken your voice or presence in the marketplace -which is obvious and not fully harmful if you are one of the 'top dogs'. However, during a lull, this is especially bad as everyone falls into the same pot of risk...
Once the economy picks up again, money is pumped back into the R&D budget; but by time it may be too late --that is if you realize marketing as the foundation.

Referring to Certapro once more, I recently landed a marketing assistant position and am honored to start working for them. Small company franchise with big ideas...and great opportunity [for me]!

Looking back from last year

2009-01-16T00:43:00.000-07:00

It's about time I update. The new year is no longer 'new' but late enough I assume to consider this my first '09 post. Not much has changed since last year and I think people are anxious to see what will. The economy is still in shambles as I watch either friends graduate, then find jobs or enter post graduate schooling with some hesitation. Personally I can't complain about the consistently low gas prices as I am feeling a restrictive pinch from the job market myself.

Thinking back, the holidays came and went as fast as well...an open job position at Starbucks(?). Anyways it was an obvious cause-effect as many toy and clothing shops remained full. A few things I noticed was the KB toy store closed down in Chandler Mall and few end of the season sales advertised.

For once, instead of exchanging gifts this year my family and I went out to see a movie. The movie, as announced from one of the main theatre attendants, was one of the most popular movies for the holidays. I was curious why that was. It wasn't particularly great but then again the movies last season were not exactly blockbuster material. Budget constraints perhaps.

I was consistently reminded that as old as we are, tangible gifts are not as important as when we were younger. Replaced with tangible gifts are intangible gifts of good company with those you love. Perhaps those you may only see but once or twice a year.

Has the current shape of the economy caused us to change our views of the holiday? Sad thought ...have the holidays lost it's grandeur? That is, without glitz, glamour and gluttony of good (economic) times? Christmas seems hardly on our minds or we wish to avoid it as personal matters pile up. Holidays are business-run? Last year's holiday season could have been a good indicator. Let's see what the next brings us.

Marketing ploys and their toys

2008-12-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

Marketing, as many of us know can be a powerful tool. But some fail to use the tools of marketing responsibly –be it intentional or not.

Let me address one industry that has become very accustom to marketing ethics—research firms. If you're familiar with the industry, ethics is an issue that is always questioned and debated. To target specifically to its’ customers, market executives are desperate for research. They want to see results; or else campaigns are only as good as throwing a dart blindfolded.

Marketing is only as powerful as the research behind it and that research has the ability to be tampered with...

For instance, when marketing recruiters (a.k.a. interviewers) are paid on commission. The responsibilities of these recruiters are to interview selected individuals (often by the client company) over the phone in hopes that they qualify for a research study. The interview process is through a set of scale ratings, multiple choice or open answer list of questions. Question and answer bias is hard to avoid, even with careful training. Bias is excused if unintentional –the first few times. Thus bias is not excused if it is a continuous problem. Bias is also unexcused if the interviewer is doing it on purpose –in other words, leading the interviewee on in order to qualify them. Why?
Well, although recruiters are given a base pay, it is very low, making the pressure to exceed commission very tempting. Making them marketing’s toys, rather than tools [for research].

Commission is based on a set of quotas determined by the company, then handed over to the research firm. I call this a ploy because firms are pressured to fill these quotas on a specific time frame, as the recruiters are to make commission.

Pressure of commission. In my opinion, commission has no place in marketing. Though in sales it continues to be the most popular choice of compensation. I’m not saying it is entirely wrong. Many people in sales believe it is right because those who work harder should earn more -“You reap what you sow”. Although if you think about annual salaried jobs, it’s the position and all it entitles, that matters...
So no.
The reasons I’m appalled by firms that support commission in research is that they are allowing biases to form and therefore, form invalidated research. As I mentioned, salespeople are rewarded commission. It is a common fact. Hah that is why we often avoid the salesperson. We avoid people on the phone. Once a research interviewer myself, I was often confused as a telemarketer. However, if I was paid commission –is there a clear difference? Whatever it is, it probably wouldn't be clear enough for someone to hang up on me. This questions the role of marketing as its relationship to sales. It irritates me when a job posting tries to hide a sales position behind a marketing description. Marketing is not sales. That is a ploy.

Friends, agencies and newage media

2008-12-17T17:15:00.015-07:00

I went to visit a good friend of the family today, Teri Radosevich. Promoted recently to Vice President of Community Relations and Public Affairs, she is awesome. We were discussing agencies in the valley and I didn't realize that many of them involved in social media are often unheard of. Newbies to the advertising space, these agencies have let go of the older (what I and others call, 'dinosaur') media types. Companies that are more comfortable with traditional media, work with larger agencies -the known agencies of the valley. The 'big guys' of Arizona are namely: Riester-Robb, Moses Anshell, R&R Partners, EB Lane, The Lavidge, and Off Madison Ave (I could have missed a few but otherwise that's an adequate list).

The persistence to stay with older media such as print, radio and TV, makes me curious yet I have a few theories. The first theory simply involves the relationship between the agency and the company ---perhaps the agencys' offers, based on a the longevity and quality of the relationship with the client, cannot be compared to another agency. Another less obvious reason could be that the company wants to avoid risk and working with a more cutting edge or aggressive agency would only scare the budget. An established agency...is a well-known agency...is a large agency -at least to corporate America. Thus I assume companies that are more innovative would be willing to work with more innovative advertising agencies. It makes sense after all. What is cutting-edge needs to stay on the cutting-edge. What better way to do this than market the latest news through the latest technologies --through all the axes of the internet.
Media is becoming social ...continued tomorrow. Long day -so sorry for the short or obvious read; but I am dead.