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Friday, August 24, 2012

Identify Yourself!




 Jan 2012
As we begin this New Year I’m sure we’re all making resolutions about where we’d like to be this time next year.  (I have decided the beach sounds good!)
I’m sure all of us would also like to be farther along on the professional path.  With that in mind, I intend to write more articles in the Songwriters Connection that pertain to crafting more marketable,  commercial songs and to utilizing business techniques that will accelerate your rise to success.  I want to begin by putting this idea in your head as you create your plan of attack for 2012.
 Identify yourself!  Create an identity for yourself as a professional in the music industry. 
Some of the ways to identify yourself are obvious (yet surprisingly often overlooked).  They instantly separate the amateurs from the serious songwriters and artists.  Here are a few fundamental ideas to keep in mind for establishing your identity in the coming year.
Identify yourself when pitching your product.  Put your contact information on EVERY piece of material you give to ANYONE!  Give complete contact information; E-mail, phone, snail mail address.  You would be very surprised at the missed opportunities that arise from making yourself too hard to reach.  Give them a chance to contact you. (If they don’t, at least it won’t be your own fault.)
Identify yourself when you have the opportunity to meet someone who might help your career.  I’m certainly not advocating annoying people you hope to work with, but don’t miss an opportunity to be noticed either, by being too shy or too polite to say, “Hello, my name is Bob and I am a songwriter.  I admire your work.”  People love being acknowledged and it could begin a conversation that pays off down the road. Give them a chance to remember you.   (They can love you or hate you, but do not let them ignore you!)
Identify yourself in your writing style.  If you are an artist, you strive to create an original vocal sound that utilizes your unique singing ability.  If you are a songwriter, you should do the same.  Everyone has a unique sense of how they use language, phrasing, rhyme, meter, rhythm and structure.  One style does not fit all.  Use what comes naturally to you.  Identify what makes you unique in your writing style and they showcase it to the world so that it becomes synonymous with your name.
Identify yourself by the sound quality of your recordings.  They are your first impression and will tell the music community where you belong on the ladder of success.  Give your songs the best presentation you can.  Set the bar for what producers, publishers, artists, A&R should expect from you so they are anxious to open the envelope when you mail or drop a new song off to them.
With the opening of my new studio, Ragtop Recording, I have already put my money where my mouth is.  From the vintage Trident console to the latest ProTools and digital outboard gear, it will take every recording I produce to the next level and beyond! The sound quality is amazing and the vibe is warm and relaxed. It will help me to identify myself even further with my unique producer’s voice.  More importantly, it helps me give you and your songs a strong new identity to help them stand out and take you further faster!
Create your identity this year and find your place in the music community that you want to be a part of!