Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends!
If you've ever visited a circus or carnival, you may have heard that expression before. It was also used by a famous band from the 1970's called: ELP or Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Their song, Karn Evil 9, from the album 'Brain Salad Surgery' uses that line to introduce the listener to the cacophony of sound that's about to take place.
In the world of entertainment, that's what's known as a 'hook' to entice you to watch, listen, or get involved with what the entertainer is about to do.
As I mentioned last week, there are many, many options for music these days. It can be very overwhelming to find something that one likes as well as on the converse side, to produce a product that the listener will want to consume.
Unlike fifty years ago, music has proliferated through the use of digital medium to the point that some bands are releasing two to three albums per year. * Wall Street Journal Article - 3/26/2018
The question is: How does one create a music and web presence that is unique, appealing, and has value? If you can answer these three points, you're on your way.
I propose taking a methodical, non-impulsive process of doing this. It may seem counterintuitive, but bare with me while I explain this.
I am assuming that most readers of this blog are musicians of one level or another.
When you first learned to play, you had to:
Pick out an instrument
Learn how it works
Read or learn to read music
Find music for the instrument
Take Lessons
Practice
Similar to a flowchart, this is a process of steps that you did to achieve your goal of playing. It may work in a different order at times, but you get my drift here.
Why then, would it be any different when creating, recording, promoting, and distributing your own music?
It's a process that will take time, energy, patience, and persistence to achieve. The missing ingredient in so much digital music, (I've listed to a lot over the past several years), is that of Quality!
There are tons and tons of digital releases out there with very little value because the quality wasn't added into the work done. There are many exceptions, but in general, the quality has been missed.
So, if you REALLY want to make a go at this, you need to invest time to do it well and build something that has quality. Anyone can make a so-so product, but not everyone can build a high-quality recording.
That's why when I do a recording, I go back to it numerous times and re-engineer what I didn't like or I ask someone else to listen to it and give me honest feedback. I may then tweak it or leave it until I've thought it through, but it's a process.
I hope this has helped someone out there. If you need assistance, feel free to contact me at: Info@GentelHavenMusic.com and I will try to give some heartfelt feedback.
Until next time, step up to the mic!
