john

hi Gypsy welcome to Songstuff

hi Emi, welcome to Songstuff

Hi Alison Welcome to Songstuff

Hi and welcome to Songstuff Bogdan Good to have you aboard. If you would like to help our community grow, perhaps you would be interested in writing a testimonial, to join others, that we can show to people thinking about joining our community? http://forums.songstuff.com/topic/21151-testimonials/ If not, no worries

Some tools help with some aspects a modern artist has to engage with, some are a waste of time, and some can be damaging (as Lazz pointed out). Much relies upon using the right ones and using them effectively. To do that you also need to have a good idea of the overview of how things all fit together, how they interact, and how and when you interact with them. For example: Tools only work at their best when they work together within the context of an overall plan designed to make the most of them. Questions to ask yourself: Do you have set goals? Have you identified a strategy? Do you have a plan to take you from where you are now towards achieving those goals? When you use tools, are you clear on how they interact, what the purpose is in using all those tools, and the pros and cons of using those tools? Are you projecting the right image as an artist? These are all useful questions to ask yourself. Most artists are short on both funds and time, because they push their band forward while they are either working or studying. Time management is important to success. To know whether you have the right tools, you have to have a clear idea of your goals, and how those tools help you to achieve those goals. Goals give you direction. Strategy helps you build your plan. It defines your overall approach. Planning gives you the steps between where you are now and where you want to go. Tools should be chosen because of their contribution towards implementing those steps. All that is great, but projecting the right image makes a huge difference in how your fans and the general public see you. This too can affect the sites and tools you work woth. For example: Whenever and wherever the public encounter your music, do you think they would view you as a professional musician, or an amateur musician? When you look at the sites / tools you intend to use is that site morse associated with amateur or professional musicians? Does the tool or site have a damaging effect on your music reputation. Reputation is MUCH undervalued by musicians. If you act like an amateur, you will be seen as an amateur If you are seen as an amateur, people treat you like an amateur People do not need to hear your music to view you as either professional or amateur. This includes graphics, photos, website, buzz (chat), reviews, communications from you, communications about you etc. There are few aspiring pro artists these days that would not incorporate the internet into their strategy. That means either you hire someone that knows about the internet and how to use it for music marketing, at the cutting edge, or you learn it yourself. The tools mainly work around either automating part of the process, or communications, or both. Either way, tools are useful when you choose the right ones to achieve your goals. Without goals, strategy and a plan, tools become more and more of a waste of time.

Very true Janishia, good points. Creativity can be expressed in many arenas, including business. To progress to anything near mainstream bands have to operate as a business. Musicians need not be scared of thinking in this way. In fact if they don't have a mind towards business, and devote some time to it, they are unlikely to really go anywhere. They simply have to engage in learning how to conduct business as a modern band.

Hi Edison In addition to the existing articles on AAA, AABA, AB, ABC and AAB, I'm currently working on 3 articles: Compound Forms - When you mix forms together to a new overall form Other Forms - Mostly extended versions of the forms above such as AABABA Songform Overview - drawing on the existing song form articles and the "Song Blocks" article this gives an overview of Sectional Forms (All the forms mentioned so far are sectional forms) Hopefully they should be published this week. Please feel free to suggest topics for new articles, questions you would like answered etc, concepts you would like explained and we can see about pulling together something that addresses your questions

Maybe your husband would be interested in joining Songstuff, and take an active part in our community? We have a number of very experienced, professional members.

Hey Ash, welcome to Songstuff.