Skyelab Music Group

Music Marketing: The Difference Between Success and Failure

2010-09-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

By Bret Caputo

Marketing Director for SkyeLab Music Group

Do you have a great recording but do not know how to reach your fans? You are not alone-- many artists have a professional album or single, however, without the right push they may fall short of their target market and ultimately their full potential.

Many believe that if their music is good, or if they are a great singer that their product will essentially sell itself. It is another misconception that in order for an artist to be a success they only need to market their music on iTunes. Because of this thinking it may surprise some to learn that this is not the case for a majority of artists, in fact it is quite the opposite.

Popular digital distributors like iTunes are oversaturated with millions of songs and to generate a random hit on iTunes can be likened to that of winning the lottery. Like the lottery, it may be possible to get lucky—however not for the majority, especially without proper marketing and promotion to back the artist. Marketing may be the most often overlooked aspect of an emerging artist’s career and also the most important, perhaps even more so than the music itself.

It is no secret that the music industry is experiencing a shift in the way they conduct business and work with artists. Marketing can mean the difference between a lame duck and a breakout success and it is essential that your marketing is spot on, and at the relevant time.

Most musicians fail at marketing because they do not have the specific tools and resources to garner the exposure they need. Just as artists enlist the services of a professional studio to get the best recording possible, so too should these artists invest in proper marketing-- an idea that is often overlooked by most and yet is critical to the artist’s success.

For those seeking a record deal it is important to build your social networks and make sure they are up to snuff. Whether you like it or not, most industry professionals will be extensively examining your MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter artist pages to ensure an appropriate amount of support is backing the artist. Record labels hardly factor in artist development these days, and the sad fact of it is that if an artist wants to get noticed they have to first build themselves the proper fan base. Record label talent scouts will be searching for a set amount of support behind the artist before they even consider a record contract; therefore it is imperative for an artist to be actively involved in locating and recruiting new fans daily.

In addition, having a professional electronic press kit (EPK) and one-sheet prepared for blog, magazine, or any other kind of media outreach is a must. When reaching out for review or feature consideration, it is of absolute importance that you conduct yourself in a professional and sincere manner, yet at the same time not appearing too desperate. Having a professional electronic press kit to include along with your pitch will place you a notch above the countless artists that are also looking for free publicity. Having a solid album helps as well, and having it available for free download to these editors through online file hosting sites such as Mediafire can be a major bonus; and even better yet if you can send out a physical copy that can occupy space on their desk, ensuring you are not so easily forgotten.

Finally, proper follow-ups are paramount because without following-up your email will get lost in the mayhem most likely taking place in the editor’s inbox. Be courteous and professional, but at the same time be consistent and insistent. Make sure your previous emails are attached to your latest email so the editor can review your previous attempts at contacting them. Once they get the hint that you are unwilling to take no for an answer they will usually, at the very least, respond as to whether or not they are interested in checking out your material.

In closing, marketing can be a hefty task for any artists, especially if acting on their own behalf. Social networking can be a very time consuming process and media outreach can seem daunting to any emerging artist. As marketing director for SkyeLab Music Group, I am more than happy to assist any artist and provide free information so that you have the knowledge to build their own fan base, yet the bottom line is that without the manpower and resources behind a proper campaign, as well as the know-how behind your marketing you may never reach your true target market. Give us a call today to see what you can do to gain the maximum exposure for your music and what SkyeLab can do to help!

10 Career Mistakes Every Singer Must Avoid!

2010-07-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

10 Career Mistakes Every Singer Must Avoid

We started out with 5, but it quickly grew to 10! These 10 avoidable career mistakes are geared towards singers looking to have a career as a recording artist in any of the popular categories such as Pop, Rock, R&B, Country, Dance, etc. If your field is Opera, Broadway, Vegas, and Wedding Singers, some of these "mistakes" don't apply because of the different requirements in those fields.

Mistake #1...

1. Just Because Picasso Published His "Sketches" Doesn't Mean You Should Too. Avoid Permanent "Demos"

Years ago, before the internet revolutionized the music industry, major labels were the only way for an artist to get exposure on a massive scale. Independent record labels had a limited reach, but for an artist without a record deal, the doors were practically shut. Recording costs were extremely high and to make a quality recording (a "master") to compete on a professional level required tens of thousands of dollars. So the path for a new artist was to make a "demonstration recording" or "demo" as it's commonly referred to and to shop that music demo to record labels. The record labels did not expect an elaborate music production because of the expense required to do so. Plus, there was true "artist development" at the record company level and they would help shape an artist's sound and image. A basic demo was the norm and an acceptable standard in the industry.

Now, surprise! Technology comes marching along and changes everything. Recording costs are suddenly a mere fraction of what they used to be. Now a new artist can get their music heard by millions of people throughout the world, without any record label behind them! With the newfound capability to sell their music to the world as well as build up their fan base, getting exposure to music publishing companies and pitching their songs to movies and TV became much easier.

However, in order to do all this, will a basic, cheap demo do the job? In a word, NO! The "demo" still has it's place as an audition tape for Broadway and wedding bands but If the quality isn't sufficient for the TV/Film Industry, Broadcast or even for internet radio, what makes you think you'll build up any fans? You won't. What happens if you don't build up any fans? Record labels most likely won't be interested in you at all! Because all the rules have changed, record labels no longer need to accept poor quality or basic demos when tens of thousands of artists have great sounding "masters" and they've already built up a sizable fan base. It's much easier for a record label to get involved with artists that have already achieved a certain level of success on their own, then to listen to thousands of demos that come across their desk each week, 95% of which are such poor quality they don't even present the artist in a listenable state.

The demo might be a good way to try out a few ideas, like a sketch pad, but again, don't try to market those "sketches". If you're serious as an artist, you'll skip the "demo" stage altogether and record a MASTER, which will be broadcast quality and have the ability to be sold, licensed and published.

Mistake #2...

2. Avoid Recording Covers. Seriously
Again, times have changed and record labels are not just looking for a great voice. Unless you are just so unbelievably talented that you just can't be denied, (and I'm talking Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey talented) then recording covers only can bring you to the next stage, which is a company asking for something original. We've had artists come to us saying their next door neighbor is a big record company exec (or something like that) and he wants to hear something. So they record a few Karaoke covers and time and time again the reaction is the same. "Wow, you sound good. Now bring me some original material that shows who you are as an artist". Well, doesn't that bring you right back to where you should have started?

Also, by recording covers, you can't really sell or license them. The publishing company and the songwriters own the rights and you'll have to pay them for every download, or risk getting sued. Fun, right?

However, there are a few scenarios in which recording a cover makes sense.

1. For audition purposes.
2. To give to family, friends and pets.
3. If you really change up the music production and your interpretation as a singer is completely unique. You'll still need to deal with paying out publishing royalties and the amount of money derived from sales and licensing will be significantly diminished. But, if you can break the big time with it, it could still be worth it

Other than that, your best move is to present yourself in a totally original format to set YOU apart from the crowd and show who YOU are as an artist. Get em, tiger.

Mistake #3...

3. Avoid the Belief That the Only Path to Success is Through a Major Record Label

Major labels lose money on 95% of their artists! The business model that the record industry was built on is dead, deceased, no longer living, as in "it doesn't work anymore!" It worked for us at a time before the internet turned the music business world upside down and people discovered they can get any music they want right at their computer fingertips. They didn't need to pay for overpriced CDs when they only wanted 1 song.

Originally, in order for it to make sense for record labels to manufacture a piece of vinyl (a "record" that played on a "turntable" for all you young folk) and place it on trucks and deliver it to thousands of record stores across the nation, (and the world) they needed to charge a certain price. The record store took their cut, the distributor took their piece, and then the record company kept the rest, paying the artist a small fraction after all expenses incurred by the record company were recouped from the artist's measly share. But still, when mega artists like Led Zeppilin or Michael Jackson sold tens of millions of records, everyone got rich, and the influx of cash to the record company covered all the losses they sustained for the artists that didn't recoup the money laid out by the record label on their behalf.

Times have changed, but the business model of the major record labels really hasn't. So every year, there are more and more layoffs, artists cut from the rosters, smaller budgets for recording, and no label taking a chance on anything really new. Many Major artists are NOT re-signing with their record companies and instead, choosing to release their new CDs without them, through online downloads and distribution deals with major retailers like Wal-Mart, Starbucks and Target. People no longer need record labels to dictate to them how and where to buy music. There is freedom now for the music listening and buying public.

So what's a new artist to do if not go through a major record label? Go right to your fans! One great thing the internet has done is to bring together niche markets. Find out where your niche is, what websites they frequent, what forums they use, etc. and let them know you're there. If your music is in the style that appeals to that crowd, chances are you will pick up some fans and sell some music. Once you've developed your musical career to the point that it's self sustaining and hopefully making money, you now have the basic ingredients in place that will attract a record company to you. There's not enough room here to write about that subject, but there is a great book by my friend and colleague Daylle Schwartz, titled "I Don't Need A Record Deal" which I suggest you pick up.

Mistake #4...

4. Improperly Preparing for Your Vocal Recording Session

I don't know how many times I've seen artists come into the recording studio and waste tens of thousands of dollars because they failed to properly prepare for their recording session. You have to understand that the meter starts running from the start time of the session, whether or not you're there. So first, make sure not to be late! I worked with one famous Rap group that booked and paid for 60 hours worth of time, and actually used less than 10 hours of actual productive recording time. The rest of the time was used to hang out, smoke, watch movies, eat, and play CDs. The group has since been dropped by the label. So unless you have a home recording studio where the clock is not an issue...

Prepare for the recording studio:

Do's

Be on time
Bring your lyrics
Check with the studio beforehand to make sure your music files are compatable with their's. Don't assume.
Bring your music and/or data files on Hardrive, CDs and/or DVDs.
Bring backups, just in case.
Practice hard FOR WEEKS beforehand and know your material inside and out. Be in the best vocal shape of your life!
Bring payment. Most recording studios won't release any material until they're paid.(unless you're an established label)

Don'ts

Don't stay up late clubbing and trying to talk over the music
Don't have a big meal for at least a few hours before your vocal session
Don't bring your guns to the session. We tend to frown on that.
Don't treat it as party time, unless you can really afford to!

Mistake #5...

5. Trying to Show Everything You Can Do In One Song

Ease up, cowboy. Many singers feel that the first song they do has to encompass everything that the singer is capable of doing. They want to show their full range, their power, all the intense riffs they copied from Mariah, whistle tones, scatting, ad-libbing, cooking and who know what else. But sheesh, remember, it's just a song! What's appropriate for the song has to come first. That's another important reason to rely on a music producer you trust. They will help bring out the best in your voice, while sometimes knowing when to keep you in check.

I remember seeing Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey a few years ago singing a holiday song duet. It was soft and quiet, and Nick's vocals matched the music and the feel beautifully. Then Jessica came out belting and singing all out trying to do all these riffs, but the song was still mellow and soft, and her voice sounded completely out of place. I shook my head and said "is she even listening to the music?" To give you another analogy, just because a guitar player can shred, should it be all over a mellow ballad? (the guitar player in me says "damn right, always!", but the producer part says "shut up with that guitar already!!!")

So don't force it. A career isn't built on one song, but it's a process. Sing what's appropriate for that song, stretch a little where you can but let it be natural.

Mistake #6...

6. Making Your CD or Demo Too Diverse

Most people like a wide range of music. When prompted with the question "What type of music do you like?" half the people respond with "everything". So it stands to reason that most artists will also like a few different styles of music, and when putting together songs for a CD, they will choose to showcase those different styles. The artist feels that people will be impressed when they hear them sing Rock, Country, Pop, Dance, and R&B, but that's not really the case, especially for a new artist. The artist first needs to establish their 'sound'; their brand if you will. They should have an identifiable sound and style, so that fans will know what to expect when they choose to listen to the artist. If you picked up a Bruce Springstein album and heard instrumental new age music, you may be a little confused, and you don't want to confuse your fans. So pick one style, and you can do variations of that style and stretch out on a song or two, but don't go too far and try to cram four completely different styles into one CD. Stay focused and establish your sound.

Mistake #7...

7. Getting Involved with Shady People.. Unless it's Slim Shady

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Music Business does have more than it's share of shady individuals that prey on the naive and ill-informed. Yes, there are a lot of scams out there. Yes, woman especially should be fearful about going into strange apartments to audition, to record, to have meetings, etc. The good thing is that there is Google, so that you can easily look up a person or company to see its background before committing to something you might regret.

While you can't believe everything you hear on the internet, it still affords one the opportunity to see what people are saying. And ladies, while a few known artists have "slept their way" into something, 99% have not. So if someone is telling you that's the way it's done, tell them to go to hell!

The most important thing is trust your gut. Many shady people I've met through the years have not lasted more than a few years before everyone knew what they were about.
While there are exceptions, most professionals in the music industry and companies that have been in the industry for ten years or more, are honest and legitimate. So, make sure to work with an established company, trust your instincts, and you should be fine.

Mistake #8...

8. Getting Pressured Into Signing a Deal

If you ever get to the point where a record company (or management company) says that they love you, can't live without you, and they offer you an exclusive deal in their office, congratulations! But if they say that the deal has to be signed on the spot or it will be withdrawn, you have some tough decisions to make. Nine times out of ten, the initial deal offered by a record company is completely one sided (even if they love you) and you'd have to be very naive to just sign it. Most of the time the deal centers around the artist giving the record company everything and the record company promising nothing in return! If the label is sincere in their belief of you as an artist and they really do want to sign you, then they expect that you'll hire an entertainment attorney and proceed with the normal negotiation process.

There are also countless accounts of boxing promoters using the same "sign it now or I take it away" tactics, and many have ended up in court. But don't mistake a simple agreement that may be non-exclusive for a full fledged exclusive record deal. A one or two page agreement outlining terms of a deal you've agreed on, should be fine to sign without an attorney. A non-exclusive publishing deal for a song for a limited time is often just a one or two page deal. Ultimately, use common sense.

Mistake #9...

9. Avoid Believing Success is Just a Matter of Luck or Who You Know

I heard that "it's just a matter of luck" or "it's who you know" many times when I was just starting out, and I flat out refused to believe it. I wasn't going to devote my life to just a roll of the dice. I was right. While you can look around and spot a few people that just got lucky, or who just knew the right people, this is by far the exception, not the rule. Often when this happens, the artist may not have the real talent to actually sustain a career. Now don't get me wrong here, luck does play a part. Samuel Goldwyn once said, "The harder I work, the luckier I get." It's your job to put yourself in positions and situations where you can get yourself lucky, as it's also your job to try and get to know the right people by networking, joining organizations like ASCAP, songwriters workshops, etc. So work hard and be ready if a lucky opportunity comes your way, but don't just sit back and think that because you don't know anybody in the industry, you have no shot. The formula has always been the same for success. Hard work, talent, hard work, perspective, and more hard work. Good luck!

Mistake #10...
10. Believing Your Music Has to be 100% Perfect

Here is where I will get some conflicting opinions, so you have to use your common sense and decide for yourself. Many music business authors have stated that the artist should feel that their music is perfect before sending it out, but the grey area here is defining "perfect". I have spent days in the studio mixing records that have gone on to be #1 Billboard hits, and there are things about the mix I'm still dissatisfied with when I hear the song on the radio. It's not "perfect", but it has passed my threshold of "good enough". The problem here is where is your threshold set?

If it's too low, you can be satisfied with putting out music that you're not really happy with and probably no one else will be, either. That's the argument that many authors use and I agree with it. But if your threshold is set too high, you may never release anything. Assuming that you're growing and developing as an artist, you will always be better than what you previously did. At a certain point, though, you'll just have to say that this is the best that you can do right now and put it out there. It all comes down to the least understood virtue to achieve success, which is "perspective".

'Like' us on BalconyTV NYC on Facebook!

2010-06-29T11:16:00.000-07:00

BalconyTV NYC is operated by Skyelab Music Group.

BalconyTV Dublin has featured and supported hundreds of exciting up and coming performers, along with many established and recognized acts. NYC will take the torch and represent artists in or visiting NYC. If you are an artist interested in performing on Balcony TV, please email Danielle@balconytv.com

6/29

2010-06-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

Getting the day started! Bret is uploading a new song from Seth Zavier, and Danielle is checking emails and keeping everything in order.

Artist Spotlight

2010-03-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

This month’s artist spotlight focuses on two of our artists, Amanda Encore and Leslie DiNicola, and their stories to success. These particular artists were chosen for this newsletter because they represent two different extremes in the length of time it took for them to gain recognition. And while they may exhibit stark contrasts from one another in terms of style, goals and the path to achieve them, both artists share the common ground of starting off with their undying determination to make it, and the professionalism they have shown since day one.

Amanda Encore

Pop vocalist Amanda Encore is a perfect example of why patience and a quality recording under the guidance of a professional producer matters for artists looking for record deals. In 2003, a 17-year old Amanda teamed up with Arty Skye and recorded her first original song. Posting the track on MySpace, Amanda attracted the attention of dance/pop record producer Jason Nevins in 2005, who had expressed his interest in working with her. After a few years of waiting, Amanda was approached by Jason to put together a girl group through Sony/ATV. Amanda and Jason recorded a demo for audition purposes and took it to Sony’s headquarters in New York City. But after hearing the demo at the meeting, Sony’s VP was so impressed with Amanda that he offered to sign her as a solo artist. Signing a deal with Sony Publishing and Ultra Records in 2008, Amanda had finally emerged into the major label scene. After recently shooting a music video in London, she reconnected with Arty Skye to record her vocals at SkyeLab, and is currently putting the finishing touches on her debut album. What we can take from Amanda’s story is that recognition does not occur overnight; it can take years. Reflecting upon her career path thus far, Amanda acknowledges that with great material, a quality recording, patience and determination, anything is possible.

http://www.myspace.com/AmandaEncore

Leslie DiNicola

As one of the most prominent emerging folk/blues singer-songwriters in New York City today, Leslie DiNicola has shown that hard work and a killer live set can bring about short and long term results. Leslie got started with her professional career when she and Arty Skye had worked on a song together called “Can’t Change It Now.” In March of 2009, “Can’t Change It Now” was licensed to the independent film Pocket Full of Gold, starring Andrew Springer of One Tree Hill. After the placement, Leslie began to perform in notable underground New York City venues including Fontana’s, The National Underground and The Annex. In just a few months, Leslie’s live shows began to attract a growing base of fans, artists and musicians. Leslie then recorded a 5 song EP titled It Resembles Fiction, comprised of songs produced by Arty Skye and Ellis Traver (Diane Birch, Fischerspooner, Sean Lennon, Mark Ronson). The highly anticipated album will go public on Thursday, March 4^th through a record release party and performance at the distinguished Arlene’s Grocery in New York City. Leslie DiNicola has shown that with the right ingredients, artists can go from unknowns to celebrating the release of their own record in relatively little time (under one year), even in crowded music markets like New York City.

http://www.myspace.com/lesliedinicola

Skyelab Music Group congratulates both Amanda Encore and Leslie DiNicola on all of their achievements! We are proud to be affiliated with such hard working, dedicated and talented artists with blossoming careers. We strongly encourage you to support Amanda Encore’s upcoming album, and attend Leslie DiNicola’s long awaited record release party! Using these artists as an example, I sincerely hope that you can apply their path of success to your own career. Every artist has a different road, and no two will ever be the same. That being said, hearing other artists’ stories can be inspirational for up and coming artists, and we certainly hope that you can apply the contagious motivation of Amanda and Leslie to your own respective career.

Leslie DiNicola Album Release Party
THURSDAY, MARCH 4TH

ARLENE'S GROCERY

95 Stanton St (between Orchard & Ludlow)

10pm

Marina Star's Debut Music Video: "Shattered Dreams"

2009-11-11T07:18:00.000-08:00

Skyelab Music Group is proud to present Marina Style as our featured artist of the month with her debut music video for “Shattered Dreams.” After recording with Arty Skye, Marina and the Skyelab Marketing Department decided that next step would be to show the artist’s talents and beauty through the visual art form of a music video. We assembled a team of professionals consisting of a director, producer, editor, director of photography, choreographer, costume designer and makeup artist to create a sultry yet elegant video on par with the professional standards of Skyelab quality.

“Shattered Dreams” was created for two primary objectives. The first purpose is to gain exposure and build an online presence through major websites including YouTube and Vimeo. With the initial buzz propelling Marina’s momentum, “Shattered Dreams” will hopefully find its way into areas outside of online consumption including dance clubs, bars, organized events and venues. This in turn will direct attention back towards Marina’s other material, and her music career a whole. The second purpose is to be able to validate Marina to the dance music industry as a serious and viable recording artist with all bases covered. Armed with great material and professional quality recordings, a broadcast quality music video that displays her dancing abilities and an enticing image, Marina now has an opportune advantage for record label, management and agency attention. With budgets depleting, the music industry is taking less risks on unknown and undeveloped artists. This music video gives Marina great leverage when dealing with the music industry.

Many artists have taken advantage of video sharing communities in the current digital landscape. As a relatively unknown band, OK Go propelled themselves from obscurity to becoming a viral YouTube phenomenon with their quirky, low-budget video for "A Million Ways." Artists including Imogen Heap, Weezer and countless others have found creative ways to use the power of visual arts to promote their music.

4 Music Production Tips To Use Now!!!

2009-09-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

By Arty Skye

A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE...
A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing! I've experienced this many times in my life and my mom’s recent explanation of her computer problems echoed the sentiment once again. She figured out that her Microsoft Excite was eating her Java. Hmmm, so I guess that explains why her Yahoo Id# wasn't working as her Ebay password? LOL! Her solution to solving those problems is too scary to relate here.

This same reasoning is apparently practiced when I see a "one size fits all" solution for making music. I've produced thousands of songs through the years, and while I have certain habits and ways of organizing my work, every single song gives birth to it's own path of evolution. While technology marches on and the advanced features in music software offer some great starting points in terms of templates and channel strip settings, they should rarely be used as is.

THERE AND BACK
Last year we produced a few songs for a young rock band and helped them establish a unique sound and identity. We focused on the strong points that set them apart from the crowd and avoided the areas where they were weak. The result was a powerful set of songs which helped them land a record deal with a big independent label, which I'll avoid mentioning here. This record label had their own in house recording studios, so they brought the boys in to record the album. The group wasn't crazy about the music producer they were assigned to, but in an effort not to make waves and go with the flow, they went with it.

After a few weeks, we were told that the record label loved the production that SkyeLab had done on the previous songs and were going to use those existing productions for the album. Naturally we were pleased and offered to help in any way we could. The group had already begun recording the remaining six songs for the album. But apparently, the recording process and the production quality wasn't up to SkyeLab standards and veered too far from the sound we created on the first set of songs.

So the group came back and asked us to finish the music production on the songs they recorded with the independent label. The label and recording studio was very cooperative (as we all should be) and provided us with Logic files for all the songs. But that being said, the tracks were a nightmare!
The timing was off all over the place, the drums sounded like they had a blanket over them and a good deal of the vocals needed to be redone. How did they even let the stuff out of the recording studio like that?

Well I certainly had my work cut out for me here. The first thing I had to do was to figure out the timing issues. I had worked with the singer before so I knew that there was no way that he sang that out of time. As I investigated, I discovered that some of the vocals and guitars were copied and pasted from other parts of the track, but they were pasted a few ticks off beat. Also, on some of the tracks, the engineer had used multiple plug-ins that caused delays because of the processing time or the settings on the plug-ins. The drums were gated heavily, but not properly, so the gates were inadvertently opening and closing at all the wrong times, which was wreaking havoc on the groove!

GET ON THE BUS!
As I began systematically correcting these issues, I also noticed something else that was very disturbing to my sense of creativity and common sense. There were an enormous amount of plug-ins on everything! It seems that the engineer just pulled up stock templates of channel strip settings for whatever the instrument was that he was using. While in some circumstances these may be good starting points, they MUST be customized for your specific sound. Volume, equalization and effects are all relative within the context of the song's specific direction and are different for every song. One size certainly does NOT fit all when it comes to music production and/or engineering. And by the engineer not utilizing a bus/aux structure, the enormous amount of processing power he was using just bogged down the computer and caused it to operate very sluggishly.

Which brings me back to my point. This limited knowledge and inexperience of the label's engineer/producer led him to believe that the programmers at Logic Audio already did all the work for him. All he needed to do for a great vocal sound, was to call up the "Ambient Vocals" channel strip settings on all 10 vocal tracks and he'd have the perfect vocal sound! Wrong!

While this isn't the forum to go into a detailed article about engineering, I will offer these guidelines which I hope will improve the overall sound quality of your recordings.

4 GUIDELINES TO IMPROVING YOUR MUSIC PRODUCTIONS

1. Listen First! One More Time, LISTEN FIRST!
This may sound self evident, but you'd be amazed by how many engineers and musicians don't follow this rule. Don't start adding plug-ins until you know what needs to be done. Putting a compressor on a vocal because you always do it, or it's one of the channel strip plug-ins for "Unbelievable Vocal Sound" is like pulling out a hammer to fix a leaky faucet. Suppose the vocal was over compressed while it was being recorded? Your solution is now to compress more? I can give you 20 more examples, but the point is "LISTEN FIRST!"

2. Busses and Aux Sends Are Your Friend
Carried over from the old days of analog recording, we used Aux sends (often labeled as "busses" now in the music programs) to add reverb, delay and chorusing to various tracks in the mix. Rarely would we ever patch a reverb unit across a channel because we wanted a little reverb on the guitar. And if we operated like that, we'd need about 10 reverb units just for the drums! So learn to assign a lot of your common effects to Aux sends. It will save processing power, make it easier to control the mix and allow the instruments to "live in the same room" (when you want them to).

3. Copy and Paste Correctly For Pete's Sake!
Too common a problem here. If you're cutting and pasting graphically, set your grid to "Bar" mode so that the material doesn't get pasted a few ticks off beat. If you're entering the time in bars, beats and ticks, make sure to stay on point. Do whatever you have to but make sure it's in time!

4. Don't Rely on Stock Settings
I'm sure that a number of you reading this article will rush to your computer and say "wow, I didn't know I had all these stock channel strip settings. Let's start using them!". Sometimes they are wonderful and can give you nice effects, like a ping-pong, phased delay with a distorted telephone voice. But even when that works, always refer back to "Rule#1. Listen First!" Can the high pass filter be adjusted to add more body? Is the feedback on the delay too long? Is the distortion too severe and making the voice un-intelligible? Listen, decide what must be done and then make your moves!

These are just some very basic guidelines but I suggest that everyone with a home studio, looking to make a more professional sounding recording go a little deeper than just scratching the surface. As for my mom, I was told that her Java now needs some more Flash and then her Google can start checking for colds and viruses again. Can't wait to see how she does it!

Sonic Bids Contest Winner Announced!

2009-09-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

This month has been exciting for the Skyelab marketing department with the culmination of our highly anticipated Sonicbids Marketing Campaign Competition.

Since 2000, Sonicbids has become the industry standard in sending and receiving Electronic Press Kits (EPK) between artists and concert promoters, talent buyers, festivals, agencies, record labels, management companies, film/TV music supervisors, media firms and more. With over 30,000 bands and 3,000 partners, Sonicbids has grown to become the premiere destination for artists and opportunity to find each other.

Choosing a winner for the contest was no easy task for us. The process began with a strong partnership and strategy between Skyelab and Sonicbids earlier this summer. After careful planning, we decided to offer the winner of the contest a free 5-week marketing campaign (an $875+ value), with the hopes of finding a great artist to be able to market. Internationally open to all genres and styles of music, the Skyelab Music Group Marketing Campaign Competition launched our promoter drop box at the end of May. Both Skyelab and Sonicbids expected about 50 submissions during the course of the contest from June to August. We were shocked to see the overwhelming response, in which we had nearly 50 submissions in the first week alone!

As the weeks went by, we continued to get new submissions in our EPK inbox. Artists of all genres from all corners of the planet submitted their material to us. From country singers in Texas to New York hip-hop, British electro-dance to Australian indie rock (and everything in between), it became clear to us that regardless of style, location or career development, ALL artists need marketing!

Realizing the high global demand for our third-party music marketing service, Sonicbids featured Skyelab and our competition on their front page alongside other prominent contests including major summer festival performance slots such as Warped Tour and Bonnaroo. This in turn increased submissions even further. By the end of the contest, we received close to 200 artists’ EPKs in our promoter drop box.

After the submission deadline, we closed the drop box and began to extensively review and research each and every artist, one song at a time. Qualification for this final round was based on one simple yet defining question: how can we effectively market the artist? If we were able to come up with a concrete answer to this question, the artist moved on to our final round. An interesting thing to note; our finalists were just as eclectic in style, region and popularity relative to the submissions as a whole.

We visited and revisited the final round artists’ EPKs relentlessly by listening to material, reading bios and press, noting visual themes, watching videos, pulling up past and present tour schedules, analyzing online presence, observing fan feedback and more. The more we researched, the more we liked each artist and the harder it became to pick a winner. Four weeks, countless debates and a hundred coffee cups later, we were able to announce our winner:

Skyelab Music Group and Sonicbids would like to congratulate Leaves as the winners of the Skyelab Music Group Marketing Campaign Competition!

Leaves is a four-piece indie rock band from Iceland, with a unique sound that rivals Coldplay and Sigur Ros. Armored with an awesome new album and a devoted following, Skyelab and Leaves will utilize all of our resources, knowledge and skills to build a marketing plan that will give them the opportunity to keep progressing with their careers forward by meeting their short and long term goals.

For the other artists that made it as far as they did but ultimately did not win, I thank them on behalf of Skyelab Music Group for their submission, patience and belief in our services. I would also like to thank Sonicbids for all of their help in making this possible. Though it was a LOT of work on our part, we certainly had a blast with this whole contest. I wish every artist the best of luck with their careers, and I encourage each and every one of them to keep up the good work and keep great music alive!

4 Music Marketing Mistakes To Avoid

2009-06-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

1. Too general of an artist description:
Many artists tend to categorize themselves as simply "pop" or "rock." "Rock" can mean anything from acoustic to death metal. Music fans have specific tastes, and want specific classifications to make it easier for them to discover your music. At the same time, you should refrain from over-analyzing your style. A lot of artists feel that they defy traditional genres, and end up calling themselves something along the lines of “a blend of hardcore punk rock and garage band jam rock with a jazzy bluesy R&B vibe.” You may think that this will appeal to a broad audience, but the reality is that nobody, including fans of punk, jam, jazz, blues and R&B will find this to be enticing.
I know its hard to compare yourself to another artist, but this is the best way to describe yourself when you are a relatively unknown artist, looking to grow their fanbase. If you draw similarities to an established artist, you can work off of the fans they have already collected and expose yourself to a larger, targeted market.
One of the best artist descriptions I have seen was for a progressive rock band from Denver, who described themselves as “Kurt Cobain on acid.” This sort of description gives potential fans a general direction of what to expect, and lures them in to the mystery of what Kurt Cobain on acid would sound like.

2. Passive networking:
Just because you have set up a basic MySpace account, does not mean fans will magically appear before you. Just because your song is available for sale on iTunes, does not mean strangers will buy it, even if it is just 99 cents. You have to be pro-active about promoting yourself and your product. Don’t assume that because your product is available people will consume it. Making your song available for purchase is only one of many steps that will lead to sales. Spreading awareness of your song, pushing it to the right crowd, creating incentives to buy the song and other promotional tactics are essential to creating a successful and lucrative career in music.
The power of the internet has allowed us all to become globally distributed recording artists. That does not mean we are all making careers off of our music. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t in today’s digital music industry is the amount of time and energy that is put into active promotion.

3. Ignoring your web presence:
So you’ve started to get a little attention and grow a core fan base. Your marketing and promotion efforts are far from over. In fact, the more popular you get, the more work you will have to put in. In order to keep traffic flowing to your site, you must keep the material on it to be fresh and ever-changing. Whether your web presence revolves around your own website URL of “bandname.com,” or your official website is your MySpace page, constantly updating the content is crucial to keep your fans attention. Updates can be anything from blogging, to adding videos, to even adding new songs. There is a band that had greatly increased their web traffic by posting a new song every day for a full year (365 days, 365 songs!) on their site.

With so much content all over the internet these days, there is evermore competition for the attention of fans. If you have a website that you do not update, fans will have no reason return to your site, and you will eventually lose them to other artists’ pages. As long as you keep your fans engaged and keep the momentum of their attention going, they will make it a routine to revisit your site, and thus revisit your career.

4. Inconsistency:
One of the key aspects that I stress for an artist marketing campaign is branding. The reason why an artist like Britney Spears is so popular is because Britney, and every aspect of her career, is a brand. Just like people associate Volvo with safety or McDonalds with “I’m Lovin’ It,” Britney’s brand relies on the same notion of consistency. Currently, Britney’s latest album is called “Circus.” Every aspect fueling her current career revolves around this circus theme. Her album cover and MySpace layout are the same circus images. Her first single off of the album, entitled “Circus,” is lyrically based on the metaphor of being a ringleader in a circus. The music video is shot in a circus setting, and shows her as a circus performer. Her major tour in support of the album is called the “Circus Tour,” with the stage set up in the manner of a circus. You get the point.
The reason why branding is so important is because music fans need repetition in order to have you stick in their heads. With so much music out there today, fans are exposed to countless new artists on a daily basis. The only way you will achieve recognition from them is if you pound their head into the ground with familiar visual images and themes. Even a superstar like Britney Spears relies heavily on consistency within her brand, because recognition is still important to her.
Very few of us are on Britney’s career level. However, we must all incorporate consistency within our own brands. If you have a logo, use that same logo everywhere you put your name. If your MySpace page has a black background with green glitter, use the same color theme for all of your other social networks, in addition to printed show flyers, album covers, business cards, shirts, stickers and anywhere else that you are present, both physically and digitally. Eventually, a potential fan will say “I’ve seen these guys before” and remember you. If you constantly change your look, you will never brand yourself to the public sphere.

American Idol (on Fox TV) is truly a phenomenon!

2009-06-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

It’s in its 8th year and it just keeps picking up steam. We are fascinated by the thought that a singer can go from sheer obscurity to international fame and fortune inside of one TV season of American Idol. And we the people get to decide who that Idol is going to be by voting for our favorite contestants, week after week.

American Idol is wonderful for the music industry because it seems that it’s the only area that is really generating any excitement these days. Years ago, we had musical “trends and movements” that, like them or hate them, generated sales and brought money into the music industry. So Bravo to American Idol for keeping the torch burning for the music industry (even though American Idol's real success is in the TV industry).

American Idol is also fantastic for giving thousands of dedicated singers out there the opportunity to shoot for the stars! The serious ones will practice continuously for months before the audition. Even if they don’t pass the audition stage, (which just might mean they’re not TV worthy) they’ve benefited from the practice. And the singers that get into the later rounds of American Idol have instant celebrity status and are often sought out by record labels. We love it here at Skyelab Music!

So you ask, with all this good, what’s this about American Idol being dangerous for a singer? It's only dangerous is the singer takes away the wrong beliefs about the music industry and what it takes to be successful. And unfortunately, it seems that many have!

Myth #1
Success happens overnight.

The first danger is the misconception that success in the music industry happens just that fast. Success in American Idol is by far the rare, rare exception. Singers start to believe that this is the path to take to become successful, and if it isn’t by way of American Idol, they’ll find other contests that will propel them to fame and fortune overnight.

This is like believing the path to financial success comes from buying the winning lottery ticket. While of course this is true for the lucky few, most people realize that this is no way to plan for your future. So as a singer, don’t count on the short term score. Hone your craft and plan for long term success.

Myth #2

Anyone can be a singer.

We’ve all seen the American Idol auditions where a so called “singer” comes in and starts howling a song in no apparent key. Where do they get the idea that they’re singers? Is it from family and friends? They’re no friends if they let you embarrass yourself on national TV without first being honest about your lack of singing ability.

And do you see how the judges are laughing? Are we to feel bad because now the “singer” is crying because this was their dream? Sorry, no pity here. Why don’t people realize that really becoming a singer requires years of hard work? You don’t wake up one day and decide you’re a gifted piano player or a surgeon, so why a singer? This annoys me to no end. When a person decides 3 months before the American Idol auditions that they want to become famous, and that singing is the easiest way to do it, they insult the craft and everyone who has worked hard for years to attain a certain level of skill.

Myth #3

National fame and fortune is the only way to have a career in music

While this is what everyone wants of course, there are many other opportunities for singers who have talent, a passion for music and work hard NOW towards constantly improving their vocals skills. (Notice here that I said that they WORK HARD NOW, not that they are willing to work hard if they are chosen) There are independent labels, self releases, and numerous other ways to make a living doing what you love most, even if you never become a household name.

Myth #4

You either have it or you don’t

So many people seem to think that singing is something that either you’re born with, or not. So the American Idol auditions have so many people thinking that maybe they have what it takes, like they’re holding a raffle ticket that may be called. Once again, it doesn’t work that way. You might be born with a beautiful tone to your voice and you may love singing and have a unique approach. But without years of hard work to develop your talent, it will be worth nothing! The same thing applies to any career and every successful person in any walk of life. Is there an athlete on the planet that can compete on a professional level without the grueling workout schedule their competitors endure? No, talent alone is just the beginning. Then comes the hard work.

MYTHS and UNTRUTHS SURROUNDING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY...

2009-06-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

Myth #1 Someone will discover you without a great recording..

Yes, we've all heard the stories of some waitress being discovered while waiting on a record label executive. Or a singer being discovered in some small bar in Texas, or Oklahoma, etc. Yes, these things have happened and will continue to. But if that's what you're waiting for, you have a much better chance of winning the lottery. Good luck!

This way is fantasy land and is for dreamers only.

Myth #2 If you email and call enough people, someone will give you a chance...

Why should they? What you don't realize is that companies get literally thousands of emails everyday with people telling their stories about how they love singing and it's their dream. Yet, they have no recording, no music up on the internet, no live performances and the only step they've taken in their musical careers is to email companies asking for a shot. Sorry, but that's not the way it works. If you don't believe in yourself enough to invest in getting a good recording made, don't expect anyone else to believe in you.

Again, this road is for dreamers only.

Myth #3 You don't need a great sounding music demo, any demo will be fine...

Wrong!!! The music demo/master is how you portray yourself to the world. The internet is flooded with good music, so what's makes you think that a poor recording will stand out against so many great recordings? It won't! You want to constantly increase your chances of becoming successful, so if possible, get a great sounding music demo/master recording, produced by music industry pros. This will portray you in the best light possible and put your unique talent front and center.

Myth #4 If you have a computer, you can get a program and do you own music demos...

Do you really believe that a program is all there is to producing great sounding music? Think of all the programs you have in your computer. They are tools, just like a music program is. Having a word processor doesn't make you a writer, and having a drill doesn't make you a carpenter. But really knowing how to use them properly is what makes the difference between a pro and an amateur. While this might be the right road for a very very small segment, most singers will find that their limited music production skills aren't even close to the high quality level of their vocal talent that took years to develop. Also, professional music producers will direct and guide the singer during the recording process to deliver her/his best vocal performance. The music producer can come up with vocal harmonies, background vocal ideas, ad libs and whatever else is necessary, including voice processing and pro editing techniques. An experienced engineer in a professional studio with thousands of dollars worth of equipment and hi end microphones will give you the polished sound that will set you above the rest of the crowd. So, do you want a professionally produced recording, or a home demo? Which one will help you build more fans?

Myth #5 You should send your music demo out to record companies in order to get signed...

This is a biggie, because a few short years ago, this was absolutely true. This was the way it was done, though the odds were still astronomical.(that's a whole 'nother article-too long to cover here) But to understand this now, you have to understand how the internet has changed the music industry forever. Ask yourself this question. If YOU were given a job as A&R over at Sony, and you had to sign an act and make them successful in 6 months or you would lose your job, what would you do? Let's say you have 1000 CDs in 2 HUGE boxes in your office, and you know from past experience that at least 95% will be garbage (home recordings, lousy songs, can't hear the vocals, etc). Would you spend your time listening to those CDs, or would you head straight to the internet and see where the buzz is? Which artists are winning contests and climbing the indy charts? Which artists have 5000 downloads of their songs and doing sold out shows? Which artists have 20,000 people on myspace and built up a huge fan base that constantly sings their praises on the forums? Wouldn't it be smarter and more profitable to sign an act like that, which already has so much going for them? Absolutely, and that's why it's crucial today to BRING YOURSELF TO THE MARKETPLACE AND MAKE SOME NOISE!

Myth#6 The record company will develop you as an artist...

Record companies are looking for artists that have already developed themselves to a certain level, and this is now mostly done in the music production stage of the process. When the artist finally gets into the Internet Marketplace, they should have already established a unique sound and image that represents who they are. Again, that's where having an experienced music producer and a team of music industry professionals working on your behalf can really benefit you.

Myth#7 If you get a record deal, you'll be rich...

Sorry to break it to you, but a record deal itself usually doesn't mean you'll get rich. If you are fortunate enough to get signed by a major label, realize that this is only the beginning. Many artists are signed but never record, some record but are never released, some are released with no real push or backing by the company and many flop and are dropped by the labels, even though they may have sales in the hundreds of thousands. The last estimate I recently saw said that an artist that goes GOLD (sales of 500,000) stands to make only around $47,000! This is why so many major artists are choosing NOT to resign with their record companies, but instead, to release their new CDs independently. An independent artist selling 15,000 of their own CDs can "theoretically" make twice the amount of money as the signed artist selling 500,000 copies! (there are exceptions to this and every other point)

There are now more opportunities for singers and artists than ever before in history! The artists that succeed will be the ones that wanted it more, and were willing to sacrifice more in order to achieve success. You have to get yourself into the "game"! And of course, once you're in the "GAME", the talented ones will rise to the top!

November Update

2008-11-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

We're thrilled when we hear about some of the successes our artists are having. Vincenza's new song "Silent Screams" just came in as the #1 Most Added Song on National New Music Weekly's AC Radio Charts! Congratulations Vincenza!
And Akinori, a songwriter from Japan, has his new song "Hold You" on hold with a Grammy Award winning producer! And now it looks like the rock group Payer has attracted some serious record label interest. Way to go guys!! (All music produced by The Skyelab Music Group)
HEAR THE MUSIC

We're happy to finally introduce our new Gold Hip Hop Package, which is a production package designed specifically for the Rapper/Hip Hop artist. It has everything the hip hop artist needs, from music production and internet promotion, and internet promotion, to music battles and contests!
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

Some of you might remember my monthly column in Home Recording Magazine titled "Tales From the Trenches". Now I'll be writing articles about music production for Getsigned.com.
Check out the new piece, "4 Fatal Recording Mistakes You Must Avoid".

Vocal coach Pilar has contributed another tip for singers. (Thanks Pilar!) Her NY Vocal Intensive is coming up in December, so contact her for more info. Skyelab clients receive a 10% discount.

Remember, only the ones serious enough to actually "do it" have any chance of succeeding. Let us know if we can help.

All the best,
Arty Skye

4 Fatal Recording Mistakes You Must Avoid

2008-11-06T11:30:00.000-08:00

Any Cooks Out There?

Music production is very similar to cooking. You start out with a wide selection of ingredients that need to be prepared properly, enhanced with the right combination of spices and herbs and then cooked. In a professional chef's hands, the dish can be mouthwatering and truly heavenly! But, left to an amateur who is unaware of all the fundamentals and subtleties needed to prepare a great dinner, and you'll probably end up with something mediocre at best, or at worst, something completely gross and inedible. Try feeding that to a food critic and you won't get good reviews, I assure you. So why try to feed a bad sounding music demo to a record company executive who hears great music productions all day long?

At SkyeLab Music, we're constantly asked to rework raw music demos cooked by artists or producers who don't really know their way around the kitchen! While some singers are extremely talented with fantastic voices, the reality is they'll never get any serious attention without a tasty music production served up piping hot! Mmmm!
So, at SkyeLab, we put together a list of easy cooking instructions and tips that are sure to enhance any music demo or master and leave hungry fans begging for more!

1. GO EASY ON THE SAUCE
Too much sauce can ruin an otherwise great dish, just like too much reverb (or the wrong reverb) can destroy an otherwise fine demo. This is probably the most common problem we hear on amateur demos. Check to make sure you don't sound like you're singing in the Lincoln tunnel, especially if the band sounds like it's still in Central Park.

2. QUACK LIKE A DUCK...

To view the rest of this article, click here:

David Frazier joins the Skyelab Music Group

2008-10-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

Project Manager David Frazier

We'd happy to welcome David, our new project manager here at SkyeLab! Here's a little about him...

In his high school years, David promoted local bands and artists around Baltimore. It taught him the tough grind of the music industry. After high school, he joined the Marine Corp and dreamt of the day when he could further his music career. After his four years away from civilization, David was honorably discharged from the Marines and decided to go college for music. He attended Full Sail University and graduated with a Bachelors in Entertainment Business.

Since moving to New York City, David has worked for both Columbia Records in the marketing and promotions dept. and EMI Music Publishing in the creative division. We're all glad to have him here at The Skyelab Music Group working with us!

"This is the great opportunity here at Skyelab for me. I love working one on one with the artist and I understand what they need. My goal is to make the artist feel as comfortable as possible so they are able to express their true emotion though their music".

As project manager, David coordinates all aspects of the production and the promotion.

If you'd like to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION, please call or email Dave and he'll be happy to set it up.

October Update

2008-10-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I hope you all had a fun summer! I certainly did :)
But now and it's back to work, big time!

The Indy music scene is growing faster than ever. The opportunities for independent artists continue to grow as the major record labels continue to decline. Many FAMOUS ARTISTS are choosing NOT to resign with their record labels and they're going independent.

Some of you may have already talked to our new project manager, David Frazier. I'm happy to say everyone really likes him! If you have any questions or you're ready to book your music production, he's the man to speak to.

Our FEATURED ARTIST is Revital, truly a natural talent! Though her first time in the studio, she sounds like a seasoned pro! Check out her interview and click through to hear the music.

All the best,

Arty Skye
President

Featured Artist: Revital

2008-10-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

When did you start singing? What inspired you?
I have been singing for as long I can remember. As a child I loved to sing, but I really got into singing when I was about 9. I watched the movie Titanic and when "My Heart Will Go On" came on at the end I just sat there and listened to the song while everyone was running out. I begged my mom to take me to get the c.d. That was the first c.d I bought. I taught my self to sing just by listening to Celine Dion. She inspires me in everyway.

Tell us a little about yourself
Well, I grew up in Brooklyn and went to private school for most of my life. In high school I went to a public school, where I was able to study music. Sometimes I would cut class and hang-out in the Music room. It was an escape for me. My friends and I would just sing & play instruments. I work part-time at a school for children who deal with autism. One of my dreams is to open many schools around the world for children who deal with autism. I feel that they deserve the best . They deserve a place where they can go everyday and enjoy life just like everyone else.

Where do you get your inspiration for songwriting?
Inspiration for song-writing just comes to me suddenly. I usually will get an idea out of nowhere. I will run to the notes feature on my phone and start writing! I usually write about the people I love, they inspire me most.

Tell us about your experience at SkyeLab
My experience at Skyelab was amazing! I felt so blessed to be able to work with someone who understands me. Sometimes I would be trying to explain an Idea I had and Arty would figure out exactly what I was trying to tell him. The songs are truly a reflection of who I am as an artist.

How would you describe your "sound"?
I think my sound would be described as an R&B sound with a pop flavor. Also, a touch of middle-eastern tone in my voice. Something I got from living with my parents for 20 years!

What's the next step for Revital?
The next step for me is definitely to make more music and tour! I am working on getting signed. I hope that in the next couple of years I will have an album out there.

To hear a preview, click here:
Skyelab Music Player-Listen