April

Quick Thoughts Archive from our Facebook Fan Page

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, For Businesses, For Educators, For Worship, Marketing & Promotion, Music Theory, Recording, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

As many of you may already know, the MusicIsMyBiz Blog also has a Facebook page. In addition to alerts when there’s new blog post or article, I also interject some “Quick Thoughts of the Day”. Some are inspirational. Some are educational. Some are simply probing questions to get you thinking. I thought it would be fun to post these here on the blog as an archive of sorts.

February 2, 2010

Thought of the day: “Lack of preparation clouds your purpose.”

February 4, 2010

Self-Reflection Question of the Day: “What’s holding you back from reaching your full potential?”

February 13, 2010

Tip for the day: Remember to spend time honing your craft. Great production work doesn’t make up for bad playing or songwriting. A pig in a dress is still a pig!

February 23, 2010

Success is your own fault! You never grow until you learn to take responsibility for your successes and your failures.

March 5, 2010

While having “a good voice and a dream” is a starting point, make no mistake; the music business isn’t at all easy. What else you got?

March 18. 2010

Thought for the day: Never assume you have arrived. You can always strive to be better. The moment you stop pushing forward is the moment you appear to be moving backward to those who are committed to forging ahead!

March 26, 2010

Don’t be disappointed when someone declines your services because they “aren’t cheap”. This just means that their needs don’t match the value of your services. Your talent, expertise, and time are valuable!

April 15, 2010

Quick thought for the day: There’s a distinct difference between the roles of manager and booking agent. Your manager should understand the workings of the music industry. He should know where “the money” comes from in music, where it goes, and how to protect yourself. If he doesn’t, he shouldn’t be your manager.

April 16, 2010

Remember that anyone who has a vested interest in your success by helping you succeed will want a return on their investment. It’s only fair, and it’s how the music biz works. If someone helps you to succeed, then he shares in your success. He’ll also have incentive to work harder for you.

April 23, 2010

Quick thought for the day: If you’re thinking about “breaking into the biz”, learn as much as you can FIRST. You don’t become a doctor without going to med school. You don’t become an auto mechanic without learning how to work on cars. So, what makes someone think they can become a songwriter or artist without lear…ning the craft AND business?

If you haven’t yet become a fan (now “like”), go ahead and do it now by going to www.facebook.com/MusicIsMyBiz! Then tell all your Facebook friends.

Do you have any Quick Thoughts you’d like to share? Post yours in in the comments section!

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January

27

Your Music Ministry: A Real-World Business Model

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, For Businesses, For Worship, Marketing & Promotion, Music Theory, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

Many churches prefer not to think about it, but, like it or not, a church’s music and multimedia ministry is a part of the music and entertainment industry. If music and multimedia is a commodity for day-to-day operations, you are indeed a part of the music biz.

Anyone who is in business will tell you that you must study and analyze your competition in order to survive. In music ministry, we are in competition with the secular entertainment market. In order to draw people in and engage them, our “product” (in this case, the worship experience) must offer a viable substitute to what congregants can get anywhere else. A growth-focused contemporary church’s music, video, multimedia, and visual experience must rival what people find on the radio or at a concert–relevant and “in the now”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that worship is a concert or performance, but let’s face the facts: those things get people through your doors. Now that you’ve drawn them in, it’s the substance that’s combined with the experience that creates true relevance.

So, how can we build a vibrant and relevant music ministry? Let’s take a cue from a real-world business model, by adapting what works in the secular markets, and putting it to work to help further the Kingdom of God.

Sales and Marketing. In music ministry you’re engaged in sales and marketing. You’re basically getting someone else to “buy in” to a ministry opportunity with their time and talents. You must publicize available positions, special events, etc. If no one knows, then no one will volunteer or participate.
Human Resources. You’re also responsible for seeking the right person for the “job”. You’re saddled with the task of conducting auditions and interviews. This task is a weighty responsibility for any ministry team, because desperation to fill a given position most often results in a poor decision.
Public Relations. Your team must portray the image of your parent company, in this case, the church. This image must be exuded both inside and outside the church’s walls.
Employee Evaluation. A ministry’s responsibility is to constantly asses the work ethic, attendance, and attitude of each “employee”. Furthermore, you must assess each team member’s competency in his/her job. Are they growing and learning their instrument? Are they progressing with their musical knowledge? Can they pull their weight? Are they growing spiritually?
Legal Department. Churches all over the world break the law every week, and they don’t even know it. It’s the ministry’s moral obligation to understand intellectual property rights and the church’s legal responsibilities as it pertains to those rights. You also often deal with member contracts once players are recruited.
Maintenance and Quality Control. The ministry must supply a quality product (i.e. worship experience) each week. So, the ministry must seek out and address areas of weakness and constantly look for ways to improve.
Research and Development. Again, to compete and survive, you must analyze and learn from the competition. A ministry must learn from the most current trends and seek out ways to push forward. You must research and implement new ways to improve and become more productive. You must test ways to make your product become a viable substitute to what’s on the radio and in other entertainment.

While this is just a basic overview, there are many other parallels and lessons to draw from the business world when it comes to building a vibrant ministry team. See www.butlerproductionsmultimedia.com/seminars to bring this and similar information to your church.

Comment and tell your ministry’s Startup Story!

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January

25

My 50th on My 30th

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, For Businesses, For Educators, For Worship, Marketing & Promotion, Music Theory, Recording, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

Today marks two milestones. First, I turn 30 today. Second, it’s our 50th blog post!

I don’t really feel like I’m “in my thirties”. Looking back, I did achieve one of my major goals of owning my own business and working for myself while still in my twenties. I’m so blessed that I get to do what I love–making music–for a living (sometimes in my pajamas). I like being able to say that I’m an author, musician, and an entrepreneur. More than that, I love being able to help others down that same path with the MusicIsMyBiz blog, classes, seminars, and books. Life is good.

So, this marks our 50th blog post! It’s been my goal to create a place where aspiring musicians can go for information about the music business. It’s a place where teachers and business owners can learn how to use audio to improve their productivity and achieve their goals. It’s a place where churches and ministries can learn how go grow, improve, and protect themselves when it comes to music and multimedia. If you use music or audio in day-to-day activities, then MusicIsMyBiz is designed for YOU.

It’s my desire that you succeed. That’s why I’m unveiling our new book on MusicIsMyBiz.com on such a day as today. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to record and produce your own music, then I’ve put together the beginner’s guide, Recording Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to Producing Music. We’ll cover all the necessary information to get you started producing and recording music for yourself or for others.

Basic Acoustics
Digital Audio
Common Studio Equipment
Microphone Techniques
Recording Common Instruments
Microphone Types
Microphone Placement Techniques
Tracking a Live Band
Mixing Guidelines
Thinking Like a Producer
Chord Charts and Song Matrices
Musical Arranging
Audio Editing Principles
Introduction to the Mastering Process
Plus lots more…

As a bonus, you’ll receive the guide Home Recording Savvy: Tricks to Tracking Great Sounds at Home. Let’s face it, many times we can’t afford the luxury of a professional recording studio, especially when starting out. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get great sounds, even if you’re recording at home. With this additional guide, you will learn great tips and techniques that you can apply in the home recording environment.

If you’re a budding songwriter who wants to make your own demos, or if you’re an aspiring producer who wants to work with other artists, then this book is for you. Check it out. If you don’t think the information you learn from reading this book helps to make your recording skills better, then let me know within 30 days, and I’ll give you a refund. You’ve really got nothing to lose.

Recording Basics Ebook

$19.95 Blog readers, receive a $5.00 DISCOUNT by entering the Discount Code MIMB.

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January

23

The McTrademark and Intellectual Property Rights

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, For Businesses, For Worship, Recording, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

I’ve been teaching a series of seminars and classes on taking your church’s music and media ministry to the next level. We start off by focusing on “keeping it legal” by acknowledging and respecting the intellectual property rights of others. This morning on the WalletPop blog, there’s an article of a teen named Lauren McCluskey, along with another girl with Mc in her surname, who raised $30,000 for the Special Olympics with a charity concert series they called the McFest. McDonalds claimed it was infringement of their “Mc” trademark. In the December issue of Recording Magazine, another teen was sued by four record labels for illegally downloading and sharing 24 songs. The verdict after two trials? Punitive damages of 1.93 MILLION dollars. It seems like every time I pick up a magazine or turn on the computer, there’s an article dealing with an infringement case. It just serves to further remind us that INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE A BIG DEAL!

If you’re a songwriter, performer, or artist, those rights are a big deal to you, too. It’s how you make a living. (See our previous posts on How to Get Paid for your Music and How to Start your Own MusicPublishing Company.) If you’re a venue, church, or broadcaster, they’re also a big deal for you, as well. Understanding the rights of others, in addition to your responsibilities pertaining to those rights, ensures that you don’t get sued (if you abide by them).

The law allows Intellectual Property owners certain EXCLUSIVE rights:

To reproduce the works
To create derivative works
To distribute the works
To perform the works
To display the works

No one else can do those things (well, legally, anyway). So, then, how does a potential music user get permission to do any of those things? Licensing. You must purchase a license in order to use the music of someone else for any reason. Each potential use requires a specific license.

To have music at your venue, club, or restaurant, you need a Performance License from a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC.
To broadcast music on television, radio, or the internet, you also need a Performance License from a PRO.
To use music in a church worship setting, copy music, or display music/lyrics, you need a CCLI license from Christian Copyright License International.
To record someone else’s music onto a CD, for example a compilation, you need a Mechanical License, which can generally be obtained through the Harry Fox Agency and a Master Use License.
To record your performance of someone else’s music, for example a CD of cover tunes, you must also have a Mechanical License, but not a Master Use License.
To use someone else’s music on a video for broadcast, you would need a Broadcast License, a Synchronization License and a Master Use License. If it then goes on a CD or DVD for sale, you must add a Mechanical License.

Keep in mind that when you buy a CD, the ONLY thing you own is the little plastic disc and a License to listen to the music. You in no way own the music. You cannot copy, perform or distribute any of that music. Period. Well, unless you buy a license.

Comments? Questions? Keep ‘em comin!

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November

1

Taking your Worship Band to the Next Level

Posted In: Band Management, For Worship, Music Theory, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

Worship bands are becoming increasingly popular in today’s churches. While many worship bands truly have a heart for worship music and leading others, often they find themselves struggling when it comes to balance, sound, and overall musical cohesion. Here are some simple steps to help improve the quality of your praise and worship band.

STEP 1. Learn to listen to each other. The job of each musician is to fit appropriately within the context of the band. Doing so requires each member to be acutely aware of what each other member is playing. As you practice and “perform” (I’ll use that term, although we don’t consider worship as a performance), try to maintain an awareness of your musical surroundings by focusing less on simply your part and more on how your part fits in musically with the rest of the group.

STEP 2. Building on the listening aspect, the band should ensure that each instrument is playing in its own octave range. This means, for example, the keyboardist should not be playing in the same octave range of the acoustic guitarist. What this approach does is to give each instrument its own “sonic space”, so that each player is heard equally. Not only does this improve the overall blend of the band by eliminating sonic competition between instruments, it makes your sound tech’s job tremendously easier. Here’s an example: the bass takes the lowest octave range, the keyboard handles the lower midrange, the electric guitar shines in the midrange, and the acoustic guitar’s bright strum sound sparkles nicely in the higher frequency range (achieved with a combination of EQ and using the capo higher on the neck. While this is a very basic example, parts could swap places for difference songs, or even between different sections within the same song.

STEP 3. Pay close attention to the kick-bass relationship. This, again, requires those listening skills from Step 1. The relationship between the kick drum and bass guitar is extremely important. The drummer and bassist should always be listening to each other, playing the same (or complimentary) pattern. Although this sounds obvious, it is indeed surprising the number bands, particularly those with younger musicians, which don’t understand this principle.

STEP 4. Play in the holes. Between each line of the vocal, there’s generally a space that could be occupied with a musical fill. If the vocalist isn’t already doing ad-libs between each line, consider adding these fills with other instruments to lend a more polished sound. If you have both a keyboardist and a lead guitarist, for instance, have the keyboardist fill the holes in the verse, while the lead guitarist fills in the chorus. To hear an example of this step, try listening to any current pop, country, or contemporary Christian song.

STEP 5. Utilize density and dynamics. All instruments shouldn’t be playing full-on all the time. In fact, all instruments shouldn’t play playing all the time. Guide the congregation by manipulating the dynamics (intensity of playing) and the density (the number of instruments playing at a given time). Density can also be achieved in other ways, such as arpeggiating versus strumming chords. The band Hillsong are particularly strong in this regard during their live worship sets. Here are some Hillsong live DVDs.

STEP 6. Finally, don’t reinvent the wheel. Congregates relate to what they are familiar with. So, listen to other bands within the worship genre to find out what works and what doesn’t. Also, don’t be afraid to study other genres of music, such as pop, country, R&B, Gospel, and rock. Doing so will keep you musically current-sounding and relevant to your congregation. Much time, effort, and expense is spent crafting hit songs on current mainstream radio. Studying the mechanics of all these diverse genres of music will invariably give you a wealth of time-tested techniques to incorporate into your worship music.

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