Song Swap

Very few of us will ever have one of our original songs 'covered' by anyone. It's a shame, because hearing somebody else's spin on your tune can be very cool indeed!

Why not trade songs with a friend? You learn their song and they learn yours.

Go to an open mic and play the songs 'live.' Bring friends that are familiar with your song.

It's a lot of fun. Try it this week!

Open With A Cover

Whether you're playing out at an open mic or at a paid gig, always open with a cover song.

Choose a song that really showcases your talents.

People are judging you. If you play something that they know, and you do a 'killer' version of it, you'll win their attention and their hearts.

You don't have to, 'sound like the record.' People love it when you take a popular song and 'make it your own.'

Songwriter's Block - Can't Find That Rhyme?

It happens to all songwriters. You've got a great story going, but the line just doesn't rhyme. You ponder, you think, you sleep on it, but nothing comes to you.

I recently found a site that provides a great deal of help with this very situation. It's called, http://wikirhymer.com.

I provides pure rhymes, end rhymes, and near rhymes.

The next time you get 'stuck,' go to this site and watch your troubles fade away.

Play-out 'On The Road'

The next time you travel, for business or for pleasure, why not pre-plan to play-out an open mic?

It's a great way to meet fellow-musicians in other cities.

I have made some of my best memories from open mic experiences 'on the road.' Once, I was in Lucerne, Switzerland with my Swiss wife, Claudia. We found an open mic at which to perform. Upon arrival, we discovered that it was a rowdy venue, full of exuberant teens. With trepidation, I signed up. When I broke-out my 'Classic American Rock' covers, the place went nuts. They wouldn't let me off the stage. Good times.

Use the OpenMic.US Network to find an open mic in your next destination.

Writing For A 'Niche' Market

Most songwriters are trying to reach a very broad audience, and thus, they often write about things that are common to most people. Writing about emotions like love, regret, happiness, and pain are common place.

A different approach, used to great success by some writers, is 'niche' writing. That is, pick a specific market and write songs specifically for that market.

An example would be songs about pets. These tunes cab then be marketed to pet lovers through pet stores, online pet blogs, etc.

Pick a topic, write the song, and throw it out there.

Writing From A Different Perspective

I first learned the songwriting technique of trying different perspectives from a class that I took a number of years ago with an amazing songwriter, Steve Seskin.

Most songs are written in the 'first person.' The idea is when you're crafting a new tune, just try it in the 'second person,' and 'third person,' points of view.

See the difference that is made when the three points-of-view are applied to this line:

First Person: "I was a great man, living in an amazing time."

Second Person: "You were a great man, living in an amazing time."

Third Person: "He was a great man, living in an amazing time."

Apply all three to every song you write. Occasionally, you find one way fits better than your original idea.

Listen To Different Music Genres

When I get 'writers block,' one method that has proven very effective in getting unstuck, is to listen to a wide variety of music genres.

Regardless of what genre in which I'm trying to write, I surf the radio and the Net, looking for inspiration. The wider the difference in genres, the better.

Give it a try.

Cover A Friend's Song

Very few of us will ever have one of our original songs 'covered' by anyone. It's a shame, because hearing somebody else's spin on your tune can be very cool indeed!

Why not trade songs with a friend? You learn their song and they learn yours.

Go to an open mic and play the songs 'live.' Bring friends that are familiar with your song.

It's a lot of fun. Try it this week!
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If you love it, support it or lose it.

I often hear from musicians how much they love performing at the open mics and then I don't see them again for a month.

If an open mic doesn't draw a significant crowd each week, it is likely to be canceled by the venue management.

Why not put 'play at the open mic' as a weekly item on your personal calendar. It's a good thing!

Variety - Songs Outside the 'Zone'

If you're like me, when picking out which cover songs to learn, you tend to stick with one-primary genre. Mine is 'classic rock.'

A while back, I started adding songs from other genres and it really has come in handy at gigs.

I now have about a dozen 'country' songs and a few 'Sinatra-style' tunes that I pull out when the timing is right. It 'kills' every time!

Music Travel

Have you ever considered taking a trip to play music? I don't mean, 'getting the band back together,' but rather, planning a vacation with the intent of performing.

I do it all the time and it's very cool.

If you're a pro, you can pick a destination location, research live-music venues, and contact them directly about playing a gig while you're in-town.

Another great option is find the open mics near where you're staying.

Plan your trip around the performances and let everything else fall into place.

Another fun thing that enhances these kinds of trips is the keeping of a journal. It's fun to look back over the years at the various venues that I've played. Good times!

Collaboration

Music is such a personal expression that a lot of people don't want to let others influence their writing or their performance.

A number of folks have shared the joy of collaboration with me. I've tried it, and it has increased my enjoyment of writing and performing immensely.

The next time you get an idea for a new tune, invite a fellow musician/writer to help you 'flesh it out.' Enjoy the process and you'll be amazed at the end-result.

The next time you go to an open mic, reach-out to other musicians and invite them to perform with you.

It may take a little 'getting used to,' but I think you'll like it.

Vocal Harmony Technology

If you're a music performer 'purist,' please ignore this post.

Have you ever tried using vocal harmony technology? If not, I strongly suggest that you do.

I have a Digitech Vocalist Live-4 that I use at every gig. I love it!

You plug your mic and your guitar into the 'box' and then take one-output to the board. The 'box' analyzes both the chords you're playing and the notes your singing to create perfect vocal harmonies.

There is a wide variety of harmonies that can easily be selected via the foot switches. As many as four-harmony voices can be selected.

The 'box' also has a large number of effect options for your guitar.

When performing as a solo-act, I find that the vocal harmonizer gives me that 'little something' that enables me to change-up my sound throughout the performance. Keeping the audience engaged and interested is very important and this tool does the trick.

Indie Artists Use Open Mics To Build Fan-Base

Today's 'indie' musicians have a plethora of marketing tools at their disposal. The Internet provides a virtual ‘touch-point’ that allows for constant, on-going communication with their fans. But, the Internet is no substitute for personal contact.

Many ‘rising stars’ use live-music open mics to build their fan-base.

Jamie D., an Atlanta-based musician, frequently attends local open mics. He stated, “I’ve tripled my fan-base by working the open mic circuit. It’s the most effective method for meeting new people, gaining fans, and networking, that I can think of.”

The formula is simple; take the stage, give it your best, circulate through the crowd and trade ‘demo’ CDs for email addresses.

The net result is that the audience members have seen you perform, talked with you, and have your music to play in their car on the way home.

When artists take the time to cultivate new fans using this method, the new fans are more-likely to respond to email invitations to purchase music and to attend shows.

In today’s crowded indie music space, it’s critical to make a personal connection with fans. Open mics provide a music-centric, fun, environment where musicians can perform their original music, network with other musicians, and build their fan-base.

Open Mic Idea - Invite People to Perform With You

Next time you perform at an open mic, which I hope is soon, try inviting your fellow musicians to perform with you.

Pick out the best guitarist to play lead and pick a great vocalist to back you up on the harmonies. If there's a harp player, percussionist, or drummer in the crowd, invite them to join the fun.

Choose a 'standard' that everyone will know.

This exercise will provide you with the following benefits:

• You'll make new friends
• The crowd is more likely to listen when they see a new configuration on stage
• If you're new to the open mic, the 'regulars' will be more accepting
• You'll have more fun

I've seen this in action for years. It's a winner!

Open Mic Etiquette - Tune First

One of the biggest 'time-suckers' at an open mic is when musicians decide to tune their guitar on stage.

This 5-minute process is 'no big deal' if it happens once. But, when 5-people do it, it robs 25-minutes of performance time from others.

May I suggest bringing a small tuner with you? If you don't have one, ask the host to borrow one. Just slip away to a quiet place prior to your performance time and get tuned up.

Your fellow-performers thank you!

Collaboration

Music is such a personal expression that a lot of people don't want to let others influence their writing or their performance.

A number of folks have shared the joy of collaboration with me. I've tried it, and it has increased my enjoyment of writing and performing immensely.

The next time you get an idea for a new tune, invite a fellow musician/writer to help you 'flesh it out.' Enjoy the process and you'll be amazed at the end-result.

The next time you go to an open mic, reach-out to other musicians and invite them to perform with you.

It may take a little 'getting used to,' but I think you'll like it.

Become a 'Music Mentor'

Ever had 'one of those days' when everything goes wrong? Then, you show up for a gig or an open mic, you take the stage and all of the days woes melt away?

Wouldn't it be great if you could share that wonderful feeling with others? Well, now you can!

Just reach out to a friend, co-worker, or relative and become their 'music mentor.' It's actually very easy to do. Here are some tips.

- Find out if your friends has ever played an instrument or been in a band.

- If they are an experienced, but dormant player, invite them to attend an open mic with you.

- If they don't have any musical experience, bring them to an open mic and then offer to 'get them started.'

- Offer to show them a few chords on guitar or keys and get them playing a few songs quickly.

- Get them on stage at an open mic as soon as possible.

The joy of music-making is something that all musicians can share with others. Just reach-out to one-person.

You may change their life forever.

Open With a Cover Song

When people are hearing/seeing a performer for the first time, they are making their own judgment as to whether or not the performer is worthy of a listen. If the performer plays an original song first, the listener must then judge the quality of the song as well as the quality of the performance. Although this doesn't sound like a huge undertaking, it actually can be.

The average American is in 'sensory overload.' They are bombarded by media messages at every turn. They are forced to make split-second decisions on where to direct their attention.

If you lead with a popular cover song, the listener is drawn by the familiarity of the tune and will be more likely to pay attention long enough to pass judgment on your performance. Once they like you, they are more likely to listen to your original music and obscure covers.

Think of it in terms of the direct mail business. Getting people to open the 'junk mail' is the hardest part. Once they pop the envelope, the chance for a sale goes up exponentially.

Open with a cover and you'll find that you'll have more people paying attention to your performance.

Use Open Mics To Test New Songs

Open mics are a great way to test out new material. They provide a friendly, supportive atmosphere that allows you to 'go crazy' and try tunes that you might not feel comfortable trying at a 'paid' gig.

Before you play the new song, tell the audience what you're doing. Ask them for their feedback. Something like, 'This is a new tune for me. I'm thinking about adding it to my play-list. I'd like to know if you think it's a 'keeper.'

Not only will you get great feedback, but this tactic will get people to pay attention to your performance, and that's never a bad thing.