NEW MUSIC SEMINAR (NMS) HAS FINALIZED PROGRAM FOR LA EVENT

The New Music Seminar (NMS) has finalized the program for this year’s seminar, one day after the Grammys. Network with the leaders in today’s music business. It includes Presidents of major label record companies, CEO’s of major tech companies, branding and licensing companies showing artists how to best promote their music and how to get gain the most exposure to make more money.

The program includes 15-18 Minute segments on “How Artists Can Make More Money”, Movements on “How to Maximize fan Relationship Income” and “How to sell tickets in multiple markets” in order to make REAL Money in the music business. The industry has changed and no other conference helps artists in obtaining their goal of financial freedom.

The New Music Seminar does, in addition to the program and the networking, it includes giving away the NMS New Music Business Guidebook, with over 100 pages filled with facts, forms, promotion and marketing tips, contact information, useful websites and other valuable information.

For the best networking of any conference register now! REGISTER NOW AND GET FREE THE NMS NEW MUSIC BUSINESS GUIDEBOOK FROM NMS NYC 2009 IF YOU REGISTER BEFORE FEBRUARY 2ND IN ADDITION TO THE BOOKLET FOR NMS LA 2011.

For more information go to www.NewMusicSeminar.com and enter secret code NMSLANMT2377 after clicking on the Partner’s discount for your 2 for 1 discount registration courtesy of The Music Tip Sheet.

Volunteer For NMS

Click here to download the volunteer form.We at the New Music Seminar are always looking for volunteers to join the revolution of the new music business with us. We are currently looking for volunteers to help out for the NMS Los Angeles conference taking place the day after the Grammys: February 14-16, 2011. These volunteers will help us immediately in coordinating promotion and organizing the production of the event by working hand-in-hand with the NMS Team. This position has been acknowledged as an internship credit by most music business universities.

Since the early 1980s, NMS volunteers have gone on to run major record companies, agencies, management companies and become leaders in the music industry for over three decades. By becoming an NMS volunteer, you are joining a legion of others before you as part of the NMS family that will help you in building your position in the industry and give you a unique advantage over others to network. There is no better way to meet your future employers or business partners than by becoming an NMS volunteer and working on an event that is creating the NEW music industry.

Please fill out and email the completed form to ella@newmusicseminar.com

NMS PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING TO ALL VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE ACCEPTED:

1. A letter from the Executive Directors Tom Silverman and Dave Lory as a reference for your future employers. Please check with your local university for internship credit as NMS has been accredited by other music business programs across the US.

2. Free admission to the New Music Seminar and the NMS New Music Business Guidebook, filled with promotional and marketing tips, dos and don’ts, useful facts, forms, web sites, blogs and other valuable information to help your career as an artist, manager, agent, label or in any other areas of the music industry you chose to enter into. Each volunteer will have time to enjoy the seminar as well as working at this important event.

3. An opportunity to learn and work as a team in putting on a successful event and showcases.

4. Each volunteer will receive a complimentary breakfast and lunch during the 2 to 3 days at NMS that you are working.

Click here to download the volunteer form.

Studio 1 | The Auditorium

Let’s go all the way back to the academic definition of music rehearsal first: “Rehearsing a musical composition often involves repeating some passages over and over again until everyone in the ensemble (band or group of musicians) masters them.” Well that’s the core of rehearsing, its main foundation… the one that no matter what, you should always comply to.    

But music has changed much since these academic days, now rehearsing exceeds these acts, and combines more tasks in itself.   

First you should agree that a focused band is the main requisite for a decent rehearsal.  
Secondly, be aware that a group rehearsal (or ensemble rehearsal, as stated in the opening definition) is not your practice room or music instrument class!  Don’t go into the rehearsing studio to develop your individual skills or train your finger position and so on… that’s homework mate! Musicians should be prepared for rehearsing as a group and reviewing the tracks over and over is practically the only way to achieve the sound that you want.   

Ø      Discussion and Analysis 

But rehearsing isn’t all about playing the part or song silently from start to stop. The meaning of rehearsing hides another concept vital in today’s bands: Discussion and Analysis.  

When you train a track or a part of it, let’s say from the bridge to the chorus, over and over you are perfecting it, and most of the times “perfection” is about getting it right and playing it smoothly… but there are cases in which, during rehearsal, minor changes to the tracks can happen. A slight change on a note’s duration or its pitch can occur when musician calmly discuss and present their point of view on that segment of music being analyzed.    

So it’s all about maturing your own product, and that comes in many shapes and flavors. As stated above you can perfect the way all of your band members play their part of the songs, you can perfect the way vocals and back vocals line up and double themselves on the chorus, and many more slight corrections like these, but another thing you can mature is the way the band performs. That’s where the stage-like rehearsal comes into play.   

Ø      Show Rehearsing

A common practice for bands (and a really important one for bands) is Show Rehearsing. This is, playing your entire concert song list, from start to end and even the “encore” if you’re feeling lucky. This will point out mistakes and problems in your band that you don’t want to experience live and also helps you to test the concert song list.

Which problems are these you say? Just play the entire song list and you’ll see.

The drummer is tired because track 3 is up tempo and is followed by another really fast tempo song. The bass player needs to switch to percussion in track 6 which leads to enormous waiting time (crowd’s hate that), and it gets worst, where you find out that playing all the tracks sequentially can be hard work. So by using these practices in rehearsing you’ll definitely get near to perfection, which is the purpose of it.

But remember a crucial aspect: mastery of technical skills DOES NOT replace feeling when playing. 

In the other hand, besides Show Rehearsing you have several styles and types of rehearsing and some common practices.  

Ø      Common Practices 

For drum players you should always use a metronome while rehearsing difficult songs (particularly if at the start you’re not feeling the tempo, or if the signature is a composite, i.e.: 7/4, 5/4, 3/4, and so on).  

Bass players and drummers should build up a strong concept of rhythm section. If need be they could take some time on their own and practice the bass lines and rhythms. And then accordingly to you own band formation, there’s several ways to enhance your performance.  

Lets’ divide these practices into a small list, with sub-topics: 

Ø      Rhythm section 

As stated, both bass and percussion elements (drummers, conga players, etc…) should work considerably close. That makes a band consistent and the groove becomes solid. 

Work with metronome if any of the musicians is not feeling the tempo, but be sure to disconnect it when everyone is groovin’.

To synth players or organ players, keep an eye on the tempo and the rhythm section and learn their breaks and tempo changes.

If you’re working with vocals and background vocals be sure to reserve some rehearsing time to this.  Many times the chorus needs to change because of background vocal integration.  

Also, a new trend is to use effects on the voice, so if that’s your case, choose some nice gear (foot pedal) and some powerful harmonizer effect machine, and rehearse that part over and over. (You don’t want to mess up effects in real time).

 Ø      Wind instruments 

Wind sections should always work together (reeds and brass), and if you have/can, work with the piano score (transposed to your instrument, of course) and keep it well rehearsed. If needed take some time to rehearse this section alone.

Just a final note for those that play solo or play solos in their band. Solos take a huge time rehearsing and should be done in your own individual studio time or at home. When rehearsing with the band be sure to have your solos worked out. 

For an First Rate
Audio | Video | Rehearsal Experience
Call Hothouse Studios
“Where Music Grows”

Hothouse Rehearsal Studios, 11823 Slauson Ave., Unit 41, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, USA  562.945.1300

California Jamming Band

On Camera Rehearsal

If you are familiar with the Movie School of Rock, you can imagine how an on camera rehearsal could benefit a band.  This type of rehearsal is pre-planned, with someone bringing in the video camera.  If possible, a TV should be brought in as well to watch the video right afterwards.  What are the benefits of doing an on camera rehearsal?

Ø  It’s an official dress rehearsal which includes being dressed. 

Most bands don’t do “dress rehearsals” that include being dressed for the part but if you are videotaping, even if just to review everything, the clothes should be included.  You never know when you will need filler for a music video later! 

Ø  The moves you think are cool may not be/you think you are moving and your feet are glued to the floor.

Another big reason for the on camera rehearsal is to make sure everyone looks good jamming out.  Many times, a band is into their music and it looks great but occasionally you will have that one band with that one guy that is over the top and insane compared to the rest of the band, like Jack Black’s character in School of Rock, for example.

Ø  To Avoid Clichés

There are so many “rock” clichés that avoiding them all is impossible.  With that said, trying to avoid some of the egregious ones is an important part of your presence.
By videotaping, you can tell whether you or your band mates are doing anything too weird and zany.  Often times, you will do things and not even realize it while on stage. 

Read the entire “On Carmera Rehearsal” article here in the Band Toolbox.

Hothouse Studios is more than a top notch rehearsal facility, we are a music career learning center and the Band Toolbox has over a 100 articles in it on various subjects relating to succeeding in your music career.  Enter the Band Toolbox here.

For an First Rate
Audio | Video | Rehearsal Experience
Go to Hothouse Studios
“Where Music Grows”

Hothouse Rehearsal Studios, 11823 Slauson Ave., Unit 41, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, USA  562.945.1300

Don Bell and Liquid Soul

Performance Rehearsal

Your band has lined up a gig, thankfully with plenty of notice and time to promote.  You realize you have plenty of songs to choose from; more songs than you are going to be allotted time for.  What do you do? 

You should plan on making most of the rehearsals before your show “performance rehearsals”.  Think of them like the rehearsals a cast of a play or musical put on.  As you close in on your gig date, you should be getting closer and closer to playing like it’s the real deal. 

For our example, let’s assume that band ABC has 4 weeks’ notice and typically practices twice a week. 

• 4 weeks before the show:

Believe it or not, this is going to be the toughest week of the four leading up to your gig.  Band ABC was writing music thinking they were going to have to play an hour for their show but landed a local music showcase gig that only requires a 30 minute set.  Unfortunately, that means they won’t be able to play all of their songs.  The tough part of this week is choosing which songs they are going to play. 

The first rehearsal should be devoted to getting song durations down.  A stopwatch is incredibly handy, as is a white board.  Band ABC has their song names already written down on the white board so it’s just a matter of playing them and having someone write down how long each song is.  They know that their normal set, start to finish, is almost an hour; now they know how long each song is so they can add up times to hit 30 minutes.

 Band ABC is not using any type of click track or metronome for their drummer so they make a point to take the time and write a second time beside it that is roughly 10 percent shorter to account for gig adrenalin and nerves causing everyone to want to push the tempo.  (They even lament the fact that they aren’t using a click track for this very reason.) 

All the band members then make their own list of songs that makes 30 minutes of music.  The fun part begins with the negotiation that it is going to take to pick the right songs that will knock the socks off the crowd as well as keep the musicians happy.  This process may extend through to the next rehearsal but by the end of week 4 a set list needs to be figured out. 

• 3 weeks before the show:

During the first rehearsal of week 3, the band runs the new 30 minute set then discusses where breaks need to be placed.  The lead guitarist expresses a need to switch guitars so that break is added (and noted on the white board).  The set also has a couple songs that seem to feed right into each other so that is also noted.  They rehearse the breaks and the transitions from one song to the next. 

The second rehearsal, before they start they make sure everyone remembers how they are doing the new transitions and make a point to rehearse them before running the set a couple times.  The band members begin walking away feeling confident. 

• 2 weeks before the show:

The second week should be devoted to working on stage presence.  The “front man” of the group, typically the singer, needs to pretend there is a crowd and practice getting the crowd pumped up between songs, getting the crowd jamming during songs and making it seem like this is not the band’s first show.  The guitarists and bass player need to make sure they are moving around and not standing in one spot playing their lines flawlessly but with little flair or facial expression. 

The goal of week 2 is to make sure everyone can play their lines while truly “rocking out” like they intend to on stage.  Many a band has sounded horrible during their live show due to extra moving around, whether it’s playing or tripping over cables.  

Band ABC practices in a very nice rehearsal facility with great lighting that dims, (like hothouse studios), so during the 2^nd practice of the week they dim the lights, more like a night club would have, to make sure everything runs smoothly in a low light situation.  If your practice studio doesn’t have dimmers on their lighting, bring in a couple of lamps from your homes, turn off the studio lights and work the set in low light that way.

• The week of the show:

Band ABC has practiced religiously for the past three weeks.  They are confident and secure in their playing.  They decide to only practice once this week.  They run the set one last time with a couple of trusted friends there for a crowd and also to get feedback.  They work out the one little quibble that their friends mention…the guitarist took longer than everyone thought switching instruments, they adjust and run the set again, except with better filler to mask the guitar change.  They are happy and incredibly secure in their playing. 

They make a point to pack up their gear that night so all they have to do the day of the show is show up at the gig.  This lets them have one less thing to do the day of the show and keeps them fresh and ready to blow the crowd away with their set. 

Your live set is fined tuned.

Hothouse Studios is more than a top notch rehearsal facility, we are a music career learning center and the Band Toolbox has over a 100 articles on various subjects relating to succeeding in your music career.  Enter the Band Toolbox here.

For an First Rate
Audio | Video | Rehearsal Experience
Go to Hothouse Studios
“Where Music Grows”

Hothouse Rehearsal Studios, 11823 Slauson Ave., Unit 41, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, USA  562.945.1300

Studio Directory at Hothousestudios.com

Did you know that a part of the band toolbox is a national rehearsal and recording directory?  Why we’ve created this local and national listing of rehearsal studios grows from our desire here at Hothouse Studios to be of service to the music community.  It’s not about us…It’s about you and we understand that at statement. 

 There are lots of choices when considering music rehearsal studios, rooms or space.  What are your needs?   Do you want a monthly lockout or just an hourly rehearsal studio?  What is your budget?   Is there a studio in your city to rehearse in? We list thousands of rehearsal studios with detailed write ups so you can quickly find the best studio to fit your rehearsal needs. 

The directory is completely searchable by category, studio name, city, state, zip code and even area code.  Categories include:  Recording studios, rehearsal studios, stages, lockouts and much more.

Take a look through the studio directory here  

http://www.hothousestudios.com/studios/index.php

Hothouse Studios is more than a top notch rehearsal facility, we are a music career learning center and the Band Toolbox has over a 100 articles on various subjects relating to your music career.  Enter the Band Toolbox here.

Hothouse Rehearsal Studios is always looking out for your welfare with discounts, promotions and just spreading positivity.  Find out how here.

For an First Rate
Audio | Video | Rehearsal Experience
Go to Hothouse Studios
“Where Music Grows”

Hothouse Rehearsal Studios, 11823 Slauson Ave., Unit 41, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, USA  562.945.1300

Quite often I find bands asking me similar questions.  In a nutshell they were all asking “What they can do to have more effective and efficient rehearsals”.   In this next series of articles in the Band Toolbox, I’ll be sharing information on rehearsal techniques, designed to impact your next showcase or recording.

Here’s an example of an article in the Band Toolbox.  This is an overview article.  In the band toolbox there are articles written specifically about each type of rehearsal mentioned in this overview article.

Types of Rehearsals

 Another point to cover when preparing for rehearsals is to determine the appropriate type of rehearsal to have.  The song is the main determinant. Depending on where a song is categorized on your list of readiness (song idea thru performance ready) will determine the appropriate type of rehearsal to use.  One rehearsal session may incorporate the methods used in the various types of rehearsal. Again the song dictates the type of rehearsal.  So what are these rehearsal types? 

• Jamming rehearsal – new song is introduced, learn chord changes, very loose approach, figuring out what the song should sound and feel like.
• Song writing rehearsal – the band as a whole writes a song.  Similar approach as a jamming rehearsal except you’ll be creating the chord changes on the fly.
• Song Arrangement rehearsals – assign parts and focus on specific sections in the music.  Work in small groups (bass and drums only, drums and vocals only).
• Performance rehearsal – Your live set is fined tuned.
• Pre-production (for recording) rehearsal – here you’re thinking about instrumentation, breaking the song down instrument by instrument, assigning instruments to your track map.
• Technical rehearsal – work on moving smoothly thru your effects processors, instrument changes, and amp settings.
• On camera rehearsal – video a dress rehearsal, practice movements.
• Live radio show rehearsal – work on song introductions, edit song length if necessary, come up with “sound bites”.
• Rehearsals for interviews – have a friend interview the band; get comfortable with answering questions on the fly.

 You are a band, a group of musicians.  The laws of nature say; “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.  Don’t fight Mother Nature. 

Substitute the word “song” for “whole” and you get “the song is greater than the sums of its parts”. When the song sounds great each member of the group will shine within it.

Believe, Decide, Take Action, Get Results

Hothouse Studios is more than a top notch rehearsal facility, we are a music career learning center and the Band Toolbox is closing in on 100 articles on various subjects relating to succeeding in your music career.  Enter the Band Toolbox here.

While other studios are writing so called rehearsal tip articles, there is a major difference between theirs and the Hothouse Band Toolbox articles. The ones I’ve read from other studios are about telling you reasons not to cancel rehearsal on them.  It’s all about them not you.  The Band Toolbox is all about YOU and enhancing your chances of making a career in music.

Jimi Espinoza will be presenting a FREE 2 hour vocal workshop to introduce you to the Bel Canto system of vocal training.   You will learn to sing with expanded vocal range, strength and ease, along with other vocal habits that lead to great voice control and stamina

Areas Covered:

·         Correct Body Alignment

·         Learn the Keys to Vocal Health

·         Develop an Excellent Warm-Up

·         Master Breathing Technique and Breath Control

·         Eliminate Breaks in Registers, Blending the “Chest” and “Head” Voices

·         Extend Flexibility and Range

·         Enrich Resonance and Projection

·         Learn Vowel Modification

·         Practice Techniques

·         Handling Performance Anxiety

·         Stage Performance Techniques

·         Microphone Techniques

Learn to sing like the best singers by attending this workshop!

LA Music Academy (www.lamusicacademy.edu/) announced details for its upcoming annual Summer Program, kicking off June 22nd. The school’s popular summer experience is open to interested drummers, guitarists, bassists and singers ages 10 and up who have received at least one year of private instruction. Besides meeting new friends and expanding their professional networks, students can expect to learn from and play with some of Southern California’s best professional musicians; write and record original music; and will have full access to music clinics and ensemble workshops. Session One, from June 22-26, focuses on Rock, Funk and Blues. Session Two, from June 29-July 3, focuses on Jazz, Fusion and Latin. Each session concludes with a student concert.

“The summer program gives students a great opportunity to see and be involved in a microcosm of what an entire school year would be like,” says LA Music Academy President Tom Aylesbury. He adds, “Our year-round program is outstanding because it challenges and prepares students with an overview of the skills necessary to perform with professional musicians while helping them to see what it takes to develop a successful career in the music business.” Aylesbury added that this is as close as a student can be to the real thing when it comes to a music career.

The Summer Program provides a snapshot of daily life at LA Music Academy, including band workshops with fellow students; ensemble workshops with professional musicians and instructors; playing technique courses; a private half hour lesson with one of the faculty members; clinics and concerts with faculty and special guests; and a visit to a recording studio to record an original tune. Either session is $850 or students can enroll in both for $1450.

For more information visit the web site (www.lamusicacademy.edu/), contact Iris Alba in admissions at 626-568-8850 or email iris@lamusicacademy.edu.

About LA Music Academy
LA Music Academy in Pasadena, a suburb of Los Angeles, CA, offers an intimate and friendly, yet serious and rigorous contemporary music education to male and female students 18 and over through its vocal, drum, bass and guitar programs. Founded in 1996, the Academy is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and has provided a solid musical foundation for more than 1,000 international and domestic students. LA Music Academy’s 35 instructors immerse students in practical courses. The Academy offers a significant number of real world playing situations with professional musicians, not just peers, setting the school apart from other prestigious music institutions. LA Music Academy gives its students the skills necessary to apply their learning in a wide variety of professional situations in the music industry.

Contact information:
Los Angeles Music Academy

370 S. Fair Oaks Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91105

Contact-Person:
Iris Alba
Admissions
Phone: 626-568-8850
E-mail: e-mail

Web: http://www.lamusicacademy.edu

Hothouse Rehearsal Studios
www.hothousestudios.com

Hothouse Happenings
The benefits of using the Hothouse Rehearsal facility are expanding. Studio M is presently being built and the Auditorium is being built to the same specifications (slightly smaller) as the studio the Nine Inch Nails rehearse in. With the addition of studio M, we’ll now have 5 studios to meet your rehearsal needs.

Make sure we have your email address and name. Click here and subscribe to the Hot Sheet and you’ll be eligible for our June 2008 Giveaway and all our monthly prizes.

Spotlight Band
Scentric, have been tearing up the competition during their run of 1st place finishes in the Emergenza Music Contest; which now leads them to the Finals at the Key Club in Hollywood, Ca on July 12, 2008. Scentric hits the stage at 7pm so go and see the show and support your friends.

Don’t miss their Live appearance on New Music Mondays, the live show produced by Hothouse TV. To watch it now on their profile page at HothouseStudios.com, Click here .

Featured Article
BAND BIO: GETTING STARTED ON THE RIGHT FOOT (PART-1)
The old saying “The more things change, the more they remain the same,” is as true today as it ever was. Even though we see rapid technology developments in the production side of the recording industry, as well as the legal and marketing side (thanks to innovations and new marketing opportunities that abound on the Internet), the “old fashioned” idea of getting down into the trenches and working to promote your own music is more important than ever before; it will always be the foundation that entrepreneurial musicians use to build their success, no matter what technological advances are made in the future.

And one of the very first and foremost necessities in taking those initial successful steps is of course the development of a great bio amplifying your band’s musical caliber. Read the entire article here.

News
Submit your Music for the Malibu Music Awards.
The Malibu Music Awards is part of the Malibu Arts Festival, which is being held July 26-27, 2008 at the Malibu Civic Center in Malibu, CA. This year, the festival is opening its doors to Sonicbids songwriters and is now accepting submissions in 11 different categories. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 3 winners in each category, and one grand prize winner will receive a performance slot at the festival, airfare to Los Angeles, free stay in a 5-star Hotel (Malibu Beach Inn), plus a recording session with Gold & Platinum producing artist Carl Graves, formerly of Oingo Boingo.

Each submitted song will be reviewed by a panel of judges from the music industry including Jenna Voorhees – Universal Music Publishing, Jenna Leigh – owner of Circle of Songs, Terence Davis – owner of Great Music Studio, DJ Carolyn Fox – KHZ Radio, and Gold & Platinum producing artist Chris Henry. Songs will be judged based on lyrics, melody, and structure. For details visit www.malibumusicawards.com. The contest deadline is July 1, 2008.

MySpace
Add Hothouse as a friend on MySpace. Use this link: www.myspace.com/hothousemusic

SAVE $$$
Refer a friend to the Hothouse and both of you save some $$$ money.
Just print out this email and bring it in to save $2 per each hour of rehearsal.

New Q&A:
Have a question you would like answered? Just reply to this email with your question and we will answer it for you via email or online via a blog post and maybe we will do a video and article!

http://www.hothousestudios.com

Until next time!