The third day of the 2012 NAMM Show continued to offer attendees more industry insight and business tips to take home with them, starting with a Breakfast Session called “The Top Web Marketing Trends for 2012” presented by John Arnold, marketing author and columnist at Entrepreneur.com.

 The session demonstrated the best ways for companies to spend their time and money, and recognize the new technologies that are less likely to pay off. It also outlined how to start using tools such as social media, search marketing, mobile devices and marketing locally on the Internet.

 As attendees filed through the convention center doors, they were greeted by the music of Polka Floyd, a tribute band with the unusual twist of an added accordion and a polka beat.

 Meanwhile, the Hands On Training (H.O.T.) Zone offered numerous educational sessions focused on the pro audio, entertainment technologies and music business operations segments. Today’s sessions drew hundreds of attendees and included a Logic Pro Clinic, “Cloud Technologies for Pro Audio,” “Bass Players Summit-BX3 Revisited,” “The Virtual Recording Studio Program,” and “Lawyers, Deals and Money: Current Trends in Music Business and Law.”

 The NAMM Foundation kicked off its “Music Education Days,” a program that provides an opportunity for music educators to interact with each other and music industry professionals to address mutual concerns about access to music education for all children. Today’s program included a welcome breakfast, a keynote session called “One Is Too Small a Number to Achieve Something Great,” presented by Marcia Neel of Music Education Consultants, Inc., and a session called “A Place In the Choir” presented by John Jacobson, a.k.a. Mr. “Double Dream Hands.”

 The NAMM University sessions continued at the IDEA Center on the show floor, and included presentations on “How to Ignite Your Business In Five Minutes or Less!,” “Call Your Store and Change These Four Things Now,” “Monetize Your Facebook Page,” and “Financial Questions Every Music Retailer’s Afraid to Ask.”

 Tonight on the main Lobby Stage, NAMM will proudly present the second year of its “Celebrity Jam” featuring the Band from TV Stars including Scott Grimes, James Denton, Greg Grunberg, Adrian Pasdar, Bob Guiney, Jesse Spencer, Anthony Ruivivar and others will show how much they love to play music when the cameras stop rolling.

 Also tonight over at nearby Downtown Disney District, will be the finals of NAMM’s SchoolJam USA bringing together the best teenage bands in the country to battle for bragging rights and prizes for their band and their school music programs. The event will be co-hosted by teen pop sensation Greyson Chance and singer/songwriter Shaun Barrowes. The winning band will be announced tonight.

 The show continues through tomorrow and will feature the traditional “Best In Show—This Year’s Hottest Products,” Breakfast Session with Frank Alkyer, publisher of Music Inc. and a panel of music products professionals sharing their best picks from the show floor this year.

 Celebrity sighting included Tommy Lee, George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Donovan, Greyson Chance, Greg Grunberg, Scott Grimes, Bob Guiney, Chuck Lowery, Tinsel Korey, David Crosby, Shaun Barrowes, Maya, Joel and Benj Madden, and Jackson Brown.

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

Winds of Plague

Winds of Plague stopped by on Monday to go over some transitions before taking off to Dallas Texas for the official start of the Vans Warped Tour, on June 24^th, 2011 at the Superpages Center.  Check out their tour dates section at facebook and let them know who’s coming out!

After rehearsal Jon and I started talking as he waited for the trailer to arrive.  During our conversation the topic of rehearsal volume came up and I commented “how it was good to hear the band keep their rehearsal volume at the right levels and how their power was coming from their synergy and not from volume”.  Jon said “Oh yeah I agree, we keep our volume low so we can communicate with each other, and you’re right our power comes from arrangements of the songs.”   I second that motion.

Thanks guys for thinking about Hothouse Studios for your rehearsal needs.

Winds of Plague
Jon – vocals
Nick E. – guitar
Nick P. – guitar
Andrew – bass
Alana – keyboard
Art – drums

College gigs are the stepping stones to the bigger scene. However, if you talk to a few people who have followed this path, they will eagerly tell you what a painful process it is. It is true that booking college gigs can be painful sometimes, but not if you follow the guidelines given below.

The first step is to put together a promo package or an EPK. Secondly, you need to get in touch with the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA), The Association for the promotion of campus activities (APCA) or a booking agent that is associated with the above mentioned organizations. The third option, hiring a booking agent, could be costly if you are an emerging artist or a band.

Once you submit an application form to NACA or APCA via their website for a fee, you will be granted membership. Thereafter, the journey becomes a bed of roses because these two organizations will guide you through every step of the way. If you are concerned about the financials, it is a good idea to check their official websites for membership fees, validity period and renewal fees.

Read the entire article “How to Book College Gigs” in the Band ToolBox here.

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.

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

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.

Our long time friend Ronny North will be all over NAMM again this year.  If you are there, go say hi and tell him Hothouse Studios sent you. 

I thought I’d give everyone the update on Ronny’s NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) schedule for this week. He’s looking forward to seeing everyone at his performance when he headlines the NAMM kickoff event on Jan 12^th, 2011 at the Hilton at the Anaheim Convention Center and at the show every day.

He also has some cool new RN stickers and promo 8×10′s to sign… when you see him at the show just come up and ask for one, if you want him to sign a photo, not a problem.  As most of you know Ronny is always up for getting his picture taken with everyone at these events so if you wanna get a shot together with Ronny, so not a problem. All you have to do is ask. It was great taking photos with everyone at the R-n-R Gangstar Pre NAMM party on Friday. 

Ronny will also be doing several actual signing events at the show with special promo shots he had made especially for the sponsors he is signing for (see info below).  If you are so inclined you can get all three 2011 RN NAMM promo shots at the show and have your own RN picture collection….

Here’s the info for Ronny North’s NAMM appearances:

• Jan 12th – Headlining the NAMM kickoff event  at 10pm at the Hilton (Open to public, free admission, No NAMM Badge needed),

In NAMM (Anaheim Convention Center) Jan 13-16th, NAMM Badge needed ):

• Dean Markley ( Hall B booth 5710) I’m signing at the booth on 1/13,1/16 (1pm),
• R-n-R Gangstar Apparel (Hall D booth 2586) I’ll be signing/playing 1/13,1/14 (12 pm)
• Brace Audio ( Hall B booth 5894) playing /signing 1/13 (10am) 1/14,1/16 (11am)…

See you there…..

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

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

Let Music Fill the Air

This holiday season all of us here at Hothouse Studios want to celebrate and share our peace and joy with everyone by wishing you and all those you love the greatest holiday season ever, full of good cheer and thanksgiving.

We are thankful to all of you who supported us throughout the year and made us the #1 neighborhood rehearsal facility in Southern California.  We are grateful for your allegiance and look forward to our continuing relationship.

 We are committed to providing you with our time honored service and support. 

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

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

Starving for Gravity - Hothouse Rehearsal Studios

Starving for Gravity the Melodic Rock group out of Orange County, Ca has been one of our favorite bands since they first began rehearsing at Hothouse Studios and lit up the place.

Now  Lucas (vocals), Brad (guitars), Dee (bass), Richard (keys) and Mark (drums) have been voted one of the Top 100 Best Unsigned Bands in the U.S. by Music Connection Magazine in their 19th Annual “Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists and Bands Poll”.

In addition to the Music Connection staff, freelance journalists, club bookers and other industry professionals determine the results.  This is a great accomplishment earned by Starving for Gravity and validates their talent and artistic quality.

Learn more about Starving for Gravity at their profile page here.

Congratulations from all of us in the Hothouse Studio Community.

Giving thanks is good for your health. Decades of research has shown that adults, who feel gratitude more often, have better social connections, optimism, and energy.

On this Thanksgiving Day we take time to appreciate all of the good things we have in life.

With our sincere gratitude we thank all of you, the incredible people in the Hothouse studio community.  Thank you for filling the studios with your magnificent music.  We wish you all a successful life.  May your hearts and home be full of divine blessings on this Thanksgiving Day and thereafter!

Hothouse Studios continues our commitment to Giving You, the most creative, friendly and professional rehearsal facility in the world.

The Staff at Hothouse Studios
Wishes you and yours a wonderful holiday.
Thank you for your business!
Don, Kirk and Richard