If you have ever tried to play golf more than once or twice then you have probably done the following:  

• Watched videos on how to putt, drive, or chip.  
• Noticed the type of putters your favorite players use.  
• Bought the same brand of golf balls endorsed by your favorite player.  

Every amateur/aspiring musician has probably done the following:  

• Watched videos on how to play an instrument or how to sing, read, or write music.  
• Noticed the type of instruments their favorite players use on stage.  
• Bought the same brand of amp endorsed by their favorite player.  

People like to emulate those that they respect and admire.  They also like to use the same equipment, shoes, and instruments.  In the days of VHS, the market was flooded with videos from Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and other golf greats.  They were popular because, just like music, there are golf enthusiasts that are obsessed with how the golf swing works and how they can emulate their heroes on the course.  There were instructional videos from guitarists too, such as Eric Johnson, Joe Walsh, and others.  Today you can visit YouTube and learn how to play Fire and Rain directly from James Taylor! (https://youtu.be/OTjd4sna_4o ) People bought these VHS videos and viewed the aforementioned YouTube videos because they wanted to learn from the players “in the game.” (pun intended!)   

By now, some musicians are starting to understand that building a connection to fans is one of the most important things to consider in the arc of one’s career.  In the book, Fanocracy, David Meerman Scott and Reiko Scott demonstrates how a powerful connection can result in stronger listenership, merchandise purchases, ticket sales, and fan loyalty.  Finding a way to build those connections can seem challenging.  One of the problems is that many artists think that they can only attempt to make those connections when they have a “finished” product. Musicians tend to think that what they do, day-to-day is not that important until it is finished.  That could not be further from the truth.   

I propose that learning the way that Eric Clapton approaches a blues solo is every bit as interesting to an aspiring guitarist as how Phil Mickelson approaches a water hazard is to a weekend golfer.   

Millions of people try to play instruments and write songs every day.  Think of how great it would be to see how your favorite artist gets that special tone from their guitar from the artist themselves instead of someone else on Youtube.  Imagine watching a songwriter take a fan from the first inspiration of a song through the entire completion.    

So, what are some quick and easy ways that can apply what the golf industry knew to help you to build your audience?  

Here are 5 ways an artist can bring their fans into the process and build their tribe along the way.  

1. Create a blog/Vlog about your songwriting process.  
2. Create a series of about how you practice.  
3. Create a video about your equipment.  Where did it come from?  Why do you like it?  
4. How did you learn to play, sing, or write?  
5. Talk about the inspiration for some of your catalog.  

Give them a try and see what happens!  What other ways can you build a connection with your fans?  Maybe you have other suggestions?  Let me know and leave a comment!

The world has gone crazy!  People are chomping at the bit for normalcy to return.  The sad truth in many areas of the U.S. and elsewhere is that we are a long way from returning to "normal."  This is a point of stress, anxiety, anger, and more.  However, musicians have a unique opportunity right now to seize this moment to find and cultivate their "tribe." An artist's "tribe" refers to those loyal followers that will help build your following, go to your shows, eventually, buy your merch and stream your singles, and most importantly- evangelize on your behalf to anyone who will listen!

Everyone you know is in one place right now - at home… on their phones, on their social media, and on websites.  Put yourself on their devices - now!  

I know, I know.  It is harder than it sounds.  That is only slightly true.  It IS harder than doing nothing and streaming "Hart of Dixie" on Netflix - (Don’t judge.  It was strangely fun!)  You need to create things for them to see- consistently, and I don’t mean just text posts about how bored you are or worse yet, political posts. Pictures are good, native videos are better and live-streaming events are the best!  All you need for most of this type of content are two things- a phone and a little bit of time!  (Do you happen to have those two things right now?)

So, here are 10 Ways to Build Your Tribe While in the Age of Social Distancing! 

1. Make a Video of Yourself Performing From Home (okay, super obvious. Everyone is doing it right? Why? Because it works!) 
2. Make a Video Asking for Feedback on a Song You are Working On.  Fans want to be a part of what you create.  So let them help you with tempo, vibe, etc.  Play two versions and put up a survey.  Simple. You get immediate feedback and they feel like they helped you create something awesome.
3. Do a Live-stream (not pre-recorded) Performance on the Social Media Platform of Your Choice (or all of them!)- Sure, it is way scarier and kind of weird to do all by yourself, but your tribe will go crazy for it! 
4. Make a Behind-the-scenes Video About How You Tweak Your Amp or Guitars.  It doesn’t have to be fancy and it shouldn't be lengthy.  There are fans and aspiring guitarists out there that don’t know how to make a guitar make "that" sound.  Show them- be their inspiration! (After all, you can't copyright a signal path!)
5. Show Everyone Your Pedalboard- tell them how you use it, and why you set it up that way. Where do you put the volume pedal, wah pedal, or your distortion?  I watch this type of video all of the time! 
6. Make a How-To Video.  If it is about music - great, but it doesn’t have to be.  It can be about anything that you legitimately have an interest in and have a skill in.  Building personal connections between you and your fans is the key to this idea.  If it is music that builds that closer connection - great, but having a connection with a person because you both love woodworking or rose pruning is still a legitimate connection. That counts!  That helps! 
7. Host a Q&A.  You can do it live or record it. If done live-stream, announce it and promote it well in advance.  If you are recording it, you can ask for questions to answer over a specific period of time and then announce when the video will be posted. 
8. Participate in a Virtual Open Mic Night.  These are popping up everywhere.  Artists are finding new members of their tribe this way.  Do it and have fun, if you pick up 1 or 2 new followers you are doing great.  What if you pick up 15, 20 or more? 
9. Record a Zoom Meeting With You or Your Band -sharing stories about their musical inspirations or heroes.  Create a different theme for each meeting. Pick a day of the week and a time.  Post it regularly. 
10. Create a Video Teaching the World How To Play One of Your Songs!  Why let Marty Schwartz do it?  Who knows it better than you?  (BTW - I still love you Marty!) 

Too much?  Guess what? You don’t have to do ALL of these.  Pick one, try it, and see what happens!  I think you will like what you see, and so will your fans!

Share your thoughts, ask questions, or tell us how it goes below or send me an email.

Ask a person in their teens, 20’s or 30’s where they get most of their information regarding music, entertainment, or even the world, and they will tell you they get it mostly from their social media feeds.  If you ask most DIY musicians what the best way is to get the word about their work out to potential fans and they will say the same thing, social media.  

Now consider this, the percentages of organic (non-sponsored/boosted/advertised) views etc. an average post receives is as follows; Facebook(2%), Twitter(under 6%) and Instagram(between 1-3%).  Most DIY musicians are shocked by these low numbers. The reasons for these algorithmic statistics can be complicated, but it comes down to this. Every social media company wants to provide each user with what they think that the user will like to see.  Doing this keeps the user coming back and scrolling along. Meanwhile, they hope to get advertisers to pay for the opportunity to have their products or services appear in those scrolling feeds. 

Most musical artists of today know that they must have at least some social media presence.  Some are VERY good at generating content and cultivating followers. But even a great post by an artist with a robust following of 9000 followers may not be seen by more than 180 people. 

That brings me to a conversation I had with a promising young singer/songwriter who recently self-released a full-length album.  When I asked about her website, she said that she did not have one. When I asked her why, she said that websites “...don’t have a great ROI (return-on-investment).”  My response was simple. “Social media has an engagement rate of, at best, between 1-6%. Do you think after spending thousands of dollars and over a year of your life to bring an album into the world, that $14.95 a month, to run a website, is too much to invest now that the album is out?” 

She further (and correctly), clarified that there is more than the money involved in having a website.  It does take some time to build, to maintain and to maximize. However, the biggest point that she and other artists are missing is that you have 100% engagement with anyone who visits your site.  If you can make your site a destination, then good things will happen for you as an artist in EVERY phase of your career. 

A well-constructed website creates a flourishing email list.  That is one of the things most overlooked. If you can get website visitors to sign up for your email list, then you can reach out to them at any time.  Furthermore, let’s consider that, according to Mailchimp, the average artist/musician has an email open rate of over 26%. (Over 10X better than some social media!)  

Let’s break that down to numbers that are even more relatable. In our previous example using social media only, we needed at least 9,000 followers to reach 180.  With an average email, (nothing special, an average update, etc.) you would only need 1000 subscribers to reach 260!   

The winner of the ROI argument is the website.  

An artist’s approach regarding social media vs. websites should be as follows. 

1. Have a dynamic and engaging website that allows fans to easily become a part of a community. 
2. Use the website to control what content is put out into the world, physically and virtually. 
3. Use social media to drive new fans, and old, to your website.  (Where you have complete control over what they see, read or hear.) 

You need a website now because it is one of the keys to the kingdom for the independent or DIY artist. A well-built and engaging website can help you fill the seats in any venue, get more streams, and spread the news regarding your music. Your website should be one of the first steps in your marketing strategy. 

Keep an eye out for how your website can work FOR you in our upcoming blog posts.

Recently some new friends at www.consumersadvocate.org reached out to me with a very cool infographic regarding the amount that each streaming service is paying artists per stream. They also include the total number of streams that an artist would need to earn a minimum wage using these calculations.  Needless to say, the numbers are a little scary and disappointing. 

Here it is: 

Without a doubt, this is somewhat sobering information.  However, I don’t think that artists should see it as all doom-and-gloom.  Do I think artists should be paid more? Of course! Should the streaming services examine the way that they distribute the money differently?  Absolutely. It would be nice if they could change their methods of payments from a Service-Centric system to a User-Centric system. That would allow the artists I listen to, instead of Drake, to make more money per stream. But, you know that the services are not going to change the way that they are doing things for the little guys.  It would be easy for a smaller artist to get down. 

Instead, ponder this, “How many artists were making minimum wage from their earnings as an artist during the pre-digital era?” I would wager probably around the same number. Artists have always struggled since the beginning of time.  Upstart artists of any era didn’t make real money until they had a large, activated fan base that went forth and spread their music and message to the masses on a national and international level. That is the key to why I am sharing this information with my readers. 

Artists should look at streaming as the LAST piece of the income puzzle not the first.  Artists need to be on the streaming services because that is where their fans are getting their music from, but they shouldn’t look at it as income.  Instead, they should look at streaming as a potential discovery opportunity for new fans. If they are cultivating their current fans and providing them with the attention and nourishment they need, they will bring others into the fold and consequently, success on ever-higher levels will come.  

So the key to avoiding depression after seeing these numbers is simple- grow new fans every day.  Start today with pictures of them on your website and social media. Sending them some behind-the-scenes video or a Facebook Live Q&A.  More fans = more money. That is what we try to show you how to do here at Big Sky DIY Music Blog!  

Thank you to Steven Regener and everyone at www.consumersadvocate.org for their contribution to this article.  Check out their page when you get the chance.  It is great!

Please share your thoughts.

Many younger artists and managers think that Facebook is dead.  While it may be true that it has demographics that skew older, it is still extremely useful for things other than just ads, event postings and political diatribes.  Below are ways that you can Facebook stalk to book your next gig! 

1. Look up artists that are in the same genre/niche as you are.  Where are they playing? If the artist is in the same genre/style as your artist and they are comparable, then your artist might as well perform there too! 

2.  What clubs, pubs and venues are these artists following?  It is common to “like” the page of a venue an artist gets booked into.  More clues for your artist’s next booking. 

3.  Visit the Facebook pages of the venues you find above and then look at what other places they are following.  Many times clubs of similar size or from the same community will follow each other. 

4.  Once you find a venue that interests you, spend some time scrolling through their feed.  You will be amazed what you will find if you take the time to look. I have found friends and even former students performing in venues that I am trying to book artists into. 

5.  Videos:  Click on the Video tab to see samples of performers at the venue. If you haven’t been to the venue, a video can speak volumes as to the vibe of the place and whether your artist may be a good fit for it. 

6.  Take a look at how active the venue is on their Facebook page.  Are they posting often or only once in a while. Was their last post from 2013?  Are they putting out content consistently? Are they supporting their artists in ways beyond just putting a monthly calendar up?  How many likes and followers do they have? 

7.  Read the customer reviews.  Especially if there is anything about the music, owners or management. I know, a gig is a gig, but you may not want to perform at EVERY place that has entertainment!  Avoid the places that get consistently bad reviews. If you wouldn’t go there, don’t expect your friends, family and fans to go either! 

8.  Related Pages:  This is where you can find your best leads.  Many venues have a tight-knit group of fellow entrepreneurs that support each other.  They will often be more venues of a similar type, which means more opportunities for bookings. 

9.  Escape the dreaded “Contact Us” on the venue’s Contact page by visiting the “About” page of the venue’s Facebook page.  I cannot tell you the number of times I found the direct email to the contact person on the About page. Avoid having your submission included with the baby shower inquiry! 

10.  The about page will often give you information that a formal website won’t.  For instance, I have found owner names, bartenders, and other important items that can help my first approach to the venue be a bit more personal and informed. 

Bonus: Venues are always asking what an artist’s social media numbers are.  Why not use Facebook to to do the same regarding venues. If it is important for them to know how many followers an artists has, it stands to reason that an artist should be able to make some informed decisions based on a venue’s numbers in this area as well. 

Takeaways:  Believe it or not there are many very good and viable performance venues that don’t have a website!  Many think that Facebook is all that they need. As a result, this may be the only place to get this valuable information.  The polished website with beautiful pictures of food are great, but the pictures of the crowd on an “Acoustic Thursday Night” on a Facebook page can be much more useful to you as an artist or manager.

No musician is an Island!

I was recently listening to the Music Business Weekly Podcast (ep. 381).  It featured an interview with famed producer/writer/musician Stuart Epps. The entire interview was quite entertaining but also thought-provoking on several levels.  One of the things Epps mentioned was how valuable collaboration is to musicians. I think that it is often overlooked, especially by the developing singer-songwriters today. 

Let’s face it,one of the greatest things in the world for a musician is to share the magic of music with others.  To sing, play, write and even listen to music with others is one of life’s greatest's gifts. It is almost spiritual at some level.   However, many musicians are secluding themselves in basements and bedrooms toiling on their newest songs all by themselves. Isolated, many are stuck with limited choices about how to sing a phrase, write a chord progression or develop a harmony. 

Let’s think about some of the greats in music and consider where they might have been without their collaborators  Do Gerry Coffin and Carole King ever write those hits without the other? Does King's Tapestry turn into a legendary album without the lessons she learned along the way with her partner? The musical partnerships list could go on and on.(Simon and Garfunkel, Rodgers and Hart, Rodgers and Hammerstein…)  But let’s look at a bigger collaboration that many songwriters are skipping past. The idea of writing with and working with an entire band, instead of as a solo act. 

Epps talked about how he doesn’t see or hear anything about “bands” in the true sense of the word anymore.  Instead his inbox is full of requests from solo artists looking for guidance on completing their individual songs and projects.  These artists are missing valuable opportunities to grow as musicians and to enjoy the ride. 

Collaboration, and more specifically, collaboration in a band is important because it brings different frames of reference to bear on every musical choice. A 5 piece band brings 5 different points of views and approaches to something even as simple as a 12 bar blues pattern.  Those different approaches lead new discoveries! What else could a musician ask for than that? 

So how can you broaden your musical horizons and collaborate right away?  My first suggestion would be to join a songwriting organization ex. https://songwriters-circle.com/  or http://newyorksongwriterscollective.com/  These are just a few.  Most areas have something similar.  Another option is by using social media for meetings and groups.  Facebook and MeetUp can be a great help with this. Lastly, you already know people you respect as musicians, ask them!  They will probably say yes, and if they don’t that’s alright too. You can always use their rejection as a topic for a new song! 

Here’s to making musical connections and finding inspiration through others!

Top 10 Reasons Why Original Bands Should Still Embrace Cover Songs 

Artists are supposed to be passionate about their music. This is proper, correct and awesome.  Some artists can become so hyper-focused on performing their own material that they sometimes will bypass performance opportunities because they might have to perform covers.   

Some artists apply a stigma to any band that performs covers.  However, an artist that limits their performance opportunities because they refuse to do anyone else’s music may find themselves performing very little. Many venues that still book live bands/artists may want 3 or 4 sets of music that is going to keep people in the seats.  Young artists might struggle to fit that bill. In the end, how do emerging artists perform as much as possible and still bring their own music to the world? By embracing cover songs and getting everything they can get from each one of them. 

Here is my list of reasons why every “original” artist should continue to show those cover songs of yesteryear some love. 

1. More Performance Opportunities:  The number of live music venues that feature only original music is VERY small in comparison to those that offer live music. Most venues will be happy to allow you to sprinkle your originals in with your cover sets, especially if you are bringing people to their establishment.   Meanwhile, because you have been performing and working on your originals at all of these traditional club gigs, you are able to refine your originals by evaluating audience reaction and thereby improving those originals every day. Gauging audience reaction on a regular basis is a skill that takes time to develop.  If you are only performing your originals once in a while, it is going to take longer to find the sweet spot for your song. Why not speed up the process? 

The willingness to perform covers at a high level will allow a young original band or artist to work infinitely more, especially in the beginning, than a band that only wants to perform originals.  The greatest band in history did it until they were firmly established on their own. The Beatles developed their chops as performers, musicians and songwriters performing the most popular cover songs of the day for thousands of hours.  In fact, their album, Introducing… The Beatles had no less than six covers! If they had never gotten the chance to hone their skills on-the-fly and in the trenches, it is quite likely that we never would have had this most influential of bands.  

Those popular standards like Meredith Wilson’s Till There Was You and Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode shaped their artistic vision for the future.  There is no substitute for experience. There is no substitute for knowing how to find a way to succeed when the sound system stinks or if the crowd is dead or if you just aren’t in your best voice.  These are things that performers have to learn how to deal with and if you are only singing your songs in your dorm room, you are not building your skill set appropriately. There is no substitute for experience, and performing on a regular basis is how to build it.   

2. Performing Covers can Improve Your Songwriting Skills:  Every musician who has ever lived started performing music because they heard something that they wanted to emulate or recreate.  We learn everything by copying. There is no shame in that. We should acknowledge and embrace it. True creativity comes from what we do, once we have learned how to copy something.  Kirby Ferguson eloquently describes the creative process in this way - “Copy, Transform, Combine.” (Check out his amazing Ted Talk here https://youtu.be/zd-dqUuvLk4) The skills we learn when we do this, shapes us. Learning new ways to do things through the process of learning a new cover song adds to your creative ability in the long term.  Every bit of information, every riff, every embellishment feeds your creative process in the future. Your musical past will always influence your future. This is something to be embraced, not shunned. 

3. Covers Can Help to Improve Your Vocal Abilities:  The process of learning covers leads to vocal versatility.  The process of figuring out the sound of a singer’s voice and emulating it leads to vocal exploration and an analysis of where your own voice’s strengths and weaknesses lie.  It can also help to expand your vocal range as far as pitch and expression. Exploring how to deal with and successfully perform notes that are outside of your sweet spot informs your decision making when writing, producing and performing your original material.  It also develops a vocabulary among your fellow musicians. This can be helpful when trying to describe the way you might want something to be performed. 

Important tip:  Just because you CAN actually “hit the note,” DOESN’T necessarily mean that you SHOULD.  Believe me, that information is valuable too. If you are unsure, run it past someone you trust first before running up to the stage. (My apologies to anyone who heard my solo version of Fleetwood Mac’s - Don’t Stop back in high school.  That was one I should have gotten some advice on!) 

4.  Cover Songs Can Improve Your Ability to Perform and Write Harmony:  There is harmony all around us, but it is surprising how difficult it is for many singers to actually perform harmony successfully.  One of the best ways to be successful in accurately performing vocal harmony work is to really analyze and practice finding every bit of harmony in a cover song.  No singer has ever gone through a true submersion into Simon and Garfunkel, The Eagles, Crosby, Stills and Nash and not come out on the other side a better harmony singer.  If you don’t believe it, try spending a few weeks really listening to some harmony-driven artists and see if it doesn’t become easier to sing. New twists and turns will show up in your own songwriting and production as well.   

5.  Covering a Song is not a Cop-Out, It’s an Opportunity:  I know what you’re thinking, “If someone asks for Brown-Eyed Girl or Margaritaville one more time, I’m going to flip out.”  There are songs that are popular that might not be your cup of tea, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t be an opportunity. There is a chance in all of these songs to improve as a performer.  You can avoid boredom by focusing on a particular skill you need to improve when the songs you are less thrilled to perform show up. For example, you can choose to focus on playing your rhythms cleaner,  sing with better diction and clarity, try to work on a specific stick technique or challenge yourself to experiment with a different scale in a solo.  The choices are endless and it is a great way to wake up those tired songs that you have stopped thinking about. There is a lot to learn from these classics. Try looking at them as a way to improve your skills and suddenly they will become vital again. 

6.  Reinterpreting a Cover Can Be Every Bit as Inspirational to an Audience Member as the Original: History will look at James Taylor as a prolific and ultra-successful singer-songwriter.  However, some of his biggest hits were cover versions of other songwriters like Carole King’s You’ve Got a Friend, and Holland/Dozier/Holland’s, Up on The Roof.  The reason that these covers were so successful was because they were completely re-imagined. Taylor and his team created new ways of looking at songs that were already beloved, but he used his musical sensibilities to further popularize them for new generations.  Billboard’s charts are filled with examples of such brilliance. Certainly, enough to create a daily blog on that topic itself. (Bonus example: Johnny Cash - Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus and Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt.) T

These covers can and do have a real impact on listeners.  They can generate a new audience for an artist who might not normally be on their radar.  For many the cover version becomes THE definitive version of a song. 

7.  Covers Can Create Big Opportunities in the Sync and Ad World: 

Commercials, TV and movies are using cover versions of songs today more than ever.  If you are out there performing and experimenting with covers on a regular basis, why not record the versions that you see resonating with your audience the most?  Hook yourself up with a publisher and see what happens!   

Artists with new and interesting takes of familiar songs, with familiar messages, make things easier for music supervisors and others looking for music in their projects.  The number of re-arranged cover songs in commercial television today is amazing. It seems almost every pharmaceutical or car commercial is a classic pop/rock song from the 1970’s with a word or two changed to include the name of the drug!  (Watch any news broadcast for 30 minutes and see if I am not correct! ex. Whoa, Oh, Oh Otezla - to the tune of Pilot's Magic...)   

A single placement of a song by an artist in a Netflix movie, national/cable series or national commercial can lead to big things and potentially big money.  Don’t forget, once that song is out there- It can continue to make money for generations to come. (ex. Stranger Things - Think of all the money those 80’s artists made when their songs were chosen to be part of the series.  When was the last time you heard Never-Ending Story?) 

8.  Money From Cover Gigs Can Fund Original Projects and Improve Production Value: 

Producing a recording costs money.  Theoretically, the more you have to spend, the more options you will have and the higher your production value can be for that recording. Why not develop your talents and perform in the venues that are still offering money for live music and invest that fee into your original material?  The fees from these gigs can be put into producing your next great original album or single.   

While we are talking about money- Don’t forget, there are more ways to make money at a gig than just the cover charge or performance fee.  An artist can make a significant amount of money selling their merch at cover gigs as well. Sell those T-shirts, posters, CD’s, Vinyl, tote bags, guitar picks, stickers, patches, hats…. You get the idea.  Having it on display at gigs is the best way to do this.   

9.  Covers Can Help You Build Your Fan Base:  Chances are that when you look for cover songs to perform, that they will most likely align with your musical influences.  The artists that influenced you have a built-in fan base. People who are fans of the artists that influence you, will probably like your original music as well.  That certainly makes finding your audience a lot easier! Why not use those influences to solidify your audience. Develop your fan base, create email-lists, create content and expand your social media reach.  Fire up a website!  Every artist has to build buzz. It is easier to do if you can build an army that is out there singing your praises and bringing new loyal listeners into the fold. This will only add to the chances of success for your original projects because you will have a large group of supporters already. 

10. Cover songs on YouTube:  Your version of a cover song on YouTube is a legitimate way to find an audience. YouTube allows people to hear you and become aware of you as an artist.  It is a way to develop content for your fans while you are working on your next original song. Use it and put it out in the universe. It is a great way to generate content and keep your fans engaged in your career.  (You never know Ellen DeGeneres might find you and ask you to be on her show too! Not likely, but hey, dream big!) 

Takeaways 

So, what’s the argument against embracing covers?  Time restraints. That is all. It takes time to decide which covers are the right ones for you to perform. It also takes a lot of time to learn them well. To make them REALLY work for you, you have to do more than approach them like a chore you have to get through.  Get your hands dirty. Really listen to those riffs, harmonies and progressions. Chances are that there are so many more things going on than you ever imagined.   

Deconstruct the song and and rebuild it in your own unique way (copy/transform/combine).  Remember, a band that performs covers does not have to sound exactly like the original artist to work. Do something bold and exciting. Take risks. Choose songs that resonate with you. Choose music you love!   

At the end of the day, we are all in the music industry because we heard a song that moved us and inspired us to begin a pursuit of that indescribable thing that makes us artists.   

It all started with someone else’s songs…  Why not celebrate those that inspired you?

James H. Craft, Big Sky Artist Services (7/19/19) 

Recently there has been a lot of news regarding the involvement of some of the world’s biggest artists in copyright infringement lawsuits.  Just yesterday, Katy Perry testified in court regarding her song - Dark Horse. Similarly, Ed Sheeran is in the middle of litigation regarding his song, Thinking Out Loud.  Oh and please don’t even get me started on Stairway To Heaven! 

These cases, and their outcomes, are very interesting and deserve the attention of every performer and songwriter.  However, before one can fully appreciate the issues before these superstars, one must have a solid understanding of what copyright really is and the idea that, for musicians, there are really two types of copyright at play in every song that is written and then recorded. 

What are the two types of Copyright? 

The first type of copyright pertains to the protections granted to the actual composition of the song.  In other words, the actual melody, lyrics and basic structure of the song. These are the properties of the song that allow you to recognize the difference between Row, Row, Row Your Boat and Purple Rain, regardless of who is singing/playing the song.  This type of copyright is referred to as the PA (Performing Arts) side of copyright.  Every song that is put into a tangible form (paper, notation software, video recording, voice memo, tape recording, digital recording etc.), is automatically granted the protections of PA copyright upon their creation and placement onto something tangible.   

The second type of copyright relates to any Sound Recording of a composition.  Logically, unlike much in government, it is called the SR (Sound Recording) copyright.  This right exists only if the song is recorded in some manner and then played/performed in public.  If so, then, that specific recording is protected from unauthorized use in any other recording (samples) or other media (TV, Movies, podcasts, Satellite Radio, Internet,  etc.). Let’s breakdown the function of copyright in its most basic application. 

Copyright in Action - I Will Always Love You 

I Will Always Love You, written by Dolly Parton, has a rich history and is a perfect example of the two types of copyright.  Parton wrote and recorded the song in 1973 and scored a number one single on the Billboard Country charts.  As the performer and the songwriter, Parton was/is paid on both sides of the song; 

• She received copyright royalty payments as the composer - (PA), paid to her through her publishing company.  
• She also received copyright royalty payments for her performance, the actual recording of the song that she created - (SR), paid first to her record label and then to Parton after the label’s share is deducted. 

In 1992, Whitney Houston famously made her own recording of the song, making it one of the best selling singles of all time.  As a result, the copyright royalties were paid to both Parton and to Houston. Why? Because, Parton retains her rights to the PA side of the song because she is the composer of the song.  Houston and her label retained the SR rights as owners of the new Sound Recording created in 1992. 

• Parton was paid for every use of the song through the PA side of the copyright.  That means every time that Houston’s version of the song was played in a public setting (TV, radio, videos, movies etc.) Parton and her publishing entity were paid a royalty. (Ca-ching!)
• Houston was paid copyright royalties only for the SR side of the copyright. But remember, that was only after her label took their share of the SR copyright. (SR has traditionally been the record label’s domain, but it doesn't have to be in today's market.) 
• It should also be noted that there is one other significant difference here as well.  As I said, Parton was paid on the PA side, receiving a royalty for every spin of this monster hit on terrestrial radio.  However, in the United States, terrestrial radio is legally exempt from SR royalty payments.  As a result, even though Parton got paid for all those radio spins, Houston and her label have never made a penny for any of the countless hours that her  recording has been played on terrestrial radio! 

How Does This Information Help the Independent Musician?

So, what is the biggest takeaway for an aspiring musician from this information?  Being a singer/songwriter allows the artist to have the largest piece of the copyright pie.  A singer/songwriter's compositions can produce income for years and years - even after the recording’s popularity has faded, in fact, even after singer/songwriter has passed away.   

In today’s media-driven, loop-laden and sample-rich world, it is vitally important that every performer knows exactly how copyright functions. Artists should take care to protect their intellectual property and take the right steps to do so.  There are many sites and information sources that can direct you on how to do so, including https://www.copyright.gov/ .   

Keep in mind, registration at the Copyright Office only documents the existence of a work.  To actually make money from your songs is a different story (and a topic for a future blog).  It will suffice to say that this is where artist managers and entertainment lawyers can also be helpful in guiding artists through what one needs to be done to actually collect those royalties through publishing, licensing and other means. 

By the way, if you didn’t already know that Dolly Parton was a shrewd businesswoman, watch this link and think about what a great decision she made when she decided not to allow Elvis Presley to record I Will Always Love You. (She would have lost millions upon millions of dollars!)

I recently re-visited Shallow from A Star is Born.  More specifically, the much discussed live performance at this year’s Academy Awards. When I listen to this song I am instantly reminded of something that every singer needs to be keenly aware of every time they step in front of an audience.  BE PRESENT IN THE MUSICAL MOMENT. 

Much has been made of their famous duet at the 2019 Oscars, but rather than focusing on the gossip/tabloid fodder that it created, let’s look at what really happened artistically and musically to find the lesson that Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper taught us in this remarkable moment.  

First of all, the song and this specific performance has many things that work against it in the classic sense.  There are some examples of less-than-perfect phrasing, (breaths in the middle of sentences etc.), lyric choices, “In the sha-shala-lala-low.” form and other things.  There are things that should never work, but they do... Why?   

This song and this particular performance work because of the authenticity, intensity and genuineness of their performances.  One can listen to or watch the studio version or watch the Oscar broadcast and you are left with the same thing. These performances shine not just because of the unique melody and songwriting incorporated, but most importantly- because of the performances delivered- most notably by Lady Gaga.   

She has demonstrated throughout her career that her voice is an exceptional instrument, capable of genre-shifts unlike nearly anyone else.  But, what her performance in this song shows any aspiring singer is that one must BE PRESENT IN THE MOMENT! Her believability is undeniable and that is what carries her through both the studio version and the Oscar performance.   

My contention is that people would rather hear a sincere singer who truly feels/believes what they are singing about rather than just a singer who can riff with incredible speed and accuracy.  Think about the great musicians of the past. Think about the singers that inspire you. Do they inspire because they can do vocal gymnastics or is it because they move you at a deeper, almost spiritual level?  Popular music’s history is full of such examples. (Too many to list in 100 blog posts!) 

Although the performance was clearly rehearsed, which it should be,  The connection and commitment between them both is clearly genuine. It could have been the sense that Cooper was slightly terrified in such a setting or it might have been Gaga’s constant look of reassurance clearly on display as Cooper worked his way through the first verse.  As she takes over, her supreme skill as a performer carries her through some seriously challenging vocal obstacles. Raw and exposed, she moves through her register into her amazing belt-range. And although she would probably say she could have sung parts of it better technically, - WHO CARES?!?  She continues to build intensity through the lyric-free bridge (unless you count “oh” as a lyric), until we arrive at the final chorus. Bradley Cooper moves next to her at the piano bench. 

Finally, after the last notes have finished,  she looks at him in a way that made America take notice.  They took notice, in my opinion, because these two performers were undeniably PRESENT and IN THE MOMENT!  That is the ultimate in audience engagement.  

So what can an aspiring singer take from this deconstruction of an iconic performance? 

As a singer, there are many things that are out of one’s direct control on stage.  Here’s a quick list: 

Your voice is tired. 

Allergies. 

The inability to hear yourself in the mix. 

The quality of the equipment. 

The venue you are performing in.  

The drummer plays too loud all of the time. 

The Guitarist plays too loud all of the time. 

The bassist plays too loud all of the time… etc. 

It is far more rare that everything is perfect for a singer than one might expect.   

So with all of this and perhaps even more working against a singer, the one thing that a singer can control is whether they are sincere in what they are singing about.  My contention is that being emotionally present is the single-most important factor. It is much more important than one’s range, vocal dexterity or quality of voice. We have all seen singers that have great talent, but bore us on the stage, because they are not committed to what they are singing about.   

I encourage every singer to think about this the next time they are on stage and remember to  BE IN THE MUSICAL MOMENT. 

Let me know what you think and feel free to share examples that demonstrate artists that are truly present in the moment.

James H. Craft

Big Sky Artist Services, LLC