Everybody has their own ritual for starting to play music.  Lighting up, plugging in, rocking out.  But I’ve thought of some things to think about to keep the music flowing, and not getting stale.  I’ve been in bands before where the music doesn’t get better because people have fallen into a pattern and “hearing” the music in only one way.  And it takes a lot longer to get tighter as a band if the people in the band don’t learn to play together, which is what makes live music different and more exciting than canned music.

But rehearsing a band has its’ own challenges and skills that must be learned.  Here are some ideas.

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As I’ve been researching and thinking on the subject of what making music and sharing it with others actually means these days, I was thinking how we are all advertising driven. This website is ad driven, how ever little driving is actually done. Nonetheless, advertising powers the art. So many people are able and striving to “sell” their music, but what does that actually mean in this world we are forging?

In the past music has been a product with many different business models, there was the concert, the tour, the cd, the publishing, the t-shirts. Then came the clothing lines, the sneakers, the branded guitars, and everything else. People are talking about the death of the cd track, and I kind of agree. Music, as a product, Continue Reading

I am fascinated with the fashion business model. In researching and thinking about the new ways that the music business, or independent music business can thrive. I’ve been trying to compare and contrast other business models. Ones where the products are generally the same, but differ enough to garner fierce brand loyalty and continued support. After a shopping trip with my girlfriend at Bloomingdale’s, looking at prices and designs of the dresses she wanted me to buy, I have become interested in the fashion business. Not to do it myself or anything but I appreciate it as an interesting business model as it is similar to the music business model (which is under repair currently).

Fashion is as a shortcut to self expression. In that way, fashion and music are alike, Continue Reading