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By paying closer attention to your self-care, you can have easier access to your creativity, to your muse and to your inner strength and resilience. You'll also have more energy, more tolerance for others and yourself and more confidence in your work. FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SELF-CARE TODAY Start. Have you been procrastinating about something? Do you need to update your resume so you're ready for that next audition or show? Learn that new piece? Well, just start. Set your timer for 15 minutes and remind yourself that as soon as it goes off you can stop. Stop. Today, just for five minutes, STOP. Stop and listen to what your inner muse might be trying to tell you (if it could just get your attention). This process will be easier and more effective if you consciously relax your mind and body first – a few deep breaths might be enough, or a few minutes listening to your favourite relaxing piece of music. If you have the time, try a progressive relaxation exercise where you imagine a ball of light traveling through your body and relaxing each muscle as it passes. Turn around. Turn around your negative perceptions. When you start beating yourself up for procrastinating, remind yourself that you worked for 15 minutes on that project today! If your inner critic is telling you something else, try this method from my "Performance Readiness" worksheet (see "Resources"). Write down everything your inner critic is saying to you. Now, imagine it's saying those things to a small child. Then, for every statement, write down what you would say to comfort and encourage that child and show them another way of looking at things. Play. Speaking of children, just for today, approach your art as child's play. Play with your non-dominant hand, play a new instrument or write a song using only words that start with the letter "d". What are some other playful things you could try? Rest. Do whatever it takes to get a good night's sleep. And, just for today, rest when you feel tired. Not getting enough rest and sleep is one of the most direct ways we sabotage ourselves and our health. When's the last time you bounced out of bed in the morning, eager to start the day and feeling completely rested? For tips on getting a good night's sleep, see my Genuine Self-Care article at www.genuinecoaching.com/aug2003.pdf.   Linda Dessau may be contacted at http://www.genuinecoaching.com linda@genuinecoaching.com . Click here to view more of their articles. Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. To receive one of her free monthly newsletters, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/newsletter.html   Copyright Usage: You’re welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the contact information at the end), and please send me a copy or link to your reprint at linda@genuinecoaching.com. Thanks!

 

1. To be more comfortable in performance situations – performance anxiety usually stems from a variety of causes – physical, mental and emotional. Maintaining your overall health and wellness, including keeping your stress at a manageable level, managing your negative thinking tendencies and getting the emotional support you need, will diffuse some of this anxiety before you hit the stage. 2. To connect more and isolate less – other creative artists can provide you with inspiration, understanding and support. Looking at your social and communication habits can help you to deepen these relationships and allow them to enrich your life. 3. To have enough energy for everything you want to do - healthy habits will give you a fresh spark of energy and a clear mind. 4. To relax – relaxing, letting go and gaining some perspective on the creative process can help you to ease into it, and to let what's meant to be expressed come out naturally. 5. To use your physical environment to make you more creative – paying more attention to your physical surroundings and how they affect your creativity and well-being can have infinite rewards, once you take the steps to create your ideal environment. 6. To find time for what's important – learning how to say "no" to things that are draining your time and energy, in order to say "yes" to yourself and your art. 7. To deepen your creative experience - self-awareness and personal growth will add depth to your creative expression. 8. To stop sabotaging your own efforts – more awareness into the choices you're making will help to shine a light on your hidden and destructive self-sabotage patterns. 9. To take the power away from your inner critic – learning to recognize, hear and then dismiss the voice of the inner critic will increase your confidence and give you back a sense of empowerment. 10. To have easier access to your muse – whether it's speaking to you as your own higher self, a higher power greater than yourself, or through someone else's music, art or words, it's sometimes necessary to "set the stage" for these important conversations. Why make your muse compete with your inner critic, your busy schedule, your late-night adventures or the many other users of your time and energy?   Linda Dessau may be contacted at http://www.genuinecoaching.com linda@genuinecoaching.com . Click here to view more of their articles. Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. To receive one of her free monthly newsletters, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/newsletter.html   Copyright Usage: You’re welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the contact information at the end), and please send me a copy or link to your reprint at linda@genuinecoaching.com. Thanks!

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I still find it astonishing how many musicians can’t answer that question in a way that will make people remember them – or want to hear them play. It seems simple enough. You may be one of the best bands of all times but once you stumble on that question or answer with what could be considered blatant hype, you’ve already lost a great opportunity. In the music business, knowing who you are is as important as everything else you do. So, how do you go about determining who you are? Pull the members of your band together to brainstorm these three statements: Our audience is __________. This one is the easiest. What genre of music do you play – Rock, Pop, Hip Hop? We sound like ________. No, the answer isn’t Creed, Aerosmith or No Doubt. What comes to mind when you think of your music? For example, we’ll say your band sounds like rain on a rooftop. Yeah, I know it sounds silly but for most people listening to the rain hit their rooftop is very soothing, relaxing, etc. Of course, you wouldn’t tell someone your band sounds like rain on a rooftop; you’d tell them that your rock band makes very soothing music. Ever hear a rock band with a soothing sound? That statement alone is a conversation piece. The idea is to describe your band without comparing it to another well-known group or artist. After all, you don’t want to be known as the band that sounds like Aerosmith. You’re out to make a name for yourself. (Then again, sounding like Aerosmith could be an asset but we’ll save that topic for another article.) Our main attributes are __________. This statement is so important because it helps you determine what makes your band different. The rock stars that have bad boy images usually earn them by showing a certain behavior or characteristic. What are your primary characteristics? Is your band versatile, electrifying or unpredictable? Come up with a list of words. If your band has received media attention, go back and read the Clips that you feel accurately portrayed your band. Pay special attention to how the journalists described you. What words did they use? Write them down. Once you have the list, narrow it down to two or three words. To put it all into perspective, imagine this: If each member of your band is consistently saying, “I’m in a rock band. Our music is very soothing. It’s rock music for the soul,” it’ll make the difference between people walking away and being able to tell their family and friends that you’re in some sort of band or telling them exactly what you want them to know. In addition, most people are going to want to know more about a rock band with a “soothing” sound. The next time you’re telling someone that you’re in a band, describe yourself in a way that will make him want to hear you play. I’ve never heard a rock band with a soothing sound but the first musician that tells me he’s in one, I’m going to hear them play. You’re enthusiastic about your music and it should show at all times. One way to show it is by knowing who you are!   Stacey Williams may be contacted at www.thalisha.com . Click here to view more of their articles. Stacey Williams is a freelance writer based in New York City.   Copyright Usage:

 

For many musicians, a considerable amount of "play time" is spent learning other people's songs—either for cover band gigs, wedding performances, or merely to study another artist's work. If this sounds like you, as your repertoire has grown, it's highly likely one or more of those songs has sparked something extra-special inside you. Why not immortalize your efforts by recording some of those magical numbers and putting them on a CD? At the very least, one of those "classic" tracks might be the perfect way to punctuate your next disc! But before you act, you need to know what steps you need to take to ensure you're protected, and the original songwriter gets his/her due. With this article, we'll take a look at the three primary paths you can take to obtain a mechanical license [a.k.a. Circular 73—Compulsory License For Making and Distributing Phonorecords (PDF)] to legally release your version of another artist's song. For reality's sake, we'll also include a little"story" to go with it—my personal experience releasing an album comprised of covers—to walk you through this somewhat tricky, time-consuming process. Let the games begin! Way back in December 2000 I recorded a set of 10 cover songs, intending them to be nothing more than a CD-R Christmas gift for my Mother. Nothing fancy, just a bunch of classic tunes (Beach Boys, Beatles, Queen, etc.) I'd spent some time on months earlier, developing from an "arrangement" standpoint to add to my repertoire, then recorded totally "raw" in my home studio. When the holidays finally hit, needless to say, ma dug my little "stocking stuffer." And as an added bonus, it was a big hit amongst my relatives! Well, after playing some of these tracks for some of my (thankfully) enthusiastic friends, I was encouraged to take these songs to the next level—offer them as a full-blown, shrink-wrapped CD, available to "quirky cover song" fans. However, though I went the extra mile trying to conceive of unique ways to present these tunes, I wrote nary a note of this music. In order to legally (and ethically) pull this off, I'd have to find out who to pay, credit, and get permission from. With none of my friends involved in publishing or entertainment law, I hadn't the foggiest idea how to go about this. Enter the Harry Fox Agency, or HFA. After scouring the internet for "ballpark" legal advice, it became clear that the HFA was the central hub of all things relating to obtaining the rights to record and sell copies of songs written by other parties. (NOTE: Outside the US., similar Mechanical Rights agencies exist for Canada, the UK, Europe and elsewhere.) Upon locating the Harry Fox Agency's home page (www.harryfox.com), I discovered that the HFA (among other things) specializes in the following licensing services: Mechanical Licensing (licensing of copyrighted musical compositions for use on CDs, records, tapes, and certain digital configurations) Digital Licensing (licensing of copyrighted musical compositions in digital configurations, including but not limited to, full downloads, limited-use downloads, on-demand streaming and CD burning.) Given that I was going the "CD" route, playing someone else's "copyrighted musical composition," this confirmed some of the things that I'd already read online—I needed a MECHANICAL LICENSE! On the left side of the HFA homepage read the words: "To obtain an HFA Limited Quantity License (less than 2,500 units), use Songfile.com (click here)." Since I was planning on manufacturing 1,000 units—arguably the most common number for an "indie" CD run—HFA's www.songfile.com sounded right for my purposes. On songfile.com, the steps to follow were simple: I clicked the "Song Search" link (note their browser requirements), entered the title of one of the songs I covered, and searched their database for the types of licenses available. Upon selecting the "mechanical license" option, I was asked the following multiple-choice questions (my answers appear in parentheses): 1) How many recordings will you make? [2500 COPIES OR LESS (LICENSE FEE MINIMUM IS 500 UNITS)] 2) Manufactured in what country? (WITHIN U.S.) 3) Distributed in what country? (WITHIN U.S.) 4) Which type of Organization do you represent? (INDIVIDUAL) Based on the length of each song and the number of units you plan to sell, songfile.com then computes a fee based upon the statutory mechanical royalty rate—the money collected for each sale of your cover version that goes directly to the song's writer and publisher (often split 50/50). Currently (January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2005), the "statutory mechanical royalty rate" is: 8.50 Cents for songs 5 minutes or less 1.65 Cents per minute or fraction thereof over 5 minutes. At that rate, for my purposes, covering a single song under five minutes long (selling 1,000 copies of it), added up to an $85 fee. Since I was going to be licensing 10 songs, I'd have to pay at least $850! (Two of the songs I recorded were actually over six minutes. At the current rate, that calculates to $115 each.) To say the least, that's a pretty substantial up-front investment! (On a per song basis, this fee can be paid online by credit card; otherwise you have to do the entire process manually by filling out this form and mailing it in to the HFA with a check.) It's also worth noting that, at first, I thought this "fee" was merely the cost of obtaining the license. I shuddered at the thought of having to pay this, PLUS royalties at a rate of about eight cents per song—to say nothing of my CD's photography, art design, manufacturing costs! To my relief, a few months later, a friend informed me that the fee I paid was just an "advance" on the royalty for 1,000 copies of each song sold; the license itself was apparently only $10. (According to the fine print, you're "charged a $10.00 non-refundable processing fee per license, which will be added to the license amount and processed as a single charge to your account.") Back to Harry Fox... After shelling out for several songs (you provide a ballpark release date and other details, submit your credit card info online, then receive a license via e-mail in a matter of hours or days), I entered the name of a Jimi Hendrix song I wanted to license. After answering all the same questions in the exact same manner as my previous song selections, the following words appeared before me on my monitor (in red, no doubt for dramatic effect): This song is not available for mechanical licensing. Noooooo!!! In a panic, I then entered the details of a Billy Joel song I recorded. Ditto: "This song is not available for mechanical licensing." As far as I knew, the Harry Fox Agency held the rights to all the songs legally available for the "covers" treatment; anything else was a no go. I figured this was enough to all but doom my little project (*sniffle*). For starters, those two songs demonstrated an aspect of my playing and singing that the other eight songs didn't. Further, I just didn't think it'd be cool to put out an "eight-song" covers CD—let alone one without my man Jimi being represented! Lastly, since this CD was already over three years old, it didn't feel right to do two "new" songs and slap them on at the end of the collection. To my mind, that would ruin the idea of me releasing an "accidental" album, if you will. But then I discovered an interesting legal fact: Once a song has been commercially released by an artist, that artist's song may be re-recorded and released by anyone who chooses to do so. This holds true, provided that the melody/lyric isn't substantially altered in the "cover" version, and that they pay proper fees/royalties directly to the song's copyright holder. (On the flip side, if you release a disc with cover songs on it, then try to obtain proper licensing after the fact, you're no longer eligible—and possibly subject to penalties/prosecution for copyright infringement!) All I needed to do was investigate who owned the publishing rights to those Jimi Hendrix and Billy Joel songs. This information (including each publisher's address) was readily available through the following Performance Rights organizations: BMI(www.bmi.com) ASCAP (www.ascap.com) SESAC (www.sesac.com) (NOTE: Outside the US., similar Performance Rights organizations exist for Canada, the UK, Europe and elsewhere.) Later, I found that the above "publisher's search" process could be sped up considerably by going through the Music Publishers' Association's web site (www.mpa.org). After obtaining both publisher's contact info, I was left with that resounding "Now what?" feeling. Again, the ol' internet paid off. I found I needed to send to each publisher what's referred to as a Notice of Intention to Obtain Compulsory License for Making and Distributing Sound Recordings. After more cyber searching, I finally found out what the heck that was—at the overwhelmingly incomprehensible (to my neophyte self) U.S. Copyright Office web site. Reading that document was almost enough to make me toss in the towel (and my cookies). But then, much to my satisfaction, I came across this totally "pre-fab" (RTF) letter, designed by a friendly webmaster—"fill-in-the-blanks" style—for submission to artists' publishers. This letter appeared to adhere to the specifications (PDF) prescribed by the US Copyright Office. From here, the Billy Joel licensing process went off without a hitch. I sent in the above letter (certified mail, return receipt); upon receipt, they asked me via e-mail to specify the number of copies I intended to sell (information omitted from the "pre-fab" letter I used). They then sent a written agreement for my signature, additionally asking for an $85 check covering the sum of advance royalties paid on 1,000 units. (My research revealed that you could try to negotiate a lower royalty rate with each publisher. However, I happily agreed to pay the "compulsory"—or "standard mandatory"—rate.) This agreement also provided me with the exact wording for the "publisher/writer credit" I needed to include in my CD's liner notes, and stipulated that the publisher receive two copies of the disc "as released." (Individual writer/publisher credits for every song you cover needs to be included in your CD's liner notes, by the way.) Upon execution of the agreement, they granted me the license and quickly sent me a hard copy for my records.< A search for Hendrix's publishing was another matter entirely. Depending on which performance rights organization I searched through, both "Bella Godiva Music" and/or "Experience Hendrix LLC" administered Hendrix's publishing rights. To make a long story short, Experience Hendrix LLC was the correct one. I sent my same "pre-fab" letter to their P.O. Box (the only indicated address); it came back three weeks later as "undeliverable to addressee" because nobody signed for it. (Again, I sent it certified w/return receipt—a bad idea for P.O. boxes, apparently.) On a deadline by now (I was looking to release this disc in a couple months), I located a phone number for Experience Hendrix LLC and got the ball rolling that way. They requested I e-mail their Music Publishing & Licensing contact, asking them to e-mail me back (as an attachment): "a downloadable version of the form I need to submit in order to obtain a mechanical license for the making and distribution of 1000 CDs—Track: 'Castles Made of Sand'." I was also informed that they needed to approve a copy of my "cover version" first, before they could grant me a mechanical license. Fine by me! I sent them a CD-R copy of my almost-final mix, with their filled-out e-mail form (replete with Hendrix logo!), and a few weeks later, finally got the official "go ahead." So there you have it: Two of three possible paths for legally covering another artist's song. In the end, if you go direct to the publisher, you'll do away with the HFA's $10 filing fee. Personally, given the time it took "going direct" (to say nothing of the anxiety it caused), I'd gladly pay that $10 any day of the week! You'll just need to weigh your own personal "time vs. money" options. So what about licensing method No. 3? Well, if you've exhausted all reasonable means and can't locate the copyright holder(s) for the song(s) you've covered, you can file the same Notice of Intention to Obtain a Compulsory License with the Library of Congress, Copyright Office, Licensing Division. Each song needs to be filed separately, and there's a $12 filing fee (per song). The Library of Congress will establish to whom royalties are paid by identifying the copyright owner. At that point, you'll need to make all due royalty payments—and make sure you pay! (Hint: "dot gov"!) If you find you need to go that route, make sure you compose your correspondence to these specifications (PDF), as prescribed by the US Copyright office. In the event you have any questions, the Library of Congress can provide you with detailed instructions concerning this form. Ask for the Copyright Office Regulations on Compulsory License for Making and Distributing Phonorecords, Circulars 96 Section 201.18 and 96 Section 201.19, and address your request to: Library of Congress Copyright Office Licensing Division, LM-458 101 Independence Avenue, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20557-6400 Meanwhile, here's another (PDF) sample of a "pre-fab" Notice of Intention to Obtain a Compulsory License I found online. Finally, be aware that being granted a mechanical license does not mean you can reprint that song's lyrics in your CD's sleeve. (You must clear these rights through the publisher directly.) And samples—audio excerpts from the artist's original master recording—need to be cleared differently; for this, you must obtain a MASTER RECORDING LICENSE directly from the record company that owns the master to the recording. (Here's a PDF sample for contacting record companies; I believe Harry Fox used to offer this type of license, but has since discontinued doing so.) Further, sale of MP3 downloads requires a separate DIGITAL LICENSE. In the end, all the footwork I had to engage in (and anxiety I had to endure) to legally take this "stocking stuffer" to the next level was well worth the effort. I now have a CD of songs I really like, performances I'm proud of, and a nice memento of a personal "place in time" that I can proudly distribute. I hope you some day consider doing the same. Good luck!   Dale Turner may be contacted at www.intimateaudio.com DTurnstyle@aol.com . Click here to view more of their articles. In addition to being a performing/recording musician, Dale Turner is also West Coast Editor of Guitar One magazine, an instructor at Hollywood's Musician's Institute, and has authored numerous guitar publications for Hal Leonard, Cherry Lane, and Warner Brothers. His latest CD, INTERPRETATIONS - Solo Arrangements for Guitar and Voice, has just been released on the INTIMATE AUDIO label.   Copyright Usage: none

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Layout 1. 1-2 pages in length. 2. Double-space. 3. 1.5 to 2 inch margins. 4. Use company stationary with logo and slogan. 5. Avoid bright or dark-colored paper. 6. Center "News Release" at top. 7. Place a "release date" under "News Release". 8. On second page, type "page 2". 9. Use company stationary with logo and slogan on page 2. 10. Leave out "release after" date on second page, all else should be the same. 11. At end of press release, type "-30-" or "[use number sign 3 times". 12. Include both black & white, color, and a variety of font sizes (but no more than four). Format 13. Inverted pyramid (biggest point or major message first). 14. Straight to the point at the beginning. 15. First and second paragraphs devoted to your main message. 16. Secondary information comes AFTER main message. 17. No pussyfooting around, be clear up front, at the very beginning. 18. Don't go on and on. 19. In the third section, establish a connection with you. 20. Use a problem/solution format. 21. Comparing and contrasting ideas can be inside the problem/solution format. 22. Be careful of your facts, spelling and grammar 23. Only one news release per e-mail or envelope. Information to Include 24. Newsworthy information, not sales copy 25. All the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How elements. Their order depends on level of importance. 26. Enticing headline which summarize the material/news. 27. Photos if available, or where they can be accessed in press section of your web site. No stock images. 28. No cover letter. Distribution 29. Don't send press release out in a mass e-mailing. 30. Don't pester contacts 31. Editors will not distribute anything sloppy, difficult to read, or understand. 32. Mail release by first class mail. 33. Don't use any type of labels, including your return address. 34. Add "PRESS RELEASE" and "Release Date:" on outside of envelope. 35. Places to send press releases: writers@[magazines]; writers@[newspapers]; trade journals in your industry; print magazines on the topic; online agencies that distribute news releases. (c) Copyright 2004, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved. ~*~*~*~ Resource Box ~*~*~*~ Catherine Franz, is a certified life and business coach specializing in marketing and writing,Internet and infoproduct development. For other articles, and ezines: ttp://www.AbundanceCenter.com.   Catherine Franz may be contacted at http://www.abundancecenter.com catherine@abundancecenter.com . Click here to view more of their articles. Catherine Franz, a Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com   Copyright Usage: ***************** Word Count: 349 ***************** ~*~*~*~ Resource Box ~*~*~*~ Catherine Franz, is a certified life and business coach specializing in marketing and writing,Internet and infoproduct development. For other articles, and ezines: http://www.AbundanceCenter.com. ~*~*~*~ PUBLISHING GUIDELINES ~*~*~*~*~* Publishing Guidelines: Permission is granted to publish this article electronically in free-only publications, like a web site or ezine (print requires individual permission) as long as the resource box is included without any modifications). All links must be active. A courtesy copy is requested upon publication.

 

It’s difficult enough running the day-to-day aspects of a business, let alone trying to drum up new business as you go. But according to Shannon Cherry, APR, even if you have additional staff helping to get the word out about your products and services, location and prices, delivery and sales support, news releases can make your company grow faster. “A news release is sent to editors and journalists in order to generate a news story in the media,” says Cherry, president of Cherry Communications which helps businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations to be heard through marketing communications. “It’s one of the easiest and cost-effective ways to get your message out there. If a reporter decides to run your release, your business receives space for free - and more credibility than just running an ad.” Cherry explains that it’s critical in today’s business world to be seen and heard -- a key element in any business plan. She shares her top ten secrets to getting a news release noticed: 1) Your press release should sound like news, not an ad. You need to make sure your news is newsworthy, so start thinking like a reporter. 2) You should only send your press release to the media related to the topic of your press release. Don’t just send the press release to every reporter you can find. 3) Keep your press release one page in length. Truth is, most editors will only read the headline and the first line or two of your release. 4) Your header, contact information and release date should be at the top of your press release. 5) Use short sentences and double space your lines. 6) Your headline and first few sentences should grab the reader’s attention. Write like the news organizations you are targeting. 7) You should tell a story and mention your business, product or service in the body of the release. 8) Proofread your release many times. Look for grammar and spelling mistakes. 9) Follow up is not only recommended, it is vital. But don’t call every other day asking if your release will run. Call once to see if there is any interest, but don’t nag. 10) Stick to the facts. Tell the truth. Avoid fluff, embellishments and exaggerations. tone it down a bit. And a bonus: Use active, not passive, voice. Verbs in the active voice bring your press release to life. Writing in this manner helps guarantee that your press release will be read.   Shannon Cherry may be contacted at http://www.cherrycommunications.com shannon@cherrycommunications.com . Click here to view more of their articles. Shannon Cherry, APR, MA helps businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations to be heard. She’s a marketing communications and public relations expert with more than 15 years experience and the owner of Cherry Communications. Subscribe today for Be Heard! our free biweekly ezine and get a free special report. Go to: http://www.cherrycommunications.com/freereport.htm   Copyright Usage: