Friday, July 31, 2009

Are You Proactive or Reactive In Your Music Career?

Are you REALLY serious about your music career?

One way to know if you are serious is to determine if you are proactive or reactive. Let me give you the definition and example of each one:

Proactive: controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than waiting to respond to it after it happens. For example, you have a show coming up in 2 weeks at a local club. A proactive response is to email your fan base (if you've been collecting email addresses like you should be doing) the info about your club date. You know that doing this will help you gain more exposure so you take it upon yourself to do it ...not someone else.

Reactive: reacting to a stimulus. This means that in order for you to take action, something outside of you has to happen first. For example, you are a great emcee but you don't like to rehearse for shows. Your friend has to tell you to rehearse over and over but you always wait until the last minute to do it and your performance never comes off as it should. This is an example of a reactive person.

You've heard proactive people called "movers and shakers" or "hustlers". Reactive people are often called "lames", "busters", "lazy", etc.

There's a saying that goes, there are 2 types of people in the world: those who make things happen and those who wonder what happened. Don't be one of the 2nd types of people.

So as you read this, give a good look at you life and your music career. Are you being proactive or reactive?

Holla back!!!

Vocabulary definitions by WordNet (http://wordnet.princeton.edu/)

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
www.RapBeatCreator.com

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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Unlimited Potential to Make Your Dreams Come True

I was thinking about something the other day. Its a question you've often heard from many motivational and educational speakers.

I think its worth repeating over and over again.

What is the one thing that you would do if you knew you couldn't fail?

Or put a different way, if you had $1,000,000 ($1 million) dollars and you could do whatever it is you wanted to do, what would you being doing?

The answer to these questions can point you in the direction of what just may be your life's work.

Why am I even bothering to talk about this? And why, right now? We'll I remember going through these questions and even though I'm older (and hopefully wiser) I still ask myself these questions and I still come up with same answers:

I'd be doing music.

Preferably performing with a live band similar to The Roots. And no matter how much I try to "do" something else. I still have this yearning or passion to perform live on stage with my own band. I mean I've performed with a live band several times and those were some of my most high energy performance. To put it simply, I felt great.

No other feeling for me can substitute that feeling of being on stage rockin' out with a band.

Now, am I saying this is what every artist should feel like? Nope.
Am I saying this should be every artist ultimate goal? Nope.
Am I saying this is the only way to be involved in the music business? Nope again!!!

What I am saying is this IS my calling. Even if I'm not performing on stage, I'm always doing something music related. It maybe behind the scenes helping out another artist. It may be making beats, it may be writing this blog, recording a podcast or video, or teaching aspiring artists how to break in the music business.

Whatever it is, you can rest assured, that music is involved some kinda way.

So think about these questions long and hard. Give it your full concentration. Set aside some time just to reflect on the answers to these questions. They may give you just the right insight you need to move forward in your music career or even to a career that you desire more than music. Who knows? You may discover deep down that music ain't for you but you love writing graffiti and drawing. You'll never know until you follow your heart...

Mello Melanin, The Instrumentalist
www.RapBeatCreator.com

P.S. Time waits for no man. Get busy moving in the direction in which you want to see you life unfold.

Friday, July 24, 2009

The Rap Beat Creator Podcast Episode 7

If you missed the videos about Music Publishing & Copyrights, you can always download or stream the live audio of The Rap Beat Creator Podcast Episode 7, right here on The Rap Beat Creator Blog.

Click here to listen now!!!

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
www.RapBeatCreator.com

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Sunday, July 19, 2009

Something I Found Out I Can Do With Reason 3.0

Yep it's official! I know I should have figured this out a long time ago but sometimes things don't always work out. What have I figured out how to do?

Sampling!!!

I know you might be saying, "Mello, come on bruh. You're just figuring that out?" Yep, I am.

So since I've added this new powerful tool to my arsenal, it means I have more capability to experiment with different beats and sounds.

Stay tuned folks. I'm about to come with dat heat!!!

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist

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Friday, July 3, 2009

Insider's Secrets to Music Publishing & Copyrights

Whassup,

I just recorded my newest podcast dedicated to the late Michael Jackson. I haven't put it in mp3 format yet but if you have access to watch video, then you MUST check this 2 part video out.

I'm not sure if you know this (most artist don't) but the real meat of the music business is music publishing. Michael Jackson knew this and he has many songs credited under his name. He even bought the Beetles catalog which is worth millions!

In these videos I touch on some little known facts on music publishing as well as copyrights.

Let me know what you think. I encourage comments for dialogue.

Here is Part 1:



Here is Part 2:



Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
http://www.rapbeatcreator.com/


P.S. You gotta know I love doin' this right? How many other YouTube videos will you see the host rockin' a wife-beater tank top??? LOL!!! Holla...