Thursday, August 19, 2010

5 Tips to Help Improve Your Stage Presence

Good stage presence helps music artists have long memorable careers. Here are some live performance tips for those who fear speaking in public or who just want to improve their live shows.

Most of you know I began emceeing back in the early 80’s. I have been blessed to stand on many stages in my lifetime even before I knew what Hiphop was. I have always loved the art of emceeing whether it is written for a live performance or freestyle.

When it comes to live shows, the art and skill of emceeing helps people connect with you. Live shows put your face with the music. When they really like you, they call you back for more. This article is about what it takes to get them to call you back.

I call it Stage Presence.

Here are 5 tips to help you improve your stage presence:
  1. You must rehearse
  2. You must connect
  3. You must engage
  4. You must make a memorable entrance
  5. You must make a memorable exit


Let us look at each one separately:

1. You must rehearse

When people come to see you perform live, they want to be entertained. The best live performers rehearse to give the audience the best show possible. Rehearsing helps you get all the kinks out of your performance. It helps make your set tight. If you are on stage and you do not have any order, the crowd will know. Rehearsal helps you ultimately with having as flawless a set as possible and giving the crowd the “Ooo weeee! I would definitely like to see you perform again!” experience.

2. You must connect

From the moment you hit the stage, you make a connection with your audience. The crowd has all eyes on you. That connection should hopefully be a good one. You have to be convinced yourself that you are going to give them a great show before anybody else will. Do not be afraid to look directly into the eyes of the people in the crowd when you get onstage. They will respect you more.

3. You must engage

A dope emcee interacts with the audience. It may be through a call and response song or chant. Or it could be shaking hands with people in the audience. A true emcee has the power to engage with the crowd and let them help control the flow of the show. This means they give you feedback as you give them a show.

4. You must make a memorable entrance.

This actually piggybacks on number 2 from above. People will be looking and listening to every thing you do and say. This is also one of the crucial two moments of your show. This is the moment you have to make the first impression and it sets the tone of your show.

5. You must make a memorable exit

The second crucial moment of your show is the exit or ending of your show. This is the last thing people usually remember about you and your show. It is good to have peaks and valleys in your show. This also helps you connect and engage the crowd. To really make a mark you have to leave them feeling totally entertained. A memorable exit will hopefully make them want to see you perform again if they liked you.

6. BONUS Technique!!! – Leave the fans with some type of souvenir

This is a killer bonus step because you can use this technique to work with any of the techniques above. By giving something of value to the audience, some thing physical like a CD, key chain, mug, t-shirt, etc., you connect and engage with your audience. If you give it to them at the beginning of the show it helps you make a memorable entrance. If used at the end, it helps to make a memorable exit. The fans will always remember you for giving them something.

Try these techniques out for yourself to help build your stage presence. If you know all of these tips, then fine. Even one tip may have inspired you to reach for more. If so then my job was accomplished.

So what are you waiting on? Go and get started now and leave your brand of stage presence on the world.

If you would like to learn more about gaining stage presence and other music business tips check out www.RapBeatCreator.com.

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
www.RapBeatCreator.com

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Monday, August 16, 2010

Robert Wilson, bassist for the Gap Band, dead

I know some of you younger cats may not be familiar with the body of work by the Gap Band but one of its members has passed away. Robert Wilson, brother to legendary singer, Charlie Wilson, has died. The Robert was the bass player and he will truly be missed.

R.I.P. Robert Wilson.

Robert Wilson, bassist for the Gap Band, dead - Yahoo! News: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"



Enjoy the classic jam!!!

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Click here to learn how to make beats and how to sell beats online!!!

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Saturday, August 14, 2010

How To Sell Beats Like The Pros

In noticing the rise of fall of many music producers, I have observed what makes them successful and not so successful. How to sell beats like the pros has always been a burning question in my mind so I came up with a list of the traits the best selling producers have in common. Here are the 3 things your beats must have if you want to know how to sell beats like the pros.

1. They gotta be bangin’. If you don’t know what I mean by this you need to be reading something else like... a radio perhaps.
2. Marketable
3. Easy to buy


Let us start at number one. If you want to know how to sell beats like the pros, the beats have got to sound great. Not just okay, but great. Listen to some of the songs you have liked the most in the last five years. Or just pick some of the top songs from the Billboard charts and listen to them.

They are “bangin’”, which means they sound awesome.

Your mission as a producer is the make the next hit song. I don’t know about you but when I sit down to make a beat I try to make sure its hot. Occasionally I make a song that ‘s not to my liking, so that one stays in the vault until I can figure out a way to make it better.

The second quality your beats need to have is marketability. Are your beats marketable? Will people be willing to buy your beats? How will you know? You should submit your songs to artists, managers, and other industry professionals...including other music producers. These industry insiders should be able to critique your music and help you make improvements to your sound.

The third thing you need to do to your beats is to make them easy to buy. I cannot stress the importance of this. Whether you are leasing your beats or selling them you still have to make it easy for people to buy your beats. In the information age, there is no excuse for not being able to collect money from a buyer.

Paypal has a proven, secure way to handle money transactions online. All you need is an email address and a bank account. If you don’t have either one of these that’s okay too because money can still be wired through companies like Western Union.

If you have a website set up, you can automate the whole selling process. Paypal can be integrated within your site to process payments automatically. You can make money in your sleep.

Again, these are the 3 key things you need to know in order to learn how to sell beats like the pros. If you are new to the game, you should start at number one. If you are more advanced, you may simply need to figure out how to sell beats easier and simpler so you customers can benefit.

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Click here to learn how to make beats and how to sell beats!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

The Rap Beat Creator Podcast Episode 10

After much toil, I've completed Episode 10 of The Rap Beat Creator Podcast.

Wow, I finally got 10 of these things done!

This episode is called "The New Music Industry: The Online Revolution", taken from an article of the same name.

Enjoy and as always feedback is encouraged.

Click on the link below to hear the podcast.

http://rapbeatcreator.com/The_New_Music_Industry.mp3


Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Want to learn how to sell beats for free? Click here!

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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

(NEW MUSIC) Andre 3000 - "I Do"

Andre "3 Stacks" is back with a new joint! I love Global Grind 'cause they always got the hot new ish!!!

Anyway check out Andre 3000 and this new joint called "I Do". Click on the link below to listen.

Andre 3000 - "I Do" (NEW MUSIC) - Page 2 | Global Grind: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Do you make your own beats? Click here to learn how!

Just to Relax & Smile a Lil Bit :)

Courtesy of my friends at Global Grind, here are some funny Celebrity Photobombs that will make you laugh and if nothing else, smile. We can talk making music all day long but sometimes you just gotta let go and laugh.

My favorites are the Jay Leno & the 2nd Mini Me pic. Too funny!

The Most Hilarious Celebrity Photobombs Ever | Global Grind: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Let me know which ones you like...

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin,The Hot Instrumentalist
Click here to learn how to sell beats!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Brand Management: Do You Know How To Build Your Brand?



I just got done watching Life After... on TVOne. The featured celebrity was Karrine Steffans aka Superhead. Now before y'all get all krazy on me and start cussin' me out, I want you to look at her in a different light.

Don't look at her as a slut who has been in different kinds of music videos and sexed many different men. True, she has done those things but what she did was flip it to her advantage. She has taken the Superhead and Video Vixen brand to different heights. No matter what the world thinks, she is a hustler and she knows how to build and expand her brand.

I knew some things about Karrine from glancing through her book but until tonight, I never looked at her from a brand standpoint. I mean like a Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Papa John's type of brand. When you think Video Vixen, you think of her. And although her exploits in the Hiphop world gave her the name Superhead, she took that and made it a household name.

She's been on Oprah and when you hit Ms. Winfrey's set, you have got the world on lock. I recently saw her as a guest on Donald Trump's show, "The Ultimate Merger" which featured Omarosa. I may not agree with how she rose to the spotlight but I gotta respect her hustle.

How are you managing your brand? Are you looking at YOURSELF as a business or are you just an act? When people say your name, what image is presented in their minds? That is brand management.

When you hear Jay Z what do you think? I'm sure more than just an emcee comes to your mind but a shrewd business man as well. What about Queen Latifah? Master P? 50 Cent? Diddy?

These are artists who have taken their talents way past "rappin". They have built their brands and when you hear their name you automatically know what you're going to get.

If you are emcee Joe Smoe, will you come out with the Smoe Joe sneakers or the J.S. (Joe Smoe) line of cologne?

You have to think further than making records if you want to have brand longevity. So once again what are you doing to build and manage your brand?

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
www.RapBeatCreator.com
Click Here Learn How To Make Beats Online!


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Saturday, August 7, 2010

Erykah Badu feat. Rick Ross - Window Seat Part II **NEW VIDEO** - Page 2 | Global Grind

Whaddup Peeps?

Check out this new video by 2 of my favorite artists Erykah Badu and Rick Ross. It's "Window Seat Part II" and "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)" mixed together. It even has a story line! And Ms. Badu is rockin' them heels. Whew!!!

Click on the link below to check it out.

Erykah Badu feat. Rick Ross - Window Seat Part II **NEW VIDEO** - Page 2 | Global Grind: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Click here to learn how to sell beats!

Friday, August 6, 2010

**NEW VIDEO** Eminem & Rihanna - "Love The Way You Lie" - Page 2 | Global Grind

I'm diggin' this song. Em on lyrics and Rihanna on the hook = Money in Da Bank!

**NEW VIDEO** Eminem & Rihanna - "Love The Way You Lie" - Page 2 | Global Grind

The song and video is about domestic violence. Domestic violence is WACK!!!

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Click here to learn how to sell beats!

Kanye West "Power" Video (NSFW Edition) - Page 2 | Global Grind

Here are some video clips from Kanye West's new video "Power". You might wanna watch this on at the crib and not at work.

Kanye West "Power" Video (NSFW Edition) - Page 2 | Global Grind

The track is bangin though!!!

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Click here to learn how to sell beats online!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Where Do Music Producers Sell Their Beats

A common question new music producers ask is where do music producers sell their beats? It is great to have fire hot beats but if you do not know where and how to sell beats then how will you make any money? Making money is the name of the game right?

The best answer to where do music producers sell their beats is to sell your music on your website. This method as well as any other will require planning. With this method you are responsible to building your site, finding buyers, and ultimately setting up a way to process payments when you do make sales.

This will take longer than any other method but you will have greater control over your beat sales. You can also build a list of prospects using this method. This way you can continue to market to the people who have already visited your site.

If you do not know how to build a website, you can either hire a web designer or purchase a template.

Another place where music producers sell their beats is on 3rd party sites. Third party sites will host your beats and some of them will even complete the sales transaction with your buyers. Some of them will allow you to customize your assigned page. To do this you will need to know some programming language or pay someone to customize it for you.

One good thing about 3rd party sites is they are generally easy to set up. Some of them you can upload your songs in their specified format, add a picture, some bio information and your done.

You should always check the rules and regulations of the 3rd party site as well. You do not want to have all of songs uploaded and your business running well only to later find out you have violated some rule that you overlooked.

This brings us to the next point about 3rd party sites. They are in control of your business to a degree. This means if any thing happens to their site, then ultimately you lose. Their server could crash, it could be infected with a virus, it could get hacked, etc. You and your beats are at the mercy of the 3rd party site.

Even with these seeming negatives you can still make lots of money with 3rd party sites. It all depends on how much control you are willing to give up.

One last and very traditional way to sell your beats is to use the old music business system and send out beat demos. These can be in the form or CD or mp3 but they still work. Sometimes people like to get a package in their hand instead of hearing beats online.

Either way, you must take action. You can use one of these methods or all of them together. If you are serious about selling music as a business you will find that you will get the best results using all three of these methods.

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
www.RapBeatCreator.com
www.Beats4ADub.com
www.MusicMarketingPromotions.com

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