Most of us who are in the business of creating songs are aware of the importance of writing lyrics that have universal appeal, lyrics that connect with millions of hearts. We have also heard about the importance of writing songs that emanate from our hearts, from personal experience. On the surface, it seems these tools would be mutually exclusive. But let’s look a little deeper. Unless we are writing solely […]

What constitutes a hook? Any element of a song that grabs a listener’s attention and “hooks” them in. With there being so much competition for our listeners’ attention, including multiple hooks throughout our songs has become more important than ever. According to an article in The Atlantic magazine, “A short-attention-span culture demands short-attention-span songs. The writers of Tin Pan Alley and Motown had to write only one killer hook to get a […]

Follow these steps for a less painful, less poverty-stricken professional life. #1. Meet Anyone and Everyone You Can In This Business. Before you’re desperate for a job, before your loans are due, and before you need something from people, it’s critical to start meeting people who are actually working in the industry.  You will be investing heavily in your future network, one that will pay very rich dividends down the line. […]

By Ari Herstand   Ari Herstand Last year, I went on two national tours covering 40 states and played over 100 shows. I booked nearly every show myself. It was my first time visiting about 30 of the cities, and many of the other cities’ venues I had never played before. Both tours were financially successful. Let me say that again: on both tours, after expenses, I made money. It blows […]

While most artists think Rome was built in a day, it takes much more than uploading your music online to build an online presence. Everything from passion and dedication, to great music and a people actually knowing about your music comes into play when you’re building a movement. Not to mention the fact that most want to make money. Check out the infographic below and see if you’re headed in […]