FINDING A MANAGER: (OR: LOOKING FOR BIG DADDY TO SAVE US!)

Taking responsibility for our career is scary for artists. Most of us don't have the skill set we only have the desire.  This business asks us to be the best singer we can be, the best writers the best live performers etc. And thats a LOT of stuff we have to get GREAT at before we are ready for the world stage. Most of us don't want to include business skills in that package. It just seems to hard, too daunting and too difficult.
So we get stuck looking for BIG DADDY (OR MOMMY) to save us..  a manager who will be the answer to all our dreams and make it all magically happen.

                                  YOU ARE ALWAYS THE ACTUAL MANAGER

Successful artists always retain control of their forward motion. If you remain in a position of responsibility you will always be protected from the worst outcomes of someone else's bad decisions. YOU are the one watching the company store.  Your career and your future are no one else's responsibility but your own. A manager acts as a guide and as an advisor. Regardless of how powerful or well connected your manager may be your hand never leaves the steering wheel! Why?  You are the person who must ultimately live with the decisions you make as a partnership.


                                                 MANAGERS ARE JUST PEOPLE

Beware believing that any one manager can be responsible for everything "clicking" in your career. Almost all managers have strengths and weaknesses. It's good to know what they are before building up big expectations which will lead to terrible disappointment.
   Some managers are really good at getting you gigs..some never touch that part of your career and will leave that to you or an agent. Some managers have a special knack at putting together recording deals for artists. Some are excellent at designing a marketing approach. The truth is that most will not be good at everything and it's YOUR job as the defacto manager to see the holes and get proactive to fill them yourself or with other members of your team.

                                                   IT STARTS WITH A QUESTION

I almost always suggest artists play the field for a while before signing anything with a manager.  Better to start with dating before any real "commitment" happens on either side. A lot of times the relationship starts when an artist is stuck and looking for a specific solution and reaches out to a manager that they may know and trust and have access to ask that all important question. "Can you give me some input about this decision I have to make"?  If things go well the artist may be invited to "call anytime with anything you need help with". If things progress and a certain amount of trust is built up then a relationship may start to get deeper.
  The artist-manager fit is one of the most mysterious things in this business. I write this after having introduced a young super talented artist and manager at a crucial moment in his career, a good fit that will help the artist navigate the rough waters of international deals. The two parties "dated" for about a year before signing paper on their relationship.


                                            DON'T CALL US WE'LL CALL YOU

Seeking management is one of the main things artists feel they should be "doing". But thats not a useful goal to the working artist. How come? Interestingly enough most successful artists I know have had their managers seek them out. Why? Because as artists they were already doing the music and making the audience and creating the energy and buzz around their work and their career, enough so that a manager seeking a new act to work with would end up hearing about them through their network.

    People in the music industry talk to each other. There are listening and watching for the truly "special" and "unique" artists that stand out.
Sometimes it's the combination of talent and looks and drive that clicks, sometimes it's because the artist has something really "fresh" in their approach. Sometimes it's simply dollar signs that get the manager interested... but it's always the manager who takes an interest first almost NEVER the other way around in my experience.
SO..if you are seeking a manager there's nothing wrong with starting a relationship with a couple of well placed folks where could bounce your challenges and ask questions.   Usually the manager is watching carefully to see what kind of a person the artist is. Will they make life difficult? Do they follow through on suggestions? Are you taking responsibility for your own forward motion?

There are a million new acts trying to break into the publics consciousness each year. How do you get heard about the din? By doing what you do the best you can do it. Pretty simple really. Do what you do so well that you attract the team you need to bring it to the world.

In a jam career wise? Ask me about the Career Work groups at Singers Playground!Has this blog been useful? let me know at micah@singersplayground.com

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Taking Responsibility

                   

Artists who are stuck are usually asking the wrong questions, (…and just so we're clear folks, that includes me).

"Why wont they call me back, How come no one is coming out to the shows, Why am I not further than this by now in my career?


      No matter who we have working with us as a manager or agent, producer or industry professional ultimately the actual "manager" is ourselves. As artists we are the owner of the company, the producer of the product and the person responsible for the major decisions in our career.
The people we work with on our team only advise and support our movement.

     So, that means if w don't have our business skills or social media skills or our songwriting skills or our performance skills or our vocal chops together then it's up to us to figure out how to gain or improve on the existing skill set.

      Growth is challenging in a number of ways. 1 ) we are never guaranteed of the outcome so it's not a for sure thing when we embark on the journey. Being patient is not a trait that most artists possess 2) being bad at something is uncomfortable for most of us, so we avoid the experience with all kinds of road blocks and excuses. 3) taking responsibility for growth means we have to accept blame when stuff doesn't work out.

  The good news is that no one is growing unless they are failing sometimes, learning from their mistakes but making mistakes so they can learn! The bad news is that most artists don't focus on a step by step approach but get overwhelmed with the big picture and stand immobilized while their dreams pass them by. The Career Work groups are designed to get us unstuck by asking us to a) declare our challenges and get ideas and support in dealing with them b) forcing us to deal with the uncomfortable growth that gaining new skill sets can be and most importantly c) by asking  us to take responsibility for our career development.

Having spent the better part of 10 years seeking to empower artists in all kinds of ways I can safely say the most important step is for us to take responsibility. It's also the hardest because then we have to accept that if we're not happy in our career's its up to us to do something about it!

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            "Everytime you are willing to take a risk you increase your ability to trust and believe in yourself"- from "Creating Money: Keys To Abundance"

Welcome To The Playground

 Hello Folks!         Due to the overwhelming success of the show last fall featuring Ivy James, JP Saxe, Mike Butler and Rebecca Codas, the good people at Hughes Room have asked Singers Playground back for a spring concert!
  It was truly a wonderful experience as a coach to see young and talented artists rise to the challenge of the excellent concert venue, including their learning curve around publicizing the show, which was a large part of how we ended up with such a large and attentive crowd.
   Unlike a lot of commercial venues Hughes Room believes in fostering up and coming talent, and to that end, have asked JP Saxe back for his own show in March.  They believe in what we are doing at Singers Playground  and are helping us foster the growth of musical careers with this concert series.
We have set a date (June 5th) for a spring concert featuring some of the other artists that I have been working with at Singers Playground. Stay tuned for the announcement of who will be performing.
In the meantime let me share with you the criteria for who is asked to perform on this invitational evening.

                                               Choosing The Performers.

  Most of the artists featured in the last show were first introduced to be during the Singers Playground Workshops where a room full of talented singers face the challenges they experience in live performance. Although usually followed up with private sessions, the workshops are the first way I get to meet and  work with a singer and it always proves instructive to me as a coach to see how they respond to the experience.

There are a few simple criteria for me in choosing who is asked to perform:
  Is the artist digging in to the best of their abilities to improve their skill set? This means working on their voice technique, their songwriting and/or arranging skills, learning how to record demo's and working with producers to hone their sound?
Is the artist out performing already and gathering an audience for their music? Do they have the commitment to publicizing their shows and building their careers?
Are they using social media to tell their story and create a buzz? Do they understand their "brand" and are they willing to examine their potential place in the marketplace? Are they increasing their understanding of music business strategies and learning how to build a team of believers around them?
 Simply put, the singers who are working hardest on the music, on themselves and on their musical careers are going to be considered for this opportunity.

Believe it or not there is only a very small batch of singers that I work with who are actually focused on ALL of these elements.  Its a hard balancing act and no one gets it right all the time..however its my job as a coach to help support that possibility and remind the young artists of what their job actually entails.

Welcome To The Playground!

http://www.singersplayground.com/workshops.html

SINGERS PLAYGROUND IN CONCERT

                                                                           

Although a regular event in the calendar when Singers Playground started in Los Angeles this is the first event of it's kind for us in Canada and I'm very proud to be presenting this crop of musical artist to the audience at Hughes Room, one of the nations top concert clubs.
       I chose the up and coming artists on this first Singers Playground concert very carefully and with specific criteria. Firstly they had to be working at a level that would represent the work I do at Singers Playground, including high calibre songwriting, powerful vocal and performance abilities, and a real passion to share their gifts with the world.
     Secondly they had to have been performing out in the world with enough stage experience that they could excel in the concert atmosphere of Hughes Room which is really and truly a "listening room" where musicians and industry gather to hear the best and the brightest.
    Thirdly they have to have been working with me for an extended length of time, enough that I have seen each singer dig into themselves to find the best possible result. Artists have to find the courage to face their weaknesses and deal with them head on.
Singers Playground is all about creating an atmosphere of challenge and I have a high level of expectation for the artists who I work with. My vision for this concert is no different. In fact I am challenging myself to perform new material for an upcoming recording some of which will be heard for the first time at the show. After all if the coach isn't challenging himself then how can he challenge his clients to grow?

HUGHES ROOM CONCERT INFO

SINGERS PLAYGROUND WEBSITE

"5 Tips on Becoming A Better Singer" (from former Nylons vocalist Micah Barnes)

Hi Folks! As I prepare for the TAKE THE STAGE WORKSHOP Sept 8th at The West End Cultural Centre in Winnipeg I've jotted down 5 of the most important things to keep in mind as you work at becoming a better singer. (info on Saturdays workshop below)

 Tip #1   Your job as a singer isn't to impress anybody with your voice but instead to make a powerful relationship with your audience. We're not interested in notes or lung power we want to get to know the singer as a person. If you are really and truly in an intimate personal place with your audience they will be yours for the rest of your career.

Tip #2  Know your material well enough that you can really inhabit it onstage or in the studio.
Don't just memorize lyrics, really take the time to understand where the song lives in your own experience. If you can personalize and experience the emotional life of your material while you are singing then I guarantee your audience will come along for the ride.

Tip #3  Know what keys and kind of material suits your voice best and stick with what works best for you when the pressure is on.  If you aren't sure what you sound best singing ask your closest friends for their input. Certain voices lend themselves better to certain styles and if you are armed with that knowledge you can put your best foot forward when important folks are listening.


Tip #4 Don't be afraid to ask questions and take advise career wise. No artist can be knowledgable about everything in their career. It takes a village of support to make any real success story, so don't get stuck because you're not sure how to go about the next steps. Ask everyone you can and be willing to reach outside of your comfort zones to get the results you are looking for. Being willing to risk is a singers greatest asset.

Tip #5  Breath is always the answer.  The most important secret to being a  good singer is in working your breathing.  If you can breath without tension then there will be no "difficult" note or song that will escape your ability to sing it.

Cant wait to work with everyone at Saturdays workshop in Winnipeg!

Click here for Information about Saturdays  Take The Stage: Singers Performance Workshop

Learn more about Micah's coaching on Singers Playground Website

Join our  Singers Playground Face Book Group to learn about upcoming workshops etc.

cheers!
Micah Barnes
micah@singersplayground.com

On Becoming A Coach Part 2 The Nylons and Los Angeles

                                          Billy Newton Davis, Micah Barnes Claude Morrison

  My years of singing with The Nylons and the heavy demands of the gig, ( concert tours, TV specials, constant interviews, tons of air travel), all meant a break from coaching, but during those years, influenced by my fellow Nylons, I began to take my own technique more seriously.
      Although hired to sing the Baritone part, I soon discovered during those "boot camp" rehearsal weeks of learning to sing harmony while dancing choreography, (not as easy as they made it look!), that I was also going to need to be able to sing falsetto, tenor AND bass parts, depending on which Nylons was stepping forward to sing lead! YIKES!
All of this range stretching taught me both to value and lean heavily on my technique... and I really value the wonderful producers and vocal coaches who helped me put together a more flexible voice during those years.

   
   It was in the highly competitive music world of Los Angeles where I moved post Nylons that I began to focus on my coaching as a real career.
          I had a few signs that this would be a viable direction along the way, vocal coach Seth Riggs had told me I was well trained enough to teach his technique and after years of performing and recording I had faced enough practical challenges as a singer to feel I had something useful to pass along to my students.
A key factor in my growth as a coach was a client that challenged my abilities and helped me grow my skill set..more about that and the surprise opportunity that turned out to be a career changer in Part 3