<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Gorilla Music</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com</link>
	<description>Battle of the Bands, Artist Management &#38; Local Band Booking</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 19:22:21 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>Gorilla Music Newsletter: How to Get into the Studio and Record Your First Record</title>
		<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-how-to-get-into-the-studio-and-record-your-first-record/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-how-to-get-into-the-studio-and-record-your-first-record/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:39:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>gorillaanthony</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gorilla Music Newsletters]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gorillamusic.com/?p=3363</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[How to Get into the Studio and Record Your First Record Hi everyone, This week, we&#8217;re going to look at some strategies for getting into a recording studio to record your music. Being in a band, obviously your music is &#8230; <a href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-how-to-get-into-the-studio-and-record-your-first-record/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h1>How to Get into the Studio and Record Your First Record</h1>
<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>This week, we&#8217;re going to look at some strategies for getting into a recording studio to record your music. Being in a band, obviously your music is one of your highest priorities, and when you&#8217;re first getting started, it&#8217;s extremely important to get your music recorded as soon as you can.</p>
<p>We hope you enjoy this issue of the Gorilla Newsletter.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<h2><strong>John Michalak</strong><br />
Author of “The 5 Steps to Becoming the Biggest Band in Town”<br />
Vice President of Gorilla Music</h2>
<p>________________________________________</p>
<h3>How to Get into the Studio and Record Your First Record</h3>
<p><strong>By John Michalak</strong></p>
<p>If your band doesn’t have any music for sale, then you need to get into a studio so you can record and release some of your music.  Studios can be expensive, but there are ways around the high cost of recording.</p>
<p>The first thing you should know about buying studio time is that the price is almost always negotiable. Buying recording time is highly negotiable, because it’s a perishable commodity; once the time passes, it’s no longer available for sale. Studios also have many undesirable time slots available for sale, which means if you’re willing to record in off-peak times (usually around two in the morning), then you’ll be able to get a better price.</p>
<p>Sometimes, recording studios are even willing to trade studio time for labor, services, or products.  Again, this is because once the time passes, it’s gone forever. A studio will always prefer to get something for the time they could be selling than letting that time go to waste.  If your group or someone in your group can offer the studio some service that they can use, then you might be able to get either free studio time or at least time at a reduced rate.</p>
<p>Another great way to get your music recorded is to try to finance your studio time.  Offer the studio a down payment of say $500.  Then, record only enough songs to release a 5 song EP, which you will agree sell at a record release party to recoup the cost of recording the record.</p>
<p>If you’re able to get a reasonable split on the tickets sold for the event and you’re able to sell at least 100 records, you should be able to recoup the money needed to pay for your studio time.  This is of course assuming you were able to get in and out of the studio in about 50 hours or less and that you were able to negotiate a rate of less than $30 an hour.</p>
<p>Working with an Artist Management program is another great way to get started with the recording process. Artist Management can help you set up a recording schedule that works best for you and your band, can help you further finance your recording, and often have relationships with recording studios that could possibly get you a price cut on studio time.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-how-to-get-into-the-studio-and-record-your-first-record/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Gorilla Music Newsletter: Catapult Events for Local Bands</title>
		<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-catapult-events-for-local-bands/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-catapult-events-for-local-bands/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:34:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>gorillaanthony</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gorilla Music Newsletters]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gorillamusic.com/?p=3165</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Catapult Events for Local Bands Hi, I know what you&#8217;re thinking, and no, catapult events don&#8217;t involve your band using any type of medieval weaponry at any of your shows. Catapult events are types of shows that local bands can &#8230; <a href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-catapult-events-for-local-bands/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h1>Catapult Events for Local Bands</h1>
<p>Hi,<br />
I know what you&#8217;re thinking, and no, catapult events don&#8217;t involve your band using any type of medieval weaponry at any of your shows. Catapult events are types of shows that local bands can play to try to boost their reputation in their local music scene. This week&#8217;s newsletter will talk about some of these types of shows and how they can help you and your band build up your name, as well as some of the problems groups might be running into while they do so.</p>
<p>We hope you enjoy this issue of the Gorilla Newsletter.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<h2><strong>John Michalak</strong><br />
Author of “The 5 Steps to Becoming the Biggest Band in Town”<br />
Vice President of Gorilla Music</h2>
<p>________________________________________</p>
<h3>Catapult Events for Local Bands</h3>
<p><strong>By John Michalak</strong><br />
Local groups are always looking for ways to build huge followings in their home market. A band’s first performance, the battle of the bands, and record release parties are three simple yet highly effect events that groups can use to accomplish this task. These events can be used to make a group look bigger and more established in their market—if the group knows how to use them. </p>
<p>Now if a group is already booking shows and playing out live, then it might seem like it’s too late to promote a first performance. However, groups that are already playing the local circuit can create a similar effect by taking a long period off from performing live in their home market, or by changing their group’s name. </p>
<p>Frankly, any group that doesn’t have any recorded music for sale under their current name and doesn’t have a strong fan base should strongly consider a name change. They should consider this options especially if they have already oversaturated the market with their group’s performances. </p>
<p>A lot of groups try to book as many shows as possible hoping to win fans over at each show. The truth is, it just doesn’t work that way. All they end up doing is over exposing their group, which destroys any chance of creating a strong draw in their market place.   </p>
<p>A group’s first performance can set the tone for their band. If their first show is packed with friends, acquaintances, and fans and they put on an exciting, amazing, fun show, then people can’t wait to see their group again. Always think of your next show as your most important show, because it will effect every show that comes after it. This makes a group’s first show very important, and they should do everything they can to make it amazing for their fans. Making sure it’s packed is the best way to ensure a fun time for all.  </p>
<p>Another great catapult event for local groups is the Battle of the Bands. When fans come out to see their favorite band in a room full of people and their group wins, it creates excitement and builds a stronger bond between the group, and their fans.  These events make the fans feel like they’re a part of their favorite group’s success, which makes them more loyal to the band. Any time someone feels a part of something, they become more loyal. Even the groups that don’t win still benefit from the new bond they share with the fans that voted for them.   </p>
<p>Third, and maybe the most effective event in building a groups local fan base, is the record release party.  It’s the most effective, because it is all about one group and their achievements.  It is also the point at which a band has a record, and any group with their own release is taken more seriously by everyone around them.  </p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-catapult-events-for-local-bands/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Importance of Doing Legwork</title>
		<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com/the-importance-of-doing-legwork/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gorillamusic.com/the-importance-of-doing-legwork/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:06:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>gorillaanthony</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gorilla Music Newsletters]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gorillamusic.com/?p=3034</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Importance of Doing Legwork Hi, When you&#8217;re in a band a lot of work goes into putting on every single performance, from the minute you&#8217;re booked until even after you&#8217;ve actually played. As the title  suggests, Anthony will give &#8230; <a href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/the-importance-of-doing-legwork/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h1>The Importance of Doing Legwork</h1>
<p>Hi,<br />
When you&#8217;re in a band a lot of work goes into putting on every single performance, from the minute you&#8217;re booked until even after you&#8217;ve actually played. As the title  suggests, Anthony will give some suggestions on how to promote yourselves before a gig, and how important it can be to go the extra mile when you&#8217;re preparing for a show.</p>
<p>We hope you enjoy this issue of the Gorilla Newsletter.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<h2><strong>John Michalak</strong><br />
Author of “The 5 Steps to Becoming the Biggest Band in Town”<br />
Vice President of Gorilla Music</h2>
<p>________________________________________</p>
<h3>The Importance of Doing Legwork</h3>
<p><strong>By Anthony Powers</strong></p>
<p>Any musician who has been playing gigs for more than a couple of months, whether it be playing solo shows or performing in a band, is probably settled into a certain rhythm when it comes to playing out.</p>
<p>Maybe you always book shows at the same venue—a certain coffee shop, bar, or concert club—or maybe you always book shows using the same promoter. Maybe you even choose to only play a certain type of show, which could be anything from open mic nights to opening for nationally known acts. Whatever the case may be, once you get in a certain groove of how you do things, it can be difficult to change your ways even the slightest bit.</p>
<p>Well, first off, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that. On the contrary, there’s something to be said about fostering your relationships with venues, promoters, and other bands, and taking advantage of what opportunities arise because of those relationships. The point I’m trying to make here is that it’s exceptionally easy for a musician or band to actually hurt themselves by settling into the same routine for an extended period of time.</p>
<p>The real issues arise when you settle into certain bad habits that are extremely easy to fall into. One of the greatest examples that comes to mind is how some bands fail to promote themselves to the best of their abilities. Many bands out there today will <a  title="get a gig" href="http://http://www.gorillamusic.com/battle-of-the-bands/">get a gig</a> and all they do to prepare for it is practice.</p>
<p>I’m not saying don’t practice. Practice as often as possible—always be working on new material, improving old material, critiquing your stage performance. Work on your music as much as you can. But preparing for a show doesn’t end there. There’s a lot of legwork to be done outside of your practice space or studio.</p>
<p>We live in an age where it’s almost insane how easy it is for bands to network with their fans thanks to websites like Facebook, Reverbnation, and many others. But if you’re simply posting an event to your band’s fan page and inviting everyone you know, that’s only half the battle.</p>
<p>Post to your fans and friends web pages about your show. Start a mailing list and send out an announcement to your fans about the show. If you’re selling tickets to your show maybe include a password in the email that, if they give it to you when buying tickets, they can get a slight discount. Think outside the box on how to convert your fans online into fans in front of the stage. If you&#8217;re working with a production company or <a  title="record label" href="http://http://www.gorillamusic.com/rock-x-records/">record label</a>, don&#8217;t be afraid to ask them for ideas, too.</p>
<p>There’s also something to be said for going a bit old school. Print and distribute flyers around your city at local record stores, coffee shops, bars, or even restaurants. Most independent businesses in general have a table or cork-board of some kind where their patrons can leave materials such as flyers and the like. Think about what audience you appeal to most and get out there with your tickets and flyers and find them.</p>
<p>Make personal connections with people when you can, and leave something to spark people’s interest when you can’t.</p>
<p>These are just a few examples of the extra legwork that really help your band. Sure, it’s nice when a production company or venue promotes your show for you. But if you’re a relatively unknown act in your market, how much is a newspaper ad with your bands name on it really going to help make your show bigger or better?</p>
<p>Self promotion is always the most powerful kind of promotion, and that’s true whether you’re just starting out or if you’re already a household name. So just remember, don’t be afraid to push yourself. Sometimes the smallest changes in the right direction can help push your band to the next level.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gorillamusic.com/the-importance-of-doing-legwork/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Making Your Ego Work For You</title>
		<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com/making-your-ego-work-for-you-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gorillamusic.com/making-your-ego-work-for-you-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:30:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>gorillaanthony</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gorilla Music Newsletters]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gorillamusic.com/?p=2503</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Making Your Ego Work For You Hi, Working and performing in the music industry isn&#8217;t always an easy thing, and sometimes that can be due to poor relationships with promoters, venues, or even fellow musicians. Anthony, one of our booking &#8230; <a href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/making-your-ego-work-for-you-2/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h1>Making Your Ego Work For You</h1>
<p>Hi,<br />
Working and performing in the music industry isn&#8217;t always an easy thing, and sometimes that can be due to poor relationships with promoters, venues, or even fellow musicians. Anthony, one of our booking agents, is going to talk a little bit about how some of these problems can be caused by the misuse of an artist&#8217;s ego and how you can use your ego in a positive way. Before Anthony started working here at Gorilla, as a frontman and guitarist he played shows locally and through us for close to 7 years. In this newsletter, he&#8217;ll give you some of his insight into how you can improve your relationships in your local music scene.</p>
<p>We hope you enjoy this issue of the Gorilla Newsletter.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<h2><strong>John Michalak</strong><br />
Author of “The 5 Steps to Becoming the Biggest Band in Town”<br />
Vice President of Gorilla Music</h2>
<p>________________________________________</p>
<h3>Making Your Ego Work For You</h3>
<p><strong>By Anthony Powers</strong></p>
<p>When you’re a musician, having an ego kind of comes with the territory. No matter who you are or what you play, chances are you’re at least confident in your abilities as a guitarist, a drummer, a bassist, a singer, a songwriter, or maybe as a performer in general. Maybe you’re the type of musician who prefers playing by yourself in your basement, messing around with your effects pedals and jamming out for your ears only. Or maybe you’re the type of musician who thrives off playing in front of big crowds, doing back-flips off your amp and winking at pretty girls in the crowd while you rock out. Whatever the case may be, every musician is confident in at least a few of their abilities if not all of them. Otherwise, you probably would have hung up your gear a long time ago.</p>
<p>So we all have egos, each specific to our own skills and beliefs. Most of us know it even if we don’t talk about it all that often. What should be discussed more often though is that having an over-inflated ego in the music industry can do some serious damage to a single performer or their band as a whole. Regardless of how well you play, how well you write, or how well you perform, it’s incredibly crucial nowadays to take your ego and use it in the most positive way possible, to make it work for you instead of against you.</p>
<p>We’ve all met musicians who don’t use their egos positively: the guys in bands who won’t even make eye contact with other bands who are playing on the same show, the guys who are too busy talking to groupies after their set when they should be getting their gear off the stage (and your band is playing next), or the guys who show up late for a gig and want to cut someone else&#8217;s time-slot in half because they weren’t there for check in. Musicians like that think that venues, other bands, and the entire world revolve around them. Doing things like that work against you so much in this industry, because, above all else, the music industry is based on relationships.</p>
<p>Instead of ignoring the other bands you’re playing with, use your confidence to make friends with them. Cheer for them and they’ll cheer for you, and the same goes for both bands fans. By creating relationships with the other bands on the bill, you’re not only making friends with a group of peers who might give you valuable feedback on your performance and music, you’ll also gain access to a new fan-base in the band and their fans. Also, by making friends with bands that play similar music to your band, you might also be afforded more gig opportunities in the future. Just remember, a relationship is a two-way street, so do for the other bands as you would like them to do for you.</p>
<p>Another way to use your ego in a positive way is to give feedback to other bands. The most important thing to keep in mind about this however is that you should always come from a place of respect when talking about other people’s music. Make other musicians feel that both of you are on a level playing field; always give positive notes to other bands and, if the situation arises, make only suggestions on how they could improve their performance instead of telling them what to do differently.</p>
<p>Networking with promoters, venues, fans, and other bands is by far one of the most important aspects of the music industry. The relationships you foster with all of these different people will only make your band more well-known, more likable, and more confident. Always remember to be respectful and considerate of anyone and everyone your band interacts with, because a single negative opinion of your band can hurt you more than you probably realize. Most of all have fun at your shows, both on and off the stage, and the other bands will have fun with you—remember that a positive attitude is contagious, and making every show you have feel as much like a party as a concert will make clubs and other bands want to play more shows with you in the future, not to mention that it will make people at the shows want to come out to see you again.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gorillamusic.com/making-your-ego-work-for-you-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Writing Hit Songs In Five Minutes</title>
		<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com/writing-hit-songs-in-five-minute/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gorillamusic.com/writing-hit-songs-in-five-minute/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:29:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>John Michalak</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gorilla Music Newsletters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gorilla Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[music business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[writing songs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gorillamusic.com/?p=2304</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hi,   Have you ever heard the story of how some famous band wrote their biggest hit in like five minutes?  In today’s newsletter, we will explore this phenomenon, and I will offer you an explanation for this occurrence.  More &#8230; <a href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/writing-hit-songs-in-five-minute/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi,<br />
 <br />
Have you ever heard the story of how some famous band wrote their biggest hit in like five minutes?  In today’s newsletter, we will explore this phenomenon, and I will offer you an explanation for this occurrence.  More importantly, I can show you how to write your best song in five minutes.<br />
We hope you enjoy this issue of the Gorilla Newsletter.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>John Michalak</strong><br />
Author of “The 5 Steps to Becoming the Biggest Band in Town”<br />
Vice President of Gorilla Music<br />
 <br />
________________________________________<br />
<strong> </strong><br />
Writing Hit Songs In Five Minutes</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>By John Michalak</strong></p>
<p> <br />
 We have all heard the stories of how some famous band wrote their best song in five minutes.  When I hear these stories, I have no doubt they’re true, as I have done the same thing myself. However, there’s just a little more to the story than, “we wrote our best song in five minutes.”</p>
<p>Have you ever been in the middle of writing a new song when suddenly the words and music just start flowing through you?  It’s almost as if something inside you is writing the song, or even like the song is writing it’s self. It’s an incredible feeling, and it’s how most people write their best material.</p>
<p>In sports, they call this being “in the zone;” when writing music, they call it a “writer’s high.”  It happens after you get into a certain state of mind that allows you to write at a higher level.</p>
<p>How does one get in this state of mind?  Well, it usually happens after you have been working on a song or practicing for a period of time.  For some people, it takes a little longer to get into the right state of mind; for other it takes less time. But rarely is someone capable of operating at their highest level without a little warm up.</p>
<p>So when an artist or a band says they wrote their hit song in five minutes, it’s probably true—but it was also after an hour or two of working on other material, or areas that helped them to get into the state of mind that allowed them to work at their highest performance level.</p>
<p>For the best chance of operating at your highest performance level, increase the length of your rehearsals, or the amount of time you spend writing in one sitting. The longer your rehearsal, the more time you will be writing at a higher level, which gives you more opportunity to write your best songs ever.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gorillamusic.com/writing-hit-songs-in-five-minute/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Gorilla Music Newsletter On The Music Business</title>
		<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-on-the-music-business/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-on-the-music-business/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:10:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>John Michalak</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gorilla Music Newsletters]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gorillamusic.com/?p=1911</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hi,   There are a lot of aspects to the music business, but one aspect is more important than all the others combined. This week, we will discuss that aspect of the music business. We hope you enjoy this issue &#8230; <a href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-on-the-music-business/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi,<br />
 <br />
There are a lot of aspects to the music business, but one aspect is more important than all the others combined. This week, we will discuss that aspect of the music business.</p>
<p>We hope you enjoy this issue of the Gorilla Newsletter.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<p><strong>John Michalak</strong><br />
Author of <strong>“The 5 Steps to Becoming the Biggest Band in Town”</strong><br />
Vice President of <a  title="Gorilla Music " href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/">Gorilla Music<br />
</a> <br />
 <br />
________________________________________<br />
 <br />
<strong>What Is the Music Business About?</strong></p>
<p><strong>By John Michalak</strong></p>
<p>What is the Music business about? This might sound like a strange question, but it’s an important one. Over the years, my business partner and I have coordinated several dozen <a  title="EagleOne Entertainment" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/eagleone/">festivals</a>, where we brought in record company’s to hear and see the groups. </p>
<p>Every time I met someone new from a record company or anyone that had any influence over who gets signed and who doesn’t, I always asked them what they look for when seeking new talent. Every person I asked this question to had the same answer. Some would sprinkle their answer with other elements, but for the most part, their answer would be the same.</p>
<p>They would tell me that they were looking for great songs! Frankly, it’s pretty obvious that labels want music that they can sell to consumers.  However, if you’ve never heard that directly from someone that works for a label, then it can seem much more complex.</p>
<p>Think about when you go into a record store or to your iTunes account; what are you looking for? Aren’t you looking for songs that move you; songs that you love listening too?  No one goes into a record store looking for a cool album cover to buy or buys a CD because the producer has a cool name.  We all buy albums for the songs we like or for that one particular song on the album that we like. </p>
<p>This brings me to my point. What are you working on at practice? Are you spending all your time getting ready for your next show, or are you writing new songs and perfecting the ones you already have? Since the music business is really about great songs, shouldn’t most of your effort be in writing great songs?</p>
<p>As a band coach and <a  title="Artist Management" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/artist-management/">band manager</a>, I recommend that groups only play one show ever 6-8 weeks so they can continue to build a local following while they spend the rest of their time writing.  The more you write, the better your songs will get and the better you’ll become at writing songs.  If the music business is about great songs and you want a career in this business, then don’t you need to spend a lot of time getting real good at writing songs? <br />
 <br />
 <br />
Share Your Thoughts<br />
 <br />
Let us know your thoughts on today&#8217;s issue.<br />
Post your comments here.</p>
<p>Forward this email to a friend!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-on-the-music-business/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Gorilla Music Newsletter &#8211; A Commitment To Your Music</title>
		<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-a-commitment-to-your-music/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-a-commitment-to-your-music/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:49:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>gorillaalessa</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gorilla Music Newsletters]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gorillamusic.com/?p=1830</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hi, Yesterday, I was on the phone with guy who was having trouble with a few members of his group.  He was fully committed to writing, rehearsing, and promoting his group, but some of the other guys seemed less enthusiastic. &#8230; <a href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-a-commitment-to-your-music/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi,</p>
<p>Yesterday, I was on the phone with guy who was having trouble with a few members of his group.  He was fully committed to writing, rehearsing, and promoting his group, but some of the other guys seemed less enthusiastic.</p>
<p>This call reminded me of a group that I used to play with and I thought it would make a good topic for this week’s newsletter.</p>
<p>We hope you enjoy this issue of the Gorilla Newsletter.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<p>John Michalak<br />
Author of “The 5 Steps to Becoming the Biggest Band in Town”<br />
Vice President of <a  title="Gorilla Music" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/">Gorilla Music</a></p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>A Commitment To Your Music and Your Band</strong></p>
<p><strong>By John Michalak</strong></p>
<p>Years ago, I played in a group that had a lot of trouble scheduling rehearsals.  Three of the four of us were available most of the time, but one member in particular could never make it to practice, and we spent most of our time waiting to hear what his schedule was for the week.</p>
<p>When his work schedule was cooperating he would have some big test he needed to study for or some important dinner he had planned with his parents.  He trained us to work around his schedule and it was getting in the way of our group’s progress.</p>
<p>The problem wasn’t that he didn’t have enough time to rehearse, but that our group was not a priority for him.  He didn’t have some corporate job that he couldn’t replace.  He had a series of serving jobs that did not allow him to know his schedule for more that a week in advance.</p>
<p>He also wasn’t willing to allow practice to become a priority over his social life.  He claimed to be so busy, but he always seemed to have time to meet us out for beers.  His schedule and our unwillingness to practice without him lead to the eventual downfall of our group.<br />
I have been coaching groups for years now. During the coaching process one question helps me determine each group’s level of commitment.</p>
<p>Is your practice schedule set in stone?<br />
Meaning is it on the same days and times each week.</p>
<p>Groups that do not have a set rehearsal schedule are not as committed as groups that do.  Your band or group may seem to be the most important thing in your life, but if you can’t or won’t make time for it than you need to restructure your priorities or come to the reality that maybe it’s not as important as you like to think.</p>
<p>Sometimes as in our case, it may seem like one individual is hindering the group from keeping a regular schedule.  However, in reality a group should be able to rehearse with or without all of its members.</p>
<p>That’s where we went wrong; we kept waiting for him to make it to practice.  Instead we should have created a permanent schedule and that for the most part stayed the same, week after week.</p>
<p>If we had created such a schedule then he would have miss a few practices over work, but his other scheduling issues would have been averted.  He would have scheduled his study time and dinner dates with his parents on other days.</p>
<p>If you are a serious about a career in music, then commit to a practice schedule. Creating a schedule sends a message to the other members of your group; to your loved ones, and to the rest of the world that you are serious and committed to this project.  Once loved ones see that you have made a commitment to your group they will take you more seriously.</p>
<p>Success requires sacrifice, and you’re going to need to decide what writing great music is worth to you.  Making a commitment by creating a rehearsal schedule can be the difference between good and great songs, good and great shows, and the difference between a good and great band.</p>
<p>Check out our <a  title="Artist Management" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/artist-management/">Artist Management</a> program to learn more about the music business.</p>
<p>We are currently booking shows in Birmingham at <a  title="Zydeco" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/clubs/zydeco-birmingham-battle-of-the-bands/">Zydeco</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-a-commitment-to-your-music/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Gorilla Music Events</title>
		<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com/upcoming-events/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gorillamusic.com/upcoming-events/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:00:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>mvincik</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[What's new at Gorilla!]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ohiowebtech.com/gorilla/?p=102</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Saturday October 29th Hope Leads at the Paseo Underground in OKC Saturday October 29th Halloween Fest at Peabodys in Cleveland The Cleveland Music Festival Dec 9th-11th]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a  class="event-listing" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/upcoming-events/">Saturday October 29th Hope Leads at the Paseo Underground in OKC </a></p>
<p><a  class="event-listing" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/upcoming-events/">Saturday October 29th Halloween Fest at Peabodys in Cleveland</a></p>
<p><a  class="event-listing" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/upcoming-events/">The Cleveland Music Festival Dec 9th-11th</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gorillamusic.com/upcoming-events/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Gorilla Music Newsletter &#8211; The Dual Tape Recorder Method</title>
		<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-the-dual-tape-recorder-method/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-the-dual-tape-recorder-method/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Sep 2011 19:09:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>mvincik</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gorilla Music Newsletters]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gorillamusic.com/?p=1698</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hi, Have you ever gone to rehearsal, wrote a great song, left satisfied, only to return a few days later and realize that half the band can’t remember the song you just wrote two days ago? In this newsletter we &#8230; <a href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-the-dual-tape-recorder-method/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi,</p>
<p>Have you ever gone to rehearsal, wrote a great song, left satisfied, only to return a few days later and realize that half the band can’t remember the song you just wrote two days ago?</p>
<p>In this newsletter we will discuss a technique I call the dual tape recorder method which can help your group remember everything you wrote at your last practice and help you capture all your best ideas while you’re in the moment.</p>
<p>We hope you enjoy this issue of the Gorilla Newsletter.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<p><a  title="John Michalak" href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1661985010">John Michalak</a><br />
Author of “The 5 Steps to Becoming the Biggest Band in Town”<br />
Vice President of Gorilla Music</p>
<hr />
<p><strong></strong><strong>The Dual Tape Recorder Method</strong><br />
<em>By John Michalak</em></p>
<p>Years ago, I was in a hard working band that spent a lot of time writing and rehearsing. I guess we had never heard the phrase work smarter, not harder. We spent hours writing new material only to realize that most of us couldn’t remember what we had just written days earlier.</p>
<p>We found ourselves wasting lots of time trying to remember everything we did at our last rehearsal. After about a year of forgetting our new <a  title="songs" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/coaching/writing/">songs</a>, I went out and bought a dual tape recorder. In case you aren’t familiar with what I am talking about, it’s a tape record that has two recorders built in one, and you can bounce recordings back and forth.</p>
<p>Once we had a recorder, we were able to record new ideas for our next practice preventing the loss of new songs or new ideas. We were able to capture great ideas while we were rehearsing. If the bass player played a new part that the rest of us loved, all we had to do was rewind the recorder and show him what he played that we liked. Additionally, we were able to record our practices and review our performance as a group and individually. So, if the drummer were missing his parts, we knew it and could focus on correcting it.</p>
<p><strong><strong>The Dual Tape Recorder Method:</strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>1. Saving new parts or new songs for your next rehearsal</strong><br />
Use the recorder to save new ideas and songs for future rehearsals. Again, how many times have you written a killer song only to go back to practice a few days later and find that someone couldn’t remember their part, forcing you to start over? This technique prevents that problem from happening as it archives all your ideas for future use.</p>
<p>It’s a good Idea to have plenty of blank tapes, but you can also reuse the same tapes over and over and only save the parts you need for future use on another tape.</p>
<p><strong>2. Capturing new ideas as they happen.</strong><br />
Take the tape recording device to practice, and let one side of the recorder run continuously, stopping it whenever needed to reference any part of the tape.</p>
<p>Anytime you’re in the middle of a new song and you hear someone write something cool, you can wait until their done and quickly play it back to communicate to them what it is that you liked.</p>
<p>I have been in many practice situations where someone wrote a really cool part and by the time I tried to tell them what I liked, it was lost forever. This technique prevents your group from losing cool new ideas and speeds up the process of communicating with each other.</p>
<p><strong>3. Helping you review your performance</strong><br />
Recording your practice will allow you to review the work you’ve done. It can help you hear where you might need improvement or realize which parts are working well and which parts are not.</p>
<p>Regardless of how you use the recorder, it will help your rehearsals to become more efficient. This will give your group more time to work on the important stuff like writing new <a  title="songs" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/coaching/writing/">songs</a>.</p>
<p>GET YOUR BAND BOOKED NOW! <a  title="Gorilla Music" href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/">Gorilla Music</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-the-dual-tape-recorder-method/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Gorilla Music Newsletter &#8211; Light Shows</title>
		<link>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-light-shows/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-light-shows/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Sep 2011 19:09:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>mvincik</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gorilla Music Newsletters]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gorillamusic.com/?p=1696</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hi, Last week we discussed how to book your shows. This week we’re going to talk about energizing them. I am talking about light shows, one of my favorite subjects to discuss. In this newsletter, we will address a few &#8230; <a href="http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-light-shows/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi,</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Last week we discussed how to book your shows. This week we’re going to talk about energizing them.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I am talking about light shows, one of my favorite subjects to discuss.</p>
<p>In this newsletter, we will address a few of the ways that a light show can help you to dramatically improve your shows.</p>
<p>We hope you enjoy this issue of the Gorilla Newsletter.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<p>John Michalak<br />
Author of “The 5 Steps to Becoming the Biggest Band in Town”<br />
Vice President of Gorilla Music</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><strong>Light Shows Create Excitement, Increase Energy Levels, and Build a Professional Atmosphere</strong></strong><br />
<em>By John Michalak</em></p>
<p>One of my favorite subjects regarding shows is lighting. I guess it goes back to my younger years when Kiss was my favorite band. I loved the music and the make-up, but when the lights went wild and the confetti started falling from the sky, I was mesmerized.</p>
<p>Now most clubs have lights but no one to run them. The great thing about a club’s lights is that almost anyone can run them for you. You can usually get a friend to run them for free, and you can usually teach them how to do it in five to ten minutes.</p>
<p>It’s so easy to do, yet no one does it. Most groups don’t even think about the lights. Leaving the settings the same, the soundman simply turns them on and never changes a thing.</p>
<p>Most lighting systems are simple; they have about 6-12 scenes (a group of lights that all turn on or off at the same time with the push of a button), and they have single faders (individual lights on a switch) that can turn single lights on, off, or somewhere in-between.</p>
<p>At the local level, your light show is critical, and here are a few reasons why:<strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>1. </strong><strong>Lights can make your shows more exciting for your fans.</strong></p>
<p>I have found that the best light shows are all about movement. If you can create movement, then the human-eye stays entertained. If the eye has nothing to look at, then it gets bored and so do the people watching your show.</p>
<p><strong>2.</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Lights can help to make you look like a national act.</strong></p>
<p>You can use your light show to make your group look professional. This technique is almost subliminal; almost all national acts use it all the time while very few local groups use it at all. It’s called a black-out, and all you do is black out the stage for about two seconds, in-between songs.</p>
<p>The light person turns off all of the lights for a second or two at the end of each song. He then turns them up just a little until the next song begins. He does this so that the band can be seen on stage but the fans can’t see the whole stage until the next song starts.</p>
<p><strong>3. <strong>Lights can increase the energy levels on stage and inside the venue.</strong></strong></p>
<p>The great thing about light is how they affect everyone in the room including the members of the group. I promise you that the better your light show is, the higher the energy level will be in the room and on stage.</p>
<p>Make every show the best it can be by putting on a great show, filling up the room with your fans, and by making stronger connections with you fans.</p>
<p><strong>Forward this email to a friend!</strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gorillamusic.com/gorilla-music-newsletter-light-shows/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

