Here’s how I helped a hospice staff choir to record & release a fundraising CD To record a choir AND a live band is not a small undertaking. But I’m always up for a creative challenge, especially when it’s for such a brilliant bunch of people … Read more
The reasons people write songs and make music are truly fascinating, especially when creating art of any kind demands a lot of time & commitment. Developing proficient instrument skills, learning the linguistic nuances of music, and honing the craft and poetry of lyrics is more … Read more
Stop chasing a record deal – now you can make it on your own terms.I don’t know about you, but it upsets me when one of my favourite recording artists stops making music because they’ve not made enough money to make it worthwhile.The past decade … Read more
In January 2017, just up the road in Llandudno, a friend of mine opened a second – and larger – branch of his extremely popular independent coffee house, Providero. The vibe of the place makes me feel like I’m a slightly cooler person for just being … Read more
A simple guide to two misunderstood termsYou’ve written the songs, you’ve recorded the album. Now it’s time to project your music into the big wide world. So having worked tirelessly as a composer, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and performer, you now need to become a star … Read more
I’ve got a question for you (be honest): What have you done to move your music forward in the past seven days? The truth is that having success with your music costs a lot of hard work. There are no quick fixes or magic bullets. But conversely there has … Read more
2016 has been one of the most amazing years! With a sense of great thankfulness I am sitting here in a coffee shop, with my laptop, looking back on some of the highlights of the past 12 months. I’ve met some inspiring new people, carried … Read more
On May 12th, 1967 English-American rock band The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their first album, Are You Experienced? Beyond it simply being a reference to the band name I think it’s a great title, as it poses a fundamental question for a new band releasing it’s first recording: do you have what it … Read more
Seth Godin wrote in a recent blog post: “Great teachers teach commitment” but we spend too much time concentrating on teaching technique. He believes that anyone can learn to be good at something if they choose, but unless they find a desire to commit to … Read more
Guest author Howard Dobson condenses two decades of radio play and cover version success into 10 top tips.1. Don’t do everything yourself – use a producerThese days it’s tempting and cost-effective to do everything yourself – it’s the age of the singer/songwriter/producer. Collaborating brings an extra … Read more