General Music Chat

Everyone from the audience to the record producers keep asking for one main thing from singers: Give me feel! This is what we teach!

I don't think you can teach feel.
Perhaps you can learn it with practice,
but with practice you are getting the feel.
You taught that to yourself thru practice,
and that's the only way you can get feel.

The only thing a record producer is asking for is a hit record. Most of them don't care whether the singer has feel or not, especially in popular music where everyone pretty much has an autotuner.

Case in point, Britney Spears. The chick really can't sing, but I like some of her songs. They are produced to death in an expensive studio with tons of effects on her voice. But she works for what she does. She kept herself in the press to keep people interested. After her public nervous breakdown, her music sales went through the roof, and she's still making hits because she's able to keep reinventing herself.

Maybe pre-90s era, your stance could have held some weight. Perhaps in the Josh Groban market. But in popular music, it doesn't matter. Producers care about hits, record companies care about what's going to make money. And we all know that hits aren't necessarily generated from "feely goody" singers.

You can be a mediocre singer, but if that singer manages to make him or herself into a star because they banged a particular producer or they have a sex tape or they so just happened to be in the right place at the right time with the right song at the right time, then that's what it's about. If that singer has the money and the means to put a big production and effects behind them, then that's where it's at. And we all know that some of the biggest egos come from the least talented people.

Disney is one of the biggest money makers on the planet who have been able to hang in there and all their singers pretty much look the same and sound the same. I heard a song like 6 months ago and I asked my daughter "is that Hanna Montana?" and she rolled her eyes at me and said "no Mom, it's iCarly." Whatever. We go to Disneyland a lot because we have passes and they have a little pop show and I told my husband, dude, I can't distinquish one chick's voice from another. He goes: "does it matter?" We look at our kids who are dancing, squealing and singing along with the songs. I guess not.

I'm not jaded, I'm simply a realist, and I've worked in that world. The last time someone cared about feeling was in the 1980s when crooners were still selling records. Maybe they'll come back one day, but right now, crooners aren't selling and you don't see them albeit a lounge somewhere.

If a person is going to spend a crapton of money working with a recording studio and with a producer, then they need to get real as to what their goals are. I really shake my head at the amount of singers I meet who still think that they will succeed by their meer talent alone. The real trick is being able to penetrate the market to which the average person is pulled in so many different directions that it's hard for them to concentrate on any one thing. The entire world has ADD fused with too many high energy drinks with their heads buried in their iThingies. They download their music and apps for free.

Now, if it's simply a personal goal with them and they're happy playing in the small town they live in with their fans, and they have the means, then you can market to them.

I thought about posting this, that if I can't say something nice, then say nothing at all, but I'm not nice today, I'm not interested in selling people dreams without a real purpose behind it, so I posted it.

Chaeya

The only thing a record producer is asking for is a hit record. Most of them don't care whether the singer has feel or not, especially in popular music where everyone pretty much has an autotuner.

Case in point, Britney Spears. The chick really can't sing, but I like some of her songs. They are produced to death in an expensive studio with tons of effects on her voice. But she works for what she does. She kept herself in the press to keep people interested. After her public nervous breakdown, her music sales went through the roof, and she's still making hits because she's able to keep reinventing herself.

Maybe pre-90s era, your stance could have held some weight. Perhaps in the Josh Groban market. But in popular music, it doesn't matter. Producers care about hits, record companies care about what's going to make money. And we all know that hits aren't necessarily generated from "feely goody" singers.

You can be a mediocre singer, but if that singer manages to make him or herself into a star because they banged a particular producer or they have a sex tape or they so just happened to be in the right place at the right time with the right song at the right time, then that's what it's about. If that singer has the money and the means to put a big production and effects behind them, then that's where it's at. And we all know that some of the biggest egos come from the least talented people.

Disney is one of the biggest money makers on the planet who have been able to hang in there and all their singers pretty much look the same and sound the same. I heard a song like 6 months ago and I asked my daughter "is that Hanna Montana?" and she rolled her eyes at me and said "no Mom, it's iCarly." Whatever. We go to Disneyland a lot because we have passes and they have a little pop show and I told my husband, dude, I can't distinquish one chick's voice from another. He goes: "does it matter?" We look at our kids who are dancing, squealing and singing along with the songs. I guess not.

I'm not jaded, I'm simply a realist, and I've worked in that world. The last time someone cared about feeling was in the 1980s when crooners were still selling records. Maybe they'll come back one day, but right now, crooners aren't selling and you don't see them albeit a lounge somewhere.

If a person is going to spend a crapton of money working with a recording studio and with a producer, then they need to get real as to what their goals are. I really shake my head at the amount of singers I meet who still think that they will succeed by their meer talent alone. The real trick is being able to penetrate the market to which the average person is pulled in so many different directions that it's hard for them to concentrate on any one thing. The entire world has ADD fused with too many high energy drinks with their heads buried in their iThingies. They download their music and apps for free.

Now, if it's simply a personal goal with them and they're happy playing in the small town they live in with their fans, and they have the means, then you can market to them.

I thought about posting this, that if I can't say something nice, then say nothing at all, but I'm not nice today, I'm not interested in selling people dreams without a real purpose behind it, so I posted it.

Chaeya

There is no love in the world these days. I'd even take it as far as to say there is no real romance left. And with that, such a self-indulgence in people that they cant fathom seeing anyone, other than themselves, as the heroes (Self worship) of the world. Kids are not jaded, which is why they have heroes outside of themselves. Ask a child what his/her thoughts are about crucifying Barney. The answers might be very different than ours.

Consequently, no interest in crooning. History shows us that everything comes full circle. So it will come back around. In the mean time, I'll just listen to the Walmart Overhead Muzac, while I go shopping for tennis shoes with lights.

. . . such a self-indulgence in people that they cant fathom seeing anyone, other than themselves, as the heroes (Self worship) of the world.

Which is why you find karaoke bars more crowded than a bar featuring a live band.

Consequently, no interest in crooning. History shows us that everything comes full circle. So it will come back around. In the mean time, I'll just listen to the Walmart Overhead Muzac, while I go shopping for tennis shoes with lights.

Of course, it will come back again, and then everyone will talk about how they're sick of all the drippy ballads and crooners like they did in the 80s and 90s.

I've been enjoying a bit of downtime. I've been doing a lot of soul-searching and a lot of reading. As a musician, I'm recreating myself and my goals and Cisco's doing the same thing. Our music is shifting and we're being real about where we really want to go. And it's refreshing. When you step away from trying to be what the industry wants you to be and simply focus on what you want to be and how you want to do things, the world becomes a lot simpler and more enjoyable. I honestly don't give a crap about the music industry anymore. I will do what I want, how I want and if anyone wants to come along for the ride, then do it. But everything will be on my terms. I just had to mourn the ambitions I had and squeeze the rest of the toothpaste out of the tube.

And with that, there's still an abundance of love, romance and dreams in the world, Dog, one just has to look outside what they see in the mainstream. Once it becomes mainstream, then it will become polluted in some way, the powers will be will take you, sign you where they'll own you, and you then have to do things their way.

Chaeya

Geeze Chaeya, you don't sound that happy. Did you lose some one from your band?

You have a tremendous marketing ability right there. Great material, great musicians, great performance.

If only a small time band like the Greatful Dead, or the Allman bros could put on a show as good yours,,,

Don't ever try to be some one else's "dream". I think you are very honest and true to yourself,,, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!

Keep smilin' lady.

Everyone from the audience to the record producers keep asking for one main thing from singers: Give me feel! This is what we teach!

You may be able to teach the way to learn from life experience, that could lead to a greater self understanding. That could lead to many open opportunities. BUT,,,

You are trying to say that you can teach that one intangible quality that separates a great performance from a good one.

I'll be nice, good luck.

Everyone from the audience to the record producers keep asking for one main thing from singers: Give me feel! This is what we teach!

You may be able to teach the way to learn from life experience, that could lead to a greater self understanding. That could lead to many open opportunities. BUT,,,

You are trying to say that you can teach that one intangible quality that separates a great performance from a good one.

I'll be nice, good luck.

I do it everyday. Just ask my students.

What do you charge?
I've paid for a feel before,but, never bought a musical feel.
I just wondered what they sell for and can I buy it online.

This is something I struggle with. I sing with much more feel live, I suppose everyone does. In the studio I have a hard time getting the emotional aspect of the song recorded. I'm currently working on covers of "Solsbury Hill" and "Comin' Into Los Angeles"; I'm back in the studio tonight to try the vocals again.

I'll be fine, Glen. Just like I said, a lot of soul searching right now, plus Mercury's Retrograde and Neptune's been retrograde in Aquarius (which I am), so I'm laying low until such time, I get the quivers again.

Chaeya

good band name there, Chaeya..

"Mercury Retrograde"

good band name there, Chaeya..

"Mercury Retrograde"

Someone already beat me to it.

http://www.myspace.com/themercuryretrograde

Chaeya

There is no love in the world these days. I'd even take it as far as to say there is no real romance left. And with that, such a self-indulgence in people that they cant fathom seeing anyone, other than themselves, as the heroes (Self worship) of the world. Kids are not jaded, which is why they have heroes outside of themselves. Ask a child what his/her thoughts are about crucifying Barney. The answers might be very different than ours.

Consequently, no interest in crooning. History shows us that everything comes full circle. So it will come back around. In the mean time, I'll just listen to the Walmart Overhead Muzac, while I go shopping for tennis shoes with lights.

If the PR person is a woman watch out!
A study has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle. For example: if she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features.

However, if she is menstruating or menopausal, she tends to be more attracted to a man with duct tape over his mouth and a spear lodged in his chest with a cricket bat up his arse while he is on fire.

No further studies are expected on this subject

good band name there, Chaeya..

"Mercury Retrograde"

Someone already beat me to it.

http://www.myspace.com/themercuryretrograde

Chaeya

DAMN!