Marketing Your Music: The Big Step
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At Theta Sound Studio, making music has been and still is the primary focus of our operation. But did you know that recording songs or making an album, although actually the easiest (and most fun) part of the equation, is only the first step to success? The second step (and probably the more challenging of the two) is getting the finished product out to the listening public.
Before the internet, some artists took to the road with the purpose of finding a small-town radio station with a DJ willing to take a chance on an unknown. They carried their hopes and dreams in the form of a trunk full of records. The Captain and Tennille broke through that way. MC Hammer used a similar approach but focused on getting the Dance Club DJs to spin his disc. Both acts were eventually signed to major labels and did very well. But they didn't get noticed until after doing a lot of the leg work themselves.
The main challenges facing any recording artist are: Writing and/or selecting the material; rehearsing the material well; finding the right producer; recording and mixing the material; creating packaging for the finished product; manufacturing the product; promoting the product (includes building an effective web site); getting distribution for the product; getting radio/television airplay; putting together a live show; producing a music video. The last two may or may not be feasible early on but will probably open more doors once the album is completed.
We are happy to say that at Theta Sound, we can definitely help you accomplish at least eight of the above challenges!
Before the internet, promotion, distribution and radio airplay were difficult to secure. But since the arrival of the internet, promotion, distribution, and to a limited extent, radio airplay, have become accessible to virtually anyone with a computer and a telephone line. How you take advantage of these resources is key to the success of your project.
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Traditional radio airplay remains the final hurdle to reach out beyond your circle of family, friends and fans. Most large stations today are part of vast networks owned by three mega-companies: Clear Channel, Infinity Broadcasting and Cox Communications. Therefore, your best bets for airplay will be college and small-market radio stations. There are lists of these stations in various "indie" publications like the Indie Bible. You can also find these stations with some studious research via internet search engines using phrases like: "small market radio stations or listings" or "college radio stations or listings".
One of the biggest helps in the independent promotion and distribution of Compact Discs is CDBaby.com. Not only are they the largest independent CD distributor in the world, they're also the hippest and the most helpful. They have plenty of information covering ways to promote and market your CDs, most of it culled from successful actions of other artists featured on their site. We have helped many of our clients get their products up on CDBaby.com. We also help artists promote via our new Theta Sound CD Store featuring a selection of CDs that we have recorded, mixed and/or mastered.
So whether you need writing/co-writing, production, recording, mixing, mastering, packaging, promotion, distribution, web site design or video production, Theta Sound is ready to help you Market Your Music! In fact, we are in the process of creating several in-studio workshops covering in-depth the phases of production outlined above. If you are interested in attending any of these workshops, drop us an e-mail here and we'll send you a schedule and description of each workshop.
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OUR THETA SOUND CD STORE LINKS TO PAGES WHERE CDs CAN BE AUDITIONED AND PURCHASED
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Studio Notes...
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World-renowned tenor Placido Domingo and accompanist Catherine Miller came to Theta Sound to record rehearsal tracks for the upcoming Los Angeles Opera production of Nicholas and Alexandra. The opera will be playing at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion this coming September.
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His Excellency Professor Ian Hall flew in from England to record his new song Free and Equal with the Youth for Human Rights International children's chorus directed by Tom Fair. Randall Michael Tobin arranged and produced the recording with Art for Human Rights and Tolerance founder Andrik Schapers making the session possible as the executive producer. The song is based on a few of the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights first published by the United Nations in 1948. Youth for Human Rights International promotes learning and applying the articles of this document in schools and youth organizations around the world!
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Singer/songwriter/man of many talents Randy Barach (aka Lennon Scott) continues to crank out the songs for his upcoming album. Each session has been unique with various guest artists and musical surprises. For one session, Randy and entourage arrived via stretch limo! Lennon's most recent release Casa Alegre can be heard here.
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WWII Veteran Tom Eilken wrote Fighters of Freedom - a Tribute to the Coalition Forces, in support of their recent efforts in Iraq. The finished CD single is being made available to military base exchanges and other outlets. Raven Kane was called in to sing the lead vocal and Rob Trow arranged and sang the backing vocals.
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Writer/Producer Robert Carr and partner Grace Breuer created a unique soudtrack for a live interactive spiritual quest entitled The Council of Golden Wisdom. The multimedia show recently made its California debut in Palm Springs.
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Did you know we do CD/Video Package Design and Web Sites, too? That's right... Full Service! Besides our own Theta Sound Studio web site, we've recently created and/or updated sites for Justine, Katheryne Levin, Art for Human Rights and Tolerance, Steve Petersen, Living & Education, Inc., and Pastimes for a Lifetime. Just click on any of the pages below and experience these sites for yourself, then call us when you're ready to establish your own web presence!
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Although the soundtrack was created last year at Theta Sound, we've just received photos of the just-opened Health Royale interactive kids museum show at the COSI Science Center in Ohio. The show's conceptualizers and writers, John Trujillo and Bill Apablasa of Redbone Media, put together a "Hollywood Squares"-style game where kids learn about health and fitness from the show's "host" and a cast of "familiar characters." Below you can see two contestants playing the game with a live audience cheering them on. Recording the soundtrack was a riot with a roomful of zany character voice-over artists keeping us all in stitches! "X gets the square!"
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Songwriter Rick Hopper (right) brought his new song Fly With Me to Randy Tobin for help in arranging and producing the session. Randy brought in jazz veterans Cathy Segal Garcia on vocals, Jeff Collela (to her right) on piano, Randy Landas on bass and Rod Harbour on drums. Once the band got cookin', the song "took off" and Rick left with a new "standard!"
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The Tenor of Inspiration Brian OliverSmith was in recording a selection of arias and having his performances videotaped for use in his new video presentation. Besides being an accomplished operatic vocalist, Brian has cleverly applied his talents to executive training and seminars through his company, Passaggio.
Cool Idea: For your next recording session, be sure to arrange for someone to record some of the action on video. You may be able to use the footage on a music video!
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Singing coach and Industry Showcase producer Valerie Fahren has introduced several of her students to the art of recording by bringing them to Theta Sound. Since our last issue, young vocal talent Asia Cari had live piano backing tracks recorded, Rachel Hart and Justine had us make CD copies for the showcase, Sarah Waterkamp (pictured) recorded the Star Spangled Banner a cappella and Shannon Starr recorded The Man I Love. It's great to see how these talents are expanding with each showcase!
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Singer/songwriter Kat Parsons tells it like it is and writes from the heart. She came in to record some of her latest material before heading up to Oregon to perform.
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Producer Lloyd Rucker brought a few of Lionel Hampton's original multitrack tapes here for restoration and compilation to CD. The Hampton archive is quite immense and in the coming months, tapes will be cataloged for possible restoration and release.
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Michelle Zeitlin of More Zap Productions recorded parts of her Gold Nugget soundtrack for a new industrial show being performed in San Francisco. Michele is an accomplished choreographer, dancer and singer and her shows are quite spectacular!
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Actress Lisa Passero collected vintage recordings made by her mother, Marilyne Towne, and compiled them onto a family commemorative CD entitled Still Around Town. Randy Tobin did the editing and mastering on the project.
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Comedienne Pamela Matteson updated her show with new tracks for her song parodies of No Doubt, Christine Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez.
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Josh Valenti of the band Dollyrots brought their EP CD here for mastering services. The EP is already getting rave reviews on their web site!
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Recording and graphic artist Patrik Shooting Star returned to Theta Sound to master two albums of material previously recorded here. The tracks were produced and mastered by Ran DMT and the Tribe!
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R&B singer Philip Lauth was in tracking a new studio/live gig sampler.
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Randy was asked once again to record and mix the house sound for Norm & Trish Adams Productions celebrating the greats of jazz presented at the prestigious Annenberg Theatre in Palm Springs. The most recent show was a tribute to the inimitable Cole Porter and featured Theta Sound favorite Yve Evans with a cookin' live band and supporting cast.
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And clients who utilized our Editing, Transfer, Copy and Vocal Reduction services include: Elisabeth Waldo, Chris Cobos, Felipe Alvarez, Heidi Frank, Hila Plitmann, Jeri Kinney, Alex Enamorado and Toni Alden.
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Composer/Producer's Corner
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Since our last issue in February, Randall Michael Tobin has been busy on a number of fronts. In April, Randy was invited to participate on the Producers Panel at the Call to Arts Expo held at Cal State Northridge. He also created another original soundtrack for Author Services Inc. -- headquarters for the popular weekly live readings/radio programs based on the pulp fiction works of L. Ron Hubbard. The most recent story, The Slaver, a dark, gothic tale of interstellar slave trade, marks the fifth score Randy has composed for this exciting medium. Mr. Tobin's next assignment The Room (one of the few Fantasy genre stories penned by Mr. Hubbard) is scheduled to "air" in late August. Stay tuned...
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For musical samples of Randall's works (and lots more) click here.
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We hope you enjoyed this issue of Theta Sounds On-line. Feel free to forward this issue to friends, family and any aspiring artists you know who could utilize our services. If you are new to Theta Sounds and want to see any of the issues you missed, click on any of these links July '02, Sept '02, Feb '03. If you would like to be removed from this newsletter list just send us an e-mail here.
For more studio info, please visit our web site at ThetaSound.com.
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