The Rockstar Checklist

By Cari Cole

Being a rockstar and having a music career in music is one of the most fulfilling and exciting lifestyles imaginable. But it’s not only reserved for those at the top.

You can master your own rockstar world with this quick and easy checklist I give all of my students. Rock on!

1. Master Your Instrument/s(voice – and piano, guitar etc.)
2. Impress yourself as if you were trying to impress your boss. Being a Rockstar is a job – treat it like one.
3. Surround yourself with people better than you.
4. Never think for a second that you can’t do it.
5. Everything everybody says to you is advice- not gospel.
6. Learn from the music you listen to and then take it one step further – rather than copy it.
7. Never, never, ever burn bridges- There’s absolutely no reason to be vindictive or look down on anyone in the business – because hopefully you will have a long career and everyone’s working hard just like you.
8. Make sure your whole camp is on board with your music and direction – There are plenty of people out there looking for great artists.
9. Dress the part, act the part, live the part- because you are 24/7 marketing yourself – and there’s a lot of competition out there.
10. It’s never about YOU – it’s always about THEM. Be interested in people – don’t blabber on about yourself. People do business with people they like.
11. Despite popular opinion, those in the music industry that drink and do drugs are not nearly as respected as those that don’t.

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How to Sing in Tune

By Chris Chew

If you have been watching singing reality shows such as The American Idol series, you would have heard the judges using words such as “pitchy” or “off key”. What exactly does pitchy means? It simply means that the singer went out of tune or could not sing well in a certain key or at times singing off key.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not only people who are tone deaf who sings out of tune. Even professional singers do sing out of tune occasionally. By the way, most tone deaf people when trained rightly can sing in tune. But that is for another article.

There are many reasons why people sing off pitch, such as developing bad vocal techniques, breathing the wrong way, singing in keys that are above or lower their vocal range or just simply being inexperienced or are not trained to sing well. Read more »

How To Be A Professional Singer

By Chris Chew

So your friends have been telling you that you are a talented and good singer. You have a rich clear singing voice, a unique performing style and that you could even make it to the finals of the American Idol show or the singing idol contest of whichever country that you are in.

You are basking with joy with all these compliments pertaining to your singing ability and is toying with the idea of becoming a professional singer, but you do know that to break into the music and entertainment industry is a very stormy ride. So the question is how are you going to become a successful professional singer and to be a good one at that?

First of all, let us be realistic. Making the all important transition from an amateur to a professional in any field can be a daunting task and even more so in a the entertainment industry like singing or acting. Read more »