How to Become a Successful Independent Artist or Songwriter

By some distance the maximum important talent to have if you wish to end up a success with anything, is ATTITUDE. An old Chinese proverb as soon as said, "ninety% of the adventure toward success is over once you have stepped outside your front door." The reason many people fail, is because they had as a substitute live in and watch the TV.

Of course, that first step outside is a philosophical one. As a musician or songwriter, you spend the sizeable majority of your time being creative. If you watched that writing a fantastic song, or playing an device properly, is the hardest part of being a a hit artist, you're wrong.

Despite all of the talents you need to understand and perfect in order to make your tune shine, those faded into insignificance as compared with the tough paintings and different skills you'll need to analyze so as to document, marketplace and promote your art efficaciously.

Fortunately, maximum creative people additionally appear to excel at other things. The time period "Jack of all trades" ought to pretty without difficulty apply to most musicians or artists. After all, the first component most artists ought to analyze, is a way to find time for their art while walking a domestic AND maintaining down a Day Job in an effort to pay the payments! It is consequently commonplace to find musicians who are also Physicists, Engineers, IT Professionals or Teachers, to call however some.

Most of those human beings are pretty content material to preserve tune as a hobby, as a minimum even as mentioning a circle of relatives. However, all of us get to a level in our lives (generally as soon as the children have grown up and left domestic), wherein we want to cease working for a "Living", and as a substitute, paintings for our personal "Satisfaction".

There are few things in existence extra gratifying than being sought after for something we created. If our creations also manage to influence others, then it's miles even greater profitable.

This "first step outdoor your the front door" is taken when you decide to pause from the creative element (the ideas), and take a positive step toward mastering new abilities, or using others who can do those matters for you.

There has never been a higher time within the history of mankind, to take those steps, either by yourself, or with others who could help you.

--Where you used to need to pay for tutoring, or buy books, which will research the techniques of songwriting, or playing an tool, you can now find scores of articles at the Internet (like this one!) to help you totally free.

--Where you used to ought to store up a large amount of cash to pay studio expenses and lease session musicians to make a respectable demo recording, you may now find all the essential equipment, and even the musicians, on the Internet who could assist you for little or no value in any respect.

--Where you needed to signal a file deal so as to be able to have the funds for a manufacturer and a master first-class studio, you could now buy your very own PC and some song software program, and collaborate with a manufacturer on-line, who will come up with the functionality to make radio-prepared recordings.

--Where you wanted a document organisation with a big marketing finances to market and promote your recordings, you may now (with a few hard paintings), marketplace and promote your CDs to the Whole World for next to not anything.

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The Music Industry does not like the modifications that the Internet has delivered to the enterprise. Digital media can be freely copied by way of everybody with a PC, everywhere inside the World. No longer do the report companies simply should worry approximately the CD pirates who manufacture illegal copies to promote on the black market; in addition they should now fear approximately each PC-literate man, lady and baby, making their personal copies too! This has led the song industry into a perpetual combat against filesharers (making enemies of many purchasers inside the process), as opposed to embracing the enterprise benefits that the Internet brings to us.

The Music Industry still believes that 8-16 12 months-olds purchase most of the statistics, so they are still catering primarily for that market. Recent enterprise figures are telling a specific tale, and the secret is the "Baby Boomers".

Yes ... The equal people who created the above marketplace belief within the 70's through shopping for the most important proportion of facts ever, while they had been teens, have now grown up! The biggest age group to buy CDs TODAY, at 26% of the populace, are over 45. Not best that, however they nevertheless just like the equal varieties of track as they did then. So there is no want to exchange your artwork to match ultra-modern teenybopper marketplace if you are not that way willing.

Now that we understand the secret, we also know that the following large issue in song, isn't always going to be any other form of Hip-hop, Techno, or R'n'B; but a go back to actual tune, consisting of was made at some stage in the 60's and 70's. However, we will be growing it with contemporary gear on a Home computer DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) gadget, instead of in a multimillion pound studio complex!

So, at the same time as the Music Industry is still hesitating via seeking to shun the new virtual era in favour of antiquated business models, hardware within the shape of CDs, and markets that also best cover confined territories; we will now leap in advance of them onto a more stage gambling discipline, locate our own markets, and promote to the Whole World with only a easy website!

Sounds smooth, would not it? ... Well, this is the primary hurdle you may face. So many musicians think it is easy, that there are millions already doing it! So to be successful you may need, like any other enterprise, a proper business plan.

CONCLUSION

The road to being a successful impartial musician, begins with ATTITUDE.

You want to locate sufficient time in your time table to drop the guitar & scoresheet and use your innovative energies closer to developing a right BUSINESS PLAN. This manner taking a step back and listening to your music thru Joe Public's ears. You need to assume up a commercial enterprise call, emblem, and brief slogan that encompasses what you are, and what your music is trying to mention to humans.

Register your business "call" by way of shopping for a domain name that suits you as soon as viable.

Pages on loose MP3 web sites and Free domains do no longer give you a expert picture. You MUST have your own website online, or at least some thing that gives you a unique look and features of your very own. If you want humans to locate your track specific & special, you then also need an photograph that is unique and unique. That is going on your e-mail cope with too. Genuine business human beings do not use their Hotmail, AOL, or Yahoo addresses for formal communications.

Make positive all your office work is in order.

If you're planning on making an eventual residing out of your art, you will need to be registered as a commercial enterprise or as a self-employed sole dealer. You want to make sure your tax and earnings are all accounted for, so you can also have to buy yourself an accounting bundle, or learn to use Excel Spreadsheets, or employ an accountant. There is likewise loads to study how copyright structures paintings and whether you sense you want to shape your personal publishing company, record organisation, or register your copyrights with an corporation. Much of this will rely upon the legal guidelines of your private home u . S .. Alternatively, you can sign a non-one of a kind cope with a small unbiased label or writer to handle all the track-associated paperwork for you.

You need to both take the time to increase some basic net design abilties, buy ready-made templates, or employ someone to layout a website for you.

Make certain your brand and colour scheme is fluent for the duration of your website online, your stationery, your CD paintings, and every other communications tool, inclusive of electronic mail. Make certain your website includes some manner of gathering a mailing listing, consisting of a reaction form or a "double decide-in" form of registration.

Plan a advertising strategy.

Marketing is all about locating the right market to your product. This may additionally contain a certain quantity of patron research. This may be luxurious, so use the Internet as a good deal as possible to locate agencies of folks who like comparable song to yours. Try to discover different things about those human beings so you can get a clearer photo of who might be interested in your music.

Plan a promotional strategy.

Gather contact lists of magazines, neighborhood newspapers, TV and radio stations. Plan an eight-week promotional method leading up to the discharge of your CD. Use any press, or airplay you get as a information item to your internet site. If you have got some money to make investments, plan a hard and fast of live performance dates in local venues for dates near any book dates. Plan a poster or postcard marketing campaign. Contact local charities, hospitals, schools and stores, in reality every person who might be prepared to play your CD in a public vicinity. If you want nearby document stores to inventory your CD, you will also want barcodes and counter display bins. Use the mailing listing you have got been gathering from your site to promote any information to your fanatics with a regular publication. Offer loose tickets to gigs, or run competitions at no cost CDs. Use your lovers as greater leverage to increase the momentum of your promotional campaigns.

Don't under-sell your self.

Make certain that any song making a decision to give away as a promotional MP3 is one of a kind in a few manner to the tune you're selling. E.G. It will both be an early un-mastered blend (demo), or a distinctive mix, or a track you are never going to launch on the market. Otherwise, make certain all samples you are making of your information, are either quick clips, or low-fi mono samples. The rate you put on your releases have to never be too far beneath that of essential document corporation releases. Your charge tells your purchaser what "stage" you're at inside the business. Price your self too reasonably-priced and you are much more likely to lose customers because they'll automatically anticipate you're an "newbie".

Make yourself and your CD without problems available on your fans.

Always answer any emails right away. Check your emails as a minimum once an afternoon and respond to any new enquiries straight away. The common time anticipated through the majority for a reaction by means of electronic mail is 12-24 hours. Do now not SPAM. Make sure you most effective send bulk emails to human beings who've opted into your mailing listing, and if each person desires to decide out, ensure you delete them at once (now not several weeks and 10 disgruntled emails later!). To touch organizations, you may need to write in my view and personally to each of them. Always use a enterprise "signature" along with your creative or business call, slogan, internet site deal with, and probably your cellphone wide variety, on each e-mail you send. If you've got launched a CD, ensure you upload the link to that too! If you have got had your CDs duplicated professionally and are barcoded, you could additionally make bigger from selling them in net stores which includes iTunes, Amazon, and CDbaby, to high street stores. You ought to also sell them from your personal web page or at the least provide hyperlinks to the stores where they're available.

Never prevent "Networking"

Carry your business cards with you at all times. At each conversational opportunity, if someone happens to mention music, or gigs, make sure you advertise your self as an impartial artist. If you have got a present day cellular telephone or MP3 participant, make certain your present day CD is on it! You in no way recognise who you will come upon within the grocery store. The first aspect a person will ask while you mention you're a recording artist is "What form of track do you play?" If you've got your MP3 player with you, you might not even ought to answer! (This is always a hard question for an artist). You can just play it to them! Also make sure you frequent all the song-associated newsgroups, forums, bulletin forums, MP3 sites, chat rooms and many others. At every opportunity.

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How to Become a Tattoo Artist - four Important Steps

Tattooing has come to be kind of like yoga -- so hip it is nearly mainstream -- and as a result tattoo shops and tattoo artists are stoning up throughout. While it might be tempting to just buy your self a tattooing kit and exercise on a few buddies, that is no manner to grow to be an excellent tattoo artist. Tattooing is an antique, complex artwork that calls for serious observe both for true effects and for protection.

Here is the everyday direction a real tattoo artist will take to learn their exchange:

1) Have a natural talent for drawing and a love of tattoing

You've got to have a herbal hobby in drawing and artwork, and you've got to assume tattoos are surely, absolutely cool to have sufficient preference to make it through your training. You must be the kid who's constantly wearing a pocket book, usually drawing, and you must also are becoming as a minimum a few tattoos to be taken at all significantly. Don't get too many tattoos, even though -- you may need the blank area for later.

2) Build a exquisite portfolio

Take all that herbal inventive capacity and prepare a killer portfolio. Study drawing and anatomy like every real artist would, and preferably get yourself at least a certificates in drawing and artwork, if now not a complete-blown undergraduate degree. Your portfolio need to showcase your drawing potential however you may additionally consist of work of art (appropriate graffiti counts) and picture layout pieces. Go for great, now not amount, as most people will only turn thru the primary few pages of your e book.

3) Get an apprenticeship

There are plenty of apprenticeships to be had, but the opposition is ferocious. Expect to pay $1000 to $3000 for your apprenticeship, and be make sure you signal a contract with the tattoo grasp you select. To have any threat of having observed via the type of tattoo grasp it is worth reading underneath you may need an impressive portfolio and an in-depth know-how of tattooing strategies and records (from books or talking to human beings inside the industry). Getting certified in fitness issues like sterilization and blood-borne pathogens will help your probabilities. You will probable also want to get a tattoo from the master you're considering before you formally apply for an apprenticeship. Consider your tattoo part of the interview manner and pay awesome-close interest to how the artist works.

4) Finish your apprenticeship

This is tougher than it sounds. You likely may not be paid for your paintings on the apprenticeship, so that you'll need a 2d task. You'll additionally want to paste out any troubles or conflicts you have together with your instructor, and you may actually want to be inclined to paintings hard sufficient to delight them and get thru the one to two year training. A lot of humans fall out.

You in all likelihood will no longer be doing any tattoos in your first yr. Instead you'll be cleansing device, coping with clients, mopping the ground, and perhaps, on unique days, getting to know how the equipment works from the artist you're reading below. It can be difficult if you're impatient, however this is how real tattoo artists pay their dues.

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Does African Art Have a History?

Art history is said to be the study of the past, particularly how it relates to humans. The term is universally applied to past events of individuals, cultures and associations. It unravels the genesis or etymology of the things in existence today. The term 'history' is from the Greek word, 'historia' meaning "inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation" (Munslow, 2001). Thus, it is the thorough investigation and search of our past which results in the acquisition of the knowledge of the past or the origin of things. The learning of our history is very important. Learning of the past has the potential of improving the life of man today and in the future.

However, it is sad to know that a poor documentation usually result in ambiguity and even loss of the wonderful storehouse of knowledge of the past. Prior to the advent of writing, history was preserved orally and passed on from parents to their wards resulting in oral historical tradition. The age of writing has witnessed the recordings of our past oral historical tradition. Long before the recording of events the colorful African art history has already been growing, reshaping itself with the passing of time. Depicting the various and elaborate societies and empires, the history of African art illustrates the vibrant cultures and traditions each group has nurtured with each successive generation.

There have been several distortions in the written histories. Such is the largely the case of the documentation of African art history. This is making some people even those in the academia to assert that African art has no history. But can this assertion be true? Certainly that cannot be. African art has a history since every human endeavor has its Genesis. African art is mostly used to refer to the Sub-Saharan arts excluding the arts of the North African areas along the Mediterranean coast. The arts of the North Africans are normally classified along with Islamic art by some scholars. This is very unfortunate and wrong because a critical analysis of the arts of Northern Africa such as Egypt and others reveals different formal values and principles which are not characteristics of the Islamic art forms. The author opines and redefines African Art as the ingenuity and creative innovations of Africans in the various forms of arts which mostly have African traditional cultural elements and values.

The origins of African art can be traced in a longer time span even before recorded history. African rock art in the Sahara in Niger alone preserves wood carvings that are more than six thousand (6000) years. Also, the paintings and artifacts of the Egyptians, and indigenous southern crafts which have greatly contributed to African art find their places in the ancient times. Artworks in Africa were often depicted in abstract forms of animals, plant life, or natural designs and shapes.

In West Africa, the earliest known sculptures are from the Nok culture which thrived between 500 BC and 500 AD in modern Nigeria, with clay terracotta figures typically with elongated bodies and angular shapes. It is known today that very complex production techniques of art were developed in sub-Saharan Africa around the 10th century. This includes the mastery productions of bronze works of the Igbo Ukwu as well as the terracottas and metal works of Ile-Ife which was ornamented with ivory and precious stones are examples of the proud artistic heritage of Africans.

We cannot dissuade these wonderful historic accounts of which we have visual proofs of the works and blatantly say that African Art has no history. It has not just a history but a rich, colourful and long standing artistic cultural history.

The study of art history is largely divided into two by art historians. These include studying the history in thematic fashion or in timelines. The thematic elements approach to the study of African art includes looking at the history in the light of some themes or topics. Some of the themes as sculpture of Africa, Adinkra cloth production by Ghanaians etc. Others include materials for production, countries, etc. The author want to take affirm that there are histories of some of the visual artforms such as Adinkra cloth, Kente, wood carvings and goldweights produced among the Asante ethnic society in Ghana.

African art has a long standing history which must be acknowledged. As Art historians, art critics and authors, we have to write and record the wonderful creations of Africa. There is the urgent need now for art critics and historians in Africa and Ghana especially to record the extraordinary works of art of today's contemporary African artists to make them available for our forebears. Adulteration of our historical traditions would gradually mar our identity as a people. African art has a history and we have to preserve, promote and transmit this historical heritage. If art educators, curriculum planners etc. make the teaching of our rich cultural African art tradition a priority, we will be able to propagate our rich African art tradition and lavishly paint it on the world's largest canvas of art history.

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How to Become an Art History Teacher

Art History studies visual arts and their place in civilization through time. An Art History teacher will have to teach his students the importance of art-history, with reference to painting, sculpture, photography, architecture and other forms of art, in relation to the political, social and religious climates in which they were created. An art history major can provide numerous career options, allowing careers as an art teacher, art librarian, gallery curator and more, including law, business or advertising.

To become an art history teacher, first of all you will have to earn a Bachelor's degree in Art History, Fine Arts or Education, concentrating in art or history. However, if you want to teach art-history at the college level, a Bachelor's degree will not suffice. For college level, an M.A. or a PhD in art-history will be necessary. Also, you will have to pass the teaching competency exams and basic skills tests required by your state, so your can earn a teaching certificate. The requirements may vary from one state to another, but generally teaching licenses will be granted only to those who have successfully completed a Bachelor's program at an accredited college. So in order to become an art history teacher, you will need to earn the Bachelor's degree, a teacher's education degree approved by your state, and, of course, pass all tests required by the state. It may be a good idea to keep copies of all your college transcripts and test scores.

However, you will not become an art-history teacher just because you have a Bachelor's degree. To become an art-history teacher, you will need to build some strong art skills in a wide range of subject areas, as you will need to show both knowledge and ability in several areas, including history, digital art and design. Important qualities include a great attention to detail, the ability to develop good visual knowledge, self discipline, visual discrimination skills, good people skills, patience, great organization and research skills, critical thinking, writing skills and many others. Being an art history teacher is an important responsibility, and the job is quite complex. But if you love art-history and you want to pass on your knowledge to others, being an art history teacher can be very rewarding.

Besides all your theoretical education in the field of art-history, don't overlook the new technology. Learn to use it proficiently, because it will come in handy in your lectures. PowerPoint, Flickr or photo-editing packages will allow you to teach art history in a simple and efficient manner.

In teaching art-history, you will have to concentrate more on the study of theories and the history of art, rather than making art. Also, keep in mind that experience is always essential to all prospective employers, so you may want to try a year-long internship or substitute teaching to build a solid professional experience in art history. With a proper professional background, finding a permanent position as an art-history teacher will be easier.

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Stonehenge tunnel: The background to the row

Will tunnel destroy secrets of Stonehenge?

Stonehenge is one of the UK's most popular tourist attractions, drawing 1.5m visitors visitors alone last year. But plans to build a road tunnel nearby to help ease congestion have enraged some archaeologists.

Here is the background to the row.

Why is a tunnel being built?

Visitors to Stonehenge typically arrive there via the A303, a major link road between London and the South West.

However, the single carriageway section of road past the site is a notorious bottleneck, especially in the summer months.

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First ancient DNA from mainland Finland reveals origins of Siberian ancestry in region

New study shows that the genetic makeup of northern Europe traces back to migrations from Siberia that began at least 3,500 years ago and that, as recently as the Iron Age, ancestors of the Saami lived in a larger area of Finland than today.

Researchers from the Max-Planck-Institute for the Science of Human History and the University of Helsinki have analyzed the first ancient DNA from mainland Finland. As described in Nature Communications, ancient DNA was extracted from bones and teeth from a 3,500 year-old burial on the Kola Peninsula, Russia, and a 1,500 year-old water burial in Finland. The results reveal the possible path along which ancient people from Siberia spread to Finland and Northwestern Russia.

Researchers found the earliest evidence of Siberian ancestry in Fennoscandia in a population inhabiting the Kola Peninsula, in Northwestern Russia, dating to around 4,000 years ago. This genetic ancestry then later spread to populations living in Finland. The study also found that people genetically similar to present-day Saami people inhabited areas in much more southern parts of Finland than the Saami today.

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Burial sites from 5th and 6th centuries yield unexpected treasures

Some of the artefacts discovered during excavations in Lincolnshire. 

Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA

Archaeologists have uncovered lavish burial sites for women in Lincolnshire from the fifth and sixth centuries, which illustrate how women of the time made themselves resplendent.

Items recovered from the previously unknown Anglo-Saxon cemetery include jewellery made from amber, silver and glass as well as personal grooming items such as tweezers.

Dr Hugh Willmott, senior lecturer in European historical archaeology from Sheffield University and a dig leader, said: “These women wore necklaces made from sometimes hundreds of amber, glass and rock crystal beads, used personal items such as tweezers, carried fabric bags held open by elephant ivory rings, and wore exquisitely decorated brooches to fasten their clothing.

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