=================================  

“Your guidance is my virtue...”

Phil Webster about Dec

Menu: 

How do you manage Databases? [ the easy way is the best way ]

Michael Jackson Blogspot [ interesting link? ]

Cool idea for guitar players?   [a neat way to keep picks handy]

What Web marketing tool do we recommend to our Members?  [ a good tip for your web site ]

Testimonials

Subscriber's Section [ serious recording and arranging advice ]

The gags: .....      [ us Irish take it in the neck? ]

 

How do you manage Databases? [ the easy way is the best way ] 

I continually advise music guys to treat Database collection as a serious tool in our music business.  In fact, in any business. 

It is said that most marketing people, when faced with a situation of their property burning down, will risk everything to get in there and save their database. 

Without food, you die, without water, you die … without Database …. I’m stuck here!  What can be worse than dying?  Oh, you know what I mean?  Every major Company, today, relies on database. 

What is among the first questions a Record company will ask?  No, it won’t be about your music… it will be about your Database.  Do you have one?  A Fan base?  How many?  How frequent do your send Newsletters?  How frequent do you offer music product to your database?  Or any product?  How many join your database per week? 

So ….. my advice? 

Take Database collecting seriously.  I shall be writing a ‘special’ on database collection … how it is done, the best, and most efficient ways … but for now …. 

Get yourself a good automated system for collecting and managing your Database, your newsletters, sales pitches, auto responders [automatic replies to queries] … and the best system available is? 

Without hesitation and without a shadow of a doubt … Mailloop …. We have been using this system since we started all those years ago … it is ‘the business’ … the only professional system worth looking at …the back-up is quite the best in the world.  And I will add to that … I will help you set it up … it’s a doddle.  I really enjoy showing guys how easy it works. 

Go to http://www.marketingtips.com/mailloop/t.x/633813 ... this is your leap into the ‘big time’.  Just sign up for the best Internet business newsletter and see how Mailloop can help your business … whether it be Music related or not.  Database is ‘king’.

 

"Resting on your laurels is as dangerous as resting when you are

walking in the snow. You doze off and die in your sleep." Ludwig Wittgenstein  

Michael Jackson BlogSpot [ interesting link? ] 

I got an email from a member …. 

“How about sharing the link from my Music BlogSpot with the readers of your Newsletter?  

I have a special Michael Jackson carousel widget on it, and you can find some unusual 'fact' about Michael Jackson that probably not everybody knows about.  

One slightly farfetched 'fact' that I made up, but happens to be something that I have 'running' on one of my other BlogSpot’s.  

The other fact is about that Michael Jacksons also made a 3-D Movie !  

You can find it at:  

http://hpshappymusic.blogspot.com/2009/06/unusual-big-multi-talent.html 

All the Best,  

HP VAN DUUREN (hpvanduuren@hetnet.nl)”

 

"An inner process stands in need of outward criteria."

 Ludwig Wittgenstein 

Cool idea for guitar players?   [a neat way to keep picks handy] 

V-Picks releases Leather Wristband that holds Guitar Picks. 

If you find yourself using different V-Picks for different applications [they make many differing types], here is a perfect solution to the problem of where to put your picks in-between songs.  

This nice, quality, black leather wristband holds up to 3 different picks, practically at your fingertips. Comfortable to wear and very handy, it stops the embarrassment of fumbling in your pocket for the right pick or trying to find the correct pick on a dark stage. Very stylish and can be worn on either wrist. The more you use it, the more comfortable it gets. 

http://www.guitarsite.com/news/gear/v-picks_releases_leather_wristband_that_holds_guitar_picks/

 

"Our greatest stupidities may be very wise."

Ludwig Wittgenstein 

What Web marketing tool do we recommend to our Members?  [ a good tip for your web site ] 

What Web marketing tool do we whole-heartedly recommend to our Members?   

There's no question it's WebPosition 4 at http://www.webposition.com/d2.pl?r=NGG-5556 

Here at Makehits we have been using it from the first weeks of launching all of our sites. 

What is it?  It is an all-in-one site awareness package that will improve your Goggle and other search engine positioning.  Not only that, it will improve the Search Engine awareness of your site, it will examine it and advise how to tweak the site … it will advise about ‘keywords’ [the best words to have in your site for the Search engines]. 

Basically it will 

1.Report your search engine rankings

2.Target your keywords

3.Optimize pages using built-in expertise

4.Submit URLs to search engines 

It will submit your pages to all the useful Search engines, schedule submissions automatically and then collect the analytical results …. 

Unlike other products out there, this amazing tool really does help you achieve top rankings on the search engines! 

If you have a Web site, be sure to check them out http://www.webposition.com/d2.pl?r=NGG-5556   

 

"The world is independent of my will."

Ludwig Wittgenstein 

Testimonials 

“Hi Subscribers to ‘One Minute With Dec’

My wife was studying her Television Media degree at the time and needed to gain interview experience, one phone call from me and Dec was there to help. He gave a one hour special all on camera.  

During which he showed his extensive knowledge of interview techniques, camera position, shots etc.. for my wife, Ania, it was a dream interview and for her tutor it was an impressive trip down memory lane.   A+. 

Colin Timpson"

"Fearlessness is like a muscle. I know from my own life that the more I exercise it

the more natural it becomes to not let my fears run me." Ludwig Wittgenstein 

Subscriber's Section [ serious recording and arranging advice ]  

“Hi Dec 

I had my song critiqued … they said:   

<<< why not put some backing harmonies in there to spice them up? Plus the strings need to hit harder on those instrumental sections, maybe more realistic string sounds and/or a bigger, more powerful string arrangement >>> 

Can you help in explaining? 

R**********” 

My Reply:    

Our rules are "one short reply to ONE question on music FOR NON-MEMBERS, Members of 'The Serious Writers Guild' have unlimited personal access to Dec by direct telephone, Fax and Email, apply at https://secure.mistral.co.uk/makehits/swgappsecure.htm ".     

[Any advice given here shall not be deemed as financial or legal advice under any existing or future laws of any country] 

 

R**********  

<<<<<<<<why not put some backing harmonies in there to spice them up?>>>>>>>>> 

As a harmony/vocal arrangement outfit ... I have always understood the importance of massive vocal arrangement ... in almost every record in the Top Ten, almost regardless of genre. 

So, I stand back in amazement at the level of importance music makers give vocal arrangement.  95% of demos have simply a single voice ... whereas the potential hits produced by Production Companies will have four or five phenomenal vocal ideas at once ... [ex.  'Halo' by Beyonce and her latest 'Ring on It']  Amateur demo makers cannot understand why Record Companies, Publishing Companies etc. will not even listen to their demos .... because they know they will pale into insignificance beside the Potential Hits being presented by the 'guys who know'.  [That tip is worth listening to ... can make a career!] 

My brother puts the situation brilliantly and he is probably perfectly right: "The reason novices don't have vocal arrangement is that they haven't got the knowledge to do it". 

<<<<<<<<<strings need to hit

> harder on those instrumental sections, maybe

> more realistic string sounds and/or a

> bigger, more powerful string arrangement>>>> 

Likewise the string arrangements.  Novices think it is all down to the 'sound' of the strings from the synth/sampler .... no, no, no! 

I am smiled at by those who don't realise that fact.  And ridiculed when I suggest that the venerable Roland U110 stands alongside all the Tritons, Motifs and string sample programmes as one of the most authentic string sounds ... WHEN WRITTEN RIGHT! [apologies for shouting, I get agitated when talking about this subject] 

String arranging has to be studied and learned hard ... it is not simply a case of holding pad chords. 

My luck was in when I met and worked with the greatest in the world, stunning arrangers ... I always kept the scores from our record sessions and studied the writing ...  of course, studying piano to Grade 8 helped ... another great advice that folk should take on board. 

It is interesting that a novice will play a line on his Triton and expect it to give him a hit .... in the tracks I am recording at this very moment I use Violins 1/2 on U110, Triton and Motif [all separated as a Symphony orchestra would be] ... Violas 1/2 as separate sounds from Triton and Motif.  Cellos 1/2 from an ancient Korg O5R/W. 

With a suitable large hall expensive reverb over the entire string section ... exactly as they would be recorded using proper gypsies ... [the pro name for session violin players]. 

All correctly written as a full string section score... can you just imagine the sound?  And all the 'desks' are represented by stereo positioning. 

The final touch [and this is worth a $fortune] ... I always copy the lead violin line as a solo and assign it to a solo violin patch.  The Triton has a beauty [called ‘Two Violins’].  The reason is that the leader of the orchestra is usually an old guy with a wide vib. [vibrato]  I can hear him, because I know and recognise that sound.  Check it out some time in a record with a good string section.  He sits immediately in front of the conductor, usually on the left looking at the stage ... so, he is closest to the main violins mic. 

Knowing string arrangement, with the gliss [very fast upward or downward symphonic rush of notes] techniques and the 13 over 2, 15 over 2 and 17 over 2 triplet type runs makes the total difference. 

Don't pooh pooh this advice .... if you are serious, study the techniques, get piano lessons and talk to great arrangers ... most, like me, are very accessible.  

Regards

Dec [Cluskey]  dec@makehits.com  

2 Gold discs in 2008!  Decca have relaunched their ‘World Of’ series on the back of those hits.  Readers Digest are now promoting a triple album set …. Do you think I can help your music career succeed?  

Check out 'How to Make A £Million From your Music' at http://www.makehits.co.uk.  Secure purchase at https://secure.mistral.co.uk/makehits/swgappsecure.htm or fast cred*it card line: +44 1323.728005 or UK 01323.728005 

Please consider the environment, do you really need to print this email?  

 

 “How to Make A $Million From Your Music”. To see the course go to http://makehits.com/products090707/million.html   fast cred*it card line: +44 1323.728005 or UK 01323.728005 

To purchase go direct to: https://secure.mistral.co.uk/makehits/swgappsecure.htm 

“3 Minutes on the Radio with Dec” …. Available immediately at http://www.myspace.com/makehits 

=================================  

The gags: .....      [ us Irish take it in the neck? ] 

Into a Belfast pub comes Paddy Murphy, looking like he'd just been run over by a train. 

His arm is in a sling, his nose is broken, his face is cut and bruised and he's walking with a limp

"What happened to you?" asks Sean, the bartender. 

"Jamie O'Conner and me had a fight," says Paddy. 

"That little sh*t, O'Conner," says Sean, "He couldn't do that to you, he must have had something in his hand." 

"That he did," says Paddy, "a shovel is what he had, and a terrible lickin' he gave me with it." 

"Well," says Sean, "you should have defended yourself, didn't you have something in your hand?" 

That I did," said Paddy. 

"Mrs. O'Conner's left breast, and a thing of beauty it was, but useless in a fight."

===================================

http://www.Twitter.com/DecCluskey

 Unsubscribe?  Simply send a blank Email to dec@makehits.com with 'unsubscribe' in the subject line.  Please ensure you reply from the Email address we sent to. 

If you ever need to get in contact with the owner of the list, (if you have trouble unsubscribing, or have questions about the list itself)

send email to:  contact@makehits.com 

 This publication is copyright (c) 2009
serious writers guild, mailto:webmaster@makehits.com   
 Registered Office: Stanton prior, darley road, meads, eastbourne bn20 7uh
also at denton road, meads in the UK
Also at: Il Cortes Del Golf, El Paraiso, Benavista, Costa Del Sol   

tel: +44 (0)1323.728005   fax:+44 (0)1323.729318

Company Registration Number: 1361967   VAT [Value Added Tax] Number: 315 7172 69 

Proud Members of Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce 

www.myspace.com/thebachelorsconanddec