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The Archive - '2'
A service from 'The
Serious Writers Guild' at MAKEHITS.COM
Written by Dec Cluskey with a little bit of help from his friends.
This Email first mailed to all Members of 'The Serious Writers Guild' and subscribers to 'One Minute With Dec' on
24 JUNE 04
Want to apply to join 'The Serious Writers Guild' and receive the award winning ten month program: "How To Make A $Million From Your Music" now?
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"Where the lil' guy gets the same chance as the big guy" Latest Music News Quality Information TechniquesCutting Edge Advice for TodayRun by real, successful, active, performing and music making human beings - not 'faceless' businessmen. ================================= 'One Minute With Dec' "My Emails Are Written With Good Humour And Should Be Read With A Smile" [-The views of any contributor to 'One Minute with Dec' are not necessarily the views of Dec Cluskey-] "Truth -
Accuracy - with no Flannel....that is our promise here at 'The Serious Writers
Guild'. "Every time you almost make ends meet, they move the ends!".dec
cluskey
An unashamed plug:Forgive me if this 'One Minute' is an unashamed plug for my charity 'The Lark in the Park Charitable Trust'. I am the Patron.This is our crazy time of year so I tend
to devote almost all my time to it. We have a two day event at Princess
Park in Eastbourne 10am-4pm on this Saturday and Sunday 26th and 27th of
June. 20Kwatt rig and bands all day. Serious Writers Guild Members
can call me, we may have a tiny space for the right new band?
That's What Friends are for?Patricia, Engelbert Humperdinck's wife
has just rung me to say Engelbert will be delighted to come along on Sunday at
2.30pm to help me present a brand new Sunshine coach to the special needs
kids that we help. If you have ever seen a coach presentation you will
realise that it is the most heart rending sight there is. Those kids just
go wild at the sight of their very own Sunshine Coach with all the equipment and
facilities to give them that elusive freedom. Come along if you
can.
Friday 2nd July Congress TheatreThe biggest night of the year in the South of England?
What a night it will be. "A Gala Evening in the presence of
Dame Vera Lynn".
My band will be featured along with Paul Daniels and Debbie
McGee, Roger DeCourcey, Joe Pasquale, Joe Tracini. Even a visit from
Kylie....or is it Kylie? You just have to come if are within range of
Eastbourne....hey, you could make a weekend of it....with your partner?
Now wouldn't she be pleased. Show starts at 7.30pm. Box Office:
01323.412000.
That's what friends are for?Bob Mayston, the technical director of the 'War Of the Worlds'
world tour called me to ask would I like him to direct the show.....would
I? What a star! We are having dinner tonight to start work on the
technicalities.
That's what friends are for?And a call from Neil Crossland [Stagewear Unlimited] to say that
he knew he was too late for inclusion in the show brochure but would I accept a
cheque for 500 UK pounds [800 US doll] . Who is Neil?
Well, he makes the stage outfits for almost every major star in
the UK....he has even done stuff for Michael Jackson....should hear his stories
about the solid gold buttons. Call me I'll tell you! In fact
- call me and I will put you in touch with Neil...the 'best' for stage
costumes
Even a Mercedes car?And a letter from Mercedes to donate a car....wow! If you
have any friends in the South East of England you just have to let them know
this gigantic show is on .....Friday 2nd July. Box
Office 01323.412000 We need to make 25,000 pounds on
the night....will you help us?
============================
It’s a great experience
being a member of the SWG and I’d like to take this chance to thank Dec and
everyone else behind the scenes.....Olu Tseke
[UK]
==================================
I'm subscribed to the
Serious Writers Guild over a year ago to improve my chances in the music
business. Unfortunately I am no longer involved directly in music but the
program has inspired me towards financial independence especially through the
recommended reading..... Colin Baxter
[Scotland]
==========================================
Dec, I need to tell you: I started "doing it" (performing live) one and a half month ago using all your advice. The money I made already is several times the money I spent on your course. Thank you ever so
much.....Marcel
[Germany]
================================================ Giving my opinion seems to be powerful?I was so flattered when I had a call from a red hot
production team to ask could they run some tracks by me before they delivered
them to Sony.
Yeah, they are red hot this team....their beats are
vicious and their musical knowledge is stunning....BUT!
When I listened to the stuff I immediately reacted
by saying the production was sensational, the beats were incredible
.....however, the track is almost totally rap with a great hook sung
chorus.....the rap is just unintelligible. You cannot hear a word the guy
is saying!!!!! There are two guys rapping. One is enunciating quite
well [you can hear the words] the other guy? Hmmmmmmm!
They knew there was something wrong with the track
but they couldn't put their finger on it. They have now asked me to produce the vocals on their future
material....you cannot beat experience.....anyone successful in the game will
confirm that....a number of points to consider here:
1) Their biggest mistake was
'self-producing'. You can self produce the music side but vocals?
Nope! You cannot be on both sides of the glass at the same
time.
2) The excitement is always in the vocal.....the
music is simply the frame around the picture. When they checked out 'Blue'
in my studio they were amazed at how 'forward' in the mix the vocals
were.
3) You must hear EVERY single word. Great
vocal producers will never allow one word to stay on a take unless it is
precisely audible. And that is nothing to do with how forward the vocal
is...it is simply the 'performance'.
4) Always be aware that when you have written the
lyrics and then are involved with the production, it is easy to 'think' that you
hear the words [because they are etched in your subconscious]. Always
detach yourself and listen as if it was the first time you heard the
track.
Pro trick:
To check that the vocals are sitting 'just right'
go outside the studio with the track playing and half close the door.
This will tell you immediately whether it is 'right' or not.
Support fellow 'One Minute' guys?
Charts:UK1) "Everytime" .... Britney Spears
2) "I Don't Wanna Know" Mario Winans Featuring Enya & P Diddy
3) 'Come on England' .... 4--4-2
USA
1) "Burn" ..... Usher
2) "Confessions Part II" ......... Usher
3) "The Reason" ......... Hoobastank AUSTRALIA
1) "F.U. RIGHT BACK" Frankee
2) "I DONT WANNA KNOW" .... Mario Winans 3) "BURN"
........... Usher Chart Comments:Usher just can't do no wrong....a lesson to be learned?
Isn't the Britney track brilliant? Beautifully produced and
understated. Minimalist arrangement and just a stunning
performance...proving yet again that it is the 'vocal' performance that makes
the hit!
In the UK, Britney's album may have fallen five places but the single
releases still have life in them. No other big surprises except Paul
Weller's return to the top 15, the first time he's had a single chart this
highly since way back in August 1996.
What is going on with the albums this week? Phil Collins, Thin Lizzy, The
Shadows, The Who, Bryan Ferry, Dire Straits, Celine Dion and the Chili Peppers
all either leap massively or re-enter the charts. What can possibly explain such
a surge in sales of dad music? Aaah.... have you all been buying pressies for
Father's Day, perhaps? Not since Christmas has a holiday had such an impact on
sales. Only problem is you're probably all now stuck with listening to your
dad's fave tunes on long car journeys. Bad luck, but you brought it on
yourselves!
Music/Show Biz News:John Travolta: The 'Grease' man helped CBS win the TV ratings battle on Tuesday night when the network's three-hour music special AFI's 100 Years 100 Songs averaged 12.3 million viewers over the entire broadcast. The top five songs announced for the first time on the air were "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz, "As Time Goes By" from Casablanca, "Singin' in the Rain" from Singin' in the Rain, "Moon River" from Breakfast at Tiffany's and "White Christmas" from Holiday Inn. Visit the Official AFI site for the complete list of the top 100 songs featured in films. "The legs are
moving under the water even though it may be serene on the
surface"
jonathan waters Subscribers Section:
My Reply:Hi Alan The Stagg is just about the best mic. I have ever used...I use it in preference to Neumann. Only available from 'Guitar Amp and Keyboard Centre' in Brighton...ask for Sanjib and say Dec sent you. You can hear an excellent A/B test [in fact A/B/C/D test] on the Interactive CD's with the 'One Minute With Dec-The First Annual' which is now shipping www.makehits.co.uk/annual.htm. Vocal 'copying' and vocal 'overdubbing' are two separate animals altogether. Guys sitting at home with a PC set up think that the pro world just copy and paste vocals and get it all done in 30 minutes....no, no, no..... The proper vocal stuff is done with hours of patient 'perfect' singing and great performance. The singing done by guys who have great voices, great performance and jump in their voices and just have an indefinable 'wow' about the vocals they perform. A lot of the time this is achieved with a top producer recognising the great bits and encouraging the performer to make more of them. Other times it can be just the performer knowing their own great skills and delivering the goods. For instance, I always produce my own vocals...so does Prince, we are somewhat unique, but 99% of Hit vocals will be produced by great producers. Check out the credits on your fave CD. The only time I will ever 'copy' a vocal is when I have made a co*ck up and realise that maybe one line of the 7th. unison, somehow, didn't get recorded to hard disc. We are in mix mode so it is inconvenient to record again. Then I will copy from another track. But I never copy as a matter of course. No pros do. It has to be said, clearly and plainly, that an amateur, ungigged and unskilled voice, no matter how enthusiastic, will never sound the same as a 'pro' singer with 'today' skills. Just look at the 'Popidol' show to realise that. Their voices pale when put up against Robbie, Kylie, Samantha Mumba, Britney, Black Eyed Peas. The 12 year old buying a single in 'Our Price' has no conception of the excuse "But they've only just started"...the kid just wants to buy the best record. The best techniques for getting a 'today' voice are given in my 'How To Make A £Million From Your Music' program. They have been proved over and over. The sound of copied voices can just as easily be achieved with double and triple imaging from an effects unit. I always use that trick on the finished vocals anyway, which increases the perceived depth and quality of the vocal arrangement. The Roland RSS is the best effects programme for this....again demonstrated on the Interactive CD's. I get the feeling that you are looking for an 'easy way', probably using a PC. Nope! there isn't an easy way. When you talk to the great producers of today it is surprising how much 'old theory' they use, old techniques and tricks. That is because they work! They give the best results. So, to sum up: Vocal copying = quick, easy, amateur production Hard work, long hours, attention to detail, great arrangement, great performance, well produced = professional hit record making. And don't ever think that a great vocal arrangement is just harmony singing...listen to NSync: 'I Thought She Knew' - track 14 on their wonderful 'No Strings Attached' album...that is what vocal arrangement and great performance is. Regards "People who live
in glass houses have to answer the
bell"
Regards
Dec
You may use any part of this 'One Minute' in your own
publications...we simply require you to add:
Start ============
'One Minute With Dec' is written each week by Dec Cluskey. Dec's
advice?
Get in touch personally to discuss what you want to achieve in music dec@makehits.com
web: www.makehits.com or call +44
(0)1323.728005
Finish===========
============================================
The gags [Back to the funny stuff?]"There was a farmer who raised watermelons. He was doing pretty well but he was disturbed by some local kids who would sneak into his watermelon patch at night and eat his watermelons. After some careful thought he comes up with a clever idea that he thinks will scare the kids away for sure. So he makes up a sign and posts it in the field. The next day the kids show up and they see this sign, which says, "Warning, one of the watermelons in this field has been injected with cyanide." So the kids run off and make up their own sign,
which they post next to the sign that the farmer made. The farmer shows up the
next day to look over his field. He notices that no watermelons are missing but
he notices a new sign next to his. He drives over to the sign and takes a look.
It says, "Now there are two" How to set up a Demo consultation
with Dec? The Professional service the Professionals use. Even available for voice and guitar! Simply get in touch by Email - click this link: demo@makehits.co.uk and tell me that you want to send your material for a full critique and appraisal. We will then send you a unique PIN number to put on your letter or Jiffy Bag. This will ensure you get immediate attention. This is also for security reasons. We do not open unsolicited Jiffy Bags. For full details click on this link: www.makehits.co.uk/demo.htm Back to the list page for Archive 'One Minute With Dec's'? Click HERE.Heard enough, want to apply to join 'The Serious Writers Guild' and receive the award winning ten month program: "How To Make A $Million From Your Music" now?
"as secure as when you buy in your local shop" [As members of The Data Protection Society your details will never be given to ANYONE] To pay by any other method please check out the payment methods on the secure page. Any queries re payment just contact me directly. I'll get back in touch with you within hours: dec@makehits.com For your further protection, we are recognised by British Actors Equity.
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