Category: Music Life

My music history

Mike’s Career Success Tips – Part VI

Part Six

This the sixth of ten tips and chips I plan to impart for any interested listeners, starting out on his/her journey to work in the music industry. There are a lot of people providing access to joints that help to build your skills, and most do a great job. My goal there is not to try and compete them. I will stay in my lane. From time to time, I might suggest and recommend others, these tips and chips are aimed at your mindset, and behaviors that will either make you or break you. Whether you aspire to be a songwriter, an artist, a musician, and or producer, these tips and chips apply:

Some Chips To Dip Into:

1. You got to put in the time.
2. You can only do two or three things very well, so focus.
3. Once you are focused, decide on what value you offer to others.
4. Determine how you fit in.
5. Determine how you can market what you offer.
6. Develop a marketing strategy. (See Below)
7. Provide quality service or products.
8. Follow up and communicate with your customers.
9. Always try to anticipate what your customers, followers, or clients need.
10. Keep trying, you can always do it better.

DEVELOP A MARKETING STRATEGY

Now that you have determined how you can market what you offer, you have to put other actions into play to further expose your intellectual property. In today’s world, advertising is a very important aspect of your marketing strategy. The act of making music alone will not get you heard or known, or develop a fanbase for your music or product. The metaphor of just build it and they will come will not work, and is not true reality in music.
Continue reading “Mike’s Career Success Tips – Part VI”

Mike’s Career Success Tips – Part IV

Part Four 

This the fourth of ten tips and chips I plan to impart for any interested listeners, starting out on his/her journey to work in the music industry. There are a lot of people providing access to joints that help to build your skills, and most do a great job. My goal there is not to try and compete them. I will stay in my lane. From time to time, I might suggest and recommend others, these tips and chips are aimed at your mindset, and behaviors that will either make you or break you. Whether you aspire to be a songwriter, an artist, a musician, and or producer, these tips and chips apply:

Some Chips To Dip Into:

1. You got to put in the time.
2. You can only do two or three things very well, so focus.
3. Once you are focused, decide on what value you offer to others.
4. Determine how you fit in. (See Below)
5. Determine how you can market what you offer.
6. Develop a marketing strategy.
7. Provide quality service or products.
8. Follow up and communicate with your customers.
9. Always try to anticipate what your customers, followers, or clients need.
10. Keep trying, you can always do it better.

DETERMINE HOW YOU FIT IN

It seems as if the music industry changes a little everyday. The world is a very complex place, but there are things that remain the same, and are constant. In this complex world, we knowingly and maybe even unknowingly are looking for the same things out of life. Some of us are looking for a better life for ourselves, or a better life for our family. Unfortunately, although the American Dream may be achievable in various ways, population growth impacts how many pieces of the pie can be divvied up, almost like the maximum number of bitcoins that can be mined.

During your path to enlightenment, you will face many obstacles which you may only have limited control over. My advice is to stay the course, identify your career and career goals, and build and practice the skills necessary and consistent with where you think you may fit in. To me, this is one of the hardest tasks/goals to achieve, but again it depends on your career path, and other factors. This assessment requires a birds-eye view. If you have accomplished the first three tips, you are well on your way to fulfilling tip 4. The first three tips discussed were using your time wisely, limiting your focus on a few things and knowing what value you offer. For Tip 4, there are always caveats. All three of the first tips are important ideas and must be taken into consideration for determining how and where you may fit in.

Continue reading “Mike’s Career Success Tips – Part IV”

Mike’s Career Success Tips – Part III

Part Three 

This is the third of ten career success tips, I plan to impart for any interested listeners. Whether you are trying to decide if a music career is for you, just starting your music career, or a seasoned music professional, I think one or two of these tips will be of interest to you. There are a lot of people providing access to joints that help to build your skills, and most do a great job.  My goal here is not to try and compete with them. I will stay in my lane.  From time to time, however, I might suggest and recommend others.  I view these tips to be aimed at your mindset, and behaviors that will either make you or break you. So, whether you aspire to be a songwriter, an artist, a musician, and or producer, in my experience, these tips may apply:

Some Tips To Dip Into:

  1. You got to put in the time.
  2. You can only do two or three things very well, so focus.
  3. Once you are focused, decide on what value you offer to others. (See details below)
  4. Determine how you fit in.
  5. Determine how you can market what you offer.
  6. Develop a marketing strategy.
  7. Provide quality service or products.
  8. Follow up and communicate with your customers.
  9. Always try to anticipate what your customers, followers, or clients need.
  10. Keep trying, you can always make it better.

Continue reading “Mike’s Career Success Tips – Part III”

Mike’s Career Success Tips – Part II

Part Two

This is the second of ten career success tips, I plan to impart for any interested listeners. Whether you are trying to decide if a music career is for you, just starting your music career, or a seasoned music professional, I think one or two of these tips will be of interest to you. There are a lot of people providing access to joints that help to build your skills, and most do a great job.  My goal here is not to try and compete with them. I will stay in my lane.  From time to time, however, I might suggest and recommend others.  I view these tips to be aimed at your mindset, and behaviors that will either make you or break you. So, whether you aspire to be a songwriter, an artist, a musician, and or producer, in my experience, these tips may apply:

Some Tips To Dip Into:

  1. You got to put in the time.
  2. You can only do two or three things very well, so focus. (See details below)
  3. Once you are focused, decide on what value you offer to others.
  4. Determine how you fit in.
  5. Determine how you can market what you offer.
  6. Develop a marketing strategy.
  7. Provide quality service or products.
  8. Follow up and communicate with your customers.
  9. Always try to anticipate what your customers, followers, or clients need.
  10. Keep trying, you can always make it better.

Continue reading “Mike’s Career Success Tips – Part II”

Free Your Mind

My semi-professional music career started with a Dayton, Ohio group named “Record Player.” Record Player was founded in the Summer of 1975.

During this period, Record Player was one of many popular Dayton dance bands, such as the Ohio Players, Faze-O, Slave, Roger and the Human Body (aka Zapp featuring Roger), the Gap Band, and the Honey Bees. All of these bands featured the sounds of Pop, Funk, and Jazz.

In 1976, Record Player recorded the 45RPM Single and Regional Hit, “Free Your Mind” on the Gem City Records Label. Free Your Mind was written by Michael C. Jennings, and arranged by Charles “Cedell” Carter of the group, “Slave.” Listen to an audio sample of “Free Your Mind” in the music section of the MiJen Publishing web site.