Episode #25- Thanks for Listening! (Happy Anniversary)

Damon and Marcos welcome summer by celebrating 25 episodes strong. They open up the mailbag and dedicate the episode to answering listener letters about career and life choices, improvising, social media and music marketing. They also have music news and an iconic recording. Huge THANK YOU to everyone who has listened so far!

Prodigy from the group Mobb Deep passed away after being hospitalized from complications from sickle cell anemia. You can read more by clicking this link. 

Congrats to Jay-Z & Beyoncé on the twins, as well as Jay-Z's new album. Also, here's the link to the 2017 Songwriting Hall of Fame inductees as well as the video President Obama released congratulating Jay-Z. 

This is the info on Dr. Dre donating to Compton High School for a new performing arts center. 

This is more info on the song "Apache". Here's a video on some info on Kool Hurc (NSFW). Here's the background story on Big Hank stealing from Granmaster Caz (Casanova Fly).

The (instagram) educational spotlight this week is featuring Ash Soan, Carter MacClean & Paoli Mejias. 

Question One: How to start improvising without a jazz background. 

Chord Tones (the important scale steps that define the chord), Scales (chord tones with passing tones)and Chromaticism (moving up and down with hitting every note-no skips). Here's a link to some beginning jazz lessons. Here's a Jamey Abersold play along for the blues (in all 12 keys).

Rhythmically speaking, here is the book mentioned in the podcast, "A Percussionist's Guide to Check Patterns". This is a book by Mark Guliana which is a more in depth look at improvising on the drums and is based off of the 4 principles mentioned on the podcast. And this is the trailer for the book/DVD.....

Question Two: Other career choices in music.

Here is a blog post that goes into more detail about career choices that are in the music industry, but may not necessarily be the artist on stage performing. Added bonus, here's a vlog talking about balancing a music career with a family life. 

Question Three: How to get more awareness/followers through social media.

Here is a checklist of things you should have to have a successful following. Added bonus, navigating the newer forms of social medial. The three things mentioned in the podcast were: 1. Have great content. 2. Have a targeted demographic. 3. Solve a problem. (Also, be consistent-If you build it, they will come). 

Books and resources to help out are:

Bob Reynolds: Vlog series (yes, he's a sax player, but he has great information. Just substitute it for your instrument). 

Ari Herstand: Ari's Take, music business blog and his new book on the music business. 

The Rockstar Advocate: A company designed to help keep you organized and make sense of your career. 

DIY Musician Blog: Hosted by Chris Robley and the guys at CD Baby. Lots of good info if you are trying to go at this musician thing on your own. 

Books on marketing and influence and motivation (in no particular order):

The Likeability Factor by Tim Sanders

The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowecki

Permission Marketing by Seth Godin

Brainfluence by Roger Dooley

Lead with a Story by Paul Smith

Practice Perfect (42 Rules for Getting Better at Getting Better) by Doug Lemov, Erica Woolway & Katie Yezzi

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries & Jack Trout

The Indie Band Survival Guide by Randy Chertkow & Jason Feehan

Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk

Why I Failed at the Music Business by Steve Grossman

The Touring Musician by Hal Galper

How to Make it in the New Music Business by Ari Herstand

Welcome to the Music Business, You're Fu*ked by Martin Atkins

From Zero to Sideman by Mel Brown

The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield

You're a Musician, Now What? by Janek Gwizdala

and All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman

Added bonus for teaching, are "Promoting Your Teaching Studio" and "The Dynamic Studio: How to keep students, dazzle parents, and build the music studio everyone wants to get into" both by Phillip Johnston. Here's a video by the great Tommy Igoe on the new method of teaching drums for the new millenium....