Successful artists and industry professionals worldwide address your most common questions and pressing challenges!
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How Can I Avoid A&R Scams? Lacy Daryll Phillips, aka The Uncle Earl | Lacy shares his story of being ripped off by a scammer who promised to ‘get him signed to a major label’. He offers suggestions to avoid falling for these tempting offers.
What Is Artist Development And Who Needs It? Sarah Fleshner – CEO, 362 Entertainment | Sarah explains what artist development entails and how to choose the right artist developer.
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How Can An Artist Without A Following Get High Paying Gigs? Vinny Ribas, Artist Manager, Former Booking Agent | Vinny explains how artists who don’t yet have a following can get great gigs and build their fanbase at the same time.
How Can I Play The College Market? Ari Nisman – CEO, Degy Entertainment (college booking agency) | Learn what colleges look for and the most effective ways to tap into them.
How Much Should I Charge For My Gigs? Vinny Ribas | Former FT artist and booking agent, Vinny Ribas explains the formulas for determining how much you should charge for your gigs.
How Can I Create A Demand For Myself As A Musician? Keith Bradford | Keith, a 50 yr. Veteran of working with country stars, explains what those celebrities looked for in the musicians they hired.
What Are Some Common Mistakes Artists Make When Booking Themselves? Gina Donaldson | Artist manager and consultant, Gina Donaldson, explains some of the basic booking mistakes that she’s seen artists make.
How Do Booking Agents Work And How Can I Attract One? Vinny Ribas – CEO of Indie Connect, Former booking agent | Industry veteran Vinny Ribas explains how booking agents work, what they look for in an act and how to choose and attract the right one.
How Can I Fill My Calendar As A Musician? Gary Grainger – World-renowned bassist; bandleader – Gary Explains how he keeps his calendar overflowing with gigs, and shows how any musician can do it.
Booking Quick Tips Vinny Ribas | Multiple videos that explain the finer points of effective show booking.
What Are Some Nontraditional Venues To Perform At? Ari Nisman – CEO, Degy Entertainment (booking agency) | Discover a treasure trove of often-overlooked gig opportunities!
How Can I Perform On Cruise Ships? Rob Ondras – Entertainer, 12 Years Performing On Cruise Ships | Learn what kinds f entertainment cruise ships look for, what life at sea is like, what is expected of you and how to get these gigs.
PRO MEMBERS ONLY
How Can I Play Corporate And Private Gigs? Mackenzie Stokel – Co-founder, BookWithEva.com | Learn what it takes to play these lucrative gigs and how you can tap into them.
How Can I Become A Headliner On A Cruise Ship? Nathan Cassar | Former cruise director, Nathan Cassar explains what cruise ships look for in their headline entertainers.
How Can I Work With Celebrities? Roberto Bolero Noriega – Vocal Arranger, Composer, Music Industry Executive, Executive Producer | Learn what it takes to work on a major celebrity’s team and how to get the gig.
How Can I Get Booked At Festivals? Melinda Ebert – Festival coordinator and Artist Developer | Melinda explains how to submit your act to festivals, how to improve your chances of getting the gig, and how to het the most from the gig.
How Do I Brand Myself On Social Media? Melissa Garcia | Artist manager, Melissa Garcia, explains how you can use social media to help establish your artist brand.
How CanI Brand Myself On A Limited Budget? Melissa Garcia | Artist manager and consultant, Melissa Garcia provides solutions for branding yourself even if you have little or no budget for it.
How Do Image and Branding Consultants Help Artists? Katie Price and Lynsey Kruse of Elemented Image – Celebrity Image and Branding Consultants – Katie and Lynsey explain exactly how artists benefit from having branding and image consultants make their entire presence cohesive at every touchpoint.
How Can I Establish Myself When I Am Interested In So Many Areas Of The Business? Lacy Daryll Phillips, aka The Uncle Earl | Lacy explains how he came to become an accomplished singer, producer, actor, choreographer, podcaster, label owner and more, and how he juggles them all.
How Do I Develop A Long Term Plan For My Career? Vinny Ribas, Artist Manager and Consultant | Vinny Ribas explains how to set goals and milestones for your career so you are always moving forward.
How Can I Build And Sustain My Career As A Christian Artist? Rick Alan King | Rick, a Christian artist for over 50 years, explains how he has been able to stay afloat in a genre that often doesn’t pay much at all.
How Can I Build A Sustainable Career? Emily White | Artist manager turned author and podcaster, Emily White, explains some of the very basics artists should put in place to keep their careers thriving.
Is Singing Everything And Playing Anywhere For Money Being Unauthentic? Tracy Hamlin – acclaimed Jazz, R&B and Soulful House Music Vocalist, Producer, Songwriter – Tracy shares her journey from sharing the stage with major artists to building a large following in Soulful House Music. She also shares how and why she now balances it all.
How Do I Plan For A Successful Music Career? Ritch Esra – 40 year veteran of the industry working with major labels; founder of the Music Business Registry } Most artists ‘wing it’ rather than planning our their career path. Ritch shares amazing insights into what it takes to constantly advance in the industry.
Why Is Now A Great Time For Older Artists? – Fett – Producer – Popular Nashville producer, Fett explains why social media makes it a great time for older artists!
How Can I Become A Professional Musical Theater Actor? Chris Van Cleave | Veteran actor, Chris Van Cleave, walks through steps you can take toward becoming a professional musical theater actor.
What Does A Professional Career In Musical Theater Look Like? Chris Van Cleave | Veteran actor, Chris Van Cleave walks through the various stages of his long and prosperous musical theater career.
What is Music Therapy? Jackie Macri – Music Therapist | Jackie explains what a music therapist does, how it helps people of all ages and how to pursue this incredible career.
How Can I Become A Musical Theater Composer? Michael Bihovsky – Music Theater Composer, Artist, Songwriter | Learn how the world of musical theater works at every level, how composers are hired for projects, and how you can develop your own project.
What Is A Music Director? Brendan Bennet – Music Director for major artists, Musician | In a sense, music Directors are the magicians that makes a live show go smoothly. They may get involved in hiring and coordinating all of the components of a performance (band, lights, sound etc.). They may also perform in the band. It’s a role many musicians take on without ever knowing that there’s a title and a formal position for it.
What Does Being A Film Composer Entail? Mark Roos and Kathering Beggs of Cutting Room Music | Mark and Katherine explain what is truly entailed in being a successful composer for film and TV. Their answers may surprise you!
How Does A Spoken Word Artist Build A Career? Jastin Artis – Hip Hop Artist, Spoken Word Artist | Jastin explains how the spoken word industry works and how spoken word artists make money.
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How Can I Be Endorsed By My Favorite Companies? by Ron ‘Blondie Boy’ Thaler – Drummer For Major Artists including Alicia Keys, Producer, CEO of Soundsphere Studios | Learn what it takes to earn a product endorsement in today’s market and how to pursue it.
How Can An Indie Artist Get Product Endorsements? Randy Fuchs – CEO of www.ArtistRelations.com | Randy is the artist rep for a number of major music brands. He explains the ins and outs of endorsement deals and how an indie artist can get them.
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How Do I Finance My Music Career? Roberto Bolero Noriega – Industry executive, composer, vocal arranger, executive producer \ Roberto Bolero Noriega shares the cold hard facts about the music industry and how to finance your career. It’s very sound advice coming from a very successful industry executive.
What Royalties Can I Earn And How Do I Collect Them? Sarah Harralson – Catalog Artist Royalties Analyst at Warner Music Group | Learn all of the royalty steams you can and may already be earning and how to collect them. Stop leaving money o the table.
How Can I Monetize My Talent And Creations?– Roberto Bolero Noriega | Roberto discusses ways to supplement your music income by exploiting some of your talent and intellectual property in new ways.
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Should I Create An NFT For My Fans? Benji Rogers – Co-founder of multiple companies including Pledge Music, Verifi.Media, Lark42, Radiary Creations | Learn one music tech entrepreneur’s take on the NFT market as it stands right now.
What Is The Current Market For Classic Country Sounding Indie Artists? Keith Bradford | Keith shares his insights into where there is still a market for indie country artists with a classic sound.
An Overview Of The Classical Music Industry – Mircea Gogoncea – World Renowned Classical Guitarist | Discover all of the ins and outs of the classical music industry and how it differs dramatically from that of any other music genre.
How Do I Know If I Am Having A Mental Health Challenge? Rebecca Chernier | Licensed Therapist, Rebecca Chenier explains the difference between common creative-related challenges and actual mental health challenges.
How Can An Introverted Artist Comfortably Navigate The Music Industry? Keith Englehardt – Founder/CEO of Sawatch Solutions LLC. and NeuroYoga.Zone™ | Keith Engelhardt explains how introverts can make their way through an industry that is full of hustle and bustle.
How Can I Protect Myself From Music Related Injuries? – Angela McCuiston Founder of Music Strong – Angela discusses the many kinds of injuries musicians get, from carpal tunnel to back strains. She provides tips on how to avoid them and what to do when you start to hurt.
What Are Some Basic Coping Skills I Can Use To Deal With Stress? Rebecca Chernier | Rebecca Chenier, a licensed clinical social worker, offers some suggestions on ways to cope with the daily stresses and challenges inherent in your music career.
How Do I Deal With All Of The Frustrations Of The Music Industry Kellan Fluckiger, Composer, Songwriter, Artist, Success Coach | Kellan shares his journey from working FT in his recording studio to jumping ship to build a successful (but miserable) career in corporate America. He details his depression, suicide attempts, drug addiction etc. from denying his creativity, and the bold movie had to make to escape that rat race and reclaim his life.
‘How a Devastating Situation Became The Catalyst For A Surprise, Later-In-Life Country Music Career’ – Jeff Orson, Canadian country singer | Jeff shares his inspiring story of how he went from dealing with colon cancer to having a career in country music, all while in his 50s.
What Does It Take To Get My Big Break? Sydney Justin – Lead singer of The Miracles (replaced Smokey Robison); Producer, Songwriter; Former NFL star. Sydney shares his inspiring story of perseverance and determination, which led to 2 amazing high-level careers (so far).
How Do I Use My Music To Affect Social Change? Simon Tam – Advocate, Founder of The Slants and The Slants Foundation | Learn how you can use your music to advocate for your favorite causes.
How Can I Marry My Music And My Passions? Michael Bihovsky – Musical Theater Composer, Artist, Songwriter, Advocate | What else is important to you besides music? This video will teach you how to combine it with your music effectively.
How Can I Get Started As An Artist Manager? Sarah Fleshner – CEO, 362 Entertainment | Sarah describes her journey into artist management and provides a whirlwind of advice for aspiring managers.
How Does A Manager And An Artist Work Together? Preston ‘Shoes’ Sullivan – Manager, Label Owner, Publisher, Producer – Preston discusses the relationship that has to exit between an artist and his or her manager.
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How Can I Grow And Capitalize On My TikTok following? Sheyna Gee – Acclaimed Country Artist | Sheyna explains what it takes to build a strong TiKTok following, why it is so important and how to capitalize on it.
What Is An EPK And How Do I Use It? Melinda Ebert | Artist Developer and Festival Organizer | Melinda Ebert explains what an EPK, or electronic press kit is, and how to use it to get more gigs.
How Can I Go Viral On Social Media? Eugene Capon – Social Media Futurist | Learn what it takes for a song or video to go viral on social media, and how you can improve your chances.
What Are Some Common Marketing Mistakes Artists Make? Gina Donaldson | Artist manager and consultant | Gina Donaldson, explains some of the basic marketing mistakes that she’s seen artists make.
How Can I Use Podcasting To Promote My Music And Build My Audience? Darran Bruce – Founder, The DJ Sessions podcast | Learn how to tap into this wildly popular market both as aa podcast host or as a guest on other podcasts.
FREE! Before You Buy A Music Industry Contact List Or Directory…. David Wimble – Founder, The Indie Bible | There are very reputable directories and databases for the industry, and a lot of rip-offs that are fake, stolen or inaccurate. Learn how to tell the difference and avoid being throwing your money away.
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How Can I Use Pay-Per-Click Advertising To Grow My Career? – Nick Caster | Nick explain how to use pay-per-click advertising to generate pre-saves, sell show tickets and more
How To I Find And Engage My Superfans? Benji Rogers – Co-founder of Pledge Music, Verifi.Media, Lark42, Radiary Creations | Learn how to build and retain a solid and loyal following of dedicated superfans who support you.
How Will NFTs, Virtual Reality and Web 3.0 Affect Social Media and the Music Industry? Eugene Capon – Social Media Futurist | Learn about the rapidly evolving high tech side of the music industry and what to expect sooner rather than later so you can be ahead of the curve.
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How Can I Make More Money From Merch Sales? Chris Dunnett – Merch Sales; Artist; Songwriter; Teacher – Chris has been selling merch for major and indie artists for almost 40 years. He shares the secrets of maximizing your income and profit from your merch.
Should I Join The Musicians Union? Dave Pomeroy – President – Nashville Musicians Association | Learn all of the misconceptions many have about the musician’s union, and everything it does to help and advocate for all musicians (not just it’s members). Also learn if you would benefit from being a member.
What Can I Expect When I Move To Nashville? – Sheyna Gee – Nashville Country Artist | Sheyna Gee explains what it takes to survive and thrive in Nashville’s ultra-competitive music industry.
Networking In Nashville – Vinny Ribas – Artist Manager and Consultant| Vinny explains the ins and outs of the Nashville music industry and the keys to getting plugged into the higher levels of it.
How Do I Best Encourage, Support and Protect My Musically Talented Child? Daniel Panetta – Artist, Producer, Songwriter | Daniel was an in-demand singer and was getting paid before he turned 6 years old. Before he was 18 he had performed in 62 countries. In this video he unbelievable journey along with everything his family did to support him. This is a critical video for any parent of a talented child.
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How Do I Make My Performances Engaging And Memorable? Ant Glynne – World Renowned Guitarist | World-renown guitarist, Ant Glynne shares many of the performance tips and tricks he’s learned throughout his noteworthy career.
How Can I Overcome Stage Fright Or Performance Anxiety? Rl Read | RL Read offers numerous ways to deal with stage fright and other related challenges that prevent us from moving forward. |
Developing Confidence On Stage – Tom Jackson, Live Music Producer | Tom Jackson, explains what it takes to be extremely confident on stage and put on the show your audiences will cherish.
How Can I Make My Stage Show Engaging and Dynamic? Amy Wolter – Live Music Producer | Amy explains how any artist can make their show stand out and leave people wanting more (and wanting merch).
How Can Using Click Tracks Improve My Recording And Live Shows? Alex Bowers – Producer | A click track can be as simple as the metronome you rehearse with. But they can also trigger everything from backing tracks to lighting changes to guitar patches in a huge live performance.
How Do I Form And Market A Tribute Band? Dennis Scott – Founder, The Wannabeatles | Learn the ins and outs and highs and lows of starting and booking a tribute band.
How Does A Christian Artist Perform In Non-Christian Venues? Jastin Artis – Christian Hip Hop Artist, Spoken Word Artist | Jastin shares how he came to become a successful Christian artist who plays a wide variety of venues other than church-related ones. He also explains how he came to the decision that it was OK to play those kinds of gigs.
PRO MEMBERS
How Can I Be An Effective Wedding Or Event Emcee? Nathan Cassar, Professional Emcee | Nathan Cassar explains the role of an emcee and how musicians can fill that role effectively.
FREE! Before You Hire Your First or Next Producer…– Fett – Respected Nashville Producer For Over 30 Years | This video will help you choose the perfect producer and keep you from being scammed or ripped off by sharks. This may be the most important video you ever watch!
How Can I Find My Sound? Emily Satterlee – Founder and CEO of ItyDity | Emily explains how to find and establish the sound that uniquely and authentic fits you.
How Can I Find The Right Producer For My Music? Emily Satterlee – Founder of ItyDity | Emily explains the challenge of connecting with the right producer and how her company has set out to solve the problem.
How Does A Producer Or Engineer Elevate A Song To Make It Stand Out? – Khaliq Glover – Grammy-winning producer-engineer \ Khaliq explains the magic that great do to make a song unforgettable and instantly recognizable.
How Can I Effectively Mix My Own Tracks? Bobby Owsinski – Producer, Podcaster, Author | Bobby explains the most common mistakes artists make when they mix their own tracks. He shares invaluable tips and tricks.
How Can I Set Up A Quality-Sounding Home Studio? Alex Bowers – Producer | Whether you’re setting up your 1st home studio or upgrading what you already have, how you spend your money is critical to the getting the sound you want. Don’t skip steps. Prioritize your spending to optimize your studio.
How Can I Set Up A Quality Sounding Studio On A Budget? Ignacia ‘Nacho’ Molina – Grammy Winning Mix Engineer – Nacho gives his professional opinion on where you need to prioritize your spending when building a home studio.
What Is Mastering (and who needs it)? Steve Creech – Mastering Engineer of 1000s of major label tracks | Many artists use AI-driven mastering software to master their music. Steve explains what that software can and can’t do, and why sometimes it’s critical to have a seasoned mastering engineer master your project. He also discusses what it takes to be a great mastering engineer.
How Should I Prepare My Tracks To Hand Off To A Mix Engineer? – Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Molino – 8X Grammy/Latin Grammy Winning Mix Engineer | Nacho explains how tracks should be prepared before they are handed over to a mixer. He shares what makes the mixers job harder and more time-consuming than it needs to be, which ultimately costs the artists more money than they needed to spend.
Before You Hire A Producer… Alex Bowers – Producer | Alex details some of the ways producers rip-off artists who don’t understand the production process and accepted norms.
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What Is The Future Of Audio Production? Ron ‘Blondie Boy’ Thaler – Drummer for Alicia Keys and others, producer, CEO o SoundSphere Studios – Ron talks about the dramatic next level of audio production that is taking the industry by storm.
What Is Metadata And Why Is It Important To Get It Right? Ken Umezaki – CEO of Verifi Media | Ken explains what metadata is, how it is used, and why it is critical that your own metadata is accurate and up to date.
What is PR and How Can I Benefit From It? Ariel Hyatt – Founder, Cyber PR | Ariel Hyatt explains the ins and outs of getting PR and the mistakes many artists make when seeking publicity.
Before You Hire A Publicist Or A PR Firm… Ariel Hyatt – Founder – Cyber PR | Ariel Hyatt provides valuable insights into hiring a publicist or PR Firm and the red flags to run from so you don’t get ripped off.
How Can I Market My Original Songs? Bob Dellaposta – Independent publisher and professional songwriter | Bob explains the benefits and how-to of setting up your own publishing company and marketing your own songs.
How Does Music Publishing Work? Steve Bloch – Long-time Nashville Publisher; Founder of ‘Speed Pitch’ | Learn the basics of how music publishing works .
FREE! Before You Sign A Publishing Or Song Plugging Contract… Steve Bloch – Long-time Nashville Publisher; Founder of ‘Speed Pitch’ Learn how to spot unscrupulous song pluggers and publishers who prey on new and inexperienced songwriters.
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How Can I Get Radio Airplay? Gerg Anidem – Founder, Indie Scene Radio | Gerg explains how he, as an independent radio station owner and show host, finds and chooses the music he adds to his playlists. He explains how to properly pitch your songs to a radio station program director.
PRO MEMBERS
Should I Hire A Radio Promoter? Gerg Anidem – Founder, Indie Scene Radio | Learn whether hiring a radio promoter is right for you, and what some alternatives are.
How Do I Prepare For A Radio Interview? Gerg Anidem – Founder, Indie Scene Radio | Gerg shares great advice on how to be a great interviewee and get the most out of the opportunities.
ALL MEMBERS
How Can I Become A Professional Songwriter? Victoria Banks – Pro songwriter artist and educator at Belmont University | Victoria explains the path most songwriters have to take to break into the professional ranks.
Can I Be Both Authentic And Commercial At The Same Time? Victoria Banks – Pro songwriter| Victoria Banks explains how to get a balance between being authentic and still writing or recording commercial songs.
How Do I Overcome Creative Block? – Kellan Fluckiger – Composer, Songwriter, Artist, Success Coach | Kellan Fluckiger explains some of the methods he uses for getting creatively ‘unstuck’.
How Can I Determine If I Am A Strong Songwriter? Marc Alan Barnette – Songwriter, Songwriting and Artist Consultant | Marc explains how to determine how you measure up against hit songwriters, and how to improve your craft to get to their level
How Can I Write For The Children’s Market – Dennis Scott – Children’s Music Songwriter | Dennis explains how to enter the children’s music market.
PRO MEMBERS
How Can I Get My Songs Heard By Major Artists? Marc Alan Barnette – Songwriter, Songwriting and Artist Consultant | You’ll learn the path that a song takes before it’s cut by a major artist. You’ll also learn the right ways and wrong ways to pitch your songs.
How Can I Write With Hit Writers? Marc Alan Barnette – Songwriter, Songwriting and Artist Consultant I Learn what ti takes to start writing with hit songwriters, and how NOT to approach them
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How Can I Use Sync Libraries and Sync Services to Get Film and TV Placements? Barry Coffing – Founder of MusicSupervisor.com and WeGetArtists.com Barry explains the difference between sync libraries and sync services, and shares valuable tips on how the sync world works. He also shares how to submit music to his sync service (free).
FREE! Before You Hire Someone To Pitch Your Music To Film Or TV… Adonis Tsilimparis – Music Supervisor, Composer, Music Licensing | Unfortunately there are many people who claim they can get your music into movies and TV shows, but who really don’t do anything but take your money. Learn how to recognize the reputable sync services and the ones that are shams.
How Is Music Composed For Films? Andy Hill – Dean at Film Scoring Academy of Europe, Former Music Production Supervisor for Disney } Learn the ins and outs of the film scoring industry, what it takes to be a successful composer and how to get those jobs.
FREE! Before You Register Your Songs With A Sync Service Or Library… Adonis Tsilimparis. – Music Supervisor, Composer, Music Licensing | Adonis shares how to recognize the good and less-reputable sync libraries.
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How Does Sync Licensing Work? Sindee Levin – Entertainment Attorney specializing in music sync | An in-depth look at what goes into a sync license (and what shouldn’t) and several various common terms based on the medium you’re licensing to.
Who Should Be On My Artist Team And How Do I Attract Them? Ritch Esra | Music Industry Veteran; Founder of The Music Business Registry | Ritch explains exactly who should be on an artists team, when they need them and how to attract them.
ALL MEMBERS
What Is It Like To Tour With A Major Artist? Ron ‘Blondie Boy’ Thaler – Drummer For Major Artists including Alicia Keys and many others, Producer, CEO of Soundsphere Studios | Ron explains what it’s like to tour with a major artist and what is expected of you. This is a very enlightening video, because there are many misconceptions about that life.
How Can I Tour With A Major Artist? Gary Grainger – Founder of the hit 70s funk band, Pockets, bass player for dozens of major jazz and R&B artists. | Another look at how performing in a major artist’s band works and how Gary got his prominent gigs.
PRO MEMBERS
How Can I Tour Japan? Apryl Peredo – Founder of Inter Idura; Tokyo-based tour promoter; Marketing – Apryl explains the current lay of the land in Japan and how artists can tour there.
What Is The Market Like In China And Can I Tour There? Eric De Fontenay, Promoter, Founder of Music Dish China – Eric explains the current lay of the land in China and if and when artists can tour there.
How Can I Produce A High Quality Music Video On A Budget? Michael Bihovsky – Musical Theater Composer, Artist, Songwriter, Director | A great video for anyone looking to create a high-impact music video with limited financial resources. Full of invaluable tips and tricks.
How Do I Ensure My Voice is 100% Healthy And In Top Shape All The Time? – Tracy Hamlin – acclaimed Jazz, R&B and Soulful House Music Vocalist, Producer, Songwriter | World-renowned singer, Tracy Hamlin shares the secrets that have enabled her to avoid any kinds of vocal challenges over her long and extremely busy year career.
What Is Vocal Coaching And Who Needs It? Judy Rodman – #1 Selling Artist, Hit Songwriter, Former ACM Female Vocalist of the Year | An in depth look at what a vocal coach does for singers, speakers, teachers and anyone else who depends on their voice for their career.
How Do I Maintain And Protect My Voice? Judy Rodman – #1 Selling Artist, Hit Songwriter, Former ACM Female Vocalist of the Year | This video is full of practical tips and tricks for protecting and maintaining your voice! Valuable information for every singer.
FREE! Before You Hire A Vocal Coach… Judy Rodman – #1 Selling Artist, Hit Songwriter, Former ACM Female Vocalist of the Year | Judy explains what to be aware of when shopping for a vocal coach. Some of the things she mentions could be