musicallyyours

Although performing and recording both require you to sing to your best ability, they are two very different things. Recording is extremely technical and usually requires numerous takes so that you can get the song, if not perfect, as close to perfect as possible. The key is to not let your producer’s direction and instructions inhibit your emotional connection with the song.

It is extremely important that you don’t just tell a story, you sell the story. From the moment that you begin the song a story is unfolding. Just like with a good movie, each verse is a scene, meant to build up to the climatic finish. As the vocalist, it is imperative that you do just that, build the song through vocal quality and the emotion that you convey in your voice.

Be aware of how you annunciate, yes everyone has their own individual styles, but how will your audience know what the song is about if they can’t understand you. Sometimes you might even have to over annunciate in order for the audience to clearly get what you are saying. In addition to that be conscious of how you round your tones and how you end your phrases. This adds to the style of the song because these things add to the inflection in your voice. For example, if you are singing about being wronged in a love affair, ending your phrases crisply shows your anger.

It is also key, when recording, that you test the microphone and establish a professional relationship with the engineer. As you get further into recording, this person will become like your best friend. Don’t be afraid to communicate with them what’s going on with your headphones, microphone, etc.

Recording can be a rewarding experience, resulting in a platinum album. Just like with everything in life, practice makes perfect. Let the professionals guide you on your journey through the recording process. Bring your vocal skills, willingness to learn, and ambition to the table and recording your first song will a cinch.

Every now and then I wake up feeling really grateful. Not to say that I am not grateful every morning that I am alive, it’s just some mornings the feeling is so powerful I feel the need to share. On these occasions I turn to different songs to help me communicate the feelings that I awoke to. I call these songs my food for my soul. These are songs written by different artists, in all different genres, and sometimes in different languages.

That is one of the most inspiring and beautiful things about music, if it is good, you will know it, your soul will know it. That is why my own music is so important to me. Through music you can communicate a vast array of emotions, thoughts, and states of being. Do you realize how powerful that is? To be able to communicate with any and everyone who comes in contact with your music know matter what you are saying.

On these mornings, when I awake with such gratitude, I am also humbled. I am humbled that I am lucky enough to be born with the gift of song. I feel it is my duty to share this gift. Not for fame or fortune, but for my gratitude to be known to the highest authority.

Feeding your mind is a lot like feeding your body. If you put crap into it, you won’t be able to function. So if your depressed, listen to songs that make you feel light hearted not songs that make you feel sad. Feed your soul the things it needs and you too will awake with a greater sense of gratitude.

There is no question that we live in a great country. We set the standard for music today, through almost all of the genres. However, I feel that we have gotten away from meaningful music. The human experience is one of many mysteries because there is no one alike. If you take one bank robbery, with twelve hostages, all twelve of those hostages will relay a different experience. Of course there will be similarities, but as individuals the experience in itself will affect each one differently.

That is how music is supposed to be. The content of a lot of today’s songs are extremely blah. The song that you just listened to on your radio is just like the one that followed. A tempo change here, interchange artist A with Artist B, and PRESTO CHANGEO! you have got a new song. This really saddens me to the point that I rarely listen to the radio.

Yet, the saddest part is that the music with heart, with soul, and depth gets lost in the shuffle. You have to have XM radio in order to get specialty stations so that you can find quality music. I, for one, am seriously tired of this rampaging epidemic of garbage. I want to be moved. I want to feel as if I am personally being spoken to because I can identify with what the song is about.

Here in America, we are looked at as trendsetters. But what does it take to come out of the current trend into a new one? The big labels put so much into already established artists, as they should for profit sake, but they don’t seem to realize that people are bored.

In examining my own preferences I realized that I have not been as open, in the last year or so, to new artists and genres as I have in the past. So I have embarked on a new journey of discovery. Each week I am going to visit a independent music site and I am going to listen. When I hear something I like I am going to try and support that artist. I will also feature their music through a review on this site.

This is my call to action people. Now is the time to do the same, find the next big thing, and do it based on quality of content, style, vocal ability, instrumental ability, production style, etc. Do it until the new trend of meaningful music starts.

“Soft as whispers light as snow I fly………” This the beginning of one of the first songs my former writing partner and I wrote in 1997. When I think of the process of writing a song and how I have evolved as a writer I think back to the days when my song-writings were more like poems set to music. Now I’m not saying that as a songwriter you can not use poetry, prose, etc. to create a song. However, as you become a more skilled songwriter, writing songs will become more formatted.

Some might think that following a format limits your creativity. This could not be more untrue. Whenever you are writing, some type of creativity goes into it, and it is up to you where the limitations are set. The following format is standard because it is widely used and easy to follow for both musicians and listeners.

First there is the intro, this can be totally instrumental or the vocalist and lead in. Then the first verse, which is usually 8 bars, followed by the chorus, second verse, and chorus again. There are variations, that include a first and second verse, then chorus, third verse chorus again.  This depends on song length, but keep in mind that radio-ready songs are no more than four minutes. At this point there is a instrumental solo and/or bridge, and to conclude the song the chorus vamp with, in some cases, additional background and lead ad libs.

Of course this format does not guarantee a #1 song. As I stated earlier, it is a widely used format that makes songwriting easier to do and understand, especially for beginners. I, myself, have used many different styles and formats in the twenty-nine years that I have been writing songs. As in all things creative, songwriting is about self expression most of all.

“Carelessly drifting above wrath and pain, they say I’m crazy, I say there’s pleasure in being insane…” At the time that I wrote these lyrics I used my music as my therapy for my frustrations. Through the years my songwriting still plays the part as my outlet for my “insanities”. There is no set way for me to creatively express myself, at least in the sense where only one way works. However, there are methods and formats that are tried and true as in the fore mentioned format. I believe that everyone has to start somewhere. If you have a little help along the way the easier it will be for you to grow and the more confident you will feel about trying other methods. As you begin or continue your songwriting journey creative freely, allow yourself room for error and remember that all things creative lead back to the music.

Welcome to Today.com. Musically Yours is just what the titles suggests, a blog about music, for music lovers, professionals, ametuers, and everyone else on the planet!

The purpose of this blog is to communicate with the world about music, through advice, testimonials, editorials, videos, performance pieces, and insight that I have gained as a vocalist, songwriter, producer, and researcher. I do not believe that I am the world’s foremost expert, but I do believe that I have an extensive database of knowledge to share about the subject.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan I am the daughter of Anthony Hawkins, lead vocalist and guitarist of the Black Merda Band. My father has been in the music business as an artist, instrumentalist, studio engineer, producer, songwriter, consultant, and company owner for over 30 years. Through him I have aquired so much knowledge and experience from the age of five.

This is the first music blog that I have written and I am convienced that it will be the journey of a lifetime. I hope that I am able to reach, inspire, motivate, and cultivate many, many people through this blog. I humbly invite you to accompany on my journey and remember all things creative lead back to the music.

Check out my music at www.myspace.com/brandyfayehawkins

Check out the Black Merda Band at www.myspace.com/blackmerdamusic

And www.myspace.com/blackmerdaband