Message to

MUSICIANS

This site is reaching every musician who expresses themselves, in one way or another, with the use of their instrument.  Displayed in their drums, horns, strings, voices, their batons and scores, pen and paper, vinyl, CDs and now computers, Respect Music's content reaches such a diverse collective at once, only possible as the task is about our lives in the respect of music. 

Musicians move the world. 

Musicians are always about creative possibility and transformation.  In other words, we move and the world moves.  If on the other hand we stay put, the world also stays put.  Music is more powerful than even money, for music generates more money (post-production) than the money made from making music (pre-production). This realization alone is crucial in distinguishing the power of the musician. 

All can agree that all musicians have biases with, perspectives on, view-points from and opinions about everything encountered in and around music ...from it's organic side to the business side.  Wouldn't it be fair, then, to add that collectively, musicians also carry all they need to transform the state of affairs they presently find themselves in? 

Respect Music's aim:

1. Disassociate the word "starving" from "musician".  It no longer applies.
2. Opening worlds of music to one another, expanding horizons, raising "the bar" the most natural way possible, all for executing quality musicianship.
3. Begin by bridging two presently powerful types of performers, the professional dance music DJ and the professional live musician and entertainer, in order to collaborate at supreme levels of artistic expression.
4. Changing a viewpoint that the DJ is "just playing other people's music".  It is limiting and disadvantageous.  See what is possible, what is available in expanding musical platforms upon which to perform on.
5. Promoting personal musical expression and professional expansion beyond styles, types and categories of music.
6. There is much to learn from how a professional DJ works a crowd for hours at a time, difficult to achieve by musicians today.  Understandably, our city laws, limited club scheduling and stage duration, limited material/work/skills, plus other commitments, second jobs, other gigs or just plain exhaustion make "hours at a time" for a musician near impossible.  There's a solution, and it's within reach.
7. Musicians are more important than are made to be.  (Your audience thinks so, anyway.)

8. The use of written contract is, for instance, the perfect medium for the musician to handle business matters, as business dialog is not needed; all your needs are written down.

9. We can list a slew of things all DJs need to know about musicians requirements, and they know it, and we will.

 
Want to comment, add opinions and/or ideas?  Join here, free.

With intentions toward understanding more the DJs world, the following are some ideas & suggestions that can help.

LISTEN

Listen to various types of dance music.  See "Electronica" in iTunes, for instance, and listen to the variety of styles of dance music to be found there. There exist many more great websites that feature DJs sending digital beats through the netwaves, 24/7.  Listen for what fits your style, energy, tempo and feel.

1. All musicians will most likely enjoy House music.
2. Classically trained musicians may find Trance, Techno & Drum'n'bass quite alluring.
3. Improvisational Jazz musicians can merge into any styles, given their listening sensitivity and professionalism. Understanding the formatting, layering and 16 & 32 bar structure of dance music is but a small learning curve, yet having mainly to do with expanding your ear, the expression of your music, all relative to the deepening of your soul.
4. Rock musicians, you're on your own.  (A joke.)  Funk, Blues, Rock & Pop musicians are, in fact, vital to expanding music's horizons.  Every word said to Jazz musicians pertain to you.
5. Ethnic & World musicians have been leaders in the expansion of music as a way of life.  Only after musicians merge with DJs (as conductors), will we meet the Ethnic musician.  (A perfect thesis to write on.)

FIND

Find out where your local underground dance music scenes are, and go check them out... absorb the night, the beauty, the energy, stand in the center of the dance floor if you can, and let go. You will find listings in alternative magazines (often free), local and neighborhood papers, and through flyers, often conveniently found in your windshield wipers. (Such flyers are, for some, the only way they can reach out to new audiences.)

LINK

Here are some links that'll help:  (add your link? Email us.)

• The Underground Beat
• Undaground Archives
• BounceFM
• Fusicology
• Tracks-online.com

LOOK

Look for DJs who are interested in adding you to their set as a live performer.  Not all will, and not all can.  DJs are as protective of their performances and their audiences as you are or would be with yours.

GIVE

A MINUTE OF YOU

1. Besides any personal recordings, songs and tracks you use to feature yourself, also on CD, offer a recording of 1 to 2 minutes of your playing.  Accapella is best (solo, with no musical accompaniment), yet with any chordal structure of your choosing.
2. With a click track or a rhythmic consistent tempo track of either:
   1. 80 to 100 b.p.m. (includes Hip Hop / Down Tempo)
   2. 105 to 130 b.p.m. (includes Down Tempo / House Music)
   3. 115 to 135 b.p.m. (includes Techno / Drum&Bass / Ambient Trance)
   4. 130 to 145+ b.p.m. (includes Trance / outer limits)

1. include a business card and info on the CD, with link to your site.

COMMUNICATE

To improve your ability to fit in well, suggest to the DJ to use Upper Hand in communicating when and what they want you to play. Learn a few of the basic signs yourself and pass it on to your DJ contacts.  Forward them to www.respectmusic.net so they get their very own .PDF file of Upper Hand.

PERFORM

Technical notes about performing with DJ.

 

For headlining with DJ

Headphones and a way to monitor your performance pre-house mix (with a DJ mixer, for example) will become a must.  [The positioning of the channel volume on the mixer is generally neutral on the gain and mixer volume up to the top.]  Using a DJ mixer, you can noodle around and try ideas that only you hear without stepping on what the DJ is already playing. DJs use a cue mix all night long to make sure what they are about to bring into the mix works. You, as a live performing musician accompanying a full set along side the DJ, need to do the same.   This includes upon arrival, setting up while a DJ is already performing.  Always be sensitive of any sound you produce.

 

Note: Fold-out tabletop may be needed.

 

For special feature with DJ

If, on the other hand, you are only adding a few minutes at a time, and you are adept to performing "in the moment" with any given track/song, then a mic, XLR cable, a pre-amp effects processor with XLR mic-in and RCA outs to the DJ's mixer LINE IN is the next best thing.  LAST RESORT do you want to use the built-in mic input (in most DJ mixers today) when using a pre-amp of any sort.  You must keep the volume gauge on the mixer to ONLY DECIMAL POINTS above 0.  (trust me.)  Only then can you use the volume gauge on your pre-amp. 

 

For walk-on stage surprise with DJ

Upon invitation, you are asked to sing or play.  In such cases are you strongly encouraged to bring with you and your instrument (or voice) a mic and two cables:  XLR to XLR and XLR to 1/4 inch.  A mic stand is also always great to have near by.  Turntable-oriented night clubs don't know to always have a few mic stands in the back.

RECORD

Record your performances everywhere you are.  There is no excuse.  A musician must develop the ability to record and/or acquire audio of any personal performances made. Upon it's sale and distribution, printed or virtual, will it matter most.  Contract agreement and name mention necessary, unless you intend on giving your performance away. 

PROTECT

Don't be afraid of using contracts.  Contracts are clear and express well point by point demands and requirements you need.  A happy musician makes a great night every time.  Respect Music is in the process of formulating an easy to comprehend pie chart break down of all financial benefits to everyone involved in the creation of any musical performance.  Stay tuned, or be a part of it.

DON'T

1. Don't undermine having "an ear".  It's the key to your ability to communicate with other musicians in a live setting, anytime/anywhere, whether sheets of music or not.  In fact, train that ear of yours like crazy.  Jazz and improvisation apply here.
2. Don't hesitate to give us your input and your feedback, for Respect Music is for the progress of music and it's creators, you.
3. Don't worry if you believe you can't solo.  First off, it's a belief, and beliefs are not truths.  A solo is one individual's time to "speak" or express, and a groove is just as much an expression as is the melody, when speaking through your instrument.  Any musician will agree, a grooving guitarist is irreplaceable.

Sign up today, and rock on!