COSMO Coalition - Mental Whittling - a Blog by President Steve Scott

Mental Whittling
By Steve Scott

Being Unforgettable

As I have transitioned from television production to the music scene, I find myself being asked to provide input on the creative and performing side of music.  I spent some years with entertainment companies with projects in musical variety television and eventually as head of production at the Aladdin Theatre For Performing Arts in Las Vegas where I supervised and produced all in house concerts and television programs and where I routinely culled new artist submissions. Of course most TV involvement was with established talent such as Anthony Newly, Cool and The Gang, The Follie Bergere Dancers, concerts with major-name Latin recording artists and even the Broadway song and dance show “Thousand Years of Jazz.”

More recently through COSMO (Coalition of Songwriter & Music Organizations), my participation as a member of the industry on various music panels and  conference presentations has put a more public face to my prior behind-the-scenes activities of staging and producing.

Because I am now being asked so often to listen to artist CDs, I feel moved to offer some observations, perhaps even to dispense some opinions and advice:

I always feel great sympathy for an artist who invests a lot of time and a lot of money to record a full CD album of some 14 tracks, and I do not hear one “hit” song. Rather, I hear 14 tracks of promise, sometimes great promise, but 14 songs that need to be fixed, that is, lyrically tweaked or re-written, musically re-vamped and in general, brought up to a higher level of commercial promotability.

I ask myself if there was a planned development period, a stage where this material got work-shopped, showcased for professional critique, exposed to a mentor or artist-friendly professional “insider?”  In other words, so often a “finished” CD is submitted for review, or for a song competition or for referral to licensing, and the material contains problems, obvious problems such as trite thoughts and expressions, forced rhyme, word selection that doesn’t match the musical phrasing (prosody); songs that don’t provoke, invoke or have emotional impact; music that doesn’t modulate, where chords or structure don’t build or differentiate from verse to chorus; songs that are so micro-personal, that lacking a universal message, they are not commercial. (“Personal” if done well, can be universal, but songs need to be cohesive and focused and not wander through too many themes.  Find new ways to present an old thought.)

Then there is the matter of recording production. The producing choices, the mix, the instrumentation, the use of effects, the vocal tracks, the arranging, the mastering, and all the other elements that speak to broadcast quality. Importantly, let the submittee know if this is a demo or something other than a final mastered selection.

Here let me say that as a music consumer, and, to the extent my advice will be considered, I do have a couple of preferences: First, if there is a lyric, I want to hear it and understand it. Please don’t let the production overshadow your words and please enunciate. In other words, give me a final mix that allows the vocal track to be understood. I want the music production to support and augment the song lyric, not to compete with it.

Secondly, if you accompany yourself on an instrument or are accompanied in your live set and on your recording with side musicians, there is nothing more satisfying than to hear some licks of virtuosity. Dude, entertain me!

Be unforgettable.

Steve

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Mental Whittling

by Steve Scott

I put together a list of 7 “Star Elements:” Key ingredients that are shared by every major star. By request, I will again pass this on to you. Many of the points are easy to pass off as self-evident and therefore easy to pass over. Don’t. Read and ponder. Give each point the attention it needs to seep into your consciousness. Let each point become part of your persona.

1. Passion: There is so much contained in this word. It suggests the investment of a driving positive energy. It suggests a commitment and dedication to a degree that will lead to success, to a degree that can only lead to success.

2. Showmanship: Being a “star” is all about entertaining. It encompasses performance style and performance dynamics. Be electric. Star charisma develops automatically from an animated dynamic performance that you share with your audience.

3. Great Music & Lyrics: Whether original or acquired, you and your advisors must deliver hit material. (There is so much more that can be said to address this important issue, and which I will address separately.)

4. Commercially Marketable: You are easily recognized as unique: either your persona, your style, your “act.” To be remarkable is to be marketable.

5. Attitude: Own the spotlight; command the stage. Your confident positive manner will spill over and reinforce each of the other points on this list.

6. Continue to Grow: Accept and build upon professional direction and positive criticism. (I have gathered research and made observations about those that succeed and I will share this concept of “Deliberate Practice & Rehearsal” in a later article). A serious performer accepts a life of practice, vocal and instrumental coaching and instructional mentoring.

7. Have a Team: Every successful enterprise has a “back office” team. Build an organization to handle all of the business matters of recording, touring, merchandising, fan relations, legal, accounting and personal assisting.

I will sign off this session with a suggested “8th” point to consider: Give back from your success. As you prosper in your career, establish a means for helping others in your community.

Till next time….keep whittling them thoughts.

Steve

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