Schmoozing for Gigs

By: Ty Cohen

If you want to get gigs, then you are going to have to do some schmoozing with club owners, bar owners and people of that nature. This means you are going to have to appear as professional and convincing as possible. You are going to have to come prepared with all the gear you need to successfully market yourself so you can book gigs and get paid.

First impressions are the most important thing in this biz. If you want to book gigs then you need to bring the following things with you to a meeting: a resume, a demo, a business card (with a link to your site), a poster or flyer, price and a confidant attitude. And most importantly, dress for success. You don't have to wear a tux, just look presentable. You might even want to bring your instruments in case they want a short live audition, you never know.

Hopefully you will get the gig and it will end right there but you may not get hired right away. If this is you then you need to have a little persistence. Stop in every week or so and see if they have anything for you. Ask them if anyone has canceled and if there is a spot that needs to be filled. But beware, there is a fine line between persistence and stalking so be careful you are not doing the latter. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

There are other places to play besides bars and clubs. Get creative! What about coffee shops, music stores, high school dances, book stores, restaurants, parks, festivals, fairs, or private parties? The same rules apply when meeting with the people that are related to these events and places. If you can't find gigs at these places, ask them to refer you to someplace you can book gigs. If you present yourself professionally then they will respect you, even if they don't have a spot for you.

One thing you can try to do is convince the owners or whoever you are meeting with that you can draw a crowd. Don't promise this if you can't make it happen. And if you promise this, then you need to make it happen. I am sure you have friends, family, acquaintances and co-workers that you can convince to come see you. It is even better if you have a solid group of fans going that will show up as well.

All of these tips will help you get gigs. Market yourself because no one else is going to do it. Remember, you can be your best asset or your worst enemy. Don't go to a meeting unprepared and don't stalk the people you have meeting with. If you want to get gigs then presenting yourself as a professional, top quality musician the eventually people will be knocking at your door for a change.

Author Bio
The former owner of an independent record label, current owner of Platinum Millennium publishing & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. He's also the author & creator of 40+ best-selling music business books, reports, courses, audio products & more "How to" resources, that helped 1000s of people like you to success. Go to www.GiggingforDollars.com for more info.

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Choosing an MP3 Player

By: Christine Peppler

The market for MP3 Players can be a confusing one, just as it is for many home and portable electronics. Some of the most important things to consider when shopping for an MP3 player are how you personally wish to use the player, its weight/size, and storage capacity.

Image via Wikipedia

In addition, you will need to become somewhat knowledgeable about file formats and compatibility with your PC.

First, think about the type of device you really want.

Hard drive-based MP3 player:

These offer the most storage; from 10 GB and higher (up to 80GB) allowing you to put huge amounts of music on one device. They also have larger display screens and are easy to use. For these reasons, they are an excellent choice for use when commuting in your car. A hard drive-based MP3 player is larger and heavier however. They have movable parts which can be jarred during motion which makes them a poor choice for use during fitness activities. A hard drive-based MP3 player usually has rechargeable batteries which can be a cost saver but many are not removable and must be replaced after 4 or 5 years. There are also some "micro" hard drive-based players with a capacity that tops out around 12GB. Although smaller/lighter than a regular hard drive-based player their moving parts still make them a poor choice for activity.

Flash-based MP3 players:

A flash-based MP3 player is an excellent choice for use during exercise/activity. They have no moving parts, are extremely compact, and have a 32 MB-8GB capacity. Due to the lack of moving parts their batteries tend to last longer. With all of this convenience however they actually have a much higher per megabyte cost than the hard drive devices.

MP3 CD Players:

These devices can play standard CDs and can store up to 650 MB. They are the least expensive MP3 Player but they are large and can skip when moved thus are not a good choice for use during activity.


Once you have determined which type of MP3 player is best suited to you based on how you wish to use it and how much storage is desire, you will want to consider issues related to downloading music.

What format is used?

MP3 is the most common but some of the others include .aac, .wma, .wav, and atrac. These are all formats used to compress music files so that they can be downloaded quickly and take up less memory. WMA formats for instance, allow the user to store nearly twice as much per megabyte but are a less common file type that MP3. This is important to consider since any particular file type can not be used if your MP3 player does not support it.

Connecting to your computer and downloading:

If you want to download music from your PC a USB 2.0 standard interface is much faster than USB 1.0. A FireWire Port or FireWire PCI card is also fast but only supported on some computers.


Finally, be sure to check for other features such as the following:

The display:

Can you read it? This is important as it allows you to use the functions on the device and provides information you want such as the title, artist and other playlist information.

Other functions and features:

FM radio reception, a remote, a clip to attach to your bag or possibly an armband if you're active, the ability to record music live or from stereo components, voice recording, or advanced playback features. Some flash MP3 players offer a stopwatch function or other fitness related features. Newer MP3 players now offer color screens, photo viewing, and video playback for those who want all the bells and whistles.

There are a large number of MP3 player products on the market, finding the right one requires buyers to carefully consider which functions and features are most desirable for them. Using a simple buying guide can get a shopper thinking in the right direction and simplify the selection process.

Author Bio: The author, Christine Peppler, invites readers to visit homemedias.info for more information about using or buying an MP3 player.

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Music and Art: Bringing Nations Together

Music and art are two methods of communicating that need no translation. Music can evoke the same emotions anywhere in the world, no matter what the language. It is, quite literally, a universal language. Art is, as well, an image can depict the same thing no matter which language you speak.The unique ability of these two creative outlets to cross borders and appeal to all walks of life, as well as cultures, means that it is ideal for uniting nations.

Music Bands: Bridging the Gap

There was a time when all music bands tended to stay in their home country, particularly those who were non-American. The impact of smaller, more alternative bands being able to present their music to the world has been huge! Suddenly, anyone can buy a cd of music from India, Russia, or Japan, without having to even travel to the country and spend much money.

When music bands first began to cross borders, they usually did so with countries similar to their own. A West German band might play in East Germany, for example, or a Canadian band would do a tour in the US or England and vice versa. While still sharing, it was limited. Then came the international tours, where one band would perform in dozens of countries around the world and the music created a link between them all.

Now, you`ll find that singers, musicians and entire music bands are able to perform in nearly any country, no matter their origin. It`s a huge leap forward for a world that was once so full of racism , sexual discrimination, and fear of other cultures. Now, cultures can share between themselves and are the richer for it. Cds, mp3s and other forms of music have spread this multicultural message around the world and people are discovering entirely new genres of music that they never even knew existed, yet hold a powerful message anyway.

Borders are inconsequential when it comes to music. The internet has basically created a potential link between every single country in the world, but with language barriers, there are still issues to be faced when sharing information. That`s why music and anything artistic is so important. Watching a video on YouTube that is set to music, rather than words, conveys the same message to anyone who watches it, no matter where they might live or what language is their mother tongue. Music and art can reach everyone.

Art: Combining with Music

Artistic endeavors such as drawing, painting, sculpting and animation have always been methods of communicating between two people who had no language in common. Museums have known this for a long time and frequently present foreign art in their shows, creating interesting attractions and exposing entire countries to new talent and cultures.

However, while art and music are wonderful on their own, there`s nothing as powerful as the two combined. We`ve seen it time and time again, where art is set to music to create something that is so much more than either of the two parts.

In many cases, the music is what inspired the visual art. Many sculptors listen to music as they work, allowing the creativity of the compositions flow through them and into their sculpture. The same goes for painters, who often have a favorite music band that they listen to when working on a painting. It`s a powerful medium to work with and just listening to it can help artists create more incredible works of art.

Then again, sometimes music and art simply flow together to tell a story, a tale that the world can enjoy without having to understand English, or French, or Russian, because music truly is a universal language and when combined with visual art, it provides a method of conveying your message, whatever it is, to the masses.

How We Use Music and Art

A huge number of people who use the internet use it to view videos. That means the potential for creating a video that is pure art and music and having it seen around the world is huge. People love the combination and when there is no language barrier, that means the video will often be sent to friends and family around the globe, turning it into a viral message that passes over borders without fail.

While the internet has made it very possible to share visual art and music with anyone, there are more mainstream methods, as well. Children`s choirs, for example, are one way that we have enjoyed musical art from other countries. It`s not uncommon for concerts and music videos from many countries to be played on one television channel. Even museums usually incorporate some form of background music into their cultural displays, making them that much more powerful. It`s impossible not to feel something as you gaze at Genghis Khan`s armor in a museum display and hear the same sort of music that he would have heard, or view a Hindu funeral pyre while listening to Indian music. It evokes an emotional response that makes what we are looking at that much more important and real to us.

This isn`t just true of things in a museum. You will find that emotional responses can be garnered even from more abstract images and music. It`s the combination that works to create a new feeling, to pass something from the creator of the piece to the listening viewer.

Whether mainstream or independent, music and visual art have spanned the globe and reached millions of people, bringing nations together under a love of all that is musical and artistic. It`s been a way to blend cultures and expose people to new ones and the combination of music and art has turned our world into a place that is much smaller and much friendlier than ever before in history.

Author: Anatoly Podkopov, Ylotana Project @ www.ylotana.com

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Fun and Happiness Bring Good Fortune

“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” For many people, the words “fun” and “fortune” don’t go together naturally. It’s a shame the magical causal connection between play and prosperity is not fully appreciated. The truth is, having fun naturally leads to good fortune. Good fortune means happiness, health, abundance and opportunity. When we’re having fun—feeling good—we naturally attract other people to us. Call it charisma, personal power, or the Law of Attraction. It’s the physics of fun.

By the way, where did we get the idea that life is serious? Seriousness is highly overrated in the Western culture. We’re taught that you have to be serious to be heard, get things done right, and survive in this precarious, tough world. In fact, the opposite is true. The lighter we touch the limited world of mass consciousness, the more we’re able to create whatever we choose. The freer we are of our past, our restrictive programming, and our rigid patterns, the easier it is to thrive on this planet. And to enjoy the ride!

What do people want most in the world? What is the most sought-after goal? From the moment we awaken to the moment we close our eyes at night, what is it we seek every minute of the day? We want to feel good. Everyone wants the same thing—to be happy, to feel good. That’s why we go to parties, concerts and movies. That’s why we seek out friends and partnerships. The primary motivation behind every action we take is the desire to feel happy. Even when we’re focused on moving away from pain, we are, in effect, moving toward feeling good—physically, emotionally and spiritually. By awakening our good feelings, we attract the people, money and opportunities that help us get our heart’s desires—good fortune.

Contrary to the opinion of many folks, it’s OK to want to have fun in everything you do in life. It’s not selfish, insensitive or self-centered. Wanting life to be fun is natural, normal and healthy—and profitable! Studies show as business people know: the public buys from the salespeople they feel good around. Beyond price and benefits, people want to feel good. It’s not the product they want—it’s the good feeling they’re getting from the salesperson associated with the product or service. So, if you’re authentically feeling good, people want what you exude. They want to be around you, be associated with you, be helpful to you—and buy from you. When you feel good, you naturally begin to feel loving toward others and yourself. You naturally begin to take better care of your environment and your body. You’re more able and willing to help others feel good and get what they want in life. You win. The world wins.

Every aspect of life goes better with fun. Fun can lubricate even the most tedious chore. And fun can infuse even the most serious of situations with the lightness of delight. Of course life situations confront us daily where we need to be focused and strong. But enjoying each moment does not diminish our ability to be decisive and efficient. In fact, a flexible, light-hearted approach usually helps us be more resourceful and effective. A spirit of playfulness spawns creativity and success.
You have to have something in order to give something. You have to possess the qualities you value in order to share them with others. If you’re not willing to give yourself happiness, how can you help others find happiness? Create the attitude and conditions that make fun more likely to occur in your daily affairs. Invite surprise. Welcome serendipity. Cultivate spontaneity. Be open to unexpected sources of income, resources and support—especially those that don’t “make sense” to the intellect with its limited range of possibilities.

Notice how synchronicity playfully guides us to our goals. Know that the whole of your life—people and events—has been orchestrated behind-the-scenes by your soul to bring you the profound adventures you want to experience this lifetime. Approach life as if the whole of creation is conspiring to bring you goodness … because it is! Because the good feeling of happiness would, by definition, bring good fortune (happiness). And that merely owning property may or may not secure happiness.

Take an outrageous voyage through your own humanity—a journey to turn yourself inside out and explore the extent of your self-expressive power. Play, spontaneity and improvisation are integral aspects of being human, healthy and happy. Ancient and tribal peoples play, sing, chant, drum, dance and act out stories as basic ways to relate socially, to make individual and collective decisions, and to achieve goals in daily life. Play yourself into a new arena of personal creativity, resourcefulness and inspiration. Open to the spirit and magic of living life through the wonderment of childlike adventure, innocence, lightheartedness, humor and irreverence.

Certainly, some things are too important to be taken seriously.

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The Seven Awareness/Manifestation Principles

Self-awareness incorporates recognition of our individuality, our strong points and weak spots, our likes and dislikes. Developing self-awareness can help us to recognize when we are stressed or under pressure. It is also often a prerequisite for effective communication and interpersonal relations, as well as for developing empathy for others. Certain principles teach us how to align with divine elements and abilities to dominate moods, control environment as well as to manifest into life the desires of the heart. These are what we call Laws of Awareness or Manifestation Principles. Here are seven of them:

Mentalism - "The all is mind; the universe is mental". The universe is a creation of the mind. Everything that is thought becomes a reality within the mind of the all. All that which is within the mind of the all is what reality is made of. This is a mental universe.

Correspondence - "As above so below; as below, so above." Everything that occurs, does so in relation to the all. What happens within, happens without. What occur above, occurs below. When a thought is contemplated, it appears in reality; all realities in one form or another. Nothing escapes the law. Creator creates and it becomes.

Vibration - "Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates." All of life is life within the all. Vibration is the means by which creation appears in higher or lower form. Frequency permeates through all things. Masters have used this principle to dominate control over elemenst (ie weather, events, circumstances). Science agrees that all is within motion. At the subatomic level, all that exists is energy in motion.

Polarity - "Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled." When a master Hermetist focuses on one pole and neutralizes the undesirable pole, he masters conscious manifestation. All it takes is desire, focus and determination.

Rhythm - "Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates." A master learns to rise above the pendulum swing, thereby allowing the desired to occur and the undesired to remain in the unconscious. The Hermetist uses the flow of rhythum and is not used by it.

Cause and Effect - "Every cause has its effect; every effect has its cause; everything happens according to law; chance is but a name or law not recognized; there are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the law." A master knows to become at greater cause by rising higher in vibration, to the higher plane of causation. A master is consciously aware of every cause creating each and every effect.

Gender - "Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles; gender manifests on all planes" Masculine and feminine refer to a giving and receiving exchange in every creation that which is manifested. Thought represents giving, and taking it in represents the receiving and allowing for an idea to manifest into reality.

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Fashion is Communicating Life in All Its Splendor : The Donna Karan Biography

" Designing is an expression of who I am as a woman, with all the complications, feelings and emotions," says Donna Karan, chief designer of the international company that bears her name. "Everything I do is a matter of heart, body and soul."

Indeed, Karan acclaims her feminine instincts to the success of the company she founded in 1984 with her late husband Stephan Weiss, which went on to become a publicly-traded enterprise in 1996, and then five years later, was acquired by its present owner, the French luxury conglomerate, LVMH, Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Says Karan, "That I'm a woman makes me want to nurture others, fulfill needs and solve problems. At the same time, the artist within me strives for beauty, both sensually and visually. So design is a constant challenge to balance comfort with luxury, the practical with the desirable.

Meeting the challenge began to run from the simplicity of a bodysuit to the artisan glamour of a limited edition hand-painted devore dress. Whatever form the design takes, Karan will tell you it begins and ends with the body - its sensual expression, sense of security, and freedom of movement.

A contemporary system of dressing, Karan's concept is based on seven easy pieces, where a handful of interchangeable items work together to create an entire wardrobe that goes from day to evening, weekday to weekend, season to season. "I'm designing for an international man and woman. A creative person who never knows where a day is going to take them," says Karan. "That's why New York is on the label. It sets the pace, the attitude."

Speaking in a multi-cultural language of fashion, Karan is inspired by life and the innate style of the artist. Quintessential hallmarks include black cashmere, leather, jersey stretch and molded fabrics, as well as silhouettes that wrap and sculpt the body.

It's never been just about clothes. It's about a lifestyle. She sees the entire picture from head-to-toe, from function to aesthetic. "How do I dress the leg?" inspired Donna Karan Hosiery. "The right bra, T-shirts and sleepwear?" Donna Karan Intimates. "The perfect glasses?" Donna Karan Eyewear. The list goes on to include shoes, belts, accessories and, as Karan puts it, "Everything you need to pull yourself together."

Karan's quest for the perfect jeans, as well as her desire to dress her daughter Gabby, resulted in the 1989 birth of DKNY. Fast fashion with an urban mind-set, DKNY is what Karan calls "the pizza to Collection's caviar." DKNY grew so popular and diverse that other brands and labels spun from it, including DKNY Jeans, pure, DKNY Active, DKNY Underwear, DKNY Juniors, DKNY Kids, and DKNY Baby (Not surprisingly, Karan's grandkids and friends' kids had much to do with the latter brands). Like Collection, DKNY has myriad accessory lines to underscore its New York City street-smart look.

Karan saw that the many men in her life, starting with her husband, also needed a sophisticated system of dressing. Considering Karan's father was a custom tailor, a menswear collection was inevitable, and it was founded in 1992. Since men cannot live by doubleface cashmere suits alone, DKNY Men emerged a year later in answer to his casual, sport side. Both menswear lines beget other collections, from tailored suits to dress furnishings and shoes.

Determined to seduce all the senses, Karan took on the world of beauty in 1992 under the business and creative leadership of her husband, who designed the bottles and jars for the signature fragrances and their ancillary products. The beauty division went on to introduce an award-winning skincare line and best-selling fragrances that include Cashmere Mist and DKNY scents for men and women. Completing the lifestyle approach to design, in 2001 Karan introduced a Donna Karan New York Home collection "all about touch and feel," which includes everything from luxe bedding and candles to cashmere throws, and DKNY Life, which accents the contemporary city home with fashion-forward bedding and accessories.

Donna Karan International has seventy company-owned and licensed freestanding Donna Karan collection and DKNY stores worldwide. The first flagships opened in London, DKNY in 1997, and Collection a year later. 1999 marked the opening of the uptown New York City DKNY flagship store, located at 60th Street and Madison Avenue, and two years later, came the downtown DKNY flagship on West Broadway in SoHo. Bringing it back to where it all began, in 2001 Karan opened the Donna Karan New York flagship store, the premiere Collection showcase, at 819 Madison Avenue. Designed as "a serene escape from the city's chaos," a dramatic indoor/outdoor river rock garden runs through the townhouse's ground floor.

For Karan, it literally and creatively began in New York. She was born into fashion on Long Island. Not only was her father Gabby Faske (who died when Karan was three) a tailor, her mother Helen was a showroom model and fashion sales rep. Even Karan's stepfather Harold Flaxman was in the fashion business. So it was only natural that Karan, while still in high school, designed her first collection and staged her first show.

Following her second year at Parson's School of Design, Karan was hired by Anne Klein for a summer job. It was an association that would shape the rest of Karan's life. After three years as associate designer, Karan was named successor following Klein's death in 1974. Louis Dell'Olio, a Parson's friend, joined her a year later, together they designed the Anne Klein Collection. In a foreshadow of DKNY, Karan created Anne Klein II in 1982, originating the concept of bridge and lifestyle dressing in fashion.

Ten years after Klein died, Karan was ready to go out on her own with the support of Weiss and partner Takiyho, Inc. the owner of Anne Klein & Co. Fall 1985 saw the first Donna Karan New York Collection and the reaction from the press and retailers proved once again that Karan made fashion history.

Throughout her long career, Karan's peers have acknowledged her achievements with numerous accolades. The Council of Fashion Designers of America has saluted her an unprecedented six times. Because the industry has been so generous and supportive, Karan feels it crucial to give back, which is why she spends as much time as possible at her alma mater Parson's lecturing and critiquing students' work.

Using her company's visibility and resources for social causes is a heartfelt priority. A member of CFDA's board of directors, Karan conceived as well as spearheaded its Seventh on Sale benefits to raise funds for AIDS awareness and education. Karan co-chairs the annual New York "Kids for Kids" events for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, as she has since its 1993 inception, as well as the yearly "Super Saturday," a flea market/barbecue founded with the late Liz Tilberis in 1998 to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. She is an active supporter of New York City's Dia Center for the Arts, one of the most prestigious contemporary art institutes in the country and has chaired its last two Fall Galas. To facilitate her many on-going philanthropic involvements, in 1999, Karan and Weiss established the Karan Weiss Foundation to benefit children's causes, medical research and the arts.

Maintaining an open dialogue with her customer means everything to Karan. Through her company, Karan regularly publishes style-related books, sponsors art exhibits, charity events and book parties at the stores, and produces a bi-annual magazine called Woman to Woman, where Karan speaks directly to her Collection customer.

"I created this company for women like me and my friends," says Karan. "We're passionate and creative, striving to make a difference in whatever way we can. For us, communication is the ultimate essential of all."

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