One of the things an artist will discuss during the recording is how they will go about singing a breakdown. Which is exactly where I’m about to take you in the following video. George Leger III (co-producer), Jesse Stern (co-writer) and I take a moment to figure out the correct way for me to be singing the breakdown in Till We Meet Again. Jesse takes charge to give a mental picture of an example that should give the right vibe.
What would you do?
Watch and enjoy!
Singing A Breakdown
Transcript:
Carry on.
This is the breakdown where you go out onto the key, that like goes out into the middle of the crowd. And you like, hold the mic stand.
And the band.
You hold the mic stand in your left hand and you get down on your knees.
Exactly.
And you’re just like…
Well then I should the carry on… Right?
Don’t. Do, do, what you would do in that situation.
I’m thinking, carry. Well I, I think it. A softer version of what the original was.
The age old dilemma for musicians going it alone without a record label often wonder how they can call attention to their music. Musicians working on surviving in today’s music business are attempting to figure out where things are going. The biggest issue is often what happens after they get the music written, recorded, and are ready to release.
If there is someone who had a more direct line on what did and didn’t work for musicians forging a path without a record label, I don’t know who it would be. The best source for such information is Derek Sivers. He created CD Baby. He helped to usher in the paradigm of the music industry with allow non-signed artists a platform for selling CDs away from their shows.
Derek ushered in another change when he gave CD Baby artists an avenue to get their music onto iTunes (albeit, he had a little coaxing from me as well). Which is still one of the better platforms to use for most non-signed artists to get their music onto iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc.
Derek wrote a book called “How To Call Attention To Your Music” and put it up on his website sivers.org as a free publication for any interested musicians. I recently decided to take a look at it and realized this book is in PDF format. Great format for a wide range of portability. However, many of us are now using more modern devices like iPhones, iPads, Kindles, Kindle readers, eReaders, etc. Thus I took a few minutes out of my day today to convert the book into EPUB format. That way, everyone who is interested in Derek’s sage advice can now read it in iBooks, Kindle, Nook, etc. Like it was a real book that can be paged through on an electronic device.
As per Derek’s page for getting the book, I’m making it available for others to have as well. I would really appreciate it if you would sign up on my email list (http://hearjody.com) if you grab this copy of the book in EPUB format. Mostly because it’s a cool thing to do for someone that took the conversion step out of making it easy to read on your favorite eBook reader.
One of my first successful co-writes was All The Things with Greg Watton. It happens to be the subject of today’s post. Mostly because I thought it prudent to make a lyric video for it in an acoustic environment. The bonus is that you get to see and hear what I’m singing and how I played the acoustic guitar part in the song. It was written just before I had gone to a songwriter’s conference and it was one of several songs that A&R people from the major labels were interested. That’s always a shot in the arm to boost one’s confidence in what they’re doing. Greg and I have written a few other songs – but none have made to the airwaves yet.
All The Things Lyric Video
Lyrics & song by Jody Whitesides, Greg Watton
Ever since I was a kid Everyone picked on me Growing up was the hardest thing For a boy with no self esteem So I found a little place In the backyard of my mind Disappeared without a trace Didn’t want them to find me
For every year that passed me by There was less of me to recognize I wish I made more room to grow Instead I hid I didn’t know
All The Things that people say All The Things that people do Will bring you down When you let it get to you All The Things that you don’t know All The Things that make you fall Doesn’t really matter When you rise above it all
Now that I’ve become a man You were there to walk me through Facing each memory Of those who harmed me Now that I’m trusting you I’ve started exploring everything Emotions that may drown me Like a river pouring out-
(Chorus)
Finished with the words that hurt Finished with feeling like dirt No use living in regret Instead its best to forget
