I wasn’t into magic as a kid – didn’t believe in it. I couldn’t figure out how someone could change a toad into a prince. When I saw Disney movies, the ones about magic never grabbed me.

Then along came Harry Potter – I don’t know if I’d gotten younger, or what – but I thought “that would be cool!” I’d love to be able to wave a wand and instantly change things!

Well, I’ve got good new and I’ve got bad news… Read more…

I teach all over the world, and besides coming home with 100s of CDs, I constantly get asked to watch the artist perform at the event where I am. But I can’t.

For example, New Music Seminar (where in 1984 I saw Madonna, They Might Be Giants, and Shawn Colvin) has about 1500 artists attending. I see 2 or 3 of those bands. At Canadian Music Week, because of meetings and teaching schedule, I might get out to see 2 or 3 of the 600 artists who are there.

But I figured out a way to solve the problem so I can see and hear more artists! If you want me to see you perform, Read more…

I’m writing from Canada today, just having finished a workshop with about 100 artists and bands. And most of them are good.

But the biggest mistake I come across when working with artists is the song arrangements they use. In most cases, what every artist does is Read more…

I get asked all the time what we do – what a Live Music Producer is. And a lot of people who think they know what we do, don’t!

We really do two kinds of things. We are: Read more…

I just got off my Facebook. One of the comments I received said “saw you at Immerse…” (an event I just taught in Nashville) “…very interesting.”

My mind always goes a million ways when I read something like that. I’m glad someone saw me, and I certainly am glad I held their interest. I even appreciate that they found me on Facebook and thought enough of my class to comment!

But I’ve realized, I don’t want to be “interesting,” entertaining, or even fun Read more…

It was a dreaded essay in school. But now that I don’t have a teacher giving me the assignment, I find it therapeutic to write about what I have (or haven’t?) accomplished over summer vacation.

I think I’ll start with the most recent trip I made. (Since I’m not getting graded, I can start wherever I want!)

Last week I joined Bill Werde (editor of Billboard Magazine), Little Steven (you may know him as Silvio on The Sopranos or as longtime guitarist from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band), Read more…

Uniqueness is one of the keys to having a successful career in music. And I’m not talking about dying your hair pink, purple and green, having the most earrings through your nose, ears, and tush… Read more…

I want to give my audience what they came for – and they came to experience moments!

As musicians, we assume the audience is there to hear some good music. We have some great musical moments for them, and some cool lyrical things going on. In one song there’s this awesome bass lick, and in another song the lead guitar is stellar.

But audiences can’t discern that stuff Read more…

Albert Einstein said “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” He was a smart dude.

I don’t want that definition to apply to how you approach your live show. I want you to get out of the thought process of “singing songs,” and into the thought process of “creating moments.”

So does it have to be a song full of special meaning for you in order to create a moment? Read more…

The Why

Why move when you’re onstage? I’m sort of philosophical. I want to understand the “why” before the “what” and “when.”

“Why” is because your songs don’t sound the same, and so they shouldn’t look the same!

To an audience, if the songs look the same, and 55% of what you’re communicating is what they see, then the songs sound the same. And you start to lose your audience.

No one wants to lose…they want to take their audience Read more…

Next Page »