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Frequently
Asked Questions
A&R, Artist Development and
Consulting
How
do I get my music ministry started?
I feel alone in this, can you help?
Will you listen to my demo?
What can I do to get more bookings?
I want to do this as my career, how can I do it unsigned?
Can you help someone get signed?
Someone
has offered me a record contract, should I sign it?
Does Creative
Soul sign artists?
Do you offer consulting on music production, songwriting,
etc.?
How do I sell my songs?
How do I copyright my songs?
How do I know I'm good enough?
What is the best way to contact people in the music
business?
Studio Production
Why
should I record a CD?
Will you produce me and/or my music?
How much does it cost?
Who will play the instruments for my production?
Where will we record?
Why is recording in Nashville different than recording
in my home area?
How do I become a music producer?
Music Services
Where
can I get better original songs?
What if I have songs but need arrangement help?
Can you write melodies to my lyrics?
I'm a musician, but want to get better, can you
help?
General
Where are you located?
Who are you? What do you believe?
Other Topics
I
have a CD recorded. Can you help me promote/distribute it?
We just want to get signed, how do we do that?
How
do I get my music ministry started?
First you need to make sure
of two things:
Is your talent ready? Had
God made it clear, both by what your friends, family, and peers
say and on the advice of several professionals, that your talent
needs to be heard?
Secondly, do you feel God's
call do enter into ministry through your music? Has His voice
been unmistakable and have you sought counsel on this?
If those determining factors
are strong, then starting a music ministry is easy. First you
need to begin sharing your talent. You can do this through the
music team at your church, singing or playing at local churches
and functions, and beginning to work very seriously on your craft.
Then when your beginning
to get requested back at churches and known as a music ministry,
you can begin to think about expanding by recording a CD to help
support and bring legitimacy to your ministry.
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I
feel alone in this, can you help?
Yes we can. Either as your
producer where we work with you in the studio, or as a music ministry
coach, we can walk with you through each step of your music ministry
journey. We care about your ministry and want to see you succeed.
Our production rates are generally $500 per day, and we can also
work with you as a consultant by the day or on a month to month
basis. For more on production click here.
For more on our consulting, click here.
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Will
you listen to my demo?
We do accept demos, but truly
have a very limited time to listen. We'd much rather get an email
with a link to a site where demos are posted. If you'd like a
professional demo critique, we offer consulting services that
will help you decide where your songs are from a developmental
standpoint. Click here to find
out more about our demo consulting services.
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What
can I do to get more bookings?
First, begin asking pastors,
friends, and family what churches they know of and begin to get
a list of referrals to begin calling. This alleviates having to
call "cold". You can call the church or pastor and tell them you
were referred by someone they know. This makes that first call
easier.
Check out Dawn
Jones' "Booking Workshop". It's a step by step guide to
learn how to effectively have yourself booked as much as you want
to be.
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I
want to do this as my career, how can I do it?
The key is determination,
the ability to sell product and demand concert fees, bookings,
and smart marketing.
Determination: Having the
will to see things through. Staying with your music when the going
gets tough. Thinking of yourself as a creative, ministering person
for life. That in 20 years, you will still be doing this
work.
Product Sales: This will
mostly be CDs in a music ministry, but could also include DVDs,
T-shirts, Hats, 8x10s, etc. While there will be some expense to
produce your CD and other items, the profit from these is usually
very good and perpetuates making more product.
Concert Fees: As a working
musician, this is your bread and butter. These can rise from nothing
to a Love Offering to a rate based on church or function size.
Bookings: This will be your
main job. You'll need to be out ministering if you expect this
to support you. Successful booking comes from referrals, calling,
and word of mouth. You can long for raido exposure, distribution
to stores, and publicity. But all those cost money, and on an
independent scale usually about break even. But consistent bookings
almost always result in income for your ministry, product sales,
and the most important thing: ministering to the world with your
gifts.
Smart Marketing: Make inexpensive
buttons, flyers, cards, and pictures to give away to guide people
to your web site even if they didn't buy anything at the concert.
Make free singles with only a few songs, for people to give to
friends. Anything you can do to get people interested and checking
your ministry out.
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Can
you help someone get signed?
The business of music is changing.
Are you sure you even want to be signed to a large label deal?
Many artists are leaving the
major label fold because they have just found they can make a
better living and have more creative freedom.
Getting a record company to
sign you means that you have something they think can sell, that
they can be successful with, and will put you to work for them.
They look for incredible talent, communication skills with an
audience, A Christian heart, very strong current fan base, and
how many CDs you've already sold and are selling regularly. If
any of these things are lacking, most labels will not be interested.
Our goal with any artist we
consult with, work for, or bring into our organization, is to
build a strong music ministry, with quality products, that can
minister to a hurting world. The end result being a ministry that
can walk down any road that God puts in front of them. Major label,
indie label, or just getting out there to do God's work.
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Someone
has offered me a record contract, should I sign it?
A few questions to think about
if a company offers you a record deal...
Q) Have they met you in person?
Or have they met and offered this to you online or on the phone?
A) No reputable record company
is going to give anyone they haven't met in person any kind of
real deal. Run, this is a scam.
Q) Have they offered tens
of thousands of dollars 'investment' in return for a few thousand
of yours?
A) Do you REALLY think that
it works this way? Run, this is a scam.
Q) Are they located in the
Nashville area?
A) Most Christian labels that
offer anything close to a national recording deal are located
in the Nashville, TN area.
If you work with Creative
Soul, it will only be after we have sat down here in in person
here in Nashville, at a reputable studio, and spoken at length
about your music, your ministry, and we've both had time to continue
to communicate and pray after this meeting.
Does
Creative Soul sign artists?
We provide very high-end artist
development, production, and promotion services for Christian
artists. We offer the Creative Soul Records umbrella to
the artists we develop and produce. Our label is well-known and
respected inside the Christian music industry through a multitude
of national radio singles, national press releases, and tens of
thousands of CDs sold
worldwide. Click here to contact us
about becoming a CSR artist...
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Do
you offer consulting on music production, songwriting, or just
what my best course is in music?
We have many clients that
say, "Wow, if I had only met you years ago, I wouldn't have
spun my wheels and I would have spent my money more wisely."
What we now offer is consulting
based on what you need. We can have you visit us here in Nashville,
consult online, or on the phone. For a price that works for the
both of us. This is done on a case by case basis. Click
here to find out more about this now.
If you are a songwriter and
need great demos of your songs, we have been high quality creating
demos and arrangements for 20 years for folks just like you. Check
out our Masterscore Music service here.
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How
do I sell my songs?
You never sell your songs.
If you wrote them, no one should ever ask about "buying"
your songs.
You own the publishing rights.
Now, you may co-publish with someone if they want to publish your
song. You still should get 50% in signing the song to the publisher.
We recommend the Songwriter's
Market to any writer with questions about this. You can find
it in most larger book stores.
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How
do I copyright my songs?
Go to The Library of Congress
and the US
Copyright Office.
Here you will find all
the forms in downloadable form to send your songs to be officially
copyrighted.
Please make sure you copyright
your songs with the US Copyright office before sending them to
us.
You can also copyright "collections"
of song to save money.
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How
do I know I'm good enough?
This is perhaps the hardest
question of them all.
Do people say you have an
extraordinary gift?
Do you love to make music
and play it for others?
Do you have talent in one
area of music, and know that if the right "other half"
would come along, you'd have something really special?
All these are reasons to pursue
music as a hobby, vocation, or dream. But only you can decide
if this is where you need to be or where God wants you.
If you are not committed to
putting time, effort, money, and practice in, then maybe it's
not for you.
But if you have a burning
desire to make music, and make it part of you, then do it. Make
it your life. Make your goal to improve, to learn, to grow, and
to dream.
No one is ever there...music
is a journey. And it is important in this work to be able to enjoy
that journey. Making a living in music is an up and down roller
coaster ride. But in some ways, you don't choose music as a life,
music chooses you.
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What's
the best way to contact people in the music business?
Email is a good way, but read
this article from CDBaby before you do. It can make the difference
how people perceive your music (or if they even read it at all!)
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Why
should I make a CD/DVD?
Having a product allows you
to leave a part of your ministry at every function or service
you appear at. It also serves as a ministry tool on its own long
after you have ministered in person.
The biggest reason for making
a project is to have a product to sell and to generate income
for your ministry. While money should not be your motivating factor
in this, it is important to have some income to put back into
the ministry.
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Will
you produce me and/or my music?
Understand that Creative Soul
is a "for hire" music production company. Also understand,
we are looking for Christians who are serious and truly want to
use their talent for the Lord in the way He has for them.
We work to help you create
a commercially viable music product that will sell and support
your music and ministry.
We work strictly on a "for
hire" basis. We do not work for free or in hopes of you becoming
"famous" or getting a recording contract with a large
label.
Is it possible you might "make
it big" after working with us? Well, that's ultimately up
to God, you and your songs.
But we definitely can help
you get the next level, whether that means from "home-produced"
to pro studio, or from dream to reality.
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How
much does it cost?
Creative Soul is specifically
the artist development and production arm of Creative Soul Records.
Everything we do for artists is designed for national and international
marketplace success (including radio, stores, publicity, television,
etc), this is not a bargain basement studio approach. Remember:
- Our process is a full
service package include consulting, writing, arranging,
complete studio, music, and vocal production, plus photos,
design, and guiding the process from songs to CDs coming to
your door.
- We are working with the
very best that the Christian music industry here in Nashville
as to offer.
- And our results
are quantifiable.
This kind of
quality can easily cost $1000-2000 per song. We do also work with
artists on a day rate, and also provide a
more affordable demo and arranging service called Masterscore
Music.
When we work
at a studio for writing, recording, or mixing, or use other musicians
and engineers, you pay the cost of studio time, engineers, and
musicians as needed.
The good news
is you pay as you go, and you can pay in increments instead of
having to come up with a huge sum all at once.
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Who
will play the instruments for my production?
We have access to the
finest musicians in Nashville. No matter what your budget
is, you can be assured that we will find the best players and
singers in Christian Music. And these are musicians who may be
in the studio for a major label artist one day, and in your session
the next. Just working with these folks will help you grow to
be a better artist (and you'll laugh alot too).
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Where
will we record?
Throughout Nashville and all
the outlying areas, like Franklin, there are literally hundreds
of studios to choose from. Depending on what needs to be done,
what your budget is, and what's available, we could be working
in a beautiful multi-million dollar facility, a custom-built set
of studios on a horse farm, or a professional room in a home recording
space. Wherever we choose, you'll be treated to years of experience
as well as the best equipment and engineers.
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Why
is recording in Nashville different than recording in my home
area?
Well, if you've been reading,
you probably know the answer to this. Just by working in the studios
with the producers, engineers, and musicians, you get to learn
alot more than you would in your local studio. But more than that,
being in Nashville, you'll feel the synergy of being with people
than can help you grow as an artist. Recording here makes it easy
to meet with distributors, publicists, songwriters, label folks,
non-label folks, and much more.
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Where
can I get better original songs?
We can write quality songs
for you in your style, based on your personal thoughts and ministry.
Clients find this to be a VERY effective service. It gives you
fresh, original songs tailored just for your voice and style.
We can also work with your songs, helping to add a more commercial
feel, or help you get it to the next level. For
examples, take a listen to our music samples...
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What
if I have songs but need arrangement help?
We can develop an arrangement
that fits you individually, and with the additions of the best
Christian musicians in the world, it will sound even better! This
has been our major business for 15 years. For
examples, take a listen to our music samples...
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Can
you write melodies to my lyrics?
We call this co-writing. Since
we charge for our time, we will be happy to co-write with you,
but there will be a charge for our time. Do not mistake
this charge for a common bit of bad practice in the music business.
You should never pay anyone to put music to your lyrics. But usually
co-writing and arranging go hand in hand sometimes too, so it
all kind of melds together in the project. For
more information about this kind of service, check
out our Masterscore Music service here
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I'm
a musician, but want to get better, can you help?
By being brave enough to step
out of your comfort zone and come to Nashville, you WILL get better.
You may go home feeling like you are not as good as other musicians
here, but hopefully, you will learn and grow from the experience.
You can't help it. "Tribulation brings about perseverance;
and (through) perseverance, proven character." Romans 5:3-4. It's
OK to feel like you need to work to be better.
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Where
are you located?
We have office/studios located
in Franklin, TN, just south of Nashville, Tennessee. As you'll
see, most of the Christian music industry resides in Franklin.
Most all of our consulting, development, and production work will
be done here, although we often work in Nashville, on Music Row
and elsewhere.
In addition to our facilities,
we have many studios at our disposal, from pre-production studios
to major recording facilities, all to ensure you get a quality
project no matter what budget you may be working with.
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Who
are you? What Do You Believe?
Good question. Read about
who we are, read our mission statement, and read what we believe
in our About Us section.
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I
have a CD recorded. Can you help me promote/distribute it?
Unfortunately, we only help
with the promotion and distribution of the artists we produce.
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