The Secret to Being Heard
These past few weeks have been super busy. I have been in the process of discovering lots of new things. So, it’s only natural that I want to share them with YOU! Here are the 2 that currently top the list...
1. Florence + the Machine = my new favorite band
2. VO:ice + yo:GA = VOGA More Info Here
NOTE Classes are NOW at 6:30-8pm
I’m gonna start with Florence, because, yes, she is that wonderful….
A few months back, someone said, “Mer your original music reminds me a little of Florence + the Machine.” “Cool, I guess, who is she?”
Listening to the radio…. I recognized the song, “The Dog Days Are Over.” At first it kind of blew over me. Then last weekend it Really struck me. Good Music sometimes does that, it seeps in slowly and with her album, "Lungs," each time I hear it, I want to hear more and with every listen there’s More to Hear.
NOW, how does my suddenly hearing Florence relate to the secret of being heard??
I listened more closely & as I learned a little about her, I discovered some things that I think, when added together create a powerful equation for making people listen.
Secret #1
Know what you want to say!
As a child, in response to an academic lecture on art, Florence said,
"I aspire to something like that but with music. I hope that my music has some of the big themes—sex, death, love, violence—that will still be part of the human story in 200 years' time." Pretty bold and nifty of a youngster to say that ....
IF we want to be heard? Have that vision.
Our goal does not have to be to shock people. But have you ever thought about it? What are MY powerful themes? Whether you’re in the arts, business, relationships, anything you do…. If you want people to listen? Start by being clear about your message.
Secret #2
Perfect Your Craft.
Today I went to the computer to read Florence’s lyrics
Her words are metaphoric, brazen, with moments of both darkness & beauty and they often do not fit the standard song structure…. YET, they are well-crafted. And this woman can Sing.
Hmmmm…..made me think. If you are going to alter structure, but you know what you are doing - people will hear you.
If you are going to really belt / sing out & you know HOW to do it properly, people will hear you.
There are so many resources to help you. Every truly great musician/artist/writer/etc I have ever met shares something - They work at their craft, they have passion to continue learning and it helps to have the humility to know that they don’t know everything.
Secret #3
Don’t be afraid to listen to you own voice and be different
Take an album with
4 producers + Atypical arrangements + a harp!+ Songs about how it’s Ok to punch someone + Have the album title not even correspond directly to the name of a track+ edgy female vocalist who sings about coffins, etc etc… EQUALS
Grammy nomination, Multitude of Film/TV placements, being named the 4th hottest act at Bonnaroo 2011, Top Numbers on Billboard charts
(I think that’s successful math!)
How does this happen?
(we don’t need to have a conversation about the Big Machine, ok?)
There are always many factors at stake, but there is definitely a formula to get the ball rolling.
Secret #1 = Be clear about your message +
Secret #2 = Perfect your craft +
Secret #3 = Know it’s OK to be unique in your voice
EQUALS
Be so much YOU and so good at what you do that no one else can deny it. Then people don’t have a choice but to listen!!!
I think that’s a good place to start and the rules apply for whatever your dreams are!
1. Florence + the Machine = my new favorite band
2. VO:ice + yo:GA = VOGA More Info Here
NOTE Classes are NOW at 6:30-8pm
I’m gonna start with Florence, because, yes, she is that wonderful….
A few months back, someone said, “Mer your original music reminds me a little of Florence + the Machine.” “Cool, I guess, who is she?”
Listening to the radio…. I recognized the song, “The Dog Days Are Over.” At first it kind of blew over me. Then last weekend it Really struck me. Good Music sometimes does that, it seeps in slowly and with her album, "Lungs," each time I hear it, I want to hear more and with every listen there’s More to Hear.
NOW, how does my suddenly hearing Florence relate to the secret of being heard??
I listened more closely & as I learned a little about her, I discovered some things that I think, when added together create a powerful equation for making people listen.
Secret #1
Know what you want to say!
As a child, in response to an academic lecture on art, Florence said,
"I aspire to something like that but with music. I hope that my music has some of the big themes—sex, death, love, violence—that will still be part of the human story in 200 years' time." Pretty bold and nifty of a youngster to say that ....
IF we want to be heard? Have that vision.
Our goal does not have to be to shock people. But have you ever thought about it? What are MY powerful themes? Whether you’re in the arts, business, relationships, anything you do…. If you want people to listen? Start by being clear about your message.
Secret #2
Perfect Your Craft.
Today I went to the computer to read Florence’s lyrics
Her words are metaphoric, brazen, with moments of both darkness & beauty and they often do not fit the standard song structure…. YET, they are well-crafted. And this woman can Sing.
Hmmmm…..made me think. If you are going to alter structure, but you know what you are doing - people will hear you.
If you are going to really belt / sing out & you know HOW to do it properly, people will hear you.
There are so many resources to help you. Every truly great musician/artist/writer/etc I have ever met shares something - They work at their craft, they have passion to continue learning and it helps to have the humility to know that they don’t know everything.
Secret #3
Don’t be afraid to listen to you own voice and be different
Take an album with
4 producers + Atypical arrangements + a harp!+ Songs about how it’s Ok to punch someone + Have the album title not even correspond directly to the name of a track+ edgy female vocalist who sings about coffins, etc etc… EQUALS
Grammy nomination, Multitude of Film/TV placements, being named the 4th hottest act at Bonnaroo 2011, Top Numbers on Billboard charts
(I think that’s successful math!)
How does this happen?
(we don’t need to have a conversation about the Big Machine, ok?)
There are always many factors at stake, but there is definitely a formula to get the ball rolling.
Secret #1 = Be clear about your message +
Secret #2 = Perfect your craft +
Secret #3 = Know it’s OK to be unique in your voice
EQUALS
Be so much YOU and so good at what you do that no one else can deny it. Then people don’t have a choice but to listen!!!
I think that’s a good place to start and the rules apply for whatever your dreams are!
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