One thing you should not do, however, is judge your progress only as it compares to someone else. Some people are born into the music business. Most have to find their way in. Some singers are born with a golden voice. Others have to find their voice. All anyone can do is work as hard as they can and as smart as they can. If you’re improving as a singer and if you’re songwriting is getting better, then you’re making progress. If you’re increasing your contacts in the industry and if you’re creating new fans, then you’re making progress.

You’ve got to be driven and you’ve got to do the work. That’s the common thread. But the path to success and the amount of time it takes isn’t set. What works for one person might not work for the next. You’ve got to make your own way. Yes, drive yourself, but don’t forget to enjoy the ride.

One thing you should not do, however, is judge your progress only as it compares to someone else. Some people are born into the music business. Most have to find their way in. Some singers are born with a golden voice. Others have to find their voice. All anyone can do is work as hard as they can and as smart as they can. If you’re improving as a singer and if you’re songwriting is getting better, then you’re making progress. If you’re increasing your contacts in the industry and if you’re creating new fans, then you’re making progress.

You’ve got to be driven and you’ve got to do the work. That’s the common thread. But the path to success and the amount of time it takes isn’t set. What works for one person might not work for the next. You’ve got to make your own way. Yes, drive yourself, but don’t forget to enjoy the ride.

If you are reading this article you are probably considering going into the studio to make a recording. You’ve undoubtedly thought about the expense involved and you’re counting your pennies to see what you can afford. You know you’ll have to pay for studio time and tape cost or hard drive space. You know you’ll have to pay an engineer, musicians, and background singers. You ask yourself if there are any ways to cut corners and save money. You say to yourself, I know how I want my music to sound. Do I really need a producer?

In order to honestly answer that question, ask yourself some other questions. Is this recording just for fun? Is the purpose of this recording to demonstrate my songwriting ability? Are the only people who will ever hear this project made up of my family and a few fans I might reach from the stage? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you DO NOT need a producer. You should hire the best studio, engineer, and musicians you can afford and have at it. If you answered no to the previous questions, ask yourself these questions. Is this recording important to me as an artist? Do I want this recording to take my career to the next level? Do I want this recording to be competitive with artists who are currently having success? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to HIRE A PRODUCER and work closely with them to achieve the goals that you’ve set for yourself.

Think of a producer as a collaborator, a coach, and a confidant. Look for someone who respects your vision but who has the expertise and insight to challenge you to be your best. Anybody can punch record and say that sounds great, but the best producers, like the best athletic coaches, get the most out of the people with whom they work. Artists who try to produce themselves have a tendency to either not require enough of themselves and miss the magic or to be too hard on themselves and, again, miss the magic. The producer’s main job is to require the best an artist has to give and to know when he’s captured it on tape. No one can guarantee you a hit record, but by teaming up with a good producer you’ll give yourself a much better chance of recording your best performance and, hopefully, making magic.

KICK IT!!!!!!!!!!