Jamaican musicians have historically been masters of pushing the creative envelope, not just within their own genres like Reggae and Dancehall, but by influencing global music, demonstrating the power of fresh sounds, unexpected collaborations, and fearless innovation.
Here are…
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"Be humble, be teachable" means adopting a mindset of humility to allow for personal and professional growth through continuous learning and openness to new ideas and feedback. It requires acknowledging your limitations, setting aside pride, and embracing a willingness to…
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We like to believe the creative industries reward talent and effort. That if you’re good enough and work hard enough, you’ll eventually break through. It’s a comforting idea. But history tends to complicate it.
Success…
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Although my initial musical training was in classical piano and I’ve played guitar for decades now, I’d describe my songwriting skills, first and foremost, as those of a lyricist. What this means is that while I can certainly play music…
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Above and beyond the inspiration that often serves as the seed for all songwriters, there are lots of significant things to consider when it comes to refining your songwriting craft. Here are a few tips and things to keep in…
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When you're a leader, you're the one in charge of your company's brand, mission and vision. But you can't realize or for a better word actualize that vision alone. “Vision without execution is hallucination.” Thomas Edison
Key Takeaways
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together this music with this lyric in holy matrimony …
As it relates to songwriting, the marriage of words and music is referred to as prosody. When prosody is effectively employed…
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Start With Great Opening Lines
After almost twenty years I still remember where I was the first time I heard Faith Hill’s crossover smash “This Kiss” (written by Robin Lerner, Beth Nielsen Chapman, and Annie Roboff) playing on my car…
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As we get more experienced with recording, naturally there’s the urge to “explore” a little, such as building more sophisticated arrangements and using oodles of inputs and track space to get you there. But does complexity really guarantee a better…
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Why it never hurts to use a record that really moves you as a sonic reference for your own work
Maybe it’s the massive bass-and-drums foundation, or the layers of guitars and synth that seem to flow over you like…
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Once I realized that I was going to make creativity (specifically songwriting) my day job over thirty years ago, I also realized that sitting around and waiting for inspiration wasn’t what you’d call a viable business model. So, slowly but…
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Innovation, by definition, is all about bringing something new and different into the world. On top of that, innovation requires a willingness to explore alternate approaches and ideas when the current ones might be working perfectly well. This will feel…
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At the first songwriting workshop I ever attended the teacher asked for a show of hands. “Who thinks that melodies are the most important component of successful songs—and who thinks that distinction belongs to lyrics?”
My hand shot up when…
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In the summer of 2001, I moved from Kingston, Jamaica to Miami with only my underdeveloped musical gift and a burning desire to be a successful songwriter/producer. I’ll admit I’d not given much thought as to how - in a…
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The business world sells the dangerous myth that building wealth requires hustling until you break. Working nights and weekends. Sacrificing sleep. Neglecting relationships. Pushing through burnout. It’s not true. Health and happiness are not luxuries you earn after success. They…
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Some of the culprits that can derail a songs production— wrong tempo, key, or instrumentation—and how to address theses in real time.
You can hear the finished work in your head, and yet weeks go by and your song-in-progress just…
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By definition, a metaphor is simply “a thing that is representative or symbolic of something else.” That sounds simple enough but what often gets overlooked is the magic that happens when you attempt to represent your original idea or problem…
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A music marketing plan is an integral part of a artist’s toolset.
Writing music, rehearsing with bandmates, recording in the studio, and performing tend to form the foundation of a artist’s career.
But marketing isn’t any less important. Many artists…
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In my long career as a producer and songwriter, I’ve come to learn that I do my best work - even on the most serious songs - while having fun. Granted, as a full-time creative, it would seem that fun…
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Many artists mistakenly believe that they only need to worry about branding once they hit it big, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The music industry has never been more competitive; putting out excellent music is a basic…
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