• About
  • Contact Metal Mike
  • Blog
    • Home

Metal For Life Blog

~ The official blog of Metal Mike. I'm a heavy metal musician most commonly known as a long standing guitarist to Judas Priest frontman, Rob Halford. I'm a highly sought after heavy metal guitar and music coach. I am also a solo artist, an entrepreneur, a business owner, an avid car nut and a closet extrovert. I believe Heavy Metal should be lived loud & proud and it has been a highly motivating source in my life. I'm here to share my thoughts, pass on lessons learned and sometimes chew on big subjects. If you enjoy the content of Metal For Life, I only ask you to share my blog with one more person. Thank you & welcome.

Metal For Life Blog

Monthly Archives: August 2017

The Microwave Mentality To Learning Your Instrument

25 Friday Aug 2017

Posted by Metal Mike in Guitar & Music, Inspiration & Motivation

≈ Leave a comment

As the world we live in extracts new technologies that often speed up the pace we can do something, it is important not to lose track that some things take time. Some things do not happen overnight and it cannot be otherwise.

What does it mean to master something? To master something is being able to call on something to produce a result in a quick manner. If you have mastered the spelling of a word you don’t have to think what letters make it up.

However, to master something it takes time.

Where I am going with this? Although we can Google almost anything instantly or skip the supermarket and have the food delivered to your door, to get great on your instrument it will take some time. I often play a lick to my guitar students after which they often ask me how did I do that? My best and honest answer is that I have practiced this particular or similar licks for 5 years before playing it to them. I might be exaggerating a little here, but you get my point. So, although I can break down the techniques and ideas that make the lick great, the student will not be able to recall it as well as I do – unless, they put in the time and diligence to make a great progress.

This is a quick and general reminder to stay patient while getting better at your playing.

Advertisement

Navigating The World Of Endorsements

15 Tuesday Aug 2017

Posted by Metal Mike in Gear & Reviews, Guitar & Music, Inspiration & Motivation

≈ Leave a comment

Young musicians often ask me about endorsement deals and how to get them.

I think most can see an endorsement deal as beneficial to their career and, in a way, a positive nod from the music industry.

In most cases, however, players who ask me this question don’t know how to go about getting one — and what an endorsement deal might actually look like.

In a nutshell, an endorsement agreement is a two-way street agreement between the artist (That would be you) and the company that manufacturers the equipment you’re interested in endorsing. Remember that while you are interested in climbing the ladder of success, the company you’re about to deal with also wants some return on whatever it will put into the relationship.

So here are some thoughts on endorsements.

First, you must be ready for a potential company to see you as a plus on the artist roster.

Before you approach a company whose gear you like, be ready to prove to them that you have music available that people like, have some sort of following and you are working hard on your craft. If anything, you have to convince them that your future’s looking promising. Regional or national touring, reviews in major publications or rabid fan following are a definite plus, but often not a necessity to obtain an entry-level endorsement.

Every equipment-manufacturing company has a gatekeeper, or an artist relations representative who deals with signing new artists and managing existing relationships. Upon calling or e-mailing the company, you need to find out who that person is and, if possible, in what formats they accept new endorsement submissions.

Most like real product like CDs, while the bio, press clippings, tour flyers or chart positions can be digital. This isn’t always the case, however, so you’ll have to ask the correct questions. When you present yourself, it really helps to think from the other person’s point of view and ask yourself why you would endorse someone who has sent in your package.

Prepare to be diligent about all of this, including making the initial contact, because artist-endorsement reps can be busy people who get bombarded with e-mails and calls from musicians. Make a plan of attack and stick with it. It’s always best if you can connect with the artist relations rep directly and they know to expect your package.

Upon sending in your package, wait a couple of weeks before following up.

WHO GETS ENDORSED:

I asked an endorsement rep from a major pedal company about the criteria regarding who they endorse; he said that, in his case, there are three major categories:

1. Less-known artist who works hard at their craft and has something to prove for their hard work (CD, shows, reviews, etc.)

2. Major artists that are so good for the company to associate with that it’s a no-brainer. A new deal with them means more sales of their product because the artist is very popular.

3. Players the company simply likes. This could be a local guitar hero with likeable personality who shows a lot of promise. Sometimes it’s a simple as that.

WHAT’S THE DEAL:

As you might imagine, if you do make it onto the artist endorsement roster, your deal might not look like the superstar artist that also sits firmly on top of the pecking order.

Entry-level endorsement might mean you get a percentage off the retail price of the product. That can be great in many ways. You get your favorite guitar cheaper, and you’ve raised your profile. It’s a great start.

The variety of deals is as wild as you can imagine. They can range from simply discounted equipment to a specific amount of free gear per year, to tour support, advertisements in major publications and company catalogs, signature equipment lines and so forth. The brighter the “brand” of the artist, the more involved you will find the agreement.

Of course, the more popular the artist, the more demands he or she will have on the endorsing company as well. Both sides will look for commitments. For example, a touring artist might want to know about things such as distribution of the product they endorse in various parts of the world.

In some situations, it is not uncommon to leave your main backline, such as guitar heads and cabinets, home while you do concerts in Europe. As an artist, you will want to know if your endorsement company can provide you with loaner equipment in various countries. If you’re a well-known artist, the endorsing company might want to know if you can open parts of your schedule for photo shoots, music convention appearances, YouTube product demos and the like. That goes back to the two-way street I mentioned earlier.

In the earlier entry stages, however, the manufacturer will simply ask you to talk about their product in relevant interviews and will allow you to post their logos on your website, music releases and publicity shots. This can be a very nice thing to have. In return, it can open some doors in getting other endorsements, getting auditions or gigs, etc.

Simply put, an affiliation with a well-known company gives you street credit.

Some agreements, especially at this stage, are not very formal and might not even include a contract from both sides. It depends on the company. If you do sign a contract, you can expect a short document stating how long is the endorsement good for, whether it is an exclusive or non-exclusive deal, what is your artist discount and a couple other minor clauses.

As your profile grows, you might be asked to perform clinics and workshops for the manufacturer, maybe even develop a signature product or be a guinea pig who tests new, unreleased equipment that’s in the development stage.

It’s fun to be involved, and I enjoy giving my feedback to my endorsing companies, on whatever they might be developing. Deals might get more formal and specific at this stage.

As you navigate through the world of endorsements, it’s important to keep in mind that not all companies work alike. You might find that some don’t mind working with lesser-known artists; some consider only high-profile players and bands. There are some killer companies out there, no matter how big or small, who take care of their artists.

Good luck — and endorse the gear you believe in!

Thanks for reading,
Metal Mike

One Way Ticket To An Amazing Guitar Tone

07 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by Metal Mike in Gear & Reviews, Guitar & Music, Inspiration & Motivation

≈ Leave a comment

Guitar players are usually on some sort of a mission to improve our guitar tone. For many, this journey never ends. I dare say we’re obsessed with it.

The point of this blog post is simple, and I’m not going to comment much on the new toys for our guitars. However, I can tell you without any trepidation that the single greatest way to improve your tone is practicing.

It might seem simple, but on the other hand, it can take years for us to truly understand it.

A couple of years into playing guitar, I realized practice is the greatest tone improver. Today, whenever I put in some serious practice time, I start gaining major tonal benefits as a result.

01. I notice I need less gain to execute what I’m playing, which lessens saturation. The result is a more dynamic, punchier sound. Your chords and notes get better definition and retain their character. If you play in a band, trust me, your sound man will love you.

02. I can easily play guitar with higher action, which allows the strings to breathe more, making notes sound fuller. It also can provide more room for a better, more controlled vibrato.

03. The strength in my left hand allows for a better touch on the guitar, which provides warmer chords, better intonation and less fuzz.

04. The strength in my picking hand allows for more controlled and confident pick attack, resulting in a tighter sound.

Practicing regularly will bring you the same results. You can take the above to a whole new level if you have the chance to play live for a few weeks on the road. Playing regularly in a live setting can do incredible things for your guitar’s tone and control. I call this “road chops,” and it’s basically a symphony your body goes through to prepare you for a tonal killing machine.

You’ll learn how to hit a chord so it jumps out of the speaker. And you might also find out that fuzzy, no-middle guitar sound will mean no one will ever hear you. And that’s just the beginning.

So, let’s also say this: For killer tone, aspire to practice with a band or play out live. I promise that you will learn things you can not do while practicing alone.

For the most part, I have little need to improve my guitar sound with outside equipment. If I hear that things aren’t sounding quite right, I practice more. This usually takes care of 90 percent of the improvement I might be looking for.

Till next time, horns up!

Networking – The Magic Wand For Your Career

01 Tuesday Aug 2017

Posted by Metal Mike in Guitar & Music, Inspiration & Motivation

≈ Leave a comment

I was thinking about how we, as musicians, advance and make progress in our careers.

I’ve come up with something that rings true in terms of every situation that has helped me in my personal journey. It comes down to this: Anytime anything happens “for us,” it comes as the result of a recommendation from someone else. Or someone we knew thought of us.

It’s as simple as that.

If you think back on your life, you’ll see this is true. Think of your tree of recommendations, gigs, interviews, etc., that you’ve done. How did you hear about the prospect or get involved?

This same principle also stands out as to why some amazing guitarists I knew never burst out of the bubble of being just an incredible talent that some people in the underground knew of and admired. Many musicians spend so much time on becoming mind-blowing players that they never make friends and work on their social skills, which are incredibly necessary to take it a step further.

Developing your skills on how to effectively communicate with others is as necessary as working on your scales, songs or equipment.

Many guitarists feel that once they become amazing players, someone out there will discover them by pure luck — and then the hard work will pay off. Maybe. I must admit that more often than not, major career breakthroughs come from practicing your instrument, developing your talents, showcasing your skills to others and then having a network of friends who can make influential recommendations or simply think of you when they have some good info to pass on.

Once you’re in the position you desired, or while you’re on your way there, you are expected to communicate well. That’s a whole lot more than just playing guitar.

Most bands that look for new musicians first ask their friends about whom they think might fit. Even if you see an ad for an audition, it might have come from a website you know of because a friend recommended it to you. If not, you might have seen the website as a link on your friend’s Facebook page. That’s an example of an indirect recommendation. If you never knew your friend, all other links from that point on would have been lost. You can now begin to see how all this works.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not recommending you run out and make as many friends in the music business as possible with only the end result in mind. That system is fake, and no one appreciates it. What I recommend is that you work on building honest, real relationships with new people and faces. Think of quality before quantity and connect with people you find interesting or inspiring.

So is it “Who you know and not what you know?” That’s way too one-sided for me. If you work on becoming a successful metal guitarist, you and I already know you will need the technical ability and knowledge that goes along with playing this style of music. What I know is that you probably don’t want to be the next Dimebag sitting in your basement for the rest of your life, as what good is your talent if no one knows about it?

Do us a favor and share your talents by allowing others to help you. Just think about the above blog post for a bit and see what it means to you.

Thanks for reading,
Metal Mike

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • January 2022
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • April 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017

Categories

  • Gear & Reviews
  • Guitar & Music
  • Inspiration & Motivation
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Connect With Me Via Social media

  • View MetalMikeC’s profile on Facebook
  • View MetalMikeC’s profile on Twitter

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Metal For Life Blog
    • Join 36 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Metal For Life Blog
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar