Cari Cole's 101 Things Every Musician Needs to Know in 2015

Cari Cole, a New York based vocal coach, artist development expert, and new music business mentor, shares a list of things she believes every musician needs to know in 2015.  She states, "Today’s list for 2015 is a result of 3 decades of lessons learned and earned in music, branding and business."  

Cari cut her teeth in the music business first by being a musician and artist, and second by being one of the top vocal coaches for almost 3 decades in New York City. Check out her list of 101 Things Every Musician Needs to Know in 2015 by clicking here.

Root Beer Float Cookies (Iced)

I came home from work a couple days before the Christmas holidays, and my Sweetheart had these deliciously rich cookies sitting on the bar waiting for me.  She knows I love floats and Root Beer.  These cookies represent a Root Beer Float rather well.  She loves sharing recipes, so . . . here you go! Enjoy. 

Root Beer Float Cookies

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ tsp root beer extract
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
Vanilla Malted Butter Cream Frosting (recipe follows)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer at medium-high speed until fluffy.  Add eggs, on at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in root beer extract and vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined.  Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls.  Roll in granulated sugar. Place 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  Using the bottom of a glass, gently press ball to ½-inch thickness.   Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Let cool on pans for 5 minutes.  Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
• Pipe about 2 tablespoons Vanilla Malted Buttercream Frosting onto each cookie.  Dust with cocoa.  Store in airtight containers in refrigerator for up to 1 week. (Makes 2 dozen cookies)

Vanilla Malted Buttercream Frosting

1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened

1 (8-0unce) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups confectionery sugar

1 cup malted milk powder

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer at medium speed until creamy.  Add sugar, milk powder, and vanilla, beating to combine.  Spoon mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip.  Use immediately, or store, uncovered in refrigerator for up to 5 days.  Allow mixture to come to room temperature before using.
• NOTE: Makes enough for a double batch of cookies!

6 Keys to Musical Prosperity - Teleseminar with Bobby Owsinski

I recently caught Bobby Owsinski's teleseminar, 6 Keys to Musical Prosperity, and highly recommend it to any independent musician interested in learning more about establishing a music career in the new music business era. 
After some introductory comments, Bobby busted a few myths about the music industry before sharing six keys he considers essential to having a successful music career . . .

• Think like an entrepreneur
• Learn how to promote yourself
• Have the right attitude
• Develop your personal brand
• Differentiate yourself
• Step up your musical game

The teleseminar was interlaced with personal stories and experiences, and included special guest appearances by Paul Ill and mix engineer extraordinaire Dave Pensado.  If you missed it, you can catch Bobby's PreSonuSphere 2013 "6 Keys to Musical Prosperity" presentation below.



Mr Owsinski is a renowned producer, engineer, author, and coach.  His books are used in music business college courses, and belong on every musician's bookshelf.  Visit bobbyowsinski.com or Musical Prosperity Breakthrough to learn more.

Reachin' Through the Thorns - Performance Track Released

Last September (2013), I received an email asking about a soundtrack for "Reachin' Through the Thorns," a song I had written in the early '80s and recorded with The Gibsons.  Since no soundtracks were made at the time of the original recording, I decided to create a soundtrack loosely based on the recording made at Rayner Street Studio in Memphis, TN.


Thank you, Carolyn.  I am glad you "love the song," and I appreciate you asking about the soundtrack. Creating the track was a lot of fun, and brought back memories of my years traveling with The Gibsons.


You can check out both the demo and the performance track below . . .

2013: I Resolve to Share the Music

It is that time of year again . . . New Year's Resolutions. Rather than create a list of well-intended resolutions, I am simply resolving to share the music.

As a kid growing up, music was both "my refuge" and "my dream." It was a sanctuary; a place I could escape, find comfort, peace, vent my frustrations, and leave feeling like everything was going to be alright. I dreamed of music becoming "my life." My final thesis in my High School Senior English class outlined my lofty ambitions and plans for becoming a professional musician. 

In the summer of 1978, two years after graduating High School, I began the journey of becoming . . . Several years later, a “curve ball” took the wind out of my sails, and I eventually walked away from the music business. From that point on, music continued to be a part of my life; however, the sharing was limited to family, friends, my local church, and an occasional special event.

 Fueled by affordable breakthroughs in music technology and my passion for creating music, I began putting together a home recording studio in the fall of 2009.  The time spent in this creative environment has rekindled a desire to share the music with a broader audience.  So . . . for 2013, I resolve to share the music with the hope you'll love what I do as much as I love creating it.  :-)

Organizing My Songwriter Catalog with TuneSmith

While “googling” for some no-cost/low-cost ideas for organizing my songwriter catalog, I ran across some interesting options from creative uses of spreadsheets to several software programs ranging from free to pricey.



In the “no-cost” category was an intuitive cross-platform software package from Idolumic called, TuneSmith.  Like most people, I was immediately drawn to it because it was “free” and soon discovered that it delivered much more value than one might expect from a freebie.  I downloaded it, took it for a “test drive,” and am now using it as part of my song creation and administration strategy.

TuneSmith offers songwriters a comprehensive set of tools for creating and administering songs that centers around three interactive categories . . . creative talent, song catalog, and pitch journal.

• Creative Talent is where you enter the personal/contact information of collaborators, co-writers, publishers, managers, lawyers, artists, etc. that you are in contact with regarding your songs.
• Song Catalog contains all the essential information about your copyrights, and provides tools to help you hone your songwriting craft, including a lyric/text editor.  Also, you can use the built-in audio recorder to quickly capture your melodies and manage all the cover versions of your songs.
• Pitch Journal allows you to track your song submissions by finding out who has put your songs on hold, who has recorded your compositions, who has entered the charts with one of your hits, etc. A customizable task list/calendar helps you keep your song pitches organized and on track.

TuneSmith provides you with tools to effortlessly create and administer a growing catalog. It can be installed on any computer without a serial number or activation. When paired with Idolumic’s affordably priced Rhyme Genie, TuneSmith becomes an invaluable songwriting companion that will help any songwriter stay organized and be more creative with greater ease. It runs on both MAC and PC platforms. Visit their website today and download your complimentary copy of TuneSmith. 

Post your thoughts and comments in the comment section below.

Making Music "Fast" with Band-in-a-Box

Several years ago my longtime friend, Larry Smith, introduced me to an intelligent automatic accompaniment program called Band-in-a-Box (BIAB). He had been experimenting with this creative music composition tool for some time, and has since converted me to become a loyal user.

Band-in-a-Box is a fascinating, versatile music composition program that can be used in many ways. It is a great tool for quickly creating original music, and allows you to explore and develop music ideas with near-instantaneous results.

I simply type in the chords of a new song that I am working own, choose a style that I’d like to try out, and let Band-in-a-Box automatically generate a backing track. By using optional live audio tracks, I can create professional-quality accompaniment tracks. Click here to check out a backing track (in progress) of the old hymn, "All In Him", that I have been working on in my home recording studio.

Free Rhyme Dictionary with VersePerfect

Sometime ago while “googling” for a rhyme dictionary, I ran across a free software version of the McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme that included VersePerfect, a cutting-edge verse editor. Soon after downloading it, I discovered this electronic reference is a useful tool that can quickly become a songwriter’s friend. The software is versatile, easy to use, and can be run from a USB thumb/jump drive making it highly portable for anyone on the go.

Dedicated by American poet, Bryant H McGill to “fellow poets everywhere,” The McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme with VersePerfect is available for free from various download sites (google it) or from McGill’s own website. It is considered to be the most extensive rhyming reference ever created, and has many applications beyond songwriting. I enjoy using it, and encourage fellow songwriters to visit McGill’s website and discover it’s possibilities for themselves.

Studio Buddy - The Home Recording Helper

I recently ran across some free software that addresses common questions about the recording process. After downloading it, I believe it is something that other home recording enthusiast might find useful, too. Check out Studio Buddy: The Home Recording Help.

Let's Blame It On Betty

My earliest recollection of playing a piano was sitting in the lap of Betty Charlton, an old family friend, as she would take my finger and play kiddy tunes like "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Row, Row Your Boat." I loved to listen to her play the piano, and was always ready for her to let me play. From there, I began taking piano lessons when I was in the second grade and continued piano lessons through the ninth grade.

I think my first formal piano teacher was an elderly lady name Mrs Darden. I remember Momma taking me to her house each week. Mrs Darden had an old organ and she would let me play around on it if I proved to her that I had really practiced the previous week's lesson material. Over the years I had a variety of music teachers, but perhaps the one that influenced me the most (besides Betty) was a lady who had lived in Los Angeles, CA and had returned to Jasper (TX) to help take care of her mother. She was a studio musician by trade, and had me playing college level music when I was in Junior High. Unfortunately, she moved back to CA a year or so later.

My last music teacher was a real disappointment for me as she was determined that I had to go back and start over on a new study method that she thought was awesome. My last piano recital piece was Bill & Gloria Gaither's "The King is Coming." I am sure she was momentarily pleased when I began playing the piece flawlessly, but her smile quickly turned into dismay when I was about halfway through the piece. My mind went blank, and I could not remember another note. Instead of losing it, I simply paused and then let it rip convention style by ear. I received a standing ovation, and she expressed her displeasure by telling my folks that they need not bring me back as she couldn't teach me anymore.

Along the way "dear ole Betty" had taught me to play the piano by ear, and I would much rather sight read the music and improvise by ear. I guess the next time I see her, I should tell Betty that I'm blaming it all on her! :-)