As an artist your image is everything. Photographers, stylists, and the makeup artists are a big part of that. When people see your image they can better relate to your sound. If you can visualize the look you’re after, then it’s all a matter of getting that on to print.

Nowadays, for a new band to get presented a record deal, they had better do the hard work first—sell 200,000 units on their own, create their own fan base, get their own radio airplay, record their own music, and produce/finance their own videos. After they do all the hard work, then the label swoops in like a hawk and preys on them unsuspectingly.

You finally finished your album. All the songs are tracked. You’re fairly pleased with your performances, and after letting all your friends listen, you feel confident enough to finally mix your masterpiece. So where do you go from here?

Writing a song can be daunting. First, there are the drums, then the rhythm, chords, and so on. In spite of all that, you still have the lyrics, and you’d better sing them with some feeling! Why would anybody tackle such a task? Many songwriters ask themselves the same thing when they spend so much time in the studio writing and producing a song, only to get it rejected. So what is the secret to writing a good song? Naturally, there’s more than one way to do anything, but seasoned producer Rich Mouser helps to shed a little light on this very complex art of songwriting.