Musician Pro Insider: 20 Amateur Recording Mistakes that Taylor Swift would NEVER Make Mix , Record , Repeat Taylor Swift Rocking the Polaroid Let's say you are aspiring to be the most memorable singer/songwriter/performer of all time, but it's the first time in that you have been in the studio and you are creating your first masterpiece. Whether you are slamming together some sweet dance beats, crooning out a ballad, trippin' on rock n roll, composing your first string quartet, or trying to be the next Taylor Swift, there are some things that will guarantee that your latest CD will end up at the bottom of the discard pile. So here you go, in no particular order 20 Amateur Mistakes that Taylor Swift would NEVER make: 1) Make sure that your demo tape sounds like you recorded it at a construction site. The extra racket from the bulldozers and jackhammers will add a little bit of finesse to your delicate lyrics. 2) Make sure every lyric rhymes with the word ...

5 Quick Music Insider Tips on Video, Animation and Technology Be realistic with your time. Do yourself, and the performers or project manager , a favor by being honest with how much time it will take to complete the project. I used to overshoot my deadlines by two or three months, leaving a very frustrated performer behind, and sometimes even jeopardizing any chances of a performance or adequate rehearsal time. Now, I try to be as realistic as possible. Give regular updates on the project Whether it is a music or video project, or a music video project, keep in constant communication with the people that you are writing for. While e-mail may be easy, a call on the phone, video chat, or a live visit, is much appreciated and clears up many communication issues. Know your music, video, and/or animation software . Do not embark on a new project with video or music technology that you are not familiar with yet. Try a few test pieces, if you have to, so your time (and theirs) is...