Zero To Hero: FAST!

Many of our SIMA artists are looking for ways to improve their singing and musical skills as quickly as possible – especially now that we’ve opened doors to some internationally renowned televised music talent contests. 🙂 In response to this demand, here’s our little course!

Today, the first installment.

INTRODUCTION – Adapt Your Schedule!

Are you SERIOUS? And you LOVE music? In that case adapting your schedules to fit around your music goals should be no problem! 🙂

From now on PLAN to spend some time EVERY DAY – including weekends and holidays – on carefully following this little course. We recommend ONE HOUR, but you can start with 15 or 30 minutes and increase your time as you get better organized. We promise, it will be FUN. But more importantly, if will TRANSFORM you into a HOT singer/musician in record time!

You think you’re too busy?

EVERYBODY – even the most insanely busy people – can find a few minutes to an hour a day for something they truly LOVE doing. Remember our first question? “Are you SERIOUS, and do you LOVE music?” If the answer is YES, then you’ll find SOME time. Maybe some minutes in the morning, then some minutes after school and then a few minutes just before bedtime?

And what should you DO during that hour (or whatever time you allocate to this)?

It’s mostly really fun and interesting stuff, which you will almost certainly LOVE doing.

I will give you each step in this course. Just make sure to come back here regularly to check for updates and new chapter releases. Best just sign up for automatic updates in the comments below this post. I will update each new chapter as often as I can find time, every few days for sure.

Let’s get started.

CHAPTER 1 – Music Immersion

This means you need to dive into music like you would dive into a swimming pool. And stay there, uninterrupted for a set amount of time. EVERY DAY.

Sounds like fun? It IS!

The only “catch” is that you should listen to specific kinds of music that we will recommend. Sometimes we will recommend specific songs, other times broad musical styles.

And the only other thing you must do while listening is to do NOTHING ELSE.

JUST LISTEN.

• If you listen on YouTube, try to avoid the temptation to watch the video. Just LISTEN.
• Turn the music up loud enough so most other sounds won’t interfere – but not so loud so as to disturb the rest of your household!
• Chances are that some of the music we will ask you to listen to is not yet familiar to you. Welcome this novelty! You’re about to learn some things you will rarely hear in modern pop. One of your challenges will be to figure out what that is.

As we add chapters to this mini-course, you will have to divide your DAILY music work into segments. For example, 15 minutes listening, and the rest for other activities. Or whatever works. But THIS FIRST WEEK, we won’t distract you with anything else!

In fact, if you should stumble on this course for the first time at a later date, do not rush to the next chapter until you’ve spent the first week simply listening to recommended music for an hour (or whatever you can spare) each day!

Before we start – keep a DIARY. After each song, pause for a minute or two and write down anything that comes to mind about what you listened to. .

And now, finally, let’s get down to details.

Do this each day:

MONDAY – “ROOTS DAY”

1. Styles: Regional Blues styles (e.g. Memphis, Chicago, Delta, etc), Country Blues, Gospel Blues, Boogie Woogie, Blues-Rock, Rhythm & Blues, Soul Blues, etc
2. Playlist: PLAY!. If there are no other tasks on your list today, just keep listening to this playlist. Next Monday, resume where you left off.
3. In-between songs: Don’t forget to make notes. Just your impressions.
4. After today’s listening session: Do you still remember any one song – or artist – that stood out for you? Write it in your diary.
5. Bonus track(s): We will add to this list as time goes by, but today, make sure you ALSO play these songs:
   1. Brushy One String – “Chicken In The Corn” – PLAY!
   2. Gary Moore – “Still Got The Blues For You” – PLAY!

TUESDAY – “SOUL DAY”

1. Styles: Soul, Neo-Soul, Contemporary R&B, Doo-Wop, Funk, Motown, Muscle Shoals, Disco, Hip-hop, etc.
2. Playlists: PLAY!. Also this one: PLAY!. As ever, make notes. Pick any list you like, but in the end, go through them ALL. Depending on the time you can allocate, listen to 2, 3 or more songs on the selected playlist. Next week, pick up where you left off.
3. After today’s listening session: Do you still remember any one song – or artist – that stood out for you? Write it in your diary.
4. Bonus track(s): As above, we will add new songs here regularly, but for now, start with these:
   1. Donny Hathaway – “A Song For You” – PLAY!
   2. The Temptations – “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” – PLAY! (don’t mind the long intro!)

WEDNESDAY – “GET YOUR ROCKS OFF DAY”

1. Styles: Rock & Roll, Rockabilly, Soft Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Rock, Metal Rock, Punk Rock, New Wave, Electronic Rock, Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock, Grunge, Blues Rock, Glam Rock, etc
2. Playlists: PLAY!. And also this one: PLAY!. Pick any list you like, but in the end, go through them ALL. Depending on the time you can allocate, listen to 2, 3 or more songs on the selected playlist. Next week, pick up where you left off.
3. After today’s listening session: Do you still remember any one song – or artist – that stood out for you? Write it in your diary.
4. Bonus track(s): As above, we will add new songs here regularly:
   1. * Deep Purple – “Smoke On The Water” – PLAY!
   2. Ted Nugent – “Stranglehold” – PLAY!

THURSDAY – “POP TILL YOU DROP DAY”

1. Styles: Note that almost all styles on this list are, technically speaking, “POP” – because “pop” means “popular”. But in this “Pop” sub-list, we specifically mean “lighter” music or music which is created specifically with popular appeal in mind. Styles and genres of pop include: MOR (Middle-Of-The-Road), Easy Listening, Adult Contemporary, Pop Dance, Pop Rock, Pop R&B, etc.
2. Playlists: PLAY!. Also this one: PLAY!. And also this one: PLAY!. Finally, also this one: PLAY!. Pick any list you like, but in the end, go through them ALL. Depending on the time you can allocate, listen to 2, 3 or more songs on the selected playlist. Next week, pick up where you left off.
3. After today’s listening session: Do you still remember any one song – or artist – that stood out for you? Write it in your diary.
4. Bonus track(s): As above, we will add new songs here regularly:
   1. No Doubt – “Don’t Speak” – PLAY!
   2. Pink – “Get The Party Started” – PLAY!

FRIDAY – “MIND EXPANSION DAY”

1. Styles: Classical, Big Band, Light Jazz, Swing, Smooth Jazz, Acid Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Jazz-Rock Fusion, Dixieland, Experimental, Avant-garde, etc
2. Playlists: PLAY!. Also this one: PLAY!. And this one: PLAY!. Pick any list you like, but in the end, go through them ALL. Depending on the time you can allocate, listen to 2, 3 or more songs on the selected playlist. Next week, pick up where you left off.
3. After today’s listening session: Do you still remember any one song – or artist – that stood out for you? Write it in your diary.
4. Bonus track(s): As above, we will add new songs here regularly:
   1. Nina Simone – “My Baby Just Cares For Me” – PLAY!
   2. Herbie Hancock – “Chameleon” – PLAY!

SATURDAY – “PARTY DAY”

1. Styles: Dance, EDM, House, Trance, Drum & Bass, Future House, Future Bass, Dubstep, Club, Electroshock, etc
2. Playlist: PLAY! to get you started. Pick any list you like, but in the end, go through them ALL. Depending on the time you can allocate, listen to 2, 3 or more songs on the selected playlist. Next week, pick up where you left off.
3. After today’s listening session: Do you still remember any one song – or artist – that stood out for you? Write it in your diary.
4. Bonus track(s): As above, we will add new songs here regularly:
   1. * Lost Frequencies – “Are You With Me” – PLAY!
   2. * Spiller Groovejet – “If This Ain’t Love” – PLAY!

SUNDAYS – “KICK BACK & RELAX DAY”

1. Styles: Folk, Country, Traditional, Bluegrass, Honky Tonk, Folk Rock, Country Rock, World Music, Ethnic, etc
2. Playlists: Try this PLAY!. Also this: PLAY!. Or this: PLAY!. Or this: PLAY! .Pick any list you like, but in the end, go through them ALL. Depending on the time you can allocate, listen to 2, 3 or more songs on the selected playlist. Next week, pick up where you left off.
3. After today’s listening session: Do you still remember any one song – or artist – that stood out for you? Write it in your diary.
4. Bonus track(s): As above, we will add new songs here regularly:
   1. Bob Dylan – “Blowin’ In The Wind” – PLAY!
   2. Simon & Garfunkel – “Scarborough Fair” – PLAY!

(Songs marked with an asterisk * are by friends of the house or artists/producers I’ve worked with)

For your DIARY at the end of the week: please also write down these observations:

• Which song(s) stuck with you the most and you’ll want to listen again?
• Which artist(s) has made the biggest impression on you?
• Are you beginning to see differences between the various styles? Write down what you currently think they are.
• Now, entirely from memory: sing the first line of your favorite song this week. If you can’t remember the lyrics, just hum the melody. Now, go to your keyboard (or virtual keyboard, or a guitar) and find the first note on it. Write it down. Now find your favorite song and play the opening line. Find the first note on your keyboard. Is it the same note as you remembered?

Next Chapter (Pitch Recognition)

COMING SOON

Like I said, spend your FIRST week only on listening to new and unfamiliar music, as per above. (by the way, as the list of “bonus songs” grows, you can pick and choose which ones to listen to).

In the future, you will continue listening as well, but you will also add some of the exercises below to each day’s music training. Here’s a small taster of what’s coming soon, in no particular order (and there will be more still):

• General music knowledge and selected history – cool little facts you should find most interesting.
• Learning relative pitch memory – learn how to sing in pitch from memory – most of the time (“almost” as cool as “perfect pitch”).
• Understanding musical scales and knowing which type of scale you’re in at any given time – this will turn you from an amateur into a pro!
• Understanding intervals and how a singer uses them – you’ll get a fantastic edge over other singers who don’t know these secrets!
• Developing melodic intuition – sing ANY kind of music, even if you don’t know it!
• Note, chord and cluster recognition – never get lost in an unfamiliar song again.
• Instant transposition – make your life SO MUCH easier!
• The magic of harmonizing – you’ll love these simple techniques for bringing even more beauty into your music.
• Riffs and runs the easy way – blow everyone’s socks off with even the most complex riffs and runs.
• Rhythm to kill for – put any rapper to shame!
• Improvisation and melody creation – become an invaluable session singer and in-demand live performer.
• Performance mindset from studio to stage to talent show auditioning – increase your sensitivity but at the same time immunize yourself from bad vibes.
• Discovering chord progressions, i.e. the secret sauce of all music – what do ALL the styles and BIGGEST HITS in ANY style ALL have in common?
• Real-time improvisation and adlibbing (and freestyling), combining melody and rhythm – stun everyone with your musicality.
• Songwriting basics – vastly increase your future music business earning potential!
• Studio basics – just because you’re not an engineer, doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from some of these SOUND secrets!
• Production and arrangement basics – one day you’ll want to produce your own music.
• Understanding A&R – how do record companies decide which new artists to sign?
• Vocal technique vs stamina and how to economize – Learn how to work hard on singing without breaking a sweat.
• The secrets of vocal dynamics and projection – the foundations of your own vocal sound.
• The key ingredient in your singing success: vocal character – learn how to beat singers who are technically better than you.
• Over-singing, under-singing and everything in-between – stabilize your new-found singing confidence.
• Studio vs Live – what even some pros don’t know about singing.
• Instruments and you – how learning an instrument can vastly improve your singing.
• All you need to know about the legal and business side of the music business – even if music isn’t your vocation in life, you’ll really benefit from knowing all this behind-the-scenes stuff.
• Online music success – who says you must get a record deal to make money off music!
• Best online resources to sign up for – never ever stop learning, and have maximum FUN doing it!
• Which SIMA – or Berklee (or other) – courses (or schools) to sign up for – If you plan to make music your career, why not maximize your chances?
• Future career prospects, if you choose music – music business is as good a career option as any other, but there are caveats. Knowing all of them in advance will give you much greater security.
• Singing and music competitions and contests – looking for a career break bypassing all the “hard stuff”? Why not WIN a talent show?
• How to qualify for SIMA’s exclusive artist development program, and why would you want that – SIMA offers its students incredibly rare and high-quality development opportunities. It’s by invitation only, but it will give you a real edge, if you’re selected.
• and more…

Best 🙂 Paul