CAREER MENTORING
Due to the success that Merelyn & David have enjoyed over their 25 year music career and, in particular, their incredible success as Carter & Carter during the past 18 years, they have put together personalised mentoring and training packages to help other artists put together a step by step plan to build a successful and sustainable career.
Over the years they have found that so many people were wanting to know how they achieved their success with Carter & Carter particularly as self funded, self managed, self promoted, independent artists. So these mentoring and training packages are a direct response to that. Each session is specifically designed to cater to the needs of the artist and where they are at in their career. We have mentored people just starting out and established artists. These mentoring sessions are very intensive and hands on and you will go away not only with a definite idea of where to go next, but practical tools to help you get there.
MENTORING PACKAGES OVERVIEW
While each mentoring session is designed around the needs of the artist involved, below are some of the topics that we cover.
How to get gigs
This by far is still the most requested part of any mentoring session and covers not only how to get gigs but how to make the phone call, write the proposal, how much to charge, how much to pay the band, how to book the band, dealing with venues, booking contracts, dealing with agents, applying for festivals etc.
How to write a hit song
This covers methods on how to brainstorm new ideas for original songs, rhyming and structures, melodies and hooks, commercial considerations for songs, writing songs that are unique to who you are as an artist, finishing songs, recording demos, the art of the re-write, over coming writing roadblocks, co-writing etc.
How to record an album, EP or single
This covers everything from budget, to finding the right producer for you, how to preproduce songs, saving time in the studio, hiring the right players for a recording session, how to cope with the pressure of being under the studio microscope when recording, how to get a good mix, mastering and what it actually does, the legalities of recording your own songs or someone else's, planning to stay on budget and on a timeline and much more.
Creating your own unique image
This covers identifying what it is that is different about you as an artist and coming up with ways to reinforce your uniqueness through clothing, photos, videos, music, website etc?
Releasing a song to radio successfully
This covers both the digital and hardcopy release of a singles to radio. It includes methods of delivery, how to use other media both printed and digital to support your radio single, making phone calls to radio presenters, planning the followup, doing radio id's, selling the story to make your song more appealing, making sure the people who do the charts know your song is being played, booking and doing radio interviews, what to do when your song starts charting etc.
Marketing your album, image or show
This covers the marketing methods both physical and digital that you can utilise to promote your album, image or show. It includes album artwork planning, photoshoot planning, preparing your bio and e-kit, getting reviews in magazines and on the internet, purchasing targeted ads, shop displays, posters & flyers, timetabling promotion for best effect, getting a crowd to your shows and much more.
Onstage performance and preparation
Your show should be a memorable one both before you step onstage and while your performing. Skills to make this happen include preparing a songlist, including special events in a show, practicing your patter (what you say between songs), writing charts, rehearsing a show, planning outfits and stage setup, setting up merchandise and maximising sales,
leading the band, dealing with difficult situations onstage, microphone technique, ending a show, stagecraft and so much more.
How to use a website, facebook and other digital presence effectively
This covers methods on how to get a website that reflects your image and how you want to communicate with the industry and supporters, using facebook in a sustainable way, email newsletters, Youtube Channel and revenue, blogs etc.
Your e-press kit is also a vital component of this.
How to put a tour together and make it work
This covers budgeting for a tour, getting the gigs, logistics of tour and costs, marketing of tour on a budget, applying for grants, contracts for venues and performers, personalities on tour, flexible performing arrangements, handling GST, getting artwork done for tour promotion, avenues of advertising - the pros and cons of the different forms, enjoying the experience etc.
Collecting royalties
This covers song registration, APRA, AMCOS, PPCA, how to collect money you are owed in royalties, live performance returns, paying royalties, distinguishing between songwriter, mechanical and artist royalties, what is a synch licence, what happens if someone else wants to record your song, keeping track of compilations that your songs are on, what happens to uncollected royalties and more.
Bookkeeping, budget and tax
This talks about the money side of running a music business and includes GST, how to budget for shows, tours, albums,merchandise etc., keeping track of receipts, insurances, accounting, tax returns etc.
Step by step business planning for success
This covers dreaming big and then breaking it down into the little steps to make that dream become a reality. Writing goals down so you are accountable or can evaluate successful and not so successful choices, to move you towards a sustainable music career.
Video clips - balancing budget with promotion
Video clips are an integral part of any artist's promotional kit but getting one done can be very expensive. It involves talking about the need for video clips versus the budget and simple ways that you can utilise video as an extension of your image and music. Also how being sure to plan as much as you can before the clip starts shooting means less surprises at the other end.
MENTORING PACKAGES OPTIONS
FULL DAY PACKAGE
IN KINGLAKE, VIC
9am – 5pm with lunch, morning and afternoon tea provided.
Topics can be pre chosen by you to cover what you need at the time, and we will answer your questions. We will also suggest further topics to get you thinking and help you formally set out some definite goals for the way ahead and tackle any difficulties you may have been struggling with on your path to a successful career.
You will need to provide your own transport to our house.
Cost is $600 plus GST.
Deposit on booking 50%. Balance 1 week before appointment or earlier.
TWO DAY PACKAGE IN KINGLAKE,VIC
9am – 5pm with lunch, morning and afternoon tea provided each day.
Topics can be pre chosen by you to cover what you need at the time, and we will answer your questions. We will also suggest further topics to get you thinking and help you formally set out some definite goals for the way ahead and tackle any difficulties you may have been struggling with on your path to a successful career.
You will need to provide your own transport to our house.
Cost is $1000 plus GST.
Deposit on booking 50%. Balance 1 week before appointment or earlier.
Have your questions ready or pre send them if you are organised and want to take fullest advantage of our time. We will give you as many hours as you need of concentrated and practical career and industry information.
You can call us on a phone or we can chat over the internet, at a mutually agreed time, and you get our full attention for the agreed session and usually a little extra.
Rate per hour is $80 plus GST.
Deposit on booking 50%. Balance 2 days before appointment or earlier.
FULL SHE BANG PACKAGE IN KINGLAKE, VIC
Spend 2 days and 2 nights at our house with the services as provided in the two day package, plus airport pick up and delivery if you are flying from interstate, 2 breakfasts and evening meals with us and some socialising and playing music after we have worked hard all day.
We live on 23 acres in a rural area of Kinglake. Our farm is wonderful for inspiration and we guarantee you our full professional attention – one to one.
Cost is $1200 plus GST.
Deposit on booking 50%. Balance 1 week before appointment or earlier.
GROUP MENTORING PACKAGES
We have mentored groups across Australia on song writing, performance, project planning, recording, video clips, marketing, digital presence and much more.
Whatever your requirement we can work with you to help put together a workshop for your group that will educate and excite through learning skills that will enable them to move forward confidently.
We have worked with country music clubs, school classes, youth groups, corporate groups and community groups from 8 to 80 participants across all ages.
Cost is dependent on the project.
WORKSHOP RETREATS
IN KINGLAKE, VIC
We run workshop retreats at the Cheeky Fox Retreat in Kinglake on a variety of different mentoring topics. It's a great way to do some intensive learning of skills that will further your career , build confidence in your abilities and enrich your life.
Our set ones for 2019 are as follows
BEGINNERS SONG WRITERS RETREAT
DATE: 10 -12 May FIND OUT MORE
BEYOND BEGINNERS
SONG WRITERS RETREAT
DATE: 20 -22 Sept FIND OUT MORE
TARGETED SONG WRITERS RETREAT
DATES: 8 -10 Nov FIND OUT MORE
For more information details etc. please click on the heading for each retreat.