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MYTHS AND VISIONS: PART 2

By Tom Jackson

So, you’ve looked at your audience – who’s out there listening to you. And once you know who they are, the next step in “getting a vision for your show” is to look at your songs.

I lay all my songs out on a sheet of paper and define or categorize them. I give them a number rating of one through five.

I’m not talking about how good the songs are with the numbers. I’m talking about whether they’re a high energy, driving song (then they’re a “5”). Or if they’re a laid back, relaxing piece (then they’re a “1”). Or maybe it’s a typical radio song (a “3”).

Then I think of my audience, and in my mind’s eye I see (get a vision for) what response I want to get from my audience after each song. I should back up a little bit and tell you that when I say “songs” I’m really more concerned with “moments” and the moments within the songs. Because, again, people don’t go to concerts to hear songs, they go to experience moments.

So as I lay out the songs and plan the evening concert, I look at the song and ask myself “what moment is inside this song?” Is it a fun moment, a touching moment, a musical moment, a visual moment?

There are many different kinds of moments, and I begin to plan on using those different moments to change the pressure on the audience.

And then you develop a plan. For example, let’s take a very quiet song that you might do. It sounds different, and visually it needs to be different than a really rocking song. The placement in the show is important.

Imagine a new audience listening to the first three songs of the night that are pretty upbeat. They start to think “this band has songs that all sound the same.” (That’s because they’ve all looked the same so far.) So we plan a pressure change by doing that quiet song and develop it into a unique moment.

I often spend weeks mulling over the order of the show. I mull over the songs themselves, listening to them over and over trying to get a vision for what moment there is in the song.

I listen for different parts of the song. I keep listening and looking for moments in each song.

And as I envision those moments and what they’ll do for the audience, I can plan a show that’s not only creative, but gives me the opportunity to be spontaneous without “winging it!”

Tom Jackson, #1 Live Music Producer in the industry, helps artists develop their show into "unique memorable moments!" A Live Music Producer does onstage with the live show, what a record producer does in the studio. Many successful artists have learned from Tom: Taylor Swift, Jars of Clay, Jordin Sparks, Casting Crowns, Francesca Battistelli, and other acts you admire. For more info, visit http://onstagesuccess.com

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Song:

Psalm 40:1-6

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.    
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.

5 Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.

6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced;
burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not require.

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