In this episode of In My Musical Opinion, host Arabella Berman speaks with Anna Altman, a multi-talented artist who has transitioned from acting and singing to film production, writing, and directing. Anna shares how her deep passion for music has naturally integrated into her filmmaking, demonstrating how musical knowledge and artistic intuition can open doors to diverse creative industries beyond traditional performance. They discuss the realities of producing a music-driven film, from the initial spark of an idea to securing funding and collaborating with other artists.

Topics Covered:

• Expanding Musical Careers: Discovering diverse applications for musical skills beyond performance, such as film production and writing.
• The Creative Process in Film: How music influences story development and the challenges of finding the right musical collaborators.
• Fundraising for Artistic Projects: Overcoming the challenges of securing funding to bring creative visions to life.
• The Power of Intuition and Collaboration: Valuing your artistic instincts and the importance of working with others to expand your creative output.
• Redefining Success: Understanding that "overnight success" is a myth and appreciating the journey of artistic development.

📩 Connect with Anna Altman:
https://www.causematch.com/linernotes

Podcast Production by Podders: https://podders.io

Host Arabella Berman welcomes Alyssa Harris, also known as The Six Figure Singer, an expert in career coaching for professional musicians. Alyssa shares insights on closing the education gap for artists, demonstrating that a sustainable income in music is achievable. This episode offers practical advice on valuing your talent, diversifying income streams within the industry, and building a thriving career through consistent effort.

Topics Covered:

• Addressing the education gap for professional musicians.
• Dismantling the "starving artist" narrative.
• Diversifying income streams solely within the music industry.
• Understanding your value and worth as a professional performer.
• The importance of consistency and relationship building for career growth.

📩 Connect with Alyssa Harris:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/alyssaharrismusic
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesixfiguresinger
• Website: https://www.alyssaharrismusic.com

Podcast Production by Podders https://podders.io

Arabella welcomes Quinn back to the podcast after his graduation from Berklee. This episode focuses on the unique world of metal and extreme vocals. Quinn shares his expertise on how to approach teaching and performing distortion, the songwriting process in a metal band, and the athletic demands of this vocal style.

Topics Covered:

• Teaching and Learning Extreme Vocals: Quinn discusses the challenge of identifying and manipulating the correct muscles for distortion, emphasizing the role of trial-and-error.
• Understanding Vocal Distortion: The conversation explores different types of extreme singing in metal, distinguishing it from clean vocals and drawing analogies to guitar distortion.
• Songwriting for Metal vs. Clean Vocals: Quinn explains how his songwriting process differs drastically based on whether he's composing for his metal band or for clean, melodic pieces.
• Vocal Health and Athleticism: The episode covers the importance of vocal hygiene for metal singers, comparing the athletic demands of extreme vocals to classical opera singing.
• Building a Metal Vocal Community: Quinn shares his experience finding like-minded musicians and forming a band in a collegiate setting, even without formal metal singing programs.
• The Power of Diverse Skills: He concludes by highlighting how unexpected skills, like playing guitar or piano, can open doors professionally.

Podcast Production by Podders: https://podders.io

In this episode, Arabella speaks with Quinn Biron Warren, a teaching instructor at AVS who is finishing his final year of music school while actively performing in a metal band and teaching voice students. The conversation explores the challenges and rewards of balancing formal music education with real-world musical pursuits, offering valuable insights for college-age musicians considering their educational and career paths. Quinn shares his journey from discovering metal music in sixth grade to becoming a vocal instructor specializing in distortion techniques, while discussing how he manages the demanding schedule of being a student, teacher, and performer simultaneously.

Topics Covered:

• Balancing music school coursework with band rehearsals, performances, and teaching responsibilities.
• The pros and cons of formal music education versus self-directed learning.
• How teaching experience influences learning and provides different perspectives on music education.
• Scheduling strategies for managing multiple musical commitments and collaborative projects.
• The debate between curriculum-based versus individualized approaches to music instruction.

Podcast Production by Podders: https://podders.io

Host Arabella Berman welcomes Meghan Purdue, a digital learning expert with experience at MIT and Fidelity, to explore the intricacies of online music education. Meghan shares her personal journey of teaching herself piano using digital resources and her professional insights on designing effective e-learning, particularly for artistic disciplines. The discussion offers musicians valuable perspectives on leveraging digital tools for practice, understanding concepts like cognitive load for skill acquisition, and navigating the evolving landscape of online learning.

Topics Covered:

• Megan's transition into digital learning and her experience self-teaching piano through online platforms and apps.
• Applying learning principles like managing cognitive load and isolating skills for effective online music practice.
• The benefits of interactive tools providing immediate feedback for learning foundational music skills.
• Challenges and considerations for creating engaging and effective digital learning experiences in the arts.
• The importance of focused, daily practice and choosing motivating material when learning music online.

Podcast Production by Podders: https://podders.io

Lisa Kent, a serial entrepreneur and host of the Dauntless podcast, joins Arabella to discuss business strategies for artists. They explore how understanding your audience, developing network strategies, and finding allies can help musicians build their brand. Lisa's experience in growing and marketing companies offers practical advice for navigating the music industry.

Lisa Kent and Arabella cover important aspects of marketing and business for artists. You will learn about:

• Content delivery and management.
• Developing effective network strategies.
• The importance of knowing your audience.
• How to find and cultivate allies.

📩 Connect with Lisa Kent:
https://dauntless.works

Podcast Production by Podders: https://podders.io

Bestselling author Jenna Blum talks with Arabella about connecting writing and music. They discuss how you can embrace your creative identity, manage multiple projects, and build community as an artist. Jenna shares insights from writing her musical audio drama and founding the author platform, A Mighty Blaze.

Topics Covered:

• Embracing your identity as a professional creative.
• Managing multiple ideas using focus techniques and a “maybe later” list.
• Building community and the importance of asking for help.
• Balancing creative passions with practical needs like multiple income streams.

📩 Connect with Jenna Blum:

• https://www.jennablum.com
• https://www.amightyblaze.com

Podcast Production by Podders: https://podders.io

Kamillah Collins, an advertising strategist, joins Arabella to discuss the crucial role of strategy for musicians and artists. They explore how defining your why, understanding your audience, and developing a messaging framework (even with a limited budget) can provide the structure needed to effectively promote your creative work and navigate the path from artistic passion to performance and connection.

Kamillah Collins brings her expertise in advertising strategy, honed through experience at agencies like BBDO where she transitioned from a creative role to strategy. She has advised Arabella on brand strategy for AVS and Piano for the Vocalist, demonstrating how strategic thinking applies directly to building an artist's presence.

Podcast Production by Podders: https://podders.io