Called To Music Podcast

On this episode of the CIAS podcast I wanted to discuss 5 things that have helped me produce better music. These are more mind-set than technical and I believe will help you in whatever stage you are in. I have been producing music since 2010 and have learned so much along the way.  In the beginning it was an outlet with no rules, and just a way to finally realize the music I was hearing in my hea...

On this episode of the CIAS podcast I had the privilege and honor to have a conversation with one of my hero's and mentors Todd Fields. Todd has been writing, recording and releasing music as an artist for many years and has made real impact with his music.   Todd not only has been writing and releasing music, but he was on staff at North Point church as the worship leader for over 23 years....

Back in 2017 I started to focus on songwriting in a serious way. I had written hundreds of songs for myself and various bands I was in, but 2017 is when I became most focused on becoming a professional in the music industry. In the process I began to produce the songs I was writing to help bring out the best version of the work tapes I had.   On this episode I wanted to talk through a few points a...

On this episode of the CIAS Podcast I had the privilege of talking with my friend Dave Taylor. Dave has many years of experience working professionally in the music industry, with 10 of those years spent with Integrity Music. Dave has a passion to help indie artists get their music heard through promotion strategies and consulting.  I personally feel this is one of the most helpful podcasts I have...

On this episode of the CIAS podcast I wanted to first celebrate our 1 year anniversary! It has been truly incredible to be on this journey with you over the last year. God has accomplished so much more than we ever could have imagined. In our first year we had nearly 8,000 downloads!   The vision of this podcast is to help Christian Indie Artists and Songwriters get songs heard. To see all the hou...

  Co-writing is the BEST way to write songs. I know, I know, you may disagree but I say it because there are so many more benefits than just writing a great song when it comes to co-writing. Yes, writing a great song is the goal, but the relationship building is the key difference and benefit, opposed to solo writing.    The collaborative aspect is so important to co-writing and there are a few to...

 On this episode of the CIAS Podcast I wanted to talk about a really important topic, NOT quitting. It can be easy to give up on a music journey as it is difficult, takes a lot of time, and has many twists and turns. But, I believe this is a calling and we can’t give up on a calling. Even more than that, if God has put it on our heart to share our music with the world, then it is our duty to give...

Right now is the greatest time in history to be an indie artist. We have all the tools and resources we need to build and grow a career in music. With accessible recording equipment, social media, zoom and other apps and technology, we can literally create a successful music journey with almost everything we already have.   But, how do we actually earn money as an indie artist? Without an income,...

On this episode of the CIAS Podcast I wanted to share my personal production journey. I believe right now is the greatest time to be making music from home and I know you can do it too! Every journey begins with one step, and in this episode I talk about how I started my journey back in 2006 on an old Dell computer with no microphone, headphones or even a clue as to how to produce music. I hope th...

Get "Record Your Vocals Like a Pro" here   On this episode of the CIAS Podcast I wanted to walk through 8 things that will help you record your vocals like a pro. Right now is the best time in history to be making music and more specifically, making music in your home studio. We are now able to write, record and release music from our homes that can touch the world, and I want to help yo...

On this episode of the CIAS Podcast I had a great conversation with my friend Holly Salazar. Holly has lived in Nashville for over 12 years now and has been working professionally in the music industry since moving there. She has also written with well over 1000 co-writes and with her experience she has so much wisdom and insight to share.   I wanted Holly to share some of the most common attribut...

Get 27 Free Guides Now!  One of the most important pieces to getting our songs heard is through streams. How do we get streams? Well it comes through a few ways but one of the best ways to get streams on your music is through playlist placements. Playlist pitching, submissions and promotions are one of the biggest topics in music. So how do you get your songs on playlists? NOTE:  For these strateg...

  As we all know releasing music takes a lot of planning to do it right. Once the song is mastered and ready to release the work is only half way done. Putting together a plan for a strategic release can make all the difference.    I wanted to share a simple formula we have used for my own releases and many artists I have worked with.  By having a plan in place it can make the process of releasing...

Get 21 Free guides to help you on your music journey   Chasing a music dream can be such an exciting experience. When we dedicate ourselves to achieving something and start to see things work, we feel fulfilled and are living out our purpose. But what happens when things in the industry start to change? What happens when what used to work, doesn’t work like it once did? Do we continue to try and f...

  Sync music is one of the biggest topics in the modern music industry. Its popularity comes from a few different factors, but one of them being the mystery behind it.  Yes, most of us know that sync is music written/produced specifically for placements in film & tv, but how does our music end up on our favorite show, movie or ad campaign?  I wanted to cover 8 truths from my experience in writ...

On this episode I had a great conversation with artist, songwriter and worship leader Ryan Lynton. I came across Ryan’s music a couple of years ago and have been a fan ever since. He creates music with strong melodic hooks while bringing depth and meaning to his lyrics.  Ryan has been working in church ministry since high school and received his ministerial certifications and degree from the Assem...

On this episode I had a great conversation with my friend Marcos Suazo- Mr. Mas Music. Marcos grew up in the church keeping close attention to the drums and that has stayed with him on his entire journey. From picking up the guitar to write his first songs, to learning production and releasing an EP, Marcos has always kept the main thing, the main thing.   We discussed what it looks like to be eff...

On this first episode of season 3 I had a truly inspired conversation with my good friend Jonathan Jackson. Jonathan is a talented artist, songwriter and entrepreneur in the music space.  He has been writing 100 songs per year for the last 5 years and that is evident on his releases that are killing it on streaming platforms.  On this episode we heard how Jonathan got started in music. From music...

 On this episode we are saying goodbye to season 2 of the CIAS podcast! What an incredible season we’ve had with some amazing interviews. I know I’ve been so encouraged and inspired by the conversations and I hope you have been as well.   I wanted to give a little clarity behind what CIAS actually is and the meaning and purpose behind it. As this episode is going live we are on day 3 of our first...

 On this episode I had a great conversation with Leah Hale of Virtue Design. Leah is a talented web designer who works with a wide range of clients, but has created a specific line of sites for bands and artists. Not only does she design the site with you using a few different layout options, but she will also host, update and keep your site safe through daily back-ups and security monitoring.  It...

 On this episode of the Christian Indie Artists and Songwriters Podcast I had a great conversation with my friend Ashley Beckford. Ashley and her husband Lance are part of the planting team at Unite Church Pasadena. Ashley has been leading worship and writing songs now for most of her adult life and had so much wisdom to share.    Ashley has a unique perspective and skillset with her background an...

On this episode I had an incredible conversation with Nashville-Based, artist, singer/songwriter Olivia Lane. I first came across Olivia on TikTok and quickly realized that she is doing some BIG things in the modern music industry. From starting off with chasing an acting dream that led her to Hollywood, to changing paths to pursue music fully, to even being featured on an episode of NBC's So...

On this episode I had an encouraging conversation with my friend Brandon Bagby. Brandon is a Nashville-based, session musician, producer and touring guitarist. Brandon has played in support of many A-List CCM artists such as Mandisa, Audio Adrenaline, Plumb and many, many more.  During our conversation Brandon discussed what is like to be a modern studio musician and how he is noticing the change...

  On this episode I had great conversation with Crystal of Loyal Love Music. Crystal is an artist and songwriter based out of Virginia beach.  She shared about how to create space in her life while being a wife and mother of 4, all while creating, writing and releasing music. We talked about different marketing strategies and also ways to keep the creative tank full, even with an extremely full li...

On this episode I had an encouraging conversation with my friend Ryan Chew. Ryan is a Maryland based artist, songwriter/worship leader who is making real impact with his music. Ryan has been serving in the local church since he was 16 and following closely to where God has been leading. From leading worship, to attending Berkeley College, to now writing and releasing music under his own name, he h...