What Does It Require to Become a Male Model?

     As a male model, you’ll find diverse opportunities for work in print, on the runway, at events, and in commercials on television. Male model-turned-celebrity stylist Sam Russell of Los Angeles, and the Houston agent who provided the springboard for his success – “Scouted” star Page Parkes-Eveleth -- offer tips about what it takes to realize a career in the cutthroat profession.

Physical Attributes

     To become a male fashion model, the height requirements are between 6 feet and 6 feet 2 inches tall. Jacket should be a size 40 regular. Male models generally need a lean build; larger muscles in the arms and thighs are not desirable because they tend to pull the clothing. Clear skin and straight teeth are musts.

Age

     While earnings potential is less when compared to female models, the demand in the marketplace to represent images of successful executives and distinguished seniors make male modeling a job with longevity that can provide work into your 60s and beyond. Male models can start working in their teens, according to Parkes, who discovered top male model Tyson Ballou in Dallas when he was just 15.

Training

     Although it’s not a requirement for all jobs, modeling school can give you an edge against your competition by teaching you the ins and outs of on-set expectations, so you put your best foot forward from day one. A modeling school can equip you with industry lingo and help you streamline your look to up the chances of landing a job. Russell says lots of photo shoots, even if they’re just test shoots, will not only help develop your portfolio, but will make you more at ease in front of the camera.

Representation

     As with training, enlisting the services of an agent isn’t a must, but it can help you get hired more frequently and earn a higher paycheck than going it alone. In addition to furnishing tips about jobs that might not get released to the general public, an agent is an advocate who can negotiate your contract and make arrangements on your behalf.

Photos

     Provide your agent or prospective employer with a book featuring an assortment of photographs, which include a head shot and full body shot. A video that demonstrates your runway walk can also be helpful.

Multiple Talents

     Parkes-Eveleth’s former client Channing Tatum got his start as a model in Miami, and then went on to further his career as an actor. “Of course the earning potential of an actor is far higher than that of a male fashion model, and with the right training and guidance, a crossover career can be achieved,” she says.

• Reference Source

http://work.chron.com/require-become-male-model-11984.html
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10 Ways to Become a Better Songwriter

1. Read a LOT

Seriously!!! (Poetry, scripts, stories, etc.) 

2. Listen to a LOT of music 

In a variety of genres. 

3. Write with others

Develop strong co-writing relationships. 

4. Focus on your strengths

Whether they consist of your ability to write lyrics or melodies, etc. Become the best at those strengths! 

5. Spend time with God and learn to hear His voice

Don't just spend time with God in order to get some inspiration, do it because you genuinely want to know Him. 

6. Try writing in different locations

Move into unknown environments - they often spark new inspiration. Go to a cafe, to the mountains or wherever is far away from your usual surroundings. 

7. “Throw a spanner in the works”

Change up your approach to writing. For example, if you always start by writing chords, maybe try starting with lyrics instead. It might be as simple as changing from a piano sound on Logic to a synth sound. 

8. Give yourself a deadline

Set a time frame for when a song should be finished. It helps to motivate you and keeps the song feeling fresh. 

9. Write every day

One thing I've learned lately is that it is absolutely vital that you don't miss a day of writing. It could just be 20 minutes on an acoustic guitar whilst you watch TV or it could be recording a voice memo on your phone whilst you're walking around - these things help so much to keep your mind flowing. Not only that, but it also strengthens your craft. Once, I didn't write for around two months and it was the worst thing I ever did because it took so long for me to get back into the rhythm of things. 

10. Ask for feedback

Find your favourite writers and ask for feedback! 

- Aodhan 

•  Reference Source

http://hillsong.com/blogs/collected/2014/september/10-ways-to-become-a-better-songwriter#.VJeea-CeMPA

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How to Become a Better Musician?

1. Welcome feedback 

Those that listen to you sing or play will be listening from another perspective and may be hearing something different to what you hear. In fact, they might hear something you're not hearing at all. They may make suggestions in order to aid the context you're working in. It's important to welcome feedback, both for the bigger picture and to keep you learning and gaining experience personally. Besides, it might just be an awesome idea! 

2. Maintain a teachable heart 

It is important to remain teachable. No one ever finishes learning in their lifetime. You can always glean something from another person, even if it's a lesson in attitude. 

3. Surround yourself with people that have more experience 

There are many people I look up to - both near and far. It's a pretty simple thought, but it's great to have that uncontrollable laughter when you see your favourite player or singer play something awesome - you learn things, especially when you have a close friendship with them.

4. Worship 

When you worship with your gift from a genuine heart, it impacts those around you and helps you lead. You may not even realise it at the time, but when you hand over your gift to the one that gave it to you, it opens a door for people to have a greater encounter with God! 

5. Practice! 

Yes, that's right, ladies and gentlemen. Not everyone loves this word with gleeful passion, but there are always ways to make practice fun. How about bringing a friend along or learning a piece of music with someone? When others aren't accessible, I like to grab ahold of a good quality play-along album of an artist I love, throw it in the iPod and play to it. The benefit of most play-along tracks is that you have three things - the click reference, a chart to read and the feeling of playing with real musicians. In turn, this helps with timing, reading music and feel/ groove. The play-alongs can be found at most music shops. 

6. Find new ways of getting excited about your instrument 

As mentioned previously, there are always ways to make your discipline exciting and not just something that you do for work or service. Find new ways to keep yourself passionate about your instrument. Be creative! 

7. Read and listen 

When listening to your favourite music, reading it (or about it) helps you understand how it was created and how it was written. 

8. Find your voice 

Once you've seen or heard how things are written or produced, try the same or similar things, and see if you can get the same or similar results. You may even find something that you love more! This helps develop your own musical voice, because you start to pick the aesthetic characteristics in the music you listen to that suit your personality - characteristics that suit you. 

9. Get first-hand experience 

Start playing! Organize some jams with the people you love. It develops confidence, along with feel/ groove and unity. 

10. Be generous 

It's important that we always fill ourselves up, but also that we pour ourselves back out. Be generous with your gift and your service! God works generationally, not just within the small frame of your life span. Those that you give back to inherit what you learnt/ experienced, allowing God to work through more and more people.

- Harrison Wood 

•  Reference Source

http://hillsong.com/blogs/collected/2014/november/how-to-become-a-better-musician#.VJeZlOCeMPA

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What It Takes to Become a Professional Singer?

A real look at a challenging career choice

If you’re serious about pursuing a singing career, consider the following points carefully as you embark on this challenging career path.

     Success is a relative term. To make matters even more complicated, the recent popularity of shows such as American Idol and Internet pop sensations on YouTube have permanently altered our understanding of what it means to be a successful singer. After hearing about Justin Bieber or Carrie Underwood, it’s tempting for a singer to think they’ve failed if they haven’t been playing to sold-out concert halls by age 16, or haven’t skyrocketed to fame over a few short months. Such “rags to riches” tales are exciting, but they only apply to a very small percentage of the singing world and are pretty unrealistic. (Think of how many thousands of people audition for American Idol and how many have actually developed a career as a result of the show.) You probably won’t be the next Avril Lavigne, but that doesn’t mean you’re any less talented or that you won’t be successful.

     Work on defining success for yourself. This is an important part of the work of a singer, and all singers have to face it sooner or later. World-renowned soprano Renée Fleming has said it took her years to “pull together a genuine sense of…what [she] wanted” as a vocalist.

     So, what do you want to get out of singing? Do you want to sing purely for your own enjoyment? Do you want to be a professional (that is, someone who gets paid to perform on a regular basis)? Do you want to be respected in a particular vocal field? Or are you after a large international career?

     Be careful that your idea of success isn’t molded by other people. If you’re happy singing in a cabaret show every now and then but your folks think you should be the next big opera star, make sure the choices you end up making are geared toward your definition of success and not theirs. Keeping your eye on your own personal concept of success is a key step in maintaining a happy and healthy singing life. 

Once you have your definition of success in place, remind yourself that achievement at any level takes time. Go slowly and be good to yourself. If you want to be on Broadway, perhaps auditioning for a top-notch show in New York when you haven’t even had a voice lesson is not a good idea. A lot of work has to be done between the moment you decide you want to sing and the moment you become a polished performer.

     Get to know your limitations and embrace them. If you’re just starting out, you may not be auditioning for the Metropolitan Opera any time soon, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t do so after years of extensive preparation. Set goals for yourself based on your experience. When in doubt, start small. Audition for your school chorus before you go out for the lead in the school musical. You’ll be surprised how much you’ll learn with each new performance opportunity, no matter how trivial it seems.

     As important as it is to take things one at a time, it’s also important to be true to your own instincts. If you feel you’re ready to take things to the next level, say with an important audition, then go for it. Consult the experts around you, such as your teacher or your vocal coach, but use their advice as guidance rather than gospel. 

Now for the fun part—deciding what you want to sing. Think about the kind of singing you want to do. What would make you happy? Do you pine to be a country western diva? Do you see yourself as more of the indie singer-songwriter type? Maybe you’re interested in an operatic career? The possibilities are endless, but it’s important to make this decision at some point because it will inform many of your choices as you head toward a career.

     That said, be flexible. You don’t have to stick with one genre—you may wake up one day and decide that, although you’ve been studying as an operatic soprano, you really just want to sing torch songs (pop-style love ballads) in nightclubs. In addition, singers are often asked to sing in a variety of musical styles. Follow your dreams, but be open to trying new things. 

After you’ve considered all of the issues above, it’s time to tackle the nuts and bolts of singing. Singing is not an inborn talent, it’s something that has to be cultivated and worked on (no matter which type of singing you choose to pursue) or else you run the risk of severely damaging your voice. “But I never hurt my voice,” you might say, “I always sing in my comfort zone.” Truth is, you may be subtly adjusting the muscles in your throat in ways you don’t even realize to create a sound that’s pleasing to you. These little adjustments can have a cumulative effect. A teacher can help prevent that from happening. Translation? Sorry, but you need to take private lessons.

     In addition to shaping your vocal technique, a teacher can guide you through the ins and outs of music itself (e.g., pitches, rhythms, phrasing). Some singers like to brag that they’ve never learned to read music. Newsflash: Very few people are going to want to work with those singers. The mechanics of music are part of your job. Would you expect a lawyer or a doctor to start practicing without the help of intensive study? Of course not! So don’t expect you can be a singer without doing the work. Start becoming a musician today. Learn the basics of theory, harmony, and rhythm. This will take a lot of patience and perseverance, but you’ll be thankful later.

• Reference Source

https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/students/features/singer/what-it-takes

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