tiffanyprochera.com

  • SWIMMING TIGRESS MUSIC
    • Ladybug Crossings
    • Composer at your service
    • Sheet Music
      • I DON’T LIKE WINTER COLLECTION
      • Bad Moods
      • Brain Freezes
      • Dreams, Magic And Other Realities
      • A La Carte Sheet Music
    • Song Demos
    • Mocha And The Moon Musical
  • SWIMMING TIGRESS PRESS
    • 24 Days in December
    • Christmas Scavenger Hunt
    • Idea Factory Book
    • Candle At Both Ends
    • Mocha And The Moon Book
    • Tabitha’s Magical Voice
  • VOICE TALENT
  • ABOUT AND MORE
    • BLOG
    • CONTACT
  • SHOP

Archives for August 2015

The Beauty of Creative Cross-Inspiration

August 20, 2015 by tprochera Leave a Comment

crossinspirationHey guys!

So, a couple of weeks ago, I talked about trying on other creative roles, suggesting that we often identify ourselves in a certain way and it can sometimes keep us in a box so it can behoove us, if you will, to try something new to inspire us and to see things from a different angle.

Today I’d like to talk about being inspired by art forms other than those in which we currently engage.

As a musician, for example, I am often inspired by the music I hear, by the elegant poetry of the lyrics, the unexpected chord progressions or the effective production of the recording. And, while I would never attempt to take from another’s work, it is only natural for a person to learn from the work of others in their field.

But I can also learn and grow as a musician from things that are not music related. My musical inspiration can come from many places, and by that I do not mean seeing daily events as thematic material for my work. There’s more to it than that.

Sometimes dancing can make me think of music. Sometimes a scene in a movie can bring melodic motifs into my head. These are obvious pairings as most dance is performed to music and there is a musical score behind most films.

But it’s not even about these art forms working together in an expected way.

When I was directing a musical earlier this year, there was a character in the show who was a refined and, yet, passionate man of Russian background. I suggested to the actor portraying him that he view videos of the amazing figure skater, Victor Petrenko. I gave him this homework because I wanted him to sing and act like Petrenko skated, with that technical perfection infused with emotion that was both moving and mesmerizing to watch.

When you watch a great new film or one of your existing favorites, notice the pacing of the action of the dialog. Notice the setting. Can you use any of the stylistic or linguistic techniques to enhance your own work? What would the bold colours of a film from the 1960’s look like as a musical piece? Does a brush stroke in a painting make you think of a haunting cello line? Does that small statue of a little girl in the museum inspire a poem or, perhaps, an entire novel telling her story?

This is all about creating a kind of artistic synesthesia, if you will, whereby the different art forms inspire and fuel each other. More about synesthesia in a future blog post.

 

In Swimming Tigress Music news, I am excited to announce our that I have just finished the last track for the Ladybug Crossings album! The lyric video for Mr. Willywallywolowitz will be out shortly and I’m expecting the album to be released at the end of September!

Speaking of September, it is almost the start of the new lesson season. So, if you or anyone you know is looking to experience the joy of learning to sing, I am currently accepting students in person and via Skype for the upcoming year. You can find more information on the Music Lessons page on this site and then contact me through the Contact page if you have any questions.

Well, that’s all for now. Have a fabulous day!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: blogs about music, canadian composer, canadian compsoers, canadian music, composer blogs, creative inspiration, creative living, cross inspiration, inspiration, ladybug crossings, swimming tigress music, tiffany prochera, tips for artists, tools to create

Who Are You Talking To? Knowing Your Audience

August 12, 2015 by tprochera Leave a Comment

who are you talking to rainbow pngHey guys!

Some time ago, I posted a blog called “Who are you as an artist?” which looked at what we want to represent as an artists and the message we wish to send.

Today, I would like to add to that conversation by asking the question, who are you talking to when you create? What type of person you are looking to reach with your artistic expression? The answer to this question will affect the way you create your art as well as the way you market it and release it into the world.

Of course, who we are talking to , or our “demographic”, may change from year to year or from project to project as we are constantly seeking growth and new experiences, which can also mean trying on new methods of creative expression. The point is, a performer of children’s music who decides they want to try their hand at writing a book for young adults will likely approach the work in an entirely different way.

You may not always have an anticipated audience in mind at first. When you first conceive of a book, you may simply have a vision of a character or a situation and not be quite clear as to how the story will evolve.

However, over time, you will hopefully recognize the story that you are trying to tell and have some concept of who that story is for, whether it be adults, teens, or children. You might also want to look at the specific type of adult, teen or child who will benefit from your work. Is it directed at a particular type of person – say, someone interested in sports or someone interested in spirituality? We can often be be inclined to think big and say our book or our music will appeal to everyone so as to cover all the bases and gain the widest possible audience but you are really doing yourself and the work a disservice and run the risk of the work being unfocused and, ultimately, not appealing to anyone.

Knowing who your audience is can clarify the language you use, the themes presented, the complexity of the work and much more so once you’ve got that figured out you may want to go back and make some adjustments.

This is not to suggest that you need to squelch your creativity or that you have to cater to anyone, per se. Rather, it is an understanding that certain language may not be appropriate for, or understood by, young readers or a song with many key changes may be complicated for younger ears. Or realizing that a certain demographic will appreciate subtle nuances, subtext and plot twists whereas another might be completely baffled.

It’s not giving in or selling out. It is creating something that people will enjoy and find meaningful. And that’s the goal after all, isn’t it?

As a singer and composer, I have a rather diverse musical background and I have enjoyed it all. But I have to remember that my style of writing in an operatic aria will be different in many ways from my style of writing of a pop song or a children’s song. The chord progressions will be different. The melodic lines will be different. I have had family members listen to a pop song I had recorded and tell me there is just “too much” in there – too many words, too much going on musically. It took some time for me to realize that, while some unique twists are fun and interesting, I was writing a song, not a symphony.

And I have found myself using a somewhat different singing voice with my children’s work. I feel young ears will relate to a sweeter sound rather than a big, booming opera voice. Not that the styles never influence each other but singing Doodley Doo with an operatic tone? I’m not sure how that would fly. 🙂

Similarly, if you are an artist who has been asked to create paintings to hang on the walls of a fine dining restaurant, the subject matter you explore might be different than if you were working on painting for a children’s hospital. You are setting the tone for that space and must be cognisant of how that space is being used and by whom.

If this is not a work for hire, which would already have a pre-determined home, once the project is complete it is a matter of knowing how to reach those people for whom your work is intended. An entire book could be devoted to the topic of marketing alone, of course, and certainly that has been done. But for the purposes of this discussion, I would like to suggest that if you have, for example, written a book on spirituality, you may find that there are many other ways to reach your audience outside of libraries and bookstores.

When you know who your work is for, then you can find creative ways to get your work out into the world. Does your audience use social media? Does your audience go to farmers markets? Does your audience attend Com-Con every year?

So, as you work on your next song, story, painting etc., think about who you want to reach and see if that changes anything. When you know who you’re talking to, they’re more likely to listen!

 

In Swimming Tigress news, I’ve just put up what will be the last lyric video from Ladybug Crossings for Loud! So much fun! I hope you enjoy it!

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: blogs about music, canadian composer, canadian music, composer blogs, creative living, know your audience, ladybug crossings, lyric video, manitoba music, market your art, market your music, marketing, music blog, swimming tigress music, tiffany prochera, tips for artists

Sometimes It Just Takes a While – Give Your Dreams Just a Little More Time!

August 5, 2015 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Hey Guys!

So, most of us, when we take on a creative career, want to reach as many people as possible. As humble as we want to be, on one level we would love to have people all over the world singing our songs, reading our books, enjoying our paintings.

So when we put something out there, when we release our child into the world, we can become discouraged and dismayed if there isn’t an immediate response – if we don’t have Hollywood directors or major publishing houses beating down our door the day after the launch. I myself have boxes of books and CDs that I’m actually pretty proud of but, for a variety of reasons, have not as yet been commercially successful, though they certainly have inspired those who have been exposed to them. 🙂

I say they have not “as yet” been successful because I am well aware that circumstances can change.   I was recently watching an interview with the lovely Rachel Platten, the singer/songwriter behind the inspirational hit of the summer, Fight Song. She spent years working regular jobs and playing gigs until the wee hours of the morning and was on the verge of giving up when she came upon one of her old journals from her childhood and found herself inspired by this young girl who had such faith in herself. And now she’s performing in front of thousands of people every night all over the world!

Check out the clip from the show and I bet you’ll be ready to make your dreams happen!

 

I also want to share a tasty tidbit from Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday when she interviewed the fascinating Paulo Coehlo, author of the inspiring philosophical novel, The Alchemist.

Now one of the most popular books of all time, having sold 65 million copies, Coehlo will be the first to admit that The Alchemist was hardly a phenomenon when it was first released. The book had a slow start, to say the least!

After selling next to zero copies of the book over several months, he went on the search for another publisher..

Then, when the book was reissued, the word started to spread like wildfire, with A-list celebrities singing its praises, and history was made!

 

I want to say this. Certainly people can change paths and there may come a time when it would be best to move on to something else that will ultimately prove to be more fulfilling for you. But if you truly believe with all your heart that you are doing what you are here to do on this earth, do what you need to do to make sure you have a roof over your head and all that and give your dream just a little more time to percolate! You’ll be glad you did!

And don’t forget to add your two cents or a nickel to this conversation. Did you have a dream come true just when you were ready to quit? Did you just know something was meant to be even though you weren’t seeing the results you wanted right away and then suddenly it all came together? Let us know!

 

In Swimming Tigress Music news this week, I’ve posted a bunch more fabulous and fun material on Pinterest, including sheet music, demos and more, so check it out and enjoy!

Have a fabulous day!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: blogs about music, canadian composer, canadian music, composer blogs, don't give up, follow your dreams, inspiration, manitoba music, music blog, Paulo Coehlo, Rachel Platten, swimming tigress music, tiffany prochera, tips for artists, tools to create

WORK WITH STM

If you are seeking a composer, songs or voice talent for your media project, it would be my pleasure to assist you!

Contact me at [email protected] for more information.

LET’S CONNECT!

Keep up with all the goodness at STM by following us on social media!

Link to my Contact
Link to my Facebook Page
Link to my Twitter Page
Link to my Youtube Page

Copyright © 2025 · Agency Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in