Michael W. Smith on "Priorities"

In this instagram post Michael W. Smith shares how he committed to family first by never being away from home longer than two weeks at a time—even while touring worldwide. What boundaries have you set to balance your family and career?

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Michael W Smith shares about priorities as a Christian artist

Why You Need Killer Cover Art For Your Music

My passion is helping artists like you CRUSH it at serving your audience. Here are a few reasons you should consider getting custom cover art made for your next song, EP, or album:

1. By the time your music is written, recorded, produced, and mixed you've invested so much time and resources. Make sure the quality of your artwork matches the quality of your new music!

2. It’s a fact that high-quality artwork will attract new listeners and help establish your brand as innovative, modern, and credible. Don't let your brand suffer from mediocre or home-made artwork!

3. It takes a skilled designer to design something compelling and yet minimal enough since most people will only see a small thumbnail version of your cover art on Spotify, Apple Music, etc.

If you need help getting your next cover designed, let me know! My team and I help artists with great art all the time! Visit this page for more info.

Blessings to you!
- Sam

5 Ways to save money on getting your music made...

1. Produce yourself and then get songs mixed and mastered by a pro

2. Save higher-calibur, pricier producer for best songs or singles from album

3. Crowd-fund - inspire and invite your audience to partner with your mission

4. Hire a producer who can also mix or even master your songs

5. Hire a producer who can play/sing ALL the parts

6. BONUS: Ask your producer if you can get a discount if you record your vocals remotely.

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When Are You Ready To Hire A Producer For Your Music?

This carousel slideshow reveals 6 tips to help you decide when your ready to hire a music producer for your music…

5 KEYS TO MAKING MUSIC THAT IS CHRISTIAN (PART 5)

(PART 5/5) PEOPLE OF THE WORD

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)

I took some time to pray about Part 5. Honestly, I was hoping to come up with something more on the profound side. But as I prayed over the last week or two about it, I just sensed God leading me to go back to basics.

I can sense eye-rolls at this moment. Let’s be real: More and more Christians these days don’t believe the Bible is “God-breathed.” BUT…the fact that Jesus Himself quoted the Old Testament writings as divine revelation - and that His immediate apprentices not only did the same but referred to each-other’s writings as “God-inspired scripture” - makes a case that the Bible is more than just good wisdom-literature.

Christ-followers have made the study of scripture an essential practice for millennia. If the Bible IS (or at least contains the Word Of God) then wouldn’t it make sense to consider time in the scriptures a crucial part of “abiding” in Christ? Many legendary songwriters - that I either know of or know personally- cite the Scriptures as their primary source of inspiration.

I could be crazy but it seems plain to me that in an era of literally billons of voices (yes…including this post), oceans of information and misinformation, there’s never been a more important time to be consuming God’s truth. (As Jesus was quoted to have said in a conversation with God the Father: “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth”)

Christian Music Makers, let’s create music drawn from the Source of Truth. Truth which alone holds the secrets to an abundant and everlasting life.

5 KEYS TO MAKING MUSIC THAT IS CHRISTIAN (PART 4)

(PART 4/5) MAKE WORTHY MUSIC

I often hear critical remarks from people about Christian Music. This always piques my curiosity as someone who, at one time, tried to distance myself from Christian Music. After all, it was embarrassing to me. I especially avoided being associated with what is known as “CCM” (basically Christian pop radio). And then one day God called me out on that. He gave me the sense that even as a child I was being shaped to eventually serve in Christian Music. One of the things I heard in my heart was, “If you don’t like something about the music, change it.” I’ve been focusing my writing and producing efforts toward Christian Music ever since.

Circling back: Why is Christian music so often criticized by many of the very people it is aimed at? I've observed multiple reasons but I'll share one: Misplaced expectations. What is it that we are expecting "Christian Music" to do? It seems that nine times out of ten, criticism comes in the form of comparison to other genres of music. Comparing Christian Music to mainstream Pop, Rock, Country, etc., completely misses the point, IMHO. Christian music in American culture has never merely functioned as a genre of musical entertainment…at least not primarily. Much of its mission has essentially been aimed at connecting people with God and processing life through the lens of God's truth. It has always contained devotion, evangelism, and disciple-making as essential elements. I would argue that these are important and needed pieces.

Honestly, this topic is much bigger than this post and we can barely skim the surface here. But consider this helpful perspective from God's Word:

“…We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:9-10)

What if the criteria for what makes Christian music good was less about how it compares to mainstream music and more about whether or not it’s worthy of Christ? What if we made music in a "manner worthy of the Lord?"