T-Banks

In recent times, music seems to be the fastest growing venture in Nigeria.
Visit sites like mytruspot.com, repnaijaartist.com and host of others, you will be amazed with the emergence of up and coming artists who are yet to make it to mainstream. Or rather, visit Alaba international market or any CD seller around you. Get hold on some of the so called mix-up CDs pioneered by the Alaba boys, names you see at the back of the CDs are more strange than the unknown.
What i am trying to analyze above, is the ever increasing emergence of artists in Nigeria. But the lack of professionalism, experience, skill and music rudiments is the sad case at hand. Closely studying artists in the music industry, about 92 percent of artists lack professionalism, experience, skill and music rudiments.
-MUSIC RUDIMENTS: What i mean by music rudiments, are those necessary things a musician or artist need to know before dabbling into the recording boot. They include; Knowing how to strike a note when a key is sounded, knowing how to play at least one musical instrument, understanding the difference between the head voice and chest voice etc.

-SKILL: Skill has to do with the ability to; ad-lib, sing a high pitched note, fine tune your voice, sing the three major parts of music (suprano/treble, alto & tenor). I advise aspiring singers to buy CDs of gospel foreign artists in other to develope singing skill. For males, singers like Fred Hammond, Marvin Sapp, J moss, John P Kee etc. For females- Kim Burell, Yolanda Adams, Juanita Bynum, Cece Winans etc are advisable.

-Experience: The music thing is suppose to be from stage to studio. But the reverse is the case in Nigeria. Most artists have no experience at all before paying for studio fees. Experience has to do with you exposure about music. If you study artists closely, those who had experience from the Choir or who performed on stage before going into the studio, are exceptionally better than those who did not.

RUDIMENT OF MUSIC+SKILL+EXPERIENCE= PROFESSIONALISM.

Someone said, ‘the increasing rate of artists in Nigera is due to hardship and bad economy. These youth sees it as a short cut to fame and money’. But should we keep quiet and watch these so called hardship and bad economy scrap our music?
Join heads with T-Banks as he launches a platform (TALENT BANK AND THE PERFECTIONIST) which will help in developing up-coming artist into professionals that will contend with international artists and bring grammys to Nigeria.
Kindly make your comments and share this.
Regards, T-Banks.

This is my own review of ‘Top 10 Naija Music Producers’.

-10. ID CABASA. Known for his work on 9ice’s hit singles. Idowu has what it takes to give you a good album. Get G-xploit, Steel and ID Cabasa’s albums.

-9. SOOSICK- I just know a little about this guy. But his work on Dagrin’s album ‘C.E.O’ speaks for him.

-8. ELDEE. Good work on ‘BIG BOY’ and ‘HIP HOP WORLD THEME SONG’. Nice producer for any rap song!

-7. J-SLEEK. Nice work on Cartiar’s ‘OWO ATI SWAGGER’. Grab Cartiar’s ‘more than just rap music’ album and feel this dude.

-6. TY-MIX. Came out tight on Iyanya’s ‘MY STORY’. Grab the copy of the album now.

-6. K-SOLO. This dude is just a party maker. With some shouts laced to his beats, you will always know its K-SOLO productions. Nice work on Keffi’s hit single ‘Kokoroko’ and Timaya’s album.

-4. SUNNY NWEKE. This prolific instrumentalist is known by few when it comes to music production in Naija. But his works on Banky W’s ‘W experience’ album shows he’s a dude to reckon with. Listen to the track ‘Can’t stop me’ on W experience. This dude is promising!

-3. JESSE JAGZ. Yeah! Jesse Abaga we all know is a younger brother to 9ja’s finest rapper ‘M.I’. This dude comes out amazing from any beat he cooks. Great work on Djinee’s ‘OVERKILLING’ and Kel’s ‘SITTING ON TOP’. More than good for any rap song!

-2. DOKTA FRABZ. This guy’s production skills baffles me. Just call him 9ja’s finest. Kudos for his work on YQ’s ‘EFIMILE’, Banky W’s ‘LAGOS PARTY’ and Omawunmi’s album ‘WONDER WOMAN’.

-1. COBHAMS ASUQUO. It still amazes me how this blind man produces the best. Be it Gospel, soul, hiphop, R&B…. anything music. He is just too versatile. His works are too numerous to mention. But his latest work speaks like wild fire… Banky W’s ‘STRONG THING’.
I call him the father of music production, and should not be nominated for that category, as he is the best and should be the one presenting any award for best music producer. Kudos to C.A.M.P.

Kindly post your comments and say what you feel. Thanks

Hi reader! Yeah its your guy T-Banks. I have been in the music game for some time now, and have gained some experience on vocal improvement. Below are some tips that have worked for me.
1. Singing always: Singing frequently is a major way of enhancing your vocal power. Try joining a choral group if you want to improve better. Better still, i spend 30 munites, singing almost everyday. So try this, it works! Also try singing the solfa notations (Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do). Go from a low key and then higher. Please when singing, and you experience stress in your vocal folds, kindly stop.
2. Drink a lot of water: Your vocal folds needs a lot of water to keep it moistured. But stop taking anything liquid 2 hours before any performance.
3. Buy tapes: This is the best way of impoving your singing skill. Buy more of foreign gospel tapes (gospel singers exhibit more skills than others) and try to do exactly what the lead singer is doing. Focus more on what the lead singer is doing.
I recommend you buy tape of people like- (for males)-> John P. Kee, Fred Hammond, Marvin Sapp, J-moss, Donnie Mcclurkin. Others are R-Kelly, Usher, Typees, Craig David, Joe, etc. For females, i just know of a few female singers because, i buy more of male singers. I know of Kim Burrel, Cece Winans, Yolanda Adams, Mary J Blidge.
4. Learn how to play at least 1 musical instrument. It will help you immensly.
5. Many people talk about what to eat and what not to eat. To me it does nothing. But don’t eat oily foods few hours before any performance. Its true what you eat can crack your voice, but thats just at that moment you took it. After sometime, what you ate clears from your airways.
This thing i am about to tell you works when you eat it. Its what we call ‘Bitter kola’. I don’t joke with it anytime i want to perform or record. Take at least 2 for 3 days before any performance. This works like magic as it clears your vocal folds and enhances your pitching.
Note: This tips is for any one who wants to improve his singing as a recording artist or a singer, gospel artist or not.
Thanks.