Mark Zubek
Written by Ani Artinian Thursday, 09 July 2009 06:27
Mark Zubek is a producer, songwriter, and instrumentalist with a wealth of knowledge about the world of music and what it takes to become a successful artist. This knowledge comes from producing records fulltime for the last seven years. He has worked with 200 independent artists, and there are over a staggering 1 million albums out there with his name on it either as the producer, instrumentalist, or writer. His multi-talented nature began at a young age. Mark began playing instruments as a kid just for the fun of it, starting with playing the drums at the age of 12. He went on to learn how to play the bass, guitar, and keyboards. Aside from him being a multi-instrumentalist, the fact that Mark is also a songwriter and producer means he truly has the whole package.
The various services that he is able to offer artists is exactly why he has had the opportunity to work with so many people, and has built a successful career for himself. Mark spoke about the Toronto music scene, stating that “there’s a wide scene in Toronto, with lots of genres and opportunities to play.” If you compare Toronto’s music scene to a place like New York, Mark notes that Toronto has a smaller market. This can work for the artist, as it makes it easier to get noticed and stand out when there’s less competition. Mark also spoke of a major change that has occurred in the last 15 years – the ability to vigorously promote yourself online, and produce your own records at a relatively low cost. These two changes essentially level the playing field, which means that how far you get is “all about the talent, and the work you put into it.” So now that artists have a more challenging journey ahead of them, Mark offered some advice to musicians regarding distinguishing themselves from the competition.
Artists must have songs that stand out and sound good enough to be on radio, and they must be open-minded to criticism and willing to rework their songs. Vocalists must have notable talent and great performance skills, and there must be a strong presence and character onstage. Lastly, artists must keep in mind that the music industry is just that – an industry, and they have to learn how to fund and sell their product. Find out more about Mark Zubek and his accomplishments at www.markzubek.com