Thursday, July 31, 2008
July 2008 - 43 Places to Promote Your Music
This month's newsletter features the listings that were submitted to me this past month.
The contacts listed are sorted into FIVE sections.
- Publications that will REVIEW your music
- Radio Stations/Shows that will PLAY your songs
- Labels, Vendors and Promotional Services that will help you to SELL your CD
- Sites where you can UPLOAD your band's MP3s or videos
- A wide range of Helpful Resources for recording artists
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Introduction to Music Licensing
By Brent McCrossen, Audiosocket
Most of my career I've seen the great aversion bands and musicians have toward "Music Licensing". It would appear that many of them find the subject too complicated to grasp. It's not. They only need to spend the necessary time developing their knowledge of this amazing tool. It will push the exposure of their art and drive revenue from the music they make. It's impossible to cover the entirety of the subject in this article. However, this will dispel some of the fears and act as a quick tutorial.
You've seen the drastic changes that have happened in the music business over the past few years, right? People are buying less and less music. File sharing has impacted artist's ability to make a single dime off of their work. We're not here to debate the good and the bad of that. We're here to discuss a remaining channel of revenue and one that can really blow your band's profile into the mainstream. That channel is music licensing.
In following shows like The O.C, Grey's Anatomy, The Sopranos and Entourage it's easy to see the impact they've had on emerging artists. With commercial radio's reputation on the decline people are seeking new avenues to discover cutting edge, quality music. More often people are finding that new band while watching TV or hearing some killer track on a web site. It's the new way. It presents great opportunity for the artists that know how to meet it.
With the price of gas being what it is, touring is expensive. Still worth while but costly. IF you've got a record deal, in most cases, you need to sell enough records to "recoup" the cost in making and promoting that record. Then, and ONLY then, do you get 10-12% of the records sale price. At that rate you could sell 100,000 records and only make 0-$8,000.
Now imagine this. You own the rights to your music, or have a good publishing deal and a TV show wants to license your hit song. They can pay a lot of money for this. For example, let's say they make you an offer of $25,000 to use your song in the background during a car chase on CSI Miami, most of that $25,000 is going straight into your pocket. IF you're an indie artist that owns the rights to the music and has no agent, 100% of that money is going in your pocket. How much would you have to tour to make that? How many records would you have to sell?
Consider this equation.
Most of my career I've seen the great aversion bands and musicians have toward "Music Licensing". It would appear that many of them find the subject too complicated to grasp. It's not. They only need to spend the necessary time developing their knowledge of this amazing tool. It will push the exposure of their art and drive revenue from the music they make. It's impossible to cover the entirety of the subject in this article. However, this will dispel some of the fears and act as a quick tutorial.
You've seen the drastic changes that have happened in the music business over the past few years, right? People are buying less and less music. File sharing has impacted artist's ability to make a single dime off of their work. We're not here to debate the good and the bad of that. We're here to discuss a remaining channel of revenue and one that can really blow your band's profile into the mainstream. That channel is music licensing.
In following shows like The O.C, Grey's Anatomy, The Sopranos and Entourage it's easy to see the impact they've had on emerging artists. With commercial radio's reputation on the decline people are seeking new avenues to discover cutting edge, quality music. More often people are finding that new band while watching TV or hearing some killer track on a web site. It's the new way. It presents great opportunity for the artists that know how to meet it.
With the price of gas being what it is, touring is expensive. Still worth while but costly. IF you've got a record deal, in most cases, you need to sell enough records to "recoup" the cost in making and promoting that record. Then, and ONLY then, do you get 10-12% of the records sale price. At that rate you could sell 100,000 records and only make 0-$8,000.
Now imagine this. You own the rights to your music, or have a good publishing deal and a TV show wants to license your hit song. They can pay a lot of money for this. For example, let's say they make you an offer of $25,000 to use your song in the background during a car chase on CSI Miami, most of that $25,000 is going straight into your pocket. IF you're an indie artist that owns the rights to the music and has no agent, 100% of that money is going in your pocket. How much would you have to tour to make that? How many records would you have to sell?
Consider this equation.
- You wrote a great song that gets licensed
- You get paid for it
- There is no three. There is no maze for you to traverse between you and the cash. It's not necessarily that simple but it really isn't that hard.
Let me explain a few more details.
Every show, commercial, website, DVD or video game that has a song or melody in it required a license to use it for that specific production. The process to secure the license is called "Music Clearance". This license allows that user to feature the music in their project for a certain amount of time, in a certain area and for a certain feature. This is called the "Use". The type of use often helps determine the price of the license. If your music is in the background and barely heard it won't make as much as say being in the opening credits.
Music Supervisors are the people in charge of selecting music for any one project. These experts work closely with the producer and director to make sure that every scene requiring music is enhanced by its presence. To date music supervisors are becoming the tastemakers for today's audience. They can't be underestimated. In many cases they have more influence over a bands growing popularity then the DJ's of yesterday. One placement on a popular TV show, while paying potentially over $50,000, can help bring your music to the limelight and slam you through the door of success. Music supervisors are one of the gatekeepers.
There are a number of technical terms that one needs to know about music licensing. The most crucial components pertain to the licenses themselves. In order for music to be cleared music supervisors needs to secure two separate licenses, the "Master" and "Synchronization". A Master License pertains to the actual recording of a song. It doesn't manner who wrote it, this license applies to the recording of the track. The Synchronization License or "sync" license allows the user to reproduce a musical composition "in connection with" or "in timed relation with" a visual image, e.g., motion picture, video, advertising commercial. Read it again. Let it "sync" in. You'll get it.
There is a lot to know about music licensing but that shouldn't shy you away from the education. If you've got some great songs, trust me, people need them. There are 100's of 1,000's of films, TV shows, video games and websites in production everyday. One reliable way to gain access to this opportunity is to work with a Licensing agent. Licensing Agents represent bands, musicians and composers for placement in film, TV, Video games and all media. There are a number of licensing agents like me out there. Take the time to do the research and see if you can turn the head of one or two of them. A good licensing agent is another gatekeeper. Their alliance and contacts with the nations top music supervisors can provide a lot of benefits. In most cases they take a % of the licensing fee for their work. Others take a % of the royalties you receive when your song airs on a show etc. It's still wise to arm yourself with information so you know when you have a "good" agent. The more you know the more likely you are to succeed.
Keep writing great songs, studying the industry and playing music. With a little effort and knowledge you're sure to succeed.
End of the Diva
In this day and age of technology, every female vocalist must come to the realization that there is a human being behind them that makes them a diva. Without the music, the production and the beats, no one would be dancing to their acapella. I hate to be so blunt, but I see to many young ladies who can sing and think that is all that is required of them to be rich and famous. They feel because they have placed their vocals & lyrics on top of a track that people should bow before them. This is just non-sense. The music is just as important as the vocals. The drums, melody and rhythm helps give the listener a better feel of the emotions being expressed. It is the mixing of the two elements from both parties that create the magic of the track.
The vocalist that only sings and maybe writes lyrics get off easy. The hard part is the creation of the track, the production of the track and the mix down of the track with the vocals. Most of the time you must use auto tuning software on the vocalist to repair their mistakes. What makes most of the vocalists sound so great is the recipe of effects the producer uses on their voices.
If it wasn’t for the producers there would be no divas. Sure Gloria Gaynor brought something unique to the disco classic “I Will Survive”, but the music in this track is an emotional roller coaster. She could not have expressed such great heart & soul without such an emotional track under her.
Sometime in mid 2006’ I met a young lady after I had posted a message online looking for a female vocalist to appear on some tracks. When we first met she was very humble. She was happy to be getting the chance to sing on some tracks. I agreed with her that any profit that comes from the music projects we collaborate on together I would split with her.
We began to make tracks together. The power between us was amazing. The first two tracks were very good. The creative power together was amazing. I would write a beat with the basic melody and send it to her over the Internet in mp3 format. She would then write a song to this beat I created. Then she would record her vocals for me as I would work on the track getting it ready for vocals. After she sent me her vocals, I would mix them into our song.
The process was complicated because I was not in a studio with her to direct her on how I wanted her to sing; it was very hard doing this online.
When we first started working together and I saw the power between us, I warned her of what I call fiends. A fiend is basically a hater except a fiend will want what you have that they hate on. They will then conspire to take or ruin what you have so they can have it. Just like a dope fiend. If a fiend wants something you have, they will get it one way or another. I knew that there would be jealous producers that would try to step in between us.
Once we had completed a few tracks, I began to create product and promote us. Everything I did for us was out my personal pocket. Never once did she offer to help with any of the costs. If anything she only expected money. I pressed a CD and 2 records. I also promoted our work. I spent over $3000 dollars on product and promotion of our projects. The total revenue from this investment is about $1200 dollars. This is not even half of what I invested into our work.
The tone with my vocalist began to change after the 3rd solid track we created. She began accusing me of stealing from her. She told me that others were telling her what I was really making from her. Today I laugh because what I warned her about happened. She was listening to other producers who were not in my shoes, judging me. Of course they will bad mouth me if it means you will sing with them.
Shortly after this she began working with other producers. I will not lie, I felt betrayed. I enjoyed the magic we had and I saw no reason why she needed to work with other producers. If she was trying to gain fame then more power to her. I will not stand in her way. It just blows what I thought we were doing together, even though I did all the work and paid out all the expenses.
I figured these new producers were the ones she was talking to behind my back. The same ones that were filling her head with thoughts that I was getting rich off of her. Even today I laugh at that. In this business, it is possible to hit it with one track, but in most cases artists and bands can take 10 years of hard work to make a name for them selves. That is a lot of commitment that most who try do not have. At this point in my career, I had been producing for 7 years. I had showed my commitment and heart. She had only been singing on tracks a few months. She was getting an easy ride, but as in most cases it was not good enough for the diva.
Eventually her attitude pushed me away from her. I began to get tired of her moaning all the time about how I wasn’t making her a star fast enough. She had become demanding, expecting me to send her money when she wanted it. I could not help her. There was no money. I did agree to split the profits, but this includes losses too. The revenue is still in the negative compared to costs. There is no money to give her.
This was not good enough for the diva so I let her go. I figured maybe she will appreciate it more if she has to work herself for it. What I had done for her was much more than beyond the call of duty. What I was doing for her was something I only wish someone would have done for me when I was only one year into the scene. You would think that a rational human being would be grateful for what has been done for them, especially when someone spent over $3000 dollars on them out of their personal pocket. Let us not forget about the time invested, the opportunity presented and the exposure. How could you not be grateful for these things?
After I let go of her, she began spreading her vocals from tracks we created together to other producers all over the Internet. Still as of now, I have no idea why. I have seen way too many remixes of tracks that we wrote together. The best part is none of these kids give credit to me for writing the original version.
When the vocalist and I made our first or any song together, we created what is called a joint work. Since we had no contract, copyright law would hold that both of us each own an undivided interest in the whole of the copyright. This means in essence that we each own 50% and you can each exploit the entire work so long as you account and pay royalties to the other. What she is doing is copyright infringement and exposes herself, the remixer / producer who changed the works and any website exploiting those works without my permission to legal action and damages.
The vocalist that only sings and maybe writes lyrics get off easy. The hard part is the creation of the track, the production of the track and the mix down of the track with the vocals. Most of the time you must use auto tuning software on the vocalist to repair their mistakes. What makes most of the vocalists sound so great is the recipe of effects the producer uses on their voices.
If it wasn’t for the producers there would be no divas. Sure Gloria Gaynor brought something unique to the disco classic “I Will Survive”, but the music in this track is an emotional roller coaster. She could not have expressed such great heart & soul without such an emotional track under her.
Sometime in mid 2006’ I met a young lady after I had posted a message online looking for a female vocalist to appear on some tracks. When we first met she was very humble. She was happy to be getting the chance to sing on some tracks. I agreed with her that any profit that comes from the music projects we collaborate on together I would split with her.
We began to make tracks together. The power between us was amazing. The first two tracks were very good. The creative power together was amazing. I would write a beat with the basic melody and send it to her over the Internet in mp3 format. She would then write a song to this beat I created. Then she would record her vocals for me as I would work on the track getting it ready for vocals. After she sent me her vocals, I would mix them into our song.
The process was complicated because I was not in a studio with her to direct her on how I wanted her to sing; it was very hard doing this online.
When we first started working together and I saw the power between us, I warned her of what I call fiends. A fiend is basically a hater except a fiend will want what you have that they hate on. They will then conspire to take or ruin what you have so they can have it. Just like a dope fiend. If a fiend wants something you have, they will get it one way or another. I knew that there would be jealous producers that would try to step in between us.
Once we had completed a few tracks, I began to create product and promote us. Everything I did for us was out my personal pocket. Never once did she offer to help with any of the costs. If anything she only expected money. I pressed a CD and 2 records. I also promoted our work. I spent over $3000 dollars on product and promotion of our projects. The total revenue from this investment is about $1200 dollars. This is not even half of what I invested into our work.
The tone with my vocalist began to change after the 3rd solid track we created. She began accusing me of stealing from her. She told me that others were telling her what I was really making from her. Today I laugh because what I warned her about happened. She was listening to other producers who were not in my shoes, judging me. Of course they will bad mouth me if it means you will sing with them.
Shortly after this she began working with other producers. I will not lie, I felt betrayed. I enjoyed the magic we had and I saw no reason why she needed to work with other producers. If she was trying to gain fame then more power to her. I will not stand in her way. It just blows what I thought we were doing together, even though I did all the work and paid out all the expenses.
I figured these new producers were the ones she was talking to behind my back. The same ones that were filling her head with thoughts that I was getting rich off of her. Even today I laugh at that. In this business, it is possible to hit it with one track, but in most cases artists and bands can take 10 years of hard work to make a name for them selves. That is a lot of commitment that most who try do not have. At this point in my career, I had been producing for 7 years. I had showed my commitment and heart. She had only been singing on tracks a few months. She was getting an easy ride, but as in most cases it was not good enough for the diva.
Eventually her attitude pushed me away from her. I began to get tired of her moaning all the time about how I wasn’t making her a star fast enough. She had become demanding, expecting me to send her money when she wanted it. I could not help her. There was no money. I did agree to split the profits, but this includes losses too. The revenue is still in the negative compared to costs. There is no money to give her.
This was not good enough for the diva so I let her go. I figured maybe she will appreciate it more if she has to work herself for it. What I had done for her was much more than beyond the call of duty. What I was doing for her was something I only wish someone would have done for me when I was only one year into the scene. You would think that a rational human being would be grateful for what has been done for them, especially when someone spent over $3000 dollars on them out of their personal pocket. Let us not forget about the time invested, the opportunity presented and the exposure. How could you not be grateful for these things?
After I let go of her, she began spreading her vocals from tracks we created together to other producers all over the Internet. Still as of now, I have no idea why. I have seen way too many remixes of tracks that we wrote together. The best part is none of these kids give credit to me for writing the original version.
When the vocalist and I made our first or any song together, we created what is called a joint work. Since we had no contract, copyright law would hold that both of us each own an undivided interest in the whole of the copyright. This means in essence that we each own 50% and you can each exploit the entire work so long as you account and pay royalties to the other. What she is doing is copyright infringement and exposes herself, the remixer / producer who changed the works and any website exploiting those works without my permission to legal action and damages.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Review: Image Line FL Studio 8 XXL
I first encountered FL Studio 4.5 (formerly known as Fruity Loops) in 2004, when the Sytrus synthesizer was still new and used it on the underscore and theme of a sub-B-budget zombie film, The Waking Dead. Although I got to know FL Studio 4.5, I ended up reverting to Propellerhead Reason and Ableton Live, my faithful standards. Now, as neither a novice nor an expert, I wanted to judge the ease and intuitiveness of FL Studio 8's workflow by rearranging a colleague's song. I had already planned an arrangement: new instrumental tracks and new vocals. Recorded acoustic instruments would be the most fitting accompaniment for it, so I would use FL Studio 8's samplers to fill out the mix. But testing FL Studio 8 by recording acoustic instruments would be like judging a Swiss army knife on the merits of its corkscrew. Because FL Studio 8 is full of juicy synth content — many Image Line synth demos and a bundled version of Synthmaker (yes!) — I found time for two recorded projects: a traditional track and an electronic theme.LISTEN ALL Y'ALL, THIS IS SABOTAGE
Eager to get started, I decided to record with matched condensers and an old Tascam US-122 ($269; www.tascam.com). MIDI came from an M-Audio Axiom 49 ($329; www.m-audio.com), and FL Studio 8 found both devices with no difficulty. Hitting the Record button on FL Studio 8's transport panel raises four recording options: record audio into the playlist, record score and automation, record everything or — new in version 8 — record audio into the Edison audio editor. Also new in version 8 is the record filter. One example of how the record filter works is if you want to record the score but not the automation, just right-click Record and uncheck “automation” to keep unwanted automation changes from creeping in by accident.
I chose to record into the Edison editor. For a ghost track, I dragged an MP3 of my original arrangement into the playlist and matched the tempo. Then, I began planning how to record parts on mandolin, piano and vocal from a singer I had already booked.
After learning lots from Image Line's vigorous tutorial videos and settling into a very comfortable work flow, I hit a formidable snag: the notorious blue screen of death. Loading E-mu Emulator X as a VST plug-in crashed my computer. Moreover, opening Synthmaker or Image Line's Collab — a dedicated P2P software that gives users of FL Studio 8 a convenient file-sharing system — also crashed the computer every time. Suddenly the blue screen of death was upon me at every turn, appearing even after simple actions such as opening the C drive.
All that couldn't be normal. Other hosts handled Emulator X fine, and Image Line wouldn't have released version 8 if Collab and Synthmaker made it crashed it. I suspected my drivers, but the problem proved more ambiguous. I dragged the computer across town to have Windows freshly reinstalled, which solved all problems. But by that time, my vocal session had fallen through. However, I knew that with these upgrades, FL Studio 8 could kick up a bad-ass electronic theme in no time.
RIPE FOR THE PICKIN'
To dive into all of FL Studio 8's new stuff, I pulled down the plug-in picker, FL's graphical plug-in menu. There was a new limiter and a visualization plug-in called Wave Candy. Reading the names of the remaining new plug-ins, sparks of incredulity arced across my synapses: Toxic Biohazard, Soundgoodizer, Fruity Dance? I guessed correctly that the Soundgoodizer was an enhancer/exciter, but what did that last one do, a fruity dance? Well…yes. Adding Fruity Dance to a channel creates a tiny, dancing Anime character who syncs to the track's tempo and whose moves you can tweak in the Fruity Dance editor. Thanks, Image Line, I needed a little cheering up.
Next I tried Wave Candy, which depicts your track in a small transparent window using either an oscilloscope, spectrum view or peak meter. At first I thought, “Sweet, but impractical.” When I discovered Wave Candy could float on top of any software's window, that sentiment diminished. You can use Wave Candy to check the mix for clipping while doing other work in other software programs — if you enjoy that level of multitasking.
Other small changes demand attention. The score logger, which records MIDI performances in a three-minute buffer (whether or not FL Studio 8 is recording), prevents the loss of inspired improvisations. Slip-editing, the ability to mask sections of audio and MIDI (and move data back and forth within that masked section) is a handy function that I use in other programs, as well. Finally, a permanent link between the MIDI controller and various plug-ins is now possible. Once you have decided which knobs and faders should control which parameters on synths or effects, you don't have to do it a second time, simplifying workflow dramatically. Assigning parameters to Axiom 49 faders and knobs was a snap.
FRESH PRODUCE
First on FL Studio 8's updated arsenal list: Slicex, a slicing tool similar in purpose and design to Propellerhead Reason's Dr.Rex. Slicex is divided into four panels: Master, Articulator, Wave Editor and Keyboard. The Master panel allows you to assign crossfades between slices using either velocity or modulation. Crossfades can be within the same clip, or between two clips: one in Slicex's deck A, and one in deck B. Thus, it's possible to use velocity to crossfade between a hi-hat slice and a bass-drum slice. Slicex is a bit more flexible in all than the Dr.Rex player.
The Articulator section adds even more flexibility. To its left, there is a section of controls that determine, per slice, what changes occur to the signal — volume, pan, filter, frequency, etc. Then there are the articulators — eight groups of parameters that determine modulation of those parameters. There are two rows of tabs along the top of the window that specify a modulation source and destination. It can get pretty in-depth, so Articulator settings can be saved as their own files. Impressive.
Check out the Wave Editor functions. Loading audio into Slicex is simpler than loading into Dr.Rex for the very simple reason that no format conversion is necessary (i.e., no REX files.) To import a WAV file, you only have to find it in the file browser, right-click on it and select “open in new Slicex channel.” Immediately, the sound file is separated into editable slices you can trigger via MIDI. The implications that has for remixing are huge.
Even more detailed editing comes courtesy of per-slice modifications using the Wave Editor menus. A “run script” function allows you to add effects to specific slices, giving you the option of bit reduction, “destructoid,” limiter, “old school” and ring modulation — all with adjustable parameters. In the Wave Editor menus, you find many of the familiar Dr.Rex functions, and the list of options goes on. With Slicex, you can sink hours into editing a single groove and not have wasted your time.
On the keyboard, sliced regions are triggered in sequential order from left to right, so if a new region is added somewhere in the middle (even if it's within another region), the sequence of keys is reorganized to accommodate that addition. That's convenient for the sake of organization, but if you don't want your MIDI content to change, have all your slices sorted before you start creating MIDI patterns. After a thorough once-over of this awesome plug-in, I picked two drum loops I thought contained distinct and appealing slices and split them between deck A and B.
EXECUTE MASTER PLAN
Image Line's instructions are brief, blunt and clear. Its online instructions for accessing the Synthmaker content are: 1) Open Synthmaker, 2) Open the Content Library, 3) Refresh the content list and 4) Enjoy the new content. Done. Synthmaker, like Directwave, links to a large online cache of goodies, and I greedily downloaded everything on the list in the content library.
The Uniretro arpeggiator gave me some very provocative beginnings. I recorded them into Edison and saved them to my hard drive. After that, I keyed line after line of MIDI data using a free VST synth, the Rhodes in FL Keys and Freehand. I soon locked into a downtempo, bluesy Secret-Agent-style groove. I happened upon a sound file that fit perfectly into the mix and brought it into the Play List with no trouble. The Synthmaker Ping Pong, Sweepy Q, and Filter delays all opened exciting new doors. I opened Slicex and began to improvise beats, and before I know it, it was mission accomplished.
FL Studio 8 is one of the smoothest DAWs to use. Is it, as Image Line says, the fastest way from your brain to your speakers? Depends on how big your ideas are.
Get 10 Percent Off FL Studio 8 XXL At This Link!
http://www.flstudio.com/promo.asp?p=EECCE341
Be Committed!...You'll Never Be Famous If You Don't Show Up!
by Sheena Metal, Music Highway Radio
Everyone wants to be famous: live in a mansion, drive a sports car, tour the world in your private plane, date a model, float around in the pool while collecting royalties for CD sales, and drink beer right out of your private tap. But not everyone is aware that, with any career that has the potential to end in a bounty of riches and beautiful babes, climbing your way to rock stardom is very hard work.
So, how does your average musical genius go from penniless Pop Tart-eater to Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous? How do you move on up from mom's garage to a deluxe apartment in the sky? What's your first baby step on the Yellow Brick Road to fame and fortune? That's simple…be committed!
It sounds silly, but many a musical boat has sailed with a crestfallen unsigned artist standing confused on the dock, for lack of nothing else but follow-through. Commitment to your deeds and plans is the single most essential skill towards achieving your goal of Ultimate Superstardom. Entertainment is a fickle business and chances don't come along every day. One missed opportunity now could have spiraled into dozens even hundreds of opportunities down the line.
It may be true that talent is a gift you carry with you from birth, but commitment is a learned skill that you need to hone every day. So, how can you make sure that you've got what it takes to gather up your supreme musicality and conquer the universe with it continuously?
The following are a few tips that may help you to make sure that you're truly committing yourself to your musical career on a daily basis:
Everyone wants to be famous: live in a mansion, drive a sports car, tour the world in your private plane, date a model, float around in the pool while collecting royalties for CD sales, and drink beer right out of your private tap. But not everyone is aware that, with any career that has the potential to end in a bounty of riches and beautiful babes, climbing your way to rock stardom is very hard work.
So, how does your average musical genius go from penniless Pop Tart-eater to Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous? How do you move on up from mom's garage to a deluxe apartment in the sky? What's your first baby step on the Yellow Brick Road to fame and fortune? That's simple…be committed!
It sounds silly, but many a musical boat has sailed with a crestfallen unsigned artist standing confused on the dock, for lack of nothing else but follow-through. Commitment to your deeds and plans is the single most essential skill towards achieving your goal of Ultimate Superstardom. Entertainment is a fickle business and chances don't come along every day. One missed opportunity now could have spiraled into dozens even hundreds of opportunities down the line.
It may be true that talent is a gift you carry with you from birth, but commitment is a learned skill that you need to hone every day. So, how can you make sure that you've got what it takes to gather up your supreme musicality and conquer the universe with it continuously?
The following are a few tips that may help you to make sure that you're truly committing yourself to your musical career on a daily basis:
- Follow Up On All Leads---No matter how insignificant they may seem at the time, it's important to follow up on every musical lead that's thrown your way. Letters, calls and emails should be answered politely and in a timely fashion. New contacts should be logged in your address book for future correspondence. Opportunities should be taken, invites accepted, and chances to network relished. By starting out with just these simple rules you'll watch your resources and mailing list grow. Suddenly you'll have music community friends with which to share your leads and ideas, ask advice, trade experiences, and combine talent and energies. Through these friends, you'll meet new friends and fans and from them even more new connections. Soon, you'll have so many opportunities that your concern will change from lack of opportunity to lack of time in the day to pursue each new chance.
- Just Show Up---Sounds so simple it's stupid, but you'd be surprised how many talented people have fallen by the wayside because they were unable to simply show up. Cancelled gigs, forgotten meetings, and missed auditions say to the Musical Powers That Be, "I'm a huge flake who doesn't think your opportunity is worth a half-hour of my precious time." This is a really bad thing. Entertainment is a small town with a huge memory. Don't give people any reason to think that you're not the person they want to work with, give the job to, book for the gig, sign to their label, write about, talk about, and help any way they can. Remember there are tens of thousands of musicians waiting to take your place, so step up to the plate and seize each chance with optimism and enthusiasm.
- Take Initiative---Don't wait for opportunities to come to you. The world is a virtual cornucopia of information, so reach out and nab yourself some chances at stardom. Comb the internet, join music communities, visit open mic nights, take classes and workshops…put yourself out there where there are cool musical happenings and let others know that you can be relied upon and want to be involved. By going out and seizing your own opportunities, you may double, triple, etc. your resources and chances, and expedite your journey to success.
- Do The Best Job You Can---As important as it is to show up, it is also essential that you come off efficient, talented, and professional when faced with a new opportunity. Being there is half the battle but the other half is being the best that you can be and impressing industry, press, clubs and your fellow musicians enough to make them want you to be involved in anything and everything they do. Make a commitment to put on the best live show possible, to have a terrific CD, to make a professional presskit, and to spread the word about your music. Be punctual, be courteous, be positive and be fun. Don't give anyone any reason not to work with you again and you'll see that it becomes easier and easier to get what you want for your artistic career.
It really is as easy as simply showing up, following up and giving it your all. Making it in music is not impossible; it's just a lot of elbow grease, a little organization, a bit of strategy, and the simple sculpting of your talent into a marketable commodity. There are thousands of chances offered every day to musicians...reach out and grab them by the handful, make every opportunity your own, get everything you want from this business and when you're richer than Oprah and more famous than Madonna, remember that it was you who made it happen. You were a pro. You showed up. You committed.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
What is Logos?
Logos is an important term in philosophy, analytical psychology, rhetoric and religion. It derives from the verb to count, tell, say, or speak. The primary meaning of logos is: something said; by implication a subject, topic of discourse, or reasoning. Secondary meanings such as logic, reasoning, etc. derive from the fact that if one is capable of (infinitive) i.e. speech, then intelligence and reason are assumed.
Its semantic field extends beyond "word" to notions such as "thought, speech, account, meaning, reason, proportion, principle, standard", or "logic". In English, the word is the root of "logic," and of the "-ology" suffix (e.g., geology).
Heraclitus established the term in Western philosophy as meaning both the source and fundamental order of the cosmos. The sophists used the term to mean discourse, and Aristotle applied the term to rational discourse. The Stoic philosophers identified the term with the divine animating principle pervading the universe. After Judaism came under Hellenistic influence, Philo adopted the term into Jewish philosophy. The Gospel of John identifies Jesus as the incarnation of the Logos, through which all things are made. The gospel further identifies the Logos as God (theos).
Psychologist Carl Jung used the term for the masculine principle of rationality.
Its semantic field extends beyond "word" to notions such as "thought, speech, account, meaning, reason, proportion, principle, standard", or "logic". In English, the word is the root of "logic," and of the "-ology" suffix (e.g., geology).
Heraclitus established the term in Western philosophy as meaning both the source and fundamental order of the cosmos. The sophists used the term to mean discourse, and Aristotle applied the term to rational discourse. The Stoic philosophers identified the term with the divine animating principle pervading the universe. After Judaism came under Hellenistic influence, Philo adopted the term into Jewish philosophy. The Gospel of John identifies Jesus as the incarnation of the Logos, through which all things are made. The gospel further identifies the Logos as God (theos).
Psychologist Carl Jung used the term for the masculine principle of rationality.
Soundcard - Audiophile 2496
4-In/4-Out Audio Card with MIDI and Digital I/OThe Audiophile 2496 embodies a quantum leap in computer audio fidelity and performance unequaled by other audio cards in its price range.
This critically acclaimed PCI card features premium digital audio converters, elegant board design, and ultra-stable drivers just like the rest of the Delta line, but with a simpler I/O configuration. As a member of the Delta family, the Audiophile 2496 supports all computer platforms and major software programs, ensuring seamless integration and rock-solid performance.
All Delta cards contain a 36-bit embedded DSP enabling a software-driven patch bay / router for all analog and digital I/O—all with extremely fast throughput for low-latency software monitoring. A single unified control panel provides settings for clock and sample rates, buffer sizes, individual signal levels for every input and output, adjustable +4dBu/-10dBV pad controls and digital I/O control on up to four installed Delta cards. All controls are also easily accessible through most professional audio software applications for seamless integration and operation.
If you are wondering how you can improve the sound quality of your productions, simply upgrade your sound card!
Technics SL-1200MK6 Turntable
Technics just announced the newest member of the 1200 family which will be labeled as the Technics SL-1200mk6. It will be available in black and classic silver finishes. The updates to this new 1200 are:There isn't much of an update here at all, but with the 35th year of the 1200 approaching, I guess they saw it fitting to release a new deck. Also for purchase is a limited 1000 qty run of SL-1200mk6k1 editions which will include a gold framed disc and a 55 page book which shows all 35 years of the 1200 legacy. No prices have been released as of yet...
- -High-quality materials OFC (oxygen-free copper wire) adopted by the S-shaped tone arm
- -Further vibration damping to the realization of the three-tiered cabinet
- -Continuous pitch control accuracy improvement
- -Long-life high-intensity blue LED needlepoint adopted
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
iTunes Hits Two Billion Sold Milestone
Apple today announced that more than two billion songs, 50 million television episodes and over 1.3 million feature-length films have been purchased and downloaded from the iTunes Store.
“iTunes has crossed another major milestone by selling over two billion songs—with over a billion of them sold in the last year alone—making it by far the world’s most popular music store,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “And by selling 50 million TV shows and over 1.3 million movies to date, iTunes is already the largest online video store in the world as well.”
The iTunes Store features the world’s largest catalog, with over four million songs, 250 feature films, 350 television shows and over 100,000 podcasts.
“iTunes has crossed another major milestone by selling over two billion songs—with over a billion of them sold in the last year alone—making it by far the world’s most popular music store,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “And by selling 50 million TV shows and over 1.3 million movies to date, iTunes is already the largest online video store in the world as well.”
The iTunes Store features the world’s largest catalog, with over four million songs, 250 feature films, 350 television shows and over 100,000 podcasts.
Review: Beats by Dre Headphones
You'd think that someone with as much musical savvy as Dr. Dre could design some kick-ass audio gear. And you'd be right.Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones ($400; Spring 2008) are the result of a collaboration between Dre, Jimmy Iovine, and Monster, and they look as good as they sound.
The powered isolation 'phones will feature technologies new to headphones, including new driver technology, in order to offer natural, clean sound and rich, deep bass — something that should come as no surprise to Dre fans.
In addition to all of that, Beats will include a carrying case with anti-microbial cleaning cloths, a special Monster headphone cable, and Monster’s iSonitalk, a microphone / headphone adapter for iPhones.
Monday, July 21, 2008
20 Steps for a Successful Blog
by Lance Trebesch, TicketPrinting.com
Blogs prove to be a tricky field to conquer, especially when it comes to gaining an initial reader-base. However, once you get that reader base, great potential for increasing your online reputation is created. Successful blogs keep their status by following these 20 rules from the start and throughout their blog's lifetime.
Blogs prove to be a tricky field to conquer, especially when it comes to gaining an initial reader-base. However, once you get that reader base, great potential for increasing your online reputation is created. Successful blogs keep their status by following these 20 rules from the start and throughout their blog's lifetime.
- Focus the Topic - Thousands of different blogs exist on the web. Only the well-established ones can post general news and see success. Instead, focus your blog around a niche. The more narrow the subject, the more likely you will get a steady reader base.
- Search Similar Blogs & Subscribe - Because there are so many blogs on the internet, chances are somebody somewhere will also be talking about your subject. Find these sites and subscribe to them so you get instant updates. The best action to take is to read up on these blogs and know what they talk about regularly.
- Create Business Relationships - By helping out someone else and their blog in some way, they will in return help you and your blog out. One good example is devising a list of online radio stations you can submit your music to and give them the list so they can use it for their benefit as well. By becoming business friends, you can promote each other by talking about one another's webpage, music, blog etc.
- Make Quality Content - Just writing a blog is not enough. You have to make sure what you are writing is good content. No one will comment or read your blog if the content seems worthless and poorly written. Also, write grammatically. Misspellings are one of the most painful things to witness in blogs.
- Work on the Title - The title is a necessity. The first thing people look at and what makes them read your blog is the title. Titles that hint of content with lists and bullets also draw people in due to the pleasing layout and more white space of lists. If the title perks their interest, they will click on your blog to continue reading. Take the time to think about an interesting title and log which titles draw more readers.
- Submit to Directories - After creating a good content-and-keyword-rich blog, submit it to different directories. Top Blog Area and BlogFlux are two good sites to submit blogs to according to category of blog. Another option is to write just one blog for an established blogging site in the rock music industry and tell them why they should feature your blog on their site. If they choose to put the blog on their site, you will see greatly increased traffic.
- Get a friend to submit your blog to Digg, StumbleUpon, Technorati, Netscape, and Reddit - These search sites generate a ton of traffic to your site if viewed frequently (or "digged," "thumbs up" "favored," etc). However, people view down on you if you constantly submit your own content to these sites, so instead, make a buddy submit your blogs, videos, or podcasts to these sites one or two times a week. Eventually, your good content will make it to the homepage of these content-search sites, generating an unimaginable amount of traffic to your blog.
- Ping Every Site - Some submission sites allow you to 'ping' them, which means they get an automatic update when you post a new blog. This is good so they always have your latest posts in their records. These sites also allow you to put in key tag terms. By inputting a tag term, your blog will pop up if someone searches for the term you used. For instance, if you are writing about electric guitar comparisons (tag terms) and the searcher inserts "compare guitars," your blog will show as a result. You must utilize pings and tags to increase your blog popularity.
- Write Regularly & Stand Out - The only way to gain a steady reader base is if you write a blog regularly. The best blogs update their content daily or sometimes several times a day. As an upcoming artist, though, weekly will suffice if you write on a consistent day around the same time every week. In addition, you need to stand out from other bloggers. Write properly, but use your personality. Personality keeps the blog interesting and keeps readers coming back. In addition, the readers like to be treated as humans, so drop the business lingo. Blogs are for entertainment, so engage your audience. Write for them.
- Host Your Blog on Your Website Domain - Using a different host for your blog not only confuses your readers, but also reduces the amount of quality traffic to your site. The only smart way to host a blog is through your own website. If readers like what they read, or you mention something about your music in the blog, they can easily navigate to your website to find out more information. Creating a blog serves the purpose of promoting your music online, which you can only do if you reader can easily access your website from your blog.
- Ask People to Subscribe - RSS feeds allow users to subscribe to your blog and receive an update when you add new blogs. This makes it convenient for readers so they do not need to check for blog updates. An alternative is to send the updated blog through email, so having both an email subscription and a RSS feed is necessary. Also, make the sign-up process simple and prominent. Display the RSS button everywhere and occasionally mention it in your posts to sign-up. The simpler the process to sign-up, the more chance the reader will go through with the process.
- Offer a Bribe to Sign-Up - Take an example for Marketing Pilgrim, by offering a $600 cash giveaway by signing-up for a RSS feed. The code to register for the money is in an RSS-only message. Receiving $600 free is pretty convincing to sign-up. Other options to get people to sign up are free e-books related to your topic ("How to Get a Record Deal"), or send a personalized autographed picture of you or the band to those who sign-up.
- Comment - Comment on forums. Comment on blogs. Comment on chats. And comment by providing a link back your blog. By injecting your opinion and showing your personality through these comments, people will notice you and want to find out more. Make sure the comments are meaningful and not just some form of spam to create a link back to you. People appreciate when an expert adds their knowledge, so write truthful comments that will help the audience. Comments are the biggest promotion of your blog in the beginning months of the blog.
- Leave Blogs Open for Discussion - If compiling a list, ask for comments to add their suggestions for the list. The 5 Rules of Social Media Optimization (SMO) blog by Influential Marketing Blog became instantly popular by people linking to it, posting comments and recommending the blog. After writing a general blog that does not include a list, ask a question at the end to encourage comments and blog discussion. The more, interesting discussion, the more people will link to your blog, promoting it.
- Respond to Comments - Read your comments daily and respond when someone asks a question to you through the comments. Once you start getting a steady reader base that begins posting comments, do not discourage them by never responding back. Respond rapidly to make your reader happy.
- Start a Podcast - A podcast is a great way to promote both your blog and your music. Podcasts are an audio blog, but you should not update it as often as your blogs (unless you just want to run an audio blog exclusively). On the podcast, talk about interesting subjects related to your blog and mention your music often. Play a fraction of your music just prior to and just after your podcast, promoting both your music and your blog.
- Invite Guest Bloggers. Be a Guest Blogger - Your blog gains interest if you occasionally - monthly, quarterly - invite guest bloggers to write. Your business pals become a good place to start when thinking about guest bloggers. The guests then feel flattered by your interest in them and in return promote your blog or music. On the other hand, ask your business friends to guest blog for them, which immensely promotes your music or blog through their site. Whenever you get an opportunity to guest blog, take it.
- Add Videos, Pictures, MP3s Etc - Just having words on every blog gets boring. Perk reader's interest by putting a funny YouTube video in your blog, adding a unique MP3 or taking a snapshot of the website you mention in the blog. Any item out of the norm to create a change will boost your blog's appeal. Every once in awhile, make your blog a video-blog through YouTube where you narrate the blog (and act as well). You can also create a music video for you or the band and advertise it through your blog.
- Use Tracking Software & Analyze - Find out how many people are visiting your blogs and which ones generate the most traffic. You should re-create titles and content that receives many views. The tracking software can also tell you how people are hearing about your blog, through Digg, Google, etc. It can give you a great insight on your viewers and many other marketing hints if you are creative.
- Build a Brand - You want people to recognize your blog as an object, not just another blog. Make your blog worthwhile to the reader. Promote the blog with any sources you have. Tell your friends, family and strangers about it. On your website, promote your blog and on your blog promote your website. Do the same with social networking sites, YouTube videos, podcasts, live performances, etc. By marketing in a bunch of different places, you spread your name and have more sources to promote your blog and music.
Your blog will only see success if you follow all these steps and promote it as often as possible. Blogging takes a lot of dedication but pays off in the end with increased music sales. Never stop blogging and remember, you are writing for your audience.
35 Things To Consider When Starting Your Own Record Label
by Christopher Knab
Fourfront Media & Music
- Why are you starting your own label? (What is your motivation?)
- Why would anyone want to buy your music anyway?
- Is there currently a market for your kind of music? Prove it!
- If you are not releasing your own music, have you ever read a recording contract? Are you aware of all the traditional clauses that are in such 75-100 page contracts?
- Do you know anything about copyright law?
- What is a Mechanical Royalty?
- Have you ever heard of the Harry Fox Agency? What do they do?
- What do you want to achieve by starting your own label?
- What do you know about the day to day business of selling music?
- Will your new company be a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation? (Do you know the pros and cons of each?)
- Have you registered the name of your company to make sure you can use that name?
- Will you need any recording equipment or office equipment and supplies to run your label?
- Do you have a recording studio you can work with?
- Do you know any record producers and/or engineers?
- How much money do you think it will cost you to startup your label, and to finance the recordings and marketing of the recordings for the first year?
- Where will the financing come from?
- What local, state, and federal tax responsibilities will your label have?
- How will you sell your records? (Live shows, Internet sales, mail order, catalog sales, Distributors, Stores?)
- What specific distribution and retail sales plans have you arranged so fans of your music can easily buy your releases at record and other retail stores?
- Do you have the money, time, and determination to compete in an industry that releases over 500 new records a week?
- How much does it cost to manufacture CDs, Tapes, and/or vinyl?
- What 'configurations' will you need to manufacture your music?
- How many copies do you need to manufacture for each release?
- What are 'package deals' offered by manufacturers, and are they right for you?
- Will you need to make any posters, bin cards, or other promotional materials? If so, how many and how much will that cost?
- What specific packaging choices are available and which is right for your releases?
- How did you estimate the number of copies you needed?
- Did you count into your estimation the number of free CDs you will have to give away for promotions of various kinds?
- How will you go about finding new acts to sign to your label?
- How important do you think the graphic element is in designing your label's logo, and specific cover artwork for your releases?
- Do you know any graphic artists with record jacket design experience?
- What specific information should go on the cover, back cover, spine, booklet, and on the CD itself?
- Do you have your own Barcode? Why do you need one?
- Do you know how to write a music marketing plan, a distributor 1 sheet, and other promotional materials?
- Who is your customer? If you think you know them, then describe them in very specific terms. ( Why am I asking you to do that?)
Death of the Record Label?
Another nail in the coffin. In today's day & age, you should just DIY! This is just another article that backs this fact up. If you are waiting to be signed by a label, why? Why are you not just doing it yourself?
DJmag.com investigates the changing landscape of artist promotion, and the possibility that in the future there won't be any record labels.
By Paul Sullivan
“I think it’s true to say that the record buying public want to discover new artists for themselves,” states Casey Thundertone, founder of fledgling ‘reggae-tronica’ label Thundertone, which has released cutting edge singles with U Brown and Earl 16.
“They’re becoming increasingly aware of the sophisticated marketing tactics the majors employ to plug their artists.
“Savvy buyers are also fully aware that the singles chart is based on corporate marketing might, not the quality of independent music out there.
“This means it’s essential for any label to have a strong online presence.”
Direct Avenues
With so many direct avenues now open between bands and audiences, the question has been raised as to whether labels are necessary any more, or whether they will be in the near future.
A whole virtual world of online labels, distributors and stores is already established, with more being set up each day.
Yet the physical world of CDs, vinyl and face to face promotion/business dealing is all still very much alive, and many doubt that traditional industry processes will cease operating altogether.
“Record labels aren't totally obsolete yet,” reckons Tom Adeyoola, frontman of unsigned hip hop outfit Bussetti.
“Most bands would still rather be playing music than dealing with the business side of things and the financial backing of a label is still essential when you want to break out to a bigger public.
“But in a year or two...who knows?”
Hard To Succeed Without
Katharine Alcock, singer with talented Zero-7-esque chill out champions Maya and side project Southern Down concurs: “On the whole, even in today's climate, artists would find it hard to succeed without being signed to a label,” reckons Katharine.
“We are no exception. We can keep projects going on a small scale via the net, but without the time and resources that a contract would offer, we'll be unable to focus as much attention onto making music and getting it out there as we would like.
“We all have demanding full-time careers, and need to earn money to live and make music.
“Labels are signing fewer and fewer artists.
“This is the reality for us and many other musicians at the moment.
“At least the net enables us to get our stuff out there for other people to listen to and enjoy.
“Ultimately, that's the whole point of making music.”
Keep Options Open
Perhaps the most sensible thing for new artists then, is to keep all options open.
Use the internet to gain visibility and build a fan base, to test out your music and bolster your contact book.
If it works out well and you can make a living without a record deal, all well and good.
But it’s worth bearing in mind that there are also many good labels around ready to help out those who are willing to also help themselves.
“I don't believe that getting a record deal is necessarily moving ‘up’,” concludes Bob Baker, whose BuzzFactor site offers marketing tips for unsigned artists.
“Teaming up with a label makes sense if you get to the point where you can't handle the workload of growing CD sales, booking requests etc.
“But wanting a label to bail you out because you're not making much progress on your own is not a wise move.
“Do it yourself first…it's the surest path to success.”
DJmag.com investigates the changing landscape of artist promotion, and the possibility that in the future there won't be any record labels.
By Paul Sullivan
“I think it’s true to say that the record buying public want to discover new artists for themselves,” states Casey Thundertone, founder of fledgling ‘reggae-tronica’ label Thundertone, which has released cutting edge singles with U Brown and Earl 16.
“They’re becoming increasingly aware of the sophisticated marketing tactics the majors employ to plug their artists.
“Savvy buyers are also fully aware that the singles chart is based on corporate marketing might, not the quality of independent music out there.
“This means it’s essential for any label to have a strong online presence.”
Direct Avenues
With so many direct avenues now open between bands and audiences, the question has been raised as to whether labels are necessary any more, or whether they will be in the near future.
A whole virtual world of online labels, distributors and stores is already established, with more being set up each day.
Yet the physical world of CDs, vinyl and face to face promotion/business dealing is all still very much alive, and many doubt that traditional industry processes will cease operating altogether.
“Record labels aren't totally obsolete yet,” reckons Tom Adeyoola, frontman of unsigned hip hop outfit Bussetti.
“Most bands would still rather be playing music than dealing with the business side of things and the financial backing of a label is still essential when you want to break out to a bigger public.
“But in a year or two...who knows?”
Hard To Succeed Without
Katharine Alcock, singer with talented Zero-7-esque chill out champions Maya and side project Southern Down concurs: “On the whole, even in today's climate, artists would find it hard to succeed without being signed to a label,” reckons Katharine.
“We are no exception. We can keep projects going on a small scale via the net, but without the time and resources that a contract would offer, we'll be unable to focus as much attention onto making music and getting it out there as we would like.
“We all have demanding full-time careers, and need to earn money to live and make music.
“Labels are signing fewer and fewer artists.
“This is the reality for us and many other musicians at the moment.
“At least the net enables us to get our stuff out there for other people to listen to and enjoy.
“Ultimately, that's the whole point of making music.”
Keep Options Open
Perhaps the most sensible thing for new artists then, is to keep all options open.
Use the internet to gain visibility and build a fan base, to test out your music and bolster your contact book.
If it works out well and you can make a living without a record deal, all well and good.
But it’s worth bearing in mind that there are also many good labels around ready to help out those who are willing to also help themselves.
“I don't believe that getting a record deal is necessarily moving ‘up’,” concludes Bob Baker, whose BuzzFactor site offers marketing tips for unsigned artists.
“Teaming up with a label makes sense if you get to the point where you can't handle the workload of growing CD sales, booking requests etc.
“But wanting a label to bail you out because you're not making much progress on your own is not a wise move.
“Do it yourself first…it's the surest path to success.”
Top 10 Music PR Tips
by Mona Loring, MLC PR
Publicity is a huge driving force when you’re looking at success in the music industry. Although it’s definitely beneficial to retain a publicist once you have your music career in gear, you can still manage to create a little buzz on your own in the meantime. Below are the top ten tips for generating your own publicity as a music artist.
Publicity is a huge driving force when you’re looking at success in the music industry. Although it’s definitely beneficial to retain a publicist once you have your music career in gear, you can still manage to create a little buzz on your own in the meantime. Below are the top ten tips for generating your own publicity as a music artist.
- Make sure you have a press kit that includes a well-written bio, an 8X10 photo, CD and contact info.
- Go local. Local press is by far the easiest press to get. Let them know your story and send in a CD. Shoot for the music editor or columnist and if they don’t have one assigned specifically, contact the entertainment editor.
- Social networking sites are all about music these days. For example, Myspace’s reach is incredible for gaining new fans. Where else can you find people to listen to your music in the convenience of their own home? Make sure you are updating your music, adding friends, keeping them all posted, and updating the tour dates. There are magazines on Myspace looking for music to feature all the time.
- Radio is a great way to share your music with the masses. You don’t have to approach the big ones-you can see success with air play on smaller stations as well. Send in your CD to local DJs and look up college radio shows nationally and see if they’ll spin your music. Online radio is picking up these days too… USA4Real.com is a great option… it doesn’t cost much and it gets your music heard.
- Music licensing is a great way to make money and get publicity. Try contacting some music supervisors on TV shows for a start. Send them an inquiry with your information and a link to your music. If you get placed, you can use it for press-and it becomes a story!
- Music websites and e-zines are always looking for music to review. Look up their websites and send emails to their editors. Tell them why you’re a fit for their magazine and ask if you can send in a CD. Again, try to make contact first… sending in a random package may be useless.
- Youtube.com and .. are wonderful outlets to share your music. When done right, you can really start gaining a fan base. Try to do something charismatic and original. Reaching out to people online can do wonders. Create a music video, a video blog, sing an acoustic set, take a stab at some comedy-- anything… Just remember, first impressions are everything.
- Be philanthropic. Charity does wonders for publicity outreach. Find something you believe in and offer to play at their event or donate proceeds to their cause. Not only does it get you out there and give you a story angle… but it feels good to help out.
- Send your CDs to appropriate magazines for your music’s genre. Make sure you call ahead and find out the right contact, unsolicited packages get lost in the shuffle. A good rule of thumb is to look up specific writers you feel would enjoy your music and find out how to reach them.
- Try to book shows in different towns, that way you can easily label the cluster of shows as a tour and contact local newspapers and radio stations and offer them merch in exchange for promotions/articles.
Note that PR is about being smart and creative. It’s about finding a reason for people to care about you and your music. Sure, great music and a good look are helpful, but you also need to reach out to the public and come up with stories. Think outside of the box and you’ll really benefit from the results in no time. Good luck!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Vocal Recording Microphone Techniques
Written by Loren Alldrin - © 2006,
Thomson Course Technology PTR.
This article is an excerpt from the following book: The Home Studio Guide to Microphones
The human voice is the most complex and flexible instrument of all, capable of an incredibly broad range of expression, tone and volume. There's also a great deal of diversity from one voice to the next, which mandates a flexible, try-anything approach to vocal recording. Your first-choice vocal mic may sound wonderful on a strong baritone and horrid on a breathy soprano.
Most engineers' favorite vocal mics are large-diaphragm condensers that tend to capture a large, articulate vocal sound suitable for most types of music. But some small- and mid-sized diaphragms can achieve a similar vocal quality. And dynamic mics, though not usually a favorite for studio vocals, can deliver the perfect sound for some voices.
Because mic selection makes such a difference on vocals, it's not uncommon for engineers to record the same vocalist with different mics depending on the song and vocal delivery. The big, breathy sound of a large-diaphragm condenser may be perfect for a ballad, while the smaller, more focused sound of a vocal dynamic may better cut through a dense, up-tempo arrangement. When it comes time to choose a mic for a given vocalist or song, try every mic you've got; you may be surprised at which one sounds best.
While directional mics are most common for recording vocals, an omnidirectional mic can be very effective as well. An omni will exhibit no proximity effect, allowing you to place the mic much closer without bass buildup. An omni is also less prone to create popping noises, eliminating the need for a pop filter. The lack of proximity effect will also make for a more consistent sound if the vocalist changes distance from the mic. There will be a corresponding drop in level, but no significant change in tone. On mics with variable patterns, you can get good results from the intermediate patterns between cardioid and omni.
A good starting mic position for vocals is directly on-axis with the mouth, 6 to 12 inches away. You may get a softer sound by placing the mic a few inches to either side of the mouth. Placement above or below the mouth can result in different vocal characters, which may be advantageous for certain voices. One popular off-axis mic placement is roughly 12 inches from the singer, at about forehead level, pointing down towards the mouth. Off-axis placement also has the advantage of reducing sibilance and popping.
Mic distance depends in large part on the room. A noisy or highly reverberant room (or one with poor-sounding acoustics) will require a closer mic placement, at which point proximity effect becomes a significant factor in the vocal sound. At six or eight inches away, certain directional mics generate enough bass boost to really muddy up a vocal sound. If your mic has a low-cut switch, it can clean up the bottom end of the vocal considerably.
Because most vocals are recorded at very close distances, even small shifts in mic or vocalist placement can make a dramatic difference in the sound. A shifty vocalist can make for punches or edits that are very obvious due to the change in level and/or vocal tone. When tracking vocals—especially with a directional mic—it's very important that mic distance and placement stay consistent throughout a session.
To this end, encourage the vocalist to make a mental note of his or her location. It may be helpful to have them frequently check the distance from their lips to the mic or pop filter with their fingers. As a last resort, place a line of tape on the floor where the vocalist can position his or her toes during recording. When miking from distances of a few feet or more, small changes in the vocalist's position are far less noticeable.
Sibilance is the bright burst of noise radiated by consonants such as "s," "t" and "f." With certain voices and mics, sibilance can be overpowering. One method for reducing sibilance with directional mics is to keep the mic directly in front of the mouth, while rotating it off-axis slightly. This reduces the high-frequency pickup of most mics and can eliminate problem sibilance. Ten or twenty degrees is usually enough to do the trick, depending on mic design and pickup pattern.
The most effective means of suppressing popping noises from plosives like "p" and "b" is the fabric pop filter. Stretched over a circular frame, the pop filter mounts to the mic stand or boom arm. Foam filters, whether inside the mic or placed directly over it, are rarely as effective or as acoustically transparent. If you're using a vocal mic with a built-in pop filter, try removing the grill and foam filter and placing the mic behind a fabric pop filter instead. You can easily make your own pop filter with a pair of pantyhose and a 6- or 8-inch embroidery hoop.
For the vocalist who insists on holding the microphone during recording, here's a trick for pacifying them while still getting a clean vocal track. Set up your vocal mic of choice at a safe distance from the vocalist. Attach any handheld mic to a second cable and give it to the vocalist. The singer can then belt their most inspired performance into the placebo mic, while you capture the take without compromise with the more distant mic.
Thomson Course Technology PTR.
This article is an excerpt from the following book: The Home Studio Guide to Microphones
The human voice is the most complex and flexible instrument of all, capable of an incredibly broad range of expression, tone and volume. There's also a great deal of diversity from one voice to the next, which mandates a flexible, try-anything approach to vocal recording. Your first-choice vocal mic may sound wonderful on a strong baritone and horrid on a breathy soprano.
Most engineers' favorite vocal mics are large-diaphragm condensers that tend to capture a large, articulate vocal sound suitable for most types of music. But some small- and mid-sized diaphragms can achieve a similar vocal quality. And dynamic mics, though not usually a favorite for studio vocals, can deliver the perfect sound for some voices.
Because mic selection makes such a difference on vocals, it's not uncommon for engineers to record the same vocalist with different mics depending on the song and vocal delivery. The big, breathy sound of a large-diaphragm condenser may be perfect for a ballad, while the smaller, more focused sound of a vocal dynamic may better cut through a dense, up-tempo arrangement. When it comes time to choose a mic for a given vocalist or song, try every mic you've got; you may be surprised at which one sounds best.
While directional mics are most common for recording vocals, an omnidirectional mic can be very effective as well. An omni will exhibit no proximity effect, allowing you to place the mic much closer without bass buildup. An omni is also less prone to create popping noises, eliminating the need for a pop filter. The lack of proximity effect will also make for a more consistent sound if the vocalist changes distance from the mic. There will be a corresponding drop in level, but no significant change in tone. On mics with variable patterns, you can get good results from the intermediate patterns between cardioid and omni.
A good starting mic position for vocals is directly on-axis with the mouth, 6 to 12 inches away. You may get a softer sound by placing the mic a few inches to either side of the mouth. Placement above or below the mouth can result in different vocal characters, which may be advantageous for certain voices. One popular off-axis mic placement is roughly 12 inches from the singer, at about forehead level, pointing down towards the mouth. Off-axis placement also has the advantage of reducing sibilance and popping.
Mic distance depends in large part on the room. A noisy or highly reverberant room (or one with poor-sounding acoustics) will require a closer mic placement, at which point proximity effect becomes a significant factor in the vocal sound. At six or eight inches away, certain directional mics generate enough bass boost to really muddy up a vocal sound. If your mic has a low-cut switch, it can clean up the bottom end of the vocal considerably.
Because most vocals are recorded at very close distances, even small shifts in mic or vocalist placement can make a dramatic difference in the sound. A shifty vocalist can make for punches or edits that are very obvious due to the change in level and/or vocal tone. When tracking vocals—especially with a directional mic—it's very important that mic distance and placement stay consistent throughout a session.
To this end, encourage the vocalist to make a mental note of his or her location. It may be helpful to have them frequently check the distance from their lips to the mic or pop filter with their fingers. As a last resort, place a line of tape on the floor where the vocalist can position his or her toes during recording. When miking from distances of a few feet or more, small changes in the vocalist's position are far less noticeable.
Sibilance is the bright burst of noise radiated by consonants such as "s," "t" and "f." With certain voices and mics, sibilance can be overpowering. One method for reducing sibilance with directional mics is to keep the mic directly in front of the mouth, while rotating it off-axis slightly. This reduces the high-frequency pickup of most mics and can eliminate problem sibilance. Ten or twenty degrees is usually enough to do the trick, depending on mic design and pickup pattern.
The most effective means of suppressing popping noises from plosives like "p" and "b" is the fabric pop filter. Stretched over a circular frame, the pop filter mounts to the mic stand or boom arm. Foam filters, whether inside the mic or placed directly over it, are rarely as effective or as acoustically transparent. If you're using a vocal mic with a built-in pop filter, try removing the grill and foam filter and placing the mic behind a fabric pop filter instead. You can easily make your own pop filter with a pair of pantyhose and a 6- or 8-inch embroidery hoop.
For the vocalist who insists on holding the microphone during recording, here's a trick for pacifying them while still getting a clean vocal track. Set up your vocal mic of choice at a safe distance from the vocalist. Attach any handheld mic to a second cable and give it to the vocalist. The singer can then belt their most inspired performance into the placebo mic, while you capture the take without compromise with the more distant mic.
Create Your Unique Singing Style
by Donna Flynn, vocalcoach.ca
What does it mean to create a singing style that is unique and distinct to you? We all attempt to develop a singing voice that brings out all the “best” qualities in our voice, but how is that achieved? How do we take our “best” vocal qualities and develop them in a way that is different from everyone else? How can we make our style engaging and pleasing to the listener?
First, you need to understand the fundamentals of vocal technique. Second, and more specific, you will need to learn where tone is produced and how that tone is transformed into a sound that radiates from the point a singer projects the voice, to the point where it softens and eventually fades out completely. This is referred to as resonance. It is the result caused by air traveling through the vocal cords, producing a tone and pitch that is carried outward on sound waves. In other words, resonance is what you hear when you sing using proper vocal co-ordination.
Resonance may be more easily understood when thinking of the speaking voice rather then the singing voice. Public speakers and business professionals, for example, will fall into two categories. They will either speak from the throat only where tone is produced resulting in a harsh shouting sound for men and a shallow squeaky sound for women or they will speak from a place that produces a slight “humming”. This “humming” combined with tone from the vocal cords will project a firm and confident voice that smoothly and warmly communicates each word. All great speakers have learned to achieve a balance between tone production and resonance.
When we produce tone only and do not modify it with resonance, blending the deeper pitches from the chest with the higher pitches from the head, the result is unbalanced and unpleasant to listen too. Lack of resonance will result in long-term vocal cord damage and will keep you from reaching your potential. You will be unable to sing in a contemporary manner and will limit the variety of styles you can sing.
Guidelines for Creating Resonance and your UNIQUE Singing Style:
- As tone is produced in the vocal cords, lifting the tone above the vocal cords and placing the sound forward in the front of the mouth will allow you to have creative freedom and the ability to locate the exact spot where you resonate your unique sound.
- Use proper breath control to move the tone upward and into position.
- Keep your mental focus on the front of the mouth and not on the throat to avoid unnecessary pressure around the vocal cords.
- When practicing, work up the scale singing gently. Let the feeling of singing the scale guide you. Do not maneuver or impose the sound, as this will not give you the results your need.
Once accomplished, you will be free to focus on creating your unique singing style rather then being concerned about cracks, breaks or pitch. You will be able to sing up and down your entire range easily, without tension. Your larynx will stay seated, not rising up to high notes. You will feel a vibration in the head and/or chest. While similar for everyone, each person is slightly different, so you will need to experiment.
It is very easy to fall into old habits. Don’t! Stay focused on the long-term benefits and resist short-term thinking that will limit and likely stunt your ability to develop your voice and grow beyond your current limitations.
The point where you create resonance is the same place where you create your singing voice, modify and amplify the sound, and make any adjustments necessary to express a song in whatever way you choose. This is where all of your training takes action. Enjoy the process, push your creative boundaries and dare to be who you are musically. Everyone will be glad you did.
Digital Distribution?
504 Productions can now help indie artist reach a bigger audience.
If you are wanting to get your music on Beatport, Breakbeat Online, Beatsource, DJ Download and so on.....then give me a shout.
Looking for artists to distribute and promote........
Email me at dantheman@504productions.com
If you are wanting to get your music on Beatport, Breakbeat Online, Beatsource, DJ Download and so on.....then give me a shout.
Looking for artists to distribute and promote........
Email me at dantheman@504productions.com
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
How To Increase Your Online CD Sales
by Tim Sweeney
As the music industry quickly evolves into a more digital and virtual world, Amazon.com and CD Baby have taken the lead in regards to selling the greatest amount of independent artist's CDs. According to various independent researchers, Amazon.com is responsible or approximately 94% of all independent artist sales online. CD Baby is responsible for approximately 3% and the artist's own web sites are responsible for (almost) the remaining 3%. This means that besides your site, Amazon and CD Baby are (practically) the only online retailers music fans will buy your CD from, if you are a true independent artist. What does that mean to all the others? Not much.
Most of the other major music sites focus on selling well known past or current major label artists. Often their largest percentage of sales are Greatest Hits CDs of well established past or current artists. According to research, most if not almost all, of the most popular sites are not interested in carrying independent artist's CDs because of the lack of sales. Which brings us to our key question. If Amazon.com and CD Baby.net, are the two biggest sellers of independent artist's CDs and they want to obviously work with you, how do you sell a lot of CDs through them? Well from my own interviews with the key people at Amazon and CD Baby, it is clear that they almost see identically to what sells CDs through their sites and what doesn't. So lets clue you in, on where you should focus your promotional efforts in the future (that means in the next 5 minutes!)
1. Live shows and the promotion of them. As you know, live shows are now more than 75% of all independent artist's CD sales around the country. Obviously, people who come to your shows are interested in your music. If you do a good job selling your CDs to them after you have played great show, you will see the sales results you want. If people don't have the money to buy one at your show, push them online with a reminder card and emails the next day. As we have talked about before, the promotion of your live shows beyond your mailing list is critical. Giving out sample tapes to new fans (especially the right ones) which include your contact information, your web site address and the performance date, is still selling yourself short. Put on your sample tapes (or sample CDs) that your CD is available at Amazon or CD Baby. If someone drives around with the tape and likes it, but doesn't want to go to the show and they see Amazon or CD Baby on it, there is a good chance they will buy it from them. Ironically, the independent artists I am working with are selling more CDs from sample tapes, than at live shows. Why? Because they are not waiting for an upcoming show before they hand out sample tapes.
2. Pushing sales to Amazon & CD Baby through your own site. Lets face it. Dealing with merchant accounts is not only costly early in your career, it be a pain in the neck. If you are not getting a lot of direct sales (25+ per week), you may want to consider placing a link on your order page to send people to buy your CD at Amazon or CD Baby. For thousands of artists, it has been easier to deal with. Plus some people just like shopping there. Even in my own case, even though we get thousands of direct orders for the books and audio workshops I have written, Amazon get thousands of orders simply because some people just normally shop there.
3. Free standing Internet radio stations While live shows and the promotion of them, motivate the greatest percentage of online sales, free standing Internet radio stations have moved up to third place. For those of you who may be confused with the term, a "free standing Internet radio station," is one that does not just "simulcast" what the commercial or college radio stations, (which they are part of), is playing. They are Internet only and make up their own playlists of what they are playing. Obviously, music fans have been frustrated by the fact, that they have to sit in front of their PCs to hear the station. But as technology keeps developing, we will take internet radio wherever we go. We have already seen it come into the car and the cell phone. Internet radio stations offer a great advantage in that, if people hear something they like, they will look further online for it and possibly buy it right then. A great advantage over having to drive to the store to get it or even just look for it. While there are hundreds of Internet stations out there, most are fans of or a band themselves, primarily promoting their own music. Look for Internet stations that "personalize" the station to the individual music fan that listens to them. Make sure they have a CD sales program with Amazon or CD Baby. My personal favorite is TuneTo.com.
4. Online magazines - The future of CD reviews While the sales percentages are still small, there is increasing optimism about CD sales through online publications. Many, including myself, feel that online magazines could possibly replace most printed music magazines, simply because of their ability for someone to read the review or article and then instantly hear the music. This is very important. As I have said for years, no one can hear your music on a piece of paper. Even if the reviewer tries their best to describe your music, its still not the same as hearing the songs. So your job is to search for online publications that you feel, best appeal to the right audience for your music. Email and mail them your Artist Profile. Now that you know what generates the largest and the smallest amount of sales on Amazon.com and CD Baby.net, let me share with you those promotional strategies which basically do not generate any sales.
* College & Commercial radio airplay While it seems odd even to say it, college and commercial radio airplay, does not generate any real sales online for independent artists. That's not to say there isn't a few sales here and there, but we want to focus on what is going to bring us the greatest amount of sales. Basically, people who listen to traditional radio stations will instinctively look for the CDs at record stores. Unfortunately, if they don't find it, most do not look for it online. Their interest just fades away. This is why online radio stations provide you with more value. When someone hears something they like, they can easily push a few buttons and buy it!
* Reviews in the print media As we talked about before, no one can hear your music on a piece of paper. Amazon and CD Baby will get copies of print reviews from bands who are all excited about the reviews until, they see it has done nothing to sell CDs. My suggestion: a lot of traditional media is waking up to the fact that they can't just "reprint" what's in the print version of their magazine. To add more value, they need to cover other items online to make their web site more valuable. Look in your home market to start with and see if this is the case with, your major daily newspaper and alternatively weeklies. So now that you know what to focus your efforts on and what to take your attention off, there are 3 key points to leave you with.
1. Your web site is key. Having one that is built upon the proper elements of your Artist Profile, will generate sales. DO NOT use your press kit for a foundation. Your web site is there for information and a means in which fans can contact you, but its main purpose is to generate sales.
2. Deal with Amazon and CD Baby directly. Both agree that it is a great disadvantage to have your distributor try to place your CD in their sites. In the case of Amazon, if your CD comes from a distributor, it will be listed as "special order" and they won't stock it. By the time someone places an order it could be 4-6 weeks before they get it! Explore the Amazon Advantage Program. Amazon will stock your CD, list that it ships in 24 hours and pay you directly in 30 days! Plain and simple. They have it and ship it to the person who gets it in the mail in 2-3 days and you get paid shortly after. CD Baby works the almost the same way. Dealing with them direct means they stock it and ship it in 24 hours and pay you in a week! The distributor isn't going to pay you the full amount for 3-6 months. Good luck, if people still want your CD after they are told it will take a month to get it. Deal with Amazon through the Advantage Program and CD Baby direct.
3. Think creatively when promoting your shows online. Don't make the same everyday mistake, thousands of bands do when sending out email announcements for their upcoming shows. Bland doesn't work. Do it in a charming and personal way that continues the "bonding" feeling your fans have. Visit sites and fan clubs of larger established artists, who are your influences. Let them know how, that artist has influenced your music and invite them to check it out for themselves through your site. One point that should be obvious but is commonly forgotten, is to place the "order" link on every page on your site. Don't be humble; your site is there to sell CDs. I know this is a lot of information to take in but hopefully this will help thousands of you, who email me asking the question, "How do I increase my sales on Amazon and CD Baby?"
As the music industry quickly evolves into a more digital and virtual world, Amazon.com and CD Baby have taken the lead in regards to selling the greatest amount of independent artist's CDs. According to various independent researchers, Amazon.com is responsible or approximately 94% of all independent artist sales online. CD Baby is responsible for approximately 3% and the artist's own web sites are responsible for (almost) the remaining 3%. This means that besides your site, Amazon and CD Baby are (practically) the only online retailers music fans will buy your CD from, if you are a true independent artist. What does that mean to all the others? Not much.
Most of the other major music sites focus on selling well known past or current major label artists. Often their largest percentage of sales are Greatest Hits CDs of well established past or current artists. According to research, most if not almost all, of the most popular sites are not interested in carrying independent artist's CDs because of the lack of sales. Which brings us to our key question. If Amazon.com and CD Baby.net, are the two biggest sellers of independent artist's CDs and they want to obviously work with you, how do you sell a lot of CDs through them? Well from my own interviews with the key people at Amazon and CD Baby, it is clear that they almost see identically to what sells CDs through their sites and what doesn't. So lets clue you in, on where you should focus your promotional efforts in the future (that means in the next 5 minutes!)
1. Live shows and the promotion of them. As you know, live shows are now more than 75% of all independent artist's CD sales around the country. Obviously, people who come to your shows are interested in your music. If you do a good job selling your CDs to them after you have played great show, you will see the sales results you want. If people don't have the money to buy one at your show, push them online with a reminder card and emails the next day. As we have talked about before, the promotion of your live shows beyond your mailing list is critical. Giving out sample tapes to new fans (especially the right ones) which include your contact information, your web site address and the performance date, is still selling yourself short. Put on your sample tapes (or sample CDs) that your CD is available at Amazon or CD Baby. If someone drives around with the tape and likes it, but doesn't want to go to the show and they see Amazon or CD Baby on it, there is a good chance they will buy it from them. Ironically, the independent artists I am working with are selling more CDs from sample tapes, than at live shows. Why? Because they are not waiting for an upcoming show before they hand out sample tapes.
2. Pushing sales to Amazon & CD Baby through your own site. Lets face it. Dealing with merchant accounts is not only costly early in your career, it be a pain in the neck. If you are not getting a lot of direct sales (25+ per week), you may want to consider placing a link on your order page to send people to buy your CD at Amazon or CD Baby. For thousands of artists, it has been easier to deal with. Plus some people just like shopping there. Even in my own case, even though we get thousands of direct orders for the books and audio workshops I have written, Amazon get thousands of orders simply because some people just normally shop there.
3. Free standing Internet radio stations While live shows and the promotion of them, motivate the greatest percentage of online sales, free standing Internet radio stations have moved up to third place. For those of you who may be confused with the term, a "free standing Internet radio station," is one that does not just "simulcast" what the commercial or college radio stations, (which they are part of), is playing. They are Internet only and make up their own playlists of what they are playing. Obviously, music fans have been frustrated by the fact, that they have to sit in front of their PCs to hear the station. But as technology keeps developing, we will take internet radio wherever we go. We have already seen it come into the car and the cell phone. Internet radio stations offer a great advantage in that, if people hear something they like, they will look further online for it and possibly buy it right then. A great advantage over having to drive to the store to get it or even just look for it. While there are hundreds of Internet stations out there, most are fans of or a band themselves, primarily promoting their own music. Look for Internet stations that "personalize" the station to the individual music fan that listens to them. Make sure they have a CD sales program with Amazon or CD Baby. My personal favorite is TuneTo.com.
4. Online magazines - The future of CD reviews While the sales percentages are still small, there is increasing optimism about CD sales through online publications. Many, including myself, feel that online magazines could possibly replace most printed music magazines, simply because of their ability for someone to read the review or article and then instantly hear the music. This is very important. As I have said for years, no one can hear your music on a piece of paper. Even if the reviewer tries their best to describe your music, its still not the same as hearing the songs. So your job is to search for online publications that you feel, best appeal to the right audience for your music. Email and mail them your Artist Profile. Now that you know what generates the largest and the smallest amount of sales on Amazon.com and CD Baby.net, let me share with you those promotional strategies which basically do not generate any sales.
* College & Commercial radio airplay While it seems odd even to say it, college and commercial radio airplay, does not generate any real sales online for independent artists. That's not to say there isn't a few sales here and there, but we want to focus on what is going to bring us the greatest amount of sales. Basically, people who listen to traditional radio stations will instinctively look for the CDs at record stores. Unfortunately, if they don't find it, most do not look for it online. Their interest just fades away. This is why online radio stations provide you with more value. When someone hears something they like, they can easily push a few buttons and buy it!
* Reviews in the print media As we talked about before, no one can hear your music on a piece of paper. Amazon and CD Baby will get copies of print reviews from bands who are all excited about the reviews until, they see it has done nothing to sell CDs. My suggestion: a lot of traditional media is waking up to the fact that they can't just "reprint" what's in the print version of their magazine. To add more value, they need to cover other items online to make their web site more valuable. Look in your home market to start with and see if this is the case with, your major daily newspaper and alternatively weeklies. So now that you know what to focus your efforts on and what to take your attention off, there are 3 key points to leave you with.
1. Your web site is key. Having one that is built upon the proper elements of your Artist Profile, will generate sales. DO NOT use your press kit for a foundation. Your web site is there for information and a means in which fans can contact you, but its main purpose is to generate sales.
2. Deal with Amazon and CD Baby directly. Both agree that it is a great disadvantage to have your distributor try to place your CD in their sites. In the case of Amazon, if your CD comes from a distributor, it will be listed as "special order" and they won't stock it. By the time someone places an order it could be 4-6 weeks before they get it! Explore the Amazon Advantage Program. Amazon will stock your CD, list that it ships in 24 hours and pay you directly in 30 days! Plain and simple. They have it and ship it to the person who gets it in the mail in 2-3 days and you get paid shortly after. CD Baby works the almost the same way. Dealing with them direct means they stock it and ship it in 24 hours and pay you in a week! The distributor isn't going to pay you the full amount for 3-6 months. Good luck, if people still want your CD after they are told it will take a month to get it. Deal with Amazon through the Advantage Program and CD Baby direct.
3. Think creatively when promoting your shows online. Don't make the same everyday mistake, thousands of bands do when sending out email announcements for their upcoming shows. Bland doesn't work. Do it in a charming and personal way that continues the "bonding" feeling your fans have. Visit sites and fan clubs of larger established artists, who are your influences. Let them know how, that artist has influenced your music and invite them to check it out for themselves through your site. One point that should be obvious but is commonly forgotten, is to place the "order" link on every page on your site. Don't be humble; your site is there to sell CDs. I know this is a lot of information to take in but hopefully this will help thousands of you, who email me asking the question, "How do I increase my sales on Amazon and CD Baby?"
The Difference Between You & Me
What really makes me sick about the breakbeat scene is the lack of "realness" among the artists. The artists are the ones who are supposed to be enlightened. They are creators and dreamers. I believe creation is the utmost closest you can get to God without outside intervention. It's why I express the fact that I am touching Gods face when I create. I can't tell you how it works, or where it comes from. I can explain the technical side, but not the creation side....
The reason I became so involved in music was the fact I grew up around my father in bands. I have been on stage and performed. The bands he was in played a lot of covers. It is now why i listen to such a diverse selection of music. I never liked playing covers or mimicking others tunes on my saxophone. I preferred solo playing from the top of my head. Part of the reason was b/c as a child, at home, this is how my father practiced. He never played covers at home. It was always freestyle from the top of his head. I still do not understand why he was in bands that played covers.
While playing along with my favorite songs is good practice, I could not ever intentionally steal what I am mimicking for my own creations. I would not feel right b/c I know I didn't write it. Plus, its not my true expression of what I feel. Its just my interpretation of what I feel about another's work.
There's a big difference from a DJ to the Artist. To become an artist, it truly is an evolution process of the mind. Most DJ's (not all) have swollen heads. It is said the reason there is no such thing as DJ parties is that all of our heads would be slamming into each others because they are so swollen with ego.
A true artist has no ego. They have been humbled. They understand their sanity is connected to expression through creation and that creation is the quintessential meaning to existence.. Without creation the world would be empty.
There's cats who are just a charade & there are cats who are real. Real recognizes real...plain and simple.
If you ain't real to yourself, how can you expect to be real for the world? Or has it come to a point where being fake is OK for you? I could never be fake and know it.
I guess my point is, where is the love? What happened to peace, love, respect and unity? Why are there ones money grubbing in the scene and stealing from others? Just for some money? What good is that money if you sell your soul to get it?
Create, Experience and Love,
Tears of Technology
Song Reference: Dr. Dre - What's The Difference (Ft. Eminem & Xzibit)
The reason I became so involved in music was the fact I grew up around my father in bands. I have been on stage and performed. The bands he was in played a lot of covers. It is now why i listen to such a diverse selection of music. I never liked playing covers or mimicking others tunes on my saxophone. I preferred solo playing from the top of my head. Part of the reason was b/c as a child, at home, this is how my father practiced. He never played covers at home. It was always freestyle from the top of his head. I still do not understand why he was in bands that played covers.
While playing along with my favorite songs is good practice, I could not ever intentionally steal what I am mimicking for my own creations. I would not feel right b/c I know I didn't write it. Plus, its not my true expression of what I feel. Its just my interpretation of what I feel about another's work.
There's a big difference from a DJ to the Artist. To become an artist, it truly is an evolution process of the mind. Most DJ's (not all) have swollen heads. It is said the reason there is no such thing as DJ parties is that all of our heads would be slamming into each others because they are so swollen with ego.
A true artist has no ego. They have been humbled. They understand their sanity is connected to expression through creation and that creation is the quintessential meaning to existence.. Without creation the world would be empty.
There's cats who are just a charade & there are cats who are real. Real recognizes real...plain and simple.
If you ain't real to yourself, how can you expect to be real for the world? Or has it come to a point where being fake is OK for you? I could never be fake and know it.
I guess my point is, where is the love? What happened to peace, love, respect and unity? Why are there ones money grubbing in the scene and stealing from others? Just for some money? What good is that money if you sell your soul to get it?
Create, Experience and Love,
Tears of Technology
Song Reference: Dr. Dre - What's The Difference (Ft. Eminem & Xzibit)
Promote Your Music on Facebook
Facebook is now beating MySpace in unique hits per day. This means that Facebook has more new people visiting their site everyday. For bands and artists promoting their music, this is prime advertising ground.
How do you get your music on your Facebook page though?
First, you must have a free account at Reverbnation.
http://www.reverbnation.com/
After you sign up there, simply go to Facebook and search in applications for the Reverbnation app. Add this app and you can have your music, shows and bio from Reverbnation on your Facebook page. Very easy!
What is so great is when you post a comment on someones page, you can post your music too! So your music is posted right to the Facebook user you are commenting.
Reverbnation is a great site to be on anyway. Many tools you can use to promote yourself plus a free mailing list script that has no limitations.
Read this article about Reverbnation below!
ReverbNation - MySpace Music Competitor?
ReverbNation, which will launch officially on October 31st at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York, is a new social network connecting fans, artists and (coming soon) venues.
For artists, the site offers special profile pages similar to those on MySpace music. They also offer “Fan Reach”, a fan management and email solution that helps you organize your fans into different demographic groups and send more targeted mail blasts - you could identify male fans only, or send a message to all the fans within a certain area. Other features include photo hosting, show listings, commenting and of course the ability to gain fans and connect with other artists.
For fans, there are basic profile pages and playlists -you can queue up songs while you’re browsing the site and launch the player in a pop-up window for while you’re elsewhere on the web. Where the artists support it, you can also download tracks, view videos (many of them hosted on YouTube) and view the lyrics. There’s all the predictable stuff, too: upload a pic, write a bio and bookmark upcoming shows.
But one of the best surprises is their far-reaching widget strategy: for now you can grab any show schedule and post it to blogs, MySpace, hi5, Piczo et al, but they’ll soon add the widget logo next to photos, blogs, press pages and the tour maps on artist pages. You can see an example of the show schedule and email submission form on this MySpace page. Distributing the different parts of the site through widgets is essential when MySpace has pretty much become the center of the music universe - bands may use ReverbNation’s FanReach tool to manage their email newsletters, but continue to have a MySpace page. The obvious omission here is a MySpace music player - syndicating the music itself to other social networks would make a lot of sense.
I like it. Not only does it feel well put-together, but the focus is where it should be: on the music. Surprisingly, there are a bunch of music-related social sites that don’t let you listen to music, or want you to pay to listen to the whole track (eg. PhilaFunk). Those services will never take off. I’m even slightly dubious about the sites that are tied to existing desktop software like iTunes - MOG, for instance. But MySpace is the site everyone is competing with here (even though they all say they aren’t), and it’s not clear whether ReverbNation offers enough benefits to those artists that are already established on MySpace. I’d be tempted to spin off the fan management tool as a lightweight MySpace plugin, but even so, I think most bands would just continue to spam their entire network with MySpace bulletins. In short: great effort, but competing with MySpace is a tough gig.
How do you get your music on your Facebook page though?
First, you must have a free account at Reverbnation.
http://www.reverbnation.com/
After you sign up there, simply go to Facebook and search in applications for the Reverbnation app. Add this app and you can have your music, shows and bio from Reverbnation on your Facebook page. Very easy!
What is so great is when you post a comment on someones page, you can post your music too! So your music is posted right to the Facebook user you are commenting.
Reverbnation is a great site to be on anyway. Many tools you can use to promote yourself plus a free mailing list script that has no limitations.
Read this article about Reverbnation below!
ReverbNation - MySpace Music Competitor?
ReverbNation, which will launch officially on October 31st at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York, is a new social network connecting fans, artists and (coming soon) venues.
For artists, the site offers special profile pages similar to those on MySpace music. They also offer “Fan Reach”, a fan management and email solution that helps you organize your fans into different demographic groups and send more targeted mail blasts - you could identify male fans only, or send a message to all the fans within a certain area. Other features include photo hosting, show listings, commenting and of course the ability to gain fans and connect with other artists.
For fans, there are basic profile pages and playlists -you can queue up songs while you’re browsing the site and launch the player in a pop-up window for while you’re elsewhere on the web. Where the artists support it, you can also download tracks, view videos (many of them hosted on YouTube) and view the lyrics. There’s all the predictable stuff, too: upload a pic, write a bio and bookmark upcoming shows.
But one of the best surprises is their far-reaching widget strategy: for now you can grab any show schedule and post it to blogs, MySpace, hi5, Piczo et al, but they’ll soon add the widget logo next to photos, blogs, press pages and the tour maps on artist pages. You can see an example of the show schedule and email submission form on this MySpace page. Distributing the different parts of the site through widgets is essential when MySpace has pretty much become the center of the music universe - bands may use ReverbNation’s FanReach tool to manage their email newsletters, but continue to have a MySpace page. The obvious omission here is a MySpace music player - syndicating the music itself to other social networks would make a lot of sense.
I like it. Not only does it feel well put-together, but the focus is where it should be: on the music. Surprisingly, there are a bunch of music-related social sites that don’t let you listen to music, or want you to pay to listen to the whole track (eg. PhilaFunk). Those services will never take off. I’m even slightly dubious about the sites that are tied to existing desktop software like iTunes - MOG, for instance. But MySpace is the site everyone is competing with here (even though they all say they aren’t), and it’s not clear whether ReverbNation offers enough benefits to those artists that are already established on MySpace. I’d be tempted to spin off the fan management tool as a lightweight MySpace plugin, but even so, I think most bands would just continue to spam their entire network with MySpace bulletins. In short: great effort, but competing with MySpace is a tough gig.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Fan List
by Noah Dinkin, Fanbridge
Tips for your fan list:
1. Communicate Regularly
Some of our clients like to talk and they are able to write great newsletters each week to their fans. They aren't particularly long, but fans like hearing from the band and it keeps the band fresh in each fan's mind. Even if you can't find the time to do a weekly newsletter, you absolutely must send something at the very least once per month. If you wait longer than a month between messages, you are not going to maintain as strong a bond between the artist and fan as you could.
2. Encourage Interaction
Many of our clients write their newsletters in a very 'one way' fashion. This is not a newspaper, it's the internet! Use the technology available and ask questions of your fans. Do surveys! Maybe pick a winner out of all the responses and give them a small token prize. Encourage your fans to interact and they will look forward to your email each week/month. They will want to open your message and be the first to reply. It will become an important event instead of just an afterthought.
3. Include Links to Places You Want Fans to Go
This one seems obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many bands do not include a link to their website in each message. Not only should you be including a link to your website, but you should have a link to your myspace/facebook/etc profile, your merch store, a place where they can download your music, your tourdates, and anything else that's important. You'll be surprised how much more traffic you get when you start including links.
4. Create a Special Event in Each Message
This one ties in with #2. If you can create a special event in each message, fans will learn that your messages are important, and will not want to miss any message from you. Examples of special events could be: a limited time sale on CDs or other merchandise items, posting a list of upcoming tourdates just for newsletter subscribers before they are released to the general public, secret special downloads of live recordings or unreleased material, contests to win backstage passes or signed merchandise, or any other kind of special things your fans would crave.
5. Ask for Help
Fans signed up for your list because they want to hear from you and that indicates a level of devotion to the band. Because of this, don't be afraid to ask for their help. Ask them to forward the newsletter on to their friends (we automatically include a forward to a friend link in the footer of each email you send). You can also ask for help with street teaming (putting up posters in a town before a show), promoting online, looking for places to sleep, ideas of other bands to tour with, ideas of venues to play in a city you've never been to, and just about anything else. Your fans want to see you succeed, so let them help you!
We hope you think about these 5 simple tips and incorporate them into your fan communication strategy. They've worked for other artists, now start making them work for you!
Tips for your fan list:
1. Communicate Regularly
Some of our clients like to talk and they are able to write great newsletters each week to their fans. They aren't particularly long, but fans like hearing from the band and it keeps the band fresh in each fan's mind. Even if you can't find the time to do a weekly newsletter, you absolutely must send something at the very least once per month. If you wait longer than a month between messages, you are not going to maintain as strong a bond between the artist and fan as you could.
2. Encourage Interaction
Many of our clients write their newsletters in a very 'one way' fashion. This is not a newspaper, it's the internet! Use the technology available and ask questions of your fans. Do surveys! Maybe pick a winner out of all the responses and give them a small token prize. Encourage your fans to interact and they will look forward to your email each week/month. They will want to open your message and be the first to reply. It will become an important event instead of just an afterthought.
3. Include Links to Places You Want Fans to Go
This one seems obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many bands do not include a link to their website in each message. Not only should you be including a link to your website, but you should have a link to your myspace/facebook/etc profile, your merch store, a place where they can download your music, your tourdates, and anything else that's important. You'll be surprised how much more traffic you get when you start including links.
4. Create a Special Event in Each Message
This one ties in with #2. If you can create a special event in each message, fans will learn that your messages are important, and will not want to miss any message from you. Examples of special events could be: a limited time sale on CDs or other merchandise items, posting a list of upcoming tourdates just for newsletter subscribers before they are released to the general public, secret special downloads of live recordings or unreleased material, contests to win backstage passes or signed merchandise, or any other kind of special things your fans would crave.
5. Ask for Help
Fans signed up for your list because they want to hear from you and that indicates a level of devotion to the band. Because of this, don't be afraid to ask for their help. Ask them to forward the newsletter on to their friends (we automatically include a forward to a friend link in the footer of each email you send). You can also ask for help with street teaming (putting up posters in a town before a show), promoting online, looking for places to sleep, ideas of other bands to tour with, ideas of venues to play in a city you've never been to, and just about anything else. Your fans want to see you succeed, so let them help you!
We hope you think about these 5 simple tips and incorporate them into your fan communication strategy. They've worked for other artists, now start making them work for you!
Why Music Gives Us Chills
By Corey Binns, Special to LiveScience
For a willing music audience, the art of drawing emotion from notes is classic.
Composers play with subtle, intricate changes and rates of change to try and elicit emotion. In recent studies, scientists found that people already familiar with the music are more likely to catch a chill at key moments:
For a willing music audience, the art of drawing emotion from notes is classic.
Composers play with subtle, intricate changes and rates of change to try and elicit emotion. In recent studies, scientists found that people already familiar with the music are more likely to catch a chill at key moments:
- When a symphony turns from loud to quiet
- Upon entry of a solo voice or instrument
- When two singers have contrasting voices
People covered in goose bumps also tend to be driven more by rewards, and less inclined to be thrill- and adventure-seekers, according to research conducted at the Institute for Music Physiology and Musicians’ Medicine in Hanover, Germany.
"Our results suggest that chills depend very much on our ability to interpret the music," said Oliver Grewe, a biologist and musicologist at the institute. "Music is a recreative activity. Even if it is relaxing to listen to, the listener has to recreate its meaning, the feelings it expresses. It is the listener who gives life to the emotions in music."
The researchers' latest findings are currently being reviewed for journal publication, while their previous research has been published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
Music can do more than just give you goose bumps. A melody can:
- Ease labor pain
- Reduce the need for sedation during surgery
- Evoke strong memories
- Lessen depression
- Listening to your favorite hits can shift your breathing pattern and speed up your heart rate.
Shivers down the spine even show up in brain scans, according to research at McGill University. As chills grow in intensity, bloodflow increases between areas of the brain associated with euphoria-inducing vices like food, sex, and drugs.
In the near future, the German research team plans to further study the central nervous system's reactions to music that gives fans the chills.
ReverbNation Registers 200,000th Band
ReverbNation, the leading Marketing and Promotion Platform technology for Musicians, Labels, Managers, and Venues, signed up its 200,000th Artist last week, adding 100,000 in the last six months alone. In addition, over 6,000 Labels and Managers have created profiles to promote themselves and their rosters, and more than 2,500 Venues and Clubs are using the 'venue tools' to help pack their shows, grow their fan bases, and integrate promotional efforts with musicians. To date, Artists and Labels have posted nearly 700,000 full-length songs to the site.
The success can be primarily attributed to the free suite of Fan Relationship Management (FRM) technologies the company provides for Artists, Labels, Managers, and Venues . The suite includes a content repository, promotional widgets and applications for viral distribution across social networks and blogs, integrated Street Team tools for motivating, tracking, and rewarding rabid fans, a communication platform to keep Artists connected with fans, and a comprehensive stats package to provide the insight they need to make marketing and promotion decisions.
"Its like Salesforce.com for Bands and Labels," said Josh Baron, Editor-in-Chief of Relix Magazine, 'The Magazine for Music'.
Since inception, the company has focused on helping "Independent" Artists and Labels by providing marketing tools, for free, that are usually reserved for major labels with large budgets.
"In all my years as a musician's coach and mentor, I have never seen the likes of ReverbNation for Indie musicians. They get it," says Madalyn Sklar, owner of GoGirls Music and operator of the 'Indiemusiccoach.com' website. "They absolutely understand the needs of the independent musician and build software that makes a difference for them everyday."
"Are you an Artist that needs to generate a newsletter and send it out to 10,000 fans?" asks indie Artist Jeff Nelson of the Syracuse, N.Y. Rock band 'Merit'. "Need a music player for your homepage or your Facebook page? Want to build a Street Team and have their actions tracked automatically? Want to know how long people listen to your songs before they turn them off, or if they passed them on to friends? Do you need help finding venues for your tour? I need all of that. ReverbNation delivers this and more. These guys offer the sickest platform of tools I've ever seen, and I can actually afford it, because it's free."
Use of the ReverbNation technology has recently spilled over from the indie ranks to some of the more recognized names in music as well, like 50 Cent, Kenny Chesney, Madonna, O.A.R., Natasha Bedingfield, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Sara Bareilles, and Sean Kingston, to name a few. Over 60 of the Billboard Top 100 now have a presence at ReverbNation.com.
Said Chris "Broadway" Romero, Creative Director, G-Unit Records (50 Cent), "ReverbNation's TuneWidget and tracking tools have been great for us here at G-Unit Records and Thisis50.com. Their tools and applications let our fans easily become involved in the marketing and promotion of our music across the web. There are a lot of 'all in one' solutions out there, but the ReverbNation platform is the only one that allows us to develop a marketing strategy first, then use the technology to execute it."
"We build technology that can help virtually any musician, label, manager, or venue," says Lou Plaia, Co-Founder and V.P. of Artist Relations at ReverbNation.com. "We help Artists take the music to the people, wherever those fans are spending their time online, and then empower Artists with tools for leveraging their content to drive real business objectives at those touch points. Artist objectives might include selling music, merch, or tickets, extracting valuable fan relationships from the social networks, or keeping content up to date across all of their sites. We give them real insight into what's happening with their content and how their marketing efforts are affecting their overall Band EquityTM. At the end of the day, the most important asset an Artist has is their portfolio of fan relationships, and it's our mission to help them grow that asset."
Over the coming months, ReverbNation will expand the offerings to Artists even further, giving them more tools to succeed at the 'business' part of the music business, including: Low-cost digital distribution to iTunes and other retailers, a dynamic 'Reverb Press Kit' for media outreach and gig submissions, a ringtone generator and sales tool, and several enhancements to the FanReach communication tool. In addition, the company plans to introduce an "Artist Sponsorship Platform' where Brands can link up with thousands of interested Artists at a time, creating a new revenue stream for Artists in these challenging times of declining music sales.
http://www.reverbnation.com/tearsoftechnology
The success can be primarily attributed to the free suite of Fan Relationship Management (FRM) technologies the company provides for Artists, Labels, Managers, and Venues . The suite includes a content repository, promotional widgets and applications for viral distribution across social networks and blogs, integrated Street Team tools for motivating, tracking, and rewarding rabid fans, a communication platform to keep Artists connected with fans, and a comprehensive stats package to provide the insight they need to make marketing and promotion decisions.
"Its like Salesforce.com for Bands and Labels," said Josh Baron, Editor-in-Chief of Relix Magazine, 'The Magazine for Music'.
Since inception, the company has focused on helping "Independent" Artists and Labels by providing marketing tools, for free, that are usually reserved for major labels with large budgets.
"In all my years as a musician's coach and mentor, I have never seen the likes of ReverbNation for Indie musicians. They get it," says Madalyn Sklar, owner of GoGirls Music and operator of the 'Indiemusiccoach.com' website. "They absolutely understand the needs of the independent musician and build software that makes a difference for them everyday."
"Are you an Artist that needs to generate a newsletter and send it out to 10,000 fans?" asks indie Artist Jeff Nelson of the Syracuse, N.Y. Rock band 'Merit'. "Need a music player for your homepage or your Facebook page? Want to build a Street Team and have their actions tracked automatically? Want to know how long people listen to your songs before they turn them off, or if they passed them on to friends? Do you need help finding venues for your tour? I need all of that. ReverbNation delivers this and more. These guys offer the sickest platform of tools I've ever seen, and I can actually afford it, because it's free."
Use of the ReverbNation technology has recently spilled over from the indie ranks to some of the more recognized names in music as well, like 50 Cent, Kenny Chesney, Madonna, O.A.R., Natasha Bedingfield, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Sara Bareilles, and Sean Kingston, to name a few. Over 60 of the Billboard Top 100 now have a presence at ReverbNation.com.
Said Chris "Broadway" Romero, Creative Director, G-Unit Records (50 Cent), "ReverbNation's TuneWidget and tracking tools have been great for us here at G-Unit Records and Thisis50.com. Their tools and applications let our fans easily become involved in the marketing and promotion of our music across the web. There are a lot of 'all in one' solutions out there, but the ReverbNation platform is the only one that allows us to develop a marketing strategy first, then use the technology to execute it."
"We build technology that can help virtually any musician, label, manager, or venue," says Lou Plaia, Co-Founder and V.P. of Artist Relations at ReverbNation.com. "We help Artists take the music to the people, wherever those fans are spending their time online, and then empower Artists with tools for leveraging their content to drive real business objectives at those touch points. Artist objectives might include selling music, merch, or tickets, extracting valuable fan relationships from the social networks, or keeping content up to date across all of their sites. We give them real insight into what's happening with their content and how their marketing efforts are affecting their overall Band EquityTM. At the end of the day, the most important asset an Artist has is their portfolio of fan relationships, and it's our mission to help them grow that asset."
Over the coming months, ReverbNation will expand the offerings to Artists even further, giving them more tools to succeed at the 'business' part of the music business, including: Low-cost digital distribution to iTunes and other retailers, a dynamic 'Reverb Press Kit' for media outreach and gig submissions, a ringtone generator and sales tool, and several enhancements to the FanReach communication tool. In addition, the company plans to introduce an "Artist Sponsorship Platform' where Brands can link up with thousands of interested Artists at a time, creating a new revenue stream for Artists in these challenging times of declining music sales.
http://www.reverbnation.com/tearsoftechnology
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