Maybe you've already heard, or maybe you're just finding out, or maybe, you don't really care, but there are now only three Major record companies on the planet Earth. That's right. Three record companies now control all of the major record labels.
This past November, Citibank, which owned EMI sold it's holdings to both Sony and Universal. Universal bought the recorded music section while Sony bought the music publishing arm. There has been some concern as to how the sale of EMI while fair in the financial realm, but as there is considerable back catalog that continues to do well, as well as new up and coming artist whose music is making en roads in the mainstream market, their appears to be no real worry about whether there be loss as opposed to profit.
Obviously, the sale is not going to be a losing venture, financially. But, what about the music? Most of the radio stations in this country are already owned by major corporations, which has, in my opinion, given rise to a lot of what we hear in most markets, as a sound alike phenomenon. Now with only three record companies, there's bound to be an increase in the similarity of sound between the artist already in the mainstream and those whose music is yet, but will soon be released.
From time to time, complaints are posted by music fans who are increasingly disappointed that the music that they love is continuing to be harder and harder to find. What music it that? Music with more melody and words that you're not ashamed to sing in front of your family and friends.
I know that I've posted about the increase in rhythm and special effects in top 40 music. And, how Disco has come back, triumphantly to the top of the charts, as Dance music. But, this music is having it's greatest success with it's target audience of 14 to 24yrs of age. With music sales trending up in 2011, there's no reason that I can see for the Big Three to abandon what clearly is working for them.
Fear not. The internet is an amazing place. The DIY movement is growing. While sites like Myspace still embrace the major label artists, there is a tremendous number of unsigned bands and artists whose music has to be heard to be believed.
I create and record music, but I am and have always been a music fan. I see the loss of yet one more record company as a decrease in competition, and a loss of reason for those at the top to care about the quality of what they sell, as long as as the product is professionally made, packaged, and yields huge monetary gains. There is no longer an incentive to seek out or present anything that remotely represent variety or diversity. But, whenever I find something thing that I think is good, I think that from now on, I will try to share it with as many others as I possibly can.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Up From The Ashes
Ever heard of Myspace! Sure you have. But, since the rise of Twitter, YouTube, and the mighty Facebook, Myspace kind of lost in the shuffle. Fear not. After the exit of News Corp which sold the site for 35 million dollars to Specific media, the sites new owners have vowed to put the music back onto Myspace, as it relaunched in October.
The new Myspace is not attempting to compete with Facebook. Instead, they are returning the sites focus to music. A lot of the advertising once spent on Myspace has move on to YouTube. The site's user interface has been, and is still in a state of flux. Many users who abandoned Myspace in protest over News Corps heavy commercialization, have been slowly trickling back, as the site continues to become more user friendly again.
Many of the Myspace users who never left have continued to network and meet new friends, bands, or artists amongst it's 120 million users. They have been enjoying the new cleaner, leaner look and some added features that make reaching out much easier than it was in it's early days.
The new Myspace will continue to cater to the so called "premium" artists, those whose music is promoted by the four major record companies. However, much of the music and music profiles from countless independent bands and artist still remain. Scores of music files containing some of the most obscure DIY artists still abound. If your looking for that hard to find song, band, or artist it is most likely that you will find it on Myspace.
Many of the returning Myspace users no doubt have been pleasantly surprised at just how much easier the site has become to use. Perhaps, if you were a Myspace user who moved on to Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, you might consider coming back to Myspace. If you do, you'll find that it is slowing returning back to "My Space," instead of "Their Space." Personally, I find myself spending more time at Myspace rather than Facebook, but being a DIY artist, I think that that only makes sense. After all, Myspace is where the music lives.
The new Myspace is not attempting to compete with Facebook. Instead, they are returning the sites focus to music. A lot of the advertising once spent on Myspace has move on to YouTube. The site's user interface has been, and is still in a state of flux. Many users who abandoned Myspace in protest over News Corps heavy commercialization, have been slowly trickling back, as the site continues to become more user friendly again.
Many of the Myspace users who never left have continued to network and meet new friends, bands, or artists amongst it's 120 million users. They have been enjoying the new cleaner, leaner look and some added features that make reaching out much easier than it was in it's early days.
The new Myspace will continue to cater to the so called "premium" artists, those whose music is promoted by the four major record companies. However, much of the music and music profiles from countless independent bands and artist still remain. Scores of music files containing some of the most obscure DIY artists still abound. If your looking for that hard to find song, band, or artist it is most likely that you will find it on Myspace.
Many of the returning Myspace users no doubt have been pleasantly surprised at just how much easier the site has become to use. Perhaps, if you were a Myspace user who moved on to Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, you might consider coming back to Myspace. If you do, you'll find that it is slowing returning back to "My Space," instead of "Their Space." Personally, I find myself spending more time at Myspace rather than Facebook, but being a DIY artist, I think that that only makes sense. After all, Myspace is where the music lives.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
There And Back (Part V)
The year was 1989. Two very important events in music would happen in that year. The first took place early in the year as the first ever Rap Grammy was given to DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. Just two years earlier, a rumor had circulated that an independent Rapper had grossed more than $750,000 selling homemade tapes from the trunk of his car. I'm just speculating, but it is quite possible that industry bigwigs, realizing the potential for big dollar success may have done a little finagling in order to get the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences or NARAS to bestow it's highest honor on Rap music in recognition of it's success at the cash register.
The second event was the release of the hugely successful album, "Back On The Block" by Quincy Jones. The album was a veritable whose who of music and featured a melding of various genres. Everyone from Ray Charles to Steve Lukather and Jeff Procaro to Sarah Vaughn, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, David Paich, Chaka Khan, Kool Moe D, Big Daddy Kane, Ice-T, and many many more were present. The album was the first of it's kind by a major figure in the music industry to embrace Rap music and included it, woven into the fabric of various other genres. Only Quincy Jones, the man who produced, "We Are The World," could have brought together so many talented artists, representing so may different musical styles, into a single project and successfully make it all sound right.
These two events helped to set the stage for the current state of affairs in today's popular music. With Grammy success and a big name producer/artist such as Quincy Jones endorsing it, Rap and the artists who performed it appeared to be heading for the stratosphere. However, music in general would never be the same. The following year, in 1990, Rap artists began to pop up on everything from R&B to Rock, Pop, Jazz, and even Country. Even Earth Wind & Fire recruited the likes of the Boys and MC Hammer on their release, Heritage.
MC Hammer quickly became an international success with his Rick James inspired, "You Can't Touch This." Both Rock and Jazz had flirted with Rap in the early 80s, but the early 90s saw groups such as Diggable Planets have success fusing Jazz and Rap. And while Rap had been used in films since the early 80s, the Grammy success now made Rap more appealing as a legitimate source of film content. Producers and directors began to seek out Rappers, not only for their music, but also as actors in their films, as a way of giving their movies, "street," credibility.
By 1992, R&B artists such as Babyface, Janet Jackson, and Boys II Men, began to see an erosion of their audiences as the spotlight began to shift towards the likes of Dr Dre, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg. And though it had been around since the late 80s, and made most notable by NWA, Gangsta Rap found it's biggest success in the guise of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. These two artist would come to embody the so called, "east coast, west coast feud," which many have said never really existed. It's was alleged to be just media hype designed to lift the Gangsta Rap style into the mainstream music consciousness.
One thing is certain, Rap music produced the first ever generation gap within the Black community, as many Blacks over the age of 35 never embraced the music. Consequently, they rejected the music and deemed it as inferior and degrading to Blacks on the whole. Many people from all walks of life believed that the music was only about big corporate interests exploiting many of Raps biggest successes in order to make monster profits. There were those who believed that just as with Disco some twelve to fifteen years earlier, the sound of the market place, once again was being manipulated by those at the top of the music industry. However, this time around, "keeping it real," led to presenting the most street creditable product possible. And, by so doing, the public is and has been none the wiser and continues to "pony," up at the cash register.
Young would-be Rap superstars would come in off the street and be given a one or two record deal, with possibly a scene or two in a movie, and a boutique label to sweeten the deal. It's interesting how the boutique label actually served as a way for each Rapper to literally recruit his/her own replacement. A Rap career seemed to only last from about one to three years which has created a "revolving door," that keeps new faces before the public, while serving up a sound that has been showing signs of fatigue since it earliest days.
But, there was more going on then who would provide the most drama in the Rap music scene. As the 90s rolled on, and after the deaths of both Tupac and Bigg, a new product was making it's way into the spotlight, as the "made for play," put together, boy and girl bands were about to become the next big thing.
The second event was the release of the hugely successful album, "Back On The Block" by Quincy Jones. The album was a veritable whose who of music and featured a melding of various genres. Everyone from Ray Charles to Steve Lukather and Jeff Procaro to Sarah Vaughn, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, David Paich, Chaka Khan, Kool Moe D, Big Daddy Kane, Ice-T, and many many more were present. The album was the first of it's kind by a major figure in the music industry to embrace Rap music and included it, woven into the fabric of various other genres. Only Quincy Jones, the man who produced, "We Are The World," could have brought together so many talented artists, representing so may different musical styles, into a single project and successfully make it all sound right.
These two events helped to set the stage for the current state of affairs in today's popular music. With Grammy success and a big name producer/artist such as Quincy Jones endorsing it, Rap and the artists who performed it appeared to be heading for the stratosphere. However, music in general would never be the same. The following year, in 1990, Rap artists began to pop up on everything from R&B to Rock, Pop, Jazz, and even Country. Even Earth Wind & Fire recruited the likes of the Boys and MC Hammer on their release, Heritage.
MC Hammer quickly became an international success with his Rick James inspired, "You Can't Touch This." Both Rock and Jazz had flirted with Rap in the early 80s, but the early 90s saw groups such as Diggable Planets have success fusing Jazz and Rap. And while Rap had been used in films since the early 80s, the Grammy success now made Rap more appealing as a legitimate source of film content. Producers and directors began to seek out Rappers, not only for their music, but also as actors in their films, as a way of giving their movies, "street," credibility.
By 1992, R&B artists such as Babyface, Janet Jackson, and Boys II Men, began to see an erosion of their audiences as the spotlight began to shift towards the likes of Dr Dre, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg. And though it had been around since the late 80s, and made most notable by NWA, Gangsta Rap found it's biggest success in the guise of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. These two artist would come to embody the so called, "east coast, west coast feud," which many have said never really existed. It's was alleged to be just media hype designed to lift the Gangsta Rap style into the mainstream music consciousness.
One thing is certain, Rap music produced the first ever generation gap within the Black community, as many Blacks over the age of 35 never embraced the music. Consequently, they rejected the music and deemed it as inferior and degrading to Blacks on the whole. Many people from all walks of life believed that the music was only about big corporate interests exploiting many of Raps biggest successes in order to make monster profits. There were those who believed that just as with Disco some twelve to fifteen years earlier, the sound of the market place, once again was being manipulated by those at the top of the music industry. However, this time around, "keeping it real," led to presenting the most street creditable product possible. And, by so doing, the public is and has been none the wiser and continues to "pony," up at the cash register.
Young would-be Rap superstars would come in off the street and be given a one or two record deal, with possibly a scene or two in a movie, and a boutique label to sweeten the deal. It's interesting how the boutique label actually served as a way for each Rapper to literally recruit his/her own replacement. A Rap career seemed to only last from about one to three years which has created a "revolving door," that keeps new faces before the public, while serving up a sound that has been showing signs of fatigue since it earliest days.
But, there was more going on then who would provide the most drama in the Rap music scene. As the 90s rolled on, and after the deaths of both Tupac and Bigg, a new product was making it's way into the spotlight, as the "made for play," put together, boy and girl bands were about to become the next big thing.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Go With A Pro
Back in May, I mentioned the three major Performing Rights Organization, also known as PROs. They are, ASCAP or American Society of Composers, Artist, and Publishers. BMI or Broadcast Music Incorporated. And SESAC or Society of European Stage Authors and Composers. If you are an artist and you write your own songs, it's a good idea to join one of these.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers or ASCAP was founded on February 14th in New York City. The organization was formed by a group of prominent music visionaries at the Claridge Hotel. Their first office was in the Fulton Theater Building. Dues were $10 dollars for writers and $50 dollars for publishers. Some of ASCAP's earliest members were, Irving Berlin, John Philip Sousa, Jerome Kern, and Weldon Johnson. ASCAP was and continues to be 100% member own. ASCAP licenses Radio, TV and Film on behalf of it's members, whose music is uses as content. Radio is ASCAP most important source of income.
BMI or Broadcast Music Incorporated began in 1939 in Chicago when a group of radio industry leaders got together to charter a new non profit organization, as a recent ASCAP license agreement was about to expire. BMI was to be a less expensive alternative to ASCAP. Under BMI's charter with Radio, members agreed to pay the new entities operating and capital expenses with amounts of half to equal the amounts that were paid to ASCAP. Broadcasters quickly began to shift to BMI. By 1940 650 broadcasters and several music publishers had joined. BMI is credited with introducing the concept of logging, first with sheet music and live performances and then with on air personalities keeping track of music that is played on the air.
Formed in New York in 1930, SESAC or Society of European Stage Authors and Composers helped European publishers with collection of their American royalties. It also helped broadcasters meet their FCC requirements by supplying them with Gospel music from the ample catalog. The company didn't sign a songwriter agreement till 1970, but it's continuing growth allowed the company to establish itself as a force in the Nashville scene. The SESAC catalog now includes music from all genres. In the 1990s, SESAC began using cutting edge technology to detect performances and here in the 21st century, they have turned their focus toward music in film and television.
These organizations work on behave of their members to insure that they are rightfully compensated for their efforts. Joining one them is strongly recommended, especially if you write and/or record your own music. And, they can provide you with useful services and give you a higher profile, depending on how hard you work your catalog.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers or ASCAP was founded on February 14th in New York City. The organization was formed by a group of prominent music visionaries at the Claridge Hotel. Their first office was in the Fulton Theater Building. Dues were $10 dollars for writers and $50 dollars for publishers. Some of ASCAP's earliest members were, Irving Berlin, John Philip Sousa, Jerome Kern, and Weldon Johnson. ASCAP was and continues to be 100% member own. ASCAP licenses Radio, TV and Film on behalf of it's members, whose music is uses as content. Radio is ASCAP most important source of income.
BMI or Broadcast Music Incorporated began in 1939 in Chicago when a group of radio industry leaders got together to charter a new non profit organization, as a recent ASCAP license agreement was about to expire. BMI was to be a less expensive alternative to ASCAP. Under BMI's charter with Radio, members agreed to pay the new entities operating and capital expenses with amounts of half to equal the amounts that were paid to ASCAP. Broadcasters quickly began to shift to BMI. By 1940 650 broadcasters and several music publishers had joined. BMI is credited with introducing the concept of logging, first with sheet music and live performances and then with on air personalities keeping track of music that is played on the air.
Formed in New York in 1930, SESAC or Society of European Stage Authors and Composers helped European publishers with collection of their American royalties. It also helped broadcasters meet their FCC requirements by supplying them with Gospel music from the ample catalog. The company didn't sign a songwriter agreement till 1970, but it's continuing growth allowed the company to establish itself as a force in the Nashville scene. The SESAC catalog now includes music from all genres. In the 1990s, SESAC began using cutting edge technology to detect performances and here in the 21st century, they have turned their focus toward music in film and television.
These organizations work on behave of their members to insure that they are rightfully compensated for their efforts. Joining one them is strongly recommended, especially if you write and/or record your own music. And, they can provide you with useful services and give you a higher profile, depending on how hard you work your catalog.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Whatever Happened To....
Whatever happened to DVD-A or DVD Audio? Created in 1999 and released in 2000, DVD-A or DVD Audio is a format that was to become the successor to the CD. Depending on what source you read, DVD-A was either developed by Toshiba, Panasonic, or the DVD Forum whose members include, Hitachi, Matsushita, Mitsubishi, Pioneer, Philips, Sony, Time Warner, Toshiba, and JVC. The format makes use of a DVD's larger memory capacity to add greater bit depth and resolution and 5.1 surround capability.
A second format called SACD or Super Audio CD, was developed by Sony and Philips and was released in 1999 as an alternative to DVD-A. With the advent of 5.1 surround sound, the two formats were billed as the next big thing in high end audio. But, though many artists had dabbled with surround mixes of their work at the outset, major label foot dragging coupled with consumer disinterest has ultimately left stereo, the once and future king of the audio formats.
A year after the release of DVD Audio, Apple offered the world the iPod in 2001. At the time, the Mp3 was taking the industry by storm, and Apple took advantage of the trend by creating iTunes, which converted CDs into Mp3s. With the arrival of the iPod Mp3 player, Apple was primed to make a move that would change the way that most of us buy our music.
While it is true that the Mp3 is inferior to the sound of a CD and can't come close to what you hear with DVD Audio, the Mp3 offers music lovers two very important considerations. Those are, the immediacy of a digital download and a very low price per song. And over time, it has been determined that a bit rate of 320kbps produces a compressed audio file that yields what has been called, "near CD quality," sound.
Most SACD or DVD Audio discs sell from $17.99 to as much as $59.99. and most available titles are from Jazz and Classical artists. Mean while, most albums sold as digital downloads are $9.99 with single tracks being sold at $.99 or often even lower. I think that the pricing tends to make a consumers decision a little obvious. After all, what is a little distortion of your audio, if you can't really tell, or know what to listen for?
Why bring all this up? I'd being lying if I said that I don't buy Mp3s. Sometimes, it's the quickest and most affordable way to hear the music that you love or have been searching for, for a long time. But, I record my own music, and the software that I use produces 24bit 48khz sound, which is so good that when you play a CD after to listening to it, the CD sounds a little fuzzy and not as defined. I was looking forward to DVD Audio, just as I was hopeful that CD prices would fall instead of rise like they did. Fear not. The flac file is slowly being adopted by software manufacturers everywhere.
Flac is what's known as a lossless codec that is similar to a zip file. In this case, a CD or Wav file can be compressed into a flac file without any loss or degradation of sound. This is possible because nothing is being removed from the file as in Mp3 conversion. And, when the flac file is expanded the result is an exact duplicate of the original music file. But wait, there's more. A flac file when played, sounds identical to the original file from which it was made.
I'd say that there may be hope for greater sound quality yet. Now, if we can only increase the bandwidth, then we'd be talking.
A second format called SACD or Super Audio CD, was developed by Sony and Philips and was released in 1999 as an alternative to DVD-A. With the advent of 5.1 surround sound, the two formats were billed as the next big thing in high end audio. But, though many artists had dabbled with surround mixes of their work at the outset, major label foot dragging coupled with consumer disinterest has ultimately left stereo, the once and future king of the audio formats.
A year after the release of DVD Audio, Apple offered the world the iPod in 2001. At the time, the Mp3 was taking the industry by storm, and Apple took advantage of the trend by creating iTunes, which converted CDs into Mp3s. With the arrival of the iPod Mp3 player, Apple was primed to make a move that would change the way that most of us buy our music.
While it is true that the Mp3 is inferior to the sound of a CD and can't come close to what you hear with DVD Audio, the Mp3 offers music lovers two very important considerations. Those are, the immediacy of a digital download and a very low price per song. And over time, it has been determined that a bit rate of 320kbps produces a compressed audio file that yields what has been called, "near CD quality," sound.
Most SACD or DVD Audio discs sell from $17.99 to as much as $59.99. and most available titles are from Jazz and Classical artists. Mean while, most albums sold as digital downloads are $9.99 with single tracks being sold at $.99 or often even lower. I think that the pricing tends to make a consumers decision a little obvious. After all, what is a little distortion of your audio, if you can't really tell, or know what to listen for?
Why bring all this up? I'd being lying if I said that I don't buy Mp3s. Sometimes, it's the quickest and most affordable way to hear the music that you love or have been searching for, for a long time. But, I record my own music, and the software that I use produces 24bit 48khz sound, which is so good that when you play a CD after to listening to it, the CD sounds a little fuzzy and not as defined. I was looking forward to DVD Audio, just as I was hopeful that CD prices would fall instead of rise like they did. Fear not. The flac file is slowly being adopted by software manufacturers everywhere.
Flac is what's known as a lossless codec that is similar to a zip file. In this case, a CD or Wav file can be compressed into a flac file without any loss or degradation of sound. This is possible because nothing is being removed from the file as in Mp3 conversion. And, when the flac file is expanded the result is an exact duplicate of the original music file. But wait, there's more. A flac file when played, sounds identical to the original file from which it was made.
I'd say that there may be hope for greater sound quality yet. Now, if we can only increase the bandwidth, then we'd be talking.
Monday, August 15, 2011
In The Market Place
Indie labels took the Grammys by storm this year. DIY artists are enjoying greater success as well. Part of the success is due in large part to digital distribution.
What is digital distribution? Simply, it is the dissemination of recorded music over the internet via mp3 or some other compressed file format. It is taking the artists' music and placing it with the various emusic stores. I think that just about everyone knows what an emusic store is by now. The most notable of these is iTunes.
Some are calling digital distribution the new market model, however my personal opinion is, that it's way to early to tell how the market will shake out. There are too many variables like streaming, the cloud, and high end audio that have yet to reveal what their true impact on the music business is going to be. It is true that the internet has given artists a voice who would otherwise not have one. Online distributors such as The Orchard, Tunecore, CD Baby, Reverbnation, and Catapult are currently placing the artists' music in emusic stores such as iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, eMusic, Zune, Spotify, and others. But what separates the online market place from the major labels is the level and amount of promotion that goes along with the distribution of each release. DIY artists are pretty much on their own when it comes to promotion, and traditional media is still a very powerful means of getting the word out about new releases.
The rise of the internet as a powerful and effective delivery system for the dissemination of music has created a sort of gateway, in the guise of the online distributor. Several decades ago, if you wanted to take your music to the masses, you had to do it by way of a major record label, or at least a large independent. Label execs were essentially the arbiters of good taste. If you were lucky enough to be offered a contract, so much of who you were as an artist may have been negotiated away, that by the time your album hit the market, it probably didn't sound anything like what you had when you started. Not to mention the large portion of artists' royalties collected by the labels in order to recoup any cash advances that were paid.
That being said, the lure of retaining a greater percentage of ones earnings is a very strong one. Most online distributors are only charging a flat fee upfront, with the emusic stores taking a small percentage from the actual sale, leaving the artist with a much greater portion of what their releases are actually earning.
If you're looking to release a CD then The Orchard or CD Baby is a good idea. The Orchard delivers it's artists' music to brick and mortar as well as the online music stores, while CD Baby can sell your CD release at their website and get the music onto iTunes. Reverbnation and Catapult can sell your music from their site and get it into the online stores. Tuncore, which has been my personal favorite for the last few years, gets your music into iTunes digital stores in every country. Plus they can get your music to Rhapsody, Amazon.com, eMusic, Zune, and Spotify. While Reverbnation offers a free widget, I like the distribution pricing and the features offered by Tuncore, and I like their widget's design and functionality.
Being an independent artist I'd have to say that I'm biased. Not so much against the major labels as I am in favor of doing it myself. While it may not be for everybody, I like the freedom that the DIY movement allows an artist. You can work at your own pace and produce the kind of music that you love.
What is digital distribution? Simply, it is the dissemination of recorded music over the internet via mp3 or some other compressed file format. It is taking the artists' music and placing it with the various emusic stores. I think that just about everyone knows what an emusic store is by now. The most notable of these is iTunes.
Some are calling digital distribution the new market model, however my personal opinion is, that it's way to early to tell how the market will shake out. There are too many variables like streaming, the cloud, and high end audio that have yet to reveal what their true impact on the music business is going to be. It is true that the internet has given artists a voice who would otherwise not have one. Online distributors such as The Orchard, Tunecore, CD Baby, Reverbnation, and Catapult are currently placing the artists' music in emusic stores such as iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, eMusic, Zune, Spotify, and others. But what separates the online market place from the major labels is the level and amount of promotion that goes along with the distribution of each release. DIY artists are pretty much on their own when it comes to promotion, and traditional media is still a very powerful means of getting the word out about new releases.
The rise of the internet as a powerful and effective delivery system for the dissemination of music has created a sort of gateway, in the guise of the online distributor. Several decades ago, if you wanted to take your music to the masses, you had to do it by way of a major record label, or at least a large independent. Label execs were essentially the arbiters of good taste. If you were lucky enough to be offered a contract, so much of who you were as an artist may have been negotiated away, that by the time your album hit the market, it probably didn't sound anything like what you had when you started. Not to mention the large portion of artists' royalties collected by the labels in order to recoup any cash advances that were paid.
That being said, the lure of retaining a greater percentage of ones earnings is a very strong one. Most online distributors are only charging a flat fee upfront, with the emusic stores taking a small percentage from the actual sale, leaving the artist with a much greater portion of what their releases are actually earning.
If you're looking to release a CD then The Orchard or CD Baby is a good idea. The Orchard delivers it's artists' music to brick and mortar as well as the online music stores, while CD Baby can sell your CD release at their website and get the music onto iTunes. Reverbnation and Catapult can sell your music from their site and get it into the online stores. Tuncore, which has been my personal favorite for the last few years, gets your music into iTunes digital stores in every country. Plus they can get your music to Rhapsody, Amazon.com, eMusic, Zune, and Spotify. While Reverbnation offers a free widget, I like the distribution pricing and the features offered by Tuncore, and I like their widget's design and functionality.
Being an independent artist I'd have to say that I'm biased. Not so much against the major labels as I am in favor of doing it myself. While it may not be for everybody, I like the freedom that the DIY movement allows an artist. You can work at your own pace and produce the kind of music that you love.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Shameless Promotion
Time for a bit of shameless promotion. The new Nprogram album, Work The Program was recently released online. I consider the album to be R&B/Pop. The album has nine new songs and the three internet singles, Count On Me, On The Spot, and Dreamin, plus there are alternate versions of those singles. It's available at iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon.com, Zune, eMusic, and Spotify. You can listen to full length steams of each song by clicking the widget below!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Beyond The Music
I was listening to the radio again, the other day. And, the first three or four songs that I heard used little or no real musical instruments what so ever. I know that this has to do with the station I was listening to, but I recall it being a top 40 station. So, I was wondering, if most of today's hit records don't use many real instruments, then whose buying all of the musical equipment?
I've actually been thinking about this for quite some time. Trying to find statistics for musical instrument sales has been no easy feat. I was, however able to find a Social Statistics survey that asked respondents if they had played a musical instrument in the last three years. Out of 3125 participants, 37% said that they had, while 21% said no, and 29% said that they didn't play an instrument at all. One thing I do know, is that most major online musical instrument stores are doing just fine. Musician's Friend, American Musical Supply, Sam Ash, and Guitar Centers all have online stores that are doing brisk business with or without sales and specials. So, if this is true, then again I ask, whose buying?
A couple of years ago, I read a blog where the writer suggested that recording artists should give their music away for free and make their living doing live shows. I can't say that I agree with that at all. One thing I can say, is that the DIY movement is most likely responsible for a large portion of the musical instruments that are bought and sold. Artists and bands on every level are doing live shows to support their recorded work.
The nature of making a record has changed many time over the years. In the 1990s there was a heavy emphasis on production. This gave rise to the use of a lot of special effects. The question is now, is whether or not the use of these devices have become part of the actual music making process. If this is the case, one would have to wonder if popular music has moved so far from the songwriting process, that the soul of the music presented is either buried or simply not present, given over to "clicks, pops, and sound effects."
Now, I'm not a purist when it comes to recording music. When I record, I will use anything that's available to deliver the sound that I'm looking for. But, I always try to start with a song that I have written before hand. It isn't written in stone that all recorded music must be done in this fashion. However, as the old adage goes, "great recordings start with great songs." Which, I might add, may sound like a call for a return to some nostalgic time that may seem to no longer exist. But, if you ever visit Nashville, you will find that you can't make it there in music with out a well written song. While it remains the home of Country music, there other genres of music that are represented there as well as some top recording studios.
In the late 1990s VH1 started the Save The Music Foundation. the purpose of this foundation has been to raise money to purchase musical instruments to give to schools to help them restore music programs that were lost due to budget reductions. So far the Save The Music Foundation has raised a total of 34 million dollars which has helped to improve the live of 800,000 students in 1400 public schools. I think, and this is my opinion, that this is a great way to at least keep the tradition, if not possibly the future of real music alive.
I've actually been thinking about this for quite some time. Trying to find statistics for musical instrument sales has been no easy feat. I was, however able to find a Social Statistics survey that asked respondents if they had played a musical instrument in the last three years. Out of 3125 participants, 37% said that they had, while 21% said no, and 29% said that they didn't play an instrument at all. One thing I do know, is that most major online musical instrument stores are doing just fine. Musician's Friend, American Musical Supply, Sam Ash, and Guitar Centers all have online stores that are doing brisk business with or without sales and specials. So, if this is true, then again I ask, whose buying?
A couple of years ago, I read a blog where the writer suggested that recording artists should give their music away for free and make their living doing live shows. I can't say that I agree with that at all. One thing I can say, is that the DIY movement is most likely responsible for a large portion of the musical instruments that are bought and sold. Artists and bands on every level are doing live shows to support their recorded work.
The nature of making a record has changed many time over the years. In the 1990s there was a heavy emphasis on production. This gave rise to the use of a lot of special effects. The question is now, is whether or not the use of these devices have become part of the actual music making process. If this is the case, one would have to wonder if popular music has moved so far from the songwriting process, that the soul of the music presented is either buried or simply not present, given over to "clicks, pops, and sound effects."
Now, I'm not a purist when it comes to recording music. When I record, I will use anything that's available to deliver the sound that I'm looking for. But, I always try to start with a song that I have written before hand. It isn't written in stone that all recorded music must be done in this fashion. However, as the old adage goes, "great recordings start with great songs." Which, I might add, may sound like a call for a return to some nostalgic time that may seem to no longer exist. But, if you ever visit Nashville, you will find that you can't make it there in music with out a well written song. While it remains the home of Country music, there other genres of music that are represented there as well as some top recording studios.
In the late 1990s VH1 started the Save The Music Foundation. the purpose of this foundation has been to raise money to purchase musical instruments to give to schools to help them restore music programs that were lost due to budget reductions. So far the Save The Music Foundation has raised a total of 34 million dollars which has helped to improve the live of 800,000 students in 1400 public schools. I think, and this is my opinion, that this is a great way to at least keep the tradition, if not possibly the future of real music alive.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
HD Everything
Last year broadcast TV went digital as stations across the country shut down their analog transmitters as per law. Not everyone owned a digital TV set, so provisions were made that allowed everyone the opportunity to get a converter box that converts digital broadcasts into analog so that everyone could continue to watch their favorite TV shows. Eventually, everyone, at some point will own a TV set with a digital receiver. As the transition takes place among consumers, the opportunity for them to own High Definition TV sets as opposed to Standard Definition TV sets, is being made possible by falling prices for High Definition sets. And, at some point, all TV transmissions well be in High Definition and all TV sets will receive High Definition.
But, what about Radio? Today, more and more radio stations are broadcasting in HD. However, the HD in HD Radio doesn't stand for High Definition. While there is a digital signal being transmitted, the analog transmission is still being transmitted as well. Radio has not been mandated to cease analog transmissions. So, everyone will always be able to receive their favorite Radio stations without the need to purchase an HD Radio receiver. But when we talk of HD with regard to Radio, the HD stands for Hybrid Digital.
Hybrid Digital allows a Radio station to transmit a digital version of their analog signal as well a a second channel, which can be used as a separate stream of programing. This is what's known as muticasting. Stations may use their second channel to broadcast news and weather or they may offer a completely different genre of music from the one that's being broadcast on their main channel
Hybrid Digital Radio makes use of what is know as I.B.O.C. or In Band On Channel. This means that Your HD Radio receiver first tunes into the analog frequency, scans for the digital signal and then locks it in once it finds it. Most HD Radio receivers are capable of playing both the analog and digital broadcasts and there are many brands available for use in your car or home.
Some have said that HD Radio sound quality is not all that the great. The truth is, is that HD Radio sound quality is very good. What people are actually talking about is HD Radio coverage. All signals that are transmitted digitally are subject to environmental obstruction. The result in digital TV broadcasts is what's known as pixelation, where the picture breaks up into small cubes or freezes altogether. HD Radio can suffer from a similar problem. But, since HD Radio receivers can play both broadcast signals, if the HD drops out, the analog signal is always there as a backup.
Actually, in all honesty, as a songwriter, I don't listen to as much radio as maybe you might think. The reasons why are enough for a blog post all it's own. Suffice it to say, my opinion is that HD Radio has a lot to offer, especially if stations are willing to use their second broadcast channels to air commercial free music or news and information. I know that this may not always be economically feasible, but for those stations that do, there is a greater chance of increasing their listenership, which, I think would be great for everybody.
But, what about Radio? Today, more and more radio stations are broadcasting in HD. However, the HD in HD Radio doesn't stand for High Definition. While there is a digital signal being transmitted, the analog transmission is still being transmitted as well. Radio has not been mandated to cease analog transmissions. So, everyone will always be able to receive their favorite Radio stations without the need to purchase an HD Radio receiver. But when we talk of HD with regard to Radio, the HD stands for Hybrid Digital.
Hybrid Digital allows a Radio station to transmit a digital version of their analog signal as well a a second channel, which can be used as a separate stream of programing. This is what's known as muticasting. Stations may use their second channel to broadcast news and weather or they may offer a completely different genre of music from the one that's being broadcast on their main channel
Hybrid Digital Radio makes use of what is know as I.B.O.C. or In Band On Channel. This means that Your HD Radio receiver first tunes into the analog frequency, scans for the digital signal and then locks it in once it finds it. Most HD Radio receivers are capable of playing both the analog and digital broadcasts and there are many brands available for use in your car or home.
Some have said that HD Radio sound quality is not all that the great. The truth is, is that HD Radio sound quality is very good. What people are actually talking about is HD Radio coverage. All signals that are transmitted digitally are subject to environmental obstruction. The result in digital TV broadcasts is what's known as pixelation, where the picture breaks up into small cubes or freezes altogether. HD Radio can suffer from a similar problem. But, since HD Radio receivers can play both broadcast signals, if the HD drops out, the analog signal is always there as a backup.
Actually, in all honesty, as a songwriter, I don't listen to as much radio as maybe you might think. The reasons why are enough for a blog post all it's own. Suffice it to say, my opinion is that HD Radio has a lot to offer, especially if stations are willing to use their second broadcast channels to air commercial free music or news and information. I know that this may not always be economically feasible, but for those stations that do, there is a greater chance of increasing their listenership, which, I think would be great for everybody.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
It's Here!
This week, Spotify landed in America. What is it, and why should you care? For years now, e-business has been trying to find a successful model for providing content at zero cost to consumers, as a way to promote their products or subscription services.
Of course iTunes and Rhapsody have been offering streaming of music files with great success for quite a while now. But, in the case of Spotify, the music is being made available to cell phones and other mobile devices, for free. Spotify is significant because it comes in two flavors, free ad supported and a two tiered subscription service. The trick has always been, figuring out how to make the free service pay for it self while attracting enough consumers to make a profit from the paid service.
Ever since the introduction of the iPhone, streaming media has been increasing in it's popularity. In my opinion, nothing could replace owning your own copy of an album or single. Streaming, however offers computer, laptop, and mobile users an opportunity to access music files that may not be readily available, otherwise.
One other thing that has also been problematic, seems to solved as well. That's the issue of paying artist for the use of their songs. Earlier this month, Soptify reached a licensing agreement with ASCAP (American Society of Composers Authors & Publishers) for the right to stream some 8.5 million musical works in ASCAP's repertory. This should not only serve to make everyone happy, but it meets the needs of everyone from the content provider to the artist and the consumer.
To try Spotify you have to be invited. You can either wait until they send you one or you can visit their website and place your email address on a waiting list. Or if you still can't wait, you can pay $4.99 a month for their unlimited tier which gets you hours of ad-free listening. For $9.99 a month the premium option gives you the unlimited hours, plus you get mobile device support and the ability to listen to music offline.
OK. Streaming is not new. iTunes is working. So why Spotify? Because it's working too. Europeans have been using it for years. If things go well here in America, it may be just the incentive to induce illegal down loaders to stop downloading illegally.
Of course iTunes and Rhapsody have been offering streaming of music files with great success for quite a while now. But, in the case of Spotify, the music is being made available to cell phones and other mobile devices, for free. Spotify is significant because it comes in two flavors, free ad supported and a two tiered subscription service. The trick has always been, figuring out how to make the free service pay for it self while attracting enough consumers to make a profit from the paid service.
Ever since the introduction of the iPhone, streaming media has been increasing in it's popularity. In my opinion, nothing could replace owning your own copy of an album or single. Streaming, however offers computer, laptop, and mobile users an opportunity to access music files that may not be readily available, otherwise.
One other thing that has also been problematic, seems to solved as well. That's the issue of paying artist for the use of their songs. Earlier this month, Soptify reached a licensing agreement with ASCAP (American Society of Composers Authors & Publishers) for the right to stream some 8.5 million musical works in ASCAP's repertory. This should not only serve to make everyone happy, but it meets the needs of everyone from the content provider to the artist and the consumer.
To try Spotify you have to be invited. You can either wait until they send you one or you can visit their website and place your email address on a waiting list. Or if you still can't wait, you can pay $4.99 a month for their unlimited tier which gets you hours of ad-free listening. For $9.99 a month the premium option gives you the unlimited hours, plus you get mobile device support and the ability to listen to music offline.
OK. Streaming is not new. iTunes is working. So why Spotify? Because it's working too. Europeans have been using it for years. If things go well here in America, it may be just the incentive to induce illegal down loaders to stop downloading illegally.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Free! Free! Free!
I bet that got your attention. I must admit that the lure of getting something for nothing is a very powerful one. A free CD or download is almost sure to get noticed. Before the internet, there was some free music but not like we find it today. The whole idea of offering free music via the internet, was as a way for independent artists to promote their latest CD releases or their up coming live shows. Their hope was to increase their audiences and in so doing, make a living making music.
One the earliest websites to host free music, was IUMA.com. The letters stood for, Internet Underground Music Archive. The site offered bands and artists free web pages from which they could showcase their music and network with other artists and musicians, as well as meet their fans. At one point the site had the largest selection of independent music on the internet. However, having found no clear business model to generate the revenue needed to keep the site online, it officially ceased operations in 2006, two years after being abandon by it's parent company, Buongiorno UL Ltd in 2004.
So, if money has always been an issue, how is that the notion that music should be free become so pervasive?
The internet has been the home of free stuff for most of its existence. There's been free utilities, free graphics, free email, and the list goes on. But, during the dot com boom of the mid to late 1990s, scores of businesses offering all kinds of products and services came online. While many never made a penny, one thing was clear. Making money via the internet had arrived. In the mid 90s Mp3.com was almost synonymous with free music. That, was until the company went public in 1999. While you can still get free downloads, they've put more emphasis on the offerings of major label artists.
What's the big deal anyway? Recorded music has nearly always had a price tag. And, there was a time that no one thought twice about how much their favorite artists' releases would cost. They were just glad to have new music. Today, at a basic cost of $.59 to $.99 per download of a single, getting that song that you can't get out of your head or the one that you'd be searching for a long time, sounds like a steal to me. I know that one of the biggest draw backs to buying anything on line is having the means to make the payment.
What I talking about, is eCommerce. One way to get that prized item that you've found online, is by setting up a PayPal account. PayPal is company that allows you to establish an account with funds taken from your credit card or bank account. It was founded in 1999 by Max Levchin and Peter Thiel. Payments are made via email. In its infancy, the company was closely linked to eBay users, but anyone can get a PayPal account.
Another, and very popular way to make online purchases is by using your credit or bank debit card. But, if you don't have either, fear not. Prepaid debit cards appear to be the way to go. Prepaid debit cards offer those with poor or no credit, as well anyone wishing to make purchases online, an easy way to buy goods or pay for services online. For about two dollars per transaction, a prepaid debit card can be loaded with any dollar amount that you specify. You don't over spend, because the limit is set by the amount that you place on the card. Walmart, netSpend, and Green Dot are just a few of the prepaid providers.
A recent Bloomberg article stated that recorded music sales rose by 8.5%, which is up from last year at this time. A lot of the increase was due to digital music sales. I think that it's too soon to tell whether a better product is the reason for this. It might mean that more and more artists are resisting the temptation to give their music away. Or, it could be that stronger measures are being taken against those who download illegally. Or, maybe recorded music is finally being viewed as something of value again.
One the earliest websites to host free music, was IUMA.com. The letters stood for, Internet Underground Music Archive. The site offered bands and artists free web pages from which they could showcase their music and network with other artists and musicians, as well as meet their fans. At one point the site had the largest selection of independent music on the internet. However, having found no clear business model to generate the revenue needed to keep the site online, it officially ceased operations in 2006, two years after being abandon by it's parent company, Buongiorno UL Ltd in 2004.
So, if money has always been an issue, how is that the notion that music should be free become so pervasive?
The internet has been the home of free stuff for most of its existence. There's been free utilities, free graphics, free email, and the list goes on. But, during the dot com boom of the mid to late 1990s, scores of businesses offering all kinds of products and services came online. While many never made a penny, one thing was clear. Making money via the internet had arrived. In the mid 90s Mp3.com was almost synonymous with free music. That, was until the company went public in 1999. While you can still get free downloads, they've put more emphasis on the offerings of major label artists.
What's the big deal anyway? Recorded music has nearly always had a price tag. And, there was a time that no one thought twice about how much their favorite artists' releases would cost. They were just glad to have new music. Today, at a basic cost of $.59 to $.99 per download of a single, getting that song that you can't get out of your head or the one that you'd be searching for a long time, sounds like a steal to me. I know that one of the biggest draw backs to buying anything on line is having the means to make the payment.
What I talking about, is eCommerce. One way to get that prized item that you've found online, is by setting up a PayPal account. PayPal is company that allows you to establish an account with funds taken from your credit card or bank account. It was founded in 1999 by Max Levchin and Peter Thiel. Payments are made via email. In its infancy, the company was closely linked to eBay users, but anyone can get a PayPal account.
Another, and very popular way to make online purchases is by using your credit or bank debit card. But, if you don't have either, fear not. Prepaid debit cards appear to be the way to go. Prepaid debit cards offer those with poor or no credit, as well anyone wishing to make purchases online, an easy way to buy goods or pay for services online. For about two dollars per transaction, a prepaid debit card can be loaded with any dollar amount that you specify. You don't over spend, because the limit is set by the amount that you place on the card. Walmart, netSpend, and Green Dot are just a few of the prepaid providers.
A recent Bloomberg article stated that recorded music sales rose by 8.5%, which is up from last year at this time. A lot of the increase was due to digital music sales. I think that it's too soon to tell whether a better product is the reason for this. It might mean that more and more artists are resisting the temptation to give their music away. Or, it could be that stronger measures are being taken against those who download illegally. Or, maybe recorded music is finally being viewed as something of value again.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Internet Radio?
What can I say? I spend so much more time at sites like YouTube and MySpace, that I really haven't listened to much of it. I know about Last.fm, Live365, Jango, and Pandora. They all do a very good job, and some stations play totally commercial free. But, I also know, however, that a lot of broadcast radio stations are streaming their on air programming over the internet these days.
So, how does anyone feel about that? I know that broadcast radio is still very popular and the way to go if you really want to break through to a wider audience. It would seem that internet radio is really about availability and connectivity. While it's true that portable devices and hand held mobile unit use is on the rise, when it comes to internet connectivity North America ranks third behind Europe and Asia, which is ranked number one.
Though the price of a new desk top or lap top continues to fall, not every one appears to be interested in computing, or at least, not enough to spend an inordinate amount of time surfing the Web. Those with connectivity through the use of their cell phones may still not be using them, to do so. So, if we're continuing to go digital, and continuing to connect our TVs and audio devices to the Web, when and how can and/or will everyone join in the "digital revolution?"
Broadband usage continues to rise, but so does it's cost. Broadband is the speed which an internet service provider offers with speed of access at about 10Mbbs for DSL (digital subscriber line) or 30Mbps for Cable modem. These greater speeds offer users the opportunity to download the larger file sizes of video and music clips with relative ease, allowing the user to experience the Web without the interruptions caused by re-buffering. Otherwise, it can be frustrating trying to listen to a song or watch a movie poking along at 56kps. Currently, America is number twelve behind the the UK and Canada, with Korea leading the pack in Broadband usage. If we're going to get everyone onto the internet it, perhaps we should seriously consider bringing everyone up to speed.
3D and smart TV sets are making their way into the market, but who but the more affluent will actually be able to afford them. I'm not against new technologies. I love technology. I just think that it's a little like putting the cart before the horse. With that being said, it's safe to say that maybe the market for these emerging technologies are those who are already using them. It's estimated that about 77% of the American population is using the internet on a daily basis. That's a little over 3/4 of all Americans. Sounds like enough to do the trick, right? But, still, I could name 10 people right off the top of my head who don't have internet access, or even a computer for that matter. So, how do we arrive at that figure? Anytime your name appears in someones database, you are considered to be an internet user. That's whether you used a computer at the library or local internet cafe or someone typed your name as you applied for a loan or credit card online.
What's any of that have to do with internet radio? If traditional radio is still the best draw, it says a lot about how access to a computer and the internet hasn't made a dent in broadcast radio's territory. In fact it's estimated that 284 million people tuned into traditional radio in 2010. That's a little more than the total number of internet user for this year so far.
While internet radio offers a wider variety, less commercials, and an opportunity to actually buy the music that you're listening to, just like the internet it uses, it represents a business model that will take time to reach our population at large. Meanwhile, just about everyone has a radio in their car.
Still, if you haven't listen to internet radio yet, you may what to give it a listen. Some sites allow you to make your own station that plays the music of your favorite artist and those who are similar to them, for free and without registration. It might be something that you only do while you're surfing the web, or it might just be something you find your self doing a lot more often.
So, how does anyone feel about that? I know that broadcast radio is still very popular and the way to go if you really want to break through to a wider audience. It would seem that internet radio is really about availability and connectivity. While it's true that portable devices and hand held mobile unit use is on the rise, when it comes to internet connectivity North America ranks third behind Europe and Asia, which is ranked number one.
Though the price of a new desk top or lap top continues to fall, not every one appears to be interested in computing, or at least, not enough to spend an inordinate amount of time surfing the Web. Those with connectivity through the use of their cell phones may still not be using them, to do so. So, if we're continuing to go digital, and continuing to connect our TVs and audio devices to the Web, when and how can and/or will everyone join in the "digital revolution?"
Broadband usage continues to rise, but so does it's cost. Broadband is the speed which an internet service provider offers with speed of access at about 10Mbbs for DSL (digital subscriber line) or 30Mbps for Cable modem. These greater speeds offer users the opportunity to download the larger file sizes of video and music clips with relative ease, allowing the user to experience the Web without the interruptions caused by re-buffering. Otherwise, it can be frustrating trying to listen to a song or watch a movie poking along at 56kps. Currently, America is number twelve behind the the UK and Canada, with Korea leading the pack in Broadband usage. If we're going to get everyone onto the internet it, perhaps we should seriously consider bringing everyone up to speed.
3D and smart TV sets are making their way into the market, but who but the more affluent will actually be able to afford them. I'm not against new technologies. I love technology. I just think that it's a little like putting the cart before the horse. With that being said, it's safe to say that maybe the market for these emerging technologies are those who are already using them. It's estimated that about 77% of the American population is using the internet on a daily basis. That's a little over 3/4 of all Americans. Sounds like enough to do the trick, right? But, still, I could name 10 people right off the top of my head who don't have internet access, or even a computer for that matter. So, how do we arrive at that figure? Anytime your name appears in someones database, you are considered to be an internet user. That's whether you used a computer at the library or local internet cafe or someone typed your name as you applied for a loan or credit card online.
What's any of that have to do with internet radio? If traditional radio is still the best draw, it says a lot about how access to a computer and the internet hasn't made a dent in broadcast radio's territory. In fact it's estimated that 284 million people tuned into traditional radio in 2010. That's a little more than the total number of internet user for this year so far.
While internet radio offers a wider variety, less commercials, and an opportunity to actually buy the music that you're listening to, just like the internet it uses, it represents a business model that will take time to reach our population at large. Meanwhile, just about everyone has a radio in their car.
Still, if you haven't listen to internet radio yet, you may what to give it a listen. Some sites allow you to make your own station that plays the music of your favorite artist and those who are similar to them, for free and without registration. It might be something that you only do while you're surfing the web, or it might just be something you find your self doing a lot more often.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Rock Of Ages
Funk is my favorite genre of music. Jazz is a constant source of inspiration. But, Rock continues to influence what ever I write. It was always on the radio growing up and it just has something that keeps pulling me back.
Rock, like Rock n Roll, Jazz and Funk came from R&B, which was derived from the Blues, so it comes from good lineage. It all started with Chuck Berry. In 1955, while in Chicago to catch a Muddy Waters show, when the performance was over, Berry approached Waters and asked who he should see about making a record. He was directed to the offices of Chess Records, a Blues label. Berry didn't have any tapes on hand, so he went home and recorded some. He wrote a song that used a Blues scale, but he raised the tempo and dropped the repeated first line of every verse. The result was a song called "Ida Sue," which was later renamed "Maybellene." Chess loved the song and quickly released it. The record soon cross over from the R&B chart over to the Pop chart where it reached #5. With that, history was made.
Berry's hit began the Rock n Roll explosion that took place afterward. Soon, artists such as Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley and Bill Haley and the Comets would follow. In the beginning, R&B and Rock n Roll were almost interchangeable. Artists from one chart often crossed over to the other with ease.
The sound of Rock n Roll stayed pretty much the same on into the the 1960s. The increasing electrification of the instruments that were played began to change things. And, the arrival of the Beatles would introduce the artist as song writer. R&B began to drift toward Soul and Gospel. And, the Funk of James Brown had an effect on Rock n roll as well as artist began to dropped the the 2 & 4 beat emphasis to go for a more straight ahead sound. The improvisational guitar solo at the center of most songs became longer and sometimes, they represented the heart of song. The Folk music influence brought the singer/songwriter to the forefront, as the social upheaval of the decade began to produce, "message songs." All of these things met up at Woodstock, in 1969. I can't really say that this is when and where Rock n Roll became Rock, but I think that a pretty good case could be made. Nothing in Rock was quite the same after that. Artists most noted from that time were Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Rolling Stones.
The creative freedom that was won in the early 1970s was actually due in part to the successes of the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. The first artist of that decade to win such freedom was Stevie Wonder. While Stevie was an R&B artist, it didn't stop artists in other genres from following suite. In fact, creative freedom would serve to help 70s Rock artists to make some of the most memorable music ever made. Nothing went untried. Synthesizers increased their creative potential as well as the use of arranging and composing techniques. Ideas came from their lives, imaginations and experiences. Rock lived and breathed on the Top 40 chart. But, there was no one sound. 70s Rock represented a very diverse group of artists who goal seemed to be, not to sound like anyone else. This held true until Disco would change almost everyone's style by the end of the decade. All of the experimenting and collaborating came to a screeching halt as the major labels hurried to capitalize on Disco's success. Some artists caved in, while some others left the business for a while. Rock would survive, but a lot of what made Rock artists of the 70s so unique would be lost, as creative freedom would be traded for an artist's chance to grab at the brass ring. Some 70s artists were, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, Eagles, and Peter Frampton.
The 1980s got of to a quirky start. Disco was gone and the drum synthesizer quickly became popular. Also, the gated reverb used by Phil Collins on "In The Air Tonight," swept the industry, as artists went looking for a sound that the major labels would except. Eventually, artists who began to make a name for themselves in the 70s found a way to break thought the muddle to become, in some cases, super stars. The advent of the music video and MTV and VH1 helped to make some artist's careers. While not as innovative as 70s music, in my opinion, Rock of the 80s was still an entertaining mix of music and persona. Rock eventually rebounded and and thrived as the result of the arrival of the, "power chord," and a growing interest in "Heavy Metal." But, in the late 1980s, Rap was on the rise, and about to become the "darling of the music industry. Once again, things were about to change. Some 80s artist were Metalica, Motley Crue, Van Halen, and Bon Jovi.
Five years after receiving it's first ever Grammy in 1989, Rap was had become a sensation, and the major label were all over it. The same Rock artists who were a staple in the 80s were all but left to fend for themselves in the 1990s. Again, some artists embraced Rap while some others left the business, or they went independent. But, in 1992, the Grunge sound of Seattle broke through in the guise of Nirvana's Nevermind CD. In my opinion, their success changed Rock, maybe even more than Rap. While it was popular for a time, Grunge wasn't very stylish at all. In my opinion, at times it appeared to resemble the three chord Rock similar to that of a garage band. But, at least it encouraged young and up and coming artists to keep trying. Meanwhile, mergers and acquisitions created a situation where many labels were dropping artists from their rosters, as they looked to better manage their bottom lines. Those acts with stage presence, in my opinion, seemed to be the ones who got signed. By the end of the 90s, the internet was becoming the place to find the kind of Rock that you were looking for. Some 90s artist were, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, and No Doubt.
Here in the 21st century, many artists, both those well known as well as those who are still relative unknowns, have taken their music online in search of an audience. The DIY movement is in full swing, offering music lovers and fans around the planet the widest variety of music across every possible genre. Somewhere out there, the first internet sensation is busy toiling away at their craft. Who knows what kind of music they will present? But, it's always possible, that when they do finally arrive, they just might bring with them, the next Rock n Roll explosion.
Rock, like Rock n Roll, Jazz and Funk came from R&B, which was derived from the Blues, so it comes from good lineage. It all started with Chuck Berry. In 1955, while in Chicago to catch a Muddy Waters show, when the performance was over, Berry approached Waters and asked who he should see about making a record. He was directed to the offices of Chess Records, a Blues label. Berry didn't have any tapes on hand, so he went home and recorded some. He wrote a song that used a Blues scale, but he raised the tempo and dropped the repeated first line of every verse. The result was a song called "Ida Sue," which was later renamed "Maybellene." Chess loved the song and quickly released it. The record soon cross over from the R&B chart over to the Pop chart where it reached #5. With that, history was made.
Berry's hit began the Rock n Roll explosion that took place afterward. Soon, artists such as Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley and Bill Haley and the Comets would follow. In the beginning, R&B and Rock n Roll were almost interchangeable. Artists from one chart often crossed over to the other with ease.
The sound of Rock n Roll stayed pretty much the same on into the the 1960s. The increasing electrification of the instruments that were played began to change things. And, the arrival of the Beatles would introduce the artist as song writer. R&B began to drift toward Soul and Gospel. And, the Funk of James Brown had an effect on Rock n roll as well as artist began to dropped the the 2 & 4 beat emphasis to go for a more straight ahead sound. The improvisational guitar solo at the center of most songs became longer and sometimes, they represented the heart of song. The Folk music influence brought the singer/songwriter to the forefront, as the social upheaval of the decade began to produce, "message songs." All of these things met up at Woodstock, in 1969. I can't really say that this is when and where Rock n Roll became Rock, but I think that a pretty good case could be made. Nothing in Rock was quite the same after that. Artists most noted from that time were Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Rolling Stones.
The creative freedom that was won in the early 1970s was actually due in part to the successes of the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. The first artist of that decade to win such freedom was Stevie Wonder. While Stevie was an R&B artist, it didn't stop artists in other genres from following suite. In fact, creative freedom would serve to help 70s Rock artists to make some of the most memorable music ever made. Nothing went untried. Synthesizers increased their creative potential as well as the use of arranging and composing techniques. Ideas came from their lives, imaginations and experiences. Rock lived and breathed on the Top 40 chart. But, there was no one sound. 70s Rock represented a very diverse group of artists who goal seemed to be, not to sound like anyone else. This held true until Disco would change almost everyone's style by the end of the decade. All of the experimenting and collaborating came to a screeching halt as the major labels hurried to capitalize on Disco's success. Some artists caved in, while some others left the business for a while. Rock would survive, but a lot of what made Rock artists of the 70s so unique would be lost, as creative freedom would be traded for an artist's chance to grab at the brass ring. Some 70s artists were, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, Eagles, and Peter Frampton.
The 1980s got of to a quirky start. Disco was gone and the drum synthesizer quickly became popular. Also, the gated reverb used by Phil Collins on "In The Air Tonight," swept the industry, as artists went looking for a sound that the major labels would except. Eventually, artists who began to make a name for themselves in the 70s found a way to break thought the muddle to become, in some cases, super stars. The advent of the music video and MTV and VH1 helped to make some artist's careers. While not as innovative as 70s music, in my opinion, Rock of the 80s was still an entertaining mix of music and persona. Rock eventually rebounded and and thrived as the result of the arrival of the, "power chord," and a growing interest in "Heavy Metal." But, in the late 1980s, Rap was on the rise, and about to become the "darling of the music industry. Once again, things were about to change. Some 80s artist were Metalica, Motley Crue, Van Halen, and Bon Jovi.
Five years after receiving it's first ever Grammy in 1989, Rap was had become a sensation, and the major label were all over it. The same Rock artists who were a staple in the 80s were all but left to fend for themselves in the 1990s. Again, some artists embraced Rap while some others left the business, or they went independent. But, in 1992, the Grunge sound of Seattle broke through in the guise of Nirvana's Nevermind CD. In my opinion, their success changed Rock, maybe even more than Rap. While it was popular for a time, Grunge wasn't very stylish at all. In my opinion, at times it appeared to resemble the three chord Rock similar to that of a garage band. But, at least it encouraged young and up and coming artists to keep trying. Meanwhile, mergers and acquisitions created a situation where many labels were dropping artists from their rosters, as they looked to better manage their bottom lines. Those acts with stage presence, in my opinion, seemed to be the ones who got signed. By the end of the 90s, the internet was becoming the place to find the kind of Rock that you were looking for. Some 90s artist were, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, and No Doubt.
Here in the 21st century, many artists, both those well known as well as those who are still relative unknowns, have taken their music online in search of an audience. The DIY movement is in full swing, offering music lovers and fans around the planet the widest variety of music across every possible genre. Somewhere out there, the first internet sensation is busy toiling away at their craft. Who knows what kind of music they will present? But, it's always possible, that when they do finally arrive, they just might bring with them, the next Rock n Roll explosion.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
All That Jazz
I like Jazz. I grew up listening to it. Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, and Dave Brubeck were favorites at my house.
When you're young and you like Jazz, it might make you feel a little odd, especially if none of your friends even care for it. But, I had no problems. The parents of a lot of the kids I grew up with liked Jazz as well. That being said, I know that a lot of people have trouble relating to it.
Jazz is an out growth of the Blues, which was born in the rural south. The music is characterized by a strong but flexible structure, rhythm, and meter, punctuated by improvisation. Early forms of Jazz include, Ragtime, Dixieland, and Swing. By the 1940s Big Band was a big deal. By the 1950s, BeBop had given way to Cool Jazz. Cool Jazz players tended to have larger ensembles as opposed to the usual trios, quartets, and quintets. Also, they experimented with different instruments within their ensembles. Some of the artists included Chet Baker, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie,and Miles Davis.
In the 1960s, Rock n Roll became Rock, and began to find its way over into Jazz. In fact, R&B, Soul, and later, Funk would also begin to merge with Jazz. Jazz of the 60s seemed to expand in all directions as various artists experimented with sounds of other genres. The increase use of amplified instruments pushed Jazz toward a more electrified sound, as opposed the the more acoustic sound of the previous decade. This gave Jazz artists a greater opportunity to define their music and create a more unique and individual presence for each of them. Some of the artists from the 60s were Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, and John Coltrane.
What's interesting about Jazz of the 1970s, is that the sound of it is considered to have started in the 60s. The electrified sound of 60s Rock gave birth to Fusion while Funk took Jazz to a higher dimension. The introduction of the synthesizer allowed Jazz artists to let their imaginations run free. The result was some of the most creative and imaginative music ever made. Suddenly, Jazz was listenable and danceable. It was both interesting and exciting. And, with the help of technology, it became inventive, progressive, and innovative. Herbie Hancock's Headhunters album, in my opinion, epitomizes the depth to which Jazz artists of the decade were able to go. Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Quincy Jones, Jeff Beck, and more would all follow suite as as Jazz's popularity began to rise.
All was well with Jazz, until the success of Disco threaten to throw things on the back burner, as the major labels moved to capitalize. Jazz's rising popularity through the 70s seemed to evaporate at start of the 1980s, as Rap quickly moved in to fill the vacuum left by Disco's later demise. Instead of continuing to lead the pack, many Jazz artists dabbled with the dance sound in order to stay in the public's eye. However, a lot of Jazz artists actually pushed for a return to a more traditional or contemporary sound. It was a strange decade for Jazz, as the economics of recording music often produced some odd collaborations. Rap and later Hip Hop would also have an impact, as some saw a correlation between those genres and Jazz. By the end of the decade, Quincy Jones would produce the most notable melding of Rap and Jazz with the album, Back On The Block. Some of the artists were, Wynton Marsalis, Brandford Marsalis, and Pat Metheny.
Smooth Jazz is considered to have been born in the 70s. But, it was the late 80s and early 90s that lifted the genre to radio format prominence. Smooth Jazz, leans heavily on R&B, Pop, and Rock elements as a means of making the music more appealing to a wider audience. With the music buying public becoming increasingly enamored of Rap, Hip Hop, the prefab Pop of the 90s, Smooth Jazz radio was the most likely place to turn for something upbeat and rhythmic, but not offense to the ears. I think, and this is just my opinion, that Jazz was a victim of the merging and acquiring of the 1990s. While there were all types of Jazz recordings made in that decade, the emphasis on being commercial was so strong, that many artists did what ever was necessary to be heard. Some artists from that decade were, Pharoah Sanders, Bill Frisell, and Don Byron.
In all honesty, here in the 21st century, I've probably listened to more Jazz from the past then any other time I can remember. I don't think it's because there's isn't any good Jazz being made. I think it's because Jazz hasn't been given the attention that it was once given. If you want to hear good Jazz, you have to seek it out for your self. In fact, the Smooth Jazz station in my area, which had played a reasonable mix of all sub genres, went under last year. What does that tell you?
This past winter, Esperanza Spalding, a Jazz bassist, singer, and composer won the Grammy for Best New Artist. I'd like to view this as encouragement, not only for Jazz artists, but for anyone who believes in music as art and not just a product. Choosing her should be a clear indication that hard work can and will eventually triumph, but, only time will tell.
When you're young and you like Jazz, it might make you feel a little odd, especially if none of your friends even care for it. But, I had no problems. The parents of a lot of the kids I grew up with liked Jazz as well. That being said, I know that a lot of people have trouble relating to it.
Jazz is an out growth of the Blues, which was born in the rural south. The music is characterized by a strong but flexible structure, rhythm, and meter, punctuated by improvisation. Early forms of Jazz include, Ragtime, Dixieland, and Swing. By the 1940s Big Band was a big deal. By the 1950s, BeBop had given way to Cool Jazz. Cool Jazz players tended to have larger ensembles as opposed to the usual trios, quartets, and quintets. Also, they experimented with different instruments within their ensembles. Some of the artists included Chet Baker, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie,and Miles Davis.
In the 1960s, Rock n Roll became Rock, and began to find its way over into Jazz. In fact, R&B, Soul, and later, Funk would also begin to merge with Jazz. Jazz of the 60s seemed to expand in all directions as various artists experimented with sounds of other genres. The increase use of amplified instruments pushed Jazz toward a more electrified sound, as opposed the the more acoustic sound of the previous decade. This gave Jazz artists a greater opportunity to define their music and create a more unique and individual presence for each of them. Some of the artists from the 60s were Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, and John Coltrane.
What's interesting about Jazz of the 1970s, is that the sound of it is considered to have started in the 60s. The electrified sound of 60s Rock gave birth to Fusion while Funk took Jazz to a higher dimension. The introduction of the synthesizer allowed Jazz artists to let their imaginations run free. The result was some of the most creative and imaginative music ever made. Suddenly, Jazz was listenable and danceable. It was both interesting and exciting. And, with the help of technology, it became inventive, progressive, and innovative. Herbie Hancock's Headhunters album, in my opinion, epitomizes the depth to which Jazz artists of the decade were able to go. Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Quincy Jones, Jeff Beck, and more would all follow suite as as Jazz's popularity began to rise.
All was well with Jazz, until the success of Disco threaten to throw things on the back burner, as the major labels moved to capitalize. Jazz's rising popularity through the 70s seemed to evaporate at start of the 1980s, as Rap quickly moved in to fill the vacuum left by Disco's later demise. Instead of continuing to lead the pack, many Jazz artists dabbled with the dance sound in order to stay in the public's eye. However, a lot of Jazz artists actually pushed for a return to a more traditional or contemporary sound. It was a strange decade for Jazz, as the economics of recording music often produced some odd collaborations. Rap and later Hip Hop would also have an impact, as some saw a correlation between those genres and Jazz. By the end of the decade, Quincy Jones would produce the most notable melding of Rap and Jazz with the album, Back On The Block. Some of the artists were, Wynton Marsalis, Brandford Marsalis, and Pat Metheny.
Smooth Jazz is considered to have been born in the 70s. But, it was the late 80s and early 90s that lifted the genre to radio format prominence. Smooth Jazz, leans heavily on R&B, Pop, and Rock elements as a means of making the music more appealing to a wider audience. With the music buying public becoming increasingly enamored of Rap, Hip Hop, the prefab Pop of the 90s, Smooth Jazz radio was the most likely place to turn for something upbeat and rhythmic, but not offense to the ears. I think, and this is just my opinion, that Jazz was a victim of the merging and acquiring of the 1990s. While there were all types of Jazz recordings made in that decade, the emphasis on being commercial was so strong, that many artists did what ever was necessary to be heard. Some artists from that decade were, Pharoah Sanders, Bill Frisell, and Don Byron.
In all honesty, here in the 21st century, I've probably listened to more Jazz from the past then any other time I can remember. I don't think it's because there's isn't any good Jazz being made. I think it's because Jazz hasn't been given the attention that it was once given. If you want to hear good Jazz, you have to seek it out for your self. In fact, the Smooth Jazz station in my area, which had played a reasonable mix of all sub genres, went under last year. What does that tell you?
This past winter, Esperanza Spalding, a Jazz bassist, singer, and composer won the Grammy for Best New Artist. I'd like to view this as encouragement, not only for Jazz artists, but for anyone who believes in music as art and not just a product. Choosing her should be a clear indication that hard work can and will eventually triumph, but, only time will tell.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Rhythm... And The Blues
My favorite genre of music is Funk. But, I grew up listening to R&B, Jazz, and a dash of Blues. Rock was always on the radio, but I didn't get into it until I started school. Occasionally, some Country music might find it's way onto my palette. Lets just say that my taste in music is very "eclectic." What I really like is anything that's well written. And, I'm not usually bothered if the singer isn't very good, as long as what they're singing moves me in some way.
Rock, Jazz, and Funk all owe a debt to the Blues, which is a form of music that is melancholic in mature. It was music that expressed suffering or lament and was created by blacks in the rural south. The first recordings of the Blues are said to have taken place in the mid 1920s. By the end of the 1940s, artists such as B.B. King and Muddy Waters had made the music popular. In the 1940s, Rhythm and Blues was created by combining Blues with Jazz and Gospel, while adding a strong back beat and syncopated instruments. Though the Blues had come into its own, it was Rhythm and Blues or R&B that broke through to reach a wider audience in the 1950s.
Early R&B of the 50s was characterized by a strong lead vocal with lots of background singing in harmony. Some of the most notable groups were the Platters, The Coasters, and the Penguins. Solo artists included, Sam Cooke, Lloyd Price, and Jackie Wilson. The R&B of the 50s was also known as Doo Wop, which was harmony vocalizing, based on phonetic syllables for rhythmic structure. Here is where it is my understanding that R&B as a musical form could be both uptempo and slow ballads.
In the the 60s, the vocal group was still a very important part of the R&B scene. However, the music took on a slightly more Gospel quality. The strong backseat was still a prominent feature but the rhythm became more African. James Brown who has been, attributed for introducing the "Southern Soul," sound into R&B, took the emphasis from the 2 and 4 beat and placed it squarely on the 1. The new sound was called Funk.
As the 60s progressed, more and more of its R&B artists began to incorporate the new sound into their music. Artists such as Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Miracles, Supremes, and Four Tops were among the most notable of that period. The music, once again could be uptempo or slow ballad, and what seemed to be most important by this time, was the growth of the artists and the growth and development of the R&B sound.
The 70s R&B sound drew upon first, the end of the turbulent times of the 60s, and the arrival of creative freedom. One of the first R&B artists to get such freedom was Stevie Wonder. Stevie was fascinated by technology, especially synthesizers. He took those early instruments and made virtual one man masterpieces. His first hit using these instruments was "Superstition." Drawing from Blues, Jazz, Soul, and Funk, Stevie reinvented himself with a sound that was uniquely of his own making. And, other artist would quickly follow. The vocal group remained a staple of the genre while the rhythm and syncopation became increasingly funky. At times the rhythm would shift from African to Afro-Cuban in texture as artists began to experiment with just about every aspect of songwriting, arranging, and production. The Isley Brothers, Commodores, Earth Wind & fire, Ohio Players, Parliament/Funkadelic and Average White Band are some of the most notable. Once again, the music could be uptempo or slow ballad.
Heavy manipulation of the dance music scene of the late 70s created a short period of what seemed like uncertainty at the beginning of the 80s. Many successful R&B artists began to either record less and less or left the music business altogether. Those who were just getting started were left groping for a sound as creative freedom was traded away to the labels as a way for artists to secure record deals. The vocal group was still a main stay and because of a continuing dance influence, uptempo sounds were emphasized heavily, while the music could also be slow ballads. Rick James, Cameo, and The Gap Band were some of the most notable artists.
The 90s saw Billboard Magazine change its R&B chart to reflect the rising popularity of Rap and Hip Hop. The chart was called the top Hip Hop and R&B singles chart. At this point, around 1994, the first Hip Hop radio station format appeared. It was WQHT or Hot 97 FM in New York, New York. Some of the most notable artists are Babyface, Boys II Men, Janet Jackson, and Mariah Carey.
It's my opinion, that until these two events took place, R&B was a versatile and progressive genre that featured many influences, but after these two events, it became a mostly slow ballad genre with heavy Hip Hop and Rap attributes. And, I believe that Hip Hop and Rap became R&Bs uptempo counterpart, when in reality, the genre as we knew it, no longer exists. While the above artists all have influences that come from decades of R&B tradition, many who have followed in their footsteps appear, in my opinion, to be unaware or possibly do not care about such tradition. The beats and rhymes formula of success rages on as musical growth has given way to winning the "music game."
Rock, Jazz, and Funk all owe a debt to the Blues, which is a form of music that is melancholic in mature. It was music that expressed suffering or lament and was created by blacks in the rural south. The first recordings of the Blues are said to have taken place in the mid 1920s. By the end of the 1940s, artists such as B.B. King and Muddy Waters had made the music popular. In the 1940s, Rhythm and Blues was created by combining Blues with Jazz and Gospel, while adding a strong back beat and syncopated instruments. Though the Blues had come into its own, it was Rhythm and Blues or R&B that broke through to reach a wider audience in the 1950s.
Early R&B of the 50s was characterized by a strong lead vocal with lots of background singing in harmony. Some of the most notable groups were the Platters, The Coasters, and the Penguins. Solo artists included, Sam Cooke, Lloyd Price, and Jackie Wilson. The R&B of the 50s was also known as Doo Wop, which was harmony vocalizing, based on phonetic syllables for rhythmic structure. Here is where it is my understanding that R&B as a musical form could be both uptempo and slow ballads.
In the the 60s, the vocal group was still a very important part of the R&B scene. However, the music took on a slightly more Gospel quality. The strong backseat was still a prominent feature but the rhythm became more African. James Brown who has been, attributed for introducing the "Southern Soul," sound into R&B, took the emphasis from the 2 and 4 beat and placed it squarely on the 1. The new sound was called Funk.
As the 60s progressed, more and more of its R&B artists began to incorporate the new sound into their music. Artists such as Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Miracles, Supremes, and Four Tops were among the most notable of that period. The music, once again could be uptempo or slow ballad, and what seemed to be most important by this time, was the growth of the artists and the growth and development of the R&B sound.
The 70s R&B sound drew upon first, the end of the turbulent times of the 60s, and the arrival of creative freedom. One of the first R&B artists to get such freedom was Stevie Wonder. Stevie was fascinated by technology, especially synthesizers. He took those early instruments and made virtual one man masterpieces. His first hit using these instruments was "Superstition." Drawing from Blues, Jazz, Soul, and Funk, Stevie reinvented himself with a sound that was uniquely of his own making. And, other artist would quickly follow. The vocal group remained a staple of the genre while the rhythm and syncopation became increasingly funky. At times the rhythm would shift from African to Afro-Cuban in texture as artists began to experiment with just about every aspect of songwriting, arranging, and production. The Isley Brothers, Commodores, Earth Wind & fire, Ohio Players, Parliament/Funkadelic and Average White Band are some of the most notable. Once again, the music could be uptempo or slow ballad.
Heavy manipulation of the dance music scene of the late 70s created a short period of what seemed like uncertainty at the beginning of the 80s. Many successful R&B artists began to either record less and less or left the music business altogether. Those who were just getting started were left groping for a sound as creative freedom was traded away to the labels as a way for artists to secure record deals. The vocal group was still a main stay and because of a continuing dance influence, uptempo sounds were emphasized heavily, while the music could also be slow ballads. Rick James, Cameo, and The Gap Band were some of the most notable artists.
The 90s saw Billboard Magazine change its R&B chart to reflect the rising popularity of Rap and Hip Hop. The chart was called the top Hip Hop and R&B singles chart. At this point, around 1994, the first Hip Hop radio station format appeared. It was WQHT or Hot 97 FM in New York, New York. Some of the most notable artists are Babyface, Boys II Men, Janet Jackson, and Mariah Carey.
It's my opinion, that until these two events took place, R&B was a versatile and progressive genre that featured many influences, but after these two events, it became a mostly slow ballad genre with heavy Hip Hop and Rap attributes. And, I believe that Hip Hop and Rap became R&Bs uptempo counterpart, when in reality, the genre as we knew it, no longer exists. While the above artists all have influences that come from decades of R&B tradition, many who have followed in their footsteps appear, in my opinion, to be unaware or possibly do not care about such tradition. The beats and rhymes formula of success rages on as musical growth has given way to winning the "music game."
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Pop That Thang....
The Pop chart was once a reflection of the musical tastes of the record buying public. Granted, that music buying demographic was those ages 14 to 24, If you made that chart you were a star, or at least a one hit wonder. Music that made the Pop chart usually came by the way of the charted music of other genres. This meant that Rock, Country, R&B and Jazz would make the Pop chart if their popularity spread into other areas or communities beyond where they first were played.
As a Genre, Pop became defined by its sound, as a "watered down," version of each particular genre. In other words, Pop was music of the masses. However, in every decade of the popular era, dating back to the 1950s, there was one or more of the more specific genres of music that dominated the Pop charts. Rock n Roll was the most notable.
The rock of the 50s, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Fats Domino, gave way to the Rock of the 60s, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix. While each changing of the guard reflected a kind of musical growth as artist who became successful in one decade did so by reflecting their influences from the previous one.
In the 70s, the above remained true, however, the power of the artist to create every aspect of their product and persona brought a wave of popular music that at times transcended their respective genres. Songwriting was brought center stage, along with arranging and producing. Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd all brought the music of their lives and minds to bare, as they created music that often crossed onto multiple charts all at the same time.
The 80s saw the rise of the persona of many of its biggest stars become larger and more important then their music. Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna all became mega stars with their rock star lives often taking center stage. The Pop chart was still a reflection of a variety of styles, but the emphasis shifted away from the artist as creator to the artist as performer. The result was great showmanship, but an erosion of form and content.
In the 90s, I would have to say, in my opinion, that the music really became a genre that was defined by blandness and "watered down," everything. Rock became grungy. R&B became "soapy," ballads, and Jazz became so smooth that it almost slipped away. Meanwhile, Rap and Hip Hop ruled. That is at least until the middle of the decade when the prefab "boy band, girl band," fad took over. The sound of the nineties was ultimately defined by the producers who produced the music rather than the artists who might have created it, but many times, only performed it. The Backstreet Boys, N'sync, Brittany Spears, and Spice Girls always come to mind.
Sadly, the music of the first decade of the 21st century had been defined by a return to dance music. And while Rap and Hip Hop are still extremely popular, Club, House, and Trance continue to influence artists that are making their debuts on the Pop charts. I say sadly because a lot of the great songwriting that used to be a staple of the Pop charts is now found only through the DIY movement of the internet. The market demographic still remains 14 to 24 years of age, so cross marketing continues through the use of movies and TV shows that appeal to that age group. While I think that it is unlikely, and I mean no slight, I find it hard to imagine Rhianna, Lady Gaga, or Kanye West being considered as the classics twenty years from now.
As a Genre, Pop became defined by its sound, as a "watered down," version of each particular genre. In other words, Pop was music of the masses. However, in every decade of the popular era, dating back to the 1950s, there was one or more of the more specific genres of music that dominated the Pop charts. Rock n Roll was the most notable.
The rock of the 50s, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Fats Domino, gave way to the Rock of the 60s, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix. While each changing of the guard reflected a kind of musical growth as artist who became successful in one decade did so by reflecting their influences from the previous one.
In the 70s, the above remained true, however, the power of the artist to create every aspect of their product and persona brought a wave of popular music that at times transcended their respective genres. Songwriting was brought center stage, along with arranging and producing. Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd all brought the music of their lives and minds to bare, as they created music that often crossed onto multiple charts all at the same time.
The 80s saw the rise of the persona of many of its biggest stars become larger and more important then their music. Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna all became mega stars with their rock star lives often taking center stage. The Pop chart was still a reflection of a variety of styles, but the emphasis shifted away from the artist as creator to the artist as performer. The result was great showmanship, but an erosion of form and content.
In the 90s, I would have to say, in my opinion, that the music really became a genre that was defined by blandness and "watered down," everything. Rock became grungy. R&B became "soapy," ballads, and Jazz became so smooth that it almost slipped away. Meanwhile, Rap and Hip Hop ruled. That is at least until the middle of the decade when the prefab "boy band, girl band," fad took over. The sound of the nineties was ultimately defined by the producers who produced the music rather than the artists who might have created it, but many times, only performed it. The Backstreet Boys, N'sync, Brittany Spears, and Spice Girls always come to mind.
Sadly, the music of the first decade of the 21st century had been defined by a return to dance music. And while Rap and Hip Hop are still extremely popular, Club, House, and Trance continue to influence artists that are making their debuts on the Pop charts. I say sadly because a lot of the great songwriting that used to be a staple of the Pop charts is now found only through the DIY movement of the internet. The market demographic still remains 14 to 24 years of age, so cross marketing continues through the use of movies and TV shows that appeal to that age group. While I think that it is unlikely, and I mean no slight, I find it hard to imagine Rhianna, Lady Gaga, or Kanye West being considered as the classics twenty years from now.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
There And Back (Part IV)
The year was 1987. Eight years after the demise of Disco, the recording industry had more than rebounded. Several artists from the seventies had survived to become superstars in the eighties. And, Rap, Disco's replacement had morphed into Hip Hop. In that same year, a rumor spread through the industry about an independent Rapper who had grossed $750,000 in one year, by selling homemade tapes from the trunk of his car. The music industry would never be the same again.
The lure of big money in exchange for street tunes was just too much for the industry bigwigs to pass up. The sound of Rap soon became harder as artist such as LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy, and NWA came to the forefront. Their success created a sudden influx of even newer Rap artists, many of whom were fresh from the streets. R&B radio began to air whole blocks of air time dedicated specifically to Rap. A visit to any brick and mortar store at that time revealed whole sections devoted entirely to Rap, with offerings from artists whose names were totally unfamiliar. Sales for Rap music began to climb through the roof.
The next year, in 1988, MTV jumped on the bandwagon with a daily show called, Yo MTV Raps. The show gave Rap music and Rap artists an even higher profile. And, though bands like Def Leppard, Gun And Roses, and Poison, were big names in rock, the industry began to place more and more emphasis on the recruitment of Rap acts.
While it is only conjecture on my part, there's always the possibility that increasing Rap sales prompted the recording industry to encourage the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to bestow upon Rap, it's highest honor. And, that is exactly what happened in 1989, when the first ever Rap Grammy went to DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. In my opinion, this served to legitimized Rap as a true art form, and sent millions of record buyers, many of whom, no doubt wanting to appear hip, to the record stores to get in on the trend.
1990 saw the cutting edge of music begin to dull, as artists such as Earth Wind and Fire and others began to add Rap as a means of keeping their music current.
Unlike Disco, the industry was was leery of trying to pre-fab a Rap or Hip Hop act. While Rap artist Vanilla Ice was accused of falsifying his bio, no label mischief was ever suggested. Instead, the industry decided to stick with authenticity. But, authentic Rap from the street was becoming more vulgar, sexual, and increasingly violent.
The PMRC ( Parents Music Resources Center) had already done battle with the recording industry in 1985, but only managed to to get the industry to place explicit language stickers on product that contained obscene language or profanity. But, having given Rap a Grammy only served to increase its already popular appeal.
Going into the 90s, Rap and Hip Hop were everywhere. Times were becoming tougher economically, and a career in Rap seemed like the surest way to escape a ghetto or economically depressed area. Though the youth of all races were embracing the music, it appeared to have a certain special appeal for young Black youths. Many of them felt, that for the first time, they had something that they could call their own. However, the sound was not able to crack the Black adult market. Around this time, a lot of black adults, feeling that the music industry had abandon them, began to reach for their oldies, as more and more radio stations began to play more Rap and Hip Hop. Thus began the rise of R&B oldies stations.
With the increasing association of Rap and violence, whether real or imagined, came an interesting and somewhat distressing phenomenon. This phenomenon arrived in the guise of a first ever generation gap within the Black community. And, the rise of Gangsta Rap would only served to deepen the division.
The lure of big money in exchange for street tunes was just too much for the industry bigwigs to pass up. The sound of Rap soon became harder as artist such as LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy, and NWA came to the forefront. Their success created a sudden influx of even newer Rap artists, many of whom were fresh from the streets. R&B radio began to air whole blocks of air time dedicated specifically to Rap. A visit to any brick and mortar store at that time revealed whole sections devoted entirely to Rap, with offerings from artists whose names were totally unfamiliar. Sales for Rap music began to climb through the roof.
The next year, in 1988, MTV jumped on the bandwagon with a daily show called, Yo MTV Raps. The show gave Rap music and Rap artists an even higher profile. And, though bands like Def Leppard, Gun And Roses, and Poison, were big names in rock, the industry began to place more and more emphasis on the recruitment of Rap acts.
While it is only conjecture on my part, there's always the possibility that increasing Rap sales prompted the recording industry to encourage the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to bestow upon Rap, it's highest honor. And, that is exactly what happened in 1989, when the first ever Rap Grammy went to DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. In my opinion, this served to legitimized Rap as a true art form, and sent millions of record buyers, many of whom, no doubt wanting to appear hip, to the record stores to get in on the trend.
1990 saw the cutting edge of music begin to dull, as artists such as Earth Wind and Fire and others began to add Rap as a means of keeping their music current.
Unlike Disco, the industry was was leery of trying to pre-fab a Rap or Hip Hop act. While Rap artist Vanilla Ice was accused of falsifying his bio, no label mischief was ever suggested. Instead, the industry decided to stick with authenticity. But, authentic Rap from the street was becoming more vulgar, sexual, and increasingly violent.
The PMRC ( Parents Music Resources Center) had already done battle with the recording industry in 1985, but only managed to to get the industry to place explicit language stickers on product that contained obscene language or profanity. But, having given Rap a Grammy only served to increase its already popular appeal.
Going into the 90s, Rap and Hip Hop were everywhere. Times were becoming tougher economically, and a career in Rap seemed like the surest way to escape a ghetto or economically depressed area. Though the youth of all races were embracing the music, it appeared to have a certain special appeal for young Black youths. Many of them felt, that for the first time, they had something that they could call their own. However, the sound was not able to crack the Black adult market. Around this time, a lot of black adults, feeling that the music industry had abandon them, began to reach for their oldies, as more and more radio stations began to play more Rap and Hip Hop. Thus began the rise of R&B oldies stations.
With the increasing association of Rap and violence, whether real or imagined, came an interesting and somewhat distressing phenomenon. This phenomenon arrived in the guise of a first ever generation gap within the Black community. And, the rise of Gangsta Rap would only served to deepen the division.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Again And Again
Do you have a favorite song? Or, several favorite songs? Have you ever wondered why that song is your favorite? Could it be the words, the music, or is it something else? Do you find that your favorite song makes you feel a certain way?
I've got my own opinion, of course. I think that what makes a song unique is that one time only portion of the song know as the bridge. I know that the hook, which is usually found in the chorus and repeats several times throughout the song, is most likely what most remember.
Making a case for the bridge isn't an easy thing to do. A lot of today's music being classified as "hits," don't even make use of a bridge. What is a bridge any way? The bridge is a departure from the rest of the song. It's about four or eight musical bars long which is about two to four lines of words, and usually leads back to the chorus.
A strong example of a memorable bridge is from the song, "Just Once," written by Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann and performed by James Ingram. It goes like this:
Just once I want understand
Why it always comes back to good-bye
Why can't we get ourselves in hand
And admit to one another, we're no good without each other
Take the best and make it better
Find a way to stay together
While this example is from a hit song that is now considered to be a classic, it may or may not represent everyone's taste. However, if you know the song at all, then you also know that the music from this part of the song goes off briefly in another direction before it returns to the "Just Once," chorus.
Another example would be from the Beatles song, "Yesterday." While not considered to have an actual bridge, the following section does work very well as one:
Why she had to go
I don't know, she wouldn't say
I said something wrong
Now I long for yesterday
Of course, Yesterday is also a classic and if you know the song, you know that here again, the music moves briefly away from the main part of the song before returning to Yesterday.
I realize that I haven't given any examples from today's top 40. And, while I may have listed only two classics, each of these songs continue to stand up to repeated listening. There must be something to be said about the power of adding a bridge to a song. Something that makes you want to listen to that song, again and again.
I've got my own opinion, of course. I think that what makes a song unique is that one time only portion of the song know as the bridge. I know that the hook, which is usually found in the chorus and repeats several times throughout the song, is most likely what most remember.
Making a case for the bridge isn't an easy thing to do. A lot of today's music being classified as "hits," don't even make use of a bridge. What is a bridge any way? The bridge is a departure from the rest of the song. It's about four or eight musical bars long which is about two to four lines of words, and usually leads back to the chorus.
A strong example of a memorable bridge is from the song, "Just Once," written by Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann and performed by James Ingram. It goes like this:
Just once I want understand
Why it always comes back to good-bye
Why can't we get ourselves in hand
And admit to one another, we're no good without each other
Take the best and make it better
Find a way to stay together
While this example is from a hit song that is now considered to be a classic, it may or may not represent everyone's taste. However, if you know the song at all, then you also know that the music from this part of the song goes off briefly in another direction before it returns to the "Just Once," chorus.
Another example would be from the Beatles song, "Yesterday." While not considered to have an actual bridge, the following section does work very well as one:
Why she had to go
I don't know, she wouldn't say
I said something wrong
Now I long for yesterday
Of course, Yesterday is also a classic and if you know the song, you know that here again, the music moves briefly away from the main part of the song before returning to Yesterday.
I realize that I haven't given any examples from today's top 40. And, while I may have listed only two classics, each of these songs continue to stand up to repeated listening. There must be something to be said about the power of adding a bridge to a song. Something that makes you want to listen to that song, again and again.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Your Name Here
Today's independent and DIY artists now have multiple ways of making income from their music. One such way is through music publishing. If you write your own songs as well as perform them, you could take it a step further and pitch your tunes to other artists who might record them.
Traditional music publishers like EMI Music or Warner/Chappell Music basically take the songs of songwriters or songwriter/artists, and gets them before labels, producers, music supervisors, and other recording artists who are looking for songs with hit potential. Signing a contract with a publisher usually means a 50/50 or 75/25 split of the publishing royalties while the writer receiving 100% of the writers royalties, unless otherwise designated, if the song becomes a hit.
Publishing your own music would first entail that you join a performing rights organization such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. Which ever you choose, you may want to sign as both an artist and as a publisher. When you sign as a publisher you should try to pick a name that best fits your music, or at best one that goes well as a, "doing business as," name, which in most cases would just be your name followed by the word, music. Then, since you are the publishing company, you have to find ways of getting your songs out there.
If you're an artist and you record your music, you could if you wanted to, try pitching your songs to artists, producers and labels. However, a large number of of artists, producers, and labels don't except unsolicited material. You could sign up with TAXI, which is an A&R service that allows you to submit your songs to be evaluated, for a small fee. If your songs make the cut, they are then passed on to record companies, publishers, and music supervisors that call TAXI directly, looking for new artists or material.
Of course, what you could do is set up your own website and post samples of your songs there. Both Myspace and Facebook offer you a chance to post an artist page that can include a certain amount of your music along with video clips, a bio, and contact information. There are also other music sites such as Soundclick, Reverbnation, and Bandcamp, that allow artist to set up a profile with music clips and the ability to sell your music.
Now that so much music is being sold online, you may need to sign up with Soundexchange. Soundexchange is an independent, non profit performing rights organization that collects royalties from satellite radio and internet streaming of an artist's music. It's free to join and royalties can be posted directly to you bank account.
My publishing company is called Crowheart, and I was surprised how easy it was to establish. In fact the hard part is getting your music played on radio. Of course, there are lots of other possibilities, like film and television, which are excellent ways of getting your music out to the public, which is what publishing is really all about.
Traditional music publishers like EMI Music or Warner/Chappell Music basically take the songs of songwriters or songwriter/artists, and gets them before labels, producers, music supervisors, and other recording artists who are looking for songs with hit potential. Signing a contract with a publisher usually means a 50/50 or 75/25 split of the publishing royalties while the writer receiving 100% of the writers royalties, unless otherwise designated, if the song becomes a hit.
Publishing your own music would first entail that you join a performing rights organization such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. Which ever you choose, you may want to sign as both an artist and as a publisher. When you sign as a publisher you should try to pick a name that best fits your music, or at best one that goes well as a, "doing business as," name, which in most cases would just be your name followed by the word, music. Then, since you are the publishing company, you have to find ways of getting your songs out there.
If you're an artist and you record your music, you could if you wanted to, try pitching your songs to artists, producers and labels. However, a large number of of artists, producers, and labels don't except unsolicited material. You could sign up with TAXI, which is an A&R service that allows you to submit your songs to be evaluated, for a small fee. If your songs make the cut, they are then passed on to record companies, publishers, and music supervisors that call TAXI directly, looking for new artists or material.
Of course, what you could do is set up your own website and post samples of your songs there. Both Myspace and Facebook offer you a chance to post an artist page that can include a certain amount of your music along with video clips, a bio, and contact information. There are also other music sites such as Soundclick, Reverbnation, and Bandcamp, that allow artist to set up a profile with music clips and the ability to sell your music.
Now that so much music is being sold online, you may need to sign up with Soundexchange. Soundexchange is an independent, non profit performing rights organization that collects royalties from satellite radio and internet streaming of an artist's music. It's free to join and royalties can be posted directly to you bank account.
My publishing company is called Crowheart, and I was surprised how easy it was to establish. In fact the hard part is getting your music played on radio. Of course, there are lots of other possibilities, like film and television, which are excellent ways of getting your music out to the public, which is what publishing is really all about.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
....Cause It's Where The Money Is
With the rise of the internet and all of the "emerging technology," one would have to wonder why so many new artists are still choosing to go with a major record label. I think, and this is just my opinion, that it's like what the notorious bank robber, "Willie Sutton," once said about robbing banks, that it's because "it's where the money is."
Granted, the DIY movement can offer a greater amount of artistic freedom. And, you get to keep a larger share of what you earn. Still, if you want wider distribution and/or greater notoriety, a major is still the way to go.
But, what a major actually does for an artist is loan them the money that they need to make a finished master. This money is called an advance. The amount of an advance is determined through negotiations between you, your lawyer or manager, and the record label. Other "deal points," such as number of albums to be delivered by the artist and royalty rate may be decided either before or at contract signing.
If you were fortune enough to get $150,000 advance from your label to record your first album, that money has to repaid. This is called recoupment. The money from your advance gets paid from your artist royalties. You the artist will bare the cost of manufacturing and packaging of your CDs which comes out of your royalties. And, your producer will have to be paid from your royalties along with other deductions, as well. Artist don't get paid any money from the sale of their CDs until the advance is paid back in full.
In the meantime, a lot of artist turn to touring as a way to make money while their album is climbing the charts. If their album isn't selling well, an artist or band may have to stay out on the road for an indefinite period of time. Artists generally get to keep most of, if not all of the money that they make from touring, but if an increased public presence doesn't help with album sales, the label could drop them from it's roster.
In most cases, a certain amount of promotion is usually negotiated along with the distribution. The major label is global, so your distribution can be world wide. But, some of your earnings from touring in the states may have to be spent touring overseas. In effect, you the artist will have to put your name further and further out there to get your album to sell, while the the label is getting it's money back from the advance that they gave you to make your album.
While some artists have been smart and invested their advance in a project studio to assemble their tracks before going into a major studio, others have fallen into the trap of lavish spending, living it up like a "star." Some push their personas, developing wild and outlandish routines in order to gain more public attention or publicity.
Even though the DIY movement can offer an artist a chance to keep more of what they earn, and the freedom to record what they want to write. Even with all that could go wrong with a major label deal, as long as the majors offer the possibility of achieving stardom as a result of global exposure, it seems that there will always be artists who would trade just about anything for that chance. And, let's not for get, it's like "Willie Sutton," once said, that it's because "it's where the money is."
Granted, the DIY movement can offer a greater amount of artistic freedom. And, you get to keep a larger share of what you earn. Still, if you want wider distribution and/or greater notoriety, a major is still the way to go.
But, what a major actually does for an artist is loan them the money that they need to make a finished master. This money is called an advance. The amount of an advance is determined through negotiations between you, your lawyer or manager, and the record label. Other "deal points," such as number of albums to be delivered by the artist and royalty rate may be decided either before or at contract signing.
If you were fortune enough to get $150,000 advance from your label to record your first album, that money has to repaid. This is called recoupment. The money from your advance gets paid from your artist royalties. You the artist will bare the cost of manufacturing and packaging of your CDs which comes out of your royalties. And, your producer will have to be paid from your royalties along with other deductions, as well. Artist don't get paid any money from the sale of their CDs until the advance is paid back in full.
In the meantime, a lot of artist turn to touring as a way to make money while their album is climbing the charts. If their album isn't selling well, an artist or band may have to stay out on the road for an indefinite period of time. Artists generally get to keep most of, if not all of the money that they make from touring, but if an increased public presence doesn't help with album sales, the label could drop them from it's roster.
In most cases, a certain amount of promotion is usually negotiated along with the distribution. The major label is global, so your distribution can be world wide. But, some of your earnings from touring in the states may have to be spent touring overseas. In effect, you the artist will have to put your name further and further out there to get your album to sell, while the the label is getting it's money back from the advance that they gave you to make your album.
While some artists have been smart and invested their advance in a project studio to assemble their tracks before going into a major studio, others have fallen into the trap of lavish spending, living it up like a "star." Some push their personas, developing wild and outlandish routines in order to gain more public attention or publicity.
Even though the DIY movement can offer an artist a chance to keep more of what they earn, and the freedom to record what they want to write. Even with all that could go wrong with a major label deal, as long as the majors offer the possibility of achieving stardom as a result of global exposure, it seems that there will always be artists who would trade just about anything for that chance. And, let's not for get, it's like "Willie Sutton," once said, that it's because "it's where the money is."
Monday, April 25, 2011
Just A Few Notes
Liner notes. Sexy, right? Even it not, they are a very important part of any music project. Some artists have been so adept at expressing themselves with just a few lines on the back of an album, tape or CD, that you look forward to their next release just to find out what they're going to say next.
Liner notes are the credits, thanks, and thoughts of the artist that made an album/CD. It's the information that tells you who played what instrument or sang a particular vocal. Also,it tells you who engineered and produced the music. Sometimes, the words to the songs might be included, as well as who wrote each tune. And, at times an artist may have someone else comment on their music.
My interest in the subject relates to being able to say what you want to say without having what you've said being misconstrued. Artists who make love music or dance music seem to have no problem talking about their particular interest. But what if you're music is a little eclectic? What if your personal philosophy is what inspires or propels your music?
Sometimes a project can take longer than you expect. In such a case, it's possible for the tone or feel of the recording to change. Then, that change could become what motivates the artist to write liner notes that reflect the new direction or provide some explanation for the extra time.
Most of all, the music should come first. If the music is about something, then what to write will come easy. For Nprogram projects, the music has been largely about a positive feeling, with words that sometimes relate to technology. If I were to release music under my given name, I would try for a more soulful, personal approach. I find that, that would give me more than enough to add to the credits.
Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, and Michael McDonald are just a few artists that I have listened to, whose liner notes carry a strong message about the music on their albums. They don't always write a lot, but whatever they write is always worth reading.
Today, in an ever increasingly digital world, the push to bring every aspect of a music project online has led to the blog becoming somewhat like an extension of the liner note. While blogging wasn't originally intended as such, it can make it possible to relate thoughts, ideas, and experiences that an artist wasn't able to add to the digital version of an album. In fact, a blog can provide a fan with a way to connect with an artist between albums or events. And, it's an excellent way to share what you think about music.
While liner notes may not be a very sexy topic, it remains a point of interest for music fans and consumers everywhere. If all you have to say is thank you, no problem, as long as you have something to say.
Liner notes are the credits, thanks, and thoughts of the artist that made an album/CD. It's the information that tells you who played what instrument or sang a particular vocal. Also,it tells you who engineered and produced the music. Sometimes, the words to the songs might be included, as well as who wrote each tune. And, at times an artist may have someone else comment on their music.
My interest in the subject relates to being able to say what you want to say without having what you've said being misconstrued. Artists who make love music or dance music seem to have no problem talking about their particular interest. But what if you're music is a little eclectic? What if your personal philosophy is what inspires or propels your music?
Sometimes a project can take longer than you expect. In such a case, it's possible for the tone or feel of the recording to change. Then, that change could become what motivates the artist to write liner notes that reflect the new direction or provide some explanation for the extra time.
Most of all, the music should come first. If the music is about something, then what to write will come easy. For Nprogram projects, the music has been largely about a positive feeling, with words that sometimes relate to technology. If I were to release music under my given name, I would try for a more soulful, personal approach. I find that, that would give me more than enough to add to the credits.
Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, and Michael McDonald are just a few artists that I have listened to, whose liner notes carry a strong message about the music on their albums. They don't always write a lot, but whatever they write is always worth reading.
Today, in an ever increasingly digital world, the push to bring every aspect of a music project online has led to the blog becoming somewhat like an extension of the liner note. While blogging wasn't originally intended as such, it can make it possible to relate thoughts, ideas, and experiences that an artist wasn't able to add to the digital version of an album. In fact, a blog can provide a fan with a way to connect with an artist between albums or events. And, it's an excellent way to share what you think about music.
While liner notes may not be a very sexy topic, it remains a point of interest for music fans and consumers everywhere. If all you have to say is thank you, no problem, as long as you have something to say.
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