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Monday, July 31, 2006

ART AND DOLE

Are you an Australian musician on the dole?


Art and dole isn't an easy mix to manage. I've been there myself and as my previous post mentions it's not getting any easier.

It's worth knowing that you're not alone and maybe you could share your experiences or learn from someone elses experience.

But, if you're an artist and receive unemployment benefits I'd strongly urge you to take a look at this website. Click here.

[Resource http://www.artanddole.blog-city.com/how_to_join_or_set_up_an_ari_for_mo.htm]


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DOLE DAYS FOR ARTISTS

Saturday, July 29, 2006

TRAVELING SAFELY WITH MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Do you know where you'd be best seated on a commercial aircraft if you're carrying on board musical instruments?

Here's a (US) article all about how  you can save yourself a lot of inconvenience just by knowing about a few simple policies before you take your next commercial flight with your musical instrument.

Click here to read this article.


[Resource http://www.menc.org/information/infoserv/traveltipsformusicians.html]



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BOOSTING YOUR IN STORE CD SALES

How To Generate More CD Sales In Record Stores
by Tim Sweeney :: (www.tsamusic.com)

If you want to learn the 3 things you should be focussing on in order to increase your instore CD sales, click here

[Resource http://www.evor.com/tips_1282.html]


Tuesday, July 25, 2006

LOOKING FOR A FESTIVAL?

Click here to search for a festival by country and month.


[Resource http://www.tradmusic.com/festivalguide/index.asp]


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MARKETING AND SELF PROMOTION

If you haven't been to Bob Baker's website you could really be missing something.

Check out this page called  TheBuzzFactor. Where you can

  • Get your Free copy of Indie Music Marketing Secrets
  • Subscribe to Bob's Free Marketing Tips Ezine

and much more

[Resource http://www.bob-baker.com/



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WORLD MUSIC - BIG IN EUROPE

Here's a story from the Canadian globeandmail.com about world music.  Seems Europe is the place to look for marketing and performing your 'world' music.


"World music is huge in Europe, but in B.C. this "umbrella" genre --which covers everything

from Mongolian herding calls to Mexican reggae-- remains marginalized. It's deemed too

strange or exotic, and of little commercial appeal. Even such superstars as Salif Keita or

Youssou N'Dour are rarely heard on the airwaves or in record stores. But thanks to people like

Francis Xavier, things are changing."

Read on here


[Resource http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060721.MISSION21V/TPStory/TPEntertainment/Music/]


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GET YOUR CD REVIEWED

Here's a few places you can send your CD to be reviewed:

Sign up to the Indie Bible Newsletter by clicking here and you'll have access to great contacts like these (+ heaps more) sent to you every month by email.


CFM Music Scene
859 Washington St. #247, Red Bluff, CA 96080
PH: 530-526-6371 FX: 530-529-3214
Losille losille@cfmmusicscene.com
www.cfmmusicscene.com
Awebzine that introduces fans to artists and musicians who produce new,original, hot material. Interviews, press releases and CD reviews.


RockNet Webzine and Drummers Spotlight
1565 W. Main St. Suite 208 #169, Lewisville, TX 75067
Angela rocknetwebzine@earthlink.net
www.Rocknetwebzine.com
I am a huge fan of Rock and Metal music. One thing I enjoy doing isgoing out to shows and meeting people. If you want us to review CDs foryou, you can send all CD submissions to the above address.

Gutter Glitter.co.uk
queenoftiaras admin@gutterglitter.co.uk
www.gutterglitter.co.uk
An Alternative music e-zine catering to Indie, Electro, Glam & Goth music.

Independent Reviewer Sheila Hash
846 Oshawa Blvd. N. Oshawa, ON L1G 5V6
Sheila sheila.hash@sympatico.ca
www.high4records.com
High 4 Records will soon be adding a music review section to its website. Please contact me if you would like your CD reviewed.

Indie Islands Country Monthly
TJ Walsh contact@indieislands.com
www.indieislands.com
We are a Country Music Magazine looking for Country music artists to do interviews with.

Palebear
ATTN: Reviews, PO Box 1191, Alhambra, CA 91802
www.palebear.com
Provides reviews and other resources for indie musicians. You don’thave to be a particular type of musician to use the site. A love ofnon-mainstream music is the only requirement. You can either mail yourCD or use our e-mail submission form to send us an MP3.

Indie Launchpad
Colin Meeks colin@indielaunchpad.com
www.indielaunchpad.com
We review, in our opinion, some of the best in independent music. Our podcast beganrunning in parallel since January 2006, featuring tracks from thereviews we have already completed. We are always on the look out forservices and resources that can aid both the independent artist andpeople looking to find good independent music.

inReview.net
www.inreview.net
An independent collective of writers and music fans. We write CDreviews, compose feature articles, and conduct interviews with ourfavorite artists and bands. We believe 100% in the integrity of the writing and the quality of the music.


[resource http://www.indiebible.com/newsletter/june2006.shtml]

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Sunday, July 23, 2006

COMPARING APPLES WITH.......MICROSOFT

Click here to read about Microsoft's upcoming music products which are set to compete with Apple's iPod and iTunes music service.

[Resource http://www.ndtvprofit.com/homepage/storybusinessnew.asp?id=32342&template=&cache=7/22/2006%208:39:24%20AM]


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AUSTRALIAN SUBMISSIONS FOR SxSW - AUSTIN, TEXAS

Submissions from Australian artists to showcase at South by Southwest Music Festival and Conference in Austin, Texas, open on September 1.

Organisers of the conference have teamed with the Music Managers Forum and various state music industry associations for a series of meetings in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide in the first two weeks of August.

The Music Managers Forum hosts the seminars as their regular monthly meeting in:

Melbourne August 1, 6 pm Corner Hotel 57 Swan Street, Richmond (in association with Vic Music)
Sydney August 7, 6 pm Roxbury Hotel, 182 St Johns Road Glebe (in association with Music NSW)
Brisbane August 8, 6 pm at a venue to be confirmed (in association with QMusic)
Adelaide August 16, 6 pm at the FAD Bar-30 Waymouth Street in the City (inassociation with AWESAM)

Each seminar will be addressed by music industry executives who are long time SxSW attendees. They will explain how to strategise way ahead of the rest of the world, how to work with Austrade, the realities of grants, visas, logistics, advance PR, promotion and publicity tactics. Working with the Australian Music Office in Los Angeles, SxSW attendees can gain valuable traction from programs initiated by it aimed at the event. And the Australian Music Collective (Mary Mihelakos and Glenn Dickie) will outline their plans for Austin based promotions as well as shows before and after SxSW in other cities.

[Resource http://www.themusic.com.au/im_m/eliezer.php]


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GETTING YOUR MUSIC TO MARKET

Here's just a few of the "Tips for Getting Your Music To Market".

  • Artists should decide what materials they want to record.  It's easier to start with favorite songs that are already in the market.  License a "cover" of a song at Harry Fox and the rates are very low and for less than 2500 units of initial projected sales.  The process only takes minutes on line.
  • Look for a good recording studio with experienced producers.
  • Go to cdbaby to get all the information needed to start the distribution of your new CD.  The set up cost for cdbaby can be less than US$50

To read all 7 tips, you can download the entire article as an Adobe PDF document.  Click on the website highlighted in the resource box below to be taken to the page where you can downlaod.

[Resource  http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2006/7/emw411568.htm]


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Saturday, July 22, 2006

GRASSROOTS MARKETING TACTICS

Click here to get some grass roots tactics and resources on Marketing Your Music and Making Money With Your Band.


[Resource http://www.determan.net/Michele/musicmarket.htm]


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GUESS WHAT KEY YOUR BAND IS PLAYING IN

From New York's Hudson Valley Music here's an article from the Musicians handbook.

To save having to figure out the key of a song by watching what the bass or guitar player is doing, there are some methods used especially by larger bands for letting the band in on the key of the song.

Obviously, it's best to know before you start!...but if you're sitting in with a band and unfamilar songs or jamming, it could be helpful for another member to give you a quick signal.

Here's some hand signals you might find useful to know to communicate the key of a song between band members.

2 ways are....."to make the letter of the key of the song with your hand. For example, 'A' would look like the peace sign pointing down. 'E' is your middle three fingers extended horizontally out. 'C' is made with your thumb and index finger. 'F' is your index and middle finger extended horizontally. '

The second hand signal method is to hold fingers out for the amount of sharps or flats in the key. The trick with this is, contrary to logic, sharp keys are shown with fingers pointing down, and flats keys are fingers pointing up. For example, 2 fingers pointing up means the key of Bb,which as Bb and Eb in the key signature. One finger pointing down is the key of 'G', which has one sharp, F#."

It's from an article called,

B.S.ing Techniques to Get Through a Gig

by Mike Mindel

Which you can read in full if you click here

PS There are some more tips on techniques to looking like you really know what you're doing/playing even when you don't, so have a read the original article to learn some other tricks.


[Resource http://www.hvmusic.com/article/mindel/handbk4.shtml]

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A SONY BMG FIRST - A PUBLIC AFFAIR

SONY BMG RELEASES FIRST SONG THAT WORKS WITH ALL MUSIC PLAYERS

This headline from USA Today tells of the first song to be released which will be compatible with competitors Apple iTunes, Napster and Rhapsody and all portable music players.

Record labels have refused to sell songs without digital rightsmanagement (DRM) in the past. Consumer advocates hope this is thebeginning of a trend.

"This is an important signal that the labels may be finally realizing that DRM is hindering the size of the market." says Fred von Lohmann, a senior attorney with the public interest group Electronic Frontier Foundation.

This is good news for the future of downloadable music.

Click here to find out who the artist is ;-)

Well, I can't hand you everything on plate!


[Resource http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2006-07-20-sony-usat_x.htm]


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WHAT ARE YOU REALLY SAYING WHEN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND?

There are some great marketing tips like the one below, available on this website Musicians' Exchange. Sign up to receive email tips.

Marketing 101: Elevator Statements

So, Tell Me About Your Band...

The Problem
A
typical musician, when asked to describe his band, may say something like this: "Yeah, it's, like, sort of an alternative rock thing, but harder, and we mix in some hip-hop, and we have a DJ that plays, but we're not, like, rapcore or anything like that."

This description, although remarkably unimpressive, might be alright if you're just hanging out at a barbecue. If you're talking to a club manager, journalist, or A&R representative, however, you might as well just not bother. In fact, you might as well tell them that you're in a really crappy amateur band with no sense of purpose and no interest in press coverage or label support. Because that's what they're going to hear if you say something like the statement above.

As Denzyl Feigelson, the President of Artists Without a Label, likes to point out, there are two words in the phrase "music business." Bands are learning that the people that can help them - managers, journalists, and label people, for example - are only interested in artists that operate with a certian degree of professionalism. Consequently, thinking of your band as a business and your music as a product, at least part of the time, is essential to real success in the music industry. Artists are learning to take notes from their corporate counterparts in the pursuit of larger audiences and greater income. (Psst! If you believe that this is "selling out," then you might want to skip the rest of this article and go back to playing coffee shops for tips...)

The Solution
I want to share a fundamental marketing concept with you: The Elevator Statement. Marketing departments in Corporate America use elevator statements to distill their description of a new product to a few sentences. The idea is that if you get asked about your product in an elevator on the first floor, you should be able to describe it in a compelling, interesting way before you reach the end of the ride. In today's Internet-accelerated, attention-deficit-disorder world, nobody has time for anything that doesn't seize their imagination in the first few seconds. This is especially true in the music industry.

As musicians, we can borrow the concept of an elevator statement to clarify our own vision and have a ready-made description of our band for anyone who is interested. Since so many musicians are so flaky, simply preparing an articulate, detailed description automatically gives you an edge in the event someone with influence happens to ask.

Elevator statements are created using a specific formula. For our purposes as musicians, I've modified the standard formula for use in describing bands and their music. To develop your own elevator statement, complete the following sentences:

  1. We have ____ players in the band.
  2. We play music in the _______ genre(s).
  3. People compare us to _______ and ________.
  4. But we are different from these bands because_________.
  5. The thing that most distinguishes us from other bands like us is _________.

Example answers:

  1. four
  2. alt rock, hip hop, R&B
  3. Limp Bizkit, Incubus
  4. our music is more dance oriented
  5. we have a professionally trained female bassist

You then compile the information into a brief description, like this:

"We are a four piece alternative rock project with some influences from hip-hop and R&B. People compare us to Limp Bizkit and Incubus, but our music has even more of a dance-able feel than that. Our bassist, Laura, has a degree in music performance, so we have a really strong low-end groove that gets people moving."

Keep in mind, this is only an example. The idea is to describe your band and separate yourself from the average garage group in the span of a few sentences. If you have a gig coming up at a well known venue, you might mention that, or if you had a radio appearance, you could throw that in. The most important things are that

  1. You are comfortable saying your statement
  2. It is grounded in comparisons that hold meaning for the listener
  3. You can say it in a tone that exudes professionalism, motivation, and confidence. You know who you are and you know where you're headed.

Specific details such as genre and band size are less important than the overall expression. If you talk about your band in a professional way, the people that matter will consider you a professional band.

Once you have an elevator statement, use it! As Columbia talent scout Sharon Fitzgerald mentions in my article on what talent scouts look for, A&R people are everywhere, so you should always describe your band with professionalism, even at a barbecue!

Epilogue
About a half-hour after I finished this article, I got a call from a friend that I hadn't spoken with in a while. I mentioned that I recently began playing with a new band. She asked what the band is like. I'm ashamed to admit that I was unprepared for the question! I tried to stammer out an answer and then just laughed and told her I had just written an article about exactly that. Rest assured that I came up with my elevator statement as soon as we hung up. Don't get caught like I did - think up your elevator statement!

Epilogue After-Thought (I can't seem to stop writing)
It's funny that we often don't do the right thing, even when we know the right thing to do. Here's another example: Most of us know the main ingredients to a hit song, but we still fail to incorporate them in the tunes we wish were hits. Sometimes we just need to be reminded. For a quick refresher on the main ingredients of super singles, read this article.


[Resource http://musicians.about.com/library/weekly/2002/aa033102a.htm]


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THINKING OUTSIDE THE SQUARE

Being imaginative and a little bit different can really help you stand out in the 'sea of music' and find new fans.

Here's an exmple of what's possible if you're prepared to put in a bit of effort and come up with inventive ways to market your music.

This came from cnet News.com

The founder of Pandora, a 7-month-old, so-called music-discovery engine, Westergren travels from town to town, sharing his time and story with fans who, because of his service, say they've rediscovered a love of new found music.

From every town he visits -- places like New Orleans; Austin, Texas; Portland, Ore.; and Biloxi, Miss. -- he carries back to his Oakland,Calif., headquarters a bag full of CDs given to him by local taste makers. Songs on those CDs make it into the Internet-based radio of Pandora, which in seven short months has acquired 2.5 million registered listeners largely by word of mouth.

To finish reading the article click here

[Resource http://news.com.com/Pandoras+music+box+inspires+fans/2100-1027_3-6096619.html]


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ATT: AUSTRALIAN JAZZ MUSICIANS

Do you live in Brisbane and fancy going along to a Jazz jam session?

If so, get yourself along to the "Historic 7 Mile House" at 2800 Bayshore Blvd, Geneva.

It's on every Thursday from 7pm until 10pm.


[Resource http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/muc/184340432.html]




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GET YOUR BAND'S VIDEO MADE CHEAPLY

If your band is looking a make a video but don't have major $ to spend, try this idea

I came accross it on Go Articles

Title: How To Get State-of-the-Art Video Singles Cheap!

Author: Kenny Love

When it comes to promoting their new music releases, I have
found that most musicians only consider radio as the vehicle for
exposing their music to the public.

Rarely do they consider publicity, in the form of print media,
i.e., music magazines, weekly arts and entertainment
publications and newspapers as support tools to help support
their radio airplay (another subject I shall address shortly).

But, even rarer, is their consideration of the importance of
having videos for their singles. A video of your single, which
was once considered an optional luxury, is now a standard, vital
and necessary tool if you are going to compete with fellow
independent recording artists for media and consumer attention.

And, a video is even more important if you are going to compete
with major label artists. In fact, since having a video for your
single, particularly, your very first single from a new release,
is so vitally important, why would you even release a recording
without one in today's music climate?

To me, that is like a soldier going to war with only a handgun
while leaving his automatic weapon behind in his barracks.

But, perhaps, in your mind, you believe that it is still very
expensive to produce videos for your singles. Even more, while
you are likely an expert on producing music, you probably feel
like an amateur when it comes to video production. However, that
need not be the case any longer.

So, I am going to show you a no-brainer approach to easily
getting a video produced for, at least, your first single from
your new release, if not all of your singles.

=======================================

* Steps to Getting Your Video Singles Produced Cheaply *


1. After you have your mastered soundtrack, and have selected
your first single, you should then contact an area college,
university or art institute.

2. Tell the school's administration department that you need to
get in touch with its "broadcast journalism" department.

3. When you reach the broadcast journalism department, ask to
speak to an "advisor" or "department head."

4. Tell the advisor or department head that you are an artist
interested in getting a music video produced, and that you would
like to be put in touch with either a senior student or graduate
student who is majoring in broadcast journalism with, perhaps, a
concentration on "production" or "direction."

You may also want to stress your preference for a student who
has experience with having produced music videos already.
Depending on the size of the school, there will likely be
several highly qualified student candidates.

In most cases, you will find video producers or directors who
will want to work from a script, which includes a story line,
for your video single. If that is the case, and you are in need
of a script, I would like to direct you to MuBiz.com, which can
produce a video script from your single. See the below link:

http://www.MuBiz.com/services.html#Video_Scripting

You can also see a sample video script that I created for a
client at the below link.

http://www.MuBiz.com/vdoscript.html

5. As for the low cost of getting broadcast journalism students
to produce your video, in quite a few cases, these particular
students are already in need of videos for their class projects,
and yours just may be the one that will pique their interest.
This is a no-cost method, and you will often need to arrange
this setup one semester in advance.

In other cases, students may either own their film equipment, or
be able to borrow school equipment for production. And, in this
case, there may be nominal charges, however, these charges will
be very affordable.

The best thing about this particular scenario is that, while you
will get the best production knowledge from the student, as well
as your video produced with the latest technology, you cannot be
charged commercial rates, such as if you used a videographer or
related service that officially operated in a commercial status.

But, perhaps, the best thing about this avenue to take for
producing your video singles is that, not only will you be able
to bring your marketing and artist status up a notch by having a
video, you will now also have another product that can be used
two-fold:

1. For further promotion of your single

2. Able to sell another product on online music sales sites as
well as in retail outlets.

In some cases, you may also wish to offer it as a package deal
with your CD. Additionally, why not go a step farther by
incorporating it within your CD, placing it on DVD, as well as
making it available on video cassette for retailers and
consumer?

Note: Depending on the extensiveness of your production, most
videos can be produced and edited within two weeks, if not
sooner.


About the author:

Kenny Love is president of MuBiz.com, a multi-service music firm
providing radio promotion, media publicity, gig publicity and
business services for musicians. Get complete details at
http://www.myspace.com/kenlove

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BETTER PAYING GIGS

Here's a promo article about a book released in 2004.


Called.......

The Musician's and Singer's Survival Guide to Booking Better Paying Jobs With or Without An Agent.

A comprehensive guide to finding the best paying gigs for musiciansand singers, from their loca area to the international stage. A musicbusiness veteran gives the inside track to creating a profitable careerin the performing arts, from local clubs to international cruise ships.Includes interviews with successful musicians and entertainmentdirectors who share their secrets in landing the best paying gigs.

Written for both the amateur part-time to the full-timeprofessional musician, this guide will show you how to get gigs, nomatter where you live.

You'll learn where the better paying gigs are and how to get them.

You'll learn techniques on handling the people who can make orbreak your career, how to approach them, how to follow up. Avoid commonmistakee and pitfalls most musicians make when trying to land gigs. Itincludes successs stories by those who have achieved their goals usingthese same principles and techniques.

Mark Curran shows you how to package your demo, press kit andpresentation package to get maximum results, and how to follow up in amanner that will maximize your income.

This book covers all aspects of finding and creating your owngigs, including: Clubs, Private Functions, Parties, Weddings, Caterers,Event Planners, Country Clubs, Cruise Ships, Churches, Schools,Colleges, Fairs, Festivals ... and more.

Don't wait for your next big break. Create your own with Getting Gigs! ©2004, 216 pages.

To purchase this book or browse through many other titles click here.

PS  I am not an affiliate of this product, I'm just bringing you (the indie musician) information and tips that could be useful  for your career :-)

[Resource http://musicbooksplus.com/getting-gigs-p-5969.html]


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5 STEPS TO SUCCESS

Here's 5 steps to success from Musicians' Exchange

1) Define Success
How far do you want to take your music? Is it a joyous and rewarding hobby, are you making it your career, or something in between? Setting specific goals and giving them regular attention is vital to achieving success at any level. Goals give direction to your action. Furthermore, achieving goals is a tasty reward that will build your esteem and motivate you to reach even higher. Guide Dawn McKay at About Career Planning can help you plot your own course.

2) Spend Time, Not Money
How long has it been since you saw a rookie musician with stacks of absurdly expensive gear? Not long, I'm sure. Each of us is guilty of walking into a music store and ogling the top-end instruments, convinced that if we could afford that stuff, our sound would improve by leaps and bounds. "If I had that guitar, I'd practice every day." If you're not practicing every day already, a new guitar won't change that.

The only investment that improves our success as musicians is time - time spent practicing, time spent learning, time spent pursuing our goals. The lure of expensive gear is a tempting but false road to better musicianship.

This is true for bands, too. Many, many bands rush to record a CD at the expense of hundreds and even thousands of dollars, only to find that they have trouble selling more than a few dozen copies. Producer Jack Endino, the mastermind behind Nirvana's first album, reminds bands that all they need to start is a simple demo of any quality. Only after using that tape to get lots of gigs and find legions of fans, he says, should a professional recording even be considered. If you don't have hundreds of fans ready and waiting to buy a professional recording, don't spend the money to make one.

3) Get Informed
There is simply no substitute for knowledge when it comes to navigating the complex and confusing avenues of the music industry. Fully exploit the free resources at this site and others (such as Peter Spellman's Music Business Solutions) to plot the best and safest road to success. Hunter S. Thompson is credited with writing, "The music industry is a cruel and shallow money trench; a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs." Although Mr. Thompson's assessment may be extreme, the wisdom behind it is worth heeding.

4) Play With Others
Music is a form of conversation between human beings. It may well be the oldest language, used for millenia by musically inclined people to jointly convey their own rage, sorrow, hope, and joy to other human beings.

Learning music without this community is as futile as learning to play football by yourself. Although hours spent alone with your instrument are certainly necessary for success, engaging in musical conversations and performances is an equally vital element to your progress. A very common weakness among amateur musicians is their inability to make music with other artists - a flaw which can be easily remedied with experience. Even if you are a beginner, get out and play with others and stage a few performances if you can. Without even realizing it, you will begin to assimilate fundamental lessons about listening, interacting, and performing in a live setting that are critical to your future success.

5) Practice
Practice, practice, practice! There is simply no other way to ensure your own progress as a musician. Have you been spending hours on the Internet, combing for information on how to market your music, or
cheaply record a CD, or win a music competiton? That's great! Have you been spending as least as much time alone with your instrument? If not, you should reconsider your priorities. If you aren't practicing several times a week at least, the music you market, or record cheaply, or submit to a competition isn't going to get very far. As a musician seeking success at any level, practicing your instrument should be your #1 priority. For my full rant on this topic (yes, it's entertaining), read this article.

[Resource http://musicians.about.com/b/a/111856.htm]


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Friday, July 21, 2006

MAKE YOUR OWN TECHNO

Here's something to keep producers, mixers & songwriters happy and busy.

Don't us studio musicians love playing around with gadgets and sounds?  Well I do :-)

This website has all you need to:

"Make your own techno songs

with big beats, storming bases"


Click here to check out this site, it could provide some great additions to your mix.  If you're into making electronic music, there are some really good tips and ideas worth taking a look at.

Idea !  Make a 'club' mix of one (or more) of your traditional 'guitar' songs that you can promote to clubs and DJ's.


[Resource http://www.make-your-own-dance-and-techno-songs.com/ ]

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LAUNCH, PROMOTE AND SUSTAIN YOUR BAND

This is a FREE audio resource available on CD called:

"How To Launch, Promote and Sustain Your Band"

It got some positive feedback from a member on CDbaby, so I thought I'd pass on the details for those interested in obtaining a copy.

To get your free CD copy,

To order from within the US,

send us a self-addressed, stamped envelope with $1.35 US postage on it, and we'll send it to you right away.

To order from outside the US,

send us the self-addressed, stamped envelope, and $2.00 in US currency, and we'll send the CD to you. We do not accept foreign currency.

And....the address is:

Songwriting Consultants, Ltd.
POB 3513
Santa Barbara, CA 93130
USA

[Resource http://cdbaby.org/stories/06/05/11/7261597.html]


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MAKING AND MARKETING YOUR OWN MUSIC CAN BE GOOD FINANCIAL SENSE

Here's is a litle bit of what was written in a recent story about making and marketing your own music. The story comes from the Australian newspaper 'The Sydney Morning Herald'

"Releasing your own album, can be the smartest move a musician can make......It makes financial sense and if you are very careful you can make money out of it, people do lose money on releasing their own albums, but usually because they make ill-informed decisions, like spending far too much money on recordings that don't warrant it."says Stuart Watters, the chief executive of the Australian Association of Independent Record Labels

These words of caution come from Vicky Gordon, head of independent label Rock Sugar Music in Sydney, it can be a struggle to get radio airplay,which is the key to making money. "Commercial success is dictated by radio airplay," she says, "and to get that, the production values of your songs have to stand alongside the quality of the international music being released. But there are a lot of independent artists who have no desire for massive commercial success."

To read the complete article click here

[Resource http://www.smh.com.au/news/money/record-numbers/2006/07/17/1152988473565.html]


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Thursday, July 20, 2006

A STAY AT HOME GIG

Here's an alternative to playing your music in pubs.

I'm sure there are opportunities for this type of 'gig' in your area.

Maybe you could get some ideas and start your own version of home gigs.

It's a unique concept that offers both the musician and audience a truly intimate live music experience.

Concerts In Your Home

CIYH (Concerts In Your Home) hosts a (US) data base of musician's wanting to perform and people looking to hire a musician.

Their goal is:

To promote and help createmeaningful concert experiences formusic audiences and deserving artists.

Why:

Because it is increasingly challengingfor touring performers to draw audiencesto clubs, and more difficult still to connectwith these audiences in a meaningful way.For acoustic performers especially,today's venues offer too many distractions(televisions, pool tables, loud conversations,etc), and are far too reliant onalcohol sales and a "Top 40" atmosphere.

How:

By promoting the concept of house concerts toartists and music lovers across the U.S. and beyond.Artist fees will be used to fund a professionalpublicity campaign to the national media.

[Resource http://ww.concertsinyourhome.com/]


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1564 - A RELIABLE STANDBY

What's 1564 you ask ?

To put it simply, It's the 1st (I), 4th (IV), 5th (V) and 6th (VI) chords in any given key, but played in the sequence of 1st, 5th, 6th and 4th.

Make the 6th chord a Minor chord.

For example, in the key of C - which consists of:

C (1st), D (2nd), E (3rd) , F (4th), G (5th) , A (6th) & B (7th)

the 1564 progression would be C, G, Am, F

These 4 simple chords are the basis of many songs, so if your stuck for ideas, this could free some up.

Just be careful that you don't get stuck in the habit of using the same chord patterns for all your songs.

Better still, analyze your existing songs to see what chord patterns they are using. Maybe trying a new sequence from what you usually use will help you create a great song that really stands out.

[Resoucre http://www.kurumi.com/music/]



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RADIO GA GA

Here's some places to seek out if you're looking for US radio airplay. Just click on the names listed below and you will be taken directly to their website.

Massive Music offers customized, affordable promtion services to independent bands and labels. We specialize in College, Public and Non Comm Radio, as well as Print/Media, Internet and Tour support. Our rates are clearly posted on our site - or you can call us for a custom quote.

Upper Room with Joe Kelley Radio show 24/7 internet radio show is co-hosted by JoeKelley and Gi Dussault. Been on the air since 1982. Also, show airs live Mondays 4-8pm EST on WVOF 88.5 FM in Fairfield, Connecticut. Interviews, In-Studio Concerts and creative music.

[Resource http://www.bardscrier.com/music_promotion/Radio/]

and a couple more....

Radio-Media Bryan Farrish Radio Promotion is a radio-only publicity firm. Since we concentrate on radio, we don't have to spend any time trying for interviews in magazines, newspapers, TV, or on the web.

Radio-Locator comprehensive radio station search engine on the internet. Has links to over 10,000 radio station web pages and over 2500 audio streams from radio stations in the U.S. and around the world.


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LETS FIX YOUR WRITER'S BLOCK

This is for songwriters with guitars!

If you don't write songs using a guitar, I'll find something else especially for you.  Maybe you could take up guitar? (seriously)

If you're feeling a little blocked in the creative department, go get your guitar and tuner............I'll wait.

guitar image


Now, try some of these alternate tunings to get your creativity going.  Playing standard chord shapes will give you a different sound than your ears are used to.  Even make up chord shapes if you like.  Rules!   No rules, just play.

Don't think 'I've got to write a song' just let flow whatever comes naturally.  Even grab your guitar and head outdoors or just to a room you would not normally play in.

Playing in the bathroom is an oldie but still a goodie to get great acoustics.  If you sound better, you are more likely to come up with better ideas.

And ideas are all you need to be concerned with looking for.  If you can't get there, put the guitar down (I'll wait again) and come back to it later.

So, without further ado - here's some tunings and suggestions as to what styles they may suit.

If these aren't enough for you, just click here to check out some more of Richard Ebbs' tunings.

All tunings are from 6th string (the fat one) to 1st string (the thin one)

The example chord shape is just something to get you started

rotating dot TUNING: DADGBE
Used by: Ry Cooder, John Renbourn and others
Suggestions: known as 'dropped D' tuning- provides a deeper bass for songs in D
Example chord shape:
1st string 2nd fret
2nd string 3rd fret
3rd string 2nd fret
(and the rest open)


rotating dotTUNING: DADGAD
Used by: invented by Davy Graham, used by many folk guitarists
Suggestions: if you can be patient enough to find lots of shapeswhich use strings 6, 5, and 3, a 'sound' useful for playing withfiddle/mandolin etc can be had
Example chord shape
fifth string second fret
sixth string second fret
(and the rest open)


rotating dotTUNING: DADF#AD
Used by: Bert Jansch, John Martyn, Robin Williamson, Mississippi John Hurt
Suggestions: this one is used extensively for blues playing, but it can also be a 'mellow' tuning as well-
try this shape for example (which is not a D, G or A chord)...
Example chord shape
third string eighth fret
fifth string ninth fret
sixth string ninth fret
(and the rest open)

rotating dotTUNING: CGDGCD
Used by: the author (Richard Ebbs)
Suggestions: this is a good one. There's a lot of potential here
Example chord shape
first string tenth fret
fourth string tenth fret
fifth string ninth fret
sixth string ninth fret
(and the rest open)


rotating dotTUNING: FGDGG#Eb
or (the same tuning a semitone lower)
rotating dotTUNING: EG#C#F#GD

Used by: the author (Richard Ebbs)
Suggestions: this was discovered by putting a Ravi Shankar(sitar) raga on the record player and twiddling the machine headsuntil all strings were related to the music on record-consequently some very Eastern sounds can be had
Example chord shape
first string twelfth fret (harmonic)
second string twelfth fret (harmonic)
third string twelfth fret (harmonic)
fourth string twelfth fret (harmonic)
fifth string twelfth fret (harmonic)
sixth string twelfth fret (harmonic)


rotating dotTUNING: DADEAE
Used by: the author (Richard Ebbs).
This sounds a bit like a Dick Gaughan tuning (but it isn't) -it's a good 'un!
Suggestions: hard to use at first but the plethora of 4ths and 5thscan make for a good sound
Example chord shape
third string second fret
(and the rest open)


rotating dotTUNING: GBDGBD
Used by: possibly Led Zeppelin(?)
Suggestions: you can play Led Zep's 'Rain Song' in this tuning
Example chord shape
second string third fret
fourth string third fret
fifth string third fret
(and the rest open)


rotating dotTUNING: GGDGBD
Used by: Pink Floyd


rotating dotTUNING: EBDGAD
Used by: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young


rotating dotTUNING: CGCGCE
Suggestions: this tuning is useful if you want your guitar to sound like a mandolin (if you want to play Joni Mitchell's Case Of You on a guitar, for example)


[Resource http://www.feedback.nildram.co.uk/richardebbs/music/musictipntrik.htm#guitartunings]




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FREE SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION FOR PRESS RELEASES

Being internet savvy is going to be a crucial part of the independent musician's marketing expertise.  You will need to know how to get your band or product noticed on the www.  If you're new to this area don't get overwhelmed,  just begin.


And here (below link) is a good a place as any to start:

Click here to get your FREE copy of "5 Tips for High Impact Press Releases" and learn what it is and why you need SEO (Search Engine Optimization).


Of course, also stay tuned to this blog as we bring you more tips to help you help yourself.


[Resource http://www.searchingworks.com/seo/seo-pr-se-pr.htm?gclid=COvQ7c7DnYYCFQs1WAodERaUyA]



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THE REAL DEAL

Here's a great story out of Vancouver that I found in the "The Columbian".

Go and check out Jeff Deal's shop, "Real Deal Records" by visiting the Real Deal Records website.

QUITE THE DEAL

Sunday, July 16, 2006 AMY MCFALL PRINCE Columbian staff writer

Tucked into the corner of a nondescript shopping center along Northeast 164th Avenue, a one-man business is making a name for itself among Clark County artists and audiophiles.

Real Deal Records evolved from mere store to an east Vancouver hotspot where local musicians showcase their talent, because of the owner's passion.

With Real Deal, owner Jeff Deal has been able to surround himself with music and give his customers the same experience. Vinyl records spin out sound, music posters choke the color out of turquoise- and silver-painted walls, and above Deal's perch behind the counter is alist of local bands set to give live performances.

His job is one that seems freewheeling and fun, so very "HighFidelity." It's still a job, but he uses it to spend time getting to know local band members and sell their CDs. That, in turn, has made all the difference.

Working as an independent music store owner is a stark contrast to Deal's previous career.

After 20 years and countless injuries from working as a pile driver, he had to get out.

"Physically, I just couldn't get out of bed anymore," the 44-year-old said. "I don't need an SUV, a big house. ? I'm trying to achieve happiness and eke out a living."

So the Vancouver man set out to find a retail storefront to sell new and used CDs, vinyl records and posters. He wanted to tap east Vancouver, where big-box retailers line arterial streets.

When he found a small strip mall inhabited by lingerie shop Private Lives and pipe store Mary Jane's House of Glass, he knew it would work.

"They've got the sex, they've got the drugs. They needed the rock and roll," he said, laughing.

After nine months, the shop brings in enough money to cover the light bills. The real payoff for Deal, however, was getting the chance to do what he wants. It's Deal's love of music that has drawn artists to his store. He is immersed in music as a fan. He loves listening to it, reading about it and talking about it.

His copies of Rolling Stone and Blender are tattered.

"He is an absolute wealth of information," said Robin Brantley, lead vocalist for Ruby Red, a Vancouver rock band.

Brantley got to know Deal after performing at his store.

"To have somebody who is so eclectic and diverse. I mean, I can go in there, and he can have a detailed conversation about the bassist for The Who. It's really incredible," she said.

Deal isn't just into 1960s British rock. He's got an affinity for punk; he used to be into jazz and reggae; and he can talk about artists ranging from hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash to country rockers the Dixie Chicks.

His collection is just as varied.

"A lot of the stuff I sell, you can't find at your Wal-Marts and Targets," he said.

A ledge lining one wall holds a long row of new vinyl albums, which are gaining in popularity but are still hard to find at most music stores. Popular records such as The Gorillaz's "Demon Days," Bruce Springsteen's "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" and  WillieNelson's "Countryman" share the space.

For Deal, the demand for new vinyl is exciting. With iPods and MP3players leaving CD collections to collect dust, records are once again becoming the form of music worth the investment, Deal says.

He picks up Radiohead's "Kid A" album and slides the large vinyl out of the cardboard case as he strolls to the back of the store.

"Some people think CDs sound better than vinyl, but they don't even come close," he said. "CDs are like putting toast in the toaster.Putting on a record is such an experience."

He places the record on the turntable, delicately drops the needle and steps back and smiles. Two teenage boys barrel down the sidewalk,one on a skateboard, and stroll into the shop. They stop by regularly and want to know if Deal has anything new today.

Deal shows them some new Kurt Cobain posters while a young father walks in with his two young daughters.

He makes a point of connecting with all of the customers, getting a feel for what type of music they like. He's working to build his second-hand collections.

"You can never have too much Hendrix, Cash, Beatles or Pink Floyd," he said.

Most of the new CDs he carries are local bands' albums. Carrying their music and allowing the in-store performances have made Deal a must-know for the local music community.

To make way for the performances, Deal pushes the vintage furniture he keeps in the back of his store out of the way. Guests flip through racks of CDs while the bands set up. Deal said the biggest struggle with the shows is that since they're free, it's hard to guess how many will show up. So, he always hires a doorman and makes sure not to go over his allotted capacity. At some shows, he's had to turn people away. "He's been good to us," said Kevin Nettleingham, lead vocalist and guitar player for Vancouver's The Martindales. The four-man band played at Real Deal on a Friday night in June.

Nettleingham also owns a production studio and a small record label.He says the support from a local retailer is helpful for bands that struggle to gain fans in Clark County's dearth of live music venues.

"It's hard for independent artists to get their music distributed and heard," Nettleingham said.

That struggle is a familiar one for Deal. A former musician himself,he, too, is trying to find a way to meld his passion and a paycheck.


[Resoucre http://www.columbian.com/lifeHome/lifeHomeNews/07162006news43286.cfm]

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Wednesday, July 19, 2006

SHOULD YOU BUY A USA, MEXICAN OR CHINESE FENDER ?

Ok drummers, bass players, singers (& all you other fine muso folk) I wont be making this blog site all about guitarists.

However,

You guitarists out there thinking about buying a good old Fender, maybe you'd like to take a look at this article showing some good and some not so good points of Fender guitars, made locally (USA) and imported.

This article came from Go Articles

When Buying A Fender Guitar Should I Buy USA, Mexican, or Chinese Model?

Author: August Anderson

Fender Stratocaster's are probably one of the most well known
guitars around. When legends like Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi
Hendrix, and Eric Clapton are playing them it's gotta tell you
something.

However, not all Fender Stratocaster's are the same. Like
anything, you get what you pay for. If you are in the market to
buy a Fender, I suggest you listen to a bit of my advice before
you decide to make a impulse purchase.

Why should you listen to me?

Well, first of all I used to be a guitar salesman at a guitar
shop in San Diego California. Also, I have owned a variety of
Fender's and have direct experience with multiple strats.

There are basically 3 levels of Fender Strats. I'll break em
down by starting with the best first.

1. The Good Old American Made Stratocaster

You can't beat the American made Stratocaster. The quality is
superb, and can't be matched. However quality comes with a
price. You can plan on paying about $450 and up for a "used"
American Stratocaster. Newer one's are closer to a grand and on
up. There is a huge difference between playing the US guitar and
all the others. Simply put, the US made Fender's are King.

The weight on the US Strat is significantly heavier then the
imports. The reason for this is becuase the body is typically
made from Alder wood instead of some cheaper woods.

2. The Mexican Stratocaster

If you don't have the cash to kick down for a US Strat, then
your next best option is to get a Mexican Stratocaster. Hey,
these babies rock!!! I've had multiple Mexican Strats and they
are great.

You can pick up a used Mexican Strat for about $250-$375. While
it's not quite as good as the US version, it is a phenomenal
guitar.

3. The Chinese Ax

Last and least is the Chinese Stratocaster. You can pick these
up for about $125, give or take a few bucks. When buying a
Chinese guitar, remember that you get what you pay for. Now I'm
not saying the guitar won't work, or even that it sucks.
However, I am saying that the Chinese model is nowhere close to
the quality of the Mexican Strat or the USA model.

Unless you really want the bottom of the line Fender, or are
strapped on cash, I strongly encourage you to search for at
least the Mexican model when purchasing a Fender. Of course the
US Stratocaster is the ultimate, but sometimes that is not a
reality for everyone.

My advice, go with the Mexican Strat, it rocks!!!!!! ....and
affordable too.

About the author:
August Anderson (AKA Augmented Auggie) has been helping kids to
play guitar for many years. Auggie feels music is a passion that
should be shared with the world.

Please visit Auggie's blog and show your support for this
starving artists...Peace

http://heavenlyguitars.blogspot.com Auggie's Heavenly Guitars

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GOING SOLO - BE REAL

Taking your songs to the stage without a band can really expose any weaknesses in your songs and or performance.

Here's excellent 10 tips I found on an article written by English singer, songwriter, campaigner and broadcaster Tom Robinson

1) Playing solo, you can't rely on killer beats or sheer gut-thumping volume to convince the unconverted. Alone and exposed on an emotional tightrope (with no safety net) you have to win people over with guile, great tunes and sheer force of personality. We need all the help we can get. Watch other performers - steal their techniques or learn from their mistakes. And visuals, presentation, lighting - even the seating plan - all drastically affect the way your performance is perceived by an audience: much more so than with bands. Put in enough thought, preparation and commitment, and you'll wipe the floor with the opposition every time.

2) Create your space. Choose an area on the stage where you can see - and be seen by - the whole room. If there's no stage, mark out your performing area on the floor with a line of black gaffa tape. And always carry your own black gaffa tape. Move all unneccessary guitar cases, beer crates, mike stands etc. out of the way to give you a clear working area of floor space. Also, move any chairs and tables in the venue closer together and nearer to the stage. You always get the best audience response when people are a) comfortable b) close to you and c) close to each other.

3) Getting the setting. Buy ten metres of thin lightweight black fabric for at your local department store - it'll cost about 30 quid. Cut it into four and hang it along the back wall of your stage, covering all the usual scuzzy, gaffa-flecked wallpaper. A black backdrop absorbs stray light and looks instantly professional: watching the stage, an audience sees you and nothing else.

4) It may sound obvious, but point the stage lights at where you're standing. Remove all the dusty mauve and crinkly green filters, and either use white light or (better still) carry crisp new filters of your own. Lighting gel is absurdly cheap and makes a huge difference to the way your show looks. Try Lee 103 (straw) for warm front lighting, or Lee 181 (congo blue) with 1kw lamps for deep atmosphere. For a stockist, call Lee Filters on 01-264-366-245.

5) Carry your own Shure Beta 58 mike and use it always. I can't recommend these highly enough - clear, crisp and loud with unbeatable feedback rejection. However crap the PA is, a decent mike gives you a fighting chance. You'd spend half a grand on a decent guitar or keyboard, why not a couple of hundred on your voice ? And no, I don't have an endorsement deal with Shure.

6) Even small PAs can be drastically improved by "tuning" them to the room. Most systems feed the front-of-house desk output through a 31 band graphic equaliser for this purpose. If possible, get to the gig early, take your mike out into the middle of the room and send it through through a flat (no EQ) channel on the desk. If the PA sounds reasonably hi-fi, you're home and dry. But if (more likely) it sounds muffled and boomy, you'll need all your tact and diplomacy to get your hands on the house graphics. Boost each frequency in turn - talking down the mike - until you find all those nasty ringing overtones (160 hz is a common culprit). Work by subtly subtracting ugly frequencies, rather than boosting the sweet ones. A well tuned PA is more important than any amount of flashy reverb, delays or compression.

7) Shoot the monitor engineer. Seriously, there are far more foldback systems in the world than good engineers (and most of those end up behind front of house desks). Result: with cheap PAs at small gigs, your monitors are almost guaranteed to sound like shite. If they're unbearable at soundcheck, they won't improve by showtime. Don't be afraid to turn them off, move the PA speakers back and inwards - and listen to the front of house sound instead. The monitor dickhead will tell you this "causes feedback". It won't.

8) Mixing it. If you're serious about your front of house sound but can't afford your own engineer, consider doing it yourself. What's there to mix - your voice, your instrument & maybe a bit of reverb ? Carry a little Mackie or Spirit Folio and do it all yourself from on stage. If it sounds good to you, chances are it'll sound good to the audience. Ultimately, though, there's no substitute for a great sound engineer of your own. When you finally find one you like and get on with, hang on to her (or him) for dear life.

9) Even if the venue's half empty or stuffed with drunks at showtime, don't write off your audience in advance. Perform with style and dignity for anybody out there who's interested and listening, even if you can't see them. Acknowledge it when someone claps, joins in, or laughs at one of your jokes - a little flicker of applause needs nurturing, fanning, feeding. Look over to where it came from and grin, wink, bow ironically. In years to come, people will come up and say they first saw you at the Turd & Bogbrush in 1999. Even gigs that feel like a complete disaster can win you lifelong fans.

10) Anything you do, do big. Don't be feeble or apologetic. Take possession of your performing area, own it, fill the space. Who the hell wants to watch something half-hearted ? The world is not waiting for another sensitive songwriter to perch on a stool, pick lifelessly at an acoustic guitar and warble inaudible platitudes about man's inhumanity to man. The essence of great performance is energy, passion and total commitment, whether you're Suzanne Vega or Henry Rollins. You don't have to be note perfect, or even massively talented, to pull it off. But whatever you do, it does need to be very, very real.


[Resource http://www.tomrobinson.com/writing/gigtips.htm]


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FREE INDIE MUSICIAN RESOURCE

You can now get your FREE indie music directory.

Just launched, it's an online directory put out by J.H. Mattern Communications on the Indie Guru website.

This niche Web directory allows indie bands and musicians, record labels, promoters, music media and websites, and anyone in the business of independent music to add their link for free, with no reciprocal links required.

To read the full press release click here

[Resource http://www.pr.com/press-release/14182]


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SHOULD MUSIC BE FREE?

Thought I'd put this article up, given the last article was all about digital downloads.  It's an abbreviated version, so if you want to read the whole thing click here.


The big question...Should Down loadable Music be Free?

A recordable CD held in front of a computer

Should Music Downloads Be Free?  By Mark Savage Entertainment reporter, BBC News

A group representing the U K's independent music labels says it wants to change the way we pay for music online.

They say music could, in effect, be free to customers - with payment collected as part of their Internet subscription.

The system would work like a pay TV channel, where all of the programmes and movies are free once a monthly fee has been paid.

It involved other music industry bodies, such as the musician's Union and the Performing Rights Society (PRS), which collects royalties for songwriters and performers.

They say that, in the future, the industry would make money from file-sharing music by charging Internet Service Providers(ISPs) for distribution.

However, customers would still have to pay for a permanent copy of a piece of music on CD, or as a download bought from digital retailers.

Lessons learned

Rock group Blur
Blur's last album, Think Tank, was leaked on the Internet
At a press conference outlining their ideas, the panel of music industry experts also said that record companies were wrong to sue people who illegally download music.

"Prohibition always ends in disaster," said Dave Rowntree, drummer for the rock band Blur. "As an industry we've learnt our lessons."

Wenham says she envisions a two-tier system for music fans.

Customers would have access to any music track they wanted, delivered in real-time over the internet, as part of their broadband connection.

However, they would have to make separate payments for "premium content", such as exclusive performances, or to keep permanent copies of songs offline.

Law change

However, the music industry collective says copyright laws will need to change in order for this to happen.

Most importantly, they want Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to pay for music distributed over their services.

However, the music industry group has yet to convince ISPs that the system has merit.

Illegal downloads

The assertion that internet providers should be heldresponsible for illegal downloading by their users will not help to build bridges.

The music industry group says it wants to make intermediaries - including ISPs - "the target of copyright enforcement action".

The Internet Service Providers Association (Ispa) issued a robust response to the suggestion.

"ISPs bear no liability for illegal file sharing as the content is not hosted on their servers," it said.

Such disagreements are currently being thrashed out aspart of an independent review of the U K's copyright laws commissioned by the government.


[Resource http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5174292.stm]

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THE FUTURE OF THE SINGLE

This may be good news for independent musicians in the distribution of their music.

In this news snippet I just came across, Alan McGee who is the founder of the English record label, 'Creation Records' says:

"Downloads will be king within the next couple of years.....The majors have lost the football."

McGee believes the decline in singles' popularity to be inevitable and indicative of a change in power in favor of musicians and smaller labels.

The British Phonographic Industry rejects that view, saying:

"It depends how you define the single....In terms of the volume of single tracks that have been sold, the market has doubled in just over a year. What has happened is that the singles market has accommodated a new format, the download."

Creation Records is home to some great bands the most famous (at least from a commercial point of view) would probably have to be Oasis.

Given Alan's history and success with Creation Records and having helped launch many successful 'alternative' type artists, he probably knows a thing or two about the trends of the music buying public.

No-one can deny the popularity of music downloads and the good news is that this puts all creaters of music on a level playing field.  Savvy independent musicians need to learn effective ways of marketing their music and getting their song noticed and heard in the digital world.


[Resource http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060718-080255-2274r]

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SONGWRITING IN BERMUDA - OCTOBER 5th to 8th, 2006

Are you a professional musician? Can you claim 'professional' expenses as a tax deduction?

Here's an artist and songwriting retreat which is to be held October 5 - 8, 2006 in beautiful Bermuda.

9 Beaches - Beach Scene

(Above) The 9 Beaches Resort - Bermuda, where the Songwriting & Artist Retreat will be held
Photo from http://www.songs-and-music.com/


The songwriting retreat will have three industry workshop hosts one of whom has written songs for Brittany Spears, and Back Street Boys.

Apart from looking at lyric and song writing, other workshops will focus on performance and stage presence and there will also be a workshop especially for artist development and what it means to be an independent artist.

This is definitely not just a retreat/workshop for major label artists.

The organizer of this event, Richard Bassett said "there are opportunities to promote yourself independently as a recording artist that can sustain you and help you to achieve." The workshop will also offer tips on independent promotional and marketing strategies.

For those wondering if they can afford to attend, the cost is (US) $225 for the four days, not including accommodation.

Click here to learn more about this four day event.


To read the full article click here


[Resource http://www.theroyalgazette.com]



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