If you want to really step up your podcast, video blog, or next live streaming event, here are some things to consider when setting up.  There’s a saying in the audio industry:

TV without picture is radio. TV without sound is useless.

Take your sound seriously. Other people are listening.

Set Your Gain Correctly.

This is hands down the most important stage of your signal chain.  If it isn’t correct, it compromises everything thereafter.  If you set your gain on your mic preamp to low, you’ll have a very low signal overall, resulting in a quiet and frustrating recording.  You’ll risk losing listeners or viewers.  However, if you have it set too high and it’s what would be considered “hot”, you’ll have clipping and will distort your signal.  This can be even more frustrating that a level that is too low.  It sounds harsh and unprofessional.  It sounds like an amateur recorded it in their garage without a clue.

So find a happy medium.  A gain setting that isn’t too low, but not so high that if you or your guest gets loud or excited it won’t clip. Do a few tests, record the same phrase each time, and then listen to them back to see which sounds the best.

Use a Compressor.

So you’ve set your gain at an appropriate level.  But it’s still not quite as loud as you’d like.  It doesn’t sound like “the pros” sound.  You know what I’m talking about.  Listen to the radio.  The DJs have that big, full, “pro” sound to their voice.  It’s not weak, thin, or tinny sounding.  It never clips, and you can always hear them over the background music.

I’ll let you in on an audio engineers secret weapon.  Compression.

Okay, so a compressor is not a secret.  What it does and how to use it correctly, though, is often a mystery to people.  Even in my line of work, I come across other “engineers” that admit they don’t fully understand how a compressor works.  Unfortunately, if you don’t understand how a tool works, you can’t maximize its potential.

Compressors basically hug your audio signal.  With the left arm wrapping around, it’s keeping the low signals from being too low.  Then, with the compressors right arm, it’s pulling in the signals that might be too loud.  What it’s doing is keeping the fringe signal levels in a more controllable, appropriate, and enjoyable dB range.  When used correctly, it truly helps polish a vocal signal.

You have a couple choices when looking to start using a compressor.  You can go with a nice little hardware version like the dbx 266XS 2 channel compressor.  This is a two channel compressor, so if you have a guest, you can run two mics through it and have a great sound.  In this setup, you’d plug your mic into the compressor, then run a line from the compressor to your existing audio interface.

Most audio recording software suites will have a plug-in that would also work just as well.  The nice thing about the software versions are the presets and the ability to save your settings for particular guests and scenarios.

It is very easy to get the settings wrong on your compressor and wind up peaking your signal.  I’ll be posting an article on how to use a compressor correctly following this post.

Maintain Proper Position.

One of the most simple things to do to improve your sound for your audio or video podcast is to use correct positioning of your mic.  In the audio engineering world, we call this proximity.  Maintaining proper distance from your microphone goes a long way.  If you’re too close, you’re using a bad mic, and you’ve got your gain set too high, you might as well light it on fire.  If you’re sitting too far from it and your gain is set too low, you’ll only be pulling your hair out when you listen to it back.  Or, if you’re too far away, you might boost the gain so that it picks up your voice.  The down side to this is what’s called the noise floor.  The noise floor is the ambient sounds in your surrounding environment.  For instance, you are recording in your office.  There is a dog barking outside, cars driving by, the HVAC pumping air, and a loud fan on your PC.  All of these noises, while not terribly distracting to us individually, when added together create a noise floor that you can’t get rid of.  If you boost your gain on your mic pre, you’ve made your mic more sensitive, thereby picking up all of these little noises even more and creating an unprofessional sounding recording or live stream.

So, stay close enough to the mic that you’re the only thing it’s picking up, keep your gain at a manageable level, and invest in a compressor.

Thanks for reading and as usual, I’m looking forward to your comments below.

Cheers,

Josh

How the Charts Are Like Walmart

The charts are similar to the Walmarts of the world; they curate a list of music that is selling or “setting trends” and are getting radio play.  Clear Channel has a huge role in who gets airplay and in what part of the country.  This in turn has a huge impact on whether they make the charts.  What does this have to do with anything?  Clear Channel owns more than 800 nationwide radio stations.  They control what you’re hearing.  If they don’t think it will make them money, whether it’s good music or not, they won’t put it into their rotation.  You have to tickle the fancy of Clear Channel to even have a remote shot at making the charts.  Kind of like Walmart.  Without selling your product to Walmart at a deeply discounted rate (and sometimes even taking a loss just to get their nationwide distribution), the small vendors have to sell their souls to Walmart.  It is eerily similar to the music industry, really.  People call in to the radio stations to request the music they like the most, out of what they’re hearing the most.  If they haven’t heard a new artist, how can they request that artist?  So we’re stuck with the same handful of pop artists making the charts, getting the airplay, and getting the major label record deals.  Kind of like the suppliers with cushy relationships with Walmart.  All the while the boutiques and mom-and-pop stores are going under because they can’t compete with the big boys any more.  The small guys often have superior products, but this doesn’t matter.  The independent artists just cannot afford to compete with the majors.

How the Independent Artists Are Like Mom & Pops

There are thousands of artists that we haven’t heard of.  Many of them would likely melt our faces if we listened to them.  Will they make the charts with their face-melting music?  No.  Instead, they will scrap together what they can to buy a broken down van, do a few show dates, and hopefully build a decent enough following to make enough money to pay for the gas to get home.  The independent shops that are beat down by Walmart go through the same thing.  They have a local following, but can’t compete with a nationwide distributor that has connections and deep pockets.

The independent and small artists might not look a certain way, have a certain sound, or talk about sex and the club enough in their music.  Unfortunately, the major labels are creating this sick culture in music.  A culture where the artist writes about going to the club and dancing to a song.  Then they go to the club and dance, all while their song is playing on the DJ’s rig.  It’s almost like looking in a mirror when there’s a mirror behind you; it keeps going and you’re not quite sure which reflection is the first reflection.  People like the music they hear because it brings back emotions and memories from events.  Someone enjoyed themself at the club.  What song was on?  A song about enjoying themselves at the club. It’s kind of weird, don’t you think?

What Can We Do?

There are pop artists playing on the radio that are truly talented.  People that are amazing.  But for every one that is great, there are 10 that are just a pretty face.  Stop buying into the notion that just because an artist is on a major pop chart they must be good.  Here are a few brief things we can do to help the independent artists survive:

Listen for yourself.  You know what you like.  You know what you don’t like.  Start asking for new recommendations from friends.  When you hear a song that you really like, listen to more of the album.  Buy another record from their catalog.

Find those undiscovered artists and invest in them by going to their shows and buying their albums.  They can’t continue to write, record, and play without money from fans.  Period.

Buy local. Go out and find the artists in your area that are playing shows and get to know them.  Getting their music heard is more important to them than anything else.  Ask around about some of the best local bands you haven’t seen yet and check them out.

Tell your friends. Word of mouth is the absolute best form of advertisement.  We trust the opinion of our friends over the talking heads on TV and radio.  Help these independent artists gain new followers by talking about them and sharing links on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, blogs, and anywhere else you can think of.

Thanks for reading.  I would love to see your comments, thoughts, opinions, and stories about this topic.  Also, shoot me a tweet on Twitter; I’m @josh_walker. I’m always looking for new people to follow and engage with online.

At first listen, it is clear that Kenny has strong rock and country influences.  However, the country influence doesn’t seem to mesh quite right with his songwriting.  I encourage you to check it out and judge for yourself.  Here are my thoughts on a few of the tracks on the album:

Elvis Wine: It’s a song about two people trying to get away.  The track has a great early 90’s alternative rock feel with harmonica.  I personally have always liked this sound.

Damaged Goods:  Here Kenny combines a couple generes; rock with a slight funk guitar riff throughout. The drums keep a low-key groove going as a foundation.   This is a song about being okay with where you’re from.

All the Words I Can’t Say: The music is great.  Again, there’s a strong 90’s rock sound, this time with a rock organ underneath the band.  It has a nice, easy listening sound to it.  If Kenny does a full album in this vien of music, it would be even better.

Say a Prayer: On this track, Kenny reminisces and goes back to the place he grew up.  The musical content is well put together.  In addition to the rock organ, there is also a piano track that works well.  I feel that lyrically, this is one of Kenny’s songs on the ablum.

It is What it Be:  This is a good track to close the album with.  He shows a little more energy on this song, leaving the listener with a feeling of satisfaction.

You might feel the need to skip a song or two, as there are a few bridges and choruses that are pretty similar.  Kenny tries to change it up and does a good job with the individual instruments, but you’ll definitely notice the key and chord progressions that he’s comfortable in.  With the rock sound being his strength, I would look forward to a full barebones rock album from him.  You can follow Kenny Greco on Twitter and Facebook.  Check out his website, KennyGreco.com for more information about what he’s up to.

As usual, thanks for reading, guys!  I always appreciate you checking out the site and leaving feedback.

Cheers,

Josh

He has a very likable, listenable sound.  His style of songwriting is dynamic, bringing the listener up and down.  The music is never boring.  I would even say that you could remove the vocals and have a great instrumental album.  However, don’t let the instrumentation discount his voice and lyrics.  Overall, Kevin shows us some acoustic, folk, blues, and rock influence on his writing.  That being said, this is an album that I feel a wide array of people can enjoy.

The first song on the album, “Till the Day That You Die,” is a great way to open up.  It has a positive, storytelling feel to it.  The song has a good energy to it that is easy to tap your foot to.  The opening few bars are unique and catchy, making it easy to recognize when it comes on again in your playlist.  Writing music that a listener recognizes in the first few beats is not always easy, at least not easy to do and leave a good impression.  Kevin hit it on the head with this track.  In the chorus he sings a very catchy rhyme: “With your heart in your hands and your fist in the sky / that’s just how you’ll be till the day that you die.” It’s lines like this throughout the album that make Kevin’s songs memorable and catchy.

The third track on the album, “The Balance,” is a contemplative song where Kevin bounces his thoughts back and forth between himself.  For example, lines like “I contemplate the weight of what it means to die / and if I think therefore I am, then who the hell am I? / To be cynical of questions whose answers we’ve not heard, / when did “I don’t know” become such a dirty word?” are great lyrics that again are catchy enough to stay in your head.  He seems to humble himself in this song, trying to find where what he believes and what he is influenced by intersect, sometimes clashing.

“A Million to One” is another track where he presents an easy-to-listen-to song that your foot can’t resist.  He touches on some of the things in his life that mean a lot to him.  It’s another example of a running bass line that just works well with the song.

Another one of my favorite tracks on the album is “Kansas (Let Me Be),” another track in which he uses all of the instruments to pull the listener in.  Nothing that he writes is overly complicated, thereby alienating some listeners.  Instead, the bass, drums, guitar, organ, and vocals all contribute independently interesting parts.  Three minutes in he brings a Fender Strat in for a couple of riffs for a bluesy, almost John Mayer sound.  Again, he doesn’t overdo it.  I like that the song retains its own sound while paying tribute to some of Kevin’s influences.

The last track on the album is more of a rough recording of his acoustic and vocals.  I like the simplicity of “Chosen Words.”  Kevin shows that he not only understands how to write a dynamic song but that he also has a grasp on how to write an entire dynamic album.  He leaves the listener with a slow, acoustic track that is right at home in a local coffee shop or a nice pub.

Go to kevincott.bandcamp.com to listen to the tracks and get his album for $5.  Listen to it and leave your thoughts in the comments section below so I can hear what you think of the album, too.  While you’re at it, go follow him on Twitter: @KevinCott

Are you a producer?

Most people think of music or record producers as the people that stand in the control room of the studio with their arms crossed, nodding their head either in approval or disapproval.  These type of producers are more of the managerial type, keeping the band on schedule and/or budget.  Others know producers as “beat makers”.  While the beat makers are legitimately producing musical content, they are by no means a record producer.  Their producing ends at the beat.

There are a huge number of people touting themselves as producers these days.  They believe that because they have a Mac with some beat software on it that they are a real producer.  If, instead, they take that software, write music with it, and then put a vocalist and instruments to it, they are on the right track.  If they’re just cranking out beats all day, they are not a producer.  Let me say that again.  Because you make beats does not make you a producer.  The beat is not what makes the song.  It’s the hook.  The melody line.  The intonation of the vocals.  And so much more.

For instance, take any pop song and remove the vocal track.  Listen to the beat.  It might keep your interest for 20 seconds, if you’re lucky.  After that, it’s boring.  So, again, if you want to be a producer, start producing music from start to finish.

What do they do?

A real record producer takes musical content, the vocal artist, and/or musicians and orchestrates it all into a finished, polished song. This might mean pushing the vocalist to get the perfect performance.  Other times it means actually helping the band write the songs.  Producers have a high level of creative input when it comes to the recording process.   They are, in essence, a part of the band.  They impart a particular influence on the finished album that otherwise would not have been there.  Some producers will even play instruments on some of the recordings on the album.  Many record and music producers are selected by bands and labels because of their individual influences, sounds, and styles.  Often times, the producer will work with a band for multiple albums because of the trust they’ve built, along with the workflow that has been established.  Everyone operates differently when writing music and recording it.  Every band, every producer, and every engineer.  When you’ve found a producer and/or engineer that really works well with you, don’t let them get away!  In short, a producer does whatever is needed to make the song what it needs and wants to be.

Does my band need a producer?

When you get a producer in the studio, you need to be well practiced and ready to record.  The studio is not the place to finish writing your songs as a band.  It is the place, however, to bring in a producer and have them give you feedback on your music.  While you’re recording and listening back to the tracks, a producer will make suggestions on ways to improve the song.  That producer is an invaluable set of ears that will be able to tell you if your music is attractive to the end listener.  What they do is act as an unbiased third party.  A producer has your music’s best interest in mind, not the guitar player or the vocalist.  Keep that in mind.  When your producer tells you to do a track over or change the pronunciation of a word, don’t get bent out of shape; just do it.  They want the music to be just as good as you want it to be.  They aren’t attached to the song emotionally like you might be, allowing them to see and hear things that you’re missing.

If you’re recording an album, whether an EP or full length, consider hiring a producer.  It is an expense you may not have planned on, but you’ll be happy you used one.  Even if you believe your music to be the best set of songs on planet Earth, you will do your music a great disservice by not have a professional creative mind and set of ears on the other side of the glass.   You may think that you have your songs nailed.  You just might.  It never hurts, however, to have another professional listen in and give constructive criticism.  All of the greats have had equally great producers; why wouldn’t you?

I am beginning a new series of blog posts regarding the new music industry.  In it I will layout some definitions, myths, and truths as they pertain to the music industry, record industry, radio industry, and more.  These industries are notorious for confusing the musicians, fans, and businesses that work in them.  Let’s try to get some things cleared up.

First, the music industry is not the record industry. Let’s get that straight. The music industry is comprised of musicians; the record industry is made up of corporations and business people.

Secondly, CD sales do not mean the music industry is in a dismal state.  The way that the numbers are skewed is ridiculous.  Rather, the music industry is booming. The major labels want you to believe that they are a product of the economy and the piracy issue.  Even the state of radio has changed dramatically.  We have changed the way we as listeners consume music.  We have changed the way we hear about new music.  Failing companies have tried to change their models while others have stuck to their guns.  The bottom line is that the fans won’t wait for them to catch up.

How many new artists did you hear in 2010 compared to new artists in 1996? The music industry is alive and thriving, regardless of what you read about music downloads and CD sales or radio.  Let’s talk about the condition of radio.

1996

The number of commercial radio stations? Roughly 6,100.

In 1996 the top ten radio companies controlled only 600 or so radio stations.

2010

The number of commercial radio stations? 6,479.  That’s an increase of just over 300 new stations.

Today Clear Channel owns more than 800 radio stations.

One company today controls more radio than the top ten companies of 1996 combined.

I am not happy with the current way that radio stations are run. The majority of major market radio stations nation-wide (USA) are owned by Clear Channel, reaching the majority of the country. I would classify that as a monopoly. Fifteen years ago there was diversity among the markets. Today, the stations are owned by a few large corporations and play the same tracks by the same artists all day long, all over the country.

Number of markets reached by radio in 2008

I for one do not like to be “sold” something. Especially music. I like what I like. I don’t need some major record label spending millions of dollars to tell me why I should buy the latest pop record that the 13 year old girls are buying. I will go to shows, talk with friends, and work with artists. These are a select few ways I find new music.  On a side note, here’s a related post I wrote on buying songs versus buying artists.  Remember that the music industry is changing daily.  Bands need to find new ways to make a dollar.  We all know at this point that it’s not going to be from your next album.  It will be from partnerships, collaborations, integration, and networking.

There is little chance for an independent artist to get serious exposure on the radio without being endeared by Clear Channel. The upside to this situation is that the radio stations in their current format, and as we know them, are on their way out, just as are the major record labels.  The music industry is changing, not dying.

If you haven’t noticed, Internet radio, Pandora, AOL Radio, Shazam, Last.fm, and other digital music outlets are exploding.  These platforms are affecting the way we consume music.  Why would someone listen to a Top 40 station anymore when they can pull up Pandora and have a highly customized library of music literally catered to them?  Why buy a physical CD when you can have your music streamed to you anytime and anywhere?  Services like these are intelligent and adaptive. This is what makes them appealing. Major record labels, and in turn major radio, tells us what to listen to. The digital platforms allow us to decide what we listen to. Pandora and similar platforms listen to the user and adapt. They are embracing social media in its truest sense, encouraging constant communication from both sides.

The old way of doing things is changing.  Major record labels, FM radio, and traditional print advertising will never cease to exist completely. They will, however, cease to be the norm.  CD sales are declining.  Radio is becoming just one big playlist.  Illegal downloads are thriving.  Yet in spite of this we are discovering new working bands on a daily basis and purchasing their music, tickets, and merchandise.

The music industry IS NOT the record industry.  The record industry as well as radio are losing out.  The music will prevail.

That’s a wrap for the first post in the series titled “The New Music Industry Series”.  Coming up, I’ll be writing about how an artist can make money and survive in the new industry without a record label, how to use social media as a band, whether or not you need a manager, and much more.

1. Passionate artists

There are plenty of artists in today’s arena.  Some are great, some are good, some are mediocre, and lots are horrible.  Will the groups in the charts today still be producing hits in 20 years?  If they are passionate musicians, singers, and songwriters, they stand a much better chance.  That doesn’t mean that all passionate artists will succeed, or that the guys that could care less won’t make loads of cash.  The passion a person possesses is simply one key element in their chances of a successful record and career.

2. Ideas that transcend

There are a million topics to write songs about.  Some get used more than others, such as love, breakups, dogs, cars, the club, patriotism, politics, and more.  To have a successful song or record, write about ideas that people can relate to whether they are 15 years old or 50.  When they listen to it in high school they form a connection with the song; it meant something to them at that point in their life.  30 years later when they hear it, they go right back to high school.  Here are some examples of songs that have done this:

- Dream On by Aerosmith

-Hold My Hand by Hootie and the Blowfish

- Let’s Get It Started by The Black Eyed Peas

And here are some examples of songs that will probably not bring back memories:

- Because I Got High by Afroman (though I guess that might take some people back to high school)

– Voodoo by Godsmack

– Breaking the Habit by Linkin Park

3. Quality team members

At the end of the day, you need people around you that care about your music as much as you do.  People that help market you to fans, use their contacts to help get you on shows with bigger acts, and above all, people that don’t lie or cheat you.  The music business can be extremely cut throat.  You may never fully know what angle someone is using or why.  If you and your team have earned each other’s trust, you should have no problem running your business.  It’s a matter of ensuring that you stay focused on your goals as an artist and track your progress.

4. Create a niche

Forget finding a niche.  Make one for yourself.  You are creating music.  It is art that you have developed, nurtured, and brought to life.  Do not waste your time copying someone else’s ideas or sound.  I promise that you will fail in the end if you copy.  Be yourself and create something that nobody else is.  They’re probably too busy copying someone else.  Take advantage of today’s diversity and run with it.

If everyone on your team understands the direction you want to go and you’re incorporating the above points, it should be smooth sailing.  Just don’t forget to practice.  As usual, thanks for reading.  I’d love to hear your feedback. Leave a comment and retweet this post!Tweet

Cheers,

Josh

I’ve got a lot of ideas bouncing around in my head.  Some are pretty solid while others are still blobs of unformed thought.  Regardless, I have had a difficult time in the past trying to make something out of these ideas.  I would wait on them (or forget about them altogether) while someone else accomplished them before I did.  This was extremely frustrating.  I didn’t get frustrated with that other person that did it before me; I got frustrated with myself for not devoting the time and effort to that one, singular idea.

My wife is always right alongside me, hearing my crazy ideas and business plans as I spout them out at the most random times.  I think she might have grown tired of them which led her to make a fantastic suggestion:

Use an “idea journal” to keep track of all my ideas and thoughts.

Genius!  I am now able to jot down that million-dollar idea that I got after talking with someone about an issue at their company, or in the middle of taking a shower. (I come up with some weird stuff at some random times.)

With an idea journal my ideas have started taking much more shape and are taking off in their own directions.  Without this outlet I’d still be tossing them around in my head instead of holding brainstorming meetings with other people.

Shortly after starting my idea journal, I realized that I was still not able to actually accomplish any of them; I was only able to keep track of them.  This prompted me to scrutinize how and on what exactly I was spending my time.  I am still in the process of this evaluation and am always trying to improve the use of my time to better facilite the cultivation of my ideas and projects.

I’ve started implementing the following habits that have helped me increase my productivity:

1.  Limit your interaction on multiple social networking sites.

This could very well be the biggest timewaster of them all.  Facebook.  Twitter.  LinkedIn.  MySpace.  Four Square.  Ning.  And the list goes on and on.  A lot of the data is duplicated from one site to the other, which leads to overlaps that could waste more time.

I evaluated what I used (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Foursquare) and how/why I used them.  This evaluation led me to to a 30-day break from Facebook and delete my Foursquare account altogether.  My time spent on MySpace is very, very minimal (though I make plans to interact more but never do), and Twitter is one of my main sources for gathering news and local updates from businesses and individuals.  It’s easier to sift through Twitter than it is Facebook.  LinkedIn is another site that I use with minimal time spent on updating.  I’ll do the occasional search for jobs and gigs in the area, but this is time spent being more productive than it is wasteful.

Do you have to completely give up one or the other?  This is up to you.  For me, I don’t get enough value back from Foursquare to justify the time spent interacting with it.  Maybe you do get a lot of value out of it.  Free wine or parking?  Each service varies from person to person and how they use it, so there is not definitive answer.  I do believe, however, that as a whole we’ve become infatuated with the newest services popping up and trying to be beta testers and early adopters.  For the record, businesses need to engage on many different platforms simultaneously in order to best reach the widest audience possible.

2.  Get into a routine.

Even if it means making your coffee at the same time every morning (or programming it the night before) and writing out the next day’s agenda on a real piece of paper.  Sometimes it can be beneficial to abandon technology for simple tasks such as to-do lists and similar items.  I’ve tried many iPhone and Mac OSX apps to help with this but find that I wind up getting sidetracked and eventually waste more time.

My routine is as simple as setting my coffee the night before and then sitting at my desk (not the kitchen table; I believe that your surroundings do affect your ability to focus in on things) to write out my list for the next day.  Otherwise I wind up getting up in the morning and spending 20 minutes trying to lay out my day instead of jumping right into it.  That first 20 minutes could have been spent knocking off an item from the list had I laid it out the night before.

3.  Track your results.

If you make progress on something, make a record of it.  Use Google Analytics to track extremely useful data on your website.  Use that data to make informed decisions regarding your next marketing campaign and where to focus your efforts or which pages to revamp that are not getting hits.

By tracking your progress you are able to look back over time and see how far you’ve come.  You’re able to see what worked and what didn’t.  Those things that didn’t work so well?  You’ll know not to do them again in the same context because you documented it.  Without this information, you might very well do it all over again in a similar scenario and fail again.  We want to avoid this.

Update your ideas and make notes regarding your progress.  If you don’t know how far you’ve come, you run the risk of losing motivation that could otherwise be just what you need to make it over the hump and release your product or service to a new market.

To keep up with me, follow me on Twitter – @josh_walker.  What are some of your ways you improve productivity?  Let’s hear them all.

Here’s my short list.  It is in no way exhaustive, though.  I will be doing more in depth posts on some of these topics in the future, so get the RSS feed now!

6. Have some talent.

You don’t have to be the best, but at least try.  And if you don’t have any talent but have lots of passion, try another part of the music industry like management.  Just because you’re not cut out to be in a band does not mean you can’t have an integral part in the industry.

5.  Create a roadmap of where you’re going and how you’ll get there.

Take out a piece of paper and on one side put “I’m Here”.  On the other side, make a circle with wherever it is that you want to be.  Connect the two with a line and then put hash tags with “checkpoints”: people to meet, certain number of shows to play, marketing goals, etc.

Make sure that you stick to your roadmap.  Otherwise you’re likely to get lost on your trip and wind up playing cover songs in local bars for the next 20 years.  While that may pay the bills, it probably wasn’t the destination circled at the end of your roadmap.

4.  Cut a quality demo of some of your tracks.

You’ll want to put your best foot forward, so only showcase your best material.  Book time at a real recording studio and go into the studio practiced and prepared.  Don’t try to cut corners and do it yourself.  Choose some songs that show your ability.  You never know who you’ll run into that might be interested in your sound.  Speaking of…

3.  Network and surround yourself with other people who are likeminded and serious.

These people may see some potential in you and take you under their wing.  If they see that you are also serious about what you do, you stand a better chance.  Always have business cards and a copy or three of the aforementioned demo with you.  You’ll run into people in the most unlikely of places.  Be prepared.

2.  Run your band like a business, not a party.

Consult with a music attorney (here’s one – Kenan Farrell in Indianapolis) and they will help you determine how to form your business, tax guidelines, help you copyright your songs, and more.  That person can give you great advice on ways to navigate the industry and keep your head above water.  It will be much easier to take care of these details now as opposed to years down the road after things have gotten more complex.

1.  Take yourself seriously.

If you don’t, no one else will.

As I mentioned, that is the short list.  Obviously there’s a lot more to it, but if you start with these points, you’ll be well on your way.  Good music, passion, and persistance are what will get you through.  Knowing people and being in the right place at the right time can also have a helping hand.  That ties right into point #3, so you’re covered.

Go out, make a plan, and drive till you get to your destination.

Cheers,

Josh W.

The surface answer would be that the labels are taking all of the money for themselves. How much are they taking? How much does the artist get? It varies from artist and label, but typically it’s to the tune of pennies per album sold to the artist and the rest is divided up between the label, management, producer, etc. That huge advance that the artist got for signing a contract? That’s not really their money. The label just loaned it to the artist so they could make a record and eat for a couple of months while doing it. The band has to pay all that money back. Meaning usually they need to go platinum before they even see a penny in profits.

We need to make sure that we don’t just believe whatever it is that we’re told.  There’s always a spin on just about any argument.  So are digital downloads robbing the music industry blind?  I believe that the industry has taken awhile to realize that there are adaptations that need to happen in order to appeal to the consumer and still turn a profit.  If people are downloading music illegally, find a way to capitalize on it.  And lawsuits are the worst way to try and make your money back.

Is the RIAA For Real?

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has been complaining for years now that illegal downloads were killing their CD sales. Sure, I can believe that.  But are they really hurting that badly in comparision to the independent labels that are trying to sell albums to the same consumer base?  You tell me.  Just look at the major record labels share of the market below.

Image from http://wikipedia.com

But then they started complaining the legitimate digital downloads are the cause of the decline in CD sales. Really? Maybe they need to restructure their sales pipeline and focus more on what people are actually buying in that case. Just a thought.  The RIAA and major record labels should have struck a deal with Napster right off the bat to develop a system where everyone wins.  The Electronic Frontier Foundation has put some serious thought into such a system.  A system where you can download all the music you want and the artists still get paid.

Have the record labels considered that the rest of the country is in a recession?  They’re not the only companies losing money!  Consumers will buy less products overall and opt for cheaper alternatives, i.e. iTunes, Rhapsody, and other digital music services when their dollar doesn’t stretch as far?  Not to mention that it’s easier to acquire these digital files in the first place.  No hopping in the car and driving to the store, only to find out that they don’t have it in stock.

The Downward Spiral

Image from http://money.cnn.com

When cassette tapes started being outnumbered in sales to CDs, did the industry try to keep pushing tapes? Or did they instead start manufacturing more CDs and releasing older albums in CD format? They embraced the new format and pushed it (while hiking the cost each year, of course).  How are they making up the difference?  If you want to take a look at their year-end physical CD shipment numbers, they’ll charge you.  If the labels are being hurt by digital downloads, and their sales numbers and cost per unit reflected that, why not make this information free to the public instead of charging $25 for a week of access just to view the very data that could corroborate their claims?  That’s one way they’re trying to make up some lost sales.  Another is by suing people for downloading music online.  We’ve seen time and again where the RIAA slams a huge fine on a person and then spends five times that amount in litigation costs.

While the record labels are claiming a decline in sales due to pirated music, the RIAA then turns around and spends almost $1.4M in lobbying costs in the second quarter of 2010!  Seriously?  They’re dumping millions into lawsuits that only return a couple thousand dollars per settlement, all in the name of “making an example out of someone.”  Are these “examples” working?  Apparently not. (Note: They also forget to mention that one of their top label executive’s very own children were pirating music illegally. I didn’t see the news article on that one.) The RIAA has abandoned its peer-to-peer monitoring and is instead now working with Internet Service Providers (Comcast, Verizon, etc) to deter pirating.

I am a big proponent of artists and musicians being fairly compensated.  An industry group or third party organization can be a great thing for all musicians and everyone involved in the music industry.  Is the RIAA that organization?  I do not believe it is.  They’re deteriorating and not adapting to the ever changing industry like they should be.  As a result, the artists have been conceiving their own ways to further their careers.

I’m here for the artsist.  I love working with independent musicians.  And I will continue to keep a pulse on the industry that I work in.  All of you artists are too busy creating music and trying to avoid being taken advantage of.  Let me help.

Cheers,

Josh