MusicTom Rule

The Last Entry for THIS blog [at Blogger, anyway]

2012-10-09T11:29:00.002-04:00

I am slowly migrating all of my online activity to one central hub over at TomRule.info.

This particular blog has been migrated over to www.TomRule.info/news/. As I type this I am still in the throes of the redesign process, which will take FAR longer than I want it to. However, I'm going ahead and changing my content creation location to my site.

So if you want to continue getting the latest news in the wacko world of Tom, go check out www.TomRule.info/news.

Eventually the look will change from the default thing I've got set there - I'm getting content placed first, and THEN will be messing the design. So please be patient, as this is indeed a one-man effort!

Eventually there will be sign-up-to-get-the-latest-updates form there as well, and it will NOT involve Feedburner, Google, or any third-party. Yup, there's a story there, but I won't bore you with the details. They are fairly boring!

www.MacMusicGuy.com

Sheet Music posted: Dot Dot Dot

2012-09-30T15:32:00.000-04:00

The sheet music for DOT DOT DOT is available HERE over at MacMusicGuy.com. It's a vaguely bossa-nova tune with a deceptivly simple melody that really is fun to play!

We've also posted a series of "How To" videos on the keyboard setup and programming for the tunes from MIXTURE - we're calling it the "MIXTURE How-To" series.

I know - real original name!

Check them out!

You can also keep up with what's being posted for each individual song over on the "All the Songs" page.

Sheet Music posted: Crooked

2012-09-24T15:16:00.000-04:00

The sheet music for CROOKED is available HERE over at MacMusicGuy.com. It's a medium fast swing tune with a bebop melody line, yet it's still decently easy to play!

We've also posted a VIDEO LINK "How To" video on the keyboard setup and programming - we're calling it the "MIXTURE How-To" series.

I know - real original name!

Check them out!

You can also keep up with what's being posted for each individual song over on the "All the Songs" page.

Sheet Music posted: Raining

2012-09-17T14:58:00.000-04:00

The sheet music for Raining is available HERE over at MacMusicGuy.com.

Raining is a piece from MIXTURE, Joey Stuckey's jazz guitar album that I "co-everythinged" on with Joey. It's a simple little tune that on the record features an excellent recording of a thunderstorm. The guitar plays all three layers during the piece, but there are a ton of pads behind the lead lines.

The sheet music has all three lines notated, plus the chord progression.

I've also posted a "How To" video on the keyboard setup and programming - I'm calling it the "MIXTURE How-To" series.

I know - real original name.

Check them out!

You can also keep up with
what's being posted
for each individual song over on the
"All the Songs" page
on the MIXTURE blog.

Short Suite Video - the entire piece

2012-09-10T13:34:00.000-04:00

Here is the Youtube playlist of all three movements of Short Suite, for intermediate/advanced piano. Hope you enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFF516AE5075ADD6A

The Sheet music is available over at
http://macmusicguy.com/90-short-suite-for-piano.html

MIXTURE: the live videos

2012-08-23T13:20:00.000-04:00

We've posted several videos from the Mixture CD release party over at

JoeyStuckey.blogspot.com

They'll be posting there over a period of time, so go ahead and subscribe to get the updates as they post! Add your email to the "Follow by Email" box, there on the right!

VIDEO: Short Suite III - Over-Caffeinated

2012-08-20T13:28:00.000-04:00

Posted a video of a the third movement of Short Suite, which has an interesting dialogue between the two hands. Parts are semi-contrapuntal, and it wavers between consonance and a touch of spicy dissonance. At one point the two hands even get in an argument! The last section includes a reference to the first 2 movements and end in a wild series of chords - but the last note is a gratuitous middle C. Yes, it's a deliberate musical pun!

http://youtu.be/_kuGE_XjgNw

Short Suite sheet music is available at
http://macmusicguy.com/90-short-suite-for-piano.html
It comes complete with a recording of the piece!

Come to Alabama! "High Five for Mike" Benefit concert!

2012-08-15T13:26:00.000-04:00

I wanted to invite you and ask you help spread the word about the upcoming "High Five for Mike" Benefit Concert sponsored by Carvin Musical Instruments and featuring Cloud 9 Orchestra at Garywood Assembly of God in Hueytown, AL (a suburb of Birmingham) on Saturday, August 18, 2012 at 6:30pm. Doors open at 6:00pm.

Tickets are available in advance through www.cloud9orchestra.com (simply click on "Purchase Tickets" at the top of the page).

Tickets are $7 in advance and $9 at the door.

We hope you can join us for a wonderful time as we help a fellow brother in need.

If you are unable to attend, please consider donating to help us. Click on the "Donate" Link at the top of our Cloud 9 Orchestra page. Thanks for your time and consideration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5-XSfk-1Pk

Video: Short Suite II: Surprisingly Calm

2012-08-13T13:24:00.000-04:00

Posted: a video of the first movement of Short Suite.

It isn't perfect, but it is pretty good!

Short Suite is a three movement piece for solo piano or keyboard, on the intermediate/advanced level. It features some interesting melodies and rhythms and even an argument between the two hands [in the third movement].

http://youtu.be/xiUJ2SLLVpE

The sheet music is available at http://macmusicguy.com/90-short-suite-for-piano.html

"High Five for Mike" Benefit Concert sponsored by Carvin Musical Instruments - featuring Cloud 9 Orchestra

2012-08-10T13:06:00.000-04:00

Doors open at 6:00pm.

Tickets are available in advance through www.cloud9orchestra.com (simply click on "Purchase Tickets" at the top of the page).

Tickets are $7 in advance and $9 at the door.

We hope you can join us for a wonderful time as we help a fellow brother in need.

If you are unable to attend, please consider donating to help us.

Click on the "Donate" Link at the top of the Cloud 9 Orchestra page.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5-XSfk-1Pk

Performances and such

2012-08-09T13:41:00.000-04:00

A quick note in between projects:

Had a GREAT time playing with the Cris Crider band last weekend at the Intaphan house concert. Enjoyed playing with you, Taylor [the birthday boy!]
I'll be performing again with the Cloud 9 Orchestra in Birmingham, AL at the Garywood Assembly of God 2730 Allison-Bonnett Memorial Dr; Hueytown, AL 35023. [Click the link to get the Google Map].

This is the "High Five for Mike" Benefit Concert - music starts at 6:30 [Central time]. I've played with these guys before - wow. Just, wow!

If you're anywhere near the area, it'll be worth the effort!
I'll also be accompanying Rebecca Lanning in her 2012 Recital on Monday August 27th at 1 pm.

I know, a DAYTIME recital? But it IS free!

Video: Short Suite I - No Toe-tapping!

2012-08-06T13:21:00.001-04:00

Posted: a video of the first movement of Short Suite.

http://youtu.be/iaXG4TF7bN8

The sheet music is available at http://macmusicguy.com/90-short-suite-for-piano.html

MIXTURE: A comment - an invitation to the CD Release party!

2012-07-08T19:38:00.000-04:00

Something I wrote describing Joey's new album MIXTURE. Thought I'd share it, because
(1) It's still true,
(2) it's some of the best work I've done in this arena, and
(3) if you're in the area, you're invited [or just come down to Macon] to the CD release party at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame on Friday July 20.

www.GSHF.org

"Fun.

I've have never worked so hard on a project, nor had so much fun working that hard. Joey and I have had an absolute ball writing, arranging, recording, mixing - and even shooting the MIXTUREcast series of youtube videos.

It shows in the music. This is just fun stuff to listen to - even for me, and I've been living with these tunes for well over a year. There's also a lot of "inside stuff" in each track that you can catch after repeated listens. See if you can find all the hidden audio gems - or "ear candy" - that we threw in.

We had fun making this record. I hope you have fun listening to it!

What do you get when you combine the music from a blind guitarist who is "as sexy as Elvis with half the fat" with a left-handed dyslexic classically trained jazz keyboardist?

MIXTURE."

Short Suite: II Surprisingly Calm

2012-07-03T08:31:00.001-04:00

I recently posted excerpts of Short Suite to the MuseScore site, and just received a comment from someone:

Let me just say that Suprisingly Calm is spine-tingling. It was like somebody was singing to my soul. This piece is just unf, dude. Amazing!

Take a listen to an excerpt of the second movement at http://musescore.com/user/22264/scores/53280

You can see all the scores available on the MuseScore site at http://musescore.com/user/22264. They are all available for purchase over at MacMusicGuy.com.

[musescore is the open source notation program I've been using to lately produce my scores. The associated website allows you to upload your scores from within the program, and the piece can be played inside your web browser.]

PROs, COPYRIGHT, PUBLISHERS....oh, my: Advice from an Old Guy

2012-06-28T22:15:00.000-04:00

I had a young musician email me with this question:
"Hey, I just joined ASCAP - but I don't know about copyrighting my songs and such. Help!"

CAVEAT: I'm no lawyer, and I've never played one on TV - but here's my layman's understanding of what he should do [and basically what I told him]

First, some BG info:

1) Copyright exists the moment a work is placed in a fixed form [i.e. written down]. REGISTERING the work with the copyright office gives you legal proof that will stand up in a court of law.

2) There are two parts of copyright. When a royalty is generated because of a "performance" of a piece - 50% goes to the WRITER, and 50% to the PUBLISHER.

3) You'll read about a variety of LICENSES that can be granted [mechanical, compulsory, etc] - they all boil down to the ability [sometimes obligation] of the copyright holder to give permission for their work to be used by someone else.

4) The Performing Rights Organizations [ASCAP, BMI, SESAC in the US - there are others in other parts of the world] basically track uses of their member's material, receive royalty monies, and pay the writers and publishers.

Yeah, it's more complicated than that, but that really is the gist of it.
------

So now that you've joined ASCAP [I'm an ASCAP writer myself]....what now?

1) I suggest also joining as a publisher - i.e. you'll become your own publishing company. Since you'll just be "publishing" your own stuff, you really don't have to do anything else other than tell ASCAP. Click on the Join Ascap link, and join as a publisher - they'll ask you for 3 possible publisher names [think carefully - you'll be stuck with it for hopefully a loooong time!].

It'll cost another $35. That's much cheaper than BMI!

Once that's done and confirmed.....

2) Get works in the ACE database.

http://ascap.com/ace/index.aspx
http://members.ascap.com - login, then click "register a work".

...and make "your" publishing company the publisher. If there's no publisher listed, the publisher share goes into the $ stash for use by ASCAP. [That's a generalization, by the way.]

3) At some point you'll want to register your copyright with the Copyright Office {@ the Library of Congress}. You can register each work individually, or as a group [or "book"]. The Group version is cheaper, but is more difficult if your have to break it out of the group later because you want to sell the rights to another publisher.

4) Then register with Soundexchange. [ http://www.Soundexchange.com ]. It's a nonprofit organzation that tracks and pays the royalties for online streaming stuff [like Pandora or Last.fm, NOT like Spotify].

Now that your bases are covered, it's time for finding places where your material can be used....but that's marketing, and a whole 'nother series of articles.

5) As a practical matter, setup a bank account that's just for your music/online stuff. Many banks have free business checking, especially as long as you don't have tons of checks being written.

The best long-term advice I can give: Your creation is YOURS, legally speaking, and has value. Don't just give it away willy-nilly. If you choose to give it away, make sure that is part of a strategic plan - i.e. there's a solid REASON for that decision, not just "Some website said it was the best way to market my music".

There are a lot of voices online who claim that "music should be free" - most of those writers have never actually created any, and have no clue how long or how much effort it takes!

SHORT SUITE is done and available!

2012-06-13T15:37:00.003-04:00

SHORT SUITE - a three-movement piece I've been working on for a "good while now" is

FINALLY

completed, and is available over at MacMusicGuy.com.

You can pick up the sheet music for the entire suite OR individual movements - each also has a professional quality audio recording of the piece. You can also pick up the MP3s by themselves, if you aren't in the mood to learn a new piece of piano music!

Links:

Short Suite [entire thing]: Music+Recording | Recording only
Short Suite I: No Toe Tapping: Music+Recording | Recording only
Short Suite II: Surprisingly Calm: Music+Recording | Recording only
Short Suite III: Over-Caffeinated: Music+Recording | Recording only

Coming soon: the youtube video!

July 20, 2012 - GA Sports Hall of Fame in Macon, GA

2012-06-05T22:26:00.002-04:00

Details coming soon.

Listen to the backstories and hear some samples over at

joeystuckey.blogspot.com

I was interviewed on AudioStyle on ArtistFirst Network

2012-05-13T22:42:00.000-04:00

I was recently interviewed for the AudioStyle radio show [broadcast on the Artist First network].

I know at least THREE people listened to it [myself, my sister, and a friend...who I still hope is a friend.... but I digress!].....but hopefully more!

If you missed it, here are the direct links:

http://artistfirst.com/joesystuckey.htm

http://www.artistfirst.com/ArtistFirst_Audio_Style_2012-05-06.mp3

The interview starts in the SECOND half of the show.

http://www.tomrule.info – the info hub for all things Tom
http://www.tomrule.info/depth – details for Accessible Depth
http://www.MacMusicGuy.com – more music by Tom, including charts and sheet music
http://TomRule.blogspot.com – the latest news and updates
http://JoeyStuckey.blogspot.com – behind-the-song videos about the new Joey Stuckey album. Great music, Bad puns.
http://www.tom-and-co.com – fun for your feet and bodacious for your brain!
http://www.MoselyDixonProject.com – the Mosely Dixon Project, a three-person quartet!
http://GaCabaret.blogspot.com – Not your average Cabaret act!

AudioStyle interview on ArtistFirst network

2012-05-06T18:35:00.000-04:00

I was recently interviewed on the new radio show AudioStyle about my album Accessible Depth - it will be playing LIVE tonight [Sunday 5/7] at 10 pm Eastern over at the Artist First Network.

It will replay next week on Friday and Saturday at 9pm [Eastern]. Listen if you dare!

http://artistfirst.com/ - click the "listen now" button

http://wms.artistfirst.fastserv.com/artistfirst -

MIXTUREcast #8: Sunday Brunch

2012-05-06T15:28:00.000-04:00

Sunday Brunch was one of the first tunes Joey & I wrote - it actually has already appeared on Joey's Oceanside EP, but we decided to include the tune on MIXTURE as well because we co-wrote it, it's a cool little tune, and it just fits in with the MIXTURE idea of blending different styles, musical approaches, and working processes into a unified whole.

http://youtu.be/8thrMKCiZ4U

It's time for Episode 8 of MIXTUREcast. This time our intrepid musicians rhetorically ask State Bank if they want to sponsor the cd release party - and Joey YET AGAIN tempts fate by invoking the FDA.

In the midst of the silliness are some recollections of writing and recording Sunday Brunch - the first tune the guys wrote together. It has a peaceful Sunday Afternoon kind of vibe.

Joey thinks the A section sounds like Lee Ritenour or Pat Metheny, and the B section like Yellowjackets. What do you think? LEAVE A COMMENT!

The guys also veer off-topic [yet again] to discuss Oceanside, Joey's EP froma few years ago which featured a puccoloist named Francesco Bonifazi

http://www.thejazzwhistler.com/

....oh, and a quick apology to Patty Williams, who really DOES have good taste!

....and Have YOU met the jerk who makes things difficult for everybody?

------------------------

Joey Stuckey

------------------------

http://www.joeystuckey.com/video/oceanside-promo

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/JoeyStuckey2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91pWRuGTGh4

----------------------

Tom Rule

----------------------

http://www.MacMusicGuy.com

http://www.TomRule.info/depth

http://TomRule.blogspot.com

MIXTUREcast #7: Give 5

2012-04-28T23:15:00.004-04:00

Episode #7 of MIXTUREcast is now ready for viewing and features the guys talking about Give 5, which they've mentioned in several previous episodes.

...but this time, a few secrets are hinted at, and even mention is made of an upcoming CONTEST!

Of course, Tom's handwriting gets a good dose of "reality", some off-the-wall comments are made, and Joey reveals that the light at the end of the tunnel would do him no good.

The title is, of course, an oblique nod-of-the-head to Paul Desmond's famous tune "Take 5".

Yes, it was deliberate!

Mention is also made of the drum Miguel used on the track - a Rebolo and a Casa Vallenata. You can see pictures on Tom's blog at
http://tomrule.blogspot.com/2011/09/give-5-tracking-set-1.html
http://tomrule.blogspot.com/2011/10/give-5-tracking-set-2.html
http://tomrule.blogspot.com/2011/10/give-5-tracking-set-3.html

You will also [eventually - we gotta make 'em legible!] be able to purchase the charts and sheet music to all of the the tunes on Mixture over at http://www.MacMusicGuy.com, among other places.

http://youtu.be/1qwXxN7-g4Y

As always, for more information:

JOEY STUCKEY

http://www.joeystuckey.com
http://joeystuckey.blogspot.com
http://www.senaterecords.com

TOM RULE

http://www.MacMusicGuy.com
http://TomRule.blogspot.com
http://www.TomRule.info

Presonus Studio One FREE

2012-04-17T22:03:00.002-04:00

Studio One is the DAW I used to record my last album Accessible Depth, and MUCH of the initial tracking for Joey Stuckey's album MIXTURE was also done using it. I really like using Studio One for music creation - the workflow is SOOOO much easier and intuitive than pro tools [in my humble but accurate opinion!].

So Presonus just announced a FREE version of Studio one to go along with the Artist, Professional, and Producer versions. The kicker is that there's only ONE installer for all the versions [including the Demo Versions].

It's a great way to check out an excellent DAW.

Here's the news release page:
http://studioone.presonus.com/news/studio-one-free/

Here's is the feature list:
http://studioone.presonus.com/free/

...and here's a chart to compare the versions:
http://studioone.presonus.com/what-are-the-versions/

Upcoming performances

2012-04-12T06:42:00.000-04:00

This morning:
At the Macon Morning Music Club meeting [Wesleyan College, Benson Room, 10:30 am] to accompany Wil Dannenberg, winner of the Maerz Music Scholarship AND the Macon Symphony Concerto Competition. We're playing 2 movements of a Franz Straus horn Concerto plus a movement of a Mozart horn Concerto - and then Wil will play some jazz piano.

Tonight and Tomorrow:
Thur 4/12/12 at Georgia Southwestern University in Americus, GA
Fri 4/13/12 at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Macon, GA
Both at 7:30 pm

I am accompanying the combined Macon State Chamber Singers and Georgia Southwestern Singers in a performance featuring parts of the Mass from several different eras. Will include some Gregorian Chant a cappella Men, a 20th century version of the Mass as well as Gospel version. Pretty cool!

The fabulous Steve Chanin will be on drums for the Gospel Mass.

Thursday 4/19/12
in Jacksonville, FL with the Joey Stuckey Band
We'll be playing some jazz with a trio at a major convention-type function.
Should be fun!

Parentheses: J Michael Dolan Blog - GREAT resource for creators!

2012-04-07T11:51:00.000-04:00

Just have to post this - ran across the blog by J Michael Dolan "Blogs and Stories for Entrepreneurs" - especially those in Creative fields.

He has a ton of SHORT, thought-provoking entries about the Creative life and the battles we face - I especially like Brancusi's Victory Cry as well as Amateurs Vs. Pros

You definitely need to check it out! Well worth the time to read & to subscribe.

http://jmichaeldolan.com/index.php

Final Tracking: Fall, on Joey Stuckey's album MIXTURE

2012-03-31T22:46:00.000-04:00

This was shot when we were finishing up tracking on MIXTURE with Dr. Marcus Reddick on the tune Fall. It's interesting how Marcus was using different hand drums - and then there's the cymbal thing where he decided to use two different brushes for a cool effect.

Watch and comment!

http://youtu.be/6E53dlGlwPg