Music And Recording Industry News

How Do I Negociate a Record Label Contact?

Feb 012010

So you want to get signed to a Record Label?

The life of a professional musician has all the allure of a million dollars and a one-way ticket to being famous. Is it worth it? Heck, yes! But the only way to becoming a professional musician (and by “musician,” we mean singers and bands, not professional flautists) is to land a record deal. Whether you’re aiming for a mainstream or an indie share of the pie, you need that label to get heard.

Wait, but it’s tough to get signed to a label, right? True. And while there are many changes happening in the music industry right now (especially on the technological side), there is still no better way to make money as a musician than by having an established record label market your music. So how do you sell your soul to the corporate devil? It’s rather tricky, but we’ll walk you through the steps. (And don’t worry, it won’t involve an evening with RIAA President Hilary Rosen, a bottle of tequila, and a Barry White album.)

One more quick note: this article is written under the assumption that you do not have a manager and that you are trying to get signed on your own. If you do have a manager, let the poor guy or gal do his/her job and you just stay out of the way. Otherwise, you need us bad.

1. HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB
A mechanic would never attempt to fix a car’s engine without the right set of tools. Similarly, a band or artist who feels that they are ready to approach a record label in the interest of getting signed better be prepared. With literally thousands of unsigned bands looking for love, the competition is fierce. Here are some requirements:

You must have good music! This may seem pretty obvious, but you’d be surprised how many bands never get signed and don’t understand that this is the reason. We’re not talking about “good” as in taste (which is great news for the Backstreet Boys). We mean “good” in the sense of talent and experience.

You must look “signable!” No one will want to sign you unless you’re going to make them money. As such, you and your band must be confident, experienced, dedicated, and have it together (in other words, you must look like you will bring in money). Unless you’re the next Beatles, there are a thousand other bands like you – so make yourself stand out from the rest by being professional from the beginning.

You must have a professional-looking demo package! In the music industry, image and first impressions are the name of the game; for the unsigned band, your demo package is the first (and usually only) impression a record label will have of you and your music. As a result, it should be as attractive, informative, and to-the-point as possible. For a good tutorial on how to make an effective and attractive demo package (also referred to as a “press kit” when sending it to press or radio accounts) pick yourself up a copy of the book The Billboard Guide to Music Publicity by Jim Pettigrew, Jr.

What? You’re too poor to buy a book? Oh yeah, we forgot – you’re a musician. So while this isn’t a complete explanation, here are the basics to making a good demo package:

2. LOCATE POTENTIAL A&R REPS
Like tailoring a resume to a specific job description, you can greatly increase the impact that your demo package will have by knowing exactly who your audience is. The person that you should be most concerned with is the Artist & Repertoire Representative, also known as the A&R rep. It is the A&R rep’s job to find new artists to sign and to develop their careers into a success story. Most bands get heard by A&R reps the same way you are trying to get heard – by sending them a good package. As a result, not only do you want the A&R rep to get your demo package, but also you want it to knock his/her socks off!

So what do A&R reps look for? Well, that varies widely between companies and depends largely on what they think is going to be the new trend in popular music. You already know about the talent, the “look,” and the professional demo package, but what else can you do? Well, this is where it starts to get a little fuzzy. There is not a single record label out there that will sign a band solely on hearing a demo. So expect an interested A&R rep to want to see your band perform live. Also, it is around this point that the decision to sign or not sign a band becomes based on a gut feeling just as much as on the past band’s previous record sales (if any) and size of their fan base. Does the music match where the label wants to go? Does the band have a good shot at becoming a success? These are important questions for A&R reps because their job security is highly dependent on whether they sign successful acts.

Now that you know who these A&R people are, where do you find them? Well, many would say under a large and slimy rock-but we like to think a little better of these fine people. Here are some options:

First, try a contact directory like the Major Music Contacts (published by TS Investments), This will give you a good list of record labels (and some other good contacts such as managers, producers, and publishers).

Since you are playing in a band that has some level of local name recognition, it probably wouldn’t hurt to ask local club owners, record store proprietors, music managers, or editors whether they know anyone at a good record label who might be interested in receiving your demo package. It can’t hurt to try.

Showcases. The question often comes up about whether or not showcases (e.g., South By Southwest (SXSW), North By Northeast (NXNE), Major Music Contacts, etc. are effective and appropriate ways to get your band noticed by record labels. The answer is a resounding yes! Given any chance for your band to get in the eye of the public – and the industry-types – you should go for it. Unfortunately, getting into these sorts of showcases can often be difficult for an unsigned band.

3. GET AN A&R REP TO LISTEN TO YOU
Wouldn’t it be nice if all you had to do was get an address, slap a label on the demo package with “Attention: A&R” and just wait for the offers to roll on in? Yes, Dorothy, it sure would be. But it’s time to come back to planet Earth and realize that getting heard at all (much less by the right people) takes as much effort and planning as writing and performing songs. There are several steps that you should go through when attempting to have your band seriously considered by an A&R representative.

Once you have a list of record labels that you are interested in sending your demo package to, call each and every one of them PRIOR to mailing anything and verify that:

They are accepting unsolicited demo submissions
They are interested in your style of music
You have the correct name/address to send the package attention to

Why go through all this trouble? Three reasons:

The worst mistake that you could make when sending out packages is to engage in “shotgun mailing.” Essentially, this means that you’re sending out unsolicited junk mail to a number of record labels that may have changed addresses, gone out of business, or may not be accepting packages because they are not looking to sign any new bands. Shotgun mailing is a waste of time and money for both you and the labels.

What do you think would have happened if 50 Cent sent his demo to Epitaph Records? Probably not a whole lot. If your music doesn’t “fit” what the label wants, then you won’t get signed, no matter how talented you are.

There is no quicker way to get your demo package thrown into the garbage than to send it attention to a former A&R executive. So call. Sometimes, they will simply say you should address it to the A&R Department. That’s fine, just do what they tell you to.

When calling the record label to verify all of this information, be on your best behavior. If the person on the other end of the phone says that they are not accepting unsolicited demos, do not get angry, scream, and say, “You’ll be sorry when I’m a big rock star!” Simply thank them for their time and ask if it is all right to call again in a few months. Chances are they will be much more impressed by this than by a hissy fit. Also, make sure you mention your band’s name at least once (and if it doesn’t make you sound like a freak, several times).

So you’ve made the initial phone call and everything went smoothly. The record label is in fact accepting demo submissions and you have all the correct information. Now what? Wait. If you do not hear anything in 4-8 weeks, make a follow-up phone call. Ask for the person who you addressed the package to. If he or she is unavailable, or if you simply addressed the package to the A&R Department, speak with the secretary. Verify that they received your package, if they had a chance to review it, and their reactions. Now take a deep breath and brace yourself. If they 1) didn’t like the demo, 2) blow you off, or 3) never got it, do not overreact. Thank them for their time, hang up the phone, and gripe to a friend. There are literally thousands of record labels in the United States alone; don’t waste any more of your time on one that’s not interested in your band. Does this mean you should never send them another package? No. After about 6 months to a year, if you have a new recording (or other significant change in your demo package) give the label another call. You never know; they may like your new stuff, or they may be trying to change their image.

4. WHEN YOU GET AN OFFER, KNOW WHAT TO DO!
The long journey to the Promised Land is finally coming to an end: you’ve gotten an offer from a record label! You’ve done the research and they seem like an organization you would be happy to be a part of. Not so fast . . . once you get the offer, there are still several things you need to consider:

1. Get yourself a good entertainment lawyer . This cannot be stressed enough – he/she will be your best friend, confidant, and advisor through what is bound to be a complicated and arduous process. Entertainment lawyers tend to be very expensive, anywhere from – 0 an hour, but they are worth every last penny of it. The terms of a record contract can vary widely, so rely on your lawyer to translate the legalese into English so you can fully understand what you are getting yourself into. You don’t want to trap yourself into something you hate.

2. Make sure you have a good idea of what you want out of a record deal and where you would like to go with your career. There are many pitfalls for a band, particularly a new/small band, when signing a record deal. How many albums do you want to release on the label? How much money/royalties can you demand from the label? How large should your advance be? How does this affect future royalty payments? Who owns the copyrights to the songs? The list of debatable items could go on for a mile. Talk with your lawyer about all of the options and make an educated and informed decision. After all, this is your career.

3. Pick up a copy of This Business of Music. While about as entertaining to read as a chemistry textbook , it is an outstanding resource for learning the business and legal side of the music industry .

Even though the process of getting signed to a record deal can be difficult, the prospect of being able to make a living as a professional musician is often too good to pass up. While good looks and some catchy tunes probably wouldn’t hurt, you now have a huge edge over all those morons who are sending out 10-page bios. And hey, if all else fails, there’s always the Army.

Getting Signed The Quick Version
Getting signed to a record label is a dream for many people. But because so many people want it, it’s a dream that is very hard to come true. If you want to increase your chances of being one of the lucky few then you need to make sure that you have something to offer the labels and have your sound perfected to get signed to a record label.

STEP 1
Make good music. No matter how badly you want a record deal if the music isn’t great then you can forget about getting signed to a label. Spend time perfecting your sound and musical skills.

STEP 2
Look signable. There is a such thing as having “the look” and you want to make sure when you do get a chance to perform for an A&R rep that you look like someone who can be on MTV, BET or any of the other music channels.

STEP 3
Prepare a professional demo package. The Demo package should include a demo CD, a cover letter, a biography, a photograph and if you have them, press clippings.

STEP 4
Sell your sound. If you don’t fit into the norm of pop, rock, R&B and other standards then you need to be able to convince an A&R rep that your music can be sold commercially.

STEP 5
Locate a potential A&R rep that fits the music you’re making. To find potential A&R reps look in the our Major Music Contacts.

STEP 6
Get an A&R rep to listen to you. Now this isn’t as easy as it sounds, but to start, you can throw a preview concert where you invite various A&R reps from all the major and independent labels as well as press to hear you play.

STEP 7
Prime yourself to accept an offer. If an offer comes along you are going to want to have an entertainment lawyer to look over the contract and a manager to represent you. Start interviewing managers and lawyers if it looks like signing to a record label is just around the corner.

A&R’s, casting agents, and producers want to hire you, but they are caught up in policy and wait through long days of comparing hundreds of talented people one after the other. It is a breath of fresh air for them if they can skip the long processes, but rarely can get around it. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a vehicle that could bring them to you and show them your full potential?

We want to show you everything you need to know to get the audition and sign the contract!

***Get Started Today
http://tiny.cc/made

In this www.artistshousemusic.org clip, Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, gives his insights on getting your CD into the hands of music industry professionals.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Question by !Luv My Mutt!: Record labels?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?
what are some record labels in country music that you know of?

Best answer:

Answer by Nathan Explosion
Capitol Nashville

Give your answer to this question below!

Creating a Successful Music Business Plan

Music Business No Responses »

Jan 302010

by vancouverfilmschool

If you’re serious about your music you need to think of it like a proper business and create a music business plan that lays out your plan and goals so that you can stay on target.

The simple guide below will help you rapidly create a music business plan that you can revisit and revise as you you develop in the music industry

1. Summary – this is an overview description of your music business and what you are trying to achieve. You might include details of the marketing methods you are going to use and the gap your are going to fill.

2. Goals – any business plan should have a clear set of goals that are achievable yet challenging. These will change over time as you reach further and further but will always keep you on track.

3. Targets – now that you have a clear set of goals for your music business plan you need to set deadlines and targets to make sure that you are always moving forward.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish” Super cheesy I know

4. Market – before you ever start promoting your music, you need to know what fans you are going after and why they are going to be interested. Even if you are totally original you need to find a set of fans that have a high probability of liking what you do

4. Marketing plan – a set of steps to reach your perfect fan.

5. Release dates – your music business plan should include a number of music releases even if they are just digital. This will give your marketing a focus.

6. Contacts – list of key people who will help you achieve your goals.

7. Process maps – these are basically the habits you need to create everyday if you are going to achieve your goals. For instance if you want to get a music agent you might have to research and contact five people everyday.

Final thoughts.

Now that you have created a workable music marketing plan you are ahead of 99% of other musicians trying to make it, and you should have a much better chance of success.

I’d be happy to answer any questions you have at my site below.

Good luck.

Find More Music Business Articles

What You Need To Know About The Business Side of the Music Business

Music Business 25 Responses »

Jan 282010

by Commack Guitars

Many musicians don’t pay enough attention to the business aspect of their career and as a result end up broke, in bankruptcy court and/or in bad deals. It is very important for a musician to take an aggressive look and active role in learning the day-to-day business of their music career.

The truth is that the music business aspect of your career is where you will need to spend the majority of your time if you want to have a successful and sustained music career in the music industry.

The most important thing you can do is to watch the bottom line and cover your bases by protecting your music. The music industry roads are littered with musician road kill. Artists who hit the “big time” but were barely living above poverty level.

A few months ago, I watched an interview with a well-known music star on a music legends show. He stated that at the beginning of his career, everything was great. He sold millions of CDs, sold out shows, and was constantly working year round, but ultimately he lost more than he ever received.

How could he have sold millions of CDs without becoming filthy rich? The explanation for how he lost money is he didn’t pay close attention to the contracts he signed and who was doing what with his money. Having shrewd business acumen is crucial to your musical success.

A good way to learn how to avoid busting your music career is to watch the financial comings and goings of others who are successful in the music or entertainment business, then model your business actions after theirs.

Oprah Winfrey, Madonna, Britney Spears, Jerry Seinfeld, Dolly Parton and Mariah Carey are a few great examples of the bottom line. While you may not like one or the other, the facts are proof: They have made bank, millions of times over, and they still have that bank.

Recently I spoke with a friend Thom King of Multimediary Entertainment Marketing about artists learning the music business and the importance of knowledge. Thom has been a top executive at Clear Channel Radio as well as the head of major music industry corporations. This is what he had to say,

“There is a reason they call it this music business, because it is just that, a business. In addition, as with any business, it is critical to define each member’s roles as well as the ownership of the intellectual property you are creating. You are building a business as much as you’re building a band, and if you approach it that way you will be ensuring your success for years to come.”

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Recording Industry Lawsuits You Never Hear About

Recording Industry No Responses »

Jan 112010

Point/Counterpoint Part I: The RIAA is Evil

It has been known for quite some time that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a “monster” in some of the most literal definitions of the word- it is a massive, powerful and hateful organization that preys on the defenseless with unflinching malice. Since 2003, they have filed over 35,000 lawsuits against any and every kind of person while being backed up by a force of thousands of formidable lawyers. And while some of these cases might have had legal ground to stand on, others have just been downright despicable. Whether it’s suing children or the deceased, the RIAA has proven that there are no depths too low for them to sink to.

So to give you an idea as to just how villainous they really are, we’ve compiled a list of the RIAA’s most outrageous and offensive lawsuits.

Laser Printer Pirate
If you thought that you had to be a human being to fall under the radar of the RIAA, guess again. Though technically not a lawsuit, the following case has become known as one of the funniest examples of the RIAA’s stupidity. In August 2007, 13 takedown notices were sent to the University of Washington demanding them to stop pirating music. However, what makes this story so ridiculous is that several of the machines accused of pirating music were actually laser printers connected to the school’s network. Now, I’m not sure how a laser printer would be able to download music but I’m assuming that it involves printing out the lyrics or something equally absurd- or it’s just a great example of the RIAA’s incompetence.

But despite the humorous nature of the story, the University of Washington wanted to prove that this is no laughing matter and published a report about the takedown notices to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.

“Our results show that potentially any Internet user is at risk for receiving [takedown notices] today. Whether a false positive sent to a user that has never even used BitTorrent or a truly infringing user that relies on incomplete IP blacklists, there is currently no way for anyone to wholly avoid the risk of complaints.”

No Computer, No Problem for the RIAA
To illustrate the point made in the University of Washington paper about nobody being safe from the RIAA – including those who have never even used Bittorrent – the next case involves a woman who has never even used a computer. Marie Lindor from Brooklyn, New York opened her mailbox one day probably expecting her normal flood of coupons and letters from grandchildren, but instead found a greeting card from the RIAA inviting her to either join them in the courtroom or pay a 00 “No thank you” fee, otherwise known as a “settlement.”

So you might want to think that the RIAA dismissed the case after she patiently explained to them that she’s never used a computer, has no idea what a Bittorrent is and hasn’t heard of pirating outside of childhood stories about Blackbeard. But that’s not what happened – the RIAA has “principles.” Instead, they ignored the facts and pointed out that she had an unsecure wireless modem set up in her apartment from a few years back when her son had briefly set up a computer there for personal use. However, the dates the RIAA provided of when the pirating took place wasn’t even during that brief time period, so even this doesn’t explain anything.

In all likelihood, someone from another apartment connected without permission to her wireless modem and pirated music – since the modem was not password protected – and now she has to pay for it. Just one more lesson learnt about the dangers of both unencrypted wireless networks and evil soulless organizations like the RIAA.

Copyrights over Human Rights
Imagine you’re the parent of a sick teenage girl suffering from pancreatitis who’s regularly hospitalized and needs a cell transplant or she faces death. Then, one day, you’re sorting through the medical bills and you come across another bill – except this one isn’t from the hospital, it’s from the RIAA demanding thousands of dollars in fines because they say your daughter illegally downloaded Justin Timberlake’s “Bringing Sexy Back.”

That’s the heartbreaking story that unfolded with 19 year old Ciara Sauro from Pittsburgh who has been confined to a hospital bed for a large part of her life. At the time they received the lawsuit, her mother Lisa made only .25 an hour at work and spent the remainder of her time at the bedside of her daughter helping her fight off the ailment. But now they have to fight off another sickness – the depravity of the RIAA.

The lawsuit calls for a settlement of nearly ,000 for downloading roughly 10 songs, but Ciara insists the RIAA has no idea what they’re talking about.

“Look and see where [the downloads] came from, and look and see that it’s not me. It’s not fair to do to me,” said Ciara. “I already have severe depression. I mean, it’s so hard to sit there and think that I have to get in trouble for something that I didn’t do. It’s not fair.”

Of course it’s not fair, Ciara – but then again the RIAA isn’t interested in what’s fair. They’re just interested in money.

Better off Dead
In case you were under the impression that you had to be living to receive a lawsuit, think again. It seems that even the dead can’t rest in peace when the RIAA so wishes. This is what happened with 83-year old grandmother Gertrude Walton from Virginia who died months before the lawsuit was filed in 2005 accusing her of illegally sharing up to 700 songs over the internet. However, Gertrude’s daughter Robin says that her mother hated computers and refused to even have one in the house.

Knowing that the lawsuit must be based on false grounds – and because the accused was now deceased – Robin responded to the RIAA’s warning with a letter that included her mother’s death certificate and an explanation that they must be mistaken. But then, a week later, Robin and her deceased mother received the official lawsuit in the mail.

Though eventually an RIAA spokesperson said that they would try to dismiss the case, is there any compensation that they’re being forced to pay for interrupting the grieving process with an outlandish lawsuit? Maybe when hell freezes over, destroying all the RIAA’s demonic attorneys.

Like Stealing Candy from a Baby
They’re never too young for the RIAA. In what has become one of the most notorious lawsuits they have ever pursued, young 12 year old Brianna LaHara found herself at the center of the RIAA’s crosshairs in 2003 after she was accused of downloading over 1,000 copyrighted songs through the filesharing service Kazaa. Though she had downloaded the songs, she had only done so because her parents paid a month to Kazaa for access to their music service – which deceptively didn’t actually give them the right to download music.

And though Brianna’s parents were a poor working class family that lived in a New York tenement, the RIAA originally tried suing them for an astronomical 0,000 per song. Sound a little extreme? Not to the RIAA.

“Nobody likes playing the heavy and having to resort to litigation,” said RIAA president Cary Sherman. “But when your product is being regularly stolen, there comes a time when you have to take appropriate action.”

So apparently suing a low-income family for millions of dollars is what Cary Sherman considers “appropriate.” But if that’s so, the next time that guy steps on my shoe, I’ll just throw him into traffic. It’s what I would personally consider “appropriate action.”

Though ultimately the lawsuit was settled for ,000, it just goes to show the role that strongman intimidation plays in the image of the RIAA.

Don’t Worry… For Now
Though the RIAA is by no means any less evil, starting in 2009 they decided to stop pursuing lawsuits against individuals and have now focused on attacking ISPs. So you can rest easy knowing that at least the plague of individual lawsuits during the dark ages of the RIAA are over, but don’t think you’re in the clear just yet. Piracy has been changing the face of the recording industry for over a decade now and it’s only increasing over time. And though it has now been widely proven that piracy can often be good for artists, especially struggling independent musicians, the RIAA will be undoubtedly cooking up another evil scheme in some dark basement at one of their headquarters to screw the consumer and prevent progress. But if there’s one lesson we’ve learnt from Rome, it’s that every empire must one day fall. Let’s just hope that day is sometime soon because I hear U2′s new album is coming out soon and I got a torrent with their name on it.

Should You Enroll in a Music Business Program?

Music Business No Responses »

Jan 102010

by Ron Sombilon Gallery

If you are an artist or an aspiring artist manager, booking agent, publicist, radio promoter, or internet marketer who wants to make a serious career in music, you have to learn about the music business first and what better way to do this than joining in various music business programs. This article will enumerate some very important reasons why you need to enroll in music business programs to succeed in your venture.

Enrolling in a formal music business education will give you the connections you need in the music industry. They usually provide a directory of industry contacts to help its members complete a project. Moreover, an internship at a studio or a music management company can be your lucky trick in joining the music corporate wagon sooner than you expect. Keep in mind that the music industry is a competitive jungle; you need to know the right people who will help you come up with projects to sustain your momentum in the music arena.
The idea of music business programs is to teach the participants about how music business works from the perspective of an independent label and/or unsigned artist trying to market and promote their music from the street level. There is a slim chance of getting a record deal from the 4 major record labels; the majority of artists nowadays are going for indie promotion since it has now become quite a trend in the international scene these days. This will greatly help you start your own record label or manage your music career in the future.
Learn career skills including Marketing and Promotion, Music Publishing, Music Contracts, and Personal Management from an insider’s perspective. Music business programs provide hands on training for business careers in the music industry to help you succeed in the music business someday be it in a creative or corporate manner. The experience that you gain during your stay in the program and the people that you meet in the process will surely increase your chance of getting hired at another project through referrals. The key is to build your reputation so people will trust you with their investments.
The degrees that you will gain from the program will greatly build your confidence; it makes you more marketable than those people who only got talent with them. Always bear in mind that a talent accompanied by a handful of knowledge makes a successful man.

With the advent of Internet, getting an education has never been so easy. There are many music business programs available today, make sure you choose a music school that is accredited by an appropriate agency, indicating that it is established, well-organized and financially stable. Another thing to consider in selecting a program is that it should provide its students a balance of communication, business strategy and music industry-specific skills, these are the basics in the music business so it should be thought in a comprehensive and in depth manner.

Question by Samantha Star*: Music Business?
I really want to get started in the music business…
how old do i have to be to get a record label?
where should I go to get a record label?
what should i look for in a label?
and any other tips…

thanks!

I am 14 with a great voice…not to be conceited, but everyone tells me so. I’m outgoing and fun loving

i am good at singing emo/punk/alternative/pop ya no
like FOB(fall out boy) style

Best answer:

Answer by ICSFoster
It helps if you got connections.
Make some friends with people who have a recording studio that way you can make a demo and ship it off to companies.

Give your answer to this question below!
Music business program shakeup: 2010′s top arts and entertainment story
This summer, Bruce Burch, then administrative director and founder of the University of Georgia’s Music Business Certificate Program, called a meeting with Athens musician and recording engineer David Barbe.
Read more on Athens Banner-Herald

My Favorite Top Five Music Downloading Tips

Online Music 29 Responses »

Jan 062010

by NokiaConnectZA

Downloading music online can be fun and simple after a while. Whether you are a newbie or expert in online music downloads looking for some useful music download tips, this article is for you. We will look at 5 useful tips you can use immediately to make downloading online music a great experience for you.

The whole music community seems to be buzzing about online music downloads, and there seems to be endless choices of online music download sites. You even have the choice of downloading music online for free. There are many ways you can listen to these online music downloads, such as downloading them to your computer and blasting them with a speaker, or burning them to a CD and listening to the captivating tunes using your home theater system. If you are an outdoor person, you can even play them on your CD player or MP3 player such as iPod when you are working out or on the move. The choices are practically limitless. Wow! Are you ready for some hot tips on downloading online music?

1. Compatibility of Download Files

Make sure to check the music file format of the download site, ie MP3 or other formats. Compare that with your digital portable player. MP3 format is the safest to go with. Forget about those sites that require you to convert them before they are playable on your media player.

2. Multi-Genre Selection

There are a lot of places where downloading online music of all genres is possible. This is important because whether you are particularly interested in selected music types such as pop, or jazz, with a multi-genre selection, it is easy to find what you are looking for.

3. Broadband Internet Connection

Downloading online music can be extremely slow if you are running on dial-up connection. In fact, for some folks, it feels like eternity. Listening to your downloaded music should be an instant enjoyment, and not a long-suffering pain. It’s meaningless to have access to unlimited online music downloads when it takes you forever to transfer a few files.

4. Secured Downloading

Internet security is a bigger issue nowadays than it was years back. Many hackers have intruded our online space, making the internet a huge hot bed for viruses, spyware, adware and the like. Avoid dubious sites that can potentially open the floodgates, allowing malicious applications to harm our computers. The download sites must be secured and safe for downloading online music. Many folks have fallen prey to virus and adware attacks, while downloading online music from Kazaa style websites. One important tip to note is to avoid download sites which proliferate our browser with advertisement pop-ups.

5. Quality of Online Music Downloads

The online music download audio files should be of a high quality and must not be edited. Did you know that there are some sad stories of how poor the quality of some downloaded music files are? People are looking for crystal-clear digital quality music downloads and not distorted unclear songs and music that have been shortened in length.

Imagine the disappointment with downloading online music of such standards!

After hearing these tips on how to download online music, you are better prepared to find a safe music download site for some nice online music. Nevertheless, I know how tedious it can be to surf around for good online music downloads especially when we want to download them quickly. You may wish to visit my blog for specific quick tips to sniff out your perfect place to download online music safely and instantly. Learn from my blog which are the hottest online music download sites that offers unlimited music downloads ready to be fed to your iPod or MP3 players at a few mouse clicks away.

This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

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How To Start Your Own Home Recording Studio - Cheaply

Recording Studios 25 Responses »

Jan 032010

by HissRecords

Regarding an inexpensive but effective Home Recording Studio, the first thing to do is to carefully go over your budget, because once you get going it will be the little bits and pieces that can nickel and dime you to death. Know how much you can safely spend without putting yourself into financial jeopardy. So many people talk about getting Financial Backers but that isn’t always the best answer since they will often want the lion’s share of any rewards plus interest until the debt is paid back in full. Backers are also very impatient about repayment and don’t want to hear excuses as to why you had to pay your Rent before you pay them! When it comes to Bank loans, the Banks usually look at the Music Business as if it were smoke, something that you can see but cannot touch or hold in your hands.

They are very practical and cautious when it comes to giving out money for the Music Industry despite the incredible amount of money that is generated every year from it. Unless you have a lot of collateral to back such a loan, wait until you can show regular income from your initial endeavors first. Thinking big is fine, but starting out small and wisely is the best policy in putting together your own studio. The terms “Starving Artists” and “Starving Producers” come from the usual way of supplying your musical interests by means of a Day Job until you can wisely transition from one to the other. Almost everyone does it and there is no shame in admitting it. Only the most obnoxious of Industry Professional will criticize you for it.

The next subject to ponder is what you will use your home studio for. Is it for your own solo material, a Band, or are you planning to take on clients? Each situation can vary greatly depending upon the quality and workload you are seeking from your studio. As an example, I have worked, Managed, Recorded and Produced in 7 Recording Studios ranging from simple but effective equipment in a basement, all the way up to a current multi-million dollar Recording Facility here in Connecticut. Please note that as you move up in the degree of Studio you work in, your abilities, ears, and skills also need to improve dramatically! But the good thing is that if you start out small and determined to succeed, and keep an open mind to learning from others, you can eventually develop into whatever level you wish to as long as you can handle it. Recording Schools are invaluable for learning the Recording Industry, but they are not inexpensive, so you may wish to invest in books and videos about recording first. They can be purchased from many local Musical Instrument stores and national chains, including mail order.

Another option is to try to develop a relationship with someone experienced that can act as a Mentor, it can be invaluable to you and that person can help to further advance your career with their knowledge and influential assistance. The rule of thumb is that everyone in the business knows somebody else in the business at higher levels of power and success. But as with any Professional in any field of business, be respectful, honest, humble, tactful, and become an “invited guest” as opposed to a character that they will regret knowing! So after figuring out what level of experience you are at now and what you wish to use your studio for, it is time to start making a shopping list. If you are a beginner or even an experienced veteran, the best choices would be either a good home computer with lots of memory since there are many great programs that you can purchase along with the proper interface equipment, or purchase an all-in-one Recorder/Mixer/CD Burner unit. My suggestion is that when it comes to efficiency and cost effectiveness, the all-in-one units are outstanding and can create some wonderful results if you take your time to study and learn the functions, and then practice with them. The better ones are advisable and can range from approximately 0 to around 00 to purchase. These units usually include extremely useful options and functions such as built in effects and editing programs, processors, mixers, and CD burners that can be very expensive if purchased separately. Since technology has improved so much over the years, these types of units can sound as if you recorded in a full blown recording studio. While they won’t replace a Professional Recording Studio with all of the bells and whistles, not to mention seriously sound-proofed recording rooms, you can purchase and own the all-in-one units for much less than the cost of recording a full CD of songs in a major studio.

To give you an example of this, while I often work in a big studio, I have my own Roland all-in-one unit and record my own clients I Manage, Song write, and Produce music for on it. This way, I don’t have to worry about paying for recording time costs or high utility bills that go hand in hand with a big studio. I can take as much time as I wish or that my clients need without watching the clock and can still get the results I want without the added pressures. Since I do know what I am doing and have a lot of experience recording and Producing, I recorded my Country Artist “Miss Marie” Wuhrer’s first CD “Bad Reputation” on it and it received airplay in approximately 75% of the US and many Record Label inquiries to boot!!! So the all-in-one units can be quite cost effective while returning professional quality results, and they are also very portable if need be. Portability can be a major plus! The next issue on the list is to get some very good recording microphones and perhaps a few stage microphones for good measure. Consider a minimum of a vocal and an instrument microphone. The recording ones are Condenser microphones and they require phantom power to operate them, which is simply a low voltage power source from 9 to 18 volts. This can come from putting batteries in the microphone or is usually included in the all-in-one units as standard equipment power supplies. The stage microphones are called Dynamic microphones and just require connection to a preamp or mixer channel input. Never run phantom power on dynamic microphones or you could easily and quickly damage them or the power source itself. Remember, if you plug the microphone into the unit and it doesn’t work in any of the channels as is, then you probably have a condenser microphone and must press the “phantom power” button to turn on the phantom power unit so the microphone will operate. Most decent condenser microphones have a Led light that comes on to show when it is in operation.

Condenser microphones are extremely sensitive and can pick up stray noises in the room so be careful when they are on during recording as to not have a very noisy environment you are working in. While it is crucial to “clean” your recorded tracks one-by-one of any stray sounds such as breathing noises BEFORE you mix them into the final result, there are times when you can’t remove excessive noise and must accept it or do the track over. Keep it quiet around you and you will save yourself a lot of time and trouble. All microphones have sensitivity specs, and to avoid a lengthy explanation here and distortion when you are recording, look for a microphone that has a 40 decibel or higher rating for sensitivity. This way, if you have a loud singer you won’t overdrive the microphone easily and get distortion in the vocal tracks. Next, you have to determine where you are going to record, especially if it is in your home. Most studios are in the basement areas and require deadening of the room to make it quiet for recording. When using an all-in-one unit, you can do most of your recording directly into the mixer/recorder without worrying about the noise you or others are making, it is all very quiet. This is especially true when using a drum machine instead of an actual Drummer and live drums! Except for vocals and live drums, you can record a full song in a bedroom while your family members or roommates are in other rooms and they won’t even hear you doing it! If you do designate a specific area, your recording room should not get too hot or too cold, and dampness is not good for any electronic equipment so be careful. When going for the cheap but effective recording studio, you can put up heavy rugs on the walls or use other deadening material to quiet down the room accordingly. Whether you are making a formal recording studio or a simple one, always remember to use Non-flammable materials to deaden the room to avoid a potential disaster.

To continue with our list, I recommend getting good headphones for yourself and some spares for others to use, as well as a headphone amplifier that will run multiple sets of headphones. For the best results, you should use the same brand and model closed back headphones which are essential for recording with live microphones. Semi-open or open-backed headphones allow the sounds coming through to be picked up and fed back into the microphone and recorder. The more isolation the headphones offer the better. Last in the chain would be a pair of powered studio monitors for playback and mixing. The best ones have the Bass ports in the front so they can be used in any location if necessary. The ones with Bass ports in the rear require a reflex action off of a wall for sound quality and this may not be practical for a home studio. As with all of the equipment I mentioned, there are many good brands and models out there and the costs vary greatly. Be ringer, Samson, and Event make some great units for home studios, and the bigger the Bass speaker i.e.: 6 or 8 inches, the better the quality of the sound you’ll get in final mixing and playback. I don’t recommend getting subwoofers until you really know what you are doing and can get a great mix on regular speakers. If you cannot mix on regular speakers, then adding subwoofers won’t help the final product and usually makes it sound horrible. And if while you are mixing your final product the dogs in your neighborhood are howling and running for cover, then Turn down the volume and back off on the Bass and high treble frequencies. If you blow out your hearing, it is gone forever. For optional equipment in your arsenal, a fairly inexpensive boom box is a great tool to have after making a mix. When I finish a mix of a song, I usually make both a CD and a cassette copy of it and play it on a good stereo, a cheap boom box, and a car radio just to see if it sounds good and fairly consistent for quality. If it sounds good on all of them, then I know that I have a good mix for the final product. I also have a separate stand alone CD burner that I can use to make copies while I am using the all-in-one unit for other songs and projects, rather than tying up the unit’s built in CD Burner for making multiple copies other than a Master copy. They cost from 0 to 0 or more, but I find it invaluable for my needs.

Other than some patch cords, spare microphone cables, telescoping microphone stands, music stands, a good comfortable rolling chair, decorating your recording room to taste, and some blank CDs to put product on, you should be able to get some very good results with your projects at a reasonable cost with these recommendations. As your skills improve, you can always upgrade your equipment and studio to fit your needs and dreams. Think toward the future career you are seeking and not just for showing off! I’ve seen some very basic equipment outdo some much more expensive setups. The main goal is to concentrate on getting good results.

Besides, as you begin to make your fortune, you can hire professional studio designers and builders to create your dream Palace. And please don’t forget to cover yourself legally if you are a Studio for hire. Write down ALL recording dates and notes about what transpired during them rather than relying on memory or hear-say, keep track of expenses compared to profits, and write down on the receipt you give the client that the final product is what he or she asked for and accepted as complete and both you and the client need to initial it. This is extremely important for every situation, but especially when a client wants to keep bad musicianship or singing on a project that you would never have kept yourself even if you were tone deaf! Once that client takes the product from you and lets friends and family criticize it accordingly, You will be blamed for letting it get out of your door like that and not the client for wanting it that way and refusing your subtle hints to change it during the recording session such as uncontrollable laughter or vomiting. If that client later chooses to sue you to get his or her money back and it goes before a Judge or Jury with NO Music Industry experience or taste, your note on the signed, dated and initialed may be all that saves you from getting ripped off and having to pay back what you legitimately earned. Good luck to all of you and God Bless. Wayne I. Johnson-Wildcard Music Productions and Artist/Model Management-Waterbury, Connecticut

www.nextlevelguitar.com home recording studio home recording home recording studios equipment home recording techniques

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Question by Vanessa B: Recording Studios???????????
Recording Studios In Sydney Austraia Im a great singer and i want a Record label to sign me onto their records ?? Can anyone help me

Best answer:

Answer by najat e
well all i can say is that it is going to cost a lot and you have to get some one to show you where you have to good like a miniature and to get a song is a lot of money too … if you ever need some one to sing with you aim right here lol

Add your own answer in the comments!

Transfering Music From Ipod to Itunes

ITunes 3 Responses »

Dec 312009

by pt

Switch the ipod to manual update and enable disk use: This is the first and most basic step for how to transfer music from ipod to itunes.

1. Open itunes on your old computer.
2. Connect your ipod to your old computer and wait for it to appear in itunes.
3. Select your ipod in the Source pane under the Devices section to display your ipod preferences in the main library window.
4. Click the Summary tab in the main itunes window.
5. Click the Manually manage music button. Changing from automatic updating to manual puts a check mark by Enable disk use. A message says “Disabling automatic update requires manually unmounting the ipod before each disconnect.”
6. Click OK in the message window.
7. Click Apply in the ipod preferences section of the itunes window.
2. Is there enough room on the ipod? ipod shares its hard disk space between the songs that itunes puts on it and any files you’ve added when using its disk mode. To transfer music with your ipod, you need enough free space to hold a copy of all your music files in addition to any copies that may already have been placed by itunes (this is because non-purchased songs placed on the ipod by itunes cannot be copied off the ipod while in disk mode). To figure out how much space you have on your ipod:
1. Open itunes on your old computer.
2. Click on Music in the Source pane. The size of your library appears at the bottom of the itunes window.
3. Connect your ipod to your old computer and wait for it to appear in itunes.
4. Click the ipod under the Devices section of the Source pane. The amount of free space on the ipod appears near the bottom of the itunes window.
3. Copy itunes folder to ipod To copy all your music files (including the library file that holds all your playlists and other settings) to your ipod:
1. Quit itunes.
2. Locate your ipod:
? Mac OS X: On the desktop
? Windows: In My Computer
3. Locate your itunes folder:
? Mac OS X: /Users/username/Music
? Windows: Documents and SettingsusernameMy DocumentsMy Music
4. Drag the itunes folder to the ipod. This can take a while if you have a lot of songs.
5. When the copy completes open itunes.
6. Click on the ipod in the Source pane
7. Click the Eject button in the lower right corner of the itunes window.
8. Disconnect the ipod from the computer when the “Do not disconnect” message no longer appears on the ipod screen.
4. Get itunes ready on your new computer To get itunes ready to accept all your music on your new computer:
1. Download and install the latest version of itunes.
2. Open itunes on your new computer. If this is your first time to open itunes on your new computer you will need to choose your options in the itunes Setup Assistant.
3. Connect the ipod to your new computer.
5. Copy music from ipod to new computer To copy all your music files (including the library file that holds all your playlists and other settings) to your new computer:
1. Locate your Music folder (Mac OS X) or your My Music folder (Windows) on your new computer:
? Mac OS X: /Users/username/Music
? Windows: Documents and SettingsusernameMy DocumentsMy Music
2. Drag the itunes folder in this location out to the desktop.
3. Locate the ipod on the new computer:
? Mac OS X: On the desktop.
? Windows: In My Computer.
4. Double-click on the ipod to open it.
5. Drag the itunes folder from the ipod to the Music folder (Mac OS X) or My Music Folder (Windows) on your new computer. This can take a while if you have a lot of songs.
6. Open itunes.
.

2010 US Recording Industry Reports

Recording Industry No Responses »

Dec 282009

The U.S. CD, Record & Tape Recording report, published annually by Barnes Reports, contains timely and accurate industry statistics, forecasts and demographics. The report features 2010 current and 2011 forecast estimates on the size of the industry (sales, establishments, employment) nationally and for all 50 U.S. States and over 900 metro areas. New to the report this year are: financial ratios, number of firms and payroll estimates. The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment, a breakdown of establishments, sales and employment by employee size of establishment (9 categories), and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, including prerecorded or mass produced CDs, records and tapes.

Table Of Contents :

Users’ GuideIndustry Definition and Related Industries Industry Establishments Sales and Employment Trends Financial Ratios Establishments Firms and Payroll Sub-Industries – 2009 Estimated Industry Sales ($ Millions)Sub-Industries – 2009 Estimated Number of EstablishmentsSub-Industries – 2009 Estimated Number of Employees5-Year Trend – Estimated Industry Sales ($ Millions)5-Year Trend – Estimated Number of Establishments5-Year Trend – Estimated Number of Employees 2010 U.S. Metropolitan Areas – Estimated Number of Establishments2010 U.S. Metropolitan Areas – Estimated Industry Sales ($ Millions)2010 U.S. Metropolitan Areas – Estimated Number of Employees 2011 U.S. Metropolitan Areas – Estimated Number of Establishments 2011 U.S. Metropolitan Areas – Estimated Industry Sales ($ Millions) 2011 U.S. Metropolitan Areas – Estimated Number of Employees2010 U.S. States – Estimated Number of Establishments2010 U.S. States – Estimated Industry Sales ($ Millions)2010 U.S. States – Estimated Number of Employees2011 U.S. States – Estimated Number of Establishments2011 U.S. States – Estimated Industry Sales ($ Millions)2011 U.S. States – Estimated Number of EmployeesDefinitions and Terms

To know more about this report & to buy a copy please visit :
http://www.visionshopsters.com/product/2239/2010-U-S-CD-Record-Tape-Recording-Industry-Report.html

Contact us:

Visionshopsters
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Emailid: marketing@visionshopsters.com
Website : www.visionshopsters.com

Question by fatiimaq08: How many members are in the “actual group” of the Recording Industry Association of America?
How many members are in the ‘actual group’ of the Recording Industry Association of America? How many members are in its ‘potential group’?

Best answer:

Answer by Gar
The Recording Industry Association of America (or RIAA) is a trade group that represents the recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of a large number of private corporate entities such as record labels and distributors, who create and distribute about 90% of recorded music sold in the US. It is involved in a series of controversial copyright infringement legal actions on behalf of its members. In some of those cases it has been called by the defendants “a cartel acting collusively in violation of the antitrust laws and of public policy, by tying their copyrights to each other, collusively litigating and settling all cases together, and by entering into an unlawful agreement among themselves to prosecute and to dispose of all cases in accordance with a uniform agreement, and through common lawyers, thus overreaching the bounds and scope of whatever copyrights they might have”.

The RIAA was formed in 1952 primarily to administer the RIAA equalization curve, a technical standard of frequency response applied to vinyl records during manufacturing and playback. The RIAA has continued to participate in creating and administering technical standards for later systems of music recording and reproduction, including magnetic tape, cassette tapes, digital audio tapes, CDs and software-based digital technologies.

The RIAA also participates in the collection, administration and distribution of music licenses and royalties.

The association is responsible for certifying gold and platinum albums and singles in the USA. For more information about sales data see List of best selling albums and List of best selling singles.

The RIAA’s stated goals are:

to protect intellectual property rights worldwide and the First Amendment rights of artists;
to perform research about the music industry;
to monitor and review relevant laws, regulations and policies.

The RIAA is led by Mitch Bainwol, who has been Chairman and CEO since 2003. He is assisted by Cary Sherman, the President of the Board of Directors. There are 27 members of the board, who are drawn from a number of record companies.

The RIAA represents a large number of members, who are private corporate entities such as record labels and distributors, and who create and distribute about 90% of recorded music sold in the US.

The RIAA’s website contains a list of members, which has been disputed in the past, as Matador Records, Fat Wreck Chords Lookout Records, Epitaph Records and Bloodshot Records (who are not members) have been listed there. Some may have been automatically included in the list as they were using RIAA members as distributing labels.

The RIAA lists its member labels on their website. However, their website lists not only includes RIAA labels but non-RIAA labels that are distributors that report to the RIAA. The site has also not been updated since 2003 and is outdated.

“Big Four” RIAA members
EMI
Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Universal Music Group
Warner Music Group

http://www.riaa.com/aboutus.php?content_selector=aboutus_members

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

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