5 posts tagged “independent music”
I got an email yesterday from my publisher, Tanvi Patel at Crucial Music, that my song Fade Away (alt. title Change your Mind), is going to be on an episode of ABC's new show, Cupid! The episode, entitled "Live and Let Spy", airs in the United States on Tuesday, April 7th, on ABC at 10:00 p.m./9:00 p.m. Central. Excellent!
If you're a creator of broadcast-quality music, be sure to visit Crucial's website, and submit your music. It's free, and before you know it, your songs could be on TV or in films.
Don't forget to add me on myspace: www.myspace.com/freddylitwiniuk
And follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/freddymusic
And check out my website: www.freddynet.com
When it's Macworld time, people get excited to hear what Apple's Next Big Thing is going to be, myself included. But every year I'm disappointed when my dream feature for iPod or iPhone is not announced. This year was no different.
There is a revolutionary feature that I've been longing to have in my iPod. I know it's a long-shot, but I'm going to ask politely that the next generation of iPods and iPhones include...
A UPC scanner.
What? Why would anyone want that? Well, UPCs are ubiquitous, at least in North America. They are found on nearly every product, in nearly every store. They are unlikely to be replaced any time soon. So, what would I do with a UPC scanner?
For starters, I would need some killer apps to go with my scanner. For example:
I want a grocery shopping app that would allow me to scan products at my home, as I use them up, so I can make an automatic grocery list. Better yet, when my list is complete, I could email it to my grocer, who would have my groceries ready for pick-up or delivery. Even better yet, my list could be fed to price databases from local stores, and the app could calculate which store provides the overall lowest price for my list, allowing for time and distance from my house.
Maybe the same app would allow me to scan products while I'm at the grocery store for instant wi-fi price comparisons, or easy calculations. If I were to preset a budget, I could scan each item as I put it in my cart until I had reached my limit. At the checkout, my iPod or iPhone would simply communicate with the self-service till, allowing me to pay very quickly, perhaps with my Apple ID.
I would also like to have a general shopping application. When I'm looking for a new TV, I could scan a few different models to compare features. The app would also tell me if the store down the street has the same TVs at a better price, or if I could save by instantly ordering online. It would also allow me to scan and buy anything in a store immediately, using my Apple ID or a credit card. On my way out, the app would communicate some proof of purchase to an employee of the store, indicating that I had pre-paid.
I'm sure advertisers and promoters would get in on the act as well. Imagine standing in line at the supermarket, or waiting for the bus or the train. An advertisement next to you reads, "Doublespeak, the new album from Freddy, available now on iTunes. Scan here to hear samples, and for a free download of the first single, Massive." OK, I used myself in the example, but it could be Coldplay, or Sting, or Toby Keith, Lily Allen, whoever. You might just scan it and check it out. If you liked it, you could buy it immediately. Indie musicians could use it to make it easier for people to pay for UPC-branded music and merch at shows. Or print up stickers or flyers with barcodes and a message about the music and plaster them all over town. On impulse, people could scan and check out your music. The same could be done with books, magazines, video, games, and so on.
I'm sure there could be so many more applications for this technology. Scan anything and: pay with your iPhone or iPod, get instant product and price information, make lists, keep on budget, sample new things, and so much more.
Please, Apple, will you put a UPC scanner in my next iDevice?
Every so often, I hear a variation of this justification for downloading music for free:
"Record labels have been screwing us for so long, with high CD prices, and albums with only one or two good songs! Those record-exec fatcats, with their expense accounts and private jets; they deserve this. I'm just sticking it to the man!"
Free downloads have their place in music, especially as an important promotional tool, but the labels aren't the only ones who make money from record sales. When you "stick it to the man", you're also sticking it to the artist, the musicians, the mixing engineers, the producers, and many others. Granted, the music business suffers from "middleman disease" - so many people want a piece of the money pie as the music makes it from the artist to the consumer. Part of what makes Independent Music so great is that it removes so many of the barriers between artist and listener.
If you really want to teach the labels a lesson, don't stop buying music altogether, just stop buying music from them. Instead, seek out true independent musicians - not faux "indies" but real independents who are doing it for themselves. Discover something about them. Learn their story. When you find someone who is really good, reward them by buying their album. Vote with your wallet. You are and your fellow consumers are the true starmakers, not the labels.
7 excellent reasons to support independent music:
1. Cure "middleman disease" - the money will go directly to the artist;
2. Good music will be rewarded;
3. Artists may make enough money that they might not feel the need to hand a huge percentage of their earnings to a label in return for support and promotion;
4. Opportunities for real discussion and even friendship - independent musicians are much more likely to respond to personal emails;
5. You might be the first to discover a new, up-and-coming artist or band. Tell all your friends. Don't forget to buy a t-shirt;
6. Indie artists are just like you. They are your friends and neighbours. They work hard. They could really use the money;
7. You'll be sticking it to the man.
Modern independent musicians have more tools available to them than ever to make music, and get it out to the public. For a little bit of money, anyone make a reasonably good recording. Once you have songs recorded, it's even easier to distribute them to the public. Given the size and diversity of the online community of music lovers, it's no surprise that almost all artists can find some people who like their stuff. But what if that's not enough for you? What if you want music to go beyond a hobby, and reach more than a handful of fans?
If you want your music to have the widest possible appeal, your songs must be really strong, melodically and structurally. If you want to catch the ears of labels, publishers, radio program directors, or anyone else in the mainstream music industry, your songs must be well-written and tightly arranged, and they must be undeniable.
My good friend Michelle McAfee helps artists who need advice and an honest opinion about their music. She has worked as a staff writer at Warner Chappell, she has been through the major label machine as an artist, and she now works in A&R. People in the industry trust her opinions about music, because she knows what labels and publishers are looking for. She knows the mainstream music industry as well as, or better than, anyone I know.
Michelle has recently started offering her consulting services to independent musicians, and I want to spread the word. She hasn't asked me to do this, I'm not getting paid, and I'm not one to endorse something or someone I'm not passionate about. If you want to work with her, be prepared for honest opinions and constructive criticism. And if you take her advice, your music and your chances in the music business will improve.
If you're interested, please contact mcafee.michelle@gmail.com
I consider myself to be an independent artist. I have my own record label. I record my own music with my friends. I write the songs, finance the recording, pressing, graphic design, promotion, etc. by myself, with my own funds. No one calls the shots but me. The closest I ever got to a deal was a distribution agreement with a small label here in Canada, for Canadian retail, to capitalize on the promotion which I had paid for myself. I run my own sites, myspace, blogs, etc. I am a solo artist, not a band, and I don't play every instrument, and so I need to hire musicians to play for me both live and in the studio. Fortunately, I have some very talented friends who help to keep the costs down. I am also extremely fortunate to have some very dedicated family, friends and fans who support me tremendously. I have been working for years to get my music out to the people. I love making music and wouldn't dream of doing anything else. I want the recordings that I put out to be as professional and polished as they can be, and I want the songs to move people and be catchy. It's a fantastic job! Though the pay could be better... :)
Am I indie?
