How many musical ideas are you sitting on?
Hard drives, notebooks, napkins, journals, voice memos, Garageband sessions, all filled with starts, riffs, ideas, maybe even more, but all of sits unfinished.
Why is that?
I find that after the initial inspiration of the idea in that moment, going back and crafting of the final product becomes a period of self doubt and criticism that paralyzes me into putting the song away, and most times never to return to it again.
So that’s where Fuck it, Ship it, comes in. It’s an idea taken from the tech world that says set that deadline and release your product. essentially that being done is better than being perfect.
I know some people will argue that music/art is not software (depends on the software). But I’d argue that is an excuse musicians use to sit on music until they forget how to play it. Fuck it, Ship it doesn’t mean making crap –You always strive for the highest quality but it does mean that you have to put it out.
Music Consciousness
Voyno
YES. Yes. Yeeesssss. You should be making Lyric videos.
Why? Because PEOPLE LOVE LYRICS. After searching the actual song, fans will search for your lyrics. People love lyrics. They want to sing a long. Make their lives easy. Make lyric videos.
HOW? Do you have a Mac? Then you probably have enough power to open up iMovie and start hacking away. Check out the three videos below for more inspiration.
Vampire Weekend:
Justin Timberlake:
Metallica:
Music Consciousness
Voyno
Patti Smith is a legend. A poet, musician, author, and constant culture creator, Patti Smith has been blowing minds (or not) since the 1970s and knows a thing or two about being an artist. Some choice quotes:
“Be concerned about doing GOOD WORK”
“Build a good name and your name will be it’s own currency”
“Stay strong, stay healthy, because there are a lot of challenges ahead”
Music Consciousness
Voyno
Vine is here, and although it’s not perfect, it’s probably the biggest thing to happen to social media since Instagram. We called it last time, saying that Instagram was going to be huge so trust us and just go download Vine app for your phone.
SO WHAT IS IT? Vine is the best way to share short video. It’s 6 seconds of whatever you like. It’s embedable, it’s muted by default, aaaaand Twitter is behind Vine. Who else is going to get video right? Facebook? I don’t think so.
“But wait!” you say, “What about YouTube?” It’s true, Vine is no YouTube replacement, it’s simply the evolution of documenting your life’s experience. Now instead of still life, or only sound, you’re bringing them together in Vine.
So why should you use Vine?
Music Consciousness
Voyno
We did it. The New Rockstar Philosophy successfully crowdfunded over $10,000 to cover costs associated with printing the book. But what a long and winding road those 31 days were. We rushed some things, forgot some things, and pushed very hard, and had a huge learning experience.
One of the main things that we learned (again) was that 80% of our funds were came from people we knew in some way or another. Personal connections who came together in big ways. It’s amazing how far your friends and your family will carry you.
At first I underestimated how many people I would personally know who would donate to our campaign. Those 1st and 2nd tier connections are the ones who are the most excited about the story of your rise and want to see you succeed….duh.
But a turning point in our campaign was when we engaged our business friends to get rewards that were bigger than simply a book. One $150 donation took about the same time and effort as a $20 book, but it got us to our goal a lot quicker. So don’t underestimate how much your friends will help, especially if you can create a rewards package that will be lucrative to those folks with something to promote.
Once again THANK YOU!
Music Consciousness
Voyno
March has been a busy one for us at The New Rockstar Philosophy. Not only have we been running our crowdfunding campaign, but we’ve been down in Austin for SXSW and in Toronto for CMW. You can read some CMW highlights in Hypebot in the near future but I thought I’d share some of my personal realizations from SXSW this year.
South by Southwest is so much more than a music conference. It’s an all encompassing music mecca that brings together a rabid international group of music, film, and tech lovers. But having been here multiple years in a row, I can tell you that there are some classic mistakes that fresh bands make. Below is a list of them and some solutions if you’re planning on making the trip.
1. Don’t hand out CDs
There is so much swag coming at a SXSW attendee that your carefully printed cd is probably not only going to miss the mark but most likely it will be discarded within 12hrs.
Solution: Hand out cool download cards. Cheaper for you, easier for fans and a better idea for the earth.
2. Don’t stay at a hotel
Hotels around Austin are understandably quite expensive during SXSW. For many indie musicians this is out of their budget. Especially if you’re anything over a 3 piece.
Solution: Use a service like Air bnb. There are plenty of good Air bnb deals around Austin. It may take some planning and an early booking but it’s worth it. Also it’s very easy to make friends in Austin. Make a real connection and you could have a couch to stay on next year.
3. Don’t forget to document your trip
Take photos and videos of your trip and make sure your fans are updated on the festivities. It’s a no-brainer but in the hunt for free beer you can easily forget to document the whole thing.
Solution: Keep your iPhone close and keep your charger even closer.
4. Don’t forget to connect with your targets
There are plenty of label, management, blog, etc, showcases in Austin. Although it’s fun just to go where the free beer is it’s not necessarily the best career move.
Solution: Pick who you want to connect with and get out to those events and connect with real humans. The attendees of these showcases are naturally talkative, don’t be afraid to ask some question and spread your music.
5. Don’t stress if your showcase isn’t packed
Sometimes, even with a million people on the streets there can still be pockets of empty clubs during certain times. Don’t stress. There’s an ebb and flow to all showcases. Sometimes that one person who stuck around, who you went to introduce yourself to, can be the key to your future.
Solution: Talk to the people that are there.
6. Don’t stress about the sound of your showcase
It’s inevitable that with so many bands, changing over at showcases so quickly, there will be some sound issues. It looks weak if the band gets rattled because of poor sound.
Solution: Keep calm and carry on. You’ll win over more fans if you can roll with it than you will by throwing a temper tantrum.
7. Don’t forget to budget cash
Although there is a glut of free food and beer, you will be spending money on that sort of stuff, plus transportation and other obvious expenses.
Solution: Having a budget and sticking to it will help you immensely as the days and nights go on.
8. Don’t forget to put some sort of visual sign on stage
So many people swing by showcases randomly because they like what they hear. Who the band is, is often not obvious. Big hype bands can get away with having no signage but you’re at SXSW to gain fans.
Solution: Your band’s name on a drum skin, a tasteful banner, or any other cool simple way of having your band’s name on stage while your playing is a must. Make it easy for them. Have your band’s name displayed somewhere.
9. Don’t forget to come early and connect with Tech folks
Tech is where the money is. Coming earlier in the week is a good idea. Playing earlier in the week for the tech folks is even a better one. This trend of blending Tech and Music is becoming more apparent every year because it’s a good idea.
Solution: Come for the last few days of Tech.
10. Don’t expect to blow up from your SXSW showcase
Finally remember that SXSW doesn’t launch careers like it used to. If you have hype coming into the event, expect it to grow but don’t expect to be on the front page of Pitchfork from one showcase.
Solution: Keep your goals in check and keep a positive attitude and you’ll go far.
Help Raise $10,000 to cover costs of The New Rockstar Philosophy Book!
The New Rockstar Philosophy has been around for 5 years and we’ve been giving away our game-changing content to all readers who were embracing the digital evolution. In that time we’ve managed to:
With the deal we’ve signed with Indie Ink, we’re coming into the process as partners. So we want to extend that partnership to you because you guys have been asking for the physical book since the beginning.
What You Can Do:
You’ve always wanted to help us out and have a copy of the “real” book. Here is your chance to do both. Plus we have more than just books to offer as rewards. But before we get there let’s explain exactly where this money is going. We need to raise $10,000 to pay for:
Yep it’s that simple and straight forward. The coolest part is that through this campaign you’ll get a chance to pre-order the book before ANYONE ELSE. You’ll be the cool kid on the block!
What Your Support Means:
The New Rockstar Philosophy has had a long and interesting journey to get to this point. We’ve been trying to ignite new thoughts in our readers minds for 5 years. That’s like 15 in Internet Years. We didn’t know where these ideas would take us but we kept going. With your support of this campaign will help us:
TELL YOUR FRIENDS!
The biggest reason The New Rockstar Philosophy has grown so much is because of people sharing our content. If you think any of your friends could use the New Rockstar Philosophy please tell them about our campaign and share it with them.
Thank You!
Greetings folks,
Although the blog has been a little more quiet recently, we’ve actually have been working extra hard as of late. SOOOOOOO many things have been happening. Here’s a brief update:
This is just the start. 2013 is going to be a huge year for The New Rockstar Philosophy. Thanks to everyone who helped make this crazy dream a reality especially You!
Music Consciousness
Voyno
I recently interviewed Steve Dodd, a musician based out of Calgary who’s had a lot of success with TV and Film placements. As more and more artists want to get into this world, I thought it would be cool to get an insider’s perspective on how it works and how he got into the game. It’s lengthy but informative!! Classic tale of working hard and being in the right place at the right time…
Enjoy!
Enter Steve…
What’s Your Story?
I’m 42. I spent the 90′s on the road playing guitar for rock and metal bands, with Saskatoon as home. I had a blast, but after some years went by, I began to notice that a lot of the musicians we would regularly run into on the road were broke and getting run down and looking older.
As my 20′s were ending it occured to me that I’d better think of ways to keep playing music as a career because the road might not provide the career fulfillment I want. I went to an audio college in Ohio ( happy wave to any Recording Workshop grads out there) and set out buying my own recording gear and recording every band I could find in every garage or basement in Saskatoon.
After ruining 30 or so albums for people, my girlfriend (now my wife) and I moved to Calgary in 2003, where I worked at a music store. One day, one of the guys in the music store tells me he’s got this TV audio gig that he’s sick of because it’s tiring him out. I tell him “I’ll take it.”
For a year I woke up at 3AM, got downtown to CityTV, mixed the morning show, drove to the music store (changing clothes in the car), worked 8 hours, drove back to CityTV to mix an evening entertainment show, home by 11PM. Repeat.
Eventually I got on with CTV and spent 5 years mixing tv audio. News, etc. Was it music? No. But at least I was doing something I went to school for. During this time, I had decided I wanted to be a composer. The easiest part of my years playing in bands was writing music. I was always one of the musical idea guys in my bands, and I never seemed to run out of them. I thought it would be cool to be the guy writing (and recording) the music of tv and film.
So I decided that instead of finding a band here in Calgary (I’d spent half my life in bands by this point – I was happy to take a break) I would start writing music that would make sense for film. I would make up challenges for myself: “synth heavy dance floor club – shaking music” one night, “sensitive string chamber quartet” the next, ” country hoe-down” another night… this was an exercise – that maybe nobody would ever hear – me just constantly working on something, playing and programming all the instruments.
Before I knew it I had a pretty good sounding demo, so I began knocking on production studio doors. Any multimedia company, post house, music studio… saying hi and drinking their coffee. I began supplying some production companies music for tv shows like A&E Biography, Inside Hollywood, Hollywood’s 10 Best, etc. etc. and writing music for clients at The Beach Advanced Audio here in Calgary.
Eventually a friend connected me to my publisher in L.A. who supplies music supervisors at MTV, Lifetime, HBO, etc. Jersey Shore, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Married to Jonas, Catfish, Punk’d, Mob Wives, Ridiculousness, The Theo Fleury Story and Supernanny are among the shows using my music.
How did you get your first licensing gig?
I did a friend a favour – He needed a song demo’d for inclusion in a film. The same publisher asked him for more, and he introduced us. This publisher would ask me for 2 of something; I’d give him 5. If he mentioned something in passing “… if you ever want to write some electronic pop…” and boom I’d have 3 for him 2 days later. I kept over – delivering until he came to rely on me a bit for certain pieces and shows. I got to meet him face to face for dinner and a very insightful discussion when I went to Los Angeles a while back.
What are music supervisors/creative directors looking for?
Generally they are looking for a few key things – some of these are within your control and others are not. They generally want the piece of music to “get to the point” rather quickly – no 2 minute intros here or slow reveals – those are for your solo record! Keep harsh sounds to a minimum – icepick guitars or super-high screechy strings are always a bad idea.
Songs I submit end up sort of like this: Part (A) with basic rhythm section and main melody, Part (B) Complimentary part, similar instrumentation in a key relative to Part (A), A breakdown – maybe kick, shaker, bass, and keys playing main motif, then end the whole thing with Part A really big, adding more instrumentation.
Keep “soloing” to a minimum, unless it’s the song melody. And don’t fade it out!! Editors LOVE what we call a “button ending” that ends with a stop. Boom. Watch shows – editors cut to that all the time. This way, the composition gives video editors a nice choice of 4 different sounding music parts for 4 different scenes, but none of them venturing too far from each other. The trick to writing this is the mindset of “If they dig Part A, let’s not kill the mood by straying too far with Part B”, etc.
Notice that what I submit isn’t really a fully-realized traditional song? No bridge, no solos, no long intros.
Music supervisors generally prefer to deal with the publishing house… and can you blame them? I wouldn’t want to deal with the artist either, because this is about an end result, not the art. When a publisher has lunch with a music supervisor, They will bring a hard drive with hundreds of music pieces on it to give to the supervisor. If the supervisor uses this music, the publisher-and I- make money. This is called “back end”.
Rarely does anyone pay me up front for music – if it gets used on a show, 9 months later it’s on my SOCAN statement on payday. If you consider that the average reality show uses 70 + music cues per show, it would be impossible to meet with the artist for each of these. Supervisors have to get all their music from 2 or 3 publishers in order to meet show deadlines.
Does location matter to getting a deal in the digital world?
Years ago I would have answered that it doesn’t matter where you live, but I actually think that it does. Or at least that it very much CAN. I think that in music (in my experiences anyway) your path to success is not linear; if you work very hard PLUS you ran into that guy you did a great job for PLUS you impressed a production company in town etc. etc.
All of these things can seem like a combination of your knowledge and work ethic, but also some random coincidence opportunities that very much would or wouldn’t happen because of where you live. Let’s put it this way: it’s better to live where there is something going on than somewhere nothing’s happening. This alone CAN increase your opportunities.
To me, nothing replaces face-to-face. The internet is a great tool – I transfer files daily – but making a good impression is a forgotten skill I think. When I went down to L.A. to meet my publisher, I know that buying some drinks and talking about the business left a better impression on him than an email ever would.
How has the music licensing world changed in the last 5 years?
I think the main way licensing has changed in the last 5 years is the amount of cues being used in shows. It’s pretty much doubled or tripled. In today’s economy, reality shows are common because they’re cheap. They don’t have to pay Friends stars millions per episode, they don’t really need a traditional “script”… all they need is a small shooting crew, and some editors, and a ton of music that tells the audience how they’re supposed to feel. They can’t afford to license popular songs (and they don’t need to) so I’d say that it’s prime time right now for licensing music, more than ever.
What advice would you give aspiring musicians wanting to make a go of music licensing?
Make sure everything you write is registered with SOCAN (*this is in Canada, ASCAP and BMI in the U.S, other countries will have their own). Embrace your strengths, and showcase them. Watch the shows you aspire to have your music on, taking note of everything from instrumentation and style to chord progressions to how quick the songs reveal their “hook”, etc. and emulate those a little bit. Keep in mind I’m talking about writing instrumental music for tv.
If your aim is to get placements with your vocal songs, there are two ways to see things: If these songs are your artistic pride and joy that weren’t written to make tv money but were written as your personal art, consider getting a membership at TAXI – a huge agency that sends out publishing opportunities daily – from record labels to tv placements to tv commercials, etc. for all types of music.
If you’re writing vocal songs for placement on shows, know that it is very rare – but possible – for an unknown vocal song to be featured on a show, but you should still do what we all do – a demo, LinkedIn, a webpage, a TAXI membership, check out great blogs like this one, knock on all doors, and be willing to wake up before and go to bed after everyone else.
Follow Steve on LinkedIN
Is Burma’s Government Involved in Ethnic Cleansing?
The last couple of weeks have been filled with mixed news for the Burmese government. On the bright side, the European Union decided to permanently lift sanctions against the country and deeper trade ties with the United States were announced—both moves likely to result in more foreign investment and lucrative business deals. Shortly after, President Thein Sein received a peace prize from a prominent NGO for his role in promoting internal reforms.
However, on the negative side, state agencies were accused of complicity in ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Two things that don’t really sound that worthy of a peace prize and raise serious questions about the ethics of the West’s increasingly cozy relationship with Burma.
These allegations are outlined in a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in connection with two outbreaks of violence last year. In these attacks, the ethnic Rohingya Muslim community and other Burmese Muslims were attacked by government forces and mobs of local Buddhists. The violence, which took place in Burma’s western Rakhine state last June and October, left scores dead and more than100,000 displaced, most of whom have been crammed into IDP (internally displaced person) camps.
After recently returning from the site of last year’s violence myself, the new report makes for essential reading. It documents many allegations that fit exactly with the testimony of witnesses I’d met around Sittwe, the capital of the afflicted region. It also cites evidence of open support from local political parties and religious groups for targeted attacks on the Rohingya minority—some calling directly for ethnic cleansing.
The report also mentions another incident, one in which 18 half-naked dead bodies were dumped by security forces in a Rohingya displacement camp. Subsequently, the police ordered local residents to bury the dead in a mass grave.
Locals who saw the body pile before it was buried took photographs, which I managed to obtain. The images, most of which are too graphic to display without some kind of censorship, show corpses with a series of horrific wounds to their heads and bodies; in one case a man’s face is sliced almost into three parts. Another photo shows a dead child with a bloodied head lying next to a body bag crowded with maggots. Others have their hands attached to objects that they’d presumably been tied to while being executed.
Since the beginning of the settlement enterprise, Israel has not constructed advanced regional wastewater treatment plants in the West Bank settlements as it has done inside Israel. Only 81 of the 121 settlements are connected to wastewater treatment facilities, and even these are outdated, frequently malfunction and shut down, and are not able to treat the necessary amount of sewage. Of the 17.5 million cubic meters of wastewater created annually by the settlements, 5.5 mcm flow as raw sewage into West Bank streams and riverbeds. The Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection has failed to take serious enforcement actions against settlements.
[…]
The first victims of the neglect of wastewater treatment are Palestinians, primarily residents of small towns and villages, who depend on water from natural sources - springs and wells - whose pollution causes disease and harms crops. Because settlements are generally at higher altitudes, their untreated wastewater flows down to nearby Palestinian communities.
Photograph: A Palestinian farmer checks his destroyed crop as raw sewage from the illegal Jewish settlement of Elon Moreh flows through his olive grove, close to the Palestinian village of Deir al-Hatab in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, October 26, 2010. The Israeli army regular denies residents access to the grove for ‘security reasons’, despite the land and all surrounding areas belonging to Palestinians. The residents discovered thousands of destroyed olive trees on this rare occasion that they were allowed to enter their own farmland. (Getty Images)
Wahhhh?
- 56 Yemeni nationals are still incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay after being cleared for transfer back home, thanks to a suspension of transfer to Yemen following the failed 2009 Christmas Day bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253.
- 86 detainees currently await transfer out of Guantanamo Bay…
This is so fucked. Forced feeding?! To continue what? Adding to GDP?
Bob Studio | http://bobstudio.gr
“The 1st football tournament for this season took place in Bob Studio in October. The enthused participants of the “Super Beer Tournament” had the chance to enjoy great homemade beer and 5 hours of pure sportsmanship. A special packaging was prepared for the event: 100 screen-printed glass jars and additional material, like t-shirts and posters, that the participants took home with them. The Super Beer was brewed and bottled in Zafir Beer home brewery.”
Bob is an independent design studio based in Athens and London that works across a wide range of design applications, such as graphic design, typography and illustration. From book, poster, packaging, product and web, to corporate identity and visual communication design. Bob studio collaborates with other designers, architects, illustrators, photographers, printers, musicians and artists.
I’m thirsty.
Co-Author of The New Rockstar Philosophy:
The New Rockstar Philosophy is a road map for starting a musical project in the Digital Age. It teaches artist how to find their identity, illuminate their originality, and communicate that to find their audience. Connecting with readers around the globe, The New Rockstar Philosophy has been recognized in Gizmodo, Music Think Tank, and Hypebot. In addition in 2011 it was published in Italy where it won the award for Best Indie Book Of The Year.
MoSo Fest Marketing + Sponsorship + Executive Committee:
MoSo is the most exciting musical movement to hit Saskatchewan for a while. A fantastic weekend of tech and bleeding edge new music. Look for MoSo Fest 2013 to be bigger and better. 60+ Bands, 3 Days, ? Secret Shows, 3 blocks! MoSo Fest 2013.
Marketing + Sponsorship + Social Media Consulting with Client Bridges:
The lessons that I've learned marketing bands, live events, and books translate well to working with businesses looking to attract a similar level of attention. Working with a team of smart motivated creative people allows Client Bridges to create inspiring stories that resonate. Using traditional and new media tools we highlight and frame what business owners do best.
Music Manager with Octopus Sound Machine:
Through my experience in live music, and my New Rockstar Philosophy education, I've developed a unique skill set. I know good music, I know good marketing, I know the ever changing modern music industry, I know how to put it all together. Working with a select group of artists, Octopus Sound Machine is creating long term sustainable careers.
Producer + Director with CODENAME: VIDEO
Codename: Video is concerned only with making videos that are of the highest quality. With each new project Codename: Video commits itself to creating an artistic expression that heightens the experience for the audience and the creator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8Z0ScFHk8s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHA2fVzrBFw
I manage the careers of creative people. Artists, musicians, writers, content creators.
Sponsorship and marketing coordinator for for MoSo Fest. A music festival July 14,15,16 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Over 50 bands in 3 days will play 7 venues all in the Broadway district.
Part of MoSo Conf, a tech festival in Saskatoon, Moso Fest is set to be a yearly event for Western Canada.
Brainstorming new ideas, talking to clients, and stacking paper are all in a days work with Ideas Club.
A fresh music industry site that offers a new perspective for musicians, songwriters, music enthusiasts.
Joomla, Adobe Fireworks, "Have you tried restarting the computer?", and client relations were all typical daily/weekly tasks.
Bandaids, campfires, sunscreen, peeling oranges, canoe trips, bus rides and gang vocals were all in a typical YMCA week.
Client Bridges is a boutique agency that helps business owners drive profitability using traditional and new tools.