"Record Store Day" Pode ter atingido o pico

Record Store Day May Have Peaked

First of all thanks o my friend Bobby Owsinski for this article.

Since 2008, Record Store Day every April has been a huge hit. In fact, many in the music industry feel that it's been a big reason for vinyl's resurgence, calling attention to a side of the business that had been essential dead and buried and has now returned to a level of surprising growth. Even though the latest Record Store Day a couple of weeks ago was proclaimed the biggest ever, there's evidence that we might've seen its peak.

One of the best things about RSD was that the small Mom & Pop record store was celebrated, but this time many of these stores refused to join in the festivities because they now feel it's been totally co-opted by the major labels.

The reason is that in order for a store to officially participate in the event, they are forced to purchase a slew of "official" new vinyl releases, which they're not able to return if unsold. This has imparted an undue financial burden upon already cash-strapped stores which many are now unwilling to take.

While many vinyl fans do look for new or re-released titles, most record stores make their living on used or early edition releases, and find that new vinyl just doesn't sell in the quantities that the labels require them to take for the event (the big indies are complicit here too).

Small indie labels and artists are also upset too, in that the major labels tie up all the vinyl pressing plants for months prior to RSD, so they're not able to have new vinyl ready for the event.

So like with so many other movements that start off with the best intentions, Record Store Day has been co-opted by big business, and as a result will soon cease to be the event that it once was. Let's hope that the indie record stores find other ways to maintain their visibility so they can still stay in business.

Apple Vai Consertar o Seu Serviço de Streaming - E Chamou Trent Reznor Para Ajudar

Apple is going to fix its music streaming service — and it has called in Trent Reznor to help

Apple is reportedly planning to release big changes to its music streaming service Apple Music in June, according to Bloomberg.

Musician Trent Reznor has been brought in to oversee a redesign of the music streaming service to make it easier to use.

One of the biggest complaints following Apple Music's launch last year was that it was difficult to use. The Telegraph called it "clunky, fussy, confusing and flawed," and BGR described it as "an embarrassing and confusing mess."

Bloomberg reports that Apple is trying to fix that in time for Apple's WWDC event in June — and Beats cofounder Trent Reznor has been called in to help.

Apple acquired headphone and software maker Beats in 2014 and turned its streaming service into what would become Apple Music. That acquisition also brought on board Nine Inch Nails musician Trent Reznor and music industry executive Jimmy Iovine.

Bloomberg reports that Iovine has played a key role at Apple. He reportedly brokered a deal with Taylor Swift to get her new album on Apple Music, and did the same for rapper Drake.

There have been a string of departures within Apple's music streaming division, and Bloomberg claims that leadership issues have caused development on Apple Music to slow down. The renewed push, which comes from Reznor, Iovine, and also Apple executive Eddy Cue, is designed to bring new customers to the service.

Uma "Startup" Futurista a ROLI Embolsou $27 Milhões de Dólares Para Avançar com os Seus Teclados

Futuristic musical instrument startup ROLI has bagged $27 million to make far-out keyboards

First of all thanks to Rob Price for this articles.

London music startup ROLI has bagged $27 million (£18.6 million) in VC money to fund its development and expansion.

ROLI is known for its high-tech keyboard-esque instruments that let users press, stroke, and gesture in novel ways to create a range of sounds. (You can watch a video of it in action below.)

Founded in 2009, the company has an A-grade list of customers, including Stevie Wonder, Hans Zimmer, Professor Green, Jamie xx, and KT Tunstall.

The new funding round is led by Foundry Group — the first time it has invested outside of the US — as well as BGF Ventures, Founders Fund, along with previous investors including Balderton Capital, Index Ventures, and Universal Music Group. The round was previously reported on by The Telegraph and The Times.

This new funding round follows on from a $12.8 million (£8.8 million) Series A round in 2014.

In an press release announcing the funding round, ROLI says the cash will go towards global expansion, with its products already available in 15 countries.

"The success of the Seaboard has shown that people want musical devices that are elegant, advanced and open to all — and as easy to use as a smartphone or tablet," CEO Roland Lamb said in a statement. "We’re thrilled to be partnering with some of the world’s most experienced investors as we revolutionize how people express themselves through music. And as we continue this journey, we are looking for everyone — from coders and makers to composers and musicians — to join the ROLI team as we change the shape of music."

Here's a video showing off the functionality of a ROLI device:

Suas Músicas "Cover" Podem Não ir Para o Stream

Your Cover Songs May Not Be Streamed

First of all thanks to my friend Bobby Owsinski

More and more, digital streaming services are either hiding or removing cover songs, sound-alikes, re-recorded songs and live performances in an effort to simply their catalogs and make it easier for users to find the song they really want.

And they have a point. Searching for a popular song sometimes turns up more than 50 choices, making it difficult to find the original that you're looking for.

The problem is that there are many unintended policies that come with this editorial decision.

For instance, it's been reported by Billboard that one service's "blacklist" of recordings that include 400 artists that range from B.B. King, Frank Sinatra, John Coltrane and Pete Seeger.

Re-records, the practice of an artist or band re-recording one of their hits so they own the recording instead of the record label, are also frequently marginalized as well, although many fans aren't all that unhappy as most prefer the original versions.

So beware if you're recording a cover song in the hopes of gaining some extra streams. While the practice may still work on YouTube, chances are your cover won't see the light of day on the other streaming services from now on.

Os Preços dos Ingressos Para Um Classic Rock Megashow

Pricing Tickets for a Classic-Rock Megashow

Calculating ticket prices for a possible October megashow is a fraught, complex science

First of all thanks for Neil Shah at neil.shah@wsj.com for this article.

How much will fans pay to see the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and three other classic-rock giants at one festival? 

The three-night megashow, also featuring the Who, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters and Neil Young, would be the first time the six acts have shared a bill. Goldenvoice, part of concert-promotion giant AEG Live, is planning the show for Oct. 7-9 at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, Calif. For more than 15 years, the venue has been home to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which caters to a younger audience with acts such as Calvin Harris, Drake and M83. 

The October festival, informally known as “Coachella for baby boomers,” isn’t a done deal. Negotiations with some artists were continuing last week, according to someone familiar with the matter. But the Who is definitely involved and the other acts are expected to confirm soon.

Demand among aging, affluent fans is expected to be high. According to bookings.com, 90% of Indio’s hotel rooms are reserved between Oct. 6 and 9.

Pricing tickets for a special event is a fraught, complex science. Hit the sweet spot and promoters stand to make millions of dollars. But miscalculating how much Boomers will pay to see historic acts of the 1960s and 1970s could mean dismal results or even losses. Artists such as the Stones and Paul McCartney don’t come cheap—and there are half-a-dozen acts, putting Goldenvoice at risk if fans don’t come. Another wild card is whether older followers are up for hanging out for three days in the dusty Southern California desert.

The Stones are arguably Goldenvoice’s biggest get. The average ticket price for the 54-year-old group, which had the 10th highest-grossing tour world-wide last year with just 14 shows, is roughly $175, according to Pollstar, a concert-industry publication. Paul McCartney is in the same ballpark, at $155. Tickets for last year’s Grateful Dead “Fare Thee Well” shows were $145 on average. By contrast, tickets for AC/DC, which topped the Coachella lineup last year, were $78 on average. Steely Dan, another Coachella 2015 headliner, fetched $105.

There appears to be an estimated 50% premium for classic-rock acts over Coachella headliners. If the just-completed Coachella charged $400 for a three-day general admission pass, “Coachella for Boomers” could ask $600 and up. 

Larry Miller, who heads the music-business program at New York University’s Steinhardt School, says it could be higher. Mr. Miller estimates Goldenvoice will pay a hefty $15 million to $18 million for its six acts. Producing the show would add another $10 million. All told, the company could require roughly $32 million to $35 million in ticket sales (not including income from merchandise, food and parking) to make a nice profit.

A big factor, given that many fans will be older, is how many tickets promoters decide to sell. Coachella’s capacity is nearly 100,000, but that’s across six stages active for much of the day and night. October’s classic-rock event will have two acts a day, one after the other, according to the Los Angeles Times, which reported the story earlier.

The audience for the October concert likely includes the parents of many Coachella-goers. Those fans probably wouldn’t want to be part of a crowd of 100,000, with protracted waits to enter and exit. An outdoor show of 40,000 makes more sense, Mr. Miller says. To hit $32 million to $35 million in revenue with 40,000 tickets, a weekend ticket would cost around $950, he estimates, without considering factors such as VIP packages. Individual-day tickets could be $385. The tickets could attract higher amounts on reselling sites. 

A lot depends on “framing” the pitch, says Pascal Courty, an economist at the University of Victoria, in British Columbia, who studies concert ticketing. Close to $1,000 for a weekend event and nearly $400 for a single day are big figures, but organizers “could get away with it [if] they can frame the value proposition in a way that makes the comparison with regular concerts difficult,” Professor Courty says. One way to justify higher prices, he says, is to make the event about more than music. There could be fine wine and food as well as art installations. Coachella this year featured Ferris-wheel rides, foodie fare such as sweet-potato tacos, a vinyl-record store and an installation by Cuban artist Alexandre Arrechea.

Fans already shell out big bucks for “legacy” acts such as the Stones. AC/DC raked in $180 million in revenue last year, making them the third-highest-grossing act, after One Direction and Taylor Swift. Coachella has been hosting more classic-rock acts, including Mr. McCartney and AC/DC. Guns N’ Roses stepped in this year, perhaps a sign of a shortage of younger headliners. 

Some Boomers could be put off by lofty ticket prices and sky-high VIP packages. One solution would be an affordable option, such as a one-day pass that doesn’t cost much more than seeing a couple of these acts in concert, ticketing experts say. 

Slavko Franca, a Rolling Stones superfan in his 60s, plans to fly to Indio in October from his home in Slovenia. He is betting on prices of more than $100 for a day pass—but he’d probably pay more.

Estudo: Escutando Música Ajuda os Bebês Desenvolver a Linguagem

Study: Listening to Music Helps Babies Develop Language

Listening to music with your baby appears to improve the child's brain function, according to new research.

Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) say that after a “series of play sessions with music,” 9-month-old babies were better at processing music and new speech sounds.

“Our study is the first in young babies to suggest that experiencing a rhythmic pattern in music can also improve the ability to detect and make predictions about rhythmic patterns in speech,” said lead author Christina Zhao, a post-doctoral researcher at I-LABS. “This means that early, engaging musical experiences can have a more global effect on cognitive skills,” she said.

The researchers said music and language are similar in that they have “strong rhythmic patterns.” The ability to distinguish sounds helps babies develop language.

“Infants experience a complex world in which sounds, lights and sensations vary constantly,” said co-author Patricia Kuhl, co-director of I-LABS. “The baby’s job is to recognize the patterns of activity and predict what’s going to happen next. Pattern perception is an important cognitive skill, and improving that ability early may have long-lasting effects on learning.”

For the study, the researchers had 39 babies participate in 12 15-minute “play sessions” with their parents. For 20 babies, the play sessions involved music, specifically “tapping out the beats in time with the music” with their parents. For 19 in the control group, there was no music and instead, they played with toy cars, and other objects.

“In both the music and control groups, we gave babies experiences that were social, required their active involvement and included body movements — these are all characteristics that we know help people learn,” Zhao said. “The key difference between the play groups was whether the babies were moving to learn a musical rhythm.”

About a week after the play sessions, the babies’ brains were monitored using magnetoencephalography to “see the precise location and timing of brain activity.”

During the brain scans, the babies listened to a “series of music and speech sounds, each played out in a rhythm that was occasionally disrupted.” During the disruptions, researchers were able to see brain activity showing the babies detected them.

Babies in the music group had “stronger brain responses” to the disruptions than babies in the control group. This, researchers say, “suggests that participation in the play sessions with music improved the infants’ ability to detect patterns in sounds.”

“Schools across our nation are decreasing music experiences for our children, saying they are too expensive,” Kuhl said. “This research reminds us that the effects of engaging in music go beyond music itself. Music experience has the potential to boost broader cognitive skills that enhance children’s abilities to detect, expect and react quickly to patterns in the world, which is highly relevant in today’s complex world.”

Here's a video about the study:

Os 10 Melhores Toca-Discos Por 100 Libras ou Menos

10 best record players for £100 or less

For many of us, a house isn’t a home without a record player. The ongoing resurgence of record labels re-pressing your favourite LPs and 45’s – vinyl sales are now at a 15-year high - as well as new releases, means there are tons of new record players on the market for affordable prices.

So whether it’s Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ or Arctic Monkeys’ AM you’re looking to spin on a new stereo, we’ve found good-value, quality sounding machines. From iTek’s USB-compatible turntable for under £40 up to Crosley’s stylish portable version, we reckon you’ll find one that fuel your record-obsessiona.

1. GPO Stylo, £38, amazon

This modern-looking, record-only stereo plays at three speeds and gives you choice of its built-in or separate speakers with an AUX output. Lightweight and featuring blue LED lights, its 1.5 watt internal-speakers sound nice - although best used with additional ones.

Buy now

2. Crosley Cruiser, £70, amazon

Want to show off your records? Then take this portable player in a retro-looking case to your mates’. Playing at three speeds, it’s Mac and PC compatible with a USB output so you’re able to make audio files of your music hoard. Models avaialble in a range of colours.

Buy now

3. Auna TT-92B Turntable Record Player, £99, amazon

This black mahogany record player is slightly bigger than the others – and louder too. With USB and AUX inputs, it can play your digital music through two front speakers or external speakers through the RCA outputs (lead bought separately). Includes a remote control. 

Buy now

4. iTek i60007 USB turntable, £50, ebay

For the vinyl-obsessed on a budget, this two speed (45 and 33 1/3 RPM), handmade wood cabinet player is a good no-frills option. It’s belt-driven like classic players with plastic speaker grills on its front side and a protective closing lid. It’s USB compatible, too.

Buy now

5. Steepletone Norwich, £75, eBay

You can ramp up the volume on this all-in-one player with stereo speakers. With its line-in/line-out sockets you’re able to play music from or through the machine and there’s a sub-woofer socket that’ll keep bass addicts happy.

Buy now

6. Encode 3 speed record player, £78, UK-Jukeboxes

Available in black or silver, the Encode 3 is a quieter than some but compact. Its USB connecting option means, like the Crosley, you can convert vinyl tracks into MP3s. It also has two RCA outputs so you can wire it up to other speakers (lead not included). Available in a package with sub-woofers if base floats your boat.

Buy now

7. PylePro Retro Belt Drive, £54, eBay

Get your vinyl and Six Music hit in one retro-looking package with this three-speed player with built-in radio. You’re able to play your MP3 and smart phone music through the 3.5mm AUX line-in, and connect to bigger external speakers with its stereo RCA outputs (lead not included).

Buy now

8. ION Duo Deck USB with tape player, £60, Maplin

Dig out those embarrassing teenage mix-tapes to listen on this portable machine that handles cassettes as well as vinyls. It’ll play records at 45 and 33 1/3 RPM and can run off AA batteries. It can also be linked to a PC or Mac and there’s a built-in speaker and headphones socket.

Buy now

9. Steepletone Chichester II/L, £100, amazon

Made of real wood, this boxy model by the respected makers is a crisp-sounding stereo with a protective lid. Though the speakers won’t blow the roof off, it features a 3.5mm line-in allowing you to play music through your iPod or phone. Also plays CDs, cassettes and AM/FM radio.

Buy now

10. ION Max LP Conversion Turntable with Stereo Speakers, £79, amazon

We like the wooden base on this three-speed model with a transparent protective lid. With only one dial – the volume – this is a sleek, straight-forward turntable with an MP3 converting option.

Buy now

Verdict:

The Crosley Cruiser is cool-looking portable record player which looks and sounds good anywhere you put it, while the ION Maxturntable sounds great while making recording vinyl to MP3s an easy process.